Articles submitted for publication in Parish Newsletters since: March '99 | February '01 | February '02 | February '03The following article was prepared for publication in the December 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. A new Website for South Wiltshire - www.SouthWilts.comCentral Government is
determined that the power of the Internet will be felt in
all corners of the United Kingdom. SouthWilts.com
is the result of £46,000 of taxpayers' money being spent
in Wiltshire. Only 456 days to go!!On Wednesday 1st January
2003 there will be 456 days until Thursday 1st April 2004
when Defence Estates South West are scheduled to hand
over the Defence Munitions Dean Hill site to a new owner.
All to often, large sites like Dean Hill end up being
acquired by entrepreneurial entities who may not be able
to deliver the promised development and benefit to the
surrounding area in a reasonable time scale. Without
maintenance, sites deteriorate fast and the impact on the
surrounding area can be dramatic. We're used to the
comfort of the lights at night along Dean Hill, the MoD
police patrols and the daily activity. It's three months
since the decision to close the depot was taken. There
may not have been a great deal of local employment but
closure will mean the loss of a £2m turnover. What can
be done with the Dean Hill site that will produce £10,000
worth of revenue for each of 200 days in a year? The following article was prepared for publication in the November 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. Dean Hill....... overlooking the Valley of the River Dun.On December 10th, 1997,
the Ministry of Defence announced the successful bidder
for the purchase of the former RNAD Trecwn, in
Pembrokeshire. This followed a formal tender when a
number of bids for the site were submitted. The
successful purchaser was Omega Pacific Ltd, who hoped to
create between 450 - 500 jobs on the site over the
following five years. Trecwn was of a similar
specification to the Defence Munitions Dean Hill site,
although much bigger. Nevertheless, it may well prove
interesting to discover how the local communities
accommodated the change of ownership. Parish Council MeetingsThe next meeting of West
Dean Parish Council is scheduled for Tuesday, 3rd
December in King George's Hall. The following article was prepared for publication in the October 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. Parish Councils.........Are you concerned about
the 'way of life' within your community? Do you wish that
you could 'make a difference' to evolution? Could you
spare a small amount of time each year to resolve local
affairs? Parish Council Elections are scheduled for next
May and PCs now operate under 'rules' similar to other
tiers of government. Whether you have ambitions for a
career in politics or just wants to be aware of what's 'going
on', a community needs individuals prepared to be
involved with the 'first rung of the government ladder'. Parish Council MeetingsThe next meeting of West
Dean Parish Council is scheduled for Tuesday, 3rd
December in King George's Hall. The following article was prepared for publication in the September 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. After the Bombs have Gone.........With the MoD depot at Dean Hill facing closure by April 2004, life along the Valley of the River Dun can be expected to experience some significant changes in the years ahead. No doubt there will be many ideas for putting the large magazines under the hill to good use. Perhaps a museum or maybe storage for a variety of objects. Ultimately, the site will be sold and the new owner/s will be deciding the future. For over sixty years the MoD has exerted its influence over the lives of people living in the immediate area. A villager can clearly remember the indignation felt when the land was requisitioned and access denied for local people. Then, of course, the war effort took priority and over time the depot has become an accepted part of village life. Future changes could be equally dramatic. Lifelong Learning Partnership at West DeanSalisbury College's mobile computer-training unit was particularly well received in West Dean on Thursday, 11th July. Even the most senior citizen in West Dean became engrossed in the movement of a computer mouse! Photos published at www.sp5.org/ict Parish Council MeetingsThe next meeting of West
Dean Parish Council is scheduled for Tuesday, 10th
September in King George's Hall. The Agenda will be
posted on the notice boards and at www.sp5.org/wdpc no later than 6th September. Parish Council AuditsAlso displayed are the full notices of the Parish Council Audits for y/e 31st March 2002. The accounts and all related documents are available for inspection, by appointment, between Monday, 2nd and Saturday 21st September. The following article was prepared for publication in the July/August 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. 'Information should be a right and not a privilege'I imagine that the above statement is something of an oxymoron. Access to information should always be a privilege whether by law, right or monetary payment. Like many publications, advertising funds the Dun Valley News, however, editorial control rests firmly with the Church. With Ken Chapman's retirement, a replacement will not easily be found. Last month's attempt to demonstrate how electronic media might be employed to aid communication has failed to attract a single visitor! The main problem with the Internet is that there is just so much information - surfers are spoilt for choice. Visit www.sp5.org/dvn and be reminded of Lois' message delivered in the February 2000 edition of the DVN. Lifelong Learning Partnership - July schedule for SP5Salisbury College's mobile computer-training unit will visit Alderbury on Tuesday, 9th July, returning again on the Wednesday and visiting West Dean on Thursday, 11th July. The unit will be sited within close proximity to the Village Halls so visitors will have access to facilities. The venue for Friday, 12th July has yet to be decided but could be Winterslow, Whiteparish or Odstock Village depending on site availability and demand. The objective is to assess the practicality of organising future visits. Express your interest to Greg Newman by email to greg.newman@salisbury.ac.uk or call 01722 344 344. Call Tina West on 01722 344 292 or leave a message. All are welcome to come. No cost! www.sp5.org.uk/ict. Full details will also be published on the Village notice boards Best Kept Village Competition 2002West Dean has been awarded winning marks in the small village category of the South Wiltshire district round. The County round will be judged in early to mid July. As a winner in the district round, West Dean is eligible to compete for the Wiltshire nomination to the Village of the Year Competition. The Judges will be looking for 'Well balanced, pro-active, caring village communities, which, irrespective of size, have made the best of local opportunities to maintain and enhance the quality of life for all inhabitants'. www.villageoftheyear.org. Parish Council MeetingThe next meeting of Grimstead Parish Council is scheduled for Monday, 1st July in West Grimstead Village Hall. The Agenda will be posted on the notice boards and at http://sp5.org/gpc/ no later than 27th June. The next meeting of West Dean Parish Council is scheduled for Tuesday, 10th September in King George's Hall. The Agenda will be posted on the notice boards and at http://sp5.org/wdpc/ no later than 6th September. The following article was prepared for publication in the June 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. Information should be a right and not a privilegeThanks to Ken Chapman, the Dun Valley News has kept local people informed for the past three years. With his imminent retirement this might be an opportune moment to experiment with electronic media. Try logging on to http://sp5.org/dvn/ and test the format. Also, visit http://www.suttonveny.co.uk for an example. Lifelong Learning PartnershipThe mobile computer-training unit built for Salisbury College and funded by Central Government is now operational and will be visiting the Dun Valley from 8th to 12th July. See the next edition of the Dun Valley News for details and locations. http://sp5.org/ict/ South Wiltshire Agenda 21 ForumThe meeting at the City Hall on 15th May was well attended and the presentations about Village Design Statements from Downton and Grimstead were impressive. The next meeting is on 23rd October. Mid-Thorngate SocietyThe next meeting is at Mike and Judy Smales' Lyburn Farm at Landford on 19th June - Diversification in Farming - 7:00pm www.lyburncheese.co.uk Parish Council MeetingThe next meeting of Grimstead Parish Council is scheduled for Monday, 1st July in West Grimstead Village Hall. The Agenda will be posted on the notice boards and at http://sp5.org/gpc/ no later than 27th June. The following article was prepared for publication in the May 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. South Wiltshire Economic Partnership (SWEP)SWEP is an initiative aimed at providing support for local businesses by holding regular seminars in Salisbury to help create 'networking' opportunities. Visitors to the Website at http://swep.a-better-business.com/business_centre.htm can quickly obtain the latest local business news and schedule of events. There is also ample opportunity to discuss with other members subjects as diverse as tourism, training and recruitment. Community WebThere has been little time
to produce a full report of the Community Web event in
West Dean on 9th March and only one short video clip has
been posted to the Website at http://sp5.org/theparish/ Wiltshire and Swindon Pathfinder ProjectWebsites at www.wiltshireandswindon.net and www.marlborough-info.net reveal the result of this Central Government funded project. There is also a Website at www.swaap.co.uk designed to help people with severe financial problems(?) Parish Council MeetingsThe Annual meeting of
Grimstead Parish Council is scheduled for Monday, 20th
May in East Grimstead Reading Room. The Agenda will be
posted on the notice boards and at http://sp5.org/gpc/ no later than 16th May. The Annual
Parish Meeting will be repeated for the benefit of
East Grimstead parishioners before this meeting. Home Produce Stall at West Dean Fête on Saturday, 8th JuneWANTED: Home-made and home-grown
produce - Jam, Honey, Preserves, Fruit, Vegetables, Cut
Flowers, Bread, Biscuits, Pies, etc. Village Design Statement for GrimsteadThe VDS committee will be holding an open day at West Grimstead Village Hall on Sunday, 28th April, 10:00am to 5:30pm. There will be a presentation at 3:30pm. Federation of Small BusinessesBusiness networking
opportunity for members and guests: 6:30pm on Friday, 3rd
May at Salisbury and South Wilts Golf Club. The following article was prepared for publication in the April 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. Community Web evolves to the next level!The Community Web event in
King George's Hall, West Dean on Saturday, 9th March 2002
attracted twelve attendees including Test Valley Borough
Councillor, Neville Whiteley and Salisbury District
Council Policy Director, David Neudegg. The meeting got
underway at 10:20am with Bob Bradshaw, Grants
Administrator at Community First explaining in great
detail how the Millennium Commission is distributing
lottery funds. Jackie Calderwood was able to explain how
she became the first person in Wiltshire to receive a
Community Innovator Millennium Award and with her
daughter was able to use her equipment to make a video
record of the day's discussions. Selective Video clips
will be available on theParish.net Website by the time
this magazine is published. Parish Council MeetingsThe next meeting of
Grimstead Parish Council is scheduled for Monday, 15th
April in the Village Hall at West Grimstead. The Agenda
will be posted on the notice boards and at http://sp5.org/gpc/ no later than 11th April.
The Annual Parish Meeting will precede this
meeting. The following article was prepared for publication in the March 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. Community WebThe event scheduled to
start at 10:00am in King George's Hall, West Dean on
Saturday, 9th March 2002, will be finished by 12:30pm
enabling visitors the opportunity to enjoy the
hospitality of the area. The Old Brewers (tel: 01794
341596) at East Dean is the nearest pub with a wide range
of beers and fresh cooked food. Bookings are advisable.
In the village of West Tytherley to the north is the
Black Horse (tel: 01794 340308). The Star Inn (tel: 01794
340225) lies to the east in the village of East Tytherley
and in Farley to the west is the Hook and Glove (tel:
01722 712247). The larger villages to the South, West,
North and East of West Dean all have Public Houses and on
the London Road further to the north there is the
Pheasant Inn (tel: 01980 862374). Parish Council MeetingsThe next meeting of
Grimstead Parish Council is scheduled for Monday, 4th
March in the Reading Room at East Grimstead. The Agenda
will be posted on the notice boards and at http://sp5.org/gpc/ no later than 28th February. The following article was prepared for publication in the February 2002 edition of the Dun Valley News. The smallest things.........In the December issue I mentioned the difference that a single character can make to the meaning of a word. The 'iota', or letter 'i', can make all the difference. Observant readers should also have noticed the misspelling of 'homoousion'.......... I'd left out the 'u'! Those with access to the Internet and http://www.google.com/ would have quickly discovered that I'm not the first person to have made this mistake.<g> Community WebReaders may be interested
to discover that Jackie Calderwood of Positive ImageWorks
has agreed to come to King George's Hall at West Dean on
Saturday, 9th March 2002 starting at 10:00am to share her
experiences of making a community video to celebrate life
in her village of Mere. She is the first local award
winner in the Community Innovators Millennium Awards
Scheme, which is run for Wiltshire by Community First.
This will be an opportunity for anyone with an idea that
could benefit their community to find out 'how to do it'
from someone who 'has done it'. Jackie's award of £2,998
helped her to make the idea a reality and has led on to
other interesting activities. Parish Council MeetingsThe next meeting of
Grimstead Parish Council is scheduled for Monday, 4th
March in the Reading Room at East Grimstead. The Agenda
will be posted on the notice boards and at http://sp5.org/gpc/ no later than 28th February. Click here for more news published in the Dun Valley News up to December 2001 Click here for more news published in the Dun Valley News up to December 2000
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