KNITTED PETITION
BARN DANCE
VILLAGE IN BLOOM BARN DANCE VILLAGE IN BLOOM POST OFFICES ~ SO FAR SO GOOD For the record, only six closures are proposed for West Dorset ~ Kitwhistle, near Beaminster; Fordington and Monmouth Road in Dorchester; Owermoigne (a temporary closure to be made permanent); West Bay; and Buckland Newton, which will become an outreach centre. Uplyme and Raymonds Hill in Devon serve Dorset communities and are not on the Devon list of proposed closures. All in all, we've come off quite lightly.
This isn't quite the end of the story. What was published on 15 July was a set of proposals: the final statement comes out in mid-September, and that should confirm the good news for our two villages. ~ unless some other community where the Post Office is marked for closure puts up a fight for their branch to be taken off the list: but that community would have to have a fantastic case for staying open before Abbotsbury or Portesham would come back into contention, and the informed insider view is that our two branches are over 99% safe.
It will pay us to stay alert for some time yet. The contract for the Post Office card account is still being negotiated, and in 2009, all mail services will be opened to competition in the way that business services have been opened up since 1997. When our MP wrote to the public meeting in April, he noted that "I do not believe that this present round of closures will be, by any means, the end of the process." In short ~ so far so good, but keep our eyes and ears open.
Nigel Melville
June - July: Village in Bloom April: Oxfam's Blanket Project April, '08: Post Office closures April, '08: Visit to the Sub Tropical Gardens March, '08: Traffic March, '08: Bulk Oil Purchase Feb, '08: Police visit to pre-school playgroup January, '08: Abbotsbury Residents Corps sings Doors were flung wide revealing families, several with babes in blankets. Was it our lusty singing that transfixed the children, or could it have been the flashing antlers? Afterwards a jolly interlude in Strangways Hall , with three poems read by Emma, Lauren and Eric, mulled wine, hot fruit punch and mince pies. Then more singing for ourselves, hurrah, with extra musical forces provided by Jean on her squeezebox, and Bec and Tito on their violins. This was A R C’s first project – more to come in 2008. We hope everyone had love and joy and a merry Christmas, and we wish you a Happy New Year. Barbara Laurie 
The Village in Bloom competition seemed to inspire people to spruce ip their window boxes. Th village looked very gay for the holiday season. James Foster-Pegg, a director of Poundbury Gardens who sponsored the prizes, toured the village and chose our three winners. Far left: Pat Arnold won first prize - a voucher for £75 - and with James. Right hand picture: the Old School House won second prize and Andy King, of 4 Grove Rd. won 3rd.
We held a barn dance in Portesham Village Hall on Sept 27. A two course meal and an evening's bopping for £10 attracted a good crowd who danced until (some of them) dropped. It was really good fun. There used to be regular dances but in recent years thay have died out. We hope to revive the tradition.
The Village in Bloom competition seemed to inspire people to spruce ip their window boxes. Th village looked very gay for the holiday season. James Foster-Pegg, a director of Poundbury Gardens who sponsored the prizes, toured the village and chose our three winners. Far left: Pat Arnold won first prize - a voucher for £75 - and with James. Right hand picture: the Old School House won second prize and Andy King, of 4 Grove Rd. won 3rd.
By the time this is published, the news will be all round the villages that the Abbotsbury and Portesham Post Offices are not on the list of proposed closures. So, it's a victory, and we should all be relieved ~ and many thanks to everyone who sent in one of the postcards that the Council's "task force" distributed last month.
It's great to see more tubs and baskets appearing in the village every day. Don't forget to put yours out in time for our competition for the best tubs and hanging baskets visible from the street. Entry is free and anyone with tubs or baskets outside will automatically qualify.
Judging:
* on the basis of design: colour, shape and interest, "quality" not just quantity
* by a representative from Poundbury Gardens
* our mystery judge will be in the village some time between July 7th and 20th
* winners will be announced and celebrated at the ARC meeting July 23rd
The competition is sponsored by Poundbury Gardens who have generously donated the prizes:
1st Prize: £75 in garden vouchers
2nd Prize: £50 in garden vouchers
3rd Prize: £25 in garden vouchers
Together lets make the village a colourful and interesting place to be this summer!
Oxfam have a project to get people to knit enough 9" squares to make a blanket 150 yards on each side. Each square represents a mother who died in childbirth in the last 6 months for lack of basic care
There is a real risk that the Post Offices in both Portesham and Abbotsbury may be closed.
The proposals for Dorset are being prepared at this moment, and will be published on 15 July. From that date, we have until the start of September to make our comments. Given the percentage of local branches that are being proposed for closure elsewhere, and the criterion that rural people should be within 3 miles of a local post office, one or other of the Abbotsbury or Portesham branches are vulnerable.
The District and County Councils are working together to reduce the potential harm done to rural life if these "community hubs" are removed, and a well-attended meeting in Portesham recently called for a local task force to prepare an argument for keeping - if possible - both the local branches open. Much can be done before the consultation paper's proposals are published, and as many people as possible should also be writing to point out the practical difficulties that will affect local individuals and businesses.
If you want to make your views known, write to:
National Consultation Team,
Post Office Ltd
FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM
or email: consultation@postoffice.co.uk
ARC is registered with the national campaign run by Communities Against Post Office Closures (CAPOC) and there is a mass of useful information and advice on their website ~
www.postofficeclosures.org.uk
Our MP is firmly behind us on this.
Whatever you write, be cool-headed and practical, not emotional !
ARC arranged and paid for a trip to the Sub Tropical Gardens for a party of over-75s in the village. Age Concern provided a community bus and they had tea and scones in the restaurant. Sue Melville, the organiser, said: "It was a lovely sunny afternoon, the gardens looked splendid and a good time was had by all.".
Death This is what we don't like about traffic on the coast road: there are far too many pathetic bunches of flowers on the fences and in the hedges, where someone's child has died. This is the latest, at the big layby at the top of the hill. The tulips are still fresh but the name has already washed off the card. The coast road is far too dangerous: we welcome initiatives by Dorset County Council and the Police to make it safer.
Everett Kohberger of ARC's Traffic group is at work on a survey of traffic volumes and speeds through the village. Some years ago DCC estimated that 2 million vehicles a year passed through Abbotsbury - Everett's preliminary figures look as if it's now more like 3M a year.
Bulk oil purchase scheme is launched with an article in the Chesil Magazine and a letter drop. It should show substantial savings to those taking part. If you are interested, there is a form in the magazine or online here.
PCSO's Sarah Pilcher (left) and Jacqi Allen brought traffic mayhem (in a nice way) to Chesil Bank pre-School in Abbotsbury on 29 Feb. The children learnt how to cross the road, using traffic lights that worked, a zebra crossing and not to cross till the green man appeared.
"Since more than 2 million cars a year pass through Abbotsbury a year, crossing the road safely is a very important skill." said Jane Burton, the ARC member who organised the morning. "We hope to repeat this every year."
Photo © Dorset Echo
About forty of us wassailed around Abbotsbury on the 14th December, led by Shirley, with Bec fluting and Tito fiddling merrily. We were accompanied by three wise persons: Pam the Vicar, Santa Claus and Sarah Pilcher, our Community Police Woman.