January 2001

THANKS: Mrs Audrey Norman wishes to thank her family and friends for cards and gifts received on the occasion of her 90th birthday.

THANKS: Dick and Sylvia Pidler would like to thank all those who sent cards and enquired after Dick’s health during his stay at Derriford hospital. He is still very weak but glad to be home. A happy New Year to you all.

THANKS: Beryl Crudge would like to say a big thank you to all who have shown concern and practical support since her ‘break in’. Help from family, friends and neighbours, ‘phone calls, visits and letters has been quite overwhelming. A special thanks to Mr Jennings who discovered the break in and put the appropriate measures in motion.

THANKS: Stella Burrows would like to thank all those who contributed and helped her to raise £25 for Help the Aged.

The P.C.C. of St Mary's Church in High Bickington wish to express their gratitude to all who so kindly donated to the Organ Repair Fund and in particular to the ladies of St Mary's Guild who enabled us to complete the restoration by their extreme generosity.

In February of 2001 we are intending to have an Organ Recital to celebrate its new lease of life, so keep your eyes open for further announcements about this.

Christians Together

The next Christians together is on Monday 8th January at 7.30pm. at the Meeting Point. We will be continuing our studies of “The fruit of the Spirit” with the subject of Peace.
Everyone is welcome, so please join us.

St Mary's Guild

Rosemary Munson

Sorry there was not a report in last month's Ramblings, due to unforeseen circumstances*. Our November Christmas Fayre was a great success, due to the support we received, for which we thank everyone.

Our next meeting will be on January 8th at 2 p.m. to be held at Miss Thorne's home "Parsonage". New friends are welcome.

I wish everyone a very happy and peaceful New Year.

"It was my fault – I lost the article – ed."

Thought for the Month...

Rev. Marilyn Tricker

The wise men came, following a star. All of us will enter a new year following a star - our aims, hopes or dreams for the year ahead. Some of these will indeed be wishful thinking and hopelessly optimistic; dreams that we should put aside because they will simply hinder our journey through life. Others will be goals, which with hard work and effort we may indeed achieve - like the friend of mine who wrote rejoicing that she is now a qualified chartered accountant. Our good wishes must be with those young people aiming for exam. results or other qualifications, and making decisions about their future.

There are, of course, aims which are worth working at, require much dedication and commitment, but in the end don't quite bring the hoped for results. Perhaps the dream of Pete Goss and his team, embodied in Team Phillips, is one such. So much hope and effort and time and money committed to one project - and all of that apparently lost irretrievably in the Atlantic. To pick up the pieces after such a bitter disappointment, to learn from the experience and move forward into the future, is a challenge indeed to the human mind and spirit.

The wise men followed a star - and found a very different king from the one they had expected! Their journey ended in a stable rather than a palace, and their royal gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh must have seemed totally inappropriate. Yet God was indeed present there in a very special way.

When life's twists and turns seem to tear our hopes and dreams apart, God still walks with us into the unknown future, in our successes and our failures, may we each know his peace in the coming year.

GENERAL NEWS & INFORMATION FROM DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL 1/ 2001

DEVON INFANT CLASS SIZES SMALLEST IN REGION

INFANT classes in Devon County Council schools are the smallest in the South West according to new Government figures. The average infant class size for children aged from five to seven in Devon's schools is 22.4 according to national tables from the Department for Education.
That compares with a national average of 24.5 pupils per infant class and is the smallest of any education authority in the seven South West counties apart from the Isles of Scilly.
Devon County Council has also succeeded in reducing the actual number of infant children in classes of 31 or more from 5,639 in January 1998 to just 62 in September 2000.
The authority has used extra money from the Government to allow schools to employ additional infant teachers.

TRAVELLING ON DEVON'S ROADS THIS WINTER

THIS winter Devon County Council is once again working hard to keep traffic moving as safely and smoothly as possible during freezing conditions. A round-the-clock watch for worsening weather conditions means that gritters can quickly start their 45 salting routes, covering over 1,500 miles of Devon's most heavily trafficked routes.
However, it is also important that Devon's drivers realise they have a crucial role to play in making winter roads safe.
Peter Gimber, Devon County Council's Road Safety Officer said: "Drivers can help by making sure their vehicles are fit for the challenge of bad weather. Cold starts, the need for lights, heated rear screens and demisters on full blast can quickly overwhelm a battery, especially if the subsequent journey is a short one.
"Clean windows are a must, so a good clean inside and out before setting off is a good habit to develop. Ensuring tyres have plenty of tread and are running at correct pressure can make driving safer all round.
"Cold wet roads offer much less grip than dry warm ones, especially if they are covered in dead leaves, and driving needs to be adjusted to suit the conditions. Stopping distances increase dramatically so even more room is needed up to the car in front. Two wheeled vehicles are particularly vulnerable in windy and slippery conditions and drivers should take extra care when passing them."
Devon County Council spends a considerable amount of time and money trying to reduce the dangers of snow and ice on roads. 32 sensors across the county feed road surface temperatures and other information back to the Control and Information Room at County Hall, which is manned 24 hours a day and is the nerve centre of winter maintenance operations.
When freezing conditions exist county routes are treated with rock salt from a stock of 23,000 tonnes. It is not feasible to treat the entire 7,900 mile road network and many lower category roads will not be treated.
Even treated roads need to be viewed with caution. Although the salt will prevent ice formation or melt the ice if temperatures are not too low, the surface will be wet and very cold so great care must be taken and any signs of warnings of slippery roads, bends or other hazards must be taken seriously.
Motorists can obtain further advice on winter driving in a free leaflet published by Devon County Council which is available by calling 01392 383191 or on the Devon County Council website at www.devon.gov.uk

ROAD MAINTENANCE BOOST WELCOMED BY DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL

FOLLOWING the Government's announcement of increased spending towards the maintenance of principal and non-principal roads, Councillor Margaret Rogers, Devon County Council's Executive Chairman for Environment said:
"This is a timely and welcome funding increase towards the maintenance of our road network but is only the first year of a ten year programme.
"The County Council has long been concerned about the level of funding for the maintenance of roads and this is a concern echoed by residents in Devon. The effect of low level investment in major structural work and preventative maintenance has led to major deterioration on the network.
"With responsibility for the maintenance of 7,900 miles of roads, more than any other county in England and Wales, Devon County Council has been bidding for more funds to help halt the decline in the state of our roads.
"It is pleasing that the Government has recognised the failing standards of highway conditions but only a sustained investment will make a real difference to the conditions on Devon's highways."

WISE UP TO WASTE

An average dustbin breaks down into 32 % paper and card, 30 % vegetables, 10 % glass, 9 % miscellaneous, 8% metal, 7% plastic and 4% textiles.
Devon's waste is growing by 7% and costs £30 million every year to collect and dispose of. 357,132 tons of waste is produced in Devon every year - that's about 1.29 tons per household.

Wise Up To Waste:

Think before you buy. Choose products with less packaging
Take a reusable bag when shopping. Ask the local supermarket if they supply reusable bags or boxes
Compost kitchen and garden waste
Use rechargeable batteries to save waste and money
Avoid junk mail by writing to Mail Preference Service, Freepost 22, London W1E 7EZ asking them to remove you from mailing lists
Donate unwanted clothes, shoes and bric-a-brac to a local charity
Reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled whenever possible
Buy in bulk to reduce wasteful packaging and save money
Buy low energy light bulbs and save both energy and money
Avoid disposable items like paper plates or plastic cups

Devon County Council's Wise Up To Waste campaign will be supported by leaflets, posters, advertising and Parish Council information packs. There will also be a mobile exhibition travelling across the county providing information and advice on how to Wise Up To Waste.

NEW WEB ADDRESS

The domain name of the County Council's website, Information Devon, changed from www.devon-cc.gov.uk to www.devon.gov.uk on 1 October 2000. This new, shorter address brings the County Council in line with most of their partner organisations in Devon. ‘Information Devon’ is a gateway to a variety of informations for local people or those wanting to visit the county.

DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL SHOWS COMMITMENT TO ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

A new comprehensive renewable energy website for South West England is now live on the Internet at http://www.solardevon.org.uk
The site gives information about the Solar Devon & Salzburg Project and is about renewable energy - technologies, support, services, funding, advice etc. It is hoped it will support and encourage the development of renewable energy in the South West of England. Eight Devon communities have already signed up to work with Devon County Council on this project. Devon County Council has been involved in an ALTENER Programme Project called Solar Devon & Salzburg since September 1999, with its European partner, the Institut für Raumordnung und Wohnen, who are world leaders in renewable energy.

ATHERINGTON & UMBERLEIGH WI

Judith Domleo

The December meeting was held again at the Atherington Baptist Church Hall (Umberleigh Hall is still being repaired from the floods of October). The speaker was Richard Chapman who gave an illustrated talk of Long Distance Walks in America’s National Parks including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. It was an excellent talk and we really felt that we had “been there”.

The competition for a walking stick was won by Wendy Waldon. Refreshments were served by Sharyn Walker, Susan Pasifull and Ann White. Birthday plants were presented to Jennifer D’Olley and Mair Pluckwell. Jennifer Gooding had a stall of W.I. books and gifts for members to buy. Several members enjoyed the show “SCROOGE” at Barnstaple’s Queens Theatre and also the day out to Bath where there is so much to see.

Members attended the North Devon W.I. Carol Service at Braunton and the W.I. Carol service at Exeter Cathedral which is always a good start to Christmas.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 9th, 7.30pm at Umberleigh Hall. It will be a social of fun and games with a Bring & Share Supper.

We wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

A Poem for January

From Frost at Midnight

Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether the summer clothe the general earth
With greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall
Heard only in the trances of the blast,
Or if the secret ministry of frost
Shall hang them up in silent icicles,
Quietly shining to the quiet moon.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772 – 1834)

HIGH BICKINGTON WI

Josie Maskell

Two visitors joined us for the evening at our December meeting. The quizzes at Chawleigh and Chulmleigh were much enjoyed by those taking part – we came sixth and third respectively. In spite of the atrocious weather the trip to the Carol Service at Exeter Cathedral was well attended and some Christmas shopping finished off.

Several names were put down for the sponsored ”knit-in” for the Children’s Hospice on February 21st at Jane Gibsons home. A vote was then taken for the venue for our New Year’s Dinner. We shall be going to Libbaton Golf Club on 12th January.

Before our speaker was introduced a short “pantomime with a difference” was performed by seven of our members. Now for a treat, Doreen Stevenson and her party food was introduced. In a short space of time Doreen made a wonderful assortment of goodies including coffee profiteroles, petit fours, mince pies with almond toppings, mackerel pate and spicy chicken wings with avocado dip. Just to mention some of the items she tempted us with. We were invited to help ourselves to this wonderful array of food afterwards, they tasted as good as they looked!

We were given a short time to savour and digest our lovely supper then Eva Burke had us upon our feet to do some gentle exercises to music trying hard not to get tangled up with the coloured ribbons she gave us. Hopefully we burnt off some of the calories we had just acquired! As we left the hall our President wished us all a Happy Christmas and gave us a very prettily wrapped gift.

The competition for the prettiest wrapped gift was won by our new member, Millie Finch. The flower of the month by Jean Checksfield with an oriental poppy and the raffle by Jennifer Gooding.

On January 3rd, 2001 we shall be meeting at 7.15pm in the Church Hall and will be having a craft evening so members are asked to bring any item of craft they have made at any time, to show us. Anyone wishing to join us will be made most welcome so do come along.

High Bickington Methodist News

Hazel Pearce

The annual Christingle Service took place on the first Sunday in advent. It was lovely to see the church full to share in this special family event; between 50 and 60 children collected Christingles.

Both Children’s Clubs have painted sun catchers, and decorated Christmas wooden logs and wall hangings. The 8-11’s have also made sweets.

Many thanks to Dick Pidler, Shirley Pidner and Jen Gooding who organised these craft events. Congratulations to High Bickington Primary School on their presentation of ‘Mr Men save the Day’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland.’

We are happy to report that Dick Pidler has returned home after heart by pass surgery at Plymouth. We trust that he will continue to make good progress and feel well enough to enjoy Christmas.

We wish all our readers a happy and peaceful new year.

Advent Lunches We wish to thank all those who supported us and the hard working lady providers. £120 was raised for the Childrens Hospice South West.

Readers Letters

This is a letter in answer to the article on the Little Bickington Farm Project in the December issue of Ramblings. Some people are living in a world of their own as to what we need.

We have got a Health Centre. We shall have some low-cost homes. We have a School. All we want are some public toilets and a car park. We have a village hall site for which we have paid some extra money to make the site large enough and I can tell these people that High Bickington is not a sleepy village – what a lot of witpot.
Where do they get the idea from?

We do not want houses at Little Bickington. What I say is let Mr Martin have a little to say, he is still a tenant of the farm. Do you really think you are going to be given something for nothing? Not so and I am proud to put my name to this.

M.E. Ridd, Chairman, High Bickington Parish Council

Don’t quote me

There is so much good in the worst of us,
And so much bad in the best of us,
That it hardly becomes any of us
To talk about the rest of us.

Edward Wallis Hoch 1849 – 1925

I shoot the Hippopotamus
With bullets made of platinum
Because if I use leaden one
His hide is sure to flatten ‘em.

The Devil, having nothing else to do,
Went off to tempt my Lady Poltagrue,
My lady, tempted by a private whim,
To his extreme annoyance, tempted him.

Hillaire Belloc 1870 – 1953

Here was an old owl liv’d in an oak
The more he heard, the less he spoke;
The less he spoke, the more he heard
O, if men were like that wise old bird!

I’m afraid you’ve got a bad egg, Mr. Jones,
Oh no, my Lord, I assure you! Parts of it are excellent!

Punch

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

Education is an admirable thing, but it is well to remember that from time to time that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught.

We are often told that the poor are grateful for charity. Some of them are, no doubt, but the best amongst the poor are never grateful. They are ungrateful, discontented, disobedient and rebellious. They are quite right to be so.

Oscar Wilde 1854 – 1900

Go to February 2001 issue