Community Link – news from the churches

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Community Link

Stoke Prior, Wychbold and Upton Warren

News of Church and Other Events from the Three Villages 

This email newsletter will be issued each month and aims to give news and reports of events in the three villages. If you want any news or notices to be included please send them by email to

Church Services

St Michael’s, Stoke Prior

September 29th 10.00 am      Team morning service – This service is for the congregations of all 9 churches in Bromsgrove parish.  It’s for everyone from Catshill, Dodford , St Godwalds, All Saints,  St John’s etc to join together in one place for a service.

October 6th 10.30 am           Holy Communion and Patronal Harvest festival (Pat Barford). This is a service for all the district Stoke Prior, Wychbold and Upton Warren. All are welcome.

October 19th 10.00 -12.00 am    Coffee morning organised by Heritage Friends Group

October 20th 5.00 pm                  Informal Service (Kate Cross)

October 27th                                   No Service

November 3rd  10.30 am             Communion ( for ALL 3 churches.) (Pat Barford)

November 10th  10.30am            Families who wish to can join the RBL service of Remembrance at Wychbold at 10.15 am

November 17th 5.00 pm              Informal service (Kate Cross)

St Michael’s, Upton Warren

October 12th 10.00 – 12.00 am    Community group coffee and cake morning

October 20th 9.00 am                  Harvest Festival Songs of Praise – Come along and choose your favourite hymns

November 9th  10.00 -12.00am   Community group coffee morning

November  17th  9.00am             Celtic morning prayer

November 30th                            Quiz night (More details to follow)

St Mary de Wyche, Wychbold

October 5th 11.00 am                   Baptism

November 10th 10.15am             Royal British Legion service of Remembrance. (time to be confirmed). This is for all 3 churches and will be lead by Rev Alison Maddox, Dean of Rural churches.

Halloween event 2nd November

In Stoke Prior Village Hall, Hanbury Road. Starting 6.00pm Dance performance (thriller) by the Dance Academy followed by food and games. Followed by a fireworks display on our field next door. Admission by ticket only. Tickets £5.  Contact  Julie Hill 07519371588 for more information or to book tickets.

Shoe Box Appeal  .. Love in a Box

Lin and June write last year we sent 93 boxes – a brilliant effort – filled with gifts for children and families in Eastern Europe who have so little. Many thanks for your generosity. For those who have seen these boxes opened they give lasting happy memories. Boxes – if required – can be found in each church with leaflets suggesting suitable items to include. Stoke Prior church will be open on Saturday 16th November 10 – 12am and 2 – 4pm to welcome your gifts. Again thank you for your kindness.

Christmas Quiz at Upton Warren

Quiz in Church Saturday 30th November – Start 6.30pm. Fish and Chip Supper before. Tickets £13.50 per person available from Coffee and cake mornings on October 12th and November 9th or from Joanna (01527861394), Helen (016527 861641) or Lyn (0789 5378884)

Parish Giving Scheme

Letter from Michelle Bovey, Chair of the District Church Council

Dear Friends,

In recent years our income has reduced for many reasons and is now substantially below our unavoidable expenditure. For example it costs £500 per month to insure all 3 churches! In order to keep our lovely churches open (and maintain our heritage) we have decided to re launch our Parish Giving Scheme to our 3 local church village communities.

The Parish Giving Scheme is a convenient way to make regular donations to support the mission and maintenance of our 3 churches. Virtually all our income comes from parishioner’s donations and fund raising. Much of the general maintenance is undertaken voluntarily by our maintenance team.

The Parish Giving Scheme also collects gift aid on donations for the parish and makes no charge to donors or the parish. Every penny donated goes into our 3 churches account.  It is very easy (and safe) to join the scheme and you can stop your donation any time if circumstances change. A leaflet about the scheme is attached to this email and printed copies are available in all 3 churches.

Please consider giving by joining the scheme so that our churches can stay open and continue their work.

Many thanks

 

Temporary road works, St Richards Close

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WORCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

PUBLIC NOTICE

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

(U42019 St Richards Close, Wychbold) (Temporary Closure) Order 2024

Proposed Order: to close that part of U42019 St Richards Close for a distance of 68 metres in a south westerly direction from its junction with U42018 St Richards Road for a distance of 70 metres in a westerly direction. Attached pdf shows the diversion route.

Reason: New Vehicle Crossing (Dropped Kerb) by WCC.

Exemptions: to permit access to any land or premises fronting the highway affected where there is no other form of access; and to allow the works to be undertaken.

Alternative route: U42019 St Richards Close, U42018 St Richards Road, and vice versa.

Maximum duration: 18 Months.  Anticipated duration: 1 day between 29 October 2024 and 1 November 2024

Thomas Pollock Head of Commercial Law (Legal & Governance) County Hall Spetchley Road Worcester

2 October 2024

 

Annual audit report

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In keeping with established procedure that requires the External Auditor to report on the parish council’s finances and governance before the 30th September each year, PKF-Littlejohn has provided notification that they are unable to complete the review within the expected timescale. They have therefore provided an interim report which is published on this website here: Accounts and Finance – Dodderhill Parish Council (dodderhill-pc.gov.uk) under the 2023/24 financial year tab.

The report is accompanied by a notice giving details of how and when to inspect the Annual Governance and Accountability Return; pdf copy attached.

 

Vacant seats on the parish council

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There are currently two vacant seats on Dodderhill Parish Council, for the Dodderhill ward.

Wychavon District Council has confirmed that a by-election will be held on Thursday 21st November, if more than two candidates are nominated to fill the vacant seats.

If only two candidates come forward, they will both be elected unopposed and no election will be needed. Whereas if three or more candidates come forward, the two candidates who poll the most votes on 21st November will be elected.

The next step in the process is publication by Wychavon District Council of the Notice of Election, which will be published on 17th October. This means that from 18th October until the close of nominations at 4pm on Friday 25th October, candidates will be able to submit their nomination forms to the Wychavon District Council offices in Pershore.

Further information about Parish Council elections for potential candidates is available on the Electoral Commission website here: Guidance for Candidates at Parish council elections in England | Electoral Commission

District Council survey

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Wychavon District Council’s residents’ survey is now open and it’s your chance to have your say on where you live, the district council’s services and some important changes to your waste and recycling collections.

A change in the law means from March 2026 the district council must provide a weekly food waste collection. They are currently preparing for this change and would like your views to help design the service.

In the survey you will be asked how likely you are to use the service and what can be done to make it easier for you to reduce and recycle your food waste.

Other questions in the survey ask what you think about the services that are provided, your views on any recent contact you have had with the district council and what you think about their website.

The survey should take at most 15 minutes to complete. If you don’t have time to complete it now, you can save your progress and come back to it later.

As a thank you for taking part, at the end you will have the chance to enter a free prize draw to win £100 to spend with an independent local business of your choice.

Every single piece of feedback received will be read and considered and used to influence the district council’s work. Your views really do matter so what are you waiting for?

Take the Wychavon Residents’ Survey now by following this link: Wychavon Residents’ Survey 2024 : Wychavon Residents’ Survey 2024 (smartsurvey.co.uk)

 

Overnight M5 maintenance 30/09/2024 to 11/10/2024

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National Highways have provided information about some upcoming maintenance on the M5.

They will be carrying out resurfacing work on the M5 between junction 4 and junction 4a and replacing the road markings at this location. This work will provide smoother journeys, as well as reducing noise for residents living nearby.

Work will take place overnight, between 10pm and 4am, from Monday 30 September 2024 to Friday 11 October 2024, Monday to Friday. To carry out the work safely, the M5 will be closed as follows:

30 September to 7 October – M5 northbound closed between junction 4a and junction 4.

8 October to 11 October – M5 southbound closed between junction 4 and junction 4a.

During closures the following fully signed diversion routes will be in place via the M42 and A38 Birmingham Road/Halesowen Road.

From 30/09/2024 to 07/10/2024, traffic will exit the M5 northbound at junction 4a to join the M42 northbound. At junction 2 (Hopwood Park Interchange) traffic will exit the M42 northbound and join the M42 southbound. At junction 1 (Forest Island) traffic will exit the M42 and join the A38 Birmingham Road/Halesowen Road. Traffic can then rejoin the M5 at junction 4 and continue their journey.

From 08/10/2024 to 11/10/2024 traffic will exit the M5 southbound at junction 4 to join the A38 Halesowen Road/Birmingham Road. Traffic will join the M42 northbound at junction 1 (Forest Island). At junction 2 (Hopwood Park Interchange) traffic will exit the M42 northbound and join the M42 southbound. Traffic can then rejoin the M5 at junction 4a and continue their journey.

During this time, access will be maintained for emergency vehicles.

Every effort will be made to ensure the impact on the local community and travelling public is kept to a minimum. National Highways always aim to work to the programme, however unforeseen circumstances or adverse weather conditions may mean changes.

Further Information

To receive updates about future work along the M5, please subscribe to National Highways’ distribution list by emailing .

If you have any questions, or if you would like to know more about the work, please call 0300 123 5000 or email .

You can also visit the website at nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/ or write to National Highways, National Traffic Operations Centre, 3 Ridgeway, Quinton Business Park, Birmingham, B32 1AF.

The Rural Beat

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The Rural Beat’ is a new publication from the Police in South Worcestershire for the benefit of the people who live, work and visit South Worcestershire. The aim is to provide information, advice and contact details to assist the community.

Included in this issue are articles on preventing car and vehicle theft, motorcycle security, safe living with dogs and children, smartwater and useful contact links.

Casual Vacancy

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A casual vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for the Parish Council, Dodderhill ward.
If by 19 September 2024 a request for an election to fill said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer at the address below by ten electors for Dodderhill Parish ward, an election will be held to fill the vacancy, otherwise it will be filled by the parish council voting to co-opt the most suitable person.
If an election is called, it will take place not later than 21 November, 2024.
The Returning Officer’s address is Vic Allison, Returning Officer, Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcs, WR10 1PT.

Road closure notice

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The Highways Authority has sent notice today of Shaw Lane road closure in Stoke Prior village. Likely to last for today and tomorrow. See attachments for details.

NOTICE OF THE CLOSURE OF C2004 SHAW LANE, DODDERHILL, WORCESTERSHIRE (“THE HIGHWAY”)

Reason for restriction: Road patching. There is a need to close the highway in the following terms:-

  1. The effect of this Notice is that no vehicle shall proceed along that part of the highway from its junction with U22002 Greenside to its junction with C2033 Westonhall Road.
  2. This provision shall continue in force for a maximum of 5 days; however, it is anticipated that it will remain in force for 2 days commencing 27 August 2024.
  3. Alternative routes: C2033 Westonhall Road, B4091 Hanbury Road, C2004 Shaw Lane (part) and vice versa

Nothing in this Notice shall prevent at any time access for pedestrians to any premises situated on or adjacent to the highway, or to any other premises accessible for pedestrians from and only from the highway.

Job vacancy – Coordinator needed

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Following the award of grant funding to improve the park’s paths, create a sensory garden and manage the community orchard in line with our biodiversity policy, Dodderhill Parish Council is now looking for someone to make it happen! Someone with a positive, can-do attitude who shares the council vision.

More information is included on the attached outline and application form and anyone who is interested is invited to call the Clerk for more information if needed.

Clerk’s contacts are: email to and phone number 01527 372548.