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ODELL VILLAGE NEWS
September 2014
WELCOME TO ODELL
We say goodbye to Tim, Nicki,
Katherine and Ann Freeman and welcome John and Sheila Weaver (pictured above)
who have moved in.
NEWS FROM THE BELL
The Bell has a new website which can be found here
Halloween Party at The Bell
Friday October 31st
Buffet £10 per person
From 6pm
Scariest Halloween Costume Competition
Best Halloween Onesie Costume Competition
Get your tickets from our bar staff now! (£10)
The Bell, Horsefair Lane, Odell, Bedford, MK43 7AU
Fete news
In late July a meeting was held in the Village Hall to
discuss the future of the fete. This was well attended by an enthusiastic group
with lots of ideas.
Generally everyone felt that the fete should continue in
broadly the same style. The possibility of allowing commercial stalls such as
jewelry makers, coffee sellers, jam and chutney makers, doughnut stall and
fairground rides (all of which have approached members of the committee over the
last few years) were rejected as it was felt that this would detract from the
uniquely old fashioned appeal of Odell fete as well as diluting the income.
It was hoped that we could continue to have the support of
the younger members of our community not only on the day of the fete but also by
perhaps getting some more involved in the planning. The idea of moving back to
having a road closure on the day and possibly having some stalls on the lane was
also suggested.
Most thought that a theme for the fete was a good idea as
long as it reflected something significant and “not just for the sake of one”.
Other ideas suggested:
· Resurrect an auction of
items and promises
· Put an article about
the fete in OVL
· Possibility of having a
“Guest Stall” each year, such as ferret racing etc
· An old fashioned
competition for adults and children: cup cakes or garden based
· Moving the dog show to
the lower part of the field to draw people into the site more
· Putting flyers through
the village doors to remind all of the date and the after-fete BBQ
· Country dance
demonstration
· More river view to
celebrate the scenery
· Tie in with other
village event such as scarecrow competition etc
· Real stocks and wet
sponges instead of ‘feed the face’
· Healthier prizes for
children instead of all sweets
Invite local clubs or groups to demonstrate (perhaps part
of a guest stall idea).
As you can see, there are lots of things to keep the fete
and fete committee busy. Let me know if you have any connections with any club,
group or school band who would like to be featured in next year’s fete and don’t
forget the date: 13th
June 2015 - looking forward to it as the fete always seems to herald summer.
Mandy Hinds
01234720414
Happy Birthday to
Christy
Vyvyan – who will
be 15 on 13th
and
Sarah
Jane Holden-Postles
who will be 11 on 19th,
And
to anyone with a birthday in September!
Round and About
Odell
Ahoy!
The
evening of the 5th August must have found Odell pretty short of people. The
reason for this? The Odell Women’s Institute annual outing! Two years ago we
had a successful evening cruising the canals around Stoke Bruerne aboard a
narrow boat – this year the W.I. hired the John Bunyan to cruise the River Ouse,
observing Bedford’s water front from the vantage point of the river.
As
the W.I. stood little chance of filling a boat of this size from membership
alone we had offered an open invitation to the village to come and join us – and
quite a lot of you did just that! We made our individual way to the Priory
Marina where the party mustered under the two flags for a 6.30 p.m. departure.
Under the circumstances it was a reasonably prompt departure at that, as we were
under way by 6.35 p.m. - having faced the perils of walking the wibbly wobbly
way! This was a series of three pontoons taking us out to the John Bunyan
mooring and as several people took to each pontoon at a time, all walking at a
different pace, it was rather like walking the cake walk at a fun fair,
producing a lot of laughter and getting us all into a merry mood.
With
43 passengers on board, the John Bunyan proceeded along the back of the island
to the town lock and out on to the Bedford water front offering a unique view of
familiar buildings. We passed the 12th century Castle Mound and the Swan Hotel,
on to the Town Bridge and County Bridge taking in Sovereigns Quay on the way. We
passed a number of rowing clubs and boat houses along this part of the route –
all new to me. After catching a glimpse of the magnificent Sikh Temple we soon
had to turn around for our return journey.
Everybody seemed to be out and about that evening. The various park gardens
were full of people either having a picnic or just lounging on the grass, whilst
others ambled by the water’s edge. Even the length of the tow path had its
ramblers. Whilst on the water we competed for space with boats of all shapes
and sizes but mainly the sculls, fours or rowing eights from the local boat
houses. It was strange to watch these racing craft travelling faster than the
John Bunyan...even the resident swans powered alongside us as though racing for
the lead.
We
returned along the river, negotiating the difficult, broadside on, turn in to
Town Lock with barely an inch to spare on either side. This time we continued
on, past the Priory Marina, to the quieter reaches of the river towards
Cardington Lock – however we did not get this far. Regretfully we had to return
to the crowded Priory Marina with the fading light, to negotiate, once again,
those bouncing pontoons.
We
really did enjoy a lovely 2 ½hours on the river aboard the John Bunyan. The
boat, described as a community boat, was only completed last year and seats
about 60 people. The crew are all volunteers and were friendly and helpful,
bringing our attention to points of interest as we passed them by. If the sound
of the chatter and laughter was anything to go by, we all had a marvellous time.
Barbara Corley
News From Odell Parish Council
The next Parish Council meeting will be in the Village
Hall, at 7.30pm, on the 22nd
September – that is one week later than usual.
More
Parish Council news to follow next month.
Peace and Quiet in the Village?
The
great attraction of living in a village is, for many people, the promise of a
relatively peaceful existence . We are lucky that Odell is on the whole very
peaceful, but recently residents in different parts of the village have
complained of excessive dog barking. While we know that it is natural and
sometimes desirable for dogs to bark, a constant barking can be very draining on
the patience and nerves of everyone around. So, on behalf of all the residents,
if you are a dog owner
please try to
ensure that your dog does not make too much noise, and so help to keep Odell
peaceful!
Ps—cats aren’t totally off the hook—there have been reports of uninvited cats
breaking and entering properties in Horsefair Lane. Please try to keep an eye
on the whereabouts of your moggies!!
Various concerned residents
W.I. News
In August we
cruised the Great Ouse on the John Bunyan, Bedford’s Community Boat with family,
friends and WI member from other Institutes. We all met at Priory Marina with
our picnics ready to go on board. It was a special evening for Barbara Corley on
her resignation from Odell WI after 32 years. Tributes were paid to her by
Karen, our President, thanking her for her great contribution to the WI both as
a loyal member of the committee and secretary for many years. She enjoyed a
very “Posh Picnic” specially prepared for her by Lynette. Mandy thanked Lynette
for arranging the boat trip and for gathering so many people together to enjoy
such a lovely outing. Our next meeting will take place on Tuesday, 9th
September at 7.30pm in Odell Village Hall when Martin Eshelby will talk about “A
Brief History of Time Keeping”. This will be an Open Meeting.
Hostesses are
Rachel Halton and Chris Devereux.
New members are always welcome and if you need any more
information please ring Karen Boyes, 327003. Ladies, just come along to the
Village Hall on the second Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm and see what we do
and how we enjoy ourselves. To find out more about the WI go to
www.theWI.org.uk or the local
Bedfordshire Federation website
www.thewi.org,uk/bedfordshire
Jane Eshelby
Borough Councillor’s Update Odell –
Borough Councillor’s Update for Odell – August 2014
Contact
your Borough Councillor Alison Foster by telephone on 07773371190 or email at
afield_foster@btinternet.com
Local Broadband Update
Little Odell is planned to get superfast broadband in Phase
3 of the Borough’s current, first, broadband project (ie in the first half of
2015). Odell village itself is identified in this project as a sub 2 Mbps area
and proposed for action to ensure a minimum of 2 Mbps. However, the Borough’s
second project (contracting process underway) will hopefully see many such areas
re-targeted for superfast broadband and it would be surprising if Odell wasn’t
one of these. We will know the geography of this second project at the final
contracting process stage early in the New Year.
Borough Broadband Update
In May the Council agreed ‘in principle’ to match fund
around £990k in funding from the Government in order to increase superfast
broadband coverage (24 Megabits per second (Mbps) or above) to 95% of properties
in the Borough. This scheme is an extension of the current partnership with BT
Openreach to extend superfast coverage to 90% of properties and ‘basic’
provision (at least 2Mbps) to all premises.
The Council has since said that the superfast extension
scheme should provide superfast speeds to in excess of 95% of properties,
meaning that many of the areas that were excluded previously could still
benefit. In addition, the grant from the Government could rise to around £1.2m
and the Council has said it will match fund this sum should it be available.
The contract should be tendered late in the summer with delivery scheduled for
2016 and 2017.
BT has admitted that its initial model which was used to
map broadband speeds in the Borough for the first scheme was not accurate in
that many areas which were said already to have the ‘basic’ provision of 2Mbps
did not in fact have access to this speed. BT is now conducting a review of the
model based on the findings from engineers in the field. For more information
visit
www.bedford.gov.uk/broadband
Bedford Hospital
You may be aware that the Bedfordshire Clinical
Commissioning Group (BCCG), which organises healthcare in the County, is
undertaking a wide-ranging review of health services. The review is a joint
exercise with the Milton Keynes CCG and it could possibly see the
reconfiguration of services at Bedford Hospital.
Ahead of a forthcoming consultation, the BCCG has reduced
the number of options for hospital care in Bedford and Milton Keynes from 14 to
5. There are concerns that the 2 favoured options will see a reduction of
services at Bedford Hospital, including no paediatric or obstetric (childbirth)
services, while Milton Keynes would retain its services. Conversely, 2 of the
other options would see a reduction of services at Milton Keynes, whilst Bedford
Hospital would retain its services.
Pre-consultation events have been taking place over the
last few months and public engagement will continue as the review moves into the
consultation phase. This will follow a report that is to be published detailing
the final options.
For more information visit:
http://www.yourhealthinbedfordshire.co.uk/
Bedford Western Bypass
Work on the second phase of the Bedford Western Bypass,
which will link the Deep Spinney roundabout at Biddenham with the A6 Paula
Radcliffe Way, could start as early as September after the Council secured
agreement with local landowners to acquire the necessary land. The Council has
also issued the relevant tender documents. The scheme will include hundreds of
new houses and a school. Once the new road is in place it is hoped that it will
significantly reduce traffic congestion in Bedford.
Black Cat Roundabout
Work started on the 26th
June as part of a £5.6m scheme to improve traffic flow at the Black Cat
roundabout by adding additional lanes and installing traffic signals. The work
is scheduled to finish in the winter.
News from Harrold Odell Country Park
There
has been a lot going on in the park through the summer and more to come this
autumn/winter if the weather plays ball. The floods over the last two winters
put paid to all our planned work programmes.
In July we were told that we’d won yet another Green Flag
Award for the excellence of our green spaces. This is the 7th
year in a row that we have achieved this and it was even more special as we were
mystery shopped rather than have judges visit at a pre-arranged date and time.
The volunteers we work with via the Friends of Harrold
Odell have made a huge contribution to the overall look and feel of the park and
we cannot thank them enough for all that they do.
In addition we have been voted top attraction in the
Bedford area by the Tripadviser website and Teazels café has been nominated as
one of the top ten cafes in the County by a local paper.
The donations you give for car parking plus revenues
generated from the sale of firewood are helping to fund a number of projects.
This September, we have got a contractor coming to create a work area around our
storage containers in the overflow car park.
We have long needed a work area away from the café to split
firewood, repair equipment etc. So this will enable us to do that. Eventually
the container area will be properly fenced and levelled to allow us to work
safely when the park is very busy.
In addition to that our volunteers are refurbishing the
bridge across the brook running into Grebe Lake. They have put new rails on the
posts and will be applying preservative to the whole thing ahead of the winter.
We have hosted a number of school visits through the year.
Activities have included pond dipping, bug hunting, willow weaving and nature
walks. Kempston Rural Lower School will be coming at the end of September to
sample these very delights. Children learn a lot from being out of the
classroom and getting hands on with their environment.
Richard’s beehives on the island have produced two crops of
honey this year. Those of you with a sweet tooth may want to sample a jar.
They are on sale in the Ranger’s Office at £4 for a large jar and £3 for a small
one.
Grebe Lake has been experiencing a particularly virulent
outbreak of blue-green algae this summer. A combination of little rainfall,
strong sunlight and nutrients washed in from the surrounding farmland have all
contributed to this. This alga is very bad news for dogs. We’ve been putting
up warning notices all-round the park and on the website urging dog owners not
to allow their pets to go in the water. Please heed these notices. If a dog
gets heavily covered in this it can prove fatal if it licks this off its fur.
Once autumn kicks in, this will subside. We will take down the notices only
when it is safe to do so.
Your parking donations are benefitting the park in other
ways. They are helping to fund training for our volunteers on the use of power
tools. Borough Council cuts have meant that core staff are taking care of work
in the whole of the Borough Estate and therefore away from the parks for periods
of time. Having trained volunteers will enable us to continue works identified
on the Management Plan.
This is the time of year when thoughts turn to stocking up
on fuel for your wood burning stoves. We sell split logs at £100 per long
wheelbase Landrover load (£60.00 for a half load), bags of hardwood sourced from
an estate just up the road from the park @ £5.50 each and packs of kindling
sticks @ £2.50 each. Enquiries to the park office on 01234 720016. We can
deliver within 10 miles of the park.
The fishing season has been a success with the best carp
weighing in at 31lb. The fishing here is never easy but when you do catch –
Wow! We recently hosted a fishing school for beginners. Everybody caught the
smaller species but the highlight was a 7.5lb bream caught by a local lad, Sean
Earl. His brother John caught the biggest quantity. Our thanks to guest coach
from Angling4Success, Matt Lee, and our own Bailiff, Paul Oliver, for helping at
this event.
In September we will begin to lose our summer migrant birds
like swallows, swifts and martins and begin to welcome the autumn ones like
fieldfares and redwings.
The hedgerow fruits have come through early this year and
there have been bumper crops of things like crab apples, blackberries and
sloes.
For those in the know, sloe gin is one of the delights to
be sampled at Christmas.
Bradley Smith with 11lb 12oz
barbel
Dates for your Diaries
Health Walks
Held every other Thursday, meeting at the café entrance at
10.30am, Leader Janet Munro: the walks last about an hour with the opportunity
to have a coffee in the café afterwards. This is a national scheme that aims to
promote greater health and wellbeing in the community and opportunities to meet
new people.
For information: Contact
janet.munro@bedford.gov.uk
or call 01234 720016
Thursday 11th
& 25th September
Thursday 9th
& 23rd October
Thursday 6th
& 20th November
Thursday 4th
& 18th December
Friends Tasks
These are held on the last Monday of the month (a week
earlier if a bank holiday). Volunteers come and carry out various tasks to
enhance the park e.g. coppicing and hedge-laying in the winter. Participants
bring a packed lunch and wear sturdy clothes and footwear. We provide gloves,
tools and refreshments. Meet at the Ranger’s Office at 10am. For further
information please call Richard Dowsett on 01234 720016 or e-mail
Richard.dowsett@bedford.gov.uk
Janet Munro, Ranger
Wheels in Motion Launch
Bedford Rural Communities Charity is launching its new
Lottery Funded community transport scheme called Wheels in Motion. The scheme
uses volunteer drivers/paid staff, and is aimed at those over 65 and disabled
people that are living in rural parts of Bedford Borough and are facing
transport barriers.
We are able to provide services in your area. The project
offers two services:
Community Car Services provided by volunteers who use their own cars to
help neighbours and others, at a variable cost depending on distances etc.
Adapted Accessible Vehicles which is primarily for those with mobility
difficulties, such as using a wheelchair, and will incur a set fare structure.
A launch party, in which potential service users will be able to meet the
professional staff and ask any questions concerning the services, will take
place at Riseley
Village Hall, Gold St., Riseley, on 2nd
October at 1pm. All welcome.
For more information contact:
Amy Baker, Community Transport Project Officer, 01234
845558, email:
amyb@bedsrcc.org.uk
Village Hall News
Upcoming events:
Village
Quiz night:
Saturday 20th September.
(7.30pm
for 8pm start)
Usual
format - Tables of 6—advisable to book in advance with Rob on email rob@odellee.fsnet.co.uk
or phone 01234 720730. As ever there will be a bar and a chance to participate
in good natured one-upmanship and showing off just how much trivia we’ve
absorbed
Dr
Busker
Saturday 11th October
The
popular Dr. Busker returns to Odell Village Hall. He is often billed as The Last
Victorian Pub Pianist, and is well known in the world of preservation and steam
rallies, at which he is a regular performer.
The original Victorian Pub Pianists would keep a steady stream of tunes and
songs flowing, while the Pub Landlord kept a steady stream of beer flowing in
the pianist's direction. Dr. Busker is keen to continue the tradition with his
wide repertoire of songs to suit all tastes, including a large number of his own
songs, accompanied with great skill on piano-forte and squeezebox.
In
his top-hat and tails, squeezebox in hand, he represents a bygone age when fizzy
lager and the motor-car were unheard of. Steam engines ruled the road, Real Ale
ruled the inns, and Britannia ruled the waves.
Ghost Stories –
Still the beating of my heart’
(Live
drama)
Saturday November 8th
Theatrical Niche,
who presented the riveting ‘Blood Wedding’ in May is back with ‘Ghost Stories
retold with Physical Theatre and terrifying Story-Telling technique! ‘ - Bram
Stoker, Edgar Allen Poe, H.G. Wells, and many more.
The Mill Theatre, Sharnbrook
www.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk
In the 450th
Anniversary year of the bard’s birth, The Mill Theatre is proud to present their
inaugural Shakespeare production.
Macbeth
- Monday 15th
– Saturday 20th
September 7.30 pm
Possibly, William Shakespeare’s darkest – and most powerful
tragedy
‘Macbeth in murder sleeps’
TICKETS: (£9 - 11) Now on sale from:
•On-line*:
www.sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk
•Sharnbrook Post Office
(in person)
•Bedford Central Box Office*
– 718112 (Tourist Information Centre, St Paul’s Sq.)
GROUPS: 781372 : 10% discount 10 + (excluding Charity nights, Friday and
Saturday).
2 wheelchair positions; easier access seating A-C; hearing
loop Rows A-E : * NB Booking fee
Forthcoming Heating and Ventilation Warm-up Appeal events welcome:
Friday 5th
September, 8pm –
At the Drop of a Hat
A special performance of spontaneous entertainment! - by
Sharnbrook Mill
Youth Improvisation Team in The Clubroom of The Mill Theatre. Just £3
on the door! Laughter is the best medicine! Bar open.
Movies at The Mill
Saturday 6th
September –
ARGO
Ticket: £5 from Sharnbrook Post
Office (in person)
Enquiries: info@sharnbrookmilltheatre.co.uk.
Bar open Tea/Coffee, Ice Creams!
Lunch @ the Mill Followed by Flower Demonstration
Wednesday 12th
November 2014, 12 noon
Raffle of Arrangements. Tickets £12.50
Please contact Brian Gale
brian.galez@tiscali.co.uk
01234 823889 or 01234 823060FORTHCOMING
‘H&V
WARM UP’ APPEAL
Diary
September
3rd
10.30am Meeting Point at Eileen Nottage’s, Heydown, High St.9th
7.30pm W.I. in Village Hall.
11th
10.30am HOCP Health Walk.
13th
10am Bike n’Hike/Open Church, All Saints’ Church.
15th
3.30pm Fusion meets at Harrold URC.
17th
10.30am Meeting Point at Jane Smith’s, Horsefair Lane.
20th
7.30pm Quiz, Village Hall.
22nd
7.30pm Parish Council meets in Village Hall.
25th
10.30am HOCP Health Walk.
27th
10am Decorate Church for Harvest.
7pm Harvest Supper,
Village Hall.
28th
10.30am Harvest Festival, All Saints’ Church.
29th
10am HOCP Conservation Tasks Day.
October
1st 10.30am Meeting
Point at Jill’s, Rectory Farm, Odell.
Magazine Deadline
Please send all entries for the
October 2014
magazine to Tricia Hudson(ed at odellbeds.net)
or Catherine Corkery by September 12th
at the latest. May we remind you that the editorial team exercises the right to
edit, shorten or alter any items that are submitted. Also, the opinions
expressed in the articles are those of the contributors and are not the
responsibility of the editorial team.
Wodehill Cheese
Wodehill Cheese — hand-made in Carlton
Wodehill Blue is a semi-soft creamy blue cheese
made with milk from Jersey cows in Carlton
Nearest stockists: Hurleys in Sharnbrook and Carlton Village Shop
www.wodehill.co.uk
Alex Stubbs Flooring
Carpets, Vinyls, Laminates, Safety Flooring, Adaptions, Refits, Repairs
Supplied and Fitted
07976 260572
01234 240954
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Last revised:
October 01, 2014.