Happy New Year

Wishing you a Happy and Healthy 2014

from 

Don, Elspeth, Lois and Stephen

The Natland News Team

Christmas Celebrations in Natland

Sunday 22nd December. 4pm. Carols Service with traditional readings and carols.

Monday, 23rd December. 6.30. Carol Singing on the Green (in church if very wet). Come and start the festivities off with a sing along with Kendal Concert Band.

Christmas Eve.
4pm. A Christingle Service for all ages.
11.30pm. Midnight Communion.

Christmas Day.
9am. Communion Service (a quiet start to the day).
10.15am. Family Service (you could bring one of your presents to show to everyone).

Carolling Natlanders at Asda

Merry Christmas from Natland News

From: Elspeth, Don, Lois & Stephen

Parish Plan Launch Confirmed: Saturday 1 February

All Natlanders (and their friends and relations, too) are warmly invited to join members of the Parish Plan 2014 Steering Group and Natland Parish Council for the launch of the new Parish Plan for Natland on Saturday 1 February at the Village Hall. Tea, coffee and cake will be served from 2pm to 4pm. There will be displays to browse and people to ask about what’s been going on and what happens next. And also, of course, you’ll be able to put your name down for the new working groups on Traffic & Footpaths, Broadband, Community Energy and the group investigating the options for an Interpretive Panel in the village centre about the history of the parish. Please join us if you can and help us tackle some of the issues that you and other residents have raised over the past year.

Pro Nobis Concert on Sunday

A Christmas Miscellany in words and music.

Programme to include Pergolesi’s Magnificat, and music by Benjamin Britten, John Tavener, Bob Chilcott, Jonathan Dove and Clive Walkley. 

Sunday 15 December in St Mark’s at 8 pm. Admission by programme £8. 

Phone 01539 723482.

December 200 Club Winners

1st           98           D Pook

2nd          51           B Caveney

3rd           65           J Fairhurst

Christmas Coffee Morning on Saturday

Police warning on bogus callers

PCSO Martin Boak has contacted the Parish Council this week to say that the police have recently received reports of door-to-door sellers in the Sedgwick area, claiming to be under the supervision of Durham Probation Services. This is not the case and they would like us all to ring them on the non-emergency number 101 if anyone calls making this claim.

Any good photos of Natland?

At our last meeting on Monday 3 December, the Parish Plan Steering Group agreed the final text of the report on the Parish Plan, a version of which will be delivered to all households in the parish in February next year, and started to plan the Plan launch, which will take place over tea and cake in the village hall, also in February, on a date soon to be confirmed. Everyone welcome! 

We are very excited that pupils from St Mark’s School will be providing drawings for the cover of the report, once they’ve got Christmas out of the way, and also hope to have lots of lovely photographs from readers of this website to brighten up the inside pages. Please send your (digital) photographs of Natland – places and people – to lois.sparling@gmail.com  by Monday 13 January if you would like them to be considered for inclusion. (Photos must be at least 200mm across the top at 240dpi resolution for us to use them. Email and ask if you’re not sure how to do this.)

Weather Reports

John Dobson

Festive Fire Safety

Firefighters are urging households in Cumbria to put festive fire safety at the top of their Christmas list.  Statistics show the chances of dying in an accidental house fire increase by 50 per cent at Christmas as the use of candles increases, lights and decorations are on display and alcohol flows when people get into the festive spirit.
 
So to help residents have a merry but safe Christmas, Cumbria County Council’s Fire & Rescue Service is issuing hints and tips for festive fire safety.  The top tips for keeping safe from fire this Christmas are as follows:

• Ensure you have a working smoke alarm installed on all levels of your home. Test your smoke alarms weekly and never remove batteries.
• Never leave cooking unattended and avoid cooking while under the influence of alcohol. The majority of fires start in the kitchen so this is a high risk area. Always turn off kitchen appliances when you have finished cooking.
• Never leave candles unattended. Keep decorations, cards and wrapping paper away from candles, fires, lights and heaters. 
• Ensure you switch off Christmas tree and fairy lights and unplug them before you go to bed, or leave the house. Check your lights conform to the British Standard (BS EN 60598).
• Always use an RCD (residual current device) on outdoor electrical equipment. This safety device can save lives by instantly switching off the power if there is a fault and can be found in any DIY store.
• Don’t overload sockets – ensure only one plug per socket. Always turn off plugs when they are not in use, except those that are designed to be left on, like freezers.
• When dry, real Christmas trees can take less than a minute to completely invelop a room in fire so it’s essential people with real trees ensure that they keep the tree in a suitable stand that can be kept topped up with water.
• Always use a fire guard on a real open fire to protect against flying sparks and hot embers. Also make sure embers are properly out before going to bed.
• Make sure cigarettes are extinguished properly and never smoke in bed. Put it out, right out.
• Check on older relatives and neighbours this Christmas to ensure their safety at this time of year.
• In the event of fire - get out, stay out and call 999.

Christmas is a time of year for relaxing and spending time with friends and family but it can easily turn to tragedy if potential fire hazards are ignored.  Just taking a few basic, common-sense precautions, is all that's needed though to drastically reduce the fire risk and ensure the festive season passes off safely.”

By targeting resources at fire prevention, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service has brought about a major reduction in fire incidents across Cumbria in the last six years. In that time the number of fire incidents in the county has been reduced by 34 per cent and fire-related injuries by 69 per cent.

As a result, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service is currently consulting on proposals for better reflecting current risk patterns and shaping the service to the dangers that actually exist.  To have a say on the Fire Service budget proposals, and others within the council’s public consultation, visit www.cumbria.gov.uk/ourfuture or pick up a copy of the consultation document available in local libraries and other public buildings.

Valerie Ayre (Cumbria Fire & Rescue, Administrator, Cumbria)

Fuel Oil Theft

Police are investigating the theft of fuel oil from an address in Crosthwaite which has taken place in the last three weeks, whereby the fuel has been syphoned from an insecure tank at the property. Anyone with any information relating to this or any other suspicious incident or vehicles is requested to contact Police on the 101 non emergency telephone number, information can also be passed anonymously via the Crimestoppers number 0800 555 111

We would also remind everyone to check their security measures and where possible keep items locked away and out of sight.   

Martin Boak (Police, PCSO, Kendal (S))

St. Mark's Church December Parish News

The church magazine can be downloaded by clicking here. It contains details of all the Christmas events - one for virtually every day until Christmas day itself!

Natland Parish Profile

Statistics for Natland from the 2011 census and other sources have been compared with those for the rest of England and Cumbria in a report produced by Action with Communities in Rural England. Click on this link to find out how we compare in average age, education or employment.

Parish Council Meeting Minutes

To the view minutes of the Natland Parish Council meeting held on Monday 25^th November 2013 please follow link to MINUTES

MEGA MONDAY

Internet sales are set to peak on Mega Monday, the busiest online shopping day, and Cumbria Trading Standards and Crimestoppers are warning festive consumers of the dangers of buying counterfeit Christmas presents.

Online shoppers are expected to spend more than £10.8 billion this December according to analysis carried out on the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index.  More than 8,000 sites have already been identified as selling counterfeit copies of designer brands including Gucci, Adidas and Mulberry bags.  Every year UK Border Agency seizes counterfeit goods coming into the country and innocent consumers lose their hard earned cash because they purchased from dodgy websites.

Use the Brand-I website to make sure you use websites authorised to sell branded goods and don’t waste your money on buying fakes.  Visit www.brand-i.org/brands.

By following these simple tips you can keep fraudsters at bay this Christmas:
 

1. Only deal with reputable online retailers you know and trust.
2. If the goods cost over £100 consider using a Credit Card as this will give you additional protection if things go wrong but only use a credit card if you can afford the repayments.
3. Trust your instincts – if an offer looks too good to believe then there is usually a catch.
4. Ensure the payment system is secure – there should be a padlock symbol on the bottom right of the page and the website address should begin with “https”.
5. Check the URL in the web browser.  Don’t be fooled by spoof websites where the fraudsters slightly change the address.
6. Conduct a “who is“ search online which will tell you where a website is registered.  If the website is registered abroad it may be difficult or impossible to claim compensation from the seller.

Remember cheapest is not always the best!

If you believe you have been sold counterfeit goods or if you suspect an individual is selling fake items please contact in confidence or anonymously Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

For general consumer advice contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk

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Parish Council election date still in doubt

The Parish Council is continuing to press SLDC hard for an answer to when the next parish council elections are likely to be held – in an effort to save local taxpayers’ money while still giving residents the chance to have a choice about who represents them for next four years. Owing to a historic error by SLDC, our elections are out of synch with other local elections.

The currently serving parish councillors took office in 2012 but if an election were held four years on, in 2016, it would be an expensive business because it could not be held alongside any other local poll. The Council has been urging SLDC to get the Secretary of State’s approval for an election in 2014 for well over a year. It’s now only a few months away but the situation is still uncertain so the Parish Council has written to the Monitoring Officer at SLDC for reassurance that, among other things, the costs of an election in 2016, if it were necessary, would not have to be met by Natland Parish residents.

It is still hoped that an election on 22 May 2014 will be possible – in which case we will be looking for new candidates willing to stand and help supervise the implementation of the new Parish Action Plan (downloadable from the Parish Plan page of this website) at least until 2018.

Standing up for bus services

Cumbria County Council has recently published a ‘budget consultation’ document putting forward 35 cost-saving measures that it would like to make over the next three financial years. As they say ‘this is your chance to have your say’. Many of the measures are internal and administrative but one that will directly affect the lives of people in rural areas is the proposal to cut all subsidy to bus services in the County – a move that will inevitably lead to cuts in service and/or price hikes.

At the November meeting of the Parish Council, parish councillors decided to respond, as a council as as individuals, to the consultation, which closes on 20 January, by opposing these cuts – covered under Proposition 24 in the document. But it is up to everyone who cares about bus services like the 567 and 552 to take part. There are forms available in the local library, at the town hall, and on some buses (!) and there will also be a drop-in session at Asda next Monday 2 December between 11am and 2pm. If you can’t make any of these, you can fill out your questionnaire online at http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/budgetconsultation/shareyourviews.asp

New Parish Action Plan adopted!

Thank you to everyone who has helped us in the closing stages of consultation on the Natland Parish Plan 2014 Action Plan over the past month or so. It was finally submitted to the Parish Council at their November meeting last Monday and adopted unanimously.

You can now download the Action Plan – which sets out the issues you raised and the actions that the Parish Council will be taking forward, with your help, over the next few years – on the Parish Plan page of this website.

Christmas Lunch

You are invited to come along to St Mark’s Primary School on Tuesday 10th December at 1.15pm for a Christmas lunch. Be waited on by the children, enjoy a delicious meal for only £3.50 and get into the Christmas spirit by listening to carols sung by the school choir. Places are limited so to book a place, please ring Ruth Taylor on 01539 728180 or 07787 201259. This event is in partnership with St Mark’s Church and St Mark’s School.

Parish Council Meeting Monday 25th November

A meeting of the Council will be held in the Village Hall at 7.30pm

on Monday 25^th November 2013. Please follow link to AGENDA

Bogus Callers

There has been a renewed warning about bogus house-to-house callers operating in Cumbria.

It comes after householders in the Little Corby area between Carlisle and Brampton were approached on their doorsteps over the last six weeks.

The bogus callers work to a prepared script attempting to sell household goods and claiming to be on some form of ‘probation rehabilitation scheme’ on their release from prison.

It has led Cumbria Probation Trust (CPT) to join Cumbria Constabulary in reissuing a warning about the practice. Sarah Ward, Director of Operations at CPT stated emphatically that the Trust operates no such scheme:

“We want to make it completely clear to everyone that the Probation Service does not have people knocking on doors or cold-calling to sell anything to the public,” she said. "We would urge anyone receiving an approach of this kind to politely refuse to purchase anything and to contact the Police immediately."

Sergeant Tony Kirkbride of Cumbria Constabulary backed the message: "Cold callers will use a variety of stories to try and get members of the public to buy items from them and Cumbria Police always encourage residents to use caution when someone cold calls at their door.

“We would ask people not to feel pressured into agreeing to buy any items and if they have any concerns, to shut the door and ring the police.”

Police offer the following advice to help residents keep themselves, their homes and their property secure:

- Keep all doors locked even when you are at home.
- Before you answer the door check through a window or the door viewer to see who it is.
- If you have a door chain or bar, use it.
- Always ask for and check identity cards. If you are unsure phone the company from a number in a phone book or internet page.  Do not use a number on the identity card as this may be false.

The key message is -- IF IN DOUBT KEEP THEM OUT.

If you think a bogus caller has called on you, or you have any information about bogus callers in the area please report it to Cumbria Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Book Stall - St Mark's Coffee Morning 14th December

St Mark's Coffee Morning 14th December - Anne and I will be running a used book stall at this event. There is a box at the back of Church to receive these.

Thanks Mike Bagnall

South Lakeland District Council Plan 2014-19 Consultation

We are asking our partners, stakeholders and the public to share their views on our draft Council Plan which gives our priorities for the next five years and details how we hope to achieve them. The feedback will be used to finalise the Council Plan (including formatting) - which councillors will be asked to consider for approval in February 2014 – alongside the council’s budget. Council Plan

 

Please let us know what you think about South Lakeland District Council’s future direction by sending any feedback you have on the Council Plan to haveyoursay@southlakeland.gov.uk

 

The closing date for feedback is 20 December 2013.

 

Kind Regards

 

Claire Gould

Policy & Partnerships Manager

 

Emma Nichols | Community Engagement Officer (Parish Liaison Officer)

South Lakeland District Council, South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4DQ

Tel: 0845 050 4434 | Direct Tel: 01539 793268 | Email: e.nichols@southlakeland.gov.uk

Website: www.southlakeland.gov.uk

Many thanks from the Good Samaritan Orphanage, Andhra Pradesh

Here are pictures of a classroom in the new school which is being built at the Good Samaritan Orphanage in Andhra Pradesh. £612 was raised in Natland at a Curry Evening in the Village Hall last autumn, which, with £604 from church events, is being used to build the classroom. It is hoped the school will be open for juniors in July 2014.

Monday Club Meeting

Chris Payne will be the speaker today at the Monday Club in the Village Hall at 2.00. His subject will be 'Charlie's War - Tales of a First World War Conscript'.

Lantern Procession

If Natlanders venturing out yesterday evening wondered about the ethereal lights coming from the school and onto the Village Green, they were the lanterns made by schoolchildren to celebrate light on these dark winter nights. It is hoped that it will become a village tradition every November.

Remembrance Day

In Natland we now have a renovated war memorial, maintained by Natland Parish Council to commemorate those from here who died during the two World Wars.

More details of those who died in the First World War can be found by following this link. Natland Fallen. Last Sunday parishioners remembered those servicemen again at 11am in the churchyard. The children of Appletree School also commemorated those who died, some of whom had lived at Appletree when it was called St. Mark's Home.

Oxenholme Road collision was a 'fail-to-stop', say police

POLICE are investigating the three-vehicle collision which occurred at Oxenholme yesterday afternoon. 

Officers say a 42-year-old male cyclist was struck at around 12.10pm close to the Station Inn by a black hatchback car, heading towards Kendal, and a white Volkswagen Passat.

The driver of the black hatchback fled the scene.

The man was treated by paramedics before being taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary with facial injuries.

Now anyone with information about the fail-to-stop incident should contact Cumbria Constabulary on 101.                                 (From Westmorland Gazette News).

Have you made your lantern yet?

St Mark’s School will be hosting its Lighting Up the Night! soup supper, followed by a Lantern Procession round the school playing field, next Friday 15 November, from 6pm.

The event builds on the great success of last year’s event, which is about thanking God for Jesus, the Light of the World, and involves a quick Liturgy of the Light halfway through the procession. This year, the school would like as many people from the village as possible to take part.

The children have already had their lantern-making workshop, back in October, but you can get your lantern-making kit (including instructions) from the school office for only £6. Go on – you know you want to! (And if the lantern doesn’t quite turn out – you’re still very welcome without one.)

Another Successful Craft Fair

Early morning last Saturday Natland was a swarm of activity as stallholders came to set up their stalls and people came to put their precious craftwork into the exhibition at the Village Hall. There was a steady hum all day as people came to buy, to admire and to meet friends. The morning was fair, but people still came in the afternoon through thunderstorms and heavy showers. Village Hall committee members had rallied their organisations to provide cakes and raffle prizes, to move trestle tables, to man the entrance hall and the exhibition and to make sure that this, the 14th Craft Fair and Exhibition, ran smoothly. The financial reward was £729 for the Village Hall, and many thanks were expressed at the Village Hall Committee meeting last Monday to all the people who took part.

 

 The item voted as Exhibition favourite was a decoupage picture of a blue tit by Joan Hodgson.

200 Club Winners

The winners for November were

1st           98           Dennis Pook

2nd          21           Bill Caveney

3rd           94           Olive Armstrong

Stolen Vehicles

Message sent by

Mandy Coleman (Police, PCSO, Kirkby Lonsdale and Sedbergh (S))

This is a message from Cumbria Police.

Yesterday between the hours of 8am-5pm a Silver Boxer ZUCKOFF Peugeot Motorhome was stolen from Mansergh near Kirky Lonsdale. Registration number is N6 HWD.

A landrover defender Registration PL07 BFP was stolen from the Ingleton area also yesterday at around 1:45pm. The offenders were disturbed by the home owner, both described as 2 large males wearing peaked caps over their ears.

Anyone with any information please ring 101 

Jumble Sale on Saturday

Natland and Oxenholme Preschool are holding a jumble sale on Saturday 9th November, 2pm to 4.30pm in the Village Hall, Natland.

£1 entry to include a drink and a biscuit.

If you have any jumble to donate, please bring it to the Village Hall on the mornings of Friday 8th or Saturday 9th between 9am and 12pm

Parish Council Minutes

To view the minutes of Natland Parish Council held on 28th October 2013 please follow link to MINUTES

Musical Evening in the Church on Saturday

Probably the last steam train of the year.

On Saturday 9th of November northbound through Oxenholme at 11-43 will come the 45699  Galatea.                                                           Pat Williams.

Weather Statistics for October in Natland.

                                                                           2013                                 2012                         
   
Temperature at 8 am                                          10.0c                                   5.8c
Minimum temperature                                          8.8c                                    4.3c
Maximum temperature                                        12.3c                                 10.1c
                                                                  mm.          in.                    mm.         in.
Rainfall                                                     174           7.0                    153       6.1   
      
October was much warmer than last year, but similar to 2011. We had heavy rain early in the month , a dry week, then rain nearly every day in the last two weeks. Thankfully we missed the storm which hit the South.                                                     John Dobson

Coffee Morning on Thursday

Craft Fair on Saturday

Come along to admire the crafts that people round here have carefully worked for the exhibition, meet up with friends and enjoy a cup of tea and cake in the small hall, start your Christmas shopping by buying one of the individually made items from one of the stalls in the big hall, and contribute to the running of the Village Hall, all at the same time. Entrance 50p.
2nd November 10am-4pm

Police call for extra care on longer nights

The October Police Report to the Parish Council on Monday highlighted the need for greater vigilance in longer, darker nights and poor weather, as these can be used to ‘cover’ crimes. Unusually, there was a crime recorded in Natland last month – theft from tools from a joiner’s van.

Thefts from farms and outbuildings remain the key focus in the area – as well as extra policing around half term, Halloween and Bonfire Night.

We have also been asked to publicise a ‘drop-in’ event with Richard Rhodes, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria, in the Westmorland Shopping Centre on Wednesday 6 November between 2pm and 4pm. There will be BBC television cameras there and a chance to meet him and discuss policing issues.

St Mark’s Fold finally adopted!

To general relief and amazement, parish councillors at the October council meeting finally received notice from Cumbria County Council that St Mark’s Fold has been ‘adopted’. Adoption means that the Highways department of CCC has taken responsibility for maintenance of such things as street lights and also the Sedgwick Road footway (and its hedge pruning) which was part of the same development.

The Council has been lobbying for many years for this to take place, writing letters regularly to the relevant CCC officers and even summoning them to attend meetings to explain the reason for the delay.

Computer Virus

Message from Cumbria Constabulary and Cumbria Trading Standards

Cumbria Police and Trading Standards are reminding residents to beware of a computer virus which causes your computer "to freeze" and then an official looking message appears on your screen.  The message purports to be from the Police or Serious Crime Agency and implies that the computer has been used to view illegal sites or used for illegal activity such as pornography or money laundering.  The message states that you must pay £100 fine to unlock your computer.

Similar previous scams have purported to come from the Metropolitan British Police, West Yorkshire Police and Cheshire Constabulary.  The message mentions a number of ways to pay the fine, including by UKASH voucher, Payzone, E Pay logo and Pay Day Safe Card.  It contains authentic looking logos and a picture of HRH The Queen.

It is important to ensure that you have "malware protection" in order to reduce the risk of computer being infected.  Never respond to unsolicited emails or messages that ask for payment or bank account details.  Use only trusted websites and make sure your web browser is up to date.

Report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or report it online at www.actionfraud.police.uk

For general consumer advice on this or any other matter please contact Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk

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Natland Mill Beck RSPB Evening

Free advice at the Birdcage this Saturday

Police, along with partner agencies, are holding a pop-up, one-stop community advice centre at the Birdcage in Kendal this Saturday (26 October) - and you can get your bicycle securely marked by the police for free, too.

Police officers along with representatives from the Trading Standards, Cumbria Fire and Rescue, Young Cumbria and South Lakes District Council will be at the Kendal Birdcage between 10am and 2pm.

Police Inspector Latham said: “It is the ideal opportunity for members of the community to discuss any issue with us, from Halloween and Bonfire night concerns, to crime prevention and personal safety. Please don’t think that your issue is too minor to bother us with. Just come along and have a chat.”

Wedding in Natland

Simon Walker and Nicola Watkinson were married at St. Mark's Church on Saturday 12th October. Nicola is the daughter of Roy and Joyce of Abbey Gardens, sister of David and Andrew and Rachel. The reception was held at Abbey House Hotel, Barrow and the couple are now on their honeymoon cruise.

Fireworks

MESSAGE FROM CUMBRIA TRADING STANDARDS AND
CUMBRIA FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service and Cumbria County Council’s Trading Standards are urging people across the county to keep themselves safe whilst they enjoy the festivities this Bonfire night.

Cumbria County Council’s Trading Standards team has also joined forces with CFRS to remind retailers to be vigilant, not sell fireworks to under 18s and to ensure counterfeit fireworks are not being sold.

Underage volunteers will be working with Trading Standards around the county to carry out test purchases for fireworks and the police are laying on extra high-visibility patrols to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.

Remember:
 

• Only buy fireworks from a legitimate retailer and check they are marked with the British Standard 7114 or marked with a 'CE'.

• If you are under 18 you can’t buy or use ‘adult’ fireworks and it’s against the law for anyone to set off fireworks between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am, except on certain occasions.

• Adult fireworks are category 2 and 3 fireworks - they don’t include things like sparklers and party poppers.
   
• The law says you must not set off or throw fireworks (including sparklers) in the street or other public places.

• You must not set off fireworks between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am.  The exceptions are: Bonfire Night, when the cut off is midnight New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year, when the cut off is 1.00 am.
   

You can only buy fireworks (including sparklers) from registered sellers for private use on these dates:

15 October to 10 November
26 to 31 December
3 days before Diwali and Chinese New Year

At other times you can only buy fireworks from licensed shops.

You can be fined up to £5,000 and/or imprisoned for 3 months for buying or using fireworks illegally.  You could also get an on-the-spot fine of £90. 

If you are concerned about young people in your area being sold fireworks illegally please contact Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

Natland Parish Council Meeting 28th October

The next meeting of Natland Parish Council is to be held on Monday 28th October 2013.  Please follow link for AGENDA

Another Steam Train heading North.

Wednesday 23rd Oct. northbound through Oxenholme 45699 Galatea, 
11-45 am.

Pat Williams.

Free help with keeping warm this winter

Two free guides to keeping warm and reducing fuel bills, specifically aimed at people in rural areas, have just been published by the charity Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE).

The Energy Efficiency Community Guide aims to help people reduce spending on fuel by using energy more efficiently in their homes. It explains how families can reduce bills by improving insulation, draught proofing and using low energy lightbulbs but also how eligible households can get help with insulation and boiler replacements through government initiatives such as Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation.

The Affordable Warmth Community Guide focuses on how communities can help households to stay warm and avoid falling into fuel poverty. It explains how the most vulnerable households can get help from the Government towards their heating bills and includes case studies of work carried out by members of the ACRE's national network of rural community councils, such as bulk oil buying schemes.

The guides can be downloaded free from the ACRE website.

Monday Club Meeting

The Monday Club will meet on Monday 21st October in the Village Hall at 2pm. The speaker will be John Fitch on the subject of Mountain Rescue. New members welcome.

Steam train heading north on Wednesday

46115 Scots Guardsman will be northbound through Oxenholme today 16th Oct. 11:45. Penrith 12:22. Carlisle 12:42.

Pat Williams

and here it is as it went through Natland.                              Martin Jayne.

Church Coffee Morning on Thursday

Support our Village Hall 200 Club!

The Village Hall 200 Club is an important fund raiser for our Village Hall. 
Members each contribute £12 a year for one number in the monthly draw.  Half of the income is paid in prizes and half goes to Village Hall funds.  Three prizes are drawn each month at the Village Hall Management Committee’s meeting so during one year each member has 36 chances to win a prize.  The amount of the prizes varies according to the number of members contributing.  This month the first prizewinner was awarded £29.10, the second £14.55 and the third £4.85.   The more members there are then the larger the prizes. 
Please join the Club and support our Village Hall.  Any queries to Midge Fairhurst tel: 01539 731727.
Application form can be downloaded here

The winners in October are:
1st           58           M Melville
2nd          88           A Tilney
3rd           31           B Evans

Lunch at St. Mark's Primary School

A harvest lunch was held in St Mark’s School on 7th October for the older residents of Natland and Oxenholme by kind invitation of Mr Peter Barfoot, Headteacher, and arranged by Mrs Ruth Taylor, Age UK Village Agent.  A school lunch of hotpot followed by apple crumble and custard and tea/coffee was enjoyed by all.  Year 6 pupils were very able waiters and waitresses and afterwards they asked the visitors about their school days in ‘olden’ times and compared those with school life today.   
It was a very happy occasion and it is hoped that this lunch club will become a
regular occurrence in school.

Craft Fair and Exhibition on November 2nd.

If you have any craft items which you would like to display, it would be lovely to see them.

We take great care of your treasures. We will have stewards on duty at all times to watch over the exhibits. Insurance  has also been taken out to cover them for the day.  Whilst on exhibition each item will have a small card (like a place card) inscribed   “Exhibited by …………..” 

For insurance reasons, we need to compile a comprehensive list beforehand, noting each item and also its value.  Therefore we are asking you to complete a form and return it to me soon so that we can get all the arrangements made.

A form to send in before the event can be downloaded here.   
Elspeth Jayne.(Craft Fair Organiser)