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.