Music for Springtime

Could you be a local life saver?

Monday night’s Parish Council meeting welcomed two representatives from our local Community First Responders who told us all about how First Responders operate in our area, backing up the ambulance service by getting straight to 999 callers while they wait for an ambulance to arrive – doing everything from resuscitation to packing a nightie and a toothbrush for a vulnerable person on their way to hospital. Martin Smith from Endmoor & District Community First Responders and Craig Frazer who is hoping to set up a Kendal area group explained that they are looking for volunteers in the Natland and Oxenholme area to cope with an increasing number of calls. Full training is given by the North West Ambulance Service and equipment provided, although the First Responders also rely on public donations to cover their costs. For more general information go to www.nwas-responders.info and to talk to someone locally about becoming a volunteer contact Craig (craigfrazer070274@gmail.com,  07841 376705) or Martin (martin@smith-family.co.uk, 015395 67453).

Circle Dancing in March

CIRCLE DANCING

It’s easy to participate in Circle Dance. You don’t need to bring a partner and all the dances are taught. Circle dance includes dances from many folk dance traditions, especially Greece and the Balkans, and also contemporary choreographies to classical and world music. It is enjoyable exercise for both mind and body and can be energising, calming and fun. 

Beginners welcome

THURSDAYS   7.30 to 9.30 pm

5 March to 26 March

NATLAND VILLAGE HALL LA9 7QQ 

£6 per week (includes tea and biscuits)

Helen Brooks 015395 35022    helen.brooks@phonecoop.coop  

Life of a Park Ranger revealed at the February WI

There was a good attendance at the February meeting of Natland and Oxenholme Women’s Institute meeting. President Kirsten Cannon welcomed the 35 members present.

Joan Airey reported on her recent weekend at Denman College.  The crochet course was both enlightening and enjoyable.

Marley Hunter outlined various details about the forthcoming walk planned for 24 February, and Joan Ratcliffe thanked all members for their contribution towards the Centenary Year Shoe Box appeal. The collection of gloves and socks received during the meeting was exceedingly generous.

The guest speaker for the evening was Peter Farrand, a former Lake District National Park ranger, who gave us a very interesting and illustrated talk about his role as warden/ranger in the Coniston area. His extensive and varied background included mountaineering and agriculture. He then read an amusing short passage from a book written by former Chief Ranger John Wyatt.

Lynne Pritchard gave the vote of thanks.

The monthly competition was won by Chris Nacey, with second Marion Thornton.

Next meeting will be Wednesday 18 March (7.30pm) in the Village Hall.

Barrie Atkinson will give  a talk on ‘50 Years of Ups and Downs as a TV Engineer’.

Visitors welcome.

Share your views on the Patient Transport Service

Action for Communities in Cumbria is running a public consultation until Friday 27 February about the North West Ambulance Patient Transport Service, which is under review. They are asking people to share their experiences of the service and also define what they would regard to be a reasonable service in the future (in terms of things like waiting times for a pick-up). 

You can take part either by completing a very short online survey which can be found here or by sending a short paragraph about your experiences to ACT on lorrainnes@cumbriaaction.org.uk (stating why you used the service, what was good or bad and how it could have been better).

Future of village phone box up for debate

The agenda of the February parish council meeting (next Monday 23 February at the Village Hall) has now been published and is available to download as a PDF file here.

Among the items on the agenda is a discussion of the future of the phone box at the end of Hawes Lane in Natland village. Parishioners who pass that way will have seen a notice posted there at the end of January announcing that there is a proposal to replace the phone with a defibrillator as part of a scheme in association with North West Ambulance Service. It seems the phone box was used twice in 2014, on both occasions to make free emergency calls.

Do you have strong feelings about whether this should happen? Do let us know!

Missing Woman. A message from Cumbria Constabulary.

We are currently actively looking for a high risk missing female, she is described as white, medium build, with shoulder length dark hair with light streaks, she speaks with a west country accent.
We believe she may appear confused and possibly in the south kendal area, although the whole of the Kendal area can not be ruled out.
Any possible sightings or information that seems relevant should be reported to cumbria police on 101 quoting log number 12 of the 13/02/15.

The missing female from the Kendal area who was reported in a ccm message this morning has been found safe and well. Cumbria constabulary thank the public for there support and concern.

Testing of private water supplies

SLDC Environmental Protection is writing to people with private water supplies (Regulation 10 - supplying up to 10 cubic metres a day) to let them know that mandatory testing (incurring a mandatory charge) is shortly to be carried out. If this applies to you or anyone you know and you would like further information, ring Environmental Protection on 01539 733333.

Pancake party

Monday Club Meeting

The first Monday Club of 2015 is to be held on February 16th, 2pm in the Village Hall, when the speaker will be Richard Mathews, the subject being “It’s a crying game’.

P. Singleton.

Parish Magazine - February edition

Click on this link to the Church magazine to find out about all the things that are happening in the church, in the school, and for reminders of things that are happening in the village.

Cold, wet and windy start to the year

	Jan 2015		Jan 2014
Average temperatures
Temperature at 8am	2.8C		3.8C
Min temperature	1.3C		2.9C
Max temperature	4.8C		5.8C
Total rainfall	mm	in	mm	in
	207	8.3	275	7

A month of ups and downs with some mild weather alternating with cold and the latter prevailing towards the end of the month. It was very wet but not much snow and we had gales as well.

John Dobson