Annual Parish Meeting – your feedback welcome

At Tuesday night’s Parish Council meeting, the Chair and Clerk were forcefully criticised for changing the format of the Annual Parish Meeting from that followed by the previous Chair, making it more of a ‘social event’ rather than an opportunity for residents to raise their concerns. The Annual Parish Meeting belongs to the residents of Natland, however, and is, legally, nothing at all to do with the parish council (or what they have been doing over the past year, except inasmuch as the council is one of the groups in the parish, like the WI or the Brownies). Fortunately there is a lot more to Natland than the activities of the Parish Council!

However, it seems likely that I will, as Chair, be calling the meeting next year and I would very much like to hear how residents (at least those who read this website and the Parish News) would like their meeting to be conducted next time. If you feel full democratic participation in the meeting was stifled by not having a copy of the parish council’s annual report and accounts before the meeting, or not having an agenda published on the parish noticeboard, or by any other aspect of the event – or if, on the other hand, you would prefer next year’s meeting to be run along this year’s lines – I would like to hear from you (lois.sparling@gmail.com).

As ever, I’m keen to hear any suggestions as to how to build up our local community and draw in anyone who feels that they are on the fringes (geographically or technologically).

Thank you,
Lois Sparling, Chair, Natland Parish Council

The steam trains are back!

On Saturday 30 May 45699 Galatea will be northbound through Oxenholme at 11.44am. 70000 Britannia will follow northbound at 11.54am. or thereabouts.

Pat Williams

WI discuss resolution on long-term care needs

The May meeting of the Natland & Oxenholme WI discussed a motion for the national WI AGM in June on ‘Failing to care: Assessment of need in long-term care’ – an urgent and challenging issue of which most of us have some personal experience. They also heard reports on the visit of our very own ‘Calendar Girls’ to the WI centenary celebrations in Old Hutton and the Boxes of Hope appeal for shoeboxes for Romania this Christmas. Next month’s speaker will be talking about the work of Manna House in Kendal. You can read or download the full report here.

Standing room only at the APM!

A big thank you to everyone who gave up a summer (?) evening to come to the Annual Parish Meeting last night. We enjoyed finding out more about all the amazing things that are done in our parish – from St Mark’s School (whose school council helped their Headteacher tell us about all the things they do with tangible enthusiasm) and the unique local family business that is Appletree School, through the Natland Guides (who are in danger of closing if they don’t find new leaders over the summer), to our ‘Calendar Girls’ WI group and the trophy-winning table tennis club. And we hope some good new friendships and connections were made over a drink and a biscuit afterwards.

We are currently gathering digital copies of the reports that were given so that no one needs to miss out on what was said. You can read the first 10 or so of them here now.

Grants available for local young musicians

The Paul Pfeuti Young Musician Trust, administered from Queen Elizabeth School in Kirkby Lonsdale, supports school age young people from North Lancashire, North Yorkshire, the Isle of Man and the South Lakes with help towards the purchase of a new instrument, help towards the cost of travel expenses to auditions, exams fees and courses. Grants can be up to £100 and are made three times a year in May, September and January.

If you know any young person who would like some financial help click here to download the guidelines and the application form that needs to be completed.

Result of Christian Aid Week Collection

After a roller coaster week our collectors brought in £1,600 in cash and the Coffee Morning raised £345, resulting in a very creditable £1,945. Another £265 will be added to this figure by the taxman from the donations that were gift-aided.

So THANK YOU to all those people in Natland, Oxenholme and The Oaks who gave so generously. Your donations are already banked and will soon be winging their way to provide urgent, practical and effective assistance to those in greatest need in developing countries. People like Loko Jarso, who will now be able to buy her cow, produce some milk, sell some to make money, be accepted back into her village as someone with status, gain confidence and find a way in the world for herself and her children. And she is only one of the hundreds of people who will be helped as a result of your generosity.
Click on www.christianaid.org.uk/ for more details.                                Elspeth Jayne

A cow for Loko,

to produce milk,

which she can sell,

which gives her respectability and the chance of an education,

so she can make a way for herself and her children in the world.

                                                                                                                             .

Parish Council May agenda published

Hot on the heels of the Annual Parish Meeting this Thursday, comes the annual meeting of the Parish Council (which is really just a standard monthly meeting, but with the election of officers and the annual accounts added in). The agenda and papers are now available here to read or download.

Manna House Fun Day 30 May | Appeal for craft stalls

Manna House are looking for people to take craft stalls at their next fundraising event at the end of the month – a Dog Show & Fun Day on Saturday 30 May at the Rugby Club between 11am and 4pm.

Contact Andrea Aldridge at Manna House on 01539 725534 for more information or to book your place.

St Mark's School to make presentation at the APM | Thursday 21 May

All Natland residents (and other invitees with responsibility for, or relationships with, our parish) are very welcome to join us for the Annual Parish Meeting at 7.30pm on Thursday 21 May at Natland & Oxenholme Village Hall. The meeting will start with a few notices and then a presentation by Peter Barfoot (Headteacher) and pupils from St Mark’s School, with Rob Davies from Appletree School, and finish with a sociable glass of wine or juice. In between local groups will report on their activities for the year and plans for the future. There’ll also be a chance in an Open Forum section to raise your concerns and share them with fellow parishioners to see whether there is any action that we can take together to tackle them.

You can read more about the Annual Parish Meeting (including minutes of previous APMs, although the format of those has been rather different to this year’s meeting) by clicking here.

April Parish Council meeting minutes published

The minutes of the April Parish Council meeting have now been published and are available to read or download here. Among other things discussed were preparations for the Annual Parish Meeting on Thursday 21 May (at which Peter Barfoot and children from St Mark’s School are making a presentation) and how to recruit another councillor to fill the current vacancy. (Ideas welcome!)

Walk the Walk this Christian Aid Week

It’s Christian Aid Week again and this year our attention is drawn to the vulnerability of people who live right on the edge of survival.

Photo credit:Christian Aid/M Gonzalez-Noda

Loko Jarso from Ethiopia, pictured here, collects firewood for a meagre living. She walks alone, her thin plastic shoes punctured by thorns, afraid she could be attacked by hyenas at any moment.

Very different from our own lives in Natland and Oxenholme, but every year we take that leap of imagination and give generously to help people like her. This year money has had to be found to help Christian Aid partners affected by the earthquake in Nepal, as well. Visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ for more information.

 
There'll be someone coming round with an envelope for you to fill, or if you get missed out, then come to our Coffee Morning in the Village Hall on Saturday 16th May, 10am-12 noon. There'll be plants, cakes, a raffle and a bring and buy, as well as an opportunity to find out more about the work of Christian Aid.                                                                              Elspeth Jayne.

Village Hall has a new Chairman

In his last report as Chairman Ray RIchardson reported that both halls are well used and the regular income from users, together with income from events and from the 200 Club means that the Village Hall is in good shape. The large hall will have a major refurbishment this summer and this should be seen as a long-term investment. Ray thanked all past Secretaries, Treasurers and long standing committee members with whom he has worked for the past 25 years, and who have contributed to make the Village hall a success.

Ray was presented with a gift as a token of gratitude for his long service and commitment to the Hall over 25 years.

Paul Want was welcomed as the new Chairman.

Check out the tab at the top of this page for details of prices and how to book. Both halls are usually available at weekends.

Age Concern Lunch Club

You are invited to come along to St. Mark's School on Thursday 21st May at 1.30pm for lunch. Be waited on by the children and enjoy a delicious meal for only £2.50. Places are limited so to book a place please ring Ruth Taylor on 01539 728180 by 14th May. This event is in partnership with St. Mark's Church and St. Mark's School.

Meet the Fell Ponies on Helm

A Friends of the Lake District Event

Sunday 10 May, 2.00pm–4.00pm

Come and meet the ponies that look after our land at The Helm. Learn about this local and rare breed of pony and their role in conservation grazing and as fun riding and driving ponies. There will be children’s activities and tea and cake. Follow the signs to our tent near the tarn from the Station Inn end of the Helm at Oxenholme Just turn up to this free event. For more information: tel 01539 720788 or www.fld.org.uk

April weather: wet and warm

	Apr 2015		Apr 2014
Average temperatures
Temperature at 8am	6.0C		7.9C
Min temperature	4.5C		6.5C
Max temperature	11.1C		14.5C
Total rainfall	mm	in	mm	in
	63.5	2.5	69	2.8

Cooler than last year but with some very warm days. Early in the month we had high pressure and it was very high on 21/22 April. As usual here, April showers produced fairly low totals.

John Dobson