Dichess of Sutherland coming through

On Saturday 2nd April 46233 Duchess of Sutherland will be northbound through Oxenholme 11.43. Will then return southbound through Oxenholme 16:03.
Pat Williams

Oxenholme News says Thank You to Natland litter pickers

A recent story on the new Oxenholme News website (launched last November) has thanked the Spring litter pickers in Natland for cleaning up the Helm on behalf of other local residents. Oxenholme residents are having their own crackdown on dog fouling in the Bolefoot play area. You can read the full story here.

Age UK Social Group and Lunch Club to continue

Despite the withdrawal of some funding, Natland Young at Heart social group for older residents will continue to run at Natland & Oxenholme Village Hall. The group will next meet on Monday 11 April from 1.45 to 3.45pm and will continue to run on every 2nd Monday of the month apart from August. Everybody welcome.

Lunch Club 
You are invited to come along to St Mark’s Primary School on Thursday 16 June 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 or to cancel a place, please contact the Age UK helpline on 01539 728180. This event is in partnership with St Mark’s Church and St Mark’s School. Thank you to everyone at the lunch club for my lovely plant and all your kind wishes - it is much appreciated.

Ruth 

To find out about the services which Age UK South Lakeland can offer older people call our helpline on 01539 7288180.

Natland Parish Council Minutes for March

Natland is a very low crime rate area, though it has a lot of potholes, a damaged canal footpath stile, and the railway bridge over Helm Lane will continue to drip until 2018. These were just some of the things discussed at the last Parish Council meeting. Click here for more details.

Natland Spring Litter Hunt 2016

The eleventh Spring Litter Hunt since the Natland Parish Plan of 2004 proposed its re-introduction took place on Saturday 19 March 2015.  After a dry and mainly sunny week, the day was cloudy but fine with a light breeze - ideal picking conditions.  This led to a splendid turnout of volunteers - 27 on the day (compared to seven at last year’s washout) plus ten earlier in the week when Helm Lane, the road over the Helm, and the Crowpark/Watercrook/Hawes Bridge footpath circuit (by seven ‘W.I. ramblers’) were picked.  All the picking zones were soon allocated to volunteers, even the previously ‘no go’ area of Helm Sink over the wall by the A65 layby.

But this success meant there were eventually no picking zones left to allocate to volunteers arriving later in the day.  Perhaps in future we should say the afternoon (2-4pm) session would only be held if the weather was bad in the morning?  But more litter is arriving already, so there is plenty of scope for ad hoc volunteering.  The Parish Council has a small stock of picking tongs, high-visibility waistcoats, gloves and bags that people can borrow.

Thanks go again to SLDC for providing equipment and taking the bags to tip, and to the public-spirited volunteers who were:  Sue Ashton, Roger Audsley, Andrea Booth, Audrey Bott, Krysia Brodie, Kirsten Cannon, John Chandler, Elizabeth Cooper and Amber, John Covill, John Davidson, Jean Dobson, Ian Ellison, Barbara Hitchcock, Keith and Jude Hodsoll, Marley Hunter, John and Shirley Miller, Chris Nacey, Joan Ratcliffe, Adele Rennard, Sarah Roberts, Ralph Rogerson, Jeremy Rowan-Robinson, David and Rhian Peters, Don Shore, Marcell Tatham, Mike Taylor, Mike Trelogan, Paul Want, Debbie Wilson with Faye Sanna and Appletree pupils EP, LLS and TW.  Well done all of you!

David Peters
Natland Parish Councillor

22/3/16

Paper and laughter at the Women's Institute

Inspiring Women is the logo for the W.I. and this was certainly the case when 36 members and their two guests met for the March meeting. Our speaker, Steven Watson, offered us The Art of Origami – a hobby that has become his full time occupation. Who knew that the Shard, medical technology and N.A.S.A. have all used elements of origami? Steve not only spoke with humour about his subject but also guided us through the making of a lidded box – we all made our own, concentration along with much laughter! His own work on display was dazzling, hard to believe that it is all made with just folding –no glue or cutting. The paper theme and laughter continued when President Kirsten Cannon set us a challenge to cut an A4 piece of paper and see how many people could get inside the ensuing circle. The Easter card competition was won by Joan Airey with Joan Ratcliffe coming second . An evening that certainly fulfilled the W.I. promise of friendship and learning. Our next monthly meeting is at the Village Hall on Wednesday April 20th.

Easter at St. Mark's Church

The days before Easter there will be services of quiet contemplation.
23rd March - Holy Wednesday   -  2pm   Stations of the Cross.
24th March - Maundy Thursday  - 6pm   Holy Communion
25th March - Good Friday  - 10am   All Ages at the Cross (followed by Hot Cross Buns).
12-3pm   At the Cross (time to focus and reflect - come along for the whole three hours or drop in at any time for as long as you wish).
26th March  -  Holy Saturday - 7pm, Vigil Readings.



On  Easter Day, for those getting up really early, there will be a Sunrise Service at Kendal Castle at 6.30am.
At St. Mark's Church there will be a quiet Holy Communion at 8am.
At 10am there will be a Service of Holy Communion, with special activities for children.

Village Hall Committee minutes

Click here to find out what's happening at our Village Hall. And don't forget to use the What's On tab on the side of this page, to see just how many groups use the hall, and what you might like to join.

Duchess of Sutherland passing through on Saturday

Tomorrow – Saturday 19 March – 46233 Duchess of Sutherland will be northbound through Oxenholme at 9.40am.

Pat Williams

Parish Council agenda published

The agenda for the next meeting of Natland Parish Council on Monday 21 March at Natland & Oxenholme Village Hall has now been published. Click here to read or download.

Monday Club Meeting

The Monday Club will meet in the Village Hall on 21st March at 2pm when Julie Ashworth will tell us about "Hearing dogs for deaf people".
A warm welcome to new members.

Volunteers needed for the Spring Litter Hunt

It’s that time of year again – your chance to join a team of residents in litter-picking in the village, with all the equipment you need provided.

If you can spare a bit of time on Saturday 19 March, just come along to the village hall at 10am or 2pm to sign up and pick up your kit.

Full information about the event can be read or downloaded here.

Parish Council minutes published

The minutes of the February 2016 meeting of Natland Parish Council are available to read or download here.

Parish Magazine for March now available.

Click here to find out everything that's happening in church this month.

Vestry Coffee Morning

There will be a Coffee Morning on Thursday, March 10th at 10.30am in St. Mark's Church Vestry.
Entrance, including cafetiere coffee, or tea, with homemade biscuits, £1.50. There will be a General Stall. Proceeds will go towards maintenance of the church.

Age UK Village Agent going

If you would like to find out more about any of the services which Age UK South Lakeland can offer older people, Ruth, your Village Agent will be at St Mark’s Church in the vestry on Thursday 10th March from 10.30 - 11am or at the Young at Heart Group in the Village Hall on Mon 14th March from 1.45- 3.45pm.

Unfortunately from the end of March there is no longer any funding for the Village Agent programme. Ruth would like to thank you all for the support you have given her. Please contact the Age UK South Lakeland helpline number on 01539 728180 for any assistance in the future.

Dry spells at last in February

2016		2015
Average temperatures
Temperature at 8am	2.6C		2.2C
Min temperature	1.4C		1.1C
Max temperature	5.7C		4.7C
Total rainfall	mm	in	mm	in
	110.5	4.4	108	4.3

We had two dry spells of over a week which were the first since October. These coincided with cooler temperatures but it has been very mild.

John Dobson