Thursday, 26 May 2016

Brownie news for the Summer term

We have had a very exciting and adventurous half term at Brownies, and lots more planned for this coming half term. 

We have completed our Gardener badge. This involved us all taking part in a sunflower competition and at the end of the summer term we are going to see whose sunflower has grown the tallest! We also had a visit to an allotment, where the Brownies enjoyed being shown what is growing there and also playing some games in the sunshine! 

We have also had an outing to the Dojo for a Judo session. All the Brownies had a fantastic time. 

We are currently working towards our First Aid badge, and we are having some fun doing some crafts for Father’s Day. We are going to end our summer term with an outing to the Maize maze!

Eleanor Latham

Wednesday, 25 May 2016

Thank you for your generosity in Christian Aid Week

Every year people who go to St. Mark's Church collect from homes in Natland, parts of  Oxenholme, The Oaks and this year for the first time The Beeches, to help the poorest people in far off lands. £2,047 was raised in this way this year, and £381 at the Coffee Morning. The total so far is £2,428.

It’s good to think of the people who will benefit from this money. The example given by Christian Aid this year was of a family in Bangladesh whose lives are at risk every time the Brahmaputra overflows. Only £250 is needed to flood-proof such a home, and also to give a goat and seeds so that a family can have a long term income. So, if our donations just went on that project ten families would have a future for themselves.

Thank you, on behalf of all the people who will benefit from your gifts.

Elspeth Jayne, Christian Aid Week Organiser.

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Parish Council May meeting

The agenda for the next meeting of the Parish Council on Tuesday 31 May at Natland & Oxenholme Village Hall is available to read or download here. All welcome.

Saturday, 21 May 2016

W.I. Activities

The May meeting of the W.I. saw 33 members being welcomed by President Kirsten Cannon with a special welcome for new member, Carole. She, like all prospective new members, had come along to a previous meeting (3 in all) before opting to join us. If you are curious, why not join us next month ? June 15th from 7.30pm – that’s when the meeting starts but a warm welcome awaits you any time after 7pm.
We heard plans for our Summer Outing in July – Stott Park Bobbin Mill with a meal on the way back. The walking group was going to do a gentle walk in Orton and their usual local walk every Thursday. The theatre group are organizing a trip to Keswick Theatre by The Lake in October  and there is the County Show at the end of summer.
The main business of the evening was to discuss and vote on two resolutions which will be taken to the National Conference. The more serious matter over we played a Getting to Know You game – great fun !  Then refreshments provided by the committee whilst we laughed over the things we’d discovered about our fellow members in the game. Now we know whose car broke down in the middle of Park Lane in Central London and who completed the Inca Trail ! The competition for a Decorated Spoon was won by Kirsten with Joan Airey second. The raffle being won by Elaine, who has only recently joined the W.I. Maybe you’ll come through the village hall door and find out more ……..

Friday, 20 May 2016

Natland Annual Meeting - The Helm, The Green and the one way system.

The full minutes will be available in a bit, but in the meantime here are a few of the things that were talked about.
First Henry Hornyold-Strickland described how his family succeeded the Daincourts in 1239, though he himself has lived in London mostly, and has just moved back up here to live at Sizergh Castle. The plots of inherited land he owns in Natland are Helm and the Village Green. While the Green is not a problem, the meeting discussed several problems relating to how the west side of the Helm is managed now that stock cannot be grazed there because of problems of harassment from dogs. Vehicles driving over it and parking off road, and bikes of all descriptions are all causing problems. Interestingly, it was pointed out that the road on Helm is actually older than Helmside Road, and that there is a spring which used to fill two tanks before supplying Oxenholme with water until 1920 when a public water supply was set up. The people in the parish who own the grazing rights (commoners) are interested in maintaining Helm as a asset to the community, but since they have no money from letting out the grazing anymore, they are limited in what they can do. A committee, working parties and a grant were suggested. Do contact the Parish Council or this website if you have ideas on how to help, and they will be publicised or forwarded to any committee that might form.
St. Mark's Primary School will be expanding from 165 to an estimated 210 shortly, and a new classroom is going to be built. The school has a new website.
The many other thriving village groups described their activities; table tennis now has a Facebook page.
There were many opinions expressed as to the viability or otherwise of a part-time advisory one-way system through the village, but in the end the people present voted 28 against the proposal and 13 in favour.

Saturday, 14 May 2016

A one-way system in Natland - what do you think?

"This meeting calls upon the Parish Council and the School to promote an advisory one-way system for motor vehicles - down Oxenholme Lane and up Helm Lane - from 8.45am to 9.05am and from 15.15 to 15.45 on school days, to monitor the effects and to continue or abandon as appropriate".
This is an item for discussion on Thursday at the Annual Parish Meeting. Come and express your views. Click here for the full agenda and here for the poster.

Friday, 13 May 2016

Latest on Sizergh footbridge

Although not in Natland parish many Natlanders will be familiar with the suspension bridge across the river Kent at Sedgwick. Earlier this year the bridge was closed, but it has now re-opened after a successful ‘load test’ and replacement of some superficial timberwork.

An extract from an English Heritage survey (click here to read) gives some historical context for the bridge, and comes from the National Trust surveyor. 


The Hornyold-Strickland family (mentioned) still reside at Sizergh Castle, and own both The Helm common and the village green in Natland. For those who would like to find out more about these parish assets, Henry Hornyold-Strickland will be speaking at the Annual Parish Meeting.

Thursday, 12 May 2016

Christian Aid Week 15th - 21st May

There are similarities between the pictures of people suffering in the floods round here and in Bangladesh. There are however some differences, the main ones being that the family pictured in Bangladesh suffer from floods on a regular basis, and they don't have anywhere else to go.
Next week in Natland, some parts of Oxenholme and the Oaks, volunteers will be coming round to collect money from you help families and individuals caught up in floods and similar disasters, where a small grant can help them out of destitution. Please give generously.

There will also be a Christian Aid Coffee Morning and Spring Plant Sale at the Village Hall from 10am until noon on Saturday the 21st May. There will be stalls of all sorts as well as the plants, and admission is free.

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Music for a Spring Evening in Natland

Kendal Choral Society (led by Duncan Lloyd, with accompanist Mike Critchlow) invite you to share:

Music for a Spring Evening including...

  • Allegri ‘Miserere’ with soloist Toby Lloyd (boy soprano)
  • ‘A Sprig of Thyme’ folk song arrangements by John Rutter
  • something for the Queen and 
  • a bit of fun!

at 8pm on Thursday 26 May at St Mark’s Church, Natland,
followed by refreshments and a chance to meet the choir.

A retiring collection will be made in aid of church funds.

Click here to see, download or print and display the poster!

Tuesday, 10 May 2016

Monday Club AGM

The AGM of the Monday Club will be held on 16th May at 2pm in the Village Hall. This will be a short meeting followed by a talk on "Journeys" by Rev. Angela Whittaker. Welcome to all.

Village Hall Annual Meeting

The Village Hall Annual Meeting took place for the whole of 7 minutes last night, as agreements were reached very quickly. The Annual Meeting of committee members which followed was a bit more long winded, but even so officers were elected without much ado. The most controversial item was a suggestion by the chair that the clubs the committee members represent should have their subscriptions increased slightly. The proposed rates will be discussed at the next committee meeting, which is on 14 June at 7.30pm.

The 200 Club winners are: 1st prize (£30) 5 J Fairhurst; 2nd prize (£15) M Jayne; 3rd prize (£5) 38 M Trelogan.

Midge Fairhurst would like to retire from her role as 200 Club organiser, so if anyone would like to come forward to do the job, do please contact her or Paul Want. The 200 Club raises a good amount of money for the Village Hall and Midge says that people are always pleased to see her when she comes round with a cheque.

Sunday, 8 May 2016

Parish magazine for May available.

Click here to find out all about the many activities taking place in church this month.

Thursday, 5 May 2016

Parish Council minutes

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

Monday, 2 May 2016

A cool, wet April

      2016
2015
Average temperatures



Temperature at 8am5.5C6.0C
Min temperature3.7C4.5C
Max temperature9.8C11.1C
Total rainfallmminmmin
115.54.663.52.5

April was much wetter and cooler than usual. Most of the rain was in the first half of the month. Towards the end of the month, temperatures fell and there was snow and sleet, although it did not settle in the village.

John Dobson