Natland Young at Heart Social Group

The next meeting of this group is on Monday the 9th April in the Village Hall at 1.45. Phone 01539728118 to find out more, or to volunteer to help.

Church Magazine for April

Click here for full details of church events over Easter and throughout April,  together with an account by John Chandler of the heroic action in World War I of an ex-pupil of St. Mark's Home.

Allotment wanted

Can anyone give me any information about the availability of allotments in Natland? Thank you.
Regards,
Cate Minahan | caminahan@btinternet.com

Natland has had its Spring Clean

There was a good turn out last Saturday for the litter pick, and our village is now immaculate. Click here for the Full Report.

W.I. March meeting report.

Ian Johnston gave a very interesting, informative and well constructed talk on The Mills on the River Kent at the last W.I. meeting. Click here for the full report.

Heartstart Training

A session has been arranged for Heartstart Training by First Responders on Thursday 26 April at 7.00 pm at St Mark’s School, Natland, to replace the one in February which had to be cancelled because of snow.

If you wish to enrol, please sign the list at Natland Post Office. Places will be on a First come, first served basis. The limit is 25 - 30 places, dependent on staffing, and there will be a waiting list if necessary, so that we can arrange further session if there is a demand. 

Training will include CPR and the use of the defibrillator.

Natland Defibrillator Group.

Voce Concert in the Church

On Saturday 14th April St Mark’s Church will be hosting a concert by Voce, an ensemble of four male singers based in Barrow celebrating their tenth year together.  Voce has gone from strength to strength in that time. With an eclectic mix of musical theatre, opera and contemporary music, they aim to entertain  audiences with their unique and thrilling sound.

For more information or to see them in action visit http://voceofficial.com

The proceeds from this concert will be split equally between St Mark’s church and St John’s Hospice. The money raised for the Hospice will then be doubled by Yorkshire Bank.

Tickets are on sale at Natland Post Office for £12.

Thank you to everyone who came. The Hospice raised £1,216 as a result of the evening, and the church £525.

Bye Bye Bucket, Hello Scaffold

For several years, this black bucket sitting near the church clock bell has collected some of the rain dripping through the leaky roof of the church tower. This humble bucket can collect up to a gallon a month in the wet season  (Jan-Dec) from the drips under the flagpole. There are other holes elsewhere in the church where rain gets into the timbers and ceilings and so it is time get cracking on repairs and re-roofing. 

Next Monday, 19th March,  a team will arrive to scaffold the church tower to let our builders J G Mason and Son of Endmoor start on a major repair scheme which will also include the re-furbishment of all roof gutters and drainpipes. The aim is to get the church water tight for generations. The works will cost over £100,000 and can only be carried out by using a very generous legacy from David Lowery of Leeds who was an old boy of St Mark's Children's home and who cherished his memories of Natland. The Parochial Church Council is enormously grateful to have been remembered  by Mr Lowery in his will. The work is due to be finished by the first week of June, weather (!) permitting.

The eagle eyed will have seen that the clock hands are stuck at Noon (for owls, its stuck at Midnight). The clock has stopped working, perhaps in sympathy with its neighbour the bucket. This also will be repaired when the scaffolding is up. We are grateful for those who given donations to get the clock ticking again. 

Natland Parish Council may be facing a bit of a crisis.

Natland Parish Council Elections 3 May 2018.
The four-year term of the present Council ends in May when all councillors retire so that fresh elections can be held for the next four-year term 2018-22.  There are seven seats, two of which are currently vacant, and some councillors will not be standing for re-election.  So there is a big opportunity for those with the time and inclination to serve their community in this way.

There is information about what it means to be a parish councillor on the www.calc.org.uk and www.nalc.gov.uk websites; this website carries comprehensive coverage of Natland Parish Council’s activities.  And you can talk to me, the Clerk or any parish councillor.

3 May can seem a long way off but when the starting whistle blows things will move quickly.  Publicity in the Council’s Annual Report would be far too late.  The timetable for 2018 comprises:
• Friday 23 March – publication of Notice of Election
• 4 pm Friday 6 April – deadline for delivery of nomination papers (to the Returning Officer at SLDC) and deadline for withdrawal of candidature
• 4 pm Monday 9 April – publication of Statement as to Persons Nominated
• Wednesday 25 April – publication of Notice of Poll
• 7am to 10pm Thursday 3 May – Polling day

A poll will only be held if there are more valid nominations than there are vacancies (7 No.).
Any poll would coincide (on 3 May) with the poll for the new three-member Kendal South and Natland Ward of South Lakeland District Council.

There are now two casual vacancies on Natland Parish Council following the resignations of Councillors Joan Lind and Ian Ellison. The Council is able to fill either or both of these casual vacancies by co-option.
The co-option would be until May 2018, when the next full election of the Council will be held.
Anyone who is interested in taking on this valuable public service should contact the Clerk or the Chair or any Councillor – contact details are on the notice board or here.  Or just come and observe the Council’s next meeting on 26 March 2018.
There’s plenty of information about what parish councils do on the websites of the National Association of Local Councils and the Cumbria Association of Local Councils – just google NALC or CALC Cumbria and explore.

David Peters - Chair of Natland Parish Council – 9 March 2018

John Denver aka Chris Bannister Concert in Kendal Town Hall

St Mark’s church has in past years very successfully hosted Chris Bannister performing the songs of John Denver; once in the Village Hall and once in Church. This year we have combined with Sight Advice South Lakes who offer help for people in the South Lakes area who have sight loss, and are hitting the big time promoting a show by him at Kendal Town Hall.  Profits will be split between the St Mark’s church and Sight Advice.

If you have not heard Chris perform come along and have a great night out. If you have seen him before you will not have needed this article to persuade you to come and see his show again.

Chris will be performing on Saturday 7th April at 7.30 pm. Doors open at 7.00. Bring your own bottle – if you need one!

Tickets are on sale at £12.00 (downstairs at tables) and £10.00 (dress circle) from Natland Post Office or www.trybooking/DMI

Another enjoyable evening with Chris Bannister. £650 was raised for St. Mark's Church and the same amount for Sight Advice. Thank you to everyone who came along.

Natland Spring Litter Hunt

The Spring Litter Hunt is on Saturday 24th March.
Volunteers are needed at the Village Hall from 9.30 to 10.15am (to reduce queueing) or from 2pm (if any areas are still unpicked). The Parish Council will provide (or you can bring your own) sacks, gloves, picking tools and high-vis waistcoats, and suggest where you might pick.
A Natland Parish Council Project.

Art Exhibition - result

Topping the poll in "My favourite picture" vote by visitors to Natland Art Exhibition 2018 was the picture by George B Thompson titled "Among the dark satanic mills" .

The event raised around £600 for village hall funds.

Beware - telephone scam.

I just wanted to make people that there is a telephone scam going around at the moment. In my case a lady with an Indian accent called saying she was from Openreach, the number was a Kendal number. She tried to tell me that my computer has been sending out viruses and asked me if I was in front of it, she then tried to get me to change settings on my machine. This is something that would not happen. I hung up and tried to call the number back but it is unavailable. People need to make sure they ask questions back, and if in doubt hang up.
Regards,
Dale Rennard

Don Shore adds: The full scam can lock your computer and then they demand a ransom to open it up again.  Partial scams just charge you for the privilege of doing nothing to your computer.

I usually try to keep them talking and gradually wind them up.  I reckon the longer I can keep them on the line the less they are bothering other people who might be taken in!

Monday Club Meeting

Members will meet in the Village Hall on 19th March '18 at 2pm to welcome Norman Godfrey who will tell of a dream fulfilled - Cycling the Neckar and Rhine and bulb fields of Holland.  Refreshments and Bookstall later.

Natland's Art Exhibition THIS WEEKEND

Sunflowers, by Eileen Kettle. An entry from 2014.

Natland Annual Art Exhibition of work by local artists will take place in the Village Hall on Saturday, 10th March (10am to 4pm) and Sunday, 11th March (11.30am to 4pm).  Tea/coffee and homemade cakes and prize raffle.  Admission 50p with all proceeds to Village Hall funds.

Steam Train coming through

Saturday 10 th March 45699 Galatea will be northbound Oxenholme 11:43.

Pat Williams.

Electricity supply interrupted

The lights went out in the church last Friday and in some neighbouring properties last night and now Electricity North West are trying to repair the underground cable before the end of the day.........
cont.We had a temporary repair by Sunday but now, Monday, there is another, third hole in the road and Helm Lane is closed between the Green and Abbey Drive......
Tues.Road still closed to traffic.
Thurs. Hole in road is bigger. Road closed to pedestrians, too.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON - ROAD NOW OPEN.

Community Building Church Events in Natland

As part of a Moving Mountains initiative taking place all over Kendal this coming weekend there will be the following free events in Natland, to which everyone is invited:

Friday 9th March.

• A Quiz for All Ages at 6.30 in St. Mark's CE School Hall.
• A 'Messy Church' activity in Kendal Care Home, where Mother's Day cards will be made. 2-3pm.
• A 'Thank You' (for mothers) Tea and Cakes at St. Mark's CE School Hall. 3.30-4.30.

Saturday 10th March.

• 'A Cuppa with the Vicar' - Coffee and teacakes with the Papers in Natland Tea Room and Post Office - free papers and refreshments.
• A 'Pray for Kendal' Walk over Helm, starting off from Natland Church at 10.30.

Sunday 11th March.

• A Mothering Sunday Celebration Service in church at 10am.

Church Magazine for March

There are plenty of activities listed in the Parish News for this month. Click here for all the details of events and the Easter Services.

February Parish Council Meeting

Click here to find out about everything that went on.

W.I. Report

Blood Bikes was the theme of the last W.I. Meeting. Click here for a full report.
The date of the next meeting is Wednesday 21st March at 7.15 in Natland Village Hall when the speaker will be Ian Johnston - 'Mills of the River Kent.'. Visitors welcome.

Weather Stats for February

February was colder than January with the beast from the East coming at the end of the month.
Rainfall was average with a dry spell from 20th to 26th of the month.

February	2018		2017
Temperature at 8 a.m.	1.6° C		5.1° C
Minimum Temperature (Ave)	0.3° C		4.0° C
Maximum Temperature (Ave)	4.4° C		7.3° C
Rainfall	8.5 mm	3.4"	113.5 mm	4.5