More Vacancies on Natland Parish Council

Do you want a bigger say in how your Community is served?  Then why not step forward and be a parish councillor?
There are now three vacancies on Natland Parish Council following the election of only four councillors on 3 May 2018, John Houghton’s co-option by the Council on 29 May and John Fisher’s recent resignation.  The Council can fill these casual vacancies by co-option.
The co-options would be until May 2022, when the next full election of the Council will be held.
This is a particularly dangerous time for Natland to be short of councillors.  Kendal Town Council has asked the District Council (SLDC) to extend Kendal’s boundary into Natland, annexing The Beeches and the intervening properties along Natland Mill Beck Lane.  There will be consultations about the proposal in March 2019 leading to a final decision by SLDC in July.  That decision should rest on which council is better able to serve and represent its residents.  Natland’s chronic vacancies weaken its case in comparison with Kendal where every seat is contested by party political candidates.
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 Natland’s blogsite.  Or just come and observe the next Council meeting (dates on the notice board).
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 – 19 December 2018

Welcome to Christmas Events at St. Mark's Church

On Sunday the 23rd December there will be a Communion Service at 10am and a Carol Service at 6.30pm.

The Christingle Service is on Christmas Eve, at 4pm. 

On Christmas Day, Holy Communion is at 9am followed by a Family Service at 10.15am.

Click here to download a copy of the Parish News for December and January, with all the details.

Report of the W I Meeting in December

Natland and Oxenholme W I Meeting

12 December 2018

President Marion Want welcomed 41 members to the Christmas meeting.

6 members had recently attended the Carol Service at Kendal Parish Church and others a production at Kendal Town Hall by Kendal College Students, both events were very enjoyable.

A Christmas Miscellany – featuring entertainment, poetry readings and games provided by members.  An alternative production of the pantomime Cinderella by ‘Natland and Oxenholme W.I. Totally Amazing Ladies Live on Stage was amusing and much enjoyed by all.

A supper of mince pies, shortbread, stollen and mulled wine was then provided and served by the committee.     

President Marion gave thanks to Joan Ratcliffe, Kirsten Cannon and Jean Heseltine for the planning of the evening and to all those who had taken part and wished everyone present a very Happy Christmas.

The competition for a wrapped Christmas present for a resident of Riverside was won by Elaine Close with Marcell Tatham second.

The raffle for the table flowers provided by Diana Dickinson was won by Kirsten Cannon.

Date of next meeting is Wednesday 16 January at 7.30pm (please note new time) in Natland Village Hall when the speaker will be Trevor Hughes on ‘The Yards of Kendal’.

Pro Nobis Singers - Christmas Concert.

The Pro Nobis annual Christmas concert is on Sunday 16 December in St Mark's at 
7.30 when the choir will be joined by organist, Ian Pattinson for a programme 
of seasonal music and readings. Entitled 'Welcome Sir Christèmas', the main 
work in the first half of the programme is William Mathias' tuneful Carol 
Sequence 'Ave Rex' which concludes with a jaunty setting of the anonymous carol 
'Sir Christèmas'. Other works in the first half of the programme include music 
by the 17th-century German composer Heinrich Schütz: his German Magnificat and 
a setting of 'Hodie Christus natus est' (Today Christ was born). 
In the second half of the concert this year, we are including quite few pieces 
which focus on the countryside in Winter, as well as the Christmas story itself 
of course. Thus, we have the 20th-century French composer Francis Poulenc's 
'Night of snow', Toby Young's little piece 'The Owl' and my own setting of 
Carol Ann Duffy's poem entitled 'The Bee Carol'. Ian Pattinson will contribute 
an organ solo: Bach's joyful re-working of the well-known carol 'In dulci 
jubilo'. If you are a fan of King's College Nine Lessons and Carols, this is 
the organ voluntary played after the service every year. We conclude the 
concert with folk songs from Germany, the Ukraine and Romania and, finally 
after a humorous reading, two Wassail carols. Do come and join us if you can.
As usual wine/fruit juice and mince pies will be available after the concert. 
Programmes can be purchased in advance from Northern Light Stained Glass, 
Blackhall Yard, Kendal or from me (Tel: 01539 723482).

Parish Council Meeting

The Meeting of the 26th November was over within an hour, though a lot of ground was covered in that time. Click here for the full minutes.

The Weather in November

November	2018	2017
Temperature at 8 a.m.	6.1° C	5.5° C
Minimum Temperature (Ave)	4.7° C	3.2° C
Maximum Temperature (Ave)	9.0° C	8.9° C
Rainfall	109 mm 4.4"	175.5 mm 7.0"

We had a dry spell from the middle of the month to almost the end. The result was below average rainfall for November and fairly average temperature, despite a colder snap when the wind was from the East.  John Dobson.