Eccleshall Guide

25 Wheelwright Drive, Eccleshall, Staffs, ST21 LB
01785 851381 07815 419166  email:peterwjones@btinternet.com

Each printed edition of the Stone and Eccleshall Gazette contains items of Eccleshall News and photographs and the latest items and photographs are shown here.

September 2019 edition

ELFORD HEATH

Over the years residents and councillors have noticed a steady decline in the water levels at the pool at Elford Heath, Eccleshall. The council is currently planning to rectify the situation and make the pond a pleasure to visit once again. The work will cause some short-term disruption and some residents have already volunteered their services.

CHRISTIAN AID RESULT

Thanks to the generosity of local Eccleshall and Slindon folk in the community and the churches they raised £1786.86 with their collection this year in May.

ACOUSTIC NIGHT

The regular monthly acoustic night takes place at the Royal Oak, in the High Street, Eccleshall on Thursday September 5 admission is free, a raffle fundraises for a local charity. Acoustic musicians are welcome to step up and entertain the audience. The musical event takes place on the first Thursday in each month.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE:

Members of the Eccleshall W.I. were entertained with a talk by Paul and Tripta Schur on “Experiences in the Himalayas” and a sari demonstration at their meeting on July 11 in the parish room.

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP

The reverend Jimione was the guest speaker at the Eccleshall Methodist Women’s Fellowship on Tuesday July 9 in the school room at the church starting at 2pm.

ORGAN APPEAL

The organ at St Peter’s Church, Broughton is undergoing some refurbishment which is necessary and will cost around £15,500. Several fund-raising events are being planned and the church team are hoping that donations might be made towards the cost. If you wish to donate please make cheques payable to Broughton PCC and post it to Mr J C Butter, The Rudge, Ashley, Nr Market Drayton, TF9 4LN.

BROUGHTON

INTERIM MINISTER

The reverend Philip Swan has been appointed the interim Minister to work in the benefice for six months beginning on Sunday July 14. He will divide his time between the benefice and his other role as Diocesan Director if World Mission.

 

OFFLEY HAY

OFFLEY HAY DO

The Offley Hay village hall committee were well pleased with the support for the repeat of “A bit of a “Do” around 90 people attended, and the event raised £1,250 towards hall funds.

 

COMMUNITY CINEMA

The Eccleshall cinema presentation this month is Mary Queen of Scots in the large upstairs room at the Royal Oak on Thursday 26th September starting at 8pm. Admission by ticket is £5 available from the Oak, Perry’s, Chemist, The Artisan. The community cinema offers a monthly film at a good price which seems to be popular with the cinema going public of Eccleshall.

GOLDEN WEDDING

Congratulation to Rose and Peter Hughes on their Golden Wedding anniversary on July 5, they were married in Holy Trinity Church by the Reverend Lawson on July 5, 1967.

GURKHA LUNCH

A fund-raising charity curry lunch at the Stafford Grammar School took place on Sunday June 30 in aid of the provision of a water and sanitation facility at the Nepal village of Doode Pokhari. The meal for almost 200 folks was prepared by the locally based Gurkhas who also provided some spectacular Gurkha dancing. The event was arranged by the joint Rotary Clubs, Stafford, Stafford, Castle, Stafford Knot and Eccleshall with the kind permission of the commanding officer, 248 Queen’s Royal Gurkha Signal Squadron. It is anticipated that £4000 was raised on the day for the charity.

 WELL DRESSING

Despite a rainy morning, the fifth Croxton Community Well Dressing Festival on Saturday July 6 attracted many visitors to see the six beautiful Well Dressings that had been created by a team of over 30 people. The theme of the 2019 Festival was ‘Celebrating’. 

The largest Well Dressing celebrated well-known features of the North West of Staffordshire.... which from Anglo-Saxon times until 1894 was the administrative region known as the Pirehill Hundred. Included in the design and encompassed in a Stafford Knot were the bottle kilns of the Potteries, Joules Brewery, canals, bridges and watermills. Also included was a spitfire invented by S-o-T born Reginald Mitchell, the Stone Pirehill beacon and Izaak Walton (author of the ‘Compleat Angler’) whose shoes represented the shoe-making trade of Stafford and Stone. 

The five other Well Dressings celebrated the Centenary of Staffordshire Federation W.I.; the Centenary of the National Farmers Union in Stafford; the fiftieth anniversary of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and 50 years since man first set foot on the moon in 1969. The Eccleshall Girl Guides had also learnt how to create a Well Dressing and their design depicted the World Guide badge.  The designs are all created using natural materials. 

Most Well Dressings take place in the Peak District, and the Croxton event is the furthest west of any Well Dressing in the U.K.   The first visitors were from Australia, and as well as local people, there were many people visiting from other parts of the country and abroad.

The event was officially opened by Mrs Jean Beasley and the traditional Blessing of the Well conducted by Rev. Sara Humphries. There was a BBQ and stalls and displays in the Croxton Millennium Wood and St Paul’s Church, and the event was concluded with an afternoon poetry and music concert showcasing a wealth of local talent. Huge thanks to the sponsors of the event and to the organising committee, - drawn from members of all the local community groups, who had worked very hard for over twelve months to ensure the event was a success.

                                                         Pic: the main well dressing

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

A dozen or so people attended the recent meeting of the Eccleshall Neighbourhood Watch at the Royal Oak on Monday July 8. Also present was PCSO Gareth Higgins representing the local constabulary armed with statistics and advice about recent crimes and crime prevention. The meeting was chaired by John Baldry. The next meeting will take place on Monday September 30 starting at 7.30pm.

AFTERNOON TEA

The Chairman of the Parish Council, Councillor Peter Jones and Councillor Mrs Jones attended the Stafford Borough Mayor’s Afternoon Tea fund raising event at the Upper House Barlaston on Thursday July 18.

CIVIC AMENITY VISIT

The special refuse truck will be in the Stone Road, Eccleshall opposite the Methodist Church on Saturday September 21 between 9am and 11am for household large items of waste, furniture carpets etc. The service is sponsored by the Eccleshall Parish Council.

CAR SCHEME

The Eccleshall Voluntary Car Scheme was pleased to welcome a new voluntary driver recently who lives in the Great Bridgeford area. The scheme has several clients who live in Bridgeford but need transport to the Crown Surgery, so this is a big plus. The scheme still needs more drivers especially in the Croxton area. Do get in touch if you think you can help. peterwjones@btinternet.com or ring 01785 851381.

COUNCIL NEWSLETTER

The Summer edition of the Eccleshall Parish Council’s newsletter has been delivered to the homes in the area. The ten page booklet contains useful telephone numbers, how to report things etc, details of all the parish councillors, and item on Elford Heath, smaller items, profiles of each of the four new councillors, and a page explaining what the parish council is responsible for and what it has done over the past twelve months.
Copies are also available in the library.

QUEEN’S FIELD

The Plaque marking the Bishop Court public open space at Queen Elizabeth 2nd Field in Trust has now been located and fixed in place,

Pic: plaque in place

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT

On August 13 the High Street library became a Community Managed library. The sixty or so volunteers are undergoing training at the library by officers from the library department of the County Council. The management of the library was transferred on Monday August 5 and the library was closed for one week and they take over the running of the establishment on Tuesday August 13. The library was open again for business on Tuesday August 13 and the first two volunteers were on duty.

Pic: First of the volunteers working Gill Allsop and Ann Taylor

FAREWELL LADIES: The three ladies who have been the stalwarts of the Eccleshall Library for so many years ended their time with the library on Saturday August 3. On Thursday August1 friends and users of the library gathered to say farewell and share tea and cake with Hazel Bradshaw, Barbara Lunt and Claire Spencer. The ladies received many gifts of appreciation from library uses, plants, chocolates, biscuits etc and of course many, many cards of thanks and farewell. The ladies all have many hours of service at the County Library Hazel has served for 15 years at Eccleshall, Barbara has served 25 years at Eccleshall, altogether 34 years in the service, Claire has done 15 years at Eccleshall and 36 years in the library service.
Our very best wishes to all of them in their future roles and many thanks for their efforts at Eccleshall library.

Pic: Past librarians Barbara Lunt , Hazel Bradshaw and Clare Spencer

DIRTY DOGS

Owners of dogs who have moved into Eccleshall on the new housing developments may be to blame for the increase in dog fouling in the town. Until recently much of the dog fouling has been removed by the dog’s owners but the increase has coincided with the new estates being populated.

SURVEYS GALORE

We must have entered the ‘survey season’, the Borough Council is sending round a survey to establish resident’s opinions on council activities, County Councillor Jeremy Pert has been distributing his own survey which he hopes that residents of Eccleshall will respond to. The parish council is also in survey mood, hoping to speak to local groups, young and old and find out just what they want from their parish council.  With over five thousand adults in the parish and growing it is difficult to establish just what people want from the council simply by talking to folk in the street. More later.

UNINVITED TRADERS

The Eccleshall Neighbourhood Watch group is to secure a number of the ‘No uninvited traders’ signs which have become detached since they were first install some five years ago.

COUNCILLOR’S SURGERY

Borough Councillor Peter Jones for the Eccleshall Ward holds his regular monthly surgery in the High Street library on Saturday September 28 between 10am and 12 noon.

SPEED CAMERAS

The poles on which the Eccleshall Parish Council’s new speed cameras have been installed and the devices themselves have been delivered. They will be moved around the parish and monitor the speed of vehicles showing each vehicles speed and recording the details.

BENCH REFURBISHMENT

A programme of refurbishing the Eccleshall parish’s benches is underway, replacing damaged benches and repainting and repairing where necessary,

POETRY GROUP

 If readers enjoy poetry they may enjoy and afternoon at the Eccleshall library on the first and third Thursdays each month. A theme is suggested for each session and members are asked to read or listen to favourite poetry.

CARER’S CAFÉ

The next session of this group which provides support and help for carers and the people they care for, takes place in the Eccleshall community centre on the last Thursday of each month. Between 10.30am and 12.30pm. Do pop along, refreshments are available. For more information contact the carers Association on 01785 222365.

MEERBROOK OUTING

The Eccleshall Trust stage a trip each year to Meerbrook for pensioners who are less able residents of the parish. This year the half day trip took place in August. If you are not a registered but are a senior citizen living in the parish do contact the Trust secretary Sharon Lynch on 07870 1330271 or by email s.lynch712@btinternet.com for details.

PLANNING MATTERS

The owners of the former Claremont garage site, Stafford Road, Eccleshall have applied for permission to build one five-bedroom house on the site which was recently boarded up. Originally it was believed that the site would have multiple homes. Above a certain number of homes and the development would also have to provide affordable homes.

BROUGHTON

YOUR MAGAZINE

The ABC magazine is published quarterly for churches in the Broughton and Croxton area. The editor is Rev. Sara Humphries who can be contacted on 01630 673740  or email at rev.sara.humphries@gmail.com. A full colour version of the magazine is available at the website www.broughtonchurch.com.        

POLICE POST

On Wednesday July 17 the Eccleshall Parish Council held its regular monthly meeting when the discussion on the possible purchase of the Police Post was unresolved. At an extraordinary meeting of the Parish Council held on Wednesday July 24 in the community centre and after a long and detailed debate the councillors decided in principle to support the idea of being part of a Community Interest Company to purchase the police post and the land it stands on. Eight members of the council agreed that the site should be purchased either wholly owned by the council or as part of the CIC and the majority of these members preferred to be part of the CIC, which considerably reduces the financial impact of the scheme.  Once the terms of the agreement are negotiated and approved by the Council, the community will be consulted on their opinion of the scheme to ensure support is in place before commitment.

FREEDOM OF THE PARISH

At a special meeting held in the community centre on Wednesday July 17 the Eccleshall Parish Council agreed to confer Freedom of the Parish on five long serving community servants. It is hoped that the act will continue over the years and starts this year with Gordon Dale, who was a member of the Parish Council for 17 years including years as chairman and working to ensure that the community centre operates well. Phil Baskerville who was a member of the parish council for 22 years, long standing involvement with the Ecclian Society, Eccleshall in Bloom and chair of the Enhancements Committee. Bev Thompson who voluntarily maintained the public green spaces in the centre of town, areas by the toilets and the Stone Road. Martin Watson for his long and valued work both with the First Responders and continuing to lead the team which he has done for many years. Graham Garner as a member of the parish council for 12 years and acting as chairman for four years. They will be presented with certificates as part of the annual Civic Service in the Holy Trinity Church on Sunday October 27.

HOSPICE VALUATION

The Katharine House Hospice Eccleshall Support Group  raised £274 for our local hospice at their most recent event which was an antiques and collectables valuation day held at Eccleshall Community Centre on Saturday July 20 and kindly presided over by two representatives from Hanson’s Auctioneers and Valuers from Etwall, Derbyshire to whom the group are truly grateful. We would like to thank all our supporters very much for attending and helping us to raise valuable funds for Katharine House. The group’s next event is a quiz which will be held at Eccleshall Community Centre on Friday 4 October.  Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Pic: Steven Bruce auctioneer with some of the Hospice team.

ECCLESHALL SINGERS

The Singers entertained the residents of Cheswardine Hall on Tuesday July 23 with a concert of old favourites and sing-along songs. The hall is a regular venue for these concerts. They start their next season of rehearsals on Tuesday September 3 at the Methodist Church in Stone Road, Eccleshall starting at 7.30pm. New members are always welcome.

CHURCHES TOGETHER

Founder member of the Eccleshall Churches Together group Joan Oldbury has stepped down from her role as treasurer and the role was taken by John Treanor on July 1. He reported that the Christian Aid collection this year totalled £1,880.       

BIBLE STUDY GROUP

There will be no meetings of the Holy Trinity Church group during August and they will resume on Monday September 9 at 6pm in the Old Baptistery.

ALL TOGETHER NOW

Are you wanting to get out, or do you know of someone that does? Please come and join for a morning of tea/coffee/cake or even a game of cards, dominoes, bingo and more. The group meet on the 1st Saturday of each month starting at 10.30am and ending around 1pm at the Eccleshall community centre. If transport is a problem, it might be arranged by ringing 07515 960990 and the group will try and make the necessary arrangements.

SHARED INFORMATION

You are encouraged to complete the survey circulated by County Councillor Jeremy Pert on your thoughts on the future of our parish. The information gathered will be shared with the Eccleshall Parish Council which may be able to use it to plan the future actions of the council. The survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Eccyconsults.

ECCLIAN BARBEQUE

The garden of Brian and Myf Freeman at their home on the High Street was filled with guests for the Ecclian Society barbeque on Saturday July 20. The weather stayed fine and the food, drink and conversation flowed.

STONE CIVIC SERVICE

The Chairman of the Parish Council attended the Stone Town Council’s civic service on Sunday July 28 along with his wife Parish Councillor Mrs Joy Jones.

HOSPICE BOAT

The window display in the Katharine House Hospice shop gets changed often daily when new donations arrive but the most recent and unusual donation was a rowing boat. The sale of all donation helps towards the cost of providing hospice care at the Stafford based unit, so any saleable donated item is welcome.

Pic: the window display

PREMATURE PROMOTION

This column recently prematurely promoted Rotarian Brian Price to the lofty position of President of the Eccleshall Mercia Rotary Club. He is in fact the President elect; Brian Eyre is the present president. Sorry Brian’s.

POLICE PRESENCE

PSCO Gareth Higgins along with PCSO Patrick Wright were on the Stone Road police post car park on Saturday July 20 in the morning. They were available for advice and dispensing useful crime prevention items.

Pic: Parish Council chairman peter Jones and Gareth Higgins

Pic: PCSO Gareth Higgins and PCSO Patrick Wright.

ATTEMPTED BREAK-IN

Sometime overnight on Wednesday July 24 between 9pm and 7am. 2 x males have turned up in a vehicle and have attempted to force entry through the shutter doors on the CO-OP in Eccleshall.
The offenders were wearing masks and gloves. On this occasion the 2 offenders didn’t manage to gain entry into the business.
However if you have seen any suspicious activity in and around the area of Eccleshall around this time, please contact Staffordshire Police on '101' and quote serial ref: SP-20190725-0299.
If you do come across anyone acting suspicious on your premises please contact the Police on '999' Emergency (if a crime is in progress) or '101' Non-Emergency (if a crime has already taken place and the offender(s) are no longer on the scene). Patrols will be stepped up and will be proactively patrolling the area.

GUIDE COVER

What should be on the cover of the 22nd edition of the Eccleshall Guide due out in January next year? The publishers are looking for ideas, photographs etc. If you have any ideas,  please get in touch with peterwjones@btinternet.com. All the churches and public houses in the town have been used, Elford pond, and the High Street.

MORE ARCADE

Additional units have now been opened in the arcade at 12 High Street, Eccleshall and several of them are occupied. Anastasia has moved from Stafford Street to one of the new units. Their opening was delayed whilst the building work was completed.

Pic: The new lengthy look to the arcade.

CASTLE STREET

The planning application to build homes off Castle Street behind the former telephone exchange has been withdrawn by the developers. Following much controversy, since the plans included building outside the settlement boundary of the Eccleshall Neighbourhood Plan.

ECCLESHALL SINGATHON

Plans are in hand to transform the Eccleshall community centre into a place of music and song all day on Saturday October 5. Musical groups from the local area will be taking part. Come and join the showcase of local talent, listen with them, sing with them and most important have fund. Watch this space for more information.

ADDITIONAL OFFICERS

Three additional police officers have joined the Local Police Team for Eccleshall, PC John White and PC Nigel Clewley and PCSO Rebecca Moors. PC Jane Gabriel and PCSO Luke Peckett have moved on to other duties.

OLD FRIEND RETURNS

Not so much a friend as a darn nuisance, reports have been received of Japanese Knot Weed being found near Overton Grange, the Taylor Wimpey site on Shaw’s Lane Eccleshall. No doubt disturbed by the recent development work.

WREN HISTORY

Sue Johnson is the guest speaker at the meeting of the Eccleshall Women’s Institute on Thursday September 12 in the parish room starting at 7.30pm. Her talk will be about the Wrens. The competition is items from the Women’s armed services.

GARDEN DESIGN
The Croxton & Broughton Garden Guild guest speaker on Wednesday September 25 will be Marc Brimble on Garden Design, Composition and Colour starting at 8pm in the Broughton parish room.

LIVE MUSIC
The return of a programme of live music to the community centre, Shaw’s Lane Eccleshall starts on Saturday September 7 at 8pm. The entertainer will be Alan Williams, admission is on the door and costs £6.

TRINITY MENS FELLOWSHIP
On Friday September 27 the membership will be walking in the Woodseaves areas from 10am followed by lunch at the Cock Inn, Woodseaves at 12 noon.

BE CONNECTED

The next meeting of the Eccleshall Friendship Group will take place in the parish room on Wednesday September 18 between 2pm and 3.30pm. It will be a Macmillan Coffee Afternoon.

FLOWER GUILD
The next meeting of the Holy Trinity Church Eccleshall Flower Guild will be held on Monday September 2 starting at 11am in the Old Baptistery. At the meeting they will discuss the flowers for the church for Harvest Festival, Remembrance Sunday and Christmas. Coffee will be served, and new members are always most welcome. If you have an interest in flower arranging and would like to join, then please come along. For further details contact Kate Griffiths on 01785 850948.

RIDE AND STRIDE

Never too early to be thinking about the annual fund-raising bike ride to raise funds for the Counties historic churches. Each year hardy individuals cycled between several the churches in our area visiting them and enjoying the architectural splendour of our county. The Eccleshall Methodist Church and Holy Trinity Church will no doubt be taking park on Saturday September 7. If you would like to sponsor a cyclist or ride yourself do get in touch with someone from your church.

FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

Local businesses and organisations are being asked to consider taking part in next year’s Eccleshall Festival during the week June 13 – June 21 2020. The week starts as always with the Open Gardens Weekend.
Pubs are being invited to stage musical, quizzes or other events, during the week, and clubs could create open evenings etc. Contact peterwjones@btinternet.com for details.

SUMMER BREAK

The Eccleshall Historical Society take a break from its activities during August and return on September 11 with a new season of historical activities.

PARISH FACEBOOK

The Eccleshall Parish Council can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EccleshallPC.

SEA SHANTIES

Despite being 35 miles from the sea, the Broughton Community Choir, led by Martin Jones, are hosting summer workshops on sea shanties. Open to all, the evenings can be a stand-alone activity or lead to a final performance on Sunday 8th September at the end of an afternoon workshop. This scratch sea shanty choir will also feature in the Eccleshall Grand Singathon on 5th October. For more information, please visit seaandcake.dudaone.com or email martin@woodlandquarter.co.uk.

Pic: Fairweather Sailors

ROTARY VISITORS

Rotarian Wayne Tomlinson was the guest speaker at the Stafford Rotary Club on Wednesday July 24 at the Tillington Hall Hotel along with staff from Katharine House Hospice whom he supports. Wayne is planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in September. The visitors gave a detailed talk on the care that the hospice provides in general and in particular the care they gave to Wayne’s wife.

Pic: President Elect Stuart Perren and Wayne along with the ladies from the hospice Ange Chalmers, Jane Ward and Sheryl A-Omran.

CHERNOBYL CHILDREN

Beautiful weather certainly provided the backdrop for a most enjoyable day at Fairfield Riding School Lawnhead on Thursday July 18 for 10 children visiting Staffordshire from Belarus, as part of an annual recuperative holiday from the area affected by the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. The children together with a doctor and interpreter arrived in the UK on Saturday to enjoy a month long stay in the homes of host families, with numerous activities planned.   The day, sponsored by The Rotary Club of Stafford, involved an opportunity to learn how to groom a pony, a riding lesson and games on horseback, and were all presented with a certificate of achievement, rosette and an embroidered Tee shirt. The day concluded with a garden party and refreshments at a Rotary member’s home.

Pic: Chernobyl Kids

NUISANCE BIKERS

Over the last few weeks the police have received a couple of reports of, off road motorbike's in the Eccleshall area, riding around in an anti-social manner. They have not yet located the rider's or the motorcycle's itself, however they are proactively patrolling the area. In the meantime, if you have any further concerns, please contact Staffordshire Police via '101'

COMPANION DOG SHOW

The dog show is a popular part of the Eccleshall Show and takes place on Saturday August 31 at the Parks showground, Lower Sugnall. Entries are only taken on show day and entries are £1 each class. Judging commences at 12.30pm. There are fourteen classes including puppy, veteran, sorting and loads more, so your pet will fit at least one of the classes.

SURGERY TRAINING
The Crown Surgery closes from 1pm on one day a month for practice team training. In September the surgery will be closed on Thursday 5th. In October it will be closed on Thursday 3rd.

WASTE NOT WANT NOT

An exhibition by Angela Smith in Gallery at 12, High Street, Eccleshall, Staffordshire between Saturday 30th August 30 - Thursday September 26. 

With the environment being such a topical issue and concerns over the impact our rubbish is having on our planet and everything that lives on it, many people are looking at how to reduce the amount of waste they produce. There are no two ways about it, we have become a throwaway society. 
However, many crafters have been bucking that trend for years, instinctively being hoarders whilst viewing the potential for junk as part of their next new creation.

This exhibition aims to highlight how unwanted items and materials destined for the bin can be turned into wearable jewellery. 

Angela has used old papers and magazines, bubble wrap, scraps of material and wool, corks, teabags, safety pins, and other unwanted items to create a selection of necklaces, bracelets, brooches and earrings. Most of the materials used for this exhibition have been stashed away for years waiting to re-use. 

Angela will be hosting a launch for her exhibition on Saturday September 7 starting at 12pm - 4pm - if you would like to pop in and talk to her about her jewellery. 

900TH MEMBER: Support Staffordshire was delighted to welcome its 900th member, Eccleshall Allotments Association, during National Allotments Week 2019. Anne Ross Locality Officer at Support Staffordshire said ‘We have been working with Eccleshall Allotments Association for a few months now so it’s very fitting we welcome them as our 900th member during National Allotments Week (12-18 August).  At a time where people are becoming more aware of their own health and wellbeing a project which gets people into the great outdoors as well as encouraging them to grow their own fresh produce must be applauded” Eccleshall Allotments Association has been in existence for more than 40 years offering opportunities for local people to develop their gardening skills and grow their own produce.  Often thought of as an older person’s pastime in recent years the allotments have seen a rise in popularity amongst younger people and families. Ron Milne Chairman of Eccleshall Allotments Association said ‘Support Staffordshire have been extremely supportive in helping us look at ways of applying for funding to help the allotments become more sustainable for future generations.  We are particularly keen to make the allotments more accessible for people with mobility problems and would like to create some raised beds as well as making the area more secure. There is a real community feel here and we are keen for more people to have the chance to reap the rewards of this wonderful environment.  We are hopeful that with Supports Staffordshire’s help we will be successful in our search for funding” He added ‘Since contacting Support Staffordshire and becoming a member we have been able to network with other volunteers and groups in the area and would urge anyone who runs a local charity or community groups to get in touch with and find out about the benefits of becoming a member”

Support Staffordshire membership is currently FREE for eligible organisations and is available to most charities working for the benefit of Staffordshire. To find out more about becoming a member please visit www.supportstaffordshire.org.uk

Pic: Ann Ross and Ron Milne