Judging in the first round of this year’s competition will take
place between Monday 8th June and Friday 26th June. Last year, we came 4th in our category of under 300 population, so let’s aim to improve on that. Marks are awarded for:
- Domestic (Houses, gardens, hedges, frontages) 30 marks
- Community Facilities (Village Green, bus shelter, church, village hall, verges and gutters, signs etc) 40 marks
- Commercial Premises (farms, pub) 25 marks
- Obvious Community Effort 5 marks
Judges look for evidence of PRIDE and INVOLVEMENT
Most of the village does look very attractive, and especially the Village Green and playing field where Les is doing a brilliant job, mowing every week. Thanks also to John (Dolan) who filled in while Les was away, and the other volunteers who are keeping the churchyard looking its best.
One thing which is letting the village down is the weeds and debris in the gutters at the sides of the roads. If everyone could weed and sweep outside their own house, (as Geoff has already done on the corner of Dark Lane and Back Lane), it could soon be cleared. Please have a look around and see what you can do.
The Parish Council is very grateful to Les Chaplin who is mowing the Green and field every week, and taking away the cuttings, which we had not been able to afford to do in the last few years since Keith retired. Les is freely giving his own time, which makes it even worse that before he can mow, he has to pick up dog mess from the grass. The Parish Council is considering a Dog Control Order for the Village Green which will make it an offence for any dog to be on there. The eggs of the Toxocariasis parasite which is found in dog faeces and which can cause serious illness and even blindness, can live in the soil for many months. If anyone sees a dog out in the village without its owner, or a dog owner not cleaning up a mess, please report it to the Parish Council.
We are grateful to Tim and Jane Snipe for allowing us to use their field behind the Village Green for recreation, and we certainly don’t want to see any dogs on there where children play. It is an offence to leave dog mess in any public place – not just on pavements, but also on grass verges and public footpaths. ‘Doggy bags’ can be put in any litter bin. Please remember to keep dogs on leads in the churchyard, and on farmland where there are crops or livestock.