Gnosall Parish Council           

Well, it doesn’t seem five minutes since I was writing the last introduction – where does the time go?  But go it does and here we are again! Last time, I was anticipating the forthcoming elections and wondering whether we would have one in Gnosall for the Parish Council. As you all know, we did – and all members of the Council standing for re-election were voted back in, which was very gratifying. Thank you for your confidence in us. But we still had vacancies and you can read about our co-options later in this edition.

I am delighted to say that I was once again elected Chair by my fellow Councillors and I’m very pleased about that – one year is barely enough to get an inkling of what the role is all about and you really do need longer to get into it. But I love being part of the Parish Council because you get so much back from helping to make our parish an even better place. It’s a most rewarding job – we all have our particular favourite activities and I get a real buzz out of the Senior Citizens’ Teas and the Christmas Lights. I hope to feel a sense of achievement when our Dementia Garden is built – more of that later in this edition too.

Unfortunately, the village has had a few less pleasant events over recent months, including anti-social behaviour and the vandalism of several of our leisure facilities. This causes great consternation and distress and I’ve read many comments on social media saying how the village has changed for the worse, how bad behaviour is rife and how young people have no respect for other residents or property. Of course, for a small proportion, that’s true. But is it a reason to throw up our hands and decide that Gnosall is ruined? I think not. In fact, I think the response to these sad and distressing events is one to give us hope and confidence.

First, of all, consider the kind offers of help to fix the Grosvenor roof and the Chippy Jumps fence – much appreciated and entirely unsolicited. That’s the face of genuine community spirit in action. Think about how many local tradespeople supported the Library project and gave untold hours to make it happen. That’s stepping up when you see something needs doing. Finally, think of the outpouring of love and support for the family of Sam Myatt, tragically lost to us in January. All those people who have planned and worked to raise funds for a permanent memorial to him (approaching a staggering £20,000 now I’m told) those who have supported his family, they are the true face of our village. Generous, supportive, willing to go the extra mile – whether it be in responding to a tragedy, helping a good cause or working hard for BKV or GFest or Carnival – the people in our parish are second to none.

There’s a saying “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” and that’s very true of Gnosall. We may be downcast momentarily when bad things happen, but we don’t let it overpower us. Life has its ups and downs, its good and bad, and a large village like Gnosall is bound to have its share of anti-social behaviour. We’re not living in Camelot! But the real mettle of our village is shown by resilience and perseverance in the face of whatever life throws at us. No wonder we’re all proud to serve on its Parish Council. And with that thought – welcome to the July edition of GMK!

Cllr Gail Gregory

Chair of Gnosall Parish Council

Over 50 people attended the parish Council’s 2019 Annual Assembly held on 1st May.  Interesting and informative presentations were received from Gnosall Lions, Gnosall First Responders as well as a chronicle of the Parish Council’s work during the year 2018-19 highlighting the Council’s achievements.  Borough and County Councillors were present to answer any questions raised by parishioners.

The 2019 Community Awards was the highlight of the evening.  Awards were presented to Joyce Rowe, winner of the Individual Community award, and to Gnosall Scouts, winners of the Group Award presented by Mr Robert Watson-Jones in memory of his late father Derek Watson-Jones, a former parish councillor.

Other nominees were:  Gnosall Travel Store, Gnosall Phoenix Group, Mavis Hill, Jordan Archer, Dr E Rana, Phil and Pat Lawley, Kenneth Ingram, Tracey Harris, Norman and Sheila Hailes, Ian Rizzotto, Dave Clarke, Lesley Worsley and Tony Innamorati.

Details of their nominations are found on the following pages:

GNOSALL COMMUNITY AWARDS

THE DEREK WATSON JONES AWARD TO A COMMUNITY GROUP OR ORGANISATION

1          The Travel Store

Although a relatively new business to Gnosall, this little shop has made a fantastic impact already. It is friendly and accessible both in person and on the net, where weekly offers (even daily offers!) are published and queries are answered promptly and helpfully. The offers themselves are fantastic, whether they be for full-length holidays abroad or for shorter stays and breaks within the UK. Scott James opened the store, part of the Freedom Travel Group in June 2018, after 9 years with a short break specialist company. Lorraine has similar industry experience and they plan to take on another advisor shortly. 

Even if you like the sound of one of their holidays but need details changing, they are as helpful as possible. Nothing is too much trouble. Prices are highly competitive and the range of offers is very wide, catering for all tastes.

The firm already sponsors local events, such as the 10k, so is clearly part of village life. I feel that it has added considerably to the opportunities within the village, it already has an excellent reputation and has won industry prizes in its first year, while being in the running for more, and it is keen to become a supporter of all aspects of life in Gnosall. It is a great asset to the village.

2          Gnosall Scout Group

This organisation has existed and thrived for 60 years and that’s amazing in itself. During that time, operating out of the Scout Hut behind the Memorial Hall, they have had a positive influence upon the lives of hundreds of Gnosall youngsters – not just boys either.

The Scouting Movement is a movement with a strong focus on the outdoors and survival skills that aims to support young people in their physical, mental, and spiritual development so that they may play constructive roles in society. At a time when youngsters are often the subject of criticism for thing’s they have not done that they ought to have done – or for things they have done that they shouldn’t have, this movement has been there to show young people another way.

As well as taking part in and enjoying exciting activities from kayaking to coding, scouts develop character skills like resilience, initiative and tenacity; employability skills such as leadership, teamwork and problem solving; and practical skills like cooking and first aid. In short, they learn to be positive and practical citizens. This is all thanks to the dedication of the many Scout Leaders who have given generously of their time over the years.

3          The Phoenix Federation           

The Gnosall branch of the Phoenix Federation has almost 200 members, most of whom live within the parish. Its membership is restricted to over 50s but is otherwise open to all. It holds meetings on most Fridays through the year and the attendance rarely falls below 50. In addition, there are smaller groups covering interests such as walking, table tennis, tai chi, skittles, book reading and board games. The club also organises:

· Visits to places of interest

· Meals

· An annual 5-day break with a focus on walking

· An annual quiz for all the groups within the Phoenix Federation

Many new members are recently retired, newcomers to the village or bereaved and the club supports them through potentially vulnerable periods of their lives. It also takes steps to ensure that those in declining health can maintain contact and continue to take part in its activities.

The group is a significant part of the life of the village and an award from the parish council would be good recognition of this.

INDIVIDUAL AWARD NOMINATIONS

1          Mavis Hill

For her dedication and commitment to both the Grosvenor Centre, which she has looked after for coming up to 15 years. And also the Memorial Village Hall. Hirers of the Grosvenor comment on how well it is kept and looked after; she meets and greets hirers and does so much more than her role requires. She has also been a member of the Memorial Village Hall committee for many years and was instrumental in keeping the Friday night bingo group going. She manages the table top sales trying to raise much-needed funds for the Hall. She does a fabulous job in all her roles all for the benefit of the community.

2          Ian Rizzotto

I am out and about a lot around the village, early in the morning - running.    Unfortunately, there is often a lot of litter, take away cartons drinks bottles etc. on the car parks and play parks, especially at the weekend.   Mr Rizzotto cleans it all up…. without fail every day/week… making the parks usable, sometimes removing broken glass etc. I feel that this unnoticed (because we are all in bed still) act of kindness, serving others without the expectancy of thanks, should be recognised.

3          Tracey Harris

She runs the baby and toddler group at the Methodist Church every Thursday, even during school holidays and only having 2 weeks off at Christmas. She doesn’t have any children there and does it on a voluntary basis. I have just moved back to the village and have been helping her out, I am so proud of her giving up her time not only setting up and running the group but going the extra mile organising events, Christmas parties with Santa etc. She also helps out GG’s youth club with Jordan when they are short-staffed. Very proud mum.

4          Norman & Sheila Hailes

Norman and Sheila do so much. They help organise the Carnival Committee, take part in Tea and Toast every week, help with messy church. They run the over 80’s Lunch Club and have also helped with the Afternoon Tea for the over 80s. They provide Christmas Dinners for people and run a group in Impstones on a Friday. And this is just a snapshot of what they are involved in,

6          Dr Rana

Nothing is too much trouble for Dr Rana. He very rarely says no either to the dental centre team or to his patients. He values his staff and makes sure he thanks each and every one of us for our day’s work.

He is committed to developing his nurses and admin staff qualifications – personally, he has always told me that if I find a course I would like to do, to let him know and he will book it. I recently qualified as an Oral Health Educator thanks to Dr Rana and this counts as an A level if I choose to pursue a career in Dental Hygiene and Therapy.

He will see any number of emergency patients as he would never want to be turned away himself. He never likes to keep his patients waiting and treats them quickly and efficiently. He has struggled for 2 years with volume of work (dentists are very hard to find at the moment) but does not complain and continues every day with a smile on his face. We all keep him positive!

7          Jordan Archer

I would like to nominate Jordan Archer for an award. My daughter attends his Thursday night Youth Club and the difference it has made to her has been fantastic, especially through the winter months. She has that opportunity to meet up with her friends in a safe and monitored environment, outside school hours, having a fun and sociable time.

As a family we really appreciate the time, effort and initiative that Jordan puts into this group. Adding to the wonderfully positive comments I hear about him in and around the village, I think we are very lucky to have someone like this as part of our community.

8          Joyce Rowe

I would like to nominate Joyce Rowe, editor of the Gnosall Parish News, for this year’s awards. Joyce has been editing the magazine for a great many years (I can’t be more precise without asking her). This voluntary job is a very time-consuming commitment which she carries out quietly and conscientiously without any self-promotion.  Week in, week out, she collates all the editorial content, ensuring regular articles are in on time, communicating with contributors, answering readers’ enquiries, politely handling any complaints and maintaining the essential “What’s On” diary. She tries to ensure that the magazine – which reaches nearly 1000 homes – covers all aspects of life in the village. 

I am very conscious that all the GPN volunteers play an important role (for example Trevor Ashton who makes up the pages, Bob Colman who manages distribution and Pat Tweed, chair and treasurer and distributors).

9          Lesley Worsley

Lesley has been a cub and scout leader for almost 30 years. She helps organise camps and attends them to enable the young people of Gnosall to have an opportunity to take part in experiences they wouldn’t have the opportunity to do otherwise. Nothing is too much trouble – she is always there to lend a extra hand if needed.

She also helps organise the village Bonfire that is always so successful, even though the help for this has sadly dropped off so she had to do more and unfortunately can no longer continue.

She is totally unassuming and unaware of the impact she has on young people around her. This is also demonstrated in her work as a Teaching Assistant at the school.

10         Phil & Pat Lawley        

Pat & Phil Lawley have always been very involved with the village & helped anyone in need or poorly making sure everyone is well & providing transport to shops, appointments, hospital visiting etc. No one deserves recognition more than Pat & Phil. They hold Moreton, Outwoods & Bromstead together.

In April 2004, Phil & Pat Lawley started the Thursday lunch club for residents over 55. It was a great success & now 15 years later is still going strong with a regular membership of about 25 ladies & gentlemen who live in the area & beyond.

Phil collects a number of members in his car in order to make sure it is available to all - a very welcome service to anyone housebound.

The group meets on the third Thursday of every month in the Social Club at Moreton Millennium hall. Through the Winter months we have home made soup, a variety of sandwiches followed by a pudding or cake.( In the warmer weather we do not have soup). All are welcome. There is the opportunity to catch up with local news etc. There is a modest fee of £3 per person. In December, we go to the Bradford Arms for the subsidised Christmas meal. During the year once or twice we are treated to Fish & Chips which is always a popular event.

The monthly gathering is a good opportunity for villagers to 'keep an eye' on each other & offer support to anyone with problems or difficulties. There is always a report from the neighbourhood watch on anything to be aware of. 

Pat & Phil keep in constant touch with everyone & are always there for anyone who is struggling in any way or has a problem. They are the first people we all turn to. Nothing is ever too much trouble for them. If they cannot help or answer a query, they will always find someone who can. They are the first to help at any event. Phil is a frequent volunteer behind the bar in the Social club. Pat is treasurer for the hall Social club & a prominent member of the Women's Institute. They are a very popular couple & we would be lost without them. 

Tony moved from Birmingham to Gnosall in 1988 where he worked as an Engineering Manager with an automotive accessories group. In 1996 he moved to his present home in Moreton with his wife Patricia and they have three sons and numerous grandchildren.

Over the years he has had and still has interests in the Youth Services and has helped at GG’s. He has served as a parish councillor in both Moreton and Gnosall in the past.

He successfully obtained funding for the Moreton and Outwoods Defibrillators and initiated the formation of the Gnosall and District First Responder Group, himself training as  First Responder. He was a director of Rural Link, bringing Public Transport to the rural communities until the funding was withdrawn. He is now involved with the Voluntary Car Scheme.

Tony is actively involved with the Moreton, Outwoods and Bromstead Millennium Community Centre and has been referred to as the “Number One man”. He works as a volunteer Front of House manager at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre and his interests are traditional Folk Music and visiting folk festivals around the country.

12         Kenneth Ingram

During his 37 years with Gnosall Players, Kenneth worked tirelessly to keep community drama alive and onstage in Gnosall. Not only has this enabled residents and visitors to watch the shows but has offered opportunities for companionship, interest and fun to its members. Some of those members have gone on to pursue drama on bigger stages and have thanked Kenneth for his help and guidance.

The roles he has played are many. As an actor, he made a pipe-smoking vicar his speciality. As Director he won the Best Director in North Staffordshire award from the National Operatic and Drama Association. He has also been Producer, Publicity Manager, Front of House Manager (always in dinner suit and dickie bow) props maker, Ticket printer, programme creator and for the last 8 years he’s been Chairman.  However, his longest running role is that of treasurer – 37years – which included safeguarding the funds even when the group was dormant for some years. By so doing he assisted the group in getting restarted. He retired from the Gnosall Players in 2019. Thank you Kenneth for your contribution to Gnosall.

13         Dave Clarke

I wish to nominate Mr Dave Clarke for the award. He has tirelessly for the past 12 years to my knowledge, has ran the BKV team and we have under his guidance won the competition at least I believe four times. He also has set up the Telephone box library, produced excellent Calendars with sale proceeds going to various worthy causes in the Gnosall Parish area, for a good number of years using solely local photographs taken by local photography enthusiasts. I do believe that he is an outstanding worthy recipient of this award. It is my opinion that the award should be awarded to a non council member but to a parishioner that has benefited the betterment of the Gnosall Parish and its residents.

Parish and Borough Council elections were held on 2nd May.   Thirteen candidates applied for 12 seats on the Gnosall ward of Gnosall parish and therefore an election was called.  Only one candidate applied for the ward of Moreton and as there are 3 seats, there was an uncontested election and there were two vacancies.   One candidate applied for one seat in Knightley ward and therefore there was an uncontested election.

Details of elected parish councillors can be found on the parish council’s website, www.gnosallparishcouncil.og.uk along with biographies and photographs of councillors.    The first meeting of the newly elected council was held on 13th May at which Cllr Gregory was elected Chair for the second year and Cllr Alker was elected Vice Chair.    Cllr Allan Mills was co-opted to fill one of two vacancies in the Moreton ward.    Allan is very much aware of what being a councillor involves and had met with the Clerk previously to find out how Gnosall Parish Council operates, what the council manages, the ongoing projects, future projects; he is very keen to get involved and join the new Council. 

At the first meeting of each of the committees and working groups, Chairs and Vice Chairs will be elected and projects will be prioritised for the next 12 months.    New councillors will attend training sessions and all councillors have received updated copies of Council regulations, policies and procedures. The new council will continue to work closely with the County and Borough Councillors on matters of mutual concern and will continue to meet regularly with local Police Officers and PCSO’s.  The Clerk and staff will attend training events whenever necessary to ensure working practices are compliant with regulations.   A new Council offered an excellent opportunity to make changes and we are delighted to report that modifications have been made to the parish office to making working practices more efficient. Office opening times have been slightly changed: the parish office is open to the public on Tuesday 10am-2pm and Wednesdays 9.30am -12.30pm; appointments are available on Thursdays and the office is closed on Mondays and Fridays.

We have shared with you before our plans to create a sensory garden behind the Youth Club and Library, where both dementia sufferers and those caring for them will be able to go for a little “time-out”. This project has been delayed due to the overrun of other work and the need to prioritise tasks but we are very keen indeed to get it finished – or, at least, to get it started!

Dementia sufferers often find that noise and bustle confuse them and they become anxious in noisy environments. Carers, too, often value a bit of peace and quiet in which to reflect or sit quietly with their relative. The idea of a sensory garden is to have plants with colour, texture and scent – perhaps old favourites with familiar smells to remind people of days gone by at home – all in raised beds so that even those who aren’t as mobile can get to experience them.  The garden will hopefully be a place where we can get a moment’s peace in surroundings which uplift and comfort, without going too far from home.

Last time, I was a little downcast because we hadn’t had much response but things are now moving along. We have had the kind gift of a lovely bench in memory of a relative (to be safely stored until we can put it in situ) and plants are being grown for us as we speak – though, of course, we’d like more! At the time of writing, we have yet to hear the outcome of a bid for community funding which would enable us to purchase materials for construction. I fear that even if successful, we’re going to need more support in this area. To help with that, we hope to have a Quiz Night in the Grosvenor later this year. You can support that by coming along with your team and by providing raffle prizes!!

Remember that, if you’d like to raise funds for this project or for Dementia causes, we have promised the use of the Grosvenor Centre free of charge.

So thank you for your interest so far and keep it coming!

Remedial work started on the Acres boardwalk in June. The new central section, which replaced the arson-damaged portion, is holding up well. However, the supporting posts of the some of the older lengths (at either end) have sunk into the saturated underlying peat. This frustratingly means that parts of the boardwalk have become impassable without wellies when the site is particularly wet.

The new section works so well because it is partly raised on recycled-plastic mats to spread the load of the whole structure. To replicate this, a contractor will raise the sunken older lengths of boardwalk by jacking-up and installing new pads underneath these sections too. As with any work on the Acres, this task will be weather-dependent and require adequately dry site-conditions. In the meantime, the Parish Council apologises for any inconvenience whilst the work is ongoing, but we are sure the results will be very worthwhile

Regular canal-walkers will know that there is a 200 metre stretch of towpath, adopted by the Parish Council, between bridges 34 and 35 that is badly in need of repair. Throughout the winter months and after any rain it becomes very muddy and difficult to walk. 

 The inestimable Dave Clarke, of BKV fame, made the Council aware of the need for an all-weather towpath, particularly in view of CFest being part of GFest this year. Barry Witts and his small team of volunteers (GTR) do an excellent job helping to maintain the adopted section but the work involved in creating an all-weather surface would need professional help with men and machines.

The path is well-used by leisure walkers, boaters moored alongside, cyclists from the Greenway and the Walking for Health group. As Gnosall is the Best Kept Large Village in Staffordshire (hoping for the hat trick this year) we should really be encouraging the use and maintenance of our village amenities for both visitors and residents alike.

With this in mind, we contacted the Canal and River Trust (CRT) to see whether we might meet to show them the extent of the challenge and at the start of May, the Clerk and Chair, along with Dave, met with Simon Papprill  ( Midlands Enterprise Manager with the CRT), Michael Haig  ( Inland Waterways Association) and Campbell Boyle  (Gnosall resident on CRT Area Management Committee and local volunteer). We had a most enjoyable walk along the towpath (luckily it was dry at the time!) and made them aware of how much we value the path as a healthy-living resource and also as a reminder of the village’s industrial heritage. We were able to show them some of the improvements already undertaken and explain why we needed support with this job.

I think it is fair to say that they were impressed by what has already been done and by the value placed upon this amenity. Another meeting is to take place but links already exist between several potential sources of help and funding. Now watch this space!

The Parish Council and other community groups, particularly the Best Kept Village Group, work hard to provide and maintain facilities for parishioners and visitors to enjoy and will continue to do so; plans are in hand to make improvements to the canal tow path, update the play area facilities and carry out essential maintenance on all recreation areas including the boardwalk and village green. All these facilities are there for everyone’s benefit and understandably the Parish Council was very disappointed when some of the much-loved local facilities were targeted by a few vandals in the spring.  It is pleasing to report that our working relationship with Stafford Police has improved and the Parish Council and local Police Officers worked closely to gather information that led to a number of arrests and verbal warnings.      Carrying out repairs to damaged play equipment has cost approximately £1,500, which prevents funds being used on planned projects.   

Fortunately, these sort of incidents are uncommon in this parish but it is heartening to know that when problems do arise, the community pull together to rectify damage and share information that proves very useful.   Local trade people contacted the parish office after the damage to the park and Grosvenor centre offering to help repair damage, free of charge – just as they did in 2017 when the Boardwalk was partially destroyed.    

The Spring Over 84s Tea on the 27th April was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone – guests and helpers.  We were delighted to be joined by Liz Bennett of the Co-op who came and served the refreshments with the rest of the team all afternoon; she even stayed on to help put away the chairs and tables.

We know from the feedback we get how much these events are appreciated, for some people it is the only chance they get to catch up with old friends, and people kindly express their gratitude to all the people who bake and help. We are very appreciative of United Charities who now fund the teas. The Parish Council must also be thanked, several council members give up their Saturday to help and the Grosvenor Centre, which is so ideal for these events, is given free of charge.

We look forward to the next Tea on the 3rd August – and please if anyone knows of somebody who is 84 or over and not on our list, let the Parish Council Office know at cso@gnosallparishcouncil.org.uk or Maggie Hughes at maggiehughes123@btinternet.com'>maggiehughes123@btinternet.com'>href='mailto:maggiehughes123@btinternet.com'>maggiehughes123@btinternet.com.

To enhance the recreation facilities on the Acres even further, new outdoor gym equipment was installed in April this year.  Seven new pieces of exercise equipment are proving very popular with residents of all ages and some very positive feedback has been received.  The Best Kept Village judges were spotted using the equipment on one of their inspections!  

Some of you may remember that the gym equipment was originally going to be installed as the same time as the tennis court using funds received from Staffordshire County Council however, the tennis court project had some added extras that used all the available funding at the time.   The Parish Council therefore applied for the remaining S106 funds, raised from new housing development sites and retained by Stafford Borough Council, to be used to purchase the gym equipment and replace some of the play park facilities.   

Now the gym equipment is installed, the focus will be on the play park on Brookhouse Road, replacing some equipment as well as the safety surfacing, perimeter fencing and the car park.    The Council is very much aware the recreation facilities it provides and maintains are very much needed in the village and enjoyed by many residents and visitors. 

It is disappointing when the equipment is vandalised and the damage caused to the Chippy Jumps over the Easter holidays cost the parish council just over £1000 to repair.  Luckily these sort of incidents don’t happen too often.

The Cartwright & Hudson Foundation is an educational charity established to benefit young people who are residents of Gnosall, Moreton and Knightly and are undertaking further education, such as university, college or training as an apprentice.

The Trustees, some of whom are Gnosall Parish Councillors, will provide financial assistance for the purchase of books, equipment, instruments and tools.

Please note that day to day living costs will not be considered.

To request and application form, please contact Mrs D. Stiles on 01785 841314 or email harry.stiles@btinternet.com for an application form.

A lot has happened at the library since the last GMK edition. Although we opened our doors on the 20th February, we waited till everything settled before we had our ‘Official’ Opening. It occurred on a very wet 4th April, surely a good omen!

The deputy Mayor and Mayoress came for the cutting of the ribbon. We also had our local author, Nicholas Corden and SCC and GLEAN officials cutting ribbons. (We had three ribbons!)

All those who had volunteered time, money or labours were invited and the chairman personally named and thanked those that contributed an extraordinary amount.

We had our first AGM on the 14th May to acknowledge the last year’s achievements and all our volunteers were invited and came.

We always planned to be not just a library for books and we’ve already held our first Coffee Morning on the 21st May and plan to have more coffee mornings every 3rd Tuesday, so be sure to come and visit (you’ll get cake as well!).

We also have Bounce and Rhyme every 2nd/4th Tuesdays of each month AND we’ve had the first of a series of Genealogy Workshops; the next one on the 27th June.

You’d think we would have no time for handing out books, but our volunteers are industrious folk and we even have an IT Surgery on the 19th June, for those who are bewildered by some of the things their computers are doing (who isn’t!)

We are also getting ready for the Summer Reading Challenge for all the children who just love to read.

Anyway, why don’t you pop in and see us. You might find a book or audio book you like and, unlike bookstores, online or otherwise, they’re free!

See our website, www.gleanhub.org or via the menu on www.gnosallparishcouncil.org website.