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Gnosall Parish Logo (Image) 

Gnosall Parish Council           

 (Including the wards of Moreton and Knightley)                                   

 

Dementia Friends Logo (Image)

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Cover Picture

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Thank you to Jim McGregor for this delightful photograph of the Knightley Scarecrow Festival cow constructed by Shirley Hidderley

 

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Introduction to GMK

It seems barely possible that when I wrote my last (first!) introduction as Chair, the sun was beating your eyes out and we were in the middle of a heatwave that seemed to last forever. Let’s just say that it isn’t quite like that now! But change is good – it enables us to look forward to new things while remembering pleasures past. I love a good Summer but I also enjoy Autumn – crispy leaves, gorgeous colours and the excitement of Christmas to come!

As I think back over the year, I think we’ve had lots to celebrate. Quality Gold, of course, but also the opening of the long-awaited tennis courts, yet another BKV win, successful tea parties for those over 84 and the eventual delivery of the GLEAN library building. It seems as though planning for the new village library HQ has been going on for ever (and I’m sure that the GLEAN Hub committee think so too – they have worked so hard) but eventually all obstacles have been overcome by teamwork and persistence.

I think there’s a message there for us all to take into the new year because it seems as though local communities are going to have to undertake many more tasks which were formerly done by others. Thanks to draconian funding cuts, neither Borough nor County Councils can carry on doing all that they have previously undertaken and they are hoping that parish councils and local communities can pick up the slack with things like crossing patrols, grass-cutting and numerous other jobs. Needless to say, the money does not follow the task and we shall have to think carefully as a parish council to see what we feel able to do. Those discussions are yet to be had but there’s one thing I do know - we are incredibly fortunate to live in a parish with such a strong sense of community, where teams of people work together to help each other and to maintain their environment to the highest possible standard. That spirit will be even more necessary in the coming year.

Although it is still a little early, our next edition is in March, so I shall take this opportunity to wish every parishioner a Happy Christmas and an enjoyable and fulfilling New Year. Whatever challenges we face, we shall face them together, working to make our parish a great place to live and doing our best to help those who may need a bit of support. See you in 2019!

Cllr Gail Gregory

Chair of Gnosall Parish Council

 

New Councillor

 a report by Cllr Gail Gregory

 

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In our June edition, we told you that there was a vacancy on the Parish Council, promising to let you know once the vacancy had been filled. I am pleased to report that we had two applicants for the position, both very well-qualified – so often it is impossible to get any volunteers, so we were very fortunate indeed. After interviewing both, councillors co-opted Jordan Archer as our newest Councillor.

This is something of a coup for us. In common with other councils across the country, Gnosall has a councillor-profile which is (how can I say this tactfully?) tending toward the mature end of the spectrum! Now, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with maturity – but it can make it difficult at times to feel fully in touch with the younger generation in our parish. Make no mistake about it – it’s vitally important that we ARE in touch with young people, because they are the future of this village and we need to engage them in helping to continue the good work that we already see here and taking it even further. But all over the country, councils and political parties have difficulty in getting younger people to stand for election or hold public office. In part, this is quite understandable. Those in full-time work or learning can’t make daytime meetings or perhaps many evening ones, when they have assignments to complete and so on. However, I think it’s more than just that; despite being politically aware on social media, many young people feel disengaged from the traditional means of political (with a small ‘p’) organisation and perceive committees and councils as remote, boring and ineffective.

That’s why I am so very pleased that our newest Councillor is just 20 years old. Jordan offers us a direct route into dialogue with young people and his work as Youth Club Leader at GG’s simply adds to that. Of course, he brings much more than this to the role, because for years he’s been actively involved in supporting the Parish Council at every opportunity and you can hardly have failed to see him helping at almost everything that goes on in this village. In terms of willingness to get his hands dirty and take part in whatever is needed to develop the aims of the Parish Council, Jordan has nothing to prove.

I am sure that there will be those who feel that this is too young to be a parish councillor – though we aren’t ground-breakers here I’m afraid. Colwich Parish Council elected its Great Haywood ward councillor in May 2015 at the age of just 18 – and she has now gone on to be a Borough Councillor! So they got there before us. And even Jordan will have to get his skates on if he is to emulate the achievements of that notable politician William Pitt the Younger, who was elected Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24! He held office until 1801 but was Prime Minister again in 1804 until his death in 1806 aged just 47, so his colleagues must have thought he was doing something right!

There’s an old saying “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough” and I think that’s very true. Age does not necessarily bring either wisdom or humility – neither is it a guarantee of experience because some people just relive the same experience year after year instead of learning and growing. I am delighted to welcome our newest, youngest Councillor on board and I am excited to think of the links and ideas which will spring from this appointment.

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Christmas Lights Switch-on

The very popular Christmas Lights event will be held on Saturday 24th November at the Grosvenor Centre.  The first session will commence at 4.15pm with entertainment and festive refreshments, ending with carol-singing and the lights switch-on at 5.30pm.  The second session will commence at 5.15pm with carol-singing and the lights switch-on followed by entertainment and festive refreshments.   Entry is by ticket only which are available from the parish office from Monday 5th November.  Tickets are limited and will be issued on a first come first served basis.    There will be festive themed stalls in the Grosvenor Centre, including a tombola and raffle with proceeds going to GG’s Youth Club and Library.  Gnosall Scouts will help serve refreshments and any donations received will be retained by the Scouts for their upcoming projects.    Father Christmas has promised to make an appearance with some of his elves to hand out goody bags to the children.

Christmas trees will be illuminated in a number of locations across the parish. This is something we look forward to every year and we know that it is much appreciated. However, this year we thought we might try something a little different! We are wondering whether anyone would care to sponsor the purchase and decoration of one of our trees? You might do this as an individual, or perhaps as a family or to remember a relative who loved Christmas. Perhaps you might be a business seeking to advertise your presence in the village? Whatever the reason, if you would like to sponsor a tree, just get in touch with the Parish Clerk and we will do the rest, including agreeing the wording of a little sign by the appropriate tree.

This annual event always provides a good start to the Christmas period and we are all looking forward to it once again!

 

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Dementia – what it is and what we can do to help

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There was a time when people didn’t like to say the word 'cancer'. It was mouthed silently, or not spoken of at all, or referred to as 'the big C'. Nowadays, we are much more open in our talk about the disease, perhaps because medical advances today mean that sufferers remain healthy for much longer and so almost all of us have experience of it in our own families. But another word has taken its place – dementia. Is this the new condition that must not be named? The condition that we don’t like to talk about? That we are most afraid of? Some would say yes.

There are over 600,000 people with dementia in the UK – maybe more.  Research suggests that only 42% of people with dementia have actually been diagnosed – so perhaps you have a relative or neighbour who is developing the condition. It is also associated with ageing and 1 in every 6 people over the age of 80 have some form of dementia. So every community needs to accept that this is a condition which we have to learn to live with and to manage as best we can.

What exactly is it?

Dementia is a progressive disorder that affects how your brain works and in particular the ability to remember, think and reason. It is not a disease in itself, but a group of symptoms that may accompany a number of diseases that can affect the brain. It is not a direct consequence of growing old but the risk of having it increases with age. Most people who are affected by dementia are over 65, but there are many people younger than this.

The term dementia covers many illnesses, the most well-known being Alzheimer's disease. This is thought to be caused by an abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells and it usually affects cells responsible for memories first, though other forms of Alzheimer’s affect vision and language rather than memory.

Other types of dementia include Vascular dementia, which can develop after a stroke and is caused by reduced blood supply to the brain. This leads to problems with memory, thinking or reasoning (known as cognition).

Dementia with Lewy bodies, which are found in the outer layers of the brain, can affect movement and cause changes in mental abilities at the same time.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is caused by progressive nerve loss in areas of the brain which affect personality, language and muscle or motor functions.

Whatever form of dementia someone has, they are likely to have problems with their memory, they may become more confused or have problems doing things which they used to find easy. This is obviously distressing to the sufferer but it is also very stressful for family members or carers and even for the wider community.

So what can we do to help?

All Parish Councillors have undertaken Dementia Awareness training and we have committed ourselves to becoming as Dementia Friendly as we can be. This is a new term, coined to signify that the community as a whole recognises the stresses and challenges involved in suffering from or caring for someone with dementia and that it wants to do all it can to make life easier for sufferers and carers alike. Stafford Borough Council is also aiming to become Dementia Friendly, so as to improve the lives of all those touched by dementia within Borough.          More...

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We are constrained by a fairly-limited budget and by increasing demands upon it, but we want to do what we can to help. At our last Parish Council meeting we decided upon certain actions and are considering others. We would welcome your comment on our ideas.

Information packs

We are thinking of producing a simple information pack detailing basic facts about the condition and suggesting ways in which organisations or businesses might show support. Once produced, the pack would require only minimal updating. Perhaps local businesses or individuals might help us by sponsoring all or part of its production costs?

Dementia Friendly Logo

 

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You will see on all our communications the logo which we have earned by undertaking training, as a sign of our commitment to this cause.

Grosvenor Centre Booking Fees

If local groups wish to host dementia-related events, such as socials for sufferers or support meetings for carers, drop-in meetings  and so forth, we would waive our booking fee. We hope this will encourage parishioners to join together to do what they can to support members of the community.

GMK articles

On a fairly regular basis, we would like to have articles about dementia, sources of support, first-hand experience and advice so that we could share these with others at different stages of their journey. Could you offer something along these lines or do you have suggestions about what we might find out and share?

Fund-Raising

If possible, we would like to have one dementia-focused fundraiser every year, with money raised going to local dementia-related activities. Any ideas?

A sensory garden

Dementia sufferers often find that noise and bustle confuse them and they become anxious in noisy environments. Carers often value a bit of peace and quiet in which to reflect or sit quietly with their relative. GGs Youth Club has taken this idea on board and will be working to create a quiet sensory area at the rear of the Parish Office. Do you have plants to donate, especially those with a good scent, colour or texture? Would you like to remember a relative with dementia by sponsoring a flowerbed or bench? Would you like to do a bit of ongoing maintenance once we have set up the space? Ideas please!

So these are our initial ideas and we would like to hear from you with any other ideas that we might consider, or any help you might offer, whether it be financial sponsorship or time to help. Do get in touch with the Parish Office or directly with Councillor Gregory or Councillor Green, who are leading on this project. Over to you – let’s make life better together.

 

Fun Fair

 

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The fun fair on The Village Green in July, once again proved popular with local children and their families who enjoyed a number of fairground rides and activities.  The Parish Council will be liaising with the fairground organisers to ask for more rides for older children as we know this is would be appreciated. 

The Village Green is a recreational area for the whole community, so if anyone or any local group/organisation has an idea for an event to be held there, please get in touch with the Parish Council.

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New Tennis Court

County Councillor Winnington,  Mrs Bundy and Mrs Roberts  (Image)

The successful opening of Gnosall's new tennis court located on The Acres was held on Saturday 18th August. Many people attended and enjoyed a fun packed morning participating in a number of sports related activities provided free of charge by Sporting Schools Ltd, a local based company, including tennis, basketball, football, archery a very popular inflatable assault course. 

The tennis court facility is currently free to use and is open all day. Since opening, the court has been well used and many favourable comments have been received by the parish council.   The court will be used as part of a GFest sports day event next July, more details of this will follow in the coming months.

The court was financed from a financial contribution of £50,000 from Staffordshire County Council and in the near future, outdoor gym equipment will be added around the court.   Two benches were provided by local ladies, Mrs Terri Roberts and Mrs Helen Bundy in memory of their late husbands for which the Parish Council is very grateful.  Mrs Roberts and Mrs Bundy were invited to join County Councillor Mark Winnington to carry out the official opening.

 

 

GG’s Youth Club Update

Members enjoying the assault course  and water party (Image)

GG’s Youth Club has gone from strength to strength over the last year! We have had dozens of new members for both Youth Clubs over the last few months, who all enjoy the activities we do. The Junior Youth Club is attracting between 30 and 35 members each week and the Senior Youth Club is having a steady 10 members each week, with a high of 18 more recently.

In August, GG’s planned a Water Party that was enjoyed by everyone! We emptied 10 litres of washing up liquid and filled over 500 water balloons!

At the end of the School Holidays, we hired a 30m Inflatable Assault course that all the children and volunteers enjoyed. The Inflatable is a popular choice with the children when we ask them what they would like to have to celebrate the end of the school holidays.

 

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We recently organised a Village Ramble in aid of BBC Children in Need in conjunction with the programme Countryfile, and we hope some of our pictures may be published on the programme itself. We had 42 people and raised just over £80 for the cause. We rambled along the across the Boardwalk, along the railway, up and down Broadhill and back to the picnic area. There we had a selection of drinks and cakes, all donated by 2 members of the public and any remaining (monetary!) donations we added to the pot.

GG’s has a lot of plans for the upcoming months including a Hallowe’en party and a Christmas extravaganza!

Jordan Archer (Youth Club Leader)

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Rights of Way in the Parish

Did you know that there are 115 public rights of way in the Parish of Gnosall, which of course includes Moreton and Knightley?  Some of these are footpaths, others bridle ways.  As reported some time ago a group is looking into these, checking maps and also the condition of paths.  Many people use the routes, either for pleasure, for horse-riding, or just for getting from A to B.  Here we are talking about rights of way which are on the Definitive Map of Staffordshire, so these are legal rights of access.

Our group was pleased to find that some landowners in the Parish have a very helpful approach to the right of way which runs though their property.  They have made enhancements to the path and surrounding area which mean that walkers who use the route have a more pleasant experience.  We have noticed the planting of an avenue of trees along a right of way, hedge-cutting, installation of a kissing gate and similar features.   Gnosall Parish Council has written to these landowners to express appreciation of their attitude to having a right of way through their property.  We would like to encourage others in our Parish to do something similar, so that everyone is able to enjoy the countryside in our beautiful area in a responsible way.

We have started to walk the paths and survey their condition.  We shall be making reports of any work that needs doing, or obstructions we find.  You may see us trying out stiles and other things along the way.  Already we have found paths which are impassable due to weeds.   In one case breeze blocks had been dumped by a finger post at the start of a path.  As this appeared to be fly-tipping it was reported to Streetscene who removed the blocks.  However, this comes at a cost to council taxpayers and may be illegal, so people need to be vigilant and if they see anyone dumping rubbish, if possible take some details down discreetly without endangering themselves and report it.

Surveys like this have been done in the past, but it is a long time since the last one.  Anyone interested in our work can contact the Parish Office and ask about the PROW Group. 

Happy walking!

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Gnosall Wild Flower Meadow Progress Report

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As previously reported, the Gnosall Parish Council granted the Gnosall Best Kept Village (BKV) team permission to create a wild flower patch on the Village Green, near the Gnosall Surgery.

Work started in the spring, preparing the ground and sowing the seeds. But since then we have had a very hot and dry summer. On two occasions Fred Tomkinson, the local farmer, provided a trailer with 2,000 litres of water which the BKV team then sprayed the patch with the aid of watering cans. Also, the Gnosall Fire Brigade used one of their training sessions to spray the patch with more water.

The result was a fabulous growth of thick weeds that overcame the development of the wild flowers! In early September, on the advice of the wild flower seed providers, the BKV team resprayed the patch with weed killer, then remover all dead and dying plants and reseeded the area with new seeds. The wild flower patch has been tidied-up, removing the orange plastic fencing but leaving a simple outline string fence to indicate the area of the patch. A big Thank You to all members of the BKV team and local people for their comments and support.

We now look forward to 2019 when the Cornflowers and Poppies will flower followed by all the perennials in 2020 - a great eye-catching patch of wild flowers, from May through to September.

The range of seeds sown included Corn Poppy, Cornflower, Meadow Buttercup, Musk Mallow, Ox Eye Daisy, Red Campion, Ribworth Plantain, Salad Burnet, Self Heal, White Campion and Yarrow.

 

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Gnosall Community Library to Open Soon

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You have probably heard by now that the building in which the new library will be sited is safely in place, beside the youth club and behind the Grosvenor Centre, off the High Street.  It is tucked away in a corner, but we think people will be pleasantly surprised at the size and standard of the accommodation once the work of fitting out is completed. The proposed opening date is Saturday 10th November.

Provisional Library opening hours are:

Monday   5:00 pm -  7:30 pm

Tuesday  10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Wednesday  3:00 pm -  6:00 pm

Saturday 10:00 am - 12:30 pm

GLEAN trustees chose those hours hoping they will suit all sections of the community.  We will review the timetable after an initial period to see if any changes are needed based on usage.  We aim to serve tea, coffee and biscuits to library users in the youth club building and we are grateful to GGs for their cooperation on this - an example of our close-working on joint initiatives.

We hope to host a number of activities, including children's story time and literary events.  We shall welcome feedback from our customers and suggestions for future activities.

Our volunteers have been busy recently, attending training events organised and run by Staffordshire County Council and proving themselves keen to learn. But we always have room for more volunteers!  Additional training sessions are planned and support will be ongoing.  If you wish to contact GLEAN, perhaps to offer your services as a volunteer, or provide funding for this excellent cause, please email the group at info@gleanhub.org, or ring 01785 822685.  To keep in touch with progress, please look at the website http://www.gleanhub.org/

So, the exciting day when we open the doors at our new Community Library for the first time is approaching.  Many thanks to everyone who has supported us, especially Gnosall Parish Council.  We shall be acknowledging all the financial help received in a detailed list to be displayed in the library building.

To quote from Philip Pullman, the author of the trilogy 'His Dark Materials': 'As for reading, the best thing I can suggest is to go to a library and browse until you find something that looks good.'

 

Over 84 year’s Christmas Party

Guests enjoying the summer Over 85s tea party   assisted by, amongst others, Glyn and Andy from the Co-op (Image)

The Christmas Tea will be held on the 15th December.  It has been decided to drop the qualifying age to 84.   If you, or anyone you know, will be 84 or over in December please let the Parish Office know so that the names can be added to the invitation list.

GFest 2019

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GFest2019 will be taking place from 13th July 2019 until 21st July 2019. Many of the favourites from the last GFest will be held again, but bigger and better!  This time we shall also have a canal festival (C-Fest) from 20th-21st July, so that will be something new and unusual to look forward to. The draft programme is already getting full with interesting events, some new and some familiar favourites, but it’s likely that other events will be added to make this GFest our biggest and best yet. Full details will be on the Gnosall Parish web site and will also be sent to each household in the village.

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Gnosall Heritage Group Open Day

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The Heritage Group is maintained under the umbrella of the Parish Council. The next open day is 17th November 2018.

 

A Message for the Young People of Gnosall, Moreton and Knightley

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The Cartwright & Hudson Foundation is a charity run by trustees, some of whom are Gnosall Parish Councillors.

Are you at college or university, about to go to college or university this year, enrolled on or about to start an Apprenticeship?

If you are and are under 25, the Cartwright & Hudson Foundation can provide financial assistance to help with the purchase of books, tools, equipment (including clothing).

Contact Mrs D. Stiles on 01785 841314 or email harry.stiles@btinternet.com for an application form.

 

 

 

 

 

Knightley Scarecrow Festival

<imgThis kind of event is increasingly popular and really allows a community to come together and show its individuality.  This is exactly what we found at Knightley! At the Church, quite a number of residents had come together to add their own contribution and make a wonderful display.

The Famous Five (no names, no pack drill but you know who you are!) wrought havoc in the churchyard trying to put up bunting, herd sheep and clear up the leaves! A well-known local character was depicted on the bench outside reading to one of the children while inside the church, a baptism was taking place with a scary-looking vicar holding forth in the pulpit. I can’t think who that might represent!!

 

Two of the impressive displays

 

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There were displays throughout the village and tractor and trailer rides took visitors from the Village Hall on a route which included both Knightley and High Offley Church - where Noah’s Ark and the animals had come to rest in the churchyard.

An enormous cow sitting on the triangle near the school, which was made of large round bales, won the prize for the favourite display (see front cover).

All in all, this was a great event and there's no doubt that the process of creating and displaying the scarecrows was just as enjoyable and rewarding as the sense of pride when it was all done.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

 

 

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Our water highway – The Shropshire Union Canal in Gnosall

Did you know that we have the longest section of any canal in England without a lock? The Shropshire Union Canal (the 'Shroppie') is one of the iconic features of our parish  and the Heritage Group, BKV, canal users, towpath restoration group, Norbury Junction and Shrewsbury to Newport Canal Restoration Trust between them have a vast amount of information relating to it. This is a brief synopsis of the vast amount of historical data available.

In 1846 the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company (SUR&CC) - which originally constructed and ran the railway line from Stafford to Wellington - was formed. It was one of the few companies which constructed both a canal and a railway. The Shropshire Union Canal started life in 1797 with the completion of the Ellesmere Port to Chester section, masterminded by Thomas Telford. This was a 'contour canal', following the natural contours of the land and the final section from Norbury to Wappenshall was completed in 1835.The canal is just over 66 miles long and passes through Cheshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire, linking to the West Midlands conurbation and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Autherley Junction in Wolverhampton. The Shrewsbury Canal, heading west from Norbury, declined and closed in 1944. There is now an active campaign to reopen and restore this branch canal to its former glory including all the locks between Norbury and Newport.

As many can testify, the main Shropshire Union Canal is very busy today. Long gone are the coal, clay and other commodities carried on the narrowboats and pulled by horses; today narrowboats are used for a variety of reasons, including leisure, waterway homes, trade boats, tourist and hire boats. There is still the occasional coal boat and narrowboaters still use the towpaths as a form of recreation, providing another market for businesses in the parish by means of sustainable tourism.

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Our BKV team have used the Shropshire Union Canal as the main image on the new 'Welcome to Gnosall' sign - well done and thank you!

Large-scale canal industries have gone but small-scale canal industries remain. In Norbury many of the traditional narrowboat traditions and skills are maintained along with canal remnants of the past. There are also heritage and archaeological remains alongside and near the canal in Gnosall which are visible today if you know where to look. On some of the bridges you might see iron guards used to protect bridges from the ropes of horse-drawn narrowboats - the rope marks can still be seen. In Cowley woods can be found the remains of the old Gnosall brickworks and of the small pits where sandstone and clay were quarried, along with a section of small-gauge railway.

The Cowley tunnel itself, cut in to the sandstone and originally scheduled to stretch all the way to Goosemoor Lane bridge, was a feat of civil engineering. However, due to the stability and composition of the rock formation in the Cowley cut (embankment) the tunnel extension was abandoned.

In the winter of 1985/ early 1986 extensive work was carried out in the Cowley cut and the remains are still clearly visible; marks indicate where drag lines were used to pull rock up the embankment. After this work, Mr Stuart Naden and his team of volunteers created the 'Kingfisher Trail' and installed benches and 'Woodhenge' which is a wooden re creation of Stonehenge.

In 2017 Bob Johnson, Peter Jobling, Dudley Taylor, Carl Pendlebury (Canal & River Trust), and Councillors Keith Abbot and Victoria Kessey took part in a walk of the Cowley woods area to identify the location of fallen trees and for historical and archaeological purposes.

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Kind thanks to Bob Johnson, Peter Jobling and the Gnosall Heritage Group for passing on the useful photos and snippets of information.

Dredging of the canal in 2017 revealed some unexpected finds, including garden seats! Some tree work also took place in the Cowley area, thanks to the Canal &River Trust, to ensure the adjacent land remains a safe location for all who access this area. Hopefully in the future the Shropshire Union Canal in Gnosall can be used to promote all things Gnosall.

There are bound to be many more people who can shed light on the 'Shroppie' and adjacent areas with much more information, stories, legends and facts about this popular water highway in Gnosall................

Canal & River Trust in partnership with Gnosall Parish Council-

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/volunteer/adopt-a-canal/158-gnosall-parish-council

“Kingfisher Production” original footage of the Cowley Cut before and during the restoration work 1985/ 1986 filmed by Frank & Pearl Shenton converted from cine film by the Gnosall heritage group-

http://www.gnosallhistory.co.uk/canal_1985-86.htm

Paul Boston

 

 

 

Donkey on the Towpath!

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It is amazing who you meet walking along the towpath. Chris and Jennie Delamont bumped into this chap with his donkey on 23rd September. His name is Adam Lee and his donkey is called Martin. They are walking from the lighthouse at Cape Wrath in Scotland and finishing at Portland Bill lighthouse south of Weymouth, a distance of 700 miles following footpaths, bridle ways and canal tow paths. He started just over 3 months ago and expects it to take about 5 months in total. He is doing it in aid of the homeless charity Centrepoint.

You can read all about his journey at https://adamwalks.wordpress.com

 

Anti-Dog Fouling Campaign Update

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Firstly, I would like to thank all of those responsible dog owners who do clear up after their pets. I have to say as I walk the streets with my own dogs, or drive around the village, I see evidence of this - people carrying bags with them and other handlers clearing up their dog’s faeces. Evidence that the campaign has had an effect was reflected in the Best Kept Village Judge’s comments as to only one uncleared up deposit was found!

However, as one hot spot seems to have improved, others are popping up. I have seen an increase in uncleared up faeces

1) Between the start of Old Barn Close and the Knightley Road.

2) Along Wharf Road, particularly at the junction with Impstones.

3) Lowfield Lane from the entrance to the school to the steps down to the Greenway.

4) The Greenway itself between Lowfield Lane and Station Road.

5) And finally the entrance up onto the Greenway from Glendower Close

Rest assured these areas WILL be under surveillance and anyone found not to be clearing up will be fined. Initially £75:00, rising up to £1000 and a possible criminal record.

So if you see someone neglecting to clear up, offer them a poo bag to do so and if they choose not to, take a description of them and their dog and report it to the Parish Council. Please do not put yourself into any sort of danger if you do this. Remember, in many parts of the country it is an offence to walk your dog and not to carry poo bags with you. This can also result in a £75 on the spot fine!