WALTON NEWS

In March I wrote about the pleasures of turning off the by-pass down the Walton lane (always hoping, of course that you don't meet somebody coming fast in the opposite direction on the wrong side of the road!). This time I will say how good it is to go out from Walton to see Wellesbourne so beautifully in bloom - thick carpets of daffodils all around the village and the troughs outside the Precinct and the Village Hall a mass of colour, a tribute to all the planning and hard work carried out by Heather Sims and her helpers. In Walton the gardens are blossoming and the daffodils have been impressive around Walton Hall. Everything had been slow to come out thanks to the prolonged cold spell and for some time it was only the willow trees by the lake and along the river bank which showed any signs of green, but on the warm spring days after Easter you could watch the daffodils and narcissi which had been held back by the prolonged cold spell coming out and turning their heads to the sun. And now it is the turn of the tulips which are coming into bloom - just too late for the Flower Show! The birds are busy getting ready for nesting and we have been adopted by a pair of mallard or wild ducks, which are making themselves at home in the garden, laying eggs somewhat randomly about the place. I even found one of them sitting cosily on the bench outside the sitting room window when I came down in the morning, and they are often to be seen waddling about round the garage and they make no attempt to fly away.

The Easter Communion Service was well attended with quite a few visitors to Walton Hall joining the congregation, always a very joyful preliminary to a happy family Sunday. Now we look forward to the summer concert on 13 June which is advertised elsewhere. If you want a pleasant afternoon with music by the Italian composer Pergolesi which suits our church so well - do come out and enjoy the concert and the tea and the sung evensong which will round off the evening.

EH

St Peter’s Church

Garden of Remembrance
Memorial Wall

We are planning to build a permanent memorial for those whose ashes are interred in the Garden of Remembrance at St Peter's, and we need to contact relatives or friends to see if they are interested in having their loved ones remembered in this way.

A meeting was held last year and those that attended are being contacted with an update. If you have a relative or friend whose ashes are interred in the garden, and you think we may not have your details, please call the Parish Office on 01789 841359 and leave your name and telephone number so that a member of the development team can call you back.

Wellesbourne

Flower Club

Members of Wellesbourne Flower Club enjoyed 'An Introduction to Pressed Flowers' by Margherita Dove, a member of the Pressed Flower Guild. Margherita described how she collects and dries flowers for pressing and the tools and equipment needed. Members then had the opportunity to make a pressed flower greetings card with Margherita's help and guidance. Everyone was thrilled that their first attempts looked so pleasing and many commented that the activity was very therapeutic.

If you enjoy flowers, we would be pleased to welcome you to our monthly meetings. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 5th May. Barbara Sheppard will be leading a workshop entitled 'Traditional and Modern Baskets'. For more details phone 01789 471128.

Parish Council Notes

Core Strategy
District council staff came to the Parish Rooms to describe the proposed Core Strategy on March 22nd. The District Council consultation period on the proposed Core Strategy ended on 8th April. The Parish Council decided to re-state its position from last autumn that it regarded Wellesbourne as lacking the facilities to accommodate additional housing. If the District Council required Wellesbourne to accept further development, this should only be accommodated on the Red Hill site, and that all improvements to the facilities required in Wellesbourne should be made before any development took place. The Parish Council had received an approach from the Developers of the site to discuss what they proposed, but the Council decided not to enter into any discussions whilst the District Council was still consulting on the Core Strategy. Discussions could take place once the District Council's decisions were known, but as the final decision rested with the Secretary of State, the Parish Council will wish to reserve the right to make whatever representations to the Secretary of State were appropriate.

Football Club Building
The Parish Council is waiting for a response from the Receiver for the Brewery to its offer to acquire the building. As has been said before, the building is a vital part of the facilities for sport in the village, and the Council is determined to do what ever it can that it is fully available for use.

Parish Meeting
Thanks to everyone who attended the Parish Meeting on March 18th. We promise to improve the acoustics for the next meeting next year!

Those who were there were able to see the first results of the on-line survey on the views of residents on services and facilities in the village.

The next meeting of the Full Council will be on 4th May at the Methodist Hall at 7.30. All are welcome. This will be the Annual Meeting of the Council, at which the membership of positions and of committees will be decided.

David Johnston, Chair, Wellesbourne Parish Council

New Site: www.wellesbournepc.org