News Archives

The Police now have a new standard telephone number for the public to use to contact their local force in non-emergency situations.
It’s intended to be simple to remember, as 101, and calls to it cost a standard 15p per call – irrespective of the time of day or the duration of the call.
In an emergency* you should still call 999
More information can be found at www.police.uk/101
*Examples of an emergency situation include: when a crime is in progress; when someone suspected of a crime is nearby; when there is a danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.
 
 

Before the summer holidays Hodnet Beaver Scout colony was experiencing unsustainably low numbers.   Membership had dropped to such a low level that subs were not meeting costs and it was looking like the colony may have to disband. The Hodnet Fun Day event organised by the scout group in May, was put on primeraly to attract new members to the group. 9 children signed up on the day, which made the day a great success. Since then another three have joined, swelling the colony to 13. This is fantastic and hopfully means that the colony will go from strength to strength.
There is room for more, so if you want to give it a go come along on Tuesday evenings (details below). In the next few weeks the group will be painting shields, going on a hike around the Battlefield site near Shrewsbury, learning knots and camp fire songs and lots more.
Beaver Scouts are young people, usually aged between six and eight years old. They belong to the first and youngest section of the Scouting family. Boys and girls can join Beaver Scouts in the three months leading up to their sixth birthday.
Easily recognised by their distinctive turquoise sweatshirts, Beaver Scouts enjoy making friends, playing games, going on visits and helping others.
Beavers meet  every Tuesday (Term Time) at the Scout Hut on Hearne Lane Hodnet,  from 18.15-19.15.
Cubs meet every Thursday (Term Time) at the Scout Hut on Hearne Lane Hodnet,  from 17.45-19.15.
After half term the Scout Group will be starting up again. This will be held on a Thursday evenings from 19.30-21.30.

This week the Parish Council are issuing a short questionnaire to households in the core areas of Marchamley and Hodnet, seeking their views on a possible new ‘permissive’ footpath between the two settlements.
Residents will be aware that the current roadside pavements between Hodnet and its neighbouring settlements of Marchamley and Wollerton are incomplete, making walking directly between them a hazardous experience .  This issue was raised in the Parish Plan, where one of the most positive responses was in relation to a question asking ‘would creation of a Hodnet to Marchamley (and Hodnet to Wollerton) pavement or footpath make walking easier/more enjoyable?
Having already investigated the possibility of new roadside pavements, the Council is aware that the high costs of building them (to meet regulations) coupled with a lack of suitable highway land rules out that option. However, working with the Hodnet Footpath Group, the Council is now looking at the possibility of creating new low cost ‘permissive’ paths over adjacent private land, i.e. paths built behind the roadside hedge.
Because of its shorter length and the need to only involve one landowner (who has indicated agreement in principle), the Marchamley to Hodnet project has been selected for initial consideration. The proposed path would run between the current Marchamley roadside pavement (at Eastlands) to join the existing Hodnet roadside pavement at ‘Sandybank’.
Before such a scheme can progress any further more detailed evidence of local support, and the expected type/frequency of use, is required; not least to assist in the necessary grant applications that would have to be sought to fund the work. A short questionnaire has therefore been drawn up and issued to households in those areas of the parish felt most likely to be able to use such a path.  
A good response to this questionnaire is key to moving this project forward, so if you have received one please take a few moments to complete and return it. If you live in Hodnet or Marchamley and haven’t received one by the the start of next week, please contact the Clerk to the Council – Mrs Maryjayne Rees Tel: 01630-685745 or email.

It is time again to think about filling a shoebox for the Operation Christmas Child scheme.
Leaflets explaining what you can and can’t put in the shoeboxes will be available from the parish churches, Hodnet Post Office, and Hodnet Village Stores. Hodnet primary School also has its own allocation of leaflets for giving to pupils.
A donation of £2.50 is requested for each box filled and this helps towards getting the boxes overseas.
Joanna Davies has been the co-ordinator for the scheme for several years and has been cheered by the support everyone gives. She says “Let’s hope 2011 is our best effort yet.”
Completed boxes need to be in handed in by Tuesday 15th November. (Monday 14th November for the school).
For further information please call Joanna on 07943-851398 or email

Those residents who are concerned about vehicles speeding along the main road through Hodnet will be pleased to hear that, from 1st August 2011, a regime of speed camera enforcement has been agreed.
West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership announced the decision last week, after having undertaken a period of traffic speed monitoring near the school. The results showed that some 64% of vehicles passing the sample point exceeded the 30 MPH limit.
Last Saturday’s Shropshire Star (page 10) carried the news in some detail; but in short agreement has been reached on a suitable location for random visits by a mobile speed camera van, which will be located on Shrewsbury Street.
 

The A442 in Peplow witnessed another vehicle accident on Wednesday 27th July. Around 11:00pm a car was in collision with a tree approximately 100m north of the entrance to Highway Farm. Several police vehicles, an ambulance and three fire appliances attended the scene. One person had to be released from the vehicle using hydraulic cutting equipment. They were taken to Princess Royal Hospital in Telford as a precaution.
The vehicle was removed from the scene and the road reopened about 12:45am on Thursday morning.

A local resident has launched a campaign to try and change plans to relocate a long serving postman to Market Drayton. Angus Taylerson of Wollerton has prepared a petition in the hope of revising Post Office plans to reorganise postal rounds in the area.
Neil Cartwright has delivered letters to residents of Hodnet, Wollerton and Marchamley for 21 years. He is well known to the residents, having built up friendships with many of them. Both Neil and local residents are distressed to hear that due to restructuring, he will be allocated duties elsewhere whilst his round will be split up and the parts attached to other rounds. The general feeling is that the community will very much miss his local knowledge and helpful attitude.
Angus has placed copies of the petition in the Village Store, Bear Hotel and Hodnet Post Office and is hoping that as many people as possible will support his call for Post Office management to reconsider moving Neil from the round he has faithfully served for over two decades. Angus says, “As with everything we need a strong collective voice if we are to get large organizations to stop, listen and hopefully change plans. As such we need your support if we are to have a chance to overturn the proposed plans.”
Angus intends sending the petition to the Post Office management over the weekend of 4/5th June,  so if you want to add your name to this call from the community, please do so by Friday.

Hodnet Beaver Scout colony is currently experiencing unsustainably low numbers.  In recent months numbers have dropped to such a low level that subs are not meeting costs and the colony may have to disband. Once disbanded, starting a colony up again in the future may be difficult.
Beaver Scouts are young people, usually aged between six and eight years old. They belong to the first and youngest section of the Scouting family. Boys and girls can join Beaver Scouts in the three months leading up to their sixth birthday.
Easily recognised by their distinctive turquoise sweatshirts, Beaver Scouts enjoy making friends, playing games, going on visits and helping others.
Beavers meet  every Tuesday (Term Time) at the Scout Hut on Hearne Lane Hodnet,  from 18.15-19.15.