News

Heating Oil Thefts

The following is from Market Drayton Police Facebook page. Market Drayton’s PCSO Steve Robinson says:

“Following the recent spike in crude oil prices, the cost of heating oil has also increased. Reports have been received relating to thefts from tanks at residential properties and commercial premises, notably in rural locations.

“Things you might want to consider could be:

Implementation of a fuel management system with a key or code access and alarm features.

Try to ensure the tank is overlooked either with natural views or using physical surveillance such as CCTV or, better still, both.

Install anti-siphoning devices and lockable fuel caps.

Install motion sensor lights.”

In addition, sometimes its a good thing to be a nosey neighbour! If you see strange vehicles about, jot down number plates or take a photograph if it is safe to do so.

Christmas Fayre

Don’t forget! The Christmas Fayre is at the Lyon Hall, Hodnet, tomorrow, Saturday 27th November, between 10 am and 2 pm.

There will be craft stalls, gifts, preserves and refreshments.

Parking and entry are free.

Fix my Street!

Shropshire Council is encouraging residents to report issues of concern via the website www.fixmystreet.com

Reporting anything is a very straightforward process. Typing in a postcode brings up a good map of the area so that the issue of concern can be marked. There is a comprehensive ‘tick box’ list of categories – Abandoned vehicles, Bus stops, Car parking, Dog fouling, … Pavements/footpaths, Potholes, …Other. Users are encouraged to add a photo of the problem – issues with photos are apparently likely to be resolved more quickly. Users are required to put in some personal information but, from my own experience, this doesn’t generate a mass of ‘rubbish’ correspondence, just allows confirmation that the issue has been logged.

The process is simple and quick to do. We all have things we like to grumble about so let’s actually report them! A flood of reports about and photos of the same potholes might get them fixed sooner.

Click on this link to go directly to the website: https://www.fixmystreet.com

HFG – Walk this Thursday – Cancelled

Update. Unfortunately we have had to cancel tomorrow’s walk.

So far, no one has confirmed their attendance at the proposed public walk at Peplow this Thursday, details HERE.

If you would like to attend then please contact David Wilson ASAP, and certainly by 5pm tomorrow (Wed) evening. If we have no confirmed takers by that time the event will not run – but we do hope to see some of you at the next scheduled walk in June, for which you are again encouraged to register.

Wollerton’s Jubilee Street Party

Wollerton Village Room have arranged a Jubilee Street Party. Join family, friends and neighbours to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – in style!

It’s a ‘Bring & Share’ Lunch on Sunday 5th June from 12 –4pm and will be held outside Wollerton Village Room (but under cover if it rains!)

A formal invite will be delivered to homes in Wollerton plus parts of Lostford and Wood Lane shortly, but if you live elsewhere in Hodnet Parish and would like to come along you’d be welcome.

There will be: Gazebos, Bunting, & Lots of Balloons. Music, a Quiz, plus Additional Fun Activities including a Royal-themed Biscuit(s)Competition (under12s) and Royal-themed Cake Competition (over 12s)

Please bring along:

✓A buffet style lunch adequate for the size of your party &/or to share with others.

✓Plates, crockery and glasses [or paper/plastic as safer] for your party, and maybe some chairs [see below].

✓Soft drinks, bubbly and beers.

✓Your cake or biscuit competition entries.

✓Unionjacks, crowns & tiaras and anything you think of that will add to the fun of the day!

On the day:

Please arrive from 12 o’clock onwards. Please place your shared food items onto the buffet tables provided, outside the Village Room. Food should ideally have a cover to protect it from flies [or rain!] and if possible make a label so that people can see what delicious items are available to choose from.

Please place your royal-themed cake and biscuit(s)competition entries on the tables provided inside the Village Room. These will be judged by ballot from 1pm. A prize will be awarded for the most popular designs.

Tables and chairs will be set out in the street. We are hoping there will be enough for us all – but it may help/you’d be welcome to bring your own tables/chairs too.

Hopefully many of those attending can walk there, but additional car parking will be available at Wollerton Bowls & Social Club and also at the Tennis Club.

If you’d like any further information, please email wollertonvillageroom@gmx.com

We’re looking forward to seeing you!

Note. To facilitate the street party, the road will be closed immediately outside the Village Room from 10am to 6pm. A short vehicular diversion will therefore be in place – past the old animal pound and Catchem Corner to join Drayton Road, or via the Mill Road/Wood Lane crossroads to reach/leave houses in the village located on/off Mill Road.

Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Litter Pick around the Parish on Saturday.

Once all packed together we had collected 9 full bin bags of litter, which was generously disposed of for free by A.R.Richards at Tern Hill.

Keep a look out for details of future litter picks!

HFG – Public Walks 2022

We have decided to again organise a few public events this year, and depending how they go may do more later.

In the past our walks have attracted a diverse bunch of local folk, so why not come along for a pleasant stroll in good company?

Free parking is available at all start points. Accompanied children and dogs [on leads] welcome on all walks. Sensible footwear advised, plus a drink/snack – and maybe a torch on the Glow Worm walk. Most walks are between 2 – 3 hrs duration.

Make a note in your diary now, and keep up to date via the Hodnet website or our groups own Facebook page – search for Hodnet Footpath Group. Better still, register your interest and we’ll keep you informed of chnages/developments.

Note. If weather is terrible, these events will be cancelled. If you have emailed David Wilson he will add you to our list of ‘friends’ and then he can send a cancellation email on the day to warn you. So, please do let him know in advance which walk you’d like to attend, and how many will be accompanying you. Thanks.

Register your interest via: david.wilson65@icloud.com

The walk routes can all be seen in the relevant walk leaflets, downloadable from https://hodnet.org.uk/main/index.php/tourism/local-walk-leaflets/

PROGRAMME

Thursday May 12th – Peplow to Stoke on Tern church, and return (Hodnet Walks 9).

This is a varied and interesting walk through relatively unknown countryside. Depart 10.00 AM from Peplow Chapel where we’ll meet. There is limited roadside/verge parking by Chapel, so share vehicles if coming in a group. Note If you feel the complete walk is to far for you, you could arrange to leave a spare car by Stoke on Tern church and end the walk there.

Thursday 2nd June – Wollerton Wetlands and to Helshaw Grange. (Hodnet Walks 5)

A varied walk with good views. Depart 10.00AM. Meet/roadside parking by Wollerton Village Room.

Friday July 1st – Annual evening Glow Worm walk (Hodnet Walks 1).

Meet by old Railway Line bridge on Station Road, Hodnet, for a 10.30PM (nightime!) departure. Note. As we require a dry/warm night for this, if it is wet/raining this walk will be delayed to the following Friday – 8th July.

Timetables published for bus services saved by Shropshire Council

Shropshire Council is stepping in to temporarily fund a number of local bus services which Arriva were planning to end or alter. Bus Service 64 – Market Drayton to Shrewsbury is one of the services to be supported by the council until September 2022.

Revised timetables for this service are now available and can be found by following the appropriate link below.

All other timetables are published on the relevant operator’s website.

When support runs out for the above services in September 2022 it does not necessarily mean that the routes will cease, it simply allows the council a period of time to reflect and identify any alternative solutions to encourage new passengers as it looks to Shropshire’s future in terms of public transport.

Litter Pick 7th May 2022

Are you free for a couple of hours on Saturday 7th May? We will meet at Hodnet Rec at 10am for a litter pick of the Rec and the Railway Walk. We have litter grabbers, bin bags and hoops to hold them; we just need some volunteers!

It will be sociable, fun and a great way to meet people and support your community.

Parking is available at the Social Club.

Please contact steven.j.freeman@outlook.com to confirm your interest.

Frauds and Scams

Take Five

Take Five is a national campaign that offers straight-forward and impartial advice to help everyone protect themselves from preventable financial fraud. This includes email deception and phone-based scams as well as online fraud – particularly where criminals impersonate trusted organisations.

Many people may already know the dos and don’ts of financial fraud and scams – that no-one should ever contact them out of the blue to ask for their full PIN or full password, or ever make them feel pressured into moving money to another account. The trouble is, in the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget this.

www.takefive-stopfraud.org.uk contains a wide range of information and advice and is definitely worth looking at.

If you have fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via action fraud.police.uk

Scam text messages can be forwarded to 7726 to help phone providers take early action and block numbers that generate spam on their networks.

Forward fake emails received to report@phishing .gov.uk