Sunday September 23 2018
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Village News
Villagers are being asked to come up with ideas that could solve the growing parking problems across Alvechurch.
Churchwardens in Lickey are baffled by the disappearance and return of the latch on the gate to the cemetery extension.
The second Alvechurch Pumpkin Festival will take place on Saturday October 27 in the Village Hall.
Villagers are getting behind plans for a new village hall in Cofton Hackett by volunteering their skills to get the project off the ground.
Barnt Green Parish Council holds its annual Community Walk on Saturday September 22.
The Meadows in Alvechurch has been full of kids, old and young, since the installation of new play and exercise equipment over the summer.
A memorial garden to Alvechurch youngster Finlay Church was planted earlier this year by the paddling pool in The Meadows and is being nurtured by retired director of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Philip Aubury.
The future of Alvechurch Post Office is still in limbo after plans for a Simply Fresh grocery store at 14 The Square were turned down on appeal.
Barnt Green Parish Council was left with two vacancies after the resignations of Sam Harris and Jenny Jellie.
A lack of waste bins on the Parker’s Piece playing field in Barnt Green led to litter problems during the summer heatwave.
What seemed like the whole of Barnt Green turned out to say farewell to Kay Cholmondeley when she retired as head of St Andrew’s First School after 20 years.
The Lawns residential home in Alvechurch waved goodbye to some long-serving members of staff at a garden party.
Now in its third year, the Lickey Hills Bilberry Wake has been revived to commemorate a time when real horses were raced for competition.
With the new season commencing in September, the junior section of Kings Norton Rugby Club started pre-season training in August.
This scene would normally be mostly water, perhaps with a sailing dinghy or two skipping across the surface while anglers watch their floats from the shore.
Hannah wins a Vinny – at last!
Eleven-year-old Hannah Dale, of Alvechurch, was the latest winner of a Mini Vinny in our monthly competition – having been entering for more than two years!
After nearly two months without rain, a few showers couldn’t dampen the spirit of residents and friends of Burcot Grange, who enjoyed a “Jazz on the Lawn” garden party.
Barnt Green artist Alexander Rhys is to have his work featured in an exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London, alongside artists including Banksy.
Football book aims to enthuse young readers
A Bromsgrove resident has published his first book after it found favour with his own children.
Alvechurch skiffle musician John Davies has turned his hand to writing, with the first in a planned series called The Belshaw Chronicles.
Tutnall Hall care home’s summer fete was opened by village MP and Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who also announced the winner of an annual art competition.
Bromsgrove Concerts, the well-respected regional concert platform, will once again welcome internationally-renowned guest artists in a series of concerts from September 2018 until April 2019, mainly at Artrix.
The sun shone on Alvechurch’s bi-annual Open Gardens event.
As The Village went to press, Swan Street in Alvechurch was finally open after many weeks of disruption caused by a gas emergency.
’Church plan for the future with a move to The Hayes.
This year’s Lickey School and Community Festival was another big success, with plenty of fun for all ages at Lickey Hills Primary School.
Blackwell was taken over by marauding hordes at its Viking-themed summer festival, where villagers really got into the spirit of the event with some great costumes and props.
Despite a rather important football match taking place that lunchtime, villagers of all ages turned out for the Barnt Green Fun Run, postponed from snowy March.
Six-year-old Lucian Chilton-Davies, of Alvechurch, was the latest winner of a Mini Vinny in our monthly competition.
Plenty to see in Penny’s garden
A charity garden party held in Bordesley attracted a host of visitors and raised money for three charities.
A housing developer is eyeing up Green Belt garden land in Barnt Green for a potential 20-home estate.
A group of 17 teachers and parents from Winterfold and Bromsgrove Schools have raised £6,500 for an African school by walking the full 84-mile length of the Hadrian’s Wall Path, from Newcastle to Bowness-on-Solway, in just three days.
Two long-serving village headteachers retired at the end of the summer term.
Village roofing contractors DJ Scriven did their bit for the community by offering their services to TV’s DIY SOS team, who had appealed for local tradespeople to help out with their latest “Big Build” in Lickey End.
A team of Alvechurch cricketers are celebrating after they took the top spots in a festival competition.
Blackwell Music Festival takes place on Saturday September 8, from 12 noon in the grounds of Hunter’s Hill School.
Parish supports surgery cabins
Barnt Green parish council has backed the village surgery’s plan to expand into two Portakabins.
Birthday ‘girls’ celebrate in style
Two Alvechurch residents celebrated special birthday milestones with parties thrown by their friends and family.
Resurfacing of Sandhills Lane, Barnt Green, will not be done until September at the earliest, county councillor Peter McDonald told parish councillors.
Alvechurch Community Choir enjoyed an afternoon of song with a workshop led by professional opera and choral singer Themba Mvula.
Village Views
SEPTEMBER 2018
There is an entry in our 1998 office diary from Monday September 28 saying, simply: “Village #1 to press.” And here we are, 20 years later, still just about to go to press, for the 193rd time.
I read with interest your August Village View concerning the “rat run” through Alvechurch, and would like to make the following comments and suggestions.
Roundabout signs are dangerous
It was interesting to read Sarah Rees’ report on the problems with the Oakalls roundabout (The Village, August 2018).
Long wait spoils benefit of new train timetable
In common with so many travellers who have looked forward to the extension of the Cross City line to Bromsgrove, I was dismayed to find that trains stopping at Barnt Green at 19 minutes past the hour result in a wait of over 40 minutes at Bromsgrove for a connecting train to Worcester and beyond.
AUGUST 2018
The extended closure of a village road has highlighted once again the problem of the “rat run” from Redditch through much of this area into south Birmingham and the growing Longbridge development.
Right then: Mr Julian Cobbledick of Cofton Hackett (Village Views, July 2018) has a point with regard to “strange lights” in the Lickey Hills.
Mystery of empty housing estate
Every now and then I like to have a browse through The Village magazine although I’m living far from my roots now.
May I offer a huge thank-you to the lovely people of Alvechurch who opened their gardens on a glorious weekend under the National Garden Scheme.
I thought you would like to know that in spite of a certain football match taking place on the Sunday of Alvechurch Open Gardens, we managed to raise a record £5,115.
JULY 2018
You are probably expecting to read another column of head-banging bemusement over the antics of Bromsgrove District Council.
Last month’s letter, “Traffic frustration”, made interesting reading.
Infrastructure has whiff of decay
I feel truly privileged to live in this part of Worcestershire – the trees are especially beautiful, not only at this time of year but all year round.
What on earth is going on with Swan Street in Alvechurch?
JUNE 2018
You know that feeling when you’re not convinced someone is telling you the full story? They’re doing something you don’t understand, and the justification for their course of action doesn’t make much sense either?
I note that Coopers Hill in Alvechurch has now been reduced to an urbanised 30mph.
Road only fit for horse and cart
I have just driven from Barnt Green to Alvechurch and my shaken bones are yet to recover.
It is high time that something drastic was done about the traffic situation in Aston Fields.
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Village Features
Amateur astronomer Brian Watkiss peers into the Village night sky.
Mary Green continues her series on trees in the Celtic calendar.
Whether you want to learn a gentle but effective martial art or you’re looking for health and relaxation, Tai Chi and Chi-Kung (Qigong) can help.
Amateur astronomer Brian Watkiss peers into the Village night sky.
A new physiotherapy and acupuncture clinic in Alvechurch aims to reduce health problems as well as boosting general wellbeing.
Keen garden photographer Judy Lawrance shares some of her favourite locally-grown flowers.
Alvechurch amateur weatherman Phil Thomas records the changes.
Village Archive. . . 10 years ago
A look back at what was happening around here in September 2008.
Dream Doors, the UK’s largest kitchen makeover company, has opened a brand-new showroom in Barnt Green.
Bromsgrove artist Richard McIlwraith visits Bromsgrove Art Society’s annual exhibition.
The happiness of the children lies at the heart of everything at Winterfold. Good manners, a cheerful smile and a sense of purpose are seen in every pupil.
The RGS Journey offers an outstanding education for boys and girls aged from 2 to 18.
Applications from aspiring astronauts welcome! Or future Prime Ministers, architects, physicists. . .
Pam Morley of Ælfgythe Women’s Border Morris dances through the past year’s activities.
At Bromsgrove, pupils are treated as individuals. Everybody is expected to work hard and to accept that if they choose Bromsgrove, they are aiming high and wide and never settling for anything other than their best.
AFC have their first trophy of the season in the bag.
Let loved ones know your final wishes
Lickey Wills specialist Sue Jenden explains why you need a Health & Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney.
In our occasional recipe series, keen baker Jen Morris, of Rowney Green, creates a treat using fruity preserves
Care company in West Midlands top 20
Recommendations from clients gave Home Instead Senior Care Redditch and Bromsgrove the accolade for a fourth year.
Don’t get stuck in a frozen tax threshold
Martin Pryor suggests ways to lessen the impact of ‘fiscal drag’.
Alvechurch amateur weatherman Phil Thomas records the changes.
Bright planets, space shuttles and meteors
Amateur astronomer Brian Watkiss peers into the Village night sky.
Mary Green continues her series on trees in the Celtic calendar.
Choose the right ISA to maximise savings
Martin Pryor provides a guide to the different types of ISA available.
Village What's On