Did you work for the NHS, related health services or any other caring organisations?
If so, why not join your local (East Dorset and Ringwood) National Health Service Retirement Fellowship? Your family members are also welcome. We provide:
Friendship and fellowship to all members
Monthly meetings with a variety of visiting speakers
Regular outings to places of interest
Lunches out and opportunities for members to socialise
We meet at 10:00 am on the second Tuesday of each month at the St. Leonards Village Hall, Braeside Road, BH24 2PH.
The Family Information Service is free to parents and carers of children aged 0-19 or up to 25 if the young person is disabled or has additional needs. The kind of support we can offer includes the following
Nurseries, pre-schools, child minders and after school clubs
Help with costs of childcare
Children's Centres and support groups
Activities for children, young people and families
West Parley Gardening Club had a very good attendance at their April meeting when a very interesting talk was given by Martin Young of Nectar Plants, Weymouth. The film and talk was How to make the best of your tubs and hanging baskets which was nicely timed for the jobs that are about to be completed. Martin also brought some excellent, very good value plants which sold like hot cakes.
The May meeting is on 26th May where members and visitors are asked to bring 1 stem of a flowering shrub in bloom, everyone present will be asked to judge which stem they like the best.
The entry forms are now available for the West Parley front garden competition and separate forms for the back garden competition, email Pat Couper - pcouper68@gmail.com or tel 01202 573833. The competition will be judged during the last week in July so plenty of time to get organised.
6 May 2015 Annual Parish Meeting
Over 50 residents attended West Parley's Annual Parish Meeting held at the Memorial Hall.
After an update on a wide range of local issues and future plans, residents asked questions on important local issues such as the plans for large housing developments in the village, the increasingly busy local roads and a complaint that one of the oldest trees in the village next to a new housing estate had been cut down.
Residents were advised that with 7 current Parish Councillors standing in the forthcoming elections and with 11 vacancies, the majority of existing Councillors would continue to serve local residents.
24 Apr 2015 Volunteers needed for our NeighbourCar scheme
Organisers of the popular West Parley NeighbourCar scheme are looking for more volunteer drivers to support an expanding service for local residents. It has just done its 1000th journey. All clients live in West Parley and their trips are limited to a maximum of 10 miles from Parley. They are elderly people who are unable to drive to medical appointments and shopping trips or essential social occasions. They are able to get themselves in and out of cars without help.
Each driver averages 2 trips a week and most trips take between 45 minutes and 2 hours. 48 hours notice is normally given for any trips. Drivers are not under pressure to do any particular trip and can say the times and days they are not available. Drivers are paid 45pence a mile expenses and clients pay a donation to the scheme.
Volunteer driver Brian Miles says "I thoroughly enjoy volunteering for this. I meet tremendous people and do not have to commit myself to any journey if not convenient to me. I am very happy to put something back into my local community after all I have taken out of it".
If you would like to become a driver or want more information please contact the scheme Chair Kate Ward on 01202 577319.
23 Apr 2015 Security at the Recreation Ground
The Recreation Ground in Christchurch Road was occupied by a group of travellers in 2013. Security of the site has been improved since. We ask Residents to keep an eye open for anyone looking round the area or for groups of caravans close to the Rec.
Either contact ground staff immediately at the Parley Country Club or phone the Parish Clerk or any Councillor as well as the Police on 101.
If any groups or individuals are trying to break in to the Rec phone the Police on 999.
23 Apr 2015 Gardening update
Good news for the front and back garden competitions these will be judged during the week commencing 27th July. This is a couple of weeks later than last year and having advanced warning should help all you gardeners with your preparation. Entry forms will be available at the Annual Parish meeting on Friday 24th April or after that by emailing Cllr. Pat Couper on pcouper68@gmail.com or tel 01202 573833.
The S&SE in Bloom competition which the village enters will be judged on 7th July so lots of volunteers needed to make sure we are all spick and span for that day. Some additional blue boxes will be in situ ready for planting of our summer displays around the middle of May.
Could you adopt a blue box, Just to keep it weeded and dead headed? If you have a suitable site near you the volunteers would be happy to make additional boxes. For more information please email Cllr. Pat Couper on pcouper68@gmail.com or tel 01202 573833.
23 Apr 2015 West Parley Neighbour Car 1,000th Trip
from left to right Clive Butcher, Elizabeth Chinn Kate Ward and Derek Kearey
On Friday 17th April, Elizabeth Chinn from New Road, West Parley was taken to the Salvation Army lunch club in Winton, where she enjoyed some company with like-minded people and a very appetising lunch. On her return home she was greeted by Kate Ward (Chairman), Clive Butcher (Co-ordinator and Derek Kearey (Treasurer) of West Parley Neighbour Car scheme to celebrate that she was the one thousandth trip undertaken by the scheme since its formation in September 2013.
Elizabeth was delighted to receive a very pretty plant to mark the occasion. The scheme operates for West Parley residents only over the age of 55 who are unable to get out and about and provides a lifeline to take them to hospitals, doctor's surgeries and other health care services as well as social visits to clubs in the area.
If you can spare couple of hours a week to become one of our drivers, we would like to hear from you. For further information about West Parley Neighbour Car contact Kate Ward on 01202 577319.
22 Apr 2015 Bournemouth 7s Festival
This year's festival is from 22 to 25th May. Organisers have made great efforts to minimise the impact on West Parley with additional policing on site and up to Parley Cross and local security and litter patrols so hopefully this year's event will pass off without too many problems.
We are dependent on the direction of the wind as to how many of us are affected by the noise from the music but if any residents have any problems with what is happening they can phone the event Control Room on 01202 611272 or email on controlroom@bournemouth7s.com. They will deal with any issues.
The Parish Council does get details of any incidents at the site and complaints are fortunately are very few in number.
