The Area Assembly spent over £1200 on the new bins after litter problems were highlighted as a major area of concern by residents at their regular public meetings. Coun Andy Wetton, Chairman of Warsop Area Assembly said that the bins, which were installed just prior to Christmas are already making a difference. He said, “There has been a noticeable improvement in the town centre with regard to litter since the bins were installed.”

“Keeping our town clean and tidy is of benefit to everyone andI hope that local people will share a civic pride and take ownership of our town so that we can make Warsop a place to be proud of.The provision of extra bins means there can be no excuse to drop litter in our streets. To tackle this problem fully we need a massive change in public attitude, hopefully this small step will help.”Warsop is one of five area assemblies established in the Mansfield District area. Each of the assemblies has a devolved budget provided by Mansfield District Council and Notts County Council which it can spend to support Council services and other local projects within its area. This can include the award of grants to local groups.

For further information on your local area assembly or about how you can apply for funding, contact Jeremy Regan on (01623) 463372. Coun Andy Wetton, Chairman of Warsop Area Assembly.

Well all I’ve got to say this month is THANK YOU! I think you all know me better than that by now – that’s not all I’ve got to say but it is a very good place to start – oh no! I think I’m going to break out in song. For those of you that can remember the Sound of Music, (my favourite film of all time) sad I know!, don’t worry I’m not really going to sing. Anyway where was I?

THANK YOU ……… To all of you who are now delivering papers for me. We have a good team and I think we are getting it right now. I still have a round of approx 500 papers covering from Meden School up to Glebe Ave down Birkland Avenue and round onto Burns Lane – anyone interested, ring me. Do any of you work in an office/garage/surgery etc that has a waiting room where you could put a few copies out, I would particularly like to hear from people who work in Shirebrook, Langwith, Langwith Junction, Whaley Thorns, Edwinstowe, Ollerton etc.

THANK YOU ………. For all your kind comments about the paper being much better since I have taken over.

THANK YOU ………. For all of you who have sent me articles, letters and adverts, keep them coming in and the paper will continue to get better. Anyone in Warsop and district who has won or achieved something, I want to know about it – with a photo please. I would like to develop the entertainment page, so all you clubs, pubs, D.J’s etc send me your ads. A jobs section would also be good. Anyone who has a local vacancy to advertise, please ring me.

THANK YOU ………. To all of you that actually read the paper – I hear more of you do now! Kind regards,Tania The copy deadline for the March edition is 12th February

Tel: 01623 846011 Fax: 01623 846012 E-Mail: tbarlow@warsop.gov.uk

During this month Mansfield District Council is planning major street improvements in Warsop Town Centre. Footpaths will be widened, street furniture and seating improved, trees planted as well as some new art features special to Warsop. The works should take around 16 weeks to complete. The first part of the design has been completed by Mansfield District Council and urban design consultants Roger Evans Associates. This work has been carried out with the Warsop Town Centre Group and the funding is now in place tostart the works. Funding has come from East Midlands Development Agency, Mansfield District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council.

The contractors for this work have carried out this kind of job before. They are aware of the problems that can occur and will work hard to keep the disruption to a minimum. The works will be phased and access maintained to all properties at all times necessary. It is hoped that there will be an opportunity for people to be involved in the design of the art features, which will be installed after the works have been completed.

Further information about this will be available later on. If you would like to look at the plans, please call in the Parish Council office in the Town Hall, Mon-Wed 9am – 3pm.
Tania Barlow - Clerk to Warsop Parish Council

Employees and Councillors at Mansfield District Council are to be armed with Sharps Collection Kits to safeguard them in the removal of discarded syringes. A training package is currently being undertaken to ensure ALL councillors and employees are fully briefed on how to remove discarded needles safely.

The training is a joint venture between the Council and the Nottinghamshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT). All field officers, which includes environmental health officers, wardens, technical services and parks department, as well as planning and building control, will all be provided with Sharps Collection Kits, to ensure they are fully equipped to dispose of needles safely if they are found during the course of their work.

The training programme, which is being delivered to employees and councillors, is half way through its programme. Those who have undertaken the training will be issued with the Sharps Collection Kits this week. The kits include disinfectant, antiseptic wipes, rubber gloves, tweezers, a clinical bag to dispose of the used tweezers and gloves, and a sharps bin to dispose of the needles.

Richard Goad, Chief Executive Officer at Mansfield District Council, said: “It is vitally important that all employees and members are trained to deal with discarded syringes. This is a universal problem that is on the increase, but we are taking every step to ensure our employees are protected and know how to deal with the situation should they come across a discarded syringe.

Deputy Mayor (Resources) Coun Lorna Carter said: “I am pleased that field officers and councillors are to be given Sharps Collection Kits. Whenever they are out and about in the community they could be faced with a situation where discarded needles are found and need removing. “If they are on the scene it can also be much quicker for the officer or member to discard of the needles if they have the Kits with them, rather than wait for our Technical Services department to send someone down to deal with it. This allows the hazard to be removed straight away, cuts down on costs and helps the entire service to be much more effective.”“Our field officers and Councillors are often the first point of contact with members of the public, so it is especially relevant to them.”

Anyone finding discarded syringes in the district can report it to the Cleansing Services Hotline on (01623) 463295.

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WHAT A SHAME - Residents and staff of the Poplars Care Centre were not able to enjoy the festive period with outdoor lighting.

The weekend before Christmas, vandals attempted to pull down the Poplars’ outdoor festive lights leaving them dangerously dangling. They also threw bread and milk trays, left out to be picked up by the delivery trucks, onto the roof. Residents, staff and visitors also had to endure youth's noisily hanging around the entrance of the Sycamores and skateboarding down the wheelchair access area. Gardens and parking areas were left covered with rubbish.

Mrs Catherine Alnajjar, the General Manager states that the path between the Sycamores and Poplars is often used as a public thoroughfare, especially by schoolchildren. She notes that residents, staff and visitors use this path regularly, as well as heavily laden trolleys and wheelchairs. She reminds the general public that this area could pose hazards that could put the general public as well as the staff, residents and visitors at risk. She urges the general public to use the alley at the side of the Poplars Care Centre for access to and from Clumber and High Street. The Sycamores and Poplars staff continuously strive to provide good quality care in a homely environment to ensure residents and their families feel well cared for and safe. The youth of today tend to forget they are the elderly of tomorrow. Would all parents please encourage their children to respect the elderly and allow them the security and quiet they need.

Meden school and Technology College has a brand new website to go with its new branding and the change of style for the well known letter 'M' of the school badge. The website is still under development but it will become a useful resource for pupils, teachers and parents in the near future. The website was developed by Nottinghamshire County Council
Telecentre, based at Warsop Town Hall, with the help and consultation of sixth form pupils and staff at Meden. Pupils and Staff at the school are now managing and developing
the site further. Visit www.medenschool.co.uk

WARSOP ALLOTMENT & LEISURE
GARDENERS’ ASSOCIATION

Secretary: Reg Freeman
Tel: 01623 842232WARSOP

Now is the time to start planning what to do on your
allotment garden, fresh vegetables, fruit and flowers all for a few hours every week, plots can be rented from just £10 per year and can be shared. Fresh air, exercise and new friends are free!

Plots are available on Netherfield Lane, Ridgeway, Cherry Grove, Askew Lane and Carr Lane.

The Association has a sales shed where seeds, composts, fertilisers and feeds can be purchased by members. Basic tools can be borrowed to get started and a rotivator, strimmer and sprayer can be hired.

All that is needed now is to give the Secretary a ring or call in the sales shed on Ridgeway, Tuesday or Saturday mornings.

Footpaths Group

On our January workday we continued clearing scrub on the Rhein o'Thorns and cut the hedges along Upper Cross Lane near Cherry Grove. This job had been postponedfrom last autumn as we left the sloes on the blackthorn until the birds had eaten them (or maybe they ended up in sloe gin!).

We hold our work days on the first Sunday on each month, meeting at 10am. We usually finish around 1pm depending on the weather and our energy levels. Contact us on the number below if you would like to join us or if you would like to find out more about the jobs we do.

I am writing these notes in early January whilst wondering whether it will ever stop raining! We are fortunate not to be as badly affected by flooding as some parts of the country but many of our paths are becoming rather sodden. We are trying to persuade Nottinghamshire County Council to improve some of the worst sections and hopefully we shall see some action in the not too distant future.

The walks that are organised by this group take place on the third Sunday of each month. We will be leaving Warsop library at 10am on 16th February, possibly taking the minibus to Bilsthorpe and then walking back to Warsop.

Everyone is welcome to join us, give us a call on the number below to obtain more details. You can contact the Secretary on 01623 846281

WF&CG is a community group whose members share an interest in the countryside. We help maintain the public footpath network in Warsop, we undertake conservation projects and we provide information about the local environment.

Wetton's (Est 1951)

Purveyor's of quality meats and fine foods
Specalising in local barley fed beef
and selected Scotch beef

11B Sherwood Street, Warsop
Tel: 842138

Middleton News
33 High Street, Warsop
Newspaper deliveries, stationery, sweets
Tel: 842281

WARSOP PARISH COUNCIL
Town Hall, Church Street, Warsop NG20 0AL Tel: 846011 Fax: 846012 E-mail tbarlow@warsop.gov.uk

COUNCIL MEETINGS FOR 2003
Monday 17th February
Monday 17th March – Annual Parish Meeting
Monday 28th April
Monday 19th May – Annual Parish Council Meeting
Monday 16th June
Monday 21st July
Monday 15th September
Monday 20th October
Monday 17th November

All parish Council Meetings are open to the public and are held in the Council Chamber in the Town Hall and commence at 6.30pm

WARSOP METHODIST CHURCH
Minister The Rev Marie Greenwood
38 Worcester Avenue
Mansfield Woodhouse
NG19 8QD
Tel: 01623 623659

WARSOP METHODIST CHURCH
Sunday Service 9.30am
Coffee morning every
Saturday 10.00am-12.00pm
Preachers for 2nd Miss Ann Griffiths
9th Mr. Derek Maynard
16th Mr. Ron Revill
23rd Dr. Charles Mclaughlin

What's in a Name?
I found Jeff Noble's letter 'What is The Carrs?' very informative and interesting. However, I can't agree with everything he's saying. Firstly, I would ask, 'What's in a name?' Market Warsop is so called but it no longer has a market. Mansfield has a Water Meadows that is now a swimming pool with hardly a blade of grass in sight. Furthermore, landscapes change their form naturally over a period of time without interference from Planning Officers. For example, the Elms that Jeff refers to have been lost to Dutch Elm, a naturally occurring disease. So whether the Carrs is called a recreation ground or a showground, does it really matter? If so, maybe we should change the name, though I hasten to add that I am not advocating this.

Few people, including myself, would have known the meaning of the name 'The Carrs' until Jeff made us aware of it, and very well done it was too Jeff, thank you. But you could ask a dozen people of different age groups the question that Jeff posed 'What is the Carrs?' and I'll bet you get a dozen different answers, though I've no doubt they'll include pleasurable activities of some kind. More important than its history are the memories and meanings it has for everyone over the years. The Carrs has changed with the times and has provided a leisure facility for the demands of our community. Surely it's what the Carrs is used for that counts and it's selfish to expect things to stay the same, we have to develop leisure facilities and amenity areas for what today's lifestyle demands. Whilst I don't fancy the idea of tarmac paths and street lights, nowadays I wouldn't feel safe walking from the Carrs to Grove Road after dark, as I have done many times in the past.

I remember the boggy land on both sides of the river. I also remember many a happy summers day spent in the 'very much wanted' paddling pool. It was very well used when I was a child. I was sorry to see it filled in but it was the best thing to do when it started to get littered with broken glass and unsafe for young children to play in - sad, but a sign of changing times I suppose!

We used to have an annual Church Garden Fete in the Old Rectory grounds when I was young but that land no longer exists as the new Rectory and other houses were built on the land. There was a great sense of community spirit and belonging from this annual event and our present day Carnival is the nearest thing we have to it, but it wouldn't be possible if The Carrs was still a marshy area.

The kids of today wouldn't thank you for a bog to explore as they wouldn't be able to ride their bikes through it. In our day we didn't all have bikes and it was quite safe for us to play unsupervised from an early age. Times have changed! The Carrs has adapted to change and should continue to do so. Let's hope that the Parks Officer will have every respect for the natural environment and will consider the impact of development before making radical changes. - NAMELESS

GARDEN NOTES FOR FEBRUARY

As many people in the past have stated, protection is vital for many of our plants. There are many
forms we can use for protection of plants, plastic bottles with tops cut away, sheeting, paper and glass.
Those who have a greenhouse or a conservatory have a distinct advantage over others but saying this,
a cold frame lined with bubble plastic can save and indeed keep propagation of plants worthwhile. Many of you will have your own ideas and little quirks that you have experienced over the years. The lengthening days with increasing sunshine, reminds us that active gardening is here again. Outdoor work will depend on the weather conditions but some preparation can be carried out under glass, frame or in the dwelling house itself.

The householder will find that raising plants indoors is not only profitable but also highly interesting
through observing development day by day. First to mind comes the growing of mustard and cress,
very satisfactory even to the youngest child. A shallow pot or container, fill with soil from the garden,
water moderately and sow the seed thickly on the surface, press in slightly, do not cover with soil,
sprinkle with water and cover with glass or place in a plastic bag, a further light watering may be necessary. Germination is rapid and a salad is ready within two weeks. If seedlings show mould, there has been too much watering or too long under cover, this applies to all seedlings sown in boxes or trays.

Mustard and cress can be sown on a wet flannel, very simple and fascinating to see the seeds
sprutting and developing. The seed sowing is relatively easy, the next stage is where the worry starts,
one tray of seeds can lead to several trays of seedlings, where to put them all, get together with
relatives and friends so you can share the seedlings. Only sow what can be accommodated, two trays
can take up quite a lot of space. A start should be made with the tiny seeds of Begonia, Petunia or Lobelia, don’t sneeze or all will be lost, sow thinly to grow isolated little seedlings or they may be difficult to select individually. Lobelia can be sown thicker as you can grow on little clumps and more compact. Early lettuces, cabbages and cauliflowers will give earlier and better crops when sown in boxes and finally planted in Spring. When the first bath of seedlings are out of the way, the easier and faster growing Asters, Stocks and Marigolds can follow, given the same treatment.

Try to keep condensation off the underside of glass and polythene, clear this daily as it will cause
damping off. Ground preparation has been at a standstill with all the rain but as soon as possible,
get on the land and tidy it, if there is any more digging to do get it done as soon as you can. The soil
is not dead or inert but a medium teeming with life upon which depends fertility. The gardener or
farmer must work with nature, the food absorbed by cropping must be replaced, heavy rains wash
down more nutrients, especially nitrogen. Humus is necessary to encourage the increase of
useful bacteria, working unseen. Consideration must be given to the requirements of each utility crop
and pest and diseases prevented rather that awaiting attack. The rainfall we have had will have leached the plant food in the soil, particularly of the chemicals so generally applied, little and often applications are the answer to some extent. The rain pounding down will have compacted the soil and therefore is devoid of air, the roots of plants must have air the useful bacteria can increase and do their work in breaking down humus and converting certain elements into plant food, only with the assistance of air. It is essential that the garden soil is maintained in friable condition and fertility ensured by the free use of compost in whatever form, which means digging. Our flowers and vegetables have all been evolved from the wild, whilst Dandelions and Docks are able to penetrate firm soil our modern varieties are bigger,
better and more demanding and certainly require more depth of fertile soil than their forebears.
We must not only help but improve on nature. DIG, DIG, DIG!

Tania's Bloomer!
Whilst putting the January edition of Warsop & District News onto the website, I noticed that the
gardening notes state: 'Dahlias may be propagated from Basil cuttings.' Even the best gardener can't grow Dahlias from Basil! You can however, propagate Dahlias from basal cuttings! Thanks for making me smile! – Carol