Letter to all Warsop Parish Residents...

Firstly, I must apologise for the lack of information regarding the increase in the Warsop Parish Council Precept for this year, a leaflet should have been enclosed with the Council Tax to explain the increase we have had to make. I am sure you will agree that 29p per week is a small price to pay for the extra services that are not provided by Mansfield District Council.

Our district is starting to look better with the new Warsop Town Centre improvements taking place and although many of you have complained about the work, The Parish Council would ask that we all wait until it is finished before we judge it. There are many things happening to improve our town, new shops are opening on Sherwood Street, a market starting 17th April and the removal of the eyesore Top Cat soon to be a new building incorporating SureStart. The Top Cat/Scrooges site is one of the main reasons for the increase in the Precept but it was something that the Parish Council had to do.

The Parish Council have also been involved in many community projects helping not only to fund them but to support and push the projects forward including Meden Vale Community Garden, Church Warsop, footpaths and seating on Bishops Walk and clearing the Wood Bros. site at Spion Kop. Funding is provided for organisations such as the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and D.A.R.E., community groups including Meden Vale 2000 and Warsop in Bloom, events including Warsop Traders Christmas Lights and of course Warsop Carnival. The Warsop and District News subsidised by Warsop Parish Council and would not be the paper it is if it wasn’t for their support.

Back to the Carnival which benefits everyone in our Parish and is fully supported by the Parish Council. As the event has grown so has the burden of costs and to ensure our Carnival’s future a realistic budget is now in place. Warsop Parish Council will continue to support existing projects and intend to support more projects in the future. These monies are over and above the services provided by Mansfield District Council and are spent within the Parish the benefit of our residents.

We as a Council are striving to make our town and satellite villages a better place to live and work. Full details of the Parish Council’s Budget and spending plans are available for inspection at the Town Hall, please contact Mrs.Tania Barlow, Clerk to Warsop Parish Council. Andy Wetton Chairman of Warsop Parish Council P.S. Any community groups wishing to apply for a small grant to help our District are welcome to apply to Tania Barlow, Clerk to Warsop Parish Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Market Warsop, Mansfield, Notts. NG20 0AL Tel: 01623 846011 Fax: 01623 846012 E-mail: tbarlow@warsop.gov.uk. The office is open Mon-Wed 9am-3pm Closed for lunch 12-1pm.

The town of Market Warsop will once again be able to live up to its name as a brand new weekly market returns for the first time in almost 14 years, starting on Thursday 17th April. The new market is to be held every Thursday from 9am to 2pm – initially as a three month trial – in the Co-op/Talbot Car Park off High Street.

Take-up amongst traders has been encouraging to-date and around 20 stalls are expected to be at the inaugural market, which will also include entertainment and children’s competitions, as well as the official opening ceremony. A wide variety of goods will be on sale at the first market, including plants and shrubs, clothing, textiles, CDs and videos, luggage, lingerie, mobile phones, toys, glassware and computer games.

Additional free parking will be available on market days at Warsop Working Mens Club and the Warsop Connie Club. The market is being organised and managed by Mansfield District Council’s Markets Department, with support from Warsop Parish Regeneration Agency and town Centre traders. Funding for the project has been provided by the East Midlands Development Agency and Mansfield District Council.

The re-introduction of the market is part of a wide-range of town centre regeneration initiatives underway in Warsop. Coun Phil Smith, Portfolio Holder for the Environment at Mansfield District Council said, “The market is one of a number of initiatives the Council is developing with its partners which are intended to revitalise Warsop Town Centre.” “We hope the market will provide a welcome addition to what Warsop has to offer to shoppers and that it will lead to positive spin-offs in terms of increased custom to other retailers in the town.”

Warsop Neighbourhood Management Team would like to congratulate all students who completed the Welcome to Working with Children course that was held recently at the Meden Comprehensive School. To celebrate their achievements, a ceremony was held at Making it! Discovery Centre, Littleworth, Mansfield on Thursday 27th March, when students were presented with a certificate and complimentary pack. Welcome to Working with Children is funded by the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund. The aim of the programme is to inform individuals of the various childcare training and career opportunities that are currently available.

A new FREE 6 week course is being planned for the local area in the near future, for further details please contact Lisa Ashley, Development Worker for Community Education at West Nottinghamshire College on 01623 413602.

New 'Warsop Infotech' Website
Warsop Infotech are proud to announce that a small group of members have undertaken a basic web design course to get a website going. The web address is www.warsopinfotech.org.uk. As it stands at present the website has useful information on the background to the group and its aims. It lists the resources of the group which will be available to any person in Warsop who wants to become a member - an unbelievable £3 per year at present! We hope to keep people informed of current and future courses run at the Town Hall using our suite of 15 machines, all connected to the internet, for the WEA and West Notts College. Give it a look and if you have any comments or wish to join Warsop Infotech group please contact: Warsop Town Hall Tel: 01623 845858

WALK THIS WAY!
THE THREE PARISHES ANNUAL SPONSORED WALK

Sunday 18th May 2003 starting at various points in the Parishes of Warsop, Nether Langwith and Cuckney. This is a major opportunity for groups and organisations that benefit our local communities to raise funds for themselves.

There are 8 routes, ranging from 2 miles up to 12 miles.

Would you please register your interest with The Clerk, Tania Barlow either tel: 01623 846011 fax: 01623 846012 email: tbarlow@warsop.gov.uk or call in the office in the Town Hall Mon-Wed 9am – 3pm.

You can also leave your details with the Town Hall Reception. INFORMATION PACKS AVAILABLE CALL AND COLLECT ONE NOW! Volunteers Required on the Day Please Contact The Clerk Meeting to be held at the Town Hall on Monday 12th May at 5pm

WARSOP ALLOTMENT
& LEISURE GARDENERS’ ASSOCIATION

Secretary: Reg Freeman Tel: 01623 842232

Gardening is at full swing now and it’s a good time to be involved either at home or on an allotment site. Allotments are being let at a steady rate and it’s grand to see so many ladies becoming involved in this area.

The soil is light so that it soon becomes workable in the Spring. The Association has suffered some problems with vandalism on our sales and store sheds on Ridgeway, nevertheless, the sales shed is open as usual, thanks to our members who have helped to clear up the mess.

Our other sites have also suffered break-ins but allotment gardeners are a determined breed and will carry on the tradition of allotment gardening in this area because if we allow the allotments to fall into disuse they will be lost to bricks and concrete forever.

There are still allotments to let on most of our sites from as little as £10 annual rent plus annual membership of 85p which also includes membership of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners. Call at the Sales Shed on a Tuesday or Saturday morning or ring Reg. Freeman, Secretary, on 842232

COUNCIL EMBARKS ON NEW ERA IN 2003

The trailblazing Employee Recognition Awards at Mansfield District Council have been re-launched for 2003 with another award to add to the list. The Council held its first successful ERA Awards ceremony for employees last November – the first of its kind among District Councils in Notts.

ERA 2003 was recently launched at the Civic Centre by James Bradley of 103.2 Mansfield Radio, the Chairman of Mansfield District Council, Coun John Allin and Mayor of Mansfield, Tony Egginton. This year there will be five awards all of which can be nominated both internally and by the public. A new award has been created for the ERA 2003 Launch – Communication Award.

The awards are: Customer Service Award sponsored by Ben Bailey Homes Team of the Year Award sponsored by Pellacraft Employee of the Year Award sponsored by GMB and Unison Innovation of the Year Award sponsored by Natwest And Communication Award sponsored by Mansfield Recorder.

Richard Goad, Chief Executive Officer at Mansfield District Council explains why the Communication Award was created: “The Employee Recognition Schemewas a new concept for Mansfield District Council last year, and is something that was well over due. It was a great success in terms of employee participation, and we hope this one will be even better. “For this second launch for 2003 we have added another award – Communication Award. Communication is vital, in all walks of life - business cannot survive without communication and good business sense thrives on communication. It is a major part of our business in local authority, we have to communicate with everyone, from residents, businesses, the media and ourselves internally, so it is very appropriate that we introduce this new award to actively promote communication and give good examples where possible.

” Coun Lorna Carter, Portfolio holder for Resources added: “Commitment, sense of duty and quality service delivery have always featured in our work at the Council, but hopefully ‘ERA’ will help to make us feel more comfortable about being proud of what we do well. And having listened to nominees, finalists and winners from 2002, it appears that the scheme is beginning to make progress and will continue to do so. I also welcome this new award for communication. Communication is part of Best Value and something that we take very seriously so it is a great new award to introduce. “I would also like to thank members of the public for their response tonominations made for the Customer Service Award last year. We had many excellent nominations and I hope people will take the opportunity to nominate our employees again this year, especially where they have gone out of their way to be helpful and provide excellent customer service. Sponsors are vital to these awards and without them it would not be able to take place so I am delighted to see so many local companies putting their name to this prestigious award scheme.”

Last year one of the winners was Kathryn Smith, Business Development Officer in Economic Development. She said it had made a big impact on her role and gave her a great sense of pride. “I was delighted not only to be nominated for an ERA Award but to ultimately receive recognition as the “Employee of the Year” left me on cloud nine. I feel it’s a great achievement and something I will remain very proud of for a long time to come. “I think the ERA scheme is a positive move from Mansfield District Council to recognise the hard work and determination of individuals and teams across the various departments,” added Kathryn. Nomination forms are now available at the Civic Centre and all council buildings, including Council-run leisure centres, the County Contact Point, Natwest Mansfield branch and Ben Bailey Homes new show house on Chesterfield

There is also a freephone number to enable you to make nominations. Call 0800 052 1180 or email your nomination toFor more iormation on thenf ERA Award scheme or for a nomination form contact 01623 463135 or email era@mansfield-dc.gov.uk.

Wetton's (Est 1951)

Purveyor's of quality meats and fine foods
Specalising in local barley fed beef
and selected Scotch beef
Barbeque time is here again!

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 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
Minutes of the meetings are published on Warsop Web>>>

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 May
4th Mr. J. Archer
11th Mrs. D. Vickers
18th Rev. Marie Greenwood (Holy Communion)
25th Dr. C. McLaughlin

Concerts at Warsop Methodist Church
Warsop Methodist Church are holding a series of concerts during the next four months. The first one by Centre Stage will take place on Saturday 17th May – 7pm to 9pm. Tickets are priced at £2.50 including refreshments. Centre Stage consist of four male and four female mixed voices and sing a range of songs from light classical, popular and songs from the Shows. In addition there are some comedy routines. Most of the group are former members of Mansfield Amateur Operatic Society and/or Catamus. Centre Stage have performed around the area for approximately 12 years and choose one charity to support each year. This year’s nominated charity is the Rainbow Children’s Hospice. Warsop Methodist Church has full disabled access, toilets and loop system for the hard of hearing. Enquiries regarding tickets or the hiring of the premises should made to Edwin A. Tattersall on 843504.

Warsop Churches Together

The Parishes Church of Warsop with Sookholme Warsop Methodist Church The Bethel Church St. Teresa’s Roman Catholic Church Happy Easter! Or does that seem like old news? We are still the Easter season even though the eggs may have been finished week ago and the rest of them half price in the shops. Alongside their own services, one highlight for the churches of Warsop this Easter was the united service when members of all the churches gathered together for a joint celebration at the Parish Church. This was the first such service since the formation of ‘Warsop Churches Together’, which aims to help us seek new ways of building our community. We might all have different ways of worshipping, but we all share the same gospel truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter eggs remind us of new life. Easter is a celebration of the new life that God can bring, even in the middle of very difficult situations.

One such situation which has dominated the news in recent weeks has been the war in Iraq. We know and have seen the tremendous suffering of many people in Iraq, but we do thank God for the liberation of the Iraqi people from an oppressive regime. We thank God for those young men and women, some from our own community, who have been willing to share in the fight to bring about that freedom. And the people in Iraq can now begin to look forward to new start, to new life. It is a time of opportunities, for discovering a new way of living. We can often take our freedom for granted, becoming complacent in the way we live our lives. Perhaps we may use the examples of the boldness of our troops, the freedom given to the Iraqis and our own reflections on the meaning of Easter to help us determine what we really value in life. Perhaps then we too may grasp opportunities for a fresh start in particular areas of our lives. Kathryn Herrod & Mark Cantrill

Warsop Bird and Wildlife Notes Late February to early March. Brian Marples and Barry Avison both reported the first of the year’s migrant Chiffchaff in early March. No records of Willow Warbler or Blackcap at the time of writing though.

Birklands Ringing Group are reporting a really impressive number of Siskin and Redpoll moving through Warsop. Crossbill is also in fairly good numbers over Budby. Migrants however, seem to be avoiding Warsop, compared to other sites close by we are not seeing the numbers of species we could expect. Sand Martin as an example, are showing all around but they are not in Warsop. (However there is time yet.)

A very rare Gull, the Glaucus Gull, has turned up in the Trent Valley near to Hoveringham, this has caused a lot of interest amongst birders. If ever you chance to listen to experienced birders talk about the ageing and moult of Gulls take it, you will have hours of amusement. You will probably believe that they are speaking in a strange if not foreign dialect, such is their ability to wax lyrical on this very complex subject. Personally I just enjoy seeing the birds, and I am happy to leave the clever stuff to the academics.

I am just back from the mountains and coastal flats of Spain, I have been carrying out some preparatory work for future groups that will be taking there, (it’s a tough job but someone has to do it). Whilst out there I am embarrassed to report that I got, if not completely lost, then certainly a little confused. I came across this very small village in the hills near to Jumilla. It was getting a little late so I decided to seek advice from an elderly lady who was sweeping her front steps. The conversation ran a little like this, Me, “Buenos Dias Senora, can you direct me to the monastery of Santa Anna?” Spanish Lady, “Sit down” (pointing to a chair) Me, “Thank you but I really need to get to…” Spanish Lady, “Sit down” I sat down.

She then disappeared for a couple of minutes and came back with bread, cheese, ham and a jug of wine. Me, “This is very kind but I didn’t order…..” Spanish Lady, “Eat”. I ate. After the impromptu meal I ask her how much I owed her, I knew straight away by the pained and hurt look on her face that I had committed a cardinal sin, the meal was simply an act of old fashioned hospitality. I apologised profusely and put it down to my ignorance, I was forgiven in an instance. She then called a neighbour who escorted me back to my base.

Meeting my Spanish friend was one of those special moments that gives you a lift in life. Compare that welcome with what happened week later. I was back in England leading a walk on a public footpath through an Estate just to the north of Warsop. We had stopped at the side of the path and were using an old log as a seat to eat our sandwiches. A very big Volvo stopped and a lady with very aristocratic manner and an accent to match, wound down the electric windows and said, “Can I help you?” I knew straight away that helping us was the last thing she had on her mind, “No thanks we are fine” I said. “How long do you intend staying there, I know you are on a public footpath but I don’t encourage people to picnic” assured her that we would not spoil her day any longer than was necessary and we would be on our way.

Now I know this is nothing at all to do with Warsop’s bird news and Tania can pull this part of my report if she wishes, but I do believe it is a valid and I hope interesting comment on differing attitudes of country people. Thanks to everyone who sent me recipes for Sloe gin. It seems that Warsop is the midlands capital of the Sloe gin cartel, loads Warsopians are getting out of their heads on the stuff every Christmas. Best wishes and thank you to all who sent in reports.

Late News, Sand Martins over Carburton, 1st April, please listen out for Cuckoo this month I really would like the date of the first of the year.

Keep your records coming in to me at 55 George Street, Warsop, by email, bobmoody@btopenworld.com or you may like to visit my
interactive website www.bobmoody.co.uk - Bob Moody

LETTERS OF THANKS............

Thank you Hi, can I say a big thank you to all those new ladies who have made the effort and joined our Keep Fit class at Sherwood Street School. Numbers are quite good at the moment but we always welcome new faces (Mondays and Wednesdays 7.00pm-8.00pm). I’d also like to thank those who tried it but didn’t manage to drag themselves back for more as I realise that not everyone enjoys exercising. Once again, thank you to you all and well done to those who are now coming regularly – keep it up!! Mandy Sharpe

Oaklands Centre, Warsop Organ Music and a Pie and Peas Supper – Thursday 13th March A big thank you to all who helped and supported the above event. A most enjoyable evening was had by all. Margaret Pike provided the organ music and the fundraising team served a wonderful pie and peas supper, with fruit pie and cream for afters! A special thank you to the Friends of Oaklands Fundraising Team.

Kathy &J ill Sponsored Walk - Saturday 22nd March Proceeds to the Oaklands Residents’ Holiday Fun We would like to thank all who supported our sponsored walk through Warsop. It was a wonderful morning, beautiful weather with the people of Warsop and the local shops being very generous in their support throughout our walk. The event raised £320 through sponsorship and on the day collection. Again THANK YOU all, including our canine friends! Brenda and Cheryl

Easter Thank You I would like to extend a BIG THANK YOU to the all the Teachers and Assistants at Hetts Lane Infants and Junior School for the lovely Easter service at the Parish Church this morning Wednesday 9th April. The sun shone for our walk up to the church and continued to shine through the children’s wonderful voices. I am always amazed how they remember the words and the actions to all these songs, they are all stars. A special thank you for the Sherwood School singers and their musical accompaniment for joining our service. Also thanks to Kathryn and to Mark for his prayers. Thank you all again for a lovely morning. Tania Barlow

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS campaign On behalf of SUPPORT OUR TROOPS campaign Ema and Sheila would like to thank: Talbot Inn, Wetton’s Butchers, Maloney’s Butchers, Identity Hair Salon, A.P. Decorators, Bargain Booze, Carrs Paper Shop and Burton & Sherwoods, for their kind donations to help raise funds for SUPPORT OUR TROOPS. A big thank you to Dave and Andy from the Hare & Hounds for providing a function room for our meetings. Anyone wishing to help the food parcel campaign or to join SUPPORT OUR TROOPS contact Sheila or Ema on 01623 845487 Thank you