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Community Matters is produced and edited by a team of local residents who try to present you with the facts that will both keep you informed and enable you to make up your own mind on local issues
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Contents
BCP Council Update
CTC news and events
Friends of St Catherine's Hill
Hall on the Hill
Christchurch u3a
3rd Christchurch Brownies
Hips - How to avoid surgery
Christchurch and District band concert
Vintage Brass Autumn concert
Christchurch Rotary Bonfire and Fireworks
Tricuro donation
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COUNCILLORS MARGARET PHIPPS AND VANESSA RICKETTS
BCP COUNCIL UPDATE
Queensmead, Bronte Avenue
Many people have asked us what is happening with this building, so we asked BCP, and this is what they said (in italics):
The Council commissioned an options appraisal to determine if the Queensmead site is suitable for use to support the Council’s SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) Improvement Plan which includes necessary activities to increase the sufficiency of places for children with additional needs and disabilities.
The options appraisal was finalised on 27 August 2024 and the Council is in the process of evaluating the information. Thus far, the options appraisal helps to identify that the Queensmead site is large enough to support the provision of additional specialist places/alternative provision. It is too early to determine a preferred option at this stage. Further discussion and analysis will help inform this as will input from services across the Council. It is important to note that the options appraisal does not determine estimated costs, affordability, site constraints and risks associated with any development of the site and building
The appraisal evaluation will be looked at by BCP Officers and the Corporate Strategy Group to determine next steps and timescales. As a priority, we want to understand the likely costs involved with the development of the site. This will determine affordability – a key factor on whether or not the SEND interest in the site will endure.
Service Standards
At a recent Christchurch RA meeting held in St. Catherine’s, Margaret was asked about grass cutting rotas. In response to her queries, BCP sent this link, which lists many documents under Appendix 5b which give agreed standards for several services including grounds and highway maintenance.
https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=13667#mgDocuments
Proposals for Former Southern Gas Network Site, Bridge Street, Christchurch
Although not in Commons Ward, we thought you might be interested to know that
BCP Cllrs have been informed by Churchill Living that they have decided to appeal against the Council’s non-determination of Planning Application 8/23/0657/FUL. Local engagement with in-person exhibitions took place in October 2022 and January 2023 and the application was submitted in October 2023. Churchill is unhappy that 12 months on, there has been no decision. The draft BCP Local Plan shows delivery of around 150 new homes on the site. There is currently a problem with several sites in Christchurch due to potential foul water output from new dwellings, as the Christchurch Sewage treatment Works doesn’t filter out sufficient phosphates from being discharged into the River Avon. Additional dwellings will contribute to the phosphates load in the river, and until the issue is addressed or mitigation provided, some applications are not going forward.
Ward Improvement Fund
BCP has allocated funding to support residents and the local voluntary and community sector. To support this, each Ward Councillor has been allocated £4,000 per year to distribute to voluntary groups in their Ward. Councillors within the same Ward can pool their allocation to form a larger pot if they think it is the best use of the fund and to the benefit of the community. You must speak to your local Cllr. before applying for any funding. This is the link to the BCP Website:
Ward improvement fund | BCP (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)
BCP will consider applications from:
- small constituted voluntary and community groups/organisations with incomes under £20,000 per year
- groups based and operating for the benefit of residents in their relevant Ward
- Applications for this fund opened on 9th September and close on 14th October 2024
As always, feel free to contact us on any issue
Cllr. Margaret Phipps – margaret.phipps@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
- Tel: 01202 478266
Cllr. Vanessa Ricketts – vanessa.ricketts@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
– Tel: 07760 391467
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Subscribe to the CTC newsletter
Upcoming council meetings
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Events are subject to change and weather conditions on the day, please e-mail Robin Harley: countryside@bcpcouncil.gov.uk for further information. Most guided walks and talks are charged at £2 per member and £4 per non-member (accompanied children free). All proceeds will go towards the running of the group and funding items on site. Most events open to non-members.
Programme for 2024
 St Catherine's Hill
Community Hall
17 Marlow Drive
Christchurch
Appeal for Committee Members
Firstly, may I introduce myself - I am John Spittle and for a number of years have been Chairman of the St Catherine's Hill Commmunity Hall
We are a very able, active and friendly Committee that meets on the second Monday of each month, and apart from Neil our caretaker, are all volunteers. Our duties, as you can see below, are not onerous, but use of a computer is required for correspondence;-
Chairman - chairs monthly meetings and oversees the general organisation and upkeep of the Hall.
Treasurer - deals with the accounts, providing monthly reports to the committee and end of year reports to the Auditor.
Bookings Officer - liaises with current and future hirers and issuing invoices.
Secretary - records meetings, and retains paperwork.
Publicity - keeps website up to date, and assists with Hall's computing matters.
Fundraiser - organises the quarterly quizzes
We are aware that none of us are getting any younger so to help with tasks and eventual handover we hope you can help us. Should a number of the committee members become unavailable through sickness, family commitments, or move,we would not be able to successfully run the Hall and without any replacements we would have to consider asking our landlords - BCP council to take over.
Naturally, we would be very reluctant to do that, as, I am sure you will agree, the present arrangement works well. Therefore I am asking if you would please consider joining our Committee, or know someone who can, in which case please contact me by email or telephone, or speak to one of the Committee.
Many thanks for your time,
Regards
John Spittle
Tel. - 01202 484623
Mob - 07713 740628
Email - j.spittle@ntlworld.com
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CHRISTCHURCH u3a
Autumn, a very beautiful season, but it can be cold and dark, so what a good thing it is that we have our groups to get us out socialising and using our bodies and brains. We don’t have to be isolated and lonely, we’ve the Christchurch u3a where we belong. This charity, run by volunteers, needs more members who are willing to volunteer – it can’t survive if we don’t all pull together. Right now we ask for your help in finding Committee Members and of course we’re always looking for new Group Leaders so we can offer more variety of courses.
‘Out of Hours’ Group continues to provide a variety of activities which should appeal to all from quizzes to lunches, garden visits to performances and many more things. The unique thing about this group is that it doesn’t happen during the week in working hours as the other groups do. The clue is in the name and I don’t know why we didn’t realise this before , but the times apart from that, are, or could be the loneliest. NOT ANY MORE. There’s no upper limit on the numbers in this group and you don’t have to join in with everything.
As far as I know, Christchurch u3a is unique with this approach.
OUT OF HOURS AND SOME OF OUR OTHER EVENTS
Wednesday 9th and 30th October - 14:15 Afternoon tea at Lord Bute
Saturday 12th October - 18:45 Quiz at Homelands, Kings Avenue £2pp quiz plus £1 raffle
Monday 14th October - 14:00 MONTHLY MEETING Behind the scenes with the BBC by Rosemary McCulloch - Christchurch Baptist Church, Beaconsfield Rd, Bargates, Christchurch, BH23 1QT
A humorous look at the life as a presenter at the BBC by our u3a member Rosemary McCulloch
Saturday 2nd November – 18:00 Skittles Walkford Arms Pub Tickets: £3
Sunday 10th November - 13:00 Sunday Lunch Kings Arms Hotel, Christchurch Tickets: £26.50 for two courses
Monday 11th November - 14:00 MONTHLY MEETING AGM (Annual General Meeting) Followed by a performance by our own Ukulele Group. Christchurch Baptist Church, Beaconsfield Rd, Bargates, Christchurch, BH23 1QT
We are delighted that after their resounding success at the 2022 and 2023 AGM's Ukes4U, taught and guided by Tim Drage, have agreed to perform for us again after the business of the AGM has been completed. Members only.
Monday 18th - 22nd November - Festive Holiday to Weston -Super-Mare Fully booked
Paula Watton (Publicity)
The Annual Membership fee is only £45 for the full year!
Our Autumn term started on 16th September and runs until 13th December but there are still lots of Groups with vacancies click on the Groups tab on the website to see a full list. Programmes can be collected from the Epicentre or Christchurch Library.
Spring term runs from 13th January until 11th April and the fee is reduced to £30
Summer term runs from 28th April until 20th June and the fee is reduced to £15
Christchurch u3a The Epicentre, 27a High Street, Christchurch (next to Druitt Hall)
In term time open Mondays and Fridays 10:00 to 12:00
Out of term time Mondays only
Enrol online via the website - Christchurch u3a website
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3rd Christchurch Brownies are delighted that Girlguiding have now recognized Foxies Future as the preferred bidder for the purchase of FOXLEASE . We are all very excited at the prospect of being able to hold another campfire and toast our marshmallows around it and cannot wait for this to happen in the very near future. We cannot believe that a year has passed since we were last there. At least now there is some hope that we may be back there again.
Our summer term ended with a trip to the craft centre to paint and decorate a mug which was subsidized by the monies given to us last December. We had to wait until September when we came back to be able to take them home as the firing of the mugs took a while following the fire at the craft centre in Christchurch. We had a wonderful evening there and would thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking for something to do!
If you are 7 and would like to join brownies or you would like to be a helper we meet at the Hall on the Hill on a Thursday 6.00 pm to 7.30 pm. Hope to see you soon.
On 14th December 2023 3rd Christchurch Brownies received £1,500 from the funds of the former Jumpers and St Catherine's Hill RA - see our July Newsletter (campaign-archive.com) for all donations made.
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Just an update on how we have been spending the generous donation!
We have focused on fun and enjoyable experiences for the clients rather than anything physical. The clients have been out and about to the airshow, having ice creams, playing crazy gold and went to a day time rave at a church!
Next we are planning a harvest music festival for the last week in September, probably the Thursday or Friday.
We will be booking local musicians and organising a buffet for everyone, we will make sure you are invited!
Kev Bales
Manager
Telephone: 01202 486114 Ext: 1202
Christchurch Connect
www.tricuro.co.uk
Kevin Bales manager of Christchurch Connect received the cheque for £500 from the former Jumpers and St Catherine's Hill residents association at the volunteer run allotment at Christchurch Fire station on 17th April.
see July Newsletter (campaign-archive.com) Our Finances
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If you have a local event or story you would like to be included in the Monthly Newsletter please email it to newsletter@wcresidents.co.uk
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Links and Contact Details
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