Allhallows Parish Council - Villagers' Life

This magazine is printed and published by and under the ultimate control of the two Parish Councils and views expressed may not necessarily be those of the Parish Councils.

NOVEMBER/JANUARY 2007 ISSUE DEADLINE 8th NOVEMBER 2006
To submit an article or advert please contact your editor:

Cleo Beckey, 5 Forge Cottages, Fenn Street, St Mary Hoo, Rochester, Kent ME3 8QT

Telephone: 01634 272804 email: cleob@madasafish.com

PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS

Allhallows Parish Council meets 2nd Tuesday of month except August,

Allhallows Primary School, Avery Way, 6.45pm.

Dates of St Mary Hoo Parish Council meetings at the Fenn Bell function room are posted on the Parish Council notice boards.

For local parish news visit:

www.allhallows-pc.gov.uk & www.stmaryhooparishcouncil.org.uk

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I would start by complimenting you on Villagers Life. We live in St. Mary Hoo and yesterday decided that we would go for a walk. I had just been reading about Cross Park and so we decided to pay it a visit as we did not actually know where was.

At the bend in the road outside the caravan park we spotted a sign to the golf club. Good we thought-going the right way. Unfortunately after that we did not find Cross Park or even the Golf Club.

Please help, are three of us going blind or is there a secret to finding these places. We did find a field right at the bottom of Avery Way but no kissing gate, only a stile, and nothing resembling a golf club.

If you enter Avery Way and follow it around past the school, around the right bend by the Leisure Park the Golf Club is on the right before you get to the British Pilot. The Golf Club has a sign on Avery Way you need to turn right here down the dirt track, the Golf Club car park is on the left, on the right you will see 2 metal gates with a wooden kissing gate in between them this is Cross Park .

I have been informed that there will be a sign for Cross Park by the time you get this, Also we are hoping to have brown signage for Cross Park as you come into the village, this has to be carried out by Medway Council, by Roxana Brammer the Allhallows Clerk.

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Are you aware of the Parish Council's country park? It's called Cross Park and is off Avery Way, opposite the golf club car park.

All residents are welcome to use the park for recreation at any reasonable time. Entrance is for pedestrians only and is by means of a kissing gate. We do ask you to be mindful of your own safety and that of other users. Dogs must be under control and no activities can be carried out that would create a risk to you or anyone else, for instance golf practice or flying model aircraft. All motorised vehicles are forbidden.

The Parish Council objects to this application. It recognises that outline permission has been given for a development of 36 dwellings on the site and is not objecting to a development on this site but to the details as applied for in this application.

The access road is across land not in the developer's ownership or control and no certificate B has been submitted. The land is owned by Medway Council and leased by Allhallows Parish Council and the Parish Council would not give permission for this road to be built across this land. The Parish Council wishes to establish a nature trail through the woodland, which would be compromised should the indicated road be built. The road as shown on the plans is close to the school entrance and due to the nature of Avery Way at this point it is considered that even with splays, visibility would be insufficient. The Parish Council would not object to the access road being constructed in the position of the existing field gate.

Over the last year or so trespass has been made on this land, soil samples were taken, trees cut down and a large advertising sign erected without permission. The Parish Council has had the boundary marked out by a qualified surveyor. On looking at the plans it is believed that some of the properties would encroach beyond this boundary onto the land controlled by the Council.

The Parish Council also leases the land at the rear of the site and it is used as a recreation ground. It is understood that access to the ground is protected under the terms of the outline consent. The access as shown is highly likely to be used as parking spaces due to the layout of the adjacent properties and the Parish Council can foresee difficulties in being able to maintain the ground. The vehicular route to the access as shown is convoluted and experience shows that this type of estate road will be used for parking, narrowing the road width. Access to the recreation ground must be sufficient for tractors, gang mowers and other contractors' vehicles and available for them at all times. The access to the recreation ground need not necessarily be in this position, it rather needs to be determined in relation to a sensible road layout in the estate and by consultation with the Parish Council.

It is considered that the position of the flats immediately in front of houses in St Luke's Way would constitute loss of amenity to those houses. The Council sees no reason why the flats should not be sited at the other end of the site, near the school. The ground floor flats will be attractive for occupation by the retired and activity at the school would add interest to those who may be housebound.

It is understood the public open space to be associated with this development is the Parish Council's recreation ground. The Parish Council would have liked to have seen a small open area sited so that it would be “policed” by houses. The Parish Council would have used this to provide a small play park for very young children. No such play park exists in the village and it is a recognised fact that play areas for young children do not mix happily with areas used by older children and teenagers. The recreation ground contains a full size football pitch and the area is used by teenagers and young adults. It was the Parish Council's intention to develop facilities for older children and teenagers on the recreation ground and it was hoped to locate the play park near the recreation ground but not on it. This would have been the ideal siting and opportunity.

To create this space in the development, the Council suggests that more flats and fewer detached dwellings are provided.

The Parish Council would like to see a proper ownership/management structure for the open areas. An existing open plan estate in the village has many problems as there is no proper structure and the Council would not like to see similar problems arise in another part of the village.

Parking provision as proposed is to current guidelines but the Parish Council considers this inadequate in a remote rural area with inadequate public transport. It is inevitable that households will own more cars than provided for, especially in households of multi- occupation. It is highly likely that working adults will each have a car, that families of young children will have two cars and that households with children of car driving age will also have more cars than parking available for their property. The Parish Council is concerned that overspill parking will occur on Avery Way . Parking on the road that already occurs further along Avery Way is a hazard to other road users and parking on the stretch adjacent to the development would add to the problem. Many foreign drivers use this road and problems of passing parked cars by drivers unused to driving on the left side of the road would be very real. Any on-road parking at this point would also be very close to the primary school and would be a hazard to pupils and parents, most of whom walk to school.

The Parish Council is concerned about the impact on the primary school in terms of additional pupils. It is understood the S106 agreement for education is for money for secondary education. The local secondary school has recently received additional funding due to its specialist school status and the Parish Council would like the S106 funds to be diverted to the local primary school.

The Parish Council wrote to the developer requesting an early meeting before the architects started work to discuss issues of mutual interest. The developer considered this premature as the conveyance at that stage had not been finalised. He promised to contact the Parish Council later. Copies of the letters are attached. Subsequently it was discovered that the developer had approached the school but the Parish Council is still waiting for the promised contact from him.

The Parish Council is objecting to the application as received for the reasons listed above but would prefer that the developer withdraws the application and starts again, this time with full discussions with the Parish Council and the planning authority, to achieve the best outcome for the village.

I believe your company is purchasing or has purchased from Kent County Council a site with outline planning permission for residential development in Avery Way , Allhallows.

The Parish Council is keen to work with Matthew Homes at an early stage and I have tried in vain to contact a representative either through the agents Cluttons ( Maidstone office) or indeed by e-mailing from your website.

The Parish Council leases the land on two, opposite sides of the site and access is necessary across the site for maintenance of the recreation ground that lies at the far side. In addition, surveyors have been seen taking soil samples in the woodland in front of the site, which is also under the Parish Council's control and it is fairly urgent that we establish our common boundaries.

The Parish Council would also welcome the opportunity for input at the design stage.

I would appreciate it if you would facilitate a meeting with the Chairman of the Parish Council and myself and the appropriate member of your staff as soon as can be arranged.

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letters to Father Christmas and some Christmassy pictures that could be a drawing or maybe a photo of your house lit up from last year. Don't forget your name and age.

Was a very dry month with 0.51” (13mm) of rain and with this very dry spell a very hot month. Gravesend recorded 97.3f (36.6c) on the 19th when we had recorded 85f (30c). Four days from the 20th we had temp over 80f - very uncomfortable - but good for the garden. We had six days of recordable rain, so the problem of water shortage remains.

It is never dull recording weather in this country; from a very dry month to a very wet one. We had 4.04” (103mm) rainfall with only 8 days with no rainfall because of all this rain the month was cool and cloudy

According to the met office July was the hottest ever recorded with an average temp of 64f 17.8c and also the sunniest where as August was one of the dullest

The Youth Shelter Burns

Photograph of the blaze that consumed the Allhallows Youth Shelter. Image (c) Major Waghorn

The fire crew got here quickly, and
there is a lot of black smoke,

The flames are taller than the fireman, it’s so hot he had to take off his jacket.

The fire is out. As soon as it’s cooled down they will be able to work out how it was set on fire.
As the shelter was expensive I wonder if it is fixable, as I doubt the The Parish Council will be able to buy another.

The smoke is clearing so we can see how bad the damage is. I am surprised the roof is still on.
It has been confirmed that it is beyond repair. It is not safe so will have to come down.

The crew from Grain have done a good job, They risk there own life to protect others. Look’s like there are some of the locals watching from behind the Fire Engine.

Photograph of the blaze that consumed the Allhallows Youth Shelter. Image (c) Major Waghorn

A good crowd turned out to see the action.

It is a shame that someone decided that Allhallows was not going to have the use of the Youth Shelter anymore.

If you know who did this please ring
Crimestoppers 0800555111
You do not have to give your name.

Thank you to Major Waghorn for the photographs.

In the event of a fire always dial 999 and let the professionals put it out as you can see they know what they are doing, never attempt to deal with a fire by yourself.

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The 400-club draw takes place at Allhallows Village Hall on the first Thursday of every month during Bingo.

It costs £1 per month to buy one number although there are no limits to the amount of numbers you can purchase.

Money can be collected every month from your door by one of our voluntary collectors – or paid in advance for the year (£12) whichever is most convenient for you.

This draw is vital to raise money for the upkeep of the Village Hall, which is a registered charity and fundraising is the only way to ensure that our village keeps this important venue. The villagers of Allhallows raised enough through sponsored events in the 1970s to build it on land donated to the people of Allhallows by BP who were nearby on the Isle of Grain.

In recent years there has been a decline on the numbers of members of the 400-club due to various reasons, therefore the decision was taken in January this year to reduce the prize money until numbers can once again increase to a more profitable level.

At the moment we have 102 available numbers – by filling most of these we can again introduce the £100 first prize. ( currently £50)

To help support YOUR Village Hall – please call Fiona on 01634 270865 to get a number and discuss how you would like your money collected. The Committee would appreciate your call!!!

To all our existing members – many grateful thanks for your support over the years!!!

The Village Hall Committee would like to thank Mrs Carol Lench for running the 400 – Club lottery for the last several years (entirely voluntarily may I add). The reins have been passed back to me to carry on with the monthly draw – a vital money raiser for the village hall – so if you want to join, please call Fiona on 01634 270865.

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Aimee sent in a few paintings she has used colour well, gold, pink and yellow. The one I chose is called Flower Field.

The picture below was sent in from our youngest contestant Mathew Theobald age 4. His picture is of a road which is red with a green path.

Local charity, Medway Asthma Self Help , is currently recruiting trustees. If you have an interest in asthma and can offer your time and enthusiasm approx. 8 evenings a year (plus the occasional Saturday) please contact MASH on 01634 855844. Becoming a trustee can be rewarding and interesting as well as help you gain skills and experience in running a small organisation. Volunteering as a trustee is an excellent way of developing your career and employment prospects.

If you are free on Saturday 21st October (7.30pm) why don't you get a team together and join in with the Medway Asthma Self Help Quiz Night. Teams are six people, with tickets priced at £4 each. Quiz night held at Medway Maritime Hospital Social Club (with all drinks at club prices). Will be a fun night, lots of laughter and all monies raised goes directly to Medway Asthma Self Help

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The walk was arranged to explore a little known parish and one whose population is less in 2006 than in 1901! The route took us through the small village with its former parish church and school (both now private dwellings) and onto the marshes which included secluded bays, beaches and an abandoned explosives compound before returning via farmland to our start location outside the former parish church of St Mary.

Our group walked footpath RS341 which merely skirts the tiny village pond (completely dry) before walking past the church westwards onto footpath RS22 which leads north passing the former rectory. RS22 leads northwards across the marshes descending from the ridge where St Mary Hoo is situated down towards St Mary's Bay on the shores of the Thames . The footpaths skirts an area of marsh known as “The Mean” – an area of some 200 acres which was a no mans land between High Halstow and St Mary's Hoo, shared by both parishes until in 1935 it was awarded to St Mary's Hoo . On reaching St Mary's Bay with its small sandy beach we turned onto footpath RS4, which hugs the south bank of the Thames and we took this eastwards, passing a ruined explosives compound dating from around 1900. RS4 continued eastwards towards Allhallows, but we took the footpath RS19 which branches off southwards and inland, crossing a wide and full ditch and following a field fence before meeting footpath RS5 which runs parallel with the Thames running west to east. We took this path west and it runs along the boundary between the marshes and the farm land proper. Continuing our journey back we took footpath RS17 south which was a very wide path in an avenue of trees and hedges right up to Coomb House (farm), a path which goes through that property's garden.

A final footpath was RS14 which runs across a horse paddock and into a green tunnel of hedges which meet overhead. On my trial walk of this area on 27th August, this path was almost impassable with growth – a call to Medway Council's footpath officer resulted in it being cleared (on 5 th September) and easy to use, providing one kept an eye out for the numerous rabbit holes. The path brought us out via an unused but a very tasty clump of plum trees, near Moat Farm. The road then took us back to St Mary's Hoo church. Historical details were given along the way along with folk tales and general chit chat.

The walk was done with historical details which included the secret marriage of The Prince of Wales (later George IV) to Mrs Fitzherbert (a Roman Catholic widow – if the marriage became known it would have disqualified George from the throne as it was strictly forbidden for a British monarch to marry a Catholic). The marriage was secretly performed by Rev Robert Burt, who then became the Rector of St Mary's Hoo (Burt died in 1791).

It was also the home of Henry Pye , farmer of St Mary's Hall, whose pioneering work in draining, fertilization, seed selling and use of traction engines transformed the health and farming of this parish, and later the entire Hundred of Hoo area. Pye was known as the “King of the Hundred” and died in 1909. There were also details about the former school (closed in 1947) and the parish church (closed in 1976 and subsequently sold as a private house – which it still is today), smugglers, marsh fever (the ague) and the ruins of an explosives compound out on the marshes. Even today the parish is quite remote and has fewer people living here than a century ago. Obviously there was a lot more detail on the walk itself.

The Chalk connection is in 1602 a charity of 40/- a year was left to buy beer and bread for the poor of Chalk, to be given out at Chalk Church on St Andrew's Day (30 th November) and Christmas Day. The rent was from Eastwick Marsh in St Mary Hoo – the money was left by yeoman farmer Richard White, who was from St Mary Hoo, but appeared to have then lived in Chalk – his daughter Mary married into a Chalk family and is buried in the church (died in 1619).

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3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 c. pumpkin
1/2 c. reg. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

With mixer or blender, mix above ingredients. Pour into prepared pie crusts and bake at 350°F for approximately 40 minutes. Makes two pies.

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Makes 16 (2-inch) biscuits

2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into thin slices

1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened solid-pack pumpkin

Put a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 400 °F. Grease a cookie sheet. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture looks like cornmeal. Stir in the pumpkin until you have a soft dough.

On a well-floured surface, with well-floured hands, pat out dough into an 8- by 8-inch square, 1 inch thick. Cut dough into 16 (2-inch) squares and transfer to the cookie sheet.

Bake the biscuits 20 minutes. Because they're already brownish to start with, you may need to break one open to see if they're done — they'll be soft and moist in the center but cooked through. Serve hot.

What's Good for You
Many brands of canned "pumpkin" are actually butternut squash. It doesn't matter nutritionally, though: Both are a rich source of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A. Vitamin A helps maintain healthy eyes.

The Villager - a new community transport service for rural Medway

The Villager is a new transport service for rural Medway. The community transport scheme has two new fully accessible minibuses with seating for up to sixteen passengers, including space for up to three wheelchairs.

The buses are being used to run various new services including regular excursions to a range of destinations and offer low cost minibus hire for local community and voluntary groups.

Pick up some bargains at the famous Romford market with over 300 street stalls, or enjoy the choice of shops in the two shopping centres.

Museum of Kent Life – Monday 23rd October - £5 (pick up from 9.30 am)

(Admission fees to museum: Adults £7, Seniors £5.50, Child £5, under 3's free)

Join in the half term family activities, or simply enjoy experiencing what country life was like in Kent over the last 150 years.

Do you have an idea for a trip? Perhaps you'd like to get out to see a show, or go ice-skating, have a day at the races, or enjoy a cream tea at a stately home? Please get in touch so we can put together a new list of trips for your village.

To use the service, you must first be a member of the Villager, either as an individual or as a group. Contact the Villager office for an application form and more information, or pick up a Villager leaflet.

Villager services are provided with the help of volunteer drivers, who have undergone training and preparation over the past few months. Free training is available to anyone who would like to drive the minibuses for their group or to help with the general scheme.

The Villager was set up as part of Medway's Rural Initiative for Transport (MERIT), a three-year project funded by the Department for Transport to improve public transport in Medway's countryside.

Get in touch if you would like to book a trip, or have ideas for more excursions. Further trips will be arranged for November and December – look out for details later in the month.

Telephone 01634 890100 (booking office open 9.30 am to 12.30 pm Monday to Friday)

You can also find more details, including membership forms at your local Public Transport Info Stations at The Fenn Bell pub, St Mary Hoo and Allhallows Post Office Stores, and Kingsmead Park site office.

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Last Revised ~ 19 March 2007		Web site design and creation Clive Stanley Associates 01474 822676
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