This magazine is printed and published by and under the ultimate control of Allhallows Parish Council

but the views expressed may not necessarily be those of the parish council

February / March 2008 Deadline ~ 10 January 2008

To submit any article or event please contact the editor

Rod Morrad

95 Avery Way

Allhallows

Kent ME3 9QW

Tel: 01634 270476

Chairman. Rod Morrad 95 Avery Way Allhallows ME3 9QW Tel: 270476

Vice Chairman. Alan Marsh 164 Avery Way Allhallows ME3 9PX 270726

Councillors

Yvonne Forrest 45 Binney Road Allhallows ME3 9PL 270720

Lynda George 4 Beatty Cottages Stoke Road Allhallows ME3 9PE 07854 215328

John Luck 2 Marshland View Lower Stoke ME3 9SW 271802

Mark Skudder 3 Beatty Cottages Stoke Road Allhallows ME3 9PE 271026

James Duncan 79 Avery Way Allhallows ME3 9QW 271035

Roy Gladdish 218 Avery Way Allhallows ME3 9QJ 270814

Parish Clerk

Debbie Umpleby 286 Wigmore Road Gillingham Kent ME8 OLY 01634 239459

MEDWAY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES

Ken Bamber 5 Aveling Close Hoo St Werburgh ME3 9BZ 252394

Janice Bamber 5 Aveling Close Hoo St Werburgh ME3 9BZ 252394

Phil Filmer Bridgewater House Parbrook Road High Halstow ME3 8ZQ 254196

All your Parish and Medway Councillors are here to help you

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C.A.B. SECTION

Will be held at All Saints Church Allhallows Every 2nd Monday

1.00pm – 3.00pm

Drop in Service

ALLHALLOWS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Avery Way

Head teacher: Mrs B Beckhelling

01634 270705

HUNDRED OF HOO UPPER SCHOOL

Head teacher: Mr Williams

01634 251443

POLICE CONTACTS

The Peninsula fulltime officer is PC8747 Ann Jeffery 01634 792346.

Or Police HQ 01634 827055

The Police Community Support Officer is Julie Burrows

Messages can be left on 01634 884185

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400 – Club Winners

OCTOBER – Drawn by various bingo members

£70 – 136 Mrs C Lench 65 Avery Way

£35 – 363 Mrs L Reid 184 Avery Way

£20 – 226 Clinton Kingsmead Park

£15 – 125 Mr Gardiner 12 Kingsmead Park

£10 – 65 Karen Fromm 9 Heron Way Lower Stoke

NOVEMBER– Drawn by various bingo members

£70 – 134 Mrs Gardiner 12 Kingsmead Park

£35 – 296 Mr Duncan Mason 4 All Saints Rd

£20 – 225 Mr Fraser Mason 4 All Saints Rd

£15 – 235 Mrs S Miles 114 Seafront

£10 – 1 Teresa Hughes 2 St Davids Rd

Allhallows Village Hall committee would like to wish all the members of the 400 – Club a very, merry Christmas and a prosperous (and lucky) New Year for 2008.

ALLHALLOWS PARISH COUNCIL REPORT

LISTED IS A RANGE OF ITEMS DISCUSSED AT THE PARISH COUNCIL

MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 9 OCTOBER 2007 AT ALLHALLOWS PRIMARY SCHOOL,

AVERY WAY, ALLHALLOWS AT 6.45 pm

Public Footpaths
 

It was agreed that our contractor should clear the footpath and hedge up as far as the doctor’s surgery. It was also agreed that he would do a grass cut at the allotments. Cllr Forrest is to look into whether the “Ramblers Association” would maintain the footpaths free of charge.

Transport

The 191 bus had been attacked and a window broken in Bells Lane Hoo. The 796 bus route continues to be well used with two buses a day and three in school holidays.

The clerk reported that she had been notified of the Medway Councils “Proposed waiting Restriction Amendments”, and that these include yellow lines for the bus turning circle at the bottom of Avery Way and yellow lines for the junction between St David’s Rd and Avery Way.
A complaint had been received that the private road near the village hall is being blocked at certain times of the day by parents picking up pre-school children

Youth Committee

Cllr Skudder said that a football Focus meeting had been arranged at High Halstow for under 12’s and under 16’s on the 28th July. Matthew Homes had agreed access for grass cutting on the recreation ground. Cllr Skudder would check with the solicitor to make sure that it was legal to hold the next Youth meeting at the brimp.

Mothers and Toddlers
 
Cllr Mrs Forrest said the numbers were picking up again. A first aid talk is being planned for the mums and a “Bounce & Rhyme “session at the library.

Recreation Areas

Clerk is to contact Matthew Homes requesting that the recreation ground is put back into its original condition.

Lease
 

Medway council will not agree to a 99 year lease but have offered a five year lease. The members agreed to accept this offer.

All Saints Allotments
 
A meeting took place between Mr Ray Morris of EDF and Cllr Forrest. It was agreed that a different lock would be installed by EDF at no cost to the Parish Council. Only one estimate has been received so far for the channelling to the main water supply. It was agreed to approach the Allhallows & Stoke Allotment Association regarding management of the allotments.

ALLHALLOWS PRIMARY SCHOOL Avery Way, Allhallows, Rochester ME3 9HR E-mail Address: office@allhallows.medway.sch.uk Telephone Number: 01634 270705

Moving into the area? Child approaching school age?
Nothing but the best will do?

Allhallows Primary School is a small village school with a friendly, family feel! Come and see for yourself

We are proud to offer:

» A quality child-centred curriculum – creative, cross-curricular and experiential
» High expectations of behaviour and attitudes
» Improving standards – increasing roll
» A supportive staff and secure school culture to help children build on their strengths to address their weaknesses
» Good partnership with parents and the community
» Very good ICT facilities
» Early Risers Breakfast Club – 7.45 start
» An excellent out of school hours programme
» Medway Youth Games Fair Play & Small Schools Award Winners – 2004, 2005 & 2007
» Healthy Schools Award; Activemark Gold Award; Basic Skills Quality Mark; Inclusive Schools Quality Mark and Investors in People

Find us at: www.allhallows.medway.sch.uk

Latest Ofsted report: October 2007: www.ofsted.gov.uk

COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF!

Admission forms and appointments can be obtained from Miss Tarry or Mrs Amphlett at the school office (01634 270705). Please note: Forms are NOW available to request a place for your child to start in Sept 2008 or Jan 2009.

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KEY DATES (Allhallows Primary School)

7th Dec   Allhallows Primary School Fayre 2.15 – 4pm

11th Dec   Carols at Chimneys and Kingsmead by the school choir

13th Dec   Infant Nativity for parents & the village community at 6pm ( by ticket only )

13th Dec   Final Sharing Assembly 3pm

14th Dec   Staff Development Day (Positive Handling) – children not at school

17th Dec   Infant Nativity for parents & the village community at 6pm ( by ticket only )

18th Dec   Victorian Christingle 2.30pm (all members of the village community are invited –  please join us in Victorian costume if you can)

19th Dec   End of Term – early finish at 2.15pm (no after school clubs)

3rd & 4th Jan   Staff Development Days ( First Aid & Improving Spelling) – children not at school

7th Jan   Spring – Term 3 begins for all pupils

BREAKFAST CLUB OPEN DAYS between 8 and 8.45

Please phone the school to confirm costs and book your places.

19th Dec   Christmas Breakfast at Allhallows Why not join us for a festive breakfast?

Please call 01634 270705 for confirmation of dates and times, and to buy tickets.

LIVE FIRING AT YANTLET DEMOLITION RANGE

Please be advised that the Yantlet Range will be used for live firing on the following dates and times stated below.

DECEMBER 2007

Date    From    To

01 Dec   08:00    17:00

04 Dec   08:00    17:00

06 Dec   08:00    17:00

11 Dec   08:00    17:00

12 Dec   08:00    17:00

14 Dec   08:00    17:00

For information/complaints about Yantlet Range contact HQ RSME Brompton Barracks on 01634 822815.

All Saints Church, Allhallows

Rector: Rev Stephen Gwilt 01634 250637

Church Wardens: Kathy Whybrow & Diane Dansey

I wonder if you have ever been out late at night, it's pitch dark and deadly quiet. I remember as a young lad of about 14 that I wanted to do the Duke of Edinburgh award and one of the things that was required was that you camped out for the night and prepared your own food. So I borrowed a tent from a friend, and cycled out from Birmingham to the Evesham area, found a suitable field and set up my tent and settled down for the night (on my own!) About 2:30 in the morning I was awoken by this dreadful noise and rubbing on my tent. I Froze, too scared to move, people were walking about outside, and if I kept still and didn't breathe maybe they would not notice my Orange tent in the middle of a field ! I have never in my life had such a terrifying night. At first light a moved looked out of the tent only to find a herd of cows all standing around my tent. Fear can do terrible things to you.

Imagine our poor shepherds sitting out on a bleak hillside in the middle of the night. Suddenly a blinding flash and the hosts of heaven start singing. Talk about close encounters! Now we need to say first of all shepherds were not exactly popular people, they were looked upon as thieves and vagabonds by Jewish society. They were viewed as many people will view travellers or gypsies today. And yet it was to these poor shepherds that God chose to reveal his actions to. The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians reiterates this truth when he says: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” 1 Cor 1:27

The shepherds heard the message of the angels and went to find the messiah! They found him exactly where and how the Angels had said. They saw the messiah and were amazed. That was their reaction? They ran off to tell others, they couldn't keep it to themselves it was impossible, such an amazing thing must be told. Here then are a group of people who were not even trusted to give testimony in court by the Jewish authorities. But the one true authority had entrusted them with the greatest news imaginable, and they did not let God down.

There are many smart and clever people in this world today who have denied the reality of the first Christmas as a fable or just a happy story. Some have denied the importance of it in today's world. Some say that Christmas ought to be down played in a multicultural society. Clearly for those people Christmas is meaningless and has no real place or point in their lives apart from having a good time and some wishful thinking about the possibility of a better world tomorrow. The realty is that the world will not get better tomorrow and that is why God will one day destroy it. The hope of Christmas is not some vague hope of a better tomorrow, but the promise and guarantee of a new and better world when this one is swept away on the day of judgement. That promise is that we can have a place in that new world because God came to earth as a deposit and full payment of our place. His Gift to us all this Christmas is the offer of free acceptance into his new world. Will you accept the gift this Christmas that can truly change your life?? Or will you be satisfied with presents that will barely last the year let alone eternity?

Rev Stephen Gwilt

Rector

All Saints Church Christmas Services

December 16th Carol Service 5.0pm

December 20th Carol Singing at Allhallows School (TBA)

December 23rd Family Service 11.0am.

December 24th Christmas Eve Service 3.00pm. Midnight Communion Service 11.30pm.

December 25th Family Service 10.30am.