BRAYFORD      

A rural parish in North Devon, England including Brayford village, High Bray and Charles, and a part of Exmoor National Park

Archive

 
Gardening Club Visit to Hartland Abbey Gardens - Wednesday 20 July
 
This will be an afternoon trip - please meet in the Village Hall Car Park at 12.45pm
  

Parish Council News
 
July Parish Council Meeting
The July Parish Council Meeting will be held in the Village Hall on Thursday 21st July 2005 at 7.30pm.   Agenda

Risk Assessment
As a result of the Parish Council undertaking a risk assessment review in respect of our obligations and public liability, new signs will be set up in key areas of the village. Please be aware of them.
 
Quarry Complaints
Parish Councillors have been invited to visit Hansons Quarry on 27^th May to discuss issued raised by our parishioners.
 
Lengthsman
Any work requiring attention by the Council workmen when they visit the village in June should be notified to Cllr. Norman Barrow.
 
The Pound
An opening day will be set for September to acknowledge the restoration work organised by Cllr. Jane Jeyes on behalf of the Parish, which has been completed and offers an attractive rest area for people to visit.
 
Annual Accounts
Parish Council annual accounts will be posted on the village noticeboards. Questions relating to these should be directed to the Clerk, Margaret Hartnoll or Cllr. David Gosling.
 
Road Closure
Devon County Council have notified us that the road from Brayford Crossroads to Barnstaple will be closed between Thornpark Cross to the junction with Kimbland Cross to Mockham Down Gate Road from 13^th to 17^th June. The alternative route is via Kimbland Cross.
 
Issues or Concerns
If you have any issues regarding community care, education, housing or immigration, please contact Stuart Toll from Exeter Law Centre on 01752 519794 or Given Kingdon from Age Concern South Molton. Home visits can be arranged. Or write to Virginia House Settlement, 40 Looe Street, Plymouth, PL4 0EB.
 
June Parish Council Meeting
The June Parish Council Meeting will be held in the Village Hall on Thursday 16th June 2005 at 7.30pm.   Agenda

Public Participation at Parish Meetings
The Parish Council welcome and like to see parishioners at our monthly meetings. It is your opportunity to have your say and express any or all concerns you have relating to our Parish. However, in accordance with meeting guidelines as laid down by the DAPC, we are only able to allocate within a meeting agenda fifteen minutes for public participation. Outside of this time, we are unable to open the meeting up further to public comment or contribution. We realise this can be frustrating and bureaucratic, but it is how we have to run the meeting. Please do not allow this to deter you from following up afterwards with an appointed councillor or attending the next meeting to pass comment. We value your opinions, views, concerns or issues. We are there to serve you, so do not feel that we are not open to approach.
 

The Brayford Duck Race
The weather was beautiful and lots of people came to cheer their ducks and enjoy cream teas, ice creams, pony rides, music, football, golf, and spend all their money. The first duck home won by a good margin and commented, in a post-race interview, that although she had been worried at the sight of a Parish Councillor chipping golf balls into the river, she had closed her eyes and swum for the line.  The total amount raised from the event was £1,290, so thanks to all who made it such a success
Pictures from the Duck Race
 
Duck Race Video
Some years ago a video was made of the race. There is only one VHS copy and if anyone knows of its whereabouts, could they please get in touch with one of the members of the Village Hall Committee (or david@brayford.org) and let them know, as this recording forms part of the village archive.
 

Brayford Flower Show
 
This year the Flower Show is on Saturday 20th August.  The preliminary schedule has now been published, so everyone can decide what to exhibit.  Schedule
 

Gardening Club
 
David Burnett brought fresh ideas to our garden plans for the coming year in April, and although the weather was just beginning to change, and showers were forecast, our evening as guests of Bill and Brenda Davison of Waytown, Barnstaple, was a happy occasion. We all loved our guided tour around this lovely and spiritual garden, and tea and cakes were much enjoyed.
Pictures from the Gardening Club Visit to Waytown
We are looking forward to another garden visit on 15^th June at 7 pm, at Vale House, when Geoff Mitchell will be talking about bees.  On 20^th July, there is a trip to Hartland Abbey garden.
 
Gardening Club is informal and interesting, all are welcome.
Our meetings are usually held in the Village Hall, starting at 7.30 pm and there is a modest charge of £1 per person.
Full 2005 Programme 

 
Gardens Open
 
Orswell Cottage gardens at Stoke Rivers will be open on 2^nd and 3^rd July from 10-4 pm as part of the HDRA (Organic Research Association) event. This is an attractive cottage garden and smallholding with vegetable plot/polytunnels and is Soil Association Certified. Plants for sale and teas available. Admission £1.50, children free.
 
On Tuesday, 12^th July, the North Devon branch of the National Council for Conservation of Plants and Gardens have organised a whole day out, starting at 11 am at Orswell Cottage gardens as above, followed by an organic lunch at Stoke Rivers Village Hall. Then at 2 pm there will be a visit to Dr. Marston’s garden at Gorwell House, Barnstaple. The cost for the whole day, including lunch, is £6.
 

 
Methodist Church
 
As with other rural Churches, we are experiencing a period of great change. From some seventeen chapels in the space of a few years, we are now down to nine. Membership is going down and costs are going up! This is, of course, a fairly common scene in our day and age. The Methodist Conference has committed itself to Rural Methodism and we go forward with optimism and faith.
 
Rev. Tony Cox will be moving on to Cornwall and will be greatly missed by a wide circle of friends. Tony’s successor will be Rev. Bob Kitching M.A. Bob comes to us from Leeds Richmond Hill and is married to Val. They have two sons in their twenties working away from this area. The farewell service for Tony will be on Sunday, 31^st July at 6.30 pm at Duke Street, South Molton and Tony will be our Preacher.
 
A fortnight after Tony departs, sadly Rev. Clay and Jenny return to the States to take up a new appointment. Again they will be sadly missed by us all. They will be replaced by another American, Rev. Mollie McGee and there will be more concerning these moves in the next Parish Newsletter. It appears that we need Missionaries in the Circuit at present all the way from the States! But we are glad to see them.
 
Services continue each Sunday at 11 am and 6.30 pm.
 
First Sunday is a 45 minute Family Service followed by coffee.
Sunday Club 2^nd and 3^rd Sundays, activities in the schoolroom – and parents are welcome.
4^th Sunday Normal Worship.
 
Strawberry Tea
There is a Strawberry Tea in the schoolroom on Saturday 18^th June at 3 pm.  All are welcome.
  

Coffee Mornings
The usual coffee mornings will be held in the Methodist Schoolroom on June 1^st and July 6^th. Please come for a chat and cuppa from 10.30 am to 12 noon. There will be no coffee morning in August.
These mornings are non profit making and just for friendship.

Mid Summer's Ball
Tickets are now on sale for the Midsummer’s Ball to be held on Saturday, 25^th June at 7 pm in the Village Hall.
Tickets are just £10 per person to include a welcome drink and lamb roast. As always all monies raised go directly to our local playgroup, so please come along, dance to the live music, enjoy a drink at the bar, have a great evening and help us to raise money for Boomerangs at the same time.
 

Mother's Union
 
The Archdeaconry Festival will be held at Swimbridge Church on Tuesday, 28^th June at 11 am with the Melanesian Sisters. On 20^th July we are holding our summer lunch at 12 for 12.30 pm at South Lydcott and we will be celebrating 75 years of High Bray Mothers’ Union.
 
We are collecting plastic knitting needles, wool, small cross stitch kits and coloured pencils for the women in Brockhill Prison. Jo Clarke is collecting milk bottle tops on behalf of the Care Village to raise money for a wheelchair.

Women's Institute
 
The Spring programme has proved to be interesting and varied, as always.  Several members attended the Spring Council Meeting in Exeter, where Pam Ayres was a lively and entertaining Speaker!  The Spring Group Meeting was hosted by Brayford W.I. this year and Mr Sid Masters, from the Arlington Court Carriage Collection, told of his career with horses and carriages, and especially his fascinating time at Arlington Court.  Dr. Simon Harrison, son-in-law of our Secretary, Pat Witheridge, gave a very interesting talk on Diversity in Devon.  A delightful afternoon was spent walking through the bluebell woods at Castle Hill early in May.
 
We are looking forward to viewing the new wing at the North Devon Hospice shortly.  Our June meeting will be spent at The Calvert Trust and, in July, Heather Everitt will talk about her life as a professional embroiderer.

Special thanks to the Newsletter Editor for providing extracts from the June Newsletter.
 

Supported by Brayford Parish Council