BRAYFORD      

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

 
BRAYFORD PARISH COUNCIL
 
Parish Council Meetings
The next Parish Council Meetings will be held on Thursday 16th April and on Thursday 21st May 2009 at 7.30pm in Brayford Village Hall.  The first part of the April meeting will be the Annual Parish Meeting, to which all parishioners are invited.
 
Village Play Area - Can You Help?
Can you spare some time this Easter weekend? We are looking for willing volunteers to help with some preparation groundwork for the village play area. If you can spare any time from 9.30 onwards on Easter Saturday we would appreciate your help. We will meet in the Village Hall and refreshments will be provided during the day – if you can bring your own gardening tools and a sense of humour we look forward to seeing you. This community project is for all to enjoy, so please get involved and help if you can.
 
Neighbourhood Watch
There is a group of thieves in South Molton who are stealing quad bikes, strimmers etc for onward selling, so please keep your sheds and garages locked. There has also been and increase in oil thefts, so please keep a check on your tanks, especially if there seems to have been an increase in oil used. Be vihilant for any suspicious vehicles/persons. For advice or to voice concerns contact PC Julie Bradshaw or PCSO Micheal Livett at South Molton Police Station on 01769 575053.
 

Welcome
To the new residents of Hobbs Row, we hope you will be very happy in your new homes; a small welcome bag has been given.
 
The Duck Race
As usual the Brayford Duck Race is being held on Whitsun Bank Holiday, Monday 25^th May. However, we are looking for volunteers to help/share the duties of goalie in the football game. We would also welcome any new ideas for stalls or fund-raising events to ensure we continue to make it a fun day for everyone.
 

Gardening Club
In February we had an interesting, entertaining and well attended talk on Agapanthus by Dick Fulcher, of Pine Cottage Plants, who holds the National Collection. In March, Terry Lay shared his experiences of growing vegetables in North Devon, enlivened with some amusing anecdotes.
 
Our meeting on Wednesday 15th April is the ever popular hands-on session with David Hopkins guiding us through the process of planting up Hanging Baskets and Tubs - as usual, bring your own baskets and tubs, but plants and compost will be available to buy. On Wednesday 20th May we have a talk and slide show by Debbie Hastings on Victorian Gardens. Both meetings are at 7.30pm in the Village Hall and all are welcome.
 

Brayford School
 We have welcomed two new children into the junior class this term. Lisa is working on the Forest Schools project and the infant children are thoroughly enjoying this. They learn more about the environment and how to enjoy it safely. They have so far made dens, looked at trees and twigs, and had a teddy bears picnic. All the infant children are taking part whatever the weather; they go out wearing waterproofs and wellies if necessary. All the children came to school in their pyjamas and dressing gowns for Red Nose Day, and paid for the privilege and raised £87.33. The school is once again collecting vouchers from Sainsburys and Tesco, so any spare vouchers would be gratefully received. As with previous years, the children will be going to the Methodist Chapel on Thursday 2^nd April for their Easter service. They will leave the school at 9.15am for their silent pilgrimage to the chapel, when everyone is welcome to join them. School finishes this term on Friday 3^rd April for the Easter holidays and we return back to school on Monday 20^th April. 

Sarah Harrison will be running a cake stall on the last Monday of each month to raise funds for the PTFA. The next cake stall will be on Monday 25^th April, 3pm at the school. The Activity Day was great fun and enjoyed by all – it raised approximately £130 for PTFA funds. Sports Day is planned for Friday 22^nd May starting at 1.30pm.
 
 
 
Brayford Boomerangs
This term our topic has been "Light and Dark", and we have enjoyed learning about: reflections, shadows, rainbows, the sun and the moon, and about night creatures such as owls. We held a "Mothers Day Lunch" and our children made daffodil posies and cards as gifts. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this. We are looking forward to an "Easter Egg Hunt" and making Easter cards just before we break for our Easter holidays. We send Sarah Beard our pre-school leader all our love and best wishes for a speedy recovery and hope to see her back at Boomerangs very soon.
 

Brayford WI
We were so grateful in February to Mr Chris Hurst who came at the last minute laden with heather and wonderful items he had made, to talk about leatherwork. We were thrilled to tool our own individual bookmark. Mrs Peacock always gives us a lively history lesson when we have the pleasure of welcoming her to our WI, and this month the subject was Cameos. She brought a wonderful selection and enthralled us with their Greek and Roman connections, also explained how they are made from shells from the Mediterranean. On April 8^th we are having a "Fun walk through the last century of hats" with Hilary Hammond. Do come – 7.15pm in the Village Hall.



 

 

Brayford Village Hall
A curry night is being planned for May/June and tickets will be on sale soon.
 
Night Walk
Ruby will again be taking part in this, all being well. Last year our group did the ten miles Bideford to Barnstaple in three hours, raising money for Macmillan Nurses and North Devon Hospice. It is on Saturday 8^th May, and any sponsors gratefully received.
 

London Marathon
Mike and Norma’s daughter Judith spent her childhood in Brayford and is now with the Metropolitan Police on London. Jude is running the marathon on Sunday 26^th April and is seeking support by way of sponsorship. She is running in support of an ex colleague who lost his son Sebastian at the age of 7 to cancer. A trust is aiming to provide relief for similarly placed families. www.sebastianactiontrust.org

Mothers' Union
Some of us went to North Molton and Bratton Fleming for the "Woman’s World Day of Prayer". On Tuesday April 28^th at 10am, the Deanery meeting will be held at South Molton and Midge Davison will be speaking on parenting. On Thursday May 14^th at 10.30am, "A Day for Reflection" led by Rev Peter Atwood is being held at North Molton Church.

Methodist Chapel
Our services are held at 11am and 6.30pm each Sunday, with a Circuit Service at Duke Street, South Molton on the first Sunday evening of each month. Our lively Sunday Club is held every 2^nd and 3^rd Sunday from 11am to 12 noon. It is well supported by the local 3 week olds to 11 year olds. Our own minister is Deacon Rona Eastman and out Circuit Minister is Bob Kitching. They will be pleased to help you if you need them. Can we remind you of the community Coffee Mornings on the first Wednesday of every month at 10.30am – everyone is welcome to this free and friendly get-together.

High Bray Church
Puddings and Song was another super evening. If you missed it, come next time. Our leading light of the singing group has just returned from hospital and won’t be doing the London Marathon this time, but watch this space! Bishop Bob, a wonderful, kind, funny and caring man, will be visiting our village on Saturday afternoon on May 2^nd – come and say "hello". Good Friday will be a quiet service of prayer and thoughts. Please come if you can – 7pm at High Bray Church.

Charles Church
During Holy Week there will be services at North Molton Parish Church each evening at 8pm, and on Good Friday evening at High Bray Church at 7pm. On Easter Sunday 12^th April, all the churches will celebrate this special day at Brayford Methodist Church at 11.15am, so there will be no service at Charles or High Bray. Easter cards are available in the church, as are a great variety of greetings cards. All proceeds are used for the upkeep of the church building. On Sunday 3^rd May, Bishop Bob, the Bishop of Crediton, will be at South Molton Parish Church for the Deanery Confirmation at 10am, a date that should not be missed. He returns again in June and he, all the clergy and, we hope, several thousand, will celebrate with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Please look out for the publicity, out shortly.

 
Aerobics
Jill Luton is holding Aerobics classes at the Village Hall on Thursday evenings from 7 to 8pm (during term time). If you are able to come, it would be good to see you there.

 
Brayford Railway Modelling Group
Are there any railway modellers in Brayford who would be interested in forming an informal group, initially just meeting on an occasional basis in members' homes to share ideas? If so, please contact either Nick Horne on 710092, njhornecomms@hotmail.co.uk  or David Swash  david@brayford.org 

 
Hobbs Family History
John Hobbs, from Westbury on Trym, Bristol, is researching his family tree and has found that the Hobbs family came from North/South Molton. He is interested in John Hobbs, born 1823 in South Molton, who married a Catherine Hoile, born 1820 at Charles. If anyone is able to provide any relevant information he would be grateful. Please contact: johnhobbs@mail2world.com

 
Hobbs Row
On behalf of everyone in the new houses, the newsletter editor would like to thank Brayford Parish Council and everyone who helped with the building of Hobbs Row. Most of us have now moved in and have been made to feel very welcome by everyone, including the three churches who left lovely gift bags at our doors.
  

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

Supported by Brayford Parish Council