Information and pictures of organisations, clubs and societies in Warminster.
Tuesday 21st May 2013
Some of the books in the sport section of the Warminster Lions Club’s secondhand bookshop at George Street, Warminster. The photograph was taken by Danny Howell on Tueday 21st May 2013.
Warminster Preservation Trust AGM 2013
The Annual General Meeting of the Warminster Preservation Trust was held in the Arn Room at Warminster Civic Centre on Tuesday 14th May 2013, commencing at 7.00 p.m.
Apologies for absence were received from trustee Lucinda Phillips. The other five trustees, namely Chris March, Diana Miller, Ian Walker, Elisabeth Collyns, and Michael Heaton were all present.
The minutes of the previous AGM were circulated and agreed. The accounts for the year past show that the Trust has financial assets of approx £29,000 and further monies bring the total to approx £37,000. There had been very little financial movement since 2011. The accounts were approved.
The trustees were all re-elected en-bloc.
A discussion, with public participation, then followed, with regard the on-going situation of the Old Town Hall in the centre of the Market Place, Warminster. It is the aim of the Warminster Preservation Trust to acquire this building for community use and, in so doing, maintain its appearance in an attractive way, to encourage local people and visitors to take more pride in Warminster as a place for living, working, shopping and doing business.
At open days held by the Trust, money had been donated by local people towards the cost of purchasing and restoring the building. The majority of this money has since been returned to those who donated.
The Old Town Hall was purchased by Peter Caldwell or his company for £155,000 (privately after an auction failed to meet the reserve). Some work had been carried out, to begin with, cleaning the exterior of the building, at the expense of Mr. Caldwell or his assigns, and the Warminster Preservation Trust has paid for the cleaning of the clock on the north-facing side of the building.
Chris March has consulted with estate agents and was of the opinion that there has been a fall in property values of 20%. He reckoned the Old Town Hall has a current market value of between only £50,000 and £70,000.
Chris March also said it was regretable that the Old Town Hall is constantly seen as an empty eyesore in the centre of the town, with its problem with pigeons, when in the near vicinity progress is being made with other buildings. He mentioned the plans by J.D. Wetherspoon to revamp the Bath Arms, the transformation of the former military supplies stores at the High Street into the Dominos pizza take-away, and that scaffolding was up and around No.3 High Street (stopping it falling down), with a developer about to restore that building.
Chris March went on to say that good initiatives are under way in Warminster, such as Enterprise Warminster, but the Old Town Hall, if left to languish, could blight any hope of encouraging further business and outside investment into Warminster.
It was noted that Mr. James Beanland, of Warminster, has applied to Wiltshire Council for a licence to sell alcohol and play music, in the basement of the Old Town Hall, using it as a cocktail bar. The basement has been used for this purpose in previous years.
It was also noted that the staircase, which connects the ground floor with the basement floor, has been removed, allegedly contrary to planning regulations (the Old Town Hall is a listed building and permission is needed to make alterations). Unfortunately, it seems the relevant department of Wiltshire Council is apparently showing no sign of investigating this matter or taking any action against the perpetrators.
Warminster Preservation Trust has been negotiating with Mr. Caldwell, to obtain the building, but progress has been annoyingly slow. It seems that buying the building with a tenant leasing the basement could hinder any future plans the Trust may want to consider for other use of the building, and could also prevent Heritage Lottery funding and other grant aid being obtained by the Trust. Funding would be forthcoming if the building was acquired in its entirety and fully freehold.
It was agreed that the Trust will contact Mr. Caldwell, making it known that the Trust’s preference is to purchase all of the Old Town Hall freehold.
The meeting ended at 8.15 p.m.
Discussing the fate of the Old Town Hall,
left to right: Chris March, Diana Miller,
Ian Walker, Elisabeth Collyns
and Michael Heaton.
From the Warminster Civic Trust Newsletter ~ Spring 2013:
Warminster In Bloom
‘Warminster in Bloom’, now part of the Warminster Civic Trust, looks after some of the landscape areas around the town and is now taking on new projects provided we have sufficient volunteers. Meeting in the Car Park where the Friday Market is held, there will be at least two regular working sessions each month during the spring and summer. These are planned for the first Tuesday each month at 1 pm and the last Sunday of each month at 10 am. All volunteers are welcome, however much time you can give us – please contact Jill Jelf – jilljelf@gmail.com or 01985 213223 for more information. However, if anyone would like to help and is unable to make these times, this can easily be arranged, there is always plenty to do!
Work has started on the Warminster Civic Trust garden in the Park and we are now planning to plant more ‘ground cover’ plants and to repair the water cascade which has been overflowing for some time.
Monday 11th March 2013
Warminster Civic Trust Garden. Conceived by Warminster Civic Trust. Just inside the main entrance to the Lake Pleasure Gardens (Town Park) at Weymouth Street is the Warminster Civic Trust Garden, where hardy plants, trickling water, a pergola and wooden seats and tables offer an oasis for relaxation. It was opened on 18th May 1996. The garden occupies the site of the former Warminster Open-Air Swimming Baths and the cost was met by several kind individuals, businesses and trusts.
Friday 22nd February 2013
Wiltshire Core Strategy Pre-Hearing Meeting, 28th February 2013
At the first East Boreham Residents’ Action Group (EBRAG) General Meeting, held in St. John’s Church, in November 2012, the community was encouraged to write to Wiltshire Council (WC), expressing concern over residential development of Home Farm and offering support for the future Warminster development plans written by WC.
These plans are called the Core Strategy and exclude Home Farm’s land from future development, suggesting instead that all development should occur to the west of town in the area previously agreed.
In the next few months the Core Strategy will be reviewed by a Planning Inspector, who will examine the content and make a judgement, probably at the end of the year, on whether the plans should be adopted.
All those who wrote to WC should have received a letter of email from WC stating that the Wiltshire Core Strategy Pre-Hearing Meeting will take place on 28th February 2013 at the Civic Centre, Trowbridge. At this meeting, the inspector will explain the examination procedure and the content of the subsequent hearings. It has been brought to the attention of EBRAG that there is some understandable confusion amongst those who have received this letter as to what their role is and whether they should attend.
To clarify: EBRAG committee members plan to attend this meeting in order to monitor what format the examination will take, to listen to the inspector’s view on possible issues for future developments in Warminster and any arguments against the strategy being put forward. This is purely a procedural meeting and the public, although very welcome to attend, will only be allowed to ask questions relating to the procedure for the enquiry and overall Core Strategy issues to be examined. Therefore, unless members of the community have a genuine interest, they should not feel obliged to attend this meeting.
The formal hearings on the Core Strategy for Warminster will take place some time during May / June 2013 and it is at this point that EBRAG may make formal representations to the examination. At this meeting members of the community are encouraged to attend and EBRAG will advise details beforehand of dates and venues.
Following next Thursday’s pre-hearing meeting, EBRAG will distribute another newsletter with more detailed information on what, if any, the issues for Warminster are and all future relevant dates, including the examination on the website: www.ebrag.org.uk
Tuesday 5th February 2013
Warminster Civic Trust, on their website, have the following words to say about recreation facilities in Warminster:
“Thankfully, regimental punch-ups seem to have become a thing of the past, now that our soldiers have more obvious and real foes to concentrate on. Nonetheless, if you are a young man with time and money on your hands – in the employ of Her Majesty or not – you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere in Warminster to spend either. Except ‘the pub’. We’re great fans of boozers, and are sponsored by The Organ Inn – definitely Warminster’s most civilized licensed premises – but there ought to be more to life than work and oblivion. Warminster ought to be able to support a permanent cinema (The Athenaeum is excellent, but intermittent) and a civic sports/leisure centre (some of us don’t equate sport with leisure). Our library is excellent, but situated at the end of a dreary shopping precinct populated by fag-smoking trolls: a deterrent to all but the hardiest bibliophiles.”
Warminster Town Crier, Phil Seddon, is to give a talk called “A Bit Of A Ding Dong” at the Monthly General Meeting of the Warminster U3A, at the Civic Centre, off Sambourne Road, Warminster, on Wednesday 30th January 2013, at 2.00 p.m. Free refreshments. U3A members £2. Visitors £3.
Saturday 12th January 2013
Latest news on the ‘Stop The Development at Home Farm, Boreham’ Campaign, from EBRAG, courtesy of Nick Parker ~
Happy New Year to you all.
EBRAG is continuing its campaign to prevent the proposed development of Home Farm by Hallam Land Management, on behalf the land owners, by:
Raising awareness to a wider community through a combined local, regional and national media campaign and by distributing 1700 flyers in Dec to East Warminster and local villages.
Opening EBRAG website: www.ebrag.org.uk
Continuing to gather and collate all relevant information to fight the proposal.
Attending and speaking at various town council and county area board planning meetings.
Continuing to meet and discuss our concerns with a wide group of interested bodies, including our local MP, Dr Andrew Murrison, who is publically very supportive.
EBRAG has decided to seek professional help to draw together into coherent argument the vast amount of information gathered and provide a legal framework from which to fight this speculative proposal. Unfortunately fees will require payment. As such, there is therefore a need to create a “fighting fund’. While a challenging time of year to fundraise, it is something that we must begin now.
Any contribution you may wish to make can be made through a Bank Transfer or by cheque made payable to EBRAG and sent to any committee member. Alternatively you can contribute via the EBRAG website through PayPal, although PayPal do deduct a percentage fee from your contribution. If you need advice or wish to discuss please contact me on 07801-815463. The amount of any individual contribution will remain anonymous. Any surplus funds remaining after the dissolution of EBRAG will be given or transferred to charitable institutions that share the same aims in protecting our rural heritage.
In addition, we aim to start a petition campaign as soon as possible. Volunteers will shortly be making house calls gathering signatures; anyone willing to assist please contact Trish Thompson, 01985-217238, twooldthompos@me.com or through the web site at info@ebrag.org.uk If you wish to donate cash, our volunteers will be happy to collect it from you then.
EBRAG is also very keen to hear from any professional who can assist with the campaign – especially those who can provide advice directly and/or those with further contacts capable of raising awareness and keeping our concerns in the public eye. I have attached the latest poster for those wishing to display it.
There will be a further public meeting in early spring (for those separately notified, the meeting on Thurs 24 Jan 13 is cancelled). We will inform you of the date and venue as soon as they are confirmed.
Meanwhile, please continue to write to MPs, Town and Wiltshire Councillors, Wiltshire Planning Department, the press – local and national – as well as the many authorities, bodies and organisations affected by this proposal. It is imperative the communities concerns and continued opposition are kept foremost in everyone’s mind. EBRAG believes we are representing local community opinion and therefore rely on your continued support, help, advice and views. Please also continue to pass on local information relating to this proposal, much so far has been invaluable.
Nick Parker – Phone 07801-815463
Wednesday 10th October 2012
Friends Of Chernobyl’s Childrem
Patron: Nick Park (Wallace & Gromit)
Can you help? We are setting up a satellite group of Friends of Chernobyl’s Children (F.O.C.C.) within Warminster and district.
The children of Belarus are still suffering after the horrendous disaster at Chernobyl on 26th April 1986. The plight of these children has been forgotten.
F.O.C.C. aim to bring groups of children over from Belarus for one month each year for a month’s respite care. Good food, medical checks and lots of loving tender care in a clean air environment will help re-build their battered immune systems.
Other disasters have come and gone but the legacy of Chernobyl is here to stay. Please help us to help them. Could you be a host family, help fund raise, be part of the organising team or be prepared to help us in any way?
We will be holding a meeting on Friday 26th October 2012, at Sutton Veny Village Hall, at 7.30 p.m. The founder of F.O.C.C., Mrs. Olwyn Keogh, will be at the meeting and will address it on the group’s aims.
Please come to the meeting, or contact:
Cam Poulter, 24 Springhead, Sutton Veny, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 7AG.
email: cam_poulter@yahoo.co.uk
www.focc.org.uk
Saturday 29th September 2012
Pam Goodger, who formerly lived at Corsley, prior to moving to her present home in The Close, Warminster, was the guest speaker at the September 2012 meeting of Boreham Women’s Institute. She held her audience captive by relating her experiences in the WAAF. Pam began by reminding everyone who could remember, how calm and peaceful life was before 1939. Pam was just 16 at the time but had a desire to ‘get on’ with her life, with an ambition to learn to drive.
Pam’s first experience of work was with the WVS. A six-week domestic science course gave her a basic training but in 1941 with the arrival of her 18th birthday Pam joined the WAAF. She was sent to Bridgenorth and was there kitted out with the standard issue of uniform – some 63 items – including a haversack to put it all in, not forgetting the large black knickers! Pam then recounted how the recruits were taken on to the parade ground for drill and were ‘barked at’ by a male NCO, who took delight in ordering the women about.
Eventually the sought-after driving training came along, and Pam was in Wales learning to drive a 3 ton, 6 wheeler, left-hand drive lorry, a hearse and a Hillman car. Unfortunately Pam failed her driving test.
She then spent some time in Gloucester, guarding a barrage balloon which managed to break free from its hawser and lumberd away “like an escaping elephant”.
The desired driving test reappeared and this time Pam passed. This was followed by a posting to an RAF station in East Anglia, where she was expected to drive a tractor, towing bombers from their hangars.
One car she had to drive broke down on a runway, having sheared the cottar pin. This meant Pam had to go before the C.O., but rather than a reprimand she was given a commision as a catering officer and sent to London for more courses. Further catering management skills were honed under the tutalage of one of the J. Lyons Company members, this time in Lancashire. These young women were considered sufficiently trained to take the responsibility of organising girls hardly younger than themselves.
Pam Goodger’s talk was well received by Boreham WI. The members found it interesting to remember and learn how rapidly one had to ‘grow up’ in wartime. The RAF was 22% women by 1945 – “how attitudes changed in those few war years.”
