Category: Community (Warminster)

Topics about organisations and activities in Warminster.

Callous Thieves Rob 82 Year Old Champion Ploughman

Monday 5th July 2004

Valuable horse harnesses and treasured rosettes stolen.

Report by Danny Howell:

Well-known horse ploughing champion Jack House, of Wilton, at the eastern end of the Wylye Valley, is heartbroken following the theft of valuable horse gear and prize-winning mementos from his farm at Quidhampton.

82 year-old Jack has been involved with horses all his life and is known nationwide for his immaculate ploughing at matches and shows. Now, following a robbery between 11 am and 2 pm on Wednesday 23rd June, Jack and his shire horses Captain and Punch are virtually redundant, despite a diary full of up and coming ploughing events.

He’s hoping he will still be able to go to an event in Wilton Park, this month, and he always likes to go to the Great Dorset Steam Fair. Also, in the autumn, is the National Championships. Jack said “The National is held at a different location each year. I’ve travelled all over the country to take part in it. I’ve been as far as Lincolnshire and Cumbria. This year, in October, it’s at Reading, which is much closer and I really want to go to that one, but we’ll have to see now.”

Jack added “The horses will be wondering what has happened. When they hear the lorry start up they immediately know they’re going off to a match. They get very excited. They love it as much as me.”

The callous thieves broke into a padlocked shed, by wrenching a clasp from a door, before removing ancient items of harness and ransacking a trunk full of colourful rosettes and certificates. Ironically, on the shed wall above the trunk, hangs an old framed picture with the words “The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want.’

Among the missing items are a whole set of plough harness and all its decorations including horse brasses, and three big collars plus one or two little ones. The stolen rosettes include the first one Jack ever won – for ploughing at a match at Rockbourne in 1938, and a special one gained for showing horses at the Royal Show in 1970. There were over 1,000 rosettes and certificates taken.

Jack said “I can’t see what they would want the rosettes for. They’re of no interest to anyone except me. I don’t know why they would want to take them.”

Jack is more concerned about the harnesses and collars. He said “I’ve been using those for years and years. They’re very old. I would estimate the value of all the horse items to be at least £4,000, probably more, because when things like that are offered at auctions the price goes up and up because they’re so hard to come by. You’ve got a job to get them.”

On discovering the theft, Jack’s initial reaction concerning those responsible, was to say “I feel like pitch-forking them.” A friend said “That shows how bad he feels about what has happened. He’s very upset inside. He told us he felt like giving up but we’ve persuaded him not to. You can’t give up when you’re down.”

Friends and others are rallying around Jack though. He said “People are stopping me in the street and talking about it. Other ploughmen have contacted me, showing their sympathy and wondering what they can do to help. A good friend, Ken Selway, from near Frome has offered to loan me some of his harness and tack so I can carry on. It’s nice to know that people care but I don’t know if I shall see my things again.”

People in the ploughing match fraternity are just as keen as Jack to discover who carried out the theft and to locate the whereabouts of the stolen items. A Quidhampton resident remembers seeing two men loitering near the end of the farm lane, about a week before the theft, but it’s not known if they are connected.

Members of the public are being asked to keep their eyes and ears open too. Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Pete Jung of Wilton Police, telephone 01722 742101 or they can phone their nearest police station.

Ceramics To Caress And Cuddle Are Real Works Of Art For Althea

July 2004:

Danny Howell writes ~

Tucked away in Upton Lovell, in the picturesque Wylye Valley, is Althea Wynne’s studio, where works in bronze, stone and glass, but mostly clay, are designed and sculpted, on behalf of clients both here and abroad, and even at sea!

Althea’s list of commissions and awards, over a 45 year period, include White Horses, which were cast in aluminium resin in 1994, for Cunard, to take pride of place in the Caronia restaurant on the QE2; and Chalk Columns, three nine metre high obelisks for the Bluewater Shopping Precinct in Dartford in 1999. The latter were made of plaster embedded with flints and fossils, and topped with animals, to represent the chalk quarry location where the Bluewater Park was built.

Her commissions come from a variety of sources including the internet. She advertises in External Works, the annual publication for landscape architects, and she takes part in local events such as the popular Wylye Valley Art Trail. Her work has also been exhibited widely and frequently. During the 1990s she was involved with 12 principal exhibitions, including La Quinta Sculpture Park, in Palm Springs, USA.

Althea says a car journey when she was aged 10 or 11 was the catalyst for her career. “The car was going up and down some hills,” she says, “And I imagined I was rubbing over a pebble or a rock, and I started thinking three-dimensionally.

She trained at Farnham and Hammersmith, before obtaining her degree at the Royal College of Art. “Then I got married,” she says, “And had children, and things were put on hold. Then I remarried, the children had grown up, and I returned to sculpting. I hope to carry on with it for as long as I can. The landscape around here is a trigger for ideas. I still love the downs and I go riding whenever I can. The shape of the hills is a constant inspiration.”

She says she has also been influenced by the great sculptors – “Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, the Etruscans and the Greeks.” Her work always involves spirals in some way, with a flowing nature throughout, and often features the female body. “The modern sculptors are interested in the idea behind their work, rather than the form. I’m out of tune with them because to me the form is the most important thing. If I want to cuddle it or caress it, then it is real sculpture.”

“The clients sometimes suggest what they want but more often than not it is left entirely up to me. Most of my private clients allow me that freedom. They sometimes tell me what a corner of their garden is like and fully accept what I design to go there. They are people who understand my thinking. I’ve met many wonderful people and they are a joy to work for.

She starts by making a drawing and an accurate scale model, but allows the work to evolve as it progresses. Her ceramic figures are made by the coiling technique – the clay is rolled into long “sausages’ which are then used to build the design.

Clay is her favourite medium. “With Bronze,” she says, “you have to hand your work over for someone else to complete and I’m loathe to do that; and although I am keen to work with glass because of its effect, I find it a bit frightening to handle.”

Althea works on her own, designing and sculpting, but her husband Antony Barrington-Brown helps her, not only with photographing the work, but also with lifting and moving the works in and out of the kiln, as well as loading for exhibitions and clients. This can often involve major feats of engineering, as some of the sculptures are often tall and heavy. Althea describes her husband’s assistance as “a considerable input of acumen.”

Althea also teaches at her studio, offering courses lasting three days, which give beginners and others the opportunity to learn ceramics and to take away what they have made afterwards.

If you would like to visit Althea’s studio or take part in a 3-day course, telephone 01985 850106.

Working with clay. Althea Wynne of Upton Lovell, with her latest ceramic sculpture, which is nearing completion prior to firing in the kiln.

Watercolours At Wylye

Thursday 1st July 2004

Danny Howell writes:

An inspiring exhibition of 18 watercolour paintings by Christopher Edwick are currently on show at the Newton House Studio in Wylye.

There are 12 landscapes and 6 abstract paintings, with titles such as “loved up crush’ and “we don’t need to touch, just breath on me,’ and if you want to make a purchase, the prices range from £165 to £425.

Chris Edwick is London-born but came to Wiltshire as a child, when his parents moved here, and he went to Bishop Wordsworth School in Salisbury. He returned to the capital to do a BA Honours Fine Art course, prior to pursuing a successful photography career for 15 years.

He worked as a fashion photographer for the Mail On Sunday and The Times newspapers, and also contributed to Monsoon’s retail brochure, The Company Magazine, as well as other publications. He left the world of photography last year, returning to Wiltshire, to become a full-time painter.

Because of its sensuality and fluidity, Chris prefers watercolour as his chosen medium, which combines well with his vivid imagination. His work has been compared with the two great Scottish watercolourists, John Maxwell and William Gillies, both of whom left a powerful mark on Elizabeth Blackadder, Sir Robin Philipson and many others.

Chris says his vivid use of colour brings a whole new dimension to his landscape scenes. Although he is obviously skilled in drawing, there is a minimum in his paintings, which he says allows his colours to explode on the mind. This is borne out by the comments already recorded in the visitors’ book to the exhibition.

Derrick Tilbury of Wylye notes the “stunning use of colour,” while Tara Kingrett of Chitterne describes the paintings as “tremendous, with some very good effects.” Peter Dolbear of Bratton has written “Thoroughly enjoyed. A joy to see paintings of quality.”

The exhibition runs until Saturday 10th July and is open from 10 am to 5 pm. Newton House Studio is off the High Street, in Wylye, just a couple of doors up from the village shop and post office.

Successful Band Night At Kingdown School Raised £120 For Good Causes

June 2004

Danny Howell writes:

Band Night at Kingdown Community College last Wednesday proved a big success with the students, both on and off stage. £120 was raised, of which £80 will be donated to Amnesty International, the remainder going to the Kingdown students’ Duke Of Edinburgh Award China trip.

Opening the gig were Not Yet, who are Tom Hiscocks (vocals), Matt Carter (lead guitar), James Arthur (bass), and Henry Appleby (drums). They have been together since last September but the band was previously in existence with various members being added as time progressed. Their set, best described as metal rock, featured four numbers: The Intro, Random Solo, Why? and All These Days, with their finale being a cover of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Fortune Faded.

Next up were Extremely Flammable, who are three 12 year olds: Lewis Noble (lead vocals and guitar), James Payne (vocals and bass), and Luca Castelli (drums). Luca is a power house percussionist and one to watch out for – he’s more than likely to end up being the drummer in a huge rock band in a few years time.

Their set featured three of their own songs: Not My Fault, When You See, and Human Shadow, which they followed with two covers: Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana) and Basket Case (Green Day).

Third on the bill were Missing Sentence: Stu Wickens (lead vocals), Andy Sutton (guitar), Luke Phillips (bass), and Rob Wickens (drums). They have been together for about eight months. Free Of All, Second Chance and PA, all self-penned, were their opening numbers, with Stu banging on a bongo drum, and then followed a cover of the J. Geils Band’s Centrefold, which went down extremely well with the crowd.

Drummer Rob Wickens had by now stripped to the waist and looked very much a rock star with his tartan patched strides. The set finished with Once Again and Hide And Seek, and vocalist Stu commented afterwards that the gig had been “pretty cool.”

Next on were No Manual Labour, who started with two of their own compositions: Kane Wilson and Tiny Penis. NML are Kane Thomas (vocals and guitar), Tim Arnold (vocals and guitar), Pete Holman (bass), and Fabian Shingleton (drums).

Pete Holman, in black leather trousers with pointed leather boots to match, took lead vocals and undertook some heavy guitar work for a cracking cover of Black Sabbath’s Paranoid, which took the head-bangers to new heights – eat your heart out Geezer Butler and Ozzie Osborne!

By now, Keiran Thomas was guesting on drums and the rest of NML’s set was three self-penned songs, all untitled, and all being aired for the first time. Mia Burgess was guest vocalist on one number. Unfortunately Kane Thomas twice had strings that stretched, which resulted in him using three different guitars for the latter part of NML’s performance.

Headlining were Zero Hour, who have been playing together since last Christmas. They are Matthew Mitchell (vocals), Anthony Edgar and Nik Blagdon (guitars), Andrew Jackson (bass) and Jack Woods (drums). All have just left school except Jack who is staying on to do his A Levels.

Their set of 12 numbers was well received, with Mitchell constantly moving about the stage like a cat on a hot tin roof. Eight of the songs were self-penned efforts by the band, including their opening number Stick Around, and a personal favourite called Muggy Molly – a recalling of the time when two of the band and a friend went into a London pub not knowing it was a transvestite bar. Needless to say, when they realised their mistake, they quickly drank up and left!

Wednesday’s gig was the first time Zero Hour had played all their own songs in a single set. Their repertoire also included four covers, namely: Down (Blink 182), Franco Un-American (NOFX), Time Is Running Out (Muse), and just for fun, they did Sk8er Boi (Avril Lavigne), which is distinctly out of keeping with the band’s ethos and slightly embarrassing for them, but they got away with it. They played out with a long finale of another of their own songs, Been And Gone.

Their accomplished set showed what a close knit band they are, as explained by guitarist Edgar afterwards: “We seem to have a mutual understanding of what each other are doing. We can put things together very quickly. We only learned tonight’s covers yesterday but we picked them up straight away. Tonight wasn’t our best gig yet but we were pleased and we could see everybody was having fun too.”

Kingdown Head, Mrs Sheelagh Brown, who was at the gig but well away from the amps and speakers said “Kingdown allows young musicians to perform like this, because there are very few venues elsewhere in Warminster for them, and they can make as much noise as they like here. These young people are very talented and they know how to enjoy themselves. It’s great.”

Warminster Highbury Youth F.C. – Presentation Night, 2004

2004

Players and parents, numbering 400, attended the Warminster Highbury Youth F.C. Presentation Night for the 2003/04 Season, at Warminster Assembly Hall.

Awards were as follows:

Under 9
Player of the Year – Jason Mundy.
Most improved player – Luke Love.
Sportsman Award – Sam Clift.

Under 10 (A)
Player of the Year – Danny Bowman.
Most improved player – Tristan O’Hagan.
Sportsman Award – Jordan Meale,

Under 10 (B)
Player of the Year – Shaun Tarr.
Most improved player – Joe Gregory.
Sportsman Award – Alastair Parkinson.

Under 11
Player of the Year – Ali Rose.
Most improved player – Thomas Reynolds.
Sportsman Award – Jamie Herbert.

Under 12
Player of the Year – Sean Loft.
Most improved player – Sean Loft.
Sportsman Award – Ben Colborne.

Under 13
Player of the Year – Sam Dufosee.
Most improved player – James Lindsay.
Sportsman Award – Greg Allsop.

Under 14
Player of the Year – Sam Martin.
Most improved player – Aaron Donaldson.
Sportsman Award – Les Sparey.

Under 15
Player of the Year – Nick Sleeman.
Most improved player – Ben Shergold.
Sportsman Award – Jonathan Burrows.

Under 16
Player of the Year – Mark Breffit.
Most improved player – Sam Landry.
Sportsman Award – Nick Shuttlewood.

Trophies were also given as follows:

For refereeing the club’s tournaments –
Dave Marmont and Andy Evans.

For providing first aid cover –
Ian Matthews and Dave Newell.

For organising the fixtures and collating
the results at the 2-day May Bank Holiday
event at Highbury – Nigel McGuckian.

Club President Robin George and Club Chairman
Chris Finch presented most of the awards,
ably supported by the following team managers:
Steve Richardson, Andy Collett, Steve Flowers, Tim Fry,
Alan Maddocks, Kevin Sparey, Andy Crabtree,
Malcolm Shergold, Jim Dufosee, Nick Stephens, Kevin Tarr;
and Club Sponsor Ian Page.

The following achievements for the club
were mentioned during the Presentation Night:

Under 10A – winners of the League Cup.
Under 11 – won the Fair Play Award in their division.
Under 13 – winners of their division.
Under 13 – won the Fair Play Award in their division.
Under 16 – winners of their division.


Parish Church Of St. Denys, Warminster – P.C.C. Meeting

Wednesday 19 May 2004

PCC Meeting, Parish Church Of St. Denys, Warminster

The Treasurer gave details of the present financial position, which was satisfactory. Unfortunately our insurance renewal premium had increased to £6,000 despite efforts to keep the figure as low as possible.

The carpeting in the West End was now in poor condition. A quotation was to be obtained for replacement floor covering.

Peter Binns asked that the organ be inspected. It was agreed that we ask John Budgen to attend the next PCC meeting to report on possible repairs.

A plan was shown to the meeting detailing extra work necessary for the toilets to conform to legal requirements for disabled worshippers. It was agreed that work should proceed at an approximate cost of £5,000.

Alpha – a reunion meeting of Alpha members and friends would be held at Ivy House on 16 June. Bishop John Perry would attend.

The Teaching & Mission Committee reported that the clergy would make closer contact with eight primary schools which we look after. Unfortunately the Headmistress of the Minster School would be retiring due to ill health.

The Harvest Festival would take place on 26 September. A Harvest Supper would be arranged on Saturday 25 September at 6.30 p.m.

Our Patronal Service would be held on 16 October with refreshments afterwards.

Notes by Gordon Graham.

Closed Circuit Television In Warminster

Monday 1st December 2003

From In Touch, the Newsletter of Warminster Conservative Councillors, Winter 2003 edition

Warminster Town Councillor Colonel Ultan Ryan writes:

“Warminster Town has for a number of years suffered from a disproportionate number of disorder and crime incidents.” This was the basis on which we established our bid to the Home Office for financial support for a closed circuit TV (CCTV) system for the Town Centre. This followed a comprehensive study whereby every household in Warminster was asked whether they would support such a system. We had a 234% response to that letter overwhelming supporting us. A public meeting followed which again supported us apart from the inevitable complainants who feared an invasion of privacy.

A Partnership Trust was formed to include the Army, Police, Councillors, a prominent businessman, a permanent evaluator from Cranfield University and District Council Crime Prevention staff. An enormous amount of work ensued preparing the bid and establishing progress of grants, should the bid prove successful. On 16th June 1998 we were informed that we had been awarded the maximum £74,525 by the Home Office, only one of nine authorities in the UK to be so nominated. This, of course, was only the beginning. We now had to find a further £92,000 but that is another story. Suffice to say, on 6th May 1999 we had nine operational cameras with the control room in Dewey House [at North Row, Warminster] manned almost entirely by volunteers. In other words, from inception to completion, 21 months.

Within 3 months, we had submitted a further bid to cover the remainder of the Town Centre including our Lakeside Park [Lake Pleasure Grounds]. Although we failed with the Town Centre section of the bid, to our delight, we were awarded £67,000 to install 3 cameras in the Park. With judicious use of the allocated resources and the blessing of the Home Office, we were able to install a fourth camera covering the entrance to the Park thus “sealing’ it off. One area of concern remained, viz the old Safeways car park, and the entrance to the Three Horseshoes Walk. Thanks to the Five Towns Initiative, this camera is about to be installed. Westbury and the Trading Estate will go live in the next 2 months, monitored from our control room. The managers of the Walk are about to install 3 cameras with 2 more to follow.

How successful is the scheme? CCTV has made a significant contribution to 3 murder enquiries; it has saved hundreds of hours of Police time producing ready evidence. The Police cannot speak too highly of the system, the operators and the management.

Information And Characteristics For Kingdown Community School, Warminster

From an LEA Inspection Report, Dates of inspection: 10 – 14 November 2003:

Type of school: Comprehensive.
School category: Community.
Age range of pupils: 11-18 years.
Gender of pupils: Mixed.
Number on roll: 1395.
Headteacher: Mrs Sheelagh Brown.

School address: Woodcock Road, Warminster, Wiltshire
Postcode: BA12 9DR
Telephone number: 01985 215551
Fax number: 01985 846697

Appropriate authority: Governing Body
Name of chair of governors: Mr Jack May

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL
Kingdown Community School is a mixed comprehensive school for pupils aged 11–18, situated in Warminster, Wiltshire.

Pupils are drawn from the town and its surrounding villages, but the school also serves a high proportion of pupils from military families, many of whom are in the school for only two years. The socio-economic background from which the pupils are drawn is below average. While a number are from professional and educated families, there are also many pupils from needy and educationally deprived backgrounds.

There are currently 1395 pupils on roll, with 185 in the sixth form. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average, but this does not take account of the number of service families. Attainment on entry is below average, particularly the pupils’ language and literacy skills. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is average, with 149 pupils having identified needs. A significant number of these pupils have emotional and behavioural problems as well as learning difficulties of many kinds, including autism. Some pupils also have hearing and speech impairments. The school has a 16-place unit for pupils with dyslexia. Thirty-two pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs.

Pupils are almost all white British with a handful who are from minority ethnic backgrounds. There are no pupils with English as an additional language.

The school is a Sports College and has also been awarded Artsmark (silver), Sportsmark (gold) and Investors in People.

https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/794141

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