There’s a busy summer ahead, with the Car Rally and a special church service next month, along with all the usual village activities. We also have reports of several recent events.
 
In this issue:
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Services at St James’s Church during July will be held at the following times:
  • Sunday 3rd: Family Service, 10.30am (with Angela Gerrard)
  • Sunday 10th: Holy Communion, 10.30am (with Rev. Alma Organ and Orion Edgar)
  • Sunday 17th: Morning Praise, 10.30am (with Joanna Williams)
  • Sunday 24th: Holy Communion, 10.30am (with Rev. Leonard Burn)
  • Sunday 31st: Benefice Eucharist, 10.30am (with Rev. Claire Lording and Rev. Alma Organ) – followed by fruit punch in the Church
New Assistant Curate, Orion Edgar, was ordained on 26th June and will be training and working in the Pershore Benefice alongside Claire. We look forward to welcoming Orion, his wife Sharon and daughter Joan to Birlingham very soon. Orion will be assisting in the Holy Communion service on Sunday 10th July.
 
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The next Cuppa & Chat takes place on Wednesday 6th July, from 3.00pm to 4.30pm. Come and enjoy tea, coffee and cake in Birlingham Village Hall – an opportunity to meet friends and debate the aftermath of the EU Referendum, or discuss less weighty matters.
 
All are welcome and transport can be provided if required. For more information, please contact Adrianne Woodward on 01386 750936.
 
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Jon Komor writes:
Last year's cross country was a great event in which Birlingham's team came third overall. We are hoping to enter again this year and maybe even challenge the front runners, Fladbury and Eckington. The race distance is 3000 metres, and runners need to be aged 14 or over. Please email jon.komor@hotmail.co.uk if you would like to take part.
 
The race takes place at Pershore High School on Monday 18th July at 7.15pm.
 
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The 2016 Birlingham Vintage and Classic Car Rally will take place on the evening of Friday 22nd July on the Cricket Ground. Classic cars and classic motorcycles are welcome to arrive from 5:30pm and the gates open to the public at 6:00pm. There will be a bar and barbecue, and live music.
 
The entrance fee is £2 per person including classic car drivers and their passengers. Under 16s are free. All proceeds from the gate after costs go to Macmillan Cancer Support. The Macmillan Team will also run a raffle and tombola. If you wish to donate prizes for the raffle and tombola please drop these off to Sadie Yeomans at The Corner House by Monday 18th July at the latest.
 
If you want to offer help on the evening, even for just 30 minutes, please contact Mark Yeomans on 01386 750251.
 
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Clare Kew writes:
Birlingham Flower and Produce Show Hanging Basket Competition 2016: Your free entry into the village show and the chance to win the coveted Rose Bowl!
 
The Flower & Produce Show's FREE Hanging Basket Competition is back, and ALL hanging baskets, troughs and planters visible from the road will be entered in to the competition. Our judging panel will be around during mid to end of July and final judging will take place when all baskets are at their best.
The winning display will be announced at the show on Saturday 3rd September.
 
If you do not wish your house to be considered for the competition please email caryl-mills@hotmail.com or drop a note in to 4 Church Street.
 
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Ian Yates writes:
We now have around 20 members of the village participating in four working groups to develop the VDS for Birlingham. The lead members of the working groups met again on 27th June and a lot of progress has already been made.
  • Bryan and Christina Horrocks have been working on the ‘Existing Village and its History’. They have spent time at The Hive in Worcester, both in the library and archaeological department, and have been given access to a large archive that covers the history of Birlingham from medieval times through to the present day and includes details of many older properties in the village. This has now been compiled into a short document that will form one section of the VDS but they plan to show some of this fascinating material at the VDS Open Day for villagers later in the year.
  • Steven Byrne and his team have been compiling data on the ‘Village Architecture, Landmarks and Monuments’. They have been classifying village properties to create a database of information along with photographs of how properties are seen by the public from the road, the placement of the properties within their setting and any key features. This information will be summarised for the VDS along with a small selection of example photographs.
  • Dan Stratford and his team are responsible for ‘Landscape Views, Protected Areas and Natural Heritage’. As reported in the last newsletter, they have asked villagers to send in their photographs representing important aspects of the village and its setting. THEY NEED MORE PHOTOS PLEASE. Please send to dan_stratford@hotmail.com. These photos will be used to identify areas of the village and the views that residents consider important.
  • Mary-Anne Dyer is keen to get ‘Resident’s Views’ to ensure that what is published in the VDS has the support and agreement of the village. She will be looking to get feedback by meeting residents, so if you would like to provide any input, then please email Mary-Anne at maryanne.dyer@courthouse.online. She will also be collecting feedback during the VDS Open Day later in the year.
All of this material will form the background data in the VDS and will be used to guide the final section of the document called ‘Guiding Principles for Development’.
 
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At its meeting on 11th May, annual reports were received from our District and County Councillors, Parish Council representatives (Footpath Warden, Lengthsman, Tree Warden and PACT Representative) and the Jubilee Committee. These reports will be included in the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting.
 
This was followed by the regular bi-monthly meeting, at which Birlingham Parish Council discussed a number of issues, including the following:
  • Steven Conder was thanked for his time on the Council, particularly in planning matters. He has had to leave the Parish Council because of new work opportunities and will be greatly missed. The Council will co-opt a new member at their next meeting on Wednesday 21st July. If you would like more information on the Parish Council and its role, and how you can apply to become a councillor, please email the Clerk, June Hiden, at birlingham_clerk@yahoo.co.uk.
  • Councillor Adrian Hardman agreed to organise traffic censuses in New Barn Lane and Upper End. [These have now been completed and results will be available soon.] He is also investigating options for improved signing on Eckington Road, Church Lane and Upper End.
  • It was agreed that in future all Parish Council meetings will begin half an hour earlier, at 7.00pm, in Birlingham Village Hall.
Full minutes of the Parish Council meeting will be available shortly at www.birlingham.org/pc_info/pc_minutes_2016-05-11.pdf.
 
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Kat Clasen writes:
To everyone who attended the charity quiz at Birlingham Cricket Club on 10th June, a massive thank-you from Kat and Dave Clasen. We raised a brilliant £430 for the charity MIND.
 
After being cancelled due to bad weather on Sunday 12th June, we managed to complete the skydive in aid of MIND on the following Friday and it was the best experience of our lives!
 
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The Jubilee Committee would like to thank the many people who helped make the Queen’s Birthday Brunch at the Cricket Ground on 12th June such a success. Particular thanks are due to Marion and Steve New and Dan Stratford, who managed to provide meals for 61 people under extremely trying circumstances. Thanks also to Birlingham Cricket Club for allowing us to use their marquee and for opening the bar during the afternoon. Despite the rain, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
 
Unfortunately the races planned for the afternoon could not be held because of the weather but it is planned to reschedule them for later in the summer.
 
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The following planning applications have been received by the Parish Council:
  • Paddock Barn, Broadway Road: Non-material amendment to planning approval W/13/01226/CU for minor revision to layout and fenestration (Case No. 16/01524). Awaiting decision by Wychavon District Council. (Consultation period ends on 11th July.) Full details can be viewed on the Wychavon DC website at www.e-wychavon.org.uk/pl/pl.exe?cs=16/01524.
  • Burnside, Whitehall Lane: Removal of existing utility building to the rear and the conservatory. Extension of existing house to provide rear facing lounge, dining room and kitchen areas. Removal of existing redundant chimney stacks.(Case No. 16/01487). Awaiting decision by Wychavon District Council. (Consultation period ends on 22nd July.) Full details can be viewed on the Wychavon DC website at www.e-wychavon.org.uk/pl/pl.exe?cs=16/01487.
The following planning application has been determined by Wychavon District Council:
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This email is distributed by Birlingham Jubilee Committee and is available to residents of Birlingham, their families and friends. If you know anyone who would like to receive these emails, or have any comments or items for inclusion in future emails, or wish to be removed from the mailing list, please write to news@birlingham.org.
The email is open to any organisations or business within the parish to promote events. Inclusion of an event does not imply that Birlingham Jubilee Committee supports either the event or the views of the organisation promoting it.