Defibrillator installed

The new defibrillator - bought with funds collected by Ros Lane and donated to the Parish Council - has now been installed in a locked cabinet alongside the Parish Council's noticeboard on the Vilage Hall.

Thanks to everyone who has emailed defib@maisemore-pc.org.uk expressing an interest in a training and awareness session.  This will be arranged as soon as possible and etails will be posted here and sent to everyone who has been in touch about it.

Thanks to the Clean-up helpers

Some of the bags of litter filled by the
volunteers waiting for collection
by Tewkesbury Borough Council.

Many thanks to everyone who came and helped with the Maisemore Spring Clean-up today - your efforts have made a real difference to the village.  The Clean-up was run as part of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.

If anyone has any suggestions for persuading people who pass through the village to take their litter home with them rather than leaving it here, the Parish Council would be very pleased to hear them.

NFIB Alert - False Telephone Preference Service Calls

False claims of Telephone Preference Service: Fraudsters are cold-calling victims, falsely stating that they are calling from one of the well-known UK telecommunication service providers. They call victims claiming to provide a ‘Telephone Preference Service’ - an enhanced call-barring service, which includes barring international call centres.   The fraudsters ask victims to confirm/provide their bank account details, informing them that there is a one-off charge for the service. Victims instead see monthly debits deducted from their accounts, which they have not authorised. The fraudsters often target elderly victims.   In all instances, direct debits are set up without following proper procedure. The victim is not sent written confirmation of the direct debit instruction, which is supposed to be sent within three days.   On occasions when victims attempted to call back, the telephone number provided by the fraudster was either unable to be reached or the victim’s direct debit cancellation request was refused.   During 2017, there were 493 Action Fraud Reports relating to this fraud. Protect yourself: There is only one Telephone Preference Service (TPS). The TPS is the only official UK 'do-not-call' register for opting out of live telesales calls. It is FREE to sign-up to the register. TPS never charge for registration. You can register for this service at http://www.tpsonline.org.uk. You will receive postal confirmation of genuine direct debits. If you notice unauthorised payments leaving your account, you should contact your bank promptly. Always be wary of providing personal information, or confirming that personal information the caller already claims to hold is correct. Always be certain that you know who you talking to. If in doubt hang up immediately. If you have been affected by this, or any other type of fraud, report it to Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

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MADS plans new production

The Maisemore Arts & Drama Society is planning a new production to be staged on 23rd & 24th November.  All the details are on the http://www.madsplay.com/.

A play reading for the comedy "It Runs In the Family" is planned for Tuesday 17th April at 7.30 in the committee room of Maisemore Village Hall.  This will be followed on Wednesday 24th April at 7.30pm with a second read through and auditions, also in the Village Hall.  MADS is particularly keen to find a 'young person' to join the cast.
 
For further information email info@madsplay.com or visit the website - http://www.madsplay.com/.

Defibrillator to be installed soon

A defibrillator is to be installed on the Village Hall in the very near future and will be available for anyone to use in the case of a cardiac emergency.

The device has been bought by the Parish Council with the aid of a substantial donation of money raised for the purpose by Ros Lane and with the full co-operation and support of the Village Hall Committee.

At least one awareness and training session is to be arranged once the defibrillator is installed.  Before arranging this, it would be helpful to hear from anyone interested in attending.  Please email defib@maisemore-pc.org.uk to say you're interested, and give a preference between a daytime or evening session or a session during a weekend.

Maisemore Local History Society meetings

Ros Lane writes about the Maisemore Local History Society:

Our last meeting of the 2017/2018 series brings Carolyn Heighway, a notable local historian, who will give an illustrated talk entitled “Architectural Development of Gloucester Cathedral”; this will be on Thursday 20 April; doors open 7:00 p.m. to begin 7:30 p.m. Visitors very welcome £2; refreshments always follow.

Our February meeting was very successful with five of our members giving short talks. Robin Stayt, our president, spoke about the history surrounding the Lamprey Pie from the middle ages right up to the present. Next came Ken Cole who has published a book about the famous Angus breed of cattle at Maisemore Park; he spoke about the work his father did showing in London and concluded with how he found online a medal his father was awarded for best of breed. 

Andy Sysum talked about the work he does with Gloucestershire Family History Society based at Alvin Street at the Records Office. Charles Dobbin informed us about the work carried out by REMAP U.K. who work with disabled people adjusting equipment to make it bespoke for that person.

Finally, David Jones took people through the new MLHS website showing all the additional information recently added. Again a full hall which made it very rewarding for the band of people who prepare the hall, serve refreshments and make visitors and members very welcome.

Minutes of March PC meeting now online

The draft minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on Monday 5th March 2018 are now online here.  Minutes published before the next meeting - on 14th May 2018 - are always draft versions until confirmed at the next Parish Council meeting.

The Audit Statement for 2016/17 is now also online here.

New date for Spring Clean-up

The postponed Maisemore Spring Clean-up has been re-arranged for Saturday 24th March.  The event is linked in to other similar ones all over the country under the umbrella of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.

All volunteers will be very welcome at the Village Hall from 10am till 12.30pm.

Church could be key to faster broadband

At the Parish Council meeting on Monday 5th March, a presentation was given by Tristram Charnley of Voneus.  The meeting was attended by about 13 local residents as well as all the Parish Councillors. 

A Voneus receiver attached to
an existing tv aerial

The wireless broadband system supplied by Voneus is a 'line of sight' or 'near line of sight' system and their proposal is to put a small aerial on the top of the church tower to be linked to the fibre supply that already goes to The Steadings business park and provides plenty of bandwidth.

Each customer would also have a similar small aerial to receive the signal. The aerial is a grey circular box, no more than about 20cm (8 inches) in diameter, which can be mounted on a wall or on an existing tv aerial.

A Voneus receiving aerial
mounted on a wall near a
conventional satellite dish.

Typically, the system would provide between 30 and 50 Mbps for download and between 5 and 10 Mbps for upload.  The cost of the basic system, offering 20GB of data per month would be about £19.99 a month.  A system offering unlimited data would cost £34.99 a month.  Customers could use existing phones connected to this system and dispense with their BT landlines.

There is an installation charge but, for most potential customers in Maisemore, this would be covered by a government funded voucher scheme.  All that is needed to claim the voucher is a screenshot of a speed test of the existing installation showing that it is slower than the government's base level.

If the Parochial Church Council are happy to approve this, superfast broadband could be available in Maisemore in a couple of months.  There would be a benefit to the church, as the PCC would be paid a small amount each month for every customer served by the system.

The Church of England recently reached an agreement with the government on the principle of using churches to provide this sort of service, so there is every reason to hope that the PCC can agree this and be the catalyst for a better broadband service in the village.

Progress will also depend on Voneus receiving enough expressions of interest in the system.  This can be done through their website - www.voneus.com.

Voneus are within the government and County Council Fastershire scheme and are partners with Gigaclear.  Gigaclear will be installing a fibre system to the village at some time later this year, but their timescales have been put back due to the collapse of the construction company Carillion.  When this fibre link becomes available, it will be possible to migrate the service to that without any penalty on the Voneus contract.  The cost for the Gigaclear service will be higher as it provides an ultra-fast broadband service direct to premises, subject to a connection charge.

Timely reminder from Neighbourhood Watch

Being neighbourly in this cold weather

Neighbourhood Watch isn’t just about preventing crime - we’re a movement with neighbourliness at our heart and with this cold weather dug in we wanted to send a friendly request to our supporters to check on any elderly or vulnerable neighbours if you can. Many people are waiting out the weather at home and some won’t have been able to get out for several days now so a friendly knock from a neighbour is welcome. Maybe they need a pint of milk or a can of beans to get them through to the thaw, or a path swept or their dog walked? Of course your safety is important too – so please think about that and only venture out if you can do so safely. Thanks to all our supporters for your neighbourliness and all that you do - in good weather and bad -  for your communities. To find out more about Neighbourhood Watch click here.

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MADS Quiz Night is still on

Despite the weather, the MADS Quiz Night is still on at 7.30pm in Maisemore Village Hall this evening (Saturday 3rd March).

If you can get there, you would be most welcome.  Entry is £2 per person and there will be a bar.

Be your dog's true best friend

There has been an increase in reports of dog fouling in Maisemore.  

It's not the dogs' fault, but some owners seem to think it's OK to leave their dog's muck for others to walk in.  It isn't.

Dog poop bags are not expensive and filled ones can be put in your green bin.

Tewkesbury Borough Council advises that there can be a £1,000 fine for allowing your dog to foul pavements and verges and you can see their full size poster here.

Community alert

Heavy snow is expected - Some useful information

Heavy snow is expected to reach the county from Thursday afternoon (March 1st) and continue to get heavier into the evening and overnight. Snow is also expected for most of the day on Friday. Do you need to travel? If you do not need to travel on Thursday or Friday we recommend staying at home. We also suggest talking to your employer to ask if it is possible to modify your working arrangements on Thursday and Friday.  The Met Office has advised that heavy snow is expected from lunchtime today and will increase by the evening commute.  If travel is unavoidable please ensure your car is roadworthy, you have fully charged mobile phone, warm clothing, suitable shoes, a blanket and food and drink. Help someone who is vulnerable to keep warm and safe: There are vulnerable people in the county who may need extra help over the next few days.   If you can, please reach out and offer support to an elderly or vulnerable neighbour in your community.  A telephone call or a knock on the door to check they are okay can make all the difference. Information about keeping warm and well can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/winterhealth/Pages/KeepWarmKeepWell.aspx Reporting crime: Our Force Control Room will be particularly busy over the next couple of days dealing with weather related incidents.  If you need to report a crime that is not in progress and where there is no threat to life, please use the form on our website here: http://bit.ly/SM-report-a-crime.   In an emergency, however,  always call 999. Road closures: Information on major road closures can be found by visiting the Highways England website and Twitter account. The county council and our Force Control Room may also issue road closures. Local radio is a good source of information regarding road closures and rail cancellations.  Please use the links below to access road information: Highways Agency - http://www.highways.gov.uk/traffic-information/ Gloucestershire County Council - https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/roads-parking-and-rights-of-way/roads/roads-in-severe-weather/ Glos Roads Twitter - https://twitter.com/GlosRoads Police Force Control Room Twitter - https://twitter.com/GlosPolice_FCR School closures: Gloucestershire County Council have listed school closures at the following webpage: http://ww3.gloucestershire.gov.uk/closedschools/

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Postponed due to weather warnings

The Maisemore Spring Clean-up planned for this Saturday, 3rd March, has been postponed because of the weather warnings.

Parish Councillors have agreed that, in the circumstances, it would be difficult to to do a good job and the risks to volunteers would be increased.  A new date will be fixed at next Monday's Parish Council meeting.

Also postponed due to the weather are the Community Speed Watch awareness session planned for Sunday 4th March and Hartpury Craft and Produce Market and the Dementia Awareness session, both planned for Saturday.