Bishop's Castle

Brockton Chapel invites you to the ongoing series of children's Advent services at 6pm on Sundays December 5 and 12.

Everyone is welcome including those who belong to other churches or who do not usually go to church.

COUNCIL FOOTS PLASTICS BILL: South Shropshire District Council is to pay £1,410 to support household plastic collection at the Crowgate Recycling Centre in Bishops Castle. The money will cover the cost of taking plastic bottles to the transfer station, in Powys.

MOTHERS' UNION: Members started to knit sheep and lambs for the crib, which will be taken to different households chosen by the primary school and junior church.

A lamb will be left at each house before the crib is passed on.

The branch is due to meet next Wednesday. Call 01588 630042 to confirm the venue.

FIREFIGHTER RETIRES: Friends and colleagues of Bishop's Castle firefighter Paul Williams have said farewell in a recent ceremony attended by the mayor, Jane Carroll. Paul, from Copall Paddock, has retired from Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Service after 27 years.

He was presented with an engraved tankard and a certificate from Ian Kerr, the county's chief fire officer.

CHRISTMAS DRAW: Tickets are now on sale at Pugh's the butcher in aid of the Save the Children.

The prizes include a hamper of seasonal food and bottles of port and wine. Tickets cost £1 a strip and the draw will be made during Christmas week.

NO SWEETS AT SCHOOL: Bishop's Castle Primary School head Ann Bayliss has reminded parents not to give their children sweets, chocolate or chewing gum for the mid morning break. "Children can bring a small amount of tuck except on Fridays, which are Fruity Fridays," she said. "Nuts sweets and chocolate bars are not allowed on any day, they can be a cause of real dissent between children."

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: A new chairman and committee are in charge at the town branch of Amnesty International, following the retirement of founder members Mary Wolfe, John and Diana Beddoes. Rosie Read has taken over as chairman, with Michael Plunkett as secretary and Chris Jackson as treasurer. Other committee members are Phyllis Hutton, Janny Phillips and the Rev Paul Collins. The group agreed to run regular letter writing sessions in the parish church at 10.45am.

KNOCKOUT CONKER NIGHT: Dave and Nicky Simpson hosted a successful conker night at the Castle, which raised £1,040 for the Poppy Appeal. Sales from barrels of beer, donated by the Six Bells and Hobson's Breweries, raised £214.

A coffee table made by David Pope and two wheelbarrow planters made by Douglas Jones were auctioned and raised £11. Ruth Morris won the conker competition and received a trophy.

BRITISH LEGION AGM: The president, Major General Ryan chaired the meeting and the branch chairman, treasurer and chairman of the service and social committees gave their reports.

The audited branch accounts were presented and approved. The president announced that Derick Phillips had been awarded the Gold Badge by national HQ, the Legion's highest award for meritorious service.

The following officers were re-elected: President and secretary, Major General Denis Ryan; vice-president and treasurer , Derick Phillips; chairman, Major Chris Finigan. The committee members elected were: Henry Broome, Dick Chappell, Ken Edwards, Geoff Grimes, Ken Hassall, Jim Jones, Ken Pickford, Derek Rowson and Stan Smith.

The following elections were also made : Poppy Appeal organiser, Peter Hughes; standard bearer, Frank Thomas; escorts, Jack Lane and Stan Smith.

INTERNATIONAL SOPRANO SINGS: Two world class musicians gave a concert in Bishop's Castle Parish Church on November 17.

The programme featured Emma Kirkby (soprano) and Anthony Rooley (lute), and the concert raised more than £2,000 for the Church Tower Appeal.

MYNDTOWN COMBINED PARISH COUNCIL'S PARISH PLAN: Myndtown Combined Parish Council, comprising the parishes of Myndtown, Norbury, Ratlinghope and Wentnor has begun the process of preparing a Parish Plan under the Countryside Agency's Vital Villages scheme.

The purpose is to set out a vision of what is important in a community and how new development can be fitted in successfully.

The design and quality standards it should meet are another consideration, together with ways to preserve valued local features and to map out the facilities which the community needs to safeguard for the future.

Keith Mansell, chairman of Myndtown Combined Parish Council said: "The Parish Plan steering group is asking parishioners their views, ideas and priorities about their area.

Display boards have also been put in the village hall, Wentnor shop, Norbury School, churches and pubs inviting people to write down ideas and attach them to the boards.

"The slips will be collected and the ideas used to help in the preparation of a questionnaire, which will be sent out to households in the new year.

The completed questionnaires will be used to prepare the Parish Plan."

BURNS NIGHT BALL: Tickets are on sale for the Burns Night ball, on January 29, in aid of the carnival. The ball will be in the public hall, with music from a live band Call 01588 638 210 for tickets (£15).

NO MORE PIGS IN THE STREETS: In 1835 the Rev Charles Philpott described Bishop's Castle as "a small town, with pigs running loose in the streets."

This was quoted by Chris Train, the judge of this year's Bishop's Castle Civic Society competition at its annual awards evening in the town hall.

Chris and his wife Sheila, from Clun, made six visits to the town and said they found the town thriving, with buildings and gardens well maintained.

He added that he had been amazed at the hidden byways and, without guidance, many of the properties would not have been found and judged.

1 Laburnum Alley, won the award for the best new work completed in 2004 and the Jack and Gillian Mawdsley Cup was presented to the owners Bill and Beth Hendley.

Sheila Train presented the other cups and winners were: Best wayside garden; Chris and Pam Sutton, Little Garth. Best hanging basket; Gerald Price of 12 Oak Meadow. Best kept private premises: Ben and Minna Beddoes, Holmleigh, Station Street. Best kept business premises; Jock and Carol Wright.

Margot Daniel thanked the judges and to St John Penney, who had guided them around and invited the audience to look at books and documents relating to the town's history.

SUPPER BOOSTER: Last month, the Crown Inn, at Wentnor, donated a supper for the International Refugee Trust, which cares for refugee orphan children in northern Uganda and has been adopted by Wentnor Church as its overseas concern.

More than 50 people attended and Joanna Steega, from the trust, gave an update on work with the children and their plans to build a new, safe home.

Last year's supper raised £400; this year's sum was just over £1,072.75.

COFFEE TOTAL: A recent coffee morning for Norbury Church was held at Rock Farm, Wentnor, by the Howells family and raised more than £200 .

AGM: SWSHAS (History Society) held its AGM at which chairman Chris Train reported on the year's activities, which included the very successful Ritherdon Day, celebrating 30 years of local history in the area.

Following the treasurer's report, members approved the chairman's request to raise the annual subscription from £5 to £10 from September 2006 (when the grant from the Local Heritage Initiative was due to end).

The officers and committee were re-elected, and a presentation was made to John Smyth, retiring as editor of the SWSHAS Journal after 15 years. He responded by presenting a gift to the SWSHAS library (in Bishop's Castle Library's Enterprise House).

There was then an illustrated talk by Dr Ann Welton and Dr. John Welton from Montgomery, authors of The Story of Montgomery. At the SWSHAS president's evening, in the community college, next Tuesday, David Preshous will speak on A Flat and Boring Landscape? - in Praise of North Shropshire.

Methodist News: Members of the Loyal Lodge of Oddfellows met for lunch at the Nag's Head, Pontesford, last Sunday. They were greeted by the grandmaster, Mr David Farmer, who was accompanied by the Mayor and Mayoress of Shrewsbury, Coun and Mrs Miles Kenny, who spoke on behalf of the area and welcomed everyone.