Because there is a limit to the number of news items that can be headlined on the front page, this page has been set aside for other news stuff concerning the village.

There is now also a Recipe Page - we hope to build this up but need contributions from people in the parish.  Come on all you great cooks, let's have your mouth-watering recipes for others to enjoy!

On this page so far:

Final Hinkley Point Stage 1 Report

Puriton Parish Council Achieves Quality Status

Richard and Christine's 60th Wedding Anniversary

Green Waste Collection Service

Community Speed Watch

Puriton Primary School

Pictures of Puriton in the Snow 2010

Christmas 2009 Bright Lights Competition

2009 Christingle Service

Parish Council Election November 2009 - Result

Hinkley Point C

Puriton Stunner (2009 Flower Show)

Explore Somerset Routes

 

Puriton Parish Council Achieves Quality Status

Puriton Parish Council is delighted to report that it has been awarded “Quality Parish Council Status”.

The Quality Parish scheme was designed and launched in June 2003 (following the Government Rural White Paper 2000) and provides a benchmark minimum standard for parish and town councils and enables them to better represent the communities they serve.  The scheme also aims to give enhanced relationships between local councils, principal authorities and community and voluntary sector organisation's.

In order to achieve Quality Status town and parish councils must demonstrate that they have reached the standard required by passing several tests including:

Electoral Mandate
Qualification of the Clerk
Council Meetings
Communications
Annual Report
Accounts and
Code of Conduct

For more information on Quality Status visit: www.nalc.gov.uk

Puriton Parish Council was presented with its Quality Parish Council Certificate at the February Parish Council meeting held in the village hall.

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Richard and Christine's 60th Wedding Anniversary

“Richard Edward Wilkins was born in October 1926 in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, the eldest of four boys.  He served in the Royal Navy for the final 18 months of the 2nd world war on an aircraft carrier in the Far East.  After de-mob he trained as a draughtsman.

Christine Mary Williams born in October 1922 in Pinner, Middlesex and had one elder brother. She worked in the civil service during and after the 2nd world war.
Both were living and working in Reading when they met and were later married at Christchurch in Reading on 4th March 1950.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Green Waste Collection Service

Sedgemoor District Council have issued the following news release -

Green Waste Collections – Cheaper than a trip to the tip

Green fingered enthusiasts are no doubt itching to get out into their gardens and a service on offer in Sedgemoor could be blooming useful.

Sedgemoor District Council is inviting residents to sign up to garden waste collections in time for the spring.  At a cost of just £35 per year, those signing up to the scheme will receive 25 collections a year, when their garden waste will be picked up from their homes.

The scheme is part of a subsidised project offered by the district council as one of its non-essential services. It encourages residents to not only take pride in their gardens but also to recycle their green waste.

Customers signing up have the option of receiving a green wheelie bin for their garden waste or garden waste sacks at a cost of £20 for 10.

Letters will now be sent to more than 8,500 current customers inviting them to renew their subscriptions, which start in April.

Cllr Stuart Kingham, portfolio holder for Environment said, “This service is a valuable one to many people, but it is a service that as a council we don’t have to provide. However, we’ve listened to what our customers what and their feedback and continue to provide it at a subsidised rate, meaning that the council also puts some money towards the project.”

“It is also important to recognise that there are people who don’t have gardens or don’t want to use this service, and it is therefore unfair that they should be expected to help fully fund this project through their council tax.”

 

Community Speed Watch

 

Puriton now has a Community Speed Watch team which will be starting to operate speed checks at various locations in the village later this month.

This work is voluntary and part time and so far there are eight people involved but more volunteers are needed.

If you have a little time to spare and would like to help to make our village roads a little safer then why not join the team?

If you are interested just contact PCSO Lora Bray on 07825125099.

Alternatively contact any parish councillor or email us at info@puritonparishcouncil.gov.uk.

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Puriton Primary School

We've now teamed up with Puriton Primary School to show information about the school and its events on this web site.  The school of course has its own web site at www.puriton.somerset.sch.uk.

We do however have a section on this web site dedicated to the school and much of the information on the school's site can also be seen here - just go to the 'About the Village' section and select Puriton Primary School from the left hand menu.

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Pictures of Puriton in the Snow 2010

We've had lots of photos of the village covered in snow sent in and these can all be seen in the picture gallery in a new section called (surprise surprise) Puriton in the snow 2010.

Thanks to Jessica Cather, Pete Maddock, Colin McCormack and Paul D'Arcy (the latter for some excellent aerial shots) for sending in their pictures.  There are also a few from yours truly.

Incidentally does anyone know who the person was in the aerial shots of the church, walking down the path away from the church?  The shot was taken around lunchtime on the Friday after the first snow (8th January) - if it was you, or you know who it was, please let us know.

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Christmas 'Bright Lights' Competition 2009

Photos of all the entries in the competition are now in the picture gallery - go to "About the Village", select "Picture Gallery" from the side menu then select "Christmas Lights 2009".  While you're there, why not have a look at some of the other categories?

Don't forget that you can also have your own photos in the picture gallery - just email them as jpg files to info@puritonparishcouncil.gov.uk (but keep them small and nothing outrageous - they will be vetted!).

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Christingle Service 2009

This year's Christingle Service was on Sunday 6th December, and the church was full for the traditional service in aid of the Children's Society, in which the children were given the oranges with candles symbolising the light of Christ over the world.

The first Christingle service was held on Christmas Eve 1747, at Marienborn, in what was then Moravia, now part of the Czech Republic.  The pastor, John de Watteville, who devised the service, encouraged the children to take their Christingle home, to re-light it and place it in their cottage window to show the light to passers-by.  It's now a national tradition organised by the Children's Society which most churches take part in with a service each year.

Below are some pictures taken by Jim Goddard.













































































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Parish Council Election Result

On Thursday 5th November we had the first formal election of a parish councillor to be held since 1979.

Out of a total of 1600 registered electors in the parish there were 232 votes cast, including 61 postal votes.  This was a turnout of 14¹/₂ %.

The successful candidate was Nick Garnett, who received a total of 168 votes.  The only other candidate was Barrie Greenwood, who received a total of 63 votes.  There was one spoilt ballot paper rejected.

Congratulations to Nick, who will formally take his place on the council at the next Parish Council meeting on Tuesday 10th November.

The pictures show (below) Nick and (bottom) Barrie congratulating Nick after the result was announced.








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HINKLEY POINT C

As part of the planned proposals to build a new nuclear plant at Hinkley, EDF have asked National Grid to install a new 400,000 volt overhead powerline from Bridgwater to Avonmouth.

They are holding a number of public exhibitions up until the beginning of December.

Unfortunately two of the exhibitions in our area have already taken place, at Mark and Bawdrip.  There is, however, one yet to be held at Chedzoy on 25th November and one at Stogursey on 2nd December.

You can get more information about these exhibitions by clicking here.

You can also get more information about the proposals:

• via the National Grid website by clicking this link www.nationalgrid.com/hinkleyconnection
• via their email address hinkleyconnection@ukngrid.com
• via their freepost address

Freepost PRKX/EBGK/XXHT
Hinkley C Connection Project
Consultation Response
PO box 5689
London W1A 4FG

• via their freephone number

0800 377 7347
(Lines open 7.30am - 7.30pm Monday to Friday and
7.30am - 1pm Saturday)

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PURITON STUNNER

Celebrating its 30th year since it was revived in 1980, Puriton Flower Show again raised the bar, in standard as well as support, with a display which filled the Village hall in splendour.  Make no mistake about it, this one will go down in the record books as a superb effort.

There was a near record numbers of exhibitors and also in the total number of entries, many of which were of a high standard.

This was an outstanding show in every way with 563 entries just from the parish of Puriton.

It was appropriate that Mrs Margaret Brown won the Puriton Inn Cup for most points in show, she had also been an exhibitor in the very first show.  Also another exhibitor Mr Mike Parker won the Puriton Challenge Cup for vegetables, a feat he achieved at the 1980 show.

A dry afternoon saw large crowds turn out and it also meant that the Watchet Town Band (Kindly sponsored by a donation from the Puriton Inn) were able to play on the adjoining field, where the annual car boot sale also took place.

The presenters of Trophies were Councillor & Mrs Mark Healey.

The committee would like to thank all exhibitors for making it such a wonderful community event, also everyone who helped in anyway.

Special thanks to the W.I. for their hard work in serving refreshments, and the Judges for giving us their time:  Mr Richards; Vegetables & Fruit, Mr Addison; Flowers & Floral Art, Mrs Hobbs; Domestic, Mrs Spicer; Handicraft and Mrs Morley; Art.

If you want to see who won what, there is a full list of all the winners - just click winners list to see it.

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Explore your Somerset Routes

Where in the world could you find a Bakelite coffin, the oldest manmade road in Britain, the largest collection of Naval aircraft in Europe or early Victorian prosthetic limbs?

You might be surprised to find out the answer is Somerset.

For a county with a history as rich and diverse as its countryside, Somerset boasts an amazing number of museums and heritage attractions. Explore your Somerset Routes is a unique touring exhibition which highlights over 100 of the counties best heritage sites to visit.

Created by Somerset County Council and the Museums in Somerset group the exhibition celebrates the most fascinating, quirky, important and breathtaking sights in the county.

Taking the form of a 'tube map', the county has been broken down into seven different lines to travel on, spread across the country and taking in the best sights and things to do. Each line takes you to the museums, historic railways, castles, gardens, stately homes and archaeological sites that make Somerset's heritage unique.

Along with the map, a free booklet has been created which for the first times gives information and contact details about all the major heritage sites in the county. Get them while stocks last though because this is a one-off print run of 5000 copies! The booklet details each suggested stop and includes a website link where possible. And there's a useful tip or nugget of information with every entry.

The exhibition will tour across the county over the next year and if you don't manage to see it there are plenty of other ways to find out about Somerset's Heritage. All the information relating to it, including the touring map and itineraries are available at the download at www.visitsomerset.co.uk/touring-map. Taster videos are available at www.youtube.com/somersetmuseums which shows details of all the sites.

For more information contact Natalie Watson, Museum Development Officer on
01823 362849 or nawatson@somerset.gov.uk

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