Ossett News Posted September 25, 2021 Report Share Posted September 25, 2021 Week ending Saturday 25th September 2021 It never surprises me to how quick each year passes. No sooner have we had summer, we start to discuss Hallowe’en, then its Christmas and then it’s the time to start the planning of the Horbury Craft & Street Fayre. That is what happened on Tuesday evening. The small team got together and confirmed COVID permitting next year’s Street Fayre will go ahead. Saturday and Sunday the 18th & 19th June 2022, watch out for more details over the next few months on our Facebook page – Horbury Craft & Street Fayre. Details of how to book and pay for a market stall will be published very soon. First come, first served. We will have around 65 stalls available. Monday lunchtime was my regular visit to the lunch club in South Ossett. Not only do I find the company of this group of diners amazing, but it is for me a great start to my week. If you know of anyone who would benefit from joining the group, please let me know. They get a great 2 course meal and a hot drink, plus great company, and great place to meet new like-mined people and have a good natter. On Monday evening, I attended a meeting of the Brownies group in the Methodist church in Horbury, where I spoke to a group of around 20 young people on the subject of being a Local Councillor. The Brownies listened and then asked me some very probing questions. These ranged from recycling and plastics in the ocean to car parking and potholes. It was a very enjoyable evening – thank you. On Tuesday evening I met with a group of anglers down at Horbury Lagoons. They are trying to establish a new angling club, with great new ideas for this great open space. To help the group with their plans, I have had delivered around 10 tonnes of stone chippings known as scalpings. This will be used to help fill in some potholes in the anglers parking area and around some of the fishing pegs. On Friday I welcomed the Mayor of Wakefield District, Cllr Tracey Austin to Horbury and South Ossett. In fact, this was the first of two visits from the Mayor this week. The Mayor’s visit was to present two well deserved ‘Mayor Says Thank You’ awards. The first one was to the entire team at the Resources Food Bank at Christ Church, South Ossett. This team have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, supporting as many people as possible. The second ‘Mayor Says Thank You’ award was to Richard at the Rich & Fancy coffee shop in Horbury. Richard has supported many community groups during the lockdowns. This includes baking cakes for the food banks and other local groups. These two awards are just the tip of the iceberg of the great community work that goes on every day in Horbury & South Ossett. The Mayor's second visit of the week to Horbury was as a visitor to the Horbury Heritage Day. This is the second time we have managed to arrange such an event, the first one being before the COVID pandemic. The day featured 4 different walks around Horbury & Horbury Bridge. As well as two tours led by me, of the council chamber in Horbury Town Hall and a very informative talk by Keith Lister on the Horbury of Sabine Baring-Gould, a great way to finish off this great day! There are many great pictures on our Facebook page – please visit and have a look. The day was supported by many local community groups, including Horbury Village Partnership, Horbury Civic Society, Horbury & Sitlington History Group, Horbury & District Historical Society, St Peter’s & St John’s Churches, Pride in Horbury Bridge and Horbury Common Land Trust. The organising group includes Helen Bickerdike, Deb Nicholls, Jill Thomas, Sandra Jervis, Graham Roberts, Jeff Casey, Father Christopher and me – thank you everyone – a job well done! Next year’s event will be bigger and better and will feature more buildings for visitors and residents to see and enjoy. More details in early 2022. The pebble Art Installation in Carr Lodge Park has been amazingly well received and visited many times by the walkers in the park. It is very sad to have to report that on at least four separate occasions in the 10 days it has been subject to vandalism. Why this should be is a complete mystery. The removal of the painted pebbles, carving of initials into the resin seal and the smashing of the coping stones on the surrounding stone walls. However, repairs will be carried out as soon as possible and Horbury Academy will be involved in this task, for which I thank them. Hopefully this disrespectful damage will soon stop! But, if you see the culprits or know who they are, please let me know and the police will be informed. Additional measures are being investigated including the use of Smart Water! On Thursday evening the Friends of Horbury’s Parks group held their monthly meeting. This was a meeting to review our recent activities and plan what comes next. Our most recent success includes the Pebble display, which has been amazingly well received and was a true collaboration between 3 local primary schools and Horbury Rocks. Our next projects over the coming 6 to 8 weeks include spring bulb planting – around 500 additional daffodils in Reid and Carr Lodge Parks and a few more in the grass verges across Horbury & South Ossett. The bulb planting session will be followed by a ‘preparation for winter’ park tidy up, including the old rockery area. We also hope to be able to plant another 400+ whip trees in and around Horbury Lagoons, extending the UNITE wood which we started planting prior to the pandemic. The group have also received a grant from Wakefield District Housing for £300. This will be used towards buying some picnic tables for installation in at least two parks in time for spring/summer 2022. We need around £1,500 for the full project, so watch out soon for how you may be able to help – via our JustGiving page, to be launched soon. Did you know that Wakefield Council may be able to help you with rising energy bills? Concerns are being raised about the price of energy after Ofgem said it will be raising the Energy Price Cap from 1 October 2021 – with the average annual household energy bill set to increase by around £140. This is in addition to annual fuel rises of around £100 per household that came into force in April. Wakefield Council offers a range of specialist money services and support to residents and is urging those who are struggling financially to seek help. As the Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, & Regeneration, I am quoted in a press release: “If anyone is concerned being not being able to pay their energy bills, please know you are not alone, and we are here to help and can offer advice and a strong package of support.” People who qualify can also access energy debt support, with grants to help clear problem energy debts enabling residents to move to cheaper energy suppliers and payment methods/tariffs. If you need help please call 01924 305892 or email - moneysmart@wakefield.gov.uk You can find out more about services at www.wakefield.gov.uk/more-money-in-my-pocket Please keep safe and take care in these difficult times and if you need help, give me a shout! Darren View the full article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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