Yattendon :: Welcome

Healthy and Active Parishes
Under the above scheme, which is supported by lottery funding, Yattendon via its Parish Planning initiatives has again been selected (the Youth Club received earlier funding) as one of the six parishes in West Berkshire to receive a big green activity bag.

This 'bag' is a remarkable collection of items designed to encourage activities. It includes more than 20 games, including mini tennis, quick cricket, mini hockey, rounders bats & balls, malmo football, badminton equipment, unburstable balls, etc.

The intention is for this bag to be held at a convenient location and we need a volunteer to manage this bag, issuing items on request and recording usage.

We very much hope to hear from an enthusiastic volunteer to support this worthwhile initiative.

Please contact Tom Bune, tel. no. 01635 201699 or email: tombune@btinternet.com so that we can set up an arrangement

Yattendon Parish Plan Traffic Concerns
Representatives of the Parish Council and the Parish Planning Group met with representatives from West Berks Council on 3rd August to discuss a whole range of traffic concerns raised by parishioners.

Doreen Davies, our Council Clerk, has included elsewhere in the Broadsheet a plea for increased responsibility in parking in the Square, a subject we included in our discussions with W.B.C.

Additionally with W.B.C. we discussed proposals to ease parking problems in the vicinity of the School, the problems of one way working along Bryants Lane, speeding traffic (urging a VAS (Vehicle Activated Sign)), more speed limits, resurfacing the Square and widening the pavement fronting the cottages in the Square and prohibiting through heavy lorries.

Letters have now been sent to selected officers at W.B.C. and we will continue to press these matters which have been raised by parishioners.

Yattendon Parish Plan - Refresh Stage
The Refresh Meeting held in Yattendon Village Hall on 5th July 2010 reviewed achievements to date and discussed ongoing concerns. Not surprisingly most discussion centred on traffic concerns e.g. parking near the school and in the village square, the need for stricter speed controls and the restriction of heavy vehicles using the village as a cut-through.

There was no little discussion too on the continuing subject of Bryants Lane. Should it be made one-way or even closed to vehicular traffic. This topic and all the traffic concerns are to be raised at a meeting which the Parish Council and the Parish Planning Group are planning with West Berks Council.

On the subject of new footpaths, we plan to follow up our useful meeting of 11th June with Lord Iliffe.

Discussion on a play park area was not pursued as although raised in the refresh questionnaires no supporters of the suggestion were present at the meeting.

There was considerable interest in the proposal by Tracy & Dean to change the layout of the Post Office/Village Store and we are optimistic that we may secure funding to assist with this based on the success of our Parish Plan.

Seven years since the idea of the Parish Plan was first raised it is perhaps timely to take stock of the role of the Parish Planning Group.

Yattendon Parish Plan - M4 Noise
On the subject of M4 traffic noise we continue to work with The Highways Agency, in particular with Donna Walker, their Customer Service Manager with whom we have held a number of meetings.

Donna’s latest communication to us is dated 10 March 2010 in which she states, "I am still plugging away at issues to do with the M4". She goes on to say "….we are continuing to monitor the condition of the carriageway between J12 & J13 and when maintenance is required it will be carried out using lower noise material". We have acquainted her with Yattendon Estate plans to begin planting trees which hopefully will have a beneficial effect.

By way of additional information Donna also advised us that The Highways Agency are starting a new maintenance scheme on the M4 near Woodlands St. Mary which unfortunately will mean the removal of some of the screening material. (As this is close to Lambourn this should not affect our Parish).

One day!

Healthy and Active Parishes (HEAP)
We are pleased to have received an award of £500 under the first allocation of monies from the above scheme. With our leadership in the Parish Planning process and Carole Lowe's fine leadership of the Yattendon & Frilsham Youth Club we were selected to take part in the initial discussions of the HEAP programme. We were then invited to apply for a grant and Carole’s application successfully considered she is going ahead with setting up a Wi-Fi system for the Youth Club.

To ensure the continuing operation of the Youth Club Carole (Tel. No. 01635 201177) would be delighted to hear from anyone who could give up a couple of hours on a Wednesday 7.00p.m – 9.00p.m.

Urgent Request for Volunteers
Many of us would agree that one of the most welcome recent initiatives was the re-introduction of the Youth Club. The Yattendon & Frilsham Youth Group which meets in Yattendon Village Hall every Wednesday evening has proved very popular for 13-18 year olds not only in Yattendon & Frilsham but also from adjoining areas.

Since the initial grant secured by the Parish Plan team, Carole Lowe with her team has taken the Group from strength to strength obtaining significant extra funding to support a wide range of activities. Carole’s work deserves the highest praise. She is however deeply dependent on volunteer help in running the Group from 7.00p.m to 9.00p.m each Wednesday and with recent changes there is a very real need to recruit additional volunteers. The commitment is not onerous, 2 hours attendance on average once per month but without more help the future of the Group cannot be assured.

IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS LOSS WERE THIS VALUABLE FACILITY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO FOUNDER. We urge a few parishioners, therefore, to volunteer to support the Group. Carole’s telephone is 01635 201177
PLEASE CALL HER

Parish Plan Funding
In December 2009 we received further funding to the tune of £5,000 from West Berkshire Partnership. This sum was awarded directly due to the production of our Parish Plan which qualifies us to receive a similar sum each year as we continue to meet the actions detailed in the Plan.

Funds attracted due to our Parish Plan initiative now total more than £88,000 towards Parish improvements with the Village Hall a significant beneficiary.

Yattendon Parish Plan Website
We reported last year the setting up with the valuable help of Frilsham’s Helen Green and her company Purple Lettuce of this, the Yattendon Parish Website to which the entire Yattendon Parish Plan is attached. Also this site is updated regularly with current news. Interestingly in May 2008 we recorded 5,268 hits to our site www.yattendonparish.com Particular values of the Parish Plan included the recording of parishioners views of Yattendon and Burnt Hill at a point in time as well as some historical record of life in the Parish to supplement excellent publications such as Dick Greenaway’s “Yattendon for Visitors”.

To add to this record Ken Mee has used his production skills to create a film touching on aspects of life in the Parish to which we have now added a commentary. If there is sufficient interest we would like to arrange a showing of this film to parishioners in the Village Hall prior to updating the website. Please let Ken Mee (01635 202284) or Tom Bune (01635 201699) know if you would like to attend a showing.

If you have suggestions or ideas for the site please forward them to either Helen heleng@purplelettuce.com or call Tom on the number above.

Site by

One of our main events of the year, in conjunction with our sister village Frilsham, is the Annual Fete, held on the last Bank Holiday in May, this year on 31st. Do come along and join us for this fun event - full details on our Fete page.

The Yattendon Parish Council and residents of Yattendon Parish,which includes Burnt Hill, would like to welcome you to our web site. We have set up this website in order to provide information, directions and contact details for the Parish. Our publication, the Yattendon Parish Plan also contains detailed information including residents’ views of life in Yattendon as well as plans for improving the quality of living in the Parish. If you would like to view this Plan, please click here.

If you are involved with any community projects in the area or would like to submit information for the site or the Parish Plan or if you would like to volunteer for more involvement in Parish affairs please feel free to contact us.

The poet Robert Bridges wrote of “...the dedicated charm of Yattendon”. We hope too you will enjoy your involvement with the web-site and its associated links.

COMMUNITY INFORMATION
For more information about other parish communities in West Berkshire, you can access the Community Action West Berkshire 'Action for All' web site. click here

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