Before we get on to the catch-up bits, let’s just highlight what we have coming up in the next few weeks:
· 16th Oct - the Strollers & Striders meet for the 2nd walk of the month
· 17th Oct - the Silver Surfers launch the Autumn sessions with a presentation from the Digital Angels about how to be safe on-line and how to spot and avoid being scammed. 2 – 4pm in Barlaston Village Hall, refreshments provided and all FREE. Please spread the word!
· 19th Oct – Film Night showing Empire of Light starring Olivia Coleman. This replaces ‘Fly me to the Moon’ which was no longer available and will now be shown in January. Barlaston Village Hall doors open at 7pm, film starts at 7.30pm. Tickets available now from Sanjee at the Barlaston Village Store, Orchard Place.
· 23rd Oct – First Aid Refresher Course, 2 sessions will run in the morning in the Village Hall. This is for volunteers in the village and there are a few places left - if you are interested please contact Michala Black on 07970 593910 to check availability.
· 2nd Nov – Attic Sale, 2 – 4pm. Pick up a bargain at the Village Hall – FREE entry!
The Barlaston Strollers and Striders were again lucky with the weather and the WhatsApp group was buzzing after the trip to Sandon! It was fascinating to see Pitt’s Column, a stone Doric structure 75ft high and be able to take photos on and around Trentham Tower. We kept local for the second walk, the Striders walked to the trig point on the Downs and the Striders walked along the canal to Wedgwood and increased their heart-rates up Queen Mary’s Drive. Although the promised sunshine only arrived after the walk, it was most enjoyable and both groups had a good catch-up over a cuppa at The Upper House. For more information on the walks please give Sandie (Group Leader) a call on 07496 088544. The next walk will be on the 16th October if you’d like to join us.
The Barlaston Womblers are always out and about! This month we have seen a lot of fly-tipping sadly and on one occasion Blurton Road was completely blocked! Luckily our good relationship with Streetscene meant that it was all cleared first thing the following morning. Bizarre finds included a huge lorry’s wheel arch, a thong (ahem, on the driveway to St.John Church) and a cistern in the hedge along Blurton Road. There was also a drama when Soph Higginson noticed that Ruby the Rubbish Recycler was no longer sitting in her chair as she wombled up Wedgwood Drive!! A shout-out for information on Facebook revealed that she had been seen at the entrance to the gas works on Meaford Road. First Aiders at the scene say hopes of a full recovery are good but she will definitely need a few months off. We will know more after the appointment with her rubbish consultant (Dave Moran). Over the years the Litter Louts and Ladies – made entirely from rubbish collected in the lanes by the Barlaston Womblers – have served a valuable purpose in highlighting the amount of rubbish that is collected on a weekly basis. The figures are not intended to be attractive, in fact quite the opposite but we are regularly told that the children wave on the way past and hopefully Barlaston is raising a generation that respects the Countryside Code and will not grow up to be a Tosser! (of rubbish obvs).
The Silver Surfers group returns on the 17th October partnering with the ‘Digital Angels’ to provide a FREE workshop on how to recognise & not fall victim to SCAMS! Sadly scams are part of everyday on-line life these days and together with our Tech Gurus we will be sharing essential information on how to spot scams before falling foul of their very convincing instructions. The workshop is open to all and will run from 2pm – 4pm in the Village Hall, with a presentation followed by a Question & Answer session at the end where we hope to be able to answer your individual queries. Please spread the word! If you need help in the meantime however, you know how willing our Techie Gurus are so don’t hesitate to give them a ring. You can contact Steve on 07861 617932 or Tony on 07783 009194.
The next Film Night is on Saturday 19th October in Barlaston Village Hall and we will be showing Empire of Light starring Olivia Coleman. It’s described as a drama about the power of human connection during turbulent times. Reviews highlight the fantastic cinematography and as Sam Mendes wrote, directed and co-produced the film it promises to be a worthwhile watch! There’s always a great atmosphere in the hall on Film Nights – we serve ice creams and tea and coffee but if you’d prefer to bring your own cheeky glass of wine or bottle of beer, then feel free to bring your own (remember to bring a bottle opener!) If you haven’t been before, we also have a raffle and you may want to bring a cushion! Doors open at 7pm, film starts at 7.30pm, tickets are available from Sanjee at the Barlaston Village Store in Orchard Place. This film replaces the previously advertised ‘Fly me to the Moon’ which became suddenly unavailable for this date - we’ll now be showing it in January.
The Facebook Photo Competition is still very popular and this month’s winner was Phil Redfern. Congratulations Phil and if you want to see the other entries please take a look at our Facebook Page or the Barlaston Community HUB.
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