Produced by the Residents Association

PRATTS BOTTOM

VILLAGE NEWS

SUMMER 2010

I hope you are all enjoying the glorious weather we are having this summer. Let’s hope it continues whilst the children are on holiday.

I would be very grateful to receive items/news of people or events for the next edition of the Newsletter.

Please can I have your input by the end of August for a September/October edition.

Gwyneth Hudson

Dates for your diary

10-15th August	Grand Prix Holiday Club for children
4th September	Friends of Pratts Bottom Common
19th September	Harvest Festival at All Souls
24th September	Annual General Meeting Residents Association
4th December	Christmas Bazaar 10.30am
4th December	All Souls Christmas Quiz

May Fete

Well, nobody can say it always rains at the Village Fete now. The weather reverted to what it used to be years ago and the sun shone non-stop. The Fete Committee had once again done a fantastic job organising a variety of events/stalls to be enjoyed by all. Gill Dimbleby supervised an impressive procession of a marching band, stilt walker and May Queens from the locality. Pratts Bottom May Queen, Bethany Debenham was crowned by last year’s Queen Brooke Golding to start the proceedings.

Everyone seemed to be having a great time and a small surplus of money was given to the school towards a printer for use with the smart boards and the Village Hall towards the fund for new facilities.

The committee would like to thank everybody who became involved by stewarding or helping on a stall and to Andy from Chapter One who arranged the barbeque and donated the profits.

We would like to congratulate Chairperson Lesley Jones and the committee on a successful event.

We look forward to SATURDAY MAY 14th 2011 for another great afternoon. So make a note in your diaries.

Residents Association

Please make a note, too, of the Annual General Meeting of the Association on Friday 24th September.

We had lots of comments about there not being a 2010 calendar so Alan Wheeler has once again come to the rescue and there should be one for 2011. Come to the AGM and place your orders!

Village Hall

The Village Hall Committee would like to apologise, particularly to the residents of Norsted Lane, and others who were disturbed by a very noisy party when the police had to be called by the person who booked the hall. She was very frightened by gatecrashers who arrived uninvited and took the wise decision to call for assistance.

Police

The local police/council would like to be informed if you see a company called TREEMASTERS around. They advertise themselves as “Your Local Tree Services” but do not appear to be legitimate.

Pratts Bottom Primary School

Mrs Janice Box, our Headteacher for the last five years, leaves our school this summer following her well-deserved promotion to a larger school in Bromley.

She will be sadly missed by all connected with our school. She has brought us top quality leadership, and has welded children and staff into a happy and successful team. Our last Ofsted Inspection commented not only on her fine leadership but also on the warm welcoming atmosphere greeting visitors to the school and the impressive way in which our older children care for the younger children. This sense of caring for others and enjoying everything about life in our school comes from the person at the top.

Outside school hours Mrs Box has thrown herself into village affairs. She served on the Fete Committee. The school has been fully involved in our local church and the children have run stalls at our Christmas Bazaar.

She will be a hard act to follow! Despite that, we are confident that Mr Matthew Ringham, who joins us in September, will be made most welcome as he settles into our village community. We have every confidence that he will continue to lead our school forward.

Peter Hudson Chair of Governors

Village shop

More changes. Farewell and welcome!

Brian Duckett who has been involved in the Post Office/Village store for many years has moved on. He has been suffering ill health for some while and decided to sell. It all happened very quickly but there was a quick “whip round” and he was presented with a very impressive cheque over a drink at the Bulls Head.

Brian was speechless but very grateful for everyone’s kind thoughts and generosity. He has gone to stay with his sister and family in Sussex for the time being.

We therefore extend a warm welcome to the new owners of the shop. More stock such as fruit and vegetables, cheeses and some meat as well is being brought in for sale in the shop.

New shop opening hours.

The shop opens at 8am.

On Monday, Tuesday and Thursday it closes at 5pm.

Wednesday is half day and closes at 1pm

Saturday closes at 3pm and Sunday at 2pm

Mick Rooney (Mick the plumber) has also moved on to pastures new.

There are more ‘For Sale’ boards up at the moment so we say a fond farewell to the leavers and a warm welcome to the newcomers to our village. There are lots of things to do so do join in some of the events and become part of the community.

All Souls

The Grand Prix Holiday Club for children will be held at All Souls from 10th—15th August. Booking form and more information from Penny Avann 861742.

A Parish visit to Rochester Cathedral has been arranged for the afternoon of Thursday 9th September. For more details contact Len Curtis on 858609.

Harvest Festival will be on 19th September at 10.30am. Once again we will be collecting Christmas Gift boxes for children in Romania. These gifts bring tremendous joy to the children who receive them, giving assurance that they are loved and valued. The boxes will be collected at the Service on 19th September. More info from 861742

Some residents will remember Beryl Lambert who lived in Pear Tree Cottage until she moved into a home. She died on Thursday 22nd July at the grand old age of 103 years. Sadly her daughter, Deirdre, had died the previous day.

Jim Brennan, another ex resident of the village has also recently died. He had some of his memories recorded in Sue Short’s book on Pratts Bottom.

We send our condolences to their families.

Lifeboats

Lifeboat week collections in Pratts Bottom, organised by Pauline Gibbons, totalled £337.00 which was 32% of the total in BR6 so well done for supporting such a worthwhile charity. Overall £2,701.51p was collected in the Orpington area.

More helpers are needed for May 2011 so if you can help please contact Pauline Gibbons.

Information from Carers Bromley

“A carer is someone who, without payment, looks after a family member or friend who needs help because of disability, long term illness or frailty and cannot cope on their own without help. At some time in our lives we will all know a carer or become one. There are 28,000 adult carers and 2,000 young carers under 18 and it is likely many more remain unidentified.

‘Carers Bromley’ is an independent charity that supports carers of all ages in the borough. Caring for someone can be exhausting, both physically and mentally, so when carers start to need help, our services are there to meet their needs. It might be emotional support, information and advice or training to care or respite. We also visit carers at home to assess their needs wherever they live in the community. If you want to know more about Carers Bromley there is a freephone helpline on 0800 015 7700 or email help@carersbromley.org.uk “

Karen Waldron PA to the Chief Executive

(I have personal experience of the organisation and found it very supportive. My parents enjoyed meeting the young people from other countries who came to sit with them to allow me to go out and I am still in touch with some of them.)

Thank you

Alan Wylie and his family would like to thank everyone for their supportive messages and kindness on the sudden death of his wife

Maureen.

Village Fete

Wow!! What a day. A huge thank you to everyone that took part or helped or just came along, had a good time and spent ‘loadsa money’!

As always the village green looked magnificent in a riot of colour. Thanks to the bunting crew, (Peter & Michael Hudson—a great job). And the stallholders with their fantastic array of colour and costumes.

Congratulations to the village school for the Best Dressed Stall, a very worthy winner and a fitting farewell to Mrs Box, the headteacher who is moving on to pastures new. Thank you for bringing the school back to the fete.

Well done to John & Barbara Squirrel for once again winning the ’Best Dressed House’; it did look great. Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to decorate their houses on the procession and around the Green. It makes all the difference. If you did not participate this year start thinking for next year, there is quite a bit of time.

Thank you to everyone who made time, effort and took part in the Fancy Dress, Poster and cake competitions. We are so grateful. Unfortunately the winners list seems to have got mislaid. If you were a winner let me know and I will mention you in the next newsletter.

It was wonderful standing in the sunshine, drink in hand watching all the truly outstanding entertainment, and the smell of the hog roast wafting across the Green from the pub to mingle with that from the barbeque. (Vernon and staff you’re super stars). That’s what it’s all about!!

I can’t possibly finish without mentioning some of the most important people. The Pratts Bottom May Queen and entourage. I hope Bethany and all the girls enjoyed themselves, they looked stunning. A big thank you must got to Lance Johnson for driving Bethany in his very beautiful vehicle. Bethany looked like a 50’s movie star perched on the back of the car. Well done to everyone and thank you for making the FETE GREAT. We can’t do without you.

Gill Dimbleby Vice Chairperson of the Fete Committee

May Queen Dresses

On Sunday 6th February 2011 @2.30pm there will be a meeting at the Village Hall for any young lady who wishes to be in the Pratts Bottom May Queen Procession at the Village Fete on Saturday 14th May 2011.

THE 6TH FEBRUARY IS THE CLOSING DATE. Applications after that date are highly unlikely to be included (unless there is a dressmaker in the family) all the patterns and material should have been allocated. I cannot stress enough, as I have in the past, how important it is to attend this meeting.

I am hoping to have our current dressmaker at the meeting along with patterns and samples. Any other dressmakers willing to help can contact me, as the more the merrier and helps to spread the load.

(Sorry if it sounds pushy but it is really important)

Thank you

Gill Dimbleby 01689 852514

Friends of Pratts Bottom Common (FoPBC)

Have you always wanted to have a go with those fascinating gadgets that pick up litter? Now’s your chance to try one. The Friends of Pratts Bottom Common meet on the 1st Saturday of the month at the Bulls Head Car Park at 10am. They then go around picking up litter around the village and making the village look tidy.

Contact Mel Turtell on 01689 869085 mturtell@yahoo.co.uk for more information.

ICE In Case of Emergency

The idea was thought up by a paramedic who found when he went to scenes of accidents there were mobile phones but he didn’t know which number he should call. He thought it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognised name for this purpose. In an emergency one would contact the number stored under ICE. For more than one contact simply enter ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc. Why not do this on your mobile?