LAWSHALL PARISH COUNCIL
Hello!
We live in Lawshall and are setting up a “CORONAVIRUS LAWSHALL HELP GROUP”. to ensure that no
one is left totally alone during the Government’s order for self-isolation. In short, we do not want you feeling
isolated and alone.
We are here for you and want to help. This Group will NEVER ask you for:
1. Money. We will only ask you for money once we have purchased any items you have asked for AND have a
receipt for your shopping . If we do not have a receipt then you do not have to pass money over.
2. Bank account details.
3. Personal Information. unless you volunteer it.
4. Passwords.
We would like to be there for you during your isolation. We can:
1. Ring you, just to have a chat and find out how you are, what you have been doing and if you need anything,
2. Help with any pets if you do feel unwell, or if they do – during your isolation – by taking them to the vets of
your choice.
3. Go to the shops for you and pick up anything you need, (so long as it is available in the shops!)
4. Post letters for you or pick up mail for you from the sorting office, if necessary.
5. Contact your loved ones if you feel unable to – or be there for them, if they live away from the area and
cannot get in to see and be with you.
6. Help you ensure you have supplies of your correct medication. We could either pick it up for you, or ensure
that the pharmacy knows that you would like it delivered.
7. Pass your details on to a village resident, who lives near to you and would really like to stand by you.
8. Help a friend in Lawshall whom you think may be self isolating, if you give us their details.
Please can you contact us, through Laura or Lawrence at The Swan Public House on 01284 828477 or 07548 315134
IDEALLY – please complete the attached form in and drop it into the Pub OR pop it into an envelope and post it to:
Mrs Laura Williams, The Swan Public House, The Street, Lawshall, Bury St Edmunds, IP29 4QA.
Please do not worry if you cannot – the important thing is that YOU ARE NOT ALONE OR ISOLATED.
Any personal details you give is will be kept securely and will only be used to provide the support
you have asked for and will not be shared with anyone else.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————
My name is: ………………………………………………..…………… Age: …………………….
**I live alone/with someone**. **I do/do not** have an animal who may need help (dog/horse/cat/other)
**I would/would not** like someone to keep in touch with me during my isolation
**I would/would not** be able to be there for someone who is self-isolating.
My address is: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
My Telephone number is………………………………………………………………
** please delete as appropriate
________________________________________________________________________________________________
December 2019
Santa came by donkey led sleigh (cart) to our Christmas tree lighting and give presents to all the children there. Thank you to Annette for bringing the donkey and to Santa for gracing our village.
The lights look magnificent this year stretching along the hall and into the trees—thank you to those who set up the Christmas tree which was kindly donated to us.
Thank you also to the small band of volunteers who cleared around the edge of the car park on 30th November, moving weeds, leaves and accumulated “soil” as well as moss to make the grounds safer to walk around. And thanks to Alison for making tea.
Julian has been working hard to get us connected to Wifi. The first challenge was for the village hall to have a postcode that Openreach could recognise. It’s surprising how long this can take. Thank you for your persistence. Hopefully we will be connected up very soon.
You don’t have to wait for our next meeting on March 2nd to get involved or start something happening in the hall. Waht would you like to make happen?
A Happy New year to You all. Jenna, for VHMC
Saturday 7th December 2019 6 p.m. @ Lawshall Village Hall
Christmas Carols by the tree.
Followed by Preston Pop Up Choir
Look out for Santa & the donkey!
Hot Mince Pies, Sausage Rolls, Soup &
Warm drinks available from Lawshall Ladies Pop up Café!
August-September 2019
Our next Village Hall management Committee meeting is at 7pm on Monday 2nd September. anyone can come along, so if you value the village hall or have ideas for events you would li9ke to see happen or want to get involved do come along. Hope to see you there.
January-February 2019
Hello fellow residents of Lawshall. I hope you have all recovered from the excesses of Christmas and the New Year celebrations. I am sure the gyms and diet clubs have all got massive increases in subscribers. At least for the short term.
We are busy planning the year ahead for the village hall. I hope to have the planters looking resplendent again and the hanging baskets full of colour to brighten up the hall. I have planted about 200 daffodil bulbs around the perimeter of the hall which will hopefully burst into life later on this spring and I will be planting more this autumn. We are trying to make the hall a welcoming venue for you to enjoy and would invite any ideas or suggestions that you have for ways to make the hall better and for events or clubs that you would like to see there. We currently have a number of clubs at the hall, including the very successful Tuesday Club and the Lawshall Garden Club. Why not pop along to one of our clubs to see for yourself. The Garden club will be meeting on with a talk on pruning for any budding or even seasoned gardeners among you. Wednesday 30th January at 7pm
We are hoping to plan a number of events this year for your entertainment but it would be so much easier if you told us what would attract you to attend such events. We also still need help on the committee to run the hall and to plan events. I would like to start a coffee club and run charity events such as MacMillan coffee mornings or other similar fund raisers. Have you ever planned such things and would you be willing to help us?
Please get in touch if you are willing to help out because we really do need you. The village hall is an asset that we need to protect.
All the best.
David Henderson.
Chairman Village Hall Committee. 07783 076332
December 20th 2018 Chairman’s Report
I would like to end 2018 and welcome in 2019 by offering a big thank you to all those who made the effort to attend the concert and the quiz at the village hall. The concert was wonderful with the Preston St Mary pop up choir and the amazing voice of Gina Silburn entertaining us all. The quiz was excellently put together and delivered by Sara and John Warboys and raised around £100 for the hall. However, it is sad that so many in this village failed to support these events that were designed to help keep the village hall open and to offer entertainment to the residents of Lawshall.
I was told a story by one of our committee who was speaking to a neighbour about the concert. The neighbour said they didn’t even know it was happening. When advised that it had been advertised in the village magazine and on posters around the village and that pamphlets had been put through every door, the neighbour simply replied “I don’t read those”. Sadly, I feel that our village is becoming a dormitory village where residents are happy just to lock themselves away in their homes, oblivious to the needs of the community and the opportunities available to play an active part in village life.
We have already lost our village shop through lack of support. How long before the village hall and the village pub are also lost? So let’s look at the New Year and make a conscious effort to support the village we live in and help it to thrive by simply attending local events and using the village pub.
Finally, another big thank you to all the committee members at the village hall who have worked tirelessly to keep things running, especially Karen Wilcox who has been a massive support in the running of the Christmas events and to Jenna Kitchen for her hard work in producing the village magazine.
I wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year.
David Henderson
November 28th From the Chairman
Well it is nearly Christmas and there are things to look forward to at your village hall. We have our Christmas concert on Friday 30th November. The evening starts at 6pm with the switching on of the Christmas lights around the tree and a first chance to sing a few carols. The Lawshall WI will be serving a feast of seasonal delights for your consumption to keep you all warm inside. Our concert starts about 7pm with the Preston St Mary Pop Up Choir and they will be followed by the wonderful singing voice of Gina Cristallino who will be entertaining us with her rocking Christmas selection that you can all sing along to. The village hall needs your support so why not come along and enjoy a pleasant evening out with your friends and neighbours.
On Sunday 16th December, we have our Family Christmas Quiz at 3pm. There will be refreshments, a raffle and a prize for the winning team. Teams of 4 to 8 people can take part but if you are alone or just 2 of you, please come along anyway and we will make up teams so that everyone can take part and have some fun. It was a great success last year and we hope you will support us in making it another success this year.
We still need people to assist us to manage the hall and to plane future fund raising events so if you have the time, please get in touch and have a chat with any committee member. We only meet 3 monthly so the demand upon your time is not great.
Finally, the whole committee would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a prosperous and happy new year.
David Henderson
September 30th Chairman’s Report
Your village hall committee is busy arranging some Christmas events for you all to attend and you will find details within this issue. Such events take a lot of organizing and are only worthwhile if you support us by coming along to one or more of the events that we are planning.
We are hoping to put together a group of villagers who are willing to help out with organizing events at the hall including Coffee mornings, Race nights, fairs and other entertainment. We have two volunteers so far but need more people to offer to help so please get in touch with one of us or come along to our next meeting on Monday 3rd December for a chat.
I am sure you will agree that the hall has looked much better this year with the addition of the planters and hanging baskets. This is mainly thanks to the Lawshall Garden club who donated their time and effort free of charge putting these displays together. Our thanks go out to them.
Finally, we are still looking for somebody to take on the role of secretary on our management committee. We only meet every three months so the role is not too demanding. If you think you could spare us a little of your time to take on this role, please get in contact with me or any committee member and we will explain the role in more detail.
Don’t forget that the hall is there to be used by you for any function so help out your village hall by joining in or even holding functions of your own there.
All the best
Dave Henderson. Chairman VHMC
April 3rd 2018
Village Hall Chairman
Hi everybody. I wrote a few months ago that I was to step down as chairman of the village hall management committee. Sadly, nobody came forward to become the new chair so I have agreed to come back and continue the battle to keep the village hall going and indeed, make it better for all of us to use. I am hoping I can rely on the support of more people in Lawshall to support me in this. I have a good team of villagers on the committee but will still need more of you to help us out please.
I have started off by arranging the excellent flower display at the front of the hall which I hope many of you have noticed. The baskets were created by members of the Lawshall garden club and have been kept bright and healthy by a new
watering system kindly installed by Julian Delefortrie. My thanks go to him and the garden club. I am also hoping to create some flower beds on the green next to the hall and possibly create a small garden area with benches too.
We have some events coming up that are in the planning stage which includes a theatre group performing a play on December 1st, Christmas lights switch on and carols round the tree on the same evening and a Christmas quiz on a Sunday afternoon. Date to be confirmed.
There is the possibility of starting a group of fund raisers and event organisers to plan events at the hall. Are there any of you willing to join this group and help out? It would be great if you could. Other events being researched are coffee
mornings, race nights, film nights and a music festival on the green with local
musicians entertaining us.
As a committee, we will do our utmost to make the hall a venue that you would enjoy using so please help us out by joining one of our teams or attending the events that are held across the year.
All the best Dave Henderson
Your Village Hall—what is Your role?
The Village Hall Management Committee met on 20th March for it’s AGM. Although villagers were welcome none attended.
We would like to thank John Payne who did so much to support the hall after the floods of 2015 and has stepped down as treasurer at the end of last year.
Many thanks also to Karen Wilcox who has taken on the important role of treasurer.
David Henderson has made a good job of being our chairman for a couple of years, and is steeping down from that role due to other work commitments but will remain on the committee for now. Very many thanks David for all you have initiated, done and handled with skill and compassion. Sue Henderson who has been our secretary, efficiently taking the minutes, is also stepping down.
Thank you also to Ian Carrington, Julian Delefortrie, Ian Copping as well as David and John, who have formed work parties when needed to clear brambles from the grounds, clear the gutters, make repairs in the hall and sort out the storage container.
Thanks also to John Chappell who runs the village hall lottery for us, ensuring the draw is made randomly each month and keeping track of subscriptions. Thank you also to all our collectors.
Organising events at the hall also takes time and energy—so thanks to John for arranging the play in December.
What do you want your village hall to do for you? What can you do for the Hall? Could you join the committee? Or organise an event? Or help out when practical jobs are needed? Do get in touch.
Jenna, Editor R&A, for Lawshall Village Hall Management Committee
January 31st 2018
HELP US KEEP YOUR VILLAGE HALL OPEN
Hi to all residents of Lawshall. We are now well into the New Year and your village hall desperately needs some people to volunteer to help run the hall and keep it open. We are really short of committee members and are looking to you to help fill the voids that are opening up over the next month or so.
The hall is a fantastic asset to the village and it would be a disaster if it should have to close because of a shortage of willing people to keep it running. Clubs like the highly successful Tuesday Club and Bowls club would be forced to close and other clubs would also suffer including the mother and toddler group, garden club and the WI. There is also a chance that a new Lawshall and Shimpling Cub pack will be starting at the hall this year so please get in touch if you can help in any way.
Work is already underway to improve the look of the hall from the outside with two new large planters to be set up and planted in early spring and it is hoped that we can make better use of the stage facilities by inviting some drama groups in to put on plays and shows etc. for our delight. We have a new modern projector and screen for use for film nights, race nights, presentations and a variety of other uses. Let us hope that this is not all in vain.
I am stepping down a chair due to work commitments but I hope to continue assisting in any way I can and there is also the need for a new secretary and somebody to manage the advertising for the village magazine.
Please get in contact with me or any committee members if you are able to assist us. (Details in this magazine inside back cover)
Take care
Dave Henderson, Chair, Lawshall Village Hall Management Committee
November 30th 2017 A GOOD YEAR
As we come to the close of another year in Lawshall, we can look back on all the successes we have enjoyed and say thank you to all those who have assisted in making this a good year.
Special thanks go to John Payne who is stepping down from his role on the village hall committee after many years of valuable and loyal service. John played a massive part in saving the hall following the disastrous flood a few years ago and the hall is in a far better position now thanks to his hard work and dedication. We wish John all the best in his new ventures. Thanks come from all at the village hall.
A special thank you also goes to Jon Kydd who put so much effort and energy into planning and organising the villages first summer fair. I saw Jon on a number of occasions throughout the planning stage and on the day and I could see for myself the pressures he faced, but the day was a great success with the All Saints Church, the school and the village hall benefitting greatly from the proceeds. Jon also does a massive amount of fund raising locally as well as organising quizzes and other fun activities as well as chairing the Parish Council. So thank you Jon from all at the village hall and from the village as a whole.
Finally a thank you goes to all those in the village who have supported the hall throughout the year by using its facilities and we hope continue to do so. We desperately need new committee members at the hall so if you can spare a few short hours each month, your help would be greatly appreciated. I can be contacted via the number listed in this magazine.
Have a great Christmas and a
prosperous 2018.
Take Care
David Henderson Chair Village Hall Management Committee
September 30th 2017
Autumn has arrived all of a sudden. One minute we are basking in the warmth of a sunny August bank holiday Monday and the next minute it seems that autumn hits us with a vengeance. Who knows, we might still get an Indian summer!
There is plenty to look forward to at the village hall for the rest of the year. We are investing in a new advanced projector and screen for use in the hall. One of the first users will be the West Suffolk Beekeepers Association who will be running an event for those people who might be interested in keeping bees. This is on the 29th November. More details will follow soon. The equipment can also be used for showing films and for business presentations which could open up new opportunities for hall users.
We have also invested in two new large planters to be placed at the front of the hall. These have been made by one of our village residents and look fantastic. There will be a competition among members of the Lawshall Garden Club to design the planting in one of them while our local branch of the WI will be planting up the second one. I am pleased to say that the WI has offered to sponsor one of the planters as well, so a big thanks you to them from all who work so hard to keep the hall going.
There is a professional production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ (or Scrooge as many of us know it). This is on 1st December at the hall and details of ticket prices etc. will be released soon. (See Page 23) We will also be holding an official turning on of the Christmas tree lights on the same evening with mince pies, hot chocolate and lots of other goodies being available so please keep your eyes open for details which will be advertised soon.
In the meantime, enjoy the lovely Autumn season and I hope to see you all at the village hall very soon. David Henderson
Chair, Village Hall management Committee
March 5th Lawshall Village Hall AGM 2017
Well it’s March already and the first signs of spring are evident. March to May is my favourite time of the year as we see nature come to life. It’s especially nice in this lovely village of ours. This spring also sees the start of a new year for your village hall. A new table tennis club is to start soon at the hall with dates to be shown in your next edition of the RA magazine. Other clubs are going from strength to strength also including the circuit training at 7pm on Thursdays and the very popular Tuesday club. Details of all our clubs and ventures can be found on the village hall website and in the magazine.
On Monday 20th March, we will be holding our AGM at the hall at 7.30pm. We are in need of new committee members and would love to see some new faces at our meetings. We need you to be a part of some exciting new projects that will be starting this year and we especially need to set up a small group of people to get together to arrange the new summer fair and some very exciting new Christmas events that are planned for this year.
We are now working closely with the Parish Council in bringing some great new events to the village for your enjoyment so please come along and be part of our team. If you wish to learn more about what is needed, please feel free to give me a call or have a chat with any of the committee members. (Contact details can be found in this magazine).
Enjoy the coming early spring and I look forward to seeing some of you at our AGM. David Henderson
Chair, Village Hall Management Committee
January 3rd 2017
As we move steadily into 2017, it’s time to start looking forward to what the New Year will bring us. None of us can know what is in store but at the village hall, we can guarantee a variety of opportunities for you to come along and enjoy yourselves. We have our usual clubs like the Tuesday club, mother and toddler group, WI meetings and the increasingly popular Thursday night circuit training, among others. 2017 will bring new clubs as well, including the Gardening club which will have its first meeting in March. (Date to be confirmed). There will be a surprise next Christmas that simply cannot be missed and we will also be looking at the possibility of starting a bingo night. Any volunteers to help run this would be greatly appreciated.
Keep reading your RA magazine to see what’s happening or call any one of us for further details. The WI is looking to plan an open gardens event for the village which the gardening club will be supporting. The parish Council will also be hoping to organise a village fair this year with our help but we still need volunteers to assist.
Let’s get this village moving with lots of events and, more importantly, let’s see you joining in and supporting your village. Have a great 2017
David Henderson – Chairman, Village Hall Management Committee
September 1st 2016
Hi to all Lawshall residents. I hope you have been enjoying the lovely warm days we have had during August. As I write this, some rain has been forecast for later today which is much needed in our gardens. There’s just no pleasing us is there!
Some of you will have noticed that the last edition of RA was late being delivered. We apologise for this but it was caused by matters beyond our control. Since then, I have still not received much response to our desperate plea for volunteers to help out the committee that runs the village hall. Please, if you can spare a very little amount of time, come along and get involved in keeping the village hall alive. We really do need you.
On a brighter front, there will soon be circuit training and fitness classes starting at the hall including boot camp style training with an experienced and fully qualified trainer. Look out for dates and times to be advertised across the village. I know he is targeting all ages and abilities so give it a try. I certainly will.
Finally, I hope you all enjoy the rest of the summer and the weather stays good. Take care.
David Henderson. Chair Village Hall Management Committee
August 7th
Well it’s July and the weather hasn’t yet justified its summer tag. Cloudy and showery with strong breezes are not what we want but there’s still plenty of time for things to clear up so that we can spend some well-earned time in the sunshine in our own gardens. July sees a bit of a lull in the flowering of our plants following the wonderful spring and early summer showing of flowers such as Aquilegia, Peony, and early clematis, but the delights of Phlox, Echinacea, Rudbeckia and Dahlias will soon be filling our lives with an abundance of colour. So there’s plenty to look forward to.
Sadly, that is not currently the case with your village hall. You will see from another article in this issue that the hall is desperately in need of committee members covering various roles. The current committee are working extremely hard to keep the hall going but there is only so much we can do with so few of us, so please, please, please come forward and help us to keep this village asset going.
The sad fact is that if we don’t get some more volunteers very soon, the hall will have to close down which would be a great and very sad loss. We need you so please get in contact with any of us via the numbers on the inside cover of this issue or call round and see us at any time. Please enjoy the rest of your summer in this beautiful village of ours.
David Henderson. (Chairman Village Hall Management Committee)