To contact the Council Please write, telephone, fax or e-mail the acting Parish Clerk (Carol Baker): Telephone/Fax: 01227 831085 E-mail: clerk@bridgevillage.org.uk Bridge Parish Councillors Selwyn Lewis Chairman, KAPC 01227 830186 linsel@tesco.net John Hill Vice Chairman, Planning, Parish Plan 01227 830215 john.e.hill@virgin.net Colin Beesty Recreation Ground, KAPC 07989 495202 cbeesty@hotmail.com Barbara Beinder Planning, Village Hall 01227 830514 John Corfield Recreation Ground 01227 830976 john@blackvanilla.org.uk Pam Dobson Village Hall, Rural Youth Bus, Allotments, Parish Plan, Mill Centre 01227 832369 pam_dobson@hotmail.com Ann Edmonds Planning, Parish Forum 01227 830795 Mark Esdale Police Forum 01227 832740 mark.esdale@bridgevillage.org.uk Mervyn Gulvin Recreation Ground, Sports Trust, Mill Centre 01227 830881 mervyn@gulvin92.freeserve.co.uk Bridge Village web site Visit our web site www.bridgevillage.org.uk for Minutes of Council meetings and other in-formation. BRIDGE Newsletter Parish Council Summer 2004 Caring for the village Parish Plan Parish Plan progress report This is a government sponsored initiative affect-ing rural communities. It really is a great opportu-nity for us, as people of Bridge, to contribute to our community. Through questionnaires and open days at the village hall we hope to be able to demonstrate to regional and City Council what it is that the people of Bridge really care about. The success of our recent camera survey with over 20 community groups taking part was thrill-ing and encouraging. It is interesting to note that Bridge is a village of 1800 people of whom 80% belong to one or more community groups based within the village. Bridge is no ‘dormitory’ village; it is vibrant and articulate with a strong democ-ratic voice. So please join us and complete the questionnaire, which will be sent to every house in Bridge. It really affects the choices and facili-ties that are being planned for the future of our village. The committee is made up of the following peo-ple: Chris Coshall, Pam Dobson, Joan Hill, John Hill, Ian Macneill (Secretary), Bill Oakey (Chairman), Ailsa William Powell, David Powell and Amanda Sparks, from the City Council. Ian Macneill BRIDGE Parish Council Newsletter Summer 2004 Caring for the village Welcome to all our readers New Chairman elected Congratulations to Selwyn Lewis who was elected Chairman of Bridge Parish Council at the meeting on 1st May. John Hill was elected as Vice-Chairman and all the councillors look forward to an exciting and productive year. Congratulations also to our Clerk, Tina Burchell, who is expecting a baby in August. So, for the next year, while Tina is on maternity leave, we welcome Carol Baker who will be our clerk. Carol can be contacted on the usual Clerk’s number (831085) or by e-mail (clerk@bridgevillage.org.uk). A reminder that there is no Council meeting in August but we look forward to seeing you in September. The Planning Committee meets at 7.15 pm and the full Council at 7.30 pm. Next Parish Council meeting 7.30 pm Thursday 9th September 2004 In the Village Hall All welcome Youth News Rural Streetrunner Can you help out at the new Streetrun-ner sessions? Streetrunner youth sessions for 10 - 18 year-olds began at the Mill Centre in early March. We are now running successfully on the first and third Tuesday of each month, from 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm. The sessions are run by two qualified youth workers but require two volunteers to work alongside them. One of our volunteers, Gemma Wood, has been so successful that she is now working at Canterbury City Council as part of their Children and Youth team (well done Gemma!). We now need extra volunteers to make the sessions work and keep the pro-ject going. Could you give up 90 minutes of your time once a month, or every other month, to keep a youth group in Bridge? If you can help, or want more details, please contact Helen Daley (832527) or Pam Dobson (832369). Illegal Parking Parking on Zig-Zags People are still parking on the pedestrian crossing by the Post Office. Such behaviour is putting lives at risk and is a criminal offence. There are no excuses for parking there - Not “I’ll only be a minute”, not “I just need to pick up a prescription”, not even “I’ve got a disabled badge” Laurie’s Way Laurie’s Way named We were delighted to learn that, in honour of Laurie Shirley, who went to that great jazz club in the sky early last year, the footpath that runs between Union Road and Filmer Road has been named “Laurie’s Way”. It was one of the routes he often used, walking or cycling from his home by the ford on Mill Lane, to the Post Office. Except when away on County Council business or working on one of his building projects (invariably in a battered straw hat, threadbare shirt and ancient grey trousers). He made this journey between home and Post Office four times a day over several decades, popping home between one and two o’clock for lunch followed by a short nap. One of the walls of the Old Close borders Lau-rie’s Way, who’s conversion from old people’s home to individual households Laurence warmly supported. Perhaps we can think of Laurie’s Way in a more spiritual sense, symbolic of the way he did things at the Post Office, where he would often take the opportunity to discuss matters of the day with his customers from behind the counter usually with a joke, a teasing word and a smile. Similarly, this was the manner in which he ap-proached his voluntary activities which he con-tinued almost to the last. The Shirley family