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Hawkesbury Upton enters next round of Village of the Year Competition
submitted by Louise Roberts
Entry form details
Please complete the below details and email with your COMPLETED entry to
info@calorvillageoftheyear.org
in good time to meet the competition closing date of 30 November 2007.
Entries received after this date may not be considered.
Name of your village :Hawkesbury Upton
Your Village website address: www.village-
Central village postcode:
Village contact name: Louise Roberts
Population of village (total pop): 1,205 (last census 2001)
County competition entered : Avonside Calor Village of the Year
PART A
CATEGORY 1 -
The following facilities are available in the village:-
Hawkesbury Pre-
There is also a Toddler session for all children from birth up to school age and their carers, every Tuesday morning.
Hawkesbury Village Hall
The main meeting point for the village, run by a Committee of volunteers. The Hall is used extensively by many local organisations and private hirers. It consists of the Main Hall with Bar & Stage, Kitchen, Servery, Toilets, Changing Rooms and Showers. The Upstairs Meeting Room has an office with Broadband and Wireless Internet Connectivity.
The following Groups use the Hall regularly:-
Karate Badminton Club
Local History Group Evergreens
Pre-
Hawkesbury Theatre Group Art Classes
Hawkesbury Football Club Youth Club
H.U.R.G. (Recycling Group) W.I.
Hawkesbury School of Dance (ballet, modern & tap) Razzle
The “Rec” (recreation field) adjacent to the Hall was left to the village in the 1900s for use by all people in the Parish. It features a children’s play area, basketball court and football pitch and is the site of a community composting area.
The Hawkesbury Horticultural Show (now in its 122 year) is held here each August. The Show features many of the characteristics of a traditional rural show such as a carnival procession, live music, fairground rides and a large produce and crafts marquee. This year the Show attracted over 4,000 people, breaking past attendance records.
Hawkesbury Cricket Club
Has a Pavilion at the rear of the School which is used by many villagers. There is Adult, Ladies, Junior and Girls Cricket. Many fundraising events take place here, not only to benefit the Cricket Club, but the rest of the village – for example a “Family Rounders Tournament” took place this year.
Hawkesbury Tennis Club
Has tennis courts at the rear of the Beaufort Arms Pub, and is open to both members and non members. There is coaching available for 11-
Hawkesbury Primary School
Is a Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School and at present has 90 children attending. The school is an integral part of the village and has been involved with hedge planting for Dormice, the Cotswold Way upgrading to the National trail, the Village Vision Project (Plan), recycling with H.U.R.G. as well as visiting the Residential Home and attending the Remembrance Service. At Christmas the front of the school is lit up, in conjunction with the Village Hall in memory of a little boy from the school who died. The School has the strong support of the PTA who hold regular fundraising events such as Shopping Evenings, Annual Pledge Auction, to name but two. The School has an outdoor pool which is open in the summer and school holidays and can be used by any children (accompanied) of primary school age. An After School Club is run from the school and is open from 2.30pm-
St Mary’s Church
Beautiful Saxon Church, down the hill in Hawkesbury. “The Works” is a youth group run by the church and made up of volunteers who pass on their skills to children. This is held monthly in the School. The Church has its own Choir who not only sing in church but take part in other village events. This year saw a celebration of St Wulfstan, featuring a talk by an acclaimed author, Derek Robinson on the Abolition of Slavery and Bristol’s links as well as that of St Wulfstan himself. The yew clippings are regularly collected for Cancer Research. The Church’s main fundraising is done by Friends of St Mary’s.
The Methodist Hall
Not only a place of worship, but the school house is rented out to the public and community. Regular Hall users include:
Rainbows, Brownies and Guides all meet weekly (over 40 girls total)
Youth Drama Workshop
Regular Police Surgery with our Community Officer
Lent & Advent Soup Lunchtime
Yoga
Pilates
Line Dancing
Bethesda Chapel
Again, not only a place of worship but is also no where there are two doctor’s surgeries held once a week (from local surgeries in Wotton under Edge).
Lord Robert Somerset Memorial
Perched on top of the escarpment – at the highest point for miles around-
War Memorial
This was erected and unveiled in the 1920s as a memorial to all those men who lost their lives. It is situated on The Plain. The Remembrance Parade and Service which takes place is attended by the majority of the village and representatives of the Buffs, Parish Council, School, WI, Church, Girl Guiding and Youth Club. It is a very moving service, especially to hear the names of those who died in both Wars read out and it is a time where the village gets together to reflect.
Another event which takes place here is the “Christmas Tree Light” switch on. A tree is donated and stands on the Plain. It is decorated by the Parish Council with lights and by decorations made by the school children. This year the lights will be switched on and carols sung. Mulled wine is provided outside each pub, along with mince pies donated by the community. People then head up the High Street to see the Village Hall and School Lights illuminated. It is a real sense of community and there is normally a family disco in the Hall afterwards, organised by the Pre-
Post Office
Beaufort Arms & Fox Pubs
Again, although businesses, they are an integral part of village life which is why they are mentioned here too.
Village Shop
Not only a business but a key player as to why the village is such a strong community. You only need to visit villages that have lost these to see the difference.
Young people are encouraged to be involved in decision making and to be a part of their community. The Parish Plan gave everybody a chance to have their say and from this Action Plans are being formed to address their needs. The Youth Club is encouraged to vote in the Youth Parliament which takes place annually to elect a voice that speaks for them on issues which affect them and the wider world. There is a “Youth Bus” which comes to the village a couple of times a year and holds drug awareness workshops, sex education etc. The school children also worked very closely on the Hawkesbury Vision Project, now the Village Plan.
Senior Citizens have a whole range of facilities open to them, as mentioned before. There is Evergreens, a monthly social club. It takes coach trips out, has talks delivered on a variety of subjects, raffles and refreshments. All pensioners are given £10 at Christmas, which is raised through the Senior Citizen Fund (notably, Garden Party organised by the ex-
There is a Hawkesbury Volunteer Transport Group now in place (following on from the Village Plan recommendations) which will take villagers to doctor/dentist/ hospital appointments who would otherwise be unable to get there easily.
Although the Old Peoples bungalows don’t have a warden, people look out for and respect and care for our elderly residents. There are people who go out of their way to regularly deliver papers, medication etc to these people and check on their wellbeing and needs.
The Parish Council meets monthly and the first part of this meeting is an open session for any public participation which gives everyone the right to use it. The village website, which is fairly new, also has a village discussion forum. The Parish notice board and reports in the Parish Magazine keeps people informed of what is going on, allowing them to respond.
Our village is fortunate not to suffer Anti Social Behaviour and that strong sense of community plays a strong role in this. Any low level crime which could occur would be dealt with; most people know each other’s children. If this didn’t work it would be raised at Parish Council and we are lucky that we are well supported by our community Police Officer. There is also a well established Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in place.
CATEGORY 2 -
The Post Office not only offers its usual services, which other villages which have lost their own Post Office use, but has an amazing array, for its size, of items for sale – ranging from greetings cards and handbags through to cakes and dishcloths! If there is something somebody needs, the Postmaster will do his best to help. Going to the Post Office is almost always a social occasion where people will often bump into friends and where the atmosphere is always welcoming. There’s always time for a chat and if a queue forms, people normally just start chatting amongst themselves!
The Village Shop, although a business, works with the village in mind. As well as a comprehensive selection of everyday shopping requirements, meats, dairy produce, cakes and meringues from local suppliers are also available. There’s a cheese counter, freshly sliced ham, freshly baked bread and croissants daily and a regular delivery from a renowned local bakery 3 times a week. Pies and Pasties waft their delicious smell and are often snaffled away before they’ve had a chance to cool! If any organisations are doing fundraisers, the shop always helps out with the food. Local people are employed there.
The two pubs in the village not only offer delicious home cooked food in a cosy, friendly atmosphere but, for the first time ever, both of them have been featured in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide – a rare achievement. Both pubs have skittle alleys which are not only used regularly for Summer and Winter Skittle Leagues but also for private functions, community events and committee meetings.
The Beaufort Arms holds many fundraising events, some annual and much loved such as the Hawkesbury Golf Open Tournament and the Harvest Home Auction. The pub is involved with the Long John Silver Trust and PROPS (a special needs charity). This year ‘Beaufort Based Do’s’ have raised £16,000 for charity. The pub also has a cribbage league and a winter quiz league.
The Fox offers clean and comfortable ensuite accommodation and has a large beer garden which is always popular in the summer with families. There are regular ‘speciality food’ evenings such as Mexican and Curry Nights and also live music.
Both pubs support the annual ‘Christmas Tree Light Switch On’ and Hawkesbury Show as well as many other village events.
As well as many mobile hairdressers, which again visit those who are unable to get out and about, there is a Hairdressers situated on the High Street. This is a friendly, bustling place and the Hairdresser also supports local life with fundraising.
There is a Residential Home in the village, where there are elderly residents from the village who are cared for and visited regularly by friends and relatives. The children from the school also visit at Christmas to sing carols and the more able residents are invited to school plays.
As well as the above there are the following services in the village:-
Car Mechanic, Stoneworkers, Odd Job Man, Driving School, Plumbing Engineers, Builders, Gardeners, Photocopier/Printer Repairer, Cleaners, Painters and Decorators, Bed & Breakfast, Self Catering Accommodation, Holiday Cottages, Log Delivery, Drain Clearance, Engineering – mower repair/service, Wrought Iron Work, Game keeping, Renovation and Refurbishment, Childminding, Car Valeting, Building Design, Groundworks. Approximately 100 people are employed in or by these businesses. The pubs employ cooks, bar and waiting staff, washers up – all local. When skittles matches are on, ‘sticker uppers’ are required, usually young people from the village.
Other enterprising work undertaken by younger people are dog walking, pet sitting, babysitting and when the shoots are on, beating.
Farming is still a part of village life. We are surrounded by agricultural, a mix of arable and pastoral, farmland, mixed with areas of woodland. Some farms are diversifying and run farm shops, offer dry stone walling, sell their meat direct and take part in farmers’ markets.
The Beaufort Bureau is a local community co-
Each and every one of these businesses has supported and continues to support their community n so many different ways, from fundraising to donations and most recently sponsoring a shopping bag by the Playgroup!
More than one hundred parishioners run a business or work from home, demonstrating the level of local enterprise that exists in the village. Hawkesbury Writers put together and printed ‘Monument to Hawkesbury’, a popular collection of Hawkesbury tales. It is still being sold and profits fund many projects in Hawkesbury. Most recently it helped fund a week long drama workshop held in the school holidays for young people, culminating in a public performance by the young people themselves. These workshops have also been supported by Hawkesbury Youth Drama.
CATEGORY 3 -
Hawkesbury historically has a good history of recycling and it is because of this commitment that we were one of the first in South Gloucestershire to have a bottle/can bank. We have kerbside collection for papers, cans, bottles, car batteries, materials and shoes. From the Village Plan report and from increased public pressure we now have a plastic recycling bank next to the Village Hall.
Hawkesbury Upton Recycling Group look after the Community Compost Site at the rear of the Village Hall, along with Resources Futures, with support from South Gloucestershire Council. It enables people to take along compostable green waste for free. It is then turned into good quality compost, wood chip or firewood. You can then buy back these products at your local site (and Post Office) – compost is just £1.50 a bag.
There are allotments which villagers rent from the Parish Council, giving people a chance to ‘grow their own’.
Hawkesbury is a rural parish largely within a nationally designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and in 1999 most of Hawkesbury Upton and all of the hamlet of Hawkesbury was designated as a conservation area. For the most part, the houses and buildings are constructed from traditional materials with a high proportion of natural stone which parishioners feel enhances the look and ‘feel’ of the rural environment.
The open countryside surrounding Hawkesbury Upton is a mix of arable and pastoral farmland, mixed with areas of woodland – most notable the ancient coppiced woodland of the 700 acre Lower Woods, adjacent to Hawkesbury Common. This nature reserve is owned by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and locally managed.
Farm Pool, an ancient drover’s pool is a wildlife haven but is in need of a ‘tidy up’. There is debate as to the best way to approach this, so we are awaiting a report back from Avon Valley Wildlife Trust.
With the insight of the Village Plan people feel strongly that they would like to establish an action group to address areas of concern, such as dry stone walling repair and other such issues that affect our environment. The Pound, which is on the Plain, is maintained by the Parish Council, as is the Recreational Field.
There is an annual Village Tidy Day which villagers take part in and recently the Cemetery at St Mary’s Church had a ‘tidy day’. As well as adults, the local Guides took part.
Parish households already concentrate on energy saving measures such as low wattage bulbs and other simple measures to reduce energy consumption.
The Parish Council supports, with a grant, ‘dial-
A sustainable action group has just been set up to ‘share their vision for a low energy community’. Their long term aim is to reduce impact on the environment of energy use in Hawkesbury Upton on two levels:-
1) to help people save energy;
2) to develop a major sustainable resource project.
CATEGORY 4 -
The main source of information is the Parish Magazine, which is edited, produced and distributed by a team of volunteers. The Magazine is also available to buy in the Shop and Post Office and to read in both pubs.
There are noticeboards on the High Street for Parish Council News and in the Shop, as well as the Shop window (there is now so much going on that the noticeboard is overflowing!). The Post Office, The Village Hall and The School also have noticeboards. Both the Post Office and Shop are so friendly and generally chat to customers, as are both pubs.
The Village is at present researching Welcome Packs; as the Village grows and people move around more it could be an important way of making newcomers feel a part of the community, not missing anyone out.
Broadband was brought to the village after a strong campaign led by villagers and supported by the local MP. IT Connection, together with a PC, is there to offer adults Careers/Employment advice and to provide a centre for such advice. This is a development between the Beaufort Bureau and The Village Hall. How this is delivered is yet to be finalised, and further work will be done as an outcome of the Village Plan.
There is a library bus which comes to the Village once a fortnight, providing not only books, DVDs, videos and jigsaws, but also computer access. This stops on the Plain and in the Village Hall Car Park.
People in need of care, help and support are helped either by individuals or the community. Both the Postmaster and one lady in particular for example have taken it upon themselves to look out for the elderly residents in the bungalows.
Again, neighbours are the main support that vulnerable people get. If they need help and the neighbour can’t assist they will call on the community or Parish Council, depending on the matter and get the right person in touch.
The Village Plan has identified that some people feel isolated and feel this should be looked into to develop plans to tackle this problem.
The Parish Council holds monthly meetings in the Village Hall. There is an open session of public participation at the beginning of each meeting. A list of Parish Councillors is listed, along with contact details, in the Parish Magazine. The Council communicates back to the village via the Parish Magazine, by way of a monthly report as well as face to face.
There is a Parish Noticeboard, again which is used to pass on relevant information. There is an Annual Meeting to which the community is invited. Parishioners mainly take up issues by speaking to an individual Councillor, or attending the meeting during public participation time.
Research from the Village Plan shows that Parishioners are broadly happy with the way they find out about events and things happening in the Parish. Mainly through the Magazine, word of mouth and posters. Development of the Parish Website will benefit many and enable local events, news, clubs and attractions to be passed on in a new way.
At the moment the Village Hall Website has links to the Tennis Club, The Cricket Club and Beaufort Arms, with other groups to join shortly. The address is www.village-
PART B
When writing this application it was difficult sometimes to separate business from community and facilities. It is such a close community that it all seems to be interlinked.
I think the one thing that stands out and makes our village so special is the enthusiasm and passion people have for it. People work so hard to put on many events, to raise money for so many worthwhile causes, both in the village itself and the bigger world outside, because they care.
People really care and work hard to welcome new people to include and involve them – whether its inviting them round for a meal, or a pint at the pub or letting them know what’s going on and where to find things that are relevant to them.
If anyone needs support, whether it be financial or personal, help is always on hand – be it a shoulder to lean on or an impromptu fundraiser or a collection in the pub.
The Village is growing and changing but the heart still remains strong, and the shared values remain. People want to live in a village that cares, where people look out for each other, where people feel safe.
This is proven when events happen unexpectedly and people need help. A whole system of support leaps into place, without any one organiser, but by a united feeling of wanting to help their community. And it works because there is a shop, a post office, pubs – where people meet and get together.
Then there are the times when the community gets together for social events, Hawkesbury Show, Switching on the Lights, or when it has snowed and no one can get to work or school. Everybody heads down the Coombes with their sledges or plastic sacks. People phone around to check that everyone has got enough of everything. If ever there’s a power cut people check on neighbours, knock on doors, to share candles, heat, food.
Its times like these that the importance of community comes to life and you end up feeling very glad that you live in this Village.
By entering this competition the Village has already pulled even closer together; people are excited and want to improve on anything that needs a bit of extra work.
A positive which has emerged, is that a Celebratory Photo showing the Village celebrating their winning the district and regional award has got people wanting a copy of the photo; so they’re being sold with all proceeds going to the Senior Citizens Fund – over £40 to date! Already the Armstrong Cup has visited a Glitter Ball, Pre-
As the village grows it is being challenged to find new ways to keep that ‘heart’. The Village Plan has given everyone a chance to have their voice heard and from it new and exciting projects have arisen to address those needs; getting people to work together not just for their benefit, but for their neighbours, their children and their community.