First of all may I apologise for the time elapsed since my last blog. I’ve had a very busy time of late which has delayed this blog.

I had intended to follow up the last blog about PACT with an item about theon line live PACT, however I’ve had the good fortune to be involved in a couple community based events recently which highlighted the huge amount of community spirit in the Wednesfield area.

Firstly there was the Help For Heroes fun day on Moathouse Lane East, organised by Simon Hamilton, a local man, who also happens to work for the Local Neighbourhood Partnerships Office.

Secondly there was the Remembrance Day Parade in Wednesfield organised by the local Royal British Legion.

Thirdly there was the Christmas Light switch on in Wednesfield High Street and the service at Saint Thomas’ Church organised by the Church, Local Schools and Wednesfield Traders amongst others.

Without the dedication and determination of a lot of people, willing to put in a lot of  time and effort none of these events would have happened. All the events were well attended by local residents and by visitors to the area. The Help For Heroes event raised over £1200. The Church at St Thomas’ was packed out for both the Remembrance Service and the Christmas service. Kids and teachers from local Primary Schools sang their hearts out with songs learned especially for the Christmas Service. (To say they put us adults to shame with their talent and enthusiasm is an understatement!).

So why do they do it?

In simple terms it’s because they want to and because they care!

My Gran used to tell me that there’s no Community Spirit any more! It’s not like it was in the 40’s and 50’s! Times were hard! There was rampant unemployment! But people looked after each other!

Well the events I’ve described show that Community Spirit does still exist and is thriving in Wednesfield.

This spirit made me think if I do enough. Like others I attend charity events, I attend my local PACT, the one where I live not just where I work. I give to charity. My personal donations go to the NSPCC, probably because I’m a Dad. But do I do enough?

The answer sadly is probably not! So what can I do? What else can we all do?

It’s not all about organising events to raise money or about giving donations to charities. It’s also about taking care of your neighbours, particularly the elderly.Brighten their day with a simple hello or helping them with carrying their shopping up the footpath to their front door. Simple things that make a difference. Has your neighbour left the sat nav on display in the windscreen of their car? Have they gone to bed and left a downstairs window open? Is it late and your music a bit loud? Simple things like letting your neighbour know about the sat nav, the open window or turning the music down all make a difference.

So what am I doing?

Well along with a number of others (currently about 200!) I’m taking part in the Aberdovey Charity Bike Ride. It’s in June 2012 and starts in Wolverhampton and ends in Aberdovey. Approximately 100 miles.

This will be my first attempt, however the event has been running since 1993. That first year there were 30 riders. In 2011 there were over 300! All riders raise sponsor money all of which goes to local charities. This year the nominated charities are:-

•  Ben Gannon Appeal
•  Castle Wheelers (Russells Hall Hospital)
•  Whizz Kidz (Special Wheelchairs)
•  Diabetes UK (Walsall Branch)
•  Black Country Food Bank
•  Newport Cottage Care Home

So why am I doing it? Simple. To try and give something back to the Community. To prove to my Gran that Community Spirit is alive and well and thriving.

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A note from WV11

We at WV11 have had the pleasure of meeting with Sgt Causer at several PACT meetings and other community events and he really is a great man as well as a dedicated police officer with community at the heart of most things he does. So while he hasn’t asked, we would like to urge anyone who can to show their support for him and the rest of the participants in this Charity Ride by donating via the PayPal link on the Aberdovey Bike Ride Website.

Good Luck Simon!

For the last 10 years The Rotary Club of Wednesfield has operated a Christmas Sleigh which has toured various routes in Wednesfield bringing Father Christmas to a street near you and this year is no different. See below for all the times and dates of this annual festive

Thursday 15 December 2011 – from 6.00pm

Commence Wimbourne Road and then visiting, Newbolds Road, Kingsway Road, Newbolds Road, D’Eyncourt Road , Carlton Avenue, Mullett Road, Mill Lane, Poplar Avenue, Willow Avenue, Beechwood Avenue, Poplar Avenue, Mill Lane, Long Mill Avenue, Long Mill North, Long Mill South.

Friday 16 December 2011- from 6.00pm

Commence Yale Drive, Calvert Crescent, Teasel Road, Silverton Drive, Eastern Gardens, Waddens Brook Lane, Ellards Drive, Seaton Close, Smallshire Close. Longmoor Close, Brackenwood Drive, Ferndown Gardens, Broad Lane South, Southfield Road, Orwell Close, Hawthorne Road, Firsdale Road, Rosalind Grove, Silverton Way, Redstone Drive, Egmont Gardens, Holberg Grove, Silverton Way, Lyndale Drive, Hopton Crescent, Raymond Gardens, Westport Crescent.

Saturday 17 December 2011 – from 6.00pm

Commence Coleman Avenue, Perry Hall Road, Lawrence Avenue, Haden Crescent, Perry Hall Road, Stubby Lane, Ratcliffe Road, Carrick Road, Castlebridge Road, Merrick Road, Pool Road, Wyrley Road, Castlebridge Road

Sunday 18 December 2011 – from 2.00pm

Commence Olinthus Avenue, Lichwood Road, Lich Avenue, Olinthus Avenue, Moathouse Lane East, Wright Avenue, Day Avenue, Pritchard Avenue, Davenport Road, Wright Avenue, Hyde Road, Hylstone Crescent, Moat House Lane East finish at junction with Wright Avenue.

Sunday 18 December 2011 – from 4.30pm

Commence Clanfield Avenue, Fitzmaurice Road, Gadsby Avenue, Peacock Avenue, Whiston Avenue, Ecclestone Road, Griffiths Drive, Ashmore Avenue.

 Monday 19 December 2011 – from 6.00pm

Commence Victoria Road, Graisley Lane, Frederick Road, Nordley Road, Woden Avenue, Woden Crescent, School Road, Vicarage Road, Nordley Road, West Avenue, North Avenue, East Avenue, South Avenue, Graisley Lane, Victoria Road, Parkhouse Avenue, Highfield Crescent, The Grove.

 Tuesday 20 December 2011 – from 6.00pm

Commence Fairview Road, Fairview Crescent, Fairview Road, D’Eyncourt Road Sambrook Road, Kingsway Road, Wimbourne Road, Cadman Crescent, Hatton Crescent.

Wednesday 21 December – from 6.00pm

Essington in Buttermere Drive and then visit:- Thirlmere Drive, High Hill, Wolverhampton Road, Hill Street, Hawthorn Road, Brownshore Road, Bognop Road, Swynnerton Drive – including all roads off, return to Bognop Road/Brownshore Road and finish at Larchmere Drive – again including all roads off.

 Thursday 22 December 2011 – from 6.00pm

Commence Whitehouse Avenue, Shardlow Road, Rocester Avenue, Overseal Road, Shardlow Road, Spondon Road, Measham Way, Springhill Road, Wootton Avenue, Duckhouse Road, Wootton Avenue, Ridge Lane,

For more information please contact David Johns, Hon Secretary, Rotary Club of Wednesfield on 01746 763710 or Djohnswheat@aol.com

A note from David

Over the years many local causes have benifitted from these collections, in particular this year we have given Edward the Elder School £2500 to purchase new books to enhance their reading programme.   In the last 8 years 12 young men and women from Coppice Performing Arts College and Heath Park Business & Enterprise College have been sponsored onto Leadership Courses.   Various Departments at New Cross Hospital  have also benefitted.   This year our collection, together with other fund raising efforts during the year, will support a “Rotary Suite” at Compton Hospice, New Cross Hospital and another youngster from Heath Park will go on a Leadership Course.

Remembrance

At this time of year many may wish to make a dedication to a relative who has passed on and the club is delighted that the Wednesfield and Fallings Park LNP have allowed us again this year to use the Xmas Tree outside the Library in Well Lane as a “Tree of Remembrance”.   Dedications may be recorded in books available in the Library and Sainsburys where boxes are also available for charitable donations.   The dedications will be recorded on the club’s website www.wednesfieldrotary.org for the next 12 months

On Friday 30th September, Lloyd Brookes, a regular at St Thomas Church Wednesfield, will be making his first ever tandem Skydive in aid of the St Thomas’ Church and Centre appeal.

So inspired was Lloyd by the Reverend Nick Watson’s call for support for the appeal that he promptly went out and booked his first tandem parachute jump.

Whilst Lloyd prepares for his big day, friends and family at St Thomas Church have been busy gathering sponsors to ensure that his bravery has the maximum impact on the fundraising target.

If you would like to sponsor him, please visit www.justgiving.com/lloydbrookes or contact St Thomas’ Church on 01902 723310.

The St Thomas’ Church and Centre appeal is aiming to raise £56,000 to fund essential works to the church building and to open the old library building as a Church Centre. Talking about Lloyd’s unique contribution towards this goal, the Reverend Nick Watson said:

“We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, commitment and generosity of those like Lloyd who are helping us to both maintain the existing St Thomas’ Church building for future generations whilst also establishing a new church and community building, right in the heart of Wednesfield. The new St Thomas’ Centre will not only house church projects and activities but will also be available for community groups and individuals to hire for either regular events or one-off functions.”

Whether you are a regular church goer, someone who was baptized at St Thomas’, a person whose parents or grandparents were married at the church or a local resident who loves this local landmark, your contribution to the appeal target will be gratefully received.

For more information, to make a donation or to sponsor Lloyd please contact the church on 01902 723310 or wednesfieldteam@gmail.com or visit www.justgiving.com/lloydbrookes.

Macmillan Cancer Support improves the lives of people affected by cancer.

They are a source of support, helping with all the things that people affected by cancer want and need. It’s not only patients who live with cancer, so they also help carers, families and communities  and now you can help support them.

This Saturday (25th September)  St Gregorys Church, Blackhalve Lane are holding a Macmillan coffee morning between 10am – 2pm where you can drop in and enjoy a hot drink and maybe a slice of cake to help raise money for this wonderful charity!

The Church of England churches in Wednesfield are all holding Harvest Festival celebrations over the next couple of weeks.

Everyone is welcome to join in the services and they are looking for food donations as part of the festival to to share with charities around Wednesfield and Wolverhampton – store cupboard foods such as tins would be ideal. The festivals will take place on:

Sunday 25th September

St Alban’s, Ashmore Park - 10.00am Harvest Festival Holy Communion

St Thomas’, Wednesfield High Street - 10.15am Harvest Festival Holy Communion, 4.30pm Children’s Harvest Festival, followed by tea. Families with small children are particularly welcome (please bring food to share!), 6.30pm Evening worship for Harvest

Sunday 2nd October

St Gregory’s, Blackhalve Lane - 10.00am Harvest Festival with a dance and drama on creation, followed by harvest auction and shared lunch

St Chad’s, Stubby Lane - 10.00am Harvest Festival Holy Communion

The Rotary Club of Wednesfield is making an appeal for unwanted bicycles which will be refurbished and sent to Africa.

The bikes need to be in reasonable condition as they will be refurbished by prisoners in one of our prisons and then sent out to Africa for use by children who have a considerable distance to travel to and from school each day.

Anyone who has a bicycle capable of being re-furbished should contact Rotarian Dennis Doughty on 07764 466271 to arrange a drop-off at a storage area in Wednesfield. The club also asks that donors make a donation of £10 per bike to cover transportation costs to Africa.

The appeal is being made in conjunction with the charity “Bikes For Africa” and those wanting more information can obtain it from the website: www.bikesforafrica.org

Wednesfield Residents who are customers at Sainburys Bentley Bridge may have been asked to buy raffle tickets in store for a Trolley Dash by Wednesfield Rotary Club recently.

The club is pleased to announce that the total raised by this venture was £1923.00 which included tickets sold privately by members. The winner was a Wednesfield resident who purchased the ticket in store but does not wish to be identified. The winner and their partner collected their prize when the did the run before the Sainsburys store opened last Sunday and managed to bag a magnificent £376.00 worth of goods.

This is the 12th year the club has run this draw and President, Dr Shankar Verma, expressed the club’s appreciation to Sainsburys for their continued co-operation in the venture.

He went on to say “We are delighted the winner was able to achieve a good value prize and it does show what can be achieved if the winner does his/her homework. The main beneficiaries of this draw, together with other funds raised by the club this year, will be “Promise Dreams”, Edward the Elder Primary School and the Dementia Unit at New Cross Hospital plus other local causes.”

Store Manager, Steve Smith, added “We are delighted to be associated with the Rotary Club in this venture as we know they put the money to good use for the benefit of the local community which concurs with the company’s objectives when allowing charities to collect in store.”

Source: Rotary Club of Wednesfield

We recently received the following message from Wednesfield Rotary Club president Shankar Verma…

On behalf of Wednesfield Rotary Club I would just like to thank the people of Wednesfield for their wonderful support recently when we made our Christmas Appeal at Sainsbury’s, in the High Street and with our Sleigh.

From all sources this year we raised a total of £3455.81. Bearing in mind the difficult weather conditions experienced by us all this is a magnificent result. Unfortunately we did have to cancel some routes due to the weather and we apologise to anyone who was disappointed by our being unable to visit all the routes planned. However we were pleased to be able to add a route through Essington which realised a further £256.24.

The principal cause we are supporting this year is “Promise Dreams” but a significant proportion of the funds we have just raised will go to local causes such as Girl Guides, Scouts and Air Cadets.

Once again people of Wednesfield, many thanks for your continued support and generosity.

Source: Rotary Club of Wednesfield

*Unfortunately this event has been cancelled at the last minute due to pitch conditions :-(

Pudsey Bear will be undertaking referee duties at a football tournament on Friday, in an event organised by the Wolverhampton Homes Partnership to raise much-needed cash for Children in Need.

The event, which will kick off at 5pm at Wednesfield Social Club in Amos Lane, Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, involves four teams from the partnership including community regeneration specialist Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) West Midlands, Thomas Vale Construction, Bullock Construction and Wolverhampton Homes.

Bullock has volunteered its Regional Director Richard Baker to referee the matches. The teams will also be wearing a Pudsey Bear eye patch to make it more interesting.

Money will be raised through the sale of football programmes at £2 each and sub-contractors and suppliers have been encouraged to donate £50 in return for having their business cards included in the programme.

Shaun Aldis, Director of Property Services for Wolverhampton Homes, said: “We want as many people as possible to come down and support the event on the day.

“We’re always looking for new ways of raising money for charity and we thought the football tournament was a fantastic idea. I’m sure it will be played in great spirit, and there will be plenty of entertainment available for anyone who wants to come down and watch on the day. I would like to thank the partners for organising the event.”

The tournament will boast four games lasting 40 minutes each including a match between FHM and Wolverhampton Homes, Thomas Vale and Bullock. Participants can also make use of a bar set up throughout the day where food is available.

For more information about sponsoring the event, or to make a donation to Children in Need, please call Gemma Edwards on 01675 461 661, Jon Rodway on 01902 867 950 or Sammy Sidhu on 01299 827 770.

“The Ashmore Park Choir had a concert booked for next Sat.19th June but unfortunately the venue we were to appear at has cancelled. We have managed to rearrange and it will now take place at St Alban’s Church, Griffiths Drive beginning at 7:30pm – entrance is free.”

“Donations in lieu will be collected for Compton Hospice. Do try to come, you will not only be supporting your local choir but Compton Hospice too.”