Mar 2014 - Affetside Link Newsletter

Thank you to everyone who turned up to the Affetside Society AGM.  We now have an outline of most of the events that will be taking place during 2014.  Everyone is welcome to these events, so please bring friends and family too.  The more the merrier!

Furhter down in this issue of The Link, you will find a summary of the events, so please make a note of them in your diary.  More information will be available about the later events nearer the time. 

If you are new to the village, please look at our website www.affetside.org.uk.  

You will find a calendar of all the events and other useful information about the village, including the much visited weather information.  

If you are interested in seeing what we got up to at previous years’ events, check out the gallery! 

MOVING INTO THE 21^st CENTURY   

We would like to start distributing the Affetside Link by email where possible.  If you do not have email, or just wish to continue receiving a paper copy, that is fine, but we can speed up the distribution and save print costs if we can email as many as possible.  If you have not already been contacted and you are happy to receive your copy electronically, please send an email to affetsidevillage@gmail.com

SPRING TIDY

Last year’s bonfire event was successful and everyone appeared to have a great time, but the bonfire site now needs a tidy up.  If you can spare an hour, please come along to the bonfire site on Saturday 22^nd March at 11 a.m.  “Many hands make light work” so it should take no time at all.

WILDFLOWER SOWING   

The annual wildflower seed sowing day will take place on Saturday 12th April at 1.30 p.m. on the Village green. Each summer we get a splendid display of flowers, so please join us in sowing the seeds. All are welcome to help and it would be great to get the support of local children again.  Free refreshments.

Wildflower Garden in 2012

PALM SUNDAY   

The Palm Sunday story will be played out by children this year.  Meet at the Affetside Cross at 2.30pm prompt on Palm Sunday, 13^th April.  The procession will lead up to the Church where the service will continue. Come along to the free craft activities for children and refreshments will be available for all.  There will be a free gift for children and some palm leaf mugs which have been made by students for the occasion.

SPRING CLEANING     

If you are having a Spring clear out, please hang onto your old clothes, shoes, handbags, belts, curtains, bedding (sheets, duvets covers, but not duvets).  Keep them for our bi-annual clothes collection. Last year this raised nearly £400 which is a great help towards the  maintenance and insurance of the Green.  The next collection on Monday 12^th May, will be from 68, Watling Street (Opposite the Green).  

Please leave your bags by the garage before 10 a.m. in the morning.

ANNUAL BOULES COMPETITION   

This year’s French Boules Competition will be taking place on Sunday 8^th June at 1.30p.m.  There is a much coveted trophy for the winning adult and winning junior.  Everyone is welcome, so please bring friends and relatives.

French food and wine will be provided.  The cost of the food is included in the boules entry fee (£4 for adults and £1 for children). 

French fancy dress is optional.

Boules competition 2013

TURBINE UPDATE

The turbine application at Birches Farm was overwhelmingly defeated by 17 votes to 4 at the last Planning Committee meeting in Bolton. 

FOR YOUR DIARY…

Make a note of these dates and details will follow nearer the time. These dates are available on the online calendar.

• Saturday 22^nd March – Bonfire site tidy up.  11 a.m. at the bonfire site. 
• Saturday 12^th April  -  Wildflower seed sowing at 1.30pm on the Village Green
• Sunday 13th April – Palm Sunday procession and service.  2.30pm at the Affetside Cross.
• Monday 12th May - Clothes collection* from 68 Watling Street (Opposite the Millennium Green), please leave bags by the garage.
• Sunday 8th June – Annual Boules Tournament at 1.30pm on the Village Green.  £4 for adults, children £1. 
• Saturday 12th July - Summer BBQ at 5pm on the Village Green.   
• Saturday 8th November – Annual lighting of the Bonfire on the land behind the Village Green at 6pm
• Monday 24th November - Clothes collection* from 68 Watling Street (Opposite the Millennium Green)
• Sunday 30^th November – Santa will switch on the Christmas tree lights at 6pm prompt.
• Sunday 21^st December - Christmas Carol Concert at 3.30pm with Tottington Brass Band.

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Any comments, ideas for future events and/or contributions to affetsidevillage@gmail.com

Feb - Mar 2014 - Affetside Link Newsletter

A WARM WELCOME 

We offer very warm welcome to all the newcomers to Affetside. Amongst those new to the village are Rebecca and her team at the Pack Horse Inn. Judging by how busy our local pub has become, this has been a very successful refurbishment. So if you haven’t popped into the Pack Horse since the alterations, do take a look. It’s a massive transformation and a great place to warm you up on a cold night!

The pub has it's own website and can be accessed by clicking here


AFFETSIDE SOCIETY MEETING AT THE PACK 

The Affetside Society AGM will be held at The Pack Horse Inn on Tuesday 11th March at 7.30pm in the Pack Horse. Do come along to discuss anything concerning the village and input into the planning for all the events for the forthcoming year. EVERYONE is most welcome.


POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY 

The local police force hold regular meetings to liaise closely with the community. All local residents are welcome to attend the meeting, so if you have any concerns relating to crime or antisocial behaviour in the area, please go along to the next meeting. The next PACT (Police and Community Team) meeting will be held above the Tottington Library on Tuesday 18th March from 6.30 pm to 7.30 pm.


TURBINE UPDATE 

The applicant at Birches Farm has withdrawn from his appeal so he can focus on a new, even larger wind turbine. The application will be heard by Bolton’s Planning Committee in Bolton Town Hall on 6th March at 2 pm. If this application gets the go-ahead it will set a precedent and more applications are bound to follow. So, if you are unhappy about the prospect of turbines in and near to Affetside please go along to the meeting. Although there is not an opportunity to speak, the committee will be able to see that you are not happy with the increasing number of applications in this area.


EASYFUNDRAISING.ORG.UK 

If you shop on-line, there is a very easy way to help raise funds to help with the upkeep of our village green. Simply register on the www.easyfundraising.org.uk website and type in THE AFFETSIDE MILLENNIUM GREEN TRUST when it asks you which charity you would like to support. There are over 2,000 companies you can shop with like Amazon, M&S, Teso, holiday companies etc etc. Just log onto the Easyfundraising site first and then go from there to the on-line shop you want to purchase from. Everyone wins. It costs you nothing but we raise money for our village simply by doing what many of us do daily... shop on-line! Please will you register and help. It is very simple. So far we have raised £113 for the maintenance of the village green. If you use Google Chrome as a web-browser there is an add on to use that will automatically identify any websites you go to that are partnered with Easyfundraising - details can be found here

Thank you for reading and we will keep you updated for the next Affetside Link (Online Edition), also do remember to check out www.affetside.org.uk regularly