The November meeting of the Parish Council was a fairly routine affair, but with a visit from the new Youth Worker at The Rides to brighten up the evening with her obvious enthusiasm.  Louise Morris has only been in post for a short time, but is full of ideas and plans to engage with young people, especially in the Gorse Ride area.  She told the council that the Youth Club had organised a disco which raised £75 for Children in Need, and that they had made Christmas cards to sell for the event. The Parish Council immediately placed an order for 30 to go out with the Fuel Allotment gifts!

Many readers will know that the Fuel Allotment is the means whereby the Parish Council is able to give a small gift of money at Christmas to 30 elderly residents who have lived in the parish for some time.  The list is being compiled now, so if you know of anyone, or couple, who would appreciate such a gift, please telephone the Parish office.

In 2005 Wokingham Town Council set up a “Veteran Tree Project” and began by surveying significant trees in the town.  This has now been expanded to cover the entire District and Councillor Gordon Veitch has volunteered to co-ordinate the Finchampstead survey.  The aim of the project is to survey and plot all significant trees so that they can be managed and protected.

Councillor Veitch is looking for volunteers to help in this important project; please contact him at ‘gordonveitch@btinternet.com’, or telephone the Parish Office.  Training will be given!

And, finally, I was delighted to be asked to talk to older pupils at Nine Mile Ride School, on the work of the Parish Council.  It was a great opportunity to get children involved in what the Parish Council does in the community, and I was impressed by their interest and enthusiasm.  Maybe we have some future Parish Councillors!

Cllr Chris Driver

The date this page was last altered was March 11, 2007.

Copyright © 2003 Finchampstead Parish Council