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West Parley Volunteers keep the village looking good

The West Parley Volunteers, based on the Residents Association co-ordinated with the Parish Council, are very active in a number of different projects designed to make our lovely village an even more attractive place to live. Over 150 volunteers working in various groups are making a big impact on the appearance of the village, many of whom give a good deal of their time on a regular basis.

Here's a quote from an email from Matthew Reeks - Senior Ranger for East Dorset Countryside Management - to Alan MacDonald, our Volunteer Organiser: "All i can say after yesterdays visit is EXCELLENT - i really can't tell you how refreshing it is to see such amazing local volunteering and being carried out off your own bats so to speak."

What we are up to

see our volunteers of the year 2012, please click here!

• Floral displays
• Pavement clearing
• Clearing All Saints churchyard
• Litter
• Memorial Hall gardens
• Delivering leaflets

2012 update

• All pavements in the village have been cleared of weeds and overgrowing verges cut back.
• Millenium Garden has been replanted.
• Floral displays at Parley Cross, Glenmoor Rd and in New Rd opposite Porsche showroom. These are re-planted twice a year by our volunteers aided by pupils of Parley First School. Watering and maintenance is undertaken by a rota of 8 teams of volunteers.
• The Gazebo on the recreation Ground and the new bus shelter at Parley Cross have been built built.
• The new Gate to the footpath in New Rd has been installed.
• We have planted trees in our roadside verges and mown the grass verges.
• The former scout hut has been removed and the area is being re-landscaped.
• Parley Wood maintenance has been commenced after many years of neglect.
• Coffee Club: A group of ladies run a coffee club every fortnight for residents to meet and chat.

We are very grateful to the many residents who anonymously cut the verges outside their own houses and those outside other houses to keep our verges looking tidy at this time of austerity when EDDC operates a reduced frequency of cutting.

A number of local companies and individuals have been very helpful and have enabled us to carry out many projects by providing materials etc, Golden Acres (trees etc), Eco Systems (compost, turf, top soil, machinery), New Milton S & G (Concrete). Some companies have donated trees to be planted on the village verges and Residents have purchased trees in memory of loved ones or donated them.

The Working Party

Working parties meet on two mornings each week and sometimes 3. Over the last couple of years these groups have cleared the main road pavements through the village to their original width and removed bambles and overgrowing weeds from the pavement. This is an on-going taskwhich needs constant effort to maintain the pavements in a clear condition. These groups have also planted more daffodils, which the Parish Council has purchased, in the roadside verges through the village and it is hoped that more daffodils will be addd over the coming months to provide an even better display next spring. The clearing of the Memorial Hall Garden has been another project undertaken by the Working Party who removed a great deal of debris and overgown shrubs to make the appearance of the Memorial Hall grounds more attractive.

Floral Displays

Floral displays on the railings at Parley Cross and in floor-standing boxes in New Road opposite the Porsche garage have been in evidence over the last two years and have made a very colourful spectacle throughout the year. Originally these planters were planted by Golden Acres Nursery but we have taken over the task of purchasing and planting the plants in the troughs and hanging baskets with all of the work being undertaken by volunteer residents. These troughs are maintained throughout the year by a group of volunteers who water the plants twice a week. Porsche personnel kindly provide and maintain the plants opposite their premises.

Volunteers involved in the project include: Mary Mogg, Jenny Mogg, Frank Trollope, Trevor Sams, Lynda Appleton, Chrissie Davis, Michele Williams, Dorothy Adams, Stuart Baker, Richard Heaslip and John Cullen.

We are very grateful to the owners of Herbies Chip Shop and Apple Conservatories at Parley cross for allowing us to use their water supplies for watering our planters and to Porsche for funding and maintaining the plantings outside their pemises.

Last year work was carried out to clear want to join us?
get some exercise, fresh air and good company.
call Alan MacDonald
01202 571349the area in Elm Tree Walk at the back of the Parley Cross shops, which had been very neglected. This involved weed and shrub removal, repair and re-painting of garage doors and the clearance of other debris. Weedkiller is now applied each year to maintain the appearance of the area. Volunteers involved in this work include: Richard Heaslip, Frank Trollope, Stuart Couper, Brian Miles, John Cullen, Brian Abbott, Jon Ladd, Stuart Baker and Derek Wright, John Mitchell, Mark Barratt.

Litter Clearing

Twenty or so volunteers, armed with litter pickers and black bags, carry out regular patrols of the village main roads to maintain a litter free environment. These volunteers are helped by many other residents who clear up the areas round their own homes in the residential streets.
These volunteers include: Mr and Mrs Shaw, Richard and Lorna Jean Heaslip, John Cullen, Trevor Sams, Mike Loader, Mimi and Denis Anderton, Mike Woodgate, Jan Sutcliffe, Brian Miles, Diana Penwill, Andy Steele, Michele Williams, Chrissie Davis, Dorothy Adams, Tony Elliott, and Mrs Widdicombe.

These volunteers are backed up by a large number of residents who carry out the essential task of distributing newsletters and other mailings several times a year and we are very grateful to them. The volunteers include: Pete Stimpson, Mr& MrsPeskett, Mr & Mrs Kempster, Barrie Thompson, Jean Khan, Pat Shaw, Dave & Linda Phillips, Mr & Mrs Parsons, Andy Steele, Diana Penwill, Dorothy Adams, Mr RW Preece, Roger Heath, Mr & Mrs Williams,thanks to
each and every one! Marjorie Marshall, Chrissie Davis, Kenny and Debbie Dalglish, Mr Cheshire, Mr & Mrs Hedges, Mr Durrant, Michele Williams, Mr & Mrs Butcher, Mary & Jenny Mogg, Mrs Angie Cherrett, Mr M Browning, Mr & Mrs Edwards, Viviane Bhagwanani, Dave Battson, Shiela Gooden, Mr & Mrs Bessant, Mike Woodgate, Peter Boonham, Mr Eastham, Mr & Mrs Couper, John Sharp, Mrs E Daw, Mr & Mrs Wright, S Roberts.

We are very grateful to each of these volunteers for giving of their time and efforts in order to make our village as attractive as possible. We can always accept further offers of help, particularly with litter picking and watering of plants, if only to make the duties of existing helpers come round a little less frequently.

All Saints Churchyard

From March to July last year we have been working in the historic All Saints churchyard, under the direction of the Churchwarden Derek Hyatt.

The group has levelled some sunken graves, cleared the area around the ashes stones, cleared the entrance to the church, painted the enbtrance gate, cut the hedge and is shortly to erect a fence to provide an area out of sight behind which visitors to the churchyard can place dead flowers and other debris from the graves.

This beautiful churchyard, the centre of West Parley's long history and such a serene and secluded place, is now looking very trim. All the gravestones are now clear of overgrowth and the approaches to the church are now neat and tidy.

The Rector wrote a thank you letter in July: "The churchyard is looking splendid and we are much indebted for all the fine work you have done in recent months. All Saints has a significance and a special place in the hearts of many people. Its most heartening that the care and concern of the wider community is being actively channelled. Please pass on our thanks to all your members. We look forward to continuing in partnership next year."

All this gets no pay! But a lot of fresh air, exercise, company, and the feeling that one is doing something for the community. And every Christmas we all have a festive get together at St Marks Church Hall. The indefatigable organiser of all this volunteer work is Alan Macdonald (01202 571349). We is fortunate to have Alan - a former Head at a local school - as our volunteer leader working on West Parley's appearance.