There wasn’t a massive turnout for this trial Car Boot Sale on Lydbrook Recreation Ground on Saturday morning (18th May), but we never expected one. It was still reasonably successful. In common with so many of these events, it’ll take time to get established. People need to know when these things will be held. Our next one is scheduled for June 15th.
Raffle Winners:
1st – £20 Voucher for The Colliers – Blue 46
2nd – Bottle of Merlot – Blue 105 – CLAIMED
3rd – Bottle of Sauvignon Blanc – Blue 16
4th – Box of Chocolates – Yellow 106 – CLAIMED
5th – Bottle of Bucks Fizz – Yellow 45
Unclaimed prizes at The Colliers – remember to take your
ticket!
The Trustees would like to express their thanks to all who
gave their time and energy to this fundraising event, and to the Village Stores
for their raffle prizes; and to Nikkie and The Colliers for all their help, and
raffle prize.
Donations for raffle prizes are welcome.
If you have some items to sell, June 15th might be a great opportunity. And, if you like to support your local community, please come along and have a look round.
Those most affected have been officially notified, so we can now inform everyone of what we intend for the Recreation Ground and its car park. Rumours spread easily when there’s no information, and we’d like everyone to be aware of what we’re trying to do.
As you know, the field is used by Lydbrook Athletic Football Club for matches and by children and others on other occasions. The car park has been used for many years by residents, visitors walking in the forest, parents delivering and collecting children from the local school, customers of local businesses, and church congregations, especially for funerals, christenings, weddings and special celebrations. Without the car park, everyone would be forced to park on the main road, which is very narrow and carries HGVs, and/or on Church Road, which, as a bus route, is also not good for parking.
The District Council received a complaint about use of the car park, and, as a result we were required to apply for planning permission to continue its use. The alternative was to lock the gates and deny use of the facility, causing serious road safety hazards. After the initial application was made difficult by officials at County level, we were advised to use a different approach. We applied for a Certificate of Lawfulness, as the car park has been in continuous use for well over 10 years. That application is currently ‘live’. There’s no intention to use the car park any more than has been the case for decades, we’re simply required to formalise that use.
We’re now replacing the missing fencing with specially made rails to match those already in place up Church Road. The original wall, built in the 1920s when traffic was sparse and a lot slower than today, restricted driver visibility when entering and exiting the site. It was removed for safety reasons. It is now easy for car park users, and those driving along Church Road, to see traffic.
Posts are in place ready for the new panels across the field. There will be a pedestrian gate at one end of the line and a vehicle access gate to allow grass-cutting and other vehicles onto the field when necessary.
We also need to separate the playing field from the parking area to protect it from potential wild boar damage. You’ll all be aware that several local sporting facilities have been ruined by such incursions. Fencing for that has been donated and is being fixed in line with the requirements of Sport England, who oversee the use and protection of playing fields. All this work is being done by unpaid volunteers and will therefore take time to complete. Please bear with us.
Once the above work is done, we want to apply to an organisation that supplies free saplings for planting in public spaces. We hope to place decorative trees at intervals along the slope from the entrance up the hill to the top of the field to enhance the look of the facility for everyone, and to make a contribution to environmental stability. This will affect only the top of the slope, as there’s still an intention to do some work on the area in the hope of providing play facilities for young children. A small committee is currently being formed to investigate how best to achieve this. One of the fundamental issues is the high cost of insurance for both public liability and damage to any equipment installed.
The new panels match the old ones and will be painted black once all have been installed.
During recent resurfacing of Church Road, we let the contractors use the car park in order to reduce congestion along the main road. In return, we were given some road scrapings to help with the parking surface. This will be spread, again by volunteers, as soon as we have the opportunity.
The wall that curves around the lower end of the Recreation Ground is being reduced in height to give pedestrians and drivers a clear view of traffic, some of which approaches at high speed when rounding the bend. This work is part done, and we’d appreciate practical help from any individual or company with the necessary equipment to complete it. As a charity, we lack funds to pay for such work. All activity is done by volunteers. No doubt the miners and other volunteers who built the wall in the 1920s would be pleased we’re carrying on the tradition of offering the facility to fit modern usage, understanding that traffic has greatly increased and moves much faster than in their day. Clearly, no one wants children, or anyone else using the car park, put in danger because of poor visibility and badly driven vehicles. The old coping stones have been preserved and will be replaced on the remaining wall once it’s been reduced in height.
We can afford the materials but not the wages generally paid for such skilled work. Anyone willing to do this, or any other work, please contact us using the form in the ‘Contact’ tab above, or speak to any Trust Committee member. Your help will be much appreciated. Thank you.
We hope this rather long explanation will inform everyone about our intentions, and our reasons for making the changes. We’re aware rumours have been circulating, and we’re sorry we were unable to provide full information previously; certain issues were undecided until recently. We are trying our best, with limited funds, an aging and small committee, and few volunteers, to improve these valuable facilities for the benefit of all who use them. Your comments, in the space provided below, are most welcome.
Thank you.
A second post will follow shortly, to explain what’s happening with the Hall. Watch this space.
Recently, work’s been done by volunteers to clear the ivy and some of the buddleia from the strip of land behind the wall of the Recreation Ground as it runs beside the main road though the village. The roots of these plants had grown between the stones and they’re threatening to destabilise the wall. We now hope people with the necessary skills will volunteer to re-point the wall where needed. Without this work, the wall, started by willing volunteers in July 1934 and completed about a year later, is in danger of eventual collapse in places. We’d like to stop that happening, and with your help we can. We’ll pay for the materials, but we don’t have funds for the wages generally deserved for such skilled work, so, we need willing volunteers like the folk who originally built the wall. Anyone willing to do this, or any other work, please contact us by email to lydbrookmh(at)yahoo(dot)com, or by using the form in the ‘Contact’ tab above, or by speaking to any of the Trust Committee. Your help will be much appreciated. Thank you.
A portion of the wall, showing some of the wear and tear.
Sunday 11th November 2018: a date with real significance. Not only did Armistice Day fall on a Sunday this year, but it coincided with the centenary of the formal ending of World War 1. Because of this, a special service was organised for the Memorial Hall, the establishment of which was to remember all those local people who fell in battle on our behalf.
Photo courtesy Mark Lythaby.
After the morning service at the Church of the Holy Jesus, the congregation filed out onto Church Road, where they were joined by many other people from the village. The Lydbrook Silver Band led the march down the hill and through the village to the hall, where all assembled in the narrow space permitted by the road. Made safe by the Parish Council, through Bruce Hogan who had arranged with the local police to have the road closed during the service.
The memorial had already been enhanced by the generous gift of a commemorative bench by Lydbrook Athletic Football Club; a silhouette of a WWI soldier, sponsored by the Parish Council, and placed above the hall entrance; and another WWI soldier silhouette placed within the railings, sponsored by the local Royal British Legion branch.
The Rev. Roger Minson led the religious aspect of the service with hymns and prayers.
Trevor Hek hosted the ceremony on behalf of the Royal British Legion, ensuring all went according to plan. He read out the names of those commemorated, giving details about their service. And, as the names were read, the staff and pupils of Lydbrook Primary School placed poppy crosses at the memorial, and wreaths were laid.
The Royal British Legion Standard was in the capable hands of Standard-bearer Tammie Johnstone.
Photo courtesy Mark Lythaby.
The Last Post was played, evoking that usual lump-in-the-throat response by many, by Robert Morgan, M.B.E., who also led and conducted the Lydbrook Silver Band, playing appropriate music and accompanying the hymns.
Rachael Mowatt, of the Women’s Institute, read John McCrae’s ‘In Flanders Fields’, evoking more memories and thoughts of the devastating effects of war.
The gathered crowd of attendees did the village proud; a good throng, representing all ages. Even one or two villagers in poor health managed to attend and all braved the sudden downpours without complaint. And, at least the sun emerged afterwards.
The sincere thanks of the Committee of Lydbrook Memorial Hall and Recreation Ground go to all who participated in, organised, and attended this centenary commemoration of the sacrifice of our brave local heroes.
Sorry to be late with this – I was collecting information. My photographs are a little limited, as I climbed the path opposite the hall to get an overall shot and was then trapped there for the duration. If anyone has additional pictures they’d be willing to share here, please use the ‘Contact’ tab to get in touch, and we can make arrangements. Thank you.
The Memorial Hall is hosting a celebratory exhibition of the history of Lydbrook right now!
There are information boards and displays from the Lydbrook Historical Society – I particularly enjoyed the one about the 17 pubs the village once housed! And there are some fascinating photographs of the place as it developed. Others showing the industrial heritage. Lots of pictures showing local people either in groups or going about their everyday business. Really interesting stuff.
There’s a wide display by the Women’s Institute, giving details of their history and current activities. I loved the tea towel giving a list of humorous rules relating to the behaviour and conduct of the attendees.
The local branch of the Royal British Legion has a great display showing the work they do and commemorating the local heroes (and heroines) of the two World Wars, and presenting various items of interest, including some facsimiles of old newspapers of the times.
And there’s a pictorial history of Lydbrook Silver Band and its activities, including the building of the new practice room. Lots of pictures of band members past and present.
And there’s coffee, tea and biscuits on offer.
It’s a great place to spend an hour or so out of this dreadful rain, either revisiting old haunts or finding out what happened in the past here in the village. But better be quick! The display is open only until 16:00 today, 10th November. Get along there before you miss out!
To commemorate the centenary of the end of World War 1, things are happening at the Memorial Hall.
If you’ve passed the hall recently, you’ll have seen the splendid new commemorative bench next to the bay window. This was kindly donated by Lydbrook Athletic Football Club and installed by club members during the past few days. A small floral display enhances the bench, which is there for all to use as a place of rest and contemplation. The Committee wishes to express its sincere thanks for this wonderful addition to the hall’s memorial function.
You will also have noticed there’s a silhouette of a soldier now stationed above the double doors to the hall. This was sponsored by the Parish Council, with the Royal British Legion, and installed by members of the Committee. Again, our sincere thanks to the Parish Council and the Legion for this enhancement to the halls’ commemorative function.
On Saturday, 10th November, everyone is invited to the exhibition/display ‘Lydbrook 100’, which takes place in the hall from 10:00 a.m.
And on Remembrance Sunday, 11th November, the hall will host a secular commemorative service. All are invited to attend. This starts at 10:40 a.m.
A few days ago, we had a request for an unusual event on the Recreation Ground. A man wanted to use the space to launch a hot air balloon. Could he? Well, we could see no reason why not, and the Football Club raised no objections to this use of the field.
It was an event entirely dependent on weather. In this case, whether the wind was blowing in the right direction at the time of the proposed launch. Because of this uncertainty, advertising it could easily have left hopeful witnesses disappointed instead of excited, so we said nothing.
Come the day, Thursday, Faith, our trusty booking manager, got word an hour or so before the team arrived. I’d been primed and went down there on spec, camera at the ready.
We saw the vehicle on the main road and were waiting at the gate to guide them in.
‘What a great site for a launch!’ was Thomas Lee’s initial reaction when he stepped out of his car and looked around.
There followed 30 minutes of intense technical activity as the basket was prepared, an older balloon unfolded by Allen Lutz and laid out on the turf. Trainee pilot, Rob Grzesiczek, operated the diesel driven fan to start inflation, and then with help from pilot Thomas, used hot air from the gas cylinders to complete the job.
That first inflation was only for show, so photographs could be taken to help sell the old balloon. It was quickly deflated and packed back in its bag.
The new balloon is prepared
Next came the new balloon; smart blue nylon spread out over grass and slowly brought to fullness with the fan followed by hot fierce air. Gracefully, the fabric rounded out and floated up to vertical, and everything was ready.
To cheers from the small crowd of onlookers, attracted by the spectacle, buoyancy was briefly tested. And, released from its tether, the floating giant graced grey skies as it ascended over Lydbrook trees and made its way toward the River Severn and its destination, Cam, across the water. An interesting event.
Up, up, and away!
We made no charge for this first launch, unaware whether the Recreation Ground would suit the purpose, and happy to use this attempt as a test. Now we know it can be done, we’re open to similar events in future.
So, if you’d like to launch your hot air balloon, or undertake any other activity that won’t damage our playing surface, please contact our booking manager, Faith Myers. You’ll find her details under the ‘Bookings’ tab. Or you can email us using the small form under the ‘Contact’ tab, but I must warn you I check that only once a week.
Cost? Well, we’re a committee, democratic and cooperative, so we’ll discuss that at our next monthly meeting, 6th November, and agree a fair price to pass on to prospective users.
By the way, Thomas thinks an item of equipment was inadvertently left behind: a length of rope, about 5 feet in length, with a metal karabiner attached at one end. If anyone has come across this, please let us know – probably easiest to contact Stuart Allison direct by email at stuartkallison(at)gmail(dot)com. Thank you.
