Week beginning June 24th 2002

The fight to keep Paull Primary School continues to gain momentum. At a Public Meeting, called by the South West Holderness Ward Councillors and attended by representatives of the Local Education Authority, the Village Hall was packed to capacity. Families with children at the school - and many of the children themselves - were joined by villagers who had had their children educated at the village school and villagers who had attended the school themselves, as well as villagers who had as yet no direct connection with the school but wished to see it kept open for their children in the future. Many families had seen several generations educated at the school, so it was hardly surprising that feelings were running high. Many parents, feeling that their questions were being avoided and that they were not receiving straight answers, were quite vocal in their objections and became very heated, and the general feeling was that it was becoming quite clear that the reasons for wishing to close Paull School are purely financial, with no regard to the welfare of individual children or the community as a whole. Bussing of children unescorted, some as young as four, to the next town where they would have no option but to remain for an extended school day is seen as totally unacceptable, and the production by the LEA of a "hypothetical scenario" which ended with the words "Closure of Paull Primary July 2003" brought forth a storm of protest : this goes directly against official government policy and legislation, for Government guidelines state that villages and other communities need their schools. The Local Education Authority must by now have realised that they have a real fight on their hands and that the community of Paull is entirely behind the fight to save its school.

For a fuller report on this meeting, right-click here and select "Save Target As..." and download direct to your own computer.

We are now approaching the fund-raising season of garden fetes and summer fairs, and the Hedon, Paull and Preston area is no exception. Several events are planned for the coming weeks, starting with the annual Garden Party in aid of St. Augustine's, Hedon's Parish Church. This is being held at The Paddocks, Souttergate, Hedon, by kind permission of Mr. And Mrs. Proctor, and will be opened by the mayor, Councillor Allen. There will be displays by the Lynn Wilson Dancers, a Punch and Judy show, a giant slide, various stalls, teas etc., with an admission price of only 20p. The garden party will run from 2pm until 4pm on Saturday, July 6th.

Another fundraiser in the area is being held to help Paull School in its fight to remain open. This is a fun night at the Royal Oak, Main Street, Paull, also on Saturday July 6th, starting at 8pm. There will be a raffle, Disco and Karaoke and the theme of the night is "Schooldays" - do come in fancy dress as schoolkids, the naughtier the better! Although the primary purpose of the night is to raise funds for the school, it promises a chance to let your hair down and enjoy yourselves too!

Over the weekend of July 6th and 7th Fort Paull, Battery Road, off Thorngumbald Road, Paull, is holding a Scooter Rally. Anyone who is the slightest bit nostalgic for the transport of their youth will really love this weekend, and the Fort offers enough to entertain the whole family. There are static and interactive displays of military history, a children's adventure playground, a café and licensed restaurant, and much more. Fort Paull is open from 10 am until 6pm throughout the summer.

Sunday July 7th also sees an angling contest at Paull, where keen fishermen will be fishing all along the sea-front, competing for trophies and prizes in a "catch-and-release" competition. Paull is a popular venue for fishermen from Hull and the surrounding area all year round, and offers easy access, plenty of parking space and village facilities for those who travel here to fish.