Week beginning May 27th 2002

Parents, Governors, staff and friends of Paull Primary School have launched a united "Save Our School" campaign. Due to the retirement of the Head Teacher, the school comes under automatic review by the East Riding of Yorkshire council's education department with a view to closing the school and bussing the children out of the village for their education instead. Although the education department emphasises that nothing has been decided yet, the villagers fear that the school is already earmarked for closure and have vowed to fight it all the way. In a village where the sole social centres are the school, the church, the village hall, the one shop and the pub, the loss of even one of these will have a devastating effect on village life. A village school is very much the heart of the community and in Paull's case, the school has been central to village life for over 139 years, ever since it opened in 1863. When the first post-war batch of new houses was built in Town End Road and Thorngumbald Road, a new school building was promised, to be built on the field on Thorngumbald Road, and the young couples who bought the houses looked forward to sending their children to this new school. The field earmarked for the school was eventually built on too, the children remaining at the existing village school, as it was said that the new housing was needed to maintain numbers of children at the village school. Many of the children raised in those original new houses still live in Paull, and now have children of their own attending the old village school, as the promised new school never materialised. Attachment for this unique village is very strong and many families have had several generations of children educated in the school. The campaign to preserve this essential village asset has only just started, and promises to be hard fought every inch of the way. (For anyone who would like to know more about Paull School, the children have built their own website, http://www.paullprimaryschool.freeservers.com , which is well worth a visit.)

The week leading up to the Jubilee weekend sees two entertainment performances in the area : Hedon Drama Group presents "Groping For Words" by Sue Townsend and "Poems and Pics" in the Alexandra Hall from Wednesday 29th to Friday 31st May at 8pm each night. Tickets are £3 (£2.50 for concessions) and are available either at the door or in advance by telephoning 01482 896592 or 01964 622944.

Also in Hedon, the Hedon Methodist Friendship Circle presents a concert by The Savoyards. It will take place on May 29th at Hedon Methodist Church, starting at 7.45p.m. Admission is £1.50 and can be paid at the door.

Jubilee events :
On Sunday June 2nd, the actual anniversary of the Queen's Coronation, the churches of Hedon will be holding a united service on Market Hill at 3pm. This will be an interdenominational service of thanksgiving and celebration, and everyone is very welcome to attend.

The churches of Preston are also holding a united Jubilee service on June 2nd, in the Methodist Church at 10.30am. Once again, all are welcome.

A Children's Jubilee Party has been organised for June 3rd at the Crown Inn, Main Street Paull. All village children aged up to 14 are invited, and there is no charge, but please give names in at the Crown beforehand so that numbers can be catered for. The party starts at 1 p.m. and continues until 5 p.m. It will be followed in the evening by an adults' Jubilee Party from 8p.m. till 1a.m, with a free buffet and a late licence.

June 3rd also brings Hedon's Golden Jubilee Fun Day and Giant Picnic, which is being held on the school field on Ketwell Lane from 1.30 pm until 5 p.m. There will be all sorts of entertainment, including sports, rides, stalls, face-painting, clowns and free picnic. In the evening the celebrations will continue with the lighting of the Beacon on Market Hill followed by fireworks display on Ivy Lane at 10pm.