Week beginning January 26th 2004

Silence is golden? If you, like me, have come to regard the roar of the flare at BP Saltend as background noise then you might notice it when it stops! I understand that if they haven’t solved the problem that is giving rise to the flare by February 5th then they will be shutting the process down completely, cleaning it all out and starting afresh – hopefully minus the flare. I’m sure many people are unaware that BP are as unhappy with the flare as we are, as it is the visible sign of a lot of money going down the drain (or up the flue!) and they are confident that when they do get these “teething troubles” ironed out this new state-of-the-art process will be a world leader in the chemicals field.

Holderness Rangers : the girls of this local Guide unit have reason to be proud of themselves : after two residential test weekends, where they had to undergo strict assessment along with dozens of other girls, five of them have been chosen to travel abroad this summer as representatives of Girlguiding UK, three on behalf of East Yorkshire and two representing the whole of North East England. This is a very great honour and recognises the very special qualities they have which make them worthy of this responsibility. Two of the girls, seventeen-year-old Caroline Harker and sixteen-year-old Holly Lockyer, will be travelling to India, where they will be spending some time at an International Guiding event and some time working with the children in the local community; fifteen-year-old Hayley Lister is going to Germany and the other two girls, Katie Burgess and Jemma Brown, both eighteen, have been asked to take part in visits abroad as assistant leaders, “learning the ropes” so that one day they will be able to take parties of younger girls on one of these wonderful opportunities to meet Guides and Scouts from other countries and take part in community work overseas.
The girls have been selected for their personal qualities and not for their parents’ ability to fund their trip, making this wonderful opportunity to forge international relationships open to all who can fulfil the personal criteria. The unit has embarked on a major fundraising drive to sponsor the girls on their travels, but with a target of £4,000 this is not going to be easy! They would be very grateful for any offers of sponsorship or suggestions for fundraising – please contact me if you can help in any way and I will pass on the appropriate addresses; meanwhile, I’m sure you will all join me in saying “Well done” to the girls – it is so nice to hear about young people who are a benefit to the community these days!

Note : Holderness Rangers, a Guide unit for girls of 14 years and over, meet every Tuesday in Paull. They welcome new members, who don’t necessarily have to have been Guides or Brownies. At present the unit’s age range is from 15 to 22, so there is scope for anyone who wants to join this friendly and active group. Ring me on 01482 896712 if you would like more details.

Clean up after Fido! One of the subjects discussed at length at a recent Parish Council meeting in Paull – and I suspect in other parishes also – was the problem of dog mess. Apart from it being illegal to NOT clean up after your dog (and subject to a hefty fine if caught), it is also extremely antisocial and unhygienic. I can’t speak for Hedon and Preston, but here in Paull we don’t have a stray dog problem – it is almost unheard of to see an unaccompanied dog on our streets – so presumably Fido is leaving his little presents on footpaths and grass verges with his owner’s full knowledge and consent. “Doggy poop” bags are available free from the County Council Customer Service Centre in Hedon, and if you can’t physically bend over to clean up, long-handled poop-scoops are available from the pet shop. And before you all brand me as a dog-hater, I have three dogs of my own and if I can trot around after them with a pocket full of green plastic poop-bags, so can everyone else!

Preston “Young At Heart” : a drop-in centre is held in the Church Hall, Preston, every Thursday from 9.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and from 1.30 p.m. until 3.30 p.m. The centre provides an opportunity for people to meet up and have a chat over a cuppa and perhaps join in one of the various activities taking place e.g. chess, jewellery making, card making, broomstick crochet (don’t ask!) etc..
The following activities have also been arranged for the coming weeks, so why not go along and join in? On January 29th (Thursday) Age Concern will be available between 1.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. for an informal chat – if you would like advice about pensions, care allowances, money, benefits or how to volunteer then just pop in. Who knows, you may find you’re entitled to more than you’re actually getting!
On February 5th between 10.00 a.m. and 11.00 a.m. there will be a talk on local history, and from February 26th onwards there will be courses in various subjects available – everything from computers to painting and drawing and lots in between. To book a place just drop in at the Church Hall any Thursday, or phone Sue on 01482 897327.

The following Church Services will take place on Sunday February 1st 2004
Hedon : St. Augustine’s Parish Church : Sung Eucharist at 9.30 a.m., Evensong at 3.00 p.m.
Hedon Methodist Church, Church Lane : morning service at 10.30 a.m., evening service at 6.30 p.m.
Saints Mary & Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Baxtergate, Hedon : Daily Mass times : Sunday 10.30 a.m., Monday 9.15 a.m., Tuesday 9.15 a.m., Wednesday 7.30 p.m., Thursday 9.15 a.m., Friday 7.30 p.m., Saturday 6 p.m.
Hedon Pentecostal Church meets every Sunday at 10.30 a.m. in the Jubilee Room of the Alexandra Hall, St. Augustine’s Gate; a Sunday School is also held at 10.30 a.m. every Sunday.
Paull : St Andrew’s Parish Church : Holy Communion at 11.15 a.m.
Paull Methodist Church, Main Street : Holy Communion service at 3.00 p.m.
Preston: All Saint’s Parish Church : Holy Communion at 10.30 a.m.
Preston Methodist Church : morning service at 10.30 a.m.