The NHS has just issued an update to residents in Swindon who may have received an invitation to book their vaccination appointment at a large site in Salisbury, Bath or Oxford.
It provides reassurance that local GP practices are contacting
people and you will be offered a local appointment if travelling is an issue.
The full text can be found here.
The wonderful array of displays of Christmas lights across South Marston this year has made the judging of the competition very difficult. However, after much deliberation, by a team of three judges, the results are as follows:
1st Place – 1 Chapel Lane – for an enchanting, colourful and varied display, with delightful details, such as the little penguins.
2nd Place – The Limes, Thornhill Road – a striking display which conveys the feeling of a winter wonderland.
Runners-up, in no particular order:
Ferndale Cottage, Highworth Road – for providing a bright and colourful welcome to the village;
Manor Lodge, Thornhill Road – a lovely and varied display, making the most of a relatively small space, which also looks very attractive during the daytime;
Pigeon House Farm Bungalow, Chapel Lane – a panoramic display of lights, which provide different, but equally pleasing views, from each direction;
1 Pinehurst Cottages, Thornhill Road – a vibrant and colourful display, which was considered to be particularly appealing to children;
6 Bell Gardens – a very colourful, high impact display which makes good use of the trees and bushes.
A big thank you to everyone who has helped South Marston to sparkle this Christmas!
A polite reminder for people to pick up after their dogs when out walking around the village.
Dog fouling is making work particularly difficult for turf farming around the village.
Please use the dog waste bins provided where possible.
The end is in sight for the closure of Old Vicarage Lane. Bellway Homes has told us the current closure point will move to the village side of Nightingale Lane in the week beginning 10th August. Following this, the finish date for the work is the week beginning 11th September, when the road will finally be re-opened.
Our proposal to create a permissive footpath around the worst of Hoddinotts Corner, has been agreed and actioned with the owners on the land alongside Keypoint.
Lionel has now put up permissive footpath signs at either end, all that is needed is to look out for them to walk the safer route.
Walkers can now get round the corner without having to walk all the way around on the edge of the road.
Please note that the path is not hard surfaced may be a little muddy in parts in heavy rain. If walking in darkness it is best to take a torch light.
Many thanks to the landowners Legal and General for cutting the pathway.
Please nominate the villages fundraising efforts for the replacement of the St Julian’s Gazebo.
Go to the Mirror newspaper website by Friday 31st July to apply for a chance.
Right click on these photographs to save them to your computer and add them to your entry form.
If you need any help with your entry submission, please contact Mandy Hancock.
In association with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust (WWT), Robbie Taylor and Barry Thunder have setup a fund-raising appeal.
The gazebo in St. Julian’s Woodland, enjoyed by many residents and others over the past 4 years, was destroyed by arson on 11th June.
Many messages of anger at its loss and offers of funding, and even rebuilding, have prompted us to set up this fund raiser.
Our appeal has been set up specifically for villagers and other local users. Funds raised will only be used for a replacement or other activities in St. Julian’s Woodland.
It is directly linked to WWT so that Gift Aid and banking are managed properly and easily accessible for donations, please go online to: www.wiltshirewildlife.org/st-julians
For any donations preferred to be made by cash or cheque please call Robbie on 823757 or Barry on 826697.
Please help to spread this message by forwarding on to others you know that may like to support this. Thank you.
A number of residents have raised concerns about the ongoing closure of Old Vicarage Lane – which has been extended by the lockdown situation. The following points summarise an update the Parish Council received after raising these concerns with the developers:
We will be updated when the developers know more but currently there is no more information available.
Summer is nearly here and lockdown is easing up a little.
There’s still time to spot interesting subjects and enter the Community News Photography Competition – the closing date is now Friday the 12th June.
We have separate competitions for adults and under 18s, with prizes for the best entries, so there is no excuse not to get snapping. Full information is on the Community News page. We look forward to receiving your entries.
Communications Working Group
Due to the current Coronavirus lockdown, the latest edition for May is only being made available as a PDF download from the Community News page.
Hard copy requests for this edition
If you know of anyone – for instance your neighbours – who will need a hard copy because they cannot access online publications, please email editor@southmarston.org.uk with their postal address.
In a week or so, we propose doing a limited run of hard copies and will arrange for delivery.
