Achieved Last Week
At the Football Pavilion we fitted replacement vent grills on the back, cleared more soil etc from gully at back, and cleared the front roadway of leaves and mud. We filled the depressions in the play area at the Rec. At the Memorial Hall we cleared all the gutters and down pipes and checked the automatic light switches. We did siding out down Hitchin Lane and some of the High Street to Church Lane and also cleared the Ron Hyde bus stop of mud and leaves. We looked at the door closer at the school and found it needs some screwing which JonM has done in overtime. Keith finished the school playground clearing in overtime. 

Achieved Last Week
We refitted the Pre-School sand pit lid to make it lighter, we had a bonfire  (nearly all done?), also sawed up some of the heavy timber there. We reset the footpath sign at the top of Wren Close, and did lots of siding out at the west end of the High Street. We moved a heavy reredos through 90 degrees in the chancel of the church.
Further Out 
Wednesday 12th Feb set out tables for WI
Friday 20th March Scout and Guide Quiz  
Friday 3rd April full lining (deposit not yet received)
Sunday 26th April pm set out Art Show screens
Monday 4th May take down art show screens
Friday 8th May VE day celebration. Help perhaps in some way.
Thursday July 23rd set out County WI chairs and tables
Sunday 26th July Horse Show car park and gate
Friday 4th September/Saturday 5th September Autumn Show

​Achieved Last Wednesday December 11th
We took the Xmas Market banners down and stored them temporarily in the old boiler room. We checked the salt bins at Lloyd Way and they were all full (a mystery?). 
We reset (again) the ROW sign by the start of Foxes Hill, we took the unused wooden Christmas trees to the Porters End store and did a bit of heavy lifting there. We checked the microwave at the Mem Hall and found it wanting so a new one will be procured. We tried to fix the school Christmas Lights but equipment failure prevented a solution (post event note from Gordon - apparently JonM and Neil are going to put up some of the Christmas Market lights instead - excellent). We descaled the water heater in the lounge of the Mem Hall and repaired the broken bit on the dedication stone on the front elevation. We finished the siding out all along Church Path between Park lane and Church Lane and did more work on the Garden Fields paths. We uncovered two very large concrete lumps that were just showing above ground in the Wren Close play area. The first one came out (with difficulty) using the B team. The other needed the A team and the B team and needed breaking up with my kango hammer before we could move it. We filled the holes with siding out soil and turf and moved them to the corner ready for breaking up next year. 

Work Achieved Last Week
We re-set a shed next to Church House on its base, cleared out some rubbish from the shed, replaced the notice board at the Corner Stores, removed the Music Hall banners from the frames and took them to Neil's garage. We moved the light up on the pole at Parkfield Rec car park. Tried to remove the small pillars by the grave next to the roadway in the churchyard but not possible, maybe put posts there with reflectors? We made the gate in to the children's play area at Church house open and shut properly. We took the new way-mark posts to behind the Dacre Rooms and took bags of twigs from the churchyard to the bonfire 
Further Out
Friday March 29th Coffee 0930 at the Dacre Rooms
Saturday March 30th Litter Pick  
Wednesday 10th April 0930 Set out tables for another WI 100th Party 
Friday 19th April (Good Friday) Lining up roof only for birthday party on Saturday, maybe could do it Thursday or Saturday morning 
Sunday 28th April pm Art Show Screens up
Tuesday 7th May 0930 Art Show screens down
Sunday July 28th Horse Show
Friday Sept 6th Autumn Show
Saturday Sept 7th Autumn Show
Friday Sept 20th Full Lining up.
Friday January 3rd 2020 Full lining up.
Friday January 17th 2020 Full Lining up.

News

* I have picked the date of Thursday 27th of June for the annual cookout at 108. I hope that is OK for most people. 0930 start, volunteer to buy the vittles please.
* Valerie Pollington sent the following message 
Please convey our thanks to all those who shifted such a great volume of gravel and distributed it on the churchyard paths.  Great Job.
* I did a good turn at short notice for Pam Lorraine last Tuesday, carrying a number of kitchen unit carcasses from two doors away, and she gave me £40 for a charity and a bottle of posh wine. I have put the money into the BWP account. (If you don't know Pam, then Keith will enjoy telling you who she is). The wine will be consumed by the person who did all the hard work.
* One of the BWP quiz teams came first (David was the token BWP member), our team came 9th, I don't know where the others came. Not bottom anyway.
Last Week
On Wednesday we did some siding out at Lawn Avenue and Murph did a super job with his chain saw in reducing the growth from the bottom of two trees in the area. On Saturday we got the chairs out for the Tim and Roly concert. On Friday Bob M and I went to County Hall to get some footpath way markers and a rise and fall bollard to replace the horrible erection at the west end of Church Path.
Further Out
Friday March 22nd Coffee 0930 at the Dacre Rooms Farmers market at 1300
Saturday March 30th Litter Pick  
Wednesday 10th April 0930 Set out tables for another WI 100th Party 
Friday 19th April (Good Friday) Lining up roof only for birthday party on Saturday, maybe could do it Thursday or Saturday morning 
Sunday 28th April pm Art Show Screens up
Tuesday 7th May 0930 Art Show screens down
Sunday July 28th Horse Show
Friday Sept 6th Autumn Show
Saturday Sept 7th Autumn Show

Achieved Last Week
On Wednesday we cleared much of the gravel outside Neil's House on The Green and took it to the Churchyard. I had received three different sets of instructions as to how much we should take, from where, and obeyed the final set received - from Sue. We got there in the end. 

On Sunday Simon, Les and I removed the Music Hall banners and frames and stored them temporarily in the boiler room. We also paid a visit to the Memorial Hall to look at a proposal from the Players to leave some aluminium framework at the top of the Proscenium arch.

On Friday we fetched willow whips from Nomansland for the school project, on Thursday we put insulation in the roof space over the Memorial Hall Lounge (with the help of Mark Hubbard). Last Wednesday we had a monster bonfire and more or less cleared it all. We made the first part of the willow outside classroom at the school. We cut back the hedge between the school grounds and the Memorial Hall and took loads to the bonfire. We replaced two broken lamps in the entrance to the Memorial Hall. 

 

Bob's very first Bench Working Party report!

The Kimpton BenchWorking Party
 
Purpose - to repair and keep in good condition the public benches in the village, to obtain and install further benches.
Members – Chris Baker, Ron Coleman, Jack Edwards, Bob Finch, Jon Marsh, Yorg Otte.
Progress Report April 2005
The Working Party (listed above) have now completed their first phase of work, that is repairing and staining the existing Kimpton benches. The repair work done was at minimum cost and only where absolutely necessary. The cleaning and staining was to a higher standard using a guaranteed-for-5-year staining product. Ownership of the Kimpton benches is not always clear, however we are adopting them all as ‘village’ benches’ for the purposes of maintenance.
The work done was as follows
The (old) Recreation Ground. Repaired, pressure washed and stained the two benches at the top. Removed the concrete posts that supported two old benches to the right of the driveway, disposed of concrete posts (donated them to the Bowls Club). The two benches inside the children’s play area were not dealt with, under instructions of Chris Baker.
The Wren Close Play Area.Repaired one bench and stained both benches.
Wren Close. Stained one bench
The New Recreation Ground.Stained bench to West of Tennis Court.
The Churchyard. Repaired, pressure washed and stained bench on North boundary wall. Pressure washed and stained bench on West of walkway near tower. The bench on the South East churchyard path is maintained very well by Mrs Garcia, I have offered our services if required – she countered by offering to join the working party if we need any more help! A new bench, funded by Mrs Franks, will shortly be installed outside the tower; Ken Buckler has suggested we adopt that too. I have spoken to Mrs Franks, who has gratefully accepted our offer. The lovely oak benches (in memory of Dr Probyn) on the South wall of the church are regrettably terminally spoilt (by weather and lack of maintenance). Ken is looking for a sponsor for a replacement bench – which we will then install/adopt.
The Green. Yorg has previously repaired, pressure washed and stained the three benches on the Green
Dacre Rooms. Jack Edwards has nearly completed the construction of a bench of his own design to replace the broken one in front of the Dacre Rooms. The bench is in memory of Michael Strange and is privately funded.
Can anyone think of benches we have missed?
The cost of materials so far expended is £126.26 including VAT. This includes some spares for future use, eg vandalism.
New Benches
We now will be looking to raise money for new benches, and then installing and maintaining them. I am currently investigating sources of funding, including of course Memorial Benches. Would the Parish Council consider funding one or more benches from their funds?
The possible site of a new benches needs, I presume, the approval of the KPC. Obvious sites include an existing concrete pad at the top of the Old Recreation Ground - where a bench once stood; a new site in the top south western corner of the Old Rec, just below the footpath entrance; the walled enclosure in the High Street near the Doctor’s Surgery; and perhaps a few benches around the perimeter of the New Rec. 
Most of these do not take account of the needs of older residents, without cars, who walk around the village. There are currently no benches for people to sit on in the High Street on their way to or from the Corner Stores or the Doctor’s Surgery. There is no bench for people to sit on at the bottom of Coopers Hill.
Although probably even more controversial, the prospect of a few benches placed around our village footpath network appeals to some people (eg me). There are some suitable rough hewn Oak benches available, intended for use in woodland etc which will allay some people’s fears. One obvious site is at the point where the Environmentalists placed a log ‘seat’ some time ago. This has lovely views down to the village. A rough hewn oak bench to replace the log is a possibility.
 
Bob Finch
20 04 05
 

Progress Last Meeting (before Christmas)

We had a bonfire (or three), we cleaned the tables at Peters Green, we filled up all the salt bins, we looked at the ceiling and leak at Church House and cleared the roof of debris. We replaced a dud tube in an outside light at the Mem Hall, and replaced a flickering tube in the Green Room, and replaced a tube and starter in the kitchen. We removed a fallen tree from the Mem Hall car park and took to bonfire.

Progress Last Week
We took down the big marquee and took it to the container. We took down the Fair banners at each end of the High Street. We did a temporary mend to the broken dog poo bin at the bottom of Hall Lane, we took the WI tables from the boiler Room to Vivienne's and Patio washed her, yes, patio, again. We fixed a non working outside light at the Memorial Hall and investigated the non-working light in the kitchen - new tubes wanted (at least). We had our coffee in Sue and Neil's house on the Green - thanks very much Sue for the coffee and cake - and discussed, for Carina's benefit, the superb Christmas Fair and possible improvements for next time.