ASHLEY SURGERY NEWSLETTER- January 2009

Reception
Kath Amplett retired from her position as Receptionist in November 2008 after 17 years of service at the Surgery. We all wish her a long and healthy retirement.
Tracey Masterton has now joined Reception and is already proving to be a valuable asset to the team, and in Administration, Kerry Mclean also joined the team in December 2008 as an administration assistant/receptionist to complement the team.

Extended opening hours
Due to the reorganisation of the Reception we have been able to increase the Surgery’s opening hours, including a late night on a Tuesday until 8.00pm.

Under 5’s Walk-In Surgery
For parents who feel that their ‘under five year old’ child needs to be seen by a Dr urgently, we offer an open walk in surgery every day at 12.30pm (for parents wanting this service please book in at Reception on arrival).

Practice Nurse Team
Judy Green has left the practice to take up a new post; we wish her well. We are pleased to welcome Liz Prince who is a highly regarded Senior Practice Nurse.

Phlebotomy
We continue to offer blood testing at the Surgery, as a service to our patients. The Dispensary now has a full team of staff consisting; a Dispensary Manager, a fully qualified Dispensary Assistant and a trainee Dispensary Assistant.

Newcastle Community Midwife
Julie McGarry is at Ashley surgery every Friday morning 9 to 11 (by appointment). She offers friendly and helpful pregnancy advice and care for all expectant mothers and mothers with babies up to 14 days old. Julie can be contacted on 07872 699911.

Practice Website
Our website is now up and running and can be accessed online at www.ashleysurgery.co.uk

For further information on any aspect of the Surgery - Please contact: Julia Watkin, Practice Manager, on Tel: 01630 672225

ASHLEY MUSIC AND FLOWER FESTIVAL SONGS OF PRAISE
- OUR COMMUNITY FAVOURITE HYMN

The first weekend of June is the festival. Did you vote for your favourite hymn using the form with last months issue? If not, either write the hymn title on a piece of paper and put it into the box in the Library at Loggerheads. Alternatively you can email the title to the Information Shop using the subject Hymn: info@loggerheads.eu or telephone the Information shop on 01630 674365 (answer phone) and tell us the title. Your hymn will likely be sung and/or played over the weekend and the most popular hymn will have an arrangement created to celebrate it.
If you are celebrating something special, or would like to remember a loved one then you could sponsor a floral arrangement. Please leave your name and telephone number and we will get back to you to explain how to go about this.

LOGGERHEADS CHESHIRE SANATORIUM Memories of a child who lived in Chester

My recent contact with the Loggerheads Community Information shop has been helpful and enjoyable. I have been trying to find information about the Cheshire Joint Sanatorium at Loggerheads. Everyone has been so helpful and friendly. My father was diagnosed with the dreaded Tuberculosis in 1939 and was sent to the sanatorium just before the start of the Second World War. I was just a child then but I can remember how devastated the family was. He was at Loggerheads for 9 months during the awful winter of 1939/40. I believe the treatment included the cold, fresh air and the smell of the pine trees!! I remember tales of snow on the flower beds and the hedgerows covered with deep snow. I think I was only allowed to visit once and this was on his second stay of 9 months which was at the time the war ended in 1945. My mother had a really long trek by bus to visit every Sunday. In that bad Winter of 1939/40 the buses stopped for several weeks.

The staff were marvelous and I remember some of the Irish nurses visiting our home near Chester. Even though it was such a dreadful illness, the atmosphere must have been very good. My dad talked about “The Trolley Song” when someone was going for treatment. I don’t think he was a model patient though as he was a smoker and I still have an ashtray which he often had to use quickly when staff were around!!
With the help of the Loggerheads Community Information Shop and others and a loan of the now out of print book, I have at last been able to piece together a picture of the great work that was done at the C.J.S. towards a cure for Tuberculosis. Also the community atmosphere which must have been a great help to the patients. The cure for T.B. which thankfully eventually came was unfortunately too late for my father who died, aged 56, in 1952.
Majory (and husband Albert)

(If you have any contribution about life and times at the “Sanny” please let us know. We will do our best to put on record more facts and reminiscences of this important part of our local history - thanks, Editor)

The children’s summary of the last half of term at St Mary’s Primary School, Mucklestone

Written by Olivia (Year 4) and Katie (Year 5)

In National Film Week we went to the cinema at the Drayton Festival Centre, which was very comfortable and we could see really well. Class 2 saw the Water Horse and Class 1 saw Laura’s Star, both films were really cool!

We have also been learning African drumming with our teacher who is called Dave. We gave a performance for parents, we played Little Drummer Boy, We will Rock You, Cuckoo and Cassa.
We enjoy learning violin which we do every Friday and this week we showed Class 1 and our parents what we had learnt, even how to use the bow. Our teachers are very good and great fun. Miss McGregor mostly teaches the violin and Mrs Prince does more of the vocals. Our favourite song is Coca-cola came to Town because it is very funny, but we have learnt lots of other songs too.

We took part in the Lantern Parade through Cheshire Street in Market Drayton. Our school sang We Three Kings of Orient Are about fourteen times! While we waited for the lights to be switched on and we sang lots of songs.
We sent shoe boxes to the troops in Iraq with sweets and board games, because they are far away from their families. The officer in charge wrote to us saying the troops loved getting the boxes because it gave them hope.
In the last week of term, we had a Christingle Service and afterwards a buffet lunch. The day before we made the Christingles - the orange stands for the world, the red ribbon for blood because Jesus died, and the fruit stands for the four seasons. We passed on the light for the candles to remember Jesus is the Light of the World.

Jackie and Tracy visited from the Salvation Army to collect lots of presents we had collected for the homeless people in their hostel in Stoke.
We have been celebrating Posada which comes from Mexico. We enjoyed making the figures which started out as two milk bottles but in the end they were so good that they seemed like real people. We made Mary, Joseph, an angel, a shepherd and three kings and we went to the church yesterday and we talked about all of them. It ended with Pinata where we pulled the donkey’s tail to try and get the sweets out, but in the end we had to use a stick!
Sam joined us as a Year 3 pupil three months ago and this is what he has to say:
“I think this school is really good. I have got millions of friends and a best friend. You get to do really good things and I love the walk to school (on the Walking Bus)”

Loggerheads Environment Volunteers

Following the example of Jane Hughes and Rosie Machin with the village centre flower baskets, people have come forward to pick litter and to plant trees and bulbs. Councillors have also arranged to replace unsightly signs.

The Loggerheads Environment Volunteers met on 18th December and have started work to get a permanent organisation, and Village Landscape Plan and funding to implement it. We aim to make big strides in 2009, but we need more volunteers.


Our next meeting is on Tuesday 17th February in the Peel at 7.30 pm. Please check your diary and make it a date!

HUGO MEYNELL SCHOOL AUTUMN NEWS

Madeley High School Visit
Every year primary schools are invited to Madeley High School. Our year six visited Madeley on Tuesday 4th November 2008 to see their new school. They took part in various activities such as speed stacks, bench order, paper homes (newspaper homes) etc.
Bonfire Celebrations
In November Hugo Meynell School had a special bonfire lunch consisting of chilli carne carnie, bangers and mash and some sort of gingerbread. The Saturday after, the school had a special firework display in Ashley.
Visit to Think Tank in Birmingham
Years 3-4 went to the Think Tank on 14th November. The Think Tank is a Science Museum where you can try out all different types of science activities. There was a machine where you turned the handle and saw all the inside of the body turn around. There were things to do with space, and a machine which let you see all the different planets, including a big board which described the atmosphere of all the planets. There was a play area for the smaller children and a restaurant too. It was interactive for children and adults alike. I would certainly recommend a visit!
Community Eucharist and School Choir
The 2nd December saw the school celebrating its second Community Communion, the first with Reverend J Eades. On this occasion the school choir sang too. The choir performed on another day to some of the elderly residents. The reception children did their nativity play and the choir helped them sing their own songs.
December
The choir sang carols at the Christmas Fayre. Years 3 and 4 did a production of ‘Mr Humbug Sees the Light’. The school held a Carol Concert after school on Monday 15th December. There was a Carol Service in Market Drayton where our choir represented Hugo Meynell School. It was the evening where the Christmas Lights were switched on in Market Drayton. Only one other school attended. We walked through the main High Street, each carrying a lantern and sang Silent Night. This was quite magical. We had a Christmas Disco on December 12th and danced to pop/rock music everyone had a great time.

Reporters: William Matthias and Rebecca Price

Did you know? Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service provide a free home fire risk check.

All you have to do is ring the freephone number 0800 0241 999 to book your Home Fire Risk Check

- the visit could save your life!
During your visit any existing smoke alarms will be tested and if they are not working or there are no alarms we will provide and fit them free of charge. Consideration can also be given to providing such things as deep fat fryers (in exchange for old fashioned chip pans), fire guards, electrical extension leads and a wide range of other fire protection measures.
Advice will also be given regarding kitchen and electrical safety as well as planning escape routes and all other matters concerning fire risk and safety within the home.

Annual Parish Meeting – Loggerheads Parish Council—Thursday 16 April

Each year the Parish Council holds an Annual Parish Meeting. This meeting is OUR opportunity to talk to the Councillors. This meeting is different from the usual Council meeting in that the residents (electors) who live in Ashley, Loggerheads, Mucklestone, Knighton or Tyrley can set the agenda. It’s coming up soon, so if you would like to talk about any particular subject please contact Jess Jenkinson (The Parish Clerk) by Fri 3 April.
Email: loggerheadspc@btconnect.com or write to her at; Loggerheads Parish Council Clerk, The Presbytery, 75 Church Road, Ashley, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 4JY.
Should you feel that you would like to raise an issue but are reluctant to speak in public, this is OK, just don't hesitate to contact Jess and your concerns will be discussed.