February saw the recall of the anti-obesity drug Reductil (sibutramine). This was a drug which was produced and marketed in response to the rising tide of obesity within western societies. Reductil was developed to try to decrease appetite and make those taking it feel full more quickly once they started taking it. Doctors, including me, came under great pressure to prescribe medication to help people to lose weight. There is an old maxim in medicine that you never get something for nothing. This turned out to be particularly true in the case of this drug. Whilst it did help some people lose weight this was often not sustained long term. More important than that though was the finding of the “SCOUT” study which showed that 14% more patients taking this drug had a stroke or a heart attack than those not taking it. It seems unfashionable these days to talk about personal responsibility but in this case it seems to prove the point that there is no easy fix and that the only way to decrease weight is to have the self discipline to take in fewer calories than are being used over a long period of time.


The increased incidence of stroke got me thinking about the recently changed guidelines for the management of stroke. For many years there has been an appreciation that time is absolutely critical when it comes to starting active treatments for heart attacks. Drugs known collectively as thrombolytics or clot busters can make a big difference to survival and disability. The sooner they are given the better the response. More recently there has been work done that shows that the same can be said for certain types of stroke. There has been a nationwide push to try to get people into hospital as quickly as possible if they are having a stroke.

In turn local hospitals have been working to try to make CT scanning and the provision of these clot busting drugs available quickly and importantly around the clock. Strokes or CVAs can present in many ways depending on which part of the brain is being affected. Diagnosing stroke in the very elderly can be a particular challenge. There is a useful acronym that can help to identify an evolving stroke but the absence of one or more doesn’t exclude it. FAST refers to: Facial weakness – usually one sided, Arm or leg weakness or numbness, Speech disturbance (either slurring or an inability to be able to summon up the right words or speaking gobbledygook). The final T in FAST refers to what to do next Time to dial 999. You can find out more information about this at www.stroke.org.uk . Receptionists are between a rock and a hard place in surgeries as they are not expected to make clinical decisions. We have decided on this occasion though that there is a place for specific in house training for all of our staff to raise awareness about the presentation of stroke.

With Best Wishes,

It has been another busy month for our school, with all the clubs well under way and a great range of activities for the children on offer. From football to cooking, maths games to art club and many more, there is something to interest and absorb all the children. There is always room for you to get involved and help run a club, so if you are interested please contact Louise Carlisle at school.

Reception class have been out and about in the school grounds in all types of weather learning about our wonderful local environment as part of their Percy the Park Keeper Project.

Year I attended a Chinese Work Shop to tie in with their term topic of “willow pattern” plates. They learnt about the Chinese New Year, their food and some of their traditions. The children were very excited to receive chop sticks and I am sure some messy experiments at meal times have ensued!

Year 3 are engrossed on their journey down the Nile into Africa.

Lili, Beth, Mollie, Susanna from Year 4 galvanised the school into a spectacular event on Friday 12th February. Busking took on a new dimension with all the children singing. The children raised £206 for the Haiti appeal.

Year 5 took part in the Tag Rugby tournament in Hungerford. There were three teams in total and they won the Sportsmanship Cup – well done class 5. The children had a fantastic but very muddy afternoon!

Year 6 School Council have organised a “walk to school” initiative to encourage exercise and use less petrol. This also ties in with our sustainability projects and as an added bonus relieves congestion around the school and the car park. The Eco-Council need materials to complete the wildlife area fence. They have been busy keeping our school litter free and encouraging every class to recycle waste paper. The Wildcats ice hockey trip to Swindon was very popular and great fun. Several children have now taken up this exciting sport.

Dates for your diaries
30th March – The Lion King at the Lyceum. There are a few tickets available for this wonderful show. This trip is not a school trip but open to the general public - all are welcome. The price of a ticket is £30 and includes the cost of return travel by Barnes Coaches. The coaches will leave Great Bedwyn School at 4:00pm and will return at approximately midnight. Please contact Tina Simonis on 01672 870482 or admin@greatbedwyn.wilts.sch.uk to obtain tickets.

22nd May Village Fete at school. If any clubs have not yet put their names forward to participate please contact Louise Carlisle.

Tennis Club News
The new season is nearly upon us and the Committee are working hard to ensure we keep you up to date on everything that is going on at Great Bedwyn Tennis Club.

AGM
The Club is holding its Annual General Meeting on Thursday 11th March at 7.30pm in the Clubhouse. All are welcome to attend. We will be electing new officers for the 2010/11 tennis year (which runs from 1st April 2010) and discussing: subscriptions for the year, fundraising, and our Wimbledon ticket ballot. The Club is run by a small band of volunteers, which is getting smaller; we would really appreciate some help! So if you feel you would like to get involved or could just come along to support the AGM then please do so.

Open Day
We are planning an Open Day at the club on Sunday 23rd May – which is the day after the School Fete. It will be an opportunity for anyone interested in tennis (from complete beginners to rusty players to current members!) to come to the club, meet the committee and our coaches, Lewis Fletcher and Catherine Graham of Tennis Xperience – to play some tennis, watch a professional exhibition match and enjoy a social afternoon. The children will be given some coaching from Lewis and Catherine and there will be other games on the playing field and we will be producing some food and drinks too.

Correction to last month’s article
The current Secretary of the Club is Vanessa Mallinson, and she can be contacted at vanessa.mallinson@btinternet.com. If you would like to discuss membership then please contact the Membership Secretary, Charlotte Maclean at charlottemaclean@gmail.com

Vanessa Mallinson

Extract from the draft Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held in the Village Hall on Wednesday 10th February 2010

Present: Cllrs. Ruth Francis (acting chairperson), Julie van Haperen, Karina Nicholson, Jim Raff, Sally Rhodes and one member of the public.

Apologies: Cllrs. Roger Durie, Jenny Clack, Charles Howell, Paul Knowler, Gordon Stone, Steve Hobson, WC Cllr. Stuart Wheeler and Pc Derrick Foord.

Incoming Clerk was welcomed. (Colin Brinsden)
Outgoing Clerk was thanked for his 10 years of service (Mick Goss)

Matters Arising:
2. Allotments. One small allotment has become available, and has been offered to a local resident. There are 6 names on the waiting list for allotments, priority being given to Great Bedwyn residents.

3. Youth Club. Parish grant of £1000 has been paid. Grant from PAB for £2000 has been secured. It is hoped to appoint a youth leader in April.

4. Traffic items. 30mph bin stickers to be purchased for re-sale to residents. (125 square stickers for £146 Ex.vat) Cllr. Rhodes to order. - Portable speed camera. Excerpt from police report:- “The speeding problem in Forest Hill is moving forward with a recent site meeting with Council members, to determine a safe site for possible Community Speed Watch. This site is now in the hands of the specialist traffic department who have to view the site for Health and Safety, before we can move forward”. Once approved, members of the public will have to been trained to use the camera. There is also a possibility that the use of the camera could be shared with Burbage and Grafton. - Salt/Grit Bins A letter has been received from Wiltshire Council regarding the need for bins(existing and new). A reply is being put together, confirming the need and condition of existing bins, and any requirement for additional bins. There have been requests for additional bins, from residents and the school. Final requirements and positions to be discussed by the Councillors with WC Highways. - School address An email from Councillor Wheeler has outlined how the school address could be changed from ‘Farm Lane’ to ‘Wansdyke Road’. Provided the Post Office do not object this appears a straightforward procedure. The change was unanimously supported by councillors as a means of enabling SATNAV guided vehicles to the school to avoid Farm Lane, thus improving safety for children walking to and from school. It was felt a proposed change to the postcode alone would lead to confusion, and be unacceptable to the PO. A letter is to be sent to Mrs Davidson and the board of governors.

5. Playground. Additional bark has been delivered and is being used.

6. Additional waste bin. An additional large waste bin has now been delivered and is ready to replace the bin on the corner of Station Road. The lid from the existing bin can be used for the Church Street bin. The existing bin is to be re-used at a site to be determined later.

7. Village defibrillator. The defibrillator has now been ordered. Training sessions to be organised, and volunteers required. Installation will be arranged by the surgery.

9. PC Website. Discussed, but no progress made. Review at March meeting with a view to taking final decision.

Correspondence received:
Request from Air Ambulance, for permission to place a clothing and shoe re-cycling bank. It was deemed necessary to find out the size of the bin, before any decision could be made.

Planning:
Parish Council, no objection: (omitted where approval is listed below):
29, 30, 41 & 42 Shawgrove - Replacement doors and windows.
6, Brook Street - Internal work (listed cottage)

Wiltshire Council, full planning:
42, Church Street - Single storey extension

AOB:
1. Highlighted problems of illegal parking at junction of Castle Road, Church Street & Farm Lane. (Buses having trouble turning). Local police have been made aware, awaiting feedback.

Colin Brinsden

Our new Parish Clerk

On behalf of the Parish Council, may I welcome our new Parish Clerk, Colin Brinsden.

Colin lives in Hungerford, having recently retired from Foster Wheeler in Reading. He has close family ties with Great Bedwyn and is in the village a couple of times a week. You can contact him at gbc_colinbrinsden@yahoo.co.uk.

Mick Goss

Village Website www.greatbedwyn.com

Car Wash Weekend!
Saturday/Sunday March 27th/28th 2010 at Great Bedwyn Village Hall

Please mark the date in your calendar If you are interested in helping or getting involved, please contact any of the pack leaders or Philip Blunt on 870006 for further information.

Your help is required!
Please be vigilant particularly at night, and report anything suspicious no matter how small it may seem. If at all possible vehicle registration numbers should be recorded.

If you think a crime is being or about to be committed then ring 999
For any other information ring the Wiltshire Police Non-Emergency line on 0845 408 7000

Alternatively you can, as always, email either me or Coralie
derrick.foord@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk
coralie.nash@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk

Dear Editor

Having recently gone through the very unpleasant experience of being burgled we would like to extend our thanks to all the police involved, especially to Derrick Foord, our neighbourhood policeman, for their professionalism and support. We are very grateful to live in a community who have shown so much kindness – thank you! A word of advise – please photograph everything that’s precious to you, jewellery, furniture etc, and make notes of any identifying features e.g. dents, marks etc that will help the police. It will also help with any insurance claim, where you will have to prove you owned it as well as providing a huge amount of detail!

Susannah and Nigel Hudson
Dear Andrew,

Yesterday, I removed about 30 or so bags filled with dog poo from bushes and trees from the Castle Road, Copyhold and railway areas. Obviously the same dog walker. Why do this? The rest of us dog owners take our bags home to the bin. To litter the countryside is an offence.

Dawn Bacon
Dear Editor,

Last Autumn I put up a poster on each of the notice boards by the Chains (the posters went missing by the next day) asking if anyone had any unwanted beads/broken juewllery that they had no use for, and that I could recycle into new necklaces and bracelets to sell for the Spinal Injuries Association. Luckily, Michaela Cheese saw my poster and turned up with a bag overflowing with lovely beads and bobs to use. I just want to say thank you to Michaela, friends and family – with their help I managed to raise £140 to give to SIA, who support the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Injuries Centre at Salisbury Hospital.

Lucy Hawkins

A brand new Youth Group for 11 to 19 year olds in Great Bedwyn is looking for an experienced Youth Worker for three hours on Wednesday evenings (6.30pm to 9.30pm). This post is due to start in late March/early April.

We are looking for relevant experience in behaviour management and child protection. First aid qualifications are an advantage but not essential as training can be given. The successful applicant would be subject to enhanced criminal record clearance.


For further details, including rates of pay, please contact Jenny Baxter on 01672 871619 or email jenny.baxter1@googlemail.com. CVs are welcome.

Planning Appeal Details:

Site Address: Fortlands, Forest Hill

Proposal: Demolition of existing dwelling and erection of 5 general market and 3 affordable homes (amended layout and design) Appeal Procedure: This appeal will be heard at a hearing on Tuesday 30th March 2010 in the British Legion Hall, Great Bedwyn at 10.00am.

This appeal has been linked to K59723//F and they will be heard together.

For more details, including information on whether there is any opportunity for members of the public to speak, contact: The Planning Inspectorate, Temple Quay House, 2, The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN

Rural Arts Wiltshire presents ‘Chime Child’
on Friday 5th March, 7.30pm in The Village Hall, Great Bedwyn.