Christmas Parade

The Christmas Wish Tree is now 'planted' and decorating has begun. This is the Quakers Walk community tree and is ready for everyone to add a decoration, gift tag, Christmas wish or hand-made item to it. We hope everyone will help to look after it but if anyone notices it has blown over or been vandalised (HOPEFULLY NOT!) please let us know: Tel:738792. We now look forward to our next Quakers Walk community event, this time joining with the Trinity School. Thursday 20th December, 6pm, parade round the estate collecting for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and finishing with carols around the Christmas Tree in the school hall, with festive refreshments. More details should be posted through doors nearer the time.

Christmas Tree

The Christmas Tree will be put up at 10.30 on the 1st December 2012. If any one could help Colin and Thelma it would be much appreciated. Meet where the path leads down to Quakers Walk.

Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child: This is an opportunity for the residents of Quakers Walk to join the town in providing shoe boxes full of goodies to be sent to a disadvantaged child overseas. Shoebox Packing Day is on Saturday 3rd November, from 9a.m. in St Andrew’s Church Hall. If you would like to help pack boxes on that day, or make a contribution to the Quakers Walk boxes, please let Thelma know (thelma.edwards@btinternet.com) or bring your donation to 38 Quakers Road by Friday 2nd November. For more information on Operation Christmas Child, see http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/groups

Halloween Code

Simple Halloween code: Wednesday 31 October marks this year’s Halloween, traditionally a time when young people like to dress up and have fun ‘Trick or Treating’ in their local communities. Wiltshire Police and its partners are encouraging young people to be safe and respect others this Halloween, to ensure that Halloween can be enjoyed by everyone. Parents and carers have an important role to play to help keep children and young people safe and encourage them to act responsibly when they’re taking part in Trick or Treating. Here is some information taken from the Wiltshire Police website: · Unexpected callers at the door can cause distress for some people, particularly the elderly. For people who do not want to receive ‘Trick or Treat’ callers, a poster has been produced displaying in large font ‘Sorry, no trick or treat here please.’ The poster should be displayed in a prominent position either on the front door or front window. Do not knock on doors where there such a sign is displayed. Wiltshire Police have given us a limited supply of “No trick or treat” posters – please ask your Co-ordinator. Or you can download one from http://www.wiltshire.police.uk/index.php/campaignsand-events/3343-halloween or look at the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme website http://www.neighbourhoodwatch.net/ and search under Halloween · Always trick and treat with an adult. Parents/carers should ensure their children act sensibly. Stay with the people you are with - do not go off on your own. · Only visit a house where you or the people you are with know who lives there. Do not talk to strangers on the street. Do not enter any house – stay on the door step.

The White Horse Birthday Party

The sun shone as families and residents from Quakers Walk walked up to the White Horse to celebrate its 13th birthday on Saturday 29th September. Families from the Trinity and Nursteed schools joined in on the hill and the children made a garland of flowers for his neck and sat among the bunting on his back. Hannah had made a cake which Thelma had iced - Sarah Padwick blew the candles out, the Mayor cut the cake and everyone sang 'Happy Birthday dear Chalkie...'. While Thelma cut up the cake to share out, Alan Padwick told everyone gathered the story of how the Devizes Millenium White Horse had come to be cut in the chalk and a group called the Cavaliers had looked after it until responsibility was handed over to Roundway Parish Council in 2011. Noel Woolrych who had been Mayor for the Millennium and who had cut the first turf and other Cavaliers present added their stories too so we all learnt a lot about our white horse. Colin's kite flew high in the sky and the picnics were good too! Although there were not as many there as we had hoped, we all enjoyed it so much we thought we would repeat it again next September.

Birthday party for the Horse

Dont forget this Saturday is the birthday party for the White Horse. Please bring flowers to place on the horse's neck! Also if you have a musical instrument bring it along to accompany "Happy Birthday" to the horse. Look out for photographs of the event on the blog next week. Many media outlets have been invited. Loccal dignituries will also be present.

The White Horse Birthday Party

On Saturday 29th September 2012 at 4.00pm at the Devizes White Horse on Rounday Hill. The Devizes White Horse will be 13 years old on the 29th September 2012. Come and celebrate the horse which looks over our estate. Bring a picnic! Bring flowers to put on the horse! A walking group will leave Palmer road playpark on the Quakers Walk at 2.3opm! All children must be accompanied by an adult. The activity is taken at your own risk!

The Quakers Walk Big Picnic

Quakers Walk Big Picnic A big thank you to everyone who helped to make Quakers Walk Big Picnic such a success on Saturday 2nd June. The weather held off for us until we began to pack up, so we were more fortunate than many. Feedback has been very positive from many who enjoyed the races and other activities and it was good to see so many groups of people chatting to each other. A special thank you to St James church who provided their Messy Play tent and activities for the children to enjoy, Lee from Palmers Road who brought along his bouncy castle, and Kelly from Quakers Road who spent all afternoon painting children’s faces – we must find help for you next time! Bob and Pam did stirling work helping Colin with the races, and clearing up the meadow after the event, Hannah took some great photos, and Jackie was ‘Jack of all trades’ in the planning and setting up of the event. Great community spirit – we also enjoyed Natalie’s thoughtful coffee and choc tray in the morning as we were setting up. Here’s to next time………………….. And regarding the bunting: The residents of Quakers Walk certainly got behind the Bunting Challenge for the weekend of the Diamond Jubilee. 80 houses were decorated in some way, with large and small flags, and yards and yards of bunting of all kinds, some even making their own – very impressive. Well done – it looked great!

Golden Jubilee

COMING SOON! Quakers Walk Big Picnic next Saturday 2nd June, from 3.30 pm in the meadow. You still have time to decorate a wheelbarrow, or make a fancy dress with a royal theme. Bring your wellingtons if you want to enter for the Mass Welly Wang. Activities, races, children's beauty parlour, balloon modelling, Messy Play Tent, bouncy castle (courtesy of Lee) between 3.30 and 5pm Tug of War, and mass bubble blow just before the picnic at 5pm DON'T FORGET the Quakers Walk Bunting Challenge - to cover the estate with bunting for the Jubilee. Loads available in the shops if you don't want to make some.

Quakers Walk Community Group

Last week there were thefts from sheds and garages.

Are you interested in a neighbourhood wath scheme. We require Volunteer Co-ordinators and Deputy Volunteer Co-ordinators.

If you are interested contact Colin and Thelma Edwards

Tel: 738792
thelma.edwards@btinternet.com

Care Home - Planning Permission

There is to be a meeting of the Wiltshire Council Eastern Area Planning Committee on Thursday this week, 15th March. It is at 6pm and to be held at Council Chamber, Council Officer, Browfort, Bath Road, Devizes. The planning application for the land east of Quakers Walk is on the agenda - this is for the development of a Care Village and includes the issues of access, car parking, landscaping and the possible surfacing of Quakers Walk with tarmac.

If you are interested in the impact this site will have on the estate it is important you attend!

Saturday's Litter Pick

Thank you for everyone who turned out on Saturday for the litter pick! We collected a few bags but were hindered by the snow hiding the litter!!

Snow has fallen

Snow has fallen on the estate! The forecast suggests there shouldn't be much more but if anyone needs any assistance please contact through the blog comments!

Take care on the path from the estate to Quakers Walk as it does get very slippy!!

New Bin!

The new bin at the top of the path from Quakers Walk has arrived!!!

Letter from Wiltshire Air Ambulance

On behalf of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Charitable Trust, thank you so much for the kind donation of £172.79 raised yourself and the residents of Quakers Walk. Please pass on our thanks to all concerned. It was also lovely to meet you and your daughter last week when you popped into the Unit. We really appreciate your support.



As you are most likely aware, the service provided by Wiltshire Air Ambulance is unique and is an essential service which is provided to the people of Wiltshire. No-one is exempt – it is there for all life and death situations and because of the speed of the helicopter and skill of the crew this can make a big difference to the patient concerned.



The Air Ambulance receives no Government or National Lottery funding and, therefore, we rely heavily on the support of you – the Wiltshire residents!



Wiltshire’s Air Ambulance is the only Helicopter in the Country that has the ability to fly at night, this is because of the joint collaboration we have with the Police meaning we have specialist cameras and thermal imaging equipment on board.



The Air Ambulance is able to transport the patient to the most appropriate specialist hospital, where life saving medical intervention is given as quickly as possible. The Helicopter can reach any part of Wiltshire within 10 minutes.



Everyone in Wiltshire has a stake in the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.



Flying 365 days a year, the service gives each and everyone of us in Wiltshire peace of mind.



Kindest regards,



Janet Ford

Wiltshire Air Ambulance

Contractors at the School

Many of you have drawn attention to the difficulty in safely negotiating the line of parked vehicles belonging to the school contractors when leaving and entering our estate. They have caused blind spots and a few 'near misses'. Some of us have contacted Spillers (Somerset office) and drawn this to their attention. 'No parking' bollards have now appeared at various points along the road to enable passing spots so, although this lengthens the line of parked vehicles, we hope this will improve the situation for drivers.

Doggy Bins

Many of you have drawn our attention to the overflowing bins in the locked play park and the doggy bags that have been strewn on the ground. Persimmons have promised to empty the bins as it is their responsibility until the council have passed the play park and adopted it. In the meantime use of this area increases the risk of damage which in turn will delay the council adopting it. Persimmons have asked if we could explain this and encourage patience while the legal processes continue. We have asked for an opening date and will post this on the blog as soon as we receive it.



A new bin has been ordered for the disposal of doggy bags and we hope this will be installed soon near the bollards where Quakers Road joins the tarmac pathway. In the meantime, the nearest bin is at the top of Quakers Walk by Roundway Park, so we suggest dog owners use this or take their bags home for disposal. The doggy bin over the bridge on the canal tow path is the responsibility of British Waterways to empty and not the council.

BIG Picnic on the meadow

There will be a community jubilee event in June. It will involve a massive picnic on the meadow!!

More news to be announced soon. Anyone who wants to get involved organising the event please contact through the blog!!

Traffic in the Day

There has been increasing problems with contractors parking their cars on the road outside the school. They have space to park but use the road because it's easier for them to get their cars out. It is causing increasing problems for traffic coming into the estate and is dangerous.

If it is causing you a problem then complain to

www.rgspiller.com

You need the Somerset division!

Christmas Parade - Money Raised

Great news! We raised £172.79 during the Christmas Parade!! Thank you so much for the money you donated!

Keep following the blog for more news on the next event!!

Thank you!

Well the tree is now down and 2012 is rolling on. Just a quick message to say again a big thank you to everyone who turned out to the Christmas Parade. We even made the press in the Gazette and Herald (page 41)!!

Please keep checking the blog for further events and news!!!