Thursday 26 February 2009

NEW PENKRIDGE LOCAL HISTORY BOOK


Published this week was Robert Maddock's latest edition to the Social History of Penkridge. Entitled "The Shops, Businesses & Trades of Old Penkridge", it was written with the help of about 50 elderly residents of Penkridge, many of them born and lived in Penkridge all their lives - and many of their parents and ancestors too.

Many new photographs and facts have come to light and it makes a very welcome addition to Robert's three previous books (The Good Old Grit, The Day Before Yesterday, and Who Lived in Penkridge in 1901?).

All those who helped and supplied information are mentioned in the acknowledgements and at the event this week when the book was launched, it was agreed that we would continue with planning the next publication and there will be a further meeting of Penkridge's newest voluntary "Local History Group, Great Marsh Publications" towards the end of March. If you would like an invite (must be over 60 - give or take a few years! - and have lots of memories of life and people in Penkridge), then let me or Bob Maddocks have your name and address.

The latest book published by Great Marsh Publications is on sale at the Pot Shop, Hawkins Electrical and Sally's Hardware Shop at Stone Cross, price £8. Bob has also compiled a list of all the businesses in Penkridge from the Trade Directories from 1793 to 1947 and they are now all listed in a separate publication on sale for £2.

GET YOUR COPY NOW - IT'S SELLING LIKE HOT CAKES
, as they say! All profits are being recycled into further written revelations about the history of Penkridge and its People. We thank the County Council for its financial grant towards this publication and our research under the Local Member Initiative Scheme - Veronica Downes being our local member.

Monday 23 February 2009

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

I urge everyone to go take a look at this BBC TV Programme. It is a video of a Natural World TV programme all about the future of growing food in a world that is running out of fossil fuels, particularly oil. It lasts for 58 minutes but it will make you think. Let me know if you do watch it and what your reaction is please. I have some thoughts on how we might feed all Penkridge people with food grown locally but would like to hear whether there are others in our community who have ideas.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hs8zp/Natural_World_20082009_A_Farm_for_the_Future/

Bevan

Sunday 15 February 2009

Its "Awards for Penkridge People" Year!

And I hear of yet another well-earned award. Anne Geoghegan, who many of you know as Chair of the Parish Council and owner of the Pot Shop in the centre of the village, is also an ajudicator for the Board of Trinity/Guildhall College of Music in London.

Each year the Chairman of the Board gives one Award from the Board for "Services to the College". This year the Award has been presented to Anne. This is a great honour for her. She is shortly going out to Hong Kong for the third time to adjudicate at the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival and will be one of the 30 adjucators from all over the world. CONGRATULATIONS ANNE.

Wednesday 11 February 2009

Good News and not so good News

First the Good News - Penkridge British Legion have just been awarded the South Staffordshire County ~"Presidents Shield" for increased membership - a branch without its own hall. WELL DONE BOYS AND GIRLS - IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT COMRADESHIP IS AS STRONG AS EVER IN PENKRIDGE.

AND A Local woman recognised for work with older people

Dawn Northwood from Penkridge has been shortlisted as Tenant Liaison Officer of the Year for her dedication and sensitivity to older tenants who are moving house.

Dawn is a tenant liaison officer with South Staffordshire Housing Association and was nominated for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Residents May and Wilf Lewis think Dawn should win, they say “Dawn did everything, she even offered to turn up our new curtains. Dawn still pops in to see us. She’s an adopted daughter really; I’d like to take her on permanently.”

Dawn was modest about her achievements: “It helps that at SSHA we have a policy of providing excellent service to everyone and I know I have the backing of senior staff. Basically though I just think about how I’d want my own parents to be treated. That’s what most people would do, isn’t it?”

The Connecting People Tenant Liaison Officer of the Year award is sponsored by TPAS, the Tenant Participation Advisory Service. The overall winner will be announced in March.

And NOW the not so good news - its my birthday today but I aint telling you how old I am. All the cards I have received have reminded me I am a year older. SO WHAT! I AM ALSO ANOTHER YEAR WISER.

And some more good news - for those who have helped Bob Maddocks and me with information about Penkridge in the Past, you will be pleased to hear that the book is due from the printer any day now. We are planning another meeting of our Social History Group to launch the book on Tuesday, 24 February - Shrove Tuesday. Invitations will be going out to all those who have attended meetings in the past. Bring your own Pancakes.

Bevan