Penkridge loses three more citizens - but they will be remembered.

If you  have logged onto my Community Website recently (www.penkridge.org.uk), you will have seen my posting about the deaths recently of DAVID WYNN, PHIL GOLLINGS and FRED PERKS.  All three have been members of the Local History Group and all three have contributed to the books that the Group has published.   David contributed to our latest one (in it there is a photo of him flying solo at Halfpenny Green), Phil Gollings researched and wrote the History of St. Michael's School which includes some wonderful glimpses into village school life back in the very early days.   And Fred Perks also wrote two books about his life working on the Railways as an Engine Driver, much of it being in the age of the steam engine.   We have lost three good men and true, and with them we have lost an enormous amount of memories of Penkridge in the past.  But through the Local History Group and the publications they have written and contributed to, we have at least got much of their memories and experiences of life in Penkridge permanently recorded for future generations.

David Wynn's funeral has already passed, Phil Gollings is on Monday, 23 April, at 11.30am at St. Michael & All Angels Church and Fred Perks is to be held on Wednesday, 25 April, at 11am at Stafford Crematorium.

POSTAL DELIVERY SERVICE SUSPENDED TO 90 HOMES IN PENKRIDGE

A letter was recently delivered (but not to all the occupants of the 90 household Grange Estate) telling them that their post would not be delivered until further notice saying that "our postman has come across an accident in the area due to uneven pathways (and) he sustained serious injuries due to the incident".  They say that "this exceptional step has to be taken in order to safeguard the health and safety of Royal Mail employees and that an internal health and safety risk assessment will be undertaken to assess whether there is an unacceptable level of risk associated with the delivery".  

Royal Mail have told these 90 households they will have to COLLECT their mail from their Stafford Delivery Office and gave them a WRONG phone number if they wished to make further enquiries.  A private house in Stoke on Trent received many angry phone calls as a result of their mistake.

So if you are waiting for appointments to visit the Hospital, or are expecting any urgent mail, then you have to travel daily to Stafford (during their working hours) to collect it.  AND you have to take with you proof of identity.   

As one resident said "there are dozens of uneven pathways elsewhere on the pavements of Penkridge and many other towns, villages and cities in the country.  Does this mean we can expect many of Postal Delivery Services to be withdrawn?   How will the hospital sending out an emergency appointment know that it won't get there within a couple of days and they may well not receive it until after the appointment."

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND MANY OF THE RESIDENTS ARE OFFICIALLY APPEALING, WRITING TO THEIR MP AND TO THEIR LOCAL COUNCILLORS, ASKING THEM TO TAKE ACTION ON THEIR BEHALF.

No wonder many of us now use other forms of communication (e.g. Email, Text Messaging, and Phone calls), instead of our once excellent Royal Mail Service.   Now, the only things that arrive daily is the rubbish mail - the majority of which immediately goes into the recycling container.   When you are out of job Royal Mail Postmen, you can always get a job with the Recycling Firms - collecting post instead of delivering it!

 

John Westwood

Many Penkridge people were saddened to learn that John Westwood had passed away recently after a long illness.   His funeral will be held at St. Michael's Church on Wednesday 18 January at 2pm.  

Lyne Hill Planning Application REFUSED by Councillors

"South Staffs DISTRICT COUNCIL RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF LYNE HILL DEVELOPMENT"
in their Report

Thank you South Staffs DISTRICT COUNCIL REGULATORY COMMITTEE for REFUSING the Lyne Hill Outline Planning Application.   Thank you also to the many residents of Penkridge who attended the meeting and heard the 5 minute plea by resident Calvert Stonehouse who put the case for Penkridge most succinctly.  Thank you also to District Cllr. Len Bates for proposing the motion to refuse the application.  This was seconded by Cllr. John Raven and their motion to REFUSE was carried by 22 votes for and 3 against.   The applicant can, of course, appeal against the decision and if they do, then the community will have to continue to argue against their current proposals.   Common sense and the views of the community have prevailed so far

Green Thought of the Week

The UK's first fatal car accident was in 1896, 115 years ago on Monday 17^th August.   A woman was killed by a vehicle travelling at 4mph.

The coroner told her inquest that he hoped hers would be the last death in this sort of accident.

Since then more than 550,000 people have been killed on Britain's roads and almost 4,000 people are killed on the world's roads every day.

A BUSY, MIXED AND EXTRAORDINARY DAY!

Friday - end of the week, a relaxing day before the weekend.   What's in the diary?    Blimey - got to pick up Mrs. ........ for the Vol. Car Scheme and take her to the hospital for a small operation.   What time?   pick up at 7am to be there for 7.30am  - AM????    Swallow rice crispies, no time for a pikelet!    quick slug of tea and off to pick up our client.   Arrived at her house at bang on 7am and she was ready and waiting.   Into the car and off we went.   Traffic starting to build up but no serious problems and we arrived on time.  Arranged that client would get hospital to phone me when ready to come home.  I then drove back to Penkridge and was home before 8am to sit down to pikelets and coffee.   Checked greenhouse and watered a few plants.  Phone call at just gone 11am to say Mrs. ..... ready for collection.   Off again and collected and returned her home. 

Back just before 1pm to hear from my wife that PENKRIDGE HAD HAD A BANK ROBBERY.   Well organised by the sound of it - obviously a team had been watching and waiting for the Security Van to arrive at Crown Bridge and then hey presto, the car nipped into a parking space (conveniently made available),  one of the occupants jumped out with knife and within a very short time left an empty container in the middle of the pavement as they drove off south with ..........    Getaway car discovered on a local estate.  Police are asking for any witnesses to come forward from the incident in the village centre or or any other suspicious vehicles or people seen around.   Lets hope the Street Cameras we have around the village can help identify and catch the robbers.   Anyone take any photos with their Phone cameras?

Then a visit by Bob Maddocks with proof copies of a new book that Great Marsh Publications will be selling shortly (still secret but an important historical publication that all those elderly people who went to Penkridge schools will want to acquire).   Then my plan was to take a trip round Penkridge to deliver a few items to people.   But first another check in the greenhouse but it was interrupted by my wife who said there was a man at the door asking to see me.

It was a salesman, who insisted to my wife that he speak to the head of the household otherwise he might be breaking the Data Protection Act (that’s a new selling point!).   It turned out that he was selling for Scottish and Southern Electric whereupon I said that they were not exactly my most favourite Energy Company in the country.   He didn’t ask me why but immediately said I was confusing his firm with Scottish Electricity – which I hadn’t of course.   I then got the usual speel that all my neighbours had signed up to his firm and then began actually showing me the copies of their Agreements and giving me their names.  So much for confidentiality and the Data Protection Act!   I must make a point of telling all my neighbours that this man is going round breaking their confidential agreements and they can take the necessary action.  

I have actually just signed up to Co-operative Energy and have been checking my meter readings and working out whether I am in fact making the savings I was hoping I would.   Still not done all the comparisons with other suppliers yet though, but it looks like I can beat SSE, especially if one takes into account the dividend/points that one gets as well.  (I am a part owner of the Co-op movement and all their profits are shared with their members).   Check them out if you are considering changing your energy suppliers.   Incidentally, I am also considering Solar Panels for my south facing roof.  More of that in the future but if anyone in Penkridge has already got them I would be pleased to hear of their experience.

Well, the weather today hasn't been all that I had hoped but there have been some surprises.   I wonder what tomorrow will bring!   Or even later today - the day is not over yet!

Newsman

SUPERFAST BROADBAND COMING TO PENKRIDGE

BT have announced that homes and businesses in two more Staffordshire communities will have access to super-fast fibre broadband by the end of next year at the latest.

More than 13,000 homes and businesses in Cannock and more than 4,000 in PENKRIDGE are the latest to benefit from BT’s £2.5 billion roll-out plans for super-fast broadband. They are among 13 communities in the West Midlands and 156 across the UK included in the announcement.