Maggie

I got to the application form via the planning section of Shrops Council, try this link which should be the application, and then click onto documents, then application form. http://planningpa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=LO86X8TD06Z00 Think it is problem of copying and pasting, because address of page is same as last time, if this doesn't work then you are going to have to go to planning, then online planning applications, then simple search, search for Quinta, then should have the planning application come up. The applicant is George Falconer.

Hi Kerry I didn't see this (but I wasn't very well at beginning December so not really with it). Have you any idea who Anne was? Are you interested? I am going to go ahead and ask for a grant for this to start up, and look to start sometime in the Spring. Have had a bad response to the name 'Stitch and Bitch' so need a better name that won't put people off but will still be a bit more edgy and attractive than 'Handicrafts Group' Any ideas?

Permission has been granted for the change of use of 2 rooms from sunday school to 'home education business'. The application is here http://planningpa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/files/AF0BB7E3271CC2CAB798FC5C106FE512/pdf/11_03136_COU-APPLICATION_FORM-1494612.pdf Very low key and parish council took the view that it could only help maintain the building if some use was being made of it.

What a laugh! Email to Shropshire Council about setting up a Stitch and Bitch (see above) has been bounced back for having a profanity; I'll phone on Monday instead!

and the LJC deadline has been extended a week, I've put it onto the calendar.

I'll email Julie Ruler now! We have no group, or bank account, but what the heck, nowt to lose! I have already spoken to non-internet user about this, and she is keen and thinks some of the older residents of the village would like to get involved too, so think this might just be a winner! And, not being able to knit is good too, its about sharing skills. (and if you look at some of the youtube stuff from USA it looks like the easy stuff that homes for the hamfisted would teach, and they produce horrible strange things on simple peg looms, but we can easily do better. Grant for materials to start would be good, although my dead mum has left behind a big box of wools, which is what gave me the idea in the first place! So I've emailed, and expect reply on Monday. Suggested that we would like c£200, but had no formal organisation yet, so would await her response before I bothered to fill in any forms. Please please, if you are interested get in touch as I need people and help!

What sort of time suits you young Mums? Is there any reason why preschoolers cannot come too? (I have in the back of my mind sort of worthy stuff as well about the skills that older women have linking up with a younger group as well, but it was mainly about doing something enjoyable!)

Does anyone fancy getting together and starting a social group for knitters and sewers etc in Weston Rhyn? Say every week for a cup of tea and cake and a good natter, plus handicrafts? Informal, and enough people so that you wouldn't have to go every week, just when you felt like it. There is a very popular group in Oswestry now, and it is extremely popular and trendy in the States, and I think it might be fun. They are called Stitch and Bitch in States but we don't have to use this name if anyone might be upset by it. But the idea is to be a bit more interesting in what we do than an old fashioned 'Sewing Circle'. Here is a link to show how knitted toys can be political! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15874250 I was thinking upstairs on the comfy chairs in the Institute?

I've put a before, during and after sequence onto the gallery on this site for the towpath improvements in Chirk Bank last winter. It is easy to forget how dangerous the towpath was before the work. I saw a man fall off his bike and almost go into the canal where the bank was badly eroded, and now it is safe and accessible to walkers, cyclists and wheelchairs. Thanks British waterways.

Sculpture Trail. A project has been working towards a new sculpture trail along the canals between Gledrid, Ellesmere and Llanymynech for some time. Renowned artist and sculptor Jason Hickling has been working on a series of works that reflect the history and beauty of these canals. There will be a cracking one in the new car park at 'The Gateway to the World Heritage Site' in Gledrid. Hopefully the works will be installed during this Spring. As a teensy taster here is a photo of a recent site visit, with model of sculture. (you can see a bigger version in the Gallery section of this site) There is an exhibition about the project at the Qube in Oswestry between 2nd March and 2nd April; and Jason will talk about his work on Friday 2nd March at 7 p.m. http://qube-oca.org....ing-exhibitions www.jasonhicklin..com I've put a new thread in Coffee lounge about this project now that things are happening! (13.3.12)

Saw your article in the Advertizer this week. How's it going with the fundraising?

Can't see any obvious local places in these pictures, but I am going to upload some pictures of my dog today. Has anyone else from round here put their dogs up on the site? Some really great looking dogs on the site, so competition is HOT.

Julie Ruler has just reminded me that the closing date for the next round of LJC funding is 9th January. Thinking caps on!

Resources for Change are running some more courses in the new year. These are available to all of us in the Big Local area, or involved in activities and community development etc in the Big Local area (i.e. Bronygarth and Selattyn shouldn't feel excluded). They are free, and travel expenses can be claimed, (petrol, child care, etc). We would need to minimise this by car sharing. This is the email I received: Dear residents and activists Some updates below from Big Local Trust: an opportunity to influence the new website, and reminders about networking and learning opportunities. I hope you have also recently received the latest newsletter; if not please let me know. Please find below updated information about the next activities in the Big local learning and networking programme. Also below is a link to a short questionnaire we are running to get ideas for the development of a new website for the organisation that will take over running Big Local in 2012. Please pass this information on to people in your Big Local area who might be interested. Web survey In the last Big Local newsletter we asked for ideas for the website we are developing for the new organisation that will take over running Big Local in 2012. If you or anyone in your Big Local area would like to contribute to this you can complete a very short survey here The survey has just 10 simple questions and should only take a few minutes to complete. Big Local learning and networking programme The next three activities in the Big Local learning and networking programme have just been finalised and details are below. We hope word is already getting out about the events we held in November. People say they found these inspiring and they also helped build new friendships between Big Local areas. If you know of anyone who would benefit from the next round of events then please pass the details on. To enable as wide a spread of people as possible to benefit from these opportunities we can support people to access events through help with travel arrangements and bursaries for travel and support costs. 31 January and 1 February – Site Visit (rescheduled): Village SoS in Newstead, Nottinghamshire During this overnight event in Newstead, Nottinghamshire you will learn how a new community group “Future Newstead” was formed by local people with a vision to bring their ex-mining village back to life. More information is available here Four dates January to April – Learning set about Getting people involved online – neighbourhood websites and social media These four meetings will help you gain confidence in using neighbourhood websites and social media to get local people talking about Big Local. The meetings are for people with hands-on responsibility for doing something online or digital in their area and will be in a ‘learning set’ format which means we hope everyone can attend all four sessions. More information is available here Four dates February to May - Learning set about Building relationships between different communities in your area Is your Big Local area trying to deal with tensions and conflicting priorities between different communities in your Big Local area? If so, this learning is designed for you. The aim of these four meetings is to enable Big Local areas to work together to overcome challenges they are facing by tapping into the knowledge and experience of other Big Local areas. More information is available here Helen Fairweather is our local Resources 4 Change representative and you can contact her via this site because she is a member!

Nuh... Coming back from Oswestry this morning there was obviously snow just to north of us, and cars coming south were covered, so I was really disappointed we didn't get any! Can we have a snowman competition if we get a dumping? A tri-parish snow off?

All being well we should soon hear whether we have the go ahead for a new museum in Oswestry serving the area surrounding the place. Whilst waiting for the go ahead we have all been busy compiling a time line for the area and what a time line it is. Fantastical and exciting. Battles, wars, destruction, great charismatic leaders, legends, then development of transport links and trade in the industrial era. Today it is such a tranquil and sleepy backwater which looks as if nothing has ever happened but there have been phases in the past when we would have been living in a war zone if we had been around, with all the knife edge stuff about who's side you are on at any given moment, and strange mixed up border loyalties and feuds between feudal marcher lords and Welsh versus English conflicts. Owain Glydwr was local, his fathers estates were in Glyndyfrydwy and Sycharth near Llansilin, and he married a girl from Hamner. He was a rebel leader in the late 14th and early 15th century, was declared Prince of Wales in 1400, led the Welsh Revolt from 1400-1415, and formed the first Welsh Parliament in Machynlech in 1404. He was born into the Marcher nobility and like all good adventure stories, he was driven into being a rebel by a baddy on the English side setting things up against him and his family so that he could take their land. This guy, called Baron Grey de Rhythin was a mate of Henry IV and sounds like a real moustache twiddling villain. After he was declared Prince of Wales (and he is the last Welsh born Prince of Wales), many men joined Owain's army. Welsh undergraduates left Oxford to join him. Welsh labourers and workers left England and later he had trained soldiers and archers in his army. He became a master of disguise took on the English armies sent in to squash his revolt. In 1402 he captured Baron Grey and held him for a year before Henry IV came up with the ransom to release his friend. Henry IV appointed Henry Percy, otherwise known as Hotspur to sort out the rebels, and he was another swashbuckling hero to add to the mix. Glyndwr had the English on the run and persuaded the French and Bretons to join him in 1404 and 5, and they raided Devon and the Isle of Wight. But the tide turned, England used economic sanctions and torture to regain control in the Welsh Borders, and pretty soon Owain Glyndwr was reduced to being a guerilla leader of suicide raids against the English, last seen alive in an ambush in Brecon in 1412 . He always retained the Celtic romantic high ground, was never betrayed or captured, and legends grew about him. Like many great heroes no-one knows when he died or where he is buried. Some argue that he went to live with a daughter in Herefordshire, where his further adventures gave rise to the local legends about 'Jack of Kent'. Shakespeare uses him as a character in Henry IV where he is exotic and magical and a bit of a Merlin. Since the 19th century Owain Glydwr has been used as an icon for Welsh revival and patriotism, and the romance has grown. After the success of Mel Gibson as William Wallace in Braveheart there were strong rumours that he was planning to make a film about Owain Glyndwr. There are many obvious similarities between the two archetypal underdog heroes, not least that William Wallace's family had moved north from near Oswestry before he was born! This is just one of many such legendary people who have strong links to this area. I suppose if you go up onto Selattyn Hill, or the Racecourse and look out, it is the sort of landscape where legends are made. I wonder what legends are growing in the area now. This is a link to the timeline http://www.dipity.co...ggier/Oswestry/ (but watch out for pop ups advertising Chinese women on the Dipity site)

have received this response from Peter Dunhill, asking him whether villages could sign up.: 'Hi Maggie I have written to all the surrounding parish councils asking if they would like to be included in the 'and area' bit of Oswestry and Area Walkers are Welcome. To date only Kinnerley has replied but I dont know how regularly the other parishes meet. ' Looks like we would need to lobby parish councils to get them to see the value to being included with Oswestry.

@Simon The map I have of Big Local area has a southern margin along the road from Pentre Dafydd through lower Hengoed and across the bypass then across to the railway line in a straightish line, so this would mean that very little of the Oswestry arm, if any, is within the Big Local area. BUT would that necessarly mean anything if it was decided that the money was about the people in the villages, rather than the absolute boundaries themselves? Only saying, nothing has been discussed yet! But I think there are better fits for funding this sort of scheme that the Big Local money.

Surprisingly high number of local people use Gobowen Station and value it as evidenced by Big Local Questionnaire. I've copied and pasted from the report, (which is available in the coffee lounge under 'Big Local'). Railway Station at Gobowen: 57% of respondents use the railway station at Gobowen occasionally, 18% never use it and 17% use the station either weekly or monthly. This facility was rated as good by the majority of respondents (48%, 143), the same number that rated this facilities as excellent (24%) also rated it as satisfactory. Chirk Station is also used a lot, but Gobowen Station wins out. Railway Station at Chirk: Responses were mixed in terms of use of the railway station at Chirk, 42% of respondents never use this facility, whilst 32% use it only occasionally. Overall the station was rated as good by most of those that use the facility (46%, 79).

This sounds very good/ Isn't Oswestry going to sign up for this? see this link http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/oswestry/blog/walkers-are-welcome-oswestry-working-towards-accreditation/article041094.htm The local contact is Peter Dunhill, the guy who has been developing footpaths around Oswestry (e.g. one in Chirk Bank) as part of a northern Shropshire Way project from Shropshire Council. Think he's got one going through Gobowen too but could be wrong there. Do we know whether villages can sign up, or whether there is a limit to size. It is something that ties in with wishes from the community that have come out from the Big Local Questionnaire, in that improving footpaths, encouraging local people to get out and be healthy, etc etc are things people have put forward for the money to be spent on. It would also help develop small businesses in the area by bringing walkers in to enjoy what we tend to take for granted. It is something we could all do with what we have already, wouldn't need lots of extra resources, and sounds well worthwhile. Thanks for drawing my attention to it.

See new canal thread in coffee lounge for details of waterways dog competition.

British Waterways, one of the last old government run national organisations is finally going to be turned into a Trust, called 'The Canal and River Trust' next April. As part of the launch they are looking for a dog to front a marketing campaign, because one of the main uses of canals is to walk a dog. To enter your canal-loving canine post his/her photo on http://www.flickr.com/groups/canaldogwalker by December 31st. Runners up get doggy goodies, the winner becomes the doggie face of the new trust. The blurb says that it helps if the dog can swim, chase sticks and gets on with other dogs and swans. Come on, lets have our own local version of a' cos I'm worth it' model. So what if we can only aspire to 4 legs not 2. So what if our version sometimes smells of fox. Dog walkers and their dogs are something we have a lot of, and surely we can come up with a winning canal dog.