News

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Volunteer Thank You Afternoon Tea
Volunteer Thank You Afternoon Tea 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

Haydon Wick Parish Council is extremely grateful to its army of volunteers so on Saturday 18th February it held an afternoon tea to say a huge thank you to those that dedicate their time to making Haydon Wick a lovely place to live and work.

The Council has six wonderful volunteer drivers who keep the Community Minibus running smoothly. The Community Minibus enables our elderly and vulnerable residents to attend the local shops, local clubs and provides them with lovely trips to garden centres and places of interest. By dedicating their time to this service, they are ensuring many of our residents don’t become isolated or lonely.

Our award-winning Memory Café has three lovely volunteers who turn up to each session full of positivity and enthusiasm. All of the cafes attendees have developed a fantastic rapport with the volunteers and it has been stated that they “really do change lives. Being able to attend this service, offers activities, fun and support to our families in ways that you cannot imagine.”

Perhaps one of the biggest voluntary areas of Haydon Wick Parish Council is the team of litter pickers, who go out in all weathers to keep the Parish a clean, tidy and safe place to be. Not only do they go on their own, they quite often have little helpers, in the form of their children and grandchildren. At the afternoon tea, it was a great pleasure to be able to award the young people who also give their time, a certificate, fun trophy and chocolaty treat to say thank you.

The Councillors, Staff and community in Haydon wick are very grateful to each and every one of its volunteers for the incredible job that they do.

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Haydon Wick Parish Council teams up with BEST- Be A Better You, to deliver half-term enrichment sessions
Haydon Wick Parish Council teams up with BEST- Be A Better You, to deliver half-term enrichment sessions 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

BEST’s programmes also help to increase confidence and emotional resilience which support young people to progress to a positive future.

 

Haydon Wick Council and BEST – ‘Be A Better You’ hosted two sessions this February half term. This time, they got even more exciting!

The Council saw record number of attendees, with over 40 children benefitting from the event.  Activities included non-contact boxing, team games and football skills taster sessions for young people aged between five and twelve years. The boxing is always very popular and all attendees absolutely love giving it a go. The football skills workshop is a new addition to the BEST portfolio and is becoming a firm favourite with young people.

‘Best – Be A Better You’ is a charity who aim to provide children and young people with one-to- one mentoring programmes and positive enrichment activities. Haydon Wick Council has partnered with BEST for over two years, and each session always very popular during the school holidays.

One parent had this to say “My children really enjoy these sessions, and they really help me out as a single parent”

One of the young people who attended said “I really hope we get to come to this in the summer like last year, we love it!”

The second session was new to both Haydon Wick Council and BEST, as it was aimed exclusively at 13-16 year olds.  The young people were given the opportunity to try a new discipline, such as boxing and circuit training. It can be very difficult for young people, especially teenagers, to express themselves in a positive way. The activities proved to be great for stress management and self-control. BEST’s programmes also help to increase confidence and emotional resilience which support young people to progress to a positive future.

Those who attended thoroughly enjoyed the activities at this session, which included tyre flipping, boxing and a Parish Council & Police Team versus Young People Team Tug of War. For teenagers in the Parish to be able to recognise supportive and friendly adults in the community is really important as it helps to break down the communication barriers.

Craig Hiscock, Operations Manager at BEST said; “We really enjoy working with Haydon Wick Parish Council. There are great facilities and we always manage to reach lots of young people from this parish This half term we wanted to do some targeted work with 13-16 year olds in the form of a boxing boot camp style session. We talked about the recent tragic event in the parish and asked the young people what type of help and services they feel would benefit the young people of Haydon Wick in the future.”

Councillor R Ross, Chair of Community Development Committee said “We are delighted to have been able to work alongside BEST in delivering these two programmes, both of which have provided a wonderful opportunity for local children of all ages to have some fun, socialise and experience a new activity. What has really stood out for me is the fantastic efforts and team spirit showed by the children taking part, and more importantly they looked like they were having great fun!”

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

People grab themselves a bargain at Haydon Wick’s first Children’s Clothes and Toy Sale
People grab themselves a bargain at Haydon Wick’s first Children’s Clothes and Toy Sale 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

On Saturday 4th February, the Council saw over fifteen stall holders attend the GLL Haydon Centre sports hall to sell any of their children’s belonging that they no longer play with or fit in to. After all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

 

With the rising cost of living causing many families to struggle with buying essentials, Haydon Wick Parish Council hosted a Children’s Clothes and Toys Sale to enable people to make some money by selling their unused belongings, which enabled those who were unable to buy things brand new, the opportunity to grab a bargain. The Council was pleased to be able to cover the cost of the venue hire and the stall holders each paid five pounds which was donated to Swindon Food Collective. The total amount raised for the charity was over £75.00.

 

Doors opened at 10.00am and there was a steady flow of people coming in and out of the sale and stall holders all went away happy that they had sold some items. There was lots of positive feedback from both parties.

 

One stall holder stated “it was wonderful that we were able to pay a small fee which is being donated to a very worthy cause, and make some money for our own families. We would love to have this opportunity again during the year”.

 

Other attendees of the event said, “a purchase for just ten pence has given my daughter a huge smile” and “what a wonderful opportunity to help those who are struggling financially at the moment, I would love to see more events like this one”.

 

It is very rewarding to see items not go to waste but to also see them going to new homes and be loved like they were new again.

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Message on behalf of contractors conducting Footways Slurry Seal Scheme
Message on behalf of contractors conducting Footways Slurry Seal Scheme 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

 

 

Contractors will return to complete the Footways Slurry Seal works at the following sites:

 

Site Proposed Start Date Estimated Duration
Chicory Close Area Monday 6th February 2023 5 working days
Rosemary Close area Monday 20th February 2023 3 working days

 

These works were previously postponed due to the unexpected drastic decline in weather conditions towards the end of 2022.

 

The purpose of the Footways Slurry Seal scheme is to replace the deteriorating surface of the footway in order to increase its life span and to provide a safer and better running surface for pedestrians. The Slurry Seal process is fast, efficient, cost effective and one of the most environmentally friendly ways to achieve this with minimum disruption to all affected parties. The existing footway will be sealed to prevent water ingress, thereby prolonging the structural integrity of the footway. As a result of this process the footway surface is renewed, regaining any loss of texture since its original state.

 

The one big disadvantage of Slurry Seal is that it often looks scruffy until it beds in via foot traffic wear, which may take a number of months in residential areas.  There may also be isolated areas of the slurry material that become loose or wear out soon after application where it has not adhered to the existing surface well enough.  The material does come with a two-year performance guarantee from the installer who will address any such defects with future site visits.

 

On occasions the works may overrun slightly due to circumstances outside of their control such as plant breakdowns, if weather conditions are unfavourable, or occasionally we discover the need for additional repairs once the work has started.

 

Letter drops have been carried out and notification signs will be erected in advance by the Contractor to let residents know when works will take place in each area. Since the Slurry Seal process is both weather and temperature sensitive, the signs will be updated should dates be revised according to current weather forecasts.

 

The workforce will maintain pedestrian access for the duration; however due to the nature of the works, some disruption is possible and vehicular access may need to be restricted at times. It is essential that areas remain un-trafficked until the new material has set, as early use could lead to premature failure. As such, these works will be undertaken in multiple phases.

 

Site Operatives will be available on site at all times during the works, and will assist in dealing with any access problems or queries that may arise.

 

The Contractors would like to apologise for any inconvenience that these works may cause, but trust you will appreciate the necessity for these essential works to maintain Swindon’s highway network.

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Shouts of Higher! Lower! In Haydon Wick brings the community together for a night of fun
Shouts of Higher! Lower! In Haydon Wick brings the community together for a night of fun 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

On Friday 27th January 2023, Haydon Wick Parish Council hosted a ‘Quiz, Fish and Chips and Play Your Cards Right’ evening at the Haydon Wick Working Men’s Club. The event was delivered as part of the Council’s reducing loneliness and isolation programme designed to encourage members of the community to meet new people. The £5.00 tickets went on sale early in the New Year.

 

Fish and chips were supplied by Thames Avenue fish and chip shop, and thoroughly appreciated by all. The winning quiz team took away some lovely prizes. After the quiz had finished and everyone had eaten, the Haydon Wick version of Play Your Cards Right got everyone joining in and enjoying the fun.

 

Attendees from the Council’s event had this to say: “I felt a bit guilty because I am not lonely or isolated, but I met and chatted to a couple of people who were struggling a bit and then I realised that those people were glad to meet people who were a bit more outgoing”.

 

“I used to go into the office every day and that meant I could chat to people, now I work from home, I can go days without talking to anyone face to face. Tonight, a few of us who usually only chat on social media decided to come and we have really enjoyed it.”

 

Councillor Ellen Baker Lee Vice Chairman of the Council said “our reducing Isolation and Loneliness Programme has been really successful in bringing the community of Haydon Wick together. Residents are hearing about the events through word of mouth and the leaflet we delivered a few months ago. We hope to continue putting these events on as they’re proving to be popular and so beneficial to people who live alone.”

The Parish Council is always keen to hear from the community about how it can continue to deliver popular events for everyone to enjoy. If you have any suggestions that you think would be well received in the Parish, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Community Development Officer: events@haydonwick.gov.uk

 

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Councillors Reject Swindon Borough Council’s (SBC) Independent Remuneration Recommendation
Councillors Reject Swindon Borough Council’s (SBC) Independent Remuneration Recommendation 800 379 Georgina Morgan-Denn

Haydon Wick Parish Councillors voted to reject the SBC’s Independent Remuneration Panel’s allowances recommendation of £1,757 for Councillors and £5,272 for the Chairman.  They have traditionally rejected these recommendations instead increasing their allowances in line with the national agreed pay raise the Parish Council staff receive.

At the same meeting a proposal that Councillors receive the nationally negotiated staff National Joint Council’s agreed Cost of Living increase for 2022/23, which equated to a 7.67% increase, and would have been back dated to April 2022, was also rejected.  Likewise, they rejected any increase in the next financial year 2023/24.

By rejecting these three proposals, Haydon Wick Parish Councillor allowances will remain the same as 2021/22, which are Councillors £884.00 per annum, and the Chairman £1,644.00 per annum.

The Independent Remuneration Panel’s Recommendations (Highest, Lowest & Haydon Wick’s)

Parish Electors (Aug 2020) Parish Electorate Band % of SBC Allowance per band Parish Cllr Allowance Parish Chair Allowance
Central Swindon South 43,157 42,500-45,000 45% £3,954 £11,862
Haydon Wick 18,248 17,500– 20,000 20% £1,757 £5,272
Stanton Fitzwarren 173 0 – 2,500 2.5% £220 £659

 

The Legalities

Recommendations for Parish and Town Councils in the Borough of Swindon in accordance with the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 are presented each year. The Borough Council has appointed an Independent Remuneration Panel who review the allowances for parish and town councils within Swindon.

 
Publicity When a parish or town council intending to pay allowances receives recommendations from the Panel it must ensure copies of the report are available for inspection and publicise a notice in a conspicuous place in the parish for 14 days stating:

•       That it has received recommendations from the Panel

•       Describes the main features of recommendations and amounts

•       States that copies of the Panel’s report are available for inspection [Contact the Chief Officer clerk@haydonwick.gov.uk for further details].
 

Records of Allowances Parish and Town councils are required to maintain a record of the allowances paid and make a record available for inspection with reasonable notice.

 

 

 

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Winter Welly Walk at Mouldon Hill Country Park
Winter Welly Walk at Mouldon Hill Country Park 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

 

 

‘Haydon Wick Parish Council teams up with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust to open little eyes to the treasure that is Mouldon Hill Country Park’

 

 Children of Haydon Wick Parish were invited along to Mouldon Hill Country Park on Saturday 21st January 2023, along with their parents and carers, to join a guided walk around the country park to explore the winter  landscape. Neil Pullen, from Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, gave each of the attendees a little bag of bird seed and a bird identification sheet, and the focus of the walk was colours and different bird species.

Cormorants, a white egret, coots, and mallard ducks were amongst the birds that the group spotted whilst on their adventure, as well as a lovely little visit from the winter robin. The children each played a game of Pooh sticks from the bridge behind the lake, which turned out to be a lot of fun, along with a lesson in skimming small stones on the ice.

Along with cold toes, the children took a lot away with them from this little exploration. Feedback from parents indicated that the children thoroughly enjoyed the walk, and the children liked spending the rest of the day keeping an eye out for other bird species landing in their gardens. The Council look forward to working with The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust at future events this year.

 

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Ponies Visit Haydon Meadow Pre School
Ponies Visit Haydon Meadow Pre School 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

Haydon Wick Parish Council arranges for Therapy Ponies to Visit Haydon Meadow Pre School

Following their recent popular appearance at the Haydon Wick Memory Café in October 2022, the Dinky Ponies have been invited back for another visit to the Parish. This time round they will be enjoyed by the children and staff at Haydon Meadow pre-school, which is situated In Haydon Centre and Gym

During their last visit the children were able to see the ponies through the fence, but this time they got the chance to get up close and personal. Sarah, the owner of the ponies, brought along the lovely Georgie and Tinks who the children got to pet, brush, and pamper. The two ponies looked beautiful after each of the groups of children had visited them. They had lovely plaits and multi-coloured bows in their manes and tails.

The miniature Shetland ponies are used as therapy animals, and are often enjoyed in care home settings, where they trigger happy memories for residents. This time the Parish Council were excited they bought a smile to the children’s faces in an educational setting.

Rebecca Ross, Chair of the Community Development Committee had this to say about the visit:

“As a horse lover myself, I think this was a wonderful opportunity to give children at the pre school the opportunity to interact with these gentle creatures. It’s a great chance for partnership working with our neighbours and sharing resources.”

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Trespassing at Cliffords Meadow
Trespassing at Cliffords Meadow 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

 

 

 

 

 

The tenant Farmer at Cliffords Meadow who is grazing cattle and sheep, has recently caught trespassers pushing through the hedgerows and creating gaps in the stock fencing. Some of the trespassers have even let their dogs near the sheep, which is a serious concern for the livestock.

The tenant Farmer has spent a significant amount of time and money on trying to repair the damage caused and often has to retrieve the cattle and sheep from nearby streets as they have gone through the gaps.

The Parish Council is in contact with Natural England, the Land Agent and the tenant Farmer signposting potential grant funding information and improvements to secure the area.

  • Georgina Morgan-Denn

Autumn and Winter Shrub & Hedge maintenance programme
Autumn and Winter Shrub & Hedge maintenance programme 800 800 Georgina Morgan-Denn

The Council has commenced its Autumn and Winter Shrub & Hedge maintenance programme.

Abbey Meads has been completed and the team is now working in Haydon Wick, Greenmeadow and Moredon area moving on to Haydon End and Oakhurst in the near future. These operations are being carried out by the Council’s direct labour force, who are working on an enhanced specification; this involves a substantial reduction of shrubs and hedgerows where possible.

This method of maintenance leads to more controllable re-growth, improved maintenance leading to less litter, less likelihood of structural damage to property and less potential for vermin to inhabit these areas.

The feedback from residents has been fantastic and is keeping up the staff morale as they continue through the programme.

 

 

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About Us

We are the Parish Council that wants to lead and develop our local community. We are self-aware and are committed to focussing on the urban issues that are important to the entire community.

 

Our Address
Haydon Wick Parish Council
Thames Avenue
Haydon Wick
Swindon
SN25 1QQ

 

 

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Our thanks to Mark Weaving, Phil Jefferies, Rimpy and Shohini Dutta Kanungo for many of the photographs used across the website

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