Bishop’s Castle (From Ludlow Advertiser)

Bishop’s Castle

12:30pm Thursday 2nd July 2009

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CREATIVE BOOST FOR SCHOOL - Bishop’s Castle Primary School has successfully bid for funds as a Creative Partnerships ‘Change’ School.

In the past Creative Partnerships has funded co-operative projects between Bishop’s Castle and Jessons School in the West Midlands and more recently with artists Kirsty Claxton and Pip Woolf.

A Bishop’s Castle Primary School spokesman said: “This is a substantially bigger grant than we received last time and we can look forward to seeing a big increase in art and creative learning in the whole school over the next two years.”

ANYTHING GOES - Carnival day this year is Sunday, July 5. There is no theme - anything goes – so turn up down by the church at noon in time to be judged at 12.30pm. No booking is necessary.

The judging classes are topical or fancy. People can enter in floats or the walking classes. Every child who comes in fancy dress and takes part in the walking procession will receive £2.The prizes for the floats are, in each category, first £25, second £15 and third £10. The parade, led by the retiring Carnival Queen Katie Clarke and the recently formed Bishop’s Castle Anything Goes jazz dance band, departs at 1pm.

The entrance fee to the carnival field is £2.50 adults, £1.50 OAP and £1 children. All are welcome. Gates open 12.30pm. The procession arrives at the field by 2pm. There is then the crowning of the Queen and the opening ceremony by the new mayor of Bishop’s Castle, Keith Pinches. The Carnival Queen is Lynsey Wyke and the junior Queen is Robyn Payne.

The arena events include belly dancers, Appalachian dancers called Raise The Dust, the chainsaw-wielding woodcarver, children’s races and more.

On the field are a traditional tea tent, kiddies’ fair and rides and many games including the Carnival Stocks and electric shock – where you need to guide an electric contact along a very long wire.

There will be the usual display of 1950s and 60s tractors. There will be live music on the hill all day long, mainly from young local musicians including students of John Crowe and Nuclear Weasels with local band Ark-Eye playing us out. There will also be a licensed bar, visiting traders Wendy Oakley with burgers, chips, sweets and pop and a local ice cream company.

All week there will be shop window displays competing for the bestdressed shop window. The theme this year is Going Green.

There was also due to be a football event on Wednesday, July 1, at the Community College football pitch with teams of juniors and all invited along to watch. Refreshments and some entertainment were available.

Carnival programmes are free and available in carnival week – maybe yours will have the lucky number to win £10.

VILLAGE HARMONY - The Village Harmony choir makes a welcome return to South Shropshire on July 2, with a concert in St John’s Church, Bishop’s Castle, at 7.30pm.

The 18-strong ensemble has singers of all ages from across Britain and New England and their visit is part of a 10-day tour of the UK. Their repertoire includes songs from Caucasus Georgia, Corsica, Bulgaria and South Africa, together with American folk and gospel traditions. Village Harmony will be in Bishop’s Castle during the day, running a workshop for Community College students, who will have an opportunity to join in part of the evening concert. The choir performs a thrilling range of traditional harmony singing from across the world. The leaders are Patty Cuyler (co-director of the USbased group), Dessislava Stefanova (leader of the London Bulgarian Choir), and Malkhaz Erkvanidze (choir director from Tbilisi, Georgia). Singers from Castle Voices are offering hospitality and the Community College Association is co-ordinating refreshments. Any profits from the concert will be shared between the choir and the college. Village Harmony has visited the area before and organisers are in no doubt they will attract a good crowd. Call 01588 620887 to book a seat, priced £6 or £4 for students.

HORSE SENSE FOR THE SOUL - Horse Sense for the Soul is a sixweek course, beginning on July 22 at 6.30pm at a venue in Norbury. Its aim is to explore emotional wellbeing, ‘mind-body awareness’ and confidence-building through a blend of group work, expressive arts and activities with horses. No riding is involved or experience required. Call Angela Dunning on 01588 630365 or 07855 240068 for more information.

FUN IN THE RAIN - Despite the weather, the Mainstone Family Fun Day held on June 6 was a huge success, with good entries all round both in the dog show and the food, flower and craft competitions. The duck races were very well supported and with no shortage of water there were some close finishes. The Village Hall committee would like to thank everyone who sponsored various competitions, those who gave their time to help and everyone who turned up in the rain to join in the fun. The event raised £550 for Village Hall funds.

TWIN TOWN CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA - Members of the Marches Community Choir are brushing up their French as well as their music, ready to welcome 51 musicians and friends who arrive in Bishop’s Castle from St Marcel on Friday July 3.

Last October the Marches Community Choir visited Bishops Castle’s twin town in Normandy and now it’s time to return the hospitality. St Marcel lies to the west of Paris, on the banks of the River Seine, and a party of 25 French children and teachers have recently been in Bishop’s Castle as part of the annual school exchange.

Keith Pinches, Mayor of Bishop’s Castle, will greet the choral party on July 3, and he and other members of the town council and the twinning committee will be present at events during the visit.

The choir is very grateful to both these groups for generous grantaid towards expenses. The choir has also received one of the first Shropshire Arts Awards given by the new Shropshire Council. A full programme of activities is planned for the visitors and includes a reception and dinner at Walcot Hall, guided town tours, in French, of Bishop’s Castle and Ludlow and an evening concert in St John’s Church, Bishop’s Castle on July 4, at 7.30pm. More than 80 singers and players will take part and the programme includes a group of English folk songs and French songs that the choirs will sing together. Other combined items include Faure’s Cantique de Jean Racine. The Marches Choir will sing a group of settings of poems by A E Housman and Psalm 100 by local composer Karen Markham. The orchestra will play a selection of pieces for violin and flute, played by the respective conductors, Dominique Pinto and Philippa Whitaker. Tickets on the door cost £5, with children and students free.

MIDSUMMER FAIR - Bishop’s Castle Parochial Church Council thanks everyone for supporting the recent Midsummer Fair, which raised £1,550.

Winners of the grand draw were: £75 Tony Brick of Brompton; £50 Mr Glen of Moor House; £25 Clare Greig of Bishop’s Castle.

JUNE WINNERS - The winners for the June draw at Bishop’s Castle Church were: £50 Rosemary Gillett; £15 Don Whittle; £10 Olga Timm.

HEART OF WALES LINE - On June 19, Bishop's Castle Railway Society held its annual trip and gesture of support for the Heart of Wales railway line. Fewer people than last year came along for the evening ride but more than 20 members and friends enjoyed the return trip to Llandrindod Wells.

Organiser Keith Lucas said: “The form of the trip was the same as for some years past. Most of us start at Craven Arms but we do encourage people to use their local station. It cannot be said too often that this is a public transport service and we, as railway enthusiasts, are trying to do our bit to support rail travel. We travel for an hour on the train through pleasant scenery to Llandrindod Wells, have an hour in the Llanerch Arms and return.

“This year there was a minor disappointment for real ale lovers.

The Llanerch Arms was closed for a while earlier this year and has only just reopened under new management. We wish the new owners well and intend to return next year, but for once there was no real ale this year.”

100 CLUB WINNERS - June winners of the Mainstone 100 Club were: first Beth Speke, second John Davies, third J. St John Penney.

THANK YOU - Mary and Eugene McGoldrick of Norbury celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Saturday, June 13, with family and friends. The event raised £755 for the Hummingbird Diabetic Appeal at Shrewsbury, and Eugene and Mary would like to thank everyone for their generosity.

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