March was quite a busy month for the Parish Council, and there are lots of events coming up over the next few months.
Improving road signage around the village
On the basis that every little helps, we have been petitioning Dorset Council over the last 3 months to improve the road signage at the Rose & Crown crossroads which has been the site of many accidents over the last year or so. The first challenge was to remove the incorrect signage on Wareham Road which indicated that drivers coming from the direction of the school had right of way, rather than needing to stop. After sending additional photographic evidence these were taken down by Dorset Council’s Road Safety Officers in February. We have also advised Google maps of the correct right of way to try to ensure that satnav directions are correct.
The second part of our complaint was about how faded the actual road markings were and we are delighted that these were given a fresh coat of paint in March, together with the repainting of the School no-parking markings.
Another small update is the new 30 mph sign planned for Foxhills, which will hopefully prevent some people thinking that it is an open road and ok to travel at 60mph.
Spring Litter Pick: April 16th 2:30-3:30pm
Spring is on the way and so is our Litter Pick. Please join us on Sunday, April 16th at 2:30pm to help clear the litter from around the village.
As usual, we will meet at 2:30pm in the upper Recreation ground car park, near the Village Hall. Here we will provide safety guidance and allocate routes. If you have a favourite route that you like to do, please let us know in advance by emailing the Parish Clerk at lytchettmatravers@dorset-aptc.gov.uk. In line with safety guidance, you MUST wear gloves. We can supply high-viz jackets, litter pickers and bags for collecting the litter in.
Life Education Wessex
The Parish Council has provided a grant to Life Education Wessex charity to help fund their annual visit to Lytchett Matravers Primary School. The Life Education Van provides important advice and discussions around health, well-being and drug education for children aged 3-13 years. They aim to help equip young people with the knowledge, skills and self-confidence to form positive healthy attitudes and make healthy choices. With the help of Harold the Giraffe, children in Reception, Years 1 and 2 learn about feelings, keeping their bodies healthy, being a good friend and the safe use of medicines. Older children in Years 3-6 think about and discussed the effects and risks associated with using drugs, including medicines, alcohol and tobacco. They also learn about choices that can affect health, well-being, friendships, peer pressure and how to cope with bullying.
Lytchett Matravers’ Kings Coronation Weekend 6th – 8th May 2023
Sunday 7th May, from 2-7pm: will be the Big Lytchett Matravers Coronation Picnic
Based upon the success of last year’s Big Jubilee Picnic, we are running a very similar event to bring everyone together again for an afternoon of fun.
All you need is to bring your picnic, a comfy chair and maybe a gazebo, and join us for an afternoon to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III.
The outline plan includes entertainment in the form of singing and dancing from 2pm, with a full stage and sound system to ensure a good experience for everyone. We will have a pop-up bar in the Sports Pavilion and hopefully a BBQ. For the younger members of the village, we will have face painting and crown making and are currently looking to get a bouncy castle. We will also have the Village Hall available. If you are a musician, singer or band and would like to perform at our party please get in touch. If you fancy setting up a stall for teas, coffees and/or cakes, or have any other ideas, please get in touch.
If you are thinking of having your own street party over that weekend, you will need to apply to Dorset Council for a road closure notice. These need to be submitted by Friday 31st March 2023. They have said that if there are too many activities choosing a similar time, they may decline your application if they think that it will cause unacceptable disruption.
Monday 8th May 2023 The Big Help Out
Our village already benefits from an amazing amount of voluntary work, with people running the Sports Club, the Village Hall, WI, Churches Together, the Guerrilla Gardeners, not forgetting the Parish Councillors themselves, and there are many others.
One project that requires new volunteers is the Lytchett Matravers Youth Hall project. We are aiming to run the Youth Club two evenings a week from the summer onwards. We are working with Dorset Council and Dorset Youth to provide training and several people around the village have already volunteered to train as youth workers. But it would still be great to hear from anyone else who would like to get involved, especially any young people who would like to become volunteer Youth Leaders or be a trustee of the new Youth Club committee.
We have set up a survey to capture feedback on what young people would like to see in the Youth Hall, so if you have not already done so, please take a moment to share your thoughts directly at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/V66HMJJ or via the link on the LMPC newsletter.
Looking further forward, we have the next Paediatric First Aid Course in June
We are delighted to be able to put on another free Paediatric First Aid Training for Parents and Babysitters on 10th June 9:30-11.30am in the Lytchett Matravers Village Hall.
As always, the training will be run by the Ouch Training Team from Wimborne and is designed to help parents and babysitters become more familiar and confident when faced with a first aid emergency that involves a baby or young child. Because of the specialist nature of the training, spaces are limited to just 12 people. If the list is full, please add your name to the waiting list. If you book onto this course but find that you cannot attend when it gets nearer to the day, please make sure to cancel your booking so that the place can be offered to the next on the waiting list – even on the day. To book your tickets visit the LMPC website or go to Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/paediatric-first-aid-training-for-parents-and-babysitters-tickets-588473368687
Please remember, if you suspect someone is having a cardiac emergency, dial 999. The operator will tell you exactly what to do.
April Meetings
We have lots of project ideas and want to know what your priorities, concerns, and ideas are. The April meetings will be at 7pm on Wednesday 12th and 26th in the Village Hall. Agendas are published online by the preceding Saturday, and minutes of all meetings are available online. All Parish Council meetings start with a Public Participation session, and we really do want your input and feedback whilst we are developing plans.
Alf Bush,
Chair, Lytchett Matravers Parish Council