Author: Liz Hughes

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Structural Changes to widcombewest

Until February 2018 widcombewest was an officially constituted community group. Because we held a bank account, we were required to elect officers and hold an annual AGM. This year instead of the AGM we held an Extraordinary General Meeting to address issues concerning widcombewest continuing in its official capacity.

Purpose of Extraordinary General Meeting

The meeting was held primarily to deal with the proposal to discontinue widcombewest as a formal organisation with a constitution, elected officers and an audited bank account, due to the difficulty in finding local residents willing to stand for office and fulfill the requirements of the constitution.
It was also proposed that the widcombewest bank account should be closed and the cash funds held by former treasurer Annette on trust, provided that an annual reconciliation of funds be informally presented to supporters.
These proposals were passed unanimously, so widcombewest is now simply an informal group of local residents who are happy to get together for social events and for helping to keep our area of Bath looking good.

Join the widcombewest Community Group

We don’t charge subscriptions or have official membership. Interested residents can enroll on our mailing list for regular updates, and anyone is welcome to join in our activities. The modest funds needed for publications, printing costs and so on are raised by the occasional raffle at social events.

The core widcombewest team hasn’t changed but now we no longer hold any official constitutional roles.

For more information visit widcombewest.uk/who-we-are

or email us on info@widcombewest

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Autumn Social Event

Made in Widcombe Dinner

Friday, 27th October 2017 at 7:30pm, Widcombe Social Club, Widcombe Hill

This year our autumn social event will be joining the Widcombe Association for a celebration of local food and enjoy an evening of dining and dancing at the Widcombe Social Club. Tickets are on sale now, at only £25 per head, which includes a three course buffet meal, all provided by our local cafes and restaurants and a complementary glass of prosecco on arrival. Junction 18 will be providing the after dinner entertainment and Lady Margaret will be in attendance as our Mistress of ceremonies for the evening.

Unfortunately we cannot make a group booking, so those of you who wish to attend must BOOK YOUR OWN TICKET in advance. This will be a very popular social event and tickets are selling fast so we recommend early booking. Please let us know if you will be attending so we can keep track of who to look out for on the night. As seating appears to be on a first-come-first-served basis prompt or early arrival is important.

To book tickets CLICK HERE!

More information on this and other events can be found on the Widcombe Association website.

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Summer Barbecue Success

Many thanks to all who attended the widcombewest community barbecue on Sunday, and special thanks to volunteers who worked hard to make the potential washout a great success. In spite of the weather, over 30 people attended and we raised £58 on the raffle. Uncertain to begin with: Annette, Helen, Gordon, and David standing under the gazebo in the pouring rain, trying to keep warm from the BBQ flames!

Then gradually they all came as the weather improved, including Mayor Ian Gilchrist and our new MP Wera Hobhouse who not only brought wine and a raffle prize donation but also helped out and luckily won a prize too. Another successful event!

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Community Barbecue

Sunday July 23rd from 5pm

Once again this year widcombewest residents are organising a summer social event in the garden of St Mark’s Community Centre. Everyone is welcome and entrance is free!
Please bring some food for the barbecue and whatever you like to drink. Any extras for sharing eg salads, nibbles, will always much appreciated.
Some live music will be provided, and a raffle will be held for charity. Above all, this will be a great opportunity to relax, socialise and meet your neighbours.
Donations for the raffle will be welcome! Please bring on the day or contact Helen at 28 St Mark’s Road hpeterwidcombe@gmail.com.
Any other queries regarding this event please contact Gordon gordon@penbryn.com at 4 St Mark’s Road or Annette vanmaurik54@gmail.com at 4 Lyncombe Hill.

See you there….!

Summer Barbecue 2015

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Open Garden Event 2017

This year’s Open Garden Event was a huge success. Eight local residents within widcombewest kindly allowed us to see how small town gardens can be made attractive, colourful and a pleasure to be in.

Many thanks to you all for kindly inviting widcombewest supporters and local residents to view your gardens, take some refreshment and have a thoroughly enjoyable evening in such lovely weather. Your participation is much appreciated by all the visitors, who numbered over 40 this year. If the trend continues we shall need larger gardens next time!

Special thanks to Ruth for hosting everyone at the end of the tour and into the late evening, despite her crack of dawn start the next day.

Open Garden Event 2017
Open Garden Event 2017

 

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Cycle Shelter Build

Cycle Shelter Build – Day 1

Many thanks to everyone who turned out for Day 1 in March to help kick start the cycle shelter project. We had a really successful weekend of clearing and making the site ready for a secure community bike store at St Marks Community Centre. Day 2 of the bike store build is this weekend 8/9th April. The main build will be on Saturday with Sunday currently penciled in should we overrun.

We need willing volunteers that can help for a couple of hours, especially any with electric screwdrivers. There will be some lifting, possibly more ground clearing and the decking to construct so there’s plenty of work for all abilities! We are also planning a BBQ, refreshments for all and guaranteed sunshine!

Look forward to seeing you all on the day – we will be starting around 10:00 am.

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Christmas Wine Tasting

winetasteFollowing the huge success of previous years we’ve organised another specially commissioned Christmas Wine Tasting at the Chandos Deli in George Street, starting at 7.30p.m on Thursday 8 December.

A dozen or more premium wines to taste under expert guidance, all of which are brand new to the Chandos tastings. PLUS:  delicious snacks to accompany each wine prepared by the Chandos team which they promise will be at least as good as anything we’ve had before!

And if that’s not enough to entice you there’s a 20% discount off bottles of wines purchased on the night!

These evenings are a really informal and fun way of communing and we’d stress that you definitely do NOT need to be a wine buff to have a great time!

Capacity is limited and in previous years the event has been heavily over-subscribed. So please email Keith Palmer palmerkeith9@hotmail.com as soon as possible if you’d like tickets which are £25 per person.

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143 Calton Road Update

Here is an update on the planning application made in September last year for erection of four flats following demolition of existing two one bedroom flats at 143 Calton Road.

The applicant is currently putting together revised proposals following withdrawal of the previous application in the light of overwhelming objections from local residents. Those immediately affected were recently invited to view new outline proposals which had lowered the scheme by a storey height.

Despite this the residents felt that the draft proposals did not yet do enough to respond to their concerns, particularly of an overbearing development with consequential loss of daylight for the homes below on St Mark’s Road. We await the results of this initial consultation and are hoping that we will see revised proposals prior to any new submission for planning consent which respond to these concerns as well as to the other objections raised against the original application. Watch this space…”

Details of the original application can be viewed here.

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Community Centre Update

centre2The Trustees of St Marks Community Centre have now been in place for eighteen months; in this time, they have addressed some key issues, such as formalising required policy documents, undertaking a quinquennial fabric survey and publishing Terms and Conditions of Hire. The trustees have also been considering the future of the centre, seeking to ensure its long term sustainability, identifying opportunities for increasing usage, whilst aiming to enhance the environment for existing loyal user groups.

Two open days are planned at the Centre; the first, on Sunday 13th November from 4pm – 6pm will be a low-key event, where any locals or interested users can drop in to the centre and talk to some of the trustees, have a cup of tea, share any concerns as well as look at potential opportunities; the second, scheduled for May 2017 is expected to be a more lively affair, with presentations from the trustees and input from the long-term users to illustrate some of the challenges facing the centre in an age of decreasing community involvement.  Date and time for this will be confirmed in due course.

Click here for more information on the St Mark’s Community Centre.

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Community Bookshelf

bookshelfA new community bookshelf has been provided within the outer lobby of St Marks Community Centre.
Please drop in any time the outer door is open to borrow, buy, exchange books or add to the bookshelf as you wish. All types of books within reason for all ages.

All that we ask is that you consider making a small donation to the continuing maintenance of the Community Centre. There is a donations box next to the bookshelf.

The trustees hope this facility will be welcomed as a small step forward in making our Community Centre work better for local residents in addition to its current user groups.

Please send any additional ideas for other community use of the lobby space to Alex at sykesbath@talktalk.net.