The Latest News & Snippets About The Village

KSM Neighbourhood Plan Working Group

KSM Gardening Club

The inaugural meeting will be held in the Clubhouse Lounge at Kington Club on Tuesday 24th March.  This will be to gauge interest in establishing a gardening club in Kington St Michael, the venue for meetings being Kington Club. The club format, aims etc. will be decided by the members, but a small committee will be required to organise events, meetings etc. Examples of possible events / benefits are:

• Access to discounted seeds and/or plants
• Trips to shows, events etc. (possibly with coach travel).
• Monthly meetings to share tips and advice etc.
  

Whether you are interested in growing vegetables, flowers or are a budding allotmenteer why not come along and join in? Please note that this club should complement existing village clubs and organisations and will not be in competition with existing clubs and events such as the Flower & Produce Show.

New Bread Supplier For 2020??
We are hoping to stock “Taylors of Bruton” bread (and their other delicious goodies) and need to know if you are interested.  For a full stock list, pop in the shop, email us, or take a look at: https://taylorsofbruton.co.uk – then let us know what you’d like to order!

Gifts
If you need a gift for your loved one for Valentine’s Day or any other occasion, the new range of Wild Strawberry Designs jewellery is now in stock, together with scented candles, wine, spirits and liqueurs.  There will also be gift packs of mini-Prosecco with chocolates, or order a home-made cake. 

Raffles
February’s raffle is for a home-made cake in your choice of flavour, and March’s raffle is for a joint of lamb. Tickets are only £1 each from the shop.

Looking For Office Space?

Office space now available in Kington St Michael

 86.5 sq. m (931 sq. ft.) office space

• Large main office area with adjacent meeting room and kitchen
• Two parking spaces
• Full fibre connected
• Convenient location

 For more details or to arrange a viewing, please contact Ian Wills on 01249 758189
or email ksmhalltreasurer@gmail.com

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Christmas Fayre
Many thanks to all those who supported this year's Christmas Fayre; the winner of the children's Christmas card competition was Tabitha Kallaway. The fayre raised £650.74 for hall funds.

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Comrades' Commemoration

On December 16^th this year it will be 40 years since Gunner Simon Evans, who is buried at St Michael & All Angels Church in Kington St Michael, and three of his fellow soldiers were killed in a landmine explosion near Dungannon in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Some of those soldiers, who were with him in Northern Ireland or served with him, are visiting their graves over the next few days to pay their respects to him and the others who died all those years ago.

Simon was a member of 22 Locating Battery, Royal Artillery, and was based at Larkhill on Salisbury Plain. As an independent Battery, i.e. not part of a Regiment, 22 was never sent on its own on a tour of duty in Northern Ireland but would support other Army units who were being sent, by asking for volunteers.  Simon was such a volunteer when 16 Regiment Royal Artillery needed extra manpower for an upcoming tour – a brave young man who didn’t have to go to Northern Ireland but volunteered to do so and sadly paid the price for his courage. There is little that is positive about that day except to say that all four died instantly and thankfully wouldn’t have known anything about what had happened. May he and the other young soldiers who perished with him that day, Rest in Peace.

Five former colleagues, including the Troop Sergeant and the section commander, attended Simon’s grave on Saturday 6th December and spoke to some of the villagers who remember Simon.  At the same time a wreath was laid in Bromsgrove to remember the section 2IC, Lance Bombardier Keith Richards. Wreaths will also be laid in the next few days by former colleagues in Belfast for Gunner William Beck and in Accrington for Gunner Alan Ayrton.

Any readers who may have known Simon, might like to know that a Memorial Service for him and his three colleagues will take place at the Garrison Church at Larkhill on Sunday, December 15^th at 11.30am, and would be welcome to attend.

Good Afternoon,

Ensuring that we have a policing model that meets the needs of the community it serves, is crucial. This is why, following recommendations from Chief Constable Kier Pritchard, and with my full support, Wiltshire Police are making some improvements to the Community Policing Team (CPT) model.

It is important to continually evaluate the model to ensure that it is effective and meets the demands of policing in the 21st Century. This is particularly important as we prepare the landscape for the additional wave of new officers coming into the Force, which includes the 41 officers currently in training, funded as a direct result of residents supporting me in raising the precept. These officers will join CPT in 2020 as student officers and complete their training in 2021.

As a result of the review undertaken by the Force, and listening to staff and officers the Chief Constable has advised me that a number of changes will be applied to CPT through a phased approach from Sunday 1 December 2019.

In the New Year, you will see the CPT model move from seven to eight teams with the amalgamation of Swindon into one policing team, the division of the current Wiltshire North CPT into two teams and the Wiltshire West CPT division into two teams.                                                    

As it stands, this will be the most significant change for the public, along with a change in the CPT names to reflect the towns from which the officers parade.

All CPTs will see the introduction of a dedicated neighbourhood team working alongside colleagues performing a response role. The neighbourhood team, led by a neighbourhood inspector will strengthen community policing, focusing directly on working within the community, offering greater contact with the public and a problem solving approach. The neighbourhood inspectors are now in post and will develop their teams over the coming months.

Improvements to the model include an uplift in the number of officers at PC, sergeant and inspector ranks working within CPT. Inspectors and Sergeants from the new CPTs will make contact with partners from across their community to introduce themselves as soon as they are able to do so.

         Community Policing Team                            Neighbourhood Inspector
Chippenham Area Community Policing Team              Inspector James Brain

Changes to Community Policing are at this time predominantly internal changes, but over the next few weeks and months, external systems and channels will be updated to reflect the changes as they are fully implemented. I will continue to keep you updated on any changes in the monthly reports provided to the Area Boards, town and parish councils and shared on the Wiltshire Police website.

 The Chief Constable has assured me, that during this period of change, the Force will maintain the highest standards of policing across our county, and long-term I hope you, along with the public, will see a greater provision of day-to-day policing throughout our communities.

Regards,

Angus Macpherson
Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon

 A new, updated Wiltshire Adult Care and Support Guide has been published in association with Wiltshire Council. It gives readers crucial information on how to access, and pay for, care services throughout Wiltshire.

 You may have seen there’s a huge amount in the media at the moment about the crisis in social care. If you’re growing concerned about your care options, or just want some more information on what your choices may be, this Guide can help. With information to help you understand your options, where to go for advice and how the paying for care system works, the Wiltshire Adult Care and Support Guide can support you to make informed decisions.

 The new edition of Wiltshire Adult Care and Support Guide and accompanying website give information on all aspects of arranging care and support in Wiltshire. It includes how to stay independent for as long as possible, the different care and support options available and what to look for when choosing a care provider. It also offers guidance on important issues such as paying for care and what financial assistance may be available from the local authority. There are comprehensive listings of all registered care services throughout Wiltshire, plus checklists to help you ask the right questions when visiting services.

 For a free copy of Wiltshire Adult Care and Support Guide contact Wiltshire Council’s Advice and Contact Team on 0300 456 0111. It is also available throughout the region from outlets including hospitals, GP surgeries, Age UK and the Alzheimer’s Society. It can be downloaded from www.carechoices.co.uk and is available in spoken word.

 Robert Chamberlain, Managing Director of the Guide’s publisher, Care Choices, commented: “This is an invaluable source of information for anyone considering short- or long-term care in Wiltshire, and contains vital information to help people decide what type of care and support is best for them.

 “With the current crisis in social care, finding a care service for yourself or a loved one that meets their needs and is affordable can be a daunting and unfamiliar task. This new Wiltshire Adult Care and Support Guide has been compiled to help people understand the process and offer them reassurance at every step of their journey.”

Care Choices is the UK’s largest independent publisher for social care and adults with additional needs. It is also the largest publisher of care directories for local authorities in England.

 For more information, please contact Gemma Seaber-Shinn, Care Choices.
Tel: 01223 207770. Email: gemma@carechoices.co.uk

Newsletter
Many thanks go to Andrew and Jenny Noblet,
for all their hard work editing the village newsletter throughout the year.

This year’s Poppy Day collection raised £102.46 for Royal British Legion funds.  Thanks go to all those who donated, and to the collectors - without their help the Legion would be unable to continue its vital welfare and benevolent work.

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The village shop loves its volunteers - without them the shop wouldn't run, as every single person serving in the shop or on the committee is a volunteer.
Would you like to join them? Why not make it your New Year's resolution?
The shop could really could do with some extra help, either in a regular slot or to cover holiday - to find out more, please give Avril a call on (01249) 750671. Thank you!

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The KSM QE2 Field Group would like to express their sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to our Bonfire & Fireworks Night on Sunday 3rd November. From organising and planning, setting-up, sourcing pallets, building the bonfire, lighting, managing the fireworks, and helping on the night with food and drink, to all those who sold, attended and bought tickets and, of course, those who also cleared up afterwards and many, many more helpers. This annual community event is a huge effort to organise and we simply could not hold it year after year without the help of (many) willing volunteers. Considering the challenging circumstances this year with a last minute postponement due to adverse weather, it was a fantastic village effort with a really spectacular fireworks display, and we managed to more than break-even, returning a small profit of just under £200 – thank you all.

As the dark nights draw in across Wiltshire and winter really starts to bite, it’s worth thinking about how we can all make sure we’re looking after ourselves and staying well over the cold winter months.

The NHS recently launched its annual winter campaign – Help Us Help You– which is here to help make it easier to understand the things you can do.

We all know hospitals and surgeries can be especially busy during the winter months and it can often be tricky to know the best place to go for help, so here’s some handy tips to see you though until spring:

1.    It’s not too late to get your flu jab

The free flu vaccination is offered to those who are at increased risk from the effects of flu, including people aged 65 and over, pregnant women, those with underlying health conditions and children aged 2-10. If you’ve not had one yet, it’s not too late.

2.    Call 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk online

If you’re unsure where to go and think you need urgent medical attention, but it’s not life-threatening, contacting NHS 111 can help you make sure you reach the most suitable NHS service for your needs.

3.    Ask a pharmacist for advice before minor ailments or winter illnesses get worse

Community pharmacists are qualified healthcare professional who can offer clinical advice and over the counter medicines to safely manage things like coughs, colds and sore throats.

It’s quick and convenient to see a pharmacist– you don’t need to book an appointment and can often be seen in a private consultation room.

4.    See your GP in the evening or weekend if you can’t see them during the day

If you need to see a GP but find it hard to find the time during routine hours, appointments with a GP, nurse or other healthcare professionals are often available in the evenings and at weekends through many local practices or other local NHS services.

For more information about services in your area visit: www.wiltshireccg.nhs.uk/local-services

 Conserving Endangered Species –
A Local Wildlife Project That Needs Your Help!