Christmas 2010 Kingswear
Lead Astray
This is about lead which has gone astray (before you email me about my bad spelling). It is widely known that metals like lead, copper and zinc which are used as building materials are very pricey at the moment and thieves are particularly active in stealing them. Sadly Kingswear has fallen victim to this, the Old Toll House at the junction of Slappers’ Hill and the lane to Nethway has had more than a ton of lead stolen from its roof.
It is thought that this theft took place during the week before Christmas, quite possibly at night, with a substantial vehicle being parked in the Nethway lane to receive the lead which was passed over the top of a fence, damaging it. It must have taken some considerable time to remove the lead and presumably there was more than one thief. This is always a very upsetting and damaging crime especially mean during the harsh weather which we were experiencing at that time, and since then the wet weather can only be a great nuisance to a house made vulnerable in this way.
It seems possible that someone may have seen the criminals at work, may have needed lead for their own repairs, or similar and may, therefore, know something which could help the police with their enquiries in to the matter. If you do know anything or if you saw anything suspicious just before Christmas please contact Dartmouth Police Station through 08452 777444.
Public Enquiry Offices
The police report to Kingswear parish council meeting on 11.1.11 announced that Enquiry Offices in many local police stations will be closing and that ours in Dartmouth is to be one of them in the fairly near future. 34 offices are to be closed and 23 retained, amongst which are Totnes, Newton Abbott and Paignton. Clearly these will be our nearest offices should we need them.
Why are these offices closing? The main reason is because our police authority has to lose £44 million over the next four years from its funding allowance, but it is also because ways of reporting crimes are now very different from 30 years ago when the offices were set up as they are now. 90% of crime is reported over the telephone or on line so the offices in question are less vital than formerly; even the checking of car documents, which used to be at the station, can frequently now be done at the roadside thanks to technology.
It is worth saying that the offices remaining open will be open from 10:00am to 7:00pm Tuesday to Friday and on Saturday from 9:00am to 7:00pm. Exeter, Plymouth and Torbay will be open from 8:00am until 10:00pm seven days a week. Have you got that?
Loss of officers is as yet an unknown quantity, but it seems likely that officers who have put in 30 years service may be asked to retire in some cases, whereas the current norm is 35 years. This may help to save some money because younger officers are cheaper to some extent, not being at the top of their earning potential, but the wisdom of it seems curious since we then end up with less experienced officers at a time when financial hardships lead to an increase in crime and an increased need for officers. I hope they get it right!
Making Whoopee
Our village ladies have made the best of the festive season since both WI members and Kingswomen have had their respective parties, drunk their respective wine and generally had a good time. Kingswomen also enjoyed an evening at The Ship when they played skittles in the dining room area. Any men left at home were free to warm their hands round a sucked wine-gum, eating gruel or cold meat and lettuce! Urrghh!
The WI/Kingswear School Christmas Fayre in the village hall was a very successful event, very well attended and creating over £900 for funds and charities. Certain bachelors of the parish came to eat their own bodyweight in cake, buying more to take home to scoff – you know who you are! The produce left-over was taken down to the Royal Dart Yacht Club event where it joined other local clubs and societies to raise further money for charities. Well done ladies and thanks to the poor men folk used as beasts of burden in the process!
Kingswomen crossed the seas to Dartmouth on12th January to a demonstration by Rachel Carter. Rachel makes very beautiful fabric pictures from old kimonos. Fourteen ladies enjoyed the skill which she clearly had and came home enthused to have a go themselves.
Grub Up
The Kingswear WI is holding another PUDDING EVENING in the Kingswear Village Hall at 7.30 pm on Saturday 5th February. Bring your own wine and enjoy our Sausage and Mash followed by a scrumptious selection of cold and hot puddings.Last year’s meal was voted the best thing since matron gave extras of spotted dick to the fourth form in 1947, so it can’t be bad.
Tickets at £10.00 are available from Kingswear Post Office and the village shop. The event was sold out last year so don’t delay. Numbers are restricted to about 60 for practical reasons so get your party together and start dieting in readiness.
More Grub Up
Still on the subject of food and drink – well it is Kingswear – the Carlow Bequest luncheon was held on January 12th in the village hall. Judging by the leaving punters as I walked by that day the event seems to have gone down well. Catering was by The Royal Dart and the diners were treated to tomato soup, chicken drumsticks etc. then had a choice of apple pie and custard or lemon pavlova; wine was drunk and there was coffee. The diners were very ably entertained by Ella’s Angels who sang for them like.....well.....erm....angels really.
Meet the MP
Jim Stevens, chairman of the local Conservative Association has asked me to include this information for you:
‘Your new MP, Dr Sarah Wollaston, will be guest speaker at the annual Ploughman’s Lunch in the Village Hall at 12 noon on Saturday 26th February. Those attending will have an opportunity to speak to her. There will be an excellent lunch, bar and raffle. Due to high demand, admission is by ticket only.
Hosted by the Kingswear branch of the Conservative Association and open to all, tickets cost £9-00 and are available from Kingswear Post Office (or via Jim Stevens on telephone 01803 752783 or e-mail stevens@alpinehouse.freeserve.co.uk).’
Faster Broadband
David Malloy tells me that a number of people in Kingswear would like faster broadband connections for their computers and that whether we get the potential provided or not depends upon the number of people requesting it. If you would like faster broadband you need to register your request; it seems that so far only a small number have expressed interest, so if you are interested, go to www.bt.com/infinity then put in your telephone number; they will tell you that broadband is not available yet, but you can register your interest. These interests will mount up to eventual provision.
First Published February 2011 By The Dart
