The farming community was well represented among the large congregation attending the funeral of David Edwards (81) in St. Andrew’s Church, Congresbury, on March 26.
David was born at Brinsea Green Farm, eldest son of Bill and Evelyn, who had united the Edwards and Atwell families when they married.
Richard Hodder remembered
“A gentleman who always took the time to stop and talk to you; he was not just being polite, that was Dick. He was genuinely interested in life and people.”
Such was the description of Richard Hodder by the vicar of Congresbury, Rev. Matthew Thomson, when he conducted his funeral service in St. Andrew’s church, Congresbury, on March 19.
Senior Siren Magazine
CRIME PREVENTION ~ VICTIM SUPPORT ~ SOCIAL ADVOCACY
Wrington Lane Housing Proposal Update
Congresbury Residents Action Group (CRAG) has learned that a number of significant changes to Wrington Lane proposed by land agents Gladman are to be rejected by North Somerset Council’s highways department.
Snow scenes, March 2018

The rhyne by the football ground. Picture: Michelle Flook

A snow cave in a drift near Tynings Farm. Picture: Julia Thyer
Congresbury Electrical
Congresbury Electrical is a small family-run business operating in Congresbury and the surrounding villages.
We offer a broad range of domestic electrical services ranging from simple lighting upgrades to full rewires and consumer unit changes. All our work is fully guaranteed and complies with all electrical and building control regulation. We pride ourselves on a swift, competitive, and quality service.
We also offer all Congresbury residents with a connection to the Scout, Beaver, Cub, and Girl-Guides a 10% discount on all labour charges.
Please contact Charles on 07976359210 or email at charles@congresburyelectrical.co.uk. Further details can be found on our website at congresburyelectrical.co.uk
New Village Hall
The New Village Hall / Community Centre project have changed their Facebook presence from a group to a page so that there is no longer a need to become a member. The page can been found using this link https://www.facebook.com/congresburyvillagehall/ or by searching for ‘Congresbury village hall page’ on Facebook.
Volunteers needed by police
Avon & Somerset Police have set up a new support group and are looking for volunteers.
As a Volunteer in a Circle of Support and Accountability (‘Circle’), you’ll make an important contribution to preventing sexual abuse by helping reduce the risk of further sexual harm by a known perpetrator.
A Circle is a small group of carefully trained and selected Volunteers who meet regularly with an individual who has been convicted of sexual offences (or with harmful sexual behaviour). Volunteers hold the individual to account for their behaviour and support their safe reintegration into the community. They work closely with the responsible statutory organisations. Read more
A new name for The Hort Soc.
This evening, the members and committee of the Congresbury and District Horticultural Society voted to change the name of the society to Congresbury Gardening Club. The well attended AGM was followed by an American supper and raffle. If you are interested in joining our active and friendly club, click here for the form.
Dora Ross remembered
Older villagers will have many memories of Dora Ross, as she lived in Congresbury for the majority of her long life, and died only a week before her 90th birthday.
Report on Strongvox public hearing 21st Nov
More than 25 supporters of Congresbury Residents Action Group (CRAG) turned up for the official hearing into the Strongvox scheme to build 24 houses on land off Brinsea Road. The hearing at the Royal Hotel, Weston, also drew members of the village Parish Council and district councillor Tom Leimdorfer.Read More
Big Breakfast Success
What a great event we had today. The sun shone and we were very busy the whole morning with a jolly crowd enjoying a full English breakfast. There were cakes, jams and cards for sale, a guess the cake competition and a raffle. Thank you to all who contributed either by helping or by dining. A special thanks to the organiser, Kath Kemplay, who did a brilliant job taking over from the wonderful Julie Gosling this year. We raised £1,455 for Hospicecare, well done!
Remember to take all your unwanted clothes and items to the Hospicecare shop in Broad Street, and have a look for something nice while you are there.
See our Facebook page for more photos.
DVDs at Library
Paper Bead Making Course – a great success!
Ann Kelly came along to the Congresbury Community Library on Thursday 5th October to demonstrate how to make paper beads. The beads come in different shapes and sizes and can be made from any type of paper from magazines to wall paper. The group of ladies used wrapping paper, music scores, maps and a range of other materials to make their beads which can then be glazed and made into necklaces, bracelets or earrings. The session just flew by! Read more
Warning. Fraudsters posing as Police are targeting elderly and vulnerable
We are warning people in Avon and Somerset to be on their guard against a growing fraud.
A number of incidents have been reported to us where people have been duped out of cash and coerced into purchasing valuable items by fraudsters posing as police officers.
We advise relatives of the elderly and those who have elderly neighbours to make them aware of these scams and also report any instances where people may have been victims of the fraudsters.
A police officer, or any other official, will never ask for money or bank details over the phone or on the door-step or ask you to arrange to take them to a pre-arranged location. If you are unsure if the person is who they say they are, ask for identification such as their collar number and call 101 to check the name and the authenticity of the caller.
Always make sure you use a different phone or even get a relative or neighbour to call to ensure the fraudster has not blocked the phone line. It is always unwise to use any number they give you to call back.
Autumn Show Success
Thank you to the organisers of the Horticultural Society Autumn Show for a very successful day which was well attended. There will be a write-up of the show later. If you’d like to enter something next year, the Spring show is on Saturday 24th March. Click here for website.
See lots of photos on our Facebook page.
Weeding the Streets
Volunteers met at the Precinct a couple of weeks ago to clear the weeds from the pavements. Why not have a go yourself? All you need is a spade, a brush and a green bin to put the rubbish. It’s more fun in company, but pedestrians will stop and chat anyway. Join the many people who keep the road and pavement outside their properties tidy. It makes so much difference to our village.
Pictured, Jenny Maygor, Val Hodgson and Julia Thyer. Barrie Lea took the photos.
Local community help available
Some of you may recognise my name – I have lived in Congresbury most of my life and my children attend St Andrews Primary School.
I am making contact with you to see if any of your organisations have any projects that would benefit from some volunteered help. My employers, Pelican Business Services, offer their employees time off to help with local community projects and I would love to be able to use this to give something back to the village and community. The number of volunteers, and who that would be, would be decided depending on what work is required.
Previous projects have included painting schools, weeding gardens, walking dogs or spending time with the elderly.
If you have anything in mind that you would like to use us for, then please let me know. Or if there’s nothing planned at the moment, please keep us in mind for any future projects and feel free to contact me. (jennie.king@bwbsl.co.uk or jennie.king580@gmail.com)
If you have not heard of Pelican Business Services, please visit the website:
http://www.pelicanbusinessservices.co.uk/
(we used to be known as Bristol Wessex Billing Services and provide billing services on behalf of Bristol Water and Wessex Water)
Many thanks
Jennie
Jennie King
Business Support – Customer Services
Tel (Office) : 01225 524297
Bristol Wessex Billing Services Ltd, 1 Clevedon Walk, Nailsea, Bristol, BS48 1WA
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Congresbury Chronicle
Please look out for the latest issue of the Congresbury Chronicle that will have been delivered to your house recently. If you need a spare copy you can find them in the Library, in the Parish Office or in the Fish and Chip shop in the precinct.
Help prevent rural crime
This month livestock thieves have been foiled and vehicles recovered in Somerset– thanks to members of the public. Make a note of the number to text 07492888109, or call 999 if it requires immediate action.
New support centre for those living with Alzheimer’s
A new local drop-in centre aimed to help those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease as well as their carers or anyone who wants to know more about dementia is now operating in Wrington.
The information hub and café is being run with the support of Yeo Valley Lions Club who are working with the Dorset and Somerset Locality of the Alzheimer’s Society to help develop services to support families in the Yeo Valley area.
The hub is open from 10am to midday on the first Tuesday of each month in the Reading Room, Wrington. It is being run by Helen Harvey-Foster, a dementia support worker with the Alzheimer’s Society, who can be contacted on 077404 56706.
The hub offers not just a wealth of information but also tea, coffee and cake.
Dementia is a progressive disease of the brain and currently over 850,000 people are living with the condition; this is predicted to increase to more than a million by 2025.
240717
MILLENIUM GREEN MANAGEMENT – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Parish Council has been the Sole Trustee of the Millennium Green since May 2012 and is assisted in the day to day running by a Management Group. The 3 officers of that group namely Chair, Secretary and Treasurer have stood down at the AGM held last Monday and no nominations were received from the floor of the meeting. In order to help the Trustee make an informed decision on the future management of the Green if there are any volunteers to take on one of these roles could you please inform the Parish Clerk by Fri 4th August.
For further information please contact Di Hassan on 01934 876454 or Liz Greaves on 01934 838802.
Neighbourhood Watch News
Members of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme are invited to contact the Avon and Somerset Neighbourhood Watch Association and start the discussion around the fantastic opportunities they could bring to further develop the partnership between local policing teams and NHW.
Methodist Church news
Library Coffee Morning
New village hall / community centre revised plans
Due to the significant increase in construction costs the Development committee took the decision that we needed to reduce the overall build costs. We are working with our Architects Stride Treglown on a revised plan as part of the next stage of the project. The initial draft we showed at the coffee morning would result in a reduction of 27% in the footprint but allow for future expansion. The main reduction comes from reducing the size of the main hall, which would still accommodate 260 (Memorial hall – 150, Old School Rooms – 120).
The reduced footprint will still mean we would meet our vision of providing a multi-use quality building to meet the needs of the village.
We are now reaching the stage of looking at the fine detail of the design, the finishes etc. and are looking for people to be involved in helping us get this right first time. We be at the village fete on Saturday, come and have a chat.
Police Notice
Over the past couple of weeks a burglary occurred at High Street, Congresbury. Access gained into the property but there are no details as to any items stolen.
Senior Citizens Lunch Club
Over 70 & live in Congresbury? …. Why not join us at Congresbury Senior Citizens’ Lunch Club & enjoy a delicious fortnightly lunch and make new friends! We meet once a fortnight on a Thursday in the Old School Rooms for a delicious two-course lunch, plus tea or coffee…. & lots of chat! Transport may be available if required. For more details please contact: Kate Herbison on 01934 833521
280717
New Dance & Exercise Class!

A new and exciting way to get fit Move & Groove Class for all ages, what girls don’t love to dance??
The dances include, Disco with 70’s and up to date music, RocknRoll, Latin Dancing, Ballroom & Hip Hop. Great Fun & Great Music. Come along no leotards required, just comfortable clothing £5 per class. Please note classes will be held in the Memorial Hall, Congresbury ( & NOT the Methodist Hall as on advertisement)
www.pjsdanceacademy.co.uk / 07855827464 / juliewyb@googlemail.com
050517
Let’s Dance!
Would you like to come along to Beginners Ballroom Dancing Class?
Hi my name is Julie and own PJ’s Dance Academy, I have been teaching for over twenty five years, so have many years experience. If you have always thought about doing Ballroom Dancing then now is your chance, are you going on a cruise? are you getting married? or you just want to learn to dance then come along to our Brand New Beginners Dance Class. We have many social events to put your new hobby into practice.