‘Thirty somethings’
In days gone by when a computer was the size of a small car and the telephone an immovable object in the hall, Mellor was fortunate to have a large number of clubs, societies and community events with no shortage of volunteers to run them. Today there are still a large number of clubs, societies and community events but generally it is the same people still running them no longer thinking their children might enjoy the activities but now grandchildren or even great grandchildren.
Where are the ‘thirty somethings’ willing to take over these volunteer roles.
Starting with the Mellor Society there is a need for new young blood and most local committees would offer the same plea.
To paraphrase JFK – ask not what Mellor can do for you, what can you do for Mellor ?
Mellor Well Dressing
The annual Mellor Well Dressing this year took inspiration from the local canals. The process involves covering the boards with clay, pricking out an outline of the design and them decorating with natural materials. The whole process takes exactly one week. Local artist Louise Bradshaw produced the outline picture and a team of volunteers worked throughout the week proceeding Mellor Church Fete. The Vicar of Mellor, Rev’d Alex Sanders blessed the well as part of the Fete activities. Volunteers to join the well dressing team are always welcome.
One Voice Concert
Children from Mellor Primary School joined over 1000 school children taking part in the One Voice Concert in the Bridgewater Hall two weeks after the Manchester bomb. One Voice brings together people of all faiths to speak the message of tolerance and peace. The new Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham introduced the concert and thanked children, parents and teachers for still taking part in the concert saying that their presence gave the message that the terrorists will never win. Mellor Primary School was a driving force behind the concert. The fight against terror has to start with education.
The Mellor March 2017
The Mellor March was once again a great success with nearly £10,000 shared between The Christie, St Ann’s Hospice, The Little Princess Trust, Stockport Palliative Care and the Beechwood Cancer Care Centre. A date for your diary next year – the Sunday of the second May Bank Holiday.
Mellor Archaeological Trust News
Mellor Archaeological Trust continues to be busy as they move into the last six months of “Revealing Oldknow’s Legacy”, a Heritage Lottery Funded, project. The next important stages are the landscaping at Mellor Mill and the conservation and consolidation of the remains. This will be followed by the erection of interpretation boards and displays. Access to the digital information is via the project website: http://oldknows.com/ where it is possible to book onto events and download the “Oldknows Audio Tour and Quest” App from the App Store and Google Play. The App includes some impressive augmented reality images, virtual reality images and audio clips from experts.
The Trust is also just entering Year 2 of the European Funded STORM (Safeguarding Cultural Heritage through Technical and Organisational Resources Management) project. The UK project team has started to collect historical and current weather data that will help forecast weather patterns. The major risks, through climate change, to the cultural heritage on the Mellor sites of Mellor Hill Top, Shaw Cairn and Mellor Mill have been identified and work on mitigation strategies has commenced. There is strong collaboration with the other European sites of Ephesus in Turkey, Rethymnon in Crete, Troia in Portugal and Diocletian Baths in Italy.
B Humphrey-Taylor
Fact and Fun Day September 3rd at Roman Lakes
As well as having a great family day out you will be able to learn more about the Trusts projects at the Annual Fact and Fun Day, held in partnership with Friends of our Valley, at Roman Lakes Leisure Centre, Lakes Road, Marple SK6 7HB. This year’s event will be on Sunday 3rd September. Watch out for details on posters, flyers and Outlook the Mellor Parish Magazine and on website: http://MATrust.org.uk/
Mellor Church Country Fete 24th June 2017
Despite a gloomy forecast the weather held for the fete this year and the crowning of Rose Queen Ellie Wilson by retiring Rose Queen Rosie Easton took place on the Fete field keenly watched by the many people who attended the fete. Ellie then had her teddy catapulted over to the Maypole where the Rose Queen retinues were holding the ribbons ready to dance to the accordion music played by vicar Alex and under the watchful eye of dance teacher Margaret Leng. Through Margaret’s good works the Church now owns a Maypole that can be hired out, thanks to Glossop Caravans.
Rose Queen Ellie looking beautiful in a fuchsia pink dress and a long, blue velvet robe finished off with a pair of smart yellow wellies set off for the Well Dressing in Ann Hearle’s field. This procession was led by the Jazz band who have been attending the fete for 20 years now, including the trumpet player who can play while walking with a stick. How cool is that! Also following were Ellie’s rosebuds looking gorgeous in dark blue lace dresses and yellow wellies and Alex the vicar to bless the stunning well dressing of a canal barge with horse. Cards featuring the Well Dressing will be available to buy, please contact Alison Dowdswell.
Fete Chairman Guy Nicholls produced an excellent Punch and Judy show, a great hit with children and their parents. This was Guy’s favourite activity on the day surpassed only by visits to the bar where lovely locals bought him pints!
The Bubble man did a superb job of entrancing children and babies with enormous bubbles which picturesquely floated over the fete field. The entertainment continued when the Dogs and Ducks came into the area. After a careful display with the dogs and ducks performing well children were invited in to the area to take part in the display. Mayhem followed – the ducks went AWOL! Peter Williams found a new skill- catching ducks from around the bouncy slide.
The children from Mellor School entertained the crowd with Maypole dancing in pretty costumes and novice adults who managed a pretty pattern on the pole.
There was much on offer at the fete to buy – home-made cakes, biscuits and jams, jewellery for your Mum and Granny. There was a choice of a burger from Jane and Glynn or Hog Roast from Paddy and Richard or afternoon tea in the Parish Centre masterminded by Margaret Lowe assisted by a vast rota of helpers.
There were plenty of games to keep all amused, the “Human Fruit Machine” overseen by Helen Kennedy was something else! Not to mention Messy Church Tent, Bric a Brac, Teddy tombola, Bottle tombola, Toy tombola. Coconuts, Hook a Duck and The Great Mellor TriGolf Challenge with Alison Davies and helpers from Mellor and Townscliffe Golf Club.
Then there were 28 raffle prizes to draw, races run and tug of war tugged (won by girls).
Folk on the Hill started at seven with the drummers who had a workshop earlier with Ian Mellor and Steve Abbott. Then the Heyes Sisters sang and eleven Open Micers entertained the crowd, all sustained by the Beer Tent organised by Tom Howing.
A huge thank you to all who helped before, during and after the Fete; the sponsors and all those who attended and supported it in so many ways.
M Williams.
Friends of Mellor Parish Centre
Did you know we have a wonderful resource for everyone in our community which is used by many local groups and can be hired for corporate and family events?
The Centre costs £30,000 a year to maintain and we organise a variety of enjoyable events (bridge drives, quiz nights, talks and concerts) to raise money towards running costs. For just £10 a year you can become a Friend, receive newsletters, advance notice and priority booking for our events. New members joining after June 15th enjoy a 2017 discounted rate.
For further information, please contact Margaret Lowe on 0161 427 6589 or email memsecfompc@gmail.com
We look forward to welcoming you to our next event.
Mellor War Memorial Park 27 June 2017
Yesterday a passing visitor to the area said how much she liked the colour combination around the War Memorial – blue lavender with purple aliums, blue cat mint, white and magenta lychnis with ground cover of grey convolvulous.
If you have time, do walk up to the War Memorial and read the boards. They have information and photographs of local soldiers who died 100 years ago. Private Joseph Wild died on the 9th June 1917 aged 27; Private Albert Bradley died 11th July 2017 aged 27 and Private Thomas Marsland died 19th August 1917 aged 24.
In the garden below the memorial the “Friends” got very excited when men appeared on 21st June and tarmacked patches of path where there had been damage because of tree roots. The offending trees had been removed on 27th April 2017. I think we originally asked the council to remove the trees November 2015. It became apparent that the council tree men work their way around the Stockport Borough in a strict order which they will not be diverted from. It takes 3 years for them to get around everywhere. So, we probably won’t see them again until 2020.
The rose bed is splendid thanks to the manure that was put on. The climbers are even trying to ascend the posts.
The random seed bed is a riot of tall daisies with red poppies, blue cornflower, vipers bugloss, purple everlasting wallflower, mallows and a resplendent white companula that is definitely worth a special trip to see.
The astilbe bed looks great too. So all is well.
The council cut the grass and sweep the paths weekly. We do have trouble with the horse manure being full of little balls which the Blackbirds peck away at and then they roll onto the paths. We need less spherical manure in future.
The flower beds are maintained by anyone who wishes to volunteer on Tuesdays at 4.30 for an hour.
Also monthly on Saturdays from 10 until 12 on July 8th, August 12th and September 9th. (Second Saturday of the month).
We would ask anyone walking through to pull up a weed if they feel like it – especially the Mare’s Tail and put it in the bin.
M Williams.
The Mellor Society Annual General Meeting, 30 March 2016
1 Apologies: none of our local councilors can attend due to a full SMBC Council Meeting tonight
2.a H Humphrey-Taylor and A Hearle proposed and seconded the approval of the minutes from the previous AGM and this was accepted by all present.
2.b Report of the Committee:
The purpose of the Society, which is the membership, is to protect and conserve the environment and amenities of our village/area and its business is administered by an elected committee supported by a team of newsletter deliverers and subscription collectors. During the past year the committee has been active on behalf of the membership working with local councillors and SMBC Officers on issues reported in our newsletters and website.
The Mill Brow recreation area reported on last year is now completed thanks to local volunteers (Save Our Rec), benefactors and SMBC.
We have continued to notify SMBC either directly or via our local councillors of road and street lighting problems. The proposed highway improvements/re-surfacing reported last year are now almost complete.
The high speed broadband network is being expanded in our area and is now available along Longhurst Lane as far as the Devonshire Arms.
The book prizes previously awarded to “good citizens at Mellor Primary School have now been replaced with an annual donation to the school library.
We have continued the Society’s membership of The Campaign to Protect Rural England.
We continue to make a donation to the Royal British Legion at the time of Remembrance Sunday when Margaret Simpson has again represented the Membership at the wreath laying ceremony in Mellor Memorial Park.
Friends of Mellor Parks continue to work in all weathers maintaining the Memorial Park and garden. This year the Society financed the information boards adjacent to the memorial from funds donated by the public for specific Memorial Park projects.
Last years donation to Mellor Open gardens 2016 to help provide free bus transport around the gardens successfully reduced traffic congestion on the day.
Local Councillors continue to attend our committee meeting in rotation and we thank them for their continuing support.
The Society continues to be supported by our newsletter deliverers/subscription collectors, Val Wallace at the Parish Centre who prints the newsletter and Annandale Solutions Ltd financing and hosting our website. The website is a very under-used resource and we welcome any features relating to or of interest to Mellor residents.
We thank all the above and others for their efforts and support.
Also, if anyone wishes to be a newsletter deliverer, serve on our committee or requires further information please contact I Davies, Hon. Secretary.
2c There is to be no increase in the annual subscription of £1/member
2d Copies of the certified accounts and membership report where available at the meeting and commented on in detail by the Hon Treasurer. I Morgan and A Papageorgiou proposed and seconded the approval of the accounts and this was accepted by all present.
2e There were no new volunteers to serve on the committee and I Dayz and N Cloughley proposed and seconded that the current committee remain in office. This was accepted by those present.
2f The business brought forward by the committee involved presenting the opportunity for a Mellor and Millbrow Neighbourhood Plan to the membership. This would be actioned at the Public Meeting to be held later this evening.
2g There was no business brought forward by the membership.
3. The formal section of the meeting was closed by B Humphrey-Taylor and attendees invited to enjoy the refreshments.
Public Meeting: A Neighbourhood Plan For Mellor And Mill Brow
David Ackroyd – Chair of Marple Neighbourhood Forum and resident of Mellor led the public meeting to discuss the opportunity for a neighbourhood plan for Mellor and surrounding area. David briefly reviewed the Neighbourhood Plan process and residents’ involvement in determining the continued development and wellbeing of our community.
Andrew Stunell, our former MP, supported David in his presentation stating that the process started in 2012 from 2011 legislation that he had been involved in drafting. Under the traditional route a developer would propose a scheme which can then be commented on by the existing residents. The Local Authority planners would then decide on whether the scheme would go ahead. Under the Neighbourhood Plan the residents decide the development options for their area and Local Authority planners consider the developers proposals within the plan. It was stated that currently there in new legislation being progressed to make the process simpler including defining communities’ involvement with future amendments.
SMBC is pro-Neighbourhood Plan and the national budget for such is being increased.
From commencement, the Neighbourhood Plan must comply with a timescale and achieve key milestones to qualify for continued financial assistance. Once accepted the Plan is in place for 20 years.
The approved Neighbourhood Plan has the same statutory power as the SMBC Plan as they are both statutory planning documents.
The following local areas are among those who are already well advanced in producing a Neighbourhood Plan: Chapel-en-le-Frith, Woodford, Brereton, Poynton and Marple. David Ackroyd referred to the Our Marple website for more information on our nearest proposed Neighbourhood Plan development.
A number of comments were voiced by those attending the meeting.
These included:
“no one will take more interest in our area than us”
“all Local Authorities seem to be concentrating on strategic issues”
“a Neighbourhood Plan helps bring local people together”
“the Plan is evidence based taking account of local heritage and needs determined by residents”
At the end of the meeting attendees registered their interest and/or desire to be involved in the process.
The proposal for a Neighbourhood Plan is currently being facilitated by the Mellor Society Committee who will eventually hand over the administration to the Neighbourhood Plan Committee and Forum who will be supported by a grant from Groundwork UK acting on behalf on Localities UK.
Meanwhile, if you are interested in participating in this exciting opportunity to influence the future of our area please contact the Mellor Society Hon Secretary.
The Mellor Society 