Tuesday 12 July 2011

Social Media Surgery

(N.B. This is one of those posts where the links are everything. Click on 'em!)

I've just returned from a day at the Great Yorkshire Show running a Social Media Surgery on the Country and Landowner's Business Association stand as a 'surgeon' with John Popham (who may be best known for #twicket in Wray but deserves far more recognition), Paul Webster aka @watfordgap from Retford/Nottingham, @grahamrichards from Harrogate but active in Richmond and Lower Wensleydale area, and @MonicaTailor from Leeds/Harrogate. Exhausting but exhilarating!

Where's the fire?!

Spotted on a summer's day in July as we were rushing to Penrith. Sadly, there simply was not time to discover all the details of this vehicle and what is needed is another visit to conduct an interview with the owner at Woodbine Cottage.

Maybe someone else would like to take the opportunity to ask a few questions of a neighbour? It would help if others in the village became involved in the website as we continue to ramp up community activities. And you never know what you might learn!

Here are a few of the questions we would ask:


What make, model and year is the vehicle?
How did it come into the owner's possession?
What is its history?
What other vehicles are owned?
How long has the owner lived in Warcop?
Where did the family live previously?
Why Warcop?
Any thoughts about the village you would care to share?

And please, if you would like to interview people around the village, we have a digital recorder, digital cameras, paper, pens, and much more we are willing to lend to discover a few snippets about the fascinating people of Warcop... please volunteer to help build a community website we can all value.

Monday 11 July 2011

Red Squirrels Nursery

Red squirrels nursery on the Warcop school site is filling up fast for September, if you would like a place or to come and visit please contact Caroline on 01768341472 or e-mail, redsquirrelsn-at-yahoodotcodotuk (Replace the at and dots!). Available from 2-5 years.
From 3 years we can offer wrap around care from 8-5.30. We link with Warcop children's club.

Warcop Children's Club

Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the summer holidays why not join Warcop children's club. We have swimming planned along with a visit to the fire station and the mountain rescue hut. We will be doing outdoor sports and also have time to just chill with friends. Age 3-14.

Sunday 10 July 2011

Broadband for the Parish and Beyond

As many of you will have already seen, Cumbria has been awarded £16.8M for the next generation of broadband. Some of this, and other funds, is due to be spent on community broadband projects.

As Warcop Parish representative of East Cumbria Community Broadband Forum, I was invited to attend the Broadband Industry Day at Stoneybeck Inn on Friday last, and spoke at length with Mike Kiely of BDUK (Broadband Delivery UK) as well as representatives of Cumbria County Council.

Due to a rapidly approaching funding deadline, Warcop will be submitting two outline proposals for fibre optic broadband, and will follow these up with a public meeting for the parish to refine these and align them closely to the community needs. The last two days have seen a flurry of activity in and around the Parish to establish what will be possible as a first phase and we have got in principle agreements for future-proofed plans to begin ASAP, dependent on some more conversations with external parties.


For those who have not been involved in the discussions to date, (15 years long for me!), this may not be the appropriate place to bring you up to speed (scuse the pun) with all that has been going on and what Warcop will be able to do. Suffice to say that if you are interested in better connectivity, improved mobile coverage and a chance to bring new jobs to the area, please stay tuned and please, please, please come and knock on my door at Croft House on Brookside if you are a resident of Upper Eden and would like to talk about the broadband plans.

If you are a landowner in the area and I have not yet seen you, please do get in touch. We may need access to your land and would like to discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity. Maps will be available shortly, both online and in print, that will show the proposed routes for the fibre optic dig. There will be opportunities for many to get involved and to be paid for their involvement so if you have a mole plough, digger or a spade, we may need your muscle!


Please keep an eye on the notice boards and this website for more news, dates of meetings and so on. There will be full updates given at the next Parish Council meeting on August 22nd.

Broadband for the Parish and Beyond

As many of you will have already seen, Cumbria has been awarded £16.8M for the next generation of broadband. Some of this, and other funds, is due to be spent on community broadband projects.

As Warcop Parish representative of East Cumbria Community Broadband Forum, I was invited to attend the Broadband Industry Day at Stoneybeck Inn on Friday last, and spoke at length with Mike Kiely of BDUK (Broadband Delivery UK) as well as representatives of Cumbria County Council.

Due to a rapidly approaching funding deadline, Warcop will be submitting two outline proposals for fibre optic broadband, and will follow these up with a public meeting for the parish to refine these and align them closely to the community needs. The last two days have seen a flurry of activity in and around the Parish to establish what will be possible as a first phase and we have got in principle agreements for future-proofed plans to begin ASAP, dependent on some more conversations with external parties.


For those who have not been involved in the discussions to date, (15 years long for me!), this may not be the appropriate place to bring you up to speed (scuse the pun) with all that has been going on and what Warcop will be able to do. Suffice to say that if you are interested in better connectivity, improved mobile coverage and a chance to bring new jobs to the area, please stay tuned and please, please, please come and knock on my door at Croft House on Brookside if you are a resident of Upper Eden and would like to talk about the broadband plans.

If you are a landowner in the area and I have not yet seen you, please do get in touch. We may need access to your land and would like to discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity. Maps will be available shortly, both online and in print, that will show the proposed routes for the fibre optic dig. There will be opportunities for many to get involved and to be paid for their involvement so if you have a mole plough, digger or a spade, we may need your muscle!


Please keep an eye on the notice boards and this website for more news, dates of meetings and so on. There will be full updates given at the next Parish Council meeting on August 22nd.

Saturday 2 July 2011

The Chamley Arms

It is difficult to ignore the ongoing works in the pub. We have therefore, as Friends of Warcop Pub, sought expert legal advice on behalf of the village, as we were mandated to do by the village.

The Pub 'tab' is back. We will update you via that page as is appropriate.

Comments will be left open and unmoderated, as we feel it is a valuable mechanism for expression of open views by any visitor to the website. Please be aware therefore that your opinions can be read and recorded by ANYONE. A full record of all dialogue via this website to date is available from the Parish Council.