Hello everyone,

It’s been another busy month for Wilmcote Parish Council, and I was delighted to see so many of you at our most recent meeting. From this month onward, we will now meet once a month at 7pm, except in August and December when we take a short break. As always, everyone is warmly invited to attend.

The BT Kiosk on The Green, which the Council has now purchased has become a new village asset. Thanks to the enthusiasm of young resident Rachel Bates, it will be brought back to life as a community book swap. We are thrilled to support this project and hope the whole village will get behind it. To mark the occasion, we’ll be holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, 4th October at 11am, and I do hope you’ll join us in celebrating Rachel’s fantastic idea.

We’re also taking steps to brighten up the village. Two new planters will soon be trialled - one near the Billesley Road village sign and one on The Green, subject to Highways approval. If they prove successful, we plan to add more. A volunteer group will be needed to plant and care for them throughout the year, so if you’d like to help, please get in touch with our Clerk, Liz Butterworth.

Looking ahead, Christmas is already on the horizon! Councillor Hession is leading a project to bring festive lights to the centre of the village, with more details to be shared at October’s PC meeting.

Earlier this month, we had the joy of welcoming Rev. Larry Wright as our new parish priest. The service, led by the Bishop of Coventry, was a truly memorable occasion, followed by a wonderful celebration at the school. My heartfelt thanks go to all the church members who worked so hard to make the event such a success.

Another exciting development is our ongoing discussions with Stratford District Council about acquiring the land around the Scout Hut and adjoining field. Our vision is to create a community green space for everyone to enjoy, with a sensory garden, vegetable plots, a pond to encourage wildlife, and a wildflower meadow with an orchard – more free fruit! Paths for dog walking and benches for quiet reflection would make it a place for all ages. Importantly, this land would be protected from development for future generations. Should we be successful in securing it, we will be looking for volunteers to help us bring the project to life.

On a practical note, we are still awaiting confirmation of potential sites for the Atlas mobile mast, with discussions continuing.

We also continue to stand firmly against the proposed South Warwickshire Local Plan. Many residents have already shown their support by displaying protest signs, and together with the Wilmcote and Bearley Action Groups, we are planning further steps. An update meeting will be held on Saturday, 11th October at 10am in Bearley Village Hall, and I would encourage you to come along and share your views.

Finally, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the new residents who have recently joined our village. We are so fortunate to live in such an idyllic place, and I hope you will soon feel part of the community.

And to all of you who have worked so hard to organise such a vibrant programme of summer events - from the VE Day celebration and Flower Show to the Beer Festival, the Ball, and all the activities at Mary Arden’s Farm, the Sports and Social Club and at the Mary Arden’s Inn - thank you. There have been so many events this year, apologies if I haven’t listed them all. Your energy and commitment have made this summer one to remember.

Warm regards, Janine Lee