Whitchurch

Women's Institute

“Say Cheese” was the title of the talk Chris Smith gave to us at our May meeting.

It covered the early beginnings of cheese making from Neolithic times to the present day and covered the history, archaeology, literature, the Romans, production on the Welsh Marches/Cheshire Plains and finally focused on Cheshire cheese making in the Whitchurch area.

The Romans brought cheese making to this country, and the business developed over the years from individual farms to the factories of today.

A few hiccups occurred during the 20th century, including the formation of the Milk Marketing Board and the Foot and Mouth Epidemics that drastically reduced production on farms.

We had tasters, Cheshire cheese from a supermarket, and from a local cheesemaker, Appleby. There was a difference, the local cheese being the preferred option.

The next evening meal will be tomorrow at 7.15pm at the Swan at Marbury; the meal in June will be 12.15pm at the Bhurtpor, Aston on Wednesday 13th.

The competition of a decorated Cheese knife was won by Margaret Barlow, second Jane Caine and third Carole Griffiths.

Craft Club will be on Friday June , 2pm at the Bradbury Day Centre.

Our next meeting is on Monday, June 11 at 7.30pm at the Civic Centre. Simon Martin, Story Teller/ Bodger, will talk to us and the competition will be a table decoration to include wood.

Walkers

On Saturday, May 26, Whitchurch Walkers will be heading to Cuddington Long Loop, led by Helen Connolly. Meet at Sherry Mill Hill car park at 1.30pm and car share to Jarrett’s Barn, Mill Lane Cuddington, SY14 7BQ to meet the leader for 2pm.

This is a four-hour dog friendly stile-free walk on quiet lanes and bridleways crossing into Wales and taking in Dymock’s Mill. Please bring refreshments and suitable footwear.

Rotary Quizzers

Whitchurch Rotarians `A` quiz team finished a creditable sixth on May 15 in the district quiz final, with 12 finalists left from the 54 teams entered. The local team comprised Mike Arnold, Mike Valentine, Wynford Collins and Mike Nimmo who kindly stepped in at the last minute.

The winners were Wolverhampton St George`s (148), Shrewsbury (131), Walsall (130), Dudley (127), Wellington (125) and the locals 121.

Whitchurch have won the trophy three times and fielded three teams since 2013/14. An `in house` quiz team competition at the weekly meeting on May 15 was won by a team comprising Simon Edge, Norman Gollins, John Mitchell and George Brown, who also revealed that his recent Alderford Lake sponsored walk had raised £155 for local charities.

No Mans Heath

The parish council will be meeting tomorrow at Bickley Coronation Hall from 7pm, with refreshments from 6.30pm.

In a short agenda, there will be an open forum for residents to raise issues with parish councillors before the meeting will hear from three speakers.

First up will be a representative from Cheshire Police before Mike Ainslie, a first responder , will provide a demonstration on how to use a defibrilator.

Martin Varley, conservation manager at Malpas-based Cheshire Wildlife Trust, will then provide an overview of the Trust’s activities in the Parish and immediate surrounding areas.

Malpas

Grants

The Trustees of the Richard Alport’s School Foundation continue to administer grants for the present school, for local young persons’ voluntary organisations, and for past and present pupils of the school.

The 'Area of Benefit' for which grants are available for voluntary organisations is defined as the (pre-2015) civil parishes of Malpas, Cuddington, Chorlton, Edge, Hampton, Newton, Oldcastle, Overton, Stockton, Wigland and Wychough.

These grants are for organisations which primarily serve children and young persons, to assist with any aspect of the organisation’s operation, subject to the approval of the Trustees.

Grants for individuals are available to those below the age of 25 years who are attending or who have for not less than two years at any time attended as pupils of the Malpas Alport Endowed Primary School.

Grants may be used to support an individual’s education or training at any secondary school, college, university, or other institution of further education, approved by the Trustees.

The money can also be used to provide financial assistance, outfits, clothing, tools, instruments or books to enable beneficiaries on leaving school, university or any other educational establishment, to prepare for or to assist their entry into, a profession, trade or calling and to provide bursaries or maintenance allowances to enable beneficiaries to travel, whether in this country or abroad, to pursue their education.

Please note only one grant can be awarded to any one individual for any of the above purposes. The maximum grant, which will be at the discretion of the Trustees, is £200.

The closing date for applications for grants for individuals is September 30 and application forms for grants are available from the clerk to the Trustees at Mrs E Ebben, 4 Cholmondeley Rise, Malpas, Cheshire SY14 8DD, (01948) 820656 or elmaebben@hotmail.co.uk

Art Exhibition

The Malpas Art Group Exhibition is holding a country craft fair at the Jubillee Hall in the High Street on Saturdya, May 26 between 10am and 4pm.

There will be refreshments and a variety of locally-crafted items on display and for sale.

For more details, call Jan Ibbotson on 01948 861213 or email janimals@hotmail.com