There is a notice up in Weston village hall about the Guides.Weston Guides is in a bad position at the moment. One of the leaders is stepping down and if no-one else comes forward to do the job then it will shut down. This would be a shame as Aston Guides has already shut down, so Weston Guides takes in the girls from Aston as well. The girls only option if this happens is to go to Scouts, which is already full to the seams and has a massive waiting list. (These days, under equal opportunities laws girls can't be turned away from Beavers, Cubs or Scouts, and although these groups are still mainly boys, they do have girls in them). However I've never known any boys try to get into Rainbows, Brownies or Guides).
Girl Guiding is a great organization. It teaches girls life skills, explores faith, encourages them to be kind and helpful to others and be community spirited. They have great adventures and fun too. They have experiences they may not normally have had otherwise. It also helps to keep them out of trouble. If anyone can step forward and become a Guide leader it would be much appreciated by Weston Guides, even if it's once a month on a rota basis. It's on a Thursday evening. While we're at it, Brownies and Rainbows need more leaders too.
Showing posts with label weston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weston. Show all posts
Thursday, 4 July 2013
Sunday, 23 June 2013
Weston school fair
This Saturday we had the Weston school fair. The Aston school fair was on the same day at roughly the same time. I went to the Weston one. They both had a fancy dress competition too. This was the first time Weston had done that at their school fair and quite a few people took part. They had all the usual stalls, the refreshments, pick a bag, book stall, bric-a-brac, barbecue, hook a duck, panning for gems and splat the rat to name a few. The turnout wasn't as good as on previous years, although still quite a lot of people came. This could have been due to the weather, as it was overcast and there was a sudden downpour part way through and several people who were doing the penalty shoot out came in looking rather drenched. Maybe the lower turnout was due to the Aston school fair being on the same day, but I don't think the Aston and Weston people go to each others school fairs, not many of them do anyway.
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Scarecrow trail 2013
This weekend was the 12th annual scarecrow trail in Weston-on-Trent and it was sunshine all the way. Which was a good thing as scarecrows don't look so good after being rained on and the sunshine brings out the crowds to look around. Various people make scarecrows to put around the village.
Sometimes they are made by local groups
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Sometimes they are made by local groups
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Sometimes they are made by individuals or families
Sometimes people put them in weird and wonderful places
Everyone who goes around the trail gets to do a quiz and to vote for their favourite scarecrow. Judging from my conversations with other people who went around the trail this is my prediction for the winner.
If walking around the trail got to be hungry or thirsty work there were drinks and cakes for sale in the village hall.
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Big gig
In Weston village hall last Saturday was the big gig and big gig for kids. The kids were on in the afternoon. As with any good village event there were tea and cakes on sale, some of which were homemade. Only 2 acts turned up in the end, a group of girls who dance and one girl who sang a solo. Brian Dawson did a couple of Beatles songs on the piano then everyone went home. Apparently there were 4 more acts who didn't turn up, and if they had that would have made a good show. I don't know why there wasn't a better turnout. I would have thought a talent show for kids would have been more popular but maybe it got overshadowed by the adults big gig later on. Hopefully it won't put the organisers off putting on events like this in the future. Some people say that it wasn't well advertised but I disagree. There must be people going round the village with their eyes shut. I just hope they weren't driving.
The big gig itself in the evening was a success. There was a good turnout for the audience, mainly adults and older children. They had a group of older guys who played blues type music and they were very accomplished musicians. Then they had 3 duos of a bloke playing a guitar and a woman singing. That was the only similarity between the 3 duos, musically they were very different. In the evening the tea and cakes were gone and replaced with a bar and there were little pots of peanuts on the table. A good time was had by all.
The big gig itself in the evening was a success. There was a good turnout for the audience, mainly adults and older children. They had a group of older guys who played blues type music and they were very accomplished musicians. Then they had 3 duos of a bloke playing a guitar and a woman singing. That was the only similarity between the 3 duos, musically they were very different. In the evening the tea and cakes were gone and replaced with a bar and there were little pots of peanuts on the table. A good time was had by all.
Friday, 19 October 2012
Ladies Night (and chip van)
As I was on my way to the ladies night at Weston school, I made an amazing discovery. Aston has a chip van. It comes to Yates Ave on a Friday night between 7.30 and 8.15. I had already eaten before I saw it so I didn't buy any, but I will be sure to let you know if they are any good when I do try some. That's definately a 'when' and not an 'if' as I will be trying them. Mmm chips.
The Ladies Night was a fundraising event for Weston school and it had lots of stalls selling cards, accessories, jewellery and some foody things. These was also a bar and various treatments on offer for a fiver such as hot stone massage, facials, nails and eyebrow shaping. I don't think there were quite as many people at the ladies night as in previous years, but there were just as many stalls. Lots of handmade stuff. There was a stall which did handmade jams, pickles and chocolate and they had loads out at the front to try. I think I must be that kind of stalls worst nightmare as I like to try all the samples but don't very often buy anything. The chocolate was really good, well most of it anyway. The rose and bergamot white chocolate was good as was the lemongrass flavour white chocolate, the caramel milk chocolate and the Christmas spice chocolate. The Christmas tree chocolate was not so good tasted as though it was made with real Christmas trees. I spent ages talking to the people on the herbalife stall. It must be hard to sell a weight loss product because it would be quite tactless to go up to someone and say "You look like you need to lose a bit of weight. Fancy trying our new weight loss product?". I think they get round this by dropping leaflets through doors and having stalls at events such as this one. There were a few things I could have bought but I settled on buying a nice handmade headband for my daughter. As at most events of this sort there was a raffle at the end. I didn't win though. Maybe next time eh.
The Ladies Night was a fundraising event for Weston school and it had lots of stalls selling cards, accessories, jewellery and some foody things. These was also a bar and various treatments on offer for a fiver such as hot stone massage, facials, nails and eyebrow shaping. I don't think there were quite as many people at the ladies night as in previous years, but there were just as many stalls. Lots of handmade stuff. There was a stall which did handmade jams, pickles and chocolate and they had loads out at the front to try. I think I must be that kind of stalls worst nightmare as I like to try all the samples but don't very often buy anything. The chocolate was really good, well most of it anyway. The rose and bergamot white chocolate was good as was the lemongrass flavour white chocolate, the caramel milk chocolate and the Christmas spice chocolate. The Christmas tree chocolate was not so good tasted as though it was made with real Christmas trees. I spent ages talking to the people on the herbalife stall. It must be hard to sell a weight loss product because it would be quite tactless to go up to someone and say "You look like you need to lose a bit of weight. Fancy trying our new weight loss product?". I think they get round this by dropping leaflets through doors and having stalls at events such as this one. There were a few things I could have bought but I settled on buying a nice handmade headband for my daughter. As at most events of this sort there was a raffle at the end. I didn't win though. Maybe next time eh.
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Weston Produce Show
The produce show is one of the most villagy things you can get. I've lived in towns and visited many towns and cities too but never have I seen a competition for growing fruit and veg anywhere but in a village hall. The Weston produce show had entries from people in Aston as well as the people from the 2 villages pretty much join in everything the other one does. As well as classes for fruit and vegetables there were also a few craft and photography classes and also classes for children to enter. As far as I can tell the competition is friendly; I have heard of some villages where people sneak over the neighbours fence and sabotage the crops in the garden to give themselves a better chance of winning, but I think the competition is friendly in Weston. They don't take it any less seriously though. Winning the most points in the produce show is a big deal for the folks in Weston, well at least for families in Weston anyway as most of the entries seem to come from them and then a few other people will enter one thing here and there. I'd love to tell you all who actually won, but I can't remember. That's what comes of writing about something a month after it happened.
After all the trophies have been handed out they auction off the produce in aid of a good cause. ( I think this time it was part the air ambulance and the rest to the village hall funds). Mr Hackett from Shardlow was the auctioneer and he's been doing auctions for as long as I can remember. I heard quite a few years ago on the grapevine that he wanted to retire, but it seems he hasn't managed to yet. I can't believe no-one else wants to do it though. I think it would be fun. Maybe it's because he is good at it and he'd be a hard act to follow. Anyway the produce auction is brilliant. Lots of lovely home grown veg at bargain prices. The auction was very friendly as well. We just lost out in the bidding on a plate of cakes and the person who won gave us one of them. Others who won something they were bidding on did a similar thing.
Monday, 14 May 2012
Weston walk
Sometimes I wonder if my posts are a bit critical, but maybe I think too much and over-analyse things sometimes. This is not always good as it can lead to depression as A (an intelligent person, who writes a deep and meaningful, well-thought out blog, which I would definitely encourage anyone to read), points out in his blog. One thing that can help against depression is a good walk on a sunny day.
The Weston walk was a 4 and half mile walk along the footpaths of Weston. It's purpose was to promote awareness of them, increase the use of them, check that all was well with them and of course to have fun. It was also a practice, as they are hoping that next year the walk will be part of the Charnwood Forest festival of walking week. It was a guided walk led by a bloke called Alan who told us a bit of the history or the area as we went round. For instance the Coopers Arms was used in the civil war to look after the horses. Apparently, it was never finished and it was meant to be E shaped, as was very fashionable at the time it was built.
When we got to the first footpath off the road, one of the walkers got pulled over by a dog and knocked over the footpath sign. It was an accident waiting to happen tho as the bottom of the post was rotten and it was held onto the fence with a plastic tie.
We walked in between the new houses and down more footpaths, then across a field of long grass ( which was apparently a footpath although you couldn't see where the actual path went). This was quite hard going. We got to the old ferry point where people used to ring the bell for the ferry. History tells us that the woman running the ferry was a bit grumpy and that if she was having a cup of tea or didn't feel like it, she wouldn't bother to answer the bell and leave the passengers waiting for sometimes a couple of hours before taking them across the river.
On the way back up to the canal we saw the noise monitor for the race track in the field. Weston is a lovely village, but the one thing that stops it from being absolutely idyllic is the noise from the race track in Castle Donnington, which is on the other side of the river. The residents really hate it and there is a lot of organised protests in the village. The noise can be heard in Aston too, but not so loudly. Anyway, this noise monitor wasn't very well placed as to start with it was slightly outside the village, and also it was tucked away in a field where the noise wasn't so loud. When we walked up the slope to Weston Lock, the noise was a lot louder. They should have put it there, it would give a better representation of the level of noise the residents hear.
The walk continued along the canal then past the church back to the village hall for a well earned cup of tea and slice of homemade cake. All in all it was an enjoyable walk and there is another one next week. This one will be around Aston.
The Weston walk was a 4 and half mile walk along the footpaths of Weston. It's purpose was to promote awareness of them, increase the use of them, check that all was well with them and of course to have fun. It was also a practice, as they are hoping that next year the walk will be part of the Charnwood Forest festival of walking week. It was a guided walk led by a bloke called Alan who told us a bit of the history or the area as we went round. For instance the Coopers Arms was used in the civil war to look after the horses. Apparently, it was never finished and it was meant to be E shaped, as was very fashionable at the time it was built.
When we got to the first footpath off the road, one of the walkers got pulled over by a dog and knocked over the footpath sign. It was an accident waiting to happen tho as the bottom of the post was rotten and it was held onto the fence with a plastic tie.
We walked in between the new houses and down more footpaths, then across a field of long grass ( which was apparently a footpath although you couldn't see where the actual path went). This was quite hard going. We got to the old ferry point where people used to ring the bell for the ferry. History tells us that the woman running the ferry was a bit grumpy and that if she was having a cup of tea or didn't feel like it, she wouldn't bother to answer the bell and leave the passengers waiting for sometimes a couple of hours before taking them across the river.
On the way back up to the canal we saw the noise monitor for the race track in the field. Weston is a lovely village, but the one thing that stops it from being absolutely idyllic is the noise from the race track in Castle Donnington, which is on the other side of the river. The residents really hate it and there is a lot of organised protests in the village. The noise can be heard in Aston too, but not so loudly. Anyway, this noise monitor wasn't very well placed as to start with it was slightly outside the village, and also it was tucked away in a field where the noise wasn't so loud. When we walked up the slope to Weston Lock, the noise was a lot louder. They should have put it there, it would give a better representation of the level of noise the residents hear.
The walk continued along the canal then past the church back to the village hall for a well earned cup of tea and slice of homemade cake. All in all it was an enjoyable walk and there is another one next week. This one will be around Aston.
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Weston School Hi 5 celebration
Saturday was also the day Weston School had it's celebration of the new school being open for 5 years. I remember 5 years ago walking from the old school to the new one on the first day of the new school. It was chucking it down with rain when we walked from the old school to the new one whilst singing. 5 years later we went to the new school for the celebration and it was raining again. They had a stage set up in the main hall where children could perform and lots of displays of things the children had done and photos all around the school. It was a fairly informal affair, people could wander between the performances and the displays as they wish. The performances were children playing musical instruments, dancing, telling jokes, singing, a puppet show amongst others. They were all good, and as the head teacher said in her speech, every child is precious. A group of the year 5 and 6 girls did a dance and that really stood out for me, and of course my daughter and her friends playing guitar was brilliant in my completely biased opinion. The school governers put on some free refreshments. They did drinks and tonnes of tasty homemade cakes. The kids were all having about 3 each and there was still plenty left over. It was really hard to limit myself from eating loads but I found sitting at the opposite end of the hall worked quite well as I didn't feel like getting up after spending more or less 4 hours on my feet doing the yard sale. The event was newsworthy enough for the Derby Evening Telegraph to be there taking photos so I'll be sure to be looking out for that.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Easter Scramble
Yesterday it was the great Easter scramble. The weather wasn't great but at least it wasn't raining, and weather is important for the Easter scramble as it involves walking around the village looking for clues, each which give a letter which then can be unscrambled to make a word. Then the children pick out a stick with a number on and then they come back to Weston Village Hall and pick the Easter egg with that number on it. At the village Hall they then do some Easter crafts, making Easter bunnies and chicks, a bit of colouring, that sort of thing. And of course no event like this would be complete without there being tea and coffee and assorted tasty cakes. Despite the weather not being that great people turned up in the masses. It was a great success. The hall was heaving with people and the little park opposite was full of kids and parents who'd come outside to escape the noise and crowds. Before the end they ran out of Easter eggs and were turning people away. Next year it will probably cost 2 Easter eggs on non-uniform day. Or something. Will be interesting to see what solution the PSFA come up with to prevent an Easter Egg shortage next year.
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Messy Church
On Sunday we went to messy church, which they have in Weston village hall every now and again. It was quite relaxed and informal. They gave us coffee and croissants and the parents chatted while the kids did bible themed crafts, all related to a particular story, Moses today. They wrote their name in heiroglyphics, did paper weaving, made mud bricks and made these origami frogs. I need a picture really to describe the frogs, but I bought a memory card for the camera from Tesco and when I put it into the card reader in the computer, it kept crashing. So unfortunately no picture of the wonderful legless frogs. I was quite inspired by the whole origami thing and I wanted to make the frogs with legs like they did at the art room (in Long Eaton) but I guess these frogs were just the right difficulty level for kids to make. They did jump too. After that there was a story which they got the kids to act bits out of and some singing. All in all I'd recommend messy church to families with young children as it is fun, friendly and informative, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone wanting an origami master class.
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