Affected by the November 2017 floods?
Grants may be made for charitable purposes to relieve hardship in Lancashire caused by flooding in 2017. Funding is available from our Lancashire Flood Recovery Fund, which was originally established in 2015 following Storm Desmond and from new donations from the general public. More information and how to apply available here: http://www.lancsfoundation.org.uk/funds/lancashire-flood-recovery-appeal
Welcome the Christmas Season at the Victoria Institute
Lune Tube offers regular short films about the Lune Valley. You can sign up to know when new films appear.
One of the sites proposed for housing development is an area of land at Low Mill near the car park for the Fishery. The developers would like to gather initial local comments before putting in a formal application. They have left plans at the Victoria Institute, with feedback forms. Please could you have a look at the plans and leave your comments - by 14th November.
Korfball is a fast-paced game similar to basketball and netball, played by boys and girls together. A Korfball Club is starting in Caton on Thursday 9th November. 5.30-6.30 at Caton Community Sports Centre. £15 for 6 sessions. Emal hello@lancastercommunitysportshub.org.uk to book a place or have more information.
Caton Terriers JFC are now entering their second season and are continuing to go from strength to strength. Having recently become affiliated with Lancashire FA, the Terriers have two junior football teams in the Lancaster and Morecambe ‘Service to Youth League’ at U8s and U9s age groups. Matches take place on Sunday mornings at Caton Community School on Broadacre with training being held at the University of Cumbria on Friday evenings. New recruits from Years 3 and 4 will be most welcome.
POOR’S LAND CHARITY - The Parish Council runs this charity on behalf of the community. Each year there is a small amount of money available for gifts to local people in need. Application forms are available from the Post Office from 1 November; please return them by the end of November. Distribution takes place in early December. In recent years the amount given each applicant has been between about £30 and £60.
The Co-Op store in Caton is closing for refurbishment on Monday 16th October at 3pm, and will be closed for about 5 weeks. During this time a small "pop-up" store will operate from the forecourt, selling the basics.
Peter Collins at the Victoria Institute is updating our emergency plan, and would be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to get involved, perhaps as a Community Emergency Coordinator or by offering practical help. Our village - and the section of Quernmore from Crook o’Lune to the Lune Aqueduct - are working with Lancaster City Council, local universities and a local firm to develop an emergency communication system for vulnerable people to use in any emergency. More information later.
In the recent Neighbourhood plan survey, many of you told us how much you value our green spaces. These include: Station Field and Bowling Green; River Lune Millennium Path; Area of Separation between Brookhouse and Caton; Caton County School Playing field; Fell View green; Caton St Pauls Playing Field; Beckside. To make sure each of these is protected, we now have to apply, with evidence, for each to be designated a Green Space by Lancaster City Council (‘to provide local communities with the power to identify those areas of green space valued by local people’).
Tenders invited for work in the village The Parish Council would be interested to hear from local firms able to take on the grass cutting that needs to be done regularly throughout Caton and Brookhouse. Also a local gardener is asked to bid to look after the War Memorial and two planters elsewhere in the parish. Contact the Parish Clerk Gill Mason for information on 07882 949110 or catonparishcouncil@gmail.com
Lancaster City Council raised a number of objections to our draft plan (NDP), and several developers have proposed sites in our villages for housing development. Since then, the Steering Group has met several times to consider how to proceed, working with officers from the Forest of Bowland AONB and Lancaster City Council, as well as our planning consultant. The Steering Group did consider abandoning work on the NDP, but unanimously decided to continue with the plan in some form.
A place for children to play, learn and grow
We inspire children to explore the world around them as they have fun learning through play. Our friendly, well qualified team of practitioners are passionate about teaching children as they develop their skills and knowledge. We were awarded GOOD in our latest Ofsted inspection. Open weekdays, 8.30am – 3.00pm during term time
We are now reserving places from September 2017 onwards.
If you would like to visit Infinity Pre-School please contact Claire or Becky
Saturday soccer is recommencing after the summer break on Saturday 16th September and fortnightly netball on Saturday 23rd. Starting times 10am until 11:45am held at Caton Community school playing field/sports hall. Football is for children aged 7-14 yrs and netball for children aged 9-13yrs. A charge of £1 per child and refreshments will be given during the morning. For more details contact Tim Preece on 01524771682or Richard Sutton on 01524771740
St Paul's Churchyard Volunteers are urgently needed to help with mowing, strimming and keeping our churchyard tidy. Can you help? If so please contact George Woodend on 770989.
The Link invites all members of the Youth Groups (uniformed or not) to write a paragraph telling the village what it means to you to be a member of your Youth Group. Please e-mail this to the editor. The winning entry will be published in The Link and we will award a prize of £100 to the Youth Group to which you belong. Entries close on 30th September
Our draft Neighbourhood Plan went out for formal consultation in May and June. The response from Lancaster City Council came through in mid-July. One reason for the delay was that ours is the first Neighbourhood Plan to reach this stage in the Lancaster District. The other issue is that Lancaster has been preparing its own plans for development and housing and as a result, several developers have proposed areas in our villages which they think might be suitable for housing.
Test your local knowledge with the quiz now available from the Victoria Institute. 30 questions, covering Caton and Brookhouse adn teh immediate area. Cost £1 to enter, in aid of the Victoria Institute's refurbishment of their disabled toilet. Prize is £5. Closes 30th September 2017.
Lune Valley Pre-School Centre was inspected by Ofsted on 14 July 2017 and awarded GOOD. .
As you are reading this the children, staff and families will have been enjoying a well earned holiday, as well as remembering and celebrating Easter. This was marked in school by a lovely assembly by Alan Wadsworth and the class 1 children making their specially embroidered Easter cards. Their sewing skills were very impressive!
