ArtsNK - walking festival

Nocton Village Trail

NK Walking Festival starts this weekend. artsNK's Nick Jones will be leading a gentle walk around Nocton Village Trail on Saturday 15th July - come along to explore this picturesque village and find out about some of the artworks we have created working with local residents over many years.

Other highlights include A Waddington Rake, exploring part of the planned Ridges & Furrows arts & heritage trail, and a When in Sleaford... walk exploring the town's new art trail.

http://www.artsnk.org/whats-on/nocton-village-trail-walk/

Nocton Village Trail

ArtsNK

The Village Trail has been re-launched and a new leaflet has been produced. More details can be found on the ArtsNK website. The new leaflet can be downloaded here.

These are some of the items you will see along the way:

Nocton Sketch Crawl

10th March 2017 - Nocton Village
[10am - 3pm]

Nocton cow

• Morning session 10am - 12.30pm (meet at All Saints Church, Nocton)
• Afternoon session 1 - 3pm (meet at Nocton Green by the Dandelion sundial clock)

Join filmmaker, animator and ilustrator Neil Baker of Electric egg to draw, sketch and possible even paint Nocton Village to create community artworks to be used in a new village trail leaflet. Neil will be on hand to give tips, advice and encouragement.

A sketchcrawl is an open and accessible, drop-in 'on location' public sketching event for people of all ages and all abilities.

The event is free and materials are provided so why not drop in and have a go? Whether you think you can draw or not, sketching on location is great fun, relaxing and just a great way to enjoy where you live. Come for as long as you please or whatever time you have available to this drop in workshop.

Images and drawings from previous sketch crawls can be found on the Transported Sketchcrawl blog.
For those attending the whole day, please bring a packed lunch with you.

For more information please contact the artsNK office on 01529 410595 or email Nick.Jones@litc.org.uk

http://www.artsnk.org/whats-on/nocton-sketch-crawl/

All Saints Church - exhibition

‘Landscapes: a particular kind of fiction’

Sunday September 18th to Monday October 24th

If you’re looking for something inspirational to do this autumn, visit the outdoor exhibition of Phil Cosker’s extraordinary photographs along the Spires and Steeples Arts and Heritage Trail.

The six giant photos will be sited in the grounds of six village churches, along the trail from Branston to Rowston.  So if you’re feeling energetic you could walk or cycle between them, or if less energetic, you could simply drive.

This unique outdoor event is part of three exhibitions of Cosker’s photographic work. The images were created using a Thornton Pickard ‘Imperial’ half-plate bellows camera found in a second-hand shop, and a set of un-exposed plates discovered in a cupboard in the Hull School of Art and Design. Cosker has used them to create images that capture an extraordinary sense of volume and space, an ‘imagination of passing time and place’.

The six exhibition sites are at: All Saints Branston, All Saints Nocton, St Peter’s Dunston, St Oswald’s Blankney, Holy Cross Scopwick and St Clement’s Rowston. A single large image, 8ft by 10ft, will be displayed outdoors at each venue, so you can visit at any time of day. Some of the churches may also be open for you to explore. Branston and Nocton churches will be open on Friday afternoons, from 2.00 to 4.00pm each week.

Meanwhile you can also take the opportunity to enjoy exploring six fascinating Lincolnshire villages, or have lunch at a village pub or tea at a local café along the way.

If you’re taking to the trail on a Wednesday or Thursday, you could stop also off for refreshments at the Bluebell Community Café at Potterhanworth. You’ll find them at St Andrew’s Church. They’re open from 9.00am to 5.00pm, and offer a delicious range of home-made soups, sandwiches, toasties, scones and cakes.

The exhibition will be launched at All Saints Branston at 12.30pm on Sunday September 18th and will continue until Monday October 24th. You could visit all six sites in one day, or spread your visits over several weeks.

The whole event is being organised by artsNK, a team of visual and performing arts specialists. The team initiates and supports arts projects across the North Kesteven district, Lincolnshire and the East Midlands.

For more information about artsNK go to www.artsnk.org and about the Spires and Steeples Trail go to www.spiresandsteeples.com.

Village Trail

New Mosaics

"Cliff has kindly provided more information about the five new mosaics which have

been sited on the Village Trail.

'They were originally made some time ago but were unable to be installed for the Grand Opening of the Trail by our former MP, Douglas Hogg on 28th May 2007.

'artsNK' have agreed to update the Trail by adding some new pieces of

art.  A new trail leaflet can then be produced which will be more easily

accessible and available as a brochure.

The five mosaics are sited as follows:  all were made by villagers:

1. Mosaic of a "mouse" outside Wheelwright Barn on the Bridle Path (this replaces a sculpture of a hedgehog which has "gone missing").
2. Mosaic of a "Saxon Lord" - on the corner of the stone wall outside the Post Office.  This is to celebrate the two Saxon Lords who owned the local land before the Normans arrived post 1066.
3. Mosaic of "Mushrooms" on the banking opposite the Old Post Office.  This, and the following two mosaics were made to celebrate our natural history heritage.
4. A mosaic of a "frog" is on the corner of The Avenue opposite the entrance to the Hall grounds.
5. A mosaic of a "squirrel" is on the stone gatepost of the right hand cottage on The Green.

There are six metal sculptures planned to be installed in September.

The designs for these are from a section of the Queen's Jubilee Seat, which is in the process of being constructed.  More about this, and the sitings of the larger metal Trail Markers later. We had some funding from County Councillor Marianne Overton and the Co-op Society to help produce these works but the bulk of the support has come from 'artsNK'. All the designs came from  original art work done by villagers about 6 years ago."

Parish Council

Report from Parish Council Meeting held on 2 October 2013

If I was to sum up the flavour of this month’s Parish Council Meeting in a sentence or two then they would be:

- Contributions to society, however quietly achieved, are eventually recognized.
- Perseverance, patience and a certain amount of doggedness does win through eventually.

An Award for a Local Resident

Cliff Baxendale, after many years of quietly making a difference in Nocton with the art works that many of us take for granted and his continuing work within the community to bring a special something into our lives, has been awarded the North Kesteven Community Champions’ Award for his contribution to art.  Congratulations and thanks, Cliff!

What’s Happening

• Continuing with the arts theme, Nick Jones from Arts NK brought along the template for a proposed piece of art work that was worked on by Nocton residents a while ago, as a project to enhance the Village Hall.  A cast is to be made of the template and further discussions will be taking place to decide how best to incorporate this ‘new’ piece into our village.
• The proposed Youth Group is moving on apace.  The process of recruiting a Youth Leader (initially for a year) to be funded from the 200 Club Community Funds will begin shortly and funding for start-up costs, etc sought from other community sources.   Initially, the Group will be run by a Sub committee of the Parish Council but it is hoped that over time it will be led by the community.  It is intended that the Group will start in the New Year – watch this space for further information!
• The finger signpost for the centre of the village pointing the way to the Church, School, Village Hall, the Cricket Club and footpath to Dunston was approved and will be erected at the junction of School Road and Main Road.
• The outside of the Village Hall is to be redecorated and the fence replaced.
• The proposed refurbishment of the Village Hall will be taking its first steps by using “pro bono” assistance from at least three architects whose draft plans will be subject to consultation with residents.
• 50 new (comfortable!) chairs are to be purchased for the Village Hall.
• The cones are to be replaced with stone bollards to match the existing ones around the Green.
• The Neighbourhood Watch Scheme has started and the new signs are already in place.  A couple of incidents have already been reported – so as a community we can now begin to make Nocton even safer!  Moreover, remember to let your house insurers know – many offer a discount!
• Royal Mail has recently confirmed that the long awaited post box is going up at Nocton Park.
• Signs in Wellhead Lane warning motorists that there are people walking in the road are now in place.
• SID is helping to reduce the speed of traffic though the village - with his winning smile.
• The Dog Warden reports that there is far less dog mess on the public footpaths.
• The Nocton Parish Council Website is to be updated and made more user-friendly.
• A Welcome Pack for new residents is to be reintroduced with start up costs coming from the Nocton 200 Club Community Funds.

To close, some issues to be aware of:

If you are planning any alterations to your property – no matter how small – please pass them by a planning officer at NKDC.  This is a free service – too many retrospective planning applications have been put forward recently and NK intends to start getting tough on offenders!

Most of our libraries are in real threat of closing including the laying off some of the mobile vans.

Core Strategy and Strategic Planning may sound boring, unimportant and not something that will affect us, but despite your Parish Council making many representations on the community’s behalf against what is sees as the worst excesses of the proposals currently going through the planning process, there is a very real threat that to meet targets large developments could be imposed on what are at present green sites.

Therefore, the quote this month is:

Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

Next Meeting Tuesday 5 November at 7.00pm                   Councillor MaryAnn Williams

Parish Council

From Nocton Parish Council

Just to let you know that an informal public meeting will be held next Tuesday (1st October 2013)  at 6.30 pm, prior to the Parish Council meeting.  Nick Jones, Visual Arts Manager from ArtsNK,  is going to outline the proposed design for the possible new village bench.  Cliff Baxendale has also been invited to attend the meeting, to enable the Parish Council to congratulate him on his recent North Kesteven Community Champion Award.

http://www.artsnk.org/
http://www.lincolnshireecho.co.uk/North-Kesteven-celebrates-community-award-winners/story-19797803-detail/story.html

You are very welcome to attend this arts meeting at 6.30pm and stay, if you wish, for the Parish Council meeting commencing at 7.00pm.

Kind regards

Cllr Jilly Burr
for Nocton Parish Council

What's On

January What's On Guide

The following list was received from  North Kesteven District Council:

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR CRAFT & DESIGN
01529 308710  
www.nationalcraftanddesign.org.uk

Gordon Baldwin, until 13 Jan – A celebration of the remarkable career and achievements of Lincoln-born ceramicist, Gordon Baldwin. Free entry.

Class of 2012, until 6 Jan – This exhibition presents the work of recent design graduates from UK universities. Free entry.

National Centre Presents, 12 Jan to 10 Feb – Two emerging artists; Stevie Davies and Bethany Walker have been selected for this annual showcase. Free entry.

Dinky Designers, 23 Jan, 10.30am to 12noon – Messy and creative fun for children and their parents/carers.
£5 per child.

Small Things. Big Ideas, 31 Jan, 1pm to 2.30pm – With an interest in science, engineering and design, Luke Jerram and Dave Bramston will discuss how microbiology has informed their practice, with both finding new ways to represent and reveal invisible phenomena. Tickets: £6 concessions: £4.

ARTSNK 
01529 410595    
www.artsnk.org

African Drumming Classes, every Tuesday, various times – African drumming workshops led by Njega Sohne. Classes take place at the North Kesteven Centre, North Hykeham, for both children and adults.
Various prices apply.

Dance Classes, various venues and times – A range of dance classes for young people and adults are available at Harpers at Sleaford Fitness Club and the North Kesteven Centre, North Hykeham. Various prices apply.

THE NATURAL WORLD CENTRE, WHISBY
01522 688868  
www.naturalworldcentre.co.uk

Christmas Craft Fair, until 6 Jan – Treat yourself or a loved one to something special this festive season. With unique gifts from local craft makers, tempting treats and wonderful greeting cards, the fair will have the perfect gift for everyone! Free entry.

TERRY O’TOOLE THEATRE
01522 883311  
www.terryotooletheatre.org.uk

TOTT Readers, 6 Jan, 7pm – Take part in this monthly reading group. Free entry.

Dick Turpin the Panto, 16 to 19 Jan, 7pm plus Saturday matinee at 2.30pm – The ACTion Theatre Company presents the panto, Dick Turpin for all the family, featuring  resident panto band, High Toby and the Gallowsmen. Ticket prices from £5.

NK OUTREACH
01522 870252

NK Social Strollers, various venues and times – Join NK Social Strollers for leisurely health walks throughout the district. Meet new people, exercise and have fun. Free entry.

Slacklining, every Saturday, 2pm to 3pm at the NK Centre – Take part in a form of tightrope walking where the line is not held taut but stretches and bounces like a long and narrow trampoline.
£3.60 per person.

Parkour, every Saturday, 3pm to 5pm at the NK Centre – Roll, jump and move around various gym style equipment in a circuit style set up. £4.10 per person.

ExtremeNK Climbing Sessions, NK Centre, various days and times – Try out vertical climbing and bouldering challenges. £4.10 per person per session including kit hire.

Commemorative Seat

Village is set to raise a jubilee benchmark

'The creation of a jubilee bench for Nocton village was given a helping hand on Friday...'

Cliff has kindly forwarded this press cutting to me... and I thought you might like to see what it has to say.

There are a couple of slight inaccuracies with the report though. I have been advised that the figure quoted of £800 should actually read £500, and whilst the original site proposal was discussed, it was not actually said the bench would finish up on The Green. The location is still to be determined.

It is good to see the progress being made with the design sculpture. Congratulations to Cliff and Nick on the award of a Big Society certificate. Well deserved chaps.

Donation for Jubilee bench in Nocton handed over by Lincolnshire County Council

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/Donation-Jubilee-bench-Nocton-handed-Lincolnshire/story-17627047-detail/story.html

Join in for the Jubilee

The following email was received from the Nocton Festival 2012 team late last night:

"Hello Everyone

Time for a change!

We have collected our new batch of plants for our next planters planting scheme.  To make way for them, we now have to clear the pansies that have wonderfully greeted us into the village for the past months.  We are taking this opportunity to invite anyone who feels they would like to take some of the pansies from the planters, to do so BEFORE DUSK on Wednesday 16th May.  They may or may not grow for you next season, but we just didn't want to discard them without offering them an alternative home.  Any pansies that are left on Thursday 17th May, will be cordially invited to attend, 'a humane disposal by compost heap'.  Thank you :-)

Also on Sunday 13 May 2012 .....

Jubilee Crown Project

Working with Mr Cliff Baxendale, Nocton artist and leader of Nocton Art Group and also working with ArtsNK, we will be creating a 4 foot square crown made from natural materials. The crown will be displayed on Nocton village green during the Jubilee celebrations. The design of the crown is inspired by designs made every child in Nocton School. These designs will also be printed onto celebration banners.

We will need your help to collect the woodland materials needed to make the crown.
On Sunday 13 May at 2.30 children and adults are invited to join a foraging party led by Mr Baxendale. Bring along a carrier bag and a pair of secateurs. Meet at the school front gate.

On Monday 28 May, Tuesday 29 May and Wednesday 30th May you are invited to come to school to start to assemble the crown. All you’ll need is a smile – and garden secateurs again. The sessions will run from 3pm until 4pm each day and will take place in the school garden – weather permitting. We will work inside if necessary.
Don’t forget the 'Royal' Garden Party on Monday 4 June, The Green, Nocton and the evening dance, '60 Glorious Years of Music' also on Monday 4 June 2012 (further details on our website).  Tickets for the evening event are selling very well, please get yours soon to avoid disappointment.

Please pass on this information to those you know and thank you for taking the time to read this email.  As usual, we don’t want to bother you with news if you don’t wish to receive it.  If you prefer not be included in our updates, please just let us know via return email.

Thank you
www.noctonfestival2012.vpweb.co.uk"

Parish Council Report - March 2012

Report for March

This month’s meeting, as well as dealing with its normal business, received a stimulating and informative presentation from Nick Jones (Arts NK) regarding the provision of a bench on The Green.

Police.  Four incidents were reported during the last month.  Two more thefts of oil, the theft of a motorbike from the back garden of a house in Wellhead Lane and an act of vandalism to a car, also in Wellhead Lane.

Dog Warden.  Fouling is still occurring far too frequently on the Bridle Path.  Unfortunately no offenders have yet been apprehended but our Dog Warden will continue to carry out random patrols in an attempt to catch these irresponsible dog-owners.

Nocton Festival 2012.  Plans are already well advanced for the celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on Monday, 4th June.  A presentation is to be made to residents on Saturday 28 April, so that everyone can see what has been planned already and to contribute any further ideas of their own.  Nocton Village has been registered as part of the countywide Beacon celebrations, with its very own “Light Towers”

Play Area.  It was agreed to circulate a questionnaire to every household in Nocton to ascertain the demand for a playground in the village.  It is hoped to provide a play area for children up to 11/12 years of age, so that everyone (especially the children) is being asked for their input into what sort of play ground, if any, they would like.

Planning Applications.  Two applications have been submitted which may have an impact on Nocton and the following responses have been put forward by your Parish Council:

• Dunston Quarry.  To ask that NKDC look at the impact of the increasing use of the Dunston Fen Road by heavy lorries and the additional amounts of mud being deposited on the surrounding roads.
• Anaerobic Digester – Nocton Fen.  Councillors all agreed that a strong objection should be made to the request to remove the clause lifting any restrictions on what is processed in the plant.  County Councillor Overton said that she would also keep a close eye on this particular application.

Village Hall. The Chair reported that an initial structural survey of the Village Hall had been completed although a drain survey still had to be undertaken before any firm decisions could be made about carrying out any repair and maintenance works, etc to the Hall.  At this stage, however, it appeared that any settlement was most likely due to the extremely dry conditions of the past year or so and the nearby trees.

Presentation

Nick Jones gave a presentation to the Parish Council and members of the public present on a proposal to provide a bench around one of the trees on The Green.

In 2008 Nocton residents took part in a project for a then proposed “fence” outside the Village Hall but due to budget cuts this never happened.  However, a bench is now being designed for The Green using the drawings and ideas those put forward at that time.  The final design would also incorporate resin insets for everyone from the village who wishes to encapsulate a small item of personal significance.

Councillors agreed that this idea for a bench should be pursued further and will visit Wellingore to see where something similar has already been installed.

Finally the other good news is that Arts NK has a maintenance contract for the other artworks in the village and this will be sued to keep these in good condition.  The Parish Council is also looking to refurbish its two Nocton Village Signs and to consider installing a third one in Wellhead Lane.

Date of Next Meeting is Tuesday 3 April

Councillor MaryAnn Williams
__________________________________________

Where are these?

Features of Nocton

Exhibit 1

Exhibit 2

Exhibit 3

Exhibit 4

Exhibit 5

Exhibit 6

Exhibit 7

Exhibit 8

Exhibit 9

Exhibit 10 [CARE - deep water]

Spires & Steeples

Arts and Heritage

'Spires and Steeples' is a waymarked Arts and Heritage Trail from Lincoln Cathedral to St Denys' Church, Sleaford. The Spires and Steeples website can be reached through my Companion Sites for ease of access.

One interesting aspect is being able to listen to Nocton villagers talk about the heritage and history of Nocton - you can listen to Chris Howard, Sheila Redshaw, Cliff Baxendale, David Rumbelow and Catherine Capewell by clicking on this link. It is fascinating.

ListenHERE is a partnership project between artsNK and SirenFM made possible by European Funding from RACoL (Regeneration Across Communities of Lincolnshire) and the support and involvement of the many communities along the Spires and Steeples Arts and Heritage Trail.

_____________________________

Nocton Hall - time for change

Email to North Kesteven District Council - dated 18th August 2011

'I would really appreciate a further update on progress with the Options Appraisal for Nocton Hall. This matter has been dragging on for so long now and I’m sorry to say there has been very little information forthcoming from NKDC without prompting from the local community.

I remember Karen Bradford announcing quite some time ago that the report would be published July and most likely a decision made in August. I appreciate more time might have been required, but I do feel our Council are duty bound to keep us informed. There has been a terrible record of ‘stagnation’ with this heritage listed property historically (some for good reason, some not) and we do not want this to return any time soon.

I do know that English Heritage are involved in this matter too and there are quite important decisions to be made... but please... we would really appreciate more feedback.

Nocton Parish Council are aware that I am chasing this matter.

Sincerely'

Further email to North Kesteven District Council with copy to Local Councillors, Local MP, English Heritage, ArtsNK and CLAN - dated 4th September 2011

'Dear....

The history surrounding this Grade 2 listed ‘at risk’ property is long and chequered. We hope at long last there is going to be some ‘concrete’ action taken over saving/preserving what structure there is left.

You may wish to note that following the very active campaign against the plans for a mega-dairy, the community in Nocton have come together to form CLAN – Community Led Action for Nocton – see: http://www.clanocton.co.uk/. Since I moved to the village in 2005 and started to research its history, I have held a vision that we can salvage something from the Nocton Hall ‘saga’. With that in mind, I think the time is ripe for representatives of the local community to meet with representatives of NKDC and English Heritage, to evaluate how the Options Appraisal report may fit with any future Parish Plan that is going to be drawn up for Nocton village.

Whilst much of the Hall is most likely unsalvageable, there is some of the structure that could perhaps be converted into a Heritage Centre, Licensed Cafe, Art Gallery... and if some of the grounds e.g. walled garden/orchard were also to be compulsorily purchased too, the concept could extend to a public amenity for picnics, walks, sculpture trail etc.

Of course, a solid business case/plan would have to be prepared and funding sought from Lottery and other sources, perhaps with TV/media coverage of the project (e.g. Village SOS), but unless we put a ‘marker in the sand’, nothing will evolve for this once fine building and its heritage will be lost forever.

In absence of any response from NKDC, my first inclination was to make a formal Freedom of Information request for NKDC to catalogue all actions and considerations taken with regards to Nocton Hall, from a date before the great fire, but in retrospect I doubt what this would achieve, other than to possibly embarrass the Council.

I see my current suggestion as having far more merit and should be a more positive way forward. I do hope you agree and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely'

Freedom of Information request to North Kesteven District Council - dated 7th September 2011

'Dear Sir/Madam,

I have been in correspondence with Karen Bradford and Andrew McDonough about Nocton Hall with minimal progress I’m afraid. It is for that reason I have copied correspondence to District and County Councillors, and others. When I wrote to Marianne Overton about making a formal FoI request, she responded, ‘There is no problem with such a freedom of information request. Sometimes it is helpful to have it catalogued.’

Hence my formal request below:

I hereby request under Freedom of Information, an account of all NKDC’s

• Considerations
• Decisions
• Actions
• Outcomes
• Applicable dates

with regard to the protection of Nocton Hall as a heritage property in the district of North Kesteven for the period:

• Year 2000 (when Leda Properties gained possession of the property and grounds) to current date.

I also request copies of all Minutes/Notes of meetings relating to/supporting the above.

Yours faithfully,'

Email from North Kesteven District Council - dated 7th September 2011

'Dear Mr Hall

Thank you for your email of 7th September 2011 which we received on the same day requesting information regarding: Nocton Hall.

Your request is being dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and will be answered within twenty working days.

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

If you have any queries about this request do not hesitate to contact me. Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely'

Letter from Stephen Phillips QC MP - dated 8th September 2011

'Dear Mr Hall,

Thank you for copying me in on your recent email to North Kesteven District Council regarding Nocton Hall. I am delighted to see that the campaign against the proposals for Nocton Dairy has left such a legacy in the village, and I believe that any use that can be made of Nocton Hall should be carefully considered. I am sorry that you have not yet received any response from NKDC, and I have now written on your behalf to ask that this be rectified. I will send you a copy of the response as soon as I receive it, and please keep me updated as to progress from your end.

Yours sincerely'

Rural communities get less government funding

'People living in the countryside are, on average, getting 50% less government grant per head of population to their local councils and paying £100 a year more in council tax than those in cities, and get fewer public services, according to a report out today.'

http://www.farminguk.com/news/Rural-communities-get-less-government-funding_21487.html
__________________________________________________________

What's On

Forthcoming Events (courtesy of the Parish Magazine)

Week commencing 16th May

Nocton Village Trail and artsNK CREATIVE DAYS in Nocton Village Hall

Monday 16th May: 9.00 am - 12 noon
Wednesday 18th May: 9.00 am - 12 noon
Thursday 19th May: 9.00 am - 12 noon
Friday 20th May: 9.00 am - 12 noon
Saturday 21st May: 10.00 am - 4.00 pm

Whatever your age or level of skill, you may wish to attend these workshops. If you enjoy making pottery light containers, spectacular willow masks or creating your own flags, this is the event for you. All items will be used in the SaFire Event at the Cathedral on 28th May.

Saturday 28th May
Rhubarb Theatre and artsNK are also seeking willing volunteers to create a piece of shadow puppetry for the SaFire Festival at Lincoln Cathedral and Bishop's Palace.

There are three rehearsals on Saturday, May 7th, 14th and 21st all running from 12 noon to 2.00 pm. The rehearsals will be held at Impart, just off Lincoln High Street, (near the Shakespeare Pub).

The actual event is during the evening of 28th May, but you will need to be available for a dress rehearsal on the 27th May and all the rehearsal dates above. It will be a very exciting event and they are looking for a good number of adults for this extravaganza.

If you are interested, please contact: info@rhubarbtheatre.co.uk. Telephone: 01400 275133.

Wed 1st June
‘Light Sculptor Martin Griffiths’ puts one of his latest pieces on display at All Saints Church. The work will be on display throughout June.

Tue 7th June
‘Parish Council Meeting’ in the village hall at 7pm.

Notes from the previous Nocton Parish Council meeting held on May 3rd at 7.00pm

Nocton Village Plan.
The meeting opened with a lively discussion on the proposed Nocton Community Plan proposal. Several residents wished to clarify what involvement the Parish Council had and what exactly was being proposed. The Parish Council confirmed they have no formal involvement at this time, and the initial meeting of Nocton Residents on 20 April was to see if such a Plan was of interest to the community.

The Parish Council Chair commented that the turnout of 42 residents from the parish was a credit to the organisers. Cllr Williams commented on the enthusiasm for the presentation by Fiona Lowe from Lincs Community LED. A Steering Committee has been formed and the first meeting is at the end of May.
Dog Warden.
Mrs Hill is continuing to patrol the public areas and signs for the general public outlining the laws on dog fouling are to be posted in the worst affected areas. Mrs Hill’s correct telephone number is 01526 322015. Please do contact her with any dog related issues in the Parish.

Annual General Meeting 2011
All Councillors have been returned unopposed and Deborah Wilson was re-elected as Chair with Ian Goldsworthy as Vice Chair for the following 12 months. There is still a vacancy for a Parish Councillor position and an official notice has been posted on the Parish Notice Board. If you wish to be considered
please apply in writing to the Parish Clerk Doreen Green (indicating why you wish to be a
councillor, what you can offer the Council, committee experience etc) by May 27th.

Highways.
Cllr Goldsworthy reported that the previous month’s meeting with Highways had been somewhat successful as the kerb by the Post Office was due to be “dropped” sometime in the coming week with others planned in the next few months. It is hoped Mr Brown will be visiting Nocton very soon for “a walk round” so he can see at first hand the various issues that need to be addressed.

Diamond Jubilee.
Cllr Williams requested that we start thinking about Nocton’s celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee next June. It was proposed that all the various clubs and groups in the village, including the School, get together and decide how Nocton is to mark this special occasion.

Village Hall.
Cllr Askew reported that the Cottage Nursing Home Coffee morning had been very poorly attended and that the recent Help for Heroes’ Village Hall event although well supported, the attendees were mainly from outside the village. This seems to be a continuing and growing problem in Nocton where attendances at “local” events are low. Communication was deemed to be a major issue.

Nocton Hall
A report on the various options for its future is expected soon. The initial report was posted here on the Nocton Blog a couple of days or so ago, if you wish to read it.

Major Stakeholders.
Over the next few months the Parish Council will be inviting Mr Sowerby (developer of Nocton Park). Mr Willes (Nocton Dairies) Mr Hardcastle of LEDA Properties (owners of the Hall and derelict hospital site) to attend a Parish Council meeting. If you wish to hear what they have to say or put your own questions to them, make sure to attend. The information will be posted on the Parish Notice Board and communicated via the Parish Newsletter when these dates are confirmed.

If you want your say or just to know what’s afoot come to your Parish Council Meetings!

Councillor MaryAnn Williams

Wed 8th June
‘Village Hall Coffee Morning’ 10-12 Midday. Free Tea & Coffee.

Sat 18th June
Sculptor and Artist Martin Griffiths will give a lecture entitled “Experiencing the Spiritual in Art”. This slide talk, first given by Lincolnshire artist Martin Griffiths in the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral, will explore high points in western art, and celebrate selected examples of Italian Renaissance art and architecture, 17thC Dutch realism, 19thC English Romanticism and outstanding examples of 20thC international metaphysical art. The talk will also introduce parallels between the visual arts and literary and musical creativity, and show how 'the spiritual' may manifest in a broad range of artistic ideas, forms and movements.

Start at 7pm. Refreshments available. There is no admission charge, however donations to All Saints’ Church are welcome.

Sat 4th June
Sue will launch her new book (NOCTON - The Last Years of an Estate Village, Volume 2) on the Village Green on 4th June.

At 1.00pm there will be a Hog Roast Lunch for contributors, followed at 2.00pm with a toast and the cutting of the launch cake when all villagers and friends are invited to attend.

Volume Two will have 50% more pages than Volume One and consequently more photos - there are 34 pages of colour photos!

The book has a cover price of £25.00 but there is however a special launch price of £20.00. Anyone unable to come on the 4th and would like a copy please contact Sue Morris by phone 321455 or email noctonbooks@sjmtjm.myzen.co.uk.

Wed 15th June
‘Nocton PCC Meeting’ in church at 7.30pm.

Sat 25th June
‘The Lincs Effect’ A Concert.
This concert has arranged been further, to continue to raise funds for the All Saints Church reroofing project. The Lincs Effect close harmony group is made up of singers from Lincoln, and friends, who are steeped in the Anglican choral tradition. But guess again if you think they sing only serious music. Lincs Effect’s range runs from Bach to the Beatles, from Tallis to the Temptations. This will be an entertaining, light-hearted evening, in the finest Gothic Revival Church in Lincolnshire.

Attendance: 7.30pm at All Saints Church. Tickets £12. Concession £10 (paid up supporters £8.50).

Refreshments and complimentary wine are included. To book tickets, phone Carol on 01526 322930, or Ann on 01526 322739.
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Nocton culture

Cultural Olympiad – Sa Fire Festival

'artsNK would like to see as many communities, village groups and schools across the district getting involved in this celebration and devising projects that fit the agenda of the Olympic and Paralympics values.'

http://www.artsnk.org/get-involved/cultural-olympiad-sa-fire-festival/

artsNK are planning to do some design and making sessions at Nocton Village Hall from the 17th March 2011.

The aim will be to produce some items that can be used as part of a launch event for the Sa Fire Festival at Lincoln Cathedral on the 28th May.

The design and making sessions are planned to take place on the following dates:

• 17th March; 24th March; 7th April; 8th April (9.00am and 12.00 midday) and
• Saturday 16th April (10.00am and 4.00pm) with more sessions if there is a need.

There will be clay lantern making, fabric work, photography, willow sculpture and all sorts of things.

 I will try and obtain the official promotion poster to provide more information in due course.

Update 16th March

Sa Fire Festival poster

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Nocton Trail - Theft

Brass plaques removed

It is such a shame... with scrap metal prices at an all time high an opportunist thief has removed some of the brass plaques erected as part of the Nocton Trail.

Fortunately, the perpetrators have not removed all of them (e.g. see the photo of the water pump), as it appears the thieves were disturbed.

Water pump

After all the hard work and energy of the local people, working in partnership with ArtsNK to enhance Nocton, it is a real shame that some dishonest people set out to make a quick buck without thinking of the implications for others. Hopefully they will be brought to justice in time... but somehow I doubt it.

The Nocton Trail can still be enjoyed though and there are many wood carvings situated around the village depicting the natural flora and fauna.

Hedgehog