Wilshamstead Parish Council

Bedford Borough Council Local Plan Update

In last month's article the Parish Council reported that Bedford Borough Council have called a meeting to give an update on the Local Plan document. The Local Plan is the key strategic planning document for the local authority that sets out the allocations for development as well as the associated planning policies that will be applied in terms of supporting growth with suitable infrastructure.

Bedford Borough Council have announced they have been granted an extension from the Inspector who is considering the Local Plan document on behalf of Central Government. The time extension is needed to allow the local authority to ensure it is clear on the site allocations for growth across the borough. Whilst this news is welcome, it does remain a challenging time to the local authority to make sure in the next few months that they can show where development is to go.

During the presentation to local parish councils Wilstead was named as an area of concern by the Borough Council officers because of the number of recent speculative applications received. It is good that this has been recognised and the Parish Council are engaging with the Borough Council on how they can support the unfortunate situation Wilstead finds itself in.

Please Take The Time To Comment On Planning Applications In Wilstead

Even though the consultation deadlines have passed for the proposed new developments in Wilstead please be aware that the Local Authority can still accept planning comments from members of the public and will be able to take these into account. So there is still time to have your voice heard regarding:

24/01566/MAO an outline planning for the erection of up to 149 dwellings and associated works at land to the south east of Duck End Lane.

24/02231/MAO outline application demolition of existing buildings and erection of up to 95 residential dwellings at land at Village Farm, 85 Cotton End Road

24/02463/MAO 375 houses proposed by Wates development for land south of Wixams which is within the parish boundary of Wilstead

To view the supporting documents for the proposed 375 houses, plus the other two, head to the Borough Council website and the planning portal, please enter 24/02463/MAO in the search bar for south of Wixams, 24/01566/MAO in the search bar for the South East of Duck End Land and enter 24/02231/MAO for 85 Cotton End Road.

Please send your comments to planning@bedford.gov.uk.

Highways Improvement Works

The Parish Council were recently notified that there are planned footway works for Hampton Close, Phipps Close and Morgans Close which will involve the resurfacing of the footways.  The works will start shortly with the works notice stating the work is due to go on until 11th April.

The Parish council have been continuing to engage with the Local Authority on a range of highways safety improvements within the village, keeping an ongoing dialogue on ways to promote highways safety for all users.

Local Authority officers have taken on board local resident, as well as councillor, feedback and are currently collating proposals for some new items in the village to improve highways safety.  These are expected to be implemented shortly.

Parish Council Vacancies

There are currently 3 vacancies on the Parish Council.

·     Do you have administration, IT, financial, planning, or communication skills?

·     Do you like getting things done?

·     Can you spare a couple of hours a week (or more if you have the time)?

If so, we could do with your help. Please get in touch as shown below or speak to any of the current Parish Councillors.

Contacting The Parish Council

The best way to contact the Parish Council is to email Lizzie (the Parish Clerk) at: office@wilsteadparishcouncil.org.  

Alternatively, you can call 01234 743152 or write to PO Box 1548, Bedford, MK44 5AX.

Please note the Parish Office (at the rear of the Village Hall) is open most Mondays, 9am to midday. It is worth ringing in advance to ensure it is open.

It is always more interesting to attend a Parish Council meeting in person to see what goes on and understand the range of items covered in trying to move improvements for the Wilstead community forwards.

Dates and the agenda are advertised on the village noticeboards, with meetings usually on a Monday starting at 7pm in the small hall at Wilstead Village Hall. (Head to the left-hand side of the main hall building and you will see the door open which is where the Parish Council will be).

Everyone is most welcome to join us on Monday 10th March and Wednesday 16th April (please note change of usual day).

P3 Footpath Group

Meetings

There was a short meeting of the Group in early February to identify any problems on the Footpaths and Bridleways around the village. No paths were impassible though some were a bit muddy in places. There is often not a lot that can be done to avoid this given the weather and the ground conditions.

The next meeting of the Group will be on Saturday 5th April in the Village Hall small hall at 10.00am.

There will be a report on each of the 17 public footpaths and bridleways around the village including their current ease of use. If problems are identified then plans to address these will be discussed. If any of these problems

Come along if you are interested in helping to keep the paths around the village usable, be that by doing regular surveys (i.e. noting and reporting any problems) or also helping to fix them.

All are welcome.

Future meetings are planned for Saturday 14th June and Saturday 2nd August 10.00am

Working Parties

Working Parties to address issues raised at the meetings that the Group can tackle will be arranged. Those issues/problems which are beyond the capabilities of the Group to resolve will be reported to Bedford Borough Council Rights of Way.

If you find any problems when going along the paths and bridleways around the village please contact me, see contact details below.

Walks

The weather again thwarted the intended walk in early February. Although the weather on the day was fine the pre walk check on the route had found parts underwater and very muddy.

Hopefully the walk on Sunday 9th March at 2.00pm (just a couple of days after the Newsletter publication) will not be effected by the weather.

Keep an eye on the posters on the village noticeboards for details of the walk.

The following walks will be on Sunday 13th April 2.00pm and Friday 9th May 6.30pm

Nigel Jacobs

Wilstead Footpath Group

01234 400733

Reader's Letter

On behalf of the people of Wilstead and the hirers of Wilstead Village Hall, I would like to thank the Management Committee of the Hall for all their endeavours in keeping the hall maintained and running smoothly since the tragic death of Brian the caretaker. As volunteers, the committee have obviously spent much of their time doing this, for which we should all be very grateful.

(Name and address supplied)

Wilstead & Wixams Community Art Group

As an Art Group we meet just to enjoy painting or drawing together with others. It has a strong social element and those who come usually go away happier than when they came! If you're interested in art and would love to try out your talent, why not join us?

To make it clearer, we do not have a resident art teacher but from time to time we may invite a guest artist. Our members are always glad to advise where they can and to encourage you in whatever medium you choose to use. You need to bring your own materials, but we can provide some equipment, easels and paints etc.

Your first session is free and, if you decide to continue and become a member, it will be £3 a session when you're able to come. We usually meet in the Village Hall on Mondays from 2.00pm-4.00pm. We don't meet on Bank Holidays.

Our group has members of all abilities, using a variety of mediums. You might like sketching in pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, whatever. You can also paint in watercolour, acrylic or even oil or in a mixed media. Do whatever you like. We'd love you join us.

Enquiries: Michael Bradley: Mobile 07526 939164.

Email: revmichael14@outlook.com

Wilstead & Wixams Good Neighbours

We hosted another 'Cafe with a Cop' session on the 7th and I am pleased to say the turnout was very good. The local Community Police had quite a few chats with many of you and want to do this again when their schedule allows. I will keep you posted on the next available date.

March sees the return of the Groups AGM, booked for Friday 20th March at 7:30pm in the Village Hall.  Please make an effort to attend this public event and have your say in how we operate and raise any issues you may have.

Next Wilstead Cafe dates in the village hall are Friday 7th March, Friday 21st March, and Friday 4th April  at the normal times 2.00pm to 3:30pm. And don't forget Wixams, Lakeview Village hall every Tuesday 10:30 to 12 Noon.

ALL AGES WELCOME!

Rick Baxter - Chairman

01234 740854

WWGNS Phone 07807 408928

Wilstead Village Hall

By now, many of you who have used the hall since mid-February have had the pleasure of meeting our 2 new caretakers. The main caretaker holding the hall phone is Ben Johnson, and he is covering Wednesdays to Sundays. Our assistant caretaker is Jas Kalra and she is covering Mondays and Tuesdays. Her phone nos will be given to hirers when she is on duty. They may well swop duties as and when required but they both have had the same training and both more than able to cover for each other.

Please be kind to them as they settle in, learn the ropes and get to know you and how you use the hall. Please remember that they are under no obligation to get out the furniture for hirers but already they have shown willingness to help those who really can't manage.  Another reminder that at the end of a booking, hirers and users are responsible to leave the hall clean and tidy as found. The caretakers do extra cleaning, toilets, etc and keep the hall running and maintained for all to use.

Are there any of you who have the skills we need to help the Hall run more efficiently? We are looking for people to join the Committee with IT skills; who have legal and policy knowledge; who are keen for the hall to run “greener”; and/or who enjoy researching value for money when making a purchase e.g. new hall chairs. Please consider sharing your skills and attend the AGM on Thursday 22nd May at 7.30pm to join the friendly Wilstead Village Hall Management Committee.

If you are slightly interested, you are welcome to attend the next meeting on Tuesday 1st April at 7.30pm in the small hall. We especially need support from people in the community who have fresh ideas and approaches to life.

Don't forget that to find any information about the hall, T's & C's, rates of hire, hall availability and to make a booking via the On-line Diary etc., please visit:  wilsteadvillagehall.org.uk.

We would greatly appreciate potential hirers using the online booking system and NOT emailing the Admin team.

Deputy-Chairperson – Barbara Seamark

seamarkbarbara@gmail.com 07709573475

Secretary – Angela Fosbrook

fosbrookangela@gmail.com 01234 294692

Elstow Cricket Club

(Local cricket club for Wilstead, Wixams & Elstow)

As the days finally start to grow longer, Elstow Cricket Club is gearing up for another thrilling season with plenty of action across all teams.  We're excited to see what 2025 has in store for our members, players and supporters.

We kick off the season with our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Signing-On Night on Friday, 21st March. This is an excellent opportunity for players, supporters, and new members to come along, have your say, and get involved with the club. All are welcome, whether you're a returning player or thinking about joining for the first time. This will also be a great opportunity to see our new tea room and bar in all its glory.

Our Saturday 1st XI has set its sights on winning the league and securing promotion this season. After a strong campaign last year, we are confident that the team will go one step further and capture the title. Meanwhile, our 2nd XI continues its excellent progression and should also be vying for honours.

Sunday cricket remains a vital part of the club, offering a blend of competitive and development-focused matches. We are particularly excited to provide our junior players with the opportunity to gain valuable experience in adult cricket.

Our women's team, the Elstow Belles, is making a big move this year by entering a hardball league for the first time! This is a significant step forward, and we're always on the lookout for new players (aged 14+) to join this fantastic squad. Whether you're an experienced cricketer or looking to try something new, we'd love to welcome you to the team.

We are always looking for new members to come forward and help support the rapid growth of our club including:

New players - all genders, ages and ability are welcome.

Scorers – this is a paid position and official training will be provided if needed.

Umpires – this is also a paid position and again training is available if required.

Coaches – training course fees will be covered for anyone who fancies trying their hand at coaching.

Volunteers - to help with match day organisation, running the bar and serving refreshments.

Our next newsletter will have more dates for your diaries including confirmation of Vice Presidents day, End of Season Party, Presentation Evening and the much anticipated Gin Night the Sequel. We also hope to have news of our next big fundraising event planned for later this summer. By then our seasons fixtures should all be set and our fixture list will be published for all to view.

Please get in touch by emailing us at  elstowcricketclub@hotmail.co.uk or by calling one of our current committee members as follows:

Jim Tanswell – Chairman 07775 668123

Fiona Tanswell – Treasurer 07855 758696

Geoff Couling – Youth Development Manager 07577 609399

Ranvir Thiarra – First Team Captain 07590 375172

Nicola Wisson-Hill – Belles Co-ordinator 07789 586671

Matt Stevens – Groundsman 07811 105822

Alternatively, visit our website at elstowcricketclub.co.uk for more information.

Your Parish Council Needs You

Are you someone who gets stuck in and gets things done? Do you care about making Wilstead an even better place to live? If so, we want to hear from you!

We're looking for dedicated, hands-on people to join Wilstead Parish Council. This is your chance to make a real difference—not just talk about it, but get things done for your community.

What's Involved:

Attending monthly meetings and supporting local projects

Helping to solve issues that matter to Wilstead residents

Working alongside a team of passionate, no-nonsense doers

What We Need from You:

3 to 4 hours a week (yes, every week)

A “roll up your sleeves” attitude

A passion for our village and its future

No politics. No waffle. Just action.

If you're ready to step up and make a difference, get in touch today!

Contact: our Clerk Lizzie for an application form at office@wilsteadparishcouncil.org

Deadline for expressions of interest: 28th March

Wilstead needs people who do, not just people who talk. If that's you—join us!

Wilstead Bowls Club

Playing members are now counting the weeks to return back outside for the 2025 season. A reminder that our annual subscription evening is on Friday 7th March for both playing and social member This is the opportunity for the more competitive players to sign up for the club competitions. New members of all ages and abilities are welcome.

As the Club has its 40th Anniversary this year we want to be at our very best for the visiting teams invited for the various Celebration Games. In preparation, the bowls green has undergone further banking repair and the rinks will be re-marked.

We will soon be calling on members to help with outside readiness.

Work is currently ongoing to update the Ladies' and Men's toilets supported by funding from The Harpur Trust and The Wixamtree Trust.

Coffee Mornings are on Wednesday 12th March and Wednesday 16th April 10.30am. £3. All welcome.

Please keep a look out on the Wilstead Community Facebook page for more club news and activities or join us on Facebook -  WILSTEAD BOWLS CLUB  or visit our website.

www.wilsteadbowlsclub.co.uk.

If you need any club information please use the contact details below:

Sue Marchant - Club Secretary

07716 676383  sue@marchantonline.com

Or visit our website.

www.wilsteadbowlsclub.co.uk

All Saints Church

United in Faith Welcoming All

The services have been planned for March as follows

Sunday 2nd March 11.00a

Morning Praise Helen Harbron- Applegarth

Sunday 9th  March 11.00 am

Holy Communion Fr Steve Marsh

Sunday  16th March 11.00 am

Holy Communion  Fr Steve Marsh

Sunday  23rd March 11.00 am

Holy Communion   Fr Paul Messam

Sunday   30th March 11.00 am

Morning Praise    Helen Harbron Applegarth

The service on 30th March will be a special Family Service led by Helen.

It is of course Mothering Sunday and there will be flowers for children to give to their Mothers.

As was reported in the February Newsletter    Coffee Mornings are planned on  the 3rd Wednesday of each month. A reminder of the dates:  March 19th;  April 16th,   May 21st, June 18th  July 16th. They will be held in the Chapter House at 10.30 am  in,  March and April. The summer ones may be held as garden parties in peoples gardens.

Watch this space.

Robert Heley

New Plants from Old and Free!

The Wilstead Garden Club will be welcoming the return of our Horticultural Vicar, Mike Stewart. This month he will be talking about propagation, we have just looked up the definition and it says to spread and promote widely. An example given is 'the French propagated the idea that the English were drunkards'. We will be talking about spreading plants widely and only drinking tea and coffee, but do think about joining us on Tuesday 18th March at 2.30pm in the Village Hall.

Our February meeting was a lively and informative presentation about moths. Apparently there are nearly 3 times as many species of moths than butterflies. To add even more difficulty identifying them there are macro and micro, but some micro ones are bigger than the macro ones.  They don't just come out at night, or keep their wings open at rest and some don't even have wings! Despite their numbers they like to hide either through camouflage or hiding in plant material so can be tricky to find. Unfortunately for the moth, birds eat an incredible amount of their eggs, but without moth eggs we wouldn't have the birds.  A very interesting talk, now we are all looking for moths.

We look forward to seeing you for another entertaining afternoon on Tuesday 18th March at 2.20pm. Entry £3 with a voluntary raffle at £1 a ticket.

Wilstead Garden Club Committee

Maralyn, Lynda, Viv, Julie, Chris, Annette & Mary

wilsteadgardenclub@hotmail.com