Wilshamstead Parish Council

Cadent Gas Works In Wilstead

The recent and ongoing gas works being undertaken by Cadent have caused a significant disruption to the Wilstead community in many ways.  Unfortunately, the Parish Council, like the community received no formal notification or communication on the works, so also only found out about the commencement of the works at the last minute.  Like everyone, as the works have progressed, several questions have been raised, which it has not always been easy to get hold of a clear official response from a Cadent representative.

This matter has been frustrating and extremely disappointing given the large challenges that have resulted in Wilstead over the recent weeks and are expected to continue also in the coming weeks.  The Parish Council heard from a number of Wilstead residents who kindly attended the February Parish Council meeting to express their concerns, ask questions, understandably seeking clarification and support with the many challenges facing residents on a daily basis with these works.

The Parish Council despite having no notification or communication at any point from Cadent directly, have remained pro-active, reaching out to Cadent to try and understand better the progress of the works and to encourage as much mitigation as possible for the Wilstead residents so severely impacted. Alongside this has been regular communications with the Borough Ward Councillors, Marc Frost, Graeme Coombes, and Andrea Spice who are also pushing Borough Council Officers for robust engagement with Cadent to improve communications on these works.

This pro-active approach will continue by the Parish Council and Borough Ward Councillors, with sharing of information, when obtained, being done in as timely manner as possible across various different local platforms so the village can remain informed of the latest status regarding these works.

149 Houses At Duck End Lane Planning Appeal Latest

The Planning Inspectorate has now confirmed this application will be determined by a public enquiry, with comments on the grounds for appeal being welcomed by statutory consultees and anyone who engaged in the original planning application.

There are very strict deadlines for comments to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, so the deadline must be adhered to.  With this in mind, the Parish Council have acted swiftly, seeking again the support of a professional planning consultant to complete a thorough assessment of the applicant's appeal representation, so that a strong case can continued to be presented by the Parish Council on behalf of the Wilstead community as to why this application should be refused.  The Parish Council are using the same planning consultant who prepared the original planning application comments for objection, feeling this continuation and consistent approach would be the most robust.

The continued objection is being prepared at the time of writing, and will be submitted by the Planning Inspectorate comments deadline.  

Borough Ward Councillors have also been tasked with ensuring that Bedford Borough Council will equally be providing robust challenge, through strong evidence and representation being submitted to the planning appeal.

95 Houses At 85 Cotton End Road Full Application Consultation Update

Following the update in the last article regarding this reserved application for the 95 houses at Cotton End Road, which includes the site layout details being put forward on further review of the application (25/02560/MAR | Reserved matters relating to matters of layout, scale, appearance and landscaping for the erection of 95 dwellings, public open space and play facilities, SUDs features and associated infrastructure pursuant to Outline Planning Permission 24/02231/MAO Land At Village Farm 85 Cotton End Road) the Parish Council formally resolved to engage professional planning consultant services to present a clear response to this application.  Wilstead Parish Councillors were keen to show a commitment to ensuring this development is shaped in the best way possible for the village, in particular, taking into account the clear local policies as set out in the Wilshamstead Neighbourhood Plan.  This engagement of professional services for collating the response to again act as a clear intention by the Parish Council to Borough Council Officers and developers that the Parish Council will be offering robust challenge to such speculative planning development applications.

Please remember that all associated documents for this application can be found on the Bedford Borough Council Planning portal page and residents comments as always are encouraged and should be sent to planning@bedford.gov.uk

Planning Development In Wilstead – Neighbourhood Plan Latest

The Parish Council have taken time to reflect further on the worry over these recent speculative planning applications being received in Wilstead.  The Parish Council have recently met to discuss options regarding the Neighbourhood Plan to seek advice on what options are potentially available to ensure the document is as up to date and robust as possible with these speculative applications.  A piece of work has been commissioned by the Parish Council for an independent review of the Neighbourhood Plan to better understand what, if any changes, might be needed, for the document to be as robust as possible going forwards.

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

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, with the next meeting scheduled for Monday 9th March and Monday 13th April.

Also please remember to view regular updates published on local matters through the Wilstead Parish Council website, do visit www.wilsteadparishcouncil.orgto see the latest news and helpful information.

Wilstead W I

Our February meeting was held in the Village Hall with Jane Hooper who give us ideas and ways of heating our homes more efficiently, a very interesting talk.

We come to our March meeting which will have taken place by the time you read this. We had Dara Bilan who was talking about Ukraine Embroidery and traditions.

Our AGM is on Thursday 2nd April, and we also have Francis Maynard the Parish Council's tree warden who will be talking about the importance of trees and hedgerows.

All are welcome  and we will be back in the Village Hall for a 7.30 start.

Karen Cook

karencook3@btinternet.com

01234 403936

Milton Keynes National Trust Association

Are you a member of the National Trust?  If not you can join our local association in Milton Keynes that arranges visits to National Trust properties and places of special interest, lectures, holidays, and social events.

You can apply for membership by subscribing at one of our meetings.  Annual membership fees are £16.00 or £28.00 for two at the same address.  Money raised supports NT projects. We meet on the first Thursday of each month from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at Oak Tree Centre, Wallinger Drive, Shenley Brook End, Milton Keynes MK45 7GZ, and scheduled lectures (£3) include:

My Writing Journey 2 April

Speaker Stephanie Percival  

My writing journey began by chance when I was shortlisted for a national competition in 2004. The competition was called, 'End of Story,' but my story didn't end there. I have self-published 2 books, had a novel and novella published by an independent publisher and written short and flash stories. I'll read examples of my work during the talk.

Cars, Stars, and Minibars 7 May

Speaker Tom Johnston

Tom Johnston was the first-ever reporter on Britain's motoring magazine Auto Express, motoring correspondent for the Daily Star and contributed to the Daily and Sunday Express. In this hilarious look at car journalism and publicity Tom lifts the lid on the wild world of the motoring hack, recounts some crazy news stories he has covered, talks about the celebrities he's met and describes the many international places he's visited and driven cars in.

Scheduled trips

26th March - Eltham Palace (English Heritage)

22nd April - The Canal Museum & Coton Manor Garden

20th May - Cliveden (National Trust) and Marlow 23rd June - Doddington Hall

Wilstead, Wixams, Elstow, Kingsbrook, Cauldwell cricket club and other surrounding areas

Winter Won't Stop Play at Elstow CC! The weather may be doing its worst, but cricket at Elstow Cricket Club is very much alive and thriving indoors.

Our Men's Indoor sides are in superb form. The 1st and 2nd XI are both pushing hard for honours, while the 3rd XI continues to provide the perfect platform for our younger players to develop their skills and confidence in the fast-paced indoor format.

We'd love to expand next winter — if you're interested in organising and captaining a potential 4th team, now's your chance to step forward!

The Elstow Women are also enjoying a fantastic indoor campaign. After finishing runners-up in the softball league before Christmas, they head into their final hardball fixture aiming for a strong finish. With a new coach and a core squad growing stronger each week, they'll be heading into the April outdoor season full of momentum.

Men's winter nets have been a huge success, regularly attracting 20+ players each week — brilliant commitment.  Our final indoor sessions will take place at Wixams Academy from 8–9pm on 2nd and 16th March, before we move outdoors for the summer season.

Our Youth teams are also training hard on Monday evenings at Wixams — the future of the club looks incredibly bright.

We're delighted that Poplars Construction, Sineway Services and Custom Concrete have all renewed their sponsorship for another year. Their continued backing means so much to the club. We're also excited to welcome new sponsors Davidson Homes on board.

Our brand-new sponsorship platform is now live.

www.snapsponsorship.com/rights-owners/cricket/elstow-cricket-club

If you, your business, or someone you know would like to sponsor the club, a team, or even a player, please take a look and share the link far and wide.

Work begins in early April on our state-of-the-art three-lane net facility, a massive step forward for the club. The facility will include two fully enclosed nets, one accessible net & improved space for coaching and training nights.  This will transform the way we train and develop players across all age groups.

Dates for Your Diary…

AGM & Signing-On Night will take place on Friday 13th March at The Warren

·     6:00pm – Signing-on (parents & youth players can register)

·     8:00pm – AGM begins (all members welcome)

·     

Committee positions will be circulated in advance. The Typhoo Bar will be open, and we'll have darts, table tennis and more to keep the evening lively.

#GetSet Day will be on Saturday 28th March from 9:00am at the Club.  Help us get match-ready for the season! Many hands make light work to help set us up for a brilliant summer.

VP's & FECCers Day is Proposed for Saturday 6th June, when the 1st XI host Foxton Granta. Confirmation will follow at the AGM and in next month's newsletter.

The Elstow Playing Field Committee is planning a summer celebration to mark the reopening of the main hall, in partnership with the cricket club. Keep an eye on our social media for details.

As always, a huge thank you to our amazing parents, volunteers, committee members, players and supporters. The club simply wouldn't run without you.

We're always looking for extra help, particularly with Umpiring, Scoring, Bar support & Friday evening food nights.  This summer we aim to offer food every Friday training night. BBQs, pizza, hot dogs and more. If you can lend a hand, we'd love to hear from you.

Finally, February saw us celebrate the birthdays of our Club Captain Ranvir Thiarra and Vice-Captain Phil Johnson.  Happy Birthday from everyone at Elstow CC here's to a big season ahead! Bottom of Form

If you would like to get in touch, please email us at elstowcricketclub@hotmail.co.uk or contact one of our current committee members as follows:

Jim Tanswell – Chairperson 07775 668123

Geoff Couling – Youth Development Manager 07577 609399

Ranvir Thiarra – First Team Captain 07590 375172

Nicola Wisson-Hill – Women's Co-ordinator 07789 586671

Matt Stevens – Grounds Keeper 07811 105822

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

News from the Pews

The start of February brought us the Feast of Candlemas when we celebrate the infant Jesus being presented at the Temple in Jerusalem and being recognised by Simeon as the long-awaited Messiah. In church, we celebrated with a gift of snowdrop bulbs or snowdrop bookmark to all present. This tiny “Candlemas Bell” represents a light in the darkness leading to brighter days ahead. Candlemas also represents the half-way point between the shortest day (21st December) and the Spring Equinox.

Our monthly afternoon group, “Ready to Share” was very well attended. In this series, we are looking at how and where Christian prayer and worship we use today originated and developed over time. We enjoyed a very lively discussion over tea, cake and biscuits and had colourful resources to take away. Everyone is welcome to join us, this is not only for church members. Next meeting is Tuesday, 10th March at 2pm in Hebrews Café in church. Doors open from 1.45pm, close at 3pm prompt.

On Sunday, 15th March, we celebrate Mothering Sunday, when we recognise the foundational and formative influence of our parish and cathedral churches and their communities, their caring and nurturing support offered to all. Everyone, single, families, and friends are all most welcome to join in our service of Morning Praise at 11am and join us afterwards in our lively coffee area, Hebrews Café, for a hot drink and chat with friends, old and new. Don't worry if you don't know anyone, you will be quietly made welcome and looked after.

As I write, Ash Wednesday has heralded the beginning of the Lenten Season. The season of Lent lasts for forty days (not including Sundays). It is a time when Christians reflect and prepare for the events of Holy Week and the celebrations of Easter. Choosing a Lent Book to read is one idea for this time, a great variety are suggested either in the Church Times or on good websites. I have chosen “Wardrobes and Rings – Through Lenten Lands with the Inklings” by Julia Golding, Malcolm Guite and Simon Horobin (Canterbury Press 2025). If you enjoyed any of the C.S. Lewis “Narnia” stories or saw the films, loved the action in “Lord of the Rings”, you will enjoy this paperback book. The language is straight-forward and the ideas are well presented.

Children and young people are always welcomed at All Saints and we have a regular small group of youngsters who enjoy reading and completing our seasonal activity booklet with bible stories, puzzles, questions. We supply all the coloured pens, pencils, etc. and leave the rest to you.

The Elstow Team offer regular Home Visits, Home Communions, also advice about Baptism, Confirmation and Wedding and Funeral arrangements. Please contact us at the number and email below.

Helen Harbron-Applegarth

Lay Minister

Elstow Team Ministry 01234 261477

vicar@elstow-abbey.org.uk

Killing with Kindness?

The themes for the next two months meetings of the Wilstead Garden Club are about the importance of the environment and the part we play in protecting it, not only by the way we manage our plants and gardens but also how we interact with the wildlife. Sometimes the very things we do to improve has a negative effect on what we are trying to protect.

The February meeting was a very entertaining and interesting talk by Kate Dimmock from the Harlington Hedgehog Hogspital. She gave us the shocking statistics that in 2022 it was suggested that there were only 880,000 hedgehogs, a drop from 36 million in the 1960s. Reasons for the decline can be contributed to our behaviour. Cars, strimmers, bonfires are perhaps the more violent but also deep ponds, uncovered drains, close boarded fences on gravel boards and netting also can trap them and affect their ability to move freely and hunt for food.

Hedgehogs are helpful scavengers,  eating caterpillars, beetles, worms and insects so if we want the sparkly droppings, a few minor changes could help keep your garden hedgehog friendly. Hedgehogs climb and swim but can't get out of steep sided ponds and pipes. Put some slopes at the side of any ponds and cover any drains. Make a gap in your fence and, if you have gravel boards, give them some stones to climb up. You could make a feeding station with an upside plastic box weighed down with a weight and with an entrance at both ends about the size of a CD. Dried cat or dog food is recommended, never bread and milk as these are poisonous for them. Cats can be discouraged by putting bricks around the entrance although with 5-7000 prickles, a close encounter will also deter them. Hopefully you might even see an Array or Prickle of a family of hedgehogs in the future.

At our Tuesday 17th March meeting we will be welcoming Peter Holden, orchestrator of the annual bird watch. He will be focusing on Spring bird life in the garden. Entry is £3 with an optional raffle at £1 per ticket. We look forward to welcoming you to the village hall at 2.30pm.

Wilstead Garden Club Committee

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

wilsteadgardenclub@hotmail.com

Wilstead & Wixams Community Art Group

If you're interested in art and would love to try out your talent, why not join us? 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 meet in the Village Hall on Mondays from 2pm-4pm. 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, or painting by numbers. You can also paint in watercolour, acrylic or even oil. Meeting in the large hall makes it a safe space to work in and we are well spaced out. May I remind members that we do have a variety of art resources for your use so, if there is anything you haven't got or would like to experiment with, we may be able to help. If you need it, several of our members will help and encourage you in whatever your artistic endeavours happen to be.

Enquiries: Michael Bradley: Mobile 07526 939164.

Email: revmichael14@outlook.com

All Saints Church

United in Faith Welcoming All

The services have been planned as follows for March.

Sunday  1st March  11.00 am

Morning Praise

Sunday 8th March 11.00 am

Holy Communion

Sunday 15th March 11.00am

Morning Praise

Sunday 22nd March 11.00  am

Holy Communion

Palm Sunday. Sunday 29th March 10.00am Holy Communion in Elstow Abbey

No Service at Wilstead.  Service at Elstow to be followed by a bring and share lunch.

And then the Annual Parochial  Church Council  Meeting for the Benefice. Details will be announced.

Wednesday 1st April 6.3O pm

Holy Communion for Holy Week

Friday 3rd April 2.00 pm

Good Friday   Meditations

Sunday 5th April 11.00 am

Easter Day Holy Communion

A busy time working our way through Lent and good to see so many people  joining us for worship on a Sunday morning.

The March Coffee Morning has been arranged for Wednesday 18th March   10.30am onwards in the Chapter House.

Robert  Heley

Wilstead Bowls Club

Even though the weather is still very wet, preparations are underway on and around the green so that outdoor playing can start the end of April.  We have made the call for members to help with outside readiness. There will be mowing, painting and gardening to be done.

A reminder that Annual Subscription Evening is on Friday 6th March, 6.30pm onwards, for both playing and social members. On the evening the more competitive players can sign up for the internal club competitions.

We are looking for new members of all ages and abilities; you don't need to have bowled before.  You only need flat soled shoes; we can provide bowls and any coaching needed.

Indoor shortmat is still being played in the main hall. Please come and visit us on a Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon between 2pm - 4pm, or on Friday from 7pm.  You can either watch or jump straight in and have a go.

Up and Coming Events:

Coffee Mornings.

Wednesday 11th March & Wednesday 15th April 10.30am – 12 noon.

£3. All welcome

If you need any club information please contact

Sue Marchant - Club Secretary, 07716676383

sue@marchantonline.com

Wilstead Bowls Website

www.wilsteadbowlsclub.co.uk.

Wilstead Footpaths and Bridleways

Wilstead is blessed with numerous footpaths and bridleways which enable people to walk and, in the case of bridleways, cycle or ride their horse along, safely away from traffic.

They are all marked by either fingerposts, or waymark posts with discs which point direction, making it easy to follow the routes they take. These are surveyed and maintained by a small group of volunteers (they are always on the lookout for additional volunteers if you fancy helping) who do their best to maintain access for everyone to enjoy.

Metal fingerposts are sited where a footpath meets a road; wooden waymark posts are along the route of the footpath, and will have discs (yellow or blue) and sometimes a yellow plate(s).

There are maps available (see a P3 article in the newsletter) to help you discover where you are legally allowed to walk/cycle, as please remember that access to farmers' land off the set routes is not allowed as it is private land and can damage crops or upset livestock.

Wilstead Village Hall

The Village Hall is well used and runs smoothly but behind the scenes it is basically one person who organises the bookings and invoicing. Therefore, we are asking if anyone would like to volunteer to support the admin team with the online bookings?

Time given could be as little as 15 mins per day but more would be great if the volunteer could do so. The system used is Hallmaster but full training would be given and no money is handled. You just need a little time to regularly look at the site on a computer and act accordingly. We would love to hear from you. See contact details below.

Just a reminder that from 1st April 2026, we are having to put up the rates of hire by approx. 2% (give or take) but we will contact all treasurers/hirers who need to know. There has not been an increase for over 3 years but prices to keep the hall running are creeping up, especially the gas!

We welcome a new regular booking which starts in April on a Sunday morning of dancing for 0 – 5 year olds. Please look out for the adverts for “Dance upon a Star”.

Don't forget that you are very welcome to join the Committee to support the running of the Village Hall.

To find out any information about the hall, please visit our website    wilsteadvillagehall.co,uk

Secretary – Angela Fosbrook

fosbrookangela@gmail.com 01234 294692

OR bookings.wilsteadvh@gmail.com

Sunshine Club

We are delighted to confirm that the Sunshine Club  is still meeting every other Friday at Wilstead Village Hall from 2 pm - 3.30 pm.  Please come and join us for a cup of tea/coffee, a piece of cake, join in a quiz and  play a game of bingo, or just come and have a chat.

For further information please ring 01234 740935