Monthly Archives: June 2022

Fun Dog Show 17 July

The Dogs for Good Warwickshire & Coventry Supporters Group who are holding a Fun Dog Show on 17th July 2022 from 2-4 pm at The National Herb Centre, Warmington OX17 1DF (on the Gaydon – Banbury Road). All are welcome. Please reserve the date, come along and have some fun whilst supporting a very worthy charity.

Also please follow us on Facebook, where more details will appear soon, https://www.facebook.com/Dogs-For-Good-Warwickshire-Coventry-Fundraising-105078074665508

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership urges drivers and passengers to always wear a seatbelt

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership is urging all drivers and passengers to always wear a seatbelt during a national campaign throughout June 2022.

Whilst good drivers recognise that always wearing a seatbelt could help save them from serious injury and even death, for the few people who do not regularly belt up, the partnership will be sharing daily facts and information about seatbelts and how to travel children safely, on Facebook @WarwickshireRoadSafety and Twitter @WarksRoadSafety to explain how important this is.

This fact may also help.  Whilst most people wear a seatbelt every trip, during 2021, Warwickshire Police issued 198 notices to drivers and passengers for failing to wear a seat belt. Drivers may get a fine of £500 and three penalty points if they or a child under 14 is not wearing a seat belt or appropriate child restraint as required by law.

If you are 14 years old or over, as a passenger you are responsible for always wearing a seat belt if there is one available and could be fined £500 and receive two penalty points for not wearing one.

It’s not just the driver who may be fined. Last year (2021) in Warwickshire, 1 rear seat passenger and 19 front seat passengers received notices for not wearing a seatbelt

Shockingly, in 2021 19 drivers had children in the car not appropriately restrained. Nine children were under 3 years old.

We are asking all road users to please take responsibility for your behaviours and safety whilst using the road and to look out for the safety of other road users particularly the most vulnerable such as children.

During the campaign, we are encouraging parents, grandparents, and those responsible for transporting children and young people to come along and get their child car seat checked at Elliots Field in Rugby between 9am – 4pm on Friday 17 June by Warwickshire Police staff trained to nationally accredited standards.

In 2021 one person died (1 in 2020) and nine (15 in 2020) were seriously injured in collisions where not wearing a seatbelt was recorded as a contributory factor.  In a crash you’re twice as likely to die if you don’t wear a seat belt.

It’s also important to understand how seatbelts and airbags work.  Airbags do not work in isolation.  They work with seatbelts not instead of them and can injure you if you are not wearing a seatbelt.

If a vehicle suddenly stops due to a collision, your body wants to continue at the same speed it was going before.  A seatbelt not only reduces your risk of death or serious injury in a collision by reducing your impact with the vehicle interior and other passengers, but it also keeps you positioned correctly for the maximum effectiveness of the airbag and prevents you from being ejected from your vehicle in a collision or if your vehicle rolls.

Sitting correctly in your seat is also really important because your joints act like shock absorbers so the more bends in your body the more shock is absorbed if you stop suddenly or are in a collision.  So please for your safety, sit up and keep your feet on the floor.

Children too should be encouraged to sit up.

Sergeant Shaun Bridle said “Whilst we prefer to educate drivers of cars, vans, HGVs and other vehicles first, officers will be actively enforcing the legislation During the campaign increased numbers of officers will be proactively patrolling Warwickshire’s roads looking for drivers and passengers who are not wearing seatbelts.

“Whether you are a driver or passenger, please make it a habit to check everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seatbelt as it could save your or their life.

“If you don’t always wear a seatbelt, please use this as an opportunity to change your habits for good.”

You can follow the campaign on social media using the hashtag #StandingUpForBeltingUp on @WarksRoadSafety (Twitter) and @WarwickshireRoadSafety (Facebook)

Full details of the UK legal requirements for seat belts can be found at https://www.gov.uk/seat-belts-law/overview

Avon Dassett Soapbox Derby 2022

Saturday 25th of June 2022 marks the return of the annual Soapbox Derby to our Avon Dassett! This free event has been held since 2007 and returned in 2018. Because of the pandemic the event had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021. The Soapbox Derby continues to grow in popularity and attracts many visitors to our village. This year we have a record entry with drivers from as far away as London and Chester. The Soapbox Derby has raised thousands of pounds for charity over the years and our chosen charity for 2022 is The Children’s Christmas Wish list which organises treats and outings for terminally ill children and their families.

The event continues to be run in a professional and safe manner. Qualified medics will be in attendance and a professional events company will marshall the race and manage the road closure. There is also the necessary Public Liability insurance in place for such an event.

Please Note

There will be a road closure order in place on 25 June between 0900 and 1800 hours. The road through Avon Dassett will be closed to all traffic. The closures will be at the crossroads by the nurseries [Burton Dassett Hills & Farnborough] and Lower End by the play park (for more information see: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/roadworksmap). Diversion signs will be in place and marshalls and volunteers will be on hand to advise members of the public of alternative routes and direct visitors to the free parking at the fete field – many thanks to Dassett Charities for letting their field be used for the event.

The Soap Box team ask if you would be good enough to clear the main road of all cars, caravans and refuse bins etc. between 0900 and 1800 on race day for safety reasons. Parking is available in the fete field. We will do our utmost to minimize disruption throughout the day. If you do need to bring a vehicle into the village during the racing time, please contact Phil on 07805 061419 and he will organise the safety car to escort you and suspend racing.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Kind regards,

The Avon Dassett Soapbox Derby Team

In addition to the Soapbox Derby there will be a Classic Car, Van, Tractor, Lorry and Bike Meet on the fete field on Thursday 23 June from 5-9 pm. Bring your treasured classic to show others or just pop down for a chat. Kevlar’s Dining Shack will be serving food and The Yew Tree are supplying an outside bar. The Landrover Caravan and Camping Club will be camping on the fete field all weekend.

Soapbox Derby Day

Street market all day at the bottom end of the village near the play park with stalls and children’s entertainment

Children’s soapbox racing in the morning

Practice races from midday

Adults head-to-head racing from 1pm

Prize giving at 5 pm

The Yew Tree and shack will be open all day serving food and drink

There will be an evening band on at The Yew Tree

Extra toilets kindly supplied for the day by The Yew Tree and Avon Dassett Community Benefit Society

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership offers free child car seat safety checks

Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership (WRSP) is offering free child car seat safety checks at Elliots Field in Rugby from 9am – 4pm on Friday 17 June.

Getting your child car seat checked is so important because checks conducted by Warwickshire Police in November 2021 found that 69% of child car seats were not correctly fitted.  The most common issues found related to headrests, seat belt twists, the front seat being too close to a rear facing child seat, the isofix not being installed correctly, and coats being worn in vehicles.

When we point these issues out, most families are shocked to discover they have inadvertently put their child at risk by not having them seated correctly.

That’s why we are encouraging as many parents, grandparents, and those responsible for safely transporting children and young people as possible to come along and get their child car seat checked on 17 June.  It is much easier to get these issues checked in person for your own peace of mind and to speak to someone who is trained to nationally accredited standards who can help you get it right.

The law states that a child must be in a child car seat until they are 12 years old or 135cm tall, whichever comes first and during the event, staff will also use car seat demonstrators, height charts and hand out educational leaflets to explain the fitting.

PCSO Joanne Jackson said “It is important that parents get the right independent advice to ensure that their children are well protected and in turn reduce the risk of children being injured or killed

“Elliots Field in Rugby is a really accessible location not far from the M6 and we hope that this will encourage people from other areas to make the most of the opportunity to get their child car seats checked.”

Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Transport and Highways, said: “Our Road Safety Education Team work closely with children in schools across Warwickshire to help improve their safety on the roads.  We can also help protect children by providing targeted education, information and advice to parents and carers and ensuring child car seats are correctly fitted and appropriate for the height and weight of the child.”

Chair of WRSP and Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire Phillip Seccombe said “Children and young people are more vulnerable in a collision than adults and that’s why we are offering independent face to face advice to ensure that children are well protected and in turn this can reduce the risk of injury and death.  This is part of our Strategy to 2030 that sets out how we – with your help – plan to reach our target of a 50% reduction in those killed or seriously injured on our roads by 2030. ”

The event is taking place during the NPCC national seatbelts campaign that aims to encourage all drivers to ensure they and their passengers of all ages travel safely.

The Child Car Seat Checks initiative was funded by Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s Road Safety Fund in 2019 when fifteen Warwickshire Police staff were trained to nationally accredited standards to help improve child car seat safety.

Important things to remember when choosing your child’s car seat

Know the law

  • All children must use a suitable restraint for their age, weight or height
  • It is safer to transport children in the rear of the car with the correct seat.  If you have to use the front passenger seat, the airbag MUST be deactivated if using a rear facing seat.
  • Children must use the correct car seat for their height or weight until they reach 135cm tall or their 12thbirthday
  • Ensure that the seat has an official standard mark (ECE) R44.04 or R129
  • Brake (the road safety charity) and other experts strongly advise parents to go one step beyond this and ensure all children under 150cm tall are always in a proper child restraint, because adult belts are not sufficient in protecting children under this height.

Further advice prior to purchasing a car seat can be found at:

www.childseatsafety.co.uk

www.childcarseats.org.uk/choosing-using

You can get more information regarding the law and child car seats at https://www.gov.uk/child-car-seats-the-rules

 

Jubilee Weekend Thanks!

A 1953 flag from the Coronation celebrations in Avon Dassett, proudly displayed for the Platinum Jubilee

A huge thank you to Avon Dassett for the amazing Jubilee celebrations.

Our best decorated winners, Marveen, Alex & James, Jilly &John, Carolyn & Doug were fantastic but our guest judge, Jude Farr had a hard job!

Sally led a brilliant singalong and the Robertson family triumphed in the film quiz.

On Friday, Deb created a vision in Vintage China for the free teas which raised over £140 for the queen’s canopy charity.

The treasure hunt, set by Sarah, had lots of enthusiastic entries with Dan, Claire, Freya and Finlay triumphing.

Bitham Hall hosted an amazing jubilee party.

And Avon Carrow aced the celebrations with an awesome sports and pudding afternoon.

Many thanks to all involved.

Avon Dassett Jubilee Events

We are entering Avon Dassett’s four days of celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. As usual, the village has pulled out all the stops and thanks are due to the many people who have made the events possible.

Thursday

Many houses on the main streets of the village will be decorating their houses, gates and gardens to celebrate the jubilee. Judging will take place over the weekend by our guest judge, Jude Farr, from Fenny Compton to select the best three! The prize money has been given by Avon Dassett Community Benefits Society.

The celebrations start with a singalong at the Yew Tree led by Sally Crompton. There will be songs from every decade of the Queen’s reign as well as a fun film quiz (with prizes!). You can download the lyrics for the singalong here: https://www.avondassett.com/2022/05/30/sing-along-through-the-decades-for-the-jubilee/ The singing starts at 5.30 pm and will be outside weather permits.

Friday

Deb Watts will be organising her famous vintage teas from 2-4 pm in the Reading Room along with donations of scrumptious cakes from villagers. The teas are free but donations are welcome for the Queen’s Canopy. You can also enter the Avon Dassett Jubilee Treasure Hunt at the Reading Room. How much do you know about the village? Test your knowledge with this fun quiz (written by Sarah Richardson) collecting ‘treasure’ via a lesiurely walk around the village. The treasure hunt is suitable for all the family and is a fun way to find out more about Avon Dassett. There will be a free Frellie’s ice cream made by our own Alex Jackson for all participants and a prize for the entry that scores the most points.

In the evening there is an outdoor jubilee event at The Yew Tree with canapes, free fizz and a live band! Booking is recommended for this event.

Saturday

On Saturday, Bitham Hall will be hosting a jubilee party and disco from 6.30 pm. This is a ticketed event. The Country Show team have kindly provided the marquees for the party, food is provided by the jubilee committee, the DJ courtesy of Liz Hirst and the parish council have paid for the portable toilets.

Sunday

Events end on Sunday at Avon Carrow with a sports afternoon from 4-6 pm. Residents at the Carrow are providing bowls, croquet and tennis and Liz Hirst a dress the queen and the balloon game. Avon Carrow are hosting a ‘pudding party’ with puddings laid out on tables for everyone to share. Villagers are welcome to bring their own picnics and also to add a pudding to the sharing table.

The jubilee organising committee (Liz Hirst, Alex Jackson, Michele Gill, Sandra Sandiford and Sarah Richardson) have co-ordinated events but the Jubilee celebrations are truly a whole village effort for all to enjoy. Please support as many as you can and commemorate the 70 years of the Queen’s reign.