HAVING taken rather a long break from reporting it is good to write of the many activities which are taking place in the village. There is a lot going on for all ages in the area and it is probably because they are all so busy that dropping a line to their community correspondent gets overlooked.

  • CHRISTMAS having come and gone you would think that it would be a quiet time for the members of the Crossways village handbell ringers but not so. However I must start with a huge thank you to everyone who supported the concert held in December in aid of the British heart foundation. Thanks to your generosity just over £800 will be going to the work of BHF which, if you pardon the pun, is a cause close to my heart !
  • January saw the ringers join forces with the Wareham team and two very talented choirs for an evening in aid of the ME support group. I gather that £600 was raised in a very enjoyable evening which helped dispel the winter blues.
  • BOOKINGS are being taken for the handbell team who are keen to show off their new bells which arrived at the end of last year. They are also available to peal for newly married couples so if you are organising a wedding at a church without bells then contact me and let us ring you out in style.
  • TRAVELLERS on our local buses will benefit from the installation of a new bus shelter in Dick O’Th Banks Road. Crossways Parish Council, with a grant from DCC have replaced the old structure which was becoming unfit for purpose. Hopefully with more clement weather it will not be needed but at least there is now some protection from wind and rain.
  • FOOTBALL matches have certainly been disrupted by the succession of hard frosts, ice and snow and then large amounts of rain in a short period of time. Crossways FC however may well wonder if this has not been in their favour. After an enforced break because of the weather they have returned in much better form.
  • ALAN BROWN the long standing Chairman and manager of the club has stood down with Jason Reed coming in as player manager assisted by Chris Taylor. Graham White has taken on the role of chairman and tells me he is confident the team will soon be out of the relegation zone. Having won 4-3 against Ferndown Sports and a manificent 6-3 over Lytchett there is certainly a renewed optimism.
  • COMMUNITY charge is always a sensitive subject and the parish council for many years has fought not to increase its share of the precept. However with ever rising costs and the demands in so many areas it was a difficult exercise to undertake. As a councillor I head the review of financial matters and this year has been a hard juggling act.
  • PROJECTS like the new bus shelter are funded wherever possible through grants and matched funding schemes. The budget proposals were made last November and it remains to be seen if the measures taken will see the council through the credit crunch.
  • A LINGERING reminder for us all is the appalling state of the land adjoining the west links road. Readers may remember that there were proposals to develop this land into a care home, public house, retail units. Over a bank holiday weekend sub contractors came in and felled trees and turned the ground into a wasteland. In spite of intensive efforts no way forward has been made in getting anyone to take responsibility for this area and at least tidy up the field.
  • THE VILLAGE website continues to enjoy a huge number of ‘hits’ with the webmaster reporting that these currently run between 10,000 and 12,000 per month. Local organisations and groups are urged to ensure that all the information is kept up to date by contacting the webmaster through www.crosswaysdorset.info.
  • THE NEW year started with villagers fondly remember George Hood who had sadly passed away after a period of illness. George was one of those people who was often there in the background helping away or supporting much of our community life. He had been a parish councillor and involved with the creation of the sports field and pavilion as well as the war memorial. He was a keen member of the short mat bowls club and supported the parish magazine.
  • COLLECTIONS as part of the poppy appeal in November 2008 were slightly down on the previous year but Crossways donated £1,784.61 and thanks must go to our local organiser Norman D Kennett and his team. I know that he would welcome any volunteers to help with the scheme this November and if you would like to offer please contact me and I will pass your details on.