The Village Matters Group
A group of WI members meet regularly to discuss the appearance of the village and what is needed to maintain it as a pleasant place to live. We keep the village clean, keep the river free of litter, plant bulbs in grass verges and fill containers with colourful plants and flowers all around the village. Our aim is to keep Shrewton as a place we are all proud of.
The Parish Council allocate funding to help with this and recently, the County Council as well as residents of the village have supported us in taking part in our annual Village Clean Up Day.
The Parish Council allocate funding to help with this and recently, the County Council as well as residents of the village have supported us in taking part in our annual Village Clean Up Day.
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Village Clean-Up Day March 2024
Despite it being a damp and dreary March morning, the Village Matters team got together for another day of hard work, cleaning up our village. Volunteers cleared mud from gullies and dead leaves from pavements, collected litter, cleaned street furniture, cut back overgrown hedges and even cleaned inside the bus stop.
Village Clean-Up Day March 2023
The weather had been foul - heavy rain and wind - but today of all days it was bright and dry.
People started to come in dribs and drabs - about twenty to twenty five in total - but they were all keen to help in whatever way they could.
After an hour or so of picking up litter, washing road and street furniture, sweeping streets and clearing pathways etc,
we headed for refreshments at Shrewton Methodist Church.
Thank you to all the villagers who took part. We'll see you in November for the next one.
People started to come in dribs and drabs - about twenty to twenty five in total - but they were all keen to help in whatever way they could.
After an hour or so of picking up litter, washing road and street furniture, sweeping streets and clearing pathways etc,
we headed for refreshments at Shrewton Methodist Church.
Thank you to all the villagers who took part. We'll see you in November for the next one.
Village Clean-Up Day November 2022
Saturday 5th November was a damp and drizzly day. We wondered how many people would turn up to our bi-annual village clean-up.
As we arrived at the Methodist Chapel to set out the high-vis' jackets, litter pickers and black plastic sacks, etc. groups of people were already arriving ready to take part and we easily had sufficient helpers to make a good job of clearing the river of rubbish, picking up the litter from around the Co-op and 'the Chitterne triangle' as well as washing out the bus shelter, etc.
And when it was all over, the warm welcome of hot drinks and cake at the chapel's Oasis Cafe was much appreciated.
Thank you to them and all the hardy souls who gave up their time to help. It was much appreciated.
As we arrived at the Methodist Chapel to set out the high-vis' jackets, litter pickers and black plastic sacks, etc. groups of people were already arriving ready to take part and we easily had sufficient helpers to make a good job of clearing the river of rubbish, picking up the litter from around the Co-op and 'the Chitterne triangle' as well as washing out the bus shelter, etc.
And when it was all over, the warm welcome of hot drinks and cake at the chapel's Oasis Cafe was much appreciated.
Thank you to them and all the hardy souls who gave up their time to help. It was much appreciated.
Bulb Planting October 2022
Six of us turned up armed with forks, trowels and two big bags of bulbs ready to plant daffodils on the banks at the entrance to Shrewton Recreation Ground.
Twenty five minutes later and we were done - but with a plan to be back next year.
We finished the afternoon off with a well-deserved cup of tea.
Thanks to all who took part.
Varnishing the benches at Parsons Green July 2022
Village Clean-Up Day March 2022
All in all it was a great couple of hours during which lots of people from the village gave up their time to show that they cared. We finished off with a drink, a chat and a piece of cake in the Methodist Chapel cafe.
Well done everybody. Thank you for coming and I look forward to seeing you all again at the next one.
Well done everybody. Thank you for coming and I look forward to seeing you all again at the next one.
Village Clean-Up Day May 2021
The first Village Clean-Up after lockdown took place on Saturday 22nd May 2021. Posters had been put around the village and Facebook and Whats’ App had helped to spread the words but, as always, we weren’t sure who or how many people would turn up.
From the very beginning a steady stream of families, couples and individuals arrived – there were the usual brilliant people who always support us at this event but also families with young children, a Parish Councillor and a return visit from County Councillor Kevin Daley (he took part in our last one way back in October so he knew the ropes and came well equipped for clearing).
Not surprisingly most of the litter was to be found at the rec’ and round the Co-op, but then the majority of our effort was focussed on the removal of weeds alongside paths and the cutting down of overgrown shrubbery at the back of the bus shelter.
We all worked solidly for a couple of hours before deciding we had done enough. By then we could see that our efforts hadn’t been in vain and that the whole place had regained its ‘cared for’ look.
Under normal circumstances we would have adjourned to the Social Club for a cup of tea, a piece of cake and a good old chat but, because of Covid 19, no such arrangements had been made.
With promises to gather again in the Autumn we all looked forward to a time when hopefully the pandemic would be a thing of the past and we could really toast a good morning’s work.
‘Thank you’ to all who took part, see you again in the Autumn.
From the very beginning a steady stream of families, couples and individuals arrived – there were the usual brilliant people who always support us at this event but also families with young children, a Parish Councillor and a return visit from County Councillor Kevin Daley (he took part in our last one way back in October so he knew the ropes and came well equipped for clearing).
Not surprisingly most of the litter was to be found at the rec’ and round the Co-op, but then the majority of our effort was focussed on the removal of weeds alongside paths and the cutting down of overgrown shrubbery at the back of the bus shelter.
We all worked solidly for a couple of hours before deciding we had done enough. By then we could see that our efforts hadn’t been in vain and that the whole place had regained its ‘cared for’ look.
Under normal circumstances we would have adjourned to the Social Club for a cup of tea, a piece of cake and a good old chat but, because of Covid 19, no such arrangements had been made.
With promises to gather again in the Autumn we all looked forward to a time when hopefully the pandemic would be a thing of the past and we could really toast a good morning’s work.
‘Thank you’ to all who took part, see you again in the Autumn.
Village Clean-Up Day & Bulb Planting September 2020
Remember the slogan Keep Britain Tidy? Well, the national campaign was held from 11th – 27th September 2020.
With the aim of ‘improving the environment on your doorstep’, a group of Shrewton residents, under the guidance of the Village Matters group of Shrewton W.I., (approximately 36 in all) gathered at the Maddington Church Rooms to give an hour or so of their time to help improve the local environment.
We dug up weeds from the pavements, planted daffodil bulbs in the grass, trimmed overgrown hedging round the bus stop, trawled the riverbed for rubbish, washed and brushed out the bus shelter, pulled staples from the telegraph poles and collected up litter left lying around the Co-op and Doctor’s Surgery, etc. etc.
A very satisfying experience for all those involved …………. and we’ll be out there again in the Spring making sure that Shrewton continues to be shown off at its best.
With the aim of ‘improving the environment on your doorstep’, a group of Shrewton residents, under the guidance of the Village Matters group of Shrewton W.I., (approximately 36 in all) gathered at the Maddington Church Rooms to give an hour or so of their time to help improve the local environment.
We dug up weeds from the pavements, planted daffodil bulbs in the grass, trimmed overgrown hedging round the bus stop, trawled the riverbed for rubbish, washed and brushed out the bus shelter, pulled staples from the telegraph poles and collected up litter left lying around the Co-op and Doctor’s Surgery, etc. etc.
A very satisfying experience for all those involved …………. and we’ll be out there again in the Spring making sure that Shrewton continues to be shown off at its best.
Installing the new planters outside the Co-op
August 2020
Village Clean-Up Day November 2019
We had set the date the year before, the next clean-up was to be Saturday 2nd November 2019. How did any of us know that England would make it through to the final of the Rugby World Cup which would be played when? You guessed it, Saturday 2nd November 2019.
So we knew that many of our usual volunteers would be watching the match and enjoying bacon rolls at The Plume of Feathers rather than joining us to tiptoe through the river looking for discarded sweet wrappers, etc.
To make matters even worse, the weather forecast was dreadful - Shrewton was predicted to have heavy rain and gale force winds. Surely no one would turn out to join the W.I. clean-up team. But they did. The rain eased off just long enough for this select band to collect together 14 or 15 bags of rubbish before gathering in the Social Club for a warm drink and a piece of cake.
Well done, and 'thank you', to each and everyone of those brave souls.
So we knew that many of our usual volunteers would be watching the match and enjoying bacon rolls at The Plume of Feathers rather than joining us to tiptoe through the river looking for discarded sweet wrappers, etc.
To make matters even worse, the weather forecast was dreadful - Shrewton was predicted to have heavy rain and gale force winds. Surely no one would turn out to join the W.I. clean-up team. But they did. The rain eased off just long enough for this select band to collect together 14 or 15 bags of rubbish before gathering in the Social Club for a warm drink and a piece of cake.
Well done, and 'thank you', to each and everyone of those brave souls.
Bulb Planting October 2019
Planting bulbs around the 'Welcome to Shrewton' sign.
Village Clean-Up Day March 2019
Village Clean-Up Day October 2018
Our second village clean-up day of 2018.
Bulb Planting October 2018
A new location for our Autumn bulb planting - The grass triangle on approach to the village before Rollestone Manor.
Village Clean-Up Day April 2018
Village Clean-Up Day October 2017
Our second clean-up day of 2017.
Bulb Planting October 2017
Bulb planting at the Chitterne Triangle.
Two New Tubs October 2017
Planting up the two new tubs at the entrance to the village near Rollestone Manor
(courtesy of Margaret and Fred Harman).
(courtesy of Margaret and Fred Harman).
Maddington Churchyard Clean-Up 2017
The cleaning crew take a well-earned break from their hard work cleaning up the churchyard.
Village Clean-Up Day April 2017
Village Clean-Up Day November 2016
Teamwork!!
It started with the Village Matters group (part of Shrewton W.I.) who meet regularly to consider the village and how we might help to maintain and improve its appearance.
Concerns were raised about the land outside the Co-op and how, because it was used by motorists for parking, it was becoming a muddy eyesore as well as being a danger to pedestrians. We considered that by placing planters there we would improve the general environment as well as deter people from parking on the pavement. We had a plan!
Once we had permission from Wiltshire Council – it’s their land – and Shrewton Parish Council gave us the necessary funding, local groundsman Chris Taylor took no time in preparing the ground so that the planters could be placed and planted up by members of the W.I. who will continue to maintain them (as they do with the other eight tubs sited throughout the village).
A big ‘thank you’ goes to everyone who took part. What a team!!!
It started with the Village Matters group (part of Shrewton W.I.) who meet regularly to consider the village and how we might help to maintain and improve its appearance.
Concerns were raised about the land outside the Co-op and how, because it was used by motorists for parking, it was becoming a muddy eyesore as well as being a danger to pedestrians. We considered that by placing planters there we would improve the general environment as well as deter people from parking on the pavement. We had a plan!
Once we had permission from Wiltshire Council – it’s their land – and Shrewton Parish Council gave us the necessary funding, local groundsman Chris Taylor took no time in preparing the ground so that the planters could be placed and planted up by members of the W.I. who will continue to maintain them (as they do with the other eight tubs sited throughout the village).
A big ‘thank you’ goes to everyone who took part. What a team!!!
October 2016
Looking forward to the spring by planting bulbs on verges around the village.
