HOLMESFIELD VILLAGE SOCIETY

Hi Everyone

I hope this issue of the Parish Magazine finds you all well and surviving the Holmesfield winter! The good news is that we are now half way through winter and there are definite signs of Spring coming!

It’s time for planning the year ahead and that’s exactly what the Holmesfield Village Society committee have been doing at our recent meetings. We have a busy calendar of events in our lovely village for 2023.

The King’s Coronation this coming May is an extra special opportunity for a village event. We hope to add a big celebration party for the Coronation into our usual village calendar. More details will follow, and so for now, please save the date of THE CORONATION BIG LUNCH on Sunday 7th May.

Our annual favourites are already pencilled into the calendar such as Village Week – a full week of family activity in July, The Pumpkin Trail in October, Poppies for Remembrance Sunday in November, and Santa’s Grotto, the Christmas Tree and Carols in December.

Following the great comments and really positive feedback we have had about the ‘Hotel Transylvania’ film afternoon for children in November; we hope to hold more movie events at the Village Hall. Ideally these could take place more regularly, perhaps with different themes throughout the year. We have some ideas and would love to hear your suggestions for the movies that you would like to see, so please give us some feedback! We promised more information about our Photographic Competition which was mentioned in the January newsletter, and is open for entries now. We invite you to send in your best ‘winter photograph of Holmesfield’. The photo judged to be the best will be made into a card for sale for Christmas 2023. We aren’t setting any limitations for the image, as our card can be made to suit the perfect photograph. Whether it be portrait, landscape or panoramic whatever the scene demands; we can accept your entry as long as it is high resolution enough to print. Please send your image to holmesfieldvillage@gmail.com before March 31st 2023. The photos will be put to a ‘peoples vote’ in April to find the winner. Updates and competition terms and conditions will be available on our Facebook page and there will be a prize for the winner as well the card being printed to sell locally for Christmas and raise funds for village events and projects.

Holmesfield Village Society

New for this year will be a Smiling Sunflower competition. This competition for children will open in April and The Village Society will provide the seeds so that everyone will be growing the same variety. The objective is to grow the biggest flowerhead and the winner will receive a prize! Watch this space to find out where and when to get your free seeds.

We really hope you will get involved in these competitions and contribute your own ideas for events, competitions and activities – so please let us know!

If you have any requests, or ideas or you’d simply like to be more involved, please let us know either directly or via the email address holmesfieldvillage@gmail.com We look forward to hearing from you.

The Holmesfield Village Society’s goal is to build upon our great community spirit - that’s our aim across everything we do and have some fun and friendship along the way.

In the meantime, keep on looking forward to Spring – it really is just around the corner! Big Love – Helen, Alison, Elaine and Nick from The Holmesfield Village Society.

PS For all the latest info, keep an eye on our facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/holmesfield

Holmesfield Church Walking Group

There were no walks in January and February, but there are two walks in March.

Calton Lees Walk

The first walk is at 10.00am on Wednesday 1st March where Robin Greetham will lead a walk starting from the Cavendish club at Edensor (it is on the left just before the cattle grid). The route will follow the river to Calton Lees then go towards the Russian Cottage. Lunch (optional) will be at the Cavendish club. The walk is approximately 4 miles long but a short cut is available.

Ashford And Bakewell Lees Walk

The second walk is at 10.00am on Wednesday 29th March where Robin Greetham will lead a walk starting at The Bull’s Head Ashford (DE45 1QB). We will head off towards Churchdale Hall then walk for a short time on the Monsal Trail and on to the edge of Bakewell and back to Ashford.

Both walks are approximately 4 miles long and short cuts are available. If you would like to come on either walk just turn up on the day. The cost of the walks are £5 each and the proceeds will go to Holmesfield Church. Please phone Robin on 01246 412767 if you have any queries.

Temporary Road Closures

20th March to 7th April 2023: Barlow Lees Lane (near Barlow Lees Farm) to facilitate utility repair and maintenance works for BT Openreach.

30th March to 7th April 2023: Horsleygate Lane (near Grimsell Lane) to facilitate utility asset works for the National Grid.

Access will be maintained, whenever reasonably possible, on the affected length of road. The road will re-open as soon as the work is finished. This may be earlier than advertised. Derbyshire County Council apologises for any inconvenience caused while work takes place. Anyone needing further information should ring Call Derbyshire on 01629 533190.

Dronfield Community First Responders

Have you ever thought about giving something back to your local community?

Do you have 4 hours a week to spare? Why not become a Community First Responder?

Dronfield First Responders are all volunteers responding to 999 calls for the ambulance service in S18 and surrounding areas.

If you’re interested, get in touch via our Facebook page www.facebook.com/ DronfieldCFR or email dronfieldcfr@gmail.com

Holmesfield Gardening Association

The Gardening Association held its Annual General Meeting in February to pass the minutes of last year’s meeting, examine the accounts and plan visits and meetings for the coming year. All the committee members have done an excellent job; the finances were approved as our new treasurer – Chris Blanksby – gave us an excellent and comprehensive report, and for the time being we will continue to pay on the door and continue the raffle with our very own Hazel and Sylvia (who are always grateful for donated raffle prizes). Next year’s events have been planned by our Events and Social Organiser, Hilary Olsen, who has worked hard to achieve a full programme.

The Annual Show unfortunately showed a loss because of a fall in entries – most probably caused by the very hot weather.

Several evening Garden Visits have been organised in the local area this summer, some in the National Open Gardens Scheme and others not. These will be advertised in the Parish Newsletter as usual; one every month until next January as well as evening talks at Holmesfield Village Hall on the remaining Wednesday evenings. Our next evening talk will be on Wednesday 1st March and will be given by friends of Sheffield Botanical Gardens on the subject of ‘South African Plants in the Wild and the New South African plants in the Botanical Gardens’. This will be followed on Wednesday April 5th by a very comprehensive talk by Camilla Anderson on ’Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement and Edwardian gardens with a focus on the Gardens of Harold Peto’. Visitors are welcome to join us for the talk on this very important era in British gardening history. A modest charge of £2.00 is made for members and visitors alike.

In May we commence our evening visits to local gardens and the first will be to Horsley Gate Hall with details to be published nearer the date.

The annual coach trip will be to Wollaton Old Hall on Wednesday 21st June. This is a well known garden that has been featured on Gardeners World. The price of the coach is £15.00 and entrance to the Hall is £8.00.

As ever, all enquires should be to our garden visits and social organiser, Hilary Olsen, on 0114 2890927. Frances Webb

GLOW! : HOLMESFIELD YOUTH CLUB

Glow! is Holmesfield’s youth club and continues to be well attended offering great fun and stimulating entertainment.

It runs Mondays from 7.00pm to 8.30pm in Holmesfield St. Swithin’s Church Hall and is open to local young people in school years 7 to 13. Further info from Sarah Webb on 07929 582233