Sunday 26th April at approximately 8.45pm, 2 x Youths acting suspiciously in Wood Lane & Pepperwood Close, one wearing a black hoodie, the other a grey hoodie, aged approx.17/18 yrs. Police notified.
Please be vigilant, report any suspicious activity to the police.
The hardstanding that been laid south of the mini-island.is for the Safer Road Partnership enforcement van. They will be making periodic visits to the village to carry out speed enforcement.
Vehicles have been recorded driving at the point of 24 Stourbridge Road in excess of 70mph. Enforcement is one way of slowing down vehicles.
The Community Association has made great progress over the past few years (until 2016 you could drive through the village at 60mph and not get fined, FVCA fought for the 30mph to be legally enforceable) and is fighting for Road Tables at strategic points.
When Crossings were discussed in 2016, former County Councillor Sheila Blagg informed the Community Association that to install a Crossing would cost in excess of £100,000.
An installed Crossing would only slow vehicles down should someone be crossing or about to cross at that point. The Crossing would only serve as a safe crossing point at that point along Stourbridge Road.
Should funding be found for a Crossing (a minimum 10 year waiting list and not guaranteed) and agreed by the Community, the Crossing would be sited near School Drive and there would be some potential negative consequences, e.g. either side of the crossing would be no parking zig zags that would stop vehicles parking alongside the church wall, the only place in the village where parking in the village is the most convenient. Further lack of convenient parking may have an impact on village retail outlets and will push more School Parents parking onto narrow side roads, something that is going to get worse with up to an additional 35 vehicles coming in to the village each day with the school expansion.
Parking and Speeding are big issues and requires a mixture of measures to help make Stourbridge Road safer for the whole length through the village and not for just one point. The Community Association is pushing for Road Traffic Tables at strategic locations, e.g. at the village entrance.
Like you, the Community Association is frustrated at the lack of speed to get issues addressed. Getting the County Council to spend the required money in Fairfield is a painful process.
St. Mark’s Day
Our village church was named to honour St. Mark the Evangelist, whose feast day is on 25th April.
Mark was an Evangelist—one of the four men who wrote the Gospels found in the New Testament. Mark’s Gospel was written first, and it is the shortest description of Jesus’ life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension. Mark’s writings helped both Matthew and Luke to write their Gospels.
Mark was not one of the original Apostles, and he probably never knew Jesus. Instead, it is believed that he was a member of the first Christian community. In his writings, St. Peter refers to Mark as his “son.” Peter may have used this term to show his love for Mark, or he may have used it because he was the one who baptized Mark. It is believed that Peter was the primary source for Mark’s Gospel.
Mark travelled with Sts. Paul and Barnabas to spread the Good News about Jesus. During his imprisonment in Rome, Paul mentions Mark’s concern for him and writes about how helpful Mark is in the ministry of helping others to believe in Jesus (Colossians. 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11).
Mark founded the Church in Egypt and he became bishop of Alexandria, an important centre of trade and power during ancient times. He died there sometime between the years 68-74 AD as a martyr for his belief in Jesus.
Mark’s Gospel is a lasting treasure for all believers. He wrote his Gospel to help people know that Jesus was the Son of God who suffered and died to save us from sin and death. When we read Mark’s Gospel, we learn that to be a follower of Jesus, we, too, must be willing to make sacrifices, to “take up our cross and follow” (Mark 8:34) Jesus as he asks us to do.
The symbol for Mark is a lion with wings. That is because his Gospel begins with the story of John the Baptist, a “voice crying in the wilderness” (Mark 1:3), like the roaring of a lion. Lions are called the kings of the jungle. Mark’s Gospel tells us about Jesus’ royalty as God’s Son, a kingship we share through our Baptism.
We celebrate Saint Mark’s feast day on April 25 and he patron of Notaries, Venice, Barristers. His life and Gospel remind us to share the Good News about Jesus with others.
English Custom
‘Tis now, replied the village belle,
St. Mark’s mysterious eve,
And all that old traditions tell
I tremblingly believe;
How, when the midnight signal tolls,
Along the churchyard green,
A mournful train of sentenced souls
In winding-sheets are seen.
The ghosts of all whom death shall doom
Within the coming year,
In pale procession walk the gloom,
Amid the silence drear.’
It was the custom in villages in England, from the 17th century to the late 19th century, to sit in the church porch on St. Mark’s Eve. Those sitting had to keep silent between the bell tolling at 11.00 p.m. until the bell struck 1.00 a.m. In Yorkshire it was necessary to keep vigil for three successive nights. On the third such sitting, it was said that the ghosts of those to die during the year would be witnessed passing into the church. This practice took place throughout England, but was most prevalent in northern and western counties.
Some accounts of the custom state that the watchers must be fasting, or must circle the church before taking up position. The ghosts of those who were to die soon would be the first observed, while those who would almost see out the year would not be witnessed until almost 1.00 a.m. Other variations of the superstition say that the watchers would see headless or rotting corpses, or coffins approaching. Another tradition holds that a young woman can see the face of her future husband appear on her smock by holding it before the fire on St Mark’s Eve.
St. Mark’s Prayer
O ALMIGHTY God, who hast instructed thy holy Church with the heavenly doctrine of thy Evangelist Saint Mark:
Give us grace, that, being not like children carried away with every blast of vain doctrine, we may be established in the truth of thy holy Gospel;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Ongoing rural crime & we need your help stopping it
Livestock in the area are being targeted.
If something looks out of place, people acting suspicious, an out of place vehicle at the entrance to a field, strange noises late at night – REPORT IT
Ewes targeted in the Fairfield area and in nearby Chadwich, Saturday 18th April.
We appeal that all suspicious activity is reported to the police. Be Vigilant.
An ewe has today been stolen from the corner field on A4491 and Harbours Hill, Wildmoor. They perpetrator(s) have accessed from a gateway in Harbours Hill, Wildmoor.
The ewe had been hand-reared and was easy to get hold of. It appears that the perpetrator(s) have slit the ewe’s throat on site, due to the amount of blood in the gateway.
Police are looking for owner of a Renault Megane that was in the area, even if to rule out of enquiries.
If you saw any suspicious activity today or over the past few days, something looking out of place, a car hanging around, please contact the police.
Please be vigilant. Report all suspicious activity to the police.
Crime Reference Number is 22/32104/20
Two ewes stolen from field off Money Lane, leaving two sets of twin lambs, who without mum could starve to death.
The ewes were dragged across the field and over barbed wire fencing and then dragged under a gate onto the roadside.
If you have seen any suspicious activity in this area during the past few days please contact the police ref: 22/31040/20.
Please be vigilant, if you see or hear anything suspicious such as unusual noises from a field of sheep late a night or vehicles parked in gateways, please report to the police.
You can now report scam text messages by forwarding them to ‘7726’ and emails to NFIBPhishing@city-of-london.pnn.police.uk
You may not have fallen for it, but others may!
By reporting them, Action Fraud can take down the service the criminals are using.
Please check your sheds and outbuildings, one inquisitive cat has gone walkabouts, please help reunite with owners.
Last seen on Wednesday evening, the cat is a large ginger Tom called buster – He has no white markings.
