Author: FVCA

The next Community Association Committee Meeting is on Wednesday 23rd November 2022 at 7.30pm in the Barton Room at the Village Hall.

Below the agenda, which appears long, but most are one/two-line updates.

Item 5: A step-by-step guide to setting up a charity can be found at https://www.gov.uk/set-up-a-charity At this stage, we are considering whether to register a charity, and if it is agreed further work will be required, which will need to be approved by the FVCA committee before putting to the Community. If it is agreed by the FVCA committee and approved by the Charity Commission that we become a Registered Charity, any application to become a Registered Charity and change to the constitution would require a motion at an AGM or EGM, and if approved, committee members would become charity trustees; our next AGM should be in March 2023. Should it be decided that we do register as a charity – and should we be accepted by the Charity Commission – in addition to being able to apply for more grants, we would also be able to claim gift aid.

AGENDA

1. Apologies

2. Approval of minutes of previous meeting

3. Chair’s Report

4. Finance/Treasurer’s Report

5. Consider registering as a charity

6. Highways Update

7. Postbox Update

8. Wildmoor Quarry Expansion

9. Pepper Wood Extension

10. Activities/Initiatives: Update & Future Plans

a. Newsletters

b. Neighbourhood Watch

c. Keep Fairfield Tidy

d. Dining Group

e. Social Saturdays

f. Foodie Fairfield

g. Festive Fairfield

i. Village Christmas Tree

ii. Village Advent Calendar

iii. Santa’s Grotto (3rd December)

iv. Carols Around The Christmas Tree (21st December)

v. NYE Party (31st December)

h. Fairfield Walkers

i. Social Wednesdays

j. Harvest Festival

k. Remembrance Sunday

l. Pancake Race 2023 (18th February)

m. Picnic 2023 (9th July)

n. Summer Fete 2023 (19th August)

o. Recording History

p. Coronation of King Charles (6th May & B/Hol 8th May)

q. Fairfield Flicks

r. Brewery Events

s. Inn in the Hall (The Forfeld Inn)

11. Proposed Expenditure:

a. Purchase of Lindr Machine

b. Purchase of Publicity Materials

c. Book Speakers/Activities for Social Wednesdays

12. Growing the Committee

13. Any other business

14. Date of Next Meeting

Residents gathered on Remembrance Sunday (13th November) for a short service at the village war memorial.

Wreaths were laid by Bromsgrove Police (our local Safer Neighbourhood Team), Fairfield Village Community Association, Fairfield First School & Fairfield Womens Institute.

The collection raised £82.10 for the Royal British Legion.

Following the service, residents enjoyed refreshments & cake inside the village hall.

The following dates have been arranged where members of the public can help plant some trees:

Afternoon of Weds 7th Dec (from 1.30pm until 4pm)

Morning of Saturday 10th Dec (10am until 2pm)

If volunteering, please park at the village hall and walk to Swan Inn car park where site directions will be given.

Email received 3rd October from Deborah Buey, Escalated Resolution Team, Royal Mail:

“I have leased (sic) with the Manager, he has advised this has been passed to the company Romec that place the Post Boxes on behalf of Royal Mail. I am sorry to advise at this time we do not know when this is going to be sited in the village.

I am sorry that I can not be of any further assistance at this time.”

No further information is known, we do not know which of the four suggested sites have been identified, but it does look like that progress is being made to restore a postal collection service in the village.

According to the Royal Mail website, Romec was launched in 2002, by Royal Mail as a fully-fledged facilities management company and in 2017 “the Romec and Royal Mail Group Property companies combined and are known as ‘Royal Mail Property & Facilities Solutions’.” About Us | Royal Mail Property & Facilities Management Services (royalmailpfs.com)

After the success of the last two years, and many residents wishing to see it again, Fairfield will once again recreate a neighbourhood Advent Calendar.

What is a Village Advent Calendar?

On a given date, something festive is placed in the window (or garden) of a property in Fairfield, that can be viewed by people passing by.  The display staying in place until the end of Christmas day.  Examples of displays are: Christmas wreaths, The whole Nativity Scene, Candles, Father Christmas, Twelves Days of Christmas, Santa & Rudolf in the snow, Winter tree wonderland, and so on.

How can I take part?

Email admin@fvca.org.uk with your address details, your preferred “unveil” date (1^st to 24^th December) and an outline of your display (to reduce likelihood of duplication – it would be fantastic if we had at least 24 different displays).  We will then confirm your calendar “unveil” date.

For the Advent Calendar to works, displays must not be unveiled until the stated “unveil” date.

Then, during December, residents and visitors can wander around the village, enjoying the festive displays.  We will publish a map of properties taking part in late November, this can be downloaded from the village website’s Festive Fairfield page Festive Fairfield – Fairfield Village Community Association (fvca.org.uk), a map will also get posted on the village hall (outside) noticeboard.

If you visit a display, take a photo and share on our twitter feed @Fairfield_Info or email it to us admin@fvca.org.uk

If you are looking for inspiration, checkout some of last year’s Advent Calendar Windows CLICK HERE

DATE	PROPERTY ADDRESS	OUTLINE DISPLAY	PROPERTY ADDRESS	OUTLINE DISPLAY
1	Cygnet Barn, Swan Lane	Nativity
2	32 Stourbridge Road	Santa’s Workshop
3	186 Stourbridge Road	Natural Christmas tree with crafty decorations
4	Barn Owl Cottage, Stourbridge Road
5	Cross Court, Swan Lane	Let your light shine
6	Fairfield Dental Surgery
7	Fairfield Preschool
8	24 Yew Tree Lane
9	Fairfield First School	Letters to Santa
10	Primrose Cottage, 153 Stourbridge Road	Rudolph and some reindeer
11	59 Stourbridge Road
12	31 Mount Road
13	High House Farm, Stourbridge Road
14	Fairfield Court (House)
15	20 Yew Tree Lane
16	112 Stourbridge Road
17	21 Stourbridge Road	Snow scene & a large snowman
18	57 Stourbridge Road
19	55 Stourbridge Road	Christmas ice skating scene
20	10 Pepperwood Close	Five Gold Rings
21	Yew Tree Farm, Bournheath Road	Frosty The Snowman
22	Old Police House, 198 Stourbridge Rd
23	83 Brook Road
24	28 Stourbridge Road	Stars/Angels

The annual service of Remembrance will take place on Sunday 13^th November, starting at 10.50am, at the War Memorial in front of Fairfield Village Hall.  The short service will be led by St. Mark’s Church. Donations received will be given to the Royal British Legion.

In the evening, we are screening OPERATION MINCEMEAT (12A), starting 7.30pm, admission £5.00.