Notices

As the Cyclamen flowers fade away, the Pansies start to bloom in the Community planter (Yew Tree Lane – Stourbridge Road junction), maintained by dedicated volunteers, thank you

We need YOU to be part of our Nativity on Christmas Eve, 4pm in the Village Hall.  16 adults are needed to fill the various parts, our readthrough will be on Thursday 11th December 7pm – 7.30pm in St. Mark’s (wrap up warm, there’s no heating).  Please help bring joy to the season. There’s no need to memorise the script.

On Sunday 9th November 2025, our community gathered at the War Memorial to remember those members of the armed forces and civilians who died in service of our nation. Wreaths were laid by the Parish Council, Community Association, Women’s Institute & Fairfield First School.

Thank you to everyone who came, the collection raised £145.05, which will be donated to the Royal British Legion.

LUXlife magazine applauds the winners of this year’s Hospitality Awards, which includes Bromsgrove Arts, winning best community arts venue in Worcestershire.

TheLUXlife Hospitality Awards recognise businesses and individuals going above and beyond for their clients, customers, and guests in the hospitality industry, and the team at LUXlife is proud to announce the tenth instalment of this esteemed programme.

Awarded with Best Historical Slovenian Walking Tours Provider 2025, The Crow’s Flight graces the cover of this year’s Hospitality Awards’ magazine. It’s LUXlife’s pleasure to applaud The Crow’s Flight for its dedication, especially because “true luxury begins with human connection”. Bringing people together and helping them to create memories to last a lifetime, through meaningful connection and adventure, this award-winning tour provider continues to elevate what it means to be part of the hospitality industry.

Of course, LUXlife is delighted to announce all of this year’s successful businesses, and the individuals behind them, as the hospitality industry continues to thrive. From restaurants to wineries, travel services to yacht catering experiences, and so much more, the 2025 programme is varied, influential, and a milestone for both the awardees and LUXlife.

Awards Coordinator Melissa Bramall commented on the winners within 2025’s Hospitality Awards: “Our commitment to recognising and rewarding businesses for their craft is something that remains unwavering. It is always a delight to be part of a team dedicated to acknowledging excellence and providing opportunities for that excellence to be showcased, and I want to congratulate our winners again for their hard work.”

Bromsgrove Arts is a Fairfield Village Community Association initiative, a spokesperson for the Community Association said:  “We are bowled over with winning this award, which recognises the fantastic service our volunteers deliver to enable us to bring people together and to reduce loneliness & social isolation by using cinematic and performing arts; it is they, along with all our audience supporters, that make our Bromsgrove Arts initiative what it is today, a warm, welcoming community arts initiative.”

To find out more about these prestigious awards, and the dedicated establishments that have been selected for them, please visit https://lux-life.digital/lux_awards/global-hospitality-awards/ where you can view the winners supplement and full winners list.

https://lux-life.digital/winners/fairfield-village-community-association-bromsgrove-arts-fairfield-flicks

Bromsgrove Arts

Fairfield Village Community Association launched Bromsgrove Arts (BARTS) in 2019, a Community Entertainment initiative, based at Fairfield Village Hall (B61 9LZ), that use cinematic and live performing arts to bring people together and to reduce loneliness & social isolation.  The BARTS programme is varied, and includes National Theatre Live, Andre Rieu, and movie screenings, and has become a popular venue giving quality live music and small-scale professional touring drama a platform to shine.

Delivered by a team of volunteers, the BARTS team aim to keep ticket & bar prices affordable, and there is no booking fee when purchasing tickets online.

For information and advanced tickets for all events visit www.bromsgrovearts.org.uk

On Thursday 4th September, residents from our community joined the residents of Belbroughton and Chaddesley Corbet to welcome our new priest Rev. Chloë Hewett.

The service was led by Bishop Martin Gorick (Bishop of Dudley & Acting Bishop of Worcester) and supported by the Archdeacon of Worcester (Mark Badger) with clergy from across the West Midlands also in attendance.

The Licencing and Installation service was held in a packed Holy Trinity Church, which was also had a sizable number of people from church where Chloë undertook her training. Following the formal service everyone enjoyed a buffet supper at Belbroughton Church Hall, the food kindly provided by volunteers from all three churches in the group.

Welcome Chloë to Fairfield, Wildmoor & Stoneybridge.

Residents and local farmers came together on Sunday 12th October for our village Harvest Festival service. Despite the low numbers supporting this annual village event, the generosity of those people attending was fantastic, with several boxes of food being donated to Dodford Children’s Farm and a similar number to Bromsgrove’s Basement Project. The collection was shared with The Royal Countryside Fund, which supports farmers and rural community, the fund receiving £55.00.

Huge thanks for all your kind donations, and to the team that decorated the church, it looked amazing.

This year’s Remembrance Service will be held on Sunday 9th November, a short act of remembrance will be held at the village war memorial, starting 10.50am.

Over the coming weeks large Poppies will be placed around the village by a group of fantastic volunteers: Ian, Dannii, Paula, Bryn, Dave and Sharon. These poppies have been purchased from the Royal British Legion, funded by the Community Association. They will hopefully symbolise our community’s collective remembrance of those people who died in time of war.

Individuals may wish to buy their own large Poppy for their property; each poppy comes supplied with two nylon cable ties so it can be secured to multiple items; the nylon ties can be recycled with your plastic waste. The poppy can be used both inside, like in your window, and also outdoors, so that you can display your poppy with pride. The poppy measures 40cm (H) x 36cm (W) (widest part). All money raised will go to the Royal British Legion.

We will have a few poppies left over after decorating the village. If you would like to buy one of these, please email admin@fvca.org.uk

Our annual Harvest Festival service will be on Sunday 12th October, starting 11.15am at our village church.

This short service will include upbeat songs and poems, and the charities being supported are Royal Countryside Fund, Dodford Children’s Farm and the Basement Project

Please do join us

Stoneybridge’s Beacon Barkers has been named a FINALIST in THREE categories at the 2025 Pet Industry Federation Awards:

🏆 Kennel of the Year
🏆 Dog Walking Business of the Year
🏆 Grooming Business of the Year

Winners will be announced early November at the PIF Awards Gala.

It is with great sadness that we have to share the news of the death of Sheila Bretherton, who is now reunited with her husband Eddie Bretherton, who died several years ago.

Sheila was a well known resident, previously living in Dodford, supporting many village events and was a member of the Women’s Institute for many years.

Despite her advancing years and failing hearing, Sheila would, until very recently, continue to attend events, and will be missed.

Our thoughts go out to Sheila’s family, especially to daughter Sarah and son John.

Our Community Shop has turned one and we need your views with regard its future.

We would appreciate your feedback in our online survey. All responses will remain confidential and secure. Thank you in advance for your valuable insights. Your input will be used to ensure that we continue to meet your needs. We appreciate your trust and look forward to serving you in the future.

We have contracted with QuestionPro, an independent research firm, to field your confidential survey responses. Please click on this link to complete the survey:

https://questionpro.com/t/APKtTZ6yqU

Please contact admin@fvca.org.uk with any questions.

The 80th anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over Japan) takes place on Friday 15 August 2025, commemorating the end of the Second World War.

While VE Day (Victory in Europe) marked the end of the war in Europe in May 1945, many thousands of Armed Forces personnel were still engaged in fighting in the Far East. Victory over Japan would come at a heavy price, and Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) marks the day Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945, which ended the Second World War.

Fighting in the Asia-Pacific took place from Hawaii to North-East India. Britain and the Commonwealth’s principle fighting force, the Fourteenth Army, was one of the most diverse in history – more than 40 languages were spoken, and all the world’s major religions represented.

The descendants of many of the Commonwealth veterans of that army are today part of multicultural communities around the world, a lasting legacy to the success and comradeship of those who fought in the Asia-Pacific.

To mark this occasion, we invite you to:

Light a candle during the evening of 15 August and place a symbol of peace in your window, download an outline of a dove, you may wish to ask a child to colour it in, and in the space provided write down your Pledge of Peace.

Please take a photo of your candle and your symbol & pledge of peace and share on our social media accounts (tagging in our handle), or email admin@fvca.org.uk for us to share.

We are also asking the community to write a short poem or your thoughts on the theme of peace.  Pop your poem in the Village Hall letterbox or email it to admin@fvca.org.uk  by 12^th August.  Our plan is to share these poems on our website and in the village hall’s front window, so that they can be read on 15 August.

Giant Hogweed has been found growing on the verge of A491 on both sides of the entrance to Wildmoor Quarry.

One is already in bloom, two have buds and there are others currently in leaf. Potentially a public health issue if someone comes into contact with the plant, so PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH.

Worcestershire Highways have been notified.

Giant hogweed is an immensely tall umbellifer (can grow up to 5 metres tall) that displays large, white, umbrella-like clusters of flowers. Its hollow stem is ridged and purple-spotted, and its leaves are large and divided.

The plant produces phytotoxic sap. The sap contains photosensitizing furanocoumarins, which in contact with human skin and combined with UV radiation cause skin burnings. Damaged skin will heal very slowly. Contact can also develop into phytophotodermatitis. This is a type of skin condition that flares up in sunlight and for which there is no straightforward treatment. The intensity of the reaction depends on individual sensitivity. The danger to human health complicates eradication efforts.

If you come across Giant Hogweed elsewhere in Fairfield, Wildmoor or Stoneybridge, please contact us, admin@fvca.org.uk, so that we can monitor and report.

On Saturday 3^rd May, a 1940s Night was held at Fairfield Village Hall, with people enjoying a selection of 40s songs, a Fish & Chip supper, followed by songs from the 50s & 60s. 

And on 8^th May, the 80th Anniversary of VE Day, a small group of residents and children from Fairfield Preschool attended a short service at the village war memorial, during which the speech given by King George VI was read, two-minutes silence, a wreath was laid and a poem was also read out.

Thank you to everyone who came to our Community Challenge & AGM last night, Wednesday 20th March. 

Despite not many people attending, those present enjoyed the wine & nibbles, and the Community Challenge rounds, which were great fun, some people got carried away with the nursery rhymes.

The committee for the year ahead was elected.  We still have a few spaces if you would like to join us (it’s only 4 or 5 meetings a year).

To view the draft minutes for this year’s Community Association AGM visit https://fvca.org.uk/community-association/

Every year, it is disappointing that not many residents attend our AGMs, which celebrates us as a community and that shows its appreciation for all the volunteers who work hard to benefit Fairfield, Wildmoor & Stoneybridge.   If you don’t agree with what others in the community are doing to benefit where we all live, tell us, and if you appreciate what is being done, by attending this annual event, and occasionally others during the year, it will mean so much to the team.

Dog fouling is an issue that is often raised with the Community Association, and we keep asking that people pick up their dog’s mess from the footpath, verge, farmland and other people’s gardens.

Dog excrement, in addition to it being messy and smelly, can carry bacteria and worms that can be harmful to humans and livestock.

When it comes to the law relating to dog fouling, ignorance is NOT bliss.

Dog fouling in public places is included in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, introduced in 2014.

Public places covered by the law include:

• roads, pavements and public footpaths
• parks and green spaces
• town centres and shopping precincts
• car parks
• playing fields, playgrounds and school grounds

Dog fouling can be reported to Bromsgrove District Council https://www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/residents/my-place/street-cleaning/dog-fouling/ . The penalty for not clearing up dog fouling can be up to £1,000 if taken to court, but there is also provision for a fixed penalty scheme.

Exceptions to the offence are:

• The person in charge of the dog has a reasonable excuse for not clearing up. (Being unaware of the fouling or not having the means to clean up is not an excuse.)
• The owner or occupier of the land has consented to the faeces being left
• The person puts the faeces in a bin on the land
• The person in charge of the dog has a registered visual impairment

There are some areas where picking up is not a legal requirement (unless a specific order or bylaw has been placed), and these are heathland, woodland, land used for the grazing of animals.  However, farmers/landowners can seek a private prosecution, using a relevant piece of legislation.  Remember, excrement in the grass and feed can kill livestock, abort unborn lams & calves and can end up on the food that you eat.

With regard the incident that mentioned.  Even though it is fitting that the dog mess should be picked up the legal bit is unclear and whether the mess should be legally picked up will depend on where the dog mess was, i.e. if the dog mess was adjacent to that part of Wood Lane that is a track between Wood Lane Farm and the entrance to Pepperwood that land is private, does not belong to Worcestershire County Council and is designated a bridle path, therefore, it is up to the landowner to say whether he permits dog fouling on his land.

In response to a request from a group of residents, the Community Association gathered responses requesting a Community Governance Review.

The number of responses requesting a Community Governance Review did not achieve the required number of responses and have now been shredded.

Even though responses did not achieve the threshold, it was clear, from the number of responses received, that there are residents who wish that a review to take place.

Earlier today (Monday 27 January 2025) residents and children from Fairfield First School & Fairfield Preschool came together to plant the Coronation Orchard on the Recreation Ground. Huge thanks to everybody for giving up their time.

This project has been made possible thanks to support received from Worcestershire Council and our Divisional County Councillor, Shirley Webb, plus permission to use the Recreation Ground from Belbroughton & Fairfield Parish Council.

In the autumn, the Community Association will be calling on volunteers to help plant daffodil and snowdrop bulbs amongst the orchard trees, and eventually an information board will be erected giving details of each fruits tree and what each fruit can be used for, e.g. a culinary apple or a dessert apple.

The Community Association would also like to thank ACERTREES, who are based in the village, for providing beech chippings that have been used as mulch.

Are you a dog owner and do you care about their welfare?

Think about what could happen to you and your dog, if it is allowed to be loose around livestock.

West Mercia Police have recently had a number of reports of livestock worrying across North Worcestershire.

Livestock worrying is when loose dogs chase or attack farmed animals and it is a serious problem. Even well-behaved dogs can exhibit predatory behaviour around livestock like sheep or cows. This behaviour can cause the animals to become extremely stressed or injured, and can be fatal.

Livestock worrying isn’t just a risk to animal welfare; it causes significant distress and financial losses to farmers.

Responsible dog ownership is essential in preventing livestock worrying. You should always keep your dog under control and on a lead when around livestock, even if you believe your dog is well trained. This shouldn’t just be considered when out and about with your dogs, you should also remember to ensure that your property or boundaries are secure enough to prevent your dogs escaping and venturing into agricultural land.

As well as an owner being prosecuted for an offence, it is worth remembering that a farmer does have a legal right to shoot a dog in order to protect their property. None of us would like this to happen.

Further information about how to safely enjoy the countryside can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code/the-countryside-code-advice-for-countryside-visitors

A resident has informed us that they had a nasty encounter this morning with a fast driving vehicle on the narrow part of Claypit Lane, the driver failed to slow down and the residents had to squeeze into the hedge, waving to him to slow down. The resident said “thank heaven I didn’t have a child or dog with me. Dread to think what would have happened if I was on a horse”.

Other residents have also reported similar incidents, such as on Swan Lane.

Unfortunately, according to studies, most drivers who speed or drive at an inappropriate speed are local or regular use a specific road; for a large portion of Claypit Lane it’s the National Speed Limit, which some people see as a target, rather than drive at a speed that takes into consideration the road condition, environment and potential hazards, such as walkers.

Some motorists want other motorists to slow down, but not them, because they are “good drivers”, and they complain about the enforcement van, but their attitude changes when someone they know gets killed.