BKV awareness was acheived through coverage in the Stone and Eccleshall Gazette , village website, the Parish Magazine and through Village Community Group Annual Report. There was a good display of BKV posters throughout the village, including every window in the Village Hall.
There were also many childrens posters and the children are to be commended for such a good effort.
All notice boards were in good condition with up-to-date information, relevant local information (but there were some out of date notices in the Church Lane (Parish) boards in June.
Recycling awareness was very good, with details of collections and "skip day" times.
Dog fouling awareness was covered with plenty of notices throughout the village and several bins.
The churchyard was generally neat, clean and tidy, with well tended edges and good borders, during both judgings. However, the older part was not so well maintained, and the judges felt that this area would be suited to creating a "wild flower/conservation area".
The village hall surrounds and car park were well maintained, with a pleasant area at the rear, although there were signs of weed growth in June.
Both Public Houses were well kept, clean and tidy, with a BKV poater at the Brushmakers Arms. (Judges noted the entry form notes about the car park opposite)
The telephone box looked untidy and uncared for snd needed a sweep out. Unfortunately the telephone appered to have been vandalised.
Bus shelters were in very good condition and well maintained.
All village signs were well maintained and clearly visible
The war memorial was simple but very tidy and cared for
The large public open spaces were well cared for; very neat, tidy and with no litter.
The smaller spaces were also well looked after; these were well mown, clean and tidy, although there was some dog mess in May.
Private gardens were excellent overall; some were tended better than others, but not one was neglected.
There was a very good array of well maintained play equipment, with the safety surfaces,all in good condition.
The map was good and reasonably easy to follow, but the judges felt that that it was not easy to differentiate between the colours (orange, pink and red). The map could be further improved by attaching the key numbers relating to BKV features as set out in the entry form.
The overall cleanliness of the village was excellent, with no evidence of litter; and only one dog mess (in May). There was clear evedence of community effort by all concerned to keep the village clean and tidy.
Oulton demonstrated a good community spirit, which had resulted in a very neat and tidy village. Judges were impressed by BKV awareness and publicity, and the wide array of children's posters, the notice boards containing good local information, the excellent play area, good bus shelters and the overall cleanliness of the village. There is some room for improvement, notably the older part of the churchyard and the telephone box and the map, but the community awareness and involvement that has developed is commendable.
Competition in Stafford District was very keen again in 2011, so congratulations on your well earned Highly Commended Award this year and good luck in 2012.
John T Perry. MBE
Chairman, BKV Working Group
October 2011
Best Kept Village 2011 - Stafford District Result
The presentation for the Best Kept Village 2011 was held at Rodbaston College on Monday 1st August. Fifty-one villages in Staffordshire entered, in five districts which included Stafford District, South Staffs, Lichfield/Cannock Chase, Staffs Moorlands/Newcastle and East Staffs. Stafford District, of which Oulton village was part had the highest number of entries of all the districts. Oulton Best Kept Village Committee is pleased that, for the third year running, the village has succeeded in gaining a Highly Commended certificate. The scoring was very close and competition fierce so this acheivement is very welcome. The district winner in the small village category was Burston and the large village trophy winner was Haughton.
The committee would like to thank all those individuals and groups or took part in the organised tidy-ups and to all those residents who continue to help make Oulton a great place to live.
Images of Oulton
click on image to enlarge
Following the success of Oulton's entry into the Best Kept Village Competition 2010 when we were Highly Commended, the Community Group has voted to enter again for 2011.
We all know we live in a great village with a fantastic community spirit, but we need to convey that to the BKV Judges.
They will be visiting the village between 1st May and the end of July 2010 and we mean to build on our success last year, and win the prestigious title of Best Kept Small Village in Stafford District.
The Judges will be looking for the following from our community;-
1/ Community awareness of the Best Kept Village Competition
2/ Community Groups' involvement
3/ Childrens Poster Campain. These will mainly be done by the children of Oulton First School, but any children who do not attend are more than welcome to display their posters in the windows of their homes.
4/ Local information displayed on notice boards etc
5/ Recycling awareness
6/ Dog Fouling awareness
7/ Tidyness around public building i.e/ village halls, public houses etc.
8/ Tidyness of Church grounds and War Memorials
9/ Clean and tidy telephone boxes, bus shelters and othe rpublic amenities
10/ Well kept public open spaced i.e. the playpark
11/ Tidyness of private gardens
12/ General cleanliness around the village including litter and overgrown vegetation.
To this end we would urge all residents to do their best to keep the village tidy and free from litter and weeds.
Even if you cannot join the organized events there is always some small gesture which, if we all join in, will help make the appearance of the village the best it can possibly be.
Images of Oulton
click on image to enlarge
Royal Wedding Celebrations
Oulton Village Hall Committee have organised a party to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. The Party, on Saturday 30th April, will start at 6.00 pm with a barbecue. There will be entertainment for the young and older people alike, culminating in a grand firework display. Invitations, with a nomimal ticket price of £2.50 have been delivered to all villagers.
Over 150 people turned out on a very blustery Saturday night to celebrate the wedding of Prince William and Cattherine Middleton.
Members of the Village Hall Committee and other community groups helped decorate the hall with bunting, Union Flags and red, white and blue balloons. There was music and dancing and a great time was had by all. The evening culminated in a grand firework display at 9.00 pm
Photo supplied by Martin Robinson. Click on image to enlarge
Road Repairs
After two hard winters the roads in and around the village are showing the effect of frost damage. Members of the BKV Committee have been around the village and catalogued a number of areas for concern. These have been reported to Staffordshire County Council Highways Division who have repaired some of them, and scheduled other to repair in the near future. The area at the junction of Church Lane and Convent Lane is a bone of contention as SCC maintain that this part of Convent Lane is unadopted. BKV and Oulton Community Group along with Stone Rural Parish Council are working to get this area of the highway repaired.
Daffodil Planting
Residents and visitors to the village will have already noticed the fabulous display of daffoldils on the roadsides. These were planted late last year by Elaine and Martin Robinson in anticipation of our entry into this year's competition. Their hard work has paid off handsomely, as have the planting of primroses and dwarf daffodils at the rear of the Village Hall.
The local Brownie group has kindly provided tubs with seasonal plants around the Village Hall. Thank you to all those involved.
Nesting Boxes
As part of the managed woodland at the rear of the Village Hall, Stone Common Plott Committee have provided four nesting boxes. We hope that the boxes will have residents this Spring. We would like to thank the Committee and Martin Robinson for arranging this
click on image to enlarge
Litter Picks
We have organized three litter picks in the village on the following dates.
We will start at the parish Notice Board in Church Lane, litter grabbers and sacks will be provided.
Sunday 1st May 2011 at 10.00 am
The first liiter pick resulted in only a small amount of litter being collected by members of the Oulton Community Group and Oulton WI. Well done all those who attended and to all villagers who have helped to keep the village tidy.
Tuesday 31st May at 7.00 pm
Second litter pick concentrated on the spare land which used to be the car park for the Wheatsheaf and the Brushmakers. Whilst this area is not included in the judging, being private and and subject to a planning application for development, the committee feels that we should do all we can to maintain the appearance of the the whole village. Thanks go to Diane from the Brushmakers for helping to keep this area tidy on an ongoing basis, even though she has no official resposibilty for it. The rest of the village was in a very good condition except for the presence of paper shreds left from the recycling collection. We would urge all residents who shred personal documents for security reasons to put the shedded paper into paper bag before placing in the bin as this will ensure that paper shreds do not escape to fly around the village during the
Wednesday 29th June 7.30 pm
Members of Oulton Community Group were joined by residents for a litter pick around the village. Not much litter was collected which is testament to residents commitment to help keep Oulton tidy
We would urge all residents to do all they can to Keep Oulton Tidy in the intervening period.
Childrens Posters
Oulton First School have, again, kindly agreed to mount the Childrens poster campaign and these can be viewed in the windows of the village hall and at various sites around the village.
The children from Oulton Abbey Playgroup have also provided a very colourful display. This can be viewed in the Village Hall window.
Plant Troughs
Village resident John Haine has made two fantastic wooden plant troughs to be sited at the Parish Notice Board and at the entrance to the Village Hall. Alongside the fabulous displays evident in private gardens, these will add a splash of colour during the Summer months. Local residents and groups have volunteered to look after the troughs. Oulton Womens Institute, with a contribution from long term resident Jose Harvey, have provided funds for the provision of the plant trough at the Village Hall whilst Oulton Community Group will fund the other. The geraniums have been kindly supplied by Jenny Grainger of The Olde Post Office Bed and Breakfast. Parish Councillor Dave Scrivens has made a further planter to be placed on the corner of Church Lane and St Johns Close. Our thanks go to all those who have contributed.
click on image to enlarge
Community Notice Boards
The Parish Council has agreed to the siting of Community Notice boards in the bus shelters in Church Lane and Kibblestone Road.
Parish Councillor and builder Peter Roberts has made the notice boards which are now in situ.
These will be for the use of residents, and local groups to promote services and events.
Telephone Kiosk
The redundant telephone kiosk in Kibblestone Rd has been offered for "adoption" by BT. We feel that the kiosk is an integral part of our streetscene and would like to retain it for commuity use, perhaps as an information centre. We are working closely with the Parish Council and BT to secure its future.
During the Christmas period 2010/2011 Martin and Elaine Robinson installed a Christmas tree in the kiosk complete with lights, much to the delight of residents and visitors alike.
With the help of our Villlage Agent we are looking to create a series of Heritage Trails around the village in 2011, with the kiosk as the focal point and information centre. A application for funding is being compiled by Sue Haine, Chair of Oulton Community Group.
Dog Fouling Awareness
A member of the BKV Committe has contacted Streetscene to replace dog fouling notices around the village. Dog fouling has been a concern for all the children of Oulton First School which can be seen in the posters displayed around the village. If you have a dog please be considerate and scoop that poop.
Recycling Awareness
Information regarding kerbside collections has been displayed in the Parish and Community Notice boards along with addresses and opening times of the Recycling Centre at Stone Business Park. Visit from the local amenity skip, organised by the Parish Council, are to be announced at a later date.
Village Hall Benches
Two rustic benches have been installed in the grassed area beneath the rock face at the rear of the Village Hall. These were provided by Stone Rural Parish Council as part of the Village Hall 75th Anniversary celebrations. These will provide a welcome rest in what has got to one of the most attractive village hall surroundings in the area. Plaques have been fixed to the benches to acknowledge this donation from the Parish Council.
Daniel Smith Blues Band
Members of Oulton Community Group and Village Hall Committee organised a gig by the Daniel Smith Blues Band in February 2011 to raised funds for both organisations.
An appreciative crowd of over 90 people were entertained by the fabulous Daniel Smith Blues Band on Saturday 5th February 2011. The show opened with the classic Pinetop Boogie-Woogie and followed through with tunes by Otis Spann among others, along with self-penned songs from Dan himself. Even soul fans were catered for with Booker T's "Green Onions" and Dobie Gray's "In-Crowd". By the end of the evening many were up and dancing in the ailses showing their appreciation by demanding an encore. This very successful gig was supported by Live and Local and organised to raise funds for Village Hall funds. Thanks to all those who helped stage the event, and all those who came to the show.
A Long Weekend
What happens when a weekend away turns into a nightmare for all concerned. Day-Star Theatre performed a very atmospheric play in March 2011 about mistaken identities which results in tradegy. Over fifty people watched this gifted small theatre group perform, bringing people in the village together and raising funds for the ongoing maintenance of the Village Hall. Thanks to the Village Hall Management Committee, all those who helped at the event and all those who attended.
Oulton Village Festival 2011
After last years very successful fete in the grounds of Oulton Abbey, Oulton Village Hall Committee hope that you will all join them in this years event. Preparations are well under way. Events will open with Stone Scout and Guide Band and visitors are invited to partake of the cakes stalls, tombolas, white elephant staffs etc. There will be raffles, a Police sniffer dog display, pony and traction engine rides and ice cream and refreshments for all the family, and more. The fete will take place on Saturday 16th July between 2.00 and 4.00 pm. Entrance to the fete is £1,for adults, 50p for children or £2.50 for a family ticket. All profits from the fete will go to Oulton Village Hall Funds. Oulton Village Hall Committee thanks Dame Benedicta of Oulton Abbey for agreeing to the fete being held in the wonderful surroundings of the Abbey.
Following the fete, on Sunday 17th July at 4.00 pm the Reverend Paul Kingman will lead a Songs of Praise in the grounds of Oulton Village Hall. Refreshments will be available in the Village Hall afterwards.
The following report has been posted by Maureen Manley
The 2011 Oulton Fete in the grounds of Oulton Abbey this year provided an action packed afternoon on 16 July. The Stone Scouts & Guides Bank, undeterred by a sharp shower as they started to play got the Fete off to a great start. Barbara Palmer, Chair of Oulton Village Hall Committee, welcomed Jeremy Hobbs, Voluntary Coordinator for Staffordshire of Help for Heroes. Jeremy Hobbs opened the Fete and spoke about the wonderful work his Charity does for our wounded members of the Armed Forces.
In the arena, Steve Billingham with his sniffer dog Gerry demonstrated how they work together in searching out dangerous drugs. Children from Pirehill First School showed their skill in dancing around the maypole, the Stone Revellers Choir entertained with a selection of songs from the shows.
Oulton Water Colour Society was represented by Jim Rowley who gave aspiring painters some good tips and a large number of the Society’s paintings were on show. Koi carp and birds of prey attracted a lot of interest, as did pony rides thanks to Alicia Underwood and the always popular traction engine rides thanks to David Hulse.
There were plenty of stalls, including produce stalls and the ever popular bottle tombola had a queue for most of the afternoon. The main raffle prize, a beautiful food hamper, was won by Mrs. June Copeland.
No one went hungry or thirsty, with Jose from the Mill Restaurant in Stone serving paella, Andy and Syvia Burdon concocting Pimms, plus strawberries and cream and Christine Blanchard and Nicola Crowe kept the kettles boiling for teas and home made cakes.
Barbara Palmer presented Dame Benedicta with a bouquet and thanked her for again allowing the Village Hall Committee to use the beautiful Abbey grounds for the Fete. Dave Scrivens with his commentary made sure that everyone knew what was going on during the afternoon and at the end of the afternoon took a group of visitors on a tour of the Abbey.
The Fete raised £1,250 which will be used for the upkeep of the Village Hall.
The following day saw the Songs of Praise Service in Oulton Village Hall led by the Rev. Paul Kingman. For the first time, Florence Colliery Brass Band were at the Service and they accompanied St. John’s Church Choir, together with Ian Campbell-Kelly on the piano. Members of the congregation had chosen the hymns. Ann Butler, the Deacon gave a short homily. Following the Service, the St. John’s PCC served tea and cakes to everyone.
