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Bill Biggar on Concern for Audlem Posties

15th June 2021 @ 7:38pm

For anyone who would like to join us in supporting our Posties and our service, Simon Thompson (CEO Royal Mail) email address: ceo.office@royalmail.com

Nigel Mottershead on Just Visiting

15th June 2021 @ 8:27am

Dear Phil,
I thought your post deserved at least one reply from an Audlem resident! Great to hear that you enjoyed tour stay here and that you appreciated the village and what it has to offer.
Thank you for posting your kind comments which are appreciated.
Best wishes,
Nigel.

Pete Marshall on Saints go marching in

15th June 2021 @ 8:22am

Just to correct Ralph's news piece. I was not a founder member of the Saints ever part of that brilliant team of volunteers.. However, amongst others, I do know that Reuben Palin was.

James McGregor on Animal worrying

14th June 2021 @ 10:20pm

Could I please remind all members of Audlem Parish the importance of keeping your dogs under control, even if just letting out in the garden late at night. We must remind you that animal worrying is not taken lightly, is a criminal offence and all actions can be taken legally by the farmer to stop any distress to their animals.

Nigel Mottershead on Concern for Audlem Posties

14th June 2021 @ 9:12am

Good morning,
Just a short note to reiterate the post made by Adrian a couple of days ago; I too have written to Simon Thompson, CEO of the Royal Mail and my letter is similar to the flavour of the one written by Adrian. The address for Mr. Thompson was easily found and it will be posted this morning. I urge any one else to try to support the Posties that we know and value so much.
If anyone wants the address then please let me know.
Thanks,
Nigel.

Phil Adkins on Just Visiting

14th June 2021 @ 5:25am

Hello!

Last week I had never heard of Audlem. Due to the intricacies of the internet, following various on-line searches for a weekend break, your village entered my conscience.
Being advised of a cottage let, which fitted our criteria we proceeded to book a few days stay at Willow Wood cottage.
The first impression on Friday afternoon, driving through the main street was "wow!"
Admittedly sunshine shows everything at its best, but the Church looked stunning, overseeing all around.
We took a beautiful walk along the canal, everyone we met exchanged a greeting and a smile. Over the weekend we visited the Marina, such a well kept property, the boats are fascinating in their decor and their names also. Sunday dinner on the terrace at the Bridge was a lovely experience too.
The pace of life just seemed a few notches below our norm at home, and as such very beneficial.
A few days this time, but we intend to return in the future to both explore further afield and enjoy that which is close at hand.

Thank you Audlem!

Phil Adkins
Northampton

Bill Biggar on Concern for Audlem Posties

13th June 2021 @ 6:22am

Although my wife and I are relative "newcomers" to the area, just nine years to date, we were dismayed to learn of the proposed changes to our Posties, both for them as individuals and also for the community.
As soon as we relocated here we recognised and appreciated the obvious community spirit and although changes are ultimately inevitable, changes made for the reasons suggested seem to me to be counterproductive and disruptive.
I have not taken the time to fully study the documents attached to the posting, after a brief perusal of them it would appear that the Royal Mail's decision to apply these changes are for purely cost saving reasons and completely disregard both the Posties and ourselves as customers.
Although I do intend to complete and submit the Royal Mail online Complaint Form, it appears to be designed primarily for claims for loss or damage to posted items. As such, my "complaint" will, more than likely, be just one of thousands of others covering a multitude of types of claims and I therefore have very little confidence that it will ever see the light of day.
However, I have written (emailed) to our MP Edward Timpson to ask for his support and I do hope that many others will do likewise. His address is: edward.timpson.mp@parliament.uk

Adrian Farrow on Concern for Audlem Posties

12th June 2021 @ 4:41pm

Following the articles and comments on AOL, I easily found the email address for Simon Thompson, the CEO of Royal Mail using a Google search and have sent the letter below to him today. I wonder whether he will receive any other similar letters from our area?

"12th June 2021

Dear Mr Thompson,

I write to bring to your attention an issue which I understand is about to adversely affect the postal delivery service in my area.

I live in a rural community which has been served for many years by a team of three postal delivery workers. They are affectionately known as our "posties". However, due to a change which is being implemented, their service to our community is about to be brought to an end. I gather that the future allocation of "walks" is to be undertaken based on the individual preferences expressed by the area postal delivery staff in order of seniority.

In effect, it is likely that our three regular posties will not be in a position to have their own preferences – to remain in their present walks – granted. By way of example, one of our regular posties has 19 years' service in our community, but is 84th in the order of preference.

I am raising this with you not because I have any desire or status to interfere with employer-employee relations, but because the idea seems to me to be fundamentally and detrimentally adverse to the service offered by Royal Mail.

As I am sure you are aware, particularly, but not exclusively in rural communities, the postie provides a vital part of the knowledge and support network for the area and its population. Over time, a mental database is built up by these loyal and trusted people of the lives and habits of the villages and people they serve. By virtue of handling the mail, walking up front paths, seeing and speaking to people, the posties have a detailed and intricate picture of the places they serve. They know, for example, who is who, who is related to whom. They recognise which children live where, which cats and dogs live at which houses. If a milk bottle is left on the step unexpectedly, or a gate is open when it is normally shut or a window or door is ajar, it can be a sign that something is wrong.

For some people, the postie may be the only person they regularly see. One of our posties recently told me that an elderly gent once said "You will be the one who finds me when the time comes" – a melancholy thought, of course, but a sure sign that the daily visit of the familiar and trusted postie is in a very real sense, a lifeline for that man. And that is not an isolated example.

These are aspects of the job, outside the contracted work of your employees, nevertheless demonstrate the way in which the long-standing posties are an integral part of the fabric of our lives. Their knowledge cannot simply be "downloaded" to another postie, who expresses a preference for a change of "walk". It takes time to integrate and become familiar with the people and the rhythms and habits of the area. It takes years to build that knowledge and yet, at the tick of a preference, it is to be discarded and lost.

The changes which I understand are about to take place will serve to tear away a trusted, protective and supportive network, replacing it with a bare delivery service. If there must be change, such change could be achieved in a much more gradual and managed manner.

I know from local correspondence that I am not a lone voice. There is a strong body of similar views. I urge you to listen to the voices of those the Royal Mail serves and to intervene to prevent this needless damage to the valued Royal Mail service.

Please allow us to keep our loyal and trusted friends – our Audlem posties, Chris, Ant and Sam.

Yours sincerely,

Adrian Farrow
(address supplied)"

Shona Shannon on Crime area

10th June 2021 @ 8:29pm

Hi Ann,

We use PCL Policy Expert for home insurance. They were recommended by one of our lovely neighbours and we found them to be very competitive, might be worth a try?

Shona

Marilyn on Recommendations

10th June 2021 @ 5:08pm

Hi, can anyone help with recommendations for a plumber and painter & decorator? Many thanks

Carrie de Silva on Help wanted – garage repair

8th June 2021 @ 2:10pm

Have been trying to get someone to work on my garage for years! Wants new door (ideally with wooden frame to fill in large gap, before adding doors), new window, painting and weatherproofing on top. Builders tend to agree and then get lured away as the job is too small. General handymen/women say job is too big. Any recommendations?

Billy Gibbons on Storyteller

8th June 2021 @ 8:24am

As anyone who knows me (especially Dylan) will tell you I can talk for England but whether or not anyone would actually like to hear me do such a thing is another matter. Pre Covid, I did a screen test for something and during it the producer asked me to talk for 10 minutes about something I'm good at. It was one of the rare occasions in my life I was silent for 10 minutes. On the other hand someone once said to me; "If I asked you the time you'd tell me how to build a clock". Just remembered another quote from someone else. "Why use one word when a hundred will do". ;-)

Celia bloor on Who could it be

7th June 2021 @ 8:26pm

The results of enquiries in Sept 2006 can be read in the news archive (choose month and year from table at bottom of page which appears when you select'news') well done AOL I had forgotten about it.

Lauren on Gardener wanted

7th June 2021 @ 9:39am

Gardener wanted ASAP !

MUST be reliable and hard working

£12.50 hr 4-6 hrs a week.

Weeding, hedges and general tidying.

Contact lauren 07889 060 131

Ruth Kirk on Who could it be

7th June 2021 @ 7:18am

There was an article about Leslie Smyth, artist, in AOL 28 September 2006, only the headlines of which are returned by Google search. Someone else had been enquiring about him at that time.

Ann Tilling on Crime area

6th June 2021 @ 1:02pm

It is time to renew our home insurance and I thought to get another quote for comparison. To my surprise Audlem is apparently outside the area John Lewis covers, at least the CW3 postcode is.
After 35 years living and insuring our home(s) here I am surprised . Was unable to find out if it was all Audlem or Broadways that is the problem.

Geoff Smethurst on Who could it be

6th June 2021 @ 10:09am

He was a Lecturer in Economics at Keele University when I joined in 1980. He was also a friend of my Head of Department so we had a few of his artworks dotted around the building. Although we both lived in Audlem I only saw him around in the early 80s and think he must have left Keele and maybe the village around that time.
From memory I would have said he was "middle aged" then so would be very elderly now.
Doing a Google search I found the following link
https://artuk.org/discover/artists/smyth-leslie

Sandra Rothwell on Storyteller

5th June 2021 @ 8:55pm

Thank you Dylan for your help... BILLY GIBBONS are you interested????

Celia Bloor on Who could it be

5th June 2021 @ 6:14pm

He has gone from the village and he would be quite old by now. Tall with a red beard if I remember correctly, I saw him perform in one of our pantomimes and I acquired a pamphlet he wrote about his previous experiences in Australia, with illustrations. I will see if I still have it. I think he was probably working at Keele University but there should be others who knew him better than I did.

Annmarie McPhilomey on Who could it be

5th June 2021 @ 10:34am

Hi all my name is Annmarie McPhilomey and I'm from Omagh County Tyrone Northern Ireland.
I recently stumbled upon a beautiful collage and linocut of Land and Seas 1986 by Leslie Smyth. Leslie resided at 14 Windmill Drive Audlem in 1986.
Has anyone any further information about the artist and are they still living?
I appreciate it so much.
When I saw the piece I knew it had to come home with me. Thank you

Dylan Jones on Storyteller

4th June 2021 @ 6:23pm

Try Billy Gibons. He can tell a good yarn.

Daphne De La Cruz on Dog walks

4th June 2021 @ 2:05pm

To Norman Huntbach.
You have not responded to my 2 questions from 28th May 2020.
In your article 'Dog Walks' can you please advise to whom you are referring to when you write ' people get tired of pandering to people'

Are you referring to the land owners being tired of legitimate walkers?
Recently I found my path (footpath) blocked by newly installed plastic wired fence. and I am unable to stand on a section as you have instructed is the correct thing to do.

What do you suggest that I should do?
I very much doubt the validity of your 'Instructions for electric fences'

Susan Batchellor on Dog walks

4th June 2021 @ 1:27pm

Dear Karen,

So sorry (again!) to hear you had a second accident with electrified fencing and I hope that your poor doggy is OK now. Silly me I hadn't realised that Norman Huntbatch had posted some instructions which you were following the second time around.

Dear Norman,

Please may I point out that suggesting that people (which one would take to include all ages and genders) should stand on a section of electrified fencing seems quite ill advised to me and from Karen's post it's clear this went rather wrong for her when she tried to follow them. I certainly don't feel confident or physically able to do that.

Some research on the matter suggests this should not be necessary and that the fencing should be signed with a way to provide safe passage.

Farmers Weekly had this to say

https://www.fwi.co.uk/business/business-management/health-and-safety/what-farmers-need-to-know-about-fencing-and-the-law

Barbed wire or electric fences
It is sensible to set barbed wire or electric fences back slightly because if it causes a nuisance to those using the highway you may be liable for any damage caused and the Highway Authority can force you to remove it.

It can help to ensure that barbed wire is not fixed on the public right of way side of the fence.

Where an electrified stock fence is placed alongside a route it should be clearly identified, best practice suggests warning signs should be placed every 50 to 100m.


Cheshire East Council State the Following

https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure,_culture_and_tourism/public_rights_of_way/path_management/guide_to_problems_and_protocol.aspx

"Electric fences across a Public Right of Way
An electric fence erected across a Public Right of Way without a safe means of crossing is an offence. It is an obstruction to the Public Right of Way and a nuisance and a danger to members of the public wishing to use the Public Right of Way.

The protocol the Council has adopted in these matters is firstly to ask the owner of the electric fence to remove it immediately or, if it is necessary for agriculture, to provide an adequate means of crossing it on the line of the path.

The latter will require authorisation by the Council as it would constitute a new structure (see stiles and gates). If the owner fails to agree to either of these courses of action the Council will remove the electric fence where it affects the path without further notice. If the owner continues to commit further offences of this nature the Council will consider prosecution for obstruction.

Highways Act 1980 section 137, 137Z, and 149"

Shropshire Council Say this
https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/media/6358/pgn06-electric-fences-on-public-rights-of-way.pdf

"Temporary electric fences and public rights of way
Where the right of way has footpath status only, the use of a single strand electrified fence
to control stock is generally acceptable providing the following conditions are observed:

(1) hazard warning signs displayed as mentioned above and

(2) where the fence is across the path it should be routed through an insulated tube
providing sufficient width to allow the wire to be held down so that it can be stepped over
easily and without risk.

Alternatively, there must be a means of breaking the electrical current at this point by
providing some form of safe option such as an expandable type barrier gate with insulated
handle which can be easily and safely released by users. "

The official guidance differs greatly from the instructions provided previously and to me it seems far more sensible than standing on an electrified wire and risking a shock to persons or animals. Where this continues to occur the suggestion is to report it to the local council.

I really do hope people are not put off walking by these things as it is more important than ever to keep active and for our mental health and well being.


Susan.


megan goode on Concern for Audlem Posties

4th June 2021 @ 12:23pm

Afternoon everyone,

I am just following the conversations regarding the switching of the current audlem postal workers and wanted to add my views as resident postmaster.

With regards to the relationship between Post Office and Royal Mail, the postal workers are not employed under P.O they're all employed by Royal Mail (2 separate entities lest we forget). I believe that Royal Mail are making some major structural changes to how they currently operate, whether this will impact collections for us, i'm not currently sure. Communication isn't their strong point to say the least, as i've only been made aware via audlem online!

I just wanted to point people in the right direction for sharing concerns, as much as post office have made their own share of "mistakes" in the past, this is solely a Royal Mail decision.

https://www.royalmailgroup.com/en/about-us/customer-support/online-complaints/

The above is the online complaints link for Royal Mail, should any of you wish to air your concerns.

I wish to once again thank you the local community for your ongoing support of both me and the Post Office/LLLovely Chocolates and let's work together to keep our neck of the woods as effective as it can be :)

Nick Smith on Concern for Audlem Posties

4th June 2021 @ 10:13am

The same thing happened to our postal service when I lived in Eccleshall, it was designed to give greater flexibility and efficiency. It resulted in wrong mail delivered and the posties not being allowed to stop and talk.
Customer satisfaction is not important anymore as my previous post about privatisation suggests companies now have a race to the bottom.

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