OVERTON ANNUAL FETE
from Katharine Crockford

Men in Uniform!
A Bouncy Castle and Burgers!
What more do you need for a perfect summer day?

Once again we are having a Fete on Overton Playing Fields this year. The date is Saturday 23rd June, starting between 12 and 2.00pm (start time to be confirmed - signs will be posted around the village nearer the day). The Army will be there with an assault course, there will be a ginormous Bouncy Castle, a Gymnastics display from a professional Gymnastics Troupe, a children's dance display, and of course there will be a bar, ice-cream, burgers and lots of other stalls and activities.

There is no charge for individual groups, charities, or organisations to have a stall at the fete, but we would ask that any businesses who have a stall donate 10% of their profits on the day to help with running costs for next year, prizes etc.
We hope to see you all there, supporting our community
and having a great (hopefully dry!) day.

Risk Assessment at Overton Cemetery
by David Burton

The Cemetery Sub-Committee of Overton Community Council met on May 4th to carry out risk assessments on the gravestones for safety reasons. The concern is that unstable gravestones might possibly fall over and injure someone. Many were found to be in a dangerous condition.

Overton Community Council will be laying the dangerous gravestones down on top of the graves, slightly raised, and facing east. Interestingly if a Reverend is buried in the cemetery then his gravestone, if dangerous, is laid facing west, facing his flock!

The clerk of the Council will be writing to as many families as she can contact or identify to advise them. Families may choose to employ a stone-mason to re-erect the gravestones in a safe manner. Any families whose loved ones are buried in the cemetery, may contact the clerk, Katharine Crockford on 01978 710055, to see if their gravestones are involved or not.
All gravestones will be treated with the greatest respect.

Ramblings From the Rectory
by David Lewis

Dear Friends,

Father’s Day falls on June 17th this year. This day is not an old custom like Mother’s Day, but has only become popular in the last twenty years or so. But the day reminds us of the love of our fathers and the fatherly love that is shown to us by God.

Father’s Day is made more of in Canada where there are quite often special family dinners cooked in honour of the day. Children often make their own cards at school At school and everywhere the day is celebrated children try to take over one of the little jobs their father usually does around the house.

And so on this day we remember the love and sacrifice of our Fathers. In one particular tribe in India, it was the custom on a boy’s 13th birthday for him to spend the night alone in the jungle. This was the tribe’s rite of passage from boyhood to manhood.

The fateful night came for one young man to go into the jungle. Every sound made him jump, every animal cry caused him to tremble and more than once he thought of giving up and making his way back to the safety of the village.

But he stayed and gradually dawn broke. As the light grew stronger, he was astonished to see the figure of his father, not far away with a weapon by his side. All night long he had been keeping guard, watching over his son to make sure no harm befell him. And the son thought, ‘If only I had known my father was there; I wouldn’t have been frightened at all.

Our Father God is by our side as we travel through life and so we too needn’t be afraid. For he stands beside us, whatever we face in life.

May I wish all Dads the happiest of days.
Best wishes
David

COUNTRY BEAT
by Constable Luke Hughes

Overton as you are aware, suffers little in the way of crime, in fact over the last few months we have enjoyed lower levels of crime and antisocial behaviour compared to the same period last year, and I believe this is a result of the hard work and commitment of the local community councils, County Council, and all other partnership agencies.

I am therefore sad to report that overnight on the 6th/7th May someone damaged at least 6 cars in the village by removing their manufacturers badges. The following morning a bag containing the stolen badges was recovered in the sports field opposite the Scout Hut and we were able to reunite a number of losers and their badges.

I am also sad to report that around 22nd April someone has caused damage to a window of St Mary's church. The information I have received suggests that whoever committed these acts lives in the village of Overton, and I want that person/ persons to know that they have committed a Serious Criminal Offence that has damaged the community in which they live and destroyed the hard work and tolerance that has been built up over recent months and years. I have received a significant amount of information about these offences and I would urge anyone with any further information to contact me at Overton Police Station. I also point out that it is in the best interest of the person responsible to seek me out before I knock on their front door... Could I ask all parents within the community to mention this to their children as I would like the make sure this message is received and understood.

On a happier note I am pleased to announce the addition of 2 extra members of Police Staff that will be joining me at Overton Police Station this month. Police Community Support Officers Jenna Wyn Owen and Emily Williams will begin patrolling the area from June 4th and I hope you will see us out and about in the coming weeks. Please feel free to call into the station when passing; we are always available for Crime Prevention advice and cycle marking.

PC 1842 Luke HUGHES Bronington & Overton CBM
Tel: 01978 290222 Ext 35420 Mobile: 07766 047981

KID’S PAGE !
by the Overtinions and our mascot Lucy!

Hey everyone, It’s June, and in my opinion the best month of the year!
Hope you enjoy it!

Jen’s reviews
Hello again! My review this month is on Spiderman 3! Since the moment Peter Parker got bitten by a “super spider” in the first Spiderman, audiences across the world loved him.
“The greatest superhero movie ever made.”
“Raised the game for every single blockbuster”
“Spidey has spun gold.”
This film had a lot to live up to and in my opinion I think that it rose higher than its expected level.
With two villains this time, Spidey has a lot on his plate. He also has to juggle his love life and control his anger before he turns into something evil. He must thwart his two most dangerous enemies yet and solve his problems with MJ, but all on his own? Even Spidey needs help sometimes, will help arrive in a reluctant hero?
A wonderful film containing all emotions, excitement, sadness, happiness, nervousness and fear. These villains are quite scary so I would not recommend people under the age limit to watch it as there is a lot of violence in the film. Starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco, this is a must see film! I would strongly recommend it
Rating: 10/10
A must see film

Agony Aunt
Q: Hi, my friend keeps ignoring me and when I try to talk to her she walks off with her friends. But when I ring her up to ask if she is OK, she pretends like nothing happened at school. I’m getting really confused and am not sure whether this is a hint that she doesn’t want me to be friends with her anymore, what do I do?
A: It sounds like your friend might just want a bit of space to hang around with her other friends. This is normal so don’t let it get to you. If she is being nasty to you though tell her that you don’t like how she is treating you but she might not realise she is doing it, so just take her to one side and say that it is upsetting you. If this doesn’t work ring her up after school and tell her then. If she still doesn’t change, hang around with some of your other friends. This will help you form other strong bonds with different people and will make her realise that she cannot push you around.
Hope everything turns out well. Good luck!

Yr. 7 Review
Hey everyone, we hope you all enjoyed your day off for May day, we sure did! This month we are going to talk about school clubs.
There are a lot of clubs for all year groups such as football, athletics, choir, drama, swimming and many more. So if you have a particular hobby in primary school, you can probably carry it on in Penley.
Some of the clubs are not taught by members of the school but use the school facilities. The cost of these clubs may vary so if you wanted to join you would have to find out at school.
You can also join the school council if you wish, but your form have to vote you to be on it. Then the year representatives vote who should be year rep. You sometimes go out on special days to visit career advisors, or to attend important meetings. You have to go to meetings every half term and take questions, complaints or suggestions from your year group to discuss at the meetings.
Please remember that the advice we give is only based on our time in the Maelor School in Penley as neither of us go to any other high schools in the area.
Please send in any questions that you may have to us. We would like to thank the people who have already send us questions and hope that our recent advise has been helpful!
See you next month. Lucy and Rebeccs

Riddle I am brightest at night, but you decide when I glow. I can run down very quick if I am used frequently but I can last longer if not used that often (only on special occasions). Blow me out when you have finished with me. What am I? Find out next month.

Celebrity Quiz!

Try out your celeb knowledge with our new celebrity quiz

What is Beyonce’s middle name?
a) Hippo b) Andrea c) Giselle

2. Which famous actress was bullied at school?
a) Lindsay Lohan b) Julia Roberts
c) Keira Knightley

3. What’s Rihanna’s favourite film?
a) Wedding crashers b) Starsky and
Hutch c) The break-up

Answers:
1. Beyonce Giselle Knowles
2. Keira Knightley
3. Wedding crashers

SONGS OF PRAISE FOR FATHER’S DAY

Dear Friends,
We are holding a special Songs of Praise on the evening of Sunday June 17th in St Mary’s church at 6:30pm and you have the chance to choose what we sing!
We would like to know your favourite hymn and the reason why it is so important to you.

Simply fill in a slip with your name , address favourite hymn and comment and return it to the Corner Shop, the Post Office, the back of St Mary’s or the School by Monday June 4th and your hymn may be included in our celebration.

Then come along n the night and join in the village Songs of Praise.
Everyone is very welcome.

The Curious Speeding Sign

We’ve all seen it by now – the electronic 30mph speeding sign. Have you tried to keep your speed down so it doesn’t work? Or have you speeded up to see if it does! We’ve heard mixed reports. It worked when I went through one day at 33mph and on others it hasn’t. Even eminent and normally law-abiding members of the community tried to make it work without success. It’s very annoying when technology doesn’t work, what’s the point if it doesn’t achieve what it’s there for?

Well even more curious, no-one knows how it got there, not the police, nor the Community Council. Is it a trial? Is it even in the right place – just after the playing fields gate and not before it? The Scouts asked why it goes up to 188 – is it possible it’s been put there to catch someone in a Ferrari speeding through the village at ridiculous speeds? If anyone knows anything please let us know!

 

Seen in the Wrexham Evening Leader which was trying to encourage support for Wrexham F C in their fight against relegation. “If you are a fan, bring a couple of mates who don’t normally attend, or bring the whole family for a good afternoon of hopefully plenty of excrement and a win. See you there!”

Choosing the Right Childcare
by Helena Evans

As every mother knows becoming a mum can be a very stressful time, even more stressful is the thought of going back to work and leaving your little one in the care of someone else. As a mother of two young children I know only too well the anguish this causes. As I thought “No one will look after my child as well as me”! But unfortunately that doesn’t pay any bills, that’s why I decided to become a Registered Childminder and have the benefit of looking after my own children. It’s turned out to be such a rewarding job!

Today, 58% of women with children under the age of 5 and 78% of women with children aged 6 to 13 work outside the home. It is important that we get the right childcare that suits our children’s needs at every stage of their lives, with 61% of families working unsociable hours and shifts, the demand for flexible childcare is huge. This is where childminders come in. Childminders can offer a personal service, it’s excellent for babies as they are able to cope with a baby’s sleeping and feeding patterns, attention and patience needed when babies are learning to walk, talk and feed themselves. The child/children have the added benefit of constant care by the same person, children like stability! They’re flexible and adaptable, being able to be spontaneous, a sunny day is an ideal opportunity to go out and about for play and to learn about the things around them. They’re able to teach them real-life experiences, shopping, gardening, outings to the park or to feed the ducks and cooking, (not the ducks)!

If you are looking for childcare it is important to look for the following:-
By law all childminders must be registered by Ofsted if they live in England and the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales (CSIW) if they live in Wales. They will have to have their homes inspected to make sure they are safe, be checked by the Criminal Records Bureau, have Paediatric First Aid Training, Food Hygiene Certificate, be insured and have an Introducing to Childminding Practice Certificate (ICP). Most childminders are a member of the NCMA (National Childminding Association). If the childminder isn’t registered ask yourself why? We owe it to our children to make the right choice.

Make a list of prospective childminders, go and see them, trust your instincts if they seem nice and the place has the right feeling you’ll be on the right tracks. Ask about, the chances are someone you know, will know someone who knows them. Observe the other children in their care, are they happy, having fun, speak to the children if they are old enough. Don’t make a rash decision, go back a couple of times and have a look. Have some questions written down to ask the childminder, do remember though childminders will have their busy times so set a mutual time and day so you are able to ask your questions and get their full attention.

Useful contacts are
Children’s Information Bureau, Wrexham - 01978 292 094 e-mail cib@wrexham.gov.uk, they will be able to give you a list of registered childminders in your area.

NCMA - 0800 169 4486 www.ncma.org.uk, the National Childminding Association will be able to provide you with information of childminding or even becoming one! Request The NCMA guide to choosing the right childminder, this will give you top tips and even questions to ask a childminder.

Did you know that you may be eligible for help with the costs of your childcare?
Contact the Tax Credits helpline on 0845 300 3900 (English) or 0845 302 1489 (Welsh) www.hmrc.gov.uk/childcare

For information about childcare vouchers speak to your employer or www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/childcare

I hope the above helps you, if you have any questions please feel free to contact me I’ll do my best to help, good luck!!
Helena Evans,
“Bumbles” Registered childminder.
Tel: 01978 710 881 or e-mail: 1bumbles@tiscali.co.uk

OVERTON MEDICAL PRACTICE

Blossom has been on the trees for quite some time now. For those who suffer from hay fever and asthma this time of year can be quite difficult. Make sure you have your medication to hand, vacuum your mattress to alleviate any allergy problems and to help your mobility take a walk in the sunshine.

We have changed the policy for dealing with travel immunisations. You will be given an appointment with the nurse who will take the details and decide, with you, what course of action is needed. Please make sure you allow sufficient time for this and injections to become effective.

The demand for appointments has increased considerably over the years. At times you may have to wait several days to be seen and then maybe not with the doctor you wanted. We do try to do our very best, to be fair to all patients, which is one of the reasons we use a triage system.. Our aim is to see any patient who urgently needs to be seen, the same day or within 24 hours. The triage nurse will ring you back to assess the patient’s condition. Sometimes telephone call advice is all that is needed. It is frustrating if the nurse cannot get an answer, or her call to you goes to answer-phone. Patients get irate when they have not been called and are often surprised when we tell them the nurse has not been able to reach them. Please help us to help you. It is important that we can get hold of you again and that you can be available to come in at relatively short notice if you do need to be seen.

The next PPPG meeting is 6pm on Monday 23rd July, we have 4 new members and it would be great to get some teenagers who have an opinion on most things to come along and tell us what you really think. There are some changes to our website including the ability to change font size and background colour for those visually impaired, plus links to BBC first aid sites, perhaps worth a look when you have a minute or need advice. www.overtonsurgery.co.uk

Just to keep you informed, and to try and avoid you visiting the surgery when we are closed, we have listed the dates for the forthcoming PDP meetings. The practice will be closed on the afternoons of WED 13TH JUNE PM & WED 11TH JULY PM . We do as always close on Thursday afternoons.

Dr Charlotte Jones has now left the practice and Dr Linney leaves at the end of June. We will miss them both but we have two new doctors joining the Practice in June. Dr Gareth Bowdler and Dr Michael Bloom. The practice will have the equivalent of four full time doctors which should help patients to feel more established with their GP and hopefully reduce the need for so many locums. Doctor’s Fallows, Bowdler and Bloom will each do 7 surgery sessions per week, Dr Myres and Dr McNeill will do 4 and 3 sessions respectively. So really it’s a time of ‘goodbye and hello’ and settling down to a new routine.

Your Letters...

Dear Editor,
Out of interest, has anyone asked about the history of this area being transferred between England and Wales? I have three old trunks belonging to my grandfather, Michael FitzHugh, with different addresses; from the Brow, Overton, Wrexham, Wales - to the Brow, Overton, Ellesmere, England - then back again to Wales.
Geographically the border on either side of this area follows the River Dee with England on the East bank. I would be very interested to know how and why the border has changed.

Many thanks, Rafela FitzHugh

Sunday July 15th - Celebrating 40 years of the Overton Playgroup

Overton Playgroup is celebrating its 40th anniversary by holding a ‘Flower Power’ fete on Sunday 15th July at 3 – 7pm in the Overton Village Hall. There will be a barbeque, music, activities for all ages, fancy dress prizes and an entertainer.

Becky Hughes, the Overton Playgroup Chair, said, “It seems fitting to hold the event in the Village Hall as that is where the playgroup originally met. We wanted to recreate the event around the time when the playgroup started in the 60s and are looking forward to seeing how people of all ages interpret the ‘Flower Power’ theme. If anyone wants to dress up there will be prizes for the best outfits for all ages. There will be many fun activities for young children, but we also want to encourage all the community to attend – especially those who were involved in setting up the playgroup or who attended when they were young. It will be a fabulous afternoon so make sure you put the date in your diary and come and enjoy yourself.”

If anyone has old pictures, letters, memories, stories etc of the playgroup please could they send it to Margaret at Overton Playgroup, School Lane, Overton-on-Dee, LL13 6ES. This will help to piece together the history of the last 40 years of the group. Tickets for the event will cost £1 / adults and 50p / children. They can be bought in advance at the Playgroup or on the day. Any profit from the event will go towards the much needed redevelopment of the Playgroup’s outside space. For any further information please call 01978 710 688.

Overton Playgroup outing to Home Farm 1980.

One Year On!
by David Burton

Well it’s been a year since Jill and I stepped in to take over the editorial task of producing the Oracle with Jill doing the bulk of the work which is the difficult task of setting out the pages and all the pre-production work. I have concentrated on the editorial content, with the enormous assistance of the editorial committee, and the advertising. I have to say that sharing the tasks has a made a considerable difference in producing the Oracle. Hats off to Maxine who used to do it all herself.
Maxine is still very busy at work and is only able to make a small contribution to the Oracle. She also makes the occasional meeting and we are pleased to see her. In spite of her smaller role these days we are very grateful for the contribution she makes and we still consider her an important member of the team. Who knows, her work commitments may change in the future and she can take up a more pro-active role again in the future.
Everyone working on the Oracle is a volunteer, from the editor to all those who deliver the Oracle to over 600 houses in the parish of Overton. Our thanks to everyone. If you feel you could make a contribution to the editorial committee or can write the occasional article, please do contact the editor.

Luke Haines aged 10 of Overton Methodist Junior Church with his Easter Garden.

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

June Birthdays:
Happy Birthday to Marlene Williams, Katharine Crockford, Jill Burton and to Millie Davies who is 6 years old.
A very Happy 60th Birthday to Ken Roberts and Bob Davies.

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Georgia Mackay on achieving her gold award with the Children’s University. Georgia has obtained her credits through attending the Bitesize Youth Theatre where she does Tap, Musical Theatre, Dance, Drama and Singing. She will be presented with her certificate in July by the Mayor of Wrexham at a prestigious award ceremony.. Well done Georgia.

THANK YOU
Carol Dykes would like to thank all the people who attended and helped her at the Afternoon Tea on April 29th. She raised just short of £300 for her efforts in Africa.
A lovely spread of food was supplied along with entertainment supplied by Thomas McCusker playing a different styles of music on the piano, and a partnered dance demonstration by Luke Sutton, Jen Hartley, Louie Payton and Georgie Davies, a credit to Lorren Wallwin who trains them.