Preston Parish Council: Monday 7 December
The next meeting of Preston Parish Council will be held on Monday 7 December at 8.00pm via Zoom video conferencing. Any member of the public who would like to raise an issue to be discussed at this meeting should contact the Clerk. Anyone who would like to join in the electronic meeting should also contact Lisa Lathane, Clerk to the Parish Council:
email: prestonclerk@gmail.com or 07887 875442 by Friday 4 December. A link to join the meeting will be emailed about 15 minutes before the meeting is due to start.
Road Closures
Preston Parish Council has been informed that there will be a road closure on Back Lane from the junction with Frogmore Bottom Road to the junction with Butchers Lane for utility service works on or after Monday 4th January 2021. There will also be a road closure on a section of Church Lane for water service repair works on or after Wednesday 6th January 2021. Further details will be available on signs in place prior to the works commencing.
Nats Consultation
A joint consultation between LLAL and NATS on arrival routes into Luton airport started on Monday 19 October and closes on 5 February 2020. Further information and a link to the virtual exhibition can be accessed at:
https://www.nats.aero/news/arrival-routes-into-london-luton-airport-set-to-change/
Preston Village Society
Preston Village Society would like to wish all its members a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Monthly meetings will resume when it is safe to do so.
Readings and Services for December
All Saint’s, St Paul’s Walden is now open for services. Each Sunday worship continues to be recorded and can be viewed on line. For details see the website for a church near you. www.achurchnearyou.com/church/7580/ which will provide a link to the youtube recording.
St Martin’s church remains closed for building works until further notice.
| Thursday 3rd December | 10am | Holy Communion (said) |
| Sunday 6th December – Second Sunday of Advent | 10am | 2 Peter 3:8-15a Mark 1:1-8 |
| Sunday 13th December – Third Sunday of Advent | 8am | Holy Communion BCP 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28 |
| 10am | Family Service | |
| Sunday 20th December – Fourth Sunday of Advent | 10am | Romans 16:25-end Luke 1:26-38 |
| 3pm | Carol Service* | |
| 6pm | Carol Service* | |
| Thursday 24th December – Christmas Eve | 2.30pm | Crib Service* |
| 4.30pm | Crib Service* | |
| 10.30pm | Holy Communion (venue to be decided) Titus 3:4-7 Luke 2:8-20 |
|
| Friday 25th December – Christmas Day | 10am | Holy Communion at All Saints’ Hebrews 1:1-4 John 1:1-14 |
The services marked * will be admission by ticket only (free of charge) to maintain social distancing rules. To book a ticket for a service, please send an email to stpaulswaldenchurch@gmail.com and state how many tickets you would like.
Letter From Our Vicar
By the time you read this, we will know whether our lockdown has been relaxed and, if it has, into what new tier of restriction. This lockdown has been a bit different from the first, and not only because it is shorter. We know a little more about how to cope and we don’t go shopping as if preparing for a siege. The main difference is that a vaccine is now definitely in sight; and the hope of this is helping to modify our mental attitudes and our feelings.
The season of Advent has just begun. It is the prelude and preparation time leading to Christmas. At the heart of it is our thinking about Jesus. Jesus is the Advent hope.
As we pray for a vaccine to bring an end to the destructive pandemic, so will we also pray that Jesus will be the thought of our hearts every day until Christmas Day. Then we will say: a child is born in Bethlehem – hope for our world.
With every blessing
Stephen
Team Vicar of St Paul’s Walden with Preston:
St Martin’s Church 120 Club Draw 2020/2021
The winners in the November draw in the 2020/21 120 Club (£30 each) were:
No. 68 Mrs C A Hale
No. 85. Mr R Larman
Hitchin Foodbank
Thank you again to all who continue to donate so generously to the foodbank. The foodbank will be distributing Christmas boxes between 20th November and 22nd December and will welcome donations of any of the following, no later than 8th December.
Christmas Cake (Slab/Bar), Mince Pies, Box of Biscuits, Box of Chocolates, Chocolate Bars, Selection Box, Christmas Crackers, Cheese Crackers.
Please ensure items are undamaged and in date. Donations can be deposited in the blue box in the garage at Lychgate House, Church Lane, or at Waitrose and Sainsbury’s.
Neighbourhood Watch
The number to contact at North Herts Police for all non-emergencies (including witnessing of fly-tipping) is 101 or 01707 354000.
For removal of fly tipping which has already occurred, call NHDC 01462 474000 or online at www.north-herts.gov.uk, then follow the links to Transport and Streets, Street Cleaning and Fly Tipping where there is a form to complete to report the details. If you use the What3Words app, please include the three words for the location of the fly tipping.
PC Johnie Streeter and PCSO Heather Burrows can be contacted regarding local community issues. Their contact details are as follows:
PC Johnie Streeter: 07525 905431 or 01438 757604 Johnie.streeter@herts.pnn.police.uk
PCSO Heather Burrows: 07740 745168 or 01438 757604 or heather.burrows@herts.pnn.police.uk
In the event of an emergency or if you witness a crime taking place please call 999.
Reporting suspicious activity
Please report any suspicious activity or vehicles you may witness in the locality.
Call the police on the non-emergency number 101 or report it online by using the website www.herts.police.uk/report and follow the links.
COVID 19: Preston Help Line
Preston Parish Council and The Preston Trust would like to remind Preston residents that, whether you need shopping or prescriptions picked up, your dog walking or someone to talk to, the helpline continues to be available during the on-going corona virus situation.
Anyone who requires help should 01462 434403 and the call will automatically go to whoever is on duty or email: mtrinder@idnet.com or pns@theprestontrust.org.uk
The phone line will be monitored daily from 8.00am to 8.00 pm.
Please note that the answer phone will pick up calls coming in after 8pm and the caller will be linked to a volunteer the following day.
The helpline will be available on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day only for anyone who would like to talk or who needs to have a dog walked.
Please stay safe and remember to follow the latest Government guidance.
Preston Parish Council and The Preston Trust would like to thank most sincerely all the volunteers who have supported the helpline since it started in March and to wish them a pleasant Christmas and New Year within the limitations of Covid 19 rules.