WHAT'S ON: Thurcroft

KIVETON PARK INDEPENDENT ADVICE CENTRE: A drop-in session, with no appointment necessary, will be held on Thursday 2-4pm at the Welfare Hall in Thurcroft. To contact (office hours) 01909 773966.

BIG LOCAL: Meeting held January 11 – the minutes of the meeting held on November 2 were approved. Four small grants totalling £5,628 were given out during 2015 for less than £200. A small resident-led panel assessed projects and allocated funds. Individuals and organisations could apply for projects that benefited Thurcroft residents. Most funded projects were by small groups based in Thurcroft without staff, and some funded for work in Thurcroft by organisations based outside the village and innovatively a few projects facilitated by businesses based in the village. Survey Results – 15 people responded to the online survey on the future of Thurcroft Big Local small grants: seven felt they were successful, seven thought they were quite successful and one thought they were not. Most people want no change to the Small Grants. Small Grants – all 15 people want the small grants repeated in 2016. Regarding changes most people were happy as it was, and don’t need to change. Another commented that match funding should be encouraged, inviting applicants to apply for different types of funding. Also suggested, grants should encourage funding for new groups. A few suggested grants should be just for activities and events for Thurcroft residents and not to support business, while another suggested groups should be able to apply once in each round. Medium Grants – 12 of the 15 respondents thought a medium grants scheme should be run but three thought not. Nine felt £500 would be the optimum grant and four suggested £1,000, there were more suggestions. Many felt there should be more evidence on how the money is spent. It was finally proposed to let residents vote on how the grants are awarded. New Ideas – there was a mixed response to suggestions of a new grant to encourage new business and finding work. Eight agreed and five disagreed. Suggestions were – Colin Salt to help with grants, to help find work. Target employers in the village to see if there is scope with ‘supported employment or funded training in computers, first aid or food hygiene’, and not be for just the same groups who apply each time. Creating Action Plans, February 15 6-8.30pm. Evaluations and Ways Forward, March 14 6pm-8.30pm. Sessions to be run in partnership with Northern College and to be held at St Simon and St Jude’s Church, Church Street S66 9LH. Contact Steve 01709 368515, [email protected]

CRAFT GROUP: Three were knitting, six sewing, four were folding pages in books, three crocheting, three quilling, two worked on parchment, five on decoupage, five worked on card kits, four were putting general cards together and two worked on jewellery.

LITTLE SAINTS: Moira, Irene and Marie assisted the little ones as they used playdough, or played with the Happyland construction, castle and crocodile.

FRIDAY CLUB: Moira, Irene, Marie and Liam assisted the children in the jungle theme, with painted backgrounds of water or trees, making masks of animal faces including crocodiles and frogs, snakes painted onto paper plates and cut into spirals to hang up.

ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA MEMORY CAFÉ: Meet on Tuesday at Gordon Bennett Memorial Hall, Green Arbour Road 1.30-3.30pm.

THURCROFT FRIDAY CIRCLE: At the January meeting, David Coldrick from Home Instead gave a talk about all the things they give care on from senior care, Alzheimers Society, home care, exercise classes, coffee mornings, and luncheon clubs. The next meeting is on February 12 in the Gordon Bennett Memorial Hall, Green Arbour Road 1.30-3.30pm.

THURCROFT LIBRARY: Chatterbooks – Monday 3.30-4.30pm, School Road.

THURCROFT COLLIERY AND VILLAGE WEBSITE: Robert Keeting, who was born in Thurcroft but now lives in Canada, has sent some photos including two group photos of Thurcroft young men and two photos of children in the infant school in the 1960s. There are also pictures of the surface area of Thurcroft pit, St Simon and St Jude’s Church and one of the derelict remains of the windmill which stood at the top of Bib Lane at Carr. These can be seen on Thurcroft Village photos, page 11 and School photos on page two. If you recognise anyone, contact Fred Gething. Photographs and newspaper cuttings are always wanted – contact Fred Gething 01709 542461, [email protected], thurcroftcolliery.weebly.com  All material sent in will be returned.

THURCROFT WALK AND TALK: The next walk is on January 27, meet Dinnington Bus Station car park, approximately 2.5 miles walk, then lunch at the Royal Elephant, Church Lane, Dinnington. If walk cancelled due to bad weather, meet at the Royal Elephant for lunch noon. Leader Gloria Cousins.

ST SIMON AND ST JUDE’S PARISH CHURCH: Rev Tim Leach led the January 13 morning service, and Rt Rev William, Bishop of Doncaster, led the January 17 morning’s service in church. Sandra Blockley is holding a coffee morning in church on January 30 10am-2pm to help with the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Café. The Lent Group starts on February 17 11am after the service and coffee, and will run for six weeks. Coffee morning will start of February 26 in church 10am. The car boot/table top sales start again in March.

THURCROFT WELFARE BAND: The band was at Butlin’s Mineworkers Open National Brass Band Festival from January 15-18 and will be attending the Yorkshire Brass Band Championships in Bradford on March 5-6. The band practises each Tuesday and Thursday 7.15pm.