Diary notes from Rob Craig, the lengthsman responsible for St Catherine's stretch of the Wey Navigation.
Littleton now has a Community First Responder in the person of Claire Pace.
Community First Responder volunteers are trained to attend emergency calls received by the ambulance service
and provide care until the ambulance arrives.
Volunteers can arrive at an emergency scene in a matter of minutes, as they are sent to calls in their local area.
The schemes operate as a community partnership between St John Ambulance and local ambulance service trusts.
Having someone in the community who has been trained in first aid and can reach the patient quickly makes all the difference.
Volunteers operate as part of a rota system from their own home or place of work.
They are dispatched at the same time as an ambulance via ambulance control to
attend Category A immediately life threatening calls. These calls can include:
* cardiac arrest
* diabetic emergency
* unconscious patient
* breathing difficulties
* seizures.
Community First Responders are dispatched to calls under normal road conditions using their own cars, although
they do not have the authority to drive under emergency conditions. Let's hope that there will be no need for her services
but it is comforting to know that help can arrive sooner than the ambulance.
Claire would like to offer a day (or half a day) course on basic first aid skills.
She runs similar and more comprehensive courses elsewhere.
The course aims to provide people with sufficient knowledge and confidence to initiate life saving measure such as Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation and to assist people suffering from a heart attack or choking.
It has been proved that such life saving measures can definitely save lives. There would be a nominal fee charged for the course.
If you would be interested in such a course could you kindly contact Claire, after which a date and venue can be arranged.
Claire can be contacted on 01483 546008 or by email aromanurse@googlemail.com
The Electoral Services Manager of Guildford Borough Council is proposing to close Artington’s own polling station at St Francis Chapel, Littleton, for future elections.
In a letter to the Chairman of the Artington Parish Council she wrote, “I have been thinking for several elections now that the use of St Francis Church as a polling station is becoming difficult to justify.”
In recent elections 81 voters used the station in the Local Elections in May 2011 and 122 in the General Election in May 2010. The total electorate is around 260.
The manager, Lynda Murlewski, giving reasons for the proposed closure continued, “The access for disabled people at the church is very difficult and it’s difficult to ramp.
The church has no parking and signposting is very difficult. Facilities for polling station staff are very basic.”
She suggested that for the next election in November 2012 for the Police and Crime Commissioner, the Artington polling station is switched to Compton Village Hall ‘as a trial run’.
She concluded, “In summary the view is that as taxpayers and on behalf of taxpayers we want value for money and based on financial considerations alone there is a case for a accepting the proposal for a trial period."
Update January 2012: One of our local Guildford Borough councillors, James Palmer, reported that that the proposal has been reviewed by the council. Although the church will not be used as a polling station for the Police Commissioner elections in November, it will continue to be used for local and national elections.
The parish council has recently arranged for the installation of new benches on the footpath that links Littleton and Artington.
They have been built by Alan Frost with materials supplied by Loseley and were part-funded by a grant from Guildford Borough Council.
They provide a quiet place for walkers to rest and enjoy the view!
Some years ago, the step up to the letterbox in Littleton was damaged by verge-cutting machinery.
The step has now been rebuilt, the cost of which has been met by the parish council. Thanks are due to Lorraine Hodge who arranged for the builder who was working on her house to do the repair.
On a wet Sunday in the summer, stalwart members of the parish council demolished the old bus shelter near the Loseley East Lodge, opposite the Guildway offices. The shelter, which was in poor condition with a leaking roof and rotting foundations, had become a hazard and was in danger of collapsing. Following negotiations with Guildford Borough Council, a replacement shelter that was surplus to requirements at Merrow Park & Ride was provided by the borough and erected at no cost to the parish council.
Despite numerous approaches to Mount Browne estates department by the parish clerk and others, work has still not begun on the repair of the wall.
One day, perhaps, the work will be done. Let's hope that the stone does not disappear during the night!
Following on from the litterpick last October, a further litter picking outing took place in April. Fourteen people turned out on one of the hottest
days of the year so far. In spite of the previous litterpick, there was a large haul of litter collected. As before, thirsts were quenched at the Ship.
If you would like to take part in future litterpicking events please contact the clerk:
artingtonpc at btinternet.com
Artington in common with many other areas suffers from vehicles being driven at excessive speeds.
This is particularly a problem on the narrow twisting lanes through Littleton that connect the A3100 and B3000.
It is also a problem on parts of the A3100. In an effort to combat the problem Artington has joined with St Catherine's
Village Association Community Speed Watch.
A CSW exercise took place on 23rd August between 6.00am and 8.15am at Orange Court Farm in Littleton.
Twelve speeding vehicles were identified and the police have written to the registered owners.
Rat-runners are also contacted and, as a result, the number of vehicles using
Littleton and Sandy Lane as a through route has reduced significantly over the last couple of years.
Further events are planned for the near future. If you would like to be a part of Community Speed Watch and help to keep our roads safer
please contact George Smith:
george1138 at aol.com.