THE SHELL TROPHY - FINALISTS 2019

We are pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Shell Trophy (awarded in memory of Ian Miller), which will be presented at the Annual Village Show tomorrow afternoon at the Festival Hall. This year’s competition was judged by Parish Cllrs Mike Dudley-Jones, Bev Chapman & Craig Browne after careful consideration of approximately 80 contenders.

We would like to congratulate this year’s winners and runners up and thank them and all the other contenders for their contribution to the visual appearance of the village. The key criterion for each entry is that the display or garden must be visible from the public highway. The winners for each category are as follows:

Best Residential Display (Winner): Mr & Mrs B Kerr, 10 Moss Road
Best Residential Display (Highly Commended): Mr & Mrs P Smallwood, 18 Windermere Drive
Best Residential Display (Highly Commended): Mrs E Jackson, 3 Beech Cottages

Best Retail Display (Winner): Grantham’s Fine Food & Wine, 68 Heyes Lane
Best Non-Retail or Office Display (Winner): McAlister Family Law, 4 West Street
Best Cafe, Restaurant or Bar Display (Winner): De Trafford Arms, 2 Congleton Road
Best Church, Charity or Community Display (Winner): St Philip & St James, Church Lane

COMMUNITY SURGERY - SATURDAY 31ST AUGUST

I am pleased to announce that my next community surgery will be held on Saturday 31st August, from 10-11am at Alderley Edge Library. Please do call in and join me for a coffee and a chat about any local issues that may be giving you cause for concern. I look forward to seeing you there.

PARISH COUNCIL CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SURVEY

Over recent months, a Parish Council Working Group led by Cllr Liz Marshall, Cllr Rachael Grantham & Cllr Craig Browne has been looking at ways of improving the Christmas Lights in our village. A catalyst in this decision has been the fact that the existing tree lights on London Road have reached the end of their natural life and are not expected to function beyond this year.

Last year the Parish Council invested in new lights for the three Christmas Trees (one at the junction of Ryleys Lane, one at the junction of Macclesfield Road and one at Wood Gardens); ideally we would have liked to replace the tree lights on London Road this year, but the cost of doing so has proven prohibitive, meaning that we need more time to fundraise for this project.

This year therefore, we have been working with a range of suppliers to obtain designs and costings for decorative lights on the lamp columns along London Road (from the junction with Ryleys Lane to the junction with Macclesfield Road). The LoveAlderley Traders Group have helped us to shortlist the various options, which we would now like to put to the village for your feedback.

We would like to invite you to indicate your order of preference from the shortlist of three designs, by following the link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CDTGQF3 or scanning the QR code below. The supply costs are the same regardless of which option is chosen and are in the region of £5,000 to cover the 14 lamp columns concerned.

The survey will remain open until Monday 26th August and we hope to publish the results on Tuesday 27th August.

SUMMER ACTIVITIES AT THE LIBRARY

I am pleased to share details of a number of events that are being at Alderley Edge Library this summer, many of which are being subsidised by Alderley Edge Institute Trust to help make them accessible for everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage as many people as possible to take advantage of the events being organised and to support our library staff in their efforts.

- Weds 14^th August from 10.30am, children are invited to create simple circuits to create playable instruments and make a badge to take home. Suitable for ages 7-11, £2 per child;

- Thursday 15^th August at 3pm, children are able to come and create  their own solar system wooden mobile.  Suitable for ages 5+, £3 per child if registered for the Reading Challenge at Alderley Edge Library, £5 for non-participants;

- Tuesday 20^th August 10 -11 am, children can try using augmented reality to bring their pictures to life during an interactive storytime. Suitable for ages 4+, £2 per child;

- Wednesday 21^st August at 10.30am, come and take part in Oliver’s Chocolate Party where you can make edible slime and chocolate lollipops! Suitable for ages 5+, £3 per child if registered for the Reading Challenge at Alderley Edge Library, £5 for non-participants;

- Thursday 22^nd August. Macclesfield Astronomical Society will be talking to the children about Space and missions to the Moon! Suitable for ages 5+ with a £1 donation to the society.