Dore to Door internet edition

Local organisations - Autumn 2003

Chairman's Report for 2002 - 200th Peal Rung at Dore

Chairman's Report for 2002

(Presented to the Dore Village Society AGM on Wednesday 4th June)

This was another busy and largely successful year for the Society, which maintained a healthy overall financial position. Our aim is to balance income from membership subscriptions with that of our normal running costs, leaving money from Dore to Door and donations to go towards village projects and contributions to local good causes. The following is just a brief summary of some of the many issues the society has been actively involved with during the year.

Planning: Planning issues and proposed developments absorb a lot of the Society’s time with a constant flow of planning applications for flats, in-fill housing and extensions. Sadly the needs and profits of developers seem to drive the planning process, rather than the needs of the community, especially first time buyers and local people wishing to trade down. Major issues arising during the year were; proposals for re-building King Ecgbert School; redevelopment of the ‘Blue Ridge’ site on Ashfurlong Road; proposed establishment of a Kennels and Cattery on Newfield Lane; re-development of ‘The Moss’ on Limb Lane; proposed new phone masts. The Society has now decided to co-ordinate the preparation of a Village Design Statement to form the basis of supplementary planning guidance.

Publications: Dore to Door reached 28 pages on two occasions during the year, reflecting increased advertising demand and a healthy flow of letters, local news, and articles. The Society launched its new illustrated publication ‘The A to W of Dore’, which describes the background to the naming of every road in the village, along with some of their historical features. The 2002 Christmas card featuring a view of the High Street in the 1960's, drawings from the new book and of ‘Dore Ducks’ was a sell out. The Dore web site, www.dorevillage.co.uk continues to attract viewers from around the country and overseas.

Traffic&Transport: The roads in the area continue to deteriorate, while speeding and parking problems are of widespread concern. Pressure continues to be exerted on the Council for progress over a crossing on Causeway Head Road. Consultation on an area road safety/speed management scheme for the centre of Dore continues. We are still trying to get missing and damaged road signs replaced.

Dore Collection: The Society continues to build on its collection of information, pictures, maps and items associated with the history of the village which is held in the Society’s two rooms at the Old School. It has provided support this year to the production of the ‘Millennium Play’ covering some of the history of the village, and the ‘Oral History Project’. Members of the committee are available in the rooms from 10 - 12 noon on the first Saturday of every month, to discuss local issues with members or talk about the work of the Society and local history.

Environment: Local environmental issues, such as Railtrack’s devastation of trees and hedges along Totley Brook Road or the problems with the trees in Dore Churchyard, are discussed at each committee meeting. The daffodils on approaches to the village put on a grand show with further planting carried out in the autumn. Local contributions again supported the flower tubs around the village centre. Further improvements to the Recreation Ground and playground equipment are in hand. The Society is active in support of Friends of Ecclesall Woods (the woods are now a new nature reserve) and in Sheffield Wildlife Trust’s management of the Blacka Moor nature reserve.

Events: The Society arranged a number of events during the year. These included talks on ‘Badgers’, ‘Dore Road Names’ and ‘Natural History through the seasons’, a heritage visit by coach to Wirksworth, and a regular programme of DVS guided walks through the ‘Wyvern Walkers’. There was also a special Midsummer walk around the boundary of Dore with poetry reading by Rony Robinson. Dore Show remains the biggest annual event organised by the Society, while our stand at the Scout Gala always attracts plenty of enquires.

People: The Society continues to receive widespread support from within the community and from past residents, with 901 paid up members for 2002, another record and essential in enabling the society to maintain its activities. We would still welcome more suggestions for local initiatives, and anyone with time to contribute, in order to enable us to achieve still more in the year ahead.

Particular appreciation for their efforts goes to: helpers on the Dore Collection and at the Dore Show; deliverers of Dore to Door; advertisers; Green’s shop for collecting subscriptions and selling DVS publications; John Dunstan, Roger Millican and David Heslop for their work on the ‘A to W’ of Dore; fellow members of the committee, and all those active supporters and members - wherever they may live; and not least my long suffering wife!

John Baker. Chairman, Dore Village Society

200th Peal Rung at Dore

On 24 May 2003 at 2pm, six of the current band of bell ringers at Dore and two former Dore ringers, assembled to attempt to ring the 200th peal on the bells. For three of the band it would be their first peal, for another it would be his second.

We are pleased to report that after two hours and 52 minutes of very creditable ringing, with each bell striking 5040 times, the peal was successfully completed. The peal was rung under the auspices of the Yorkshire Association of Change Ringers, of whom the band are members.

The details of the peal have been published in the "Ringing World", which records all peals rung. The details are:

5040 Plain Bob Major. Composed by I North

1. Ben Farnsworth; 2. Andy Jobson; 3. Peter Woodcock; 4. Colin Smith; 5. Jackie Butcher; 6. Mark Dakin; 7. Richard Farnsworth; 8. Richard Knights; Conducted by R Knights

200th peal on the bells. First peal: 3, 5, 6. 100th peal: 8.

The next ringing landmark at Dore will be on 1 January 2009, the centenary of the dedication of the bells and of the first peal.

The Dore band currently consists of eleven ringers, whose ages range from 12 to 50+. For a ring of eight bells this is not really enough and we hope to be able to teach more people to ring over the next year.

For further information on bell ringing at Christ Church Dore, contact the Tower Captain, Richard Knights, 262 0948, Richard.knights@lineone.net