Love Dove Stone? Love Nature? Good with People?

Join the RSPB and United Utilities at Dove Stone as an RSPB Part Time Information Assistant and help us develop Dove Stone for both people and wildlife. Main duties will include: Meeting and greeting visitors, Helping visitors discover the wildlife and heritage of the area, Helping to recruit members to the RSPB, Representing the RSPB and the RSPB/UU partnership

Pay: £13,000 - £14,500 pro rata. Hours: Part time, regular weekend work in summer - ideally 2 days (15 hours a week) Contract: 3 April - 26 September 2010 (weekends and bank holidays)

 How to Apply: Contact Lisa Crossland: email lisa.crossland@rspb.org.uk or phone 01484 861148 * Closing Date: 8^th March 2010

The Dobcross Diary is produced and distributed entirely by volunteers in the village. The Diary exists solely to inform villagers about what’s going on. It is a completely independent publication with no affiliation to any council, church, political party, advertisers - or anything. (I just mention this as some people have said they thought we had a huge grant to pay for it. I wish!) This is a good thing, but of course it means nobody is ploughing any money into it. We print it as economically as we can (at the vicarage). The Dobcross Diary Online website does not cost anything.

The generous donations of £50 per issue from our sponsors goes some way towards meeting the costs involved (paper and ink). However, every year we ask our readers to put their hands in their pockets to make up the shortfall. In April we shall be asking again. Look out for a special envelope which will be delivered with the April edition.

If you value receiving the Diary, and if you are able to contribute, your donations would be most gratefully received. They can be dropped off in the DVC box at the Post Office. If anyone wants to write a cheque, please make it payable to ‘DVC’ send it to 4 Woods Lane, Dobcross, Saddleworth, OL3 5AN.

I’m sure that this year, as in previous years, your generosity will mean that our cost will be met in full. This of course means that any money raised by the DVC will go directly to fund projects in the village. THANK YOU.

Following on from the fundraising success of the 2010 Dobcross Calendar there are now plans to produce Dobcross Christmas cards in good time for this Christmas.The cards will be of the same high quality  as the calendars & with all the snow we have had recently, we feel sure that readers will have some smashing, festive-looking photographs. We are asking you to send any pictures that you think would be suitable to the Dobcross Diary. Some fabulous photographs have already been received. Thank you. Designs and prices have not been decided upon yet, but at the moment we are thinking that cards should be available to buy singly or in packs of 4 or 6 designs.

Please email your pictures to dobcrossdiary@dobx.net as soon as possible. (Sorry to go on about Christmas when you are probably only just recovering from the last one!)

Morris Men dancing in The Square will once again herald the arrival of spring more reliably than the weather. Peter Ashworth, former Squire and founder member of the Saddleworth Morris Men tells us more. Read this & you might find yourself joining in… 

           “It is entirely by coincidence that the 2010 Saddleworth Morris season starts on April Fool’s Day. It was also the date that we held our first meeting in 1974 in The Clogger’s Arms, Lee Street, Uppermill. The King William pub was chosen as a venue for the first public appearance because there was a Road End Fair which took place every year on Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday). Old people in Saddleworth believed that the fair had been in existence since ancient times. Anyone is welcome to put up a stall. In 1974 there were only 6 dancers who performed a long stick dance & managed to knock out one of the group, who lay in the gutter until the rest of the group finished the dance. Ron Yates, the unfortunate dancer, often relates this story to inspire new recruits.

We don’t use sticks at all now & we have a distinctive uniform unique to Saddleworth. We also have some musicians, unlike in 1974. Therefore, we have a very active team who provide Saddleworth with local colour & regular entertainment in the summer. It is one of the few remaining Morris teams who meet regularly. We meet at The Church Inn, Uppermill on Thursday nights.

Maundy Thursday (1st April) evening will as usual be the first dance for new members of the team & provides entertainment for the spectators. Please come along at about 7.30pm outside the King William, Chew Valley Road, Greenfield.

The Good Friday (2nd April) tour is approximately 11am in Delph; 12.30 in Dobcross; 1.30 at the Diggle Hotel & from 2.30 onward in Uppermill outside the museum.

There is also a performance at The Church Inn at 8pm & at The Cross Keys at 9pm.

We are always looking for new members. Please contact Pete Ashworth on 07970 134714 or any of the Morris team.”

With a British general election just around the corner, the Dobcross Diary thought it would try to find out what our village means to the parliamentary candidates for Oldham East and Saddleworth. We propose to give each candidate equal space in a future edition of the Dobcross Diary in which they can tell us why they should get our vote. What do you think? What questions would you like them to answer? Go on - unleash your inner Paxman and we’ll give them a good grilling! Let the editor know your ideas & we shall see what they have to say for themselves! (Or whether they can be bothered.) Email your questions (dobcrossdiary@dobx.net) or pop them in the DVC box in the Post Office.

From Ronnie Scott’s to the Most Famous Brass Band Club in the World. Don’t miss the chance to see one of the country’s finest young jazz vocalists performing here in Dobcross. Local jazz singer, Ella Rooke (from Greenfield), is returning home for a charity gig for Saddleworth Cancer Research UK at Dobcross Band Club on Friday 19^th March. With a name like Ella, singing comes naturally & she could make the name famous all over again. At just 24, she won sponsorship for a UK tour as the youngest singer the Arts Council had ever promoted to a reception of rave reviews. People may remember Ella’s performances to packed houses at Uppermill Civic Hall at Jazz for Africa evenings. She’s now lending her support for Cancer Research, backed by a band of fine musicians. You can hear previews on www.myspace.com/ellarooke  

Tickets for Ella’s Cancer Research gig, which includes a potato pie supper can be obtained at Dobcross Band Club.

Whit Friday is on 28th May this year, but villagers started preparing for it even before their socks had dried out from the last time. Here is a great way that YOU can lend your support...

You are invited to come along to the Band Club on Saturday 24th April to enjoy a sumptuous 4 course dinner, followed by entertainment from one of the country’s funniest comedians, Lea Roberts (winner of ITV’s Stand Up Britain, pictured left). Peter Young O.B.E. will be the master of ceremonies and the evening will be rounded off with Big Jim’s Disco. This popular event has been organised to raise funds for Dobcross’s Whit Friday celebrations.

Please support this event and help keep the tradition of Whit Friday alive in Dobcross. Tickets (£30) are available now  from the Band Club  

Are you interested in taking photographs? Do you ever take pictures and find yourself wondering what to do with them after all family members & pets have lost interest? Flickr is a website that allows photographers to share their pictures with others and they can leave feedback and comments. Recently a group of Flickr members in Saddleworth met face-to-face for the first time resulting in plans to produce a top quality coffee table book all about Saddleworth, raising funds for a local charity. The Dobcross Diary will keep you posted, but in the meantime, take a look at the “Saddleworth Photobook” group on Flickr www.flickr.com  or follow the link from www.dobx.net

Don’t folk in Dobcross get up to some amazing things? We thought that readers would like to hear a bit more about the various groups that exist. This month we are featuring the Dobcross Ladies Group. If you would like your group to be featured next month, get in touch…

From corn dolly making (in the 70s of course!) to sugar penguins, Dobcross ladies have proved that they are willing to have a go at most things. The varied programme throughout the year includes trips, talks, walks, meals out & the ever popular Christmas parties. In February we all learnt how to wear a bra. It was started in November 1977 as a friendship group which is open to any woman of any age, not just those who attend church or even necessarily live in the village. It is financially independent & not affiliated to any national group. This keeps the annual subscription to £7 with £1 for each of the 6 events held in the church. The group is thriving but new members are always welcome. Either come along to one of the events on the second Tuesday of every month (8pm) at the back of Holy Trinity Church, Woods Lane. The next event is on 9th March & will involve chocolate & truffles. Sounds yummy!

Dobross Ladies Group Programme 2010

March 9 Rita - truffles: back by popular demand.

April 20 ^‘Up on the Roof’ by Simon Moore & Jane Prowse at Oldham Coliseum 7.30pm. A musical comedy celebrating the enduring power of friendship.

May 11 A talk on the Malaysian wedding basket by Chandra Law

June 8 ‘Singing in the Rain’- Oldham Coliseum 7.30pm

July 13 Walk from the church starting 7.30pm

August 10 Summer holidays- meet in the Swan at 8pm

September 14 Donkey Sanctuary Talk    

October 12 Meal at a venue yet to be decided

November 9 A craft demonstration yet to be decided (or another)

December 7 Christmas contribution supper

11 January 2011 AGM

Andy Thornton writes: "Hi Mike its andy from The Shambles, I was wondering if you could let the residents know what's on this month. This Saturday (20th February) we have Carlo Sax playing live and Darren Phillips on the 27th at 8pm.

We are also thinking of having quizzes on Wednesday nights and was wondering if there as any interest from the locals. If anyone is interested then please could they contact me via email or my mobile.
 
Thanks
Andy Thornton
07966 197191
andy-thornton@hotmail.co.uk 

We are all invited to the OPENING NIGHT of "THE SHAMBLES" public house on Friday 29th January. Formerly known as The Woolpack, this historic Dobcross watering hole is opening its doors once again following a complete refurbishment. The Shambles will be a traditional British pub, serving fine ales and wines with delicious home cooked food served all day. Saddleworth landlord, Andy Thornton, is keen to welcome old and new customers.

Let's all support Andy and our 'new' village pub by popping in on Friday and many times after that.

JOB OPPORTUNITY - The Shambles require a cook. Mondays to Fridays from 11.30 - 2.30. Please contact Andy on 07966 197191 or by email andy-thornton@hotmail.co.uk

MESSAGE FROM INSPECTOR DANNY MILOVANOVIC VIA ROYCE FRANKLIN OF HOMEWATCH. Four Burglaries occurred in the early hours of Saturday 16th January 2010. Two in Dobcross. One in Delph. One in Greenfield. The four Burglaries have similar characteristics. In three of the crimes the front door window was smashed in order to gain entry, whilst a ground floor window was removed in the fourth. Items stolen include laptops and in one case a motor vehicle.

Please could residents be extra vigilant, shutting and locking windows and doors. Place door keys in a safe place and not left in doors or near to windows and letter boxes, and please set your intruder alarm if you have one.

If you see or hear anything suspicious report it to the police immediately on 999. Non-emergency calls should be made to 0161 872 5050. Contact the Saddleworth North Neighbourhood Policing Team. 0161 856 4523.

There will be extra officers on duty this evening in the Saddleworth area, as a result of these crimes.

Regards,
Inspector Danny Milovanovic

A devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake has hit Haiti, including the densely populated capital Port-Au-Prince and the surrounding area. Although there is as yet no accurate assessment of the death toll it is clear that millions of people live in the affected area. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, greatly increasing the risk that people will suffer or die in the aftermath of a natural disaster.

We have so much to be thankful for in Dobcross. When disasters occur so far away from here it may seem that there is little we can do to help, but there are many charities who are in a position to make a real difference. All they need is money. The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) was formed in 1963. They are an umbrella organisation for Action Aid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund, World Vision. For more information visit www.dec.org.uk

Donations can be made at DOBCROSS POST OFFICE or any bank by quoting Freepay 1449. To make a postal donation make cheques payable to ‘DEC Haiti Earthquake’ and mail to ‘PO Box 999, London, EC3A 3AA’. Or Telephone 0370 60 60 900.  Or donate online www.dec.org.uk

Once again, Dobcross residents have put on a fabulous Christmas lights display. The Band Club's judges of the 'Dobcross in Lights' competition had an especially difficult job this year as more and more houses all over the village went all out to make Dobcross a winter wonderland.

The winners of Dobcross in Lights 2009: Tim Newbold and Michael Powis (4 Woods Lane)

Highly Commended: Pat and Paul Clegg (3 Woods Lane). Also highly commended was another property on Wall Hill Road.

WINNING DISPLAY - 4 WOODS LANE

The second print run of the Dobcross Calendar has sold out. Thank you to everyone involved! Don't forget to keep snapping for the 2011 Calendar. As ever, the competition to find the best pictures is open to all and judging will take place in August 2010.

Many thanks to Chris Keightley who has put together a fantasatic video of a microlight flight he made over Saddleworth this summer and sent it in for us all to see. Click on the picture below to be taken to the Videos page of the Dobcross Diary website to see this amazing footage of Dobcross from the air.Chris took a photograph of Dobcross from the air which has been selected for the 2010 Dobcross Calendar.

Chris took a photograph of Dobcross from the air (from a different angle) which has been selected for the 2010 Dobcross Calendar.

The members of Dobcross Silver Band would like to thank everyone who has given their support in raising funds to enable the Band to compete in the National Brass Band championships in Harrogate recently. Whilst the result was not quite what we had hoped for (a respectable 10th from 17), the opportunity to play at such an event was a tremendous experience for this talented group of players and re-affirmed the return of Dobcross to the forefront of the Brass Band world.
The Bands achievements this year have already been recognised with elevation to a more senior level of competition in 2010 (2nd section) and of course the Band will continue to perform within the community, develop local talent and represent the village with pride.
The Band is self funding and their great progress can only be sustained with an ongoing commitment to generating income in various ways and all offers of support are very much appreciated

Dobcross Diary HQ received this amazing picture and story today:

"This  beautiful eagle owl landed in a garden near you last sunday 27th September [ie. in Dobcross] What a surprise! It took awhile to track its owner but with help from the countryside staff and volunteers at the Brownhill Countryside Centre and a lot of searching plus some of our tea [chicken] it was returned."

Following on from the Dobcross Diary news report this month about wallaby sightings in Dobcross, the Oldham Chronicle picked up the story and an article appeared in today's Chron.

"Saddleworth may have become home to an elusive, new visitor . . .wallabies. Two of the creatures were sighted in a field near to Dobcross village and animal-lovers are welcoming their arrival. Michael Powis, who runs the Dobcross Diary, said: “Two highly respected women in the community saw a pair of wallabies when they were out walking. I have no reason to doubt the sighting.” 

Read the whole article by clicking on the link to the Oldham Chronicle below

http://www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/8/news-headlines/28200/wallabies-that-wannabe-in-saddleworth

Tonight, villagers are celebrating the opening night of the Top House under the new management of Mike and Sandra Mooney. It is a welcome return to the Swan for them and we wish them every success. Be sure to pay a visit soon!

On Sunday 09.08.09 Sunday Times columnist A. A. Gill writes about our Morris Men. Here is a small extract.

"...At the next village pub, something quite different happens. They release the beast. In the car park by the wheelie bin, the Saddleworth Morris Men from Yorkshire arrive, trotting like pit ponies, bells on their black clogs, wearing hanging baskets of flowers and feathers on their heads, led by a meaty man with a whip. There is none of the hop, skip and whack about this troupe. They have a muscular, purposeful swagger. Their dance is physical and masculine, and beautifully aggressive under their great flowered hats. They have the gimlet-eyed, tuber-featured faces of the north, and suddenly the morris is captivating. The rhythm stamps out darker motifs and bellicose camaraderie. The patterns they make stay in the mind’s eye. You can see them weave spells..."

Click  HERE. or http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/dance/article6740887.ece

The flypast was sensational. Here is a picture taken by Jim Grady. Check the Gallery section of Dobcross Diary Online for more pictures. Got any more? Send them in! (There's a new video of the Wartime Weekend to see as well!)