Margaret Jones

The Parish Council recently received a letter asking if we’d like to help local hedgehogs.

We’d like residents to tell us if they’d be interested in installing these small tunnels in their fences to allow hedgehogs to roam through gardens. See below and please let us know if you’d like us to purchase these for residents of Edingale.

What is a Hedgehog Highway?
A Hedgehog Highway is a 5 inch gap in a fence or wall allowing access for Hedgehogs. Other names include ‘Hedgehog Door’, ‘Hedgehog Hole’ and ‘Hedgehog Tunnel’

These gaps are essential in the battle to prevent the extinction of our endangered spiky friends.

The Hedgehog Highway allows hedgehogs to:

* Forage for food

* Meet mates to breed

* Access nesting sites

Why should I get a Hedgehog Highway Surround?

1. Hedgehog Highway Signs look super cute!

2. They raise awareness to hedgehogs’ struggle for survival

3. They create a talking point, encouraging others to create a highway of their own and take part in the project

4. Money from the sale of every Hedgehog Sign is donated to help the rescue of sick and injured hedgehogs

The Parish Council contacted Severn Trent regarding the recent flooding at Pessall Lane.
They told us if any residents are experiencing bad smells outside, they would recommend they contact 0800 783 44 44 at the contact centre who are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
There is a combined mains which takes both foul and storm water, this runs down Pelsall Lane to a pump station at the end of the road which is subsequently pumped away. They are confident these assets are operational and again if any residents are having any issues, they would kindly ask them to get in touch on the above number so they can get each case investigated and keep a log of any incidents.

Best Kept Village 2024
Just a reminder of what happened last year. We won the overall BKV competition (small village category) and also the CPRE sponsored prize for the best Green submission and shared the Community Spirit prize with two other parishes.
Edingale Parish Council has now sent in the entry for this year’s competition. Judging will again start from 1st of May.
I would like to ask those of you who did such a great job of litter picking and tidying the village last year to do the same again this year. A good start for our efforts this year was to help the Village Hall AGM and Community Clean up on 23rd March.
As ever, the more people involved, the less effort each of us has to put in!
If you see items of rubbish or litter please make that extra bit of effort to pick it up. We do now get a lot of small pieces of rubbish around the village especially following collection from the blue bags.
More to follow in a week or so!
Jim Meikle

For up to date information the Environment Agency issues flood alerts and information and you can subscribe to alerts on the following:

Edingale Parish Council would like to ask that now that the weather is (slightly!) improving and daylight lasting a little longer, would householders with hedges and bushes please take a few minutes to trim off any briars or growths that are spreading over the footpaths?
It is becoming a problem for some older villagers and those with young children to walk along past some of the overgrowing hedges in several areas of the village and we’d really appreciate your help with this.
We’d also be grateful if you can continue to keep them tidy as it will be judging time for Best Kept Village before too long!

There has been a lot of dog poo left on the footpaths by inconsiderate owners recently. We know that most dog owners are responsible and pick up after their pets but a few are spoiling the village paths by not clearing up after their dog! Please take a bag when you walk your pet and use it.

Did you know that Lichfield District Council will fine offenders? They take a hard line in relation to dog fouling and believe people should clear up after their dog.

Here is a link to their report form where you can report any ‘hotspots’.

Welcome to another year of Edingale Village Hall events, we are a registered Charity run by a volunteer Management group. We have organised lots of events, catering for young and old and would like to thank everyone for their support last year. Attached is a list of planned events for 2024. We are always open to new ideas, so if you can suggest any fundraising and/community events, do get in touch. We would particularly highlight these events:

Edingale Village Hall AGM – Saturday 23rd March at 10.00am.

What better way to get closer to your community than by supporting the village hall? You can hear more and get involved by coming along to the Edingale Village Hall Annual General Meeting. The Committee is made up of a dedicated group of volunteers and we’re always looking for more people to join the team. Please contact us if you are interested in joining the Committee, could help at an event or have ideas about fundraising. Call Louise Maskery on 07790 349143 or email info@edingalevillagehall.co.uk

Community Clean Up – If you’re not able to join us for the meeting but would like to help to get the hall, park and village communal areas ready for judging in the ‘Best Kept Village’ competition, arrive from 11.00am Saturday 23rd March. Please bring sensible footwear, gloves and litter pickers and “gilet jaunes” if you have them (they can be provided). Refreshments supplied to all volunteers. If you can’t make it, please have a look in the road/frontage of your home at some point and make sure everything is shipshape.

Open Gardens 22nd / 23rd June (provisional)

We’re gauging interest for a possible Open Gardens event this summer; provisionally on the weekend of 22nd/23rd June. You don’t need to be a green fingered expert and there are lots of different and exciting ways that gardens can be presented. To learn more, to offer your garden, or to volunteer, please contact anthony.mason@zoho.com

Don’t forget we won the Community Award in last year’s Best Kept Village competition, so if you want to keep the excitement going by helping or supporting in 2024, please contact info@edingalevillagehall.co.uk

Click here to read our Feb 2024 Newsletter