NEWS FROM LEA CHURCH
Hello everyone and I trust this finds you all well. I hope you all had a good Easter (seems a long time ago now!) and didn't eat too many chocolate eggs!  
Firstly, I would like to thank all those who came along, supported, helped out and donated to our recent Quiz Night and Craft Fayre weekend. It was great to see so much support for these events. I am delighted to say that we raised £180.00 for Christian Aid from the raffle held at the Craft Fayre.  This was the first time we have held a specific 'Spring Craft Fayre', but we hope to make it a permanent fixture in our fund-raising calendar. Thank you also to the Children's Church who did a wonderful job at the Good Friday workshop creating the Easter Garden - I hope to have a photo of this to put in the next issue.
  We don't have anything planned for May, but in June we are planning a Flower Festival, 'Music through the Ages', which we hope to have a lot of fun with!  The festival will run from Friday 27th - Sunday 29th June with a concert by 'Forest Baroque' on the Sunday afternoon to round off the weekend. More information re. tickets etc for the concert and tea will be in the next issue.  
  We are looking for sponsors for the festival, so if you would like to have an arrangement dedicated to someone, or in memory of an event, your name and nomination will appear on the arrangement and on the programme.  Please phone me, Marion, on Contact Details Detail on PDF copy on home page for more details.  Forms are available in the church.
God Bless all,
Marion Martin, Churchwarden

​

NEWS FROM LEA SCHOOL
Oak Class have had a really exciting Spring Term learning all about World War 2, including the events that led up to it and significant moments within it, such as The Battle of Britain, The Blitz and Dunkirk. We have really enjoyed our learning both in school and at home, with lots of parents helping us make model Anderson Air Raid Shelters. 
  Before the Easter break, we were very excited to go on our school trip to Bewdley Museum, where we took part in a day of fun activities that took us back in time to the 1940s. We went into a real bomb shelter which was made for Bewdley Post office in 1940, learnt all about what life was like for people living during the war and even had a go at making a rag rug! It was an excellent day full of lots of learning opportunities and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone!
  Our term ended with our Easter celebrations, which included our wonderful Easter Service at Lea Church where each class shared an Easter song they had been practicing, some lovely readings and important words shared by Father David. We also had a fantastic Chocolate Bingo event organised by our lovely PTFA, with a fantastic turn out from parents and students. We ended the week with Lea's Easter Extravaganza, which saw some fantastic egg decoration by all students across the school. 
  The new term has got off to a fantastic start here at Lea! Year 6 are busily preparing for their SATs and transition to local high schools and all classes are making the most of the warmer weather with opportunities to take our learning outside.
   If you would like to visit our school, please do not hesitate to contact us either by email at admin@lea-primary.hereford.sch.uk or by telephone Contact Details Detail on PDF copy on home page. We would love to show you all that our wonderful school has to offer!

​

LEA PLAY AND CHAT
Play and Chat has welcomed more new families from Lea and the surrounding villages, sharing advice and making friendships over our regular tea and coffee. We have made beautiful pasta necklaces and hand-print keep sakes for Mothering Sunday, Easter crowns along with rolling balls in paint to create snail shells, symmetry butterflies and pom pom caterpillars. This is in addition to the baby corner, book corner, playdough, small world, puzzles and lots more. 
  Come and join us on Friday mornings (term time only) in Lea Primary School Hall at 9.00 - 10.30am. All sessions are FREE. Donations are welcome.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR COMING EVENTS....... PICNIC IN THE PARK AND A FOREST RAMBLE.
  Contact Carolyn Contact Details Detail on PDF copy on home page

​

LEA VILLAGE HALL 
The Village Hall continues to attract new groups and hirers who are keen to bring innovative events to Lea, which is gratifying. With completion of the Fire Safety upgrade, I must thank our regular users for their patience and understanding whilst it took place. There will be simplistic decorating in the kitchen required as the previous metal shutter once removed wasn’t quite the same size/shape as the new one. Hopefully this shouldn’t take long.
  Lea Parish Council have ordered a new seat to be placed on the patio in memory of Jacky Hopkins and, along with some planters provided by her children, these should soon enhance that outside area. Somewhere to contemplate or watch the children at play.
Dates for your diary are:
   •    The Art Exhibition on Saturday 21st June, when the regular Friday Art group will hang their masterpieces for others to enjoy, or even purchase.
   •    A Summer fete on Saturday 12th July, when the Lea Residents Association, along with other Lea groups are planning a joint day of fun for all ages. Watch this space and look out for posters on the local Facebook page and noticeboards for details.
    As with most events further details will be available nearer the time, but perhaps for now these can become dates for your diary.
  Don’t forget, if you’d like to join the Committee or volunteer in other ways, please contact me.
Sylvia Nicholls

​

VILLAGE HALL CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
Just a reminder that our wonderful village hall is not only available for hire for private functions, but there are many more regular clubs and activities available, not all of which are written about regularly in The Chimes.  These include Short Mat Bowls, Yoga, Keep Fit for the 60+, Brownies and Bingo!  Keep an eye on noticeboards and the Leavillagehall.com website for details.  

​

LEA VILLAGE HALL 100 CLUB
Contact Gill Walker Contact Details Detail on PDF copy on home page if you would like to join the 100 Club for the year 2025-26.   March Draw: 
£100 prize - J Hayes  £25 - L Neilens  £10 - M Coleman  £5 - J Hyndman

​

LEA CAFE NEXT COFFEE MORNING AND DAY TRIP UPDATE
The next coffee morning falls on Wednesday 7th May, from 10am at the village hall.  All Lea residents are most welcome to call in and it's completely free (unless you want to buy a raffle ticket!).  Coffee/tea/home-made cakes, book tables and a chance to catch up with neighbours or maybe meet new ones.
  Update on our annual day trip out - this year on Wednesday 4th June we are going to the Black Country Museum in Dudley. I would rather have the coach seats filled, so will offer out the remaining places at £5 per person. You will then just need to pay the reduced entry fee of £19.95 when we arrive on the day.  
  If you would like a place on the coach, but don't usually come to the coffee mornings, contact me to get your name down on the list and we can agree how to pay the £5. Gill Davis:Contact Details Detail on PDF copy on home page

​

LEA LUNCH CLUB
The next lunch club is on Wednesday 28th May. We are now almost always fully booked, so please ensure you let me know in good time if you can’t come so we can allow someone else to take the place. To change your booking or enquire about a new booking, please call Nicky Contact Details Detail on PDF copy on home page

​

LEA FRIDAY PAINTERS’ ANNUAL EXHIBITION
Lea Friday Painters will be holding their annual one-day exhibition on Saturday 21st June at Lea Village Hall. Please come and support us. The preview party will be held on Friday 20th June. For any queries contact Di Brice: Contact Details Detail on PDF copy on home page

​

Please see www.theleaparishcouncil.gov.uk for information related to the parish. As usual you can make contact with the parish council via clerk@theleaparishcouncil.gov.uk

The Lea Parish Council continues to actively support Herefordshire Council to use funds that have been made available to provide 'traffic calming' in the village. A full package of 'soft' village traffic calming measures including village gateways & planters at 3 locations, buff carriageway patches with limit roundels, removal of centreline and cats’ eyes, introduction of 150mm edge lining, are all planned.

The design has been reviewed and approved this week, with only one minor change to be carried out. This has been instructed to the Highways Design Team and the final plans should be available by the week commencing 7th April. At that point details will be shared with the Parish and the start of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process will begin for the 30mph extension and the no-overtaking orders.

As far as a construction date, with the designs being all but finished, the TRO is the thing that will now take the most time. Herefordshire Council advises that these typically take between 6 to 9 months, so that would take us into the last quarter of 25/26 for construction (around December / January time). 

The Parish Council meeting held on 26th March was attended by all councillors and three parishioners. At the meeting various decisions were made including - to renew membership of Herefordshire Association of Local Councils and to appoint the association accountant to act as internal auditor for the 2024-25 accounts. It was also agreed to begin collating data to be used during production of a 'parish interpretation board' mainly to highlight the network of public footpaths that are available in the village.

Thus far, Lea Parish Council has not had a social media presence, but it is now planned to use Facebook to post official data in addition to use of the website and posting on noticeboards.

The Annual Parish Meeting will be held in the Village Hall at 7pm on Wednesday 14th May where all are most welcome. (Note that whilst this annual meeting is arranged and chaired by the parish council, it is not a council meeting. The next Parish Council Meeting is due to take place on Wednesday 28th May.)