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8th.June 2005 saw the completion of phase one of the Village Park makeover
With help from SBC the VPRA managed to get the new play area completed and in use along with converting the old tennis courts into a 5-a side pitch with “shelters” for the older teenagers to meet up in.A year on and everything is still in place.
To enable this to be maintained the VPRA organised the funding and installation of a new CCTV system for the park.24/7 coverage beamed back to Stockton Centre.
Energy Saving Lights
The Village Park Residents Association, with the help of OUR (that’s the group’s and the community’s) friends SRCGA and The Five Lamps, through the office of our mate Stuart “Yes I can sort that out for you” Levin, came up with another scheme to try and help the community we are a part of. … “Operation SOS” Relax, we are not turning into Thunderbirds and we are not going out rescuing people stuck up a tree in Black Bobbies Field .
Operation SOS is about Savings Or Security, the twin reasons for people to take advantage of the Energy Saving Light Bulbs and The Energy Saving Security Light
Bulbs(they turn themselves on as it grows dark), which we are making available to the community.
SAVINGS.
FREE …Both these the Energy Saving Bulbs are free, so there’s an immediate saving!
However, as the nights draw in and grow longer its obvious that you will use the lights more, and as these bulbs use a fraction of the electricity consumed by the old fashioned bulbs the saving to the individual is obvious. However, there’s more to it than that. The lowering of the electricity consumption which this brings, particularly as more and more people realise the benefit to their pockets of these light bulbs over the conventional bulb, there will be a rapid decrease on the impact which the generation of electricity has on the whole world’s environment.
(Now hey, the VPRA are always saying we are keen to help the community across the town, regardless, but helping the environment across the whole world .. a new record eh?)
SECURITY
The light sensitive bulbs will automatically turn themselves on as the night grows darker. The security element of this bulb means it is ideal for senior citizens and people who live alone. This is the section of the our community, not so much at a greater risk of crime but with the greatest fear of crime and crime being committed against them. Equally, they are the most vulnerable and potentially, though is it a shame to say it the most isolated of our community. Many elderly and people living alone find that the actual returning to their own home after the evening has become to draw on, is in its self terrifying. Their own home, all in darkness, being a potential hiding place for some criminal who they may only THINK lies in wait for them.
The light being on waiting for them easing or helping to ease such fears.
Since early 2005 The VPRA have been helping residents in the Laburnum Avenue area to resolve the problem of an eyesore created by traffic calming.
After many meetings and consultations and leafleting every house in the area we finally got a promise from SBC that during 2006 the “White Stones” would be removed.
November 27th 2006 saw the stones finally removed. There will now be a consultation with the residents about a proper traffic calming system.
This will begin in September 2007.
June 2005 was the first Party in the Park which was intended for the younger folk of the area. Held in the Village Park it was decided to make this an annual event. The show was opened by the Mayor of Thornaby Mrs Beryl Robinson. Click on the picture below for more views of the day.
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June 2006 saw the 2nd Party In The Park event. This year opened by Mayor Mrs Pat Large. Click on the picture below for more views of the day..
June 2006 and the VPRA had its new flower bed planted followed by a visit from the Northumbria In Bloom judges in mid July.Click on the picture to go to the In Bloom site.
The first ever VPRA angling competition took place on Sunday 16 Th. July on the Black Bobbies Field stretch of the River Tees.The event was made possible by a Community Chest grant from Thornaby Town Council
The idea of the competition was to try and get some of the local youngsters involved in the sport and to teach them some fishing techniques and help occupy their days.It was fished by a 11 local lads and a young lady from Stockton.A number of parents and relatives came along to support and there was a healthy passing interest from local dog walkers and residents just out for a stroll along the river banks in the sun and to watch the boats.
It was one of the hottest days of the year with the early cloud soon burning off and a scorching day followed.Fish were hard to find and 5 anglers failed to weigh in at all. A lot of pleasure craft were up and down the swims all day and the pesky swans and ducks kept dropping in for a feed of ground bait.
Best fish of the day was an 8 oz.Perch and the best net of the day was 1lb.4oz followed by 1lb.and thirdly 10oz.Although the weights were down the big question was “whens the next match? How about next week.?”
Thanks must go to local angler Kenny Sewell who gave up his Sunday to help and advise the youngsters on how and where and what.
 Thanks also to South View Stores for providing refreshments for all concerned and to SBC Village Ward Councillor Ian Dalgarno andThornaby Town Councillor Geoff Green for popping down to support the venture.Thanks also to Thornaby Town Councillor Mick Moore who had to work but kept in constant touch via mobile with advice.(Get some work done Mick)
All the participants were issued with maggots and ground bait and awarded a medal each at the end.All courtesy of the grant from Thornaby Town Council.
Councillor Geoff Green was roped in at the end to present the medals and the trophies to the winners.
September 2006 saw the VPRA committee step in to help with the organisation of Thornaby Show.Problems within the Town Council meant the show was in the balance and we stepped in to help organise and check out everything was ordered and done correctly.
The show saw us put on our first ever display for the public to show what we are about and what we have and can do.
November 2006 saw the VPRA committee jump into action to try and stop the spread of invasive pond weeds growing in both the fish haven and the river around the Black Bobbies field.
Click on picture for views of the weed.
November 2006 was the beginning of consultation for the new traffic calming systems, letters were hand delivered to all houses in the area and an open meeting held to discuss. The general consensus of the replies was to accept the idea with a few small additions.
Christmas 2006 saw the VPRA organise its first fund raising raffle in aid of the elderly residents living in Parkview Care Home.
 Lots of prizes included:-
Vouchers for M and S from George Wimpey Homes,Food Hamper from Tristar Housing.
Prizes donated by our MP Dari Taylor ,House of Commons Teddy and Baseball cap plus a small House of Commons china trinket box.
A bottle of whisky from Stockton Mayor Councillor Suzanne Fletcher
Other prizes donated by Thornaby Police,Stockton Borough Council Highways,
Thornaby Town Council.
The draw was done in Parkview by our local MP and one of the founders of the VPRA. Dari Taylor.The sum of £200 was raised from ticket sales.
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Over the winter of 2006/2007 we have had kept up our planting around the Village with 10,000 spring bulbs blooming and then the beggining of summer planting.Click here to go to our own In Bloom site and here for our picture archive on This is Thornaby.
January 2007 we hosted a meeting for residents with Stockton Borough Council to discuss the proposed traffic calming Latest news is work will start in September 2007.
February 2007 we began “looking after” the residents gardens at Parkview Home. This began with clearing a lot of overgrown areas and planting up.
We also presented the home with 2 large bird tables for the residents to enjoy watching the wild birds feeding. CFYA also donated 3 large composter bins to help us recycle the grass cuttings.
. Latest news is work will start in September 2007.
March 2007 saw us do an organised litter pick in aid of “Red nose Day”.It was attended by Dari Taylor MP and The then Mayor of Stockton Suzanne Fletcher along with people from CFYA,Tristar and Scrags..
May 2007 saw us begin clearing a “Gateway Garden” on the Lower Village Green. This has now been seeded and is growing away nicely.
June 2007 saw the flower beds opposite the Jollies redesigned and completed along with the new bed at Holmes Close and Parkview home
July 2007 and its the 3rd Party in the Park with the star attraction of the Northumberland Vikings re-enactment group.
July 2007 and the results are in for the CFYA awards and for the second year running we have won an award.
August 2007 we are invited to the Northumbria in Bloom awards and are presented with a neighbourhood award.
October 2007 saw the start of bulb planting with over 10,000 daffodils and crocus to plant.
First stop all around St. Peter’s church and the stone on the top green.
The following week we planted up the Jollies flower bed for winter and spring bedding. then planted 4000 crocus along the approach to the green club.
December 2007 saw our second Christmas raffle for Parkview home.
Once again drawn by Dari Taylor the residents and staff of the home had an enjoyable Sunday afternoon.
Thanks to all who donated the prizes .
December 2007 saw the long awaited Traffic Calming being put in place in the Northumberland, Redcar, Laburnum and Thorntree Roads area.
Within the first week of work starting the VPRA committee met with SBC and its contractors to discuss the poor workmanship on the first set of dropped kerbs. Work was remedied immediately.
January 2008 the first of the “Table Tops” were put in and once again the VPRA had to complain to the council about poor workmanship. It was blamed on sub standard materials from its sub contractor. Remedial work is now underway.
The first of the rounded top calmers are now in place soon to be followed by the humps on Thorntree Road and the signage all around the area.
January 2008 the installations are continuing but after complaints from the VPRA the entry area tops have been taken off again and are to be replaced due to crumbling material. If we are to have a system we need a good one.
February 2008 the area around the schools has been marked up and core samples taken from the table tops again after more crumbling.
From February 2008 all day to day items and achievements will be posted on the daily blogs.
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