Message from the Connétable
One of the most precious gifts we are given is TIME.
All too often it is tragically cut short and so it is up to each one of us to spend our time wisely.
We are very fortunate to say that many people in the Parish choose to dedicate enormous amounts of this commodity to us by representing or helping their community with many different matters.
I don’t get as many opportunities as I would like to thank them for their service.
We had such an event at the beginning of the month at our Branchage. Sadly we are running out of venues that we can utilise in the Parish for such functions, but we were grateful to Stanley Payn, Laura and their team at Holme Grown. They kindly stayed open for us in the evening so we could celebrate voluntary service in Grouville.
We were also able to thank others who have helped the Parish in the past year.
Paul Maguire from W.Horn Bros and their contractors who replaced our roof for us.
Storm Ciaran prompted swift action from Wordjieck and Liam from 4Hire, Constables officer Harry Meacham, Tommy O’Connor from DB Cummins, Andy Labey and all of the Roads Inspectors and Honorary Police, especially Chef de Police Drew Livingston, all of whom and many more helped after this terrifying event.
These are just a few who we could thank on Friday 5th July.
We have a dedicated, experienced and highly knowledgeable Roads Committee who organized a perfect event that week and we should be very grateful for their service too.
The Parish looked wonderfully trimmed so thank you to all hedge owners, farmers and contractors for making that happen.
Our next Branchage is Friday 13th September so put that in your diaries.
I was asked recently to put a list together of 20 people from Grouville who could represent us at an event on Monday July 15th where, potentially, they could meet King Charles 111 and Queen Camilla.
The list was made up of the leaders, or longest serving members, of the voluntary organizations that run the Parish, sporting clubs, charities, Community Support Groups, Youth Clubs, Battle of Flowers, Tenants and others. Who better to meet their Majesties than those dedicated to serving others as was so eloquently mentioned in the Bailiff’s speech on Liberation Day this year?
Updates:
We are hoping that our Accounts will be finalised by mid August so our Rates Assembly will follow after our Accounts Committee have deliberated. This looks like our routine for the years ahead.
The Parish still awaits the law drafting of our new Green Lane system which has been in abeyance since October 2022. Here’s hoping that this will happen soon.
Daryn Cleworth, our Parish Secretary for the past two years, has moved on to another challenge. He has been replaced by the Assistant Secretary Patricia da Silva. Daryn guided us through challenging times with great success and we are grateful for his valuable contribution. We wish him the best in his new venture.
We will also be saying a fond farewell to another Procureur this September and tributes to John Lamy will follow at a later date and they will be considerable from me. A nomination meeting is to be held for his successor and Centeniers on the 8th August at the Parish Hall.
An Assembly is being held next Tuesday 30th at the Parish Hall to allow us to sell a field that was gifted to us and to create a reserve to buy a cemetery so that rate Payers won’t be burdened with this expense in the future.
Finally:
None of us are perfect, least of all me, but we are striving all the time to improve our operations and service to the Parish and Parishioners, and I hope you will allow us to continue with this endeavour and to carry on honouring those that serve us.
This is my mid-year statement, and I would like to conclude it by saying that we will not let anyone change Grouville from the welcoming, open and warm-hearted place that we all love. A Parish steeped in honorary service and full of those who are willing and able to help each other and their community.
Kindest Regards
Mark Labey
Connétable of Grouville