Happy days are here again - Barrow has a post office once more! By the time this magazine drops through your letterbox the post office at Barrow Filling Station on North Street will have been open for over a fortnight offering the whole range of post office services: mail and parcels, stamps, postal orders, travel money, banking and insurance.
Manoj Devani is both excited and pleased to be able to offer this much-needed facility to the village and is looking forward to serving the community.
We have a lovely spring edition for you this month, with a delightful variety of features. We have two important articles relating to change in the village: the first is that which has occurred between Humphrey Perkins and the Community Association (BUSCA) and the second to whether the expansion in the housing provision means the village needs a new primary school. On a lighter note we interview Tom Lowe, the young chef who did well on MasterChef last year, whilst working at The Blacksmith’s Arms, and one with Amy Eccles of Barrow’s Motion Dance. Do study the faces of her dancers as many live locally.
Our third interview is with Coral Kelham, Barrow’s own British Citizenship Award recipient. We also learn more about the new shop on the High Street, Central Vape, and from Jules Storier how important the qualities of kindness and understanding are to mums breastfeeding their babies. And there’s more: we publish the winners of the Hall Orchard Year 6 book review competition as well as publishing two other reviews – a spooky thriller aimed at the Young Adult reader ‘Killing a Dead Man’ and one which is set in the village itself, Ethereal Tenant.
And bluebells! In our Country Life spot Maggie J tells us how to distinguish between our native variety and those tougher Spanish interlopers. Finally, I hope you are not too grossed out by the photos below but the message they tell needs to be told.
Gaynor Barton, Editor
Please Watch Your Dog!
The Barrow Voice team would like to bring a matter of concern to our readers. There are two signs in the KGV Recreation Ground which tell dog owners their dogs are allowed but for health and safety reasons they should be kept on a lead and cleared up afterwards.
As you can see from the pictures this isn’t happening. Most people nowadays know about the nasty infection called toxocariasis which is caused by roundworm parasites found in dog faeces. This disease most commonly affects young children who accidentally touch dog faeces whilst playing on grass, put fingers to their mouths and ingest the parasite. It can lead to dizziness, nausea, asthma and even blindness. These February 2020 pictures show some dog owners are not paying enough attention to where their dogs are dumping.
A dog should be on a lead, but if it is not, then please, please, please always notice where its faeces fall and poop scoop afterwards. There are bins provided for the bags. Dogs, unlike horses, have to stop to dump, so you can always see them do it, but it can be over very fast. Don’t be so distracted by chatting to friends or watching your children to be unable to poop scoop immediately the dog finishes its business. Spring is on the way and soon the grass will be full of children playing football and sliding about. It would be a tragedy if a child became seriously ill as a result of one negligent owner. However, we are very pleased to say that the vast majority of Barrow’s many dog owners using the KGV Recreation Ground are highly responsible, even poop scooping up other dogs’ dumps they may see around, and for this we are extremely grateful.
Gaynor Barton, Editor
