Forewarned is forearmed...

There have been two instances of thefts from oil tanks in the Hill Crest area of the village recently. The website www.stopoiltheft.com has plenty of advice on how to protect your oil from unwanted attention, including:

• fit an Oil Level Gauge to your tank to alert you to an unusual drop in your oil level;
• install locks on tank filler caps;
• whilst you may not have a say on where your tank is positioned, it is wise to try planting bushes to prevent thieves getting to the tank easily or parking your vehicle so that access to the tank is restricted. Also if it is overlooked by a window or close to occupied property, most thieves will not take the risk of wanting to be seen;
• make note of any unfamiliar vehicles looking suspicious. It has been known that thieves are following Oil Delivery vehicles around different households knowing that they may potentially have a full tank.

Please don't approach anyone who appears to be behaving suspiciously - call the police. 

Take Notice!

Check out the latest addition to the village - a shiny new noticeboard! 

Shared between the C of E Primary School and the Esh Village Residents' Association, the noticeboard is designed to replace the old phone box for village and school notices and announcements. If there's something you'd like to put on the noticeboard, please get in touch at eshresidentsassociation@gmail.com

Please note that all notices will be subject to approval by the EVRA committee. 

Esh Village Residents' Association Meeting

A quick reminder that the Esh Village Residents' Association's monthly meeting takes place tonight, 7pm, at the Cross Keys. 

Items on the agenda include planning events and activities for next month's Heritage Weekend, the Photography Competition and the upkeep of the village environment (I feel another litter pick coming on...). Everyone is welcome - the more the merrier! See you there...

An Esh Debut?

Spotted: a black squirrel on the eastern side of Esh village! 

Although there are technically only two types of squirrel in the UK, the native red (Sciurus vulgaris) and the North American grey (Sciurus carolinensis), a third variant, the black squirrel, appears to have trekked and swung its way up the country to the dizzy heights of Esh village. 

Black squirrels are actually grey squirrels with higher levels of black pigment (melanin) in their fur due to a genetic mutation. They were first introduced to Woburn Park in Bedfordshire in the late 19th century, but, either through escape or release, have slowly taken up residence across the country. According to the Black Squirrel Project, a study conducted by researchers at Angela Ruskin University, the mutated gene travels about half a mile a year, and to date there have only been seven sightings in County Durham; the sighting in Esh marking an eighth appearance. The Forestry Commission is also running a similar project, and both institutions ask that anyone who spots a black squirrel contact them directly. Esh is now marked on the Black Squirrel Project's map... although whether the squirrels are just passing though or here to stay remains to be seen... Keep your eyes peeled and do get in touch if you spot any more! 

A quick note...

St Michael's & All Angels, Esh with Hamsteels

... just to say that the Village Calendar has been updated to include church services at St Michaels & All Angels, Esh with Hamsteels for the coming weeks and more information about the WI meetings (monthly speaker, competitions, etc.). If there's anything you'd like including on the
Calendar or if the sharp-eyed notice anything amiss, please don't hesitate to get in touch by leaving a comment on the Calendar page or by sending a comment via the form on the Residents' Association page.