For your latest local and regional news, as provided by the BBC,
click
here. Hungerford and area
news can be found
here.
Parish Council Election was held on 17th August 2023 for the
remaining unfilled post for the Parish Council. James Fisher,
resident of Lower Green, Inkpen, was elected as a Councillor with
149 votes. The Parish Council now has 7 councillors to represent the
interests of residents. Councillors are in post for a period of 4
years- a list of those in post is on the village notice boards for
reference and on this website
here.
Councillors are all custodian and corporate Trustees of the Inkpen
Memorial Playing Field.
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Mental Health Support for those of 11-18 years
West Berkshire Council has set up a dedicated telephone helpline for
young people experiencing issues and concerns relating to the
pandemic - 01635 503587.
The helpline, which is linked to its Emotional Health Academy (EHA),
will offer the district’s young people self-help support, advice and
guidance from trained EHA workers. It came into operation on 6
April, and will be open between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Friday,
providing an opportunity for children and young people (aged 11 to
18) to express their concerns and talk about issues directly
affecting them during the current Coronavirus crisis. EHA workers
will use active listening skills to support young people in dealing
with difficult feelings around Covid-19 and provide signposting and
self-help support for their general wellbeing.
This local helpline is a short-term service and will be available
only during the pandemic, to provide ‘in the moment’ support to
children and young people. It will provide access to trained EHA
workers who can offer advice and self-help tools and provide support
to manage ‘low level’ problems. It is not a crisis line and does not
replace other services such as the Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Service (CAMHS).
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The latest
West Berkshire Council weeknote is available
here.
RiM, Recovery in Mind is a community organisation, where
adults living in West Berkshire get the opportunity to learn life
long skills and tools to improve and manage their mental health and
wellbeing. Details can be found
here.
West Berkshire Council are asking residents across the
district/borough to
think of others and not light bonfires. Anyone
having a domestic bonfire that causes a nuisance may be
prosecuted
under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. To
report an
incident of a bonfire please use our on-line reporting form
here.
Fly tipping is the illegal dumping of any waste or rubbish on
public land or sites which are unauthorised to accept waste. If the
rubbish is dumped on private land, the landowner is responsible for
removing it. If you find or receive notification of fly tipped
material on private land you will need to inform the landowner.
Landowners unfortunately will have to pay for the cost of disposal
of fly-tipped materials. To
report an incident of fly tipping
please see links on PPP website
here.
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Police report
A message from the
Police and Crime Commissioner is
available
here.
Online Fraud. New scams are coming to light all the time.
Police guidance is given
here.
Local Police News.
As we approach the end of Harvest, we find this is the time of year
when we see an increase in rural crime offences. Particularly
hare-coursing and poaching. We are already receiving reports of this
nature in other areas not far from here. Please be mindful of this
when driving through open countryside and report suspicious
behaviour to Police. Ideally a vehicle make, model and index.
Recently in the local area there have been reports of cooking oil
being stolen from rural businesses as well as small amounts of
metal, mainly lead. Please keep an eye out for vehicles / persons
acting suspiciously and report to the Police.
Have you heard about THAMES VALLEY TEXT ALERT? Sign up today
www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/ to receive free texts or emails about
crime in your local area and relevant safety advice.
You can now follow us on twitter @TVP_westberks.
If you would like any further information or advice please contact
me on 07814852137 or email Joanna.king@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
SCAMS
Be aware of scams. Download "
The Little Book of
Big Scams". For home security, download "
Secure your home".
Message shared on behalf of Thames Valley Police - We
have been informed by Thames Water that a number of “Contractor”
Identification Cards have been lost in transit. The cards have been
deactivated so they cannot be used to gain access to any Thames
Water sites but there are concerns that they could be used for
criminal activity known as “Distraction Burglaries.” Please be very
cautious and verify with Thames Water any Thames Water person’s
details before letting anyone into their property?
The real NHS will not ask you to: 1)
provide bank details or payments,
2) give details of any
other accounts, such as social media,
3) set up a password
or PIN number over the phone, or 4) call a premium rate number, such
as those starting 09 or 087
People who shop at Tesco have been warned not to fall for a
scam email claiming to give them free shopping and vouchers. In
emails addressed to customers of the supermarket, scammers have
attempted to take advantage of the coronavirus crisis by offering
them the chance to shop for free online or in store and to click on
a link to register their details.
Similar scams too purporting to be from
Morrison offering
free vouchers and other scams such as free Dettol or Gillette
samples or competitions. They are all trying to get you to like or
share which gives them details on your contacts etc. Never click on
any links from uninvited emails. If in doubt on any scams, please
contact your Bank or other organisations to check whether they have
been sent by them.
Other recent scams are a
text from O2 saying that a
payment
had failed and to avoid fees, visit the website using the link
in the text and to then sign on using another screen asking for all
the security details that the person used followed by credit card
and bank account details. The fake website looked exactly like the
O2 official site so some people could easily fall for this scam.
Royal Mail scams via email advising that your parcel has
arrived but the Courier was unable to deliver the parcel to you. The
email then asks you to pay £3.95 for this to be re-delivered and to
click on a link to give your bank and other details.
Also Emails saying that the
recent payment for your vehicle tax
failed because there is not enough money on your debit card
and that your vehicle is no longer taxed. They suggest you use a
credit card instead to avoid any other consequences and again this
is a way of trying to obtain your Bank details.
There are various ways of reporting scams.
A new initiative called Cyberawaregov has launched SERS – the
suspicious email reporting service. They say that if you have
received an email which you are not sure about, to forward it to
report@phishing.gov.uk
There is further information on the website:
www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/report-suspicious-emails
Scams can also be notified to Action Fraud on 03001232040 or
via their website or to the
National Trading Standards Scams
Team on 03454 040506.
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Out of hours Building works
The law - and frequently planning permission as well - regulates
the hours during which construction can be carried out, typically
between 8am and 6pm weekdays, 8am and 3pm on Saturdays, and not at
all on Sundays. Outside those hours you have the right to complain
to the council, who will come and investigate and may take action
against persistent offenders. Contact WBC at ehadvice@westberks.gov.uk
(Tel. 01635 519192) or planningenforcement@westberks.gov.uk
(Tel. 01635 519111).
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Library - Pass It on
The mobile library will call at Inkpen on the 14th November 2023;
16th January 2024; 6th & 27th February 2024 and 19th March
2024. The mobile van stops at: Craven Rd. Inkpen 2.20-2.50pm and
at Inkpen School at 3.05 – 4pm. Please use the library as we are
lucky the service has continued to be supported by West Berkshire
Council. .
If you need large print books, please contact library services
on 01635 519900
The Libraries Service are also offering a new online service to
residents so that they can continue to enjoy new books and to
share their love of reading without leaving the house. They have
set up a new Facebook group called West Berks Reads, which is a
useful, alternative way for people to share their thoughts and
pick up ideas for what to read next.
Meanwhile, the digital resources and e-library services are
continuing 24/7 and understandably being very well used at this
time. Why not go to the Libraries page on our website and discover a new
book or magazine?
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Climate change
Did you know?
It will cost around £160 to capture 1 metric tonne of carbon
from the atmosphere. Forty mature oak trees (or Beech, Ash, Willow
etc.) do that if you just leave them alone. Each tree is doing a
payback of £4 a year. They pay for their keep.
Silent forests devoid of life are a possibility within a
generation in our already deforested nation, according to a
panel of British experts.
"Ecosystem collapse", where trees suddenly fade and die,
could happen within 50 years, they warn.
But the 42 experts said if we act now we can avert the
catastrophe.
The large-scale loss of forests hit by "wind, fire, pests and
disease" has already happened in continental Europe and North
America.
"A collapsed forest would be heart-breaking, devoid of its
essential life and all the joy and benefits it gives to humanity,"
said Dr Eleanor Tew of Forestry England and Cambridge University.
But she said we have time to make a difference and we know
what to do to make our forests more resilient "so they can
continue to thrive for future generations".
39 Ways to Save the Planet
Radio 4 BBC Radio Four, in partnership with the Royal Geographical
Society, presents 39 ideas to relieve the stress that climate
change is exerting on the planet. To tune in, click here.
Official reports suggest that our climate decline is rapidly
accelerating. Although we are a small community and many feel that
we are too insignificant in the grand scheme, there are things
that we can do to make a positive impact.
Obviously we can plant more trees and hedging and the IMPFT
is this month planting more than 300 hedging plants along Post
Office Road. But individually we can make a difference by leaving
some of our gardens to become wild spaces. We can be more careful
in our use of pesticides and herbicides and hopefully use insect
friendly alternatives. Remember, Your Climate Needs You.
Following on from the work of Bob May and Bernard Harris, to
encourage wild flowers on the Lower Green Triangle, we are hoping
to transform other areas of public land in Inkpen in the coming
years, with an emphasis on natural flora and their insect
inhabitants. Why not set aside a small patch in your garden for
beautiful, natural, wild flowers. Have a look at this to get a
bit of encouragement.
These links might also be of some interest. Trees and Insects. Remember,
insects are at the bottom of the food chain - if we lose them we
lose all that depends on them!
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school news
I always find myself wanting to start these messages with “What a
busy term it has been ...” and this month is no exception. It has
been an incredibly busy month and everyone is looking forward to a
lovely half term next week.
Last week, the Year 6 children went away for their residential at
Grittleton house and took part in a range of exciting activities
such as crate stacking, buggy building and escape the room. We
were really impressed with their enthusiasm and resilience
throughout the week, especially as for many children, this was
their first big trip away from home.
We were also really impressed with the Year 3 and 4 children who
represented our school brilliantly at a Tag Rugby tournament at
Hungerford Rugby Club. The theme for this tournament was “World
Cup” and each school was asked to represent a country; we were
proud to represent Portugal. The children worked incredibly hard
as a team and demonstrated an excellent understanding of the
rules. For many of these children, this was their first ever
tournament and they certainly did us proud. We were particularly
delighted to be awarded one of four trophies as a result of our
enthusiasm and determination.
I wish everyone a happy half term and am looking forward to one of
the busiest periods in the school calendar: Christmas! Miss Buck
INKSPOTS
The children have been thinking about their coordination, of how
they bounce the balls of the tub.
‘Force and Motion’ is a wonderful thing to learn - developing
anticipation and reaction when working with balls.
Ball play builds hand-eye coordination, gross and fine motor skills,
spatial awareness, grasping skills, problem-solving.
The children have also really enjoyed story mapping Stick Man this
week.
Storytelling will help develop listening and communication skills,
improve concentration and memory, bring experiences alive, create a
sense of wonder and help sequence events.
Story mapping allows a child to visualise story characters, events
and settings. It is a way to increase a child's ability to
comprehend and to organise their thoughts and sequencing of main
events. Great job
Daisy Chains
Contact Jenny on 07775883318 or Anna on 07785 184808.
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playing field trust (impft) news
‘POP-IN’ CAFÉ
Where do you really get a FREE cup of Tea or Coffee these days?
It’s certainly not in Newbury or Hungerford. But a few individuals
have opened a Pop-In-Cafe, otherwise known as the PIC, at the Inkpen
Pavilion. Too good to believe? Well, why not come along either on
your own or bring a friend on Thursday 16th November from 10-12.30.
No photo ID required, just be an Inkpen resident.
So, what’s this all about? It’s about being a part of Inkpen and all
the good things about our community. It’s not religious, it’s not
political, and it’s certainly not a dating club, it’s just come
along and chat to your friends and make other new ones. Oh, and not
forgetting the extra benefit… FREE Biscuits and sometimes, cake. If
you have a mobility issue, contact cafe@inkpenvillage.co.uk or phone
01488 757471 and leave a message so we can organise a lift, so you
don’t miss out. If you can’t make the 16th, then put Thursday 7th
December in your diary. PIC is going to be open every first and
third Thursday of each month.
INKPEN PLAYING FIELD & PAVILION - Members of ‘Sport
England’
Please keep up to date with the activities at Inkpen Playing Field –
the contact link for the website is : www.impft.co.uk
Did you know that one in four of us do fewer than 30 minutes
of physical activity a week, while 1 in 6 deaths is caused by
inactivity. Even if you can make small changes like gentle jogging
or playing rounders on the field, we can help everyone experience
the benefits that taking part in sport and physical activity brings
including: mental wellbeing, physical wellbeing and above all social
and community involvement.
Jogging: can anyone lead a team of joggers around the playing
field?
Football: – can anyone teach the youngers to enjoy being a
member of an Inkpen team?
Walking Football: on the hard court: we need a volunteer to
start the sessions.
Five a Side Football: – on Sunday evening, we need more
players - male and female welcome.
Netball: – the hard court is available with markings for the
sport, with new netball nets. Even
basketball could be
considered if there is a sportsperson in the village.
Daisy Chains: are meeting on an ad hoc basis for the little
ones on Friday mornings at the pavilion – please let us know if you
are interested in joining or leading the group on a rota basis.
Social interaction for babes and mums is important as well.
Tennis and coaching: – is available for all at Inkpen playing
field- please contact Taj Woodhouse for membership of Inkpen Tennis
Club
The pavilion is available to book on 7 days of the week: and
there is a regular
Pop-in-Café on first and third Thursday
mornings of each month, and the
History Group would welcome
more members.
Meeting Room at the pavilion: for up to 60 people with access
to a TV screen.
Party bookings: have been popular this summer – football
parties, tennis parties and playground parties- there is still time
to book a place if you are having a family event. A fully stocked
kitchen with double oven, dishwasher, fridge/freezer and microwave.
All the benefits of a home kitchen.
For more details: and booking information please contact the
Parish Clerk: parishclerk@inkpenvillage.co.uk
THE INKPEN HISTORY GROUP
Whoever thought that picking through the dirt could be so exciting.
One 15-minute session of picking up a few bits of pottery from an
Inkpen field produced a piece of Romano-British pottery dating
between around 200 to 600 AD and several post medieval pieces. Maybe
your garden has hidden treasures. If you find something that looks
interesting, bring it to our Pop-in Cafe.
We’ve also been trying to establish the direction of movement of
goods to and from the Inkpen mill, the mill that’s listed in the
doomsday book. This involves a bit of metal detecting, so if you
have a metal detector and would like to work as part of our team,
just get in touch via enquiries@inkpenhistory.uk.
There’s lots going on. If you have time to spare, come and give us a
hand.
YOGA IN INKPEN
Inkpen Village Hall - Tuesday mornings 9:30-10:30am
Inkpen Pavilion - Thursday evenings 7.00-8.00pm
Yoga which is suitable for beginners and experienced. Classes are
£10 pay as you go. Contact oliviaboydall@gmail.com 07554446502 for
additional info and requests to book on to a class.
Yoga classes not only bring strength, and a sense of freedom and
mobility to our physical bodies, they also leave us feeling calm,
aligned, with a settled mind. Through movement, postures, breathwork
and meditation you will leave the mat with a new sense of energy and
a permeating feeling of deep rest physically and mentally.
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evENTS AT INKPEN village hall
INKPEN STITCH AND KNIT
Our November meeting is on Wednesday 1st November at 7.30pm in
Inkpen Village Hall.
We will have a demonstration on making rope mats and/or bowls with
a sewing machine and a chance to try out the technique. All
materials will be supplied - including sewing machines!
Our December meeting is on Wednesday 7th when we will have a
demonstration on how to make faux chenille fabric. The cost for
the evening is £3 which covers hall hire and refreshments. If you
haven't joined us previously your first visit is free. Further
information from Jan 01488668222 or email jan@honeydesign.co.uk
INKPEN MARKET - Sunday 19th November
This month at the market we have an interesting selection of
stalls, with some new to us so come and see what’s on offer.
Why not start your Christmas shopping for gifts and goodies that
you certainly won’t find on the high street.
We have a Tombola for grown-ups and children, books and puzzles.
Please come along, have a bacon roll, a cuppa and a natter at the
Charity café.
We look forward to seeing you there. Chrissy & Tracey
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Other inkpen news
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION - POPPY COLLECTION
We will as usual be carrying out house-to-house collections for the
annual Poppy Appeal. All donations raised help the Royal British
Legion to provide life-long support to serving and ex-serving
members of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependents
through hardships, injuries, and bereavements.
Thanks to campaigning there will be poppies made entirely from paper
and will be even easier to recycle. The charity has committed to
reducing single-use plastic in all its activities in a drive to be
sustainable. We will still have Poppies containing single-use
plastic and these can be returned to Sainsbury’s stores for
recycling. Thank you in advance for your support.
All collectors will have Gift Aid envelopes should you wish to give
Gift Aid. Any questions get in touch with claire@clairejjones.com
NEWS IN COMBE
There will be a sale of woollen scarves and mufflers by women
from the Indian Himalayas, knitted in the snowy winter to add value
to their own wool, and organised by supporters from India and the
UK. Enjoy a glass of wine or apple juice and hear the story of these
woollens from 5.00 - 6.30pm on Sunday 19th November at the Barn at
Lower Farm, Combe, RG17 9EH.
COMBE FILM CLUB – “OUT OF THE ASHES”
Combe Film Club – Saturday, December 2nd at 4pm, at The Barn, Lower
Farm Combe. Filmmaker Leslie Knott is presenting Out of the Ashes,
her documentary following the meteoric rise of the Afghan cricket
team from refugee camp to World Cup. RSVP leslie@tigernestfilms.com
for more details.
INKPEN COMMON
It’s been a busy summer on the Common with lots of projects to
improve access as well as the wildlife habitats. The Cattle pen and
‘crush’ were moved to the Rooksnest Lane side to make it easier to
catch and load the cows and to reduce the winter mud at the previous
location across the public footpath.
Volunteers have started to lay sleepers along the paths that get
muddiest and will continue this once the ground is a bit softer.
BBOWT has replaced the boardwalk and refenced the ‘Mire’ using
natural and recycled materials where possible. This was funded by
contributions from several agencies and individuals and huge thanks
go to the people of Inkpen that contributed to this project. Most
recently our intrepid Friends of Inkpen Common have been installing
‘shuttering’ in 2 parts of the ‘Mire’ (the fenced off boggy area) to
hold back some of the water from the seasonal stream and keep the
area wetter for longer. Not only will this benefit the rare species
that are part of our SSSI status, but this wet area acts as a giant
sponge and should reduce downstream flooding in times of heavy
rainfall.
Friends of Inkpen Common meet on the first Saturday of each month
and new volunteers are extremely welcome. Please drop me a note if
you would like to be added to our mailing list
(hughes.s@hotmail.com). No previous experience required and all
tools are provided.
Our veterans need you.
Would you like to mentor a Wounded Veteran and help them build their
life outside of the armed forces? A veteran's wounds can be
physical, mental or both. Have you got the resilience, patience and
commitment to stick with someone through the highs and lows they may
be facing? Could you willingly give one hour of your valuable time
per week to mentor for Supporting Wounded Veterans (SWV). Is it
something you would like to do, knowing that you may mentor someone
every week for a year or more?
Main qualities needed, patience, tenacity, empathy and being
non-judgemental. Full Training and support is provided.
https://www.supportingwoundedveterans.com/mentoring-programme
Supporting Wounded Veterans (SWV) was founded in 2012 as “Skiing
with Veterans” as they left the forces still impacted by their
injuries. It focuses on physically and mentally impacted
ex-servicemen and women and uses sportshabilitation and continued
mentoring to enable them to return to employment. The charity has a
92% success record in achieving this.
The Charity also initiated and funded the recent research with
King’s College London into those veterans suffering with complex
PTSD by Psychedelic drugs assisted therapy which has had positive
results. A differentiating factor for SWV is that the charity has a
mentoring arm that stays in contact with any veteran who wishes to
do so. It can be very helpful to the mentees who can take the
opportunity to use SWV’s contacts but also for the mentors who learn
to understand the veterans’ lives better. For more information you
can read more about the Charity here
www.supportingwoundedveterans.com
Crown and Garter
Wreath Making
On Monday 27th November, from 6.30pm to 9pm, the Crown &
Garter in partnership with Newbury's Willow and Blooms florist, will
be hosting a wreath making workshop. Tickets cost £65 per person and
include a mince pie and Christmas cocktail. To book a place or for
further information call 01488 668325 or email
crownandgarter@honestygroup.co.uk. Bar snacks and drinks available
throughout the evening.
Pub Quiz
Don't forget our pub quiz on the last Wednesday of every month
from 7.30pm. It's become a very popular evening with locals - every
table in the pub was taken last month. All team entry fees will go
to our charity of the year, ‘Time To Talk West Berkshire’. Drinks
and food available throughout the evening. Prize for the winning
team. We hope to see you there.
Honesty Live
Join us for a fun evening of live music with the return of
talented vintage-inspired singer Harriet Jane, who will be
performing an array of popular songs on Friday 17th November and
Friday 1st December - so don't miss out. Food and drink available
throughout the evening. Music starts at 7.30pm. Entry is free.
Booking a table is advisable.
NATIONAL SCHOOLREADERS
National children’s literacy charity, Schoolreaders, is looking for
volunteers to listen to children read in primary schools in the West
Berkshire area. 1 in 4 children are leaving primary school unable to
read well so our service is in great demand. No qualifications are
required to join Schoolreaders, just a love of reading, a few hours
each week in term time and a willingness to go where children need
you most. Apply now and you could be ready to start in September. To
find out more go to
www.Schoolreaders.org
RAMBLERS’ WELLBEING WALKS
The Kintbury group of Wellbeing Walks meets every Tuesday morning at
10am. On the 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesday of a month the walk starts
from the Kintbury Coronation Hall and ends with coffee at the
Bowling Club. On the 2nd and 4th Tuesday, the walk starts at 10am
from the Crown & Garter Pub at Inkpen and ends with coffee at
the Honesty Bakery.
If you would like to start walking, explore the local footpaths and
meet new people just come along or to find out more contact John
Noble on 07895 034552 or Janet Taylor on 01488 658225.
Kennet Valley Wetland Reserve
The Town and Manor of Hungerford charity would like your thoughts on
its proposal to create a wetland reserve on a site known as Undy's
Meadow, between Charnham Park road and the river Kennet. The
proposed wetland will be within walking distance of Hungerford town
centre, will be open to the public and will include an Education
& Information Centre. As a village close to Hungerford, we would
like your thoughts on this proposal.
Your feedback is important to ensure we make this project as
relevant and appealing as we can. Your responses to our survey
(https://tinyurl.com/hungerfordwetland-Survey) will remain anonymous
– only the statistics from the surveys will be used. It will only
take 5 minutes or less to complete. Thank you.
If you would like to find out more about out proposal do visit our
website page on: https://townandmanor.co.uk/wetland-reserve
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Useful links
Many thanks to Tim and Ali des Forges, editors of the Inkpen and
Combe bulletin, for providing bulletin copy for this
website. You can contact Tim and Ali by phone or email thus
- aliedesforges@yahoo.co.uk
or ring them on 01488 668496. You can also download a copy
of the Inkpen and Combe bulletin here
To report potholes, go to www.westberks.gov.uk/pothole.
For other road or pavement issues including overgrown verges, go
to www.westberks.gov.uk.
To join Laine's heating oil delivery club, email Lanie.
To report a water leak, go to www.thameswater.co.uk
and for loss of electricity, go to www.ssen.co.uk. Both Thames
Water and SSE provide priority services for those needing help to
cope should there be a loss of service. This includes the elderly
and those with special health needs. Thames Water
priority service can be accessed on-line, here and for
SSEN, the details are provided here.
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