The Bulletin
To download your copy of the latest Bulletin click
here.
The Hungerford and Kintbury Ward news can be found
here.
North Wessex Downs National Landscape
If you live in Inkpen, then you are within the NWD NL. This
has the same protections as a National Park but is administered by
area local government instead of having its own controlling body.
So, what do you know about the NWD NL, it’s management plan or its
protections? Have a look at https://www.northwessexdowns.org.uk/.
In the coming years, as global warming bites, this will become
more important to you. Do take a look at their website and see
what’s going on locally.
Inkpen History Society Meeting
We are expecting to hold our next meeting on either the 21st
or 28th of February. Please check the website www.inkpenhistory.uk
for confirmation of the date.
The meeting is not only there for you to come and chat with others
about what we are up to, but also to listen to one and a half
short talks about our progress with projects. The main talk, which
is expected to last for about half an hour, focuses on what the
newspapers have reported about Inkpen during the last nearly three
hundred years. Stephen Smallbone has kindly agreed to give the
talk. The half talk is just a very short update on how we’ve got
on with dowsing, is it a useful tool for archaeology or just
nonsense.
We still have several projects on the go and are looking for
people to help with them. We are also looking for a small group to
do some exploratory excavation work. Please get in touch if you
are interested.
November Pop-In Café
We’re now into the new year; days are getting noticeably longer
and possibly warmer. Time to get out, meet and make new friends.
Well, the Pop-In cafe is there for you to do just that, to meet
and make new friends. If you are on your own and feel the need to
take that step into meeting local people and just having a chat,
then the Pop-In cafe is a very soft and gentle way to do just
that. Give it a go, you’ve nothing to lose.
At the January Pop-In, it was good to see more new faces. The
Pop-In cafe is for all those in the area to come, have a drink and
a piece of cake, to sit and chat.
It’s next open on the 6th and 20th February, and the 6th and 20th
March, 10am till 12:30 at the Inkpen playing field pavilion. Make
a note in your diary. You are always welcome.
STARGAZERS
We are now in that part of the year when we have the
naturally darkest skies. You would be surprised what can be seen
even with binoculars or a cheap telescope, the amazing colours
and structures.
Late in November, but just in time for ‘Black Friday’, we
received funds from the North Wessex Downs National Landscape
Trust, and were able to buy a computerised camera, a Seestar
S50. This enables us to photograph galaxies and nebula, the moon
and the sun. To get good results we still need outside lights to
be turned off and that means we need your help. If you don’t
need a light, please turn it off.
If you want to see what a difference it makes having the outside
lights turned off, come and join us, you would be very welcome.
Of course, we don’t get our telescopes and cameras out if it’s
raining but otherwise, we’re keen to see and show what can be
seen in the night sky. We’ll try and keep you up to date about
meetings, events and what there is to see in the sky. Go to our
website either via www.inkpenvillage.co.uk or directly using
stargazers.inkpenvillage.co.uk
These are a few of our early 2025 photos: Want to join the
Inkpen Stargazers? Then email us at inkpen.climate@outlook.com.
Going for a walk
If you want a breath of fresh air
and some exercise, check out the Inkpen
walks, but keep your
distance from others, that's at least 6 feet apart in old money.
If you feel that you should wear a face mask when outdoors, then
checkout the design given on the
News page.
On the news page this month there are a number of updates
including from the Inkpen Primary School and pre-school, from
the Playing field trust and Village Hall, and there's this
months Police Report .
Climate change issues.
The IMPFT, the playing field trust, is in the process
of installing solar panels and a key entry system. The trust,
chaired by Brian Cox, is aware of the need to reduce its carbon
footprint and is making what progress it can. The solar panels
are clearly there to reduce the trust's reliance on fossil fuel
energy, and to feed whatever extra is generated back into the
grid. The key entry system is there to make sure energy is only
consumed when the facilities are in use. Many of you are
choosing to adopt private energy saving measures - the trust is
focused on trying and do the same.
We are depending on renewables to help us get to net-zero carbon
emissions. If you'd like to see what contribution renewables are
making on a daily basis, have a look
here.
Please give us a hand – Oak Trees in Inkpen
We need
your help to measure oak trees. Measuring tree
girths helps us to evaluate changes that have taken place in
Inkpen and enable future researchers to
evaluate the effect
of climate change on tree growth and distribution. This is
work of real value, be part of it. Go to
inkpenhistory.uk to find out more.
