For your latest local and regional news, as provided by the BBC,
click
here. Hungerford and area
news can be found
here.
Updates from West Berkshire Council
As you will know, the government requires the abolition of district
councils and their re-organisation into larger councils. The
proposal for West Berkshire Council is laid out
here. Also, the new Local Plan Review Adoption
Statement is viewable
here and the Sustainability Appraisal /
Strategic Environmental Assessment relating to the Local Plan is
here.
North Wessex Downs
For the latest news about the North Wessex Downs, go
to:
https://mailchi.mp/northwessexdowns/newsletter-from-the-north-wessex-downs-9196973?e=9e5b9f421a
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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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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.
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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THE Library - Brought to you
Library services provide an amazing array of things that you can
easily access at home. You can read the daily papers, journals
and magazines, listen to audio books and even read trending
books on line. If you haven’t tried it, do give it a go. You’ll
need a library number and password I think but these are easy to
get from the library and it’s completely free.
On your laptop, go to
https://westberkshire.borrowbox.com/eaudiobooks/featured.
If you’re not on the internet but would like to give it a try,
or you don’t know how to set it up, come along to the Pop-In
Cafe, and we’ll help you get started. Or, you can ring West
Berkshire Library on 01635 519900, email
library@westberks.gov.uk. They’ll be more than happy to help you
get started.
You can also use the ‘borrowbox’ app.
This is an amazing resource which you are very likely to find
worth your while trying. As there seems to be less and less
worth watching on TV, what could be better that cosying up to an
audio book on a dark autumn or winter evening.
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Climate change
Local Climate Group.
We have a newly formed climate group. The website is
http://climate.inkpenvillage.co.uk. If you
have a look, you’ll see that we have collected data on moths, trees,
bird sightings and beetles, as well as data on the weather. This
data enables us to see what changes are taking place locally and the
pace of those changes. If you have any data, new or historic, on
local climate related events or know of someone with an interest in
this, then please get in touch with us.
We want to bring all
local data together in one place and make sure that it doesn’t get
lost. Email us at
inkpen-climate@outlook.com.
In September, we’ll hold a meeting so that all of you that are
concerned about climate change can meet and help us to get properly
organised. Keep an eye on the website. Thank you.
Switching off your Outside Lights
The North Wessex Downs NL ask people to switch off their outside
lights when they’re not absolutely necessary. Wildlife groups ask
the same. Neighbours living next to someone that keep their outside
lights on at night want the lights to go off and the police
tactfully suggest that leaving outside lights on simply helps
burglars. Switching off your outside lights helps the environment
and saves money.
Any suggestions about how to incentivise people to switch off
unnecessary outside lights would be gratefully received. Email
inkpen-climate@outlook.com.
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.
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 And InkSpots News
Here at Inkpen Primary School, we are getting very excited about
Christmas. Although it is still November, rehearsals for our Infant
Nativity "A Christmas Recipe" are well underway. The Reception, Year
1 and Year 2 children are really looking forward to sharing this
with their families. The older children are also enjoying their
preparations for our school Christingle service and are enjoying
rehearsing some traditional Christmas carols as well as some
well-known modern classics.
As part of our festive preparations, our Pheasant and Red Kite
children went to Yew Tree Garden Centre to select and dig our
Christmas tree. Thank you to Yew Tree for donating this tree to us
and for providing a great opportunity to our children.
On behalf of everyone at Inkpen Primary School, I wish you and your
families a safe and peaceful Christmas.
Daisy Chains - INKPEN PAVILION TOYS TOYS TOYS for the Daisy
Chains Playgroup
We have plenty of toys for the younger pre-school play group at
Inkpen pavilion. We have a delightful venue to restart the former
Daisy Chains playgroup with lots of small tables and chairs for the
little ones and baby changing facilities available if required.
Mums, Dads and Grandparents are welcome to come and let the little
ones play safely. There is plenty of play space as well for siblings
outside the pavilion in the children’s play and woodland area. If
you are interested, we have a few names already, please let us know
your contact details by email: gloriakeene@hotmail.com.
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playing field trust (impft) news
The IMPFT (Inkpen Memorial Playing Field Trust) is pleased to host
several regular clubs and societies as well as being available to
hire for events (parties, work functions, luncheons etc). Please
check for an up-to-date list of events / bookings under
impft.inkpenvillage.co.uk
Opening: We are looking for a booking clerk to help with the smooth
running of the pavilion & its facilities. The role is varied
& expected to occupy up to 10hrs pw. If you are interested,
please contact brian.cox@inkpenparishcouncil.org.uk &
james.fisher@inkpenparishcouncil.org.uk for further details.
IMPFT Activities and regular bookings:
|
NEW Art Classes
|
Every 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 10am (Sept – Feb initially)
|
gilly.burrough@gmail.com
|
|
Climate Group
|
Sessions throughout
the year
|
climate.inkpenvillage.co.uk
|
|
Cricket
|
Sundays during the
season
See calendar for fixtures
|
Inkpencricketclub.org
Impft.inkpenvillage.co.uk
|
|
Daisy Chains
|
Every Friday
09:45-11:45
From 6th
June
|
clerk@inkpenparishcouncil.org.uk
|
|
Football 5-a-side
|
Sunday Evenings
|
Chris Stapleton
Mob: 07909 851968
|
|
Football (Juniors to U16)
|
Sunday morning from
10:30am during the season
|
HTJFCSecretary@outlook.com
|
|
History Society
|
Sessions throughout
the year
|
history.inkpenvillage.co.uk
|
|
Netball
|
Monday evenings
Juniors 6pm / Adults 7pm
(excl. bank holidays)
|
Sally
Mob: 07444 593 560
|
|
Pop in Café
|
Every 1st
& 3rd Thursday of the month @ 10am
|
All welcome, just “pop-in”
|
|
Stargazers
|
Sessions throughout
the year
|
stargazers.inkpenvillage.co.uk
|
|
Tennis
|
Pay as you play /
subscription (tbc)
|
clerk@inkpenparishcounsil.org.uk
|
|
Yoga
|
Saturday 09:45 -10:45 pay as you go
|
Oliviaboydall@gmail.com
Mob: 07554 446 502
|
Children’s parties, Group and Birthday parties
The Inkpen pavilion is an ideal venue for a wide range of
events. The Bi-fold doors open wide so that people can sit outside
or wonder around on those balmy summer evenings.
The facilities provided include:
• A fully fitted kitchen with a hatchway that allows views over the
main room, ideal for keeping an eye on energetic children.
• Adjoining children’s play area for those special children’s
parties.
• Plenty of car parking.
• Wi-Fi is provided with Gigabit speeds.
• Air-conditioned main room for those hot days as well as cold ones.
• Standard toilets and a disabled toilet.
• Caters for up to 60 adults.
If you are looking to host an event locally, the Inkpen pavilion
might well be the ideal place for you. For enquiries or bookings go
to impft.inkpenvillage.co.uk. The Inkpen Memorial Playing Field
Trust (IMPFT) is a registered charity.
COMING SOON to INKPEN - TENNIS AND FOOTBALL COACHING
It’s all happening at Inkpen Playing Field - starting during the
summer holidays from 21st July there will be tennis and football
coaching at Inkpen Playing Field, for anyone who wishes to improve
their game. There is:
Tennis Coaching with Mike Gordon on Tuesday, Wednesday and
Friday during the summer for those wishing to book a session.
Residents will remember Mike from previous sessions. Mike is a LTA
level 4 coach, accredited DBS, Safeguarding, First Aid certified.
Anyone interested should book with Mike directly:
mike@premiumtennis.co.uk
Football Coaching with Chris, who has coached at Inkpen
previously, is yet to arrange times and dates for his summer
sessions in time for this publication - but sessions will be
available to all who wish to attend - we may have a budding Wayne
Rooney (or Mary Earps) in Inkpen! Please watch Facebook for further
details of dates and times.
INKPEN HISTORY SOCIETY
We are putting together a presentation showing Inkpen’s role
during the crusades.
Up until Victorian times, our church, St Michael’s and All Angels,
housed three effigies of crusaders but two of them were thrown out
as they didn’t fit in with the new style of the church. We don’t
know where the two missing effigies have gone to but are very keen
to find out. Again, your help with this is pivotal. We believe one
of these effigies was of a Spanish crusader but are not sure of the
third. The effigy that remains within the church is believed to be
that of Roger de Inkpen who is supposedly buried in the crypt –
something that has been sealed for a great may years.
You can get a feel for what St Michael’s looked like in the past, by
looking at the images on
https://history.inkpenvillage.co.uk/pics.html. Ham church didn’t get
the same severe Victorian make-over as Inkpen’s St. Michael’s, so
retains a more original look.
If you would like to help us with our work on the Crusades, and
specifically, Inkpen’s role, do get in touch at
info@inkpenhistory.uk.
In the next month we’ll be trying to sort a plan to start
excavating an area at the top of the hill, near the crossroads above
the church. Last year there was insufficient interest in this
project but hopefully, this year there will be more people, with
more spare time to help, and an interest in digging into Inkpen’s
past. We are also seeking professional guidance to ensure that the
dig is done correctly. Again, please contact us at
info@inkpenhistory.uk if you would like to take part. It is worth
remembering that every area of Inkpen that was scanned by
archaeologists back in 2022/2023 showed buried archaeology.
If we don’t do this work now, the opportunity to do it in the future
may not exist. Thanks for your interest and for any help you can
provide.
POP-IN CAFE
New Year resolutions may be out of
fashion but no matter the time of year, it’s always good to make
new friends and renew acquaintances. Well, that’s what the Pop-In
Cafe is all about. In February we are holding the cafe on the 5th
and 19th, that’s the first and third Thursday of the month and in
March it’s exactly the same, the 5th and the 19th. Do come along.
Bring a friend if you can. As always, there’s coffee, tea (of many
types) and hot chocolate, plus, cake and cakes and a truly
friendly atmosphere.
There’s no charge, although donations are very welcome, and you
can sit on your own if you want, or join in and chat with others.
The topics are whatever you want them to be.
We are particularly keen to welcome carers and those being cared
for. We support Dementia UK and other charities and where we can
we will help those needing assistance, to find it. It’s the first
step that’s the hardest and we’re here to make that an easy step
to make.
So remember, the cafe is on the first and third Thursdays of the
month, between 10 and 12:30 at the Inkpen playing field pavilion.
If you come by car, there’s plenty of parking. If you’re seeking a
walk, the pavilion is a great place to start from and end up at.
We hope to see you there.
INKPEN AND DISTRICT STARGAZERS
We meet every second Wednesday of the month, 7:30 pm at the Inkpen
playing field pavilion. Our track record of picking dry evenings
with clear skies is not great, but we are always happy to meet,
particularly when such a rare event does occur. Subs are £3 for a
one-off visit or £15 for a year (June to June). We’re a group of
mixed abilities, happy to share experience and equipment.
In February, on the 11th, we are visiting the Marlborough College
astronomical facility. If you are interested in joining us, email
us at climate.inkpenvillage.co.uk. Numbers are limited so first
come first served.
As part of our group’s activities, we’ve teamed up with both the
Newbury and Marlborough astronomical societies to monitor the
quality of the night sky (which determines how clearly we can see
astronomical objects). This is really important work which plugs
in to an international framework and helps us monitor the way in
which our climate is changing, the way in which new developments
impact light pollution and the relationship between climate
warming and overcast/rainy nights. We are especially pleased to
have new members come along and help us with this work.
So as a reminder, we’re at the Inkpen pavilion on the second
Wednesday of each month, from 7:30 pm. If you want to come and
join us at the Marlborough observatory, get in touch asap at
climate.inkpenvillage.co.uk.
Inkpen Rights of Way - Calling all walkers and riders
Do you walk the footpaths or ride the bridleways in Inkpen? If so,
could you help to keep them accessible and in good repair by
reporting any issues to a committed group of local volunteers?
The Inkpen Rights of Way Committee was formed over 30 years ago. Our
prime objective is to maintain the Rights of Way that criss-cross
the village, making sure they are usable throughout the year and
ensuring access to the less able.
Volunteer walkers and committee members monitor the network of paths
and bridleways and report issues back to the Chair. These can then
be resolved locally or elevated to the district council to action.
The IRWC formally meets twice a year.
We need volunteers to either join the Committee and/or take on a
couple of paths to monitor. They could well be paths you might
already walk or ride on a regular basis already.
To find out more the IRWC are holding an open evening between 6.30pm
and 7.30pm on Thursday 23rd October in the Sports Pavillion to
explain what is involved and to answer any questions. Alternatively,
if you can’t make the meeting but are interested in helping you can
get in touch by contacting Steve Connors on 07831 206061 or Gloria
Keene on 07704 718475
The paths and bridleways around our village are a real treasure and
an important part of our heritage. With a little help we can keep
them in great shape for everyone to enjoy.
We hope to see you on
23rd October.
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.
Back to Contents List
evENTS AT INKPEN village hall
INKPEN STITCH AND KNIT
The Stitch and Knit group will meet in Inkpen Village Hall at 7.30
p.m. on Wednesday 4th Feb. If you haven't been before, and you
enjoy handicrafts, come and join us, and bring along something
you'd like to work on. There is usually someone there who can help
if you want to try something new. We meet every first Wednesday of
the month, and charge £2 to cover hall costs and tea/coffee. Or,
if you want any further information, ring Stephanie (07713
097609), our communications contact.
Carpet Bowls
Research is showing that conversation and laughter is good for
your mental health and being active is good for your overall
wellbeing plus learning a new skill is great for your brain.
So why not come along to the Short Mat Bowling Club which meets
every Thursday afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 in the Inkpen Village
Hall. There is a small charge of two pounds which covers a cuppa
and a biscuit or two!
Everyone is welcome, it's an easy game to pick up and there is
plenty of friendly advice to guide you. So come along for a
friendly chatty afternoon
INKPEN MARKET

Would you like the Inkpen Food & Craft Market to return?
A small team of new volunteers is considering re-introducing the
market in the near future but before that, a bit of 'market'
research is required to see if enough of our community would welcome
and support this.
So, the first stage is they would love to hear your thoughts. Please
email: inkpenvh@gmail.com or message 07963 647087 if you'd like to
see it again and if so what specific stalls, local produce, or
crafts you would love to see at the market. Are you a potential
Stall holder? Do you have any other ideas?
Your feedback is really important and will be forwarded to new
volunteers to help determine whether this goes ahead or not.
Back to Contents List
Other inkpen news
MUSICIANS WANTED
NEW COMMUNITY BIG BAND TO BE LAUNCHED IN 2026 An exciting new
community project is set to be launched early in 2026 for amateur
musicians in the Kintbury / Newbury / Hungerford area. The iconic
sound and format of a big band will provide a unique opportunity and
experience for local musicians.
After establishing similar amateur big bands in Hertfordshire and
Bristol, drummer Richard Fairs is looking to start a new community
big band as he relocates to the area. “Playing in any ensemble is
not only a richly rewarding musical experience but also a sociable
and challenging opportunity. My most recent community big band
project was in Bristol, started some 20 years ago and is still
thriving. I take huge pleasure seeing an initial group of
individuals, with varying musical experience and skills come
together with the collective aim to not only improve their
individual musicianship but create a dynamic ensemble and to work
towards it becoming the best it can be. The friendships and the
memories that follow can make such ensembles a highlight of anyone’s
week.”
If you are between 16 and 106, play any type of saxophone, trumpet,
trombone, keyboard, guitar, bass or drums and fancy being part of
this project from the outset get in touch to register your interest.
Previous experience of playing in a big band, or being able to
improvise is not required, although an ability to read music and
play to a reasonable standard is necessary to gain maximum benefit.
If you would like to find out more, please contact Richard on 07710
626704 or email at richardone12@hotmail.com.
NORTH WESSEX DOWNS
Over the Christmas break, the Inkpen History Society put
together a set of descriptions of the historic environment for each,
and hopefully every, parish within the North Wessex Downs National
Landscape. These are temporarily held at nwd.inkpenvillage.co.uk.
Please have a look and if you find any errors, notify us at
climate.inkpenvillage.co.uk. Your help in getting these historic
environment descriptions right in every detail, is important and
much appreciated.
Work continues to relate each parish to all the others, in terms of
terrain and historic highlights etc. so that we can clearly see how
the landscape influenced the different historic eras. This work will
also be added to this website.
THE LIBRARY BROUGHT TO YOU
Library services provide an amazing array of things that you can
easily access at home. You can read the daily papers, journals and
magazines, listen to audio books and even read trending books
online. If you haven’t tried it, do give it a go. You’ll need a
library number and password I think but these are easy to get from
the library and it’s completely free.
On your laptop or tablet, go to
westberkshire.borrowbox.com/eaudiobooks/featured. If you’re not on
the internet but would like to give it a try, or you don’t know how
to set it up, come along to the Pop-In Cafe, and we’ll help you get
started. Or, you can ring West Berkshire Library on 01635 519900,
email library@westberks.gov.uk. They’ll be more than happy to help
you get started.
CHAIN
Not heard about CHAIN? I’m sure a lot of us haven’t.
Well CHAIN helps those of us that can’t easily get around because of
a lack of transport. They provide transport to Doctors, Dentists,
Chiropodists, Hospital appointments, and more. Their volunteer
drivers collect residents from their home and take them to the
appropriate appointment, stay with them and take them back home
afterwards. They can also take you to do your weekly shop or
whatever.
People often complain that the normal bus is too large especially
for country lanes and not sufficiently frequent. They ask ‘why isn’t
there a minibus or something’ – well there is and this is it. It is
privately funded and relies on volunteers.
The CHAIN Office is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9 to
11am and the volunteers who ‘man’ the office are there to help you
with any bookings or other queries. Call them on 01488 683727.
If you think you can help them, give them a call. As with all such
ventures, they rely on support, your support, financial and
otherwise. But at the end of the day, they are here to help you.
TIME TO TALK – WEST BERKSHIRE
Time to Talk West Berkshire (https://t2twb.org/) is looking for
volunteers to join their events team. It is a wonderful charity
providing free mental health counselling for young people in West
Berkshire a vital service for our community given the waiting times
for public support.
We are looking for volunteers who can give any amount of time either
to help out with existing events, come up with fundraising event
ideas or run events. It is very rewarding being part of this charity
and this team and if you have any spare time and would like to find
out more, please do get in touch with either;
Tracey Leeson (Tracey.Leeson@t2t.org.uk) or Claire Jones
(Claire.Jones@t2t.org.uk).
The Spirit of Giving
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
Thank you to Roger Hunt who organised the Carol Singing on the Lower
Green Triangle and all those who came along and donated the total of
£274 to the Kennet Valley Wetland Reserve project.
If you would like to find out more about this wonderful project for
Hungerford and the Kennet Valley do visit our website
(https://townandmanor.co.uk/wetland-reserve/) or follow us on social
media. The Town & Manor of Hungerford hope to bring this project
to Hungerford within the next two years depending on the funding
raised.
If you are interested in visiting the site or having a presentation
on the project, please contact claire.jones@townandmanor.co.uk
If you are interested in donating, please also contact Claire or
visit our funding page on The Good Exchange
https://app.thegoodexchange.com/project/20620/town-manor-of-hungerford/kennet-valley-wetland-reserve
Thank you again to the Carol Singers.
THE CROWN AND GARTER – February events
Join us for Quiz Night on Wednesday 25th from 7.30pm — bring your
team and your thinking caps.
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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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