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.
Back to Contents List
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!
Back to Contents List
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.
Back to Contents List
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 (paid) 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
Thanks to Stephen Smallbone, the newspaper clips have been
brought closer up to date. We’re now covering the period from 1750
through to 1960. This is a huge piece of work that will be made
available on our history website very soon.
We still have audio tracks to complete and photos to scan. We could
do with some help scanning photographs and transcribing hand written
text so please get in touch via inkpen-climate@outlook.com if you
think you can help.
We will have another attempt at starting some proper archaeology, (a
dig on an Inkpen site) in late March / early April 2026. The site
that we are hoping to dig is thought to be a late Saxon, early
Medieval site with links to the crusades. If you think you might be
interested, please email us, as above, and we’ll keep you posted.
The dig is likely to last for a minimum of several weeks. We will
try and get a trained archaeologist to organise the dig so that we
don’t damage the site.
Do keep an eye on the history group’s website
history.inkpenvillage.co.uk for the date of the next meeting, which
is likely to be in February. Have a great Christmas and all the best
for the New Year.
POP-IN CAFE

|
There
are a lot of people locally that suffer from Dementia, and
we very much want to support them in any way we can. If you
wish, you can get a badge from Dementia UK to wear and show
your support and understanding for those with dementia. |
Through-out October Pop-In café users raised £80 for Dementia UK.
This has now been sent to them, and we are very grateful to all
those that contributed. Do remember that if you need help with, or
for, a dementia sufferer, just call 0800 888 6678, or email
helpline@dementiauk.org. Admiral Nurses are there to help you. You
are not on your own – just make that call! We are now entering the
exciting Christmas period. Special cakes, chocolates, and drinks, we
might even run to a little sparkly Christmas tree. Do come and join
us. If you haven’t been before, don’t put it off any longer. You
will be most welcome and it’s on your terms, just as you want it to
be.
Here’s what AI has to say about the café: Socializing is important
because it improves mental and physical health by reducing
loneliness and stress, and it boosts cognitive function. It
fosters a sense of belonging and purpose, helps in personal growth
and the development of social skills, and can even contribute to a
longer lifespan.
The December dates are the 4th and 18th of December and the
15th of January. Just the one café in January because the
first Thursday is also New Year’s day. Put these dates in your
diary and make sure you come and join us. See you at the café.
Have a Happy Christmas and New Year.
INKPEN AND DISTRICT STARGAZERS
At our November meeting it was cloudy yet again, so we improvised
with a short talk about the fabric of space-time and a little bit
about what Black holes might be. In December we will again hope
for clear skies but just in case it’s cloudy we’ll be talking
about the basics of telescope design – what the F number means,
plus a short talk about how to spot the constellations in the
night sky.
The December meeting is on the second Wednesday, which I think is
the 10th. All are welcome. It’s £15 for annual membership (June to
June) or £3 per person for a single visit. The January meeting is on
the 14th. Our aim is always to look at the night sky, but we seem to
be rather unlucky in this respect.
We are noticing poorer and poorer conditions in which to observe the
night sky. Anecdotally we believe this to be due to global
warming/climate change. Well now we have been invited to join with
Newbury Astro and Marlborough College to methodically measure these
changes in sky quality.
At our November meeting there was unanimous support for our
involvement with this. Now we must work out what we need in terms of
equipment and what we need to do in terms of using it. This is
really important work.
If you would like to come and join our group then please email us at
inkpen-climate@outlook.com
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 on
Wednesday 3rd December at 7.30 p.m. This month we are very pleased
to welcome local independent florist, Kelly Louise, who will be
showing us how to make our own Christmas wreaths. There may be one
or two places available for those who haven't been to S&K
before - please contact Stephanie on 07713 097609 if you're
interested, as Kelly will need to bring additional materials.
There is a charge of £35 for a small wreath, and £55 for a large
one, to include all materials.
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.
INKPEN COMMON PHONE BOX BOOK EXCHANGE
The book exchange in Inkpen Common is back in action as a community
mini-library and book swap. We have given it a spruce up, and will
continue to make improvements in the coming months, including more
shelving, a richer range of books and books of the month. We would
welcome some select, good quality donations, if you have a book or
two you would like to share with other villagers! Please place these
in the labelled box just inside the door.
You can find the book exchange just outside the Crown and Garter.
Please do pop in if you’re passing — have a browse, borrow a book,
swap a book - and enjoy!
NEW ADULT BALLET CLASS FOR ALL BEGINNERS
If you would like to improve your posture, flexibility, strength and
general fitness but have not had ballet lessons for many years or
not at all, then this is the class for you.
• Every Friday during school term time at 9.15 - 10.15am at the
Coronation hall, Kintbury.
• INTERMEDIATES (For those with some ballet experience) at 10.30 -
11.30am.
Classes are taught by former professional ballet dancer with years
of teaching experience and founder of Kintbury Ballet School. For
more information please email alex@kintburyballet.com.
VILLAGE LIFE – THE ORCHARD
The village orchard has always been one of Inkpen’s hidden
treasures, a place where history, nature, and community meet. First
planted generations ago, it has provided fruit, shade, and a
peaceful spot for villagers to enjoy throughout the seasons. What
makes it truly special, though, is the way it is cared for today.
On Saturday 12th September, the Heads Lane working party came
together for the orchard’s annual autumn clear-up. Armed with
secateurs, rakes, and plenty of good humour, volunteers tidied the
paths, cleared brambles, and made space for the old apple trees to
thrive once more.
As with so many village traditions, the hard work was only half the
story; the best part came afterwards, when everyone shared a
well-earned cup of tea and a biscuit, swapping stories and laughter
under the trees they had just tended.
To be part of Inkpen village life is to be part of moments like
these: ordinary tasks made joyful by the company of neighbours, and
a shared sense that we are looking after something that belongs to
us all. The orchard is more than land and trees – it is a living
reminder that community spirit, once planted, bears fruit year after
year.
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.
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
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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