For your latest local and regional news, as provided by the BBC,
click
here. Hungerford and area
news can be found
here.
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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 van will call at Inkpen on November 5th. The
van stops at: Craven Rd. Inkpen 2.20-2.50pm and at Inkpen School
at 3.05 – 4pm. Please visit the library as we are lucky the
service has continued to be supported by West Berkshire Council in
view of the budget considerations for 2024. .
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
We are thrilled to share the fantastic activities that have taken
place at our school as we embark on a busy and exciting Autumn
term. The term kicked off with a wonderful8 celebration of the
European Day of Languages, where our students indulged in a
delightful food tasting event. This occasion not only allowed us
to share culinary treats from various cultures but also fostered a
love of languages among our pupils and their families. It was a
joy to witness parents engaging with their children's learning in
such a vibrant way.
In addition to our language festivities, the entire school is
participating in weekly Forest School sessions, where the students
are having a wonderful time exploring the beauty of our natural
surroundings. These sessions are not only educational but also
encourage teamwork and resilience as they engage in various
outdoor activities.
On the fundraising front, our Parent and Staff Association (PSA)
has been exceptionally proactive this term. They recently
organised a 'Break the Rules Day,' which proved to be a hit with
the children (albeit a little less so with myself as
headteacher!).
Moreover, we are delighted to welcome nine new children and their
families into our school community this term. It is heartening to
see our community grow. Our after-school clubs, including Football
Club and Pottery Club, have also commenced, providing our children
with fantastic opportunities to pursue their interests and make
new friends. Here’s to a rewarding term ahead.
INKSPOTS
At Inkspots we have been so busy thinking about our Mathematic
skills - Using gravel, which makes a great sound. The children have
been thinking about What can they find? What can they pour? What
noise does it make? What does it feel like? How high can you fill
the jug? Is it heavy or light? Learning new language, volume,
capacity. The children have become experts at this. The children
have all been working so hard thinking about our new topic, spring
and making such wonderful craft.
Come and see some of the children’s amazing sun catchers at our
Preschool ‘spring themed’ window.
What amazing little artists. So much fun & lots of learning.
Volunteers
We are currently looking for volunteers happy to join our friendly
Inkspots committee. We are responsible for supporting the growth and
development of our precious pre-school as a collaborative little
team. It is a lovely opportunity to offer input specific to your
natural skill set, and rest assured nothing will be asked of you
that you don’t enjoy or feel happy to offer or commit to. Should you
like to know more, please do connect with us, it would be lovely to
have a chat. Please email inkspots@inkpen.w-berks.sch.uk
Daisy Chains
Contact Jenny on 07775883318 or Anna on 07785 184808.
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playing field trust (impft) news
POP-IN CAFÉ
The Pop-In Cafe continues its normal first and third Thursday of the
month openings with many new faces over the summer months.
For the two cafes in August, we suggested that all donations go to
causes which seem uppermost in most peoples mind: MacMillan Cancer
Support and Dementia UK. For MacMillan Cancer Support we raised £60
and for Dementia UK, £102. A big thanks to all those that donated.
Now, at the first September cafe we will be raising funds for the
Thames Valley Air Ambulance. That’s on September the 5th. Please do
come and join us. You don’t have to donate unless you want to, just
come for a cuppa. All donations are privately made. This will be the
last fund raiser until Christmas time. Thank you for supporting us
in this.
In case you haven’t been to the cafe before, it’s at the Inkpen
playing field pavilion, first and third Thursdays of each month,
10am till 12:30. All are very welcome. Join us and bring a friend if
you can.
|
STARGAZERS
A few of us watched the Perseid meteor shower amongst the
backdrop of the northern lights. Some beautiful results and
video clips. Thank you all.
We’re now approaching the period of dark evenings when
stargazing comes into its own. There will be lots to see,
provided the weather is kind to us. If you are interested in
joining in, email inkpen.climate@outlook.com. No experience
is required, but always helpful.
To help all of us that are looking at the night sky, please
turn off any of your unnecessary outside lights. They really
do limit what we can see. Give us a helping hand. Thank you.
Our Next meeting is on Friday 18th October, 7:30 pm, at
the Pavilion on the Inkpen Playing Field. Do come and
join us. Entry is just £3 per person. |
INKPEN HISTORY SOCIETY
Well, at long last, we have been able to find weather
suitable for our LiDAR survey of Gallows Down and Inkpen Hill. This
is a monumental piece of work taking days for us to achieve a full
3D model of these hills. We’ll present our findings at the next
meeting (11th Oct). The key thing is that having got these data, it
is now much easier to plug in other surveys including spectral
surveys.
On a less technical level, many will remember taking part in a
dowsing day. This seems such a long time ago now. Well, we’ve
plotted the crossover points for all dowsers and the results are
very revealing. Those taking part in the dowsing day were mainly
first timers, that is to say, they had no previous experience of
dowsing. It’s probably fair to say that most participants thought it
was just going to be a bit of a laugh. Following the experience, I
think most, if not all, are much more accepting of the technique.
Again, these data will be presented at the next meeting which will
be on
Friday 11th October, 7pm, at the Pavilion on the Inkpen
Playing Field.
Dendrochronology work will hopefully begin in the next few weeks and
the oak tree measurement work needs a few extra helping hands to get
it back on track.
One of the medieval Latin documents has been translated thanks to
the efforts of an Inkpen resident. This is hugely time consuming and
difficult work but sheds a light on how Inkpen was managed in the
few centuries after the 1066 conquest. Several extracts of other
documents remain to be translated. If you know anyone willing to
have a go at translation, please get in touch.
The next meeting (on the
11th of October) will be a
more streamlined meeting that the previous ones so do come along. As
always, there is time for a cuppa and a chat within the meeting.
Entry is just £2 per person. This is all part of your history,
please come and join us. See you there.
Playing Field Trust
Governing Document
The Playing Field Trust has voted to change the
Governing Document in sections 16 and 29 as below. This is to make
sure that the playing field, which was gifted to you as a resident
of Inkpen, is clearly understood by residents to be theirs but
subject to the day to day running by the trustees. Whilst some of
the running costs are included in the parish council part of your
Council Tax Charge, the trust still has to sell bookings in order
to break even. Do please get involved if you feel you can help
with this.
The Changes are shown in italic.
16. Voting At meetings, decisions relating to the day-to-day
running of the charity can be made by a majority of the trustees
present and voting on the question. The person chairing the
meeting shall have a casting vote whether or not he or she has
voted previously on the same question but no Trustee in any other
circumstances shall have more than one vote.
All other matters, including any further changes to the
Governing Document, must be made by a majority of all Inkpen
residents eligible to vote.
29. Dissoltion
(1) The trustees may dissolve the charity if they decide that it
is necessary or desirable to do so. To be effective, a
proposal to dissolve the charity must be passed by a majority of
all those residents of Inkpen eligible to vote. Any assets
of the charity that are left after the charity’s debts have been
paid (“the net assets”) must be given:
(a) to another local charity (or other charities) with objects
that are the same or similar to the charity’s own, for the general
purposes of the recipient charity (or charities); or
(b) to any local charity to use for particular purposes which fall
within the charity’s objects.
(2) The Commission must be notified promptly that the charity has
been dissolved and, if the trustees were obliged to send the
charity’s accounts to the Commission for the accounting period
which ended before its dissolution, they must send the Commission
the charity’s final accounts.
INKPEN PLAYING FIELD - BREAKING NEWS - HAVE YOUR SAY
There is lots more happening at the Inkpen Playing Field and
Pavilion. In addition to the update given at the recent Annual
Parish Meeting, the Trustees would like to hear from you.
Please access the short questionnaire below, asking for your
feedback on Activities /Clubs that you want at the pavilion.
This Questionnaire is also hosted at
www.impft.co.uk and detailed below. Just click
this link:
https://forms.office.com/r/U2zGepzWiM?origin=lprLink
Let us know your views. This is your pavilion and playing field.
Please provide your contact details so that we can follow up for
further details. We look forward to hearing from you.
The pavilion is available to book on 7 days of the week:
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
Apart from the wide range of sporting activities, there are
some improvements happening at the Inkpen pavilion.
• Improved energy management with the installation of Rooftop Solar
Panels - as the pavilion is dependent on electricity. This will
allow for cost savings to be obtained from a more structured
approach to shutting down heating, lighting and electric showers.
• Door Access Control and a light timer for the overhead lights at
the hard court for tennis, football and netball.
• Improved sporting activity from a grant to enable a range of
sports to be undertaken for our young (and older) residents with
professional coaching on hand.
• A questionnaire for residents to determine future activities and
interests to be provided in the village.
• Volunteers are needed - if you can spare a little time to help
out, please speak to Brian Cox, Chair of the Memorial Playing Field,
and help to make the village one of sporting excellence and
recreational activity.
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 October meeting is on Wednesday 2nd October at 7.30 in the
Village Hall. We are fortunate enough to have a demonstration on
leatherwork and an opportunity to make a leather key ring. As
there is some preparation for this meeting and places are limited,
we will need to know in advance if you are coming along for the
first time.
Moving on to the Village Hall 100-year celebration wall hanging -
this is now coming together but unfortunately it will not be
completed until October. It is lovely that so many members are
contributing to it to represent various activities that have
happened in the hall over the years.
Our November meeting is on Wednesday 6th and we look forward to
welcoming you. Jan@honeydesign.co.uk for further information.
INKPEN MARKET
Hello everyone. Thank you for coming to the Market. It was great
to see everyone, and
the traders all did well, and the café raised some good funds for
the various charities.
We are thinking of making some changes, running the market next
year on a quarterly
basis. We would be interested to find out what the residents
think.
Email: info@inkpenmarket@hotmail.com . We are going to run a
Christmas Market on
17th November usual time 10am to 12.30pm. Cakes, Gifts, all the
Goodies and a
Christmas Raffle
Chrissy 07767480777 & Tracey 07867667723
PILATES
The Pilates class is still on a Thursday at 11.30am. Cost of a
6-week course is £66 and the first taster class is free. For more
information, please contact Caroline -
caroline@backinbalancepilates.com
YOGA
For Yoga, please contact Keri Elkins
springyoga.withkeri@outlook.com who is taking Olivia’s place for 3
months. Olivia will be back… Olivia Boydall
oliviaboydall@gmail.com
To find out more about what's going on at the village hall,
go to https://www.inkpenvillagehall.org/
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Other inkpen news
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 CROWN AND GARTER
Do please come and join the quiz nights every last Wednesday of the
month plus all England's matches in the Euros (we hope this remains
relevant by the time the Bulletin goes to print..). We have started
doing BBQs on some weekends which we announce on our social media.
Keep and eye on Instagram or call us on 01488 668 325 for more
information.
THE HUNGERFORD AND LIGUEIL TWINNING ASSOCIATION
Hungerford and Ligueil (near Tours), have been twinned for over
40 years. We regularly organise exchange visits, so why not get
involved? You don’t have to speak fluent French to take part; in
fact you would be surprised how many twinners communicate without
the benefit of a shared language, but of course a smattering of
French helps.
We hope to host our French visitors at the beginning of September.
If you have a spare bedroom, you can host a French family, a couple,
or an individual to suit your circumstances. But if you don’t have
room, you can still be involved with helping to entertain our
guests. You can join as many of the organised events as you wish,
including for example, half day tours of local breweries, vineyards
or full day trips away in a coach.
Families and individuals from both countries enjoy a rich cultural
experience as we alternate playing host at twinning exchanges and
many close friendships have been established between Hungerford and
Ligueil families.
We also hold a monthly conversation morning at Hungerford library to
socialise and improve our spoken French (all abilities welcome) and
to share our love of French culture. To find out more, please
contact Penny Brookman on 01488 683314, pab3udc@gmail.com or Meg
Atkins on 01488 668 253, megandtonyatkins@gmail.com
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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List