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Welcome to this week's Penny Post celebrating local life in and around:
Newbury • Thatcham • Hungerford • Lambourn • Downlands • Wantage • Marlborough
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In your area
• Hungerford Area: clocks, books, contractors, grips and ag labs.
• Lambourn Valley: water, trees, traffic, grants and repairs.
• Newbury Area: spines, larders, jabs, SIDs and community transport.
• Thatcham Area: permits, legacies, rowing, reflections and birds.
• Compton & Downlands: quizzes, brewers, precepts, tortoises and ducks.
• Theale Area: conservation, consultation, information, relegation and a station.
• Wantage Area: wildness, waste, drivers, leisure and rhymes.
• Marlborough Area: vacancies, flowers, choirs, meadows and an amnesty.
• Swindon Area: a birthday, a band, art, taxis and recycling.
A bit more news
• 2022 Travel Advice from Veronica at Fare Wise Travel.
• Please remember to submit your Covid test results whether positive or negative.
• A reminder about the benefits of registering with Neighbourhood Watch.
• New West Berks museum exhibition on Brewing in West Berkshire – hobby & business.
• The vaccination centre in the Kennet Centre will be open again this weekend, January 22 and 23, for boosters for over 16 year-olds.
• Boots in Northbrook Street now has a walk-in clinic for the 12 to 15 year olds 9 to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 11 to 4pm on Sunday (closed noon to 1pm).
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Local Activities
• Free LInks to Thrive creative classes for adults of all age/abilities to support wellbeing.
• Ageing Creatively classes for over 55s with Corn Exchange, Newbury.
• Beginners Ballroom & Latin American Dance at Boxford, Baydon & Wantage.
• See more in our guide to local in-person and online courses & classes.
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Mouth-watering meal deals
• 25% off Sunday roast at Blandy's at Inglewood until end of Jan. Book online or call 01488 687010.
• 20% off the a la carte menu at The Hartley Arms, Donnington on Wednesdays/Thursdays till end of Jan.
• 20% off food at Crown & Garter, Inkpen on Wednesdays until end Feb & half price on selected wines.
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Recommendations
• Ruth Bowers recommends The White Hart in Hamstead Marshall. "Fabulous Sunday lunch! Fantastic hospitality from the lovely Stella, would definitely recommend, and very Covid safe too."
• Siobhan Nell recommends Jon Shatford Bookkeeping “Jon has been a real asset to my business. I have complete faith in his honesty and ethical approach."
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"The utmost integrity..."
This week, West Berkshire Council considered its obligations to its residents during a debate at the Full Council. Brian watched this and has some thoughts on the discussion...read more.
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Eco news
• Businesses can apply to ARG Challenge Fund grant for environmentally friendly growth and recovery eg sustainable energy systems or diversification. Deadline: 13 Feb.
• Latest news from Action for the River Kennet includes otters in Newbury.
• The government is again allowing the use of deadly, banned neonic pesticides to protect sugar beet crops. The crops need protecting but alternative, less harmful pest management needs to be introduced. Please support the Wildlife Trust's campaign here.
• Record your local wildlife sightings to protect your area from development.
• See here for more eco news.
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Last chance to win a great prize from The Ibex
Very last chance to enter our bumper quiz here for the chance to win a generous prize from The Ibex in Chaddleworth. The good news is that you don't have to answer all the questions. Deadline: 23 January.
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Good causes
• 20 Jan News, Funding & Training for the Voluntary Sector from WB Volunteer Centre.
• Village Halls Week 24 to 30 January: innovating for the future.
• Greenham Trust's Community Forum webinar on Wed 2 Feb celebrates 25 years of the Trust, exciting new grants and their youth appeal.
• To meet local charities join the online Volunteer Recruitment Fair Sat 5 Feb.
• Anyone employed in (or retired from) the racing and thoroughbred breeding industry who is currently living on or below the Minimum Income Standard. can apply to Racing Welfare for the new Winter Fuel Grant, a one-off payment of £300 to help cover winter fuel costs.
Wanted
• Secondhand laptops (Windows 7+) & iPads to help vulnerable people access education.
• Local businesses to take lockable crates as collection points for donated laptops. If you can help please contact natalie.king-barnard@greenmachinecomputers.com.
• Golf teams and sponsors for Charity Golf Day on Thu 7 April in aid of Time to Talk's counselling service for young people.
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Easy Humous Recipe
Perfect for Veganuary but actually for any time of year, this humous recipe by Honesty Cookery School tutor Ozlem Graves is so easy and tasty.
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Property and land
• For sale: four-bed house, Hungerford. £435,000. Brearley & Rich.
• For sale: four-bed house, Marlborough. £1,000,000. Brearley & Rich.
• For sale: two-bed flat, Marlborough. £225,000. Brearley & Rich.
• For rent: two-bed house, Aldbourne. £1,250pcm. Nina Clark Lettings.
• For rent: one-bed flat, Newbury. £975pcm. Nina Clark Lettings.
• For rent: ad hoc workspace, Hungerford. £20/day Hungerford Printing Company.
• For rent: one-person office, Hungerford. Flexible terms. lauren@broadmead-estates.co.uk or call 01488 686004.
• For sale: Eden Retirement Livings Pearl House in Newbury offers spacious apartments and penthouses with 24/7 concierge, restaurant, club lounge and parking.
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Local businesses
Please visit our local business directory to support the businesses that support PP. Pubs, cafés, B2B, arts, food and drink, trades, shops and more...
This week: Claritas Accountancy, whatever your business, they will help it reach full potential.
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This week's jobs
Recruitment open day at The Retreat, Elcot Park, Saturday 22 January.
This week's jobs include: Saturday sales assistant, part-time operation and clinic support officer, spa manager and therapists, restaurant and bar manager, event manager, sales and marketing manager, record label admin assistant, part-time dispensary receptionist, part-time dog walker and pet sitter, school site officer and minibus driver, workshop-based mechanics, bar and wait staff, chefs, kitchen porters, housekeepers, drivers, lifeguards, warehouse operatives, forklift operators, unit managers, cleaners, LGV drivers, personal care assistants, heavy-recovery operator, service manager, carers, recreation assistants, facilities manager, nurses and laundry assistants.
Volunteering is good for the CV (and the soul) See local volunteer positions avaialble.
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This Week with Penny
• During the winter local wildlife expert Mark Bradfield advises that we should clean out our bird boxes in case parasites are building up that reduce the chances of young birds fledging. Seems a shame to clear out the cosy nesting material that the birds have already brought into the box but apparently mites can live in the nests and it's worth wearing gloves as they give some people a skin reaction.
• We feel so grateful to have a garden. Whatever time of year there is stuff to do which is way more interesting than cleaning the house. This month, my favourite job is splitting logs especially as it warms you up enough you don't need to put the heating on.
• Being outside also lets me see the magical seasonal return of the River Lambourn, oozing up into puddles before suddenly emerging as a fast running (and very cold) river. The ducks and moorhens are then there within hours.
• For latest travel tips and advice on booking flights, insurance, ski-ing in Europe, vaccination certificates, carbon off-setting and sustainable holidays listen to my recent chat with Veronica from Fare Wise Travel (from 11' 30").
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See also the nine weekly news section (links at the top of the newsletter) for upcoming events in your area.
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We recommend double-checking in-person events are still going ahead.
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Fri 21 Jan
Old Baby Mackerel Bluegrass Music at Ace Space, Newbury
Tue 25 Jan
Burns Night at The Queens, East Garston
Thur 27 Jan
Indian Night at The Five Bells, Wickham
Fri 28 Jan
Swing and Soul Night, Blandy's at Inglewood
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Have a great weekend,
Penny & Brian
penny@pennypost.org.uk
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