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No. 674 Mar 11 - 18 2021
Welcome to this week's Penny Post celebrating local life in and around:
Newbury • Thatcham • Hungerford • Lambourn • Downlands • Wantage • Marlborough

Local News

This week's round-up from across the area and a bit beyond including the man of the century, false positives, meeting Dr Jab-Jab, support for Grove's station, royal precedents, the local share of test & trace, Newbury's showground, quiet desperation, Lancaster Park and sings of spring.

Spring Equinox Litter Picking

The last year has seen an increase in littering - or we're just noticing it more. Either way, now is the time to do something about it before hedges and verges start growing and birds and wildlife start nesting. Here are guidelines to litter picking in lockdown...read more

More News

We are now in the first phase of lockdown easing – what does this mean?
Last week's WBC budget meeting was a feisty affair – we talk to the three parties.
 Updated guidance on care-home visiting.
• Eulogy to 'Mr Hungerford' Jack Williams who died last month aged 98.
• West Berks residents on Universal Credit, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction or suffering exceptional hardship can still apply for a COVD Winter Hardship grant. Application deadline: 15 March.
• If you are a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator/Deputy/resident and you are not receiving alerts by email please contact Angela Money at West Berkshire Neighbourhood Watch on 01635 40866 or ajmy5m7@inbox.com 


Congratulations 

To four-year-old Henry for his acts of daffodil kindness
To Wantage Rotary for planting 4,000 crocuses in recognition of their Stop Polio campaign
• To care-home Volunteers who have been keeping in touch with elderly in Swindon and Wiltshire
 

Win

Mother's Day bouquet from Tulipana – entry deadline: midnight TONIGHT (Thur 11 Mar).
Hungerford Hamper – entry deadline: Mon 15 Mar.

Recommendations

Clare Stanley recommends The Clockmaker in Hungerford (which currently has a door-entry system for drop-off repairs): "Brilliant service. Friendly and helpful.Thanks very much for fixing our lovely clock."

  Penny recommends Love Lotte Barre Fitness online classes: "Bernie's workout is really focused - small precise movements which originate from modern ballet to strengthen abs, pelvic floor, gluts, hamstrings and posture. All you need is a wooden chair. Love it."
 

Mother's Day

• Free drink for you and mum when you book a meal at The White Hart in Hamstead Marshall in April or May.
Last minute Mother's Day Pamper Voucher Offer from Natura Spa in Kintbury.
• The history of Mother's Day and more gifts ideas for mum.
 

Shopping

Barr's Yard Artisan Collective outside Hungerford: fashion, garden art, wine, flowers and more.
Motorlux Newbury offering click & collect service on the new Mazda MX-5.
Mystery Monthly Treat Box from Colline's Kitchen  last orders by Friday 12 March for new subscriptions starting in April. £36 for 3 months, £72 for 6 months. Plus £4 for postage/delivery.

Local Walks

Now the days are drawing out there is more time to squeeze in that daily walk or a longer one at the weekend. We are so lucky to have many to choose from locally ...read more

Local Activities

Calling musicians and singers to perform at Wantage Music Festival 19 & 26 June.
Light-hearted Play-At-Home escape games – perfect for an afternoon of family fun, whether you’re all together or connecting over the internet.
eLearning Marketplace (based in Newbury) offers thousands of online courses to choose from.
Online courses guide.
More ideas in our guide to coping with lockdown.
• FREE online community yoga sessions at 6pm on Fridays with Sheepdrove Yoga are continuing throughout March due to popular demand.

Features

March gardening tips includes dividing herbaceous plants, pruning, sewing veg and chitting. 
Dad's Coleslaw Recipe – perfect on top of spicy pizza.
• Spring news from West Berkshire Countryside Society.
 Local delivery and take-aways so you don't have to go without during lockdown.
 In preparation for the return of foreign travel, Brian's memories of our 48 Hours in Brussels.
 

Eco News

Transition Marlborough Spring news includes free bee seeds give-away, permaculture course, plans for a community fridge and volunteers needed to tend community orchards.
Tescos stores (including Newbury, Hungerford, Marlborough, Swindon) are now collecting these soft plastics for recycling: cling film, bread & salad bags, pet and baby food pouches, crisp packets, fruit and veg packaging.
Stay of execution for bees in 2021 as government decides that neonicitinoids can not be used by sugar beet farmers after all.

Recruitment Advertising Offer

Is your business, school or organisation thinking about staffing levels for the better times that hopefully lie ahead?

Penny Post is here to help with a free recruitment advert booked in March...read more

Charity & Voluntary Groups

The Community Fridge run by The Mix on Mill Street in Wantage is also operating from the Cornerstone Cafe & Bookshop in Grove once a week.
Latest news from Volunteer Centre West Berks .
Volunteer roles include lunch club volunteer, primary school governor & library organiser.
 

Needed / Offered

• Green Machine Computers still has hundreds of laptop requests to fulfill so if you have one you don't need any more, please see here for how to donate.
• M&P Hardware in Hungerford has a fairly new photocopier to give away. It currently has a fault so if anyone can fix it for free for a good cause that would be great. Otherwise M&P will pay for it to be fixed for a good cause that can use it.

 

Property

• For Rent: one-bed house in Thatcham. £825pcm. Contact Nina Clark Lettings.
• For Rent: two-bed duplex in Hungerford. £895pcm. Contact Nina Clark Lettings.
For Sale: three-bed cottage in Burbage. GP £630,000. Contact Brearley & Rich.
For Sale: four-bed house in Froxfield. GP £590,000. Contact Brearley & Rich.
 
Please visit our local business directory to support the businesses that support PP.  New this week: Consultant Ophthalmologist & Vitreoretinal Surgeon Mr Mohamed El-Ashry

Local Jobs

This week's Jobs section includes: office manager, beauty therapist, hair stylist, early years team leader, science technician, finance officer and trips administrator, KS1 teacher, community care assistant, community navigators, co-responders, service manager, on-call firefighters, creche volunteers, nurses, laundry assistants, housekeepers and carers.
See also our section for volunteer positions.

This Week with Penny 

I'm in the dog house this week because I let our oil run out (again). My penance is chopping up a stack of kindling to keep our wood stove going. It's very satisfying swinging that axe and it's true what they say about wood warming you up three times – when you chop the tree down, when you saw the logs and when you finally burn it.

Did you know that dried citrus skins make excellent fire lighters? We discovered this by accident but Google reckons it's a thing (so it must be true). Apparently the oil in the skin fuels the fires and in the process they release less creosote than traditional paper.

During lockdown I started making mandalas out of stuff I find in the kitchen or garden.Today's mandala is hisbuscus tea and viburnum flowers. I also use snail shells, fruit, nuts, leaves, petals, egg shells, sheep's wool, grasses...If you're interested, take a peek at my mandala instagram account. I have to move quickly, though, because for some reason Brian is incapable of distinguishing my work in progress on a plate from something that needs washing up.

Lovely to see bumble bees out foraging this week. Good news that the government has recently back-tracked on its plans to permit use of harmful neonicotinoid pesticides. We need these guys...

Local Markets across the area – a great opportunity to buy fresh ingredients and support small producers. Many are continuing but you should check before making a journey. 

 

Fri 12 Mar

Cheltenham Preview Online Evening 
 

Sun 21 Mar

Nick Lumley Talk: My Life in Theatre


Wed 24 Mar

Author Anne Folland Talk: The Grand National


If you are still seeing cancelled events on our website calendar please try emptying the cache on your web browser.
 

Local Radio

• Kennet Radio, on 106.7 FM and also online.
• 4LEGS Community Radio for the Lambourn Valley.
 
 
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