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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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Local News
This week's round-up from across the area and a bit beyond including Dave's share options, Sandleford, the showground past, present and future, Thatcham or nothing, CIL bills, two cats, Joe's dog, Newbury's leader, the shortest day, reptilian brains, sewage volumes and a trip round the parishes.
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Whitehall’s Shock Bombshell Plan
In response to the latest bombshell from the government which aims to "end the disastrous local-democracy experiment" and introduce "on-the-spot guidance" for errant councils, we talk to ministry spokeswoman Debra Devolvo. Read all about it here
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More News
• Virtual Lambourn Open Day includes 360° racing yard tours. Silent auction ends 9 Apr.
• Please be aware 'Nottingham Knockers' are in the area.
• What not to put in West Berks' new hard plastic recycling banks that opened this week...
• Greenham Trust has launched its summer double-matched funding day.
• Thatcham residents are invited to contribute to the Flowers of Recovery eco installation.
Re-openings to look forward to
• Household groups up to six people can now hire a narrow boat for a day from Kennet Horse Boat Company in Kintbury or book a lovely horse-drawn trip from 17 May.
• Many local Honesty Coffee Shops now open for take-aways with outdoor seating form 12 Apr
• Herongate Club in Hungerford is re-opening a squash court, the gym and pool on 12 Apr. Fitness classes re-start 17 May.
• Newbury's Luna Boutiques re-opens 12 April in the old Jigsaw shop on Northbrook Street. The old Parkway store will be an Luna outlet for a few weeks. Marlborough shop re-opens 12 Apr.
• West Berkshire Libraries explain how they will operate from 12 Apr.
• Outdoor sports clubs like Hungerford Rugby Club are pleased to welcome back players.
• Hungerford Leisure Centre should be open from 12 Apr.
• You can now donate non-upholstery iterms to the Community Furniture Project at the tip: you just need to book your slot with the council like all tip visits. Contact CFP to arrange upholstery donations. Collections can be requested from 12 April.
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Recommendations
• Gareth Priest recommends Hungerford Boxing & Fitness. "Friendly but professional coaching. Encourages and pushes you. Always leave knackered but buzzing."
• Siobhan Nell recommends Jon Shatford Bookkeeping. “Jon has been a real asset to my business. I recommend him highly and have complete faith in his honesty and ethical approach."
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Wild Garlic & Cheese Scone Recipe
If you see wild garlic in the woods but you're not sure what to do with it, this scone (pronounce it how you wish) recipe from Sara in Lambourn is a good place to start. For more recipes and tips on foraging see here.
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Charity & Voluntary Groups
• Team Scrubbers makes donation to Brighter Futures charity.
• John O'Gaunt School thanks army of volunteers who are helping with their student covid testing.
• Latest news from Volunteer Centre West Berks.
• Berkshire Community Foundation launches three grants today: Vital for Berkshire – Coronavirus Fund; Funds for Older People; and the Give a Child a Chance (GACAC) Fund.
Wanted/Offered
• Good quality cotton fabric available for a good cause.
• Cooker or microwave needed by West Berkshire Homeless for someone moving into a new home on 7 April.If you can help please contact Marj on wbhomeless@gmail.com.
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Property
• Office space to rent in Hungerford
• For sale: five-bed house in Burbage. GP £680,000. Contact Brearley & Rich.
• For sale: one-bed maisonette in Hungerford. GP £250,000. Contact Brearley & Rich.
• For rent: one-bed flat in Newbury. £735pcm. Contact Nina Clark Lettings.
• For rent: studio in near Boxford. £600pcm. Contact Nina Clark Lettings.
• For rent: two-bed duplex in Hungerford. £895pcm. Contact Nina Clark Lettings.
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Please visit our local business directory to support the businesses that support PP. New this week: Green Tips Tree Surgery & Woodland Management, Hungerford Boxing & Fitness and Sofas & Stuff.
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Local Jobs
This week's Jobs section includes: HGV mechanic, business development executive, front of house staff, kitchen porter, school attendance officer, sous chef, heritage attraction general manager, senior care assistant, youth and community centre director, vice-chair of trustees, dental nurse apprentice, mother's help, facilities manager, beauty therapist, hair stylist, early years team leader, secondary school science technician, community navigators, community co-responders, service manager, on-call firefighters, creche volunteers, nurses, laundry assistants, housekeepers and carers.
See also our section for volunteer positions.
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This Week with Penny
• My heart sinks when an official letter in a brown envelope arrives in the post.This week's was a £100 HMRC fine because I hadn't filed my tax return on time. But surely I had? Even downloaded the completed form. Turns out in my excitement at filing a week early, I had forgotten to click on the submit button. Aarghhh.
• Needless to say our chickens are egg-static to be allowed in the garden again there are still Avian Influenza Prevention Zone regulations. Brian is less than happy that they scratch and poo over the lawn. I try to explain that it helps fertilise and aerate the grass and prevents moss growth. He says, yes, quite, but they scratch and poo and eat the raspberries.
• Everyone says ponds are great for wildlife and a friend swears that frogs eat all the slugs in their garden so we decided to start cautiously with the smallest pre-formed pond we could find. A neighbour kindly donated tadpoles and weed and we will see what happens. We are not getting koi carp any time soon.
• Hats off to the staff at St Bart's school for digging us out of a nasty hole today when we realised we didn't have Adam's A-level certificates which his prospective uni wants to see. Did we ever have them? What indeed were his grades? Then they found the document we needed and I dashed over to collect it, minutes before they closed for the holidays. We've only had 18 months to think about this...
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Thur 1 Apr - Mon 19 Apr
Easter Scavenger Hunt in Great Shefford
Easter Sun 4 April
The Hive Market, East Hendred
Tue 6 April
Online Grand National Preview Evening in aid of Lambourn RDA
If you are still seeing cancelled events on our website calendar please try emptying the cache on your web browser.
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Local Radio
• Kennet Radio, on 106.7 FM and also online.
• 4LEGS Community Radio for the Lambourn Valley.
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