Local News
Visit the Local News section of PP website for this week’s Local News, which includes elections (local and national), a town council meeting, a post box (again), a level crossing, a lion and five signs.
Local Events – see below
Local Activities
• great workshops & courses coming soon:
April floristry workshops – 24 & 30 April Chilton Foliat
Inspirational Spring Cooking Weds 26 April Shalbourne
Weekend Nutrition Course, 29/30 April Newbury
Beginners Spanish 10 week course starts Thursday 4 May in Wickham near Newbury
Everybody Sing! Workshop Sat 6 May Stockcross
• to book a free trial on a local Parent & Kids Martial Arts Class with Damien Harfields MF Martial Arts contact 0800 0345 660 or [email protected] for more details.
Recommendations
• Margaret W recommends Eclipse Cleaning – “I can’t recommend Jon highly enough! He’s quick, efficient, effective and personable. I had a dark stain on a beige carpet and he made it vanish completely.”
• Kate from Ball Hill recommends Hungerford Leisure Centre for “excellent circuit classes – always different and enjoyable.” (and many others rate the quality of their swimming lessons)
Special Offers
• wide range of special April offers from Hogan Music in Newbury.
• half-price dental hygiene sessions for children at the Lambourn Valley Dental Practice if booked during April.
Property
• a friend of ours is looking to rent a 2 or 3 bedroom house in Hungerford starting asap. If you have a property available please contact Jane Price on [email protected]
• three-bedroom South Fawley Cottage to rent from May. £1,200 pcm. Lovely rural location just 5 miles south of Wantage.
• if you own woodland of any size you are invited to a one day workshop on Weds 3 May to learn how to Make Your Woodland Work for You
• Click here for a range of properties to rent and for sale in Hungerford.
See the Property News section of Penny Post for a range of property-related articles.
Local Jobs
See the Penny Post website for local jobs including: Part-time Clerk to Ramsbury Parish Council(closes 2 May) • Pharmacy Technician or Dispenser, Ramsbury (closes 26 April) • Waiter/Waitress, Chilton Foliat • Stockperson, Lambourn • Car Mechanic, Newbury • Assistant Management Accountant, Lambourn • Teaching Assistant, Padworth • Library Trustees, Hungerford • Waiter/Front of House Supervisor, Inkpen • Full-time Care Assistants, West Berkshire • Occupational Therapist, West Berkshire • Massage Therapist, West Berkshire • Cleaners, West Berkshire • Charity Shop Volunteers, Hungerford • Homecare Assistants, throughout West Berkshire
• interested in becoming a teacher? Book a 30-minute appointment on Thurs 27 April at John O’Gaunt School, Hungerford to learn about the Excalibur Train to Teach programme.
Local Businesses
Family Life • Food & Drink • Health, Beauty & Wellbeing • House, Garden & Pets • Legal & Professional • IT, Media & Web • Visual & Performing Arts • Retailers • Travel & Tourism • Tuition & Training
Please support the businesses which support Penny Post!
• if you’re looking for an experienced, bright and literate part-time PA click here.• for expert social media training with The Media Marketing Co grab a place on these workshops at Audley Inglewood nr Kintbury: Mastering Facebook Thurs 4 May, Facebook Power User Thurs 11 May, Twitter Power User Thurs 8 June
Charity Plugs
• congratulations to Ray Collins Charitable Trust for delivering 850 donated Easter Eggs and organising yet another successful Easter Dinner in Wantage
• if you want to raise money for your local group, enter the Newbury Rotary Sponsored Walk on Sunday 7 May. Or you can do it for a donation to Rotary which supports lots of good causes.
• local family-support charity Home-Start West Berkshire needs volunteers to encourage and offer practical support to parents with young children. Their next training course starts 28 April in Newbury. If you are interested please call 01635 760310 or email [email protected].
• see this week’s Local News for a list of just some of the people who’ve helped to raise money for good causes recently.
Four Legged Friends
• there was lots of horsey fun and jockey antics at The Many Clouds Lambourn Open Day on Good Friday. Here are some highlights on video (including AP McCoy coming a cropper…)
• new Dog Training for Working Breeds course with Jill at Develop Your Dog starts 1.30 – 4pm Weds 3 May in Marlborough. Small, relaxed fortnightly classes starting with good manners on the introductory foundation course, working on the basic commands. Subsequent sessions lead to a high level of control and obedience. Contact Jill on 07901 651 663 or [email protected].
• Newbury Dogs Trust Easter Fair from 11am to 3pm on 23 April at its rehoming centre at Hamstead Marshall.
• Thames Valley Mounted Police are visiting Hungerford on Mon 24 April. They will patrol the High Street from 12.30pm then be available for questions and photos 1.30 – 3pm at Inkpen Gate of Hungerford Common.
• according to a letter in this week’s Cold Ash Community Bulletin (click here if you want to subscribe), there are reports of an outbreak of Alabama Rot in Cold Ash Woods.
• see this week’s Local News for a message from WIltshire Police about the need for dog owners to keep their pets on a lead when near livestock.
• Natural Pet Diet & Nutrition Training Workshop Sun 23 April in Swindon
Quiz
Seasonal Snippets
• this week’s recipe is Seafood Salad by cook and food writer Belinda Harley who is teaching Inspirational Spring Cooking next Weds 26 April at The Shalbourne Collection• wild garlic can now be found in local woods and in veg boxes (not sure if you can buy it from local markets or shops?) and this week I’ve made a Thai inspired nettle soup that even our teenagers enjoyed. Up next is nettle beer…
• we are so lucky to have lots of bluebells around here. Which is your favourite local bluebell wood? Please rely to this or click on the link and comment on the post
• April 2017 is the centenary of the death of poet Edward Thomas and visitors are welcome to his lovely memorial window at St James the Greater Church in Eastbury
• we have a 1.6L Ford Focus available for spares or repair. Drives fine and bodywork OK but no exhaust or MOT. Offers accepted. Please reply to this.
• see this week’s Local News for the usual mix including various examples of local democracy, a clarification of sorts from Thames Valley Police, new plans for the Kennet Centre and a brief reflection on what ‘local’ and ‘news’ might actually mean….
• click here for my husband’s latest song, Take It or Leave It, which he describes as a slightly angry cross between Depeche Mode and The Eagles. You can be the judge of that…
• do you live in Britain’s best village? Enter this Nationwide Event To Find Britain’s Best Village 2017 with Penelope Keith to find out! Entry deadline 14 May.
Penny
[email protected]
LOCAL EVENTS
(for more visit our calendar)
Fri 21 Apr
The Slimline Shufflers 7.30pm The Wheatsheaf, Chilton Foliat for fab New Orleans R’n’B.
Sat 22 Apr
Yoga & Mindfulness One Day Retreat 9.30am – 5pm Seeds 2 Glory Studio, just outside Hungerford.
LiftYourMIND Roadshow 9am – 2.30pm Market Place, Newbury. Can Newbury beat Hungerford’s total of lifting 10,977.5 kg?
Treloar’s Spring Fair 10am – 12.30 Ramsbury Memorial Hall. Coffee, cakes, stalls, raffle, tombola, etc. Entry £1 (children free) in aid of the Treloar Trust, an educational establishment for physically disabled young people.
Jane Eyre 8pm The Croft Hall – described by Broadway Baby as “…hands down the best adaptation I’ve ever seen…”
Sun 23 Apr
Newbury Talks:The Future and What to Do About It 3 – 4pm Newbury Town Hall. Inspiring talk by futuroligist Mark Stevenson.
Tues 25 Apr
Tutti Day in Hungerford. Public events include an opportunity for children to meet the Tutti Men, make some Tutti Poles and find out more about this unique ceremony at the United Reformed Church from 3pm to 5pm and a performance by the Town Band in the Town Hall at 7.30pm.
Weds 26 Apr
West Berks Green Exchange Forum 7.30pm St George’s Church, Wash Common, Newbury. Transport – Green Taxis and Rail Electrification – all welcome. Free entry. Refreshments provided.
Thu 27 & Fri 28 April
The Empty Nesters’ Club by John Godber, Corn Exchange – one for the mums and dads.
Sat 29 April
Weekend Nutrition Course, 10am – 1.30pm Rosier Studio, Newtown Rd, Newbury (Sunday too). Find out how the food you eat can affect your mind and body with Kay van Beersum, co-author of Bear Gryll’s Fuel for Life.
Discover Magnetics The Wellbeing Centre, Newbury Book a free 30 minute magnetic massage.
Coming Soon…
Sun 30 April The Constable’s Parade and Service, Hungerford 10.45am starting at the Town Hall
Sat 6 May WB MENCAP’s Growing4All Open Day near Kingsclere
Sat 6 to Sat 20 May – Newbury Spring Festival
Easter Holiday Activities
Giant Easter Egg Hunt in Newbury 8 – 22 Apr
Sat 22 Apr Mothers & Daughters: Make A Skater Skirt 10am – 4.30pm, Hungerford
Free Junior Golf Tasters & Lessons at Marlborough Golf Glub see link for dates
Easter Climbing Extravaganza for Juniors at Rockstar Climbing in Swindon 10 – 21 April
Easter Sessions at Reading Climbing School (inc daily Easter Egg hunts)
