Thursday 19 October 2023
Our usual round-up of local news includes: Halloween, creativity with pottery, rugby for girls and crafts – plus a message from Project Groundwater which needs input from local residents. See also below for community notices and news from your local council.
Upcoming Compton area events include: Halloween quiz night and a Christmas market. See below for details, plus regular events and group activities.
This week’s news
• On Friday 20 October there will be a Halloween Disco at The Downs School Main Hall from 3.30pm to 5.30pm with competition and prizes. Tickets cost £4 per person and can be bought through the school’s gateway.
• On Sunday 19 November, The Downs School invites you to take part in a Pottery Painting Afternoon from 1pm to 3pm at a cost of £15 per person. Book your tickets now by emailing [email protected]
• An opportunity for craft stall holders at the Christmas Market at The Swan at Compton on Sunday 3 December. Please contact Patricia on 07786 856440.
• Calling all Year 7 and Year 8 girls who enjoy rugby. The Downs School has an external rugby coach coming on Wednesday 11 and 18 October from 3.30 to 4.30. Bring your normal P.E. kit, boots and mouthguard and meet by the sheds at 3.20pm. Any questions ask Mrs Miller-Cook.
• A reminder that The Wee libraries/book exchanges in Compton are still full of great books. The one in Newbury Lane has lots of Clive Cussler at the moment and some vintage Isaac Asimov. Feel free to borrow books and put in good quality books.
• FC Cougars currently have spaces for footballers U6s, U7s and Under 16s. If you are interested contact graham on [email protected]
• For road closures and other news visit Hampstead Norreys Parish Council‘s facebook page.
• Groundwater alerts
Project Groundwater is a partnership project, funded by Defra as part of the £150 million Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme which is managed by the Environment Agency to develop and test new approaches to resilience tailored to local communities. It aims to transform how communities prepare for and respond to groundwater flooding. A spokesperson told Penny Post on 19 October that “to ensure that Project Groundwater provides the best possible service to communities affected by groundwater flooding, community engagement is at the heart of our project.” Nine communities from West Berkshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Bedfordshire are participating in the pilot scheme.
Two of these are the Lambourn Valley (Lambourn, East Garston and Great Shefford) and the Pang Valley (West Ilsley, East Ilsley, Compton, and Hampseatd Norreys). There are currently two ways that local residents can get involved:
- By participating in an online survey and viewing PG’s early-stage prototype. This enables you to offer vital feedback to shape its features. Your honest input, especially on areas for improvement, is crucial. The survey is completely anonymous.
- By participating in any of the three online focus groups on the 16 and 17 November. This provides an opportunity for you to get involved in a discussion with PG’s developers, have a deep-dive into our new alerts system and to share your feedback on the prototype in a more in-depth conversation. We are holding online focus groups on Thursday 16 November (10am to 11.30am), Thursday 16 November (6.15pm to 7.45pm) and Friday 17 November (1pm to 2.30pm).
More information on both these can be found by clicking here.
• Latest local newsletters
Community notices
• Have your say on current consulations by West Berkshire Council. Parish and town councils also run consultations from time to time: see the appropriate website/s below under Council contacts.
• See Compton Parish Council’s website for a list of current scams going around in the area that you should be aware of.
• Drop-in café at St Mary & St Nicholas, Compton on the last Wednesday afternoon of the month at Compton Village Hall. Refreshments and friendly chit-chat. Open to anyone.
• Compton Parish Council is keen to remind residents to please take rubbish home with them if litter bins are full.
• Compton Karate based at Aldworth Village Hall is a small and friendly dojo that welcomes new members.
• More local hosts are needed for people escaping the war in Ukraine. If you could consider hosting a Ukrainian refugee or family, please get in contact with the local support group or visit westberks.gov.uk/
• For how to avoid scams and what to do if you unluckily get caught, please see important advice here from Citizen’s Advice. There is no shame if you do get caught out by scammers (Penny has) and you must seek help and warn others.
Local events and activities
For more information on events and activities across the Penny Post area, see the website calendar.
• Dates for the diary
• Sun 29 Oct Halloween Quiz, The Swan, Compton
• Sat 16 Dec Christmas Market, The Swan Compton
• Regular events and groups
• Stay, Play and Learn at Compton Village Hall on Thursday mornings during term for children 0-4 years to socialise with others, exploring a variety of play activities and crafts. Book online with West Berkshire Council here.
• The Handybus service to Wantage picks up Chaddleworth and Leckhamstead residents from their homes on the second and fourth Tuesday morning. The round trip will cost £4. See here for more details and how to book.
• Marcham Cricket Club welcomes new cricket players and officials.
• All are welcome to enjoy Tea and a Chat on Mondays from 9.30am to 11am at the Wilkins Centre in Compton.
• Wellbeing and mental health free one hour introduction session with Recovery in Mind and The Downland Practice. Please contact [email protected] to book your place.
• Drop Off/Drop In Coffee Morning every Wednesday during term time at Brightwalton Church from 8.45 to 10am.
• Free coffee and cake morning at The Wilkins Centre in Compton from 9.30 am to 11 am every Monday.
• The Aldworth Saturday Market at Aldworth Village Hall, RG8 9SE from 10.30am to midday sells fresh fruit and vegetables, groceries, stamps and cards; tea and coffee. Contact Kathy on 01635 578090 or e-mail [email protected]
• Brightwalton footballers on the field next to Brightwalton Village Hall on Wednesday evenings. Kick off at 7pm for all players over 15 years old.
• The Gents Breakfast Club created by The Downland Practice – Social Prescribing is proving popular. If you would like more information please contact [email protected].
• Compton Tots on the first and third Thursday of every month at Compton Village Hall from 9.30am to 11am. Providing a safe, fun and educational space, in partnership will Compton Pre-school for 0-5 years and costs £2 per family (cash only).
• Quiz night at The Crown and Horns in East Ilsley every Thursday from 7pm with prizes to be won. You can reserve a table by calling 01635281545 and see more information here.
• Brickleton Babes Baby and Toddler Group in Brightwalton Village Hall. Join their facebook group for details.
• Autumn Group regular meetings include the Hobbies Club at the Wilkins Centre, Compton. Visit their facebook page for details. Anyone from surrounding villages very welcome.
• Aldworth Art/Painting Group at the Aldworth Village Hall on first and third Tuesday of every month from 9.30am to noon. Details on the East Ilsley Communicator (issue 105, p 21) here.
• Aldworth Craft Group meet at Aldworth Village Hall on the second and fourth Monday of every month (within the school term time) from 10am to noon. More details in the East Ilsley Communicator (issue 105, p 16), which you can download here.
• Hampstead Norreys Village Hall club and event information is on Hampstead Norreys Community website.
• Ilsley Under Fives meet every Wednesday between 10am to 11.30am at various locations throughout the Ilsley villages. Please join their Facebook group or see details here.
News from your local council
Note: “the most recent meeting” refers to the most recent one for which minutes (in some cases draft) or some other summary is available. Other meetings may have taken place since. Some councils publish minutes more promptly than do others.
• The most recent meeting of Compton Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 2 October and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: reports from the working parties; planning matters; financial matters; grants; lamp-post poppies; anti-social behaviour; a bin dispute with WBC; and bramble clearance.
To see the dates of future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see the agendas, please click here. To see the minutes click here. Please click here for the latest on Compton’s neighbourhood development plan (which has now been ratified).
• The most recent meeting of Chaddleworth Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 12 September and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: planning matters; financial matters; repairs and maintenance; highways; local flooding; and reports from councillors and the Clerk.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Aldworth Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 11 September and you can download the minutes here. Items covered included: an introduction to the recently elected ward member, Laura Coyle; potholes; ward surgeries; matters arising; the future use of the Shoulder of Mutton; rights of way; speeding; and financial matters.
To see the dates, agendas and mintues for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Brightwalton Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 11 September and you can read the minutes here. Items covered included: community c0-ordinator update; the Village Hall; the Village Working Party; local housing; rights of way; road signs; financial matters; member’s bids; and a possible parish NDP.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of West Ilsley Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 5 September and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see minutes from past meetings please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Hampstead Norreys Council for which minutes are available took place on 27 July and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of East Ilsley Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 11 July and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Peasemore Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 11 July and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• The most recent meeting of Beedon Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 5 July and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates and agendas for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here. To see minutes from past meetings please click here. Please click here for details of the planning applications currently active in the parish.
• The most recent meetings of Ashampstead Parish Council for which minutes are available took place on 22 May and you can read the minutes here.
To see the dates, agendas and minutes for future Parish Council meetings (including any committees), please click here.
• Compton & Downlands area council contacts
Parishes: Hampstead Norreys Parish Council, Compton Parish Council, Ashampstead Parish Council, Beedon Parish Council, Chaddleworth Parish Council, Brightwalton Parish Council, Peasemore Parish Council, Aldworth Parish Council, West Ilsley Parish Council and East Ilsley Parish Council.
West Berkshire Council: click here to visit the website.
News from other areas
Penny Post area – please see the following separate sections: Hungerford area; Lam
News and views from across the area and beyond: please see the most recent Weekly News with Brian column.
