Please note that this section is presented as an archive of past columns and is not updated. Some web links may no longer be active (usually indicated by a score-through), for instance when a consultation has closed. For reasons of space, the Events, Community Notices and News from Your Local Councils sections have been deleted from the archive posts.

To see the current Lambourn Valley Weekly News section, please click here.

Other archives

• 2024 (July to December)
• 2024 (January to June)
• 2023 (July to December)
• 2023 (January to June)
• 2022 (July to December)
• 2022 (January to June)
• 2021 (April to December)

Thursday 30 June 2022

See below for the full list of planning applications to be considered by Lambourn PC, celebrate a local sweet-pea winner and reflect on some strange lights in the sky. We also have our usual round-up of local news, local events and activities and news from your local councils.

This week’s news

• Great Shefford Primary is 40 years old this year, and a celebration party is being held this Saturday 2 July. This could be a great chance to meet old classmates and catch up with familiar faces. See here for more.

• Congratulations to Lambourn’s Robert Read for his award-winning sweet peas at the prestigious RHS Wisley Early Sweet Pea Show. Robert is a perennial winner at the Lambourn Produce Show so it’s wonderful to see him garner this national recognition.

• Julia Bennet from Lambourn reports on racing’s latest trip to Ukraine with humanitarian supplies for people, pets and horses.Please click here to make a financial contribution. For more background to the venture, listen to Penny’s interview with Julia on 4LEGS Radio here (from 40 mins, 40 secs).

• East Garston’s Flower and Produce Show is on Sunday 10 July in the Village Hall. Please download class entry forms here. Wimbledon fans needn’t worry, as all the tennis action will be on the screen in the social club bar.

• The Five Bells in Wickham is thrilled to announce that Pete Goffe-Wood, Masterchef South Africa judge, restaurateur, cookbook author and TV chef, will be joining them on Saturday 23 July to offer you a Braai masterclass and evening of delicious Braii food. Tickets now available here.

• A reason to celebrate this Saturday will be West Berkshire’s first Pride march starting at Victoria Park in Newbury at 1pm. Visit the Newbury Pride website or FaceBook page for more information about the event or read more in our article here. A new exhibit ‘Hope and Pride’ is also launching at West Berkshire Museum on Saturday and running for the rest of 2022, looking at the history of Pride in the UK, as well as contributions from our local LGBTQIA+ community. See here for museum opening times.

• An update on the Lambourn Neighbourhood Development Plan is available here.

• West Berkshire Council has received funding from the Government to help improve bus services for the next three years. Your views are being sought on how the service can be improved. The survey is running until Sunday 3 July and you can find more about it here and the survey can be found here.

• Quick reminder about the Lambourn Flower and Produce Show on Saturday 20 August. With a heap of different classes for you to enter into and at only 20p per entry, there is bound to be something you can have a good shot at. Entry forms can be found here and must be submitted by 12 August. See more information here.

Lambourn Parish Council

The next meeting of Lambourn Parish Council will take place at The memorial Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday 6 July: you can attend in person or via Teams. I have been sent a copy ion the agenda but can’t see where it’s been published on-line. The items up for discussion include the following planning applications:

• 22/01233/HOUSE – Inholmes, Woodlands St Mary – Erection of car port and store.
• 22/01234/HOUSE + 22/01236/LBC2 – Inholmes, Woodlands St Mary – Extensions and alterations to the main house, demolition and re-build of sheds and infilling of external swimming pool.
• 22/01490/House – 22/01491/LBC2 – Inholmes House, Inholmes, Woodlands St Mary – Repairs and alterations to The Estate Office.
• 22/01492/HOUSE – 22/01493/LBC2 – Inholmes House, Inholmes, Woodlands St Mary – Repairs and alterations to Engine house and potting sheds.
• 22/01399/HOUSE – Bockhampton Manor, Newbury Road, Lambourn – Dormer window to the first floor of cottage facing south/east into stable yard.
• 22/01419/HOUSE – Coppinton, Greenways, Lambourn – Erection of a two bay single storey detached garage.
•  22/01432/HOUSE – 11 Stork House Drive, Lambourn – 2 storey side extension.
• 22/0142/COMIND – Former Unit 2 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands – Section 73: Variation of Condition 2 (Approved Plans) of previously approved application 21/01116/COMIND: Demolition of the existing building and erection of a facsimile replacement building, plus associated works of construction. Action SC + BJ.
• 22/01421/COMIND – 1,3,4,5 and 9 Lambourn Business Park, Lambourn Woodlands – Section 73: Variation of Condition 2 (Approved Plans) of previously approved application 21/01766/COMIND: Demolition of the existing buildings and erection of a facsimile replacement buildings, plus associated works of construction. There is no change of use and the buildings will be used for office/industrial and storage uses as existing.
• 22/01498/LBC2 – Park Farm, Upper Lambourn – To 1969 extension: Upgrading of existing single storey link. Provision of new hallway with accessible W.C. and new cut string staircase. Existing double hung sashes upgraded using existing openings. Reconfiguration of first floor bedrooms.  To main house: New kitchen floor with underfloor heating. Upgraded partition between dining room and kitchen. Opening up of kitchen range recess. Minor alteration through existing dining room cupboard to give direct access to drawing room. At first floor level relocation of laundry room door.
• 22/0147/HOUSE – Lime Tree Meadows, Lambourn Woodlands – Two storey rear extension and front entrance porch, alterations to external treatments. Replacement garage building.

Other matters include nutrient neutrality (WBC’s Planning Policy Officer Bryan Lyttle will be present to discuss this), the neighbourhood development plan, financial matters and the council’s sustainability policy.

Thursday 23 June 2022

See below for our usual round-up of local news, local events and activities and news from your local councils.

This week’s news

• Great Shefford Primary is 40 years old this year, and a celebration party is being held on Saturday 2 July. This could be a great chance to meet old classmates and catch up with familiar faces. See here for more.

• Alongside the car boot sale at the Lambourn British Legion this Sunday 26 June here will be a cake sale between 8am and noon in aid of Brain Tumour Research. Please pop along and donate kindly. See here for full details.

• The wonderful North Wessex Downs Walking Festival finishes this Sunday 26 June so click here if you want to book place on one of the last remaining walks.

• You may be aware already of the railway strikes that are taking place this weekend, which will impact a lot of travel routes across Berkshire. A full list of details and affected routes can be found here. Berkshire Live also have a survey on how the strikes will be affecting you, which can be completed via the same link. It is also worth noting that any fares affected will be refunded in full. A full timetable of the strikes is also available here on the GWR site.

• The racing community’s Saving Horses in Ukraine initiative is still supporting horses rescued from Ukraine, and the people and pets in surrounding communities. Please see full list of animal supplies requested here or click here to make a financial contribution. To hear more about racing’s ongoing humanitarian aid listen to Penny’s interview with Julia Bennet from Lambourn on 4LEGS Radio here (listen from 40 mins, 40 secs).

• Front Street will be closed in East Garston on Saturday 2 July except for access between School Lane and Burford’s from 2pm and 5pm.

• Quick reminder that scammers are taking advantage of the cost-of-living crisis to defraud people who are under great financial pressure. Our local Citizens Advice West Berkshire office has seen recent cases where clients have lost thousands of pounds to investment scams and fake energy rebate scams from energy companies or local authorities. See here for how to avoid scams and what to do if you unluckily get caught. Above all don’t feel ashamed, this is what the scammers rely on so you don’t warn others. Penny got caught once. You need to tell family, friends and report it to protect others.

• West Berkshire Council’s June Business news includes recruitment support for employers, low carbon workspace grants to save on energy bills, online networking and an appeal to eco-conscious independent cafes, restaurants and pubs to be part of a sustainable eateries campaign. Click here to read more.

• A new reason to celebrate this summer, as this July will see West Berkshire’s first Pride march. Originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic, Newbury Pride will be West Berkshire’s very first Pride celebration of its kind. It will take place on Saturday 2 July, starting at Victoria Park at 1pm. The march will be a celebration of LGBTQIA+ identify, individuality and community and everyone from all identities are welcome to join in and support our friends and neighbours. Visit the Newbury Pride website or FaceBook page for more information about the event or read more in our article here.

• On the day of the Pride march, a new exhibit ‘Hope and Pride’ will open at West Berkshire Museum. Running for the rest of 2022, the exhibition will take a look at the history of Pride in the UK, as well as contributions from our local LGBTQIA+ community. Come along to learn something new about the incredible people in our diverse community. See here for museum opening times.

• An update on the Lambourn Neighbourhood Development Plan is available here.

• More local hosts are needed for people escaping the war in Ukraine. According to the Newbury Today, there currently around 170 hosts in West Berkshire, but a total of 390 Ukrainians have applied for visas to stay in the area – with 228 refugees having already arrived. With more still to arrive, there is a real struggle to find enough hosts to meet the demand. If you could consider hosting a Ukrainian refugee or family, please get in contact with the local support group or visit westberks.gov.uk/homesforukraine.

• West Berkshire Council has received funding from the Government to help improve bus services for the next 3 years. Your views are being sought on how the service can be improved. The survey is running until Sunday 3 July and you can find more about it here and the survey can be found here.

• Quick reminder about the Lambourn Flower and Produce Show on Saturday 20 August. With a heap of different classes for you to enter into and at only 20p per entry, there is bound to be something you can have a good shot at. Entry forms can be found here and must be submitted by 12 August. See more information here.

Thursday 16 June 2022

See below for our usual round-up of local news, local events and activities and news from your local councils.

This week’s news

• Click here to see June’s Valley of the Racehorse e-newsletter.

• Lambourn Surgery has released an update on the wearing of masks: masks are no longer required in the surgery unless you have symptoms of Covid. If you would like to continue wearing them, it is your own personal preference.

• On a similar note, the surgery has posted an update here on administering Covid vaccinations and boosters for those that are still uncertain about them.

• Unfortunately scammers are taking advantage of the cost-of-living crisis to defraud people who are under great financial pressure. Our local Citizens Advice West Berkshire office has seen recent cases where clients have lost thousands of pounds to investment scams and fake energy rebate scams from energy companies or local authorities. See here for how to avoid scams and what to do if you unluckily get caught. Above all don’t feel ashamed, this is what the scammers rely on so you don’t warn others. Penny got caught once. You need to tell family, friends and report it to protect others.

• An update on the Lambourn Neighbourhood Development Plan is available here.

• The Saving Horses in Ukraine initiative is still raising much needed funds to buy supplies for horses rescued from Ukraine, who are currently being cared for at the horse rehabilitation hub on the Polish/Ukraine border and to enable the horses to be transported across Europe by volunteers to be reunited with their owners who have fled Ukraine. Please click here to make a financial contribution.

•In Lambourn Parsonage Lane will be closed next Thursday 23 June between 8am and 5pm, from its junctions with High Street and Baydon Road. This closure is to carry out drainage investigation works on behalf of West Berkshire Council. A plan of the closure can be found here.

• And ditto for works in East Garston along Newbury Road as Thames Water is currently working until 20 June at 5pm.

• West Berkshire Council has received funding from the Government to help improve bus services for the next 3 years. Your views are being sought on how the service can be improved. The survey is running until Sunday 3 July and you can find more about it here and the survey can be found here.

• The North Wessex Downs Walking Festival is going really well with something for everyone, from family friendly and wheelchair accessible guided walks to 9 mile hikes. See here for how to book your walks.

• The Peace Exhibition at East Garston Quaker Meeting House last Sunday raised another £100 for the grassroots Staryi Sambir Ukraine Support Group who have used the money to buy essential food supplies for refugees in western Ukraine. The exhibition includes pictures by Ukrainian refugee children to add to the peace pictures by children from Lambourn Primary School and Chaddleworth Great Shefford Federated Schools and is still available to view by appointment by calling Penny on 07768 981658.

• We recommend the quail eggs that are available (at just £2 a dozen) from John Fletcher at 25 The Mead, Great Shefford RG17 7DD.

• It’s time to start preparing for the annual Lambourn Flower and Produce Show. With a heap of different classes for you to enter into and at only 20p per entry, there is bound to be something you can have a good shot at. The show is set to take place on Saturday 20 August and entry forms, which can be found here, must be submitted by 12 August. See more information here.

• If you pre-book a pitch at Lambourn British Legion’s car boot sale on Sunday 26 June it costs £8 or you can pay £10 on the day. Please find more information here.

Thursday 9 June 2022

This week we take a look at the latest attempt to enforce planning conditions at the Membury Industrial Estate and look back at local jubilee celebrations. We also have our usual round-up of local news, local events and activities and news from your local councils.

This week’s news

• The Lambourn Valley did the Queen proud over the Jubilee weekend. East Garston’s beacon lighting attracted many residents from further afield (see Penny’s video here) and the Jubilee party on Saturday night and picnic on Sunday were very well attended. See photos here. and the spectacular winning crown cake.

• Lambourn’s Beacon and fireworks courtesy of Nicky and Sophie Henderson were spectacular. They could see four other beacons but reckoned theirs was the biggest. We agree as we could easily see it blazing from East Garston.

• There was a great turn out for the Jubilee picnic at Lambourn Sports Club organised by Nicola Morley and congratulations to the Winners of Lambourn’s Jubilee Scarecrow Competition organised by Julie Blogg.

• Thanks to Alison Stephenson Headteacher of Chaddleworth St Andrew’s and Shefford C.E. Federated Primary Schools for sharing their recent Jubilee festivities.

• Great Shefford‘s full weekend of events (which were all attended by Her Majesty of course) was a huge success with much credit going to organiser Jane Turton. Included in the royal itinerary was a Jubilee cricket match at Welford Park, while the whole village was festively flower bombed.

• The winning entries in Lambourn Library’s All the Queen’s Horses competition have been scanned and are on display in the Library.  The winners were: Mya Reynolds (age 4-6), Alexis Reynolds (age 11-14) and Penny Brewer (adult). Please do visit the Library and admire their excellent work.

• Lambourn Primary School celebrated the Jubilee with a celebration tree planting by AP McCoy and decade-themed dressing up party. See the lovely photos that the school shared with us here.

• Indeed, congratulations to everyone involved in organising the numerous jubilee events all across the district. All the ones that we attended or have heard about were hugely successful. A particular vote of thanks goes to whoever was in charge of the weather: the forecast for much of the weekend was depressingly dire but generally seems to have relented at the last moment. You can click here to see our look back at some of the celebrations across the area. If there are any you would like to see included, please email penny@pennypost.org.uk and include a link to the relevant website or FB page.

• Very sad news that Lambourn legend George Bodman has passed away this week aged 92. Luckily he was able to enjoy the Jubilee picnic at the Sports Club. See Lambourn.org for lots of touching and beautiful tributes to him and listen to his interview about his life with Chris Capel on 4LEGS Radio from 2018.

• The North Wessex Downs Walking Festival kicks off this Saturday 11 June offering 28 walks across the length and breadth of the stunning North Wessex Downs. There is something for everyone, from family friendly and wheelchair accessible guided walks to 9 mile hikes. See here for how to book your walks.

• The Peace Exhibition at East Garston Quaker Meeting House (opposite the Village Hall) is open this Sunday 12 June from 2 to 4pm with cakes and drinks. The exhibition is in aid of the grassroots Staryi Sambir Ukraine Support Group (supported by Eliska Vyskočova in Lambourn) and includes pictures by Ukrainian refugee children to add to the peace pictures by children from Lambourn Primary School and Chaddleworth Great Shefford Federated Schools. There are also mandalas and rural scenes by local artists and the opportunity to make your own nature mandala or comfort doll for Ukrainian children. Or visit by appointment by calling Penny on 07768 981658.

• All welcome to enjoy a wildlife exploration at St Michael’s Church in Lambourn this Saturday 11 June. Wildlife guides will help you identify wild flowers, insects, trees and birds. Refreshments available. See here for details.

• Quail eggs are available (a mere £2 a dozen) from John Fletcher at 25 The Mead, Great Shefford RG17 7DD.

• Lambourn Fire Station is still seeking on-call firefighters who work or live near the station and would like to help the community. See here for more information on the role (which is paid). If you’d like to read up on the history of the Lambourn Fire Brigade to potentially inspire you, click here.

• It’s time to start preparing for the annual Lambourn Flower and Produce Show. With a heap of different classes for you to enter into and at only 20p per entry, there is bound to be something you can have a good shot at. The show is set to take place on Saturday 20 August and entry forms must be submitted by 12 August, which can be found here and more information here.

• If you pre-book a pitch at Lambourn British Legion’s car boot sale on Sunday 26 June it costs £8 or you can pay £10 on the day. Please find more information here.

Membury and the B4000

Membury and the B4000 are directly connected, the continued development of the former leading to an increase in traffic on the latter. Short of creating a new motorway junction at Membury Services (something beyond WBC’s power to do), local efforts are concentrating on looking at traffic calming measures and also ensuring that the various planning conditions concerning hours of operation are being adhered to.

The latest update from Lambourn’s ward member Howard Woollaston has recently been published and in it discussed this long-running issue. he refers to on-site meetings with senior WBC officers over the last few weeks. The conclusion was “to have a half-day workshop between officers, the Woodlands Protection Group and me to find resolutions to the key problems, including enforcement of planning conditions and traffic generation on the B4000.” The likelihood is that, whatever some may wish to the contrary, the  Membury Estate will continue to grow. Hopefully Councillor Woollaston’s intervention will ensure that ny planning conditions (which are made for good reasons) are properly enforced. This might be a useful policy to carry into the rest of the district as well.

Thursday 2 June 2022

This week we take a look back at some of the main stories in this area that we’ve covered in the last six months or so, many of which are still live and will be returned to in due course. We also have our usual round-up of local news, local events and activities (including jubilee-related ones) and news from your local councils.

This week’s news

• Lambourn Primary School has celebrated the Jubilee with a celebration tree planting by AP McCoy and decade-themed dressing up party. See the lovely photos that the school shared with us here.

• East Garston Quaker Meeting House’s Peace Exhibition last Sunday raised over £110 for the grassroots Staryi Sambir Ukraine Support Group supported by Eliska Vyskocova in Lamboun. The exhibition was even more poignant as Eliska brought pictures by Ukrainian refugee children to add to the peace pictures by children from Lambourn Primary School and Chaddleworth Great Shefford Federated Schools. There are also mandalas and rural scenes by local artists and the opportunity to make your own nature mandala. The next opening is Sunday 12 June from 2 to 4pm (or by appointment by calling Penny on 07768 981658).

•  See here for our guide to Jubilee events across the area including Lambourn Sports Club’s picnic, Great Shefford weekend-long celebrations and East Garston’s party and picnic.

• Lambourn Food Hall‘s opening hours for the Bank Holiday Weekend can be found here.

• Free Art for Wellbeing classes start at Lambourn Library on Monday 6 June as part of the Corn Exchange’s Link to Thrive programme for mental health. You can drop in on a weekly basis to learn new art techniques in a relaxed, friendly and sociable atmosphere under the guidance of professional artists and illustrators. See details here for how to self-refer or be referred to the classes by your GP or Social Prescriber.

• The Valley Film Society’s June film night in East Garston Village Hall is showing the Oscar award-winning black comedy thriller Parasite from Korea on Tuesday 7 June. All welcome. Entry is £6 on the door and food can be ordered for the interval. See more details here. (This film is absolutely superb.)

• As we mentionned last week, West Berkshire Council and Sovereign are looking for residents in Lambourn who would like to be part of a potential pilot Play Street which allows children to be able to play freely outside their own front door. Playing Out is a parent and resident-led movement restoring children’s freedom to play out in the streets and spaces where they live, for their health, happiness and sense of belonging. For more details please see here.

• The Lambourn British Legion is hosting a car boot sale on Sunday 26 June between 8am and noon. To book a spot, it costs £8 to pre book or £10 on the day to pitch up. You can find more information here.

• For a list of upcoming (as of Saturday 21 May) planning applications in Lambourn parish, see here on Lambourn.org.

• Nutwood Organics market garden at Sheepdrove invites anyone to pick their own or enjoy a therapeutic gardening session on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please contact Kasia on nutwoodorganics@gmail.com for details or contact them on facebook.

Thursday 26 May 2022

This week we look at the long-running sewerage works in Great Shefford and wonder if this might have anything to do with the new development opposite the pub. We also have the text of the Chair’s address to the recent Lambourn annual parish assembly, a proposed cricket pitch, a sunflower competition, jubilee celebrations and a proposal for play streets.

Scroll down for this and more local news, local events and activities and news from your local councils.

This week’s news

• West Berkshire Council and Sovereign are looking for residents living in Lambourn who would like to be part of a potential pilot Play Street which allows children to be able to play freely outside their own front door. Playing Out is a parent and resident led movement restoring children’s freedom to play out in the streets and spaces where they live, for their health, happiness and sense of belonging. For more details please see here.

• You are probably aware that there will be lots of local Jubilee celebrations taking place between 2 and 5 June. Click here for our guide to events across the area including Lambourn, Great Shefford and East Garston.

• Click here to read the full text of the Chair’s address to the Lambourn parish annual assembly on 27 April.

• Lambourn Library is hosting a birthday celebration for the beloved children’s book character Elmer, for Elmer Day. On Saturday 28 May between 10.30am and noon you can join the library for some colourful activities. See more here.

• East Garston Quaker Meeting House is hosting a Peace Exhibition from 2pm to 4pm this Sunday 29 May and Sunday 12 June. All are welcome to view peace pictures by local residents and children from Lambourn Primary School and Chaddleworth Great Shefford Federated Schools. There will be cake and tea and an opportunity to make your own nature mandala. Entry by donation to Ukraine support.

• The 2022 Lambourn Sunflower competition is now accepting entries, with five different categories. Entries must be completed and submitted to 4 Bockhampton Road. The full list of information and rules can be found here.

• As mentioned last week, Queens Arms owners Freddie and Sue Tulloch are applying for planning permission to convert a field near the pub, between the stream and the bottom road, into a cricket field. See here for the planning application details.

• Women from all walks of life across the county are invited to join West Berkshire Council’s Women in Politics webinar on Wednesday 1 June to find out how to get involved in local decision-making panels or becoming a Councillor. WBC also would like to invite any and all local residents interested in what happens behind the scenes at the Council or how decisions are made, to join them for this event. Details can be found on the council website.

• Keep your eyes on the skies on Thursday 2 June for the spectacular military flyby in celebration of the Jubilee. Over 70 aircraft will be participating, including the Red Arrows, Spitfires and Hurricanes, taking off in the east of the country, flying over Buckingham Palace, London and then heading the South and West. If all goes according to plan, Berkshire should see the aircraft overhead roughly between 12:50pm and 1:30pm – so keep your eyes peeled. More information can be found here.

• If you would like to support Ukraine appeals from Eliska Vyskocova in Lambourn for the grassroots Staryi Sambir Ukraine Support Group that she supports (as it is run by an old friend of hers), please see details here of the new charity bank account they have set up to accept financial as well as humanitarian donations.

• For a list of upcoming (as of Saturday 21 May) applications in the Lambourn area, see here on Lambourn.org.

• Nutwood Organics market garden at Sheepdrove invites anyone to pick their own or enjoy a therapeutic gardening session on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please contact Kasia on nutwoodorganics@gmail.com for details or contact them on facebook.

Thursday 19 May 2022

Scroll down for the Lambourn’s NDP consultations, 23 months of reports from a ward member, local events and activities and news from your local councils.

This week’s news

• This week 4LEGS Community Radio presented Julie Blogg from the Lambourn Junction with a cheque for £560, raised from the radio station’s charity Valentine request-a-thon. Radio presenter Chris Capel said “with the difficulties many families are experiencing due to the significant cost of living increases we felt it was appropriate to donate the money to The Lambourn Junction for the incredible work they are doing to help put food on people’s tables.”

• The date for this year’s Lambourn Sports Club Village Show and Fete has recently been released as Sunday 21 August at Lambourn Sports Club. The schedule of flower, craft and produce classes will be coming soon.

• Queens Arms owners Freddie and Sue Tulloch are applying for planning permission to convert a field near the pub, between the stream and the bottom road, into a cricket field. This idea makes sense to us. About 50 years ago there was a cricket pitch on the field which is very flat, unlike the sloping Milennium Field which has proved challenging for the game in recent years. See here for the planning application details.

• As mentioned last week, Goodie’s Cafe on Lambourn High Street is opening a second cafe at Trindledown on Tuesday 7 June. They are appealing to anyone who is having a clear out of toys or games to donate them to the cafe’s play room. To get in contact, see here and you can message them on the Facebook page.

• Women from all walks of life across the county are invited to join West Berkshire Council’s Women in Politics webinar on Wednesday 1 June to find out how to get involved in local decision-making panels or becoming a Councillor. WBC also would like to invite any and all local residents interested in what happens behind the scenes at the Council or how decisions are made, to join them for this event. Details can be found on the council website.

• The Lambourn British Legion is hosting an afternoon of Vintage Tea for 55s and over between 2.30pm and 4.30pm on Tuesday 24 May. The afternoon tea is £3.50 a head, and more information can be found here.

• The Friends of Lambourn Library is running an art and craft competition to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee on the theme of “All the Queen’s Horses”. There are many ways to take part, and prizes to be won.  Please see more details here and set your imagination free. Entry forms are in the library and the entry deadline is Friday 27 May.

• Keep your eyes on the skies on Thursday 2 June for the spectacular military flyby in celebration of the Jubilee. Over 70 aircraft will be participating, including the Red Arrows, Spitfires and Hurricanes, taking off in the east of the country, flying over Buckingham Palace, London and then heading the South and West. If all goes according to plan, Berkshire should see the aircraft overhead roughly between 12:50pm and 1:30pm – so keep your eyes peeled. More information can be found here.

• If you would like to support Ukraine appeals from Eliska Vyskocova in Lambourn for the grassroots Staryi Sambir Ukraine Support Group that she supports (as it is run by an old university friend of hers), please see details here of the new charity bank account they have set up to accept financial as well as humanitarian donations.

• Nutwood Organics market garden at Sheepdrove invites anyone to pick their own or enjoy a therapeutic gardening session on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please contact Kasia on nutwoodorganics@gmail.com for details or contact them on facebook.

• Lambourn’s Jubilee celebrations will be on Friday 3 June with a picnic at the Lambourn Sports Club from noon with a BBQ, music, bouncy castle, buck and bronco. There will also be a best gazebo/picnic blanket competition and some displays by some local organisations Everyone is welcome. See more here on Lambourn Community facebook group.

But what do they do?

Anyone who wants to know what a district councillor (also known as a ward member) does could do a lot worse than look at the monthly ward updates from Lambourn’s ward member Howard Woollaston. For nearly two years now he’s been providing us with monthly updates of the local issues in his in-box every month. These can be found in this post, with the most recent one at the top.

As even the briefest of glances will show, a few themes tend to dominate. Planning, speeding, water and sewage issues, the B4000 and the Membury Industrial Estate crop up most often and it would be hard to find a month when at that three of these weren’t mentioned. Other ward members would, if they did similarly detailed reports (I’m unaware that any do), probably have planning and speeding pretty high up their list and a lot of them would be writing about water and sewage quite a lot too.

A ward member can’t fix everything but, like your MP, they can direct residents to where they can get the answer or can ask questions of officers. If you have a problem which you think your ward member can help sort out, get in touch with them: it’s what you elected them for.

Thursday 12 May 2022

This week’s news

• The East Garston bluebell walk last Sunday was a huge success. The weather was glorious, there was a fantastic turn-out and the teddy bear hunt was a huge success. Organiser Freddie Tulloch estimates that over £3,000 was raised for the Air Ambulance and the church took over £500 at their cake tent.

• I see from this month’s Village Views that a bench dedicated to the memory of the late Sir Michael Howard is to be installed in the churchyard. The article points out that he moved into the village before the M4 was built, which certainly qualifies him for the title of long-term resident. I had the pleasure of meeting him on a few occasions to discuss historical matters – there were certainly few better people in the area for that. You can read my obituary of him here.

• The Lambourn Junction, which supports people in need in the Valley has just launched a great scheme offering children’s birthday party supplies for households that might struggle to afford to give their kids a special day.

• The April and May Parish Matters update from Howard Woollaston is out now which can be read here.

• Great news that Goodie’s Cafe is opening a second cafe at Trindledown with the same menu and coffee as their cafe on Lambourn High Street. The new outlet is planned to open on Tuesday 7 June. See more here on Trindledown’s facebook.

• Thanks to wildlife enthusiast John Fletcher from Great Shefford for sharing his tips for May Nature Watch with us here. John reminds us please to be careful of duck families on the road and not to use slug pellets in the garden as they poison hedgehogs and songbirds. You welcome to join the Great Shefford Nature Watch Facebook group and post your own photos and videos.

• Volunteer gardeners in Great Shefford have taken over some unloved council land in Hawthorne Way and are turning it into an attractive wildlife area dubbed the Hickson Hedgerows in memory of Jean and Lister Hickson who lived in the village for over 30 years and were both involved with St Mary’s Church. Jean sang in the choir and Lister was churchwarden and was instrumental in getting the bells repaired and rehung together with Alan Dawkins. Jean joined the local yoga and craft groups and learnt to tap dance which she used to entertain elderly people in village halls all around the area. A retired naval commander, Lister’s hobbies included gardening, bee keeping and tapestry stitching.

• The Friends of Lambourn Library is running an art and craft competition to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee on the theme of “All the Queen’s Horses”. There are many ways to take part, and prizes to be won.  Please see more details here and set your imagination free. Entry forms are in the library and the entry deadline is Friday 27 May.

• If you would like to support Ukraine appeals from Eliska Vyskocova in Lambourn for the grassroots Staryi Sambir Ukraine Support Group that she supports (as it is run by an old university friend of hers), please see details here of the new charity bank account they have set up to accept financial as well as humanitarian donations.

• Nutwood Organics market garden at Sheepdrove invites anyone to pick their own or enjoy a therapeutic gardening session on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please contact Kasia on nutwoodorganics@gmail.com for details or contact them on facebook.

• Lambourn British Legion is hosting a Lambourn Carnival and Festival meeting on Thursday 19 May. Plans for the carnival are coming along but more help is needed so please muck in if you can.

• Lambourn’s Jubilee celebrations will be on Friday 3 June with a picnic at the Lambourn Sports Club from noon with a BBQ, music, bouncy castle, buck and bronco. There will also be a best gazebo/picnic blanket competition and some displays by some local organisations Everyone is welcome. See more here on Lambourn Community facebook group.

Thursday 5 May 2022

This week’s news

• Due to the resignation of Michael Billinge-Jones, Lambourn Parish Council currently has a vacancy for a councillor. Unless ten local residents call for an election, a new member can be co-opted onto the council.

• Great Shefford’s Annual Parish Assembly took place on 5 May and you can click here to read the text of the address by GSPC’s Chair Steve Ackrill and to see the link to where the formal minutes of the event will eventually appear.

• One of the matters which was discussed the the meeting was the village’s flood defence scheme. Residents won’t need reminding that the parish’s £80,000 contribution for this was raised in less than two years, the target being hit in late 2019. It has taken rather longer for the EA to keep its side of the bargain. Thanks to the efforts of Steve Ackrill and others involved in the Great Shefford Flood Alleviation Association (GSFAA), the EA has recently agreed that this will definitely go ahead. One bureaucratic obstacle (the the internal funding would be time-limited and so might vanish if the project experienced any further delays) has been solved. Work can only take place at certain times of the year due to groundwater levels and it’s hoped that this will have begun by this time next year. If it hasn’t, I’m sure the GSFAA will be straight back on the phone again.

• Anyone passing the Great Shefford pub in the village may have noticed that a kiosk has been set up next to the pub. I make no comment on how much this is welcomed not the quality of the coffee and the pastries being sold but am merely pointing out that this would appear to have some planning hurdles yet to cross. (This has nothing to do with the quite separate application for the farm shop which was approved by committee in March). An application for a certificate of lawfulness (essentially, a claim that development or a change of use can happen without needing to go through the normal planning-approval system) was made in February 2021 and refused in April. What happens next is down to WBC’s planning enforcement team. One of the conditions of the approval of the farm shop was that no further development on the site would take place. This approval has yet to be formally validated, I believe because documentation about traffic and parking is still awaited from the applicant. The refusal notice in April 2021 cited, amongst other reasons, the fact that the kiosk would “result in an intensification of the use of the site.” This would include a likely increase in traffic movements around the pub and the demand for its car-parking spaces.

• The Friends of Lambourn Library are running an art and craft competition to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee on the theme of “All the Queen’s Horses”. There are many ways to take part, and prizes to be won.  Please see more details here and set your imagination free. Entry forms are in the library and the entry deadline is Friday 27 May.

• Crowle Road in Lambourn will be closed on 9 May 2022, noon and 7pm from its junctions with High Street and Baydon Road. This closure is to enable Volker Highways to carry out carriageway machine patching on behalf of West Berkshire Council.

• If you would like to support Ukraine appeals from Eliska Vyskocova in Lambourn for the grass roots Staryi Sambir Ukraine Support Group that she supports (as it is run by an old university friends of hers), please see details here of the new charity bank account they have set up to accept financial as well as humanitarian donations.

• There will be a Village Flower Show in Baydon on Saturday 14 May between 2pm and 4pm in aid of the church building fund.

• See the centre spread of this week’s NWN for a look back at the recent Lambourn Vintage Machinery Show.

• Lambourn British Legion is hosting a Lambourn Carnival and Festival meeting on Thursday 19 May. Plans for the carnival are coming along but more help is needed so please muck in if you can.

• Nicola Morley reports that Lambourn’s Jubilee celebrations will be on Friday 3 June  with a picnic at the Lambourn Sports club from noon with a BBQ, music, bouncy castle, buck and bronco. There will also be a best gazebo / picnic blanket competition and some displays by some local organisations Everyone welcome.

• For local wildlife updates join the Great Shefford Nature Watch Facebook group which includes John Fletcher’s fascinating sparrow nest-cam.

• If you have been admiring the wild garlic growing in local woods but don’t know what to do with it, Ruth Jordan from Priscilla’s Kitchen in East Garston did a lovely wild garlic recipe demonstration at the last Hungerford Food & Artisan market. See the video of her  wild garlic and cheese scones here and more recipes and foraging tips here.

• The new East Garston Environmental Group welcomes new members to discuss recycling, re-wilding and emission reduction projects. To be added to the group please email pennylocke64@gmail.com

• The new organic market garden at Sheepdrove called Nutwood Organics has fresh veg boxes for delivery in the valley. We have tried one and were very impressed by the quality. Please visit their facebook page here or contact them on nutwoodorganics@gmail.com for details.

• A fun way to support Lambourn Riding for the Disabled is by adopting one of their ponies for just £15 a year. See their website here for the choice of ponies and what you receive in exchange for your donation.

Thursday 28 April 2022

This week’s news

• After a long closure due to the Covid pandemic. the Lambourn Parish Council office in the Memorial Hall is returning to the former opening hours of 9 am to noon, Monday to Thursday. During these times, members of the public are welcome to pop in if they need assistance from the clerk. For more details please see here.

• The Lambourn Vintage Machinery Show is returning this Sunday 1 May – see their facebook page here for details.

• All welcome to the Valley Film Society‘s screening of Dream Horse in East Garston Village Hall next Tuesday 3 May with a raffle in aid of Lambourn Riding for the Disabled. The film stars Toni Collette and Damian Lewis and tells the true story of Dream Alliance, an unlikely race horse bred by small town Welsh bartender Jan Vokes. With very little money and no experience, Jan convinces her neighbours to chip in their meager earnings to help raise Dream in the hopes he can compete with the racing elites. Doors and bar open at 7pm and entry costs £6. Food can be ordered on the door for the interval. Card payments cannot taken on the night so please bring cash. To reserve your seat please contact James on 07791 991658 or james@pryer.com.

• St Mary’s Church in Great Shefford is asking for volunteers this Saturday 30 April to join their Churchyard Working Party. The Churchyard always needs a little TLC and the plan is to gather up twigs and branches from the avenue and churchyard and have a general tidy-up. All welcome from 10am to noon.

• Lambourn British Legion is hosting a Lambourn Carnival and Festival meeting on Thursday 19 May. Plans for the carnival are coming along but more help is needed so please muck in if you can.

• It’s duckling season and there are cute photos on the Great Shefford Nature Watch Facebook group and a glimpse of a gang of ducklings on our stretch of the river who luckily have quick reactions when one of our cats gets too close to the bank.

Thursday 21 April

This week’s news

Thursday 14 April

This week’s news

Thursday 7 April

This week’s news

Thursday 31 March

Thursday 24 March 2022

Thursday 17 March 2022

Thursday 10 March 2022

Lambourn’s in-tray

Each month, Lambourn district councillor Howard Woollaston provides an update on the ward issues that have been occupying his apolitical in-tray (as opposed to those that are in his political in-tray in his role as executive member and portfolio holder). Keeping these distinct is important for any councillor: and, indeed, for any MP. He’s not our ward member (we’re in the next-door Downlands one) but we cover Lambourn in some detail and I’d say he does a good job at separating them. It is, after all, the residents who elect councillors and MPs, not their respective party machines.

A peculiarity of Lambourn is that it is the only ward in the district which is exactly co-extensive with a single parish. This in many ways makes it easier for the ward member to do their job. In most cases this neatness isn’t possible due to the way the population was spread. It also wasn’t the case in Lambourn before the 2019 election when the old two-member ward was larger and included several other parishes to the east.

A glance at Howard Woollaston’s latest report, coupled with a scroll down to the previous ones which date back to June 2020, reveal just how many projects a ward member can sometimes get involved with and how long some of these can take to resolve. The B4000, for instance, is mentioned 21 times and Membury 29. Other topics which are regularly returned to include the Neighbourhood Development Plan or NDP (48), Thames Water (24), Covid (23), sewage  and parking (both 14) and speed limit (10). Streaking ahead of all of these, however, is planning which crops up no fewer than 65 times. This seems to provide a reasonable guide to the respective importance placed by residents on these issues.

I asked him to imagine he had a magic wand which would enable him to resolve one of these issues – which would he wave it over? His vote was for the Membury/B4000 problem. The industrial estate is growing and traffic along the B4000, particularly the lorries, is increasing. There is no magic wand for this, however. It’s a complex issue which ranges across a number of different areas including planning policy, planning enforcement, economic development, road safety and the AONB. Unfortunately, the Membury Industrial Estate – or, to look at it another way, junction 14 – is in the wrong place.

Encouragingly, his phone number and email address would also find a place on this list (20) as he mentions these at the end of every monthly report. So, if you live in Lambourn ward/parish and think there’s an issue he could help with, get in touch. He is, after all, a servant of the people: even if, unlike Volodymyr Zelensky, this has not yet been immortalised in a 50-episode TV series.

Thursday 3 March 2022

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society’s latest report The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2022 found that urban populations have stabilised and that gardens, green spaces and local action are important for hedgehogs’ continuing future. In contrast, rural populations – which one would have thought would have been OK – remain low. Indeed, over the last 20 years they have actually declined drastically by a third to three quarters in different parts of the United Kingdom. The sharpest decline has been in the east of England.

Hedgehog Street has produced the Big Hedgehog Map, where the public can record their hedgehog sightings. It now has over 130,000 records and 16,000 Hedgehog Highways have been created which allow hedgehogs to roam freely between gardens through holes in boundary fences – a great start. Mr and Mrs Tiggywinkle should have come out of hibernation by now and will be much more active. So come on Lambourn Valley, if you see one of our cute snuffly, prickly friends record it using this link.

The Lambourn Environmental Group would also like to create a local map so please send your postcode to trees@lambourn.org as well when you see a hedgehog. We can then show you how much of our area is hedgehog friendly. This post gives information on how you can made your gardens more welcoming for these beneficial creatures.

A CIL petition

We and others have mentioned several times before about problems which have attended at least two instances of Community Infrastructure Levies in West Berkshire (and, it’s becoming increasingly clear, elsewhere). These concern both how applicants are communicated with during the application process and how the collection of any sums are handled. The matter was, indirectly, debated at WBC’s full council on 18 January and you can read our report on that here.

Once case in Upper Lambourn, involving about £70,000, remains hanging with the charge being neither cancelled nor enforced through the courts. This uncertainty doesn’t seem to serve anyone’s interests and leaves open the question of how strong WBC feels its case will be in court. The other case, in Kintbury, for about £20,000, was settled. However the applicant has now decided that the matter should not be allowed to rest there. She has therefore started a petition which calls upon WBC to “ensure that it charges the correct amounts of money due to it for any and all services for which it levies charges and will reimburse any resident or service user who has been charged in error or has been charged where no charge should have been levied.”

The petition was launched on 1 March and needs to get to 1,500 to be debated by WBC’s full council. Please click here for more on this and for a link to the petition. Feel free to pass this link on to anyone who might be interested.

Thursday 24 February 2022

This week’s news

• Congratulations to Rachel Cullen for raising £341 for Lambourn Royal British Legion. The money was collected during their fundraising efforts, which left Rachel with much less hair than she entered the building with.

• 4LEGS Radio broadcasting was disrupted last Friday due to power cuts during Storm Eunice. Normal service should resume this week. And don’t forget you can listen again anytime to programmes here. For instance here is the latest Gardening Show with Linda and Jane which covers snowdrops, bird boxes, Blossom into Spring, helibores and why we should put the secateurs away.

• This week’s NWN reports that Malt Shovel Lane in Upper Lambourn will be closed from 7 to 18 March for Thames Water repairs to sewer and drainage network. For more details please call RJ Lampard & Co on 07768 201370.

• After a stormy and wind-swept week, National Animal Welfare Trust Berkshire (based near Great Shefford) has published a helpful guide for dog owners explaining how to keep their dogs safe during this windy weather.

• East Garston Bell Fund  has so far raised over £32,500 which is enough for the work to commence. The bells and their fittings should be removed in May for the necessary repair work to be carried out and hopefully returned in time to ring for Christmas. A final £15,000 still needs to be raised so please see how you can help here. The next next draw in the bell raffle will be held on Friday 11th March at 8pm in the Social Club.

• More feedback is needed on the youth survey to assess what facilities are missing or need improving for young people in the Lambourn Valley.

• Click here to read the latest monthly report from Lambourn District Councillor Howard Woollaston, updated on 4 February. Matters in his regional in-box recently have included the NDP, traffic calming in Eastbury, planning enforcement, youth provision, broadband, pollution and parking.

• Click here for Lambourn.org’s list of live planning applications in Lambourn which cover the usual wide range of major or minor changes to local properties.

• Lambourn Surgery Patient Participation Group newsletter for February 2022 is now available to read via lambourn.org.

• Please send photos and locations of your favourite snowdrop spots to penny@pennypost.org.uk to add to our local snowdrop guide here.

Charity begins at home

The history of the two almshouse charities in Lambourn date back a long way: The John Isbury one was founded in 1502 during the reign of Henry VII; Jacob Harder’s is even older, the first confirmed record being in 1469, in Edward IV’s time. They have remained active ever since and, because of their shared location and aims, have become increasingly closely associated with each other. Currently the Isbury Almshouses are adjacent to St Michael’s and All Angels Church in Three Post Lane with the Hardretts Almshouses being in Chapel Lane. Between these two sites is the redundant Methodist Chapel.

It’s hoped that the amount of  almshouse accommodation in the parish will double, for the Isbury’s Trustees have recently acquired the former Methodist Chapel and School Rooms with the intention of developing the site to provide further almshouse accommodation for Lambourn. It’s also proposed that the relationship between the trusts be taken to its logical conclusion with the two charities merging to provide a single entity to manage both sets of almshouses and the new development. Outline planning application for the scheme has already been secured and the trustees are now working through the details required for the reserved matters application. As the scheme has so far attracted virtually nothing in the way of opposition (indeed, received considerable support) it’s expected that this will be granted, probably later this year. The final approval will include conditions that will be of interest to neighbours, including permitted hours of work and details of tree felling and/or planting. In expectation of this green light, the trustees have already invited builders to tender for the work.

This is significant because, although there is a well-demonstrated need for affordable housing in the village (and, indeed, almost everywhere else) it is rather harder to get it built. The fact that developers need to be compelled to provide a certain number of “affordable” or social rent homes (40% on greenfield sites and 30% on brownfield ones) speaks volumes for how reluctant they are to construct any at all. The harsh reality is that the government’s homebuilding programme has been almost completely outsourced to the private sector. This exists to make profits, not to implement Whitehall’s policy. Moreover, this compunction only applies to developments of more than ten homes, below which most projects in a small community like Lambourn would fall. Finally, even if the affordable-housing quota does apply, developers have proved adept at managing to have these set aside. All in all, in the current system there’s an inverse relationship between the need for this kind of housing and the ease with which it can be provided.

This is where charities like these are so beneficial. As well as getting these homes built at all, the key point is that they are in the parish not merely in the district. A proposed development of 2,500 homes to the north east of Thatcham would, if realised, eventually provide up to 1,000 “affordable” or social rent homes: however, a lot of people wouldn’t want to uproot themselves from their community to take advantage of them. These would also take perhaps decades to appear: Lambourn’s proposed ones may well be available next year. When the charities were set up 500 years ago, the journey to Thatcham would have been an arduous one. Given the state of the local bus services, it wouldn’t exactly be easy today. These kind of homes are just what’s needed and hopefully the work of getting them built will proceed smoothly. Hats off to all those (unpaid) trustees who are making this happen.

Hang on – doesn’t residence in an almshouse involve some obligations? They certainly used to. As recently as the 1950s, residents had to attend Chapel twice a day where the chantry priest would read prayers and doubtless on occasions remind them of how lucky they were to have a roof over their heads at all. I have, however, been assured by one of the current trustees that nothing of this kind is planned as part of the tenancy agreements for the the new developments.

Thursday 17 February 2022

This week’s news

• Penny was pleased to join the Lambourn Environmental Group‘s volunteer planting team who braved the cold winds last Saturday 12 February to plant 30 large saplings provided by West Berkshire Council as part of the Queens Green Canopy Project. Over 500 saplings have now been planted on Sheepdrove Field by kind permission of the Kindersleys.

• Unfortunately as some trees are planted, others will fall. Lambourn Parish Council updated residents that Baydon Road will be closed 9am to 4.30pm from 14 to 18 February for trees to be felled that have been affected by Ash dieback disease.

• Good news that the Peter O’Sullevan Lambourn Open Day will be going ahead on Good Friday 15 April, opening its doors to the public for the first time since 2019. This event offers racing fans a unique opportunity to tour Lambourn yards and meet the trainers, staff and their favourite four-legged heroes.

• Our thoughts are will the family of long time East Garston resident Ken Tarbox who sadly died on 2 February 2022. Ken was well known in the village as a postie, local photographer and webmaster. He has left a lasting legacy of photographs and videos of village life when he managed the website www.east–garston.com between 2006 and 2012.

• Congratulations to 4LEGS Community Radio Valentine Request-a-thon last Sunday which raised over £1,000 to be split between the radio station and The Lambourn Junction, who are a community-led initiative that relies on donations, supporting those in need along the valley with food, household items and essential supplies.

• Another Valentine’s Day charity event was held by National Animal Welfare Trust Berkshire (Trindledown Farm), who raised £795 for their homeless-pet support centre near Great Shefford by asking the public to sponsor a pet for 14 February. Congratulations to all those involved, we’re glad the farm’s many different animal friends received some much needed love and attention on Valentine’s Day.

• As mentioned last week, the Lambourn Wellbeing Centre is an exciting new venture to create a much-needed community facility in the currently disused building next to Lambourn Sports Club. To find out more about the project and how you can help, please listen to Penny’s interview with Jon Atkinson at 11am this Friday on 4LEGS radio.

• More feedback is needed on the youth survey to assess what facilities are missing or need improving for young people in the Lambourn Valley.

• Click here to read the latest monthly report from Lambourn District Councillor Howard Woollaston, updated on 4 February. Matters in his regional in-box recently have included the NDP, traffic calming in Eastbury, planning enforcement, youth provision, broadband, pollution and parking.

• Click here for Lambourn.org’s list of live planning applications in Lambourn which cover the usual wide range of major or minor changes to local properties.

• Lambourn Surgery Patient Participation Group newsletter for February 2022 is now available to read via lambourn.org.

• Please send photos and locations of your favourite snowdrop spots to penny@pennypost.org.uk to add to our local snowdrop guide here.

Thursday 10 February 2022

This week’s news

• Our February Valley of the Racehorse newsletter was published last weekend and is, as ever, packed to to the brim with all manner of news, features, events, activities, offers and jobs. Highlights include 500 trees, a Valentine’s request-a-thon, four in a bed, Howard’s monthly homework, Pat’s racing column, flowers by the river, clay, walks, ducks and memories of a toxic by-election. Click here to read it if you didn’t get it.

• The most recent meeting of East Garston Parish Council (see also below) discussed several planning applications, including for Greengates on Front Street, the full details of which you can see here. After some discussion, the PC resolved to state “no objections”. This was, the minutes continue, “not a unanimous decision” and the PC requested that a number of factors be taken into account. These included the scale, the fact that it would overlook two nearby properties, the lack of any improvement to the sight lines on that stretch of road and the lack of a suitable drainage system to deal with flood water.

Since then, however, EGPC, having looked at the matter again and made another site visit, has resubmitted its response, citing “objection.” (It’s important to stress that parish councils do not make the final decision about a planning applications but are merely one of several consultees in the process. The planning authority – West Berkshire Council in this case – makes the call on these.) The application has already attracted over 20 objections and so, if the officers are minded to approve it, it will go to the Western Area Planning Committee for determination.

• 4LEGS Community Radio is hosting a Valentine request-a-thon on Sunday 13 February between 11am and 7pm in aid of Lambourn Junction. Click here to make your track request and a donation of your choice by lunchtime this Saturday 12 February. The Lambourn Junction is a community-led initiative that relies on donations, supporting those in need along the valley with food, household items and essential supplies. Half the proceeds of the request-a-thon will go to Lambourn Junction with the other half going to keep the radio station running.

• The February edition of Village Views contains the observation from an Eastbury resident that there seem to be a lot of residents of the Valley getting letters published in The Daily Telegraph. He stops short of calling it an epidemic but the word might serve. He lists some of the correspondents he’s spotted and suggests that this is “quite a coterie from such a small area.” He then wonders why this might be. He asks if the Telegraph might be biased in favour of the Valley’s residents: I think it more likely that a sufficiency of residents are biased in favour of, or at least read, the Telegraph. There are certainly worse national papers to be caught writing letters to (including one, which I never name). Perhaps VV could obtain the necessary permissions and re-publish some of these so those of us who don’t take the paper can judge the sentiments for themselves?

• The Lambourn Wellbeing Centre is an exciting new venture to create a much-needed community facility in the currently disused building next to Lambourn Sports Club.  One of the first steps on the journey to making the Wellbeing Centre a reality is to clear out the building of unwanted material and rubbish and they are looking to form a team of volunteers to help collect and recycle anything to help lower the environmental impact as much as possible. If you can help please contact the group here or follow their facebook page.

• Help needed please as a bit more feedback is needed on the youth survey to assess what facilities are missing or need improving for young people in the Lambourn Valley.

• Click here to read the latest monthly report from Lambourn District Councillor Howard Woollaston, updated on 4 February. Matters in his regional in-box recently have included the NDP, traffic calming in Eastbury, planning enforcement, youth provision, broadband, pollution and parking.

• Fancy having fun with clay? Why not treat yourself to a three-hour pottery taster sessions or a 6 week course with Elé van Schoor Ceramics in Great Shefford.

• Upper Lambourn is, finally, about to get a proper broadband service. Can’t believe how long they have waited to join the 21st century.

• February news from Great Shefford Primary School includes exciting news about its running track.

• This year Shefford Primary School is celebrating its 40th anniversary on the current site wants to hear stories from pupils who attended the school in the 1980s.

• February news from Lambourn Primary School includes a fascinating study of stone age artefacts.

• Click here for Lambourn.org’s list of live planning applications in Lambourn which cover the usual wide range of major or minor changes to local properties.

• Please send photos and locations of your favourite snowdrop spots to penny@pennypost.org.uk to add to our local snowdrop guide here.

Galloping ahead

An article on p20 of the Newbury Weekly News refers to the planning application for a two-furlong round canter, a one-furlong schooling oval and an outdoor arena on Mandown Gallops in Upper Lambourn. You can see details of the application here: this was lodged in early December but has only recently been validated. So far no objections have been received, the District Councillor is not minded to call it in to committee, it satisfies WBC’s CS12 policy with regard to the equine industry and it has been supported by Lambourn PC. All in all, there seems no reason to suppose it will not be passed by officers, probably within the next few months.

I spoke to Will Riggall from the Jockey Club Estates in Lambourn about this. He stressed how important the facility would be “to try to restore Lambourn’s status as a jumping powerhouse,” a position it enjoyed in the later part of the 20th century. The area has some unique natural advantages with, for example, rather more in the way of hills than does the flat terrain around Newmarket. Will said it is hoped that, with the addition of facilities like this to complement the existing array of grass and artificial gallops, the area “can continue to attract the next generation of National Hunt trainers to the Lambourn Valley.”

The success of the racing industry is also vital to the economy of the whole area with a large number of jobs depending on it, directly or indirectly. It’s also easy to forget that Lambourn’s main rival, Newmarket, is over 20 times more populous. In terms of economic contribution, however, the Jockey Club Estates estimates that racing contributes about £240m to Newmarket’s economy and about £23m to Lambourn’s: in other words, the Valley is doing about twice as well out of the sport (though that also makes it twice as vulnerable). Lambourn is clearly punching above its weight. This development, Will Riggall assured me, will ensure that it continues to be able to do so.

Thursday 3 February 2022

This week’s news

• The Lambourn Wellbeing Centre is an exciting new venture to create a much-needed community facility in the currently disused building next to Lambourn Sports Club.  One of the first steps on the journey to making the Wellbeing Centre a reality is to clear out the building of unwanted material and rubbish and they are looking to form a team of volunteers to help collect and recycle anything to help lower the environmental impact as much as possible. If you can help please contact the group here or follow their facebook page.

• Click here to read the latest monthly report from Lambourn District Councillor Howard Woollaston, updated on 4 February. Matters in his regional in-box recently have included the NDP, traffic calming in Eastbury, planning enforcement, youth provision, broadband, pollution and parking.

• The planning application for the farm shop at The Great Shefford pub was to have come before the Western Area Planning Committee on 2 February but, at the last moment it was pulled and, this being the only matter to consider, the meeting was cancelled. It seems this was due to late documents: whether this was because of the officers not being able to get the paperwork together or – as happened last time this was due to be considered – new material being provided at the last moment, I’m not certain.

I spoke to one WBC councillor who has attended many planning committee meetings and they expressed themselves frustrated by this. When something is deferred, all the work involved in understanding the issue largely needs to be re-done when the matter comes up again, either because new material needs to be assimilated or because there’s only so many planning details that a normal councillor can hold in their head before it gets over-written with more recent data. This long-running matter will now come before WAPC at some later date. Third time lucky, perhaps.

• Click here for Lambourn.org’s list of live planning applications in Lambourn which cover the usual wide range of major or minor changes to local properties.

• The new series of Channel 4’s Four in a Bed started on 31 January includes our very own local, The Queens Arms in East Garston. The show involves hospitality owners taking turns to stay with one another and pay what they consider fair for their stay after giving feedback. The episodes are available to watch on All 4, with the Queen’s pair Freddie Tulloch and Ben Nelson hosting in Episode 3.

• New changes to the Highway Code, which have been made to further protect horse-riders using our roads, have been highlighted by Lambourn.org. These new measures will be a must-read for local residents, due to the high-concentration of horse-riders using public roads throughout Lambourn area.

• A steady flow of the stream has started appearing in Great Shefford as our River Lambourn awakes from its winter nap and will hopefully kick-start us into spring. The water springs in the upper reaches have started to flow whilst the lower ones in Lambourn’s Lynch Wood have yet to start. Photos can be found on Lambourn.org and daily river level updates can be followed on Twitter.

• Welford Parish Council showed-off its newly refurbished red phone box, which will now be used as a Community Book Exchange. The parish council are asking for book donations to be made towards the mini-library, which can be made by contacting Councillor Paul Stanley at wwpcpaulstanley@gmail.com to arrange a drop-off time.

• 4LEGS Community Radio is hosting a Valentine Request-a-thon on Sunday 13 February between 11am and 7pm in aid of Lambourn Junction. Click here to make your track request and a donation of your choice. The Lambourn Junction is a community-led initiative that relies on donations, supporting those in need along the valley with food, household items and essential supplies. Half the proceeds of the Request-a-thon will go to Lambourn Junction with the other half going to keep the radio station running.

• So lovely to be in snowdrop season now and local churchyards and the railway path are great places to find them in the valley. Did you know that snowdrops can often be found in graveyards because monks first brought them to this country from Europe in the late 16th century and planted them in monastery gardens? It took them about 200 years to become a wild plant and our common wild snowdrop is called Galanthus nivalis. Victorians also planted them extensively on graves as a symbol of eternal life. And snowdrops planted in ‘holy ground’ or graveyards have been undisturbed and able to flourish ever since. Please send photos and locations of your favourite snowdrop spots to penny@pennypost.org.uk to add to our local snowdrop guide here. You can also, of course, pay to see the wonderful snowdrop display at Welford Park until 6 March.

• Lambourn Environmental Group held its tree planting day on Sheepdrove Field, on 29 January with kind permission of the Kindersleys. You can watch the group in action, and listen to many of the group volunteer’s interviews with Penny, via our YouTube video documenting the event.

Thursday 27 January 2022

This week’s news

• Some bin collection days are changing from week commencing Monday 7 February to accommodate for the impacts of both the nationwide HGV driver shortage and Covid-19. Visit West Berkshire Council’s website here to check how your street is affected.

• Congratulations to everyone who helped at Lambourn Environmental Group’s tree planting day last Saturday 29 January, on Sheepdrove Field, with kind permission of the Kindersleys. Thanks to forty willing helpers and a surprisingly sunny morning, 500 saplings were planted in record time. Please see our video of the event here.

• The new series of Four in a Bed starting this Monday 31 January will include some familiar faces as one of the pubs in this season is our very own local,  The Queens Arms in East Garston. The show involves hospitality owners taking turns to stay with one another and pay what they consider fair for their stay after giving feedback. Can’t wait…

• St Mary’s Church in Great Shefford has just set up a facebook page and invites everyone to follow them.

• 4LEGS Community Radio is holding a Valentine Request-a-thon on Sunday 13 February between 11am and 7pm in aid of the Lambourn Junction. Click here to make your track request and a donation of your choice. The Lambourn Junction is a community-led initiative that relies on donations, supporting those in need along the valley with food, household items and essential supplies. Half the proceeds of the Request-a-thon will go to Lambourn Junction with the other half going to keep the radio station running.

• Those involved in Lambourn’s local racing industry can now apply for a one-off payment of £300 with Racing Welfare’s Winter Fuel Grant. A post on the excellent lambourn.org provides further information, including eligibility criteria for those wishing to apply for a grant.

• Rugby fans rejoice – Great Shefford Sports & Social Club will be showing all the 6 Nations Rugby matches on their plasma TV from Saturday 5 February. They are also running a 6 Nations Sweepstake.

• As reported last week, there is now a 22kW electric vehicle fast charger (capable of charging two vehicles at once) at Lambourn High Street Public Car Park (behind Universal Stores). For more details please see West Berkshire Council’s website. Please note, users will be required to pay for their parking space whilst charging their vehicle.

Thursday 20 January 2022

This week’s news

• On 17 January, Action for the River Kennet (ARK) posted photos showing water pollution from Newbury Business Park feeding into our River Lambourn (which runs through Newbury before joining the River Kennet south of the Nature Discovery Centre in Thatcham). As we know all too well, the river is listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and local fauna and flora of national importance could be harmed. The pollution was spotted and reported by a concerned local resident. ARK asks locals that “if you see pollution here, please call the Environmental Agency (EA) on 0800 807060 and stress that the channel enters a SSSI and SAC.” The same would apply if you see pollution here in the valley. You can also read more about the pollution problem for rivers across England and Wales in this BBC News article published on 19 January.

• Anna Forbes from the same organisation gave a zoom talk to the Friends of Lambourn Library on 19 January. In this she drew attention to the Environment Agency’s Draft Flood Risk Management Plan consultation which closes on 21 January (so very soon). She also mentioned Thames Water’s Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan and Thames Water’s Drainage Strategy. More or less the first section in this is entitled “who will resolve sewer flooding?” a question which many have been asking for some time. “There are several stakeholders who, like us, have important drainage responsibilities,” runs the answer. “They play an essential role in easing sewer flooding in our region. We’re seeking to work with all stakeholders to ensure that we implement and maintain the most effective, environmentally responsible and sustainable drainage strategies.” These stakeholders presumably include the Environment Agency and Ofwat, both of which have recently gone on record as promising tougher action against water companies which pollute the waterways.

• Meanwhile, one waterway is returning to life. The upper reaches of the River Lambourn – which should be, and long was, one of the cleanest rivers in the country and is certainly one of the coldest – is slowly waking up from its underwater hibernation here in East Garston, which normally runs from about August to January. First in puddles, then in pools and finally in uninterrupted flow of water, the river is returning to life as the springs kick into action. This is good news for the waterfowl; bad news, perhaps, for the sewers if Thames Waters’ repairs over the summer haven’t worked as planned. Fingers crossed here.

• Lambourn Environmental Group is excited to announce that their tree planting day is set for Saturday 29 January from 9.30am on Sheepdrove Field, with kind permission of the Kindersleys. The group needs lots of willing volunteers to plant 400 saplings that have been donated by the Woodland Trust. Please see more information and directions to the site here and note that cars must not be parked at North Farm Close. This is a family-friendly activity so please spread the word.

• Those involved in Lambourn’s local racing industry can now apply for a one-off payment of £300 with Racing Welfare’s Winter Fuel Grant. A post on the excellent lambourn.org provides further information, including eligibility criteria for those wishing to apply for a grant.

Thursday 13 January 2022

Thursday 6 January 2022

Thursday 23 December 2021

A look back at 2021

We’ve covered a lot of stories in this area in 2021, several on more than one occasion as things have changed or new facts come to light. We’ve listed and summarised a handful of these below. More information can be found by searching for the respective phrases in this post (and any for coverage of this area for earlier periods, which will be linked to at the foot of this one). 

• Sewage. This is a depressingly regular feature of life in the valley, particularly during times of groundwater (generally between January and May, though this can vary) which floods into the myriad cracks in the sewerage system and overwhelms it. Thames Water has performed a number of repairs in the area but it’s too soon to tell how effective these have been. Like all water companies, TW has previously been able to pump untreated sewage into the watercourses – the SSSI-protected River Lambourn in our case – with little complaint from or, it seems, a great deal of interest by, Ofwat or the Environment Agency. Recent announcements from both bodies have, however, suggested a tougher attitude about this. Fixing the cracks in the pipes is expensive for the water companies but that’s what they signed up for. Time will tell if the new directives will make them do more. Well done to all the pressure groups, including Action for the River Kennet, the Lambourn Flood Forum and the East Garston Flood Forum, for continuing to highlight this issue.

• Lambourn Junction. This excellent initiative was started in the early days of the pandemic as a community-led initiative to support those in need with food and essential supplies. It is supported by the community with volunteers and donations and offers offering food, household items and toiletries. No means tests, referrals or formalities are required. We’ve been glad to support this initiative though its various chances of location and wish it every success in the future.

• Lambourn’s neighbourhood development plan. For more information, please click here. Like all NDPs, this is a time-consuming and technical process run over several years by a group of volunteers. Lambourn’s is progressing well. There are times when public engagement is required and these are widely publicised.

• Great Shefford’s flood defence scheme. For some years it seems that this project had sunk without trace in the mire of the Environment Agency’s bureaucracy. However, that’s to the unrelenting efforts of Parish Council Chairman Steve Ackrill, it was announced in September that the project had finally been give the green light and that work should start within 18 months.

• CIL payments. Community Infrastructure Levies are charged on many, though not all, developments but it seems that, in West Berkshire at least, one slip when completing the forms can result in eye-watering, life-changing invoices even if the development is in fact exempted from the charge. This is a district-wide issue but the most high profile, and long-running, case involves a project in Upper Lambourn.

• Membury and the B4000. The related questions of the increased use of the B4000 by heavy vehicles and the continued development – some would say over-development – at the Membury Industrial Estate have been on several people’s radar this year, not least District Councillor Howard Woollaston’s. The more applications that are approved there, the worse this problem is likely to become. One thing that can be done is to ensure that all planning conditions relating to hours of operation are adhered to and this is something that Councillor Woollaston is pressing WBC to do. You can read all his monthly updates about his work in the ward by clicking here.

Please note that this section is presented as an archive of past columns and is not updated. Some web links may no longer be active (usually indicated by a score-through), for instance when a consultation has closed. For reasons of space, the Events, Community Notices and News from Your Local Councils sections have been deleted from the archive posts.

To see the current Lambourn Valley Weekly News section, please click here.

Other archives

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