Welcome to Brightwalton News

The village hall AGM will be on Tuesday 5th February at 7.30 - all welcome, the agenda can be downloaded below

We have been advised that West Berkshire libraries is having a fines amnesty on the 22nd and 23rd Feb.  There will be no late fees to pay on any items returned to any West Berkshire library on these dates.

The annual Walk for Parkinson’s at Welford Park is taking place on Sunday 28th April. The walk helps Parkinson's UK to raise vital funds and awareness for Parkinson’s which is essential in helping them to find better treatments and a cure, whilst supporting everyone affected by Parkinson’s.
 
If you would like more information on the walk - visit Parkinson's UK  

The January edition of the Brickleton News can be downloaded here.

Received from the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley - Anthony Stansfeld

"I have continuously lobbied the Government for a much-needed increase in police funding and so I am pleased that the Government has announced that an additional £813m will be available nationally to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to fund local police forces. However, it must be recognised that more than half of this funding (£509m) is expected to come from local taxpayers by increasing the police portion of the Council Tax.
​
Demand on police forces nationally has risen significantly in the last year as a result of higher crime numbers, the increasing complexity of crime, and the increasing reach of criminals both physically and via technology. This includes an increase in the reporting of high harm and previously hidden crimes such as child sexual abuse and modern slavery. The challenge from serious and organised crime networks is also growing both in economic value and the geographical spread, whilst nationally there has been a spike in serious violence and knife crime alongside the increase in a gang culture.  A significant amount of the more serious crime is now being committed by foreign national offenders.

In addition the police are dealing with a large amount of non-crime business, especially in relation to mental health. My focus will continue to be on delivering strong neighbourhood policing for all of the communities across the Thames Valley whilst addressing the serious threats and hardship posed by criminals.

An increase to the council tax will enable me to protect many of the vital functions that may otherwise have been reduced, and ensure that Thames Valley Police has more resources to tackle crime and keep the public safe.  I am therefore proposing to increase council tax by £24 (equivalent for a Band D household) and will ensure that all the extra cash generated from council taxpayers will be spent on operational policing.

I will be running a public consultation exercise over the Christmas period to gather local council taxpayer views on the proposed increase.   You can find more information about my public survey on the council tax increase below.   I encourage you to complete the survey and to share it widely with your local communities.  

Finally, I wish you all a Happy Christmas and New Year 
​Anthony Stansfeld "

In response to the exceptional operational demands on the police, particularly in areas such as Thames Valley, the Government has encouraged all PCCs to raise the policing element of the council tax by £24 a year in 2019/20 or £2 a month for a Band D property. (The increase in other property bands are detailed within the survey)

The PCC supports the increase in council tax by £24 for a Band D property.  The draft budget for 2019/20 includes additional funding to increase local frontline policing, recruit more investigators and improve contact management with the aim to reduce call waiting times on 101 calls.  Further information about the budget can be found here.

The PCC is holding a public consultation exercise over the Christmas period to gather local council taxpayer views on the proposed increase in the police portion of the council tax.  

To have your say on the propose increase, please complete the survey. Please share this widely with your communities.

The survey is open until Wednesday 9th January at 5pm

Services in the West Downland Benefice will be:
​23rd December 2018 – Fourth Sunday of Advent.
8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) at Leckhampstead.
6.00pm UB Combined Carol Service, Leckhampstead.
Christmas Eve
3.00pm Carols at Catmore
3.00pm Crib Service at Wickham
10.00pm Holy Communion at Chaddleworth
10.00pm Holy Communion at Wickham
11.30pm Holy Communion at Great Shefford
Christmas Day
8.00am BCP Holy Communion at Fawley
9.30am Family Holy Communion at Great Shefford
10.00am Family Holy Communion at Brightwalton
11.00am Family Holy Communion at Welford
Sunday 30th December
30th December 2018 – First Sunday of Christmas
10.00am United Benefice Holy Communion at Great Shefford

Recycling Collection for real Christmas Trees
To help West Berkshire residents to have a green Christmas and recycle even more, West Berkshire Council will collect real Christmas Trees from residents even if they do not subscribe to the garden waste collection service.
Real trees should simply be left with your recycling on your scheduled collection day up until Friday 18 January.  Any decorations, lights and pots must be removed before recycling.  

​Revised collection day
Christmas and New Year collection dates 2018/19
Mon 24 Dec as normal Mon 24 Dec
Tues 25 Dec will be collected on Thurs 27 Dec
Wed 26 Dec will be collected on Fri 28 Dec
Thurs 27 Dec will be collected on Sat 29 Dec
Fri 28 Dec will be collected on Mon 31 Dec

Mon 31 Dec will be collected on Wed 2 Jan
Tues 1 Jan will be collected on Thurs 3 Jan
Wed 2 Jan will be collected on Fri 4 Jan
Thurs 3 Jan will be collected on Sat 5 Jan
Fri 4 Jan will be collected on Mon 7 Jan

Mon 7 Jan will be collected on Tues 8 Jan
Tues 8 Jan will be collected on Wed 9 Jan
Wed 9 Jan will be collected on Thurs 1 0 Jan
Thurs 1 0 Jan will be collected on Fri 11 J an
Fri 11 Jan will be collected on Sat 12 Jan
 
Collections will return to normal on Monday 14 January 2019
To check your collection week or for updates to waste services during severe weather visit www.westberks.gov.uk/waste
​

The Pew Sheet for the 9th December can be downloaded below.

​The services in the West Downland Benefice this Sunday will be:
​8.00am Holy Communion (BCP) at Brightwalton
9.30am Holy Communion at Great Shefford
10.00am Nativity Play Service at Leckhampstead.
 11.00am Holy Communion (BCP) at Wickham.
 4.00pm Village Carols and Readings at Brightwalton.

The winter edition of Upstream from the West Berkshire Countryside Society can be downloaded here. 

Welcome to your November Brickleton News

Farnborough, Unnamed Road from B4494 to A338. 0900 to 1500 Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd November.
 
The closure is on behalf of British Telecom and is so emergency repairs can be done to overhead cables. They have customers who are disconnected.
 
Diversion will be via Brightwalton and Common Lane. There are already traffic lights on the diversion but the closure has been allowed due to the urgency of the works.
 
Enquires should be addressed to BT’s contractors, A plant, on 03700 500792 for the attention of Leo Pulvinenti.
 
The closure can be viewed on roadworks.org under the following link Farnborough closure
 
Regards
 
Bob Bosley
Project Engineer
Transport  and Countryside

Grace Ryder, Scheme Manager of Home-Start West Berkshire has asked us to share the following request:

"Home-Start are currently recruiting volunteers and we are looking for parents or people with parenting experience who have a bit of time to give a family in need. Volunteering for Home-Start is a great way for parents to use their own parenting skills to help others and improve their sense of well-being. We really need volunteers to support families in the Boxford area. 
 
Home-Start West Berkshire, a local family support charity is currently recruiting in this area.  They need volunteers who can encourage, listen and offer practical support to parents with young children. Volunteers become a trusted friend and mentor to the family, to help them move forward. Their next training course will start on the 21st January 2019. It will run for 7 consecutive Mondays from 9.30-14.30pm, breaking for Half Term (Monday 18thFebruary). If you are interested or would like to discuss this further please contact us now on 01635 760310 or email office@home-startwb.org.uk
More information can be found on our website www.home-startwestberks.org.uk"
​

Today West Berkshire Council begins a public consultation on budget proposals which affect some frontline services. They are keen that as many residents, groups and organisations as possible have the opportunity to review the proposals and respond if they want to.
The information can be found at:  www.westberks.gov.uk/budgetproposals
Or if you would prefer you can request a hard copy by calling ​ 01635 503043.

Press Release from West Berkshire Council - 

Removal of unwanted Green Bins
​West Berkshire Council will be arranging collection of unwanted green bins over the next few months. 

Residents who do not wish to subscribe to the garden waste service or use their green bin to recycle food waste can request a collection online to have their green bin removed from their property
We would encourage residents to use their green bin to recycle food waste or to use them for something other than garden waste. Some residents have chosen to use them for extra storage, or to convert them into a water butt, wormery or composter.
​
Request for a green bin to be collected at www.westberks.gov.uk/unwantedgreenbin

A copy of the Ridgeway winter newsletter 2018 can be downloaded here. 

The latest newsletter is full of stories of inspiring people and also ideas for your adventures in 2019:
Pubs along the Trail are winning awards. Which is your favourite? Please get involved on social media 
A stroke survivor tells us how The Ridgeway got him back to fitness, one step at a time
Find out what the Vikings left behind near Watlington
Look forward to an easier walk along the Trail thanks to numerous new gates in the Chilterns
If you love history and have time to volunteer, help us create a Ridgeway timeline from prehistory to today
Find out about events to mark WW1, celebrate Christmas and learn more about stars, mosses and birds....

Sunday 11th November at 7pm 
To mark the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, there will be an Act of Remembrance and Call for Peace. Starting at the Church gates, we will follow a piper to the War Memorial for a short service, and sounding of the Last Post, after which the bells will ring out for peace. 

Reverend Miri Keen has asked us to circulate the following:
​Chaddleworth & Shefford Schools  present:
 
We will remember them
  
“If men could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us! But the light which experience gives us is a lantern on the stern, which shines only on the waves behind us.”                
Samuel Taylor Coleridge

After a century, no one is left who remembers putting on a uniform and going off to Ypres or the Somme.  And yet every November the millions of dead cry out to us to remember – and to learn by what happened to them.
In this centenary of the Great War’s ending, the children of Chaddleworth & Shefford Schools will be, literally, giving voices to the Dead.  Speaking the words of men and women and children who were there, they will conjure up a vivid picture of life in the trenches, hospitals, at home in Britain.
The hope, of course, is not just to offer their audience a moving act of remembrance but to turn history into a memorable experience that will have the children identifying with real-life soldiers, nurses and civilians.
 
The children and staff very much hope you will want to be part of this special
Armistice event. 
Chaddleworth St Andrew’s & Shefford Federated C of E schools
present
‘We will remember them’
on
Tuesday 6th November   10.15a.m.       
by Geraldine McCaughrean
at
St. Stephen’s church
Shefford Woodlands
 
We hope you will stay to have
refreshments after the performance.
 
Please let Mrs Nutley in the School Office know if you are able to come.
tel: 01488 648657

The Pew Sheet for Sunday 4th November can be downloaded here

You are warmly invited to give thanks for the ministry of
 
Revd Mary Harwood
 
and to celebrate with her as she retires.
  
Service of
Advent Carols and Readings
All Saints Church, Brightwalton
Sunday 16th December 2018 at 6pm
followed by Refreshments in the Village Hall
 
RSVP Mrs Evelyn Bracey
wj.bracey.and.sons@farmline.com
 
 If you would like to record your memories of Mary’s ministry, or to thank her for the part she has played in the life of your family and our community, there is a commemorative book being passed around the Benefice.  Please contact your Churchwarden to find out when it will be available in your village, or come prepared to write in it at the Reception on 16th December. 
 
  If you would like to contribute to a retirement gift for Mary you may make a bank transfer to:
please contact Evelyn Bracey, Lindsay Hardy or Sue Ridgeway who will be able to accept donations.  The closing date for contributions is 1st December 2018. 
Thank you.

Press Release from West Berkshire Council - 

With mornings already turning chilly, West Berkshire Council has activated its Winter Service Plan to keep the District on the move and our network as safe as possible. Since the beginning of this week, we have been ready to grit key routes whenever road temperatures are forecast to fall below zero. 
West Berkshire’s Executive Member for Transport and Countryside, Jeanette Clifford, said: “Each year, the council gears up for winter weather. We have 1500 tonnes of rock salt to hand at our Chieveley Depot (and I can tell you that it’s an impressive sight), a further 1000 tonnes on standby and our gritting fleet fully serviced and ready for action. I’d like to thank our gritting teams for the difficult work they do, often in the worst of weather, covering, when needed, a full 60% of our network. However, it’s impossible to treat every minor road, so when winter sets in, I encourage everyone to allow more time for journeys and take extra care.”
Primary routes, accounting for 40% of the district's almost 800 miles of road, are gritted whenever ice or a frost is forecast. These routes include all A and B roads and some strategically important C roads. Secondary routes, making up 20% of the highway network, are gritted once frosty or icy conditions are experienced for an unbroken period of 72 hours or greater (i.e., sub-zero temperatures experienced through the period for 3 continuous days and nights) 

There are also 480 roadside salt bins to help keep the road network and council offices and public buildings accessible. Of these, 31 are owned and maintained by West Berkshire Council and 449 by the Parish or Town Councils.
The decision on when to grit roads is triggered by weather alerts from the MeteoGroup. We try to grit after the evening rush hour or before the morning rush hour to keep disruption on the roads to a minimum.

Our Preparing for Winter pages offer advice on keeping safe this winter including while you travel.

Don't forget the Brightwalton Walk this coming Sunday - raising money for Brightwalton School and the ASPIRE Project. Tickets can be purchased from Miranda Cooper (mikeandmiranda@hotmail.com) or Clare Draper (clare.draper@jadit.com)
There is a 1.5mile and a 5 mile option, across wonderful countryside. 
Double match funding has been recieved for this event so if you cannot make the walk but would like to make a donation, it will make a real difference, please contact Miranda or Clare.