BRIGHTWALTON VILLAGE
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Welcome to Brightwalton News

If you have some news to share with us, then either
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September Social with Live Music - 30th September

28/9/2023

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Village Working Party 15th October

28/9/2023

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Parish Plan

15/9/2023

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Parish Plan
How time has flown – the Parish Plan is due for update again!
The Parish Plan is designed to represent the views of Brightwalton parishioners on how the village and surrounding area develops. There are 3 reasons why we should invest the time to keep our Parish Plan current:
Œ Having a Parish Plan gives us access to grants for projects that are designed to improve various aspects of the village. Last time when the plan was updated in 2010, it gave us access to over £25K of grant money.
 The Parish Plan is a useful reference point when responding to West Berkshire Planners on various planning applications.
Ž The Parish Plan provides a mandate from the Parishioners for the Parish Council on where the Parish Council should focus their time and attentions.
The Parish Council is looking for volunteers to run the next Parish Plan update. This will involve setting up the questionnaires, delivering these and encouraging responses, collating the information and writing the plan, reviewing actions against the last plan. We would really like to see volunteers from each area of the village, this really helps with ensuring the questions cover all aspects and helps with the delivery and collection of questionnaires. IF you would be interested please email [email protected]
​
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Village Working Party – Sunday 15th October

15/9/2023

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Village Working Party – Sunday 15th October
We need your help! Please spare a couple of hours on Sunday 15th morning to take part in the annual village clear up. We need help with:
  • Hedge cutting around the playground and war memorial
  • Weeding and sweep around the war memorial
  • Strimming and cutting back the path in the Old Churchyard and Dunmore Pond
  • Weeding in the playground
  • Manage the bonfire
  • Help with providing refreshments, cake and lunch (please email me)
We would love to see some new faces helping too,  even if you only have an hour please join us from 10am, meeting at the village hall. 
Many thanks – Brightwalton Parish Council – [email protected]
​
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Upcoming Village Events

2/9/2023

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​We have a few dates coming up in September which are going to be lots of fun!
 
Saturday 2nd Sept - Music Concert, village hall 4pm organised by Bella Tryon
Monday 4th Sept - Youth Club Summer BBQ, village field & hall 5 - 7pm
Monday 25th Sept - Church Mouse Kitchen Soup Lunch, Church 12 - 2pm special guest talk from Barrie Hedges, Reliance Motor Services
Saturday 30th Sept - September Social, village hall, doors open at 7.15pm, live music from the PUGS from 7.30pm, Bar & Snacks available
Monday 30th Oct - Kids Halloween Party, village hall 4 - 6pm more details to follow.
 
I'm looking for a few people to help me run the bar on 30th Sept, if you'd like to help let me know! 

Katherine Moore 
Brightwalton Community Coordinator
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August Update from Clive Hooker

1/9/2023

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Councillor Clive Hooker has sent out the August WBC update,. Please download here:
clive_hooker_august_2023.pdf
File Size: 572 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Councilor Clive Hookers - WBC July Update

2/8/2023

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The July West Berkshire Council update from Councilor Clive Hooker can be downloaded here:

July WBC Update
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July Brickleton News

1/8/2023

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bricnews_july_2023[4489].pdf
File Size: 6680 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

The July Brickleton News can be downloaded here. 
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Summer Brunch - Youth Club BBQ

24/7/2023

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Join us on the playing field on the 4th August for a family brunch, bring what you are eating, activities and games will be out for the kids. All welcome 9.30 till 11.30

Youth Club Summer Party BBQ
On the playing field Monday 4th September at 5pm. 

For more information please contact Katherine - 
​[email protected] 
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September Social - PUGS - Save the Date

24/7/2023

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Katherine, our Community Coordinator has booked the PUGS (Peasemore Ukelele Group) for the September Social in the village hall. Bar and snacks will be available. 

30th September 7pm ​
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Butts Furlong Vacancy

24/5/2023

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​Please be aware a property in Butts Furlong will be advertised through the West Berkshire Choice Based Lettings Scheme, Homechoice, on Thursday 25th May 2023. This is a social rent property being advertised in accordance with a section 106 agreement.
 
The details are as follows: Butts Furlong, Brightwalton, Berkshire,
 
The property is a 2 bed house and is suitable for a maximum of 4
people.
 
Only households who are registered on the Common Housing Register will be eligible to bid on this property.
 
If you are not already on the Common Housing Register and you are interested in the above property, you will need to be registered with us by Wednesday 8th February 2023. To register before this date, please complete an application form online at www.homechoicewestberks.org.uk and then call the Housing Allocations Team on 01635 519530 option 1 to discuss your application. We will then assess your eligibility and application, allocating a banding according to your housing circumstances.
 
In allocating this particular property West Berkshire Council have to adhere to a strict criteria. This criteria gives households ordinarily resident in Brightwalton, or an adjoining parish, highest priority.
 
Please feel free to contact the Housing Allocations Team on 01635 519530 option 1 if you require further information on any of the above.
 
Further information on Home Choice West Berks can be found at www.homechoicewestberks.org.uk

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May Brickleton News

24/5/2023

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Due to drop through your door any day, the May edition of the Brickleton News 
bricnews_may_2023[3222].pdf
File Size: 9007 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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West Berkshire - New App 50 Things to Do..

18/5/2023

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​Welcome to... West Berkshire
A menu of exciting activities for families in West Berkshire with young children, giving them great suggestions for how to have fun and learn at the same time.
50 Things to Do Before You're Five in West Berkshire
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VACANCY FOR A COUNCILLOR

16/5/2023

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Brightwalton Parish Council
  
VACANCY FOR A COUNCILLOR
 
Brightwalton Parish Council now has Casual Vacancy and wishes to recruit someone onto the council.
 
Could this be you? Are you interested in serving your local community?
· Do you want to serve your Community?
· Do you have time or expertise which could benefit your Community?
· Do you want to make a difference to all those around you?
 · Do you want to represent the views of local people?
 
 
 If you would like to make a difference, and be involved in shaping the future of your local Community, why not step forward and apply to fulfil this role?
 
Parish Council meetings are every other month, usually on the 2nd Monday of the Month at 7.30pm
 
If you are interested and would like to find out more please speak to one of the Parish Councillors or the Parish Clerk:
[email protected] / 07811 322994
 
 Eligibility Criteria · You are registered as a local government elector for the parish; · You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish during the whole of the 12 months before the day of appointment; · Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of appointment has been in the parish; or · You have lived in the parish or within three miles of it during the whole of the 12 months before the day of appointment.
 
Closing date for applications to be with the Clerk No later than 12th July 2023.
Update 9th July - For Clarity, as stated in the May Minutes - This vacancy follows the local elections, therefore each application will be considered and the seat will be filled by co-option at the 17th July Parish Council Meeting. 

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2022 – 2023 Parish Council Chairmans Report

16/5/2023

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If​ I look back over the 10 years that I have been Chairman of the Parish Council, I feel proud of the great team of Councillors we have, what they have achieved and the sense of Community Spirit they bring to the role. This is my last year that I will be reporting back to you.

As always it has been a busy year for the village. The highlights of the year have been :
The appointment of Katherine Moore into the new role of Brightwalton Village Co-ordinator. Having raised the funding for a 2 year project as part of the ASPIRE programme, we were delighted to welcome Katherine into this new role. Within her first three months she has launched a Youth Club drawing in 18 primary school aged children. The Church Mouse Soup Kitchen is live and being run by Diane Widborne and Sue Sayers. So far 3 Soup lunches have been hosted. There is lots more being planned including several concerts, craft activities and sales, most of which are making good use of the new kitchen and area at the back of the church.
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We had a wonderful turnout for the Jubilee picnic on the playing field and the Coronation picnic more recently.
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his picture of the pre-fete party sums up the strength of the community in Brightwalton. This was a lovely informal evening that marked the start of another very successful village fete – all run by volunteers from the village.

The fabric of the village has been well maintained this year with updates to the playground, highway improvements on Common Lane, and new Cricket nets in place.
The one project that is proving challenging, which we feel is a vital asset for the village longer term is to continue to push forward on extending the reach of higher-speed Broadband coverage. At the time of writing the project is on hold whilst we wait to find out if we are included in the next phase of central government funding. We hope for more progress next year.

Finally in terms of finances for the year. Against a total income of £11,900 which included grants for the play equipment, we have managed to stay within £20 of our budget thanks to the excellent stewardship of Sarah our Parish Clerk.  We were also able to make good use of the £1,700 of Community Infrastructure Levy funds carried over from last year to help complete the projects and avoid using further Parish Council savings.

Invariably costs are expected to rise again in the coming year, however we have managed to keep the precept increase to 4%.

As we look forward, I am delighted to hand over the reins of the Chairman’s post to Tim Wyatt. Tim has been an active member of the Parish Council  since 2017 and for the last 6 months has been Vice Chair. A significant feather in the cap of Brightwalton is that West Berkshire Council Community Team have already been in touch with us to use the Village Co-ordinator model as best practice to potentially be rolled out to other parishes. This together with a review of the Parish Plan is a good place for Tim to take over and start a new phase.

Shaun Orpen
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Forget Me Not Craft Session & Sale

26/4/2023

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Youth Club Opening After Easter - Monday's 5.30

27/3/2023

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Brightwalton Parish Council is pleased to announce that Brightwalton Youth Club will be restarting at Brightwalton Village Hall from Monday 17th April 2023 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

The Youth Club will be run by a team of volunteers and is affiliated with Berkshire Youth. Open to all primary school aged children, each week we will have games and activities as well as a craft table available. We have also booked in some activity sessions through Berkshire Youth. During the summer months we hope to make use of the field and play a range of outdoor games. There will be lots to do and a chance for the children to relax and enjoy spending time with friends and making new ones. There will be free fruit available at each session as well as a tuck shop where the children can purchase a snack.

We will run term time on the following dates: 17/04/23, 24/04/23, 15/05/23, 22/05/23, 05/06/23, 12/06/23, 19/06/23, 26/06/23, 03/07/23, 10/07/23, 17/07/23.

To book your child/ren into youth club please use this form: or you can contact [email protected] for further information. A separate payment request will be sent once you have completed the form with either a termly donation, weekly donation or pay it forward option (if requested). You can also pay by cash.

​All forms must be completed by 15/04/23 All regular volunteers are DBS checked and have received safeguarding training. If you’d like to volunteer to help at a session please contact us on the above email
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Coffee Drop In

15/3/2023

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Wednesday morning 8.30 till 10am drop in for tea and coffee and the church. Every Wednesday during term time. 
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Soup Lunch

27/2/2023

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Monday 6th March & Monday 27th March lunch at Brightwalton Church
​17th April & 15th May

All welcome to drop in for a soup lunch anytime between 12 & 2pm Cake donations for afters can be dropped off on the day
There is no charge for lunch but donations are welcomed
For further info please see Diana Whidborne or Sue Sayers
​or contact Katherine on [email protected]
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Downland Practice Patient Participation Group Meeting

9/2/2023

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Geoff Grayer has signed up to the Downland Practice Patient Participation Group to represent Brightwalton. He has fed back as follows from the February 2023 meeting, here are the matters effecting patients:
1) I raised the matter why phlebotomy was no longer done at the Practice. Dr. Cave gave a convincing answer, which was basically staffing problems. It is recognised that it is not easy to make an appointment via telephone to WBH, and this is being addressed.
2) Patient Survey in November 2022. We were not presented with details, which I was told could be found on the NHS Web Site. But to summarise, the medical staff were highly commended, but there was dissatisfaction with the reception and on-phone staff. This was of high concern, and the management was considering how this could be addressed.
3) Pharmacy. I raised the question of why it now closed at lunchtime. Dr. Cave explained; basically it is a staff and money problem. However, an automatic dispensing machine is being considered for prescriptions, which would be available 24hrs/day. This is obviously quite expensive, and a survey might be held on how useful this would be. Early days yet, but the Manager is looking into this.

The next meeting is scheduled for mid-June.
Geoff.

If you have any matters you would like to raise or questions your would like to ask at the next Patient Participation Group meeting, please email [email protected] and we will ensure these are passed on. 

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Free Tours Around the Palace of Westminster

8/2/2023

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As we head into Spring with longer days and, hopefully, some better weather, many of you might be starting to plan day trips. Did you know that you can have a fascinating and free tour around the Palace of Westminster?

The tour takes in a number of historical areas including the Chambers of both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the State Rooms, Central Lobby and the historic Westminster Hall. Tours are conducted by Parliament’s expert guides and take around 75 minutes. The guides highlight some of Parliament’s dramatic history, explain the work of Parliament and set out ways to get involved and engaged with the democratic process. 

​
Whenever possible, I like to meet constituents at the beginning or end of their tour so that I can answer any questions. I have a programme of tours arranged over the next few months as follows:

Monday 20 February at 11:00
Monday 6 March at 11:00
Monday 20 March at 11:00
Monday 17 April at 11:00
Monday 24 April at 11:00
Friday 12 May at 15:00
Monday 5 June at 11:00
Monday 19 June at 11:00

The list is constantly updated on my website and if any of the dates aren’t suitable, alternative dates can also be booked directly with my office. It is an absolute privilege to work here and I always enjoy welcoming constituents for visits, including school groups and local organisations.

I would love to see constituents from your parish and bookings can be made as follows: Website https://www.laurafarris.org.uk/events
Phone 01635-551070
Email [email protected]
​Mail Laura Farris MP, Park Street Offices, Park Street, Newbury, RG14 1EA

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Introducing our New Community Coordinator

7/2/2023

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I am delighted to welcome Katherine Moore as the newly appointed and first Brightwalton Community Co-ordinator.
 
This is a very exciting and new part time role for the village. We have been raising funds to launch this new initiative as a 2 year pilot project.
 
Katherine’s role is to put together events and activities to help us bring the village together, encouraging the provision of mutual support and friendship. The role will specifically provide opportunities to get together, meet people, learn new things, share skills and information and where required opportunities to seek additional support.
 
I am delighted that Katherine has agreed to take on this challenge. Many of you will know Katherine for her already very active participation in the village as part of the Village Hall Team, Friends of the Brightwalton School or for the Dance lessons she regularly provides.
 
I know Katherine will welcome ideas from people in the village. We have already had several people come forward to offer support for some of the initiatives being planned. If you feel you can add something and can spare a bit of time to help others in the village, I am sure Katherine would welcome you getting in touch with her at : [email protected]

Shaun Orpen, ASPIRE Project & Brightwalton Parish Council Chair 


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Broadband Survey

6/2/2023

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The Berkshire Digital Infrastructure Group (DIG), comprising all six Berkshire local authorities, are working with market providers and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Barrier Busting Task Force to minimise barriers to Digital Infrastructure investments, reducing rollout costs and delays and leading to further investment into the county.
Last year, DiG ran their first Digital Survey, which was designed to help them identify where there may be gaps in the digital infrastructure by asking how residents and businesses across Berkshire access and use the internet.
The responses from the survey are being used to inform our Digital Strategy, and you can view the analysis of the results online.
Improving access to broadband, public access WiFi and mobile services is a key element of the Berkshire DIG work, and they are working with mobile operators and platform providers to provide better access in all Berkshire regions.
Why we want your views
As more and more services move online we need to understand why some residents aren't accessing them this way, whether that's because it's a struggle to afford internet access, data or a device, such as a laptop or phone, they aren't confident or they don't feel safe online.
We also want to understand what people can do online, whether that's ordering food and gifts, online learning and job searching, or contacting friends and family or a healthcare professional.
Sharing your views and experiences with us, or helping someone who may not usually go online to do so, will help us understand where and how we need to focus resources to improve services and provide solutions.
We'd also like to know if your habits have changed since the pandemic e.g., has the amount of time you spend on the internet or streaming TV shows increased, or you have become more confident using online services such as banking or booking travel or holidays?
What people can, and can't, do online is important to us and we want to hear about it.
How to take part
If you'd like to share your experiences with them, please complete online their survey, which should only take about 5-10 minutes.
Complete our survey
You can download a version of the survey for someone who doesn't go online here [394KB] .
Please send the completed survey to Berkshire DIG Digital Inclusion Survey, Ground Floor (ICT Area), Council Offices, Market Street, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 5LD.
Alternatively, call 01635 503894 to request a paper copy.
The closing date is midnight on Sunday, 19 February 2023
​
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Brickleton News - January Edition

3/2/2023

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The Brickleton News January edition will soon arrive on your doorstep, a copy to download is available here:

​
bricnews_january_2023.pdf
File Size: 1711 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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First Aid Certificate

13/1/2023

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The Parish Council has organised a qualified instructor to provide Emergency First Aid at Work training on Saturday 4th March 2023 in the Village Hall from 9.30 till 4.30. Successful completion of the course will result in a certificate valid for 3 years, useful for your own knowledge, volunteering and work.

Cost will be £55 each - we have a few places still available, please get in touch if you are interested in attending. 
Email - [email protected] 
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