For your latest local and regional news, as provided by the BBC,
click
here. Hungerford and area
news can be found
here.
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CoVID-19. sHOULD YOU WEAR A MASK?
People should wear cloth face coverings in public places
especially where social distancing measures are “difficult to
maintain,” such as
shops supermarkets and pharmacies, the
CDC and WHO advises. Masks can be “fashioned from household items or
made at home from common materials at low cost.” Surgical masks and
N-95 respirators should not be used by the public, as these were
“critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare
workers and other medical first responders.”
Wearing face coverings on public transport is to be compulsory in
England from 15 June. There will be exemptions for young children.
Those who don't comply may be stopped from travelling and
passengers can be fined.
If it is appropriate to wear a mask you should still maintain a
separation of 6 feet from others. Don’t remove the mask until you’re
at home or in a place where you can wash your hands after safely
removing the mask. When you do remove the mask, avoid touching the
front outer part of it in case it is contaminated with Covid -19.
On removal, wash the mask thoroughly, then wash your hands, and
disinfect with bleach or alcohol anything you touched after taking
off the mask. Never re-use a mask without washing it first. If you
can't wash the mask, discard it safely. More complete guidance from
the CDC is given
here.
Design plans for DIY face masks can be found at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgHrnS6n4iA
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COVID-19 information
The latest government guidance is given here.
The
World Health
Organisation (WHO) has published a range of additional
information covering all aspects of Covid-19 including
what to
do if you or a member of your family becomes infected. The
link is
here.
The Helpers List
A very big
THANK YOU to all of our helpers
for the
amazing services they are providing and coordinating. This has
made bearable the self-isolation that many are experiencing and has
very much brought people in our village together. A really good news
story.
If your name is on this 'helpers' list and you can no longer provide
help, please let us know by emailing
parishcouncil@inkpenvillage.co.uk.
Also, if you are happy for your name to be added to the list, please
email and your name will be added. Thank you.
For those still self-isolating and in need of help,
here is a list of neighbours kindly waiting to help you. Take
your pick and give them a call.
Bell Lane
Lucy Hutchinson – 07766 065447
Nikki Pelissier – 07813 334907
Bridle Path and Heads Lane
Clare Macinnes – 07973 878613
Craven Road
Anna Bidwell – 07801 027262
Claire Jones – 07808 773346
Emma Wordsworth – 07785 292078 – 01488 668600
Jane Atkey – 07796 716843
The Firs
Helen Hanna – 07766 915865
Folly Road
Brian and Nikki Cox – 07423 225426
Clare Evans – 01488 668534 or 07786 691292
Karl Prismall – 07879 883148
Katie Rimmer – 07831 680058
Pippa and Russ Jeffries – 07887 574112
Heads Lane
Jane van Ammel - 07740 868536
Nick Day - 01488 684105 or 07786 075502
Sarah Marston - 07976 221847
Post Office Road
Alex Popplewell – 07834 570962
Brian Gerhardt – 07787 500217
Claire Loveridge – 07867 528926
Ed Loveridge – 07879 472929
Maxine and Phil Frazer-Reid – 07920 827888
Phil Day – 07837 537542
Sonya Donohoe – 07970 197843
Pottery Lane
Jane Zollo – 07795 320900
The Sawmills
Sarah Burton – 07949 238458
Trapps Hill
Taj Woodgate – 07971 191263
Upper Green
Dave Lester – 07816 177524
Maridi Baker – 07976 575858
Lawrence Mead, Kintbury
Jelena Golinska – 07930 424547
For those with just a telephone or those needing a different type of
help than that provided by the helpers, you can call
Inkpen 75 74
71. This is just a recording service so please be
prepared to give your name, phone number and location, with a
brief message and this will be forwarded to the most appropriate
person or organisation.
This is for Inkpen residents only.
This list will be updated as further information becomes available.
If you are under 70, in robust health and wish to be added to the
list of helpers, please email:
parishcouncil@inkpenvillage.co.uk.
If you volunteer and you start to
feel unwell, you MUST stay at
home and look after yourself first - this will also protect
the most vulnerable that we are trying to help. If you are unable to
continue as a helper for whatever reason, please contact
parishcouncil@inkpenvillage.co.uk
so that you can be removed from the active helpers list.
Official
advice to helpers is provided
here. Thank you.
All help,
particularly at this time, is very much appreciated.
Prescriptions and GP surgeries
If you are in a recognised medically vulnerable group
or you
are over 70 and are self-isolating, and you require
help with a
prescription please email Jo Kempster at
jkempster966@btinternet.com or, if you
can't email, contact either Jane Zollo (07795 320900) or Sarah
Marston (07976 221847).
There is a
prescription collection rota system in place for
collection from either
Boots (Hungerford) or
Woolton
Hill Surgery. All you need to do is provide your name,
address, post code and a brief description of where your house is
within Inkpen. Your prescription will be delivered by one of the
Inkpen Helpers. (If the prescription is for Woolton Hill surgery you
also need to include your date of birth). Scheduled visits to
Boots in Hungerford are on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Prescription collections from Woolton Hill/Kintbury Surgery, via Dr
Kate, are on Wednesdays and Fridays. Do let us know if you are
personally self isolating and are in the elderly and vulnerable
category, or if you know someone who is in these categories that
needs our help. We are aiming to keep footfall to a minimum in both
Boots and Woolton Hill surgeries.
Boots pharmacy, Hungerford - Hours have been returned to 9 to
1 and 2 till 5:30. Saturday 9 to 1 and 2 till 5. Closed Sundays.
GP surgeries. The Woolton Hill GP Practice is operating on a
triage protocol, with Hungerford offering telephone consultations.
Kintbury surgery is closed. More information regarding access to GP
and broader medical advice is displayed on the respective surgery
website.
Covid-19 Symptoms ?
All people with flu-like symptoms - a fever above 37.8C or a
persistent cough - should
self-isolate (stay at home, away from
other people) for seven days and call 111. Don't spread it
around !
Mental Health Support for those of 11-18 years
West Berkshire Council has set up a dedicated telephone helpline for
young people experiencing issues and concerns relating to the
pandemic - 01635 503587.
The helpline, which is linked to its Emotional Health Academy (EHA),
will offer the district’s young people self-help support, advice and
guidance from trained EHA workers. It came into operation on 6
April, and will be open between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Friday,
providing an opportunity for children and young people (aged 11 to
18) to express their concerns and talk about issues directly
affecting them during the current Coronavirus crisis. EHA workers
will use active listening skills to support young people in dealing
with difficult feelings around Covid-19 and provide signposting and
self-help support for their general wellbeing.
This local helpline is a short-term service and will be available
only during the pandemic, to provide ‘in the moment’ support to
children and young people. It will provide access to trained EHA
workers who can offer advice and self-help tools and provide support
to manage ‘low level’ problems. It is not a crisis line and does not
replace other services such as the Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Service (CAMHS).
Back to Contents List
West Berkshire Council have set up a
support link
reflecting the information given on this page. They have published a
letter to communities on changes to
help
for communities, individuals and businesses. The
Community
Support Hub update is
here and
will now be updated fortnightly. If you are a resident
seeking
additional support, click
here. And if you want
WBC updates sent directly to you, click
here. The Public
Protection Partnership -
PPP - briefing is available
here. The West Berkshire
News Update is
here.
Cold weather messages and support available can be found
here
and home energy advice is
here.
West Berkshire Council are asking residents across the
district/borough to
think of others and not light bonfires
during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic lockdown because many people at
home are vulnerable and may have respiratory issues, or even be
fighting the Covid-19 itself. During this difficult time we are
asking that their needs are put first. Bonfires can also get out of
control or cause accidents, creating extra pressure on the already
busy emergency services. Anyone having a domestic bonfire that
causes a nuisance may be
prosecuted under the
Environmental Protection Act 1990. To
report an incident
of a bonfire please use our on-line reporting form
here.
Fly tipping is the illegal dumping of any waste or rubbish on
public land or sites which are unauthorised to accept waste. If the
rubbish is dumped on private land, the landowner is responsible for
removing it. If you find or receive notification of fly tipped
material on private land you will need to inform the landowner.
Landowners unfortunately will have to pay for the cost of disposal
of fly-tipped materials. To
report an incident of fly tipping
please see links on PPP website
here.
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Pets and covid-19
The British Veterinary Association stresses "owners should not
worry" about the risk of infection from pets. But, veterinary
scientists have recommended cat owners keep their pets indoors to
help prevent the
spread of the coronavirus among animals.
An animal's fur could carry the virus for a time if a pet were to
have come into contact with someone who was sick with Covid-19.
Practise good hand hygiene, try and keep cats indoors.
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Keeping your Car ready for use
Keeping your battery healthy, your tyres inflated and giving your
car a thorough clean could make all the difference when isolation
measures are finally lifted.
The best way to make sure your car makes it through long-term
storage or significantly reduced usage, is to keep its battery
healthy. Using a battery conditioner, or trickle charger, is the
most effective way to do this. It will keep immobilisers and other
energy-sapping components of your car from draining your battery
completely.
You’ll also need to inflate your tyres to the maximum recommended
pressure found on the tyre sidewall, as they will lose pressure over
time even if they’re not being used in motion. If left for a long
period of time this can lead to flat spots and your tyres losing
their round shape, especially on older tyres.
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Things to do
Something for Youngsters
Brain
Pop offers resources on maths, English, science and more, and
starting on 20 April, videos, quizzes, podcasts and articles
will appear on
BBC Bitesize Daily via the BBC iPlayer, red
button, BBC Four and BBC Sounds. If your children are into Minecraft
try
Tynker.
And, for craft resources, from knitting to jewellery-making, drawing
and origami, try
Creativebug.
BBC Bitesize also has
tons of content for ages 3 to 16+, and for Youtubers there's
Freeschool with plenty of
fun videos to watch - something that even the older audience might
like.
If you are an Amazon customer then there is free childrens content
here.
FREE Audio books for All Ages
If you have children at home from school why not try free Audible
audiobooks for children . No
sign-up required.
The BBC's Sound website and app offers a really extensive range of
audio books. Something for everyone from
here.
Opera and Theatre
There's a wide range of quality musicals, theatre plays, some opera
and even a bit of ballet
here, all for free.
For older listeners there's something too, not to everyone's taste
but available none the less,
Nightly Met Opera
streams in HD. Our
National Theatre is also
providing content for free whilst the theatre is closed - click
here.
You might also like to have a look at
archive.org. This provides
audio, music, TV, images, films, even old time radio. I can't vouch
for this content but worth a look.
Crafts
And don't forget
Stitch and Knit. If you are self-isolating,
Jan Honey will email you patterns and instructions on how to make a
range of things: small knitted Christmas decorations, beginners
crochet, and how to make small hand sewn items. Give her a call on
Inkpen 668222 or email
jan@honeydesign.co.uk.
Puzzles and Games
If crossword puzzles are your thing, then there are masses on-line -
printable and otherwise, they'll even provide the answers. For
sudoku try
sudoku.com.
Windows 10 users will find a range of
free games in the
Microsoft Store (an icon in the task bar), including mahjong
and solitaire. There's even a jigsaw game. Paid for games are also
freely available.
Quizzes
Whilst you can't visit the pub, you can still have a go at a
Pub
Quiz. Get out the crisps and pour the lager, then go to
https://readymadepubquiz.com/.
There are bound to be other and better pub quiz sites - let me know
when you find them.
Cooking
If all that fails try a bit of gardening, or have a go at nettle
soup. We all have to eat so ring the changes, look for
recipes
on-line such as those on the
BBC or those on your
favourite supermarket site such as
Waitrose. I like the
'spaghetti with greens, capers, anchovies & lemon dressing' -
can you make it without spaghetti ?
Exercises
Many of you might be missing
Yoga so try
here for a few free exercises. If
you've tried
Pilates before have a look
here, but if you are a
beginner try the
NHS Pilates for
Beginners site. The NHS also provides a range of
general fitness exercises - why not give
it a go, but don't overdo it.
Holidays from your armchair.
Go to google maps, pick a destination an then go to street view.
That's all you need for your own virtual holiday, except maybe for
an espresso or a glass of wine. You can take a tour of the
Louvre, visit the
Taj Mahal or even
Machu Picchu. To get away
from it all, why not join the International Space Station and see
what they are seeing now,
live.
Night time Activity
At present, the night sky is quite clear. Weather permitting you
might like to get out and do a bit of stargazing. A starters guide
can be found
here.
If you've any suggestions as to other stay-at-home activities, email
them to
parishcouncil@inkpenvillage.co.uk.
Back to Contents List
Food VENUES and HOME DELIVERIES
The Inkpen Monthly Market
A number of people have asked me when the market will re-start given
that, as of mid-June, indoor markets were permitted to
re-open. During lockdown I have given the market much
thought.
I believe that for the market to re-open safely, the virus needs to
further recede. The Village Hall is a small building and, in
my opinion, it would be difficult for visitors to both keep socially
distant and at the same time being able to comfortably browse the
stalls.
Many of the people who come to the market, be they shoppers or
stallholders, are elderly, or at least in the over 70s
bracket. In my opinion, on both sides, there will be some
reluctance to come along for quite some time.
I have run the market since 2011 and have been involved with it for
longer than that. I have decided that now is the right
time for me to pass on the baton to the younger members of Inkpen
should there be any village interest in the market recommencing at
some point in the coming months.
If anyone, or a small group, thinks they might be interested and
wants any information, please contact me, Josephine, on Inkpen 668
068.
Didcot Bakery - Kintbury
There's a slightly different format at the Kintbury baker's shop
now, and for the moment, a slimmed down list of what's available.
Still plenty of choice though. You have to pay by contactless card,
no cash. Ordering online is probably easiest. Their website is
www.farmhousebakerycafe.co.uk.
Everything is now wrapped as you would expect with hand sanitizer at
the door and only one person allowed in the shop at a time.
The bakery is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am till 1pm.
In addition to bread, give their Chelsea buns, quiches and pies a
try.
Fisher of Newbury
If you are
NOT in an at-risk group and want to get some
fresh
fruit and veg that you can collect yourself, you might like to
try
Fisher of Newbury. They
do fruit and veg boxes which you can select on-line and collect if
you get a delivery slot. They have quite a range of items and are
based at Hambridge Road in Newbury.
Got a self-isolating neighbour ? See if you can get a veg and fruit
box for them at the same time.
Take-away service with a difference
The John O Gaunt Pub is offering a take-away service with a
difference. You order and pay over the phone. The food is delivered
to the customer - FOC - and the customer receives a call to say
"it's on your doorstep". The service is free, the food is not!
The menu link is:
https://www.facebook.com/John-OGaunt-Freehouse-Hungerford-152058648286949/?epa=SEARCH_BOX.
and the contact number is 01488 683535
Hungerford traditional butcher.
The traditional butcher in Hungerford is taking orders over the
phone for delivery to Hungerford and the surrounding villages - that
means
Inkpen. If you are interested, details of the items
for sale and the contact number are to be found
here.
Cobbs Farm Shop
At their
Hungerford farm shop, you will
find fresh fruit and veg, a delicatessen, butchery, fishmonger and
florist. They work closely with a large number of local producers to
offer customers a whole host of products including luxury dairy ice
cream, freshly baked bread, honey, preserves and chutneys, cheese,
dairy, flour, eggs, cereals, tea, smoked fish and meats, juices and
biscuits. And let's not forget their home-grown award-winning
English Sparkling Wine - Alder Ridge.
If you are in a vulnerable group or over 70 and you want to place an
order with Cobbs, and have it delivered to your door, please contact
Claire Jones for details - 07808 773346.
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Police report
A message from the
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner is
available
here.
Online Fraud. New scams are coming to light all the time and
particularly in the build-up to Christmas. Police guidance is given
here.
Local Police News.
During the last month we have seen a slight increase in rural
offences; in the main outbuilding and shed breaks. Please ensure
your outbuilding is secure, all security devices such as CCTV are
working and tools are securely marked. Report anything suspicious.
As a new year approaches why not consider signing up to Immobilise
and creating an account to register your property on. It’s all free
and greatly improves your chances of getting property back if it’s
lost or stolen. Items worth adding are garden power-tools such as
strimmers, blowers and chainsaws as unfortunately during the winter
months we generally see an increase in burglaries from sheds and
outbuildings. If an item is lost or stolen, report it to Immobilise
via your account.
If a UK police force recovers this item, they will search for it on
the Immobilise database and return it to its owner. Register now on
www.immobilise.com.
Have you heard about THAMES VALLEY TEXT ALERT? Sign up today
www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/ to receive free texts or emails about
crime in your local area and relevant safety advice.
You can now follow us on twitter @TVP_westberks. We are also on
Facebook TVP West Berkshire. If you would like any further advice,
or have any information relating to any of the above please contact
me on 07814852137 or email Joanna.king@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk.
SCAMS
Be aware of scams. Download "
The Little Book of
Big Scams". For home security, download "
Secure your home".
Message sent on behalf of South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS
Foundation Trust (SECAMB)
We are aware of a voice message being shared currently on social
media regarding the ambulance response to coronavirus. The alarmist
information being shared in the message is not correct. We would
urge people to disregard the message and not share it further.
In line with our ongoing plans during this challenging time, we are
continuing to follow national guidelines regarding the ambulance
response and thank the public for their ongoing support in following
the government’s advice.
NHS test and trace system
The Government announced the launch of the NHS test and trace system
in England and Scotland on 27 May. Earlier in the month
Trading Standards warned about a phishing scam around use of the
trial contact tracing app being piloted in the Isle of Wight.
It has not been rolled out across the rest of the country but that
hasn’t stopped the scammers trying to take advantage. The
public should look out for
texts with links in them.
The link goes to a bogus website which asks for personal details.
Scammers may use the information to gain access to bank accounts and
commit other forms of identity fraud.
Also, you might receive a call, text or email offering the COVID-19
vaccine. If you’re asked to provide payment or bank details, please
don’t respond – it’s a scam.
The real NHS will not ask you to: 1)
provide bank details or payments,
2) give details of any
other accounts, such as social media,
3) set up a password
or PIN number over the phone, or 4) call a premium rate number, such
as those starting 09 or 087
People who shop at Tesco have been warned not to fall for a
scam email claiming to give them free shopping and vouchers. In
emails addressed to customers of the supermarket, scammers have
attempted to take advantage of the coronavirus crisis by offering
them the chance to shop for free online or in store and to click on
a link to register their details.
Similar scams too purporting to be from
Morrison offering
free vouchers and other scams such as free Dettol or Gillette
samples or competitions. They are all trying to get you to like or
share which gives them details on your contacts etc. Never click on
any links from uninvited emails. If in doubt on any scams, please
contact your Bank or other organisations to check whether they have
been sent by them.
Other recent scams are a
text from O2 saying that a
payment
had failed and to avoid fees, visit the website using the link
in the text and to then sign on using another screen asking for all
the security details that the person used followed by credit card
and bank account details. The fake website looked exactly like the
O2 official site so some people could easily fall for this scam.
Royal Mail scams via email advising that your parcel has
arrived but the Courier was unable to deliver the parcel to you. The
email then asks you to pay £3.95 for this to be re-delivered and to
click on a link to give your bank and other details.
Also Emails saying that the
recent payment for your vehicle tax
failed because there is not enough money on your debit card
and that your vehicle is no longer taxed. They suggest you use a
credit card instead to avoid any other consequences and again this
is a way of trying to obtain your Bank details.
There are various ways of reporting scams.
A new initiative called Cyberawaregov has launched SERS – the
suspicious email reporting service. They say that if you have
received an email which you are not sure about, to forward it to
report@phishing.gov.uk
There is further information on the website:
www.ncsc.gov.uk/information/report-suspicious-emails
Scams can also be notified to Action Fraud on 03001232040 or
via their website or to the
National Trading Standards Scams
Team on 03454 040506.
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Out of hours Building works
The law - and frequently planning permission as well - regulates
the hours during which construction can be carried out, typically
between 8am and 6pm weekdays, 8am and 3pm on Saturdays, and not at
all on Sundays. Outside those hours you have the right to complain
to the council, who will come and investigate and may take action
against persistent offenders. Contact WBC at ehadvice@westberks.gov.uk
(Tel. 01635 519192) or planningenforcement@westberks.gov.uk
(Tel. 01635 519111).
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Library - Pass It on
The mobile library will call at Craven Rd at 2.30pm until 2.50pm
and at the Inkpen Primary School at 3.05 to 4pm on Tuesday 19th
January 2021. Covid-19 arrangements will apply.
The Libraries Service are also offering a new online service to
residents so that they can continue to enjoy new books and to
share their love of reading without leaving the house. They have
set up a new Facebook group called West Berks Reads, which is a
useful, alternative way for people to share their thoughts and
pick up ideas for what to read next.
Meanwhile, the digital resources and e-library services are
continuing 24/7 and understandably being very well used at this
time. Why not go to the Libraries page on our website and discover a new
book or magazine?
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Climate change
Official reports suggest that our climate decline is rapidly
accelerating. Although we are a small community and many feel that
we are too insignificant in the grand scheme, there are things
that we can do to make a positive impact.
Obviously we can plant more trees and hedging and the IMPFT
is this month planting more than 300 hedging plants along Post
Office Road. But individually we can make a difference by leaving
some of our gardens to become wild spaces. We can be more careful
in our use of pesticides and herbicides and hopefully use insect
friendly alternatives. Remember, Your Climate Needs You.
Following on from the work of Bob May and Bernard Harris, to
encourage wild flowers on the Lower Green Triangle, we are hoping
to transform other areas of public land in Inkpen in the coming
years, with an emphasis on natural flora and their insect
inhabitants. Why not set aside a small patch in your garden for
beautiful, natural, wild flowers. Have a look at this to get a
bit of encouragement.
These links might also be of some interest. Trees and Insects. Remember,
insects are at the bottom of the food chain - if we lose them we
lose all that depends on them!
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school news
As usual, the end of the Christmas term appeared out of nowhere.
But, despite all the Covid restrictions, we were able to find
various ways to celebrate this very special Christmas. This
included a (battery) candle-lit, socially distanced Carol service
by the children in the KS2 bubble as well as the infants
"Notivity". Both performances were filmed and emailed to parents
as a Christmas present from the children. I have to say, they both
brought a tear to my eye. We are now looking forward to the
summer, when we can once again invite an audience into school.
Plans are already in place to hold this outdoors, should it still
be necessary.
I would like to thank the Inkpen School PSa for helping with
Santa's present delivery for the children as they left school,
complete with snow machine. Santa himself was unavoidably detained
this year. A big thank you also to those who have donated to our
book fund. We really appreciate your generosity. All the money
raised will be used to add to our supply of reading books for the
children.
Since finishing term, things have changed again but, as I write,
the plan is still to return to school on January 4th. Fingers
crossed.
INKSPOTS EARLY YEARS PRE-SCHOOL
It is with great pleasure that we can announce that Inkspots at
Inkpen Primary school will be opening its doors again after the
Christmas holidays. Despite facing immediate closure at the end of
last term, the pre-school has a new play leader, an enthusiastic
new committee in place and a number of enquiries for the new year.
One of the first challenges for the new Inkspots committee has
been to raise immediate funds to ensure financial security for the
rest of the school year. Our parent fundraising group, “Friends of
Inkspots”, have coordinated a host of festive fundraising
initiatives in support of this.
Our eco-friendly reindeer food, coordinated by Anna Campbell, was
a great success, raising a total of £125.
Kira Schader generously donated her time and expertise by
arranging a pony experience day where children had the opportunity
to learn about caring for and grooming ponies before having the
chance to go for a little ride. Clare Robinson provided some
delicious festive treats for the participants and their parents
which raised over £150. At time of writing, the Inkspots Christmas
Treasure Trail has only been up and running for a few days, but
already more than fifty maps have been purchased and the reviews
so far have been glowing.
The generosity of the local community in support of Inkspots has
been overwhelming, with many Inkpen residents, and beyond, showing
their support by donating via our Go Fund Me page (search for
“Save Inkspots” on uk.gofundme.com). The generosity at a time of
such uncertainty is heart-warming and we thank you most sincerely.
There clearly several people who have very fond memories of
Inkspots and are committed to helping preserve the pre-school for
future generations.
We’d love to hear from anyone who has had a connection with
Inkspots. Please find and ‘like’ our Facebook page; Save Inkspots
and post any memories you might have of the pre-school.
Alternatively, email us at friendsofinkspots@outlook.com. It would
be wonderful to see photographs and to celebrate how Inkspots has
been a positive force in the local community since it was started
in 2006.
Finally, we still have spaces in January for children aged 3+
years who would thrive in our nourishing, small and friendly,
forest nursery setting. To register your interest or discuss your
funding options then please do not hesitate to get in touch
(inkspots@inkpen.w-berks.sch.uk). Thank you for supporting your
local pre-school!
Inkspots Early Years Pre-school - Where learning is child's play.
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playing field trust (impft) news
Pavilion News
Due to the Government restrictions in relation to COVID19,
additional requested works and Christmas, the pavilion will now be
completed at the end of January. We hope you will be happy with the
renovation and that when we are free from restrictions it will get
lots of use for many years to come. If you have an activity you feel
will be suited to the pavilion do please get in touch with Gloria
Keene or Claire Jones.
We do not currently have the funds to complete the paths around the
pavilion or the parking area behind the pavilion as this requires a
further £5,000 to £10,000. We will aim to include this in our
fundraising activities this year.
Phase 3:
The Sports Equipment Building requires £30,000 to be built and we
are still fundraising for this part of the renovation. If you can
donate, please make a cheque payable to: IMPF Fund Raising and give
it to Gloria Keene or Claire Jones. Or contact Claire for our bank
details – donations can be anonymous and every penny counts now.
With us being in Tier 4 there is sadly little, if any, sports
activity allowed but hopefully in the spring and summer, we will be
able to once again play team sports and have various activities put
in place including junior football.
Woodland Playground:
The woodland playground equipment will be installed in February. If
you have any landscaping and planting experience and are happy to
volunteer some of you time to help with the landscaping of the
woodland playground please do get in touch with Claire Jones :
clairejonesimpt@gmail.com IMPFT, website: www.impft.co.uk
Village hall news
There’s nothing to announce re the Village Hall, however if you
are looking for a new hobby to help keep you busy and buoyant
through the restrictions which might continue in to the first part
of 2021? If so, why not have a whirl at learning the Ukulele? There
is an online ‘Complete Beginners Ukulele Course’ starting Tuesday
19th January, with the UTeam www.theuteam.weebly.com? You will
benefit from two tutors during the sessions. Russ, who teaches at a
local music academy, and Helen who lives and usually teaches from
her Inkpen studio. Join other complete beginners over Zoom to learn
everything you need to accompany yourself or others playing and
singing a handful of jolly ditties. You don’t need any prior
knowledge of music. If you don’t have a Ukulele, we can signpost you
to some great deals on offer at the moment. We are also planning a
Saturday afternoon Guitar and Ukulele Club for children starting
January 2021. In these tricky times, group learning is a much more
affordable and social way to learn at just approx. £10 for an hour’s
tuition. Please visit our website to learn more and make contact if
you have interest.
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INKPEN History Group
The Inkpen History Group is back from the dead and needs help.
There is a significant volume of handwritten and other data that
requires to be carefully scanned, or photographing so that it can
be turned into pdf documents ready for inclusion in the Inkpen
history website – history.inkpenvillage.co.uk
We are also keen to receive copies of old photos, documents etc.
that you may have and would be happy to share. Old maps, items of
Inkpen pottery and any items relating to the old sawmills.
Whatever you judge might be of interest, please drop us an email
at - historygroup@inkpenvillage.co.uk.
Our aim is to bring together as much historic content as we can to
avoid it getting lost for ever. Your help is important. Thank you.
The Covid-19 Scrapbook – 2020
To mark important times in the past, Inkpen resident groups have
produced scrapbooks. These give a glimpse of the time in writings,
pictures, bills and other impacting media.
This year, 2020, the history group want to do the same, to mark
something that we have all been caught up in, namely, the covid-19
pandemic. No matter what your experience of the pandemic, or your
age, we would like to hear from you, to share your pictures, your
photos, formal and informal messages, and your anecdotes. We would
prefer where possible to have handwritten textural content as this
is more personal and reflects a personal experience.
Please support us in this. You can contact us in the first
instance by email at historygroup@inkpenvillage.co.uk or leave a
brief phone message at 01488 757 471. Make history. Join in.
Thankyou.
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Other inkpen news
Inkpen Carpet Bowls.
I hope that you have all had a reasonable Christmas and that you
have been able to make some form of contact with family. Where
would we be if we did not have Zoom, Facetime, Skype or any other
media to "meet" up with friends and family. It was particularly
nice to join in the present opening with grandchildren, even if we
were miles apart.
It has now been over nine months since Inkpen Carpet Bowls met and
I have really missed the banter as well as the competition. As
Carpet Bowls involves the sharing of bowls during play (all
equipment is provided by the Club) it would have proved
impractical to play without a certain level of risk.
During the less critical time of the pandemic we did look at the
possibility of meeting in smaller groups of six but acknowledged
that it is as much the opportunity to exercise our tongues as the
competition that bring us together.
Hopefully, within three months, most of us will have been given
the opportunity for vaccination and any risk from Covid will be
sufficiently low to allow us to meet as a group. We have now
developed a format that will allow social distancing as well as
minimising unprotected contact with equipment.
If you are not a member but are looking for some excuse to get out
of the house on a regular basis, once we are permitted, and would
like to know more about the game then contact: Sandy or Anne on:
01488 668336 or email sandy.r.wilson@gmail.com
Finally, let me wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that 2021
is much kinder to us all. Until then, look after yourselves. Sandy
Wilson
Melie's Mission
Amelia Pemberton, daughter of an Inkpen resident, teaches refugees
in Beirut. With Covid restrictions she has had to give up teaching
but has instead been helping people rebuild the damage caused in
the Beirut Port explosion on August 4th. Luckily, she avoided the
blast but her apartment was destroyed. Melie and a friend set up a
GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/rebuilding-beirut-brick-by-brick-day-by-day.
They raised a significant sum which they are using to pay for
materials and employ people to rebuild homes and businesses.
So far, her efforts have contributed to reconstructing 44 homes,
31 businesses, 1 church, employing 12 people amongst numerous
other things. There is much more work planned.
Since living in Lebanon, Melie has learnt that many women are not
given the chance to contribute financially to the family due to
the long-held belief that a woman’s place is in the home. Helping
these women gives them the ability to provide for their families
instead of relying on donations and care packages. To give some
respite to these women, who are even more restricted due to
COVID-19, Melie started offering weekly sewing classes at which
the women also learn business and IT skills. These are hugely
popular.
Starting early next year, Melie is launching WingWoman Lebanon; a
pilot programme providing paid business internships for women. The
ultimate aim is to find the women employment or empower them to
start their own businesses. The pilot has been fully funded and
now she is working hard to secure funding for future programs in
order to reach a larger audience. If you would be interested to
find out more about WingWoman please contact Melie at wingwomanlebanon@gmail.com
Why is this “article’ in the bulletin? Melie needs your help in
the form of any:
• Old / electric sewing machines or sewing equipment.
• Old computer laptops that you may not be using anymore.
• £ donations.
She already has about 30 machines and is sending a part container
load to Beirut in January for her classes. If you think you have
anything which might help, please email davidcpemberton@gmail.com,
who can collect. In anticipation, thanks very much.
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Useful links
Many thanks to Tim and Ali des Forges, editors of the Inkpen and
Combe bulletin, for providing bulletin copy for this
website. You can contact Tim and Ali by phone or email thus
- aliedesforges@yahoo.co.uk
or ring them on 01488 668496. You can also download a copy
of the Inkpen and Combe bulletin here
To report potholes, go to www.westberks.gov.uk/pothole.
For other road or pavement issues including overgrown verges, go
to www.westberks.gov.uk.
To join Laine's heating oil delivery club, email Lanie.
To report a water leak, go to www.thameswater.co.uk
and for loss of electricity, go to www.ssen.co.uk. Both Thames
Water and SSE provide priority services for those needing help to
cope should there be a loss of service. This includes the elderly
and those with special health needs. Thames Water
priority service can be accessed on-line, here and for
SSEN, the details are provided here.
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