Loddon Valley Link 201605 - May 2016

The Loddon Valley Link
Church and Village Magazine
for Sherfield-on-Loddon, Stratfield Saye,

Hartley Wespall with Stratfield Turgis and Bramley
Issue 489
May 2016
Page 1
www.Loddonvalleylink.org.uk
Editorial
Welcome to the May edition of the Link. Happy birthday to Her Majesty
the Queen for the 21st April. If youre having or have had an event send
us the photos.
This month our centre pages are all about the Proms and a performers
Simon Boase
view of one of the events.
Dont forget to vote in the police commissioner, borough and parish councillor elections
coming up on May 5th and especially if youre in Sherfield
Contents
Park where the new Parish Council is coming into being.
Church Services... 4
Instead of the Borough councillor update this month
Messy Church & Registers. 5
weve got the thoughts of our MP in Ranils Ramblings
Ministers Letter ..... 7
(p17).
Percys Plant Sale .. 8
Have your say on the future local NHS (p19)
Prayer Page.11
Sherfield Village Fete is fast approaching and helpers
Sherfield Village Fete ... 13
are needed, as is help in St Leonards (p23), plus all the Ranils Ramblings . 17
usual reports. If were missing yours then get in touch.
Crime figures 19
Stratfield Saye PC .... 25
Were trying out a newspaper style layout this month in
Village Hall . 26
order to give you more content without increasing the
magazines overall size and cost. We hope you like it but Sherfield PC ...29
Proms .. .30/31
let us know your thoughts.
SPCA
.32
An interesting reminder that were now printing on
Sherfield Park . 34
recycled paper. Using this rather than a non-recycled our
NWR .. 39
environmental impact was apparently reduced by:
Beat Report .. 40/41
184kg of landfill
Village Green ...42
25kg CO2 and greenhouse gases
Gardening Club 48
247km travel in the average European car
WI & Evergreens ..49
5,094 litres of water
New Chief Constable 55
469kWh of energy
Small Ads... 56
Useful Tel: Nos57
299kg of wood
This months cover of local bluebells from Nikki Rimmer.
Please keep your photos and articles coming in to:-: editor@loddonvalleylink.org.uk.
Stratfield Turgis Parish Annual General Meeting

Friday 3rd June
In the Cricket Pavilion on the Recreation Ground
From 7:30 pm
We have a guest speaker from CPRE
(Campaign to Protect Rural England)
Wine and nibbles will be provided.

All residents welcome
Page 2
Page 3
Services
May 2016
Parish Registers
Baptism
Sunday 1st May
Easter 6
10.00am
Holy Communion
St Leonards Sherfield
10.00am
Family Service
St Marys Stratfield Saye*
6.30pm
Holy Communion
St Marys Hartley Wespall
Thursday 5th May

10.00am
13.03.16
Sherfield
Amber Betty Hadley
10.04.16
Sherfield
Wedding
Ascension
Holy Communion
Sunday 8th May

10.00am
Albie James Staines
Easter 7
Morning Worship and Sunday Club
Ashley MacNaughton &
09.04.16
Sherfield
Katherine Miller
Friday 13th May

4.15pm
Messy Church
Sunday 15th May
Sherfield Community Centre

Pentecost
10.00am
Holy Communion & Sunday Club
6.30pm
Evensong
Sunday 22nd May
Friday 13th
May 2016
Trinity Sunday
8.00am
Holy Communion
10.00am
Together in Worship
(a service for all ages)
Sunday 29th May

10.00am Benefice Holy Communion
Trinity 1
Sunday 5th June

10.00am Holy Communion
Trinity 2
10.00am
Family Service
St Marys Stratfield Saye*
6.30pm
Evensong and Holy Communion
Children are welcome at all our services. Services in italics are particularly geared
to children and families.
Theme - Our Worldwide family

All welcome! Lots of craft, worship and tea for the children!
4.15 Arrive, Register, prepare for Worship
4.30 Worship followed by craft activities
5.15 Meal - cafe style (finish at 5.30pm)
It is essential that you book

(and please advise of any food allergies).
For more information and to book, please contact :
Peta Alvares: padalvares@gmail.com or on Facebook: messychurchsol
*Drive up close to the white gates, which will open automatically .

Page 4
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MINISTERS LETTER
BREACH LANE CHAPEL

Sherfield on Loddon
Geoff Belsham 01256 882534 / 07519 708416
Transport is available for all events at the chapel
Services for May

Sunday 1st
Friday 6
th
Sunday 8
th
Thursday 12
th
Friday 13th
Sunday 15
Open Morning at the Chapel
10.30am
Family Worship led by Graham Locke
7.45pm
House Group & Bible Study at 7 Pound Close,

Bramley
10.30am
st
Saturday 21
2.30pm
Sunday 22nd
Wednesday 25
Thursday 26
Sunday 29
10.30am
10.30am
Friday 20th
th
Family Worship led by Steve Smith
10.30am
th
Friday 27th
10.30am
th
th
Family Worship led by Neil Owen including

Holy Communion
10.30am
Through the Roof Club led by Geoff Belsham

Village Walk
Family Worship led by Alistair Sneddon
2.30pm
Midweek Fellowship led by Geoff Belsham
10.30am
The Morning Dew Ladies Fellowship led by

Cora
10.30am
10.30am
12.30pm
CHURCH RE-OPENING Anniversary service

led by Rev. Richard Lane
ANNIVERSARY MEAL
St. Leonards Church

The Church
Open Days for
May are 14th, 21st
and 28th. Open
from 10am till
4pm
Page 6
Catholic Services
St Bedes and Holy
Ghost Churches,
Basingstoke.
Parish Office Open
Tues to Friday
9.30 am-1.00 pm Tel.465214.
Sunday Mass 9.00 am, 11.00 am
and 6.30 pm
Dear Friends,
Following on with the People who inspired
me series; the second person who deeply
inspired me was Jack Hebditch. He was proud
of his name, which he claimed came from
hedges and ditches, though I have since
found its origin is 7th century Anglo-Saxon and
quite different. The point was that he was
proud of his working background. Jack was a
consummate and excellent tradesman, a
Wheelwright and Joiner of the old school. I
first met him properly whilst waiting for a bus
on the way to the Bournemouth and Poole
College of Art. This interested him greatly and
what he did caught my imagination too,
especially as I had a keen interest in furniture
design.
I would pop into his old dusty workshop often
for a chat but mostly to watch, listen and learn.
Even when busy he had the time and space
for me to just be there. I found the draw of
that environment, the tools, the bench that had
seen better days, the smell of the wood,
Jacks deep connection with his craft and his
stories irresistible. But it was to be another five
years before I actually worked there.
When Jack took me on and agreed to train me
he was well past retiring age. Only his silver
hair and weathered features betrayed this. His
strength, agility and enthusiasm seemed
undimmed as of a man twenty years his junior.
He was always careful but he was not averse
to walking along the ridge of a strong roof
without aid to repair a single broken tile. His
gentle manner and his sense of humour were
infectious and we laughed together every day.
This was especially true when things were
going wrong, when we should have been
moaning. But Jack didnt do moaning; he was
an eternal optimist and I soon discovered why.
In his youth Jack had been a rebel. He didnt
ever cross the line as far as the law was
concerned. That seemed to have been kept in
check after an acquaintance of his, Sticky
Wilson, received three strokes of the birch.
According to Jack he went

straight as a die after that but he
liked being a rebel. He owned a
rather noisy Morgan three
wheeler, which he delighted in parking outside
the Methodist Chapel on a Sunday evening.
He would wait for the sermon to begin and
then rev the car up until the door to the chapel
opened. He would then speed off much to the
irritation of the steward. He once put the car
through an ornamental gate and had to make
a new one in his time and at his expense.
There were many more stories; in fact, I cant
ever remember Jack running out of stories.
So, I said one day, You were a real
tearaway. Arr, he replied, I was that. Thats
why I have a lot of time for young people
today. Its no good moaning when you were
like that as a nipper. He had a point and he
lived by his philosophy.
Several times youngsters caused mischief and
damage in the estate yard. Jack simply tucked
his thumbs behind his braces and said, Oh
well, lets have a cup of tea. He obviously had
to inform the estate manager if the loss was
really bad but his overall attitude was more of
compassion than retribution. Jack taught me
to be tolerant and look at the world and people
in particular with more understanding. I thank
God for Jack and his mentoring and for the
skills he taught me. I thank God that I was
able to tell him that. Finally I am thankful that
Jack found his way back to God and died full
of faith in his late nineties, having only fully
retired a couple of years before. As I indicated
last time, the reason I share this is because it
is so vital for every one of us to realise that we
have a role in mentoring others and we are
not finished with that task until we die. Until
then it is our call to encourage and build up
those God has given to us, especially the
young.
Take a little time to read Proverbs 4.
Every blessing. Stephen (Priest in Charge)
sb113lb@gmail.com 01256 881071
Page 7
Percys Plant Sale

Saturday 14th May,
10.00am to 1.00pm
Sherfield on Loddon Village Hall
There will be a huge selection of Plants for
sale. Flowers, fruit and vegetables,
including geraniums, begonia, fuschia,
runner beans, tomatoes.
There will also be a stall from the Garden
Club, a cake stall, Bramley Bakery Cake stall,
raffle and POSH coffee morning.
The proceeds will be shared between St

Leonards Church, the Village Hall and the
Garden Club.
Page 8
Page 9
TEXT FOR THE MONTH

Colossians 3 : verses 1 & 2
Since, then, you have been raised with
Christ, set your hearts on things above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of
God. Set your minds on things above, not
on earthly things.
The NIV Bible
Prayer for the Month.
Lord Jesus, though we are many, you have

made us one
In your name we pray.
Amen
Prayer Points for May

Pray for world leaders at his time of
confusion and anxiety over work and
employment. May they see a way forward
for the benefit of all
Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that you

reveal yourself in different ways: through
your still small voice, yet equally in the
hustle and bustle of daily life; through
exuberant songs of praise but also in
moments of quiet reflection. Your Spirit is
with us at moments of great excitement and
also in our ordinary everyday activities.
Pray for endings of the conflict in Syria and

Iraq
Help us to see you in one another, however

different we seem to be. Help us to
overcome our fear of what is strange to us
and our suspicion of new ideas, so that we
may learn more of your purpose and your
saving love.
Pray for Percys Plant Sale at the Village

Hall on May 14th.
May our understanding of you be enriched

and our fellowship deepened by the
diversity which you have given us to share.
Pray for the refugees from the Middle East

that they may be able to find peace in the
countries of Europe
Pray for all children who will be taking
important exams this month and next.
Pray for the sick known to us

that they may know Gods
peace.
Give thanks for the joy of
longer days, warmer weather
and the beauty of the world
around us.
St Leonards Church Room is available for hire
The new church room is a light modern space with kitchen and toilet
facilities. Suitable for meetings or childrens parties!
For more information about hiring please contact:

admin@stleonardschurch.co.uk / 01256 882788
Page 10
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www.classictreeservices.co.uk
Page 12
Page 13
GARDEN MACHINERY SERVICES

Servicing
Repairs
Tuning
Adjustment
Sharpening
Miles Elliott
Phone/Fax:
Turgis Green
01256 882224
Mobile:07810573479E-mail:
miles.elliott@btinternet.com
Nows the time for servicing
Page 14
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Ranils Ramblings
An update from
Westminster by Ranil
Jayawardena, Member
of Parliament for North
East Hampshire.
Hasnt the last year just flown by? It was last
May that I had the honour of being elected
as the Member of Parliament for North East
Hampshire. I would like to thank all of my
supporters in Sherfield-on-Loddon and,
indeed, everyone who voted on 7th May last
year.
The twelve months since then have been
frantic and this shows no sign of changing in
the run up to the European Union
referendum. I have thoroughly enjoyed
engaging both with local people and with
businesses over recent months to find out
their views on this topic, and recently
conducted an enjoyable question and
answer session to debate views on this
matter.
The Garage at Sherfield

www.thegarageatsherfield.co.uk
Goddards Lane,
Sherfield-on-Loddon, HOOK, Hants. RG27 0EZ
ith
w t
ice ge
rv nd 30
e
s a
a T or
e MO T f
v
Haour MO
y o ur
y
90% of
our work
is repeat
business
Tel: 01256 882271

Mobile: 07812 939 498
Page 16
MOTs Cars and

Motorcycles
Service
Diagnostics
Repairs
Air Conditioning
Recovery
Collection and Delivery
service available.
I have found the huge range of issues that

are important to the constituents of this area
particularly interesting. Id like to use this
opportunity to highlight just a couple of the
actions I have been taking in Westminster to
tackle these.
Last year, I was fortunate enough to be
elected by my colleagues to be a member of
the Home Affairs Select Committee. This
has given me the opportunity to look into a
range of issues that constituents have told
me are crucial to them, such as policing and
immigration.
Recently, I questioned the Home Secretary,
Theresa May, on her efforts to control
immigration and also enquired for further
information on the real consequences of an
EU-Turkey deal for immigration levels in the
UK. I know that immigration is a key issue
both locally and nationally, so its a topic I
will continue to raise in Parliament.
Over the course of the year, I have asked a
number of questions of the Prime Minister,
David Cameron, too. I was delighted to hear
his positive response on further funding for

RAF Odiham and look forward to this
moving this issue forward. Similarly, when I
raised the issue of police funding, I was

assured by the Prime Minister that funding
for police will increase by 900 million in
cash terms over the course of this
Parliament. This includes funding for an
additional 108 police officers across
Hampshire, to ensure the increased security
and safety of the people of North East

Hampshire.
If you have an issue or concern, or would
like more regular updates on my work in
Westminster, please contact me by email:
Ranil@TellRanil.com or by phone: 020 7219
3637.
Page 17
CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT FELLOWSHIP (BASINGSTOKE BRANCH)

At the meeting held on Wednesday 6th April
the Chairman, John Lambeth, welcomed 61
members and the Secretary, Tony Brazier,
gave details of the forthcoming trips to
Brooklands Motor Museum and Hatchlands
Park on Tuesday 17th May and Blenheim
Palace on Friday 17th June.
Liverpool was much safer than trying

to navigate the English Channel at the time
of the Napoleonic wars and how later trade
in sugar and cotton as well as supplying
slaves for these industries ensured huge
profits for the ship owners. This continued
until the Abolition of Slavery Act of 1833
when the owners, having realised that their
profitable business was coming to an end,
used their wealth to create some of the wellknown banks and business empires which
remain to this day.
The speaker this month was Iain Kennedy

who gave a talk entitled Liverpool, Capital
of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. He
described how the shipping magnates of the
1700s saw the great potential in shipping
slaves from West Africa, a practice that had
been carried out by the Spanish and
Portuguese since the time of Elizabeth 1st.
The first ship out of Liverpool to do this in
1700 was called Liverpool Trader and
carried 220 slaves which netted 330,000
profit. He explained how sailing from
At the next meeting on 4th May the speaker

will be Jane Komrower from the CAB.
The group meets on the first Wednesday of
each month at Brookvale Village Hall from
10 am to 12 noon and all retired Civil
Servants and their partners are welcome.
Further details about meetings can be
obtained from the Secretary Tony Brazier on
01256 418770 or at bjmapbr@ntlworld.com
and if you would like to join us on any of our
trips please contact Kate Lambeth on 01256
328791
David Cowling
Have your say on Hampshire

Hospitals services
The trust, which runs Basingstoke and North
Hampshire Hospital, Royal Hampshire
County Hospital, in Winchester, and
Andover War Memorial Hospital, is carrying
out an engagement programme to help it
plan for the future.
Contact Roy on 01256 861462

Mobile: 07798 570443.
Website: www.molegone.co.uk
Page 18
Visit bit.ly/HampshireHospitals to complete

an online survey. The closing date for
responses is 13 May 2016.
If you would like to know more about the

trust, you can watch short films featuring
interviews with senior clinical staff talking
about the services they run, the challenges
they face and their plans for the future are
available at hampshirehospitals.nhs.uk/news
-events/news/public-engagement-spring2016.aspx.
As part of the engagement programme, staff

Mary Edwards, chief executive of Hampshire from the trust will be out and about around
Hospitals, said: We are continually listening Hampshire over the next few weeks,
to the public and this survey gives us
carrying out roadshows.
another way to understand peoples views of
our services and our plans. It will help us
shape what we do in the future.
Page 19
The Four Horseshoes

Old Reading Road
Sherfield on Loddon
RG27 2EX
Tel: 01256 t882296

www.the4horseshoes.co.uk
Traditional village pub serving drinks and food.
2 for 1 meal offer
Buy one main meal from our selected lunchtime menu and
receive another absolutely free
(TuesdaysFridays 12 midday4pm).
Deal expires 31 May 2016
Function room/skittle alley for hire please enquire

Page 20
Page 21
ST LEONARDS BIG CLEAN SATURDAY MAY 7 TH

We decided last year it would be good to
have a BIG
CLEAN in the
Spring and fixed on
7th May starting at
10am. This gives
us an opportunity
to do a more
thorough clean of
the church and to
tackle areas that
are often missed.
Please let us (the
cleaning team)
know if there are
any corners
needing dusting,
cobwebs on light fittings or anything else
that you may have noticed. We shall not
take offence! Coffee and tea will be
available and it would be a good time for
anyone thinking of joining us to meet some
Page 22
of the teams.
Also just a quick reminder that we are
holding the rota meeting on Monday 9th
May at 7:45pm in the new church room. It
will be followed by coffee/tea and biscuits.
We would welcome new recruits so please
consider volunteering the more members
we have the less frequent are the duties,
and it is not a huge time commitment. It is
a way of helping our church remain
attractive to our regular congregation and
local community, especially now the new
extension is available. If you dont feel able
to be part of the rota we also welcome
helpers who can be called upon in those
rare occasions someone phones in sick or
has a domestic emergency.
For more information contact Valerie
Burrows on 01256 880087, Kay Pearman
on 01256 882565 or email Valerie at:
StL@avbur.demon.co.uk.
Page 23
ASH BROOK INDEPENDANT
FUNERAL
DIRECTORS
& MEMORIAL
CONSULTANTS
Independent family Funeral

Director
Day or night we provide a
complete personal, caring &
professional service for all your
funeral requirements
Dignified funeral service 895
plus disbursements
Please call Terina on
0118 9821111
28 Mulfords Hill, Tadley, Hants, RG26
3JE
www.ashbrookfunerals.co.uk
STRATFIELD SAYE PARISH REPORT

The Parish Council is hoping to install a
basketball net on the recreation ground in
the next few months.
Im still waiting to hear about the once a
week 154 bus and will keep you posted.
As reported last month the Parish Council
still wants residents suggestions:
where to site the plaque theyll be

receiving at the end of the year to
commemorate Mr Welch being awarded
the VC in the First World War.
where to place the bench in memory of

the late Duke of Wellington.
So if you have any suggestions for the
celebrations, position for the plaque or
bench please let me know and Ill pass
them on to the Parish Council for

consideration
Dont forget the fete on 25th June to
celebrate the Queens 90th birthday to be
held at the Iron Duke. Arrangements are
well underway so if you could help please
contact Jean Carruthers. Any funds will go
towards installing new childrens equipment
at the recreation ground.
The next Parish Meeting & AGM is on 9th
May at 7.00p.m. in the Village Hall but
dont forget to come along to the monthly
coffee mornings in the Village Hall at
11.00a.m. 9th May.
Penny Mayo, Stratfield Saye Parish Clerk,
ssjclerk@gmail.com or tel. 01189332379.
THE STRATFIELD SAYE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

(Grants for Children and Young People)
James Hare, Stratfield Saye Estates, Estate

The Foundation was established by George Office, Stratfield Saye,th Near Reading, RG7
Pitt in 1739 and provides grants for children 2BT, not later than 30 June 2016.
and young people under 18 in the Parishes
of Stratfield Saye and Beech Hill. The
Trustees would like to encourage parents of
Stratfield Saye and Beech Hill to make use
of this historic charity.
All claims, with accompanying receipts, for
extra curricular activities, where not
provided by the Local Education Authority
will be considered sympathetically. The
grant is not means-tested and is available
for activities such as:
Music and swimming tuition, residential and
study courses, textbooks and special
equipment etc.
Applications for grants must be received by:
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Village Hall Matters
Sherfield on Loddon Village Hall

Reg. Charity No. 272385
Tel: 07468 427684
Email: info@sherfieldvillagehall.co.uk
FUND RAISING
As a Charity, the only regular income the
Hall receives is from its hiring fees so
continued local support and fundraising is
essential to bridge the gap between income
from bookings and the cost of running the
Hall. Please help us by supporting our
fundraising activities. Unfortunately last
month we had to cancel the quiz night
because of low advance ticket sales
apologies to those of you who had
purchased tickets.
IS IT CURTAINS FOR THE HALL?
Some of our users have requested we buy
curtains (obviously fire-retardant) for the
main hall. Other user groups think that the
blinds alone are adequate and curtains
unnecessary. What is your view? If you feel
strongly either way please email us at the
above address and let us know.
Garden Room will be in use all day and

evening from 7am to 10pm.
NEW CLOCK
Kathleen Gaiger and her daughter, Eleanor,
have very kindly donated an antique clock
to the Village Hall. The management
committee is extremely grateful for this
generous gift which is in keeping with the
character of the hall and is now in pride of
place.
Please dont forget the Village Coffee

Morning on the 2nd Saturday of each
month at 10.30am in the Garden Room. All
welcome.
For more information on activities, events &
booking the hall, visit: the website below
ELECTIONS THURSDAY 5th MAY

Please note that the Village Hall is a Polling
Station for the May elections and the
www.sherfieldvillagehall.co.uk
Page 26
Page 27
May Update from Sherfield Parish Council

Meeting dates
West Green Road, Hartley Wintney

RG27 8LP
Open June (date varies) to late
September for Pick Your Own & Picked
fruit, vegetables and flowers including
Strawberries, Tayberries, Currants,
Gooseberries, Raspberries, New
Potatoes & Asparagus; local Honey,
Free Range Eggs and Homemade
Jams & Ice Creams
CALL 01252 845772
from May 1st for information, & to place
orders or visit
www.westgreenfruits.com
The next Full Parish Council meeting

dates are 18th May and 8th June 2016 at
7.30 pm in the Liddell Hall. The May
meeting will be the AGM of the Parish
Council. The APM for parish residents
will take place on Monday 9th May in the
Village Hall.
Litter Warden Vacancy
Phil Cole, our litter warden of many
years will be retiring at the end of April.
The Parish Council would like to thank
Phil for the great job he has done.
Waste and Recycling

Do you know that Hampshire County
Council is consulting residents about
changes to recycling? This could
involve the closure of some waste
recycling sites. If you would like to
express your views please go to http://
www3.hants.gov.uk/waste-recycling.htm
and follow the links to the questionnaire.
The consultation closes on 25 May
2016.
Hospital Survey
This means that there is a part-time

vacancy for a litter warden. This is a
paid position for 6 hours a week. The
main duties are to collect litter in and
around the village of Sherfield-onLoddon and to empty litter bins on a
regular basis. Training and equipment
are provided. Please contact the Clerk
for further details and to apply.
Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation

Trust is interested in finding out views of
residents on services provided. If you
would like to give your feedback please
go to
www.bit.ly/HampshireHospitals or
visit the parish council website for
further information and a direct link.
The survey closes on 13th May 2016.
Village Green
Catherine Ryle Clerk to the Parish Council,

Sherfield-on-Loddon,
Please see the article Village Green

Matters for information about the dog
waste stations which the Parish Council
is installing to combat the problems
caused by those who do not clear up
after their pets.
PO Box 6862, Basingstoke

RG24 4QZ
Telephone: 01256 842662 Email:
clerk@sherfieldonloddon-pc.gov.uk
Becky, Rita & Jeannette will be hosting a Tea at 3

fund raising event for St Michaels Hospice on
Sunday 17th July 2pm 5pm
at The Old School, Silchester Road, Bramley
(drive runs along side the allotments).
There will be refreshments and cakes available.
If anyone would like a stall at the event or for further information
please contact Becky on 07733 466210 / 01256 881358.
Everyone welcome!
Page 28
Page 29
Proms 2016 is coming soon

The 122nd season of the BBC Proms
features more than 90 concerts over eight
weeks, including four Last Night
celebrations around the UK.
Here's a behind the scenes
look from Jane Abrams
For over 25 years I have been
privileged to be a member of
the BBC Symphony Chorus.
This has meant that as part of
the resident choir of the Proms
I have often taken part in the
Last Night of the Proms, the
crowning glory of the greatest
music festival in the world. As
well as being an evening of
wonderful music the Last Night
can be said to be a fantastic
party, which in recent years this
has extended to Proms in the Park and
other venues around the country. It is also
televised throughout the world. There is
nothing quite like the atmosphere in the
Albert Hall. For me some of the highlights
in Last Nights I have sung in are:
(during my first in 1991) Gwyneth

Jones singing The Last Rose of
Summer, accompanied on the harp
by Sidonie Goossens in her last
performance
Sir Andrew Davis conducting, by his

own estimate, the fastest
Belshazzars Feast in history
Nigel Kennedy causing brilliant

mayhem
singing in Graingers Tribute to

Foster - and playing tuned wine
glasses
the BBC Symphony Orchestra

players jazzing it up for all they were
worth in Victory Stride
Of course, the Proms are not just about
the Last Night and I have sung in many
memorable concerts, both new works and
Page 30
choral classics. My first Prom ever was

Elgars The Dream of Gerontius and this
led to what I think is the best review we
have ever had. Some time afterwards

Terry Waite said that while still a hostage
held captive in the Lebanon he had been
allowed to listen to the concert on the
radio, and
that it had
given him
great
comfort.
Mike & Jane
shown here
backstage
wearing the
pink
carnations
all the
performers
wear are
given to
them by the
Prommers.
The 2016
Proms season will run from 15th July to 10th
September. As well as the usual favourites
the BBC Symphony Chorus will sing
Borodins Polovstian Dances and Our
Revels Now Are Ended, by modern choral
composer Jonathan Dove. The rest of the

season will include:
a late-night Prom tribute to David Bowie

a Strictly Come Dancing theme night
music inspired by Shakespeare, marking
the best of George and Ira Gershwin,

marking the 120th anniversary of Ira's
birth.
For further details see bbc.co.uk/proms.
If you are interested in joining the BBC

Symphony Chorus and already have
400 years since the playwright's death
experience of choral singing contact the
a CBeebies Prom
Chorus Administrator for more information
a celebration of Latin American music, to and to arrange an audition, at
coincide with the 2016 Olympics in Rio de bbcsc@bbc.co.uk.
Janeiro.
Jane Abrams
Page 31
QUIZ NIGHT
Saturday 14th May
7.30pm
Tickets 8 per person
(includes food)
Licensed cash bar

Max 6 per team, no minimum
LIGHT & LIFE ART

EXHIBITION
30th April22nd May
FREE ENTRY
Viewings available during
Centre opening hours Mon
Thurs.
Weekends by appointment only
SHERFEST 2016
Saturday 2nd July 12-8pm
Live Music ~ Bar with real ale & cider ~ Aircraft landing ~ Fish & Chips ~
The Hobo Co Zorb Balling ~ Inflatables ~ Face Painting & Mascots ~ Street
Food ~ Selfie booth
PLUS loads more being confirmed!! FREE ENTRY
www.Facebook.com/Sherfest
REGUAR CLASSES AT THE CENTRE

For adults: Pilates/Yoga/Line Dancing/Ballroom /
Latin/Kickboxing/Studio Cycling/Zumba/Forever Fit
For children & toddlers: Theatre4Kids/Streetdance/Ballet, Tap,
Modern, Musical Theatre/Rugbytots/Tiny Tykes /Youth Zone
For babies and tots: Sherfield 0-5s/Tots Play/Monkey Music/Little
Tiptoes
Community Groups: Bump into mums/Over55s social/Fabrics &
Threads/Football/Messy Church/Puppy Training school!
Rooms for Hire: Corporate meetings, children's parties, birthdays, wedding receptions and other special occasions
Contact us on 01256 883967 or admin@sherfieldparkcommunity.co.uk for
tickets, bookings and information or visit www.sherfieldparkcommunity.co.uk
Page 32
Page 33
SHERFIELD PARK MATTERS

NEW PARISH COUNCIL
Well, the time has come the Walrus said
... At long last we have a wonderful
opportunity to focus on what is really
important to residents of the Parish of
Sherfield Park. There are 9 names in the
frame (from which 7 councillors are to be
elected) to create a new Parish Council. This
should provide all sorts of opportunities for
local residents to become better engaged
with what is going on and help to address
those issues affecting life in the community.
The Sherfield Park Community Association
(SPCA) is looking forward to working in
close harmony with its new parish council
and its neighbouring parishes too, so dont
forget to cast your vote, either by post (in
advance of the date) or in person at the
polling station on the 5 May. Election results
should be known by 7 May and the first
meeting of the new Parish Council is
scheduled for 8pm on 10 May at the SP
Community Centre.
THE SHOP
As I write, Croudace Homes Ltd. is adding
the roofing joists on the very last building of
its part of Sherfield Park. As can be seen,
this building looks like a normal block of flats
in the making. However, it is somewhat
different in that it contains a ground-floor
retail unit (comprising two flats made into
one large space) specially designed this way
to provide the location for the Shop.

Progress is continuing with the search for a
suitable tenant-shopkeeper and the SPCA
Page 34
remains on course to announce the name of

the successful bidder by late June this year.
The shop remains on schedule too, with
plans to open its doors for business by end
of year.
SHERFIELD YOUTH GROUP
Just a timely reminder about the Youth
Groups that meet at Sherfield Park
Community Centre every Wednesday
evening. There are all sorts of activities to
enjoy, including: Cooking and Baking,
Games and Sports, Arts and Crafts and
Information and Advice projects.
School Years 46 meet from: 6:157:15 pm
and School Years 711 from: 7:309:00pm.
Do join in as all are welcome.
SPCC LOFT CONVERSION PROJECT
The necessary M&E (Mechanical &
Engineering) redesign and structural
calculations and associated drawings are
reportedly progressing. These should enable
tendering for the construction phase of the
project to go ahead in the next few weeks.
Repositioning some of the larger plant, to
make way for the additional function rooms
in the loft space, has proved to be a bit more
challenging than first thought. But the SPCA
remains hopeful that a timely solution will
enable the project to continue to programme.
REACHING OUT
The SPCA is reaching out to local residents
who work mostly from home. The idea is to
bring like-minded people together in an
attempt to assist them with good local
support and high quality modern facilities for
their meetings. Recent grant money has
been used to purchase projectors and
screens to further enhance Community
Centre meeting spaces. So, whether it is for
purely business purposes, networking or just
taking a well-earned break during the busy
day to perhaps socialise; the SPCA is
interested in hosting coffee/ networking get-
togethers for the growing number of

residents who choose to work from where
they live. So, let Julie or Louise know at:
admin@sherfieldparkcommunity.co.uk or on
01256 883967. If you are interested, they
can help to make it happen.
Remember, all residents of Sherfield Park
are more than welcome to attend SPCA
Committee Meetings held on the last
Wednesday of each month at 8:00 pm at the
Sherfield Park Community Centre. Dont
forget, the SPCA is a registered charity
whose purpose in life is to support its
community. It is neither part of the

government or government funded; nor is it
associated with any political party. Simply
put, its just a group of dedicated volunteers
overseeing the smooth running of the
Community Centre, its recreation fields and
how best to provide facilities for the range of
residents interests. So, if you are keen to
help serve the community, do get in touch
via:
communications@sherfieldparkcommunity.co.uk/ or
why not just drop in for a cuppa and a chat?
Howard Perkins
Sherfield Park Parish Council

PARISH COUNCIL ELECTION
Thursday 5th May 2016
All residents should have received an
information leaflet of prospective
Candidates standing for the new Council. If
you have not received one then pick one
up from the Community Centre
POP UP CAF
Sunday 8th May 2016 from 10.30 to 12.30
Come and meet your new Parish
Councillors over coffee and bacon rolls
FIRST COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday 10th May 2016 starting at 20.00
Firstly the AGM will appoint a

Chairperson and Committee
members. The main Council
business follows and finally
the Annual Parish Meeting, after which you
are welcome to join us for coffee and cake.
All events are at Sherfield Park Community
Centre.
Picnic in the Park
This was advertised in last months issue
but due to unforeseen circumstances this
sadly will have to be cancelled and moved
to a later date.
The Art Exhibition at St Leonards Church

We saw many visitors over the Easter
Weekend.
Jane and Tessa would like to thank all the
helpers, artists and visitors who gave most
generously.
We were able to donate 1000 to The
Camrose Centre in Basingstoke.
Many thanks to the Mayor, Cllr Anne Court
and her husband Richard for their support
and interest.
Jane Farrow.
Stephen the Vicar and Mayor shown.
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Where Next?
The topic for our last meeting was changed
due to lack of progress on research, so we
swapped with our May meeting and did
Where Next places to visit within 30
miles (or so) of Sherfield. As the crow flies,
30 miles north takes us more or less to
Oxford, south to the outskirts of
Southampton and Portsmouth, west to
Marlborough and east to Heathrow and
parts of Surrey such as Walton-on-Thames.
This is a huge area and due to the
population density and wealth of the SouthEast, there are numerous attractions,
although there is an abundance of beautiful
countryside to explore too. In this area we
have towns/cities such as Guildford,
Oxford, Henley, Marlborough, Marlow,
Farnham and Winchester,
all worth exploring.
The National Trust has 22
properties and gardens in
this area, not to mention all
the open countryside it
owns including Hindhead
Commons and the Devils Punchbowl.
Some of these were chosen by us as being
good places to visit and included Hinton
Ampner, Mottisfont, The Vyne, West Green
Garden, Polesden Lacey, Greys Court and
Nuffield Place.
Walking featured in many of our
choices and favoured places were
Virginia Water, Frensham Ponds,
Butser Hill, Winchester to St Cross
Hospital, Steep near Petersfield,
Farleigh House Woofs and Wellies
event, Black Park and Langley Park at
Slough. There are long distance footpaths
which start or pass through this area and
these are the Wayfarers Walk, North
Downs Way, South Downs Way, the
Ridgeway and Thames Path.
Tea shops (with accompanying facilities!)
were mentioned and these included Gilbert
Whites House at Selborne (also an
interesting museum), Riseley Village Hall
Page 38
and Heale
House and
Gardens
near
Salisbury.
For those interested in history, Reading
Museum has an excellent reproduction of
the Bayeaux Tapestry, and there is a
fascinating tapestry at the Overlord
Museum at Southsea. Frogmore House at
Windsor was also mentioned as
somewhere interesting.
For art lovers we learnt that there is an
event called Art in Action in July each year
at Waterperry House near Oxford.
Nature lovers chose the Hawk
Conservancy near Andover.
Bombay Sapphire at Laverstoke
was a popular choice where you
can visit the factory and sample
cocktails of their famous gin. It is
recommended that you get
someone to drive you!
Other places for a visit included
the Chili Fiesta at West Dean and not far
away, the Weald and Downland Museum at
Singleton. A good place to take children,
which was recommended, is Bocketts Farm
near Leatherhead with plenty of indoor and
outdoor activities and facilities. We
thoroughly enjoyed this evening and it has
given us plenty of ideas for the summer!
We have an evening ramble and pub meal
planned for May, as well as our normal
meeting.
Gill Fearon
Page 39
Latest Beat Report

Burglaries:
Burglaries are a Local Beat Priority across the
whole of Basingstoke. There has been one
reported Burglary this month across Bramley
and Sherfield which is a decrease over last
month.
The dwelling burglary was in Bramley on
Cufaude Lane, offender(s) appear to have
entered a property via a window. There was
no apparent search within the property or
anything discovered stolen.
Even though the below advice has been on
every beat report for two years I will still
promote this advice due to Burglaries being a
beat priority set by the local community and I
still visit addresses where the owner has not
completed any of the following advice.
Please consider this advice:
Shed/ Outbuilding:
Multiple (different types) locks on your shed
doors. Most locks require different tools to
remove
Place net curtains in the windows of your
shed/ outbuilding.
Ensure you have all valuable garden
equipment serial numbers stored somewhere
safe.
Consider placing a ground anchor lock within
your shed/ outbuilding and secure valuable
equipment to that with a heavy duty lock.
Consider moving your high value items into
your house.
Take pictures of your valuables so if they are
stolen and recovered it is easier to find out
who the owner is.
Use a UV pen to write your postcode on any
equipment so its easier to identify the owner.
Home:
Check your insurance documents for any
specific security requirements or upgrades.
Ensure side gates are locked to prevent
access to the rear of the property.
Page 40
(Continued from page 40)
Ensure rear fencing is in

good repair.
Lock all windows and doors, remembering to
double lock UPVC doors (lift handle and turn
key)
Keep all keys out of reach and sight from the
letterbox (remember a device could be used
to hook keys through letterbox).
Do not leave ladders and garden tools in your
garden, lock them away in your shed.
Improve natural surveillance at the front of
your property i.e. trim high hedges.
Consider fitting security lighting and a burglar
alarm.
Mark your property with postcode and house
number and register your property for free
with www.immobilise.com
Make use of timer switches to make the
property appear occupied.
Get a trusted neighbour to keep an eye on
your property.
Remove valuables from view of ground floor
windows.
Store any high value items (i.e. jewellery,
passports) in a properly secured safe or bank
vault.
Anti Social Behaviour:
There have been 7 reports of ASB this month.
That is an increase of 4 reported incidents
over the last month. One of these incidents
was ASB Nuisance, two being
Environmental, and 5 being Personal two
of these incidents were a neighbour dispute
that I have had no further reports of.
If you are considering reporting an
abandoned vehicle to Police but the vehicle is
not obstructing the road then please contact
the local council who will start the process of
having the vehicle removed. Police will not
remove the vehicle unless it is actually parked
(Continued on page 41)
in a dangerous position (for example: parked

in a position where it is causing other
vehicles to take immediate avoiding action. A
vehicle parked where other drivers need to
slow down to pass or need to give way, is
not considered dangerous.)
If you suffer from ASB and you are a tenant
of social housing then you will need to report
these incidents to your housing officer before
you contact Police. If the offender is also in
social housing accommodation then your
housing association will have more powers
to tackle it than we do. If your housing officer
believes Police intervention will help then
they will contact us.
I would like to encourage all residents to
report any incidents of anti social behaviour
to us on 101, or if you are a resident of social
housing and your issues are with a
neighbour also living in social housing
accommodation, please report any incidents
to your local housing officer. If the problem
then persists then your Housing Officer will
contact me. Please do report ASB because if
it doesnt get reported then I will not know
that its happening and therefore I will not be
able to focus my patrol time efficiently.
Criminal Damage
There have been a few incidents this year of
catapults being used to break windows. If
you have experienced this then please call
101 and report it as a crime. It would appear
the main properties targeted are visible from
the Cinder Track. Also if you see youths
picking up stones from a neighbours
driveway then please also call this in to us.
Suspicious Incidents:
There have also been 3 suspicious vehicle/
person reports. The only report of note was
an on call doctor seeing two males at
0300hrs standing around on Bramley Road,
Sherfield on Loddon, one with what
appeared to be a cricket bat, further down
the road there was another male wearing
dark sunglasses. We received no other

reports of this and nothing that could be
linked was reported the next day. If you see
anything you consider being suspicious
please call us on 101 to report it. If there are
any units free at the time of the call, they will
attend. I am impressed of the detail people
giving to us. The majority of the suspicious
vehicles that have been called in to us have
been with a full registration! It helps us out a
lot when we have this line of enquiry as we
can normally locate the owner and ask them
what they were doing.
Overall:
An increase in ASB as the weather starts
getting warmer, which was expected. We
have also had more reports of suspicious
incidents
March Crime Stats
ASB 7
Assault 7
Burglary Dwelling 1
Burglary non-Dwelling 0
Criminal Damage 3
Concern for welfare 1
Driving Complaint 3
Impaired Driving 1
Public Order Incident 1
Road Traffic Collision 1
Suspicious Incidents 4
Theft 1
Emergency. As always, please can I ask all
residents to report any suspicious persons,
vehicles or incidents using the 101 telephone
number; please only ring 999 if it is a
genuine emergency. An easy guide on which
number to use is this:
Is the incident in progress and is there a risk
of injury or damage to property? 999
Has the incident already happened and there
is no longer any risk? 101
Anything else we need to know? 101
Many thanks,
PCSO Nathan Johnson
Page 41
Sherfield Village Green Matters by the Village Green Group

Trees. The tree works have now been
completed and the piles of resulting logs and
chippings are rapidly disappearing. The trees
that were felled were diseased and/or
potentially dangerous, but others (mainly
willows) were pollarded so they will regrow
from the base.
Volunteering. Our second volunteering
session took place on Saturday 2nd April.
Thanks to everyone who turned out and gave
their time.
We scrubbed and
cleared another 9
benches, around the
ponds, the cricket pitch
and near the play
area. If youve noticed
green paint on some of
the benches, this is to identify where planks
need replacement. As well as sorting out the
benches, we cleared a lot of brambles and
other debris from around the Jubilee Pond.
Next time our focus will be on cleaning the
remaining 8 benches, weeding around young
trees and checking stakes. If you see
something that you think needs attention,
please let us know through the Parish Clerk.
Our next volunteering session will be on
Saturday 14th May, meeting at the War
Memorial at 2pm. Please come.
Dogs BAG IT AND BIN IT! If you are one
of those who persists in breaking the law by
not picking up after your dog, from now on
you will have no excuse.
The Parish Council is
installing Dog Waste
Stations in four strategic
locations around the
Village Green, so that
everyone will have access to poo bags and to
even more disposal facilities.
affected by dog mess is on the rise. Almost

one in five of the recreation areas it surveyed
had a problem and we have that problem too,
as fouling is still happening on and around the
sports pitches.
As a reminder, dog mess carries harmful
bacteria and sometimes worm eggs which
can lead to a really nasty disease,
Toxocariasis. The eggs become infectious
after 10-21 days, and once the eggs are
passed into soil, they can survive for many
months (even years). So the quicker mess is
picked up, the less chance there is of the
eggs contaminating the soil.
We can all become infected if contaminated
soil gets into our mouths, but young children
are at the greatest risk because they play
outside and tend to place objects and dirt in
their mouths. Once someone has been
infected, larvae hatch and can travel to most
parts of the body, sometimes including the
eyes, and can cause blindness. This is
illustrated by the case of little Aimee
Langdon, who lost the sight in one eye at just
two years old, after falling over near some
dog pooh and then rubbing her eye, in a park
in Manchester in 2010.
So, clearing up is more
about avoiding disabling
a child than it is about
avoiding a fine. A Keep
Britain Tidy survey
showed that many dog
owners know this and not
only clear up their own dogs mess, but other
peoples too.
If you see someone not clearing up, please

point it out to them and, if you have one, offer
them a bag. Unfortunately, its only when
people think theyll get caught that they are
Failing to clear up after your dog is an offence likely to improve their behavior.
and the vast majority of dog owners are
Ducks As highlighted last month, please
responsible and law-abiding. They
switch to healthier alternatives than bread for
understand that dog fouling is anti-social,
our ducks such as greens, seed or corn.
disgusting and hazardous to health.
canalrivertrust.org.uk/keeping-our-ducksHowever, after a decade of decline, Keep
healthy/its-a-ducks-life
Britain
PageTidy
42 says that the number of areas
Loddon Sports Junior Football Club

Committeerecruits wanted
On behalf of Loddon Sports Football Club I
feel that I must make our parents and
players aware of forthcoming changes
within the Club Committee.
It is with regret that I must inform you all
that as at the end of this season 2015/16
we will be losing the services of two
valuable members of our Club Committee.
Our Chairman, Marc Mulley and his wife
Jackie who is currently our Child Welfare
Officer will be standing down from their
posts. Both have served the Club for a long
period of time and will be sorely missed,
this means that the Club will looking for
persons to fill these vacancies.
We want to recruit any adult who is
interested in joining the Club Committee
and offering their services in either post or
as a general committee member, if this
person is you, please feel free to contact
me and discuss the possibilities.
AGM
The Club's Annual General Meeting will be
held on Tuesday July 19th 2016 in Bramley
Village Hall commencing at 7.30pm sharp,
when Committee Members will be elected,
please feel free to attend and listen to what
we can offer to Youth Football. We pride
ourselves on being able to offer the
opportunity for young players to learn,
enjoy and take part in Association Football
and at the same time provide a programme
aimed at promoting soccer

for boys and girls from
4 years to 15 years of age.
The club will shortly enter its
45th year of operation, so if
you are available and willing to help or
support, please feel free to contact me on
01256//882798.
Young Players wanted
The club is looking to recruit young players,
both boys and girls in the age brackets year
R and year 1. This age bracket is the
lifeline of our club, so if you are interested
in football and would like to join our friendly
but constructive sessions of training and
fun then do come along to our sessions on
Saturday mornings, where the emphasis is
on enjoyment and at the same time
learning soccer skills. Our out-door
sessions have already started on Sherfield
Village Green commencing at 9:30am.
Please come prepared for any cold or
inclement weather by bringing suitable
clothing. We never turn any child away,
come and meet new friends and enjoy the
football atmosphere. If you require more
details or help with enquiries please contact
the club secretary Fred Berntsen on 01256
882798
Who knows, you may be the Kane, Hart or
Ronaldo of the future!
Club Secretary--Loddon Sports Junior F.C.
Volunteers needed for St. Michaels Hospice (North

Hampshire) House to House Collection in June
St. Michaels Hospice is looking for volunteers Campaigns Coordinator on
to help out with their annual House to House
01256 848845 or email
collection. If you have a couple of hours to
spare in June to deliver and pick up
Lynne.grimshaw@stmichaelshospice.org.uk
envelopes and would like to be involved then
please contact Lynne Grimshaw, Community
Page 43
Page 44
Page 45
The Hat Trick from a local resident

Just as the organ began to play at the
crowded morning Communion Service, a
man wearing a brown hat was ushered into
the front pew. Since he continued to wear
the hat, one of the sidesmen came to him
kindly suggesting that he take it off. No,
he said, I prefer to keep it on.
After the recessional

hymn, while the people
were being greeted as
they left, the Rector
begged the man to stay
for a few moments. When all the hands
were shaken, the minister approached the
man, and in a friendly way, said, Its nice to
meet you, sir. It has been a great pleasure
to have you worship with us this morning,
and I hope that you will come again.
However, it is the custom in the Anglican
Church for men to remove their hats during
the service. I hope that you might conform
to this practice in the future.
There was some consternation at the back

of the church as the churchwardens
discussed what they should do. The
Rectors warden was enlisted to make
another appeal, which he did, only to have
the man under the hat reply, I have every
right to keep my hat on, and I intend to do
so! The warden retreated and then had a
bright idea, he would ask the president of
The man under the hat replied, Thank you
the WI to try and have the hat removed, but very much. I enjoyed todays service. It is
good of you to invite me to become part of
alas, she also failed.
The service went ahead, the preacher was the congregation. In fact I joined three
years ago and have been coming regularly
distracted by the sight of the man with the
ever since, but today has been the first time
hat in the front seat, and his sermon
that anyone has paid any attention to me!
suffered accordingly. Yet through it all,
even at the communion rail, the hat still sat
glued to the head of the unknown man.
St. Michaels Hospice Woofs and Wellies walk

Sunday 17th April saw St. Michaels
Hospice hold its annual Woofs and Wellies
walk on the glorious grounds of Lord
Portsmouths estate in Farleigh Wallop.
The sun shone brightly on the nearly 300
people who came along to support the work
of the Hospice. The event hopes to raise
10,000 towards the 3.8 million running
costs of the Hospice.
magnificent private
estate. There were
plenty of children too and
everyone enjoyed the
cake provided by the
Hospices chef
afterwards.
There was corporate

support too in the form of Mars Drinks
The winner of this years Best Dog was the providing all the refreshments; Projected
lovely Rosie who was only recently rescued Image suppling the PA system; and,
from Battersea Dogs Home.
Sentinel HA and BMI Hampshire Clinic
getting together teams of walkers. The
Two new routes were tackled; a 5 mile
Basingstoke Ramblers again plotted and
option and a challenging 10 miler. Many
planned all the routes, both of which were
people walked without dogs, just enjoying
new this year, and provided the course
the opportunity to view the glorious
marshals on both routes.
Hampshire countryside from within the
Page 46
Page 47
Sherfield and District Gardening Club

Our speaker on the 16th May is Thomas
Stone who will be telling us all about Hardy
Geraniums. Thomas has had a lifetime love
of plants and
gardens from an
early age. After
leaving school, he
joined the National
Trust as a YT
student at Mottisfont
Abbey Gardens and
afterwards moved
on to Sir Harold Hillier Gardens. Here he
worked in their stunning collection of trees
and shrubs before returning to Mottisfont
Abbey Gardens, working with both the
international collection of roses and the
stunning grounds. He then left to become
Head Gardener in private gardens in West
Sussex and Hampshire. He currently works
for himself looking after many different
gardens.
Percys Plant Sale is fast approaching on
14th May and we will also be running our
usual plant stall at the Fete on 11th June. If

you have any spare plants that you want to
go to a good home, please let Dan or Andy
know. Wed be happy to take them off your
hands.
There is no meeting in June.
Anyone interested in gardening will be most
welcome to join us at the Sherfield Village
Hall at 7:45pm.
For arrangements contact Dan on 882680
or Andy on 882350
WOMENS INSTITUTE by Ilene Iles

Doris LEnfant, our President for the April
Meeting, welcomed everyone and the
matters of business proceeded. Members
were advised that among up-coming events
arranged by Hampshire County Federation
were a visit to Andy McIndoes Garden in
June and a visit to Chawton House Library
in July. Christine Skillett reported that our
own outing to Milletts Farm is arranged for
the 7th June 2016 and she was asking for
names of those interested.
celibacy through
to King Edward
VII who, we
understand, had a vile temper and the
greatest sexual appetite. Most of the
marriages were not in the least romantic,
the idea was to produce legitimate sons
and heirs. Tony also spoke of some of the
historical events that took place during the
reigns and some of the traditions handed
down to this day such as calling the Banns
of Marriage those wishing to marry could
not be related or be betrothed to someone
else. In ancient times betrothal was for life
and marriage was not that important.
After the business part of the

meeting, Doris introduced
our
Speaker
for
the
afternoon, Mr Tony Strafford,
on a return visit, resplendent
Christine gave the vote of thanks, a lovely
in his Beefeater uniform. He
tea was served and the raffle was drawn.
gave an interesting and, at
NEXT MEETING: WEDNESDAY 4TH MAY
times, amusing talk entitled
2016 AT 2 P.M. IN SHERFIELD VILLAGE
The Sex Lives of Kings. A racy title HALL.
indeed!
ANNUAL MEETING, RESOLUTIONS &
He covered Kings and Queens from
SOCIAL AFTERNOON
Edward the Confessor who took an oath of
Evergreens by May McQueen

The speaker for our April meeting from
Age Concern Basingstoke was Rob
Chapman Information and Advice CoOrdinator Hampshire. He joined as a
volunteer after retiring from the banking
sector and has been in this post for 3
years. Rob gave a very interesting and
enjoyable talk. The services provided are 7
activity centres in Basingstoke which help
people with socialising and stimulation,
foot clinics, computer classes which are on
a one to one basis and you can take you
own device, OPAL (Older People Area
Link) which is a home visiting service and
Food and Friendship which applies to
people who receive meals on wheels and
Page 48
provides company to sit and talk. These

are just some of the services provided.
There is also the weekly caf at St
Michaels Church Cottage Basingstoke
from 10.30am to 1pm. Three times a year
they hold legal sessions providing general
advice.
Rob also gave us advice on how to deal
with nuisance calls, scams and how to be
safe when drawing cash from ATM'S.
The meeting ended with tea and biscuits
followed by a raffle.
The next meeting is our birthday party
which will be afternoon tea at the Four
Horseshoes at 2.15pm on the 9th May.
Page 49
FUNERAL DIRECTORS &

MONUMENTAL MASONS.
Happy Faces Play group
ALEXANDER & DRY
Bring your happy face to our
Twenty four hour service.
A small, friendly playgroup for

children aged 2 years 6 mths to school age
Flexible Sessions
including all day
Pre-paid funeral plans available.

1 Seal Road, Basingstoke,
RG21 7NQ
Sherfield-on-Loddon
happy place
Tel: 01256 844663

Further information:
01256 880903
Prospectus/application form:
07791 141176
happyfacesplaygroup@hotmail.co.uk
www.happy-faces-playgroup.co.uk
Est. 1982. Charity No. 1029688
T: 01256 242135
M: 07990 814143
Page 50
Page 51
PLUMBING & HEATING SPECIALIST

Serving the local community for 30 years
Bathrooms & shower installations
Solar thermal installations and energy-friendly controls
Gas Safe and Oftec registered for peace of mind with
29164
gas and oil installations
Telephone: 01256 882309

Email: adrian@awburt.com
YOUR LOCAL TRADE PROFESSIONAL

FOR ALL YOUR PLUMBING, HEATING &
ELECTRICAL NEEDS
FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT US:
Tel: 01256 880044 MOBILE: 07754 554554
Email: admin@pscservices.co.uk
www.pscservices.co.uk
Page 52
Page 53
Open Letter From The New Chief Constable

Of Hampshire Constabulary, Olivia Pinkney
I have always believed effective policing
is at the heart of healthy society. That is
why Hampshire Constabulary can't afford
to just maintain its position as a good
police force. It must become a standard
bearer for protecting the most vulnerable
and reducing offending. And, as your new
Chief Constable, I am excited about
taking on this challenge.
British policing has

been built upon. So
everything we do
must be rooted in
the highest
standards of
integrity and
transparency. You
deserve nothing
A key part of success will remain catching less from us.
those who prey on the vulnerable, but we Our communities are wonderfully rich,
can't just respond to victims when they
diverse and deserving of brilliant policing.
have suffered. We need to be better at
I want ideas, voices, perspectives and
preventing offending in the first place.
experience beyond the traditional
This includes safeguarding the
spheres. I would like to use this
vulnerable, not least those at risk of child opportunity on day one in my new role to
sexual exploitation and domestic abuse.
invite all of you to join me, to work with
None of this can be done by the police
me and to support my staff and officers.
acting alone.
In return we will become even better at
Page 54
The cases we deal with can be complex

and the unfortunate truth are that that we
tend to deal with people on their most
difficult days and much of the
sophisticated work that goes on behind
the scenes to stop people becoming
victims cannot be widely publicised. This
means that what my officers, staff and
those who volunteer their help do every
day is important, but so is why and how.
protecting you and safeguarding the most

vulnerable in society. And, as your Chief
Constable, I will work tirelessly to make
sure that what we do is as transparent as
possible and to explain the difficult
decisions when we have to make them.
If the police are seen to act arrogantly or

as if they have a right to do as they wish
public confidence becomes damaged and
victims are not put first. To be an effective
police officer, let alone chief constable,
you need to earn the trust and respect of
all communities. That is what decades of
Best wishes
Olivia Pinkney, Chief Constable,
Hampshire
Constabulary
Together we can keep this one of the

safest places to live in the country and
stop those who make people's lives a
misery.
Page 55
SMALL ADVERTISEMENTS
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS

The dialling code is 01256, unless otherwise stated.
HOUSE CLEANING BY MARIA. Reliable and affordable service. Friendly,

experienced lady who cleans every corner. Ironing also available. References.
Tel 07933 316989. mariacleaning@live.co.uk
LOCAL PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR and EXTERIOR DECORATOR

First class job guaranteed. Over 30 years experience. No job too small. For a
free estimate ring Ian 01256 882132 or 07876021772
SEWING, EXPERIENCED AND CONVENIENT. Di is now back in the
SMALL ADVERTISEMENTS
conservatory, Sherfield Garden Centre. Bespoke dressmaking, clothing

alterations, repairs, curtains & blinds and soft furnishings. 07796 045944.
PC SUPORT. For technical help with PCs, Macs, tablets, internet,

wi-fi: repairs, upgrades and installation: Call Ian on 07977 143310.
LOCAL EXPERIENCED TAX ADVISER. Self assessment tax returns,

arrears, claims, payroll, self-employed, VAT returns. Initial consultation free.
Call 07920112533 or e-mail david_hitchins@msn.com
INSIDE/OUT Property maintenance, carpentry, decorating, locks fitted,

garden maintenance. Tel 01256 882696 or 07713 470223. E-mail
rdam549@googlemail.com
WINDOW CLEANER. Windows cleaned or gutters cleared - one off or

regularly. Local, reliable window cleaner (testimonials available). For a quote
call Pete Owen on 07762 616600 pjhcleaning@btinternet.com
MATHS AND PSYCHOLOGY TUTOR available to take on students in

Sherfield and surrounding area studying for GCSEs or A Levels. Proven track
record. Contact Lexi Ball on 07557 277121 or 01256 883838 or e-mail
lexiball707@gmail.com
EVENING ART CLASS. Monday 6.30pm to 8.30pm, Sherfield Village Hall.

Drawing and painting suitable for beginners and intermediate. Taught by
qualified teacher/artist, Louise Hight ; 01256 886383. L.hight@hotmail.co.uk
DAYTIME ART CLASS. Tuesday 10am to 12 midday, Sherfield village Hall.

Drawing and painting suitable for beginners and intermediate. Taught by
qualified teacher/ artist, Louise Hight ; 01256 886383. L.hight@hotmail.co.uk
VIRTUAL PERSONAL ASSISTANT. Do you have a small business? Busy

diary? Virtual Personal Assistant services available on a flexible basis. Check
out www.sarawillsortit.com or call Sara on 07910839533.
Page 56
Allotments
Basingstoke Gazette
Brownies
St. Leonards Church
Breach Lane Chapel
Catholic Church
Clift Surgery Patient Group
Cricket Club (Sherfield)
Cricket Club (ST & HW)
Evergreens
Football (Junior)
Happy Faces Playgroup
Loddon Players
Loddon Quilters
Loddon Valley Link
Lunch Club.
NWR
Police - Sherfield local beat officer
Police - Sherfield Park
Police - report an incident
Poppies
Post Office
Rainbows
Sherfield. Community Care Grp
Sherfield Fete
Sherfield Dist. Gardening Club
Sherfield Park Community Centre
Sherfield Park Parish Council
Sherfield Show
Short Mat Bowls
Stratfield Saye Parish Council
Stratfield Saye Village Hall
Stratfield Turgis Parish Meeting
Sherfield Parish Council
Toddler Group 0-5s
Tree Warden.
Village Green Volunteers
Whist Drive
Womens Institute
Sherfield Village Hall
Caretaker/Bookings
Management Committee
Fund Raising Committee
Bruce Batting
Chris Horton
Sue Handasyde-Dick
See inside back page
Geoff Belsham
Fr. Chris Rutledge
John Darker
Andy Stevens
Paul Baldwin
Jean Berntsen
Fred Berntsen
Peggy Hutchins
Chris Horton
Jacky Morgan
(See back pages)
Helen Belsham
Gill Fearon
PCSO Nath Johnson
PC Jim Charlton
Police Control Room
Natalie Larner
882605
882426
882337
882534
465214
882334
882414
881973
882798
882798
880903
882426
882350
Pam Luck
Doreen Tosswill
Bruce Batting
Dan Farrow and
Andy Morgan
Candice Wright
Sue Talbot
Natalie Larner
Norman Stanley
Penny Mayo
Linda Bishop
Sheila Campbell (Chair)
Catherine Ryle (Clerk)
Judith Sullivan
Jane Jordan
Bruce Batting
Virgilius Vickers
Christine Skillett
882534
882106
101
101
101
880075
882210
882687
882344
882605
882680
882350
883967
TBC
880075
881021
01189332 379
01189332106
882351
842662
883551
880852
882605
882453
880727
Wendy Gosden
Ivan Gosden
Alan Ball
07468 427684
07940 212441
883838
Please inform the Editor of changes to the above information.
Page 57
Loddon Valley Link Management
ADVERTISING IN THIS MAGAZINE AND ONLINE

All advertising enquiries to Pip Iles Tel. 01256 880559
advertising@loddonvalleylink.org.uk
Deadline for ads. for next edition is the 10th of the month
Small ads - 5 monthly for a maximum of 30 words, space permitting.
Requests are dealt with in order.
Display ads pricing - please see the website or contact Pip Iles.
Editor for the June edition Simon Boase
Please submit copy for this edition no later than the 16 th May.
Send copy to
Email: editor@loddonvalleylink.org.uk
Committee:
Chairman: Dr. Donald Dawson 01256 882379
(dgdawson@sky.com)
Treasurer: Pip Iles 01256 880559
Secretary: Ilene Iles
01256 880559 (pip.ilene@tiscali.co.uk)
Rev. Stephen Ball
Dr. John Williams 01256 882705
(lawnfarm@aol.com)
Howard Perkins 01256 883882
perkinsthekeep@gmail.com
Germano Giugovaz 01189 332166
Claire Osborne 01256 324458
(guyclaire@tiscali.co.uk)
Simon Boase 01256 881250
(sibo999@gmail.com)
Brian Archer 01256 882099
(brianarcher@btinternet.com)
Jane Abrams 01256 881188
(jheath2226@yahoo.co.uk)
Church Officers
Priest in Charge: Rev. Stephen Ball
01256 881071, temporary email
sb113lb@gmail.com)
(Please note: Stephens day off is Monday)
Assistant Priest: Rev. Sammie Armstrong 01189
816593 (sc.cedars@greenbee.net)
Curate (priest responsible for Bramley & Little
London: Rev. John Lenton 01256 880570
Licensed Lay Ministers :
Richard Elphick 01256 882860
Andrew Doggart 01256 880092
John Williams 01256 882705
Church Admin: Lisa Goodall 01256 882788
(lgoodall.work@gmail.com)
Page 58
ST. LEONARDS CHURCH, CHURCH END,

SHERFIELD ON LODDON, RG27 0JB
(no mail)
Churchwarden: Peter Gould 01256 882538
Churchwarden: Richard Elphick 01256 882860
Treasurer: Dan Farrow 01256 882680
Organist: Mike Abrams 01256 881188
Organist: Brian Archer 01256 882099
ST. MARYS CHURCH, STRATFIELD SAYE
Churchwarden: Dr. John Williams 01256 882705
Treasurer: Charles Atkinson 01256 882459
Organist: Dr. Gill Williams 01256 882705
ST. MARYS CHURCH, HARTLEY WESPALL
Churchwarden: Pip Iles 01256 880559
Treasurer: Michael Webster 01256 882413
Organist: Dr. Gill Williams 01256 882705
Organist: Andrew Doggart 01256 880092
MESSY CHURCH, SHERFIELD PARK
Leader: Peta Alvares 0777 2322202
Please note: the Loddon Valley Link Management

Committee cannot be held responsible for the
reliability or quality of any goods, work or services
Page 59

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The Loddon Valley Link

Church and Village Magazine

for Sherfield-on-Loddon, Stratfield Saye,

Stratfield Turgis Parish Annual General Meeting

Wine and nibbles will be provided.

Sunday 1st May

St Marys Stratfield Saye*

St Marys Hartley Wespall

Thursday 5th May

Amber Betty Hadley

Sunday 8th May

Albie James Staines

Morning Worship and Sunday Club

Ashley MacNaughton &

Friday 13th May

Sunday 15th May

Sherfield Community Centre

Holy Communion & Sunday Club

St Marys Hartley Wespall

Sunday 22nd May

St Marys Hartley Wespall

Sunday 29th May

Sunday 5th June

St Marys Stratfield Saye*

Evensong and Holy Communion

St Marys Hartley Wespall

Theme - Our Worldwide family

It is essential that you book

*Drive up close to the white gates, which will open automatically .

BREACH LANE CHAPEL

Services for May

Open Morning at the Chapel

Family Worship led by Graham Locke

House Group & Bible Study at 7 Pound Close,

Family Worship led by Steve Smith

Family Worship led by Neil Owen including

Through the Roof Club led by Geoff Belsham

Midweek Fellowship led by Geoff Belsham

The Morning Dew Ladies Fellowship led by

CHURCH RE-OPENING Anniversary service

St. Leonards Church

According to Jack he went

Percys Plant Sale

The proceeds will be shared between St

TEXT FOR THE MONTH

Lord Jesus, though we are many, you have

Prayer Points for May

Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you that you

Pray for endings of the conflict in Syria and

Help us to see you in one another, however

Pray for Percys Plant Sale at the Village

May our understanding of you be enriched

Pray for the refugees from the Middle East

Pray for the sick known to us

St Leonards Church Room is available for hire

For more information about hiring please contact:

GARDEN MACHINERY SERVICES

Nows the time for servicing

The Garage at Sherfield

Sherfield-on-Loddon, HOOK, Hants. RG27 0EZ