Community news from Basingstoke and surrounding villages

Buckskin and Highfields

The Annual General Meeting of Buckskin and Worting Community Association will take place at The Ridgeway Centre on Thursday 6th July at 7pm. The meeting is expected to ratify the decision of the trustees to amalgamate BWCA with Westside Community Association. This will mean The Ridgeway Centre and Westside Community Centre will be run by one charity under the name of WCA. The team of volunteers and dedicated staff will be able to provide activities and services at both Centres and support the groups that currently operate in them.

For details of activities please continue to contact Dee O’Sullivan, the community centre co-ordinator at The Ridgeway Centre. Dee is keen to hear from any groups or individuals that would like to hire the main hall, meeting room or youth room, with or without kitchen facilities.

Pete Dimond  

Cliddesden

My piece this week focuses on one of the biggest events in the Cliddesden calendar: the summer production from the Cliddesden Players. This year, they will be performing Home Is Where Your Clothes Are, by Anthony Marriott and Bob Grant. Performances take place on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June at 8pm in the Village Hall. Tickets are £10 per adult and £5 per child under 16.

There will be a pre-performance BBQ on the Saturday, from 6pm. This carries an additional cost of £4, should you wish to participate. Food includes burger or hot dog and salads, with vegetarian and special diet options available. Please contact Angie Fewster on 01256 475848 or angie@fewster.me.uk for all ticketing. Payment must be made at the time of booking. It is particularly important to let Angie know if you have any access or dietary requirements so that these can be considered and accommodated.

Volunteer helpers are always greatly appreciated and new faces most welcome! The stage will be set up this weekend, should you have expertise in this area; otherwise, there are many opportunities to help on the night with things like refreshments, for example.

This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.

Helen Walker

Hatch Warren and Beggarwood

A30 Roadworks: The night-time closures should have ended now. I drove along the A30 last weekend, and it looked as if resurfacing work and white-line painting had been carried out as planned. Following these works, traffic management will revert to lane closures as before to enable the installation of the permanent traffic lights at the Golf Course junction. The works to test and commission the new signals and remove the temporary signals are programmed to complete during week commencing 19th June. I hope this means that the end is in sight!

Beggarwood Lane Safety: One of the knock-on effects of the A30 closures has been more traffic using Beggarwood Lane and residents have expressed concerns about the safety of the sweeping bend by the 'Island Site' junction. There used to be a traffic calming build-out but that was in the wrong position to allow the junction to be constructed. I have written to the county officers to report the concerns and ask what might be done. In short, the complexity of the road has gone up whilst the safety measures have gone down.

Brighton Hill Roundabout: Openreach is expected to install new BT service chambers from this week for an estimated 12 weeks alongside the Winchester Road. The nearside lane closure will remain in place whilst the works are undertaken.

Quiz Night: The Beggarwood Community Centre is hosting another of its popular Quiz Nights on Friday 23rd June. Please arrive from 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Entrance is £5 per person in teams of 4 or 6.

Lager Festival: The Hatch Warren Community Centre Lager Festival is on Saturday 17th June from 7pm to 11pm. Details are on the Community Association's Facebook page.

Stephen Reid

Kempshott

Kempshott Robins got off to a rousing start last week. It’s a new group in the Village Hall on a Wednesday afternoon 1.30-3.30pm. It meets on alternate weeks, so the next one will be on 14th. Also on a Wednesday, but in the morning and every week is Happy Days, from 10-11.30am. This is a friendly and imaginative environment for children to explore and have fun. It’s £3.50 a session and can be booked online via Facebook @happydaysbasingstoke or happydays19821@outlook.com. There’s a brilliant art group that runs in the Village Hall on a Tuesday and a Friday from 2-5pm as part of Kaderosi Arts and Crafts. People bring their own projects and work in a supportive environment - artsandcrafts@kaderosi.co.uk. The Village Hall Sunday Market is this Sunday from 10.30am-1pm. It’s fully booked and promises to be well worth visiting.

Diana Manville

Oakley

News from Friends of St Lawrence: Please join us for a musical evening of entertainment from local choirs Ooh Mama Ladies Choir and Basingstoke Male Voice Choir on Thursday 6th July at 7.30pm at St Lawrence Church, Wootton. Tickets available from eventbrite: MusicaleveningatStLawrence.eventbrite.co.uk, cost £15.

Doors open 6.30pm. Evening starts at 7.30pm. Complimentary refreshments. To find out more, do browse our eventbrite page.

Funds raised go towards St Lawrence for Our Time improvement project - to provide a water supply, toilet, kitchen and meeting area in our beautiful church.  Do please spread the word.

Oakley Ramblers June Walk will take place on Saturday 24th June – Mottisfont - Morning 6.5 miles. Find further details at oakleyramblers.org or email oakleyramblers@gmail.com

Oakley Scout and Guide Premises Management Committee: This committee manages the Scout and Guide premises in St John's Piece, Oakley, meeting approximately four to six times a year. The small committee comprises a chairperson, secretary and treasurer with representatives from the Oakley Scout and Guide organisations.

Are you someone who is looking for a voluntary post to help a village organisation? We are seeking two new trustees - a secretary and a treasurer, each with an average commitment of just two to three hours a month. Want to know more? To discuss or ask for the job description for either voluntary post please email the chair, Eric Askew on eric.askew21@btinternet.com

Oakley Infant and Junior Schools Summer Fayre is seeking local businesses which would like to donate a raffle prize, have a stall at the fayre, or advertise in the programme. Please contact the school and leave a message for Jeni Saunders if you are interested or have a donation.

Don’t forget to register for this year’s Oakley Front Garden Stalls on Saturday 24th June Between 12noon to 4pm. Visit a wide range of stalls all around Oakley.

Full details and booking form can be found online at ocaoakley.org.uk

Book your stall by Saturday 17th June. I will send a confirmation to those I have email addresses for in the next few weeks. Village map available of stalls in the following week.

Tiffany Wise

Old Basing and Lychpit

Old Basing and Lychpit Carnival on Saturday 17th June will get off to a cracking start with the traditional procession beginning at The British Legion at 11.30am. The procession will then travel along Crown Lane and The Street to Old Basing Recreation Ground where the Carnival takes place from midday until 4pm. Please note that during the procession parts of Crown Lane and the Street will be closed to traffic. Be sure to keep the date free as the carnival promises to be great fun for all the family. More details next week.

The Scarecrow Festival which takes place until the 17th June already has a number of interesting exhibits. Check out the Old Basing and Lychpit Carnival Facebook page for the most recent additions.

Basing Singers’ Summer Concert takes place in the Main Hall at Queen Mary’s College on Sunday 18th June at 7.30pm. There will also be a variety of music from Deane Sinfonia and Ooh Mama. Tickets which cost £10 for adults and £1 for children are available at the door or online at deane-sinfonia.com/next-concerts.

New recruits are now being welcomed to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme which is open to youngsters from Year 9 up to the age of 24. The open evening at the Beddington Centre (opposite The Bolton Arms Pub in Old Basing) takes place on Monday 12th June at 8pm and will provide all the information needed to achieve one or more of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Many people, young and old, have happy memories of this scheme and it is a great way for young people to have fun, make friends, improve their self -esteem and build self-confidence while acquiring essential skills for work and life generally.

Elspeth Lee

Sherfield

NWR: National Women’s Register held their annual ramble last week. Valerie says: “We met at The Mill at North Warnborough and set off at 6pm. There were 12 of us walking and two more joined just for the meal. The weather was perfect and the route had thoroughly dried out during recent warm weather. It was a lovely varied walk through woods, across fields with sheep and then finally onto Basingstoke Canal at Greywell Tunnel, past the ruins of Odiham (King Johns) Castle and then a short walk back to The Mill. We had two dogs with us who were very well behaved, although Ziggy dived into the canal and took a bit of effort to get her out. We got back to Mill at 8pm and had a lovely meal, we were well looked after by the staff. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.  The July meeting is a film and discussion about The Girl with the Pearl Earring. NWR will also be having a stall at the Fete on Saturday.”

Fete: Yes, the fete has finally arrived. There are masses of attractions and this year featuring our young people and with children in mind: ‘Schools Out’ – Sherfield School displays, traditional races for children and families, petting animals, dog show with classes for young handlers, inflatables and rides, soft toy tombola. There’s barbecue, tea tent, beer tent and arena displays include Basing Clog Morris, Tussle of the Taverns and Royal British Legion Corps of Drums. Music: Rockin’ on the green’ with Rellix, Thistledew Folk Duo and Peter Bingham’s Equinox Jazz Band. The Village Market will be in the hall so please visit the stalls inside. The fete is from 12noon till 5pm.  

Songs of Praise on the green. All are welcome to join on Sunday at 11am on the village green with Tadley Concert Brass. 

Chris Horton