Community news this week from across Basingstoke

Chineham

Chineham WI meets again on 27th November, 7.30pm at Christ Church, Chineham, and this month's speaker is Graham Loxton-Best. His talk, which promises to be very interesting, is “A day in the Court House” and will be followed by the rest of the evening, where all can catch up with members not seen for a while. A good old gossip can be accompanied with tea, coffee and biscuits. 

The group had a lovely summer outing in August on one of those sunny days now long forgotten. Sixteen members enjoyed afternoon tea in the village of Riseley with all the delights an afternoon tea brings!

The next special event is Christmas Lunch for members. 

The December meeting is the Christmas Party and is on the 11th December at 7.30pm.

You'd be very welcome to call in and see what they are all about. For further information please call 07588 533340, 02380 616712 or e-mail reception@hampshirewi.org.uk.

A reminder that Chineham Library offers many, attractions and activities, especially for younger participants. The story of the month for November is “Peace at Last“ by Jill Murphy. (Another great story featuring bears).

Then there is Storytime each Tuesday at 10.30am to 11am.

Then there is Rhymetime which takes place every Friday from 10am to 10.30am (for under one’s) and 11am to 11.30am (for over one’s). 

Then, rather more for older participants, there is the Digital Readers Book Club. The November title is “Before the Coffee Gets Cold”.

These are just a small sample of what is on offer at the library.

Basingstoke Concert Band invites you to their annual Christmas concert at Christ Church, Chineham, on Sunday 10th December, starting at 3pm. Tickets are £10, (under 16s free), available from band members, at the door, or visit www.ticketlab.co.uk/event/id/18858.

There is something for everyone from Christmas carols to traditional and modern festive arrangements. It’s time to get this in your Christmas diary if you are interested.

This coming Saturday sees the next session of the Chineham repair café. It starts at 10am and goes through to 1pm and takes place at Christ Church.

Fiona Biermann

Cliddesden

Next Tuesday (November 21st), a Local Plan Briefing is to be held at the Village Hall, at 7.30pm. This is an opportunity to hear about the proposed sites for new housing over the next five years and to put your comments and questions to local councillors. There will be refreshments after the meeting.

Then, on Sunday 26th November, there will be a Christmas Fayre taking place at the Millennium Hall, between 11am and 2.30pm. There will be many stalls, tea and cake and, of course, a grand raffle. Please come along and support this feel-good event, which raises funds for both Lordsfield Swimming Club and the Hall itself. If you would like to book a stall, please contact Alison on 07919418551.

Helen Walker

Hatch Warren and Beggarwood

Brighton Hill Roundabout: The contractors are approaching the finish line and the last of the overnight road closures has been completed. The project manager to whom I spoke expected an end-of-year completion, perhaps earlier if the weather helped. Following this, there will be a period of snagging, to put right the minor problems that can occur on any complex scheme. I wouldn't be surprised to see adjustments being made to the traffic lights to get the traffic flowing as smoothly as possible.

Proposed Warehouses at Junction 7: Newlands Developments have submitted a third planning application to build warehouses at Junction 7 of the M3. They have organised two public consultation events and say that the new designs (for more, smaller buildings) have taken into account the reasons for the previous two refusals of planning permission.

After School Provision: The Community Association has taken the difficult decision to close its After-School provision at the Hatch Warren Community Centre. It described this as a sad day, after ten years of operation, but the finances had continued to decline and the service was running at a large loss. Added to that, the resignations of key staff made it difficult to continue. The relevant authorities have been informed.

Christmas Market: The Hatch Warren Christmas Market is next Sunday (26th November) from 12 noon until 4pm. Over 30 traders, refreshments and, of course, Father Christmas will be there. This is always a colourful and joyous event, well worth attending.

Holly Blue Quiz Nights: Beggarwood's public house/restaurant is reporting success with its quiz nights and will be running them every Wednesday. Money raised is going to charities.

Stephen Reid

Kempshott

The Christmas Sunday Market at Kempshott Village Hall last week was very busy. It’s a good job that you have another chance to do your local shopping on the second Sunday of December. It’s been suggested there might even need to be a one-way system! On Monday evening the hall hosts, at 7.30pm, the AGM of Basingstoke Horticultural Society which is followed by cheese and wine, if members need an incentive to attend.

On Wednesday morning, the Kempshott Daytime Club coffee morning shares the Community Room with Kempshott Stitchers. Caroline, who founded Oakley Stitchers (of which the Kempshott group is part) has just been awarded the Rotary Club of Basingstoke President’s Recognition Award for her amazing work, providing items for those in need. Groups of stitchers and crafters now meet regularly in Oakley, Tadley, Oakridge and Winklebury, as well as Kempshott. They enjoy their hobby while recipients enjoy, free of charge, such articles as knitted knockers, angel gowns, items for dementia and cancer sufferers and premature babies and much more. If the idea appeals to you, do get in touch with Oakley Stitchers and become part of a growing community which is accomplishing so much.

Diana Manville

OId Basing and Lychpit

Basingstoke Lions are holding a disco with music from the 70s and 80s at Old Basing Royal British Legion on Friday 17th November from 7pm until 11pm. Tickets cost £10 and are available at the door or in advance from their website,  from toyny.bamberger@hotmail.co.uk  or phone 01256 352393.

Are you aware of the Lions Message in a Bottle Scheme? This is a free initiative which save the Emergency Services valuable time should you have an accident at home.

Emergency contacts, special medication and allergy details are noted on a standard form which is then placed in one of the Lions distinctive bottles and kept in the fridge.

Bottles can be collected from a range of places including chemists, GP surgeries and council offices. If you are unable to find a bottle or would like more information, please contact miab@basingstokelions.or.uk or phone 08458334341.

Tickets are now available for The Tail of Dick Whittington which takes place at Old Basing Village Hall. Performances on Saturday 25th November take place at 2.30pm and 7.30pm and on Sunday 26th at 4pm. Entrance fees are £15 for adults and £8 for children under 12.

The enthusiastic cast of 29 and large supporting crew promise a fun pantomime which will help The Friends of St Mary’s Church raise funds for the maintenance of the church. Tickets are available from igfkershaw@btinternet.com or phone 01256 355500.

Finally, the Ploughmen’s Lunch team are running short of cooking apples. If you are able to donate some or know someone who can please call Janet on 01256 468351.

Elspeth Lee

Sherfield

Remembrance Service: The service was held at the War Memorial and attendance at the service grows every year with approximately 300 people attending. Rev’d David Pycock conducted the service and Oliver Bartrum did the Bible Reading. Wreaths were laid on behalf of the Village Hall (Derek Tarrant) the Parish Council (Andy Morgan), Sherfield School (temporary head, Neil Richards), the Beavers laid a wreath and pupils from Sherfield School read out the names of the fallen. Group Captain Jane Middleton laid a wreath on behalf of Captain John Aidan Liddell, VC, MC, 3rd Battalion, the Argyll and Southern Highlanders and the Royal Flying Corps and Colonel John Swanston laid a wreath on behalf of the Bramley and District Branch of the Royal British Legion. A piper, Beiyee Ng from Gordon’s School in Woking played, Steve Barlin played the Last Post and Reveille. The traditional Service of Remembrance ended with a photo being taken of the local veterans, followed by refreshments at the Village Hall. A collection was taken in aid of the Poppy Appeal.

Yulmarket: The regular Village Market on Sunday in the Village Hall will be from 10.30am to 1pm and is a Yulmarket; Christmas gifts, food stalls and café.December market is on Sunday, December 17, 10.30 till 1pm.

NWR: Gill says: “We held our annual Wine, Women and Song evening. We tried to follow our themes for this year (Drugs, Herbs and Medicine, and our country theme was the Benelux Countries although we focused mainly on The Netherlands having covered Belgium in 2014) but there was some deviation and tenuous links. We started with a bit of history which always makes the music more interesting. Adolphe Sax was a Belgian born in Dinant in 1814. He was an inventor and musician who enjoyed playing the flute and clarinet. 1894. We listened to Officium by the Hilliard Ensemble, a male vocal quartet, recorded in an ecclesiastical building with amazing acoustics. It featured the saxophone and was absolutely spine-tingling!  We had a variety of classical pieces and then this time The Netherlands, we listened to Tulips from Amsterdam by Max Bygraves. His cheery rendition made us all smile! Landers and Swann were next, singing Misalliance about bindweed and honeysuckle and about how each plant entwines the opposite way, one clockwise and the other anti-clockwise! The folk band Stornaway followed by The Beatles singing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds about the drug LSD.

"Other choices were Mario Lanza singing The Laughing Song, Beyoncé singing Schubert’s Ave Maria (which was a surprise to us all), Starry Starry Night by Don McClean, Stop Time Rag by Scott Joplin and Sandy Denny’s Who Knows Where The Time Goes.

"Our next meeting is our Christmas party in December and then in January, we will be planning our meetings for 2024. Merry Christmas to everyone, and a happy, healthy New Year!”

Chris Horton