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Village Newsletter

For Altons and Honeystreet 1 May 2021

The Alton Barnes Coronation Hall

Village Coffee Morning Saturday 3rd July 10am-noon. We are delighted to announce that our next Village Coffee Morning is on Saturday 3rd July by which time the majority of the Covid – 19 restrictions are expected to be lifted. Please come and enjoy a chance to make new friends and catch up with the latest news. We offer a special welcome to new villagers who have yet to sample our delicious homemade cakes!

The Coronation Hall Committee has plans to refurbish the kitchen so any donations made for coffee and cakes will go towards this. If you would like to help plan and organise events for the village please do speak up and join our team, the more the merrier. We only have 4 meetings per year. It’s really about building opportunities to nurture a positive, thriving community and having some fun.

Did you know that anyone can hire the hall? Consider it for birthday parties, events or meetings. Just contact Richard Heacock by email: richardheacock@mac.comor tel: 01672 851322 . The hall is very well equipped including a stage with lighting, audio visual facilities, kitchen, an alcohol licence and a marquee is available for hire. Main Hall £10 p/h (£75 per day) Committee Room £7 p/h.Hiring for funerals and weddings are at no cost for village residents. For further information visit our village website: altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Midsummer Show - Sunday 4th July Coronation Hall

Get growing! Over the past year everyone has been spending more time in their gardens - so the Village Midsummer Show is just the time to show off all that hard work and enter your flowers and produce. Doors open 2:30pm, Prize giving 3:30 pm. followed by auction of produce and raffle. Tea and refreshments. Schedules will be available in June on the village website www.altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk and posted through your letterbox. Any donations for raffle much appreciated please contact either Hayley- 07582636017 or Ruth-01672 851690

Open Gardens 2021

Much to everyone’s disappointment we have had to postpone this popular event again this year due to COVID, but we do have some exciting new initiatives this year to keep us gardening (read on) and look forward to a bumper Open Gardens event on Sunday 12th June 2022 when hopefully we will be able to welcome visitors once again to enjoy our garden trail.

COVID-19

It is now over a year since the first lockdown, when we set up a list of Community Volunteers to help those in the Parish who needed help and support. We had a fantastic response, and am pleased to say that as we all became accustomed to the new normal, we were really not called upon a great deal. However, it was reassuring to know that support was there if needed, so thank you to all those that volunteered to help, it was greatly appreciated.

Conservation Projects

New College Oxford, have funded a number of Conservation Projects on the farm over the last six months, these include the restoration of the Dew Pond at Tawsmead Farm, on the road to Wilcot. Hedge and tree planting will be the next stage of this project in the Autumn. A start has been made on clearing the ditches across the meadows that take all the run off rainwater from the roads through Alton Barnes and Priors. Further work to clear the Springs area is scheduled for the Autumn months. Last year a Visual Hazard Tree assessment was completed of all trees on the Public Highway, Footpaths and Rights of Way on New College Land, any trees found to be of potential risk will be felled, this work has now been approved by the Parish Council and Wiltshire Council and is scheduled for completion this year.

Wildflower Project St Mary’s and All Saints Churchyards

Kindly supported by the both the Alton Parochial Church Council and Music for Awhile we have launched a wildflower project in both our churchyards with the aim of supporting our local biodiversity whilst also bringing enjoyment to visitors and congregations alike. During lockdown we made a tentative start, bearing in mind the restrictions, by planting snowdrops and bluebells in the green, together with young plants of primroses and cowslips. Finally, a native wildflower seed mix was sown in selected areas. (Needless to say, we could really do with some rain at this point!)

Our small efforts are just the start though with lots of bulb planting on the agenda for this autumn to expand and replicate the lovely spring display of native daffodils and fritillaries planted by David last autumn, yet more seed to sow and young plants to grow.

We envisage and hope that this would make a fun and worthwhile community project, expanded to include selected habitats across the village we have appreciated so much during lockdown. If you would like to get involved in any way, we would love you to join us, please contact email:- louisegolden@icloud.com or davidjmcarson@icloud.com we look forward to hearing from you.

Robert Pile Trust

This is a charitable Trust which provides financial help to anyone who has lived in Alton Barnes, Alton Priors or Honeystreet for 2 years or more with any educational undertaking. This can include any academic, occupational or professional qualifications and would cover such things as university fees, music lessons, extra curricular school subjects, driving lessons and professional courses. Applicants can be of any age and should apply to email:- pollycaravans@gmail.com

Alton Barnes flood warden report

Honeystreet – Works have been planned with the drainage team to install new gullies to prevent the water from ponding on the road. The works (with road closures) will take place in the next few months

Opposite the Coronation Hall – The gullies and pipes have been cleared, the PC will request the landowner to clear vegetation in front of the outfall pipe.

Browns Lane – the council will place road plaining into the damaged area in order to remove the sharp edge

Alton Priors – The gullies can be cleared by the sewer crew when they are next in the area and the Sarsen stone currently blocking a drain will be moved

St Marys Church

St Mary's Church serving Alton Barnes, Alton Priors and Honeystreet St Mary's is partly Saxon being originally built in the 10th century. It is in an area with a notable history, and is a Grade 1 listed building. A community hub it has been well supported by many volunteer worshippers over the years. Although Covid - 19 has created many problems for the Parochial Church Council, it now appears that we can cautiously commence public worship in the church. On Easter Sunday we opened the church again and plan to participate in Parish Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sunday in the Month throughout the year at 11.00am excluding Festivals.

We are fortunate that our sister church All Saints, Alton Priors will remain open for individual prayer. When Covid 19 restrictions are relaxed we shall open St Mary's daily. The maintenance ( lighting, heating, grass cutting, refurbishment, parish giving to the Diocese of Salisbury, etc) of an historic church is financially draining to the sum of £12,500 and likely to increase with inflation. Unless something changes, existing cash reserves will run out on the 31st December 2023. It is therefore unrealistic to continue offering the facilities of our church as numbers and income become less than our expenditure and lessens the likelihood of a living church for future generations. Should you have any thoughts on this issue you contact the Churchwarden on email: essielab@gmail.com or telephone 01672851466. Should you wish to volunteer or donate: Details are Lloyds Bank plc: Standing Order, Sort Code:30-92-63 Account Number:00271757. Sunrise Cottage Alton Priors SN8 4JX. Do you have an old laptop that St Marys could use for playing hymns because of the absence of an organist? It needs to manage a 4GB USB and have speaker jack input. Thank you for supporting St Mary's.

All Saints Alton Priors

The church remains open for prayer. 

The engraved window (by Frank Grenier) for the North Chancel has been completed and will be installed over the coming months. Deborah Husk has taken a wonderful photo if the window that you can see on the village website.

Music for Awhile

Planning performances on July 31 and August 14 in All Saints church and on September 11th in the Hall.

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Spring 2019

This Newsletter begins with an urgent appeal. Our much-valued Treasurer,Debby Lester, is stepping down. The job only involves a few hours a month andattendance at around five meetings a year but it is vital. If you have basicaccountancy skills and think you might be interested – or know someone whomight be – please email Debby on debby_lester@yahoo.co.uk or any PCmember, or the Chair or Clerk through the website. A vacancy on the PC is alsoexpected to arise in May. We are keen to widen the pool of candidates so again ifyou think you might be interested please get in touch.

Summer show The Coronation Hall annual Flower Fruit and Vegetable Show willtake place on Saturday June 22. Full details will be published shortly on the websitealtonsandhoneystreet.org.uk. All offers of help on the day will be most welcome. Thefirst show was in 2005, put together by David Collison, Lionel Dobson, ClaudiaCalam and Shelagh Gibson, so this will be the 15th in the series.Music for Awhile Even longer-lived than the summer show, the 24th MFA SummerFestival will be at All Saints church on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 July. Purcell, Handeland others on the Saturday evening and Bach on the Sunday afternoon. Ticket detailswill be available on the parish website after Easter.

Want to widen your horizon? Funding available for education. The Robert PileEducational Charity is open to anyone who has lived in Alton Barnes, Priors orHoneystreet for more than two years. It offers finance to any resident in need toaccess a course for educational or professional development, with no age restrictions!Application forms from the Parish Council website altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk orfrom Polly Carson, Clerk to the Charity, on 01672 851119.

In memory On October 25, 1944 a wartime Albermarle bomber crashed nearHoneystreet, killing both crew members. The memorial plaque on the north bank ofthe canal had become seriously weatherworn to the point where it could hardly beread. Our thanks to Richard Heacock for a loving restoration. Meanwhile the four oaksaplings in memory of the four servicemen from the parish who died in World War Ihave now been planted in the field next to Browns Lane near the spring that links theAltons. This is part of a project to plant more than 10,000 trees across the county inhonour of those who died.

Neighbourhood Plan The Parish Council has agreed to go ahead with aNeighbourhood Plan to cover the parish. Once drafted and approved by local residentsand Wiltshire Council it will set policy guidelines which could provide invaluableprotection for our villages and the open spaces around them. The next step is toassemble a team to get the process under way and see it through. Anyone interestedshould contact Alex Oliver on alexoliver@aoassociates.co.uk

Alton Arts continues to plan for new and attractive events, particularly looking aheadto next autumn when the nights begin to draw in again. Any bright ideas or offers ofhelp would be more than welcome. Let us know via our websitealtonarts@altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Lifesaver: Remember there is a defibrillator – a possible lifesaver in theevent of a heart attack – on the roadside wall of the Coronation Hall. Youwill need to phone 999, give the Hall postcode and defibrillator numberand you will be given a code to key in. This will release the defibrillator to take to thecasualty. When opened it will talk to you to tell you what to do.

Coronation Hall licence An application to allow the sale of alcohol requires thefollowing notice to be publishedTHE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE OF ALTON BARNES CORONATIONHALL is applying to vary the PREMISES LICENCE for The CORONATIONHALL, Alton Barnes, Marlborough, SN8 4LB.The licence, if granted, is to enable the following activities to take place: Saleof alcohol for consumption on the premises, Mon – Sun, 11.00 – 23.00 hours.Any person wishing to make representations in relation to this application maydo so by writing to Wiltshire Council, Public Protection Licensing, County Hall,Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, BA14 8JN. Representation may be made up to28 days from the date of this Notice. A Copy of the application for the grant ofthe above licence is kept by Wiltshire Council, Licensing Section (address asabove). The application can be viewed by prior appointment.It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement inconnection with an application. The maximum fine for which a person is liableon summary conviction for making a false statement is a Level 5 fine on thestandard scale.Dated April 2, 2019

Dates for your diary – all at the Coronation Hall unlessotherwise stated

Sat April 6, 10.00-12.00 Village Coffee Morning. Come along, bring family andfriends, make friends with new neighbours and generally hear the village gossip.There are always delicious cakes and things to eat. Open to all in the parish. Visitorsespecially welcome.

Sat June 22, 2.30-4.00 Annual Fruit and Flower Show

July 6, 6.00 and July 7, 4.00 All Saints Church, Alton Priors, Music for AwhileSummer Festival

Weekends July 6-7, 13-14 and 20-21, 11.00-5.00 Meriel Balston open studio,Maslens Farm, Browns Lane

Keep up-to-date on the Parish website altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

And don’t forget the Coffee Mornings on the first Saturday of each month,

Coronation Hall 10am to 12 noon. See you there!

Village Newsletter

fromAlton Parish Council, Autumn2018

Lots to enjoy in the run–up to Christmas and into the New Year – carols by candlelight, films, talks, music– and, of course, a good party!

Dates for your diary – all at the Coronation Hall unless otherwise stated

Keep up–to–date with events and much else on the Parish website altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

And don’t forget the Coffee Mornings on the first Saturday of each month, Coronation Hall 10am to 12noon. See you there!

Below are published the Village Newslettersfrom the most recent to March 2013.

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Autumn, 2017

A busy run-up to Christmas - and fun too, we hope. Carol-singing around the village, Panto at the hall, and a brand-new venture: Alton Arts. Read on for details of that and much more!

Tree memorial: Under a scheme to remember the dead of World War I, the Parish Council is arranging for four oak trees to be planted in memory of the four men from the parish who died in the fighting. These will be planted, at a site to be agreed, to mark the date when the last of the Wiltshire Regiments returned home in 1919 a year after the war ended.

Broadband update: The Parish Council is still working to get the high-speed fibre connection already available to Alton Barnes and Honeystreet extended to Priors. We have been notified that work in our area mid-2018 should enable users to get a 300mbs “ultrafast” service on request.

Alton Arts is now the chosen umbrella name for some of our village projects. One of the first will be the Carol Lantern Procession on December 18 – details below. A new plan to lighten up those dark evenings after Christmas will bring Cinema to the Coronation Hall. If you have other suggestions or expertise or would simply like to be involved in the effort to get all this going, contact Robert on 01672 852265or robert@carpenterturner.co.uk.

All Saints roof repair: Music for Awhile and local community fundraising for immediate protection of the roof, to replace the stolen lead, has exceeded £15,000 since the start of the year. The Churches Conservation Trust is extremely grateful for the support whilst they apply for larger funds for the major work required. We have been awarded a certificate for our efforts - on display in the church.

Wednesday Movies at the Coronation Hall: January 17, February 14, March 14. All at 7.30 with a short film followed by an interval and then the main film. Films yet to be chosen but options include Victoria and Abdul, Goodbye Christopher Robin, and a special for Valentines Day! Tickets £5.00 each, we hope to have a bar, and ice cream sales. Watch for further announcements.

Lantern Carol Singing round the Villages

Monday 18 December 6.00 – Everyone’s invited to join this special Christmas event! Dress warmly, bring a lantern. Start at All Saints, Alton Priors and sing some popular carols by candlelight. Then in procession round the village stopping off to sing carols finishing up at the Coronation Hall for a warming soup and other entertainment. A prize for the child (under 14) with the best home-made lantern.

Lifesaver: Remember there is a defibrillator – a possible lifesaver in the event of a heart attack – on the roadside wall of the Coronation Hall. You will need to phone 999, give the Hall postcode and defibrillator number and you will be given a code to key in. This will release the defibrillator to take to the casualty. When opened it will talk to you to tell you what to do.

Clearing the Priors springs: The second phase of clearance work, kindly financed by the Parochial Church Council, will soon begin, covering predominantly the area from the bridges across the streams south towards The Priory.

Bonfires: Now is the season but please think about your neighbours, and which way the wind is blowing - and be considerate!

Events – all at the Coronation Hall unless otherwise stated

Fri Dec 1 & Sat 2, 7.30, Christmas Panto. All Cannings Panto Group present The Princes and the Magic Mirror. Doors open 7.00. Tickets £6 adult, £3 under-16, from All Cannings shop, or email frances.booker@virgin.net

Sat Dec 2, Village Coffee Morning, 10.00 – 12.00. Come along, bring your family and friends, and meet your neighbours, make friends with new neighbours and generally hear the village gossip. There are always delicious cakes and things to eat. Open to everyone in the parish. Visitors are especially welcome.

Thurs Dec 7, 7.30. The Restoration of St Mary’s Alton Barnes. In this illustrated talk, Robert Dunton, the architect who oversaw the work, will explain the complexities of the restoration and the new knowledge gained through the dismantling of the interior, the tree-ring dating of the roof structure and the archaeological monitoring of the excavations. Tickets, in aid of village projects, £8. Please send sae with cheque made out to ‘Alton Barnes Coronation Hall’ to: 1 The Old Smithy, Alton Priors, SN8 4JX. Tel. 01672 851859. Some tickets may still be available on the door – not guaranteed.

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Spring, 2017

Plenty of news and plenty to do as the days lengthen and the weather warms up (we hope). Help launch the Coronation Hall as a cinema. Add your garden to the Summer Trail. Enter for the fruit and flower show. Or just enjoy it all.

Film shows – and more – at the Coronation Hall: Help is needed to get a local arts group going to promote cinema and other entertainments at the Coronation Hall. The village hall committee has offered support and the Summer Open Gardens Festival is donating funds to start the project off. As yet the idea is still very much in its infancy and volunteers are needed to get it off the ground. If you are interested, have some ideas or expertise or would simply like to be involved in the effort to get this going, contact Robert on 01672 852265 or robert@carpenterturner.co.uk. 

All Saints saved for the time being! An urgent appeal for £9,000 topay for weatherproof cover for the church following the theft of lead from the roof in 2015 waslaunched by Maggie Faultless and Music forAwhile at the start of this year. Remarkably, the friends of Music for Awhile and MFA itself have exceeded this initial ‘emergency’ target. The church is now weatherproof, a battery alarm will be fitted and the larger project of fund-raising to replace the original lead has begun. Please contactmaggiefaultless@gmail.comfor more information and to support the next phase of the campaign. Good news from St Mary’s, too. Thanks to a successful fundraising campaign the ancient church at Alton Barnes has reopened and was formerly rededicated in February by Bishop Ed, more formally The Right Reverend Dr Edward Condry, Bishop of Ramsbury. The restoration should see thatbuilding secure for many years to come. 

This could save a life: There is now a defibrillator – a possible lifesaver in the event of a heart attack – outside the Coronation Hall. Please note the instructions below, and keep them in case of need.

If someone has collapsed and is not breathing call for help and if you know how, administer CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation). Someone should phone 999 for an ambulance and someone should collect the defibrillator which is positioned on the roadside wall of the Alton Barnes Coronation Hall. They need to phone 999 to give the Hall postcode and the number of the defibrillator which are clearly shown on the box and then they will be given a code to dial in. This will release the defibrillator so they can take it to the casualty. When it is opened it will talk to you to tell you what to do including how to administer CPR before medical assistance arrives.

High speed broadband now: With a fibre-link cabinet installed on the Honeystreet bridge, ‘superfast broadband’ is now available for Honeystreet and Alton Barnes. Anyone interested can contact their service provider, or check by entering their phone number on the link below. ‘Superfast broadband’ does not at present cover Priors but the parish council is pressing for it to be extended.

Wildlife walks: Eddie Smith is once again going to lead his wildlife walks, donations for village charities and projects. April 29 - Milk Hill. May 27 - Woodborough Hill and Kennet & Avon Canal. Meet at St Mary's Church 9am. Contact Eddie on etmesmith@gmail.com or 01672 851429 before 28 April to book on either or both dates. Numbers limited.

New owners at the Barge Inn: The pub has new owners, Pietro and Barbara, who promise “a twist of Italian food and a fine and selected wine list.” Reopening scheduled for the start of April.

Dates for your diary ~ ~ (all at Coronation Hall unless otherwise stated)

 Sat Apr 22, 2.30pm: From Honeystreetto Salonika. On 24 April 1917 Frederick Doggett of The Barge Inn, Honeystreet, was killed in Salonika during the first Battle of Doiran whilst serving with 7th Battalion the Wiltshire Regiment. Brigadier Simon Hutchingsand Alan Wakefield tell his story. All Saints Church, Stanton St Bernard. Tickets: £5 (students £3) Tel: 01672 851352 or email: contact@stantonstbernard.com

 Sat Apr 29, 9am: Wildlife walk – Milk Hill

 Thur May 4: County and Parish Council elections. Polling 7am to 10pm

 Sat May 27, 9am: Wildlife walk – Woodborough Hill and K&A canal

 Sun June 11: Open Gardens – across the three villages

 Sat June 24: Annual Flower Show

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Autumn, 2016

Let's have a party! That's the big plan this Christmas – for details see below. Meanwhile, there's plenty to be getting on with and much to enjoy.

The 2016 Christmas Extravaganza

This year, just for a change, it has been decided to drop the Christmas Panto (Oh yes it has). But there will still be a big festive party at the Coronation Hall - a celebration dinner with entertainment. The date: Sunday evening December 11. But please note that space is limited and although tickets will be free this will be a ticket-only event. Full details and booking arrangements will be announced shortly. Look for notices on the village boards and, of course, on the parish website altonsandhoneystreet.org

Good news from St Mary’s. The long-running programme of repair and restoration is almost complete, and the church is scheduled to reopen at the end of this month. Thanks to all those who put in so much time and effort to raise the money – and to all who gave. Less good news from neighbouring All Saints. The Churches Conservation Trust, despite earlier hopes, has decided not to fund the £89,000 required to replace the lead stolen from the roof. The make-do plastic sheeting is letting water in causing more damage to the interior. The church is now being scaffolded to allow the Trust to install a “longer term temporary roof covering" in rubber.

Warning! Traffic hazard: The short stretch of road down the hill on the approach to Alton Barnes from Lockeridge has seen as many as eight accidents in the past few weeks, with cars overturned. Safety measures now being considered include new warning signs and road resurfacing, possibly with a non-skid material. Speed limits through the parish and over the canal bridge are also being reviewed.

…and hedge hazards: Overgrown hedges on the roadside can be a serious accident risk if they block drivers’ sightlines, particularly at exit and entrance and turning points. If you have a hedge under your care please keep it well cut back!

Defibrillator at the Coronation Hall: In the event of a heart attackdefibrillators can and do save lives. This one will shortly be ready for use (look for the cabinet next to the front entrance of the Hall). Access is by dialing 999 and a key code will be given by the operator after appropriate details are passed to the emergency services. The code is entered on the cabinet lock and then the defibrillator can be used. Many thanks to those who donated at the Barge Inn and elsewhere. The next step will be to arrange training and ask for volunteers. Look for notices on the boards and, of course, on the parish website.

…and speaking of the website: The number of visitors continues to grow and we hope it is becoming a really useful gateway for the whole community. Do take a look at altonsandhoneystreet.org

Barge Inn: The pub is up for sale with an asking price of £900,000. Loud and late-night noise from a very small minority of boats moored nearby continues to be a serious abuse, which has been taken up with Wiltshire and with the Canal and River Trust.

Wishing all an (early) Happy Christmas and a good New Year!

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Spring, 2016

A busy, lively Spring and Summer ahead. Solve a murder. Celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. Raise a glass to the reopening of the Barge Inn. Go in for a prize at the Summer Show. All that and more in months to come.

A tale of two churches – Thanks to generous donations both locally and beyond, enough has now been raised to pay for essential roof repairs to the Saxon church of St Mary's, Alton Barnes. The aim is to complete the work and reopen the church by the end of June. As many will recall, thieves last year stripped the lead from the roof of All Saints, Alton Priors. Restoration (including an alarm system to prevent a repeat) will cost an estimated £89,000. It is hoped the Churches Conservation Trust will be ready to fund this. Their decision on this, along with nine other church projects, is due on June 28.

Honeystreet sawmill: The Parish Council embarked a year ago on a new kind of planning process called a Neighbourhood Development Order. The aim was to give local residents the final say on a proposal to build homes and offices on the sawmill site. Unfortunately the procedure ran into problems and the Parish Council was left with no alternative but to drop it. It will now be up to the owner to decide whether to proceed with a standard planning application. The recent local questionnaire – our thanks to the many who completed it – produced a wealth of opinions and suggestions. These will be very useful if an application does go ahead. For more detail on the results and on the proposal in general, see the Sawmill page on the Parish website http://altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Parish website: … Speaking of which, the website is seeing a very welcome increase in the number of visitors. It offers far more information, regularly updated, than a necessarily brief Newsletter. The latest addition is YOUR page, where anyone living in or with connections to the parish can have their say. So why not take a look. That address again http://altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Barge Inn reopening: The pub - dark since the previous tenants departed in January – is scheduled to reopen in mid-April. And not long after, if all goes according to plan, it should become the first pub in the universe (or at least in the UK) with its own purpose-built Observatory. For details go to www.honeystreetobservatory.com

The pub’s owner, Ian McIvor, has sent a strong written assurance to the Parish Council that there are no plans to close the place or convert it. And you should be able to see a direct update from him before long, on the parish website.

Murder at the Coronation Hall! Yes, there will be blood (or so we are promised) at the Hall on the evening of Saturday, April 2. Watch the drama unfold and join one of the teams competing to discover whodunnit. Tickets, including a two-course dinner, £12 (£8 for under-16s) and there will be a licensed bar. All profits to the Hall fund. For booking details and many other local events, see over the page.

New speed limit? Wiltshire Council was approached to lower the speed limit over the canal bridge from 40 to 30 mph in line with elsewhere in the parish. After speed tests, the council said vehicle speeds were not excessive enough to justify a change. But the parish council is continuing to pursue the matter.

Hare coursing. Along with the regular warnings about keeping homes, outbuildings and vehicles secure against theft, police have recently raised concerns over hare coursing. It seems there have been a number of incidents locally, including Alton Barnes. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101.

New Road signs and Village Gates. All pedants will welcomethe new road signs which correctly announce their arrival at Honeystreet (rather than Honey Street). Our thanks to the local residents who generously covered the cost. And thanks to another generous giver, we hope village gates on the road from Lockeridge coming in to the Altons will be installed before long.

Dates for your diary ~ ~(all at the Coronation Hall unless otherwise stated)

April 2    10.00 – 12.00 - Village Coffee morning

7.30 - "Keeled Over”A Murder Mystery Supper.Come and help solve the crime! Tickets at £12.00 (£8.00 under-16), to include meal, available from Liz Kellett (01672 851920) or Deborah Husk (01672 851233). Licensed bar.

May 19    7.00 – Parish Council AGM, followed by Parish Council meeting 7.30 approx. Meetings are open – all welcome

June 11   The Queen’s 90th Birthday. Celebration at the Coronation Hall. To  include Barn Dance and Hog Roast. All welcome. Full details to follow.

June 23    EU Referendum. Polling Station will be the Coronation Hall.

June25 Summer Show of flowers andvegetables. Detailsto followincludingschedule.

June 25/26 Music for Awhile, 21st Summer Festival, All Saints, Alton Priors. For details see the parish website.

Oct. 15   7.30 – Wine Bluff Special. With wine-tasting, cheese and biscuits. Tickets £8.00from Liz Kellett (01672 851920) or Deborah Husk (01672 851233). Licensed bar.

And don’t forget the continuing Village Coffee Mornings on the first Saturday of each month, 10am to 12 noon. See you there!

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Autumn, 2015

Plenty of news just now. The Parish Council has been spending much time on the proposal to build houses on the Honeystreet sawmill site, which presents the biggest change to the area in very many years – see fuller account below. Wilts Council is conducting a parish Housing Needs Survey, at our request, which everyone is urged to complete. But as winter approaches there is also traditional cheer on offer, not least the Christmas panto.

New 30 mph speed limit? A petition urging that the speed limit through the village be lowered to 30 mph has been sent by the Parish Council to the County Council. The next step is likely to be a test to establish the speed of cars going through the village to be followed, we hope, by a positive decision. This initiative could take some time but wheels are in motion – although perhaps not quite as speedily as those on our road!

All Saints Church – theft: As many will be aware, in July thieves by night stripped the lead from the church roof. A meeting of local residents held at the church was told that the Churches Conservation Trust is hopeful that money can be raised to replace the lead in Spring next year, at which time an alarm will also be fitted. The CCT is also seeking a volunteer to research, write and design a "walk-around guide" to the church. Anyone interested, contact Ed Mcgregor, Volunteering Officer, on 07872 502 118or emcgregor@thecct.org.uk

Although crime in the Pewsey area in most categories has fallen over the past year, police are warning of a continuing hazard particularly theft from cars, homes and outbuildings. As always, the advice is to keep buildings secured all times and valuables in vehicles out of sight or, preferably, removed altogether. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101.

Honeystreet sawmill development: As some will remember, at a village meeting back in March the developers, HAB Housing, explained their proposals for a mix of homes, studios and offices on the site. The Parish Council is at this stage taking no view one way or the other. But after careful consideration and consultation, it has decided to go ahead with a process which will allow local residents to decide. The procedure, still relatively new is called a Neighbourhood Development Order (NDO). Basically it means that a proposal is developed in consultation with local residents and is then put to a local vote.If the vote is in favour, the plan goes ahead. If not, it doesn’t. This is an alternative to the more usual planning application system where, though local residents can voice an opinion, it is up to the local council, Wiltshire, to decide. For more detail, see the Sawmill page on the Parish website http://altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Housing Needs Survey: As part of the NDO process, Wiltshire Council is carrying out a survey to investigate the need for housing in the parish, not least affordable housing. Everyone should by now have received a survey form. Please be sure to COMPLETE AND RETURN IT (prepaid envelope) before the deadline of OCTOBER 30.

First aiders: A heart attack can be one of the most dramatic and immediate candidates for life-saving first-aid. Carol Whittle at Honeystreet has kindly trained a number of local residents in CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation). You might care to keep a note of these contact details:

Stephen and Ruth Hepworth 1 The Granary, Alton Priors. 01672 851690

Mick Pavey5 Rectory Close, Alton Barnes.01672851110

Peter and Sharon Emery1 Rectory Close, Alton Barnes.01672851890

Carol Whittle5 The Terrace, Honeystreet.01672851117

Richard HeacockThe Old School, Alton Barnes.01672851322

A defibrillator is available at the Barge Inn, and money is being raised for another at the Coronation Hall.

Panto! Sound expert wanted – oh yes they are: Alex Whittle who for many years has provided the technology and the expertise for the panto sound-effects and some of the music is unavailable this time. If anyone has the knowledge and the equipment please contact Robert Carpenter Turner on 01672 852 265.

Mend those potholes online: Well, not quite, butWiltshire Council is bringing in a new method of reporting road repair problems directly through the MyWiltshire App. This can be accessed through the Wilts Council website, through the mobile phone app or by phoning the council on 0300 456 0105. They say a co-ordinator will then prioritise the work from the information given. “The more information provided at the time of the report, the quicker a decision will be made on its priority.”

Dates for your diary ~ ~

Note - The Coronation Hall needs a new volunteer BOOKINGS SECRETARY. If you are interested please phone Liz Kellett to find out all about it 01672 851920.

Oct 31 – Barge Inn, Halloween Fancy Dress Party 8 til late

Nov 12 – Coronation Hall, A Wiltshire Chronicle. Former TV producer David Collison on the Wiltshire episodes of BBC TV’s Chronicle series.

Dec 6 (to be confirmed) – Coronation Hall, Christmas Panto

And don’t forget theSaturday Village Coffee Morningseach month, 10am to 12 noon. Next on Saturday Oct 31 (none in November) and then December 5. See you there!

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Spring, 2015

A busy Summer ahead, with the Festival of the Three Villages in June, just one week before the Flower and Produce Show and the Music for Awhile Summer Festival, which celebrates its 20th year. Let’s hope the weather is – Summery!

Festival of the Three Villages: Over the Midsummer weekend, June 20/21, the villages will be celebrating the forthcoming restoration of St Mary’s Church. Work will start in mid-August. There will be events in the Altons and Honeystreet including a Treasure hunt, Tug-of-war, races up to Adam’s Grave and Kite Flying up there, a Barn Dance and Hog Roast on the Saturday. On the Sunday there will be a Summer Solstice celebration at the northernend of the Springs, a croquet tournament and teas, Songs of Praise in St Mary’s and final Festival drinks. There will also be History Walks, a Restoration Exhibition in the Church, pooh sticks over the Springs, a special Festival Lunch at the Barge, and flowers in the churches. Tickets will be required for the Barn Dance and Hog roast. Otherwise there will be collections divided between a village defibrillator, the Springs fund, the Coronation Hall and the Church maintenance fund. Programmes with details of all the weekend’s events will be put through every door soon. And keep an eye on the Parish website altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Honeystreet sawmill development: Some 50 people turned up to a well-attended Village Meeting at the Coronation Hall. The developers, HAB Housing, explained their proposals for a mix of homes, studios and offices on the site and answered questions. The main concern was the potential increase in traffic. Other issues raised included the need for affordable housing, internet access, preserving the line of trees to the south of the site, the question of who would look after the proposed new public open space beside the canal - and the broader question of the change in the scale and nature of a very small village. HAB are soon to hold a “pre-application advice” meeting with Wiltshire Council to discuss the planning application they hope to put in, and a Parish Council member will be there.

First aid training – volunteers wanted! Following a recent medical emergency in the Altons, it has been suggested that it would be useful to have a trained first-aider available, preferably in each of the three villages. Anyone interested please contact Peter Emery on 01672 851890 or email peter.emery371@btinternet.com

Playground fence: As some may remember, the last Newsletter invited views on removal of the fence, which is in a bad state of repair and would cost up to £2,000 to renew. One resident did voice concern. But parish council members feel that the existing fence is not an effective safety barrier, nor to dogs, which can get in though the gate. They also noted that nearby play areas at Lockeridge and All Cannings are unfenced. The fence will therefore be removed shortly.

New lights for Honeystreet? There has been a suggestion that the four orange sodium street lights along the north bank of the canal (Chimney Lane) could be replaced by lights which, while still offering security, are less glaring, less light-polluting and more in keeping with the village. Paul Oatway, our Wiltshire Councillor, has indicated that there would be grant available to cover part of the cost. The Parish Council would be interested to hear any views, for or against.

Flower and Produce Show: The annual Midsummer Show, featuring flowers, vegetables, fruit, home-crafts, photography and children’s classes, will take place in the Coronation Hall, Alton Barnes on Saturday 27th June. Doors open at 2.30 pm – Entry 50p, children free. As well as refreshments and raffle, there will be the famous Auction of Produce at 4.00 pm. Enter your garden produce or simply come and admire the achievements of others – a moment of tranquility after the hurly-burly and excitement of the Three Villages Festival. For entries or other information phone David Collison on 01672 851176 or 07736 237701.

Parish Council AGM: The Annual General Meeting will be at the Coronation Hall at 7pm, Thursday, May 14, immediately followed by a regular Parish Council meeting. All welcome.

Good words: Some first class Coronation Hall talks are planned for this Autumn. Speakers include writer and former Alton resident Steve Marshall on our local “waterscape” of rivers and springs (September 10); archaeologist Jim Leary on his current excavations at Marden Henge (Oct. 22); and former TV producer David Collison on the making of the Wiltshire episodes of BBC TV’s Chronicle series (Nov 12). Keep a lookout for fuller details on the parish website. 

Dates for your diary ~ ~ (all at the Coronation Hall unless otherwise stated)

May 1-4 Beltane fete at The Barge Inn begins on the Friday evening - music, fire-juggling, maypole dancing, face painting and much more

May 7  Election day. Coronation Hall polling station open 7am to 10pm

       The Travelling Talesman. Come and hear the storyteller. His theme   this time is Giants. Barge Inn, 7.30pm

June 20 / 21 Festival of the Three Villages

June 27 - Midsummer Flower and Produce Show

* * *

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, November 2014

As ever, there’s plenty going on no matter what the Winter may bring by way of rain or chill. Help save our bus service, take a look at the emergency arrangements in case of flood, buy a Christmas card in aid of St Mary’s Church, join speedwatch, have your say on the village website – and don't forget the Christmas Panto!

RAF memorial With the two World Wars much in mind lately, the Parish Council has agreed to establish the RAF memorial - dedicated to those killed whilst training at the wartime Alton airfield - as a wildflower area. Once seeded it should need cutting only once a year and be self-supporting and, we hope, appreciated.

Save our bus service! Wiltshire Council is proposing anew timetablewhich willimprove services from theAltons and Honeystreet to Devizes and Pewsey. However this could be under threat unless there is enough demand. A final consultation on the revised timetable closes on December 10. We hope you have received, or soon will, a copy of the timetable and questionnaire. Kate Fielden (phone 01672 851859 ) can collect and forward your reply if you wish. Or online go to http://dcap.org.uk/news/connect2-consultation/ and send your completed questionnaire to buses@wiltshire.gov.uk.

Please fill in the questionnaire even if you don’t use the bus at present as it may be lost if response is poor. You might need the service yourself in future.

New look for the playground? A recent safety inspection showed that the playground fence is in a potentially dangerous state of disrepair. Renewal would cost up to £2000. But nearby play areas at Lockeridge and All Cannings are unfenced. To save money, the parish council is considering removing the fence and putting up warning signs as necessary. If you have any views on that why not go to the parish council website http://altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk and let us know.

Precept - The Parish Council has very reluctantly decided to make a significant one-off increase in the "precept" – the money for parish costs raised through council tax. Although the percentage increase is large, the effect on households will be relatively small, amounting to an extra one or two pounds a month on your council tax bill. We hope the details below will explain the situation and answer any questions.

How much? The precept will rise next year from the present £2400 to £4,000.

What will it mean for me? The Council Tax on a band D property will rise £14.85 to £36.11 a year. The rate for a band G property will be £60.18, an extra £24.72.

What is the money spent on?Costs in the past year included £690 for grass cutting and maintenance at the playground and RAF memorial, £766 playground insurance, £19 expenses, £774 legal fees for purchase of playground and £88 playground safety inspection. But in some years costs can be much higher: the refurbishment of the White Horse in 2009 cost £21,000.

What is the reason for the increase? At present the parish council has the right to decide how much money it needs to raise each year. But we understand the government plans to "cap" precepts, limiting increases to 1 or 2%. That would be acceptable if the parish council had money to spare, but the precept has always been kept as low as possible with little or no safety margin. We have been warned that unless we act while there is still time the parish council could find itself, some years down the line, without enough money to meet its obligations and with no means to raise more. So we must build a reserve.

Planning success - The parish council successfully challenged a plan to build three new executive-style houses on the canal bank at Honeystreet. The development was approved by Wiltshire Council officers but with help from our local councillor, Paul Oatway, their decision was unanimously reversed by the Planning Committee. The developers have come back with a more modest proposal for a single property.

St Mary’s Church Appeal - Donations continue to come in and a sum of over £50,000 is now in the bank. The report on the state of the church is expected to be completed in the next two weeks and work is expected to start next summer. On sale in aid of the Appeal - greetings cards showing a Laurence Whistler bowl, engraved while he was living in the village, of St Mary’s Church and the White Horse. Contact Meriel Balston on 01672 851851. Also, Shirley Burrow’s fascinating small book about her childhood in the Altons – available from her on 01672 851685. We look forward to The Festival of Three Villages next midsummer weekend to celebrate the restoration of our Church, and life in the Altons.

Flood wardens - ‘Tis the season for wet weather. In emergency, please contact your local flood warden as follows: Barnes – Peter Emery (01672) 851890 / 07886 128192 or Ben Owen 851708 / 07825 345407; Priors – Steve Hepworth 851690 or Kate Fielden 851859; Honeystreet – Alex Oliver 851956. 

Speedwatch – volunteers, please - Thanks to our volunteers, during two years the percentage of vehicles exceeding the 30mph limits in the villages has dropped from 18 to 9% during the periods of operation. This is welcome. But we need more volunteers to help out. If you can spare an hour or two each month please contact Steve Hepworth by e-mail on chairman@altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Wiltshire Highways have asked that households check perimeter hedging and trim back any that are impinging on the roadway or footpaths.

Dates for your diary - Coronation Hall

Sun. Dec 14 – Christmas Panto “Aladdin and Ray's Magic Garage”. Matinee 4pm. Evening performance – details to follow

Weds. Jan 14 – Good Companions 1-4pm

Thur. Jan 15 – Parish Council 7.30pm

And don’t forget the coffee mornings, 10-12 Saturday Dec 6 and Jan 3

Lastly, please take a look at our website! We hope it will be increasingly useful as the best place to hear about local events, business, socialising, and voicing your view. Just go to http://altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Spring, 2014

Let’s hope the worst of the weather is over and we are heading for a better Summer. But whatever the weather there’s plenty going on to keep us busy and entertained - and plenty of dates for your diary

Floods: Jayne Drew has been appointed flood warden and main point of contact for the Parish Council with Wiltshire Council. She says: “I am aware of the various flooding incidents within the Parish but if there are others that I may not be aware of do email me at thedrews@chapelcottage.plus.com or phone 01672 861555 so we can put together an accurate picture of its effect on our villages. On the whole, we have (so far) escaped with relatively light damage in comparison to other parts of the country but this is little comfort to residents living with dehumidifiers to dry out wet homes. There has been some confusion over the supply of free sandbags from councils and we are pressing Wilts Council for a decisive answer. The Parish Council does not have a supply of sandbags at our disposal unfortunately.”

Our Saxon Church of St Mary

An Appeal Committee has been formed to raise major funds for urgent repairs to St Mary’s Church, particularly to the roof. The Appeal will be launched in April and will involve applying for a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant, approaching various Trusts and Foundations, and setting up a Crowd Funding website. There is already a piece on the village website about this project, which will be updated regularly.We are also planning various fundraising days or evenings - see dates for your diary, below.There are plans for a series of talks on local history over the winter months. And in 2015 there will be a major two-day event A Festival of Three Villages. This fundraising will be a community project, so if you would like to be involved please contact Michael Balston on mb@balston.co.uk Steve Husk on steven.husk@gmail.com or Hugh Potter on hughapotter@aol.com.

Films at the Hall! And new furniture

With the generous assistance of a grant from the Wiltshire Council Area Board, a digital projector has now been installed at the Coronation Hall, together with a remote control screen, speakers and a radio microphone. At present the Hall committee is being instructed in its use, but once the system is fully up-and-running it will be available as a Hall facility, with clear instructions for users. It is intended that a surcharge of £5.00 will be added to the standard hall hiring fee for those who wish to use the projector. Thanks also to help from the Area Board, the Hall is to have new, lighter-weight FOLDING tables, which will make daily use and storage much easier (and safer !)Bookings, Liz Kellett 01672 851920.

Hare coursing can happen in our area. Perpetrators may damage crops, break fences, steal from barns – and often have big gambling money behind them. Police ask anyone with reason to believe coursing is under way to ring 999.

The Robert Pile Educational Charity This is a local educational charity that has funds available to support the education of any resident of Alton Barnes, Alton Priors or Honeystreet who is in need of financial assistance to access a course. Applications can be for adults or children. Assistance is normally provided to cover up to 50% of the identified costs. Invoices have to be provided to the charity. The applicant needs to have been a resident for two years within the Parish. Application forms can be obtained any of the Trustees below, contact by phone

The Robert Pile Educational Charity ~ Clerk wanted!

A local volunteer is needed to be Clerk. This is a non onerous task as the there are only three scheduled meetings a year! Anyone volunteering must be computer literate with access to e-mail – and able to keep information about applicants confidential. Please contact Arthur Johnson or Stephen Hepworth for details.

Our very own website! For up-to-date news, local businesses and more, take a look at http://altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Dog owners – an appeal: Please be responsible and, as and when necessary, keep your dog on a lead, collared and under control. Serious problems can be reported to the police on phone 101.

Dates for your diary ~ ~ (all at the Coronation Hall unless otherwise stated)

March 12, 7pm, St Mary’s Appeal, Quiz and Bingo evening, with a raffle. Tickets £10 to include bingo strips, cheese and biscuits, and a glass of wine. Please ring Victoria Oliver on 01672 851851 for information and tickets.

May 12, St Mary’s Appeal, Bridge Day at The Manor, Alton Priors. For details please ring Deborah Husk on 01672 851233

May 22, 7pm - Parish Council AGM and pc meeting

May 26 (Spring Bank Holiday) Car boot sale

Looking ahead - In an attempt to keep pace with the weather, it has been decided to delay the Midsummer Show. This will now be held in the Hall on Saturday 5th July.

And don’t forget theVillage Coffee Morningson the first Saturday of each month, 10am to 12 noon. Next, Saturday March 1. See you there!

* * *

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, Autumn, 2013

Plenty going on to keep us warm and entertained as Winter draws on. And plenty of dates for your diary up to Christmas and beyond

Altons and Honeystreet on the net: The parish council website has been updated and upgraded. We are now building up an array of local information which we hope will be useful, interesting, or even both! There are links to local businesses, accommodation and more, and we hope that there will soon be a message board for you to put forward your own views and suggestions. Why not take a look on http://altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

The Robert Pile Educational Charity: This is a local charity with funds available to support the education of any resident of Alton Barnes, Alton Priors or Honeystreet in need of financial assistance to access a course. Applications can be for adult courses or for children. Assistance is normally provided to cover up to 50% of the identified costs. Invoices have to be provided to the charity. The applicant needs to have been a resident for two years within the Parish. Application forms can be obtained from Trustees Arthur Johnson (Honeystreet) 01672-851026, Rev. Deborah Larkey -851746, Stephen Hepworth (Priors) -851690, Jenni Bickerdyke (Barnes) -564370.

Open Gardens – Summer highlight: The Open Gardens Day in June was a great success. Some 15 gardens in the three villages were on display and drew a big and admiring attendance – undeterred by the arrival of a swarm of bees in one of the gardens on show. The event raised more than £2,000 for St Mary’s Church and the Coronation Hall. Thanks to all who helped to organize and who took part.

Let’s Get Pickled: Not what you might think! Come and hear author and broadcaster David Collison on “The Arte & Misterie of Pickling & Preserving” at 7.30 on Friday, November 15, at the Coronation Hall. Bread, cheese and pickles provided, bring your own drinks. Tickets in aid of the Coronation Hall, £7.50.

Noise: The parish council is aware of a number of local complaints about late-night or excessive noise. We are keen to encourage Wiltshire Council (which is responsible for dealing with the problem) to take action when required. They say it is important to ensure that complaints, if made, are properly logged. The number to contact is 0845 056 8035. Even if they cannot take immediate action, you should ask to have your complaint recorded, with a reference number. It would also help if the parish council can be told, either through the website message board (see above) or by contacting any pc member.

Panto: Alton Panto Productions, now in their eighth smash-hit year, are proud to announce their latest production - Goldilocks and the Three Aliens. This Christmas, for the first time ever, there will be a matinee as well as an evening performance. See events diary below.

Neighbourhood police: Talking of the net, Pewsey Neighbourhood Policing team tell us they now have their own Facebook page. You will find them via http://www.wiltshire.police.uk/index.php/policing-in-your-area/county/2791?npt=EC

If you 'like' the page you will be able to receive updates and alerts that affect this area.

Next Parish Council meetings:

Monday, Oct 14 (to consider Honeystreet planning applications)

Thursday, December 5

Both at 7.30, Coronation Hall. See noticeboards and the website for more details

Some other dates for your diary, this year and beyond ~ ~ ~

(all at Coronation Hall unless otherwise stated)

Friday, Nov. 15, 7.30 – “Let’s get pickled” – see above

Sunday, Dec. 15 – Christmas entertainment:

Afternoon, matinee panto performance and children’s tea party.

Evening, Christmas carols, Kennet Vale Silver Band, Traditional Mummers Play, Mother’s Jam choir, Panto.  Interval wine and mince pies.

Times and full details to be confirmed – look out for the posters, and on the website!

Feb 22, 2014 – Curry evening – in aid of the church. Details to follow

April 12 – Car boot and table-top sale – with refreshments

And don’t forget theVillage Coffee Morningson the first Saturday of each month, 10am to 12 noon

Saturday, October 5

Saturday, November 2

Saturday, December 7

See you there!

* * *

Village Newsletter

from Alton Parish Council, March, 2013

A thoroughly cold, wet start to the spring; let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of rain-drenched 2012. But whatever the weather there are lots of local events to keep everyone busy and – we hope – cheery. And history buffs should have a field day, starting with the event immediately below.

Step Back in Time (again): We are delighted to report that, following his successful appearance last year, Ray Pope will join Shirley Burrow, David Carson and David Collison for an evening of local history. Topics this time are expected to include family life, holidays, and schooldays. Cheese and wine, collection for village charity.

Come and join in with your own memories, Saturday April 27, 7pm at the Coronation Hall.

Parish Council elections: local council elections, including Alton, will take place across the country on Thursday, May 2. Closing date for nominations, noon on Friday, April 5. For all other details, contact Wiltshire Council Electoral Services on 0300 456 0112.

Join theAltonConservation Team. David Carson would like to form a Conservation Group to help plant hedges and trees, restore hedgerows,keep the stream(s) clear, clear ditches etc in and around Alton Barnes and Priors. He says: “I would be delighted to hear fromanybody with practical skills and equipment (eg chainsaws) or whois justhappy to get their hands dirty. Contact me preferablyby email - djmcarson@hotmail.co.uk - or bytelephone 01672 851826. If there is enough interest I will organise a meeting in the Coronation Hall.”

Boat break-ins: Boats moored at Honeystreet have suffered a number of recent thefts. Anyone in and around the area is asked to keep a look-out for any suspicious activity and, where appropriate, let police know.

Open Gardens – Summer highlight: Plans are well under way for an Open Gardens Day on Saturday, June 29. We hope there will be stalls, teas, talks and demonstrations on everything from landscape gardening to beekeeping. But above all we hope it will show the villages at their best. We want to encourage as many folk as possible to open their gardens and will be putting flyers through everyone's doors nearer the time.The message is really that if you're proud of your garden, no matter how large or small, we want to see it!

Walk your way through history: "A Tale of Two Villages" is the title of a series of walks through the parish, guided by David Carson. Dates (all Thursdays) are April 25, May 23, June 27 and July 25, starting from the Church of St Mary, Alton Barnes, at 6.30pm. The moderately energetic walk lasts approximately90 minutes and sensible footwear should be worn. Tickets, £12, must be booked in advance through the Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Devizes. A percentage of each ticket sold goes to help the Museum.

And some other events ~ ~ ~

St Mary’sChurch: Easter morning Communion Service at 9.30am, March 31.

Annual Parochial Church Meeting: 7.30, Monday April 22, Coronation Hall.

Annual General Meeting and Parish Meeting: Thursday May 9, 7pm, Coronation Hall

Midsummer show: the annual Flower and Produce Show, now well-established, will take place at the Coronation Hall on Saturday, June 22. Keep an eye on the notice boards for details nearer the time.

And don’t forget theVillage Coffee Mornings, Coronation Hall first Saturday of each month, 10am to 12 noon

Saturday, April 6

Saturday,

The Alton Barnes Coronation Hall

Village Coffee Morning Saturday 3rd July 10am-noon. We are delighted to announce that our next Village Coffee Morning is on Saturday 3rd July by which time the majority of the Covid – 19 restrictions are expected to be lifted. Please come and enjoy a chance to make new friends and catch up with the latest news. We offer a special welcome to new villagers who have yet to sample our delicious homemade cakes!

The Coronation Hall Committee has plans to refurbish the kitchen so any donations made for coffee and cakes will go towards this. If you would like to help plan and organise events for the village please do speak up and join our team, the more the merrier. We only have 4 meetings per year. It’s really about building opportunities to nurture a positive, thriving community and having some fun.

Did you know that anyone can hire the hall? Consider it for birthday parties, events or meetings. Just contact Richard Heacock by email: richardheacock@mac.comor tel: 01672 851322 . The hall is very well equipped including a stage with lighting, audio visual facilities, kitchen, an alcohol licence and a marquee is available for hire. Main Hall £10 p/h (£75 per day) Committee Room £7 p/h.Hiring for funerals and weddings are at no cost for village residents. For further information visit our village website: altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk

Midsummer Show - Sunday 4th July Coronation Hall

Get growing! Over the past year everyone has been spending more time in their gardens - so the Village Midsummer Show is just the time to show off all that hard work and enter your flowers and produce. Doors open 2:30pm, Prize giving 3:30 pm. followed by auction of produce and raffle. Tea and refreshments.

Schedules will be available in June on the village website www.altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk and posted through your letterbox.

Any donations for raffle much appreciated please contact either Hayley- 07582636017 or Ruth-01672 851690

Open Gardens 2021

Much to everyone’s disappointment we have had to postpone this popular event again this year due to COVID, but we do have some exciting new initiatives this year to keep us gardening (read on) and look forward to a bumper Open Gardens event on Sunday 12th June 2022 when hopefully we will be able to welcome visitors once again to enjoy our garden trail.

COVID-19

It is now over a year since the first lockdown, when we set up a list of Community Volunteers to help those in the Parish who needed help and support. We had a fantastic response, and am pleased to say that as we all became accustomed to the new normal, we were really not called upon a great deal. However, it was reassuring to know that support was there if needed, so thank you to all those that volunteered to help, it was greatly appreciated.

Conservation Projects

New College Oxford, have funded a number of Conservation Projects on the farm over the last six months, these include the restoration of the Dew Pond at Tawsmead Farm, on the road to Wilcot. Hedge and tree planting will be the next stage of this project in the Autumn. A start has been made on clearing the ditches across the meadows that take all the run off rainwater from the roads through Alton Barnes and Priors. Further work to clear the Springs area is scheduled for the Autumn months. Last year a Visual Hazard Tree assessment was completed of all trees on the Public Highway, Footpaths and Rights of Way on New College Land, any trees found to be of potential risk will be felled, this work has now been approved by the Parish Council and Wiltshire Council and is scheduled for completion this year.

Wildflower Project St Mary’s and All Saints Churchyards

Kindly supported by the both the Alton Parochial Church Council and Music for Awhile we have launched a wildflower project in both our churchyards with the aim of supporting our local biodiversity whilst also bringing enjoyment to visitors and congregations alike. During lockdown we made a tentative start, bearing in mind the restrictions, by planting snowdrops and bluebells in the green, together with young plants of primroses and cowslips. Finally, a native wildflower seed mix was sown in selected areas. (Needless to say, we could really do with some rain at this point!)

Our small efforts are just the start though with lots of bulb planting on the agenda for this autumn to expand and replicate the lovely spring display of native daffodils and fritillaries planted by David last autumn, yet more seed to sow and young plants to grow.

We envisage and hope that this would make a fun and worthwhile community project, expanded to include selected habitats across the village we have appreciated so much during lockdown. If you would like to get involved in any

way, we would love you to join us, please contact email:- louisegolden@icloud.com or davidjmcarson@icloud.com we look forward to hearing from you.

Robert Pile Trust

This is a charitable Trust which provides financial help to anyone who has lived in Alton Barnes, Alton Priors or Honeystreet for 2 years or more with any educational undertaking. This can include any academic, occupational or professional qualifications and would cover such things as university fees, music lessons, extra curricular school subjects, driving lessons and professional courses. Applicants can be of any age and should apply to email:- pollycaravans@gmail.com

Alton Barnes flood warden report

Honeystreet – Works have been planned with the drainage team to install new gullies to prevent the water from ponding on the road. The works (with road closures) will take place in the next few months

Opposite the Coronation Hall – The gullies and pipes have been cleared, the PC will request the landowner to clear vegetation in front of the outfall pipe.

Browns Lane – the council will place road plaining into the damaged area in order to remove the sharp edge

Alton Priors – The gullies can be cleared by the sewer crew when they are next in the area and the Sarsen stone currently blocking a drain will be moved

St Marys Church

St Mary's Church serving Alton Barnes, Alton Priors and Honeystreet St Mary's is partly Saxon being originally built in the 10th century. It is in an area with a notable history, and is a Grade 1 listed building. A community hub it has been well supported by many volunteer worshippers over the years. Although Covid - 19 has

created many problems for the Parochial Church Council, it now appears that we can cautiously commence public worship in the church. On Easter Sunday we

opened the church again and plan to participate in Parish Communion on the 1st and 3rd Sunday in the Month throughout the year at 11.00am excluding Festivals.

We are fortunate that our sister church All Saints, Alton Priors will remain open for individual prayer. When Covid 19 restrictions are relaxed we shall open St Mary's daily. The maintenance ( lighting, heating, grass cutting, refurbishment, parish giving to the Diocese of Salisbury, etc) of an historic church is financially draining to the sum of £12,500 and likely to increase with inflation. Unless something changes, existing cash reserves will run out on the 31st December 2023. It is

therefore unrealistic to continue offering the facilities of our church as numbers and income become less than our expenditure and lessens the likelihood of a living church for future generations. Should you have any thoughts on this issue you contact the Churchwarden on email: essielab@gmail.com or telephone 01672851466. Should you wish to volunteer or donate: Details are Lloyds Bank plc: Standing Order, Sort Code:30-92-63 Account Number:00271757. Sunrise Cottage Alton Priors SN8 4JX. Do you have an old laptop that St Marys could use for playing hymns because of the absence of an organist? It needs to manage a 4GB USB and have speaker jack input. Thank you for supporting St Mary's.

All Saints Alton Priors

The church remains open for prayer.

The engraved window (by Frank Grenier) for the North Chancel has been completed and will be installed over the coming months. Deborah Husk has taken a wonderful photo if the window that you can see on the village website.

Music for Awhile

Planning performances on July 31 and August 14 in All Saints church and on September 11th in the Hall.

Altons and Honeystreet WhatsApp

To join go to link https://chat.whatsapp.com/JzjdjQFagA14PglVszj7nn. Please use this for general village messaging and not personal chat.

Village website

The village website for all local and village information

www.altonsandhoneystreet.org.uk