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Thursday, November 18, 2021 33

Newbury Weekly News

VILLAGE NEWS

Elstree pupils book time out with authors Woolhampton school celebrates reading and literature

VILLAGES Keeping in touch Have you got a story? Contact our villages reporter CHARLIE MASTERS, on (01635) 886639, or email: charlie.masters@ newburynews.co.uk Twitter @charliem_nwn

NEWBURY Road, which runs through Compton and Hamp- stead Norreys, will close for one day on Friday, November 26. West Berkshire Council has put a closure order in place to allow BT to carry out works on its overhead network in the area. The road will be shut between its junctions with Ilsley Road and Church Street. Residential and blue light ac- cess is permitted throughout and an alternative route will be available for all affected road users via Church Street, Wyld Court Hill, Haw Lane, Aldworth Road, High Street and Ilsley Road and vice versa. Day’s closure for rural road Soke Road to shut for water works SOKE Road, Aldermaston, is to close between November 29 and December 3. The road will be shut between its junction with Reading Road and the West Berkshire/Basing- stoke and Dean district bound- ary. An alternative route is via Pamber Road, Silchester Road, Mulfords Hill, Burghfield Road, Reading Road, and vice versa. The closure will run all day on each day for Thames Water to install a new connection in the area. Residential access will be maintained throughout.

PUPILS at Elstree School re- cently enjoyed a week-long celebration of reading and lit- erature, with all year groups invited to join in marking Book Week. Pupils at the Woolhampton school were encouraged to come to school dressed as famous people and characters through time. Costumes included Gandalf, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, Cleopatra and Caesar – and more. A number of authors were en- listed for talks on the day, among them Michael Morpurgo, Zanib Mian, Jenny McLachan and Liz Kessler. Meanwhile, Joseph Coehlo was called in for a talk on poetry-writ- ing skills. Of this aspect of the week, Year 5 pupil Josh Singleton said: “Mi- chael Morpurgo had a fascinating way of writing books and books and ideas together.” A Carnival Parade featuring pupils and staff was staged on the school’s grounds, with the vari- ous characters marching to the soundtracks of much-loved musi- cals and films. These included favourites from Oliver Twist, The Dawn Patrol and The Great Escape . Later, a ‘Readers’ Celebration

News updates from the villages are now available online throughout the week. Go to newburytoday.co.uk and select the district pages

Community shop’s candlelit market HAMPSTEAD Norreys Community Shop has announced a number of stalls that will set up at its candlelit market on Saturday. The market takes place between 3.30pm and 7.30pm and will feature a number of novelty and artisan pop-ups. The retailers are based across West Berk- shire and beyond and there will be a live mu- sic accompaniment. Festive activities are also being lined up, including bauble decorating and a visit from Santa’s elves. Among the stalls attending on the day are Andover-based Ethel’s Pies, Mortimer-based Ancient Wares, Coloured Flames of Buckle- bury and The Little Zero Waste Home.

A week of book fun at Elstree School

“I wanted to share them with everyone.” Fergus Hoar, from Year 7, said: “Book Week was amazing and it was great fun seeing the teachers dressed up.” Year 4 pupil Isabel Clark said: “I was Hermione Granger. You could show how much you like a book and what you feel about a charac- ter.”

Party’ was laid on in the school library, complete with marshmal- lows, hot chocolate, brownies and hot dogs. Over lunch, pupils and staff shared their favourite books with each other. Year 4 pupil Ralph Weatherill said: “I did feel it was a bit of an achievement and felt proud about my books.