NWN 160420

Thursday, April 16, 2020 19

NEWBURY NEWS

Newbury Weekly News

Alex goes short to ‘give back’ to NHS

hair, so this is a big thing – he’s never had short hair. “The NHS has completely saved his life. “He’s had pneumonia before and a pleural effusion, so he completely appreciates what the NHS does and has done for him when he has to go into hospital for his asthma. “He’s had lots of problems with his breathing, so he’s very keen to give back as much as he can.” Alex is currently home from school due to the coronavirus pandemic and is taking part in online classes put on by Thorn- grove School. Asked why he was shaving his head, Alex said: “I’m doing it for the NHS, because they need the help at the moment.” Mrs Skinner has set up a Just Giving page for her son’s fundraising effort. To donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com fundraising/alex-griffin21

A NEWBURY schoolboy has raised more than £1,600 for the NHS after shaving off his hair. Alex Griffin, who is in Year 7 at Thorngrove School, sat down in his front garden in Rowan Drive, Newbury, on Friday morning and took a razor to his own head, before his mother Jodie Skinner tidied up. The 12-year-old was determined to help the health service since it has played a big part in his own life. He is asthmatic and as a baby spent two weeks in intensive care in Southampton after suffering a pleural effusion, which is when the lungs fill with fluid. Mrs Skinner, a veterinary nurse at Vets for Pets in Newbury, said she was extremely proud of her son. She said: “He managed to raise £1,000 in just a week, so I’m really proud of him. “He had quite long, highlighted

Alex starts the head shave

No to new Lidl’s stand-alone sign Totem would give unfair ‘premier sta’touvser other retailers Report by JOHN HERRING email john.herring@newburynews.co.uk twitter johnh_nwn Twelve-year-old Alex Griffin, whoeisarin7Yat Thorngrove School, took a razor to his own head, in the front garden of his home in Rowan Drive, before his mother Jodie Skinner tidied up, insettop Ref: 09-16-0320M&J

Ref: 09-16-0320C

THESE cute little chaps are gambolling around an Ashampstead farm where rare breed lambs are being reared. Eleven Cotswold lambs have been born at Blackberry Cottage, the most recent – twin ewes – arriving last Thursday. The Cotswold breed is now considered at risk, despite its historic popularity. Farm owner Kate Saunders said: “They’re known as ‘golden lions’, because their wool is very long. “In Victorian times – in the Cotswolds – they were taken to market and the wool was used for gentlemen’s clothes and carpets, and things like that. “But because of manmade mate- rials, they declined over the years. “Now there’s only about 1,700 left in the whole country. “What we’re trying to do is keep the breed going.” Rare breed lambing time at Blackberry Cottage

not be severe. However, this would change once the Sandleford Park hous- ing development was built off Monk’s Lane. But the council concluded it would be inappropriate to refuse planning permission for Lidl based on the grounds of prema- turely surrounding Sandleford Park. Concerns were also raised about parking at peak periods in the already-congested retail park. The council said this was “despite a new internal road configuration being in the car park itself over the last five years”. It said: “Whilst this has assisted, the eastern portion of the car park is more difficult to access and so remains relatively unused – but congestion still occurs in the car park to the west, leading to queues on to the high- way.” To address this, Lidl has proposed to pay for a new central reservation in the pedestrian crossing across the main access into the retail park from Pinch- ington Lane. The council said this would improve the two-way flows at the crossing and reduce congestion, meaning the car park, particu- larly the eastern section, could be accessed easier.

PLANS for an advertising ‘flag style’ sign for a new Lidl store in Newbury has been shelved. Lidl Great Britain Ltd had applied to place the stand-alone illuminated sign next to the existing advertising pylon at the entrance to Newbury Retail Park. West Berkshire Council has turned down the totem though, saying it would congest the area with commercial paraphernalia. Refusing the application, the council said: “There are a number of major retailers within the retail park. “Whilst the existing pylon sign may need replacing with a more legible sign to represent them, it is not considered that there is any reason why Lidl should have a more premier status compared to other retailers. “As such, the proposed sign is considered to be overly dominant and intrusive in this location and would have a harmful effect on the visual amenity of the area. “The cumulative impact of further such structures would contribute to a proliferation of signage resulting in further clut- ter.” The signage is to direct people to the new Lidl store being opened at the former Homebase shop, which closed in September 2019.

“ The cumulative impact of further such structures would

contribute to a proliferation of signage resulting in further clutter

Lidl will occupy two thirds of the unit on a 25-year lease. The new store will be in addi- tion to its one on the A4 in Newbury. When the plans were agreed, council officers concluded that no preferable sites were evident in the town. A needs test for a new store was not required in the light of Iceland closing and the ongoing rise in households in the district. Traffic modelling indicated an increase of 46 vehicle movements to the retail park during weekday evening peak hours and 11 two- way movements between 11am and noon on Saturdays. Officers had said that the increased traffic impact would

How the new store will look at NeywRbeutaril Park and the existing retailers sign