NWN-18062020

NEWBURY NEWS HUNGERFORD & LAMBOURNALVLEY

Thursday, June 18, 2020 21

Newbury Weekly News

Legion steps in to save Junction Community vseicre faced closedown after losing premises

SPOTLIGHT on Eight Bells for Mental Health

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AS co-chairman of Eight Bells I would like to introduce a new project and welcome to our community strength co-ordinator Andrea Barrett. This new and exciting service will reach out across West Berkshire. Volunteers who want to assist their local community to thrive and build resilience. The role involves meeting new people and by getting to know them and understanding the local community, support them to make choices to maintain and improve their quality of life. Andrea will be managing the recruitment, training and support of the volunteers for Eight Bells. Andrea has worked at Swindon Borough Council since 2008 to serve the residents of Swindon in a variety of ways. For the last 12 years she has provided benefit support, created volunteering capacity and facilitated community capacity building with community groups, volunteers and local residents. Prior to that she worked in Liverpool and Gloucestershire local authorities, helping residents with their benefits. We are looking to build a network of help through Community Navigator

She managed the volunteers that supported the organisation and provided funding and governance advice to charities and other organisations in the local voluntary and community sector. Originally from Gloucester, Andrea moved to Newbury in 2009 and it has been her home with her husband and young son ever since. Outside of work, she is the secretary for the local Scouts’ group and enjoys exploring the plentiful, local beauty spots. “I am delighted to be working in Newbury for Eight Bells Community Strength at the start of this exciting project. “Social isolation is a key issue and this project will put measures in place to address the challenges faced by residents across West Berkshire. “We want to provide support to people to enable them to look after themselves in their own homes for longer with a good quality of life. “We want to help people to manage their physical and mental health and wellbeing through their own choices. To find out more about this project or volunteering please contact Andrea at

COMMUNITY service The Lambourn Junction has been forced to vacate its Memorial Hall home to allow Lambourn Parish Council to return to work. The council voted in a closed meeting on June 3 to eject the Junction, citing the safety of its workers and the need to priori- tise the backlog of paperwork. In a letter to the Junction, council chairman Michael Billange-Jones said: “The service provided by The Lambourn Junction team has clearly been needed within the parish and the parish council appreciates the time and effort that you and the local team of volunteers have put into it. “However, the resumption of parish council activities and the much-needed work on the back- log of outstanding accounts and other paperwork must now become our priority. “Sadly, after looking at several alternatives, there is no way to resume the parish council office duties and maintain The Lambourn Junction activity in the same hall. “So it is with reluctance that we must ask you to please work on your exit plan from the Memorial Hall. “We request that you vacate the hall by Friday 19th June so the site can be sanitised and ready for the return of parish council staff.” Faced with being homeless, the village’s Royal British

NewbuyrMP Laura Farris (right) awarded The Lambourn Junction her Community ChampiownasrAd earlier this month

Andrea Barrett

Legion stepped in to offer a home to the Junction, allowing its 12 members to continue to provide 150 households with vital food and groceries. From Monday, the Junction will continue to operate from the Legion (11am to 1pm, Monday to Saturday). The Lambourn Junction lead coordinator Anna Field said: “We are so thankful to the Royal British Legion Club. “Their positive, welcoming approach and community spirit brought tears to my eyes. “We really thought the Lambourn Parish Council’s decision would be the end of our support to the 150 households in the Lambourn Valley who use The Lambourn Junction.”

The Junction has been a vital community asset since lock- down restrictions were enforced at the end of March. The service receives an aver- age of six to eight referrals every day on a helpline number, more than six private messages on social media and on average eight to 11 people visiting in person needing food parcels. The service was visited by Newbury MP Laura Farris on June 5, who awarded the project her Community Champions Award. To contact The Lambourn Junction, either visit the Royal British Legion on Upper Lambourn Road or call the Lambourn Volunteer Helpline on (01488) 505050.

For the last 14 months she has worked in the voluntary sector at the Council for Voluntary Services in Swindon. It is a charity that supports other charities to thrive. “ I am delighted to be working in Newbyur for Eight Bells Community Strength

community.strength@ eightbellsnewbury.co.uk

WE NEED YOUR HELP During this crisis the staff, members and trustees at Eight Bells are working hard to support those who are struggling emotionally and mentally. To do this Please donate via the Good Exchange via the following link:-

AdrianGilmoreinHungefrordArcade Hungefor rdBookShopreopeneodnMonday Ref: 25-1920B Life returns to the High Street WELCOME back! Ref: 25-2020D

Hungerford mayor Helen Simpson, Constable of the Town & Manor, Nicholas Lumley and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce David Small went walkabout on Tuesday morning to welcome shop- pers back into the town centre. Among thoseopening for the first time since the lockdown were florist Martin and the Magpie, the Hungerford Arcade and other antiqueshops plus many of the town’s celebrated small, independent businesses. Town bellman Julian Tubb cried from the town hall steps: “Oyez! Hungerford is delighted to welcome back all the shops. God save the Queen, the Duke of Lancaster.” Mrs Simpsonsaid: “We were delighted to see all the ef orts the shops had gone to in order to keep people safe. It’s really nice to have them back again and every- one was pleased to see us.” Mr Small said: “Three quarters of the shops are now open again, with six or seven of them opening for the first time today. “We’ve been talking to everyone to see how they’re managing and to tell them ‘well done’.”

For more information check out our website www.eightbellsnewbury.co.uk Email: coordinator@eightbellsnewbury.co.uk https://tinyurl.com/NWN8Bells Or alternatively text EIGHTBELLS to 70660 to donate £3

Hungefrord mayor Helen Simpson with David Small (left) and Nicholas Lumley enjoyed a stroll through town on T uesday