NWN-291020

NEWBURYNEWS VILLAGENEWS

Thursday, October 29, 2020 24

Newbury Weekly News

Call for support volunteers and food donations HERMITAGE Support Group – which has overseen the pandemic relief effort in the village and surrounding areas – has issued a call for volunteers and food donations. The organisation runs a foodbank and exchange, with regular distribution sessions at the village hall. It also operates a delivery service, dispatching food parcels to housebound and needy residents. A number of volunteers have recently retired, and the group has made an appeal for replacements. In addition, it has requested donations of essential foodstuffs – packed lunch items for school, squash, instant noodles, gluten- and lactose-free items, tinned fruit, jams and marmalade, biscuits and treats, crisps and savoury snacks. The group is keeping up with its schedule of deliveries and is willing to help anyone in need locally. Organiser Andy Murray said on Facebook: “We have lost a few volunteers who have gone back to work, so if there is anyone out there can commit to a couple of hours every few weeks, that would help spread the load. “If needed, we can get a parcel to you ASAP to get you on track until a weekly one kicks in – no means testing required. “Please don't struggle alone. “Rest assured, we treat every request with utmost respect, and all are dealt with in confidence – names aren’t shared with the volunteers, as we only use your address and household numbers to pack the parcels.” All enquiries should be directed to HermitageSpGp@gmail.com

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

Newsupdatesfromthe villagesare now availableonlinethroughouttheweek.Go to newburytoday.co.ukandselectthedistrictpages

Community orchard planting day set THE award-winning Hampstead Norreys Community Shop has scheduled its long- awaited orchard-planting for December 5. The orchard is part of the shop’s sustainability programme, with residents and friends of Hamp- stead Norreys able to attend a series of socially- distanced sessions throughout the day. Sixty-five trees will be planted at a site adjacent to the shop. Volunteers are being sought to help maintain the orchard into the future. In all, it is expected that workers would only need to dedicate two or three hours every month. Organiser Vanessa Collins said: “We’ll be plant- ing a mix of heritage fruit trees, predominantly varieties of apple, pear, cherry, plum, greengage and damson – and many of these are traditional UK varieties sadly being pushed to extinction by their commercial counterparts. “And as for the trees themselves, they will be supplied by The Heritage Fruit Tree Company, which means they’ve had the very best start in life. “They are locally grown, in Soil Association- approved compost and free from chemicals. “These organic beginnings will continue when they come to reside in Hampstead Norreys.” For further information, email hncshop@ yahoo.co.uk MILL Lane, Tidmarsh, is due to reopen today (Thursday) after difficulties with repair works. The road – which connects Tidmarsh with the neighbouring village of Sulham – has been shut since October 19. Originally, maintenance crews set out to repair a fire hydrant. However, complications resulted in West Berkshire Council extending the closure. RoadtoreopeninTidmarsh

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Emergency services centre takes shape Thealeconstructiopnrogressinqguicklyonstate-of-the-asrtat tion

The Theale project is part of a modernisation programme under- taken by RBFRS, following the refur- bishment of Hungerford Community Fire Station and the rebuild of Crowthorne Community Fire Station. The chairman of the Royal Berk- shire Fire Authority, Colin Dudley, together with lead member for strate-

gic assets Angus Ross, recently visited the site to see how the work was coming along. Mr Dudley said: “I’m delighted with the progress made on site at Theale Community Fire Station and am confident that it will be a fantastic investment that the local community will be proud of, once it is complete. “What we’re starting to see is the beginning of a modern, fit-for-purpose community fire station that will deliver on our strategic commitment to ensure that our fire stations, people and resources are placed at the heart of local communities.” Mr Ross said: “Careful planning has ensured that once completed, the new station will provide state-of-the-art modern operational facilities for emergency services, as well as a flexi- ble, fully accessible meeting space for local residents and community groups to use. “Thank you to the contractors Knights Brown for all their efforts so far. I look forward to seeing further progress on site over the coming months.”

WORK to build a new community fire station in Theale is starting to take shape. Once complete, it will provide a state-of-the-art facility for all three emergency services as well as a flexi- ble, fully accessible meeting space for residents and community groups to use. Plans for the new station have been in the pipeline for years and were finally approved at the end of 2019. Construction started in January this year and the work is progressing quickly, despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Drainage and foundation works have already been completed and a steel superstructure was installed at the end of September. A grand unveiling is scheduled for 2022. The station will be operated jointly by the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS), Thames Valley Police (TVP) and South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) and serve as an outpost for rural West Berk- shire.

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seeis thebeginningofa modernf,it-for-purpose communitfyirestation thatwilldeliveronour strategicommitmentot ensurethatourfire stationsp, eopleand resourcesareplaced attheheartoflocal communities

Mortimer Station car park plans ‘do not justify the need’

ing impact” on the rural village. GWR has also drawn up plans for a footway along station road, but the officers say it “is not considered acces- sible due to the steep gradient over the bridge”. The council’s Eastern Area Planning Committee will make a decision on the appli- cation at a meeting tomorrow. During a public consulta- tion, eight people objected to the plans, and raised concerns about the impact on the rural landscape, extra traffic and pollution. They have also asked whether GWR can justify building a new car park when the long-term impact of Covid- 19 on commuting remains unclear. Supporters say it would

PLANS to build a 150-space car park next to Mortimer Station are expected to be rejected tomorrow (Wednes- day), writes Local Democ- racy reporter Nathan Hyde. Great Western Railway (GWR) has applied for permis- sion to build a car park on an agricultural field just off Station Road to increase the number of parking spaces for passengers to 200. Passenger numbers at the station rose by just three per cent between 2004 and 2019, and Great Western Rail claims a lack of parking is “suppress- ing” that growth. But West Berkshire Council planning officers say the plan- ning application “does not justify a need for an additional 150 spaces” and the large car park would have “an urbanis-

01635 253 253 www.marshfuels.co.uk LET USTAKETHEWORRY OUT OF REMEMBERING BECOME A PRIORITY CUSTOMER JOIN OURAUTOMATICTOP SERVICE

Mapoftheproposedcarpark

catch a train. Plans to build a 100-space car park at the station were rejected in 2008 and that deci- sion was upheld at appeal.

prevent on-street parking in Mortimer and provide much- needed parking at the station, meaning less people would drive to Reading or Theale to

H C Marsh (Newbury) Ltd Ball Hill, Newbury, Berkshire. RG20 0PW