community yearbook 2018

SEPTEMBER Jack’s statue gets go-ahead

Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, 25 January, 2018

Lib Dem candidate resigns JUDITH Bunting, the Liberal Democrat parlia- mentary candidate for

PLANNING permission was granted for a life-size bronze statue of one of Newbury’s most famous former residents. The likeness of John Winch- combe II, also known as Jack of Newbury, will stand 2.35m tall outside the build- ing where he lived, 25 Northbrook Street. West Berkshire Council planners gave the green light for the £36,000 project. The public art project has been in planning for two years and will be paid for through a range of funding streams . MORE than 4,500 beer- lovers descended on Northcroft Playing Fields for the 14th Newbury Real Ale Festival. There were 174 ales and 137 ciders available on the day, with some as quirky as Clan MacFannie’s Irn Bru cider and Goat’s Milk ale. Musical entertainment began at 1.15pm, with the band Hickory Smoke, and continued until 9pm, with the line-up of eight acts including Torn Off Strips, Ricky and the Gamblers and Hells Bells. The event, organised and staffed by volunteers from Media Fusion and Newbury and Thatcham Hockey Club, is sponsored by 45 local organisations. Media Fusion director David Whittingham said: “It was absolutely amazing and the weather held off, with a few showers. We are really

Newbury in the 2015 and 2017 general elections, resigned to return to her career as a producer of TV documentaries. Newbury and West Berkshire Liberal Democrat chairman Tony Vickers said: “Judith has given us five of the best years of her life and a considerable boost in political fortunes. “She has been an outstanding candidate, as the results of the 2015 and 2017 elections show when compared with other similar constituencies.” Mrs Bunting said: “It has been a real pleasure to work with members and supporters of

One hundre years of Greenham histor y

Judith Bunting

the Liberal Democrats across our district. “I have met some wonderful people and made a number of very good friends.”

AROUND 8,000 visitors attended the outdoor community arts event Greenham: One Hundred Years of War and Peace . The event brought to life some of the extraordi- nary moments of Greenham Common ’s history. It was written by local playwright Beth Flintoff and produced by Rosa Productions on behalf of Greenham Trust, with funding from Arts Coun- cil England and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The event was a celebration of 20 years of the trust, which, since its inception, has given £40m in support of more than 3,000 local projects. Local people were joined by a professional cast and creative team, and groups including Home Front History, local civil war re-enactors and The Watermill theatre’s summer school. The performances involved around 500 members of the local community, including a choir of more than 100 adults and children. The finale was presented in front of an evocative backdrop of high-impact video projections, and was accompanied by a newly-composed, film score-style music backing and live mass choir.

Sculptor Luke Wbb with a model of the Jack of Newbur y stat e

Ale and hearty

The award-winning Alder Ridge vineyard Vineyard’s sparkling success

de Noirs English Sparkling Wine and one of only three Blanc de Noirs sparkling wines worldwide to have won a gold medal. Cobbs Farm chief executive Tom Newey said: “Winning the gold and silver medals was already a huge feather in our cap, but to have then been given the title of having the best English Blanc de Noirs– we were blown away.”

STAFF at Cobbs Farm in Hungerford were celebrat- ing after its Alder Ridge vineyard’s 2013 Blanc de Noirs swept the board at an international awards cere- mony. The wine was awarded the title of Best in Class at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships in London, giving it the honour of being named the best Blanc

Real Ale fans enjoy a tipple at the festival

pleased on how the event went, with lots of good feed- back on the day. “The bands went down very well.” The founder of the Newbury Real Ale Festival and

member of Newbury and Thatcham Hockey Club, Simon Hannam, said: “I started it 13 years ago and we had 18 beers and 400 people. Now there are more than 170 beers and 130 ciders.”

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