community yearbook 2018

JANUARY A helping hand for the homeless CALLS to end homelessness in Newbury gathered

Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, 25 January, 2018

support after it was revealed that the number of people sleeping rough in West Berk- shire had trebled since 2010. With temperatures plummet- ing, local campaigners, volun- teers and politicians joined forces to ignite a community response and try to finally put an end to the issue. Shocking new figures show that across the UK, the number of homeless people has increased by 16 per cent year on year. Experts said the true number of homeless people in West Berkshire is difficult to deter- mine, but agreed it was far higher than the 14 quoted in Government statistics. And with West Berkshire Council forced to make cuts to funding for mental health services and support for

Red phone boxes in East Garston, left, and Boxford Last call for payphones

Our wonder ful Watermill THIS was the year The Watermill celebrated 50 years as one of the most successful regional producing theatres in the UK. West End transfers, national and international tours and awards garnered at home and on Broadway have cemented the Bagnor theatre’s reputation. During its anniversary year, three Watermill shows transfered to London in the spring and its production of Crazy For You, starring Tom Chambers, toured the UK. In the early 1960s, David Gollins, with the support of his mother Judy, had the vision and the foresight to create one of the smallest and most beautiful professional theatres in the country from a derelict watermill on the banks of the River Lambourn, in the hamlet of Bagnor, just outside Newbury. The converted mill seats a maximum of 220 people. David Gilmore became artistic director from 1976 to 1978 and in 1981 Jill Fraser, together with her husband James Sargant, bought the theatre. Jill was a co-owner of the theatre from 1981 until her death in 2006. Her vision led The Watermill to build an excellent reputation worldwide. She developed it from a local rep, opening 26 weeks of the year, into an year-round producing house. Paul Hart, the theatre’s current artistic director, previously associate director for Propeller, continues the bold, ensemble-driven approach to Shakespeare. His 50th anniversary season included a new production of Twelfth Night, reimagined in the 1920s. Sheepdrove Organic Farm and Eco- Conference Centre is the principal sponsor of the production. Directed by Paul Hart, the produc- tion toured nationally and internationally in repertoire with Hart’s 2016 production of Romeo + Juliet with Neal’s Yard Remedies as UK tour sponsor.

vast majority of them. Figures show that 15 of the 60 phone boxes in West Berks that are set to be removed were not used at all in the previous year, while others have only been used a hand- ful of times. The most used payphone in Newbury in 2016 was the one

SIXTY of West Berkshire’s public payphones– includ- ing iconic red telephone boxes in rural villages – are set to be removed, unless communities step in to ‘adopt’ them. BT says that use of the phones has declined by more than 90 per cent in the last decade and, as a result, is proposing to get rid of the

People were living rough in freezing conditions in Newbur y

place and getting them engaged in the community.” The calls came after the managing director at Newbury-based company Swift Logistics, Adrian Smith, called for businesses to help the homeless back into work after discovering one of his tempo- rary employees was forced to live in a tent.

vulnerable young people last year, those without a home are finding it increasingly difficult to turn their situation around. Long-time charity worker Catherine Knight said:“It’s about the community that we live in, pulling together. “We want to help these people make a lifestyle change – it’s about getting them in the right

by St John’s Post Office – with 387 calls in one year. NWN hits the headlines THE Newbury Weekly News appeared on Meridian News .

Many tears for trainer LAMBOURN was in mourning after Grand National-winning Many Clouds collapsed and died after winning the race of his life. He dealt Thistlecrack a first-ever defeat when claiming the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham. Oliver Sherwood’s Hennessy Gold Cup star looked in great shape as he came through under regular rider Leighton Aspell, but after reach- ing the winning post, the 10-year-old collapsed and died from a pulmonary haemor hage. It sent the stunned crowd into silence and an emotional Mr Sherwood said:“He’s been the horse of a lifetime. He’s died for me and the team today, doing what he does best. “I’ve been in the game 32 years and horses like that don’t come along very often. ”

Camera crews visited the paper’s offices in Faraday Road to see how the paper was celebrating its 150th anniversary. When the NWN was first published, in February 1867, the lightbulb and the car hadn’t even been invented. Walter Blacket and Thomas Whieldon Turner founded the Newbury Weekly News from a stationery shop at 34 Northbrook Street. Mr Blacket took over his family’s ailing stationery business, but was keen to start a local newspaper. He sought an editor for his venture and found TW

Turner, a former printing apprentice at Blacket’s, who had become a reporter on the Cheltenham Examiner . Mr Turner returned to Newbury and on February 7, 1867, the NWN was launched to an expectant public. A Meridian News cameraman films in the NWN press hall

Many Clouds was paraded through Lambourn after winning the 2015 Grand National

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