Chineham

Five local dancers from Chineham and Lychpit have been selected along with 30 other dancers from Basingstoke Academy of Dancing (BAD) to represent Team England at the 2020 Dance World Cup being held in Rome.

Dance World Cup is the largest dance competition in the world with over 6,000 competitors from 48 countries competing in the finals. This is the greatest all-genre dance competition in the world for children and young adults. As well as training hard, the girls will be involved in numerous fundraising activities to raise money to go towards all the dancers’ additional costs in travelling to this competition and they would really appreciate any local support. On Sunday 1st March, they will be holding a fundraising carwash at their studios in Joules Road, Houndmills.

Chineham Library: Regular activities follow their usual pattern in March, with children’s rhymetimes for under ones at 10am and over ones at 11am on Tuesday mornings. From 10.30am there is also now a volunteer-led coffee morning which those attending are welcome to visit. This offers a chance to meet others with young children in the Acorn Room.

Christ Church Activities: Messy Church will be meeting next Monday 2nd, from 3.45 until 5.45pm. Join the group for some fun activities, praise, craft, and to share a meal together. Parents must stay with their children. Free, but donations welcome.

The Coffee, Chat and Craft Group continues to meet on the first and third Tuesday afternoons from 1-3.30pm, to knit, sew, crochet or simply sit and chat. The next meet-up is on Tuesday 3rd March. All welcome to join. For further information contact the Church Office.

Fiona Biermann

Hatch Warren and Beggarwood

BEGGARWOOD COMMUNITY CENTRE is hosting the latest of its popular quiz nights, tomorrow (Friday 28th February).

The start is 7pm for 7.30pm. The cost is £5 per person in teams of 4 or 6. There will be a licenced bar and money raised will go to the Hatch Warren and Beggarwood Community Association.

BEGGARWOOD SURGERY has posted advice about the Coronavirus. Please call the surgery if you think you may have the Coronavirus. The doctor will call you. To prevent the spread of infection please do not turn up to the surgery. The phone number is 01256 396500.

DIGESTER SMELLS: It has been difficult to tell, this week, whether latest amendments to the Digester have produced improvements, as winds have been so high. Disappointingly, the operators are saying that the many complaints about odour from residents have not been substantiated by the external agencies.

HATCH WARREN INFANT SCHOOL is opening a Breakfast, Afterschool and holiday club with MAGNA starting from the Easter holidays. More information is now available and there is a chance to meet the team tonight (Thursday 27th February).

GOOD LUCK to the Brighton Hill Community School Year 9, 10 & 11 Dance Ambassadors who have been successful with their entry in the Great Big Dance Off 2020. They have secured a place in the live regional heats that take place at the New Theatre, Oxford next month.

Stephen Reid

Sherfield

FAIRTRADE: On Sunday March 1 sees the beginning of Fairtrade Fortnight. Lesley says “ So....How do you shop? What about all those logos ? To consider this and to celebrate the event we will have a shorter communion service followed by Fairtrade refreshments, including wine tasting. We would love to see you then!” St Leonard’s Church, Sunday at 10 a.m.

GARDENING Club: On February 17, the Sherfield & District Gardening Club held their usual monthly meeting in the Liddell Room in Sherfield Village Hall. Dan says: “It was very well attended, the members enjoyed an extremely interesting talk from Adam Vetere, the Owner and Designer of the renowned 'Old Camps' NGS gardens at Headley, near Newbury and were given an insight into the history of the site and the details of the design and build of the gardens. The Gardening Club's next meeting will be held on Monday March 16 and our speaker, Derek Dexter whose speciality is Fuschias, has been invited back to again show us the wide variety available, how best to grow them, and the ease of propagation and exhibition. New members are welcome to join us, just come along. 7.45 pm.

Chris Horton

Old Basing and Lychpit

THE LOFT MUSIC NIGHT on Friday at 8pm in Lychpit Community Hall promises to be another exciting evening with a varied and talented line-up.

Tom Copson blew the audience away last time he played at the venue with many beautiful pin-drop moments. Another act will be Ma Bessie’s Pig Foot Band sharing the music of Bessie Smith and her contemporaries – a mix of classic blues and jazz tunes with a selection of original songs and hand-picked covers. The rich, warm vocal sounds of Julia combined with a dynamic band that looks as well as sounds the part is an act not to be missed. Another talented musician performing during the evening will be Vicki Sayers playing pop, rock, jazz with rhythmic guitar sections. Also performing will be the Nora Anna Band. Nora Anna is a super talented and emerging singer songwriter who along with her newly formed band will play a delightful mix of jazz, pop, blues and folk. Admission for non-performers is just £3. Take your own refreshments.

BUILDING WORKS are nearly complete at St Mary’s Church and the inside of the church would now benefit from a spring clean. The first of these sessions will be on Saturday 29 February from 9.30-11.30 am. Materials will be provided and jobs found for all ages.

MESSY CHURCH will also take place on Saturday at St Mary’s from 3.45 until 6pm. Hopefully, this will not undo the good work of the morning spring cleaners! There will be activities, songs, food, crafts, games and stories with the theme Working Together and Global Friends.

Elspeth Lee

South Ham

South Ham Leg Club: Acorn Health Partnership have joined with Linsey Leg Club Foundation (Charity) to provide Hampshire’s first Club to support people with Leg problems.

The Club is located at St Andrew’s Church, Western Way and is a drop-in service held every Friday morning with no appointment required.

Future of South Ham Library: Hampshire County Council (HCC) have announced that are consulting on changes to the County’s Library services. One of the main proposals is for the South Ham Library to close by Spring 2021. The consultation is open to the public to express their opinion and be obtained by accessing www.hants.gov.uk/library-consultation which closes on 18th March 2020. If you wish to register an objection you can sign the online petition Save South Ham Library at: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/savesouthhamlibrary

Music and Movement Classes: Suitable for walkers to 5-year olds held every Wednesday 1 – 2pm at Russell Howard Pavilion, Paddock Road. The cost is £2 per child – no booking is required just drop-in.

Kids Cooking Club: The Club is for 2 – 5-year olds cost £2 per child, and is held every Tuesday 10.30 – 11.30 at Westside Community Centre. Details call 464571.

Colin Regan

Silchester

APOLOGIES to Silchester Working Party who I put on “night duty” last week!! Of course this should have read Saturday March 28th at 9.30am. Meet outside the Calleva Arms as usual.

VILLAGE MARKET always a date to be noted is on Saturday, March 7th from 10am to 12.30pm.

FILM TO START LENT on Tuesday 3rd March Ken Loach’s film “I, Daniel Blake” will be shown in the Village Hall Club Room at 7.30pm. Everyone welcome to come along and see the film, the discussion group which was due to be held AFTER the film show is postponed, Date to be announced at Film Show.

RIDE THE RIFT is the title of a talk by Sandi Smithers at the Phoenix Club on Wednesday March 4th at 2pm. Sandi recently completed this bike ride in Kenya raising money for charity. Come along and hear about her adventures at 2pm. £2 will give you a good talk, tea and biscuits. Our Club is a very welcoming place to come to and possibly join.

SILCHESTER DIG the talk by Professor <Michael Fulford will be on Friday 27th March at 7.30pm in the Hall. Doors open from 7pm.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a Silchester lady on the 29th. A Leap Year baby!

Nancy Jones