Category Archives: News

Piggles Trust Charity Auction

by Monxton Matters

piggle

Harriet Martin was an Amport resident and her parents, Teddy & Caroline, have set up a Charitable Trust, Piggles Trust, in  her memory. This weekend a sell-out fundraising ball is being held and there is a fabulous auction, both on the night and a silent auction. Anyone can bid on the items, whether or not you are attending the ball. So please click here to see the wonderful experiences, holidays, wines, art and products that have been kindly donated.

Harriet spent much of her short life at Ocean Ward in Southampton General Hospital. Creating a ‘normal’ environment within the most ‘abnormal’ of situations is the hardest challenge any children’s department within a hospital is faced with.

Whilst addressing the clinical needs of the most unwell children, it is no less important to consider the overall emotional, developmental and mental wellbeing of the child and their family. The complete upheaval, change of environment away from ‘normal’ family life, coupled with the fear of uncertainty all play a huge role in this hugely distressing time for both the child and, just as importantly, their family.

Piggles Trust aims to bridge some of these gaps by creating more of a  ‘home from home’ experience, specifically through education.

When children are in hospital they suffer considerably by missing out on vital education that ordinarily they would receive. They should not fail to experience the benefits of education due to their confinement in hospital. Children who are unwell deserve, need, and will benefit from education just as much as their peers.

Education is currently provided within hospitals on a very rare and ad-hoc basis, with little or no awareness of this.  Across the board, no provision at all is made for pre-school aged children despite this being such a crucial learning stage. Outside of the hospital environment it forms an integral part of their development as well as a means for them to form friendships and most importantly, being  a child.

We all know that education starts from home and we cannot allow the circumstances beyond our control to prohibit this.

Piggles Trust is committed to offering pre-school children these vital educational stepping-stones within the hospital environment.

No child should be left behind.

ocean-ward

 

 

Burns Nights Supper 21 January 2017

by Monxton Matters

Amport (and Local Parishes) Burns Night

Christmas will soon be here, and New Year hard on its heels.  If you think there is nothing more to celebrate once you have ripped the cellophane from your new calendar and opened it to reveal ‘January’, you may be interested to know that in 2017 we’re going to be celebrating Robert Burns’ birthday in Quarley Village Hall on Saturday 21st January.

The format will be traditional but light-hearted, just as Burns himself would have wanted.  A supper including haggis specially imported from Royal Deeside will be served, with a dessert to follow.  Unsure about haggis?  You might be pleasantly surprised; but that’s not all there is.  Wine and soft drinks on the table, and whisky for ‘toasts’ (a bit like speeches, but light-hearted and brief) are included in the ticket price.  Dancing to a live band with a caller follows the supper and toasts, and hopefully everyone will be go home at the end of the evening with a smile on their face.

Doors open at 7 pm for a prompt 7:30pm start.  It’s a packed programme, finishing at 11:30pm.  Tickets cost £23 each, with any proceeds going to local charities.  For more information, please go to www.birdsweb.co.uk/burns/ or call Gillian (01264 889463) or email gillian.j.bird@btinternet.com

Christmas Shoebox Appeal

by Monxton Matters

ST MARY’S, MONXTON – CHRISTMAS SHOEBOX APPEAL

Dear Parishioner,

This year we, at St. Mary’s Church, Monxton, will be making up Christmas shoe boxes for distribution by Andover Foodbank.

Over the last ten years Andover Foodbank has distributed more than 5,000 Christmas gift boxes to local children.  These are some of the comments received by the Foodbank last year.

‘Shortage of money and anxiety make it very difficult at Christmas. The shoe boxes were a huge help and had such lovely things in them that it made Christmas for us’

 ‘Like all parents we want to try and make Christmas as special as we can.  Without your kind donations this just wouldn’t be possible, it’s such a great feeling knowing my kids will have presents to open.’

‘Not only have you provided a physical gift but happiness and a much needed morale boost that money cannot buy’ – Children’s Services

If you would like to make up a whole shoe box or donate some items, then we can provide you with a list of different age groups and examples of what to pack.  We also have a limited supply of empty shoe boxes.

If you would like to join with us then please contact Charmian on 710221 or Valerie on 772030 for more information.

We will be delivering our shoe boxes to the Foodbank on Friday 11th November.

Alternatively, you may wish to donate cash online at https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/andoverfoodbank

Many thanks,

St. Mary’s Monxton

 

 

Black Swan Car Park – update

by Monxton Matters

Monxton Parish Council has received a notice this week from TVBC, which confirms that the Asset of Community Value application for the Black Swan Car Park, has been successfully appealed by Enterprise Inns, which has been upheld. This means the Car Park is no longer an ACV.

Monxton Parish Council has no intention of counter appealing as the car park is part of the Black Swan package currently for sale, and as such it makes no difference in the short term.

Enterprise Inns have advised that they have tolerated the use of the car park by residents and others as an act o goodwill and that there is no right to entry. They have confirmed that signs prohibiting use of the car park by non-patrons of the Black Swan will be re-erected together with a barrier and prohibition will be enforced.

In the event that the pub is purchased for development it will almost certainly be the case that the car park will see a planning application for a new property. However, in the event that Monxton Community group, with the support of villagers, succeeds in buying the pub plus the car park and the village green, it will be at the discretion of the new Black Swan management as to whether villagers are allowed to park going forward, as has been the case in the recent past.

 

Parliamentary Boundary Changes

by Monxton Matters

It has been proposed by the Boundary Commission for England that a number of parliamentary boundary changes be implemented and the number of English seats will be reduced from 533 to 501. However, as part of these changes a number of parliamentary constituencies are also changing. This includes Monxton which, if the proposals are implemented, will change from North West Hampshire to Test Valley.

See www.bce2018.org.uk for further details and see how you can comment on proposals.

boundary-changes

What do you need to know?

  • The number of constituencies in the South East region must reduce from 84 to 83
  • By law, every constituency we propose must contain between 71,031 and 78,507 electors
  • We largely use local government wards as the building blocks for proposed constituencies
  • We try to retain existing constituencies where possible
  • We try to have regard to geographic factors

Black Swan updates

by Monxton Matters

Monxton Parish Council are pleased to announce that formal confirmation has been received that the Black Swan pub has now been registered as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). This extends the time for the village to raise the funds required to purchase the pub to the 13th April 2017, with a further protected period to 13th April 2018. This will prevent the property being sold to another party during this period.

It is hoped that the community  will be able to acquire the Black Swan to safe guard its position as Monxton’s only pub. There has been great support from Monxton, Amport, Abbotts Ann and further afield and £10,000 has now been raised for the fighting fund.

The Monxton Community committee met on the 19th October at the village hall and are progressing well with the various work streams. The committee is now in the process of developing the business plan and will be organising a village meeting in the coming weeks to present the business case and plans for the pub. Check the Monxton Matters Black Swan web pages for news or sign up for the newsletters.

Please let us have your views as usual either via the Comments section below or to monxtonmatters@gmail.com.

Moviola: Wednesday 26 October

by Monxton Matters

This will be penultimate Moviola production in Monxton unless more people attend. Please support your village!

Hampshire Moviola
in association with

Monxton & Amport Film Nights

proudly presents

The Man Who Knew Infinity (12A)

The story of the life & academic career of the pioneer Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan (Dev Patel), & his friendship with his mentor, Professor G.H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons).

In Monxton & Amport Village Hall
Wednesday 26 October at 7.30pm
Doors open at 7pm

Tickets: £6
Available from Caroline Unwin (772375), Veronica Bacon (771285), Karin Staines (712061) or Jennifer Richards (710308).

Refreshments in the interval

Rosebourne Garden Centre, Weyhill – open today

by Monxton Matters

(From www.andoverandvillages.co.uk)

The new Rosebourne Garden Centre at Weyhill opens today, although the official opening is this Saturday 22nd October

* TV celebrity gardener David Domoney to cut the ribbon on Saturday 22 October

* Free food and drink tastings

* Special opening customer offers

The much-anticipated official opening of Rosebourne, the stunning new purpose-built garden and leisure destination in Weyhill near Thruxton on the Hampshire and Wiltshire border, will take place on Saturday 22 October, 2016. The doors will open at 8.30am and visitors can expect a host of special attractions, activities and exclusive opening offers.

TV celebrity gardener David Domoney, who presents ITV’s Love your Garden and a regular face in ITV’s This Morning will officially ‘cut the ribbon’ at 11am. He will also be holding a series of talks (at midday and 2.30pm) offering visitors top tips and garden advice.

Rosebourne will be a champion of locally sourced fresh produce within its Food Hall and table-service Restaurant where customers can enjoy a sumptuous breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea throughout the week. One of the key suppliers to both the Food Hall and Restaurant will be Owton’s Butchers, one of the UK’s premier wholesale butchers and farm shops, and now Rosebourne’s in-house butchery.

For full opening times, menus and suppliers list, please visit: www.rosebourne.co.uk

At the opening, a number of regional suppliers will also be offering food and drink tastings to whet the appetite, including cakes from Fatherson Bakery, savoury pies from Hambletons, beers from Andwell Brewery, cordials from Yarty’s, juices from Hill Valley Juices and fish cakes from Catch!

Rosebourne’s Garden Nursery will be packed full with traditional and varied plants which have been sourced from across the country and internationally, while those looking for home and kitchenware, and unusual gifts will be spoilt for choice.

For car enthusiasts, Thruxton Motorsport Centre will be showcasing a variety of cars at Rosebourne’s opening, from single-seater racers and off-road vehicles to karts specifically geared for younger petrol heads. A one-off competition will be run, giving Rosebourne visitors the chance to win a track day experience at Thruxton Circuit.

Rosebourne will be running a special opening offer – all customers who spend £25 or more in-store will receive a £5 Rosebourne voucher which can be redeemed in the Garden Nursery, Food Hall, Restaurant and gift section.

Neville Prest, Managing Director at Rosebourne, added: “With the final touches being made to Rosebourne, we are delighted to finally announce the official opening date. We’re really looking forward to showcasing the Rosebourne experience in just a couple of weeks’ time so be sure to come along with family and friends, sample the region’s best food and drink, and take advantage of our opening offer.

“We would like to thank all the teams of people who have helped to realise our vision for Rosebourne and, of course, the suppliers and staff members who will make Rosebourne a fantastic destination for locals and visitors to the area for many years to come.”

Dogs and Public Paths

by Monxton Matters

A gentle reminder for all dog owners and walkers

The countryside is a great place to exercise dogs, but it’s every owner’s duty to make sure their dog is not a danger or nuisance to farm animals, wildlife or other people.

  • Please pick up your dog’s mess when on footpaths, rights of way and public paths. There have been quite a few instances where dog mess has been left on footpaths and also in the barnyard at Manor Farm in Monxton.
  • Once you have picked up the dog mess please DO NOT leave the bag on or near the path. This is littering and worse than leaving the dog mess. There are bins to put the bags (by the bus stop on the High Street; by the lay-by between the main village and Sunnybank; on the footpath near the grain store leading to the gallops) or take it home for disposal.
  • Please keep to the footpaths and do not trespass on fields. This is especially important when crops are sown
  • Please keep dogs on leads or under close control near livestock and do not allow them to enter any field with livestock. By law a farmer is entitled to destroy a dog that injures or worries their livestock.
  • If a farm animal chases you and your dog, it is safer to let your dog off the lead – don’t risk getting hurt by trying to protect it.
  • By law you must control your dog so it doesn’t disturb or scare farm animals or wildlife. This is especially important between 1st March and 31st July when animals tend to have young to look after.
  • Take particular care that your dog doesn’t wander where it might scare or disturb birds that nest on the ground and other wildlife – eggs and young will soon die without protection from their parents.
  • Please click here to see the map of footpaths around the area

Theft of Fruit in Amport

by Monxton Matters

A pear tree was stripped bare by thieves earlier this month from a garden off Wiremead Lane in Amport. This was a large amount of fruit and is particularly hurtful to the resident as any surplus fruit is always offered free of charge to passers by!

If you saw or heard anything in the area please let me know by emailing david.trowbridge@hampshire.pnn.police.uk or calling 101 and asking for a message to be sent to David Trowbridge.