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This site now includes details of the businesses that operate from the Ardglen Industrial Estate area, press here to see it. Evie Bates is currently looking for volunteers to help out at the popular Toy Library sessions on Wednesday mornings (term time only). If you can help call her on 892624. Emily Bradley is looking for help in the Testbourne Teapot. If you can help call her on 895706 Carers Together Monthly SessionsCarers Together is a County wide Charity offering support and information to ALL Informal, or unpaid carers in the County. Music Hall Artists RequiredSparklers is planning its next musical which will be staged in the Spring. Volunteers, actors and singers, are required to take part. Funds raised will go to the Leukemia Ward at Southampton General Hospital in support of one of the group's most dearly loved cast members. Kingfisher Day CentreVolunteers are always welcome at the centre. Bus escorts are desperately needed for a couple of hours on Mondays or Fridays. Training will be given. No qualifications required. Common sense, patience, a smile, a sense of fun and commitment are that’s needed. Please drop in to the Day Centre which is part of the site of Testbourne Community School, Micheldever Road, or call Julia on 893333 or visit the website. Old NewsVisit the news archive for earlier news items Have you got any news? © Copyright theWhitchurchWeb
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The butcher's shop is getting ready to re-open on Thursday. Philip Langley and his team are hard at it redecorating in order to be open by 9am on 5th January.
Please support your local shops - see the special offers page for extra special deals in Whitchurch's shops - there's a sale on at Dolls House Hampshire to name but one.
The heavy rains of 2011 are happening again. Around ½" on Sunday and over ¾" by 9am on Tuesday with more forecast means a very wet start to the year. In new money, the total this year to 9am Tuesday is 35mm. It's also unseasonably mild at 11° C.
The winds that have "battered" the town overnight have reached just over 30mph. There's more detailed information on Whitchurch's weather station.
Several hundred townsfolk saw in the New Year in the Town centre. As the church bells rang out and the Town Hall lights switched off 2012 hit Whitchurch.
Andy Moss led the countdown from the The White Hart balcony and sounded a horn to mark the start of the New Year.
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And a Happy New Year from theWhitchurchWeb.
Basingstoke's Salvation Army band brought the Christmas in Whitchurch 2011 Town centre activities to an end as usual. As queues waited for their Christmas orders in the Village Bakery and John Dennett Butchers, the band played Christmas carols and tunes in its traditional Christmas Eve session.
Mayor, Barry Jackman, and Mayoress, Sandra, joined in the singing and many, of all ages, stopped to listen, join in and donate to support the Salvation Army's work, which is especially important at this time of year. The Methodist Church provided a well earned tea break for the performers.
So, from theWhitchurchWeb, a Merry Christmas to all who read its pages and have sent material and appreciative comments during 2011.
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Whitchurch's traditional Christmas Carol Singers dropped in on the Parish Hall bingo session.
The singers, who traditionally visit the Town's pubs in the week before Christmas, had a reduced number of venues this year so they added the Parish Hall to their route between the Red House and Longmeadow Sports and Social Centre. The group, led by Paul Sartin, collected for the Kingfisher Trust.
The visit came towards the end of the final bingo session of the year which raised £100 for the Hall's chair fund, thanks to the efforts of Gill Clarke and Gareth Evans who organised a special raffle and The Blue Ginger, Burnaby Stores, Daisydown Crafts, Dowlings Shoe Shop, Flower Power, Hot Spice, John Dennett Butchers, Paynes Printers, The Red House, Rosie's Gifts and The White Hart who all very kindly donated prizes. The new chairs, selected to allow comfortable viewing of events such as the monthly films and the upcoming WADS performance, were deemed a great success by the audience. Donations towards the cost of the chairs are still being accepted at the Newbury Building Society.
Whitchurch Filling Station has the cheapest fuel for miles around. You need to travel over ten
miles to find cheaper petrol and 8 miles for diesel (by which time you've spent more than you would save on a tank full of fuel).
It makes sense to shop in Whitchurch.
Whitchurch United’s players combined to give Manager, Jim Macey, a slightly early Christmas present when they won convincingly against Basingstoke Royals in the Quarter Finals of the Basingstoke Senior Cup.
The Jam Boys dominated from the off and after 10 minutes excellent team ground play allowed Matt Bennett to score. Matt’s speed to the ball and determination were rewarded 6 minutes later with his second. Nick Jupp was not so fortunate, finding the post twice from narrow angled shots. The Royals forced their way back into the match in the last 15 minutes of the first half and could well have reduced the 2 – 0 margin on more than one occasion.
The goal of the match came in the first ten minutes of the second half when Bennett provided a great cross to Luke Walker who firmly planted the ball in the back of the net. Five minutes later Walker returned the favour to set up Joe Lawler for his first goal for the club. The Royals continued to put up good resistance but on 80 minutes Tommy Pemberton crossed to Andrew Charsley who made no mistake in putting the ball away. Several breaks by the Royals forced some good saves from Tom Hindmarsh but no goals. With just five minutes to go, Luke Walker provided Sam Pike with his first goal for a while and United’s sixth.
The Royals, who played hard until the final whistle, could well feel that the 6 - 0 result didn’t reflect their efforts. But United’s all-round team allows them to go into the Christmas break in a confident mood ready to meet local rivals, Andover New Street, on the 5th January.
There's a special offer from the Newbury Building Society which will make someone very happy in the White Hart.
Newbury Building Society is offering an entry in a competition to win a £50 voucher for the White Hart, Whitchurch if people become a new member. Also, if someone already has an account/mortgage and they introduce a friend or family member who becomes a member, they both get entered into the draw.
Closing date 31st January 2012.
John Dennett's butchers shop is changing hands. John is giving up the shop at the end of the year after he and his family have been butchers in the Town for over 50 years.
John's father ran a shop on London Street before moving to the current premises in Winchester Street, a former bank. There will be continuity as Philip Langley, who has stood in for John on many occasions over the last few years will be taking on the business full time.
In order to effect the change the shop will close after business on Christmas Eve and reopen early in the New Year - watch this space for more details. Please support Philip and all the other shopkeepers if you want a vibrant town centre.
The Friday morning market started in the Parish Hall many, many years ago is back this week. Beginning life as the WI Market, the selling of home made cakes and produce together with other items such as cards and handicrafts continued for a long time until faults caused the Hall to be closed for a short while.
Since the repair and, more recently, the refurbishment of the Hall, the old regulars have asked frequently if the market could move back to the day on which they traditionally shop. So from this Friday at 10am, the "Parish Hall Market" will be back. The organisers say, if you haven't been in the hall since it reopened or haven't tried the market, this week is an ideal time to start!
The library is closed on Christmas Eve & Boxing Day but on Wednesday there's a Christmas Craft session at 6pm to make decorations, followed at 6.30pm by Christmas Twilight Stories. It's ideal for ages 4–9, but younger or older brothers and sisters also welcome.
Tickets for the Christmas Craft are £1, available at the library now. Story time is free.
The winners of the Family Competition and the Best Dressed Shop Window were announced 
at H's Coffee Shop on Friday evening.
Mayoress Sandra Jackman drew the winning entry in the family competition which was submitted by Abigail Davies, she won the family ticket to The Anvil's Panto Peter Pan. The Davies family said they were delighted to have won 
when organiser of the Town shopkeepers, Pauline Forster, phoned them with the news. Pauline was presented with a bunch of flowers by Hannah Robins from the shopkeepers for her efforts.
The other winner on the night was Rosemary Day of Rosie's Gifts who won the best decorated shop window. This is Rosie's first year of trading and she was delighted to have won. Rosie was presented with the Working 4 Whitchurch shield and a pomade by the Mayoress.
The newly refurbished Parish Hall hosted the AGM on Friday evening. A small audience braved the cold weather to hear Chairman, Bill Judge, outline how the Hall had moved from being rented by the Committee some 18 months ago to being owned by the Committee which was immensely proud of its new condition. He explained that the Committee's responsibility was to provide a facility for those in area, not to produce a profit. Any trading surplus would be for the maintenance of the building, which is unique in the town in not being maintained by taxpayers or other organisations. He thanked the very generous support given by a number of donors in the community and a grant received from Hampshire County Council for the new floor.
Several of those present said how much they liked the new decorations. In response to questions about the Hall's finances, Treasurer, Nick Reynolds explained that there still remained work to be done in the back stage area and this would be done as a separate capital project.
Repetitive detailed questioning from 2 members of the public about the minutiae surrounding the Hall's new Charity Commission approved constitution had to be curtailed by the Chairman following complaints of time wasting from the rest of those present. The couple were asked what their concerns were about the running of the Hall when its good order was self evident by just looking around them.
In response to a request for information about events held in the Hall to be supplied to the pair's website, it was pointed out that it was up to individual users of the Hall to publicise their events as they saw fit, as for the Hall Committee to also do so could cause confusion. The Chairman further explained that any requests to put Hall information on their website would be ignored until material, seen as offensive by all members of the Committee, was removed from the site.
With the shops beautifully decorated for Christmas and lots of special offers, why not support your shops now?
Amongst many special offers in the Town, The Old Paper Shop has jigsaws at discounted prices
Whitchurch Library is starting Baby Bounce and Rhymetime sessions.
Every Wednesday at the library from 2.30-3pm (including school holidays) there'll be singing and rhymes for babies under two and their carers and it's free.
The senior citizen's meal and entertainment was again organised by the Whitchurch Festival Committee and held in the Parish Hall.
The newly refurbished hall provided great surroundings for the senior citizen, many of whom have been frequenting it for decades. The event was brilliantly stage managed by 
the Festival Committee with food provided by the Red House.
MC again was the ever popular "Cabbage" who introduced a sketch by WADS and community singing led by the Singing for Fun choir. A raffle provided many of those attending with prizes which were generously donated by the Town's businesses. The Carnival princess and two attendants delivered the prizes to the winners.
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Town centre businesses saw some seasonal trading on the first Saturday in December.
At least two brightly dressed gentlemen were seen in London Street where the Mayor, Barry Jackman accompanied by the Mayoress Sandra were touring 
all the shops and a seasonal visitor was seen in and around Whitchurch Barbers getting spruced up for his big day later in the month.
He only needs to make another 6 visits and then he will receive his complimentary cut - as he only appears once a year, sadly that won't be until 2018!
The lights in Whitchurch came on at 6pm and the crowds flocked to see them!! The Mayor with
assistance from many including Peter pan from The Anvil's Panto turned on the Town Hall lights and the shopkeepers switched on the tree lights, many more than in previous years.
Prior to the switch on the crowd had been entertained royally by musicians from Testbourne and Singing for Fun. Elsewhere there was singing and sweets for free at the Silk Mill. The crowds that turned up to see the event were not 
discouraged by the gentle December rain, perhaps the mulled wine courtesy of the town's shopkeepers helped!
The crowds then visited many of the superbly decorated shops and started to take part in the new family completion. An entry form can be downloaded for this single competition for all the family. The prize is a family ticket to the Anvil's Peter Pan Panto.
More pictures are on the Christmas in Whitchurch page.
Sadly, the Veg Patch Patch has closed, but immediately across the road, the Parish Hall has reopened its doors.
Disappointing support has caused the business in London Street which provided fresh vegetables and fruit plus an ever increasing range of foods to close. Meanwhile, following its major refurbishment, the Parish Hall opened again at 10am to the first of weekly yoga classes from Yogamania.
Age Concern Hampshire is planning to run computer courses for the over 50s in Whitchurch.
"I actually saw my grandson walking for the first time" – a quote from a delighted Grandmother who attends one of Age Concern Hampshire’s many computer learning courses and learned how to Skype which enabled her to see and speak to her son and his family in Australia.
As part of an initiative with Hampshire County Council, IT learning centres are being introduced into Hampshire’s more rural areas. New learners will be taught on a one-to-one basis so each person can progress at their own pace without any pressure. Topics covered include email, internet browsing, creating documents, spreadsheets, managing digital photographs and more. This could even involve something as fundamental as turning a PC off and on and how to use a mouse.
Age Concern Hampshire is now looking for volunteers to teach basic PC skills. If you feel able to commit to approximately 2-3 hours a week and would enjoy enabling someone to use a PC then please contact Age Concern Hampshire and quote Rural IT volunteers Whitchurch on 0800 328 7154 or by email mail@ageconcernhampshire.org.uk for more information.
Testbourne PTA held a very successful Craft Fair on Saturday. The Sports Hall was full of stalls from
Whitchurch and the surrounding area offering a large selection of items suitable for Christmas.
The PTA ran its usual tombola and raffle stalls together with supplying delicious refreshments.
The Parish Hall is to reopen on Thursday with the Moviola Film, Jane Eyre. The three month refurbishment project is almost complete and the final touches to the decoration are being made .Enjoyment of those attending should be enhanced, not only by the new decor but comfortable seating will be in place.
The film is the latest of many versions of the Charlotte Brontë story directed by Cary Fukunaga with Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Su Elliot and Judy Dench. So why go along to round off what is likely to be a great night in Whitchurch?
The Rising Fives' Quiz Night at the White Hart raised £215! The organisers would like to thank all the businesses which kindly donated prizes for the raffle.
Basingstoke & Deane have just issued its latest Local Development Framework Newsletter. it gives the current position but doesn't include details of the recent debate on the Manydown site.
It provides links to the record of the process to develop the framework.
Much more is on the Council's LDF area.
After mixed fortunes in the Wessex League, Whitchurch United won through in the Andover Open Cup.
A home derby victory 1 - 0 against Tadley was followed by the disappointment of a 0-1 loss away to Warminster; a game which, without the home team's goal keeper, the Jam Boys would surely have won convincingly. A goal from a free kick against the run of play denied United any points.
Back on home ground on Tuesday evening against Winchester Castle, United took an early lead, only to loose it after 2 minutes. The game remained evenly balanced until late in the second half, when a superb curving ball from Nick Jupp brought a well deserved cheer and applause for the small crowd. A third 5 minutes from time saw United through to the next round.
The club's remaining 5 games this year are all at home, starting with AFC Porchester at 3pm on 26th, so go along and support the town's team.
theWhitchurchWeb forum is back on-line. The fault which has kept the forum off-line for a long while has been resolved. Apologies for the delay in restoring it.
For the latest information on the 7th Christmas in Whitchurch and a a poster to download visit the web page.
Whitchurch Silk Mill has a new website and has lots happening now and in the near future.
The new exhibition ‘A Woven Journey’ is a very personal contemplative interpretation of travels in Mongolia created in tapestry by Louise Martin. She is inspired by coptic tapestries, mummified objects and paper fragments. Louise is senior weaver for the West Dean Tapestry Studio at Stirling Castle, leading a team of three.
The Mill is taking part in Whitchurch’s late night shopping on 1st December and will be open until 7pm, at 6.30 the choir ‘Harmony’ will be performing outside the Mill and we will have a themed window, the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’. The shop is well stocked with Christmas cards and a wide selection of gifts made from our silk, all purchases go towards the care of the Mill. The Mill will remain open until midday Christmas Eve for all those last minute present buyers and then close for the Christmas week until the 3rd January.
The Friends are looking for good quality second hand books to raise money for the upkeep of the Victorian looms. Please bring your books to the Silk Mill. The Friends are also seeking a new secretary as Catherine is expecting a baby; the role is not too onerous and the Committee is very friendly. Please leave your name at the Silk Mill if this of interest to you.
In January the Mill will appear in Michael Portillo’s Great British Railways programme because silk production in Whitchurch was referred to in the 1860’s Bradshaw.
The annual service was held at All Hallows at 10.15 on 13th November.
As usual a parade led by the Scouts, Guides and Beavers with an ever decreasing number of veterans marched through the Town to the church on a clear sunlit Sunday morning.
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Peter Pan (from the The Anvil's Panto) will be in Whitchurch to help switch on the lights to kick off Christmas in Whitchurch 2011.
As mentioned below there'll be late night shopping following the switching on of the Town Hall and Christmas Tree Lights at 6pm on 1st December, it's also the day that the Parish Hall reopens after its refurbishment with the Moviola film Jane Eyre.
There will be a 2 minute silence today, 11th November, at 11am to mark Remembrance Day. On Sunday 13th the annual ceremonies at 10.15am at All Hallows. We shall remember the sacrifice of service men and women in the world wars and in the conflicts of our own time. Uniformed members of the young people’s organisations will join members of the Whitchurch Branch of the Royal British Legion and local people for this important occasion.
There's lots on offer in Whitchurch.
Independent Telecoms is offering a completely free telecoms Health Check to all local businesses. If you have not reviewed your telecoms spend recently then you may be paying too much. The company says it has been able to save companies in excess of 50% on their bills, so please contact me to arrange your free Health Check now!
Game is now in season at Dennett's Butchers and it's time to order your Christmas main meal.
At the Red House there's a wine tasting event with a two course meal for only £19.99 on 30th November.
If you want to eat out over Christmas now's the time to book at the Blue Ginger, the Hurstbourne, the Red House, the Watership Down or the White Hart
.... and late night town centre shopping to launch Christmas in Whitchurch on 1st December.
Did you know that Whitchurch has a thriving Squash Club, part of the Whitchurch Sports Trust including football, bowls and a social club? The members-only squash (and do not forget its 
younger brother Racketball) club has players of all standards ready and willing to play you. Just as importantly, the membership is drawn from our local community so it is a great opportunity to make local friends and contacts.
Squash is a fast, all action sport played on an enclosed court. It is a great way to sharpen your fitness, improve those reflexes and test your tactical thinking. Whitchurch Squash club has 2 quality courts with plenty of availability via the web based booking system. You can join the club for £80 a year with significant discounts for family 
membership and juniors. Courts are £4 for 45 minutes, making it by far the cheapest squash club in the area. Friendly social squash is a constant at the club, and for the more competitive amongst you there are internal leagues/ladders/tournaments and the club also competes in the Hampshire County Leagues. Professional coaching can be supplied on request.
If you want to know more, or would like to play an introductory games, please contact Rob Gibson (07968 865198), Mark Franklin (07500 122492) or Mike Strong (007766 111444). You can also visit the website. Results of the club's matches are regularly shown on theWhitchurchWeb.
The Halloween bonfire and fireworks display as well as being a fantastic spectacle was a financial success. Over £2,700 was collected on the evening from donations and the various stalls.
The next Festival event is the senior citizens' We'll Meet Again Supper to be held in the newly refurbished Parish Hall on 3rd December and the AGM to be held in the White Hart at 7pm on 6th December. So come along and get more involved.
The Olympic torch will visit Basingstoke and Andover, but not Whitchurch. On Day 54 of its travels around the United Kingdom, 11 July 2012, the route includes a section from Basingstoke, via Kings Worthy and Winchester, to Andover.
At the time of year when most remember and support our forces, at least one Whitchurch resident is doing otherwise. He has complained about low flying by Chinook helicopters from 
RAF Odiham and made sure his complaint is heard by broadcasting it to the local press.
In case anyone was unaware, British soldiers and airmen are risking their lives daily in Afghanistan, a duty imposed upon them by us via our elected government. In order to do this with minimum risk they need to train. Part of that training involves low flying, some local farmers allow the crews to land in their fields and a very large proportion of us don't mind their making some noise. In fact most, if not all would like to see the helicopters close up and RAF Odiham had agreed, subject to availability, to have one of them visit next year's carnival fete.
On a very parochial point, I hope that offer is not jeopardised by this complaint from one misguided person and, more widely, please RAF use the airspace over Whitchurch if it helps save the lives of crews and passengers in a war zone.
For the third year in a row Whitchurch Festival Committee's Halloween event has improved! Again the Meadow was full of scarily dressed folk of all ages and a fantastic bonfire was topped off by a better than ever fireworks display, this year provided by Pyrotastic Fireworks.
The scarecrow competition was won by the Kelland family with a great collection of people and animals, second was Tony Hills; they received certificates from the Mayor and justified applause from the huge crowd. The Mayor then moved into destructive mode an set of a series of explosions and flares which sealed the fate of the castle decorated by Whitchurch Primary School and Whitchurch Beavers.
Soon, flames destroyed the castle, lighting up the Meadow and the crowd and, hardly had the flames started to die when the area's best firework display ever filled the skies, culminating in a finale which drew well earned applause from those watching.
Everyone's thanks are due to Rob Dunlop and the Festival Committee for the whole event. There's more pictures here.
Work has started is well under way finished on this weekend's tonight's bonfire. The castle front is in place but a group of suspicious characters appeared to be laying wires to it so it may not last long after dark!!
Also putting in appearance at the Meadow are number of very strangely dressed individuals who have taken up residence just inside the entrance.
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The pallets have now been built into a 4 meter high structure ready for the castle frontage and battlements that have been produced by Whitchurch Primary School and Whitchurch Beavers. Those final touches will be made on Saturday morning ready for what is now one of the Town's regular major events - don't miss it!!!
Pallets and wood , kindly donated by Macmillan Publishers, Raymond Brown Minerals and Recycling and John Dollin Printing Services, 
and delivered by recycling organisation Newbury Reclaim and a van loaned by Clacy's Garage, have been delivered to the Millennium Meadow in readiness for Saturday's Halloween bonfire and fireworks display organised by Whitchurch Festival Committee.
The Meadow's gates will be open at 5pm ready for the fancy dress competitions followed by the lighting of the bonfire as soon as it is dark and then the firework display. This year the display is being provided by Whitchurch's Pyrotastic Fireworks and the weather forecast doesn't seem too bad - so see you there!
Yet again, vandals have damaged one of the guys that have been created in the town. The guy on a bike at the end of The Weir has been destroyed again.
This is not the only act of criminal damage in the area. The bus shelter just across the road has had part of its metalwork ripped off and advertising banners provided by the sponsors of Whitchurch United FC which is doing much to raise the profile of the town have been slashed.
If you know anything about these events please contact the police on 0845 045 4545.
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Those in the picture on the left, believed to have been taken in 1904, need to be identified. A display is being put together as part of the 200th Anniversary of Whitchurch Methodist Church and will include the picture. The dating is from the clothing being worn, and the group are posing outside the Methodist schoolroom door.
Are you able to name any of those in the picture, kindly supplied by Barry Jackman? A larger version ( 1.4MBytes) can be downloaded by clicking on the image.
The only one identified to date is is Frederick Weeks (3rd from left among the men). Please contact Alison Deveson using the Contact Page if you can help.
The time has again arrived for filling a shoebox for distribution by Samaritan’s Purse to children caught up in the midst of wars, natural disasters and extreme poverty, to show them that they have not been forgotten. Please help; to most it will be the only gift they receive at Christmas.
The shoeboxes should be around 30cm long, 18cm wide and 13cm tall, and covered in festive paper. The gifts inside need to be for either a boy or a girl, with age ranges of 2–4 years, 5–9 years, and 10–14 years. Ideas on what can go in the boxes come under four headings:
Educational supplies are deemed the most important; if a child of school age has things to write and draw with, it means he or she has a better chance of going to school. There are also things that cannot be included in the boxes:
Due to import regulations, all gifts should be new and comply with the conditions stated above. The boxes will be inspected for their contents before they are sent from the warehouse and therefore the lid should only be held to the base by means of elastic bands. Each box costs £2.50 to send and you are invited to contribute this for each box donated.
The Methodist Church is acting as the drop off point for the boxes. They are planning a service of thanksgiving on Sunday November 20th. Further information from John Waterer on 892868.
The second local railway bridge has been demolished. Once again there are no trains this 
weekend as this time the bridge at Laverstoke is removed. The picture, right, shows the rubble being removed via a ramp dug into the north side of the cutting. A temporary footbridge has been erected alongside the gap seen here.
In the last week work has started on rebuilding the bridge removed last weekend see picture on the left.
Work is on schedule to demolish the Whitchurch bridge on Newbury Road early in the new year.
From 30th October, there'll be a new face at Whitchurch Baptist Church. In November 2010 the Church unfortunately had to say ‘goodbye’ to Rev David Clarkson, mainly because of the financial implications in employing a ‘full time’ Minister.
However, since then, it is has always been in the mind of the Church to explore other alternatives, and one of the schemes available in the Baptist denomination is for a placement for a Student Minister who would ‘marry’ his course at Theological College with a part-time involvement in a local Church; the student has a Church environment to develop his skills, as well as a moderate income, and the Church has a ‘Leader’, albeit part-time.
Paul Wheeler is single and in his early 30’s, raised in Hertfordshire, and became a committed Christian at a young age. His experiences took him to many different places, including the States, where, like the ‘prodigal son’, he indulged in a lifestyle ‘not that Christian!’ until he was drawn back to his roots and subsequently studied for a BA in Theology at Moorlands College in Bournemouth and then a MTh in Biblical studies at Spurgeon’s College London.
Paul has gained some experience during a year at Andover Baptist Church and now needs to complete a further two year course in training at Regents Park College, Oxford before he can become an Accredited Baptist Minister.
Whitchurch Baptists first met Paul when he had accepted an invitation to speak at some of their services during the year, and immediately his gifting was apparent in being able to explain the Bible in relevant and understandable terms.
Following much discussion, the membership overwhelmingly said ‘Yes’ to Paul and he joins the Church at a ‘Special Welcome Service’ on Sunday October 30th at 10.30am. He will be speaking at Sunday services at least twice a month and any further information can be obtained by contacting the Church Secretary Gordon Hopkins on 01264 363124.
Given the successes this year of Whitchurch's sporting teams, there'll be results on theWhitchurchWeb. On Tuesday Whitchurch United inflicted a heavy 7 - 0 defeat on neighbours Overton in the North Hants Cup. This follows on from the team's successes in the league and FA Cup. When we add in Whitchurch Squash Club and members of Overton Black Arrows, there's plenty to report regularly.
So there'll be a sports results slot on the top right of the home page.
In 2012, the Methodist Church will be celebrating 200 years in Whitchurch.
With the theme of The Church in the Community, Whitchurch Methodist Church hopes that there will something for everyone in their year of celebration. Events planned include Songs of Praise in January and in April the launch of a history of Methodists in Whitchurch written by local historian, Alison Deveson.
Watch out for more events during the year.
This time it's in the league. Whitchurch United put on a great display away at Fleet to win 2 - 0. Brett Denham was responsible for putting the goal in the net on both occasions but the team's display brought admiration from Fleet's Manager.
The team is now in the middle of the Wessex Division 1 League but with games in hand over all those above them as a result of their brilliant FA Cup run. There's a 17 minute video of the Gloucester City match on YouTube.
On 15th October the Jam Boys face stiff opposition in Team Solent, currently in second position in the league - your support would be most welcome.
The first of the local railway bridges has been demolished. The bridge to the north of Wells-in-
the-Field was removed on Saturday morning. The lines between Basingstoke and Salisbury will be closed all day Saturday and Sunday, trains 
are being diverted between Basingstoke and Salisbury to run via Southampton Central whilst the bridge is worked upon and the rubble removed.
Trains from London Waterloo will start about 30 minutes earlier than normal so the normal timetable can run west of Salisbury and a replacement bus service will run between Basingstoke and Salisbury via Andover.
The club has chalked up another victory. After the First Team's 5-0 victory last week, the Vets have now beaten David Lloyd Southampton, this time without even dropping a set - the score 3 - 0!
If you are interested in joining your local squash club, having a free tester game or just watching this exciting sport, contact Club secretary, Rob Gibson on 07968 865 198.
Basingstoke and Deane has formally responded to the Draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). In an eleven page document, the Council disagrees with several points and strongly disagrees with the proposed approach to the consideration of transport issues.
On transport B&DBC says "There is concern that the approach proposed by the draft NPPF will result in development proposals being permitted where there may be impacts on the transport network where these impacts are not considered "severe‟. It is considered that the NPPF should be ensuring that new development does not adversely impact the transport network, and to provide scope to refuse development proposals where unacceptable impacts are likely to occur".
Other areas where it disagrees with the draft NPPF are:
| Issue | Concern | |
| Decision making | The impact on the environment and little importance is being given to the role of local residents in making decisions. | |
| Guidance being "light-touch" | More guidance is required in several areas | |
| The delivery of a wide choice of high quality homes, in the right location, to meet local need | The draft NPPF provides little guidance on the means of taking into account the views of local communities in determining a housing requirement for its area | |
| Protection of the environment | All landscapes should be recognised and local judgement should be made on whether development is acceptable in areas which do not have a protected status | |
| Protection for heritage assets | There is limited scope to refuse planning permission for those schemes where harm is likely to arise, but where this may not be considered "significant" |
The response goes on to say that "In respect of the importance of Local Plans, the pro-development stance, together with the presumption in favour of development re-enforces the importance of ensuring that these are in place in order to manage and control change in accordance with the views of local residents".
"The approach of engaging and enabling communities to prepare Neighbourhood Plans should be fully supported and enabled through the planning system. In addition, the requirement for Neighbourhood Plans to be in general conformity with Local Plans is also welcomed. However, the level of resources required to undertake any local referendum should be considered in further detail, given the impact that this may have on local authorities".
If you're over 65 or suffer from chronic respiratory disease, chronic heart disease, diabetes, stroke, or chronic kidney disease please call Whitchurch Surgery for an appointment for your free flu jab.
Whitchurch Surgery will be holding the first flu clinics all day on Thursday 13th October, please ring the Surgery on 0844 477 2547 to book an appointment.
There are no changes to the 76 bus late evening services! Despite recent scare stories on the internet the latest service on weekdays and Saturdays from Basingstoke to Whitchurch is still scheduled to leave at 2305, arriving in Whitchurch 35 minutes later and the last service from Andover is, yet again, timetabled for 2205 and takes 17 minutes.
The source of the confusion is unknown. Full information about transport in an and around Whitchurch is to be found, as ever, here.
The band has released the vinyl recorded underground at the Parish Hall. Zac, from the band, said "The underground room has a really nice sound with lots of echo (really nice for the recording). We recorded it on tape as opposed to on a computer, this gave us an old style sound!"
The band decided to go for a 7" vinyl record as opposed to a digital computer release, which is typical today, but this is much more expensive. So they raised the money from a few shows and by spending a year and a half busking around the South of England, Southampton, Winchester, Andover, Salisbury, Newbury, Portsmouth and London. Zac said that people, in general, were surprisingly generous. The record can be purchased on-line or at The Handbag Shop for £3.99.
If you want any more information you can call Zac on 07970 622242 and the band may well feature in music at the Parish Hall after its reopening.
Details of the now regular Halloween Party, Bonfire and Fireworks display have just been announced.
The event will take place on the Millennium meadow on the evening of 29th October. The key elements will be:
| Best Fancy Dress plus a new competition this year for the best Guy | ||
| The bonfire this year will be themed as a castle and its decoration will be completed by Whitchurch Primary School and Whitchurch Beavers | ||
| The firework show is a full professional display care of Pyrotastic Fireworks | ||
| Millennium Meadow Gates open at 5pm | ||
| Bonfire when it's dark followed by an even more spectacular firework display than ever | ||
| Adults are ask to donate £2 to fund the event, children free. |
Full details are on the Festival's website with two downloadable posters.
Against competition from 4 leagues higher, a record crowd saw the Jams Boys acquit them selves well.
On a baking day* over 400 saw Gloucester City from the Blue Square North held to 0 - 0 at the end of the first half. This included a saved penalty. Unfortunately increased pressure saw 2 goals in the second half which ended the club's best ever run in the FA Cup with a final result of 2 - 0 down.
Chairman, Gary Shaughnessy, said "Playing against a team 4 leagues higher was always going to be tough, but we made them work hard indeed for their victory on a scorching day. Everyone at the club is very proud of how the players have performed in the FA Cup this year and for the wonderful support the team has had".
"I'd also like to thank everyone who helped host Gloucester and their fans and wish the Tigers all the best in the next round".
The cup run has seen many new faces at Longmeadow, who hopefully will continue to support the team which is now a little behind with its league fixtures but in a great position with no losses and 8 points from 4 games!
The club has received a message from John Gorman, Competition Secretary of Sydenhams Football League (Wessex). "Firstly on a personal note my thanks for the hospitality yesterday. Secondly on behalf of the Wessex League congratulations on your achievements in the FA Cup this season and on the way you, as a club, dealt with Saturday's game, The organisation of the day in every respect was superb, you were by no means disgraced on the field and I am sure all those from Gloucester thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon. It was certainly the biggest day in the club's history and it was a credit to Whitchurch Football Club and, by association, to the Wessex League. Please pass the League's thanks to all concerned. All good wishes for the remainder of the season."
See the post match interview with John Rutledge on YouTube.
* Whitchurch's weather station recorded a temperature of 28.7°C at 3.40pm on Saturday!
Digital Switchover is Coming 
Two scenes captured in Whitchurch point to the future. Snowdrops in the Cemetery show that Spring is on its way, but the mild weather has induced many other wild flowers to come into bloom early or carry on for much longer than usual. 
now expected in March. Checking the availability of BT's Infinity on the website for premises in the main part of Whitchurch, most addresses are told to expect around 35Mbps with a delivery date of 31 March. That speed compares with around 5 today (although this number varies from supplier to supplier and depends on the time of day). Worryingly, checking for premises outside the main part of the town, such as Litchfield, Hurstbourne Priors, Cole Henley and Freefolk (and those in the centre of Town attached directly to the exchange) results in the message "Sorry, you're not currently able to get BT Infinity. This may be because your area has not been enabled yet, or your individual line does not support super-fast broadband. Register your interest and we'll let you know if this changes." Harroway is projected to have Infinity by 31 March but with speeds of only just over 20Mbps.
At home the 1st team faced a very confident Cowes Sports but early pressure was rewarded with a goal for Mario Nurse after only 5 minutes. United continued to dominate but an excellent free kick just outside the penalty area brought Cowes back into the game after another 15 minutes. But just 1 minute later Paul Coventry, playing up front, put United 2 -1 ahead and continued pressure allowed Luke Walker to score from a well judged lob after another 
15 minutes.
defence, kept United's lead intact. As Cowes pressed forward, an injury time halfway line shot saw Cowes' stranded keeper having to watch the ball narrowly roll past his goal.
over the Christmas and New year period, the newly redecorated and laid out shop is open.
The 14th running of the 
to be given to local charities and more than £500 to support the display of Christmas trees and lights during Christmas in Whitchurch 2011.
Over half the road was covered in water in two places. the entrance to Longmeadow Sports and Social Club under water along with several long stretches of pavement.