News
Airgun incident in High Street
A Woodcote resident has reported that their car was shot at as they drove up Whitchurch High Street last Friday evening, 30th October. The incident occurred at about 5:05 pm. The driver stated: "There was a bang and my rear passenger window suddenly shattered." On close inspection a 6mm airgun pellet was discovered lodged in the car.
Luckily the driver was unhurt and assumes it was a careless act, rather than a malicious one. However, the shot narrowly missed the driver's window, which could have had far more serious consequences.
This firearm incident has been logged with the Thames Valley Police and if anyone has any further information they should report it, referencing the case number 43260569865.
The attached image shows the likely location of the incident, reported by the driver.
Date/Time : Monday, 02nd November 2026 19:16
Cricket club completes renovation
Whitchurch’s formerly dilapidated village cricket pavilion has undergone a transformation as part of a plan to secure the cricket club's long-term future.
The renovation programme began two years ago with the installation of new doors and windows, alongside a complete external repaint. Following these initial structural improvements, extensive internal redevelopment began last summer. Workers demolished internal walls to convert the original shower rooms and urinals into a modern kitchenette, while simultaneously upgrading the external toilets and changing facilities.
Club representative Cormac Neeson highlighted the scale of the undertaking, noting that it was a “significant cost (and effort) to the cricket club. On top of our savings and the support of benefactors, we had to borrow an additional £10k to cover the cost of the works.”
The cricket club is actively exploring a joint-use agreement with the Parish Council (PC) to maximize the building's benefit for village green visitors. Although the pavilion is not designed to host standalone events, it will serve as a useful support hub by providing essential services.
Booking Procedure: interested community groups or event organizers should contact the Parish Council in the first instance to be connected with the club management.
Additional photos of the upgrade may be found in the Photos section of the website. Click here.
Date/Time : Wednesday, 28th October 2026 21:23
Uninvited guests
Five ringtailed parakeets were spotted this week in Eastfield Lane, indicating that this exotic non-native species has taken up residence in Whitchurch. These green-hued birds have been concentrated in suburban areas of Greater London for decades. They breed rapidly and are now spreading beyond these areas.
Concerns have been raised about their impact on native bird species, due to their aggressive behaviour and the destruction of local food supplies. Parakeets do have some native predators such as sparrowhawks and peregrine falcons.
Additional unwelcome visitors spotted increasingly in Whitchurch and nearby areas are the glis glis, or edible dormice. Despite their cute squirrel-like appearance, they can be a nuisance as they hibernate in insulated attics and even dark shelves in cupboards, leading to a fire risk due to gnawed electrical cables.
The British population of this furry invader is mainly concentrated in the Chiltern Hills and is thought to originate from a single accidental release in 1902, when six animals escaped from the private collection of Lionel Walter Rothschild at his estate in Tring. Despite being regarded as pests they are protected in the United Kingdom.
Longer article by Sally Woolhouse in Nature Notes
Photo by Relmuis / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Date/Time : Tuesday, 27th October 2026 21:18
Leslie Prater 1939 - 2026
Leslie was born in London in March 1939. During the 1941 Blitz, while his father was serving in North Africa, Leslie was evacuated with his mother and brother to Reading, his father’s hometown. Leslie’s father was captured and sent to Germany as a PoW. He did not see him again until he was liberated by Soviet forces in 1945.
As a teenager Leslie was a committed chorister and accomplished middle- and long-distance runner. After winning the junior national cross-country championship, he received a coaching offer from Sydney Wooderson, ‘The Mighty Atom’ (1930’s world record holder). Leslie declined as he was due to start his Articles with the accountancy practice Haines Watts in Reading.
Leslie married Rosemary in 1962 and after the birth of Mark, Helen and Matthew they settled in Goring, where they remained for the next 44 years, until moving to Whitchurch in 2013. Leslie was for many years involved with The Lions Club and became regional president of the organisation. Latterly he was well-known to residents of Eastfield Lane as their annual poppy-seller.
Leslie was an accomplished sportsman in his day and during his time in Whitchurch generously supported the village football and cricket clubs, enjoying the view from his house overlooking the Green. He was also a keen skier and continued into his mid-70s – he was never happier than when in the mountains. He also enjoyed playing golf, and held memberships at Goring & Streatley Golf Club, The Oxfordshire in Thame and Bearwood Lakes.
His other love was of course his labradors, the last of whom was Dillon. Whitchurch AFC wore Dillon’s name on their kit for many years, honouring Leslie’s sponsorship, as seen in the photo.
Leslie died peacefully at home on 27th September 2026, aged 87. He will be sadly missed but fondly remembered for his dedication to his family and the local community, as well as his love of sport and of animals.
A memorial service is to be held on Friday 6th November at 2pm in St Thomas’ Church in Goring-on-Thames, followed by a gathering at The Swan at Streatley.
Photo (2020) courtesy of Alex Hilton. Larger version here.
Date/Time : Sunday, 25th October 2026 11:32
Hot weather has taken its toll on River Pang
A report on the BBC Berkshire news site has warned that the unusually hot summer has caused damage to the River Pang. Excessively low rainfall and high temperatures have caused stretches of this chalk stream to dry up in places never before seen.
Chalk streams are particularly precious as they support many species of wildlife, including water voles, white-clawed crayfish, brown trout and kingfishers. Interestingly, 85% of the world's chalk streams are found in the UK.
These streams are typically fed by groundwater stored in aquifers. However, under emergency drought conditions this summer, Thames Water has been permitted to pump directly from the river's aquifer. Some conservationists argue that this slows the recovery of chalk streams as they rely on the aquifer as a reserve.
The BBC article also notes that previously this summer, the Environment Agency reported the Pang as “poor” after failing a test for hazardous substances.
Read the full article here.
Date/Time : Tuesday, 20th October 2026 15:19
Quiz night boosts village hall funds
The village hall committee were very pleased with the sell-out success of the annual quiz evening, held on 3rd October. All the tickets for this event were sold out beforehand and succeeded in raising over £700, a sum that will go a long way to support the upkeep of the hall.
The fun-filled fundraiser was ably led by questionmaster Adrian Dixon, supported by Sarah Dixon on the scoreboard. A highlight of the evening was the delicious ploughman's supper prepared by Jean-Marc Grosfort, assisted by his wife, Annie, Richard Scearce and Sue Cockeram.
Ultimately the Six Billion Dollar team (Debbie and James Leach; Jo and Robin Smith, and Denise and Jerry Huxtable), were presented with the winners' trophies and chocolates.
Click here for more pictures of the evening.
Date/Time : Sunday, 04th October 2026 13:33
TG Jones to close
UPDATE: Closing down sale starts at TG Jones, Thursday 22nd October.
It is being reported in Pangbourne that the newsagent, TG Jones, will be closing by the end of the year. The store's presence in the village has been short-lived as it was only June 2025 when it replaced the historic WH Smith.
Pangbourne's WH Smith was reputed to be only the second such shop in the country and dated back to before the Second World War. Indeed it owed it's longlasting presence to the fact David Smith, the WH Smith managing director from 1948-72, lived in Pangbourne. Allegedly, because he and his wife used the store, he stipulated that the shop should remain indefinitely despite Pangbourne’s small size.
It is not yet known what will replace TG Jones.
Date/Time : Friday, 25th September 2026 10:03
New headteacher for the primary school
This September we have a new headteacher, Mrs Nikki Blyth, at Whitchurch Primary School. Her appointment follows the retirement of well-respected previous head, Mrs Dawn Chesters. Mrs Blyth won’t be a completely new face to many, having worked at the school for the past 11 years in a variety of roles. She lives locally with her husband and two young daughters and is delighted to lead a school that has been such a big part of her life for so long. She’s looking forward to continuing the school’s strong links with the village and getting to know even more of the wider Whitchurch community.
Date/Time : Wednesday, 16th September 2026 14:00
Church re-opens UPDATED
Services will recommence at St Mary's this weekend, after the final pieces of scaffolding are removed. The church has been closed to the public all summer as vital repairs were carried out to the distinctive steeple and shingle roof.
To suit the celebratory mood, a wedding will take place on Saturday 5th September, the first church service for several months. This will be followed by Holy Communion at 9.30 on Sunday 6th September.
There are several folders of pictures where you can track the progress of the project in the gallery section of this site.
UPDATE: In glorious September sunshine the church held its first service on Saturday 5th September: the wedding of Frances Chambers and John Needham. Frances is the daughter of Viv and John Chambers.
Date/Time : Tuesday, 01st September 2026 20:27
Diana Hansen 1931-2026
Diana Pamela Hansen, née Walker was born on 30th May, 1931 to actress-singer Carol Decy. Diana’s early years were difficult, as she was placed in foster care for five years until she went to live with her grandmother in 1936. Her life changed again four years later when 8 year-old Diana was evacuated to Reading at the start of the Second World War. She settled with a childless couple, who were loving and kind: she never returned to her home in London.
Diana met her future husband at a local dance when she was in her teens. Dennis was a farmer, working in Cane End. They married on her 21st birthday in 1952 and she was welcomed into the large Hansen family- Dennis had eight siblings. Their honeymoon featured a tandem-riding trip to Denmark. In 1956, Diana and Dennis adopted a six week old baby, Stephen.
In time Dennis became farm manager and Diana was very happy to be a housewife, doing part-time secretarial work and enjoying her family, home and garden. However there was also an intrepid side to Diana, revealed when she set off as a solo traveller, back-packing, youth-hostelling and sometimes even hitch-hiking around Europe in the 1970s.
Following Dennis’s retirement in the early 1990s, they moved to Eastfield Lane. Diana enjoyed the social groups, such as tap dancing and community art projects, including the Whitchurch Bridge yarn bombing. She was a talented artist and a visit to the bluebell woods would always be followed by a water colour or oil painting of the scene. Many of the pictures in her house were her own work.
Although diagnosed with dementia in her final years, Diana maintained her independence at home, greatly supported by her dear friend and neighbour, Shirley Hutchins. Throughout it all, Diana kept her wonderful, mischievous sense of humour and her love for company, attending the local afternoon tea club until her final weeks.
Diana is survived by her son, Stephen, and grandson, Luke. Though based in Australia, Luke was thankfully able to make the journey to visit his grandmother in June this year.
Diana's funeral takes place at West Berks Crematorium at 1.30pm on Tuesday, 1st September. Refreshments afterwards at the Greyhound.
Photo by Shirley Hutchins
Date/Time : Friday, 28th August 2026 20:32
Noticeboard debate
A letter has recently appeared on the High Street Parish Council noticeboard. It was written in response to the “Advertising Policy” posted there in June, following the removal of all material linked to commercial organisations. This letter expresses the opinion that since these actions were taken: “almost no one has placed anything on the board.” The writer wonders: “if people feel intimidated or inhibited after reading the notice.”
The author of the note goes on to explain that they have previously found the noticeboard a helpful and useful place for creative people to share what they are offering, to the village’s benefit. The full text of the letter is linked here. This local resident finishes by stating: “ It feels like a loss rather than gain to me which is why I’m posting this.”
This letter re-ignites the debate on noticeboards, previously raised by residents on this website. In that discussion, two months ago, a parish councillor indicated that the “Parish Council is currently considering the future of the noticeboards both in terms of replacements and their location.”
During the previous debate the councillor pointed out that, because the noticeboards are located within the village Conservation Area, specific legislation governing advertising applies. But villagers expressed the view that the primary purpose of the noticeboards should be to support local events, particularly as not everyone has access to the internet or social media. In addition, many small businesses operate from homes in the village. Although commercial, these businesses provide services to local residents and therefore serve a valuable community function.
It was suggested that to keep advertising rules clear and accessible, the current policy document could be replaced with a shorter, more supportive document. In addition, the parish council could seek planning consent for the main notice board to allow small-scale, local commercial activity. Alternatively, the noticeboards could be relocated outside the conservation area—specifically along high-footfall Hardwick Road and near the school—to avoid extra restrictions.
Interestingly and by way of an example, our neighbouring village of Goring-on-Thames has a noticeboard by the village hall, sited within its conservation area. At the top of the board it clearly states: “Local events on A4 portrait posters only. No staples”.
The unknown Whitchurch letter-writer has highlighted this issue, which is of concern to local people.
Images of Goring’s noticeboard click.
Photos by Adrian Dixon
Date/Time : Wednesday, 26th August 2026 14:42
Virtual crossing: safer village
A virtual footpath has been introduced to improve safety for people crossing the High Street near the Greyhound Pub. Whitchurch has a number of “pinch points” which challenge walkers, drivers and cyclists. The new virtual paths are intended to guide pedestrians to the safest possible routes, especially for children and parents travelling to the school on Eastfield Lane.
Whilst cars are not required to stop at this virtual crossing point, it signals that this is the safest place to cross and also reminds drivers to look out for pedestrians.
An additional safety concern is the narrowness of the first 100-200 metres of Eastfield Lane. This means there is not enough room to segregate pedestrians and vehicles. Accordingly, the OCC’s blue road marking symbol encourages users to be respectful of this and give way to each other.
This initiative is one of the final steps in implementing the village's vision for traffic improvements outlined in the 2019 Whitchurch-on-Thames Village Plan.
More information about road safety measures are contained in a statement by Jim Donahue, Chair of the Parish Council here .
Date/Time : Saturday, 08th August 2026 12:24
Newly restored spire revealed
After being hidden for two months, St Mary's spire is starting to emerge from its scaffolding. The honey coloured cedar shingles were highlighted by today's bright sunshine, although contractors advised that the new wood will weather and darken over time.
The spire should be fully exposed by the end of the week, but there is still work to be completed on the bell tower and the windows, which will take a few more weeks. The Save Our Spire team are very pleased that the project looks set to be completed by the end of August, with the hope that church services at St Marys will recommence in September.
More photos here , including a close-up of the fabulous golden cockerel.
Date/Time : Monday, 03rd August 2026 19:46
14 Fire engines attend Goring Heath blaze
The B4526 remained closed this morning (Tuesday) following yesterday's wildfire at Goring Heath. Several vehicles as well as large areas of farmland were destroyed in the conflagration. Worried farmers used their tractors to plough the land around the fire, preventing it spreading further. Two fire engines remain in attendance this morning.
Local man, Josh Corrie, captured drone footage, showing the burnt vehicles and land, which may be viewed on the BBC site.
Date/Time : Tuesday, 28th July 2026 09:05
Pearl Slatter 1930-2026
Pearl Georgette Slatter was born in Bristol on 20th July 1930. She moved to Weston Super Mare as a child and attended Colston Girls School in Bristol. An only child, her passion was singing and amateur dramatics, performing as a soloist at the Weston Super Mare Winter Gardens, taking the lead female role in many amateur productions. Before marrying, she worked as a medical secretary, then had four daughters, Sarah, Claire, Louise and Kate. She had 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
Pearl moved to Whitchurch 26 years ago, when she was 70 years old. Before that she had lived in Pangbourne for many years, renovating a coach house along Tidmarsh Road. During her time in Whitchurch she threw herself enthusiastically into public life, taking on the role of Chair of Governors at Whitchurch Primary School as well as Chair of Planning at SODC.
Harry Butterworth worked closely with Pearl during the fifteen years he served on the Whitchurch Parish Council, latterly as chair, before leaving the village in 2016. Harry has written the following for this obituary:
Memories Of Pearl Slatter
I first encountered Pearl when she attended Parish Council meetings as an observer. She was then District Councillor for the area which included Whitchurch. She and I had very different views at the nationally political level but we came to a mutually acceptable agreement that the Parish Council was about Whitchurch. Full Stop. And we then got on very well.
That arrangement proved to be very valuable. She had long experience in local government and during the time I was Parish Council Chair, she chaired the District Council Planning Committee which meant that a quick but unofficial discussion could often clear the fog and sort things out before they became time costly. When developers are attempting to give you the run-around that experience is priceless.
One particular event I remember. Whitchurch did not have any area it could think of as its “Village Green” but it did include a privately owned cricket field. The owners wanted £300K for it which of course was way outside the Parish Council’s remit. However eventually they offered it for free, provided that they could retain one plot of land with planning permission for one dwelling. To get that we would need to get past the fact that this was Green Belt and that meant persuading the District Council to waive green belt regulations for that one dwelling.
An application for that permission had to get past the permanent Planning Officer and then be passed by a meeting of the full Council Planning Committee which Pearl would normally chair. However she was District Councillor for the area which included Whitchurch so on this occasion she had to stand down. But she knew that Committee very well and she could advise us accordingly.
Which she did.
We hired a bus, filled it with youngsters in any sports kit they had handy and took them to the meeting. The lady who chaired that meeting got the impression that there had been an invasion from St Trinian’s. The Planning Officer was legally bound to advise the meeting against us - but managed to convey the impression that he did so reluctantly. Pearl’s work again? Maybe. When it came to the vote, only one Councillor voted against us.
My memories of Pearl are of a very considerable character, with more generosity and empathy than she cared to show. We respected each other even when we disagreed and that is exactly what good friendships are built on.
A great Lady.
Pearl’s funeral will be held at St John's, Whitchurch Hill, Friday 31st July at noon.
Date/Time : Saturday, 25th July 2026 19:32
Ferryboat Inn reopens
Publican, Alise Petrovska, is proud to announce that the Ferryboat Inn is now open. The newly decorated village pub welcomed its first customers yesterday, 24th July. Alise will be serving drinks only to begin with, as the kitchen "needs a lot of work to bring it up to standard."
The Ferryboat will be open every day from 11 am, apart from Sundays when service will start from midday.
Date/Time : Saturday, 25th July 2026 16:27
Road Closures NEW INFO
UPDATE: Diana Smith has now spoken to Carl Smallwood, who is overseeing the operation. The new information is underlined in the article below.
It has become apparent that the schedule for re-surfacing Eastfield Lane and the High Street is not quite sticking to plan. Eastfield Lane resident, Diana Smith, spoke to one of the contractors today (Friday 24th July) and was advised the following:
-Tomorrow, Saturday, 25th July, the contractors will be replacing soil and tidying up for the morning only. The roads will be open.
-Sunday 26th: the roads will be open.
-Monday 27th: it is unknown what will be happening with the roads.
-Tuesday 28th: Easfield Lane and the High Street will be closed overnight from 7 or 8 pm.There will be lorries around from 7pm and the roads will be closed after this, until 6am. The High Street will be closed from the Pangbourne junction with the A329, as far as Manor Road, which will remain accessible from the North. It will be noisy, as the surface is being scraped off.
-Wed 29th: Eastfield Lane and the High Street will be closed overnight again as they will be laying tarmac. It will continue to be noisy.
-Thurs 30th: if things don't go to plan with the works, there may be another overnight closure.
Apparently this morning's closure was a "mistake"!
Date/Time : Friday, 24th July 2026 13:14
Council change for Whitchurch-on-Thames
Following changes announced on 16 July, Oxfordshire and West Berkshire’s seven existing councils will be replaced by three unitary councils. Whitchurch-on-Thames’ new council will be the Ridgeway Council – covering most of South Oxfordshire, including the Vale of White Horse and West Berkshire. The two other councils will be Greater Oxford Council and Northern Oxfordshire Council.
Even though this change will not take full effect until 1 April 2028, these councils have been working together since the start of the year to plan and prepare future council services and to ensure services continue without disruption for residents. It is hoped that this reorganisation will result in savings of £48.6m a year across Oxfordshire and West Berkshire, by cutting duplication and merging services.
After the elections in May 2027 shadow authorities will be created to plan the new councils, but they will not deliver services. They will focus on preparing for the future councils. The new Ridgeway council will start running services on "vesting day", 1st April 2028.
The full details of the three-unitary proposal can be found on 3councils.org .
Date/Time : Friday, 17th July 2026 17:45
Ferryboat latest
UPDATE It has been announced in the Pangbourne Magazine that the Ferryboat will be opening on 24th July.
It appears that the Whitchurch pub, which closed 3 months ago, is set to re-open. A sign declaring "Under new management!!" is on display outside the inn. No time frame is given for when the Ferryboat might resume trading, although the poster uses the term "soon" twice. The 18th century hostelry has experienced a rocky few years, following the sad demise of publican Graham Dednum in 2022.
Originally posted 30th June.
Date/Time : Thursday, 09th July 2026 12:22
Changes at Whitchurch Web
Pam Scott, who has been running the “What’s On” and “Message Board” sections of the village website, is “retiring” after 17 years. She has performed these tasks with quiet efficiency and has been a valued member of the team.
A big thank you from the Whitchurch Web, Pam!
Local resident, Alexa Duckworth-Briggs, is now taking responsibilty for these 2 areas of the site. Alexa will be known to many, as she has lived and worked in Whitchurch for 8 years, both as a running coach and and also a sports masseuse. Welcome, Alexa.
Date/Time : Wednesday, 08th July 2026 10:43
Restoration in progress!
From the Save Our Spire Project Team:
"With the scaffolding now covering St Mary’s spire, the clock faces taken down and shingles removed, the restoration of the spire is now in progress!"
Churchwarden, Ken Baker visited the project recently and was able to get very close to the top of the ancient spire, inside the scaffolding. He took photos that you may view here .
Jim Donahue has also taken some exterior shots, using a drone that may be viewed here.
The next fundraiser for the Save Our Spire project is Jazz in the Garden in the Garden at St Mary’s House with music from local band WOTJam 6pm-8pm on Saturday 18th July: poster .
The SOS team wish to extend a big thank you to everyone for their continued interest and support for the project!
Date/Time : Thursday, 02nd July 2026 10:55
Eastfield lane resurfacing - road closures (updated)
Apparently, some signs have been erected by OCC with the wrong dates on them! The dates below are still correct.
OCC has engaged M Group to perform maintenance and resurfacing work along the entirety of Eastfield Lane. The works will take place between 8th July and 29th July and there will be some road closures affecting both Eastfield Lane and the High Street. In addition, there will be No Waiting enforcement in both Eastfield Lane and the High Street for the duration of the works.
Wednesday 8th July to Wednesday 22nd July – kerb and drainage work will take place in Eastfield Lane, but no roads will be closed.
Thursday 23rd July, Friday 24th July, and Monday 27th July – Eastfield Lane and the High Street between the river and Manor Road will be fully closed to through traffic between 09:30 and 15:30.
Tuesday 28th July and Wednesday 29th July – Eastfield Lane and High Street between the river and Manor Road will be fully closed to through traffic between 20:00 and 06:00 the following day.
The reasons for the road closures are twofold: firstly, Eastfield Lane is not wide enough to store plant and materials whilst maintaining through access and, secondly, resurfacing and line painting machinery at the junction would encroach into the High Street.
OCC has said that the road closure points will be manned during the closures and that they will try to maintain access for businesses and properties affected. You can read the full letter from OCC with contact details here.
Date/Time : Tuesday, 30th June 2026 19:50
From firecrests to flycatchers
Last week a Whitchurch resident managed to record an impressive number of birds singing in her garden. Using the Merlin app, Becky Dunstan recorded 18 different varieties during the dawn chorus. As well as the familiar and well-loved blackbird, wren, chaffinch, robin, dove and blue tit, the app also picked up a goldcrest, greenfinch, treecreeper, great and long-tailed tits, green woodpecker, spotted flycatcher and firecrest (pictured). Less melodious garden visitors included the rook, jackdaw, magpie, and graylag goose.
Date/Time : Sunday, 07th June 2026 15:01
Scaffolding signals start of spire renovation
Following the erection of fencing around St Mary’s church, scaffolding is now rising up the spire. It is the much-awaited first sign that the renovation of the church’s steeple and shingle roof is underway.
As reported earlier this year, the Save Our Spire Fundraising project was awarded £150,000 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This together with other grants and local fundraising means that there are now sufficient funds to make a start on the project. During the works, the church is closed and St Mary's services will be held in the Old Stables: details given on the lychgate and High Street noticeboards, as well as the website’s 'What's on' section.
The SOS team wish to thank all whose generosity and support have enabled the work to commence. Meanwhile, fundraising continues with upcoming events. These include the auction of 2 paintings of St Mary’s Spire by local artist Alastair Dunstan - results to be announced at the 6th June Art Café. Also, following the success of last year’s Jazz in the Garden, the team are planning another event for Saturday 18th July.
Progress on the spire project will be updated here on the website in coming weeks - watch this space! If you would like to donate, click here or contact baker_kenneth2@sky.com .
Photos by Sue Cockeram (and here)
Date/Time : Friday, 29th May 2026 14:21
Halloween Hedgerows
The hedges along Hardwick Road appear as if they have been decorated for Halloween recently. The banks of blackthorn are strewn with ghostly cobweb-like material. Although it looks alarming this is a common and natural phenomenon. The “cobwebs” are silk cocoons spun by ermine moth caterpillars. The recent warm weather has produced ideal breeding conditions. In fact, as our springs become warmer they are an increasingly familiar sight.
Luckily they pose no harm to other creatures, including humans, but they do have an impact on plants. These are very hungry caterpillars and strip hedges back to bare branches, but fortunately even the most affected hedges start producing leaves again later in the season.
Photo by Sally Woolhouse
Close-up of caterpillars by Tim Hardwick
Date/Time : Friday, 15th May 2026 15:13
Annual Village Assembly 2026
This event took place on 7th May and began with Parish Council lead, Jim Donahue reporting on last year’s achievements, which included the successful extension of the Conservation Area; the Parish Council taking over ownership of Muddy Lane, and drainage investigations in various locations. Future plans include the resurfacing of Eastfield Lane in July and an OCC £60k scheme this summer to replace hard-to-access pipes in the higher narrows where they are silted. It is also hoped to improve road safety in the village by setting up a designated crossing place outside the Greyhound and signs to indicate shared access in the narrow, western part of Eastfield Lane.
Following Jim’s introduction various village groups made their reports:
- Village Hall. John Bradon shared that the hall has been registered as a charity. The number of events in 2025 was up to 486 (from 440 in 2024). Future plans include improving accessibility and the carbon footprint of this 80 year old building.
- Whitchurch Society. John also reported on the Gardens Walk, suggesting that additional gardens would be welcome this year, and the successful Art & Craft exhibition.
- Art café. This will celebrate its 10 year anniversary on 30th May. It has raised £100,000 for charity in that time.
- Hardwick Estate. Romilly Swann stated that following last year’s Hardwick Stud closure, botanical and soil surveys have taken place, as part of the estate’s organic conversion. A lecture series is planned.
- St Mary’s: Rev James Leach reported on the success of the youth club, leading to its expansion to 2 sessions; Carols by Candlelight, and the Outdoor Church. The “Save Our Spire” fundraising is nearly complete. There will be a dedicated Art Cafe on 7th June.
- WoTHabs: Sally Woolhouse spoke about the joint PC project, started in November 2025 to improve and re-wild the Hardwick Road verges. The environmental group “Mend the Gap” has donated £15000. It is hoped this area will be designated a Roadside Nature Reserve.
There were other reports from John Coupland for the Allotments Association; Vicky Jordan for the Whitchurch & Goring History Society, and Peter Dragonetti, District Councillor. Gerry Cockeram sent a written report on behalf of WOTsing and also the British Modern Military History Society.
The evening culminated with the presentation of the Whitchurch Award to Jill and John Bradon (see article below).
Date/Time : Thursday, 14th May 2026 12:47
“Dedicated and effective volunteer” couple win Whitchurch Award
Jill and John Bradon were jointly presented with the 2026 Whitchurch Award at the Village Assembly on 7th May. Parish Council lead, Jim Donahue, announced the result in a speech where he described what John and Jill have achieved for the village.
Stating that John has been “a model for…an effective volunteer in the community”, Jim highlighted John’s significant role on the Neighbourhood Plan, and later the Village Plan Steering Committees. During Covid John set up a highly successful volunteer scheme to deliver groceries and medicines to vulnerable villagers. More recently John has played an active role with the Emergency Team, overseeing an emergency drill training session and the purchase of a new generator. In addition to these key roles, John has worked very effectively as treasurer to strengthen the Village Hall’s role as a charity. John is also Chair of the Whitchurch Society.
As well as supporting John in his various undertakings, Jill has played her own significant role in leading the Green Team. Notable projects undertaken by the Green Team have included the maintenance and development of the Jubilee Walk in Hardwick Road, the Maze, the footpath up to Whitchurch Hill, the Polish Church Memorial garden and currently the re-wilding of the Hardwick Road verges. Jill is also involved with events such as the Art and Craft Exhibition, village litter picking and has been on the committee for Friends of St Mary's and Whitchurch United Charities.
Overall, it was recognised that both John and Jill are modest but extremely effective organisers and leaders who are fully deserving of the award.
Previous winners of the Whitchurch Award.
Date/Time : Saturday, 09th May 2026 12:07
A big thank you to Hilary!
The Whitchurch Web team is sorry to say goodbye to Page Editor, Hilary Jensen, as she retires from the team after fifteen years. Hilary was recruited to the website by Richard Wingfield in 2011.
Coming from an IT background, her technical skills have made her a real asset to the development and maintenance of the website. In particular she enjoyed the contact her role gave her with different village groups. These included the Village Hall, the Village Green, and significantly the Parish Council, updating this section with the minutes, PC documents, councillor details and whatever else was requested. Hilary says she will miss these connections with the village, but following her house move to Pangbourne the time is right to hand over to others.
Finally, Hilary commented that it was “a privilege to work with Richard, Phil Weir and Pam Scott in the website team. Richard did such a brilliant job as team leader. Good luck to Julie and Adrian, and I hope they enjoy the involvement as much I have.”
Date/Time : Wednesday, 06th May 2026 12:36