Message board

FREE “Kato” pushchair / stroller / buggy originally from Mamas and Papas - in purple/orange - comes with detachable sun hood - collapses small - happy to send photos - message me if interested - similar to this one: link

THE FERRYBOAT - bad news. Star Pubs has informed me that "due to unforeseen circumstances a new operator is being sought." I will of course keep pressing for further information from Star Pubs.

Two tickets for sale to Dara O’Briain comedy show on Wednesday 7th May (8pm start) at The Hexagon, Reading. Good seats in stalls. Selling at face value of £33.50 per ticket. Please message if interested. Thanks.

FREE Trampoline to a good local home. We bought it in 2020 and it is about 8 foot wide and has an enclosure net. It is in good working order but it has been outside for 5 years so not pristine. We are near to Manor road / High St and suggest any prospective new owner live close enough to walk it home with some friends! (Happy to help also)

Whitchurch Primary Parents Association Is hosting the Art Cafe on the Saturday 3rd May and alongside the usual delicious bakes we are having a small plant sale to raise additional funds for the school. Some plants have been donated and some are seeds planted by the children. Be lovely to see you there and bring along a bit of extra cash and grab a bargain for the garden!!

ARE YOU ABLE TO HELP? We are expecting 30 visitors from our twinned village, La Bouille in Normandy, to arrive on Sat 3rd May and stay until around lunch time on Mon 5th. This year there will be six new people (all ladies) and I am running out of hosts who could put them up. If you are able to offer a bed and hospitality, that would be great, or you may wish to find out more about the Twinning Association, and perhaps get involved. In 2026 it is our turn to travel to La Bouille. And if you know anyone in Whitchurch or Whitchurch Hill who might be willing to accommodate one or two ladies, please pass on my contact details. I look forward to hearing from you.

I run the afternoon tea on a Wednesday which has been running for a year now and proving to be very successful. We have lots of varied chats going on this week John Barker was telling about his cows which I then went home and watched the interview with him made by Nick Brazil . I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed watching these videos and anyone new to the village who hasn’t seen them they are definitely worth a watch. Thank You Nick

We enjoyed the piece regarding sighting of a possible shark fin in the river by the bridge and noted this happened on April 1st.

Does anyone know who owns the poor dog in the village that seems to spend its life outside barking. I believe it is located somewhere near the primary school. Not only is it barking loudly but there are animal welfare concerns around its treatment. Thanks

Hi Im looking to purchase a toll bridge card as i will be regularly travelling across the bride to chalkhouse green. We live up nr pangbourne college Regards Paul

Unfortunately the Hardwick talk this evening has had to be postponed due to illness. We’re so sorry about the short notice!

Free: Unused Dunelm 180cm satin steel curtain pole 90 curtain rings Please contact Felipa on fmthouse8@gmail.com or 07419 118449

Free: White full-size Bosch dishwasher. About 10 years old, been in storage for a year, but was working perfectly beforehand! Please contact Felipa on fmthouse8@gmail.com or 07419 118449

Found a Monzo bank card near toll bridge - handed in to toll booth

A new thing has appeared on the path from swanston field to eastfield lane, it looks like a microphone on a long stick attached to a large plastic box. Does anyone have any ideas as to what it is and why it’s there?

Any recommendations for someone to erect a garden shed and a few more outside jobs, i.e. fencing? Thank you

I have a tyre swing with attachments for a tree branch outside my house on hardwick rd. Help yourself to it.

Hi there, we're new to Whitchurch and excited to have a nice garden for our two boys (3 and 6 years old). If anyone is getting rid of kids garden toys or a trampoline we would be very happy to take it off your hands! Thank you in advance, Kayleigh

Thank you to all who are putting blister packs (from medicines and vitamins etc) for recycling in the box in the former telephone box at the end of Manor Road where it joins the High Street. The collection box is now full on almost a weekly basis. Please do therefore help if you can by taking some from the box to one of the pharmacies which take part in this scheme. These now include Boots in Wallingford, as well as Superdrug in Broad Street (Reading) and Boots at Savacentre (Theale/Calcot). They are then passed on to Terracycle for recycling.

To Peter Hawley thank you for your interesting piece about Eastfield House. I have lived in this village for the last 40 years. As a trained nurse but with 3 small children, I 'helped out' at Eastfield House when the youngest was at playschool so a very minimal input but with positive memories of the residents and the home in general I am very sad to see such an iconic feature of such a small village is now causing destruction and unhappiness - which are my feelings - and that profit is what matters over public opinion. The proof will be evident in the years to come. I am very

A trip to Chichester Festival Theatre on Wednesday, 6th August to see Irving Berlin's TOP HAT. Cost £62. Coach departs Pangbourne at 9.00am. Deadline Wednesday, 16th April.

Another thought about the 45 lights proposed for the care home. Are the lights that are on all night going to be the sort that point down and just illuminate the walkway or will they pollute the environment with light? We have a lot of nocturnal wildlife in Swanston Field especially owls and badgers who will not appreciate bright lights any more than human life.

I'd like to comment on the amount of external lighting as proposed for the care home in Eastfield Lane. 45 lights seems like a lot of lights in a rural village setting some of which are going to be on overnight - surely this will affect the houses on either side of the care home. Shame there's not much care for the village residents.

Hi I am looking for a small aluminium greenhouse if you have one you no longer require. Happy to dismantle

If anyone wants to complain about the mud on Eastfield Lane, OCC Highways Department is an organisation to contact: link I have sent the following: "A developer on Eastfield Lane is depositing mud on the road on a daily basis. This has been going on for months. There have been a couple of road sweeps but within hours/ a day the road is covered in mud again as their site is wet and muddy and they take no measures to clean vehicles before they move onto the road. It is an old lane which is now a residential cul-de-sac with a primary school and pre school at one end. The road is used by parents to walk their children to and from school. There are no pavements. The surface of the road is slippery for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Stopping distances for vehicles must be being effected. It is a safety risk. Section 161 Highways Act 1980 "If a person, without lawful authority or excuse, deposits anything whatsoever on a highway in consequence of which a user of the highway is injured or endangered, that person is guilty of an offence""

A quick update on the Manor Road sinkhole. I understand that the leak was successfully fixed late Friday night/early Saturday morning. The crew onsight at Manor Road are just waiting for support to start clearing up the site. A separate crew will repair the road surface in the next day or two. So also no more need for tankers on the High Street or Eastfield Lane!

I observe that mud deposited on Eastfield road mostly originates from the construction site at Eastfield House conveyed by vehicles wheels. Good practice in maintaining a “clean” site should have been to tarmac the front delivery area with proper drainage as a first priority with a facility to wash down vehicles. If trenches had to be dug for services this could have been preplanned with prefabricated concrete road crossings to thread services under roads. Perhaps hindsight is a poor substitute for lack of a thorough risk assessment and poor community relations on behalf of the contractor who has disregarded his responsibility and duty of care to maintain a a tidy site that minimises impact to the surrounding area.

Hi Mel, yes when it rains it ours doesn't it? I'd like to thank Barry Read of the upper narrows for contacting both Thames Water and OCC Highway drainage team today to sort this stuation out. Between the OCC and Thames Water, the situation is now resolved. It seems that Thames Water is empyting their tankers that are full of sewage into a sewerage line halfway up Whitchurch Hill as a way of feeding it into the Manor Road Sewage Treatment Plant - this avoids the need to drive the large tankers down Manor Road. We don't know if there was some spillage from the tanker or a blockage somewhere in the sewerage line, but hopefully it won't happen again. If it does, please immediately contact one of the Thames Water teams who are on site at either Manor Road or Eastfield Lane.

Ive contacted them about street sweeping and they have a sweeper and gully such planned for this afternoon. I agree that it needs to be done regularly - We can’t continue to live in a mid bath.

Does anyone know why we have water running down the High Street from up the hill? There’s a smell of sewage in the upper narrows too.

At the next meeting please can the Parish Council agree to tell Zephyr they need to put a frequent cleaning schedule in place for Eastfield Lane. It’s been constantly muddy since November. The mud and pooling water make it difficult to see where you can walk/cycle/drive without damage to your shoes/bike/car/person. Waiting until the end of their project is unacceptable and unsafe. My car has already been damaged. Their project is enormous in compared with the other ones in the lane. They are not one of a suggested 8 or 9. The duration and scale of their project is of a different scale than the other projects and the magnitude of their project’s resulting wear and tear is incomparable.

Does anyone have a long handled loppers I could borrow to trim back two small trees in our garden before the spring? It looks like the regular kind soul in the village I’ve borrowed from previously has moved away! Many thanks in advance, Alexa

PARISH FOOTPATHS This month I have taken on the role as volunteer Chiltern Society Parish Path Representative for Whitchurch parish. Alongside other Chiltern Society volunteers, my role is to work alongside residents and the parish council to monitor the footpaths and rights of way in the parish, keeping them as accessible and clearly marked as possible, and reporting any major issues that need fixing to OCC and the Chiltern Society. In this role, I am inheriting the tremendous legacy passed on by Eric Hartley. If you have any concerns about footpaths or rights of way, I'd be glad to hear them.

It seems that Thames Water has now finally accepted responsibility foir the sinkhole on Manor Road. After some back and forth between OCC Highway and Thames Water, it appears that the cause is a burst water pipe afterall. Please see the update I received this morning from Thames Water via OCC: We have now identified this as a burst rising main. Our civils team have performed an emergency make safe and our teams are mobilising to enact a repair. We will also perform a letter drop to local residents. There is a sign on the works stating that work will be completed by 17 February.

Sadly our older female rabbit has passed away last Sunday leaving our neutered male rabbit heartbroken and lonely. If anybody is looking for a good home for a 3-4 years old female rabbit or knows anybody who is, please consider us. Many thanks

TRAIN ENTHUSIASTS! Books needing a new home. Best of British Steam; GWR 4-6-0s Locomotives in the 1960s by Derek Penny; The Train Book (The Definitive Visual History); Extraordinary Railway Journeys by Tom Savio & Anthony Lambert. Donation to charity.

You may have seen that SSE did the remedial repair work on the Ferryboat pavement last weekend. As you can see, it is somewhat improved but still not great. OCC Highways now tell me that the SSE work has failed their inspections the worak is still unsatisfactry. This was partly due to wet weather during the work. SSE says they now have a new block stencil mat that should provide a better quality imprint and will try again in better weather. OCC will continue to inspect the area until the work has been satisfactorily completed. 3rd time lucky?

Has anyone got a Catit water fountain? They are the sort with a green lid and a daisy on the top. If so, I have a packet of filters for you - I bought the wrong sort

OCC Highways have reported to me that the Ferryboat Pavement work by SSE is now planned for 18-20 January which is this weekend. No street closure is planned for this but it will clearly impact pedestrians. I've questioned this as it seems strange for this to be happening on the weekend, but these are the dates they confirmed.

Hi, does anyone know when the Green Jim working party are going to be working in the church yard at St. Johns? Apparently they are a team of 15 and will be working for 2 days down there, and I would like to know the dates so I can give them some help. Thanks

Apparently the 'sinkhole' on Manor Road is not actually a sinkhole caused by a water leak, but is some sort of generic 'void' under the road. Well at least that's what Thames Water says so they passed it back to OCC Highways in their game of ping pong and OCC says they will now have it repaired in 24 hrs - kinda what they said on Dec 17th 🤨. Just pray that OCC don't decide it is caused by a water leak after all and continue playing ping pong 🙏

Be aware: Until recently I kept a spare sealed bag of dog food in the normally closed garage and another, similarly sealed but used daily, in the lean to conservatory. I found that both bags had been torn open. Further investigation revealed the presence of rats in the conservatory. Access to the garage had been obtained by further excavating the electrical supply entry hole in the garage floor and access to the conservatory was by gnawing away at its framework where it lapped over that floor . Both access points are now blocked but there is still evidence I hope we will soon see a local team catching them. The rats were settling in for the winter and are now disturbed. Be aware of your dark corners and available food. .

You need to sort out the sink hole in manor road

Our 2024 Art Cafes have raised over £12,400 for local groups and good causes. A big Thank You and a Merry Christmas to all our organisers, cakemakers and other helpers, and also to all the local residents who come along and support them each week.

A Karrimor anorak, black with yellow lining, has been left at The Old Stables. Please email if it's yours.

RABBITS In my early walking and exploring days in Whitchurch I enjoyed wandering down Hardwick Road (little traffic in those days) to find Bozedown Farm in full operation with cattle in the yard and crops in the fields and the lovely old Barn in use. As I explored further I reached the then Black Gates. I then discovered that I had a right of way to enter the Estate and admire the beautiful racehorses in the paddocks alongside and to proceed unhindered to the eastern gates. On using the single pedestrian gate I emerged into Mapledurham to find the nearby verge and the adjacent field alive with rabbits and that the crop in the field had been devastated by their hungry presence. Perhaps this had been or was a local Warren? On returning to the Hardwick Estate and the road junction with Path Hill, I realised that the copse above me was also alive with rabbits, and indeed it was the source of supply within our village. It was possible on one weekday evening to visit the Greyhound and to ask for a rabbit for the following weekend. Our local ferret owner could be seen on the Saturday morning slipping his ferrets into the rabbit holes and capturing the rabbits as they emerged. Sure enough, one dead rabbit would be found later on our doorstep to be skinned and prepared for the pot. One other memory of the road through the Hardwick Estate (a section of the Tuddingway- another story?) is of me picking the fallen walnuts from the trees lining the road, to be greeted by Old Lady Rose who said ‘Eric, I don’t mind you picking them up from the road, but you must not pick them off the trees.’ And I didn’t! Wonderful memories for a former City lad. Eric

GRANDMOTHERS HELP I am looking for help with Margot (6) and Rosebud (2) from Monday Dec 30th for four days. From 10 am until 3 pm. Flexible if those times do not work. Preferably someone with experience but not essential.

Christmas carols and songs at the Greyhound. This Sunday come join us from 6pm-8pm. Carols with the Four Square Saxes followed by the Nevers Nevers playing all your Christmas favourites with a five piece horn section. Should be lots of family fun. Hope you can make it.

FOR SALE Little used Graco Junior Maxi Group 2/3 Car Seat in good condition, with instruction manual. Available for £15.00 (RRP £45.00). For more information, to see photo or come and view, please email me.

There is a huge scaffold erected last week over the westside of Cedar Lodge and today they have put a roof on it. Does anyone know why the scaffolding is needed?

Please can anyone throw any light on the disappearance of the 4 slim white posts that we put on the south verge near the village entrance on Hardwick Road? These were put there several days ago in an attempt to protect a section of the raised verge that had been driven over when the hedge overhang forced vehicles off the road. Without these inoffensive but effective protection measures, this will very soon become another muddy mess to add to all the others which are making Hardwick Road so unsightly. I despair!!

FOR SALE - proceeds to Whitchurch Primary School charity account. Islabikes Cnoc 14" Small in Teal, mudguards & stabilisers, £120; FollowMe tandem bike hitch/ towbar (to attach child's bicycle to adult bike)£110; Thule Yepp Maxi child bicycle seat with seatpost attachment, fitted but unused, £50; Britax Romer Advansafix II SICT isofix child car seat, black with washable towelling seat covers, £30. Little Tikes Magic Doorbell Playhouse to give away. Near offers welcome, email if you'd like to view or see photos.

Hello jam and chutney makers. For sale, Lakeland stainless steel Maslin Pan (unused) perfect for making jam, chutney etc. Can also be used as a stockpot for soup. Will accept £30., ono.

Whitchurch on Thames Preschool are recruiting: Deputy Manager and Early Years Practitioner Whitchurch on Thames Preschool is committed to safeguarding & promoting the welfare of children and young people. The post holder will be subject to a DBS check. Please email Kathleen for more details

The local Chiltern Society team need someone to help look after the footpaths and bridleways in Whitchurch parish. For more information contact susan on 07835872791

Newcomers and our ‘Cocoon’ A number of houses in the village have recently changed hands. I am sure that the newcomers will be welcomed but they may not know or yet realise what a wise choice they have made. In Whitchurch-on-Thames most of us not only live in a circumscribed ‘Conservation Area’ but also in another bubble - a ‘Cocoon’ where our daily life is unhindered by constant traffic noise or the presence of obvious commerce. We leave all that behind when we cross our Toll Bridge, perhaps that and other benefits are what we unknowingly also pay for? The next immediate benefit is that we can immediately access the ‘Natural Beauty’ which greets us if we look or step outside - the Beech Woods are there for us to explore using the many footpaths, permissive paths and bridleways. But we also have immediate access to History - we are surrounded by reminders of those who have gone before us. From Achulean (pre Stone Age) hand axes and Stone Age Scrapers in our gardens to our daily use of one major ancient Highway and Trade Route. Before us thousands (millions?) of feet and hooves have travelled above the water courses carved out by our wandering Thames. One of these, the Tuddingway, was in Saxon times the dry Packhorse route from the East, from Reading to Mapledurham, to Whitchurch, to Goring and beyond; today we know it as Hardwick Road, the King Alfred Cycle Route, the Hartslock Bridleway and in parts the Thames Path, in all its many uses and guises. The Iron Age Fort (Encampment) sits above us as another immediate reminder of the Past, also the lower level Sheepwash Lane, its name similarly evokes thoughts of its past uses as it gives us our only main access to the river. Access to all our major points of history Is immediately available to us, all our major paths and footpaths are suitably marked and described and await your boots. The next benefit I have marked is the friendliness and neighbourliness of all our neighbours and villagers. But it may be true of all villages, this is the only one I have lived in for any length of time. Perhaps the close neighbourhood of most of the village - our Cocoon, enables this. Lots of information and ‘views’ on the village website, Enjoy the experience of being here. Eric Hartley. ‘

Anyone missing a air of specs? I possibly picked them by mistake at Art Cafe on Saturday. Black frames in a Vision Express box...apologies!

I accidentally left my glasses in a black case at the Art Cafe this morning (23/11/24). They were not there when I returned. If anyone accidentally picked them up I would be very grateful if they would contact me. Many thanks

New Senior Circuits class starting in Pangbourne village hall this Friday (22nd) link

Hi all. Can anyone recommend a swimming pool or hydrotherapy pool (not treadmill) for dogs in the local area? Many thanks!

Does anyone need a gardener? I have a fantastic gardener who has capacity to take on more work and I can highly recommend him. He comes with all his own tools and is a hard worker Contact me if interested - I have his card with contact details.

I would like to support the message left by Kate regarding the state of East field Lane and also the leaves on the pavements are so dangerous for pedestrians. I walked into Pangbourne and found the pavements very treacherous.

Urgent: Road Condition on Eastfield Lane Can someone please provide an update on the current state of Eastfield Lane? The condition of the road has significantly worsened, with a large section of it falling apart. The situation is becoming dangerous, especially with parked cars opposite what is now a large "crater." It's increasingly difficult to avoid, and if not repaired soon, it’s going to cause serious damage to vehicles. I've heard that the issue may be related to the care home workers, but this is further up the lane. This particular section has been deteriorating since August and is now much worse. Please, can the council take immediate action to address this? It's a safety concern for drivers and pedestrians and needs urgent attention.

Hello. Does anyone know a Ms L A Siggers ? I have found there bank card on Hardwick road

Who has kindly installed a wooden garden seat 2/3rds of the way up the footpath running parallel to the road below which gives us access to our War Memorial? Do users of that high level footpath know that it only exists because we ‘acquired’ it after the installation of the main gas grid pipeline below our feet. Before that I think we just walked up and down the road with only an occasional vehicle to disturb us (bliss!). However our Villagers from Whitchurch Hill had a field or safe roadside footpath all the way to our joint Memorial (another story!).

It was a pleasure on two recent weekend days to be able to walk down Eastfield Lane, as in the past, with only two local parked cars along its entire length. My memory tells me of late night walks with our first dog, 50+ years ago. I would turn down the glow worm illuminated entrance to the Allotment footpath, slip the dog lead and listen for the sound of claws running towards me - not knowing whether it was a badger or the dog. The badger sett was at the far right hand corner of the present Maze, but sadly destroyed some many years later. When we emerged onto Eastfield Lane we would often be greeted by a solitary Owl sitting wisely on the electrical supply wires or their support and then we would move to lean on the gate leading into the field and watch for the local fox as he returned from his late night drink at the river and then crossed the field and the Lane to return to his den on the higher ground. The silence of the Lane also evoked memories of John Holmes who protested volubly when he thought we had destroyed the only rural lane in his village by installing street lights. He said it won’t be long before there are buses running down the Lane - and he was right! His family had lived in the village for 300 years but he moved away in order to express his discontent. Eric Hartley Eric Hartley

Hello lovely people Has anyone got an old school Overhead Projector we could borrow please? Xx

Many thanks to the Parish council for arranging the proper clearance of the roadside drains throughout the village, important work as we head into the winter to reduce flood risk! I feel compelled to add that I raised all the blocked drains on Hardwick Road and the top of the high street on “fix my street” in June 2023, so I am also rather disappointed at the lack of action by SODC/OCC before now… I’d also like to ask about street sweeping, last year Hardwick road was only swept (partially) three times and twice of those times were at my request. Regular street sweeping, especially in the autumn with all the leaves but also throughout the year, would help prevent the blocked drains. It would be good to get a regular street sweeping schedule back in place (I understand years back it was every two weeks) to improve flood safety in the village. Is that something the PC can help ensure is implemented and carried out?

RUN AN ART CAFÉ AND RAISE £200! Saturday 14th December has just become available. Running an Art Café is a sociable and fun way to raise £200 or more for your good cause in just 2 hours. We provide full support. Interested? Please contact me.

Hello all. We have a 3-bedroom terraced house in the centre of the village available for rent from end of November. Small garden, recently refurbished, off-street parking for 1 car. Ideally looking for a tenant for at least 6 months, and would be particularly happy to rent to people from the village. Email for more details.

FREE! Vibrating exercise plate - multi-speed, resistance bands, remote control, etc. Great for home training and body shaping. No longer required, but in good condition!

Hi all, just to let you know that I now work both Monday and Friday afternoon at the Boathouse Physiotherapy clinic in Pangbourne. Great for back pain, tension etc and many medical conditions as well sports recovery. Give them a ring on 0118 9767 189 or email on the link above I still offer flexible appointment times at my home treatment room in Whitchurch too!

Hello! My name is Jas, I have a degree in Psychology and Child Development and have 5 years of nannying experience. I have the most experience with newborn up to the ages of 4, although have worked with older ages too. I am familiar with the area due to a previous role to which I can provide a reference for! I am looking for a part time nanny role (25 hours ish). Do get in touch if this is something you are looking for! Jas

Art & Craft Exhibition - now only 18 days away! Get your art, photos, crafts, etc together ready for the exhibition. Online registration of entries starts at 00:01 AM on Saturday 9th November. Attention local school parents: While your child's school might be submitting a group entry, if you want your child to be eligible for a prize, you must enter their work into the exhibition separately. Full details, timetable, rules and how to enter can be seen at link

Sadly a cat was hit by a car and killed in the upper narrows on the high street today. It’s white, Black and Tan coloured. A builder doing work on a nearby house pick it off the road and has left it I see the large tree outside the White House. He asked me to try to let people know online. I hope someone can find its owners so they know… :(

In the message below, the web address has got a full stop on the end. The correct address for the Information is is link thanks!

Someone is tearing down posters advertising village events. We put up eight A4 laminated posters regarding this year's Art & Craft exhibition on Wednesday morning last week: by 8AM on Thursday, at least five of them had been torn down and removed! These are mostly telegraph pole sites around the High Street and Eastfield Lane where we (and others) have been putting posters for many years. On mentioning this to other villagers we found that several people have experienced this problem recently, including one person who found her poster dumped in a nearby waste bin. This is not just some kids walking by and mindlessly pulling them down: this is someone who does not want posters displayed and who is methodically removing them. Does anyone know who is doing this or why? We would like to hear, via this message board please, from anyone who has any comments or ideas to offer about how this can be stopped. It’s hard enough organising an event without this mean-spirited sabotage! By the way, the 2024 Art and Craft exhibition is on the 23rd and 24th November so start creating now! You can see full details at link Thanks for reading and we look forward to hearing what people have to say.

The Ferryboat: there’s been a contractor on site to-day installing new kitchen equipment on behalf of Star Pubs. So things are happening, albeit very slowly!

MISSING CAT Dear all, we adopted a cat last weekend and last night he seems to have got out of a 3in opening on the first floor window fanlight. He’s microchipped but the collar and name tag have only just arrived in the post so he’s not wearing them. If you see him, please could you let me know. He’s an adult ginger Tom, quite small and delicate, very shy and skittery. He’s called Bob. I’m not even sure if he knows that’s his name yet. I have photos but can’t post them on here. Thank you! All best, Kate

We are delighted to announce that we are currently offering tours with our headteacher for families considering a reception place for September 2025. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to explore our school environment, meet our dedicated staff, and ask any questions you may have about our curriculum and the experiences we offer our pupils. We understand that choosing the right school for your child is a significant decision. Our tours are designed to provide you with a comprehensive insight into what makes Whitchurch a fantastic place for your child’s early education. Whether you have specific questions or simply wish to get a feel for our school community, we encourage you to come along. If you would like to book a tour, please get in touch with our school office at 0118 9842347or email us at office@whitchurchprimary.org.uk. We will be more than happy to arrange a convenient time for you to visit.

Know that the end is in sight for the construction works at Eastfield House. What is the Parish Councils view of repairing the quality of the road surface. The heavy plant movement plus the constant movement & parking of sub-contractors vehicles has trashed the quality of the surface. If my memory serves me rightly the bottom end of Eastfield Lane was re-surfaced approx 3 years ago. The top end of the Lane was not included within this works package. I have had a discussion with the site manager and he advised that they have no responsibility or requirement to re-surface the lane. Even though they have created the issue. I hope that as part of the Planning agreement SODC gave the Developer a condition to either repair or pay for the repair. Can a member of the Parish Council enquire what is the medium long term solution. As the construction works are coming to an end and the Fit-out works well underway. It would not be great if post completion the Road surface was left in the state of dis-repair it is currently in. Surely this has been accounted for within the Local plan.

Hi all, I wondering if anyone can recommend a painter and decorator? The one we’ve previously used is no longer replying to messages. Many thanks!

I wonder if anyone could recommend a local roofing company please. Many thanks Rosemary.

Just a reminder that if you have any comments on the latest Eastfield House planning application, the deadline is tomorrow. Because a Section 73 sits alongside existing plans, rather than superseding them, the number of approved bedrooms would be increased to 51. Thank you.

FREE: 3x John Lewis breakfast bar stools natural wood colour: link Collection only from Whitchurch on Thames

Lost Property - a dark navy cardigan was left behind at the Maze after the Apple Pressing event yesterday afternoon. Please get in touch with me if you think it is yours!

Does anyone have an annexe or spare room that they would like to rent out over Christmas? We are looking for a couple of spare rooms. Thank you!

Does anyone have spare / not needed Demi John's please? Happy to buy them.

I am in the RBH all day Friday from 7:30 a.m. Can any kind person look after Harold for at least part of the day? I would be eternally grateful. My phone number is 01189841602.

Now that I am recovering from my cycling accident, I have some mobility equipment that I no longer need and I would like to offer the items for free to anyone who can make use of them. Perching stool Helper trolley Walking frame Shower seat

Is the pavement repair outside the Ferryboat finished? It looks hideous!! Can the Parish Council speak to the contractors?

Lake District holiday 2-6 June 2025 five days. Coach departs from Pangbourne. If interested please contact Whitchurchholidays@gmail.com. Holiday includes cruises on Lake Winermere and Ullswater.

Against Breast Cancer walk Sunday 15 September. Marshalls still needed please to guide walkers coming down Whitchurch hill onto Hardwick Rd. If you can help please email me or phone me on 07979758727. Thank you in anticipation

Thanks to everyone who came to the quiz evening in the Village Hall yesterday. Special thanks must also go to Jean Marc who prepared the superb supper and to John Bradon who did much organising. I hope you all enjoyed it and we had the "hardness" balance about right. Thanks again and see you next time I hope!

Round oak effect ikea coffee table free to a good home Good condition, 90cm deep and wide, 48cm tall Email me on the link above if you’d like it or want to see a photo!

Anyone lost a key by the ferry boat? I’ve put it on the window sill by the pub. It’s a single Endurance key on a NZ Olympic tag

Quiz evening - 7th September at the Village Hall, to raise funds for the Village Hall. A few tables still available, £12 per head to include supper. Please email adrian@adriandixon.com or call 07973 187139 for more details. Look forward to seeing you there!

Please can someone let me know where I can find more information about the road closure from Monday 9th September? Is this for the full 5 days without any residential access?

Can anyone please recommend a cleaner to help with our housework?

Due to a change of venue for Sadhama's yoga retreat, Hardwick's riverside campsite is unexpectedly available for bookings next week and over the bank holiday weekend: link

As a new resident to our beautiful village can I congratulate the Parish Council on their “stop the cars” efforts. Whilst I have already heard mutterings about the newly erected signage, I for one think they bring a certain retro look to our high street. Glennis Graff

The Against Breast Cancer walk will take place again this year, on SUNDAY 15th September. Stewards are needed please, to guide the walkers onto Hardwick Road, in the morning, as they come down Whitchurch Hill. If you can spare some time to help, please contact me by email or tel. 07979758727. Thank you.

There are a couple of slots open for Sports and Remedial Massage with me at the Boathouse Physio in Pangbourne this Friday, give them a call to book! Great for back pain, tension etc and many medical conditions as well sports recovery. You can always book in with me from my home treatment room on Hardwick Road too. Click the email link to drop me a line!

Two tickets now available for Oliver! 13th August at Chichester Festival Theatre.

One spare ticket for Oliver! at Chichester Festival Theatre on Tuesday, 13th August. Cost £57. Coach departs Pangbourne, opposite the Laundrette, at 9.00am

Free to new home. Kids TP combined climbing frame and slide. Very well used, but still fully operational with no broken pieces. Will need to be disassembled and transported by new owner. Currently located in Swanston field.

Hi Whitchurch - does anyone have a static bicycle I could borrow for a short while please. I am recovering from hip surgery and my physiotherapist has advised static cycling. (After David's terrible accident 2 weeks ago I don't fancy cycling on the roads again.)

The knock on affect of restricted parking in the High Street is already being felt, especially within the vicinity of the Village Hall. The car park is often used by those wanting to leave their cars somewhere for one reason or another. It is becoming increasing difficult for elderly members of cllubs such as the bridge clu b to get close access to the Hall with number of cars being parked outside.

Wanted to make everyone aware there was a theft from a parked (unlocked) van outside our house between 645-730pm Sunday 28th evening. It’s been reported to police by the victim and if anyone on Hardwick Rd has cctv they can check, the thieves stole a black bag. Thanks, Phil and Emily

I read the article in the Bulletin about the village hall events. As a member of the Whitchurch Photographic Society, I would like to comment on the reason given in the article for its closure. Mobile phones do indeed take technically excellent photos but that doesn’t mean that people no longer need the learn about photography. Creating a compelling image is about composition, lighting, mood and many other creative skills. This has been true since artists started putting paint onto canvas. New technology only assists us with the creative process. There is much that can be learnt about the creative process and this where joining a photographic club can help. You don’t need a fancy camera; your phone is fine. I am considering moving to the Thatcham club which has a fresh take on the traditional camera club format. Shame it’s a half drive rather than a 10 minute walk.

Can anyone put me in touch with the young lad who came round last week asking about mowing the lawn please?

I have many books that are factual and informative books ... that I that need to dispose of ... ... Please contact ... with respective to any interest ... !?!

Can you help? We are looking for items for our end of year raffle. Any donations would be greatly appreciated to add to our hamper. Thank you in advance

Wanted wooden furniture to upcycle and sell to make money for Oppos Farm which provides respite for HM Forces Veterans, we will either pass it on to the Veteran directly or upcycle it to provide respite or train them to farm sheep to give them a skill and we will help them find land and teach them how to keep records and navigate defra's paperwork and red tape

Tumbledryer Now Taken

FREE Bosch WTA 3100 Tumbledryer Very good condition, includes quantity of ducting for exhaust. Approx 60cm wide x 53cm deep x 85cm tall. Collection from Alms Houses, Goring Heath.

Re The Ferryboat. Star Pubs have told me that further electrical work is planned for September, after which it will be ready to open.

This has now sold.

Excellent and comfortable sofabed available! Currently listed at very low price with photos on here: link The frame is 210 width, 97 depth, 65 height. Then cushions on top of that. Please get in touch if interested.

Has anyone got one of those old portable vhs tvs that I could borrow please?

If anyone is interested in being paid to model for a large-ish traditional oil painting (portrait), we might need somebody and would pay around £12/hour plus travel if needed, for occasional days for a lot of the Summer, one or two days a week. Nothing firmly planned yet but if anybody knows somebody, we can contact them if we come up with a design that suits the person Please email with a photo if interested Thank you!

Small wicker hamper with hinged lid free to anyone who would like it. 70cm wide, 33cm deep and 34cm high. It has been used to hold soft toys for quite a while - shows some signs of age but still useful. Contact me for photos or to come and have a look.

We thank you for the Whitchurch award on Thursday, we have to say that we are very surprised and humbled for being thought of in this way. We have lived in the village for many years and have never considered it a chore helping others out. Once again, thank you for considering us in this way. Sue and Richard.

This Saturday's Art Cafe (15th June) is CANCELLED. Unfortunately Langtree PTA has been unable to put a team of helpers together, and there is insufficient time to find a replacement.

FOR SALE. Unused Tri-colour ink cartridge HP302. Wrong one purchased. Will accept £30.00.

It is proposed that the Annual Parish Meeting (APM) on Thursday will start at 7.15 pm and last for just 45 minutes, notwithstanding the fact that the APM’s in 2022 and 2023 each lasted for 1 hour 45 minutes. The Local Government Act 1972 makes it mandatory to hold an APM as an important part of the local democratic process at which electors receive reports from their councilors and local organisations, and have the opportunity to have their say on local issues. It is not in the spirit of the Act to unreasonably time-limit the APM and restrict discussion. It would be possible for those present on Thursday to vote to keep the APM going for as long as they considered necessary, but a better solution would be for the Parish Council planned for 8pm to be postponed now. This would allow the APM to follow its normal course with the usual reports from local organisations and sufficient time for electors to have their say.

Hello, I’m Amy. I have just finished university, where I spent three years studying Childhood Studies. I have over three years experience working in a nursery, and I am looking for babysitting jobs in my spare time. I am pretty flexible regarding availability, including some daytimes, evenings, weekends, as well as extra help over the summer holidays! I live in the village and would love to hear from anyone who needs babysitting at anytime😊

Good Afternoon. We are urgently seeking to rent a mooring space for our 70ft narrow boat that is our home. We are both professionals who work locally & we very much would love to stay in the area. If you can assist in any way we would be very grateful. Please email or call 07400999948. Thank you & kind regards

Black rimmed glasses found on 30th May, outside Wells House, High Street, Whitchurch.

Free! I have three extension leads which I don't need. Let me know if you'd like them. They look a bit like this one on Amazon, link

Message for Nick Brazil - he left his mobile on the bench when he was watching the kids football earlier. Please can someone pass on to him. Thanks!