The Dever January 2022

The Dever

The Journal of the Dever Valley

The Boundary of the civil Parish of Micheldever is 21 miles long.

On the present day Ordnance Survey map there are a total of 15 Boundary Stone markers (BS) for the entire 21 miles of the perimeter of the Parish.

I am sorely tempted to suggest that those warring factions at Weston Colley needed a particularly well defined boundary in order to keep the peace. Or, was it because for this section, the Parish boundary follows the River Dever, the course of which was liable to meander?

I’d love to hear your theories and comments on Boundary Stones, in this parish or elsewhere. suebell0906@gmail.com

A Boundary Stone seen during our walk. I’m told that it has M inscribed on this face and S on the reverse.

First-Sunday-in-the-Month Walk on 5th Dec 2021 made a donation of £100 to The Milestone Society. As well as recording and monitoring the condition of all the known Milestones in the country, they also record Boundary Stones, Finger Posts and Way Markers noting their condition, their history, a photograph, and their heritage significance.

www.milestonesociety.co.uk

SU 489 395

Dever Valley Contacts

Church Wardens

St. Mary the Virgin Micheldever

Jan Mason 01962 774362

Juliet Pattinson 01962 774399

Holy Trinity Wonston

Sarah Hobhouse 01962 760003

St Margaret's South Wonston

Melinda Samms 01962 761036

Roger Keys -

St Mary & St Michael Stoke Charity Ruth Guy 01962 760259

Websites

St Mary the Virgin www.stmarysmicheldever.co.uk

Holy Trinity www.wonstonchurch.co.uk

The Dever

Editor:

Peter O’Keefe

07515 339279

1 Canada Cottages, Overton Road, Micheldever Station, SO21 3AN.

Email: editor@thedever.org

Printing: Richard Vellacott and team

Annual Subscription January to December for 12 issues: £8.00; £15.00 by post. Articles for February issue to be received by the editor before 15th January please. Articles printed in The Dever are accepted ‘as is’ and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editorial Team.

Subscriptions Enquiries & Distribution

Micheldever

Anby Dixon 07799 212586

Micheldever Station

Andy Adams

East of railway line 01962 774363

Ann Hawkins

West of railway line 01962 774956

Dever Advertiser

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View From The Vicarage

Au Revoir

I am sorry to say good bye to many good friends across the Dever benefice after serving you as your incumbent for the past 2 ½ years.

We have enjoyed moving around the delightful villages in the Dever valley, involving ourselves in the diverse and hugely enjoyable activities supported by each village. Also seeing God work in remarkable ways through the churches, through home groups, men’s breakfasts and a plethora of one to one interactions.

Sheelagh and I wish the benefice of 7 churches well. The future of the churches is necessarily uncertain. That is very much the nature of Christian ministry where through the uncertainties we see the hand of God working out his purposes and promises amongst us.

Our 30 months with you has seen us all pass through unprecedented times with lockdowns and pandemics sweeping across the world and our country.

We have had to adapt, bringing services online and posted on YouTube, administering the churches through online PCCs and encouraging discipleship through multiple on line courses week by week. Its stretched our faith, our ingenuity and our technological skills.

The Christian faith is essentially a transformative faith. As we enjoy each other's company, as we learn about Jesus through scripture and preaching, as we enjoy the times when we come together, we are slowly changed into his image taking on the nature of Christ, as Paul explains in his letter to the Romans.

It has been one of the most fulfilling and exciting components of our time amongst you to see lives changed, to see relationships turned around by exposure to Jesus Christ’s way. Should we expect these things to happen? Yes !!

Does God want these things to happen in the Dever valley in the future? Yes!!

We need to open ourselves to God and his words in the Bible if we are to see this transformation. We turn from our own way, our own thinking and begin to live as God has planned for us all. Its been such a privilege to encourage you along that path during our time here.

Sheelagh and I will move on to other challenges from February 2022. We will be living nearby and will make ourselves available to the benefice until a replacement clergy person can be found and installed.

John and Sheelagh Rennie

News from Woodmancote & Popham

We were thrilled to be able to hold our annual Carol Service at St James’ on 17th December.

Despite Omicron doing its best to deter parishioners, the Church was still pretty full. The singing was perhaps the loudest it has ever been, as not only was there a strong choir who sang It Was On A Starry Night, but we were also joined by 11 of The Dever Singers, so we raised the roof with the descants. The Christmas story was retold in the traditional readings, beautifully delivered by members of the congregation and by Rev’d John Rennie who led the service.

The Church looked beautiful with every window decorated with a Christmas tree by a family from the village and we sang traditional carols. We were also treated to a Cornet solo of O Holy Night, simply enchanting.

Afterwards we all went back to Mary Wallis’s house and stood in the courtyard, with braziers to keep us warm, drinking mulled wine and eating sausages and mince pies. The perfect start to Christmas.

As I write this we are yet to have our Christmas Day Service.

In January it is our traditional Plough Service on the 9th January at 3pm. Plough Service is seen as a way of generally celebrating farming and the work of farmers. We briefly stand outside to bless the fields and the plough during the Service. All very welcome. Jane.

Jesus My Boy

What is it like to be a father? What is it like to be the father of the most important man who has ever lived? These were the questions explored in John Lofthouse’s masterly performance of John Dowie’s one-man play, Jesus, My Boy at St. Mary’s Church in Micheldever on Sunday, 12th December.

Jesus, My Boy is the story of Jesus told by Joseph, the ordinary, down-to-earth carpenter who is the forgotten man of the Christmas story. And poor Joseph is not even a particularly good carpenter. He tells us how he first meets Mary when she returns to his carpenter’s shop to complain about the wobbly table she has just bought from him. In spite of this inauspicious start, a relationship soon develops and they marry, the relationship surviving Mary’s announcement that Joseph is not the father of their first child. The fact that Jesus turns out to be such a skilful carpenter, unlike his father, only confirming that Joseph is not the father. This is a play which combines light humour (why couldn’t the Three Wise Men have brought a baby’s rattle rather than gold, frankincense and myrrh?) with the most extraordinary depiction of pain. Joseph’s account of the preparation for the Crucifixion is all the more tragic and distressing because of the way it is described by the slightly bemused Joseph.

Anyone who saw John Lofthouse’s performance as Captain Stanhope in R.C.Sherriff’s Journey’s End would know that John is a consummate actor. In many ways, this was an even more demanding role. Apart from being a one-man show, it is no monologue. John’s dramatic timing and sensitive movement from warm humour to desperate sadness were impeccable. Small touches, such as Joseph’s pondering upon two pieces of wood in the form of a cross whilst in his workshop were used to real dramatic effect as was his depiction of Joseph’s conversations with Mary.

This was a thoroughly absorbing and moving performance. Jesus, My Boy was performed in the West End by the internationally-acclaimed actor, Tom Conti. It is difficult to see how that production could have been better than the one which the Micheldever audience was privileged to see at St Mary’s Church.

Tim Pattinson

Wonston Community Café

The November Wonston Community Café raised a fantastic £375 for Little Hearts Matter, the only national UK charity offering help to anyone affected by the diagnosis of single ventricle heart condition. In addition, one of the charity’s local supporters, Karen Passingham, raised over £100 by selling her gorgeous recycled sock dogs, a great stocking filler for the grandchildren! Little Hearts Matter provides support from initial antenatal diagnosis, through treatments and into life at home; the charity works with children, young adults and families to reduce the isolation, fear and lack of understanding created when a child is diagnosed as having half a working heart.

The next Wonston Community Café will be at the Victoria Hall, Sutton Scotney, 9.30am–12 noon on Wednesday 19th January. This month the café will be

raising funds for the Countess of Brecknock Hospice, which provides outstanding palliative and end of life care to adults suffering from life-limiting illness who live in Andover, Stockbridge and surrounding villages, together with comfort and support for their loved ones and carers. 2022 dates/charities already confirmed are:

19th January - Countess of Brecknock Hospice

16th February - Clic Sargeant

16th March - BOAZ

Please do come along to support the Wonston Community Café, which is staffed entirely by volunteers. All the cakes are homemade, we have real coffee and plenty of free parking! The café is cash only and we welcome all donations to the nominated charity.

Janis Kinnell

The Dever Magazine

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Thank you and don't forget to tell your deliverer

Tony Patston, Treasurer

Micheldever Village Lunch

A BIG thank you to Trish and all her team who provided an amazing Christmas lunch in Micheldever Village Hall . The lunch was absolutely delicious with ample alcohol, coffee and after lunch chocolates. The community spirit was great, and the thought and effort put into this whole event, finishing off with carol singing and a chocolate goody bag to take home, was brilliant. A real treat in these difficult times, it lifted my spirits. Thank you.

There is a lunch every first Wednesday of the month, a date worth putting in the diary. Olly.

Christmas Fayre at The Warren Centre, Micheldever Station .

Well, what a fantastic event it was! The event was fully subscribed by stall holders, with a Christmas feel about it, including reindeer food, hand-made Christmas cards, lovely wreaths and some specialist craft stalls - a terrific mix!

The mulled wine flowed freely and there were mince pies for all.

Councillor Jackie Porter switched on the Christmas lights for us, and the Christmas draw raised £250 for Naomi House & Jack’s Place (hospices for young people with life-limiting illness).

Thanks to everyone who supported the event - it was so nice to see the community coming together.

Thanks also to the volunteers, and to the people who donated raffle and tombola prizes - your generosity was much appreciated in making the event so successful.

Best wishes

Penny

Penny Daniel Chairman – The Warren Centre

The Questor

Reflections on St Paul..…

….. Foundational Beliefs

Paul was firmly of the view that God had set him aside from an early age to become the apostle who would take the Message of Jesus to the wider world. And that God gave him the intellect, strength of character and life experience he needed to be able to do the job.

So it’s interesting that in the Acts of the Apostles, there is a great deal said about Paul’s travels but only one record of his teaching. That is in Acts 13 vs 16-41 where his sermon to the people of Antioch in Galatia is recorded. In it Paul gives a very succinct statement of the Message of Jesus, rooted in the history of the Jewish people. But it doesn’t give much indication of Paul’s thinking about this.

Fortunately, he wrote a whole series of letters to the churches he had founded and they give much more information about the mind of Paul with regard to his religious views –both as a Jew and as a Christian.

First and foremost, Paul stressed that he believed in ONE GOD who created the universe. And that God revealed himself in creation in its beauty, its order, its dependability etc. Furthermore, he loves and sustains it –he didn’t just wind it up and let it go. He watches over it with benevolent love.

Creation was part of God’s divine initiative and it’s an active, ongoing initiative. God brought about creation with a desire to bring all people into a close, loving relationship with him – and he gave everyone freedom to choose whether or not to enter into that

relationship. All down the centuries, the rejection of God by men and women has been breaking his heart; yet he has never stopped loving them and always longs for reconciliation.

Paul believed that the other part of God’s divine initiative was to come into the world as Jesus. An act just as mind blowing as creation itself.

He was quite clear that Jesus was the visible likeness of God and had a unique relationship with him – but he always stressed that Jesus was not equal to God. Jesus was a full participant in human life and never claimed equality with God. He entered the world at the lower end of society and became an artisan. He was flesh and blood, suffered pain and bled when he cut his hand in his carpenter’s workshop. He got tired and needed to sleep. He could only be in one place at a time and was quite clear that he didn’t know everything.

Jesus’ message was clear and simple. It was that God was not vindictive but had a heart of love. That he was a Father not a tyrant. That people don’t have to earn forgiveness – it’s freely given in return for sincere repentance.

This was liberating stuff because, until that time, the Jews believed that God was a vengeful being who expected them to obey the set of laws that the Pharisees had developed – a system of laws far too complex for a person to be able to keep. So they always felt they were in the dock. The Greeks and Romans also felt afraid of their gods and

felt that they were their playthings.

Paul saw the crucifixion of Jesus as the pivotal moment in the history of the world when the extent of God’s love was on full show–as if it were a window giving us a view for a moment of time of the suffering love at the heart of God.

The message that Paul preached was based on these beliefs.

Paul spoke of Jesus out of personal experience. In the first chapter of his letter to the church in Galatia he points out that he received the Message of Jesus directly by revelation from Jesus himself some time after he had experienced Jesus’ challenge on the Damascus Road. This may have been an ongoing experience because at that time there was no written New Testament, no creed and no prayer book. So peoples’ view of Christianity was continually evolving. As he travelled

around Paul was constantly challenged by different beliefs, philosophies and practices so he needed his relationship with Jesus as his point of reference. While Paul was clear about the loving nature of God and his desire for a personal relationship with each person, he was equally clear that the relationship carried obligations. God is holy and expects those he is in a relationship with to try to be holy too. In that respect, holiness means being set apart and behaving in a way that pleases God. In his letter to the church at Philippi, he wrote:

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things and the God of peace will be with you”

The latest information for Micheldever Parish, including live links to local services.

Visit www.micheldeverparish.org.uk/newsletters

Winchester Area SuperHomes

Have you been thinking about reducing your home’s carbon footprint?

Winchester Action on Climate Change has recently launched Winchester Area SuperHomes, a new project aimed at reducing home energy use across the District. Energy use in the home is responsible for around 20% of direct carbon emissions. Winchester Area SuperHomes supports homeowners to transform the energy performance of their properties by retrofitting and so reduce their carbon emissions.

Winchester Area SuperHomes can help you to transform the energy performance of your home to reduce your carbon footprint, by retrofitting. Retrofitting means changing your property so that it uses less energy and has lower carbon heating. For example, by improving insulation and installing a heat pump. We will show you what you can do to retrofit your home.

Winchester Area SuperHomes will provide help with some costs for homeowners on low and middle incomes (but is open to homeowners on all income levels)–this will include some of the survey and design costs. But the real benefit is being linked into a project that provides:

• Access to qualified and accredited

Retrofit Coordinators and installers

• Technical back up from the National Energy Foundation

• Support to access grants

The first step is for our Project Officer to arrange a home visit or video call to explain exactly how Winchester Area SuperHomes works. We will then put you in touch with a qualified Retrofit Coordinator who will carry out a survey of your property and produce a Whole House Retrofit Plan. This is a detailed assessment of your property and will include a costed list of all the measures you could take to reduce your home’s energy use and carbon footprint. There are several subsidies available for home energy retrofit - and we can help you apply for them. The Renewable Heat Incentive covers most of the cost of installing a heat pump and is not means tested. For homeowners on low incomes, the Green Homes Local Authority Delivery scheme can provide grants of up to £10,000. WinACC is also working with Winchester City Council’s Historic Environment team to ensure that a positive approach is taken towards retrofit in conservation areas or on listed buildings.

To find out more, and register your interest, go to https://superhomes.org.uk/winchester/

The Greening Campaign

Micheldever Parish has set it's 8 challenges!

The Public Meeting held at the Micheldever Primary School on 14th December was a great success thanks to the valuable support from the head teacher, members of staff and residents from the parish who took part in the event. After an introduction by Chloe Poulter, a video was played featuring Terena Plowright who explained how and when the Greening Campaign started in Petersfield, and how it has grown with more communities throughout the UK getting involved.

Suitably fortified with hot drinks and mince pies, the meeting formed breakout groups to discuss and vote on the 16 challenges offered to decide which would be the 8 most appropriate for Micheldever Parish. Many thanks go to Elizabeth's Kitchen who provided flasks to keep the drinks hot, and Louise Keys who donated the mince pies. (The left over pies will go to a Winchester food bank)

What happens next?

Challenge cards will be printed and distributed to every household, business, and community building in the parish. Once you have received your card it's your turn to have fun getting involved in making the small changes that your community has chosen. You may already be doing some of them! As soon as you have completed at least 5 of the eight challenges, you can place the card in your window to be counted. After six weeks the cards are counted and the total savings that Micheldever Parish has made are calculated and

The Launch Event

When the challenge cards are ready there will be a launch event at Northbook Hall on Tuesday 1st February where each of the 8 challenges will be demonstrated by community groups. Refreshments will be provided at the launch that will prove to be informative and enjoyable.

Dates for your diary

February 1st Greening Micheldever

Launch Event at Northbrook Hall

March 15th - 22nd Challenge cards will be be counted.

Thank You!

Micheldever parish is leading the way to solving climate change and having a great time doing it. Thank you to everyone who is supporting this initiative.

Peter O’Keefe Convenor, Greening Micheldever

For further information visit www.micheldeverparish.org.uk

the achievement celebrated!

Church Services for Dever Valley Benefice

January 2nd Second Sunday after Christmas

9.30 am Morning Prayer St Margaret's - South Wonston

Roger Keys

11.00 am Holy Communion Holy Trinity - Wonston

Rev'd Neil Britton

January 9th First Sunday of Epiphany

9.30 pm Holy Communion St Margaret's - South Wonston

Rev'd Neil Britton

10.00 am Family Service St Mary the Virgin - Micheldever

Ruth Guy

10.00 am Morning Prayer St Mary & St Michael - Stoke Charity

Campbell Dye

11.00 am Morning Prayer

Peter Russell

Trinity - Wonston

3.00 pm Plough Service St James - Woodmancote

Rev'd John Rennie

January 16th Second Sunday of Epiphany

9.30 am Morning Praise St Margaret's - South Wonston

Janet Ryan

10.00 am Morning Prayer All Saints - East Stratton

Rev'd Rob Rees

10.00 am Holy Communion St James - Hunton

Rev'd John Rennie

11.00 am Family Service Holy Trinity - Wonston

Ruth Guy

6.00 pm Evening Prayer St Mary the Virgin - Micheldever

Rev'd Rob Rees

January 23rd Third Sunday of Epiphany

9.30 am Morning Praise St Margaret's - South Wonston

Rev'd Rob Rees

10.00 am Holy Communion with Baptisms St Mary the Virgin - Micheldever

Rev'd John Rennie

6.00 pm Evening Prayer St Mary & St Michael - Stoke Charity

Roland Guy

January 30th Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

11.00 am Benefice Team Service Holy Trinity - Wonston

Rev'd John Rennie

For further information, please contact the Parish Coordinator, email: coordinator.upperdever@hotmail.com

Sidesmen & Readers ~ St Mary the Virgin

January 9th

10.00 am Sides-duty Young Family

Readers Balmain family tbc

January 16th

6.30 pm Sides-duty David Findley

Readers Christine Finch Isaiah 62.1-5

Gail Bates 1 Corinthians 12.1-11

January 23rd

3.30 pm Sides-duty Juliet Pattinson & Olly Bramley

Readers Andy Adams tbc Maurelle D’Agostino tbc

Dever Valley Church Locations

All Saints East Stratton SO21 3XA ruffling.upstarts.disposing

Holy Trinity Wonston SO21 3LS grub.dove.unpacked

St James Hunton SO21 3PX lingering.dwistract.improve

St James Woodmancote SO21 3BL scatters.helper.rating St Margaret's South Wonston SO21 3EW diver.guises.tarred St Mary the Virgin Micheldever SO21 3DA sprays.serenade.gripes

St Mary and St Michael Stoke Charity SO21 3PG evaded.avoid.lyricist

Micheldever Store

Yes, it is still going to happen. Finally, all the “i”s are dotted and the “t”s crossed.

Helen Hitchings

Rajeev is confident that he will be in the shop in January and preparing for opening as soon as possible thereafter.

Another amazing sporting achievement by Helen who completed the Paris Marathon on 17th October in 5 hrs. 06 mins.

Reducing food waste

Food can bring us comfort, help us come together and cooking can benefit our mental health and wellbeing, so why do we waste so much of it?

We may think directly about how the food we waste in our homes impacts the planet, but with 70% of food waste in the UK coming from individual homes we can all make a difference.

If everyone in the UK stopped wasting food at home for just one day, it would have the same impact on greenhouse gasses as planting half a million trees. There are plenty of simple ways which can help you to reduce your carbon footprint by shrinking your food waste. Tips for reducing food waste:

• Batch cooking is a great way to use up anything you have taking up space at the back of the fridge. You can use this

extra time at home to try out some new recipes!

Charity love food hate waste have some fantastic resources, including a leftovers recipe guide full of inspiration for tasty dishes you could make with food you might otherwise throw away. www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

• Growing your own food can be a fantastic way to cut down on food waste as you can share your extra produce with a neighbour or friend. If you would like to give back to your community and have surplus food on your allotment, Foodshare encourages growers to donate fresh

produce to local charities who feed people, for example hospices, care homes and homeless shelters. You can register with them to see the charities that are looking for donations in your local area. www.foodshare.org.uk/grow-your-own

• When doing your weekly food shop there are simple ways you can shop smarter saving you money and reducing your carbon footprint!

Choosing the food with the longest use by date, choosing wonky fruit and veg in supermarkets where it is available and creating a shopping list to ensure that you only buy the food you will use. Shopping in this way could save you on average £700 a year!

If you do end up with extra non-perishable food items you could donate them to your local food bank. Often your local supermarket or corner shop will accept donations on your

behalf. The Trussell Trust campaign for a hunger free future in the UK and you could help them to achieve this by checking your local donation point. www.trusselltrust.org/

Whether it’s the choices you make in the supermarket, deciding to grow your own food or cooking extra food to put in the freezer. Small steps can make a big difference!

Want to find out more? There are plenty of fantastic resources to help you in your food reduction journey!

www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/ guide/how-reduce-food-waste

www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/

www.bristolfoodnetwork.org/ reducing-food-waste/

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/food-waste

In the Garden – January

This is often the coldest month so remember to put out food for the birds and leave rough overgrown areas to provide shelter for wildlife.

Ή If the weather is dry, dig over any dormant plots ready for planting when it warms up.

Ή Brush off worm casts in the lawn.

Ή Start forcing rhubarb and cut down autumn fruiting raspberry canes to the ground.

Ή Clean pots and the glass in the greenhouse, removing moss and grime from the glass to let in more sunlight.

Ή Check stored dahlia, begonia and canna tubers for rot or drying out.

Ή Start off some seeds indoors, placing the seed tray on a windowsill maybe and cover with glass or clingfilm until the seed germinates.

Ή Tie in wall shrubs and climbers and cut anything that has spread into gutters and roof tiles.

Ή Prune wisteria, cutting back sideshoots to 2 to 3 buds, but not the flower buds.

Ή Prune and renovate deciduous hedges now that the leaves have fallen and you can see the branches.

Ή Prune apple and pear trees Lastly, enjoy watching the spring bulbs emerge, snowdrops, crocus and daffodils maybe. ck

Jackie’s County Corner

Happy New Year! After nearly two tumultuous years of the pandemic, it seems especially relevant that a new year finds us all vowing to lead healthier lives. I hope you feel well and strong as you read this today.

This month’s County Corner includes healthy options for youwithout going to the gym…

There are a wealth of exercise options that you can follow in your own home, one of which is to keep moving, even if you have arthritis.

‘Let’s move with Leon’ is a programme on www.VersusArthritis.org

Hampshire’s Public Health team is offering a scheme for those of us whose BMI has reached 28. (to calculate your BMI go to www.shapeup4lifehampshire.co.uk)

This is a new free Public Health programme (online or in person) to incentivise us to change our eating habits not just for now, but for life. Go to www.hants.gov.uk and search ‘healthy weight programme’ or call 023 8218 0287

The County Council has received £7m funds from the Department for Work and Pensions to distribute over the winter for food, fuel and utility/ heating costs. 50% of the funds are for families, the remainder for other vulnerable households. Parents of children can apply through schools and colleges.

Citizens Advice are able to channel this money to residents. I urge you to ask anyone who needs help to contact Citizens Advice direct 0808 278 7861, or refer to me if you wish.

You can also use a Community

Pantry whatever your circumstances, giving you at least £15 food when you purchase a £5 voucher. Open Mon—Thurs, 10-2pm, delivery service available. For more details go to www.unit-12.org, call/text 07547 932511

Children’s Matters: School staff are amazing! I have been visiting schools in my division to thank schools for everything they are doing and to talk about the impact of the last two years on children.

The variants of Covid 19 risk normal school life again, and I’m pleased to see the Children’s Commissioner, Rachael de Souza condemning the idea that we could close schools again.

Ofsted resumed inspections in the Autumn Term and it was pleasing to see two local schools being recognised as ‘good’. Don’t forget that the last date to apply for an Autumn 2022 primary school place is 15th January 2022: forms online or from your local school.

Are you waiting for gigabit broadband?

Several valiant organisers in my division set up Community Fibre Partnerships in 2020/2021 to apply for faster broadband from Openreach through the gigabit

scheme. The Department of Culture Media and Sport has been overwhelmed by interest (which is no surprise!) and a complicated picture of delays is appearing. Contact me direct or search ‘broadband’

Micheldever & Stratton Pre School

The new term has got off to a great start at pre-school. We have been excited to celebrate our All Hallows Eve Party, our Bonfire Night and even more exciting was our very first ever socially distanced Art Exhibition; what talented little artists we have. It was so nice to see all our parents come and view their children’s amazing work. Everyone has loved making a real fire and cooking some hot chocolate at our weekly Forest School. It is such an amazing time to be in the woods, especially as the weather changes and the colder weather brings a new perspective on the environment and how the children view the world around them. This term we are looking forward to lots of exciting activities at pre-school. We are really excited that our Christmas Elf Elvis has visited us. He certainly knows how to play some tricks, but they are all good fun. We also were extremely fortunate and grateful to Burcot Farm Christmas Trees. They very kindly donated a tree to us. We are so grateful. The children thoroughly enjoyed

decorating it. Their trees are beautiful, and Bill and his team were really kind, so a massive thank you to them. We are also looking forward to our Nativity, our Christmas Family Dinner and hoping that a very special visitor will visit us and bring us an early Christmas present. We still have some availability. So if you would like to join our small community run pre-school, where your child is a member of our family and not just a number, then do contact our leader, Mrs Nicola Rae. We’ll happily show you what we can offer you and your little ones.

Opening hours:

Monday & Friday 9am - 12:30pm

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am - 3pm

leader.micheldeverpreschool@gmail.com

www.micheldeverpreschool.org.uk

Facebook: @micheldeverpreschool

Marcus Mann

From Our MP, Steve Brine

Happy New Year.

Let’s hope it’s a good one or at the very least different to the last.

Just before Christmas the Government produced a new 10-year drugs strategy which promises real change. I welcomed it in the House of Commons as a thoughtful piece of work and I stand by that.

It contains an ambition to reduce overall drug use towards a historic 30year low and contains commitments across government to break drug supply chains while simultaneously reducing the demand for drugs by getting people suffering from addiction into treatment, and deterring recreational drug use.

The plan is to stop the cycle of crime driven by addiction, keeping violence out of neighbourhoods across the country and saving lives through reducing the number of drug related deaths and homicides. The plan is supported by record investment of nearly £900 million of dedicated additional funding.

And if you think this is something that only affects inner city areas, think again. This affects us all and it blights lives across our country.

The 10-year plan is also the formal, substantive response to the Independent Reviews of Drugs led by Dame Carol Black and it accepts all of her key recommendations.

The plan sets out 3 core priorities: break drug supply chains, deliver a

world-class treatment and recovery system, and achieve a shift in the demand for recreational drugs

For one, this will be achieved by continuing to roll-up exploitative and violent county lines – which I have written about before in this magazine and have seen at work here in Winchester–and strengthen our response across the drug supply chain, making the UK a significantly harder place for organised crime groups to operate.

Secondly, we will be investing heavily to rebuild drug treatment and recovery services, including for young people and offenders.

And third, we will be strengthening the evidence for how best to deter use of recreational drugs, ensuring adults change their behaviour or face tough consequences, and with universal and targeted activity to prevent young people starting to take drugs in the first place.

You can see more, watch what I said in Parliament and comment at www.stevebrine.com/new-drugs-strategy

Finally, I have written a lot about Green Winchester and events leading to – and since – COP26 in Glasgow.

Steve with our County Lines team at Winchester Station

Our focus now shifts to holding Ministers to their promises made and delivering our Net Zero Plan published in the Autumn. Further to this, I will be holding a very special AskTheMinister event in Winchester early in the new

year with COP President Alok Sharma

MP. Look out for details of that and sign-up to receive my GW updates at www.greenwinchester.com

Steve Brine

MP for Winchester & Dever Valley

Wonston Community Café

Third Wednesday of the month

9.30am - 12 noon

19th January - Countess Brecknock Hospice

16th February - Clic Sargeant

16th March - BOAZ

Cash only café

All donations welcome

The café is staffed entirely by volunteers Cakes are all homemade We serve real coffee Plenty of free parking!

Victoria Hall, Sutton Scotney

Parish Council News

Vacant Allotments

Following the renewal of the allotment tenancies there are now some vacant plots. Tenancies run until 30th September 2022 and cost £15 per annum (a 50% discount is given to pensioners).

If you are interested in taking on an allotment please contact Jocelyn (as below) or Councillor Charlotte Cobb. Rights of Way Information Board

It is very sad to report that the information board at the Lord Rank Playing Field has been seriously damaged

in an act of vandalism. Fundraising for the boards was carried out by the Rights of Way Volunteer Group who work so hard to keep the footpaths in the parish clear for the enjoyment of all. Funds which could have been used to purchase new equipment have now had to be diverted to paying for repairs.

Jocelyn, the Clerk can be contacted via micheldeverpc@hotmail.co.uk or on 01794 368951 (office hours if possible please).

Reverend Dr John Rennie

As an abdominal surgeon, John must have heard many jokes about his surname of “Rennie”. As many will know, John’s first career was as a doctor. He rose to become an eminent consultant surgeon at King’s College Hospital. John retired from medical practice and found his true vocation as a priest. He was ordained in 2007. The six churches in the Upper Dever were privileged to welcome him as Priest-in-Charge in September 2019. Could anyone have fulfilled the duties of Priest-in-Charge better than John? He had spent 10 years in the heart of Hardy country in Dorset prior to his arrival here. No-one who attended his services would need reminding of his warmth, kindness and absolute sincerity. He wore his knowledge lightly and could speak as engagingly to a congregation in church as to a class of children or a prayer group: a true gift. John’s profound faith always shone through to all those who had the pleasure of meeting him, whether socially or in church. Almost two years of John’s ministry in the Upper Dever was affected by the impact of coronavirus which required a very different approach to worship. Very quickly John got to grips with the technology and was able to produce

weekly online services. Via Zoom John has run Bible Study evenings, regular prayer meetings, a Lent Course, an Alpha course and a post-Alpha course. Men’s ministry continues to thrive and to reach out to a wide circle of men through regular Zoom events. Special mention should also be made that all of John’s ministry in the Upper Dever has been carried out entirely without remuneration.

John’s retirement will be a great loss to all his parishioners. We wish him, and his delightful wife Sheelagh, all good fortune. She has supported him so well in many of his endeavours, in particular mastering the techniques of managing complex Zoom technology.

He now deserves some time to relax. Some will know of his interests in golf and sailing; not so many will know of his proficiency as a saxophonist: a man of many talents!

We wish him well for a long and healthy retirement and much happiness in their new house in Longstock. We hope that he will maintain contact with all of us in the Upper Dever and are extremely grateful for everything he has done for our communities during a particularly difficult couple of years.

City Councillors’ News

The County and City Councils have started public consultation on the latest proposals to come out of the Winchester Movement Strategy. The Strategy is intended to reduce congestion, support the local economy and improve the environment of Winchester. The Councils are asking for your views on 10 possible projects that include a new Park and Ride car park to the North of the city, changes to the one-way system (notably around Friarsgate), prioritising bus traffic along Andover Road and improvements to cycle routes across the city. Although it may be some years before funding is available for any of these projects, your views on which ones should be done and which not will be important in setting priorities. The consultation is open until 31 January 2022 at: www.hants.gov.uk/ transport/transportschemes/winchestermovement-strategy .

The latest delay in releasing the Sir John Moore Barracks at Flowerdown for re-development by 2 years has added to the uncertainty of the future of that area. We hope that it will still be included in the areas for development in our next

Local Plan, as it will make a sizeable contribution towards the total number of extra homes needed across the district. If it is not included, the pressure to build homes in the countryside around South Wonston, Sutton Scotney, Micheldever and Sparsholt will continue to grow. We do not believe that residents would support building around our villages.

Details of future Government funding for local authorities remain uncertain, so final details of budgets for next financial year are not yet finalised. The City Council has already announced that it is planning to raise most charges, including Council Tax in April.

You can contact your City Councillors at any time or you can catch us at any of the Parish Council meetings. Their next meetings are on:

Micheldever PC–Wednesday 5th January, Warren Centre, Micheldever Station.

Wonston PC – Wednesday 12th January at Victoria Hall, Sutton Scotney. South Wonston PC – Monday 10th January at South Wonston Pavilion. All meetings start at 7.30pm.

Stephen

Cllr Stephen Godfrey

119 Downs Road

South Wonston

SO21 3EH

Tel: 01962 884477

sgodfrey@winchester.gov.uk

Caroline

Cllr Caroline Horrill

Wheatlands

Woodman Lane

Sparsholt

SO21 3SH

Tel: 01962 776844

chorrill@winchester.gov.uk

Patrick

Cllr Patrick Cunningham

The Corner House North Drive

Littleton SO22 6QA

Tel: 07866 367897

pcunningham@winchester.gov.uk

Forthcoming Events 2022

February

1st .tbc Greening Micheldever Launch Event -Northbrook Hall

2nd 12 .30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

2nd 7 .30pm Micheldever Parish Council - East Stratton Village Hall

16th 9 .30am Wonston Community Café - Victoria Hall, Sutton Scotney

March

2nd 12 .30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

2nd 7 30pm Micheldever Parish Council - Northbrook Hall

16th 9 .30am Wonston Community Café - Victoria Hall, Sutton Scotney

April

6th 12 .30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

6th 7 30pm Micheldever Parish Council - The Warren Centre

11th Play in a Week, Mary Poppins - Northbrook Hall

27th 7 30pm Micheldever Parish Council, Parish Assembly - East Stratton Village Hall

May

4th 12 .30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

4th 7 .30pm Micheldever Parish Council, AGM - East Stratton Village Hall

8th 11 .30 am Micheldever Station Celebration 180+2 - The Warren Centre

June

1st 7 .30pm Micheldever Parish Council - Northbrook Hall

8th 12 .30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

July

3rd 8 .0 am Ellis Journey Breakfast at The Dove Inn

6th 12 .30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

6th 7 30pm Micheldever Parish Council - The Warren Centre

September

7th 12 30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

October

5th 12 30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

November

2nd 12 30pm Micheldever Village Lunch - Northbrook Hall

Hall Booking

East Stratton Village Hall 01962 774517, Northbrook Hall 07731 952705, The Warren Centre visit www thewarrencentre co uk/hire

January Diary

5th 7 .30pm Micheldever Parish Council - The Warren Centre

16th 9 .30am Wonston Community Café - Victoria Hall, Sutton Scotney

Please Remember to Check That Events Are Taking Place Before Venturing Out

Mobile Post Office

Wednesday morning 9.30 – 10.30 Lord Rank Car Park

(please note: times may vary slightly)

Regular Dates and Times – Weekly

SUNDAYS Church Services Details on centre pages

TUESDAYS 8.00 - 9.00 pm Circuit Training by Toppe from T Fit Training, Micheldever School Hall. contact Jane 07919 018877

WEDNESDAYS 9.30 - 10.30 am Mobile Post Office, Lord Rank Car Park, Micheldever 9.00 - 10.00 am Body Control Pilates - Micheldever Village Hall. contact Fredricka Brooks, 07979 254895

FRIDAYS 2.00 - 4.00 pm Community Library, Northbrook Hall