Aston Hill hillclimb centenary celebration
From 1904 to 1925 Aston Hill was one of the leading motorsport venues in the country. Getting up the steep hill in the minimum time was a challenge that attracted many notable car drivers and motorcycle riders, showcasing the development of motor engineering either side of WWI.
Many people are aware that Lionel Martin named his make of car ‘Aston Martin’ after competing at Aston Hill, while other famous participants included WO Bentley who competed there on a motorcycle and car before WWI, going on to found his car factory after the war.
To mark the centenary of the last organised hillclimb on 28 February 1925, there will be a celebration in May, when local people will be joined by enthusiasts from all over the country. It’s being organised by a partnership including Aston Clinton Parish Council, Vintage Sports-Car Club and Herts County Auto & Aero Club (HCAAC). The HCACC was the club that organised the majority of events at Aston Hill up to 1925.
To kick off the celebrations, from 14 to 17 May (9am to 5pm), there will be an exhibition on the history of Aston Hill in the Red Kite Pavilion in Aston Clinton Park. Everyone is
The original Aston Hillclimbs ran from 1904 to 1925.
invited along to learn about the pioneering events from the early days of motorsport.
Then, May 17 will see the main event. Some 50 vehicles will be displayed in Aston Clinton Park from 9am to 11.30am, and from 10am some of them will start to drive to and up Aston Hill, where they will enter the showground at Hill Farm at the top. For safety reasons there
won’t be any spectators permitted on the actual hillclimb route.
There they will join the large Vintage and Classic Vehicle Show (9am to 5pm) at Hill Farm, where there will be more than 500 vintage and classic vehicles, many as part of club displays. continued p18
To celebrate the completion of training at RAF Halton, a flypast
April Mystery Object at the Antiques Centre
Wendover | Dunsmore | Stoke Mandeville | The Lee | Halton | Weston Turville | Aston Clinton April 2025 FREE
Contents
Aston Hill hillclimb ................................. Front Easter Pub trail ............................................. 8
Singers prepare for their big day! ............... 10 Local News ................................................ 13
Wendover Dementia Support 17
Wendover Manor site progress 17 Aston Hill hillclimb (continue) 18
How democracy works: Part 1 19
Wendover Shed call for volunteers 21
Wendover u3a celebrates 25 years 22 Back garden allotment preparation 23
Corner 26
Tribute: Elizabeth Sorrell 27
View from the Clock Tower ........................ 28
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Events
Simply Walks and Cycle Rides
Wendover – Tuesdays: Weekly walks from Wendover Clock Tower, leaving 10am. You can socialise afterwards at Wendover Christian Centre.
Aston Clinton – Thursdays: from Aston Clinton Park leave 10.30am. Meet beside “Your Café in the Park.” Refreshments are available afterwards. Registration is 15 mins beforehand at both locations.
Aylesbury Cycling UK – Sundays. Easy pace: every first and third week of the month, about 30 miles. Newcomers: each second and fourth week and about 20 miles. www.cyclinguk. org/group/aylesbury-cycling-uk
Discover Bucks Museum, Aylesbury
Opening times vary – check website What’s on this Easter holiday: Light Fantastic hands-on science exhibition until 21 April Celebrating Bucks Photography Exhibition until 4 May. Packed Easter Holiday Activity Programme from 5 – 21 April with fun activities, including The Sand Dragon: Puppet Show & Puppet Making Workshop, Egg-cellent Science and Anglo-Saxons workshops. Easter Egg Trail every day, too. Find out more at discoverbucksmuseum.org
Yoga with Alice D
Mons, Halton Village Hall, HP22 5NG
7-8.15pm, Pregnancy Yoga, 8.30-9.45pm, Women’s Yoga. Weds, Wendover Memorial Hall, HP22 6HF 10.30-11.30am, Mum and Baby Yoga, 12-1pm, Nurture Baby Massage. www.yogawithaliced.com. See ad p3.
Diamond Bridge Club
Tuesdays 6.45 for 7pm, Ellesborough Village Hall, HP17 0XA A friendly club with an ethos of playing bridge
‘Yoga for every-body’ Wendover group classes & 1:1 yoga therapy www.lizbrownyoga.co.uk 07941 425187
LEGACY FAIRS
in a relaxed environment. If you would like to join, contact the Membership Secretary at DBCAylesbury@yahoo.com See p26.
Cracklewick Morris
Tuesdays 8.15-10.15pm, Halton Village Hall, HP22 5NG
An all-inclusive mixed Morris side who meet most Tuesdays for dance practice. Everyone welcome – musicians and dancers. No experience needed to dance. Email cracklewickmorris@gmail.com
Kimble & Ellesborough Hort Society
Stewart Hall, Little Kimble, HP17 OXN Tue 1; 8pm: Growing Food Not Gluts. Hazel Roberts from Jam MK will be looking at how you can plan and plant to avoid gluts then exploring ways to use what you have grown so that it doesn’t go to waste.
Sun 6; 2–4 30 pm, Spring Show. See some beautiful spring flower displays and enjoy delicious home-made cakes. If you are not a member and are interested in exhibiting, please see the Spring Show Information at www.kehs.uk
Compassionate Café Wigginton
Wed 2, 1.30-3pm, The Sports Ground community café, HP23 6HH
A space for local people affected by bereavement to meet others.
Real Magic Books
2, Kings Head Parade, High St, Wendover, HP22 6DX Wed 2; Real Magic Non-Fiction Book Group, Fri 11; John Higgs talks about his new book Exterminate/Regenerate: The Story of Doctor Who. Plus a reading from Justin Robertson Wed 23; Real Magic Fiction Book Group. All events start at 7pm.
Pastries, Cakes and Birthday Cakes www.cheferenyildiz.com Beehive Garden Design creates exteriors that reflect and shape the lifestyle of clients –creating beautiful and relaxing places to
ST ANNE’S HALL to hire
All enquiries to Angela German 07423 266713 stanneshallwendover@hotmail.co.uk
Antiques & Collectors Market Wendover Memorial Hall
Thursday 17 April 9am-2pm (Trade 8am) For updates Tel: 07543 524212 or email: p.hetheringtonwh@gmail.com Entrance by donation to Charity
and reflect Lisa Evans - 07764310589
thebeehivegd@gmail.com www.facebook.com/TheBeehiveGardenDesign
Chilterns Light Network
Wednesdays, 7.30 for 8pm, Wendover Memorial Hall, HP22 6HF 2; Acupoint therapy, 9; Harry Rhodes amazing inventions, 16; Wellness Evening – try out products and therapies 23; Easter, 30: Trauma affects the autonomic nervous system. Tickets on sale for Harry Rhodes. See website. £5 non-members. www.chilternslightnetwork. org or email clnwendover@protonmail.com.
Fitness and Fun for the Over-60’s 3 & 24, 2-3pm, Park Room, Stoke Mandeville Community Centre, Eskdale Rd. Every other Thursday afternoon with refreshments afterwards. See p16.
Poetry Please
Fri 4, 10.30am
Wendover Christian Centre, HP22 6GJ
This month’s theme is ‘Animals.’ Take a poem on the theme or come and see what others have chosen. A friendly welcome guaranteed!
Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards Local History Group
Fr 4, 7.30 for 7.45pm, St Leonards Parish Hall, HP23 6NW ‘Country House Servants’ with speaker Adam Smith. Visitors welcome, £4 on the door. www.cholesbury.com
Tring Choral Society’s Spring Concert
Sat 5, 6.45 for 7pm, St Peter & St Paul Church, Tring Beethoven’s ‘Mass in C’ and Mozart’s ‘Dominican Vespers.’ The choir will be accompanied by professional soloists and its regular orchestra. Tickets £17.50 available at www.tringchoral.org.uk or £20 on the door. Children 7 years and over welcome; u18s free.
Aylesbury Choral Society with Aylesbury Sinfonia
Sat 5, 7.30pm,St. Mary’s, Aylesbury, HP20 2JJ
Performing one of Mozart’s most popular works, the ‘Coronation Mass,’ together with the ‘Quarta Messa’ by Marianna Martines. Tickets £18 (£7 u18s) from www.aylesburychoral.org.uk .
Craft Group
Wed 9 & 23, 10am-12pm
Wendover Christian Centre, HP22 6GJ
Craft Group provides time, space, and friendly company to work on any kind of craft project. Take your own materials or just go along to see what others are doing. Coffee served at 11am.
BBOWT Activities
College Lake Nature Reserve, HP23 5QG Enjoy lots of exciting action at College Lake this spring! 9&16; ’Animal Eggstravaganza’ family event. 12; pond dipping for adults. Children’s’ events kick off with 8; Wildlife Day Camp, 9; pond dipping workshop, 16; bug hunting. Plus all the usual Nature Tots and Teen Ranger sessions. Visit www.bbowt.org. uk/events to see age indications and to book – in the holidays these events get booked up early so best to act now!
Board Game Café
Thu 10, 2-4pm
Wendover Christian Centre, HP22 6GJ Enjoy a variety of games old and new or take your own to play with others. Open and free of charge for all.
Wendover Art Club
Thursdays, 7.30-9.30 pm, St Annes Hall, Wendover, HP22 6JG 10; Creative evening ‘Blind Abstract’ in watercolour or acrylic, led by Lori North. 24; Tushar Sabale demonstrates a figure group in oils. A new name in the group, but someone to look forward to. See his work on www.tusharsabale.com, which is quite amazing. Meetings on the second and fourth evenings of each month. Entry fee: £10 for non-members for demonstrations, £2 for creative evenings.
Aylesbury Vale Stitchers
Sat 12, 2-4:30pm
Wendover Memorial Hall, HP22 6HF Ros Cooper, painter and textile artist on Embroidery and Painting on Hand Dyed Fabric. Her work is inspired by the natural environment, particularly flowers and plants. Email aylesburyvalestitchers@gmail.com.
• Loose covers
• Curtains
• Re-Upholstery
• Tracks & Poles
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Waterperry Gardens- starts Sat 26th Apr 10-12:15pm
Aylesbury Multicultural Centre-starts Wed 30th Apr 7-9:15pm
Wesley Mem Church Oxford- starts Tues 29th Apr 7-9:15pm
Singing Out for Mental Health
Sat 12, 7.30pm, Aylesbury Waterside 200+ singers from Wendover singers and The Wing Singers will perform with Andy Collins. www.singoutfor.org See p10.
Great Missenden Choral Society –Spring Concert
Sat 12, 7.30pm, St Peter & St Paul, Gt Missenden HP16 0BA Features Puccini Messa di Gloria and Schumann Requiem with full orchestra and soloists. Tickets from www.gmcsonline.co.uk or on the door.
Easter Fun at Dundridge Manor
Sun 13, 11.30am – 3.00pm Oak Lane, St Leonards, HP23 6NN
Children can take part in an Easter egg hunt, while adults can explore the informal farmhouse garden. Easter crafts and gifts. Tickets £7 Adults, £4 Children (includes an easter egg). In support of Scannappeal. From www.bit.ly/3FBBLWA See p15.
Politics Book Club
Mon 14, 7.30-9pm, The Bull, Stoke Mandeville, HP22 5UP
Two books to discuss: ‘Politics on the Edge’ by Rory Stewart and/or ‘How Westminster Works...And Why it Doesn’t’ by Ian Dunt. All welcome (except politicians!) See p26.
Wills and Estate Planning Surgery
Wed 16, 12-2pm, Chilterns Neuro Centre, Oakwood Close, Wendover HP22 5LX
To book a slot email: iain@wanstallconsulting.co.uk or tel: 01296 415700. See p9.
Annual Parish Meeting and Community Showcase
Thu 17, Wendover Community Library
The perfect opportunity to connect with the Wendover Community. See back page.
Easter Competition
Sat 19, Local Produce Market,Manor Waste Wendover Parish Council are planning an Easter Egg Hunt. Free to enter and there will be prizes. See back page.
Book Club
Sat 19, 10.30-11.30am
Wendover Christian Centre, HP22 6GJ
No need to read a set book. Just go along and hear what others have been reading. If you wish, talk about something you’ve read –whether you loved it or not. Starts with coffee and sometimes cake.
Events at Bel & The Dragon
9 High Street, HP22 6DU
Sat 19; Kids Easter Craft Party. Fri 25; Quiz Night. www.belandthedragon.co.uk/Wendover See p5.
The Arts Society Ballinger Thu 24, 7.30 for 8pm, Ballinger Memorial Hall HP16 9LQ
‘Canal History and Heritage.’ Canal restorer and landscape architect Roger Butler, provides a colourful introduction to the secret world of our 2,000-mile inland waterway network, and looks at all aspects of the exceptional artistic, architectural and engineering vernacular. Contact ballinger@theartsociety.org
Aylesbury Centre of the National Trust Thu 24, 7.30 for 8pm Broughton Junior School HP20 1NQ Alison Bailey on ‘Home Fire and Havens.’ All welcome. Details from Honorary Secretary 07399 540626 or email aylesburycentrent@ gmail.com or Facebook.
Jazz Upfront
Thu 24, 8.15-10.30pm
St Marys Church, Aylesbury, HP20 2JJ Reiss Ellis Beckles Quintet: Reiss Ellis Beckles is a saxophonist, composer and educator. He is a graduate of the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Reiss Ellis Beckles– alto sax, Rowan Hudson – piano, Tom Riviere – double bass, Mark Andrew Hale – drums, Dea Juris – vocals.
Holy week and Easter Activities and Church services in Wendover
Monday 14, Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16 April
8.00 pm Compline at St Mary’s church to mark the first few days of Holy Week. Sung on Wednesday evening.
Maundy Thursday 17 April
7.30 pm Agape Supper, Wendover Christian Centre
7.00 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper, followed by the Watch of the Passion until 10.00 pm, St Anne’s Church
8.00 pm Sung Eucharist for Maundy Thursday, ending with the Watch until 10pm, St Mary’s Church
Good Friday 18 April
9 am - 4 pm Both churches open for prayer
10.00 am Stations of the cross, especially for families and children, St Anne’s Church
10 am - 12 Prayer Labyrinth in St Anne's Hall
10 am - 12 Refreshments and colouring in the Wendover Christian Centre
12.15 pm Walk of witness from St Anne’s to St Mary’s Church
1.00 pm Good Friday service, St Mary’s Church
3.00 pm Celebration of The Lord’s Passion in St Anne’s Church
Holy Saturday 19 April
9 am - 4 pm Both churches open for prayer
8.00 pm Easter Vigil, St Anne’s Church
Tickets from Aylesbury Music Shop or www. bit.ly/4kvN9mF. St Mary's C of E Church St Anne's RC Church
Wendover Free Church
Easter Sunday 20 April
6 am Dawn Service of Light with communion followed by breakfast, St Mary's Church 9 am Sung Communion Service, St Mary's Church
9 am Mass for Easter Day, St Anne’s Church
10.45 am Family Communion, St Mary's Church 10.45 am Communion Service, Wendover Free Church
Weston Turville Historical Society
Fri 25, 7.30 for 8pm, Weston Turville Village Hall, HP22 5RW
“Boudica of the Iceni” with speaker, Don Chiswell. Discover the fierce warrior queen, Boudica, whose revolt in AD 60/61 nearly toppled Roman rule in Britain. Entrance – £2 members, £3 visitors.
Fundraising Event with Wendover Evening WI
Sat 26, 7pm-10.30pm
Wendover Memorial Hall, HP22 6HF
Join the WI at this event in aid of Florence Nightingale Hospice and Medical Detection Dogs charities as well as WI funds. There will be dancing to 60s, 70s and 80s music from the band, Counting Colours, and a fish and chip supper. Wine and beer will be on sale as well as a Grand Raffle and Heads ‘n’ Tails game. Tickets £20 per person email wendovereveningwi@gmail.com
Annual Parochial Church Meeting
Sun 27, 10.15am.
St Mary’s, Stoke Mandeville, HP22 5UW
Your chance to hear of: changes to Electoral Roll, report on Parochial Church Council proceedings and activities, financial statement for previous year and report on fabric and goods of St Mary’s.
Go along to find out more about the workings of the Parish Church.
Compassionate Café, Great Missenden
Wed 30, 11.30am, Great Missenden Library, HP16 0AL
Each session is facilitated by trained volunteers who ensure the café offers a welcoming space for people to come together for emotional support. www.bit.ly/3Zqn5RH
SAVE THE DATE – MAY
Mon 5: Aylesbury Sailing Club Open Day and BBQ, WT Reservoir, HP22 5PS – See p26. Mon 5 & Mon 26, St Mary’s Church Weston Turville, Bank Holiday Cream Teas
Thu 8 May: Celebration of 80th Anniversary of Victory in Europe – See p14.
Sat 10 May: Pace Centre BIG Walk – See p14.
Wed 14: Wanstall Consulting Wills and Estate Planning Surgery
Wed 14 – Sat 17: Centenary celebrations for Aston Hill Climb – See front page.
Thu 15: Families and Dementia, free event at The Christian Centre, Wendover – See p17. Sat 17: Wendover Choral Soc Concert – See p15. Sat 24– BH Mon 26 – Wendover Arts Festival
Planning ahead?
Wendover News production dates. Don’t wait until the last minute to send details of your event!
All contributions for inclusion in Wendover News can be submitted as early as the first day of the month preceding the issue in which it needs to appear. To ensure we have enough space, email newsdesk @ wendovernews.org or advertising @ wendovernews.org to let us know your intentions as early as possible.
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Wendover comes together over a drink
Wendover is fortunate to have seven public houses but even so, it has lost 12 since 1935! There’s a fascinating website called www. closedpubs.co.uk , and you can search for Wendover’s former hostelries on that – the most recent loss was the Village Gate which burned down in 2018.
Fortunately, you can do your bit to support the seven lively survivors by taking part in this year’s Wendover Pub Trail over the Easter weekend. To take part you will need a Pub Trail Card, which you can pick up now in all the pubs, plus Wendover restaurants, cafes, shops, the station and the newly re-opened library.
You have four days over Easter to visit all seven pubs, where purchasing a drink (not necessarily alcoholic) will get your card stamped. Completed cards are entered into a draw and three winners will each receive a free drink a month in each of the seven pubs, for three months.
Last year there were two Pub Trails, at Easter and the August Bank Holiday weekend, and both were great successes. People who maybe weren’t aware of all the venues, or perhaps didn’t go very often after lockdowns, were reminded of what they were missing. It certainly was the way to bring our community together, not only to support our pubs but the restaurants, café s and High Street.
It was also a reminder of how in the days before ‘social media’ you picked up gossip, job opportunities, local news, and potential mates by popping into a pub. The saying was that “every pub is a parliament.” Things have changed and pubs have been under pressure for years, with 29 closed each week according to the Campaign for Real Ale (Feb 2024). There are many reasons, but high energy costs, cost of living crisis and supermarket sales are on the list.
Expectations are higher and many visitors like food with their drinks, which is a challenge
for the traditional British pub. Staffing is another. Part-time work behind a bar used to be a great way of earning pocket money and having fun. Now it’s often a member of the family behind the bar. If pubs can find willing staff, the minimum wages and increasing employment costs are often crippling. The latest BCC Traders Regulations and government proposals to stop customers smoking outside pubs were vigorously opposed. Our social behaviours have changed and following lockdowns, customers have still not returned to pre-Covid levels. Those 18-year-olds who would have been eligible to mark their entry into adulthood with a drink in a pub, missed out, as were those eligible the following year and before you could say “cheers,” behaviours were changed. Who knows if there is a link to mental health issues, when we know that the support of people around you is so important?
However, the most damage caused to our public houses is that we don’t go to them as often as we should, if we want to keep them. For many, a trip the pub might only be for a special occasion, Christmas being the big one.
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We then have an expectation that the pub will be there the following year.
Thankfully there is a hard core of customers who have made pubs a crucial part of their social life, whether it’s to go to a quiz, sing karaoke, listen to live music or just pop in for a drink and a chat. The array of pub activities in Wendover pubs is testimony to how hard they work for our custom.
So go along and join the fun on the Pub Trail this Easter, and in doing so you’ll help preserve the special character of Wendover and enjoy our wonderful community. Cheers!
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The Boiler Blokes Wayne & Clinton
Photo: Simon Eccles
Sarah Routley BSc (Hons)
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Singers prepare for their big day
By Jo Durden-Moore
Six months ago, over two hundred people from Wendover, Wing and the surrounding villages were challenged to sing in a huge theatre, in front of a potential audience of almost 1,200 people.
The singers are counting down the days before they take to the big stage at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury, for their first ‘Sing Out For … Mental Health’ concert.
Devised by community choir champion, Jill Neenan, the concert will raise the roof with uplifting and popular songs, showcasing the positive effect of singing on people’s wellbeing.
It’s set to be a groundbreaking concert with the largest gathering of performers ever on the Waterside Theatre’s stage all at the same time. Three community choirs – two from Wendover and one from Wing – have singers as young as five and others nearing ninety. They will join on the Waterside stage to create one huge choir of over 200 singers. Much-loved TV & radio presenter, Andy Collins, is lined up to host with Jill and her special guests – Daisy Amphlett, Jim Aldcroft, David Rhys and Rebecca Izard. All are wellknown in the world of entertainment and will perform with the combined choirs. The audience can expect a sprinkling of Andy’s humour as well as audience participation.
Asked about how they are feeling about the upcoming concert, here are a few stories:
Pauline Martin, talks about how a chance meeting led to her joining the choir which she is so passionate about. She tells us: “The energy and power of many voices joined in harmony is the best she’s experienced and hearing the choir in full voice is just brilliant. It’s incredible how it feels to be inside the sound of over a hundred voices.” She is excited about the concert not just for her, but for her family and friends.
A recently new member, David Bennett, told us that as he has Parkinsons, he was advised by his speech therapist how ‘singing was a good way of retaining his voice’. Since joining the choir his voice and confidence have significantly improved, and he is championing singing amongst members of the Aylesbury Parkinsons group.
Ben Williams told us how recent events had made him realise the value of chasing a happier life. As a budding radio presenter at Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio, using his voice to make a difference meant singing was the next obvious step. “Wendover Singers welcomed me with open arms and since then I have never looked back. I am just starting to realise the gift of being part of something that is so uniquely rewarding as the crowd at Wendover Singers. It really is a wonderful experience.
Nikki Jeffryes was told by her family that she couldn’t sing: “They tried to disown me in church when I joined in with gusto to the hymns I knew and loved!
“I joined Wendover Singers when it first formed, as I loved the idea of everyone being welcome even when I lacked confidence and couldn’t read music.
“Jill was so welcoming and patient – her love of singing is infectious. I went home (… and still do) on a high.
I have a good friend who lost her husband during covid and has a lovely voice, so thought the music and camaraderie would help her loss. I encouraged her to join, along with my two golf friends. We sing on the golf course together now!”
Charlie Powell, who has recently joined told us how social isolation can be a huge issue for many people and finding a place where you feel comfortable to be yourself is important. She has found a great community within Wendover Singers and feels singing with a group is fantastic. “Anyone who enjoys singing or needs to feed their soul should join. It has given me back some joy.”
Another long-standing member talks how their early childhood trauma and mental health issues are helping by singing. “It gives me a real feeling of peace, belonging and a space where I feel I can be myself without the medical burdens and worries.”
Linda Kynaston used to be part of Halton Singers, but when it folded, she said that “it left a musical hole in my heart that I knew I needed to fill. I heard of Jill and that she made it fun, and the music choices were wide-ranging. Her enthusiasm, joy and delight in music gets passed onto the choir and it lifts my soul and heart every time. It has literally raised me up, restored my equilibrium, filled the hole and given me a sense of peace. I’m excited to bits about the concert, I simply cannot wait.”
Irrespective of ability or experience, everyone can join the choirs and the Wendover Children’s Choir is brimming with budding wannabe performers.
Founding member, Ellie Barrons, tells us how much she enjoys her Monday afternoons and now she’s older, she can support the younger children learn and develop: “I’m so excited to be on the Waterside
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre. Photo: ATG
stage with so many adult singers and getting to sing with the professionals is going to be such an honour.”
The concert will showcase professional performers joining the choir throughout and we are lucky to have so much talent on our doorstep. Two of the five special guests spoke with us about their views
Aston Clinton resident, Jim Aldcroft is particularly excited, as he’s never sung with such a huge choral ensemble before. He told us:
“As part of the semi-pro and professional performing world I am always amazed at the power of music to bring people together. Whether young or old, professional or amateur, experienced or newbies we’re all coming together through our love of singing to create this incredible wall of sound! It’s so inspiring to hear this many people create such an impressive harmony!”
Tring Park Performing Arts professional, David Rhys, is thrilled to be able to put his talents towards such a good cause and thinks ‘the audience is going to get one heck of a concert and be blown away
by the extraordinary sound coming from ordinary folk, coming together to sing out for one night, to share their joy for such great charities’.
GREEN for a good cause
Audience members are invited to wear the colour green, as it’s the international colour showing support of mental health. The perfect sponsor for this concert is champion of community causes, Chiltern View Garden Centre, who are the headline partner supporting all the choirs.
Thanks to their generosity and support, along with MDAT IT Solutions and Charlton Design & Build, revenue from all ticket sales will go directly to MIND UK, Lindengate and SPACE – fantastic mental health charities supporting thousands each year, in Buckinghamshire and beyond.
Suzi Bone, owner of Chiltern View commented: “We’re thrilled to be supporting something so entertaining, yet so meaningful. Gardening and singing are so closely connected to helping people’s state of mind – it’s the perfect partnership. I’m personally looking forward to having a good singalong, and I am particularly excited to see the children’s choir have some fun on stage with the hugely entertaining Andy Collins. I’ll be donning my green outfit for sure!”
For further information about the concert see www.singoutfor.org. Tickets for the
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Canal Level at Wharf Road was normal on 24 February. Photo: Simon Eccles.
Please continue to enjoy the Heron Stream and Canal in Wendover, as well as other small waterways including Bear Brook in Aylesbury which is sometimes mentioned in flood warnings. Water from Wendover gravitates towards Aylesbury via Weston Turville.
“There’ll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Stoke Mandeville!”
With apologies to the late, great Dame Vera Lynn but Stoke Mandeville Parish Council have announced a packed programme of events to celebrate the national VE80 anniversary in May.
It has teamed up with local community organisations including St Mary’s Church, Fremantle Care Home, The Bull pub and the National Paralympic Heritage Trust to organise a number of free to attend events and activities, such as a Garden Party, Vintage Cinema and Stoke Mandeville at War exhibition.
The events will take place on Bank Holiday Monday May 5th and also on Thursday May 8th – the official anniversary of VE80. Organiser Cllr. Carol Jenkins said “All are welcome to join us.”
Carol is also appealing for any Wendover News reader that has any memorabilia or old photos from World War Two who would be prepared to lend them out for the Stoke Mandeville at War exhibition. ”We would be grateful for any items that could be provided and will obviously look after them and ensure that they are carefully returned.”
If you can help or you would like to take part in the celebrations, then please email: carol.jenkins@stokemandeville-pc.gov.uk
Race the Light shines a spotlight on charity partnership
The Chilterns Neuro Centre was thrilled to be given a donation of £909 thanks to its partnership with Runaway Racing, a running events organiser based in Wendover.
Through the partnership, a donation was made to the charity for every person who entered the Chiltern Ridge Classic 50k, the Chiltern Ridge Half Marathon and the North Chilterns 50k, during 2024, with many of the runners also choosing to add a top-up donation.
Building on this success, the partnership is continuing in 2025 and is set to take a big step forward with the launch of a brand-new event – Race the Light. Taking place in the stunning surroundings of Wendover Woods on Friday 1 August, this special event offers something for everyone, from experienced runners to families and those looking for a more accessible challenge. Participants can choose from a 10k or 5k trail run or a 1k accessible route, all set against the stunning backdrop of the woods as the evening light fades.
“We’re so excited to be working with Runaway Racing on this amazing partnership,” said Danielle Medd, Fundraising Manager at the Chilterns Neuro Centre. “The funds raised so far are already making a real difference and
the launch of Race the Light will help us reach even more people. Whether you’re tackling the trails or enjoying the accessible route, every step you take will help support our work in the community.”
“With Runaway Racing HQ just a short walk from the Chilterns Neuro Centre, forming a partnership felt like a natural fit,” said Chris Bradley, Event Director at Runaway Racing. “We’re proud to support the incredible work they do for the community. As runners, it’s easy to take for granted our ability to explore our surroundings. The Centre’s physical treatments, which help improve mobility and wellbeing, are a vital resource for those in need of support.”
Entries for Race the Light are now open so, to sign up or to find out more, visit chilternsneurocentre.org/racethelight
BIG Walk to help the PACE Centre
The PACE Centre on Wendover Road, which supports children from babies to 18 with neurodisabilities, is asking for volunteers for its BIG Walk on 10 May.
Naomi Boles says: “We’ve chosen a new route this year which includes three BIG distance options for participants to choose from between Dunstable and Wendover and ranging from 18 miles to 6 miles. We also have our Superhero Mile at John Colet School. This is a fun, accessible and sensory walk that is open to everyone of all ages and abilities.
Taking part in The BIG Walk isn’t just a
chance for you to enjoy a lovely day out with your family and friends, but an opportunity for you to support Pace in providing its amazing services to children and young people with neurodisabilities like cerebral palsy. We encourage you to get all your loved ones involved too, whether that’s getting them to sign up as well or running your own fundraiser for them to sponsor you!”
For details see www.bit.ly/3Fs0hJn or email fundraising@thepacecentre.org
Have your say about a local forum Are you involved with a local business, organisation, club or charity? Or otherwise active in the local community? Wendover News would like to know if there’s interest in a new online public forum, to help people work together and take action on matters of local interest, so building a stronger, more self-sufficient community. Please complete the online survey by 15 April at bit.ly/wf-interest
Easter Fun at Dundridge Manor
Join in the fun at at the egg-citing family Easter event at the historic Dundridge Manor, St Leonards on Sunday 13 April, from 11:30am–3:00pm. Children can take part in an Easter egg hunt, while adults can explore the charm of the informal farmhouse garden and uncover the history of Dundridge, a Tudor farmhouse with a Saxon moat, once owned by Henry VIII. For the brave, encounter the ghostly tales of the Duchess of Salisbury and
other historic facts in talks given on the day. Activities include: Easter egg trail, Easter bonnet competition at 1pm, meeting ponies Ty and Daisy, a visit from the Easter Bunny, Easter crafts and gifts, Tim Matthews’ vintage tractor collection and other unique vehicles, history talks about the historic property and grounds. Tickets £7 adults and £4 children (includes an easter egg), from Scannappeal’s website: www.bit.ly/3FBBLWA
Win a Rumsey’s Chocolate Easter Egg!
Jane Larkham writes: “We all love an Easter Egg and in the Wendover area we treasure that feast of highest quality hand made chocolate, from Rumsey’s. Our very own chocolaterie has a special location facing onto the historic Manor Waste in Wendover where
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our markets and other gatherings take place. The outside tables are a great place to see and be seen while eating delicious treats including patisserie and Rumsey’s own made ice cream. Inside you can see the chocolatiers at work.
This is always a very busy time of year for Rumsey’s as they produce all sorts of seasonal treats, including personalised eggs, for example, containing an engagement ring, and special corporate orders, too. So hurry along to place your order in person or via https:// www.rumseys.co.uk/, email hello@rumseys. co.uk or call on 01844 690150.
Can you guess how many custom Easter Eggs Rumsey’s will make this year? If so, email hello@rumseys.co.uk by close of business on Tuesday 22 April to enter the competition to win a Rumsey’s Chocolate Easter Egg.”
Wendover Choral Society Concert
Ooh-la la!
Penny Cobb writes: There is definitely a feeling of La Belle France amongst the members of Wendover Choral Society and we are loving it! Since the arrival of our new, young and inspirational conductor Kenton Brigden last September, we are not only exploring pastures new musically but are having so much fun whilst learning about techniques to help us to sing better.
Our next concert in May is to be made up entirely of French music and will include such favourites as the Cantique de Jean Racine and the ever popular Requiem by Fauré, plus
the effervescent Poulenc Gloria which has surprised us with its energy and variety. The concert will be held on 17 May at St. Mary’s Church, Wendover at 7.30pm.
Tickets are £17.50 and can be bought online at www.wendoverchoral.co.uk or at the Just shop, 11 Wendover High Street. Tickets will also be available at the door for £20 and children under 16 are free. Do come and join us!
Dancing for Dementia
Juliet Poole writes: More than 100 people stretched, spun, shimmied and tapped at a fun fitness event – raising an impressive £800 for charity in the process.
The Let’s Dance morning on 2 March at Wendover Memorial Hall was part of a national campaign led by broadcaster Angela Rippon to get the nation moving.
Flexercise teacher Ruth Dennis, who organised the event, was joined by other local dance teachers to put on a series of workshops, from Scottish and salsa dancing to keep fit and tap.
In addition to Ruth, who runs an exercise and movement class in Wendover, teachers in attendance were: Yvonne and Tony Rudge, who run salsa sessions as part of Wendover U3A group; Rose Kreloff and Lucy Clark from the Scottish Country Dance Club; Jan Rance
and Ruth Livingstone, who offer Keep Fit Association (KFA) classes; and tap teacher Sue Donald, of the Rozelle School of Dancing. The KFA also put on a dance demonstration during the event.
As well as donations on the day, monies were raised through a charity raffle for three local dementia groups: Wendover Dementia Group; Café 22; and Café 23, both based in Chalfont.
“It was all about having some fun while keeping fit. Dance and movement is a great way to keep in shape and is really sociable too,” said Ruth, who said she was delighted to have attracted so many people along.
She added: “We had all ages and everyone had a laugh. To have raised so much money for local causes too is the icing on the cake.”
More Fitness and Fun to follow…
Jon Theobald writes: Following the success with local residents of the initial ‘taster’ session, Stoke Mandeville Parish Council have arranged a further six free ‘Fitness and Fun’ events for people over the age of 60, through the spring months. Held in the Park Room at Stoke Mandeville Community Centre, Eskdale Road every other Thursday afternoon from 2pm to 3pm with refreshments afterwards. Sessions will be held on 27 March, 3 April, 24 April, 8 May and 22 May.
Greg Smith’s journal
Wendover News asked MP for Mid-Buckinghamshire, Greg Smith, for a summary of his activities related to Wendover and the surrounding villages:
“As winter fades and spring begins, I’ve been busy with a range of events across Westminster and Mid Buckinghamshire. I’ve had the privilege of meeting many constituents and raising your concerns in the House of Commons.
Infrastructure issues remain a significant concern for many constituents. That’s why I attended a meeting with the Wendover HS2 Mitigation Action Group at the end of last month, to hear directly about the ongoing challenges posed by the project and to discuss how we can continue pressing for better outcomes for Wendover residents.
A particular focus has been battling with HS2 over their unacceptable proposals to use Dobbins Lane as an HGV route. This is simply unsafe and other options are available that should be used instead.
I also had the chance to meet with local business owners at the Wendover Business Network afterwards — a valuable opportunity to listen to their concerns and explore how we can better support our local economy. A big thank you to the Bel & Dragon for hosting us so warmly. A few weeks ago, I also visited Wendover Pharmacy, listening to the concerns faced by this superb local business and vital service.
Another key focus of mine in the community, has been tackling is the threat of large-scale solar developments on productive farmland. Any transition to cleaner energy should not come at the cost of local businesses, food security, or the Buckinghamshire countryside we value so highly.
As Shadow Business Minister, I’ve been working closely with small businesses to understand the challenges they face. I’m also worried about the future of our pubs, which are under serious threat from multiple assaults on businesses, from the Employment Rights Bill, employers National Insurance rises and business rates hikes. This would leave landlords with little choice but to raise prices or shut their doors. I’ll continue to fight for their protection, recognising the crucial role they play in our communities and across the country.
Engaging with you directly remains a priority. One of my monthly surgeries so far this year has been in Halton and I am currently planning more of my “Pint of View” pub surgeries, giving residents the chance to discuss local and national issues in a relaxed setting.
I also stood alongside farmers at the most recent rally in Whitehall, reinforcing the need to safeguard food security and opposing tax policies that could harm family-run farms in our area.
As always, if you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me at greg.smith. mp@parliament.uk or book a surgery appointment (dates are listed on my website).”
Families and Dementia
On Thursday 15 May from 2 to 4 pm there will be a free event at The Christian Centre, 7b Aylesbury Rd, Wendover HP22 6JG, offering valuable insights and personal experiences on dementia.
Run by Dementia Carers Respite and Wendover Dementia Support, hear from Dr. Pippa Moreton on ‘Dementia – What Families Need to Know’ and Scott Mitchell as he shares his journey in ‘Caring for My Wife, Barbara Windsor’.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and connect. Book your place now by emailinginfo@wendoverds.org.uk
Progress on future Wendover Manor care home site
Demolition of the old care home site by the roundabout at World’s End started in early February and is now almost complete. It will be replaced by a new-build state-of the art care home called Wendover Manor, due to open in spring 2026.
This is being developed by Salveo Care, which already runs the Cherry Tree House care home on Dobbins Lane.
In last October’s Wendover News we reported that planning permission had been granted for Wendover Manor. There will be places for 53 residents, with facilities for them and their visitors including a woodland walk and a café.
Grace Evans, managing director of Salveo Care, sent us this new CGI impression of how it will look, and you can see other photos and follow the site’s progress at www.salveocare. co.uk/our-homes/wendover-manor or on Salveo’s FaceBook page.
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The centrepiece will be 80 rare cars and motorcycles made over 100 years ago, including the oldest Aston Martin still in existence, the third one built. Five of the exhibits actually competed at Aston Hill in the early 1920s, with the rest being similar to those that participated there.
Experienced stewards from the Hellfire Motor Vehicle Club will be supervising the parking in both the display area in Aston Clinton Park and the visitor car park at Hill Farm. There will be catering outlets serving a range of food and drink throughout the day. All profits from the show will be donated to nominated charities, some great local causes
including the Chilterns Neuro Centre, which supports people affected by multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and stroke; and Kirby’s Herd, a local group that raises funds for Cancer Research UK.
The organisers say that tickets for the 17th are limited and likely to sell out well before May, so if you’re interested, now’s the time to order yours. We’ll have more preview details and photos next month.
Visitor tickets for the main Vintage and Classic Vehicle Show at Hill Farm are £10 per car or £5 per motorcycle. They can be ordered online from www.astonhill100.com The viewing at Aston Clinton Park is free.
Simon Eccles
Aston Martins on a
of the Aston Hillclimb in 2019. Photo: Max Eary.
Vintage Aston Martins TT2 and TT1.
Crowds flocked to pre-WWI climbs.
How local democracy works
Part 1 – Parish Councils
By Simon Eccles
This year on 1 May there will be elections in our area for local councils. As these are on a four-yearly cycle, this is the first chance voters will have to influence what goes on at a county level since 2021, when normal life was still very much disrupted by Covid. Indeed, there should have been elections in May 2020, but they were postponed for a year.
This year’s 1 May elections will certainly be for Buckinghamshire Council, but due to quirks of electoral law and practise, there may or may not be elections for the various parish councils that Wendover News covers. We’ll come to that later.
In England all adults over 18 can vote, but they can register from 16 onwards (after which they are on the electoral register). There are qualifications for nationality and a few other things. If you want to vote on 1 May and haven’t registered yet, you’ve got until 11 April. You can do this online at www.gov.uk/ register-to-vote. After that you can vote in local polling stations in person (you now need to take a proof of your identity), or apply for a postal vote.
Local and national representation
There are three regular opportunities to have a say in who runs things at various levels. It’s sometimes hard to work out which level does what.
Over the next few issues, Wendover News will look at these various levels of democracy, to try and explain their different functions, and which one to approach if you need help or want to get things done, or fixed. We’re not covering the politics or personalities, just the roles and functions.
The lowest tier, and most local, is parish councils. Then there are what are usually called county councils (although since 2020 Buckingham Council has been a “unitary
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and four of the adjacent district councils). Then there is a member of parliament for each constituency, whose boundaries are based on population numbers and not county boundaries. A fourth opportunity to vote is for police and crime commissioners, which in our case is for Thames Valley Police.
Elections for parish councils, county councils and the police and crime commissioners all take place on the same day every four years in May.
Election dates for MPs are less predictable as the UK parliament does not have a fixed electoral cycle, just a maximum of about five years. It’s up to the prime minister, or the ruling party, to decide on the precise date. Most recently this was 4 July 2024, when Greg Smith was elected MP for the new constituency of Mid Bucks, which includes Wendover, Stoke Mandeville, Halton and some of the surrounding villages, while Laura KyrkeSmith was elected to the revised Aylesbury
constituency that includes Weston Turville Aston Clinton, Buckland and Chivery.
What is a parish?
Back to parish councils. Wendover News reaches readers across several parishes that have their own parish councils. These include Wendover itself (www.wendover-pc.gov.uk), Stoke Mandeville (www.stokemandeville-pc. gov.uk), Aston Clinton (www.astonclinton-pc.gov.uk), Halton (www.halton-pc.gov. uk), Weston Turville (www.westonturville-pc. gov.uk) and parts of a few others.
These are “civil parishes,” and despite sharing the name they are completely separate from “ecclesiastical parishes,” which are the catchment areas for Christian churches. Civil and ecclesiastical parish boundaries may not match.
Some councils are divided into smaller areas called wards, usually with several councillors representing each. Wendover used to have several wards, but is now a single ward, while Stoke Mandeville has four wards, Weston
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authority” that replaced Buckinghamshire County Council
Turville has two and Halton has one.
Parish councils have limited but important powers, including: managing and maintaining community assets, such as village halls, playing fields, and cemeteries; providing and maintaining street lighting, benches, and footpaths; overseeing local events, supporting community groups, and providing small grants to local initiatives; acting as a statutory consultee on planning applications within the parish; working with district and county councils on transport, highways, and public safety. They will also establish and monitor their local neighbourhood plan for development and controlling land use.
Parish councils cannot make laws, but they can raise funds through a precept (an additional charge on council tax).
Each parish has a full-time paid parish clerk and may employ other staff to manage administration or local maintenance of parks, verges, benches, public bins etc. Parish councils will usually have their own fairly modest offices and will hold public meetings in village halls or similar.
What parish councillors do Parish councillors are basically us. They are not professional full-time politicians. They live or work locally, you can see them in the streets, in the shops, and they tend to listen to ideas and concerns and if possible, do something about them.
They do not officially stand for established political parties, though they may have their own views. They are not paid, though they can claim modest expenses. They are essentially volunteers and it is not a full-time role – usually they have day jobs or are home workers, carers or retired.
The number of councillors in each parish is decided by the elections and democracy team at Bucks Council and it is based on the size of the electoral roll. For instance in Wendover this is 13 councillors; 12 for Stoke Mandeville; 11 for Aston Clinton; 10 for Weston Turville; and nine for Halton.
In theory, councillors are elected on a firstpast-the-post basis, and serve four-year terms before standing for re-election if they want.
In practice, it’s less clear-cut. If there are fewer candidates than seats (or the same number) for each ward, then councillors can be elected or re-elected unopposed. If so, there won’t be an election for your particular parish.
As Wendover News went to press, nominations for Parish Councils had just opened, on 18 March, which is why we don’t yet know which parishes will be included on 1 May.
How to stand
Anyone wishing to stand needs to fill out the relevant paperwork (contact your parish clerk for this) and submit it in person to the elections team at Buckinghamshire Council in the Gateway building on Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury. The last date for nominations is 4pm on 2 April. The list of candidates will be published on 3 April.
After that the elections team looks at the number of candidates and number of vacancies. A parish council with uncontested nominations will not need an election. If there is an election, a separate ballot paper is produced (a green sheet) and handed out at the same time as the County Council elections (which is normally a white ballot paper).
After the 1 May election day, the count for Bucks Council is on Friday 2 May, and followed by the Parish Councils on 3 May. Results are declared after each count for the ward/seats.
There’s a full list of what you need to qualify to stand on the local parish websites, but the main points are you need to be 18 or older; you need to be nominated by two parish residents; to be a UK/Irish citizen or qualifying Commonwealth/EU citizen; live in or close to the parish or own/rent property there; must not be employed by the parish; and mustn’t fail various disqualifications concerning bankruptcy, recent criminal records, or previous election fiddling.
Vacancies may be filled by co-option. If seats become vacant, an existing councillor may invite someone suitable to join the council (with the same caveats as for elected individuals). Or you can nominate yourself. Vacancies are quite frequent, as being a councillor means lots of out-of-hours work, complex procedures and often not many thanks!
Who does what?
Once elected or co-opted, the councillors will elect a chairperson. They will usually form themselves into committees with particular roles, such as planning, amenities and finance.
Full council and committee meetings are monthly and open to the public, who may be invited to give opinions or present cases for or against, say, parking concerns. Some occasional issues are confidential so visitors are asked to leave the room. Agendas will be published online a few days before each meeting.
Nowadays parish councils run websites which often explain what they can and cannot do; provide notices of council meetings with agendas; with lists of councillors; notice of forthcoming events; and useful contacts.
Other parish councils, including Stoke Mandeville, have much the same on their websites. This can be useful if you want to report an issue, such as a failed streetlight – Wendover PC is responsible for side road lighting, but Bucks CC for the main roads.
In the next issue we’ll look at Buckingham Council, what it does and how the councillors get their jobs.
Thanks to Andy Smith, Wendover Parish Clerk, and Jon Theobald, Stoke Mandeville Councillor, for their help with this story.
...calls for volunteers Wendover Shed
Two years on from its opening, Wendover Shed is becoming what trustee member Dave Walls calls “a victim of its own success.” It’s become so popular that it needs to open for more than its current four two-hour sessions per week, and it’s running out of space to accommodate the numbers of people who turn up on the most popular days. There are around 50 active members, with sometimes 20+ “Shedders” attending a busy session. However, hours can’t expand until more volunteer Shed Leaders can be recruited to open up and supervise safe operations.
Wendover Shed is a quiet haven, if periodically noisy with the whir of power tools, but its location is idyllic, located in the allotments plot just off the Ridgeway along Hogtrough Lane.
There are full woodworking and metalworking facilities, with people present who can show how to operate them safely. Remarkably, it all runs completely off-grid, with solar panels feeding batteries that are enough to power industrial saws and lathes, as well as lights and a fridge! There’s also a composting eco-loo. It is a welcome resource for many local men (and several women, who are equally
welcome), who meet around practical activities, drink tea and coffee, eat cake and biscuits, and most importantly, have a natter.
It’s a place to make new friends, use tools you may not have, ask questions from people with a wide range of experiences, and maybe learn a skill you’ve always been meaning to.
Underpinning that is the largely unspoken but vital social function that aims to provide a focus and a meeting place. Sharing skills, experiences and jokes can be invaluable.
Mending people as well
Shedders sometimes only realise that they had previously felt lonely, isolated or adrift after they have discovered the shed.
Wendover Shed is a registered charity and a part of the UK Men’s Shed Association (UKMSA). This has a motto: “Sheds Save Lives.” The movement originated in Australia in the 1980s as a way to improve the health and wellbeing of older men. However some, like Wendover Shed, welcome anyone regardless of age or gender.
The trustees of Wendover Shed now have plans to make more efficient use of their
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allocated space and are in discussion with the landlord, Wendover Parish Council. These plans include improving the warm indoor space and having provision for a club house where people can meet and chat in the warmth, and also more privately if needed.
However, Bob Duggan, the chair and founder of Wendover Shed, says that a current limitation is the pressure put on a small number of volunteers who operate the Shed, the Shed Leaders. The trustees are actively seeking new volunteers with practical experience to help run the Shed. Dave Walls says, “the true pleasure of being a Shed Leader is seeing people fully embrace the Shed, grow in confidence and make new friends.”
Bob says “We have many community project requests. We have Shedders wanting to get involved. What we sometimes lack is leadership and direction. Someone to manage an activity, such as repairing the community notice board outside the Clock Tower, repairing a public bench at Hampden Pond, or simply helping a new, less practical Shedder to learn how to use an unfamiliar power tool, or to learn skills by making simple items for sale, such as bird-boxes.”
If you may be able to volunteer at Wendover Shed, especially as a regular Leader, please email projects@wendovershed.org.uk. Even if you’d just like to know more about membership, or activities, check out the website at www.wendovershed.org.uk. You can also find Wendover Shed on Facebook and Instagram.
Wendover u3a celebrates 25
This year Wendover u3a is celebrating its 25th anniversary and will mark the occasion with a series of anniversary events starting in May.
Ian Crookall, who is the chair for 2025, said “We are making a real effort to celebrate all the work which those who went before us did to make us who we are today. On our 20th anniversary we were not able to celebrate very much due to Covid, but we hope to make up for it this year!”
It was 4 June 2000 when Wendover u3a started life with a small committee of dedicated members. Today it has grown to a membership of 484.
Iris Jenkins, was one of the founding members and was the original secretary and later Chair of Wendover u3a. She said “My husband and I lived in Kimble, and we saw a notice in Princes Risborough Library about forming a new u3a group. We decided to attend the first meeting. We were about to retire and were looking for some new activities. We thought very few people would turn up to the first meeting but in fact about 40 attended.”
The u3a movement is a national organisation. Founded in 1982, it aims to encourage groups of people who are no longer in full-time work, to come together to continue their enjoyment of learning subjects of interest to them and to learn about new ones. There
are now more than 1,000 u3a’s nationally, with 400,000 members.
The guiding principles are to promote non-formal learning through self-help interest groups covering a wide range of topics and activities. There is no minimum age, but there’s a focus on people who are no longer in full-time employment or raising a family.
The u3a movement is self-funded, where members learn for the pleasure of it, rather than aiming for qualifications. There is no distinction between learners and teachers –everyone can try being either if they wish.
Here are some examples of the Wendover group’s activities: Drawing and Painting; Creative Textiles; Archaeology; Genealogy; Bridge; Scrabble; History; Transport past and present; Latin; Spanish; Poetry; Gardening; Travel & Visits; Opera; Rock; Folk; Country Dancing; Salsa; Wildflowers; Birdwatching; Science & Technology; Bowls; Table Tennis; Soft Tennis; Walking.
“There is something for everyone, and everyone has knowledge and skills to pass on to others, says Ian “Many groups are doing something special to celebrate our work over the past 25 years.”
Some members will be opening their gardens in Wendover in June. Collections of photos from the past activities are being assembled. There will be a Treasure Trail to learn more about Wendover. Groups will be collecting questions for a quiz on general and specific knowledge. The connoisseurs in the brewing group hope to challenge people’s taste buds. The music and dance groups hope to entertain, and the walking group is planning a special anniversary walk.
Iris Jenkins remembers the 10th anniversary celebrations. She said, “we put on a performance of Cinderella, with the men dressed as the ugly sisters, while in the Memorial Hall we put on a show of simulated synchronised
swimming!” Whether Wendover u3a can match its predecessors will be a challenge!
Each month Wendover u3a meets at St Mary’s Church. “An interesting and varied selection of guest speakers on a wide range of subjects has been arranged for this year,” says Ian. “Our 25th celebrations include a barbecue on 21 May, when one of our music groups hopes to be playing. It is an opportunity for all members to celebrate in a delightful location and to reflect on how fortunate we are to live in Wendover with great friends.”
The Open Day this year will be on Wednesday 3 September when, in addition to the usual displays of work, there will be photos, videos and memories of activities since 2000. “Finally, we will all celebrate our efforts over the past year and let our hair down with relief at our annual dinner dance in November,” says Ian.
It’s often noted that Wendover creates a caring and supportive community. Wendover u3a has been proudly doing this for the past 25 years and hundreds of people have benefitted from membership. Ian said “ We are trying to give a little bit of the flavour of what we do, and why we have prospered. The theme of the u3a movement is ‘Learn, Laugh and Live,’ and this is what we have tried to do in Wendover for the past 25 years!”
If you are interested in joining Wendover u3a, see the website for details of activities (https://wendover.u3asite.uk), where there is a form to contact the membership secretary.
Preparing the back-garden allotment
By Leigh Porter
All it took was a few days of sunshine to throw me into a complete panic. When it’s cold and wet outside there isn’t much point in getting ahead of yourself in the garden, but as soon as the sun comes out and warmth hits the soil the weeds leap into life. I’m suspecting my seeds, still in their packets, might also start to grow and so it’s time for ACTION!
For a couple of days, I raced around like a headless chicken, tidying around the garden and forgetting the weeks of awful weather while I chastised myself for not getting everything organised over the winter like I imagined I’d planned. I guess I’m not alone?
We are fortunate in Wendover that the majority of residents do have access to their own garden and we also have three popular allotment sites for those who want a bigger growing space.
You might have heard the expression “life is too short to peel a mushroom” and similarly “growing food isn’t just about digging and weeding.” Thank heavens for No Dig gardening. Charles Dowding, the No Dig guru, has been demystifying the rules of horticulture and encouraging those without any experience to try growing their own fruit and vegetables.
The principle of No Dig is very simple. Don’t worry about the level of weeds, just think about finding a plot that will get a reasonable amount of sunshine onto your plants. You avoid digging by smothering weeds under a couple of layers of brown cardboard (reclaim these your recycling bin). Now cover the cardboard with a minimum 2ins/5cm compost (mushroom or council green waste compost is good) and the job’s done. You are now ready to plant.
You can leave this bed preparation until the moment you are ready to plant. Whenever I’ve needed more growing space my poor despairing husband has returned home to find another portion of his lawn has been cardboarded, composted and planted up! All in the time it takes to play a round of golf. Although you can sow seeds directly into your compost, most of the work is all about getting modules sown and grown. Little ‘plug
plants’ are dropped into holes in the compost, maximizing production and filing your plot with vibrant plants rather than empty brown spaces as seeds take time to germinate.
My top tips are, sow what you enjoy eating, sow little and often, so your crop will be available for longer without gluts. Try something different but not too many. You don’t need to rigidly follow the sowing information on the backs of seed packets, or follow crop rotations. As long as you feed your plot with a light covering of compost every year this will keep it healthy. Find friends and neighbours to share with and you may be magically repaid with some of their successful sowings.
You will quickly find there is something fundamentally satisfying about growing “stuff” even when the learning process is full of ups and downs. I was absolutely delighted with my crop of elephant garlic last year and there is an expectation that I’ve now “cracked it”. What’s the betting I’ll have a poor show this year leaving me scratching my head?
Brussels sprouts and cabbage were also pretty good but courgettes, which we love and happily eat in 50 different ways, were almost rare last year. Regardless of occasional failures, it’s hard to convey the sheer pleasure when you harvest something homegrown from your own plot, and you can’t believe the taste. Isn’t this how we are supposed to thrive, outside in the fresh air, hands in the soil, engrossed in the wonder of watching food appear from a tiny seed and content that we have played a part in feeding such delicious healthy food to our loved ones?
I’ve been sufficiently inspired by YouTube videos (Charles Dowding and Huw Richards in particular) and I know what a productive
vegetable garden is supposed to look like. (Only watch videos on Gravetye Manor’s Unique Walled Garden if you’re madly ambitious). I’ve already set my own ambitions too high with my selection of sunflower seeds ready for the second year of the MAKE WENDOVER SMILE campaign.
The good news is that you can start when you’re ready with No Dig. Remember too that we we are lucky to have Chiltern View ready to provide us with their nursery-raised plants; and the new Blue Diamond Garden Centre will be opening in early May. There are plenty of reasons to give a Back Garden Allotment a go. As the world around us seems to be in constant turmoil, farmers protesting and threats to our food security I don’t think we can go too far wrong by getting ourselves firmly rooted in the garden.
Look out for free MAKE WENDOVER SMILE sunflower seed packets in our shops, library, restaurants, cafes and pubs.
Small Dean Viaduct
The deck of the Small Dean Viaduct is being progressively lowered into its final position in 20cm stages at each pier, which has involved more night time closures of the A413. Once in place concrete will be poured inside the girders to stiffen the entire structure, with work expected over the Chiltern Line during the Easter holiday weekend railway closure.
Wendover Green Tunnel
Work is progressing with the foundations of the Green Tunnel, with a large concrete slab being created in the section just north of Ellesborough Road.
Excavation has started for the cutting through Ellesborough Road and the section south to Bacombe Lane. [Photo above]. We’re expecting that to be completed this summer. Excavation of the northern section of the tunnel and the “North Cutting” up to Nash Lee Lane is still on hold until the Environment Agency is happy about the impact they will have on the groundwater from the Coombe Hill aquifer.
Dobbins Lane and the Spring Chamber
The plans for the “Spring Chamber” were submitted to Buckinghamshire Council, with public consultation until 25 March.
The documentation, which includes public and stakeholder comments, is available on the Council’s Planning Portal, and a shortcut link is available from the whs2.org website at www. whs2.org.uk.
On 19 February HS2 held a public event at Wendover Tennis Club, which focussed on it reduction of the number of heavy goods vehicle round trips on Dobbins Lane and South Street, saying these would be down to an average of one a day over the 12 week construction period.
However the Planning Application reveals that there will also be about 38 one-way trips daily with “other” vehicles, including flatbed trucks, tractors, 4x4 vehicles and minibuses (used to transport staff to and from welfare facilities and car parking at the HS2 North Portal compound beside the Wendover Bypass).
With the level of public demand for use of an alternative site access route, our ward councillors have “called in” the Planning Application, which means that it will be decided at a public council planning meeting, rather than being delegated to the planning officers.
As we go to press it seems doubtful whether the meeting will be held before the council elections on 1 May.
Issues with HS2?
If you’re affected by the construction activity, please contact the HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 (which is available 24 hours a day) or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk to get your issues resolved. It helps if you have photographic evidence and please get a complaint reference number so that we can follow up issues as needed.
Need our help?
If you need further help, want to join us, or have ideas and suggestions that would mitigate the community impact, please get in touch at enquiries@whs2.org
Laying the foundations for the track works, eventually to be covered by the Green Tunnel. View from Ellesborough Road diversion. Photo: Murray Cook.
Digging the trench at Ellesborough Road, that replaces last year’s concrete slab. The girder bridge carries the old utility pipes and cable. Photo: Murray Cook.
Information supplied by EKFB, the local contractor for HS2
HS2 in Wendover
A group of year 7 students from John Colet School in Wendover were invited down to our Small Dean Lane site to reveal their chosen name for the mini tunnel boring machine (TBM). They chose ‘Hannah’, in tribute to nine-time Paralympic Champion, Hannah Cockroft. Hannah expressed her delight upon hearing that the students wished to commemorate her achievements this way. This event offered the students the unique opportunity to witness the TBM before its launch, interact with our engineers and learn more about how TBMs operate underground.
‘Hannah’ was launched on 17 March at our Grove Farm Culvert site, just situated outside
of Wendover. With a diameter of 2.44 meters, ‘Hannah’ was carefully lowered 11 meters deep into a shaft before commencing the first drive of 350 meters, following a second drive of 450 meters. Underground, ‘Hannah’ will excavate and line two tunnels with pre-cast segmental lining, moving at a pace of approximately 4 meters per day. These tunnels will not only provide drainage for the HS2 railway line track bed, but they will also help mitigate the risk of flooding in the local area on either side of the tracks.
In line with long-standing tradition, Father John, a priest from Aylesbury, blessed the TBM alongside the statue of St Barbara, the patron saint of miners, before ‘Hannah’ began her
first drive. This practice is believed to originate from the earliest mining traditions.
Earlier this year, we undertook the four-day viaduct deck slide of the Small Dean Viaduct. The timelapse footage is now available to watch! You can watch the video or on the HS2 YouTube channel.
If you would like to read more about the works and view the advance works notices and maps, then please go to HS2 website www. hs2.org.uk and click the ‘in your area section’ to view the interactive map. (HS2 in your area – HS2)
Alternatively, if you have a question about HS2, contact our HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 or email hs2enquiries@hs2.org.uk
Top: The TBM with the statue of St Barbara, before the priest’s blessing. Far left: School pupils from John Colet at the Grove Farm culvert, seeing their artwork on the TBM. Below: Close up of the TBM.
Swimming in Wendover!
Did you know that Wendover has a swimming pool on the schools campus at Wharf Road? It’s a volunteer-run charity and has public swimming sessions every day here are free and paid memberships available, and bookings are fully online. ore information, membership and booking at www.wendoverswimmingpool.co.uk
Did you know that Wendover has a swimming pool on the schools campus at Wharf Road? It’s a volunteer-run charity and has public swimming sessions every day. There are free and paid memberships available, and bookings are fully online. More information, membership and booking at www.wendoverswimmingpool.co.uk
Scan the QR code to see the video.
Club Corner
Diamond Bridge Club
Jean Thompson writes: We are a friendly club who meet each Tuesday, with an ethos of playing bridge in a relaxed environment in Ellesborough Village Hall. To this end we break for tea/coffee. We are affiliated to the EBU (English Bridge Union) which issues master points. If you have any questions or would like to join us, please contact the membership secretary at DBCAylesbury@yahoo.com.
Aylesbury Sailing Club
Iestyn Jowers writes: On Monday 5 May there will be an open day and barbecue from 12-3 pm.
Discover a welcoming and well-hidden sailing club in the heart of Buckinghamshire at Weston Turville Reservoir, Worlds End Lane, HP22 5PS.
If you are a keen sailor, or have never tried sailing before, come and see what we have to offer. Experienced members of the club will be at hand to take you out on the lake in one of our fleet of double-handed dinghies. Bring spare clothes for sailing, and some cash for the barbecue.
To register your interest, or for enquiries, email aylesburysailingclubmember-ship@ gmail.com
For more information about the club, visit www.aylesburysailingclub.org.uk
Politics Book Club Review
Jo Naiman writes: Thanks to the listing in Wendover News, the first Politics Book Club meeting held at the King and Queen, Wendover, on 11 February, was extremely well attended.
The room was full of people, all of whom were clutching their well-thumbed copies of the Great Post Office Scandal, by Nick Wallis. Everyone came together to discuss their views on the Post Office, the various CEOs, the Government and the “revolving door” of ministers, the incredible work of some MPs representing their constituents, the painstaking journalism that brought the scandal to light and, of course, the terrible, personal stories of the Post Office Sub Masters. The enthusiasm for the next Book Club
Alcoholics Anonymous
Worried about your drinking?
date (14 April) was so great that the newly established members requested two books to discuss at The Bull in Stoke Mandeville: “Politics on the Edge” by Rory Stewart and/ or “How Westminster Works… And Why it Doesn’t,” by Ian Dunt.
The Politics Book Club is open to anyone who loves reading about politics and would like the opportunity to share their views with a wonderful group of people. Do come and join us.
Wendover Bowls Club
Don Knight writes: The indoor season is drawing to its close, with the culmination of all the Club matches to be decided in April. We will find out who the new champions are in the singles, pairs and triples for the ladies and gentlemen. Needless to say your humble scribe was eliminated long ago, but good luck to all the participants.
The brief glimpse of sun in the last few days has had us all looking at the green and wishing we could get out there. There is still much work to do with hollow aerating, rolling and fertilising, but it is looking good, if a bit unkempt at the moment. Let’s hope the foxes and crows leave it alone this year and don’t dig it up.
On the social side we have been busy with evenings of horse racing and quizzes and so on, all accompanied with a meal. We have also had a couple of very successful coffee mornings. Over the last 12 months Jane Andrews and her helpers have raised around £1,000 for Florence Nightingale Hospice and Rennie Grove Hospice. A splendid effort and showing that we are not just a bowls club but very much part of the community.
So roll on the spring. Let’s hope we see a bit more of the sun than we did last year. Whatever happens I know we will enjoy it... well most of it!
Wendover Youth Centre
Improvements thanks to London marathon runner
Significant improvements to the youth centre will be possible, thanks to the dedication and passion of veteran marathon runner, Jolanta
Kam who will be running her 10th marathon in London this spring, raising funds for Wendover Youth Centre.
Jolanta, is supporting the youth in Wendover, where her sporty sister lives, believing that investing in the younger generation is crucial for building a better tomorrow. She has been running for the past 22 years and raising funds for many worthy causes, seeking to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
Shanie Noakes, the recently appointed manager and SEN support worker at Wendover Youth Centre, tells us of plans to refurbish the centre, including updating the outdoor space and looking into what sessions can be offered to best meet the needs of Wendover’s Young People. This generous fundraising will not only support huge improvements to the space, but it will also go towards resources such as board games, craft supplies as well as staffing.
Shanie commented, “Not only are these very welcome funds to help us improve the centre, but they have been generated through a brilliant example to young people that hard work, determination and generosity can make a huge difference to many. I’m really looking forward to see what exciting improvements we can bring to the centre for Wendover and its young people.”
At time of going to press Jolanta had already smashed her target of £1000, but for those seeking to support this worthy initiative, you can donate at: 2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/ pf/jolanta-kam
Have your say about a local forum
Are you involved with a local business, organisation, club or charity? Or otherwise active in the local community? Wendover News would like to know if there’s interest in a new online public forum, to help people work together and take action on matters of local interest, so building a stronger, more self-sufficient community.
Please complete the online survey by 15 April at bit.ly/wf-interest
Call our local AA helpline, open 24/7 01628 530055
www.aachilternthames.org.uk National helpline 0800 917 7650 www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
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Tribute – Elizabeth Sorrell
Elizabeth Sorrell (née Davis) moved to Wendover in 1990 with husband Maurice, known to all as ‘Mo’, and lived here for nearly 35 years.
She was born in 1930 in Rainham, East London, one of five children. The outbreak of war upturned the normality of Elizabeth’s early life, and she was evacuated to WestonSuper-Mare at just eight years old, before reuniting with her family and enduring the rest of the conflict at home. During the Blitz her family was living under the flightpath of enemy planes on their night time bombing raids, instilling a wartime spirit which shaped her character for life.
Peacetime came and Elizabeth left school at 17, becoming an accomplished secretary and shorthand typist with several companies in the City. In 1950 her daily commute took her past St Paul’s where she met Mo walking to his work at nearby
Guildhall. They wed in 1953, starting over 50 years of happy marriage.
They set up home in Harrow where sons Simon and Jim were born and spent their formative years. Elizabeth dedicated herself to their upbringing while working as a secretary for a local firm, also assisting the local church, and continuing her interests in tennis, history and family genealogy.
Regular trips to visit grandparents near Banbury brought them through Wendover, and the idea formed of moving here, which they ultimately did after Mo’s retirement.
Immersing themselves in village life, Elizabeth had a keen interest in local walks, gardening, helping with meals-on-wheels deliveries and arranging flowers for services at St Mary’s Church where she also became a dedicated bellringer.
After Mo died in 2009 she adapted herself to independent life, widening her
interests to include canal renovation, the book club, trips with the u3a group and forming many close friendships in the village.
The slow advance of chondrosarcoma was cruel for one so healthy, yet her stoic resistance was a true mark of her character, and the family is indebted for the wonderful care of the district nurses and Florence Nightingale Hospice.
Elizabeth was 94 when she died in February, continuing her family’s impressive longevity, with both elder sisters attaining the same age, and their mother who was 100. Elizabeth was a doting grandmother to Emma, Tom and Sophie, a proud great-grandmother to Evie and Otto, and a dear friend to so many.
A service to celebrate her life will be held at St Mary’s at 2pm on Monday 14 April. Donations are invited to Florence Nightingale Hospice. No flowers please. Jim Sorrell
Learning for Results
The views expressed by contributors are their own and not necessarily the views of the editor. If you have a complaint or concern about content in Wendover News, please visit www.wendovernews.co.uk/complaints Postal address only – no visitors: 11 Manor Road, Wendover, HP22 6HL
When you have finished reading this edition of Wendover News, please pass it on to a friend or recycle it responsibly.
Elizabeth and Mo.
Councillor Elections
Wendover Parish CouncilView from the Clock Tower
Every four years we go to the polls for Buckinghamshire councillors and all of the parish councils too. The election date is 1st May and if you are interested in making a difference in the community and becoming a parish councillor then there may still be an opportunity to put your nomination in. Nominations close at 4pm on Wednesday 2nd April and need to be delivered in person to the Gateway building in Aylesbury.
There are often a lot of ideas on social media as to how the Council gets it wrong or should be doing other things, so now is the chance to get involved and support the community.
Annual Parish Meeting – Wendover Community Library – 17 April
Every year we hold a meeting to let the Parish know what we have been up to, how the money has been spent, and to seek comments and suggestions from the community. We also present the Wendover Community Awards, to recognise the work done by companies and individuals to improve the Wendover Community.
This year we have a special Community Showcase where local groups have stalls, so you can see a wide range of opportunities to get involved. Are you looking for a new hobby or find volunteering rewarding? Then this is the opportunity for you. Alternatively, if you are a local not-for-profit sports or community
Wendover Local Produce Market
Saturday 19 April, 10am to 2pm Manor Waste
We're looking for new traders! Contact estates@wendover-pc.gov.uk
group, there may be just enough time for us to squeeze you in. Give the office a call (see contacts on this page).
We must send our thanks to Wendover Community Library for letting us use their shiny new space for this event and meeting. For more details about the APM please see our website.
Could you be our next office support?
We are currently looking for a part-time admin assistant to support the work of the office team and Councillors. There is always a lot to do in Wendover and this will be a vital role in providing capacity so the team can deliver.
The position is 15 hours per week and offered on a 40 weeks per year basis (term time). As this is a new role it will be a 12-month fixed term contract, but we are looking to make it permanent in future if it works out. Salary is equivalent to £13.95 per hour. An ideal candidate will be organised in their approach, able to juggle multiple tasks and be able to use Microsoft Excel or similar spreadsheets. Details of the role are available at www.wendover-pc.gov.uk/vacandopp.
Easter Competition
Easter is late this year – but we are still planning an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday 19 April at our Local Produce Market on Manor Waste. This is free to enter and there will be prizes. More details on The WPC website.
Council,
01296 623056
clerk@wendover-pc-gov.uk
www.facebook.com/wendoverparish
Services in
Allotments
Every few years a number of allotment plots become available and this year we still have plots available at Hogtrough Lane and South Street Allotments can be fun and rewarding and both sites have a community around them.
If you are interested, please fill out the form at: www.wendover-pc.gov.uk/allotments or email estates@wendover-pc.gov.uk for more information.
Next Parish Council meeting: Annual Parish Meeting, 17 April, 7:30pm St Anne’s Hall, Aylesbury Road HP22 6JG Information about upcoming meetings: www.wendover-pc.gov.uk
Wendover Parish
The Clock Tower, High Street, Wendover HP22 6DU