8 New events at the library 13 Wendover community assets ................. 14 Climate Action Wendover 19 Kelvin Campbell tribute ......................... 15 New local infrastructure 16
About the Countrymen Club ................. 28 Club Corner 29
From the Clock Tower Back
Events – February 2026
Kimble & Ellesborough
Horticultural Society
Tue 3, 8pm, Stewart Hall, Little Kimble, HP17 OXN
Around Italy in 20 Vegetables with Paolo Arrigo from Franchi Seeds, the oldest family run seed company in the world which specialises in heritage and regional varieties. He will go round the twenty very varied regions of Italy explaining how to grow and plant the vegetables, as well as how to eat them. www.kehs.uk/
Chilterns Light Network
Published by Wendover Community News
CIC: A community-owned Company.
Editorial Team: Sean McCarthy, Simon Eccles, Jane Larkham, Jo Durden-Moore, Jon Theobald, Wynne Byford and Richard Byford
Coordination, ads, social media and online: Wynne Byford.
Production: Jon Theobald, Richard Byford, Simon Eccles and Wynne Byford
Accounts: James Harrington
Distribution and deliveries: Martin Gillett and 65 other brilliant volunteers!
We are a regulated media company funded entirely by advertising revenue. Please support our advertisers.
Weds, 7.30 for 8pm, Wendover Memorial Hall, HP22 6HF 4; The importance of detox, 11; Local food – foundation of wellbeing, 18; Strengthening intuitive guidance, 25; Improving physical wellbeing. Remaining dates and fuller details will be posted on the website. www. chilternslightnetwork.org
Fun and friendly group. £5 non-members. ChilternsLight@proton.me
RAF Flypasts: To celebrate the completion of training at RAF Halton, flypasts will take place, weather permitting, at 13:30 on Wednesdays 4 and 18 February.
Wendover Horticultural Society
Thu 5, 1-3pm, St Anne’s Hall, HP22 6JG
The speaker is Colin Roberts, Head Gardener at Adwell Estate, near Thame on “The versatility of Salvias”. which are apparently easy to grow and propagate. Price £3.00.
Poetry Please
Fri 6, 10.30am-12noon
Wendover Christian Centre HP22 6JG
Our theme will be ‘Occupations’. Bring a poem on the theme or another you enjoy. Everyone welcome!
Cholesbury-cum-St Leonards Local History Group
Fri, 6, 7.45pm, St Leonards Parish Hall, HP23 6NW
Speaker Paul Rabbitts, a prolific author on important character defining buildings of our towns, will talk about William Huckvale, Architect to the Rothschilds, and his influence on Tring.
It is not too late to become a member of the Group with an annual subscription of £12 providing free access to all the meetings. Alternatively, visitors are welcome at a fee of £5 per meeting. For further details see www. Cholesbury.com
Countrymen’s
Club
Mon 9 & 23 1.30-3.00pm
Road Farm, Great Missenden, HP16 9LS
A club for retired men at Countryways based at Road Farm, a working family farm. Meet and chat with like-minded countryside-loving gentlemen and participate in farm-related tasks. Booking is essential. A small voluntary charge is suggested £10-15pp per session, if affordable. www.roadfarmcountryways.com/
Politics Book Club
Mon 9, 7pm
Wendover Community Library, HP22 6DU ‘Fascism – A Warning’ by Madeleine Albright. Written by the first woman to serve as US Secretary of State and someone who experienced fascism as a child in war-torn Europe, Madeleine Albright uncovers how the legacy of Fascism shapes the world today. What do you think? Do come and take part in what is always a lively, engaging and fascinating debate. Everyone is welcome.
Protrust Consulting Wills Surgery
Tue 10, 12-2pm, Wendover Community Library, HP22 6DU To book a slot email: iain@protrustconsulting. co.uk or call Tel: 01296 415700. See ad p5.
Fat Quarters Patchwork & Quilting Group
Tue 10, 7.30pm
Great Missenden Memorial Hall HP16 9AE
Following the AGM the guest speaker Kalico Kay (Kay Goddard) will give her talk on “The Underground Railway, The Patterned Path to Freedom”. Visitors Welcome cost £6
Meetings are held on the second Tuesday each month.
For a full programme of workshops, talks and details of becoming a member, email fatquartersmissenden@gmail.com
Craft Group
Weds 11 & 25, 10am-12 noon, Wendover Christian Centre HP22 6JG
Craft Group provides time, space and friendly company to work on any kind of craft project. Please bring your own materials or come to see what others are doing. Coffee served at about 11am.
Board Game Café
Thus 12 & 26, 2-4pm Wendover Christian Centre HP22 6JG
Enjoy a variety of games old and new or bring your own to play with others. Open and free of charge for all ages.
Aylesbury Centre of the National Trust
Thu 12, 7.30pm
Broughton Junior School HP20 1NQ
Colin Browne speaks on ‘The RNLI: 200 years and counting’. Details from Hon Sec, phone 07399 540626 or email aylesburycentrent@ gmail.com, or on Facebook.
RSPB
Mon 16, 7.30 pm, Prebendal Hall Community Centre, HP19 7QW
‘The Curlew of Otmoor ‘ by David Wilding. David will look at work done in the Upper Thames Tributaries to save the curlew, with a particular focus on the RSPB’s work in the Otmoor Basin.
Curlews primarily use grassland habitats, including ancient hay meadows, lowland wet grassland and both semi-improved and improved agricultural grasslands, many of which are found in the floodplain of the River Thames and its tributaries. The highest density of Curlews is at Otmoor.
BBOWT
Tue 17, 7pm, Gt Missenden Memorial Centre HP22 6DJ
LEGACY FAIRS
Antiques & Collectors Market
Wendover Memorial Hall
Thursday 19 February 9am-2pm (Trade 8am)
Christopher Williams, CEO of the Royal Forestry Society will tell “The Story of Forestry in the UK”. Admission £5. Free refreshments and parking. all welcome, no need to book.
Book Club
Sat 21, 10.30 -11.30am
Wendover Christian Centre HP22 6JG No set books. Just come and hear what others have been reading and, if you wish, talk about something you’ve read – whether you loved it or not. We begin with coffee. All welcome.
Aylesbury Vale Stitchers
Sat 21, 2.30pm, ZOOM Online TALK
Wendy Dolan – ‘Inspirations from Indian Textiles’. An illustrated talk, exploring the colours and patterns of Indian textiles inspired by Wendy’s travels
Having visited a few regions of India and experienced a variety of crafts and textiles, she has developed designs in her own style. A talk full of colour with samples of stitched textiles. e:aylesburyvalestitchers@gmail.com
The Arts Society Ballinger Thu 26, 10am-3pm, Ballinger Village Hall, HP16 9LQ
How to get down from a Yak. Adventure in Central Asian Nomadic Textiles. Chris Aslan lived with nomadic yak herders for three years. His lecture will be on his experiences with these enigmatic people: their lives, beliefs and their little-known textile cultures. email ballinger@theartssociety.org or visit www.theartssocietyballinger.org.uk
Quiz Night at Bel and the Dragon Fri 27, 7.30pm, High St, Wendover Teams of up to 6 people. Test your knowledge, share some laughs.£20pp. See ad p4.
Weston Turville Historical Society Fri 27, 8pm, Weston Turville Village Hall ‘The Lollards of Amersham’ with Speaker, Dr Peter Burrows, a Cambridge graduate in Natural Sciences.
Many people living in the Chilterns have heard about the Amersham Lollards – half a dozen or so people burnt to death in Tudor times for their religious beliefs. But there’s a bit more to it than that. The Lollards – and the burning of Lollards, including those from the Chilterns – goes back well over a hundred years before the time of Henry VIII. Entrance – £2 members, £3 visitors.
REGULAR EVENTS
Discover Bucks Museum, Aylesbury Until 22 Feb 2026. Opening times vary Step back to the 1990s with the exhibition ‘I Grew Up 90’s.
Mons, 2-3pm, Aston Clinton Baptist Church, HP22 5EX Tues, 2-3pm, The Ark Stoke Mandeville HP22 5UT
Weds, 1.15-2.15pm, Wendover Health Centre HP22 6LD Thus, 2-3pm, Weston Turville Village Hall HP22 5RW Details: www.activeinthecommunity.org.uk/ seated-exercise. All classes £3 per session, cash on arrival. Book in advance with amelia. evans@aitc.org.uk or 07399 748803.
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.
Regular Busylizzy classes:
Mons, St Mary’s Church, Wendover 13:00 Baby Massage
13:45 Postnatal Yoga (babies welcome) Tues,St Anne’s Hall, Wendover 10:00 Postnatal Pilates (babies welcome) Thus, Wendover Memorial Hall 10:00 Postnatal Circuits (babies welcome) 13:15: Baby Music
Contact Emma to book on: 07418609829 www.busylizzy.co.uk/wendover
Simply Walks and Cycle Rides
Wendover – Tues: Weekly walks from Wendover Clock Tower, leaving 10am. You can socialise after at Wendover Christian Centre.
ST ANNE’S HALL to hire
For updates Tel: 07543 524212 or email: p.hetheringtonwh@gmail.com Entrance by donation to Charity
All enquiries to Angela German 07423 266713
stanneshallwendover@hotmail.co.uk
Great for Children’s Parties Ideal for Weddings & Functions Excellent kitchen facilities
Enquiries : 07804 671445 angelawmh@aol.co.uk
Aston Clinton – Thus: from Aston Clinton Park leave 10.30am. Meet beside “Your Café in the Park.” Refreshments 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
Liz Brown Yoga
Tues, 7pm, Wendover Memorial Hall Fris, 10.30am, St Anne’s Hall 1:1 Yoga Therapy by appointment | Online classes www.lizbrownyoga.co.uk | 07941 425187.
Diamond Bridge Club
Tues 6.45 for 7pm, Ellesborough Village Hall, HP17 0XA A friendly club with an ethos of playing bridge in a relaxed environment. If you have any questions or would like to join, contact the Membership Secretary at DBCAylesbury@ yahoo.com.
Cracklewick Morris
Tues 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
Compassionate Cafés
Wigginton: First Wed, 1.30-3pm, The Sports Ground Community Café, HP23 6HH Great Missenden: Last Wed, 11.30am, GM Library, HP16 0AL, www.bit.ly/3Zqn5RH Chiltern Neuro Centre, Halton Memory Café: First Fri, 10am-12pm, run by Ashridge Home Care For further information email Abbi at hello@ashridgehomecare.co.uk
Monthly meetings providing a space for local people affected by bereavement to meet others. See page 11.
Halton Art Group
Thus, 1.30-3.30pm, Halton Village Hall, HP22 5NG
Join in the fun with a small local art group. £15 per session. A tutor attends every 5 weeks, but mostly paint or draw what you like. Refreshments provided. Tel: 077538 41590.
Fitness and Fun for the Over-60’s
Thus, 2-3pm, Stoke Mandeville Community
FUTURE EVENTS IN MARCH
6; 7.30pm, Documentary film ‘Six Inches of Soil’, St Anne’s Hall organised by CLAW See p13.
7-8; Chilterns Neuro Pop-up Art Weekend
14; 10am-11.30am, Saturday Sleuths Crime Fiction Book Group, Wendover Library
21-22; Spring Market in Wendover Woods
24; Talk on AI at Wendover Library, see p13. 28; Wendover Repair Café Wendover Library.
Planning ahead?
Here’s the Wendover News next production dates. To ensure we have enough space, email newsdesk @wendovernews.org or advertising @wendovernews.org to let us know as early as possible.
Every other Thursday afternoon.
Wills
Lasting Powers of Attorney Estate Planning Trust Management Estate Administration
Inheritance Tax Planning Expert Advice on Later Life Planning
FREE Wills & Estate Planning Surgeries
Wendover Community Library High St , Wendover, Aylesbury, HP22 6DU
To book into one of our forthcoming surgeries or to make direct contact , please call me directly on 01296 415 700 or email me at iain@protrustconsulting.co.uk www.protrustconsulting.co uk
the BEST BITTER of the
to Saturday 10am to 5pm www.chilternbrewery.co.uk
• UPVC, Aluminium or Timber Frames
• Composite Doors
• Bi-folding & Patio Doors
• Secondary Glazing
• Single Glazing & Putty Work
• Splashbacks & Toughened Glass
• Rooflights & Lanterns
• Range of Heritage Products • Double Glazed Units
We are a local, Buckinghamshire, Independent Window, Door and Glazing Company with over 30 years experience in the industry. We offer a relaxed, friendly and professional design and installation service with all quotes and surveys free of charge. 01296 487586 or 01296 710044 enquiries@countyglassandglazing.co.uk www.countyglassandglazing.co.uk
9a Bessemer Crescent, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP19 8TF
Pick up your weekly fresh draught beer from the brewery shop County Glass and Glazing a division of Aylesbury Windows Co. Ltd
It's Your Wendover News - Have your say!
You are not just a reader of Wendover News
– you’re probably part of the community that it was set up to serve. By taking part in our simple online survey and sharing your opinions, you’ll be helping shape future issues and ensure our coverage reflects community interests. This brief survey only takes a few minutes to complete, and every response makes a difference.
Why we’re asking these questions
We seem to be doing quite well as it is, but we would like to do even better. The answers we collect from you will help us to:
• understand which age groups we are reaching,
• ensure coverage reflects different villages and neighbourhoods,
• make decisions about print distribution and digital content,
• tailor our content more accurately to reflect local priorities,
• strike the right balance between content and advertising,
• prioritise topics readers care most about,
• make your magazine more engaging,
• ensure valued features are maintained and developed.
How to participate
Begin by reading the questions, which are listed in the panel to the right. These are the same questions that you will be asked when you get to the online survey. You won’t need to cut the form out of the magazine – it’s just there to let you know what the online survey will be asking.
The online bit...
Scan the QR code below with a smartphone to access and complete the survey. Simply open your camera or QR scanner app, point it at the code, and follow the link to begin. The whole process should only take a couple of minutes.
Press ‘Submit’
The results will be published in a future issue once enough responses have been collected. Every contribution will help us improve Wendover News and ensure it reflects the whole community.
Please note that no other information other than your answers to the questions above, will be collected.
You can also complete the survey via the URL below www.shorturl.at/Su9aV
Local News
The year started with some very sad news for Wendover News. We learned that we had lost two very important people: Kelvin Campbell, who was part of our volunteer team, and also one of our longest advertisers, Mark Keenan.
Kelvin joined the Wendover News team just over a year ago and although he was with us for such a short time, his positive influence was immense. His tribute is on page 15 and includes contributions from many local people and some from very far away.
We also sadly heard from Lauren Keenan, the daughter of Mark Keenan who had advertised with Wendover News for probably over two decades. Lauren wrote: “On 22 October 2025, my dad, Mark Keenan, suddenly passed away aged 65. He was surrounded by family and close friends at the end and passed peacefully in Stoke Mandeville hospital following a sudden stroke.
“My Dad was a well-known handyman throughout the local area, working under the name ‘Inside-Out Property Maintenance’ and was relied upon by many in the community. He leaves behind me (as his only child), brothers, nephews and nieces as well as his mother Veronica, who turned 99 in December. He will be missed deeply by all those who knew and loved him. Thank you to all his customers over the years; my dad was not only a great handyman but a man who thoroughly enjoyed his job and loved meeting new people.”
Looking for funding to meet a community need?
February is often a good time to apply for funding if you have a project that will have a positive benefit to the community. You may be launching a new not-for-profit social enterprise or trying to get a worthy charity off the ground. If it is for the community, it’s worth making applications now, as most trusts and funding groups like to choose their beneficiaries around the beginning of their financial year – which for most, is April.
The Lionel Abel Smith Trust will be holding their 49th Annual meeting in the last week of April 2026 to consider grant applications from individuals and organisations from within Wendover and the Moor Park Estate. It now has an online application system. Chair, Bob Duggan says: “It is very user friendly, making an application for a grant is really straightforward, so if you are in need of financial support, please take a look at www. wendovertrust.org – we may be able to help.”
The trust is unusual, as it also awards funds for individuals who have opportunities that they can’t afford to pay for, themselves. Applications should be received by 13 March using the online system at www. wendovertrust.org or email to clerk@ wendovertrust.org. You can also write to the Clerk of the Trust, c/o Numbers Ltd, 32 High
Street Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6EA. Grants for urgent need will always be considered throughout the year. See the advertisement on front page.
Also Wendover-specific – as you would expect – is Wendover Parish Council. Slightly more stringent criteria are applied before they award funding, but in the past, they have kick-started some very successful organisations. Details of their scheme can be found on the back page of this issue of Wendover News
‘Circle of Security’ Courses
Starting in March, St Mary’s Church will be organising an eight-week course supporting parents to understand their child’s emotional needs. Circle of Security is research-based and focuses not on strategies for managing behaviour, but on strengthening emotional connection.
The concept is that every child is born longing for a close, secure relationship with their caregiver, and throughout the sessions parents will explore practical tools to help build and deepen that relationship. The sessions will take place on Wednesdays after school. Please contact jack.curham@ stmaryswendover.org if you would be interested in participating.
Youth Centre gets funding for Children in Need
Wendover Youth Centre has been given funding by Children in Need to implement a series of programmes to support neurodivergent young people and those with neurodivergent traits (for example, anxiety, mental health challenges, sensory sensitivities) in the local area.
Shanie Noakes, centre manager and SEN support worker, writes: One of our projects will be a hangout running on a Thursday evening. (6:30 – 8:00pm). In these sessions we are looking to foster a safe, relaxed space
LOCKERS PARK
through board games and arts and crafts. Here we will provide a low-pressure space for young people to pursue their interests and build positive relationships with peers, as well as receive any support for their well-being as needed.
The sessions will be as young person-led as possible, with plenty of opportunities to contribute ideas to activities and have a say in what the sessions will look like.
The hangout is aimed at students aged 11-14. Due to the nature of the café, there is only a limited number of spaces for attendees, so please get in touch if you’d like to sign-up! See ad p2.
Discover Saxon Wendover
The Saxons is a major new exhibition opening on Saturday 28 March at Discover Bucks Museum, exploring Buckinghamshire’s Saxon past through three extraordinary archaeological grave discoveries.
You can step into early medieval life as you encounter the princely burial at Taplow, the warlord of Marlow, and artefacts from graves uncovered at the Wendover Saxon cemetery — many on display for the first time. With immersive displays, life-like Saxon figures,
and hands-on experiences for families, this exhibition is promised to bring Saxon history vividly to life. For opening times and to book visit see www.discoverbucksmuseum.org
Memory cafés
The Halton Memory Café is a free monthly event for those living with dementia or memory issues. It is a welcoming space run by Ashridge Home Care and trained volunteers offering fun activities and a safe space for information and informative talks. There is free tea, coffee, cake and biscuits and all are welcome. It takes place every first Friday of the month at the Chilterns Neuro Centre. The next one is on Friday 6 February 10am to 12 noon. For further information please email Abbi at hello@ashridgehomecare.co.uk
Other Compassionate Cafés are are listed in our regular events section and take place in Wigginton on the first Wednesday of each month and in Great Missenden Library on the last Wednesday of the month.
Housing and change in Wendover
If you walk down Wendover High Street or the older parts of the surrounding villages, you might imagine that little has changed here in the last quarter century. People relished moving into the area 25 years ago and expected to stay put for a large part of their lives. But these days something seems to be changing every month. Are those days of timelessness in this part of Buckinghamshire gone forever? Despite all the change, most still think that this is a wonderful place to live. Even so, sometimes people need to move on and sell their home. If you are one of them, is this time of year worth considering, or is the market as dull as the early year weather? We asked Ross Final at estate agent Christopher Pallet.
He said: “Many homeowners in Wendover assume that spring is the obvious time to sell. Gardens look better, the days are longer and it feels like the natural moment to put a property on the market. Interestingly, both national data and what we see locally suggest that the earlier months of the year can be just
as strong, and in many cases even stronger.
“January, February and March consistently perform well when it comes to successful sales. Homes listed during this period are more likely to go on to complete and often secure buyers more quickly.
Wendover is an attractive area for potential buyers, he says. “The schools, transport links and community feel, sustain very positive conditions for sellers. Locally, we find that early year buyers in Wendover are highly motivated. Families planning around schools, commuters wanting to settle before summer and downsizers ready for their next step, tend to act decisively at this time of year. After Christmas, many people reset, make plans and commit to moving forward. That sense of clarity shows in how quickly buyers engage.”
He also pointed out that listing earlier in the year can mean fewer competing homes, more attention from buyers and stronger conversations around value. “Quite often, that leads to smoother negotiations and better outcomes,” he concludes.
Tribute to Anne Berry
Anne Berry, who died on Christmas Day 2025, is best remembered as Anne Milroy, wife of Geoffrey, Vicar of St Mary’s, Wendover from 1959 to his death in 1979. At that time her role as wife to the Vicar meant she came into contact with many people in Wendover.
In acknowledgement of all her hard work in this role and afterwards, she featured as Local Face in the June 2024 print edition of Wendover News, acknowledging her 100th birthday. You will find the online facsimile of the edition at: wendovernews.org/print-editions
She became well known as a local painter and her work was much sought after. Anne’s funeral was in St Mary’s Wendover on Wednesday 21 January 2025.
New card readers at Chiltern stations
“Regular travellers on Chiltern Railways will be familiar with the new gadgets called ‘card readers’ at local stations like Wendover. Those who travel less often might wonder ‘what card?’ Transport for London (TfL) has extended its reach deep into Buckinghamshire!” writes Jane Larkham.
Card readers for ‘tapping-in and -out’ on the Chiltern Line are now available at Wendover, Stoke Mandeville, Great Missenden and Aylesbury stations among others.
“If you want to buy the best-priced ticket for now, whatever time of day, just tap your bank card or other paying card on your way into the station, then out again at your destination station and continue to tap in and out as you travel around London by train or bus and TfL will calculate the cheapest price for all your journeys in that day up to a maximum. See especially the section on fare capping on the TfL website (or App).
If you have a discount card such as a Senior Railcard then the ticket machine outside the station building can apply the appropriate discount and issue tickets accordingly. If in doubt, the friendly ticket clerk behind the window in the ticket office will help you to buy the best ticket for your purpose.”
Using does not come without its hazards. It is important that you use the same card for both ends of your journey. You will be charged the maximum price for your journey if you don’t tap out, and the system may assume that you have travelled further than you have. If you are using the virtual wallet on your phone or watch, then ensure you have enough battery power left to last until you exit at your destination. It is worthwhile reading the small print about
it on the Chiltern Railways website: www. chilternrailways.co.uk/paygexpansion
There are no barriers at Wendover, Stoke Mandeville or Great Missenden stations so no problem with access. For specific informationabout travel in and around London go to https://tfl.gov.uk.
Could you help us get more survey responses?
Hopefully, you have seen our survey on page 7 and have responded or intend to do so? Could we ask another little favour?
With this survey, we particularly want to get the opinions of people who don’t read Wendover News, or who don’t find it particularly useful for their purposes. You
might be in a position to add their views to the survey.
If you know somebody in either of those categories, could you do us a favour and talk to them about the survey. Some might need help accessing it online.
A few minutes of your time could be hugely valuable to us. As well as completing the survey yourself, could you engage in conversation with other people who live in and around Wendover and the villages we cover? This could be an informal chat with other parents when collecting the kids from school, a chat with the folks down the pub or neighbours you bump into in the street.
Barking mad?
We rarely publish letters sent to the Editor, but we make exceptions when the writer is a dog. This came in from Biggles, who we understand is connected with Nicky Gregory:
“My name is Captain Biggles, I am a rescue Scottie who lives in Back Street. I am writing to everyone who lives in the area around my garden, to apologise for my exuberant and noisy barking. I have had several homes, the last with a lady who had dementia.
I am somewhat confused about life but beginning to believe I am safe and secure now. There is an abundance of squirrels in my garden, they run along the top of the fence and in the trees. I am not used to the freedom I have now, (or the squirrels) and find my excitement means I bark, bark, bark rather a lot and for this I apologise to you and my family!“ Biggles x
To avoid any misunderstandings, the headline to this piece does not refer to Nicky, but to Biggles.
Local experts to speak at Wendover Library
Francis Tipper writes: “We are lucky to have so many fascinating residents in and around Wendover who have a wealth of knowledge and expertise, so Friends of Wendover Library (FOWL) have invited a few of them to speak at our Thursday Speaker Events at Wendover Library.
The Speaker events will be held once a month, starting on Thursday 24 March, 2.30 – 4.00pm. The events are free and will be held in the large meeting room on a first come, first served basis. No ticket required. Just come along for a wonderfully informative, funny and lively talk where you will not only be entertained, you just may go away having learned something new!
At our first speaker event on 24 March you will meet Rob Sandberg, a long time Wendover resident, who is a computer expert. He started working on computers from a very young age and built his career for over 35 years in the computer games industry.
Rob’s talk, ‘If You Can Google, You Can AI: Unlocking the Internet’s Newest Superpower’ is, in his words, “a beginner-friendly guide to the internet’s newest tool.”
Many of us are curious about Artificial Intelligence (AI) but just don’t know where to start. Rob intends to show people how to use AI to write emails, plan meals, and answer
tricky questions — plus how to spot scams and stay safe. No technical skills required!
New Wendover Repair Café
Friends of Wendover Library (FOWL), with the help of u3a members, are launching the Wendover Repair Café on Saturday 28 March 2026 from 9.30 – 12.00 in the main meeting room at the library.
Repair Cafés are free meeting places and they’re all about repairing things that you would prefer to keep rather than just throw away.
Frances says: We are lucky to have found some amazing local, expert volunteers with repair skills in all kinds of fields: sewing, patching, darning, fixing small electrical or mechanical items, toys, ornaments or crockery.
In the warmer months, we would like to offer bicycle and woodwork repairs in the covered area outside the library. Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer phone and computer repairs.
We are still looking for more volunteer repairers, particularly those with sewing, electrical or mechanical skills. If you are interested in joining the repair café team as a repairer, even if you can just cover one or two Saturday sessions this year, please email either jenny.summerfield@hotmail.com or frances@ spokenwordltd.com
The Repair Café will then be held every 4th Saturday of the month throughout the year
at the library with the last one being held in November 2026.” Reminders of the dates will appear in the Events column of future Wendover News issues.
Saturday Sleuths Crime Fiction Book Group
“Love a good mystery? Wendover Library is inviting all you armchair detectives to channel your inner Miss Marple or Sherlock Holmes to the first in our series of monthly meetings exploring the crime fiction genre in a fun and friendly environment.”
The groups will be held on the second Saturday of each month. They are free to attend, and tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided. The first session will be Saturday 14 March, 10am-11.30am.
Each session will feature a group discussion around a popular crime fiction title. Whether you love thrilling mysteries, classic whodunits, modern police procedurals or cosy crime, then this is the group for you.
Crime journalist and crime fiction fan Carol Jenkins will lead the meeting. So, join us at our first Saturday Sleuths crime scene when we will provide you with the reading list and dates for the year.
There will also be a short presentation and discussion around the history of crime fiction and the reasons for its enduring popularity. You’ll also get the chance to vote for your favourite fictional detective.Email carol@ the-investigator.co.uk with any questions.
Have your say protecting popular walking areas
Do you use Walnut Tree Meadow or Barlow Wood? Wendover Parish Council is considering applying for them to be given the status of ‘Assets of Community Value’, which among other things, would protect them from being built upon in future. With a view to this, Wendover Parish Council has created a survey to ask residents for their views.
Frances Tipper, WPC councillor, says “A community asset is a legal safeguard for Wendover residents to shield the areas against immediate development. It will give Wendover a level of protection for our green spaces for future generations.”
If you don’t know them by name, Walnut Tree Meadow is the large area of publicly accessible land that stretches between the canal to the edge of Mercer’s Meadow and Bryant’s Acre.
At its north end is the Pursell Path which runs from Ashbrook Park to Oliver’s Bridge at the canal. It isn’t farmed, though the grass is mown once or twice per year.
Barlow Wood is the triangle of uncultivated wooded land that you reach when you cross Oliver’s Bridge. Both are easily reached and are popular with walkers and dog owners.
Walnut Tree Meadow is currently owned by Buckinghamshire Council, and the Wood
Community Climate Action Groups
Established
Following the Community Climate Action workshop in Weston Turville last October, seven groups have been formed to co-ordinate specific activities of CLAW, focusing on: 1) Biodiversity, 2) Education, 3) Food, 4) Retrofit for Carbon reduction, 5) Community Energy, 6) Electric Vehicle Sharing and 7) Active Travel.
is owned by the Barlow family which previously donated Hampden Meadow to the Parish Council, some 90 years ago. The community asset status would not change the legal ownership of the land.
The survey is called “Protecting Green Spaces in Wendover” and is available both online as in printed format. Residents’ answers to this survey will be used in support of an application to ask the owners if they’ll agree to protect the spaces as community assets.
Councillor Tipper explains “An area is considered an asset of community value if residents feel it boosts the social interest and social wellbeing of a local community. So, does the area provide a space for social interaction and engagement and does it contribute to mental and physical health for the community?
In the survey we are asking how often you use the areas, why you go there (maybe
All seven groups have subsequently met either in person or on-line to work out plans of action and begin to engage with relevant stakeholders.
More details will be published in Wendover News for each group in later editions, but should you be interested in finding out more about any of these groups please email SeanMcc58@outlook.com
Visit to a local regenerative farm
Members of CLAW travelled to the beautiful Bailey Hill Farm, run by John and Laura Chapman in Chalfont St. Giles, to discover how regenerative agriculture works in practice. The farm is managed in a way that supports the environment by grazing the land with native breeds such as Red Devon cattle which are suited to the land.
John showed how several pastures were seeded as herbal leys with a large variety of plants such as chicory, white clover and buttercup. This method of farming produces very high-quality beef and lamb sold under the farms trading name Native Beef and Lamb.
John has agreed to attend the CLAW screening of the film ‘Six Inches of Soil’ at St. Annes Hall in Wendover on Friday 6 March and answer questions about regenerative farming.
walking the dog or on the way to school) and what you like about each of them?
“All comments will be welcome, and the survey is open until the end of March.”
You can access the survey online here: www.bit.ly/49vQyyA or via the QR code on the right. Alternatively printed forms can be picked up from the WPC office at the Clock Tower, or from some of the shops along the High Street.
Preparation for tree planting
Lastly CLAW members have identified and sourced sapling specimen trees to be planted at the edges of Hampden Meadow and Witchell. The location of the young trees will maintain the open nature of the landscape. The specimen trees include deciduous native species such as Silver Birch, Field Maple and Mulberry. These have been particularly selected because they are well adapted to the local soil conditions and will enhance wildlife habitat and biodiversity.
CLAW to screen acclaimed Fight to Save Our Food film
CLAW is to screen the documentary film ‘Six Inches of Soil’ at St. Annes Hall in Wendover at 19:30 on Friday 6 March. This is the inspiring story of British farmers standing up against the industrial food system and transforming the way they produce food – to heal the soil, benefit our health and provide for local communities.
The documentary produced by Colin Ramsay has been seen worldwide including at COP28. After the screening a panel of experts with in-depth local farming knowledge will answer questions about issues raised in the film and how they apply to local food production and regenerative farming in general.
Kelvin Campbell: A Wendover Tribute
By Jo Durden-Moore and friends
Kelvin Campbell was an urbanist, writer and podcaster with more than forty years’ experience in urban design. He taught sustainable urban development at the University of Oxford and was an honorary professor at University College London. Internationally respected for his thinking on cities and communities, it was in Wendover that his ideas about place, people and change became most personal and most visible.
Kelvin and his wife Louise moved to the Old Mill in Wendover in early 2013, seeking not prestige or property, but community. From their first days, welcomed by neighbours on Hale Road, Kelvin felt the warmth and potential of the town. He often said that Wendover’s greatest asset was not its buildings or location, but its people. He recognised leadership, creative, strategic, social and professional strengths across the community and believed that, with shared purpose and civic duty, these could be mobilised to shape a future “well beyond our dreams”.
Those who knew Kelvin, including myself, speak repeatedly of three defining qualities. The first was his curiosity. Although he held strong views and a clear vision, he was always open to learning more. He was especially interested in young people, not as recipients of wisdom but as sources of insight. He listened carefully, asked questions, and offered time, encouragement and professional connections with generosity and humility.
The second was his forward-looking energy. Kelvin had an exceptional ability to imagine better futures and bring others with him through infectious enthusiasm. He believed communities should not simply react to pressure or change but actively shape it themselves. In a 2025 article for Wendover News, he argued that while it is easy to mobilise people around opposition, lasting progress requires a bold, positive vision. Acknowledging
pressures such as housing demand following HS2, he urged the town to act on its own terms and use change as a catalyst for strengthening community life.
Over the last years his tenacity shone through as he sought out many practical opportunities to reinforce Wendover as a thriving, functional place. His projects included creating a community hub near the Clocktower; transforming the long-derelict former scout hut on Heron Way into an arts venue; re-purposing the HS2-ravaged old cricket club into a community meeting hub; re-developing the soon-to-be closed RAF Halton space and many others. Always ensuring that any development focused on quality and was built on the historic and unique character of the town. With collaboration, committed organisation and a “fair wind”, he believed Wendover could do extraordinary things.
In late 2024, Kelvin joined the Wendover News team, generously hosting meetings at his home despite limited mobility. One of his lasting contributions was helping to re-imagine the publication as more than a magazine — as a platform for civic purpose, shared imagination and community leadership. He consistently pushed conversations further, encouraging ideas that are only now beginning to take shape.
The third was his warmth and sociability. Kelvin loved nothing more
than to socialise with whomever he could find to share his love of good discussion, often with a glass of something in his hand. His relationship with Tres Corazones captured his understanding of community at its most human. He never saw it simply as a restaurant serving delicious, authentic Spanish food and drink, but as part of Wendover’s social fabric. A place where people gathered, friendships formed and ideas flowed. Whether it was organising fundraisers for local charities there or helping to inject new energy into local initiatives, Tres to him was the epicentre of where things could happen for Wendover and all those loved it like he did. Right to the end, all he wanted was to be able to take Louise out for dinner there. He continued wheeling himself up the High Street until the final week of his life.
Often, Kelvin would return to a quote by Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” His legacy in Wendover is a living reminder of that truth. Through curiosity, generosity and many small, thoughtful actions, a wicked sense of humour and love of life, Kelvin Campbell quietly strengthened our community and helped it imagine a future shaped together.
Kelvin passed away peacefully on 30th December 2025, a detailed tribute of his incredible life can be found online at wendovernews.org/news/kelvin-campbell
What’s the plan?
By Richard Byford and Jon Theobald
The cover story
Christmas day was chosen for the start of a closure on the Chiltern Railways line going from Aylesbury to Marylebone, via Amersham. The closure was for Galliford Try, the contractors for the South East Aylesbury Link Road, to lift the prefabricated concrete deck components into place on to the bridge.
The bridge has been built to carry the dual carriageway over the railway and connect the roundabout on Stoke Mandeville Lower Road, to the half-built roundabout on the A413 between Bedgrove and Stoke Mandeville. The crane, pictured on the front cover, was said to be one of the largest in Europe.
If you’ve been stuck in roadworks and traffic jams over the last couple of years you may have been wondering “surely it’s not all HS2?”
And it’s not - Buckinghamshire Council is constructing a series of roads around the outskirts of Aylesbury to make it easier to travel round the town, rather than through it. This is intended to relieve congestion in the middle of the town with an additional benefit of making travel around the local area a lot easier.
It’s part of a strategic plan dating back to before 2010 and in some parts extending as far ahead as the 2040s. An additional effect of the new roads has been unlocking the development land for new housing, employment areas, and in some places, conservation zones.
❶ Stoke Mandeville Relief Road and (a bit of) SEALR
The first part of the new infrastructure opened in December 2025 and even its name caused some confusion. The new road leaves Lower Road (B4443) from a new roundabout
near the Belmore Centre. It begins as a dual carriageway, leading to another new roundabout, which at the moment has no other exits. From here it goes over the route of HS2 as a two-lane road to join the ‘old’ Risborough Road (A4010), north of Terrick, just by the Freemantle nursing home, and a newly created turning for the Goat Centre / Layby Farm business centre units.
It’s actually two roads – at least from the point of view of funding: The 0.45km part which is dual carriageway is called the South-east Aylesbury Link Road, Phase 2, although it was built before Phase 1. The cost of £25 million and was jointly funded from a source known as the The Aylesbury Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), and HS2. This is part of a UK government scheme providing over £172 million (November 2020) to Buckinghamshire Council for essential infrastructure to unlock the development of nearly 10,000 new homes.
The other 1.3km of that road, going over HS2 then running alongside it, is the Stoke Mandeville Relief Road and was constructed by local HS2 contractor, EKFB, and funded entirely by HS2 (cost undisclosed).
Feelings about the new road have been mixed in Stoke Mandeville. There’s clearly less traffic from the Risborough Road when the new road opened, as it was cut off permanently at the southern end of the village. Traffic travelling along Station Road is slightly less as the Wycombe to Aylesbury traffic now has a quicker route to get from the end of the Wendover Bypass to get to Stoke Mandeville Hospital and beyond.
There’s still a pinch point getting past the Gyratory in Aylesbury and most people would do virtually anything to avoid going through there in a rush hour. They will be looking forward to the next piece of the infrastructure coming into service - the South-east Aylesbury Link Road, Phase 1.
❷ South East Aylesbury Link Road Phase 1
This 1.1k piece of dual carriageway is due to open towards the end of this year at a total cost of £122.7 million. It is this road that relies on the bridge going over the
Aylesbury – Marylebone Chiltern Rail track, (via Amersham) where the crew of the huge crane spent their Christmas holiday, working (photo above).
When it opens, the roundabout by the Belmore on Lower Road, and the (current) half-roundabout on the Wendover Road between Bedgrove and Stoke Mandeville, will suddenly make sense. Traffic from Terrick will then have a direct route to the Wendover Road to access Wendover, Weston Turville and Aylesbury, via a slightly different route through the Gyratory, if anybody gets nostalgic.
A lot of local traffic will find themselves with more route options – for example Phase 1, running parallel to Stoke Mandeville’s Station Road should ease off the traffic along there. Such as traffic from Wendover going to Wycombe will pass straight down the Wendover Road, turn left at the new roundabout and sail down the SEALR dual-carriageway towards the Relief Road.
Other traffic, coming North from further out on the A4010, e.g. from Princes Risborough might still end up going through Bedgrove or Weston Turville on their journey beyond Aylesbury, towards Buckingham.
Those heading east will eventually be treated to a further stretch of new road, going from the Wendover Road/SEALR roundabout to the existing roundabout at the end of the A41 dual carriageway (Aston Clinton Bypass), through the new village of Hampden Fields.
Sitting alongside and bisected by SEALR Phase 1 will be the 1,350 houses as part of Aylesbury Garden Town phase 1 (AGT1), which is currently in Outline Planning Application status.
❸ Southern Link Road ‘Hampden Fields’
Most of the development that is currently underway is hidden from view. Taylor Wimpey is building up to 3,000 new homes in the area between Bedgrove, the A41,
Photo credit for front cover: skyeyeimagery
Christmas working over the
The Stoke Mandeville Relief Road is open. Photo credit: EKFB
Weston Turville and the Aylesbury Road. From what we have seen, a local centre is planned, community facilities, open spaces and a parkand-ride area near where the new road meets the A41. The 2.5km road will run through the middle of the linear village taking traffic from SEALR and from most roads leading in from the South and South-West and of course the areas East and North East of Aylesbury. It will remove some of the traffic that would have otherwise gone through Weston Turville and Wendover. All the new homes will inevitably create their own additional commuters wanting to drive on the same roads.
❹ Eastern Link Road (South) ‘Woodlands’
The final link in the chain will create a traffic corridor from Terrick at one end, to the new village of Kingsbrook at the other. The land on either side of the road includes about 1,600 new houses (AGT 3), sports venues, commercial and industrial units.
As you might expect from the name, there will also be quite a lot of woodland. Central to the construction is a new bridge to take traffic over the canal.
As we understand it, the latest estimate is that construction will begin early next year, with the road opening in 2028. Funding is likely to be an issue, as Buckinghamshire Council is unwilling and unable to deliver it out of ratepayer funds.
Looking at the bigger picture, the road joins with the completed ELR (North) road at the eastern end of Kingsbrook to connect with the A418 leading to Wing, Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes. It also provides a route into Aylesbury via Stocklake. For residents of Weston Turville and Aston Clinton, aside from their own journeys northeastwards, and into Aylesbury, there should be little change initially. However, the additional homes and businesses are likely to generate additional traffic in all directions.
❺ A413/A418 Link
If you drive the newly opened Stoke Mandeville Relief Road, you may wonder why
the roundabout, just past the HS2 bridge, has an exit built into it but not used.
If you look across at the Princes Risborough railway line, you will see that it now has an unused underbridge. This is where the A413/ A418 Link Road will go under the line to connect to the Oxford Road, which will be developed as part of the 1,550 home AGT2 development.
We understand that there are a number of problems attached to this part of the infrastructure and although it is currently being designed, there is no date available for the start of construction.
Talks are ongoing with a developer to incentivise them to build and open the road to enable marketing and promotion of the future development.
Aspirations
In longer term plans there are two more roads that might be built eventually, though at the moment they are both referred to as being ‘aspirational’.
No routes have been decided or details available yet, for the South Western Link Road (to link with the A413 Bicester Road) or the North East Link Road (linking Buckingham Road with the Wing/Leighton Buzzard road) –and may not be for some years.
These two roads will eventually complete a full circle around Aylesbury, and we can only hope that will see the end of the dreaded traffic cones and temporary traffic lights.
Chiltern Railways line. Photo
Eating Well Starts Locally
By Sean McCarthy
With an expanding basket of globally sourced foodstuffs, sometimes we might not notice the abundance of high quality produce right here on our doorsteps. Wendover and the surrounding villages are well placed to source delicious ingredients and food.
The region has given rise to a vast number of food producers, ranging from brewers, gin distillers, honey production, and a wide range of apple based products. These include juices and ciders, as well as soft fruit. In addition, there are of course local beef, lamb and poultry as well as venison.
More exotic food and drink is also being produced locally with the likes of Grandma’s Hot Sauce, first made in a kitchen in Wendover and available at the Block & Butcher or luxury chocolate from Rumsey’s in Wendover, whilst the Real Drinks company, that now produces their delicious Kombucha nearby in Waddesdon, originated from a local Wendover farm.
There are also more traditional delights from small scale bakers such as Lavenders and the Cookie Mill who can be found at the monthly Wendover local produce market and
Culture Bakery whose well-loved bread is sold in Sweeney’s and No.2 alongside their locally famous range of cheeses.
Ironically, even though Arla in Aston Clinton is one of the largest fresh milk processing plants in Europe, the chalk hills of the Chilterns were traditionally better suited to sheep and beef farming than dairying.
The thin, fast-draining soils and limited surface water meant there was never a strong local surplus of milk, which explains why the area did not develop a historic tradition of local cheeses, but excellent dairy products are available from farms such as Laceys near High Wycombe just 15 miles away.
There are real benefits to seeking out local food producers, not only are the products fresher and usually better, they don’t incur the environmental damage caused by “food miles”. Shopping locally helps make the regional supply chain more resilient and less likely to be impacted by international events.
Obviously it will always be more economic to import some foods, it is unlikely that the Chilterns will be growing bananas and coffee in the near future but being prepared to eat strawberries when they are in season in the UK instead of flying in soft fruit from around the world is no great hardship and may make them more of a treat when they are available.
Eating local produce is not only about supporting the local farmers and processors. It’s also about encouraging the whole retail supply chain, from farm shops and specialist delicatessens.
Church Farm shop in Weston Turville, Buckmoorend Farm Shop at Butlers Cross, No.2 in Wendover and the weekly markets and cafes are actively promoting good quality foodstuff. In fact it is often the smaller independent restaurants such as
the excellent Chequers Inn in Weston Turville that are willing to search for the best local ingredients for their clients.
In addition to the formal food supply chains, the Wendover area is fortunate to have a number of allotments and orchards that generate a cornucopia of fruit and vegetables. Some of their produce is turned into small batch products for sale – such as the delicious apple juice from the Dancers End Orchards.
There are also initiatives to encourage local food production, including that of honey, on what might be considered marginal land. There is also growing interest in small scale food production on land set aside for the use of residents in the local parishes. This is not only to feed people but to provide exercise, education and fun.
Blackberrying from hedgerows was commonplace before the giant supermarkets enabled all types of food stuff from around the world to be delivered to our doorsteps all year round. The abundance of high quality, relatively affordable food is welcome, but it would be great to make a little space on our tables for some real local delicacies.
Wendover News is planning to explore local food production in the coming months, so if you have any issues or ideas that you would like covered, please get in touch with Wendover News
Ivy in our trees: correcting the balance
By Dale Smith
Sean McCarthy’s article in the previous edition of Wendover News presented a good argument for a balanced approach to managing ivy. February is the ideal time to do so with maximum benefits and the least damage to wildlife.
Ivy is widespread across the Buckinghamshire countryside, and its flowers and berries are valuable to wildlife. It is also vigorous and highly competitive so left to its own devices, it will take over areas of ground as well as trees and shrubs. In a few years ivy can be several inches thick and reach into the
crown of a tree. This mature ivy is obviously harder to cut, especially where it’s grown into crevices and has enveloped the trunk. That requires a lot of time and effort.
When trees lose the competition for light, leaves cannot photosynthesise, so branches die off and it begins to decline. Dense ivy growth adds weight and creates the sail effect – where a strong gust of wind puts greater pressure on the tree and can cause it to topple. On the ground, where there is a dense mat of ivy, other species of plant cannot thrive.
Volunteers have been supporting Wendover Parish Council since April 2024, cutting ivy at the base of trees, as recommended by the consultant arboriculturist after the regular tree safety survey of the Witchell, Hampden Meadow and Ashbrook Recreation Ground.
The arboriculturist also agreed it makes sense to take an early preventive approach to young ivy on trees. Managing ivy therefore serves to protect trees and, in turn, the public, from the risk of falling branches and trees, whilst helping to balance the needs of different species of flora and fauna.
Our group of volunteers started work around the borders of Witchell and Chapel Lane and have since progressed to Hampden Meadow. 2026 will see more work there, including the trees on the South Street side where a lot of ivy is in the canopy. After we
have controlled the ivy there, more light should come through. We also hope to see a research project focusing on ground ivy. We have a friendly and effective group of volunteers, however, we could always do with more! No wildlife will be disturbed. Equipment and protective gear are provided. If you’d like to join the team at a session, email Phoebe at estates@wendover-pc.gov. uk. When the weather allows, we work for a couple of hours every first and third Monday, meeting at 10am at the Clock Tower.
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At the end of our Christmas ivy clearance session!
National nominations for local care provider
Edited by Richard Byford
A local employer and longtime Wendover News advertiser has been recognised for the investment it makes in staff and for its expertise in supporting end of life care – at the sector’s prestigious National Industry Awards
Amersham based, Ashridge Home Care, has been named a finalist in the 2026 Home Care Awards in not one, but two categories: Training & Development Expertise and Palliative / End-of-Life Care Expertise.
OUTSTANDING
Ashridge Home Care has become a trusted name in the region, delivering 24/7 live-in care and hourly visiting care to clients depending on their needs. Rated Outstanding in Caring by the Care Quality Commission, the company employs more than 100 carers and supports clients living with conditions
from a stroke, illness, or hospital stay. With company values based on Trust, Compassion, Respect, and Knowledge, Ashridge not only provides personalised home care but also works closely with local GPs, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, hospital discharge teams, and charities and local hospices. Its mission is to enable people to remain in their own homes and communities while maintaining close relationships, which are proven to enhance wellbeing and quality of life.
Founder Trudi said: “This recognition reflects the dedication, skill and compassion of our entire team, who work every day to deliver care that is thoughtful, personalised and rooted in dignity and respect. From continuous learning and professional development to providing sensitive, person-centred support at life’s most important moments, this is a true team achievement.
We’re so proud of everyone at Ashridge and grateful to our clients and their families for placing their trust in us. If you are looking for a change of career in the upcoming New Year, then do give our recruitment team a call.
We are always on the look out for people who share our values and want to give back in their local community. No previous experience just a willingness to learn and develop your skills.”
The Home Care Awards are well respected national awards, setting industry standards for home care and are renowned for their rigorous judging process. The Awards evening will take place on Friday 6th March 2026. If you’re looking for support for you or a loved one, call Client Services Manager Agata on Tel: 01494 917344.
Previously Wendover News has reported on the their triumph at the Buckinghamshire Business Awards in 2024, when they were awarded the ‘Excellence in Customer Experience’ and the ‘Community Champions Awards’.
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Culture, Visual and Performing Arts
The festive season saw many wonderful activities throughout December. The annual Wendover Christmas lights switch-on took place on 29 November and brought the community together on the Manor Waste. Hosted by Bucks Radio and organised by the Parish Council, the event featured festive performances from the cast of the new musical Vote For Father Christmas (see below) and Wendover Choral Society.
The highlight came at 5:30pm when local performer Jim Aldcroft switched on the lights. With food stalls, late-night shopping and family-friendly activities, the free event created a warm and inclusive festive atmosphere.
In Stoke Mandeville the Parish Council erected an enormous Christmas tree in the heart of the village, and hosted a singing session with Chiltern Concert Band playing well-known festive songs, and mulled wine and mince pies supplied by The Bull community pub. Weston Turville also hosted various Christmas events with singing, fayres. Throughout December there wasn’t a weekend that didn’t have something festive for families of all ages to join in and feel the festive fizz.
The Little Bird Gallery Christmas Fair showcased festive designs from local artists and makers.
The upstairs pop-up shop hosted at least ten creatives offering unique, handmade gifts, providing an excellent opportunity to support local talent. All the shops in the town decorated their windows beautifully and the lights in houses, gardens and the high street were a sight to see.
Throughout December, Chiltern View Ice Rink brought festive fun to many, as the Chiltern View Nursery was transformed into a magical
winter wonderland filled with Christmas cheer for all ages. Thousands of visitors young and old enjoyed skating, seasonal treats from the bar, a virtual reality sleigh ride, or simply watching the skating.
By popular demand the ice rink remained open into the first week of January, for children to squeeze in one more skate before the return to school.
Many music lovers headed to St Mary’s Church again the following weekend for Wendover Choral Society’s Christmas Concert on 6 December. Alongside instrumentalists and soloists, including local soprano Sara Bartlett, the choir continued to champion local performers.
Under new musical director Kenton Brigden, the choir showed a remarkable transformation, with confident, expressive and moving unaccompanied singing, from Poston’s Jesus Christ the Apple Tree to Stopford’s Lully, Lulla, Lullay. Lively contrasts followed, before Poston’s Nativity and Finzi’s In Terra Pax delivered an uplifting and memorable start to Christmas.
Jane Larkham writes about the brand-new musical Vote for Father Christmas which was written by Gary Wilmot who realised that the subject of Santa’s retirement had never been explored on stage.
“Drawing on his extensive experience in musical theatre and pantomime, Wilmot created the book, music and lyrics for a warm, imaginative Christmas show.
A Londoner born in 1954, Wilmot won New Faces in 1978 and later earned an
MBE for services to drama and charity. He was widely remembered for Me and My Girl and A Man for All Seasons and had recently appeared in Death in Paradise and Midsomer Murders.
The new production played to packed houses at Tring’s local DEMBE theatre and included a special Charity Gala Performance, supporting local causes. The musical took audiences on a festive journey from a toy shop to Lapland, a children’s hospital ward and fairyland, asking whether a new Father Christmas might also find love.
“Direction by Neil Gurney ensured smooth scene changes, while musical director Leslie Vincent delivered rich, varied orchestrations. Choreography by Emma Loveday showcased the dancers’ versatility. Premiered by Vale Musical Society, the show raised funds for Inspire Bucks and The Pepper Foundation. It proved a generous, joyful production, offering something for everyone and embodying the true spirit of Christmas.”
Wendover Singers Christmas Concert played to a packed St Mary’s Church, where much-loved carols and festive songs were performed by the 100-strong choir, including young children, with audience participation
Wendover Choral Society's Christmas Concert
Written and compiled by Jo
Cast of 'Vote For Father Christmas' singing in Wendover
Wendover Singers Christmas Concert at St Marys Church
and mulled wine.
There was also a moving talk from the Singers’ charity of the year, Lindengate, whose representative spoke how the support from the Singers had helped raise many thousands of pounds for the charity. This included the Sing Out for Mental Health concert.
Festivities continued into the New Year with a standout performance from The Dung Beatles at Wendover Memorial Hall on Saturday 10 January. Brought to Wendover by Wendover Singers, the evening also featured their musical director Jill Neenan as a special guest performer.
Formed in Aylesbury in 2012, The Dung Beatles have built a formidable reputation as one of the UK’s most respected Beatles tribute bands, praised by Friars Club founder David Stopps as “one of the best Beatles bands in the world.” That reputation was fully justified
on the night. The band delivered two energetic sets of more than 40 songs, combining iconic hits with lesser-known favourites that delighted dedicated fans.
Their performance captured the spirit, harmonies and musical detail of the original recordings, while retaining warmth, humour and a sense of fun that made the evening feel both authentic and accessible. The packed audience responded enthusiastically, dancing from the first number through to the encore, rounding off the festive season in joyful style.
What’s forthcoming in 2026
The first Real Magic Music event of 2026 with The Orielles has already sold out, but a special April show with Sister Ray Davies, visiting from the USA is announced. The Muscle Shoals–based duo of Adam Morrow and Jamie Sego make shimmering, fuzzy, folk-tinged music inspired by Slowdive, Ride and Yo La Tengo. Their acclaimed debut Holy Island reimagines Lindisfarne through atmosphere, melody and mood, earning praise from MOJO, Uncut and BBC Radio 6 Music. Performance at The Legion Club, and
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Chilterns Neuro Centre is hosting its annual Pop-Up Art Exhibition on 7 and 8 March. This popular event hosts many local artists and craftsmanship. Funds raised go to the centre, which helps many in the local community. More details can be found at www.popupartweekend.org.uk
Wendover Art Club meets monthly at St Anne’s Hall, Aylesbury Road, Wendover, on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 7.30 pm from September until May. Members go free, visitors are welcome for a small fee, but you do get a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits. More information at www. wendoverartclub.co.uk
Gusto Art Club, with Jaany Ravenscroft-Hull, meets Friday afternoons from 2-3pm at Gusto Café on Castle Park Road next to Ashbrook Park, for the winter term through until the end of March term, £15 a session, just go along or contact art.hub.ox@gmail.com
We would love to review more events and activities happening in our town and surrounding villages. To ensure things coming up are well publicised in advance, please get in touch at newsdesk@wendovernews.org Contact us on Mobile: 07970428201 · Email: contact@conserve-restore.com Web: www.conserve-restore.com Covering Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire
The Dung Beatles joined by Jill Neenan
Vinyl records are alive and well in Wendover
Word and photos by Richard Byford
Fame comes in many forms. One modest man in Wendover goes about his business without most people giving him a second look. Yet his photo is in over 22 million homes worldwide – mostly in the UK. Sean Rowley runs Real Magic Records, on the top floor of Real Magic Books on Kings Head Parade in the middle of Wendover High Street, where he sells mainly vinyl LPs.
Sean has many claims to fame: In the mid 1990s as a DJ, he joined tours for some top artistes, including Oasis and Paul Weller. He invented the concept for a radio show called All Back to Mine, in which he played songs from the record collections of celebrities of the day – as if he had gone to a party at their home and been invited to nose through their record collection. The show was launched on Christmas day 1997 on BBC Radio 1 and featured Noel Gallagher. The following year, the radio show moved to television and ran for nine episodes. Spotted by the BBC for his knowledge of popular culture and his easy-going light-hearted presentation style, in 2000, he was commissioned to present Head to Toe – a history of modern menswear. His earlier radio work established him as a regular, hosting a weekly show on BBC Radio London, which ran for eight years from 2001. In 2009, the show moved to BBC Kent, where in 2012 he won the silver Sony Radio Academy Award for Music Broadcaster of the Year.
Guilty pleasure
Sean created the format Guilty Pleasures concept for his BBC London radio show which he said was “reclaiming songs that that are viewed as slightly shameful to love”. He extended it into a successful live experience show at KOKO club in Camden Town. He also released five compilation albums, and the concept was taken up for television by ITV1 and hosted by Fearne Cotton, featuring performers including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Craig David, Supergrass and KT Tunstall. He has hosted and DJ’d at events around the world and at many major UK festivals, headlining stages at Glastonbury, Latitude, The Big Chill and Bestival. And the bit about the 22 million photographs? Well, that’s the number of copies of the Oasis album ‘What’s the story) Morning Glory sold, and Sean is the main figure in the photograph on the cover…
Sean’s record shop occupies the top floor of Real Magic Books, which is owned by his friend, Carl Gosling. He moved in after the success of running several ‘pop up’ shops there during the last year. Real Magic Records is open on Thursdays through to Sundays from 10am to 4pm apart from Saturdays when it opens at 9am and closes at 5pm. It is well stocked with thousands of LPs neatly presented and categorised by genre and the decade or period in which they were released. Most of them date back to the golden age of the 12” LP, but there’s a surprising amount from later years right up to the modern day. If you look carefully, you may notice a small number of CDs, possibly because they are not yet available in vinyl.
Why vinyl?
I wanted to find out why people buy vinyl records, when they can easily just stream music online. I asked Sean for a ‘sales pitch’ for vinyl as a prelude to talking about his business. He didn’t need time to think.
“It’s about LISTENING to music, rather than just hearing it. Music is all around – most of my customers have access to music on their smartphones, on the car radio, and in the
background when they are out shopping, but it’s just there. They are not invested in the music; they put it on in the background. With vinyl, it’s different. There is a ritual attached to playing a record. You must find the time – earn the time – to appreciate the music. It’s an event. You must have made a decision to listen.
The ritual
First, you choose the music. You might relish browsing through your selection for a particular record, or else a track comes to mind, prompted by something associated with it. Each track has its own connections, meanings and memories. There’s effort, and anticipation.
When you find the right one, you go through a familiar ritual which does something good for your brain. The process of turning on the audio equipment, checking the record, placing it on the turntable and lowering the arm. It’s an investment of time and a commitment to focus. Then the music starts – it’s as if you have entered into a performance of your own creation. You certainly don’t get that from online streaming, where the music just flows past you, rather than becoming part of you. What you put in, you get back. It’s a joyful experience. The music gets into you…” He thumped his chest with his hand and pointed to his heart.
Beginnings
“How did he decide to start selling LPs”? I asked. As he examined and carefully dusted a record with a specially designed micro vacuum cleaner, he said: “One day I looked at my huge collection of albums and realised that however long I live, I would probably never have time to play them all. So I started selling them. I’m also buying other peoples’ collections to sell as well now.”
Sean’s obvious passion for music is shared with his customers. In the short time I was with him, our conversation was interrupted by customers and visitors. Despite it being mid-morning on a Thursday, several came in to browse. A couple of them were regulars and started talking to him – and other customers – about albums, artistes, music, and shared passions. Within the space of less than an hour, at least four decades of music reminiscences had been discussed across the floor of the shop and customers left happy with purchases they had discovered hiding in the many boxes.
Some of the customers were clearly focussed on music from several decades ago. I asked him about the age profile of his customers. He said that although most are nostalgic about the heyday of vinyl LPs, there are also collectors on the look-out for much more recent music, including some literally from this decade. It seems that nostalgia is not just a thing of the past.
Coffee, gelato, crêpes and Gusto
By Richard Byford
One thing that Wendover does extremely well is small independent coffee shops. If you want to meet friends, acquaintances or just sit and relax over a nice cuppa, there is a greater density of them in the heart of Wendover than in most city centres. They are part of the glue that holds the community together – and one of the reasons that the area feels so welcoming. One outlier though, is quite away from the High Street and is unusual not just for its location, but for its ethos.
Gusto has been running for about 18 months now. It’s tucked away, about 50 yards down Castle Park road, a quiet residential cul-de-sac on the northern end of Wendover. There’s no other retail businesses in that part of the town to encourage passing trade, but it is right on the edge of Ashbrook Park, which is home to both a playground and a highly rated skateboard park.
When it was announced, the project seemed to offer more risk than reward. At the time Kristan Ecker was very clear: It was intended to be a focus for the community at that end of Wendover. Cash-flow and profitability would obviously be very important, but this was to be a lifestyle business with a strong purpose and ethos. At the time she had a well-paid corporate job and was very capable of setting up and running a business. She also knew there were many other things that were important in life.
From the outset, Gusto has had a range of coffee and tea options, varieties of pastries
and a selection of flavoured gelato. For anybody who is unaware what gelato actually is, Kristan explained “It’s like an upgrade to ice-cream!” She has since introduced a snack menu and intends to add exotic items to the menu such as crêpes and waffles. “I’m aiming to make Gusto a place that springs to mind when people think about when they need a good lunch or snack and don’t want a long drive to get it.”
With community in mind, she has already started hosting events and activities for people in the area. Visiting artist, Jaany runs art classes every Friday. From 2pm to 4pm on the third monday of each month, you will find a group of knitters and stitchers punctuating their cups of coffee and tea with their crafting.
It’s easy to imagine people being very confused when they visit Gusto from 10:30am on the first and third thursdays. They will walk in to find the building full of people speaking french. Nothing sinister or terribly serious, just the French social group doing what they do...
Other goings-on: Kids crafternoons and parties, and starting soon Peri-Meno socials with invited speakers. Some events and special sessions may include a participation fee. To find out more, email info@gustoworld.com, or better still walk in, order a coffee and start asking questions. If Kristan isn’t behind the counter when you visit, then just talk to the other people in there.
For Kristan, it’s about the people. She likens Gusto to a village hall. A social meeting place, a place for interesting events or just to meet people and read. Kristan made it clear that it’s not just about the beverages and food. People should appreciate and value their time, the social connections and the view into the park.
We had to ask about the cash-flow and profitability. Kristan is very proud of what she has achieved, but disappointed that the costs have increased beyond her most pessimistic estimates. She said “Like everybody with a business in Wendover, rates and the cost of employing people have gone up and in our case, the cost of ingredients has gone up. And in April the repayments on the cost of acquiring and renovating the building go up too.” But that won’t stop her living her life with Gusto.
Small Dean Viaduct parapet walls
Over the Christmas holiday EKFB installed parapet walls on the sides of the Small Dean Viaduct above the Chiltern Line. [Photo 1] Full overnight closures of the A413 are expected when the walls are extended over the road. This is being planned on eight weekday nights during the last fortnight in February.
Wendover Green Tunnel access
Work has begun on a new temporary access
HS2 update
track from the A413 which is needed to finish the northern end of the Green Tunnel structure. This will involve a full closure of the Wendover Bypass for a weekend, with traffic diverted through the village. The timing has not yet been decided but will probably be in late February or early March.
Spring Chamber Planning Application
As expected, Bucks Council approved the revised ‘Spring Chamber’ planning application with site access across the fields next to Kings Farm Shop at Nash Lee End, rather than the original Dobbins Lane proposal. Work is expected to start in the spring, and should take up to three months. This will include the removal of the fencing in the fields behind Lionel Avenue and Bridleways.
‘Wendover after HS2’
The community feedback from the November Public Meeting has been analysed and a report is available on our website tinyurl.com/ lifeafterHS2
The key points are an overwhelming preference for more train noise mitigation and ensuring a decent footpath between Wendover and the Ridgeway, with a safe crossing of Ellesborough Road. There was also strong objection to providing more car parking for Ridgeway/Coombe Hill visitors. We’re already talking to HS2 and Bucks Council about these points.
At the old Cricket Ground site there was strong preference for a ‘community asset,’ and we will be consulting with various local groups that have suggested new uses for the area. HS2 is interested in hearing from us what the community would like, but it has not yet decided how much land will be returned from public ownership.
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, then get in touch at enquiries@whs2.org
Small Dean Viaduct with pararpets installed, giving an early impression of how the viaduct will look when they are installed over the main road. Photo: Murray Cooke
This photo, taken by Murray Cooke, shows how sections of the green tunnel are backfilled with crushed rock after a layer of waterproofing is fixed to the assembled pre-cast segments. The backfilling needs to be very carefully managed as it ultimately adds greatly to the strength of the structure.
Winter wildlife watching around Wendover
By Sean McCarthy and Richard Birch
Living around Wendover we don’t have far to go for good views of colourful and interesting bird species. Richard Birch, chair of the Wendover branch of the Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) describes a favourite winter walk to see some local wildlife.
“I start by picking up my binoculars and heading to Weston Turville Reservoir. Parking by the entrance on the bend in Halton Lane then walking straight ahead, then there is a left turn by the fence of Perch cottage gardens. Here you can enjoy the sounds of three woodland birds. They will be seeking mates and nesting sites in the tall trees: the great spotted woodpecker, nuthatch and stock dove. Mug up on their calls before you go – the RSPB website will help with this.
If you carry on along the main path, you will come to the Aylesbury Sailing Club compound, where you need to quietly follow their fence to the waterside. Come out into the open slowly and you may well get close views of birds on the club jetties to your right, possibly including cormorants, wagtails, egyptian geese and occasionally passage migrants like common sandpipers. Our main target here may be out on the open water – coot, mallard and black and white tufted ducks.
By February the great crested grebe will be on the lookout for a mate to whom he will offer gifts such as water weed or a fish, often
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dancing on his webbed feet to give himself a height advantage and fluffing out his copper mane.
A pair of mute swans will usually also put in an appearance having repaired their regular nest on the far side of the lake – and seen off the pesky canada geese.
If you continue your walk around the reserve from the dam, you will get more views of birds on the water and banks, as well as of the hills above Wendover. The walk takes about 90 minutes. Bear left to follow the west side path back to Halton Lane. The thicket between the path and the water often has bullfinches in winter and the reed bed by the old tin hide may have a pair of reed buntings, the male having a striking black and white head.
Recently yellowhammers have been spotted feeding in the cereal field to the right
of this path and you might even encounter a skylark.
If you enjoy this sort of walk, consider heading for College Lake Reserve, near Tring. If you fancy a hot coffee or chocolate with your birds, head for the visitor centre, which is open every day except Mondays.
Nearby in Graham’s Hide, you will find a wall chart with many of the lake birds illustrated.
This is also a fine place to view winter duck like shoveler, wigeon and gadwall and the edge right below the hide is a favourite spot for water rail.
Details of all BBOWT reserves and the many events at College Lake are at www.bbowt. org.uk. If you would like a monthly reminder of what is going on locally, please sign up with me, the chair of BBOWT Chilterns Group richardbirch60@yahoo.com.”
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Countrymen Club brings retired men together on the farm
Emily Reddy
Since its formation in 2019, the Countrymen Club at Countryways has offered a lifeline of connection, wellbeing, and purpose for retired men who share a love of the countryside and outdoor life.
Meeting about once per fortnight at Road Farm, off the A413 between Wendover and Great Missenden, the club provides a welcoming space where members can enjoy tinkering in the polytunnel, helping with practical jobs on the farm, interacting with the care farm donkeys and goats, socialising with others, and importantly, forges a strong sense of belonging.
Road Farm occupies 100 hectares with mixed arable and livestock, nestled at the head of the Misbourne Valley. You may have driven along the A413 approaching Leather Lane and spotted the beautiful hedge
opposite that was recently re-laid using the traditional methods, with the farm’s cattle and sheep grazing beyond. The farm setting provides the backdrop for the group’s
activities, offering opportunities for hands-on engagement, chatter and discussion, problem-solving and the therapeutic benefits of fresh air, animals, and nature.
What marks the Countrymen apart is the focus on men over 55, an age group that is often overlooked by the care world. Research by the charity Independent Age shows that older men are more socially isolated than older women, with significantly less contact with their children, family and friends than older women.
Positive activity
The Countrymen Club was established to support men – often those living with long-term health conditions, isolation, or the challenges of later life – by reconnecting them with nature and the farming environment they know and love. Whether it’s tending to livestock, maintaining the grounds, sharing stories from years on the land, or simply enjoying a cup of tea in good company, each session offers laughter, purpose, and friendship.
Many of our members have worked outdoors for much of their lives. When they can no longer work in the same way, some
miss that sense of purpose and community
The Countrymen Club gives them that back – it’s about keeping active, staying social, and feeling part of something meaningful.
The club is registered as a CIC (Community Interest Company) and a voluntary donation of £10-15 is asked for an afternoon on the farm, which helps to cover some of the costs of running the club.
Most Countrymen self-fund, though some rely on charity funding or NHS personal budgets. And while the men are safely at the group, their loved one or carer gets a couple of hours of leisure time to themselves, which we’re told is priceless!
As one Countrymen Club member put it: “It’s not just about the farm work—it’s about friendship, laughter, and feeling useful again.”
The Countrymen Club welcomes new members who wish to spend time outdoors, share experiences, and be part of a friendly, down-to-earth community rooted in country life.
To find out more visit www. roadfarmcountryways.com/countrymen or email office.rfcountryways@gmail.com to request a trial visit (subject to availability).
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Club Corner
Volunteering at Wendover Swimming Pool
Are you a competent swimmer and comfortable going underwater? Do you fancy giving back to your local community swimming pool?
Wendover Swimming Pool is running a course for new lifeguards (NRASTC) on Saturday 28 February from midday to 7pm; and Sunday 1 March from 9am to 6pm. All training is paid for by Wendover Swimming Pool on the understanding that volunteers commit to helping approximately four hours per month for the duration of the certificate (two years). Candidates should be over 16 by the course date.
Also, the pool organisers are looking for someone to help with the recruitment and induction of volunteers on the reception desk. This person will ideally have a current DBS and be confident working with young people aged 13+. This role involves some admin (including scheduling), communication with parents and young volunteers in person and via phone/messaging and ensuring adequate safeguarding procedures are in place. For an informal chat about either role or to learn about other roles at the pool that might interest you, please contact Mel on 07546 550540 or Jackie by email at jackie@ wendoverswimmingpool.co.uk
Wendover Sparrowhawks Netball Club
Charlotte Winning, vice chairman and kit manager of the club writes: The club is powering through the 2025 winter season with resilience, teamwork, and a renewed focus on elevating our presence on and off the court. With our three senior squads, Golds, Ambers and Blacks, competing respectively in Divisions 2, 3, and 4 of the Aylesbury & District Netball League (ADNL), we’re continuing to build on the strong foundations our club is known for.
We’re also incredibly proud of our two established youth teams, Golds Youth and Blacks Youth, who compete in the ADNL junior divisions. Across both senior and youth pathways, our club now consists of over 50 dedicated players.
One of our biggest challenges this winter has been the ongoing struggle to secure an indoor training venue. Despite this, our players have shown unbelievable commitment, training outdoors every single week regardless of freezing temperatures, rain, or wind. This determination has become a defining strength of our club and truly reflects the dedication within our teams.
We’re also thrilled to share that our application for a Lionel Abel-Smith grant has been accepted, something we are massively grateful for. This additional support towards our court fees will help us continue improving and strengthening our club.
This season, we’ve made it a major priority to professionalise and modernise our kit and overall appearance. Our 2025 sponsors have been instrumental in making this happen, allowing our senior squads to step onto court with a unified, elevated look that reflects the hard work happening across the divisions. We want to say a huge thank you to Bel & The Dragon Wendover, EcoOnline, and Smart GreenTech Solutions for sponsoring us this season.
Alongside everything happening on court, we’ve been expanding our digital presence too. We recently launched our official TikTok account, @wendoversparrowhawksnetball,
where we share match clips, training highlights, and behind the scenes moments. You can also find us on Instagram @ wendoversparrowhawks and on Facebook at “Wendover Ladies Netball Club – The Sparrowhawks.”
With strong performances across all divisions, committed youth pathways, generous sponsors, and an ever-growing community presence, we’re proud to continue representing Wendover throughout the ADNL season.
If you’re interested in joining, supporting, or sponsoring the club, please get in touch with us at wendoverladiesnetball@hotmail. com.
Wendover Bowls Club
Don Knight writes: Good heavens! Where did 2025 go? Looking back it is good to see the club thriving with a steady increase in membership and a sound financial position. We are very much part of our community as we have been for more than 120 years, which is best shown by the fund-raising efforts of Jane Andrews and her helpers, who over the
Club photo from a recent breast cancer awareness training session
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year have made well over £1,000 for charity, including a magnificent £311 for the Heart Foundation at the last coffee morning.
Sadly we have lost several members recently including two of our trustees. I mentioned Malcolm Warr in the last issue, but we were saddened to lose Brian Harrison who also passed away. All will be missed as members and friends.
Our new social secretary has been beavering away arranging various distractions for us.
On the bowls front the two club teams, the Dark Greens and the Light Greens, have been engaged in warfare with other clubs as usual. There is still a reluctance to put names forward for matches while enjoying our informal “roll ups.” The usual excuse is to say they feel they are not good enough. But if you don’t try you will never find out. And no one will ever grumble if you are not on form, so long as you try.
I took up bowls a few years ago when I found my other pastime was getting a bit too physically demanding. Even so time is catching up and when I kneel down to measure a close shot it is not always certain I will get up again. I blame Sir Isaac Newton, who should have eaten the apple that fell on his head instead of inventing gravity. Still there is usually a helping hand to get me vertical again. After all it is difficult enough trying to bowl round that wretched wooden block halfway down the mat, without having to deal with a beached pensioner at the far end.
Wendover Cricket Club
Club captain Jonathan Seabrook writes: Junior cricket training is well underway and places are available for boys and girls in several age groups, so please email wccjuniorscontact@ gmail.com if your child (age 8-15) is interested in joining us. We're excited to begin the 50th year of junior cricket at Wendover, which began way back in 1977; there will be a range of anniversary activities taking place across the year.
Senior nets started on Sunday 18 January and fixtures have been issued for the club’s
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Regarding the new cricket ground, the pavilion is now weather-tight, although the larch cladding will be installed later. Outside, 70% of the parking has been constructed and the base course laid, awaiting the permeable paving on top. With the recent rains, the balancing pond at the bottom of the site is doing its job in holding the run-off water.
Unfortunately, the proposed open day date (25 April) has had to be delayed, hopefully to early July, due to works around the site which won’t now be started/completed until April, then needs a period to establish. Its timely completion will be weather-dependent.
Happiness is Scottish Country Dancing!
Liz Mitchell writes: We welcome the chance to be involved in local activities and the Christmas Tree Festival in St Michael’s Church allowed us to increase awareness of our club and participate in a wonderful community event. It’s also good to embrace the culture of Scotland by celebrating Burns’ Night on 25 January, to celebrate at our own special event we’ll be dancing to live music.
We held a very successful Christmas Dance with everyone enjoying some thrilling music from Ian Robertson’s band and getting into the Christmas spirit. We were also joined by two members from our twin club (the CadiLonians Group) in Jerez, Spain. This twinning arrangement is flourishing, with three of our teachers having visited Jerez last year to run classes
and MC dances. This bond will be further strengthened when 13 of our dancers attend the annual Iberian Weekend in Cadiz in March – hosted this year by the CadiLonians. This event, when all Scottish country dance groups in Portugal and Spain come together for a weekend of dancing, will be attended by around 170 dancers and we’re very proud to be representing our club.
For those dancers who won’t be travelling to Spain, we’ll be having a special themed Seville Marmalade Evening involving some appropriately named dances – ‘The Duke and Duchess of Marmalade’ and ‘Les Ramparts de Seville.’ Some award-winning marmalade made by one of our dancers will be on sale with all proceeds going to this year’s charity.
So our dancing is taking on a Spanish feel this term – but as Scottish country dancing is done all over the world the possibilities for themed evenings are endless!
This term’s beginners’ class has now started but if you’d like to “Dance Scottish” and share our happiness, please check our website for further information and to book a place. You don’t need to be Scottish, have a partner, experience or equipment.
www.lucyclarkscottish.org
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Wendover Parish CouncilView from the Clock Tower
Grants and money for local community groups
We provide financial support to local groups to help kick-start new initiatives or complete projects that benefit Wendover residents.
In the past we have supported the Community Car, the Church AV system, St Annes hall, Wendover Memorial Hall, Wendover singers, local schools and nurseries.
Whilst we don’t normally provide money for staff, or running costs, we can help with getting ideas off the ground or to buy capital equipment. The deadline is 10th February for submissions and details can be found at: www.wendover-pc.gov.uk/grants or on our website at THE COUNCIL > GRANTS.
Local Produce Market
We pride ourselves that when we call it local … it is! Most of the stalls are from within eight miles of Wendover and the market has a friendly local feel. We are always happy to talk to new traders – if you have a craft or hobby and are looking to dip your toe in the water, we offer free pitch introductory deals for market stalls so please get in touch with estates@wendover-pc.gov.uk
We also have free spaces for local community groups and charities to raise awareness, recruit volunteers, or fundraise – again get in touch if you are interested. The charity and community stalls are subject to space and availability, but we can normally fit you in.
Wendover Local Produce Market
2026 dates for the market are:
21st February
21st March
18th April
16th May
20th June
18th July
15th August
19th September
17th October
21st November
19th December
Streetlights and part-night lighting
We recently held a survey about turning off streetlights in the side roads of Wendover. We are currently awaiting costings to undertake changes and look into the feasibility of any changes to assess if we should continue this project.
We appreciate that a lot of people felt frustrated there was not a ‘do nothing’ option and are concerned around safety but this was a survey about what change would be acceptable. The Council will always take safety considerations into account before making any decision. More details on all our projects can be found on our website at: https://www.wendover-pc.gov.uk/project or under THE COUNCIL > PROJECTS on our website
Community Land
We are currently trying to identify areas of land around Wendover that the community values, to apply to protect those spaces –please see the article on page 14 to help us with feedback about two areas we are working on.
Hampden Pond Works
You may see some works at the pond as we seek to maintain a steady pond level. A consistent water level will enable the development of a greater number of marginal plants, and improve water quality. The enhanced habitat will allow the Council to consider re-stocking with fish and offer the pond as a heat pump water-source for St Mary’s Church. The works will require some management of access to the pond, but this will be temporary and when completed will have no impact on the space.
Trees
Sadly, a recent tree inspection has identified that we have a few trees that now need attention – including many around the pond. We have got ash dieback and other issues so have no option in some cases but to remove trees.
We are going to stagger any felling works and see if any trees can be saved. However, if they can be, it will only be by a dramatic cutting back. You will be able to see the impact of these works for several years, but it is necessary.
The Parish Council has been a net planter of trees with many more planted than removed in the past few years. We also support Climate Action Wendover (CLAW) in planting trees in their wildbelt and in designated Parish Council spaces.
Wendover Parish Council l The Clock Tower, High Street, Wendover HP22 6DU l Tel 01296 623056 clerk@wendover-pc-gov.uk www.facebook.com/wendoverparish
Sat 21 February, 10am–2pm Manor Waste
Contact estates@wendover-pc.gov.uk
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Sunday Church Services in Wendover
• St Anne’s: 9am Mass
• St Mary’s: 9am and 10.45am
• Wendover Free Church: 10.45am
St Anne’s Roman Catholic Church – 07753 633713 stanneswendover.uk
St Mary’s Church of England – 01296 696136 / 623123 stmaryswendover.org Wendover Free Church – 01296 622354 wendoverfreechurch.org.uk
Next Parish Council meeting: 3 February, 7:4 0pm Main Meeting room, Wendover Library Information about upcoming meetings: www.wendover-pc.gov.uk
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