In the Spring 2016 edition of Community News we bid a fond farewell to the Winchester Country Market, who had been a regular fixture every Friday morning at the Community Centre for over 20 years. A few tears were shed but the children from Badger Farm Pre-School raised the mood and a few smiles when they came in to sing and wish the traders well for the future.

Highlights of our other news

Badger Farm Toddlers were delighted back in November last year to receive a very generous grant from County Councillor Phil Bailey for £130.00. They have used the funds to purchase much needed art and craft materials for the children to use.

The children of Oliver’s Battery Primary School thought it would be a nice idea to send letters and home-made Christmas cards to those affected by the floods in Cumbria, in the hope that they could lift people’s spirits and show their appreciation for the support given. You can read some of the responses they received in return.

Topics for the spring meetings of the Hampshire & IOW Wildlife Trust at the Community Centre are In Search of the Endangered Ethiopian Wolf and Looking out for Wonderful Whales and Delightful Dolphins.

Oliver’s Battery WI started with a demonstration of Tai Chi and Chi Kung as a possible exercise to try. There are some superb speakers booked for the rest of the year. As well as speakers, the summer outing is being planned to Mapledurham House. By popular demand, the Annual Oliver’s Battery WI Plant Sale with Coffee and Cakes for Sale will take place as usual on the first Bank Holiday in May.

The newly founded charity, Oliver’s Battery Community Centre Limited, is up and running with plans to build a new community centre. It will provide a place for new clubs, societies and groups to base their activities, and a place where young and old can meet socially – especially those who don’t get out as much as they would like. It will also give existing user groups a secure future.

At Stanmore Primary School, Year 1 children had a big surprise one morning when they arrived into class to find their class rabbit had had seven babies! The annual Year 5 residential trip to the Out of Town Centre in Beaulieu was brilliant fun! In addition to mucking out the animals and making sure they had all been fed (before breakfast!) the children traced the source of a river, built survival shelters in the New Forest, toasted marshmallows round the camp fire and enjoyed the Top Gear experience at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.

On Monday 11th January Community First launched their new Volunteer Wessex website. The website has a really local feel, giving local organisations and volunteers across Winchester, Havant and East Hampshire the chance to advertise for help and find opportunities where they live. Community First helps other organisations find, recruit and support potential volunteers, but they also offer the same support and guidance to the potential volunteer.

The transfer of ownership of the Battery open space alongside St Mark’s Hall to the Parish Council from Hampshire County Council to Oliver’s Battery Parish Council was finally completed in December 2015. Now that the Parish Council owns the open space, we are planning the design of an interpretation board, to be placed at a suitable location on the Battery, to give an overview of the history of the site. In particular, the discovery of the grave of a Saxon chief and a bronze bowl during excavations in the 1930’s will feature. Increased use of the recreation ground, following the installation of the MUGA and new children’s play equipment, had led to a deterioration to the surface of the section of Texas Drive leading to the car park. In January work was undertaken to repair and improve the access to our highly valued recreation ground.

At Winchester City Council in January the Liberal Democrats tabled a motion at full Council to terminate the current Silver Hill Project due to ongoing delays and changes to the proposal. However, the scheme to replace the River Park Leisure Centre with one in Bar End is welcomed. There has been no more movement on Pitt Vale. The city planners are awaiting further information from Hampshire County Council and clarification on some points from Linden Homes.

Rev’d. Mike, Vicar of St Luke’s and St Mark’s, sends his Easter blessings.

In Tracy’s Feel-good Tips, you can learn the best way to get off the dieting roller coaster.

Our MP, Steve Brine, discusses legal highs: the concern felt by many constituents about these, the closure of a legal-high shop in Stockbridge Road and the new law, the Psychoactive Substances Act, which makes its return extremely difficult.

The “home corner” at Oliver’s Battery pre-school was transformed into a Chinese restaurant as the children explored the topic of the Chinese New Year. The children created lanterns, learnt about the Lion Dance and sampled some Chinese food.

The Oliver’s Battery Plan Questionnaire Response Rate hits 73%! Read all about the questionnaire, the analysis and action phases and what will happen next.

8 February was Clean Your Computer Day and Ann’s Computer Corner shares some good ways of tidying up your computer.

It was a dreary drizzly day for the Big Garden Birdwatch with a disappointing count probably having something to do with the mild temperature. Read more in Nature Notes from Oliver’s Battery.