As this wonderful Indian summer comes to a close, take a look at the Autumn 2019 edition of Community News.

Community News is brought to you by the Badger Farm & Oliver’s Battery Residents’ Community Association (BFOBRCA). A registered charity, the Association runs Badger Farm Community Centre for the benefit of all members of our local community. It is managed by a committee of Trustees, all of whom are local residents and volunteers. Every summer, the Joint Chairpersons of the Trustees are pleased to share their Annual Report with our readers and this features on the front page of this edition.

The Chat-Tea Café goes from strength to strength. Started back in January to offer a warm welcome to those in the community feeling isolated or lonely, the café offers free cake and tea and conversation. In an exciting development, they have a range of guest speakers and choirs planned for future cafés. Please note the new time of 2pm to 4pm for all future cafés.

Community Centre News

• Starting on 2 September, Jan Dawkins and Ali Cochrane are sharing the role of Centre Administrator. Each will work two and a half days a week. Their schedule will vary from week to week, but there will always be someone in the office during our normal office hours to deal with your queries.
• In news from our hirers, we are sorry that the Freestyle Combat Karate classes are no longer running. We have a new Dementia Activity Group on Friday mornings.

News from our Local Schools

• Badger Farm Pre-school Playgroup has had another successful year, but sadly said goodbye to Mrs Esther and Mrs House. They enjoyed a trip to Moors Country Park and enjoyed a successful Sports Day.
• Over 250 former pupils and staff celebrated Stanmore School‘s 90th anniversary with a BIG
  tea party on Friday 19 July.
• Oliver’s Battery Primary School celebrated the summer with a sunny Sports Day and a trip to Paultons Park. They are looking for a lunch time supervisor to join the team on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
• Oliver’s Battery Preschool  celebrated their 20th anniversary and are looking forward to another decade of providing preschool education to the community.
  
  

  “While looking forward to the next decade we need to update our building and would like to offer the community an opportunity to help us out so that we can carry on providing excellent preschool education in the heart of our community at a time when so many providers have had to close. If you can help us with this fundraising project please contact us.”

  
  

Parish and Government News

• Oliver’s Battery Parish Council reports on the recreation ground, updates us on the status of application for the large open field around Texas Drive and Yew Hill Butterfly Reserve to be designated an Asset of Community Value, the re-establishment of public rights of way in the area and bench renovation.
• Badger Farm Parish Council have been improving our playgrounds and are working with the Lengthsman to tidy up the greenery in the parish. They have grants available for voluntary organisations and community groups that provide a service that benefits the residents of Badger Farm.
• There are changes at the top of Hampshire County Council: Councillor Keith Mans has been elected as the new County Council Leader and Councillor
  Charles Choudhary has been elected as Chairman. A Climate Change Cabinet is being convened and, as part of an energy reduction programme, changes to street lighting are being refined. Hampshire residents can use a van, pick-up or trailer longer than 1.8m to transport their own household waste for disposal with a permit.
• Winchester City Council are working hard to ensure that the environment and reducing the Carbon Footprint is central to everything that they do. They have been meeting with Hampshire County Council about a number of sustainability projects. The Winchester Sports and Leisure Centre is progressing well. The hot weather exacerbated problems with bin collections; this is being tackled.
• MP Steve Brine lead a special ‘Schools in Winchester’ debate in the House of Commons recently covering funding, capital projects, teachers’ pensions, the work of PTA’s as well as high needs provision and was contributed to by a number of headteachers from across my constituency where every school bar one is either ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ at the current time. He closed the debate with a plea to the Schools Minister, and the new Prime Minister, to produce a long-term funded plan for schools as has recently happened for the NHS where he was until recently a Minister.

News from Local Organisations and Clubs

• Our local Wildlife Trust will be enjoying meetings on ‘Looking After The New Forest’, ‘Solitary Bees and Wasps’ and ‘Wildlife in an Otterbourne Backyard and Beyond’ at the Community Centre this autumn as well as walks at Rooksbury Mill Local Nature Reserve and Titchfield.
• Winchester Horticultural Society will learn about ‘Growing in raised beds’, ‘Highdown Gardens: Secrets of a great chalk garden’ and ‘Exploring the North Island of New Zealand’.
• Oliver’s Battery WI are returning to Oliver’s Battery in September, meeting in St Mark’s Church Hall again, exploring topics such as  ‘Meet the Auctioneer – Peter Raw’, ‘My Life in Stitch by Alison Hulme’, and ‘Grandma flew Spitfires by John Webster’ as well as enjoying their Christmas party with Dance demonstration in December.
• There are only two active Neighbourhood Watch schemes in our parishes; do get in touch if you’d like to establish a new one. Sandie, our NW representative, has a  ‘Home Security Challenge’ you can use to check the security of your property. She asks everyone to  be mindful of any vulnerable or elderly neighbours.
• The Good Neighbours Network ask for volunteers to help transport those with difficulty getting to and from medical appointments.

General News

• Clare Shorter, a concerned Olly B resident, helps us understand the Climate Emergency and what we can do to help.
• Local nutritionist Amanda Turner explains the many health benefits of the blackberries abundantly available on Bushfield Common.
• Simon Lever enjoys the autumn colours on “A walk on the bright side” through the Water Meadows and up St. Giles’ Hill.
  
  

  The scenic beauty of St. Giles’ Hill is enhanced by the all-round vistas: in one direction, St Catherine’s Hill in the distance; in another, the Cathedral rising up out of the centre. From an observationplatform the shades of Autumn bless the city centre with warmth and majesty

  
  
• In Tech Talk, Ann shares where you can find some great fonts that are both safe and free.
• In her Nature Notes, Norma celebrates the  Papilio Machaon Britannicus – the native swallowtail butterfly.

---

If you have a community contribution for the next edition or would like to advertise with us, please get in touch with Ann Jury, the Acting Editor, at bfobrca.cnews@gmail.com. The editorial deadline for the Winter 2019 issue is Friday 1 November 2019.

---