The Summer 2020 edition of Community News is now available. In an edition that understandably focuses on Covid-19, our front cover offers our thanks to those putting themselves at risk to be there for us during this time. It also highlights the difficulties that this pandemic has brought and the help we want to offer, through our Covid-19 Information Hub. This edition features a double-page spread in the centre pages with extracts from the Information Hub and a request to all to help share this information with those who may struggle to access it.

We’d also like to give you a chance to make your own celebration. If there is someone you would like to recognise personally, send your thanks to bfobrca.cnews@gmail.com and we’ll share them on our website, Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Community Centre News

• Sadly, the Community Centre, including the Social Club, is closed. However, some of our regular hirers are running online classes and we feature some of these in the newsletter including the Kettlebell and Fitness classes.
• The AGM has been postponed to September; details will be in the next Community News.
• We say thank you to everyone who is supporting us during this difficult time.
•  Although Chat-Tea Café are sad that they have had to cancel their monthly meetings, they are celebrating the community and kindness that has shone through the pandemic. Sadly, for some, isolation will continue post lockdown.
  
  

  ‘So, if we found a solution to help out those “self-isolating” in a crisis, surely we can find a solution to help those who feel isolated and lonely all year round? Could it be that community and kindness could continue to offer a solution? Neighbours sharing a moment to let those around them know they are there for each other? It would be nice to continue this “mutual aid” across our wonderful community long after the crisis and we’ll be exploring that at the Chat-Tea Café but if you have any suggestions on how we can keep this kindness going do get in touch with us at info@chat-tea.co.uk.’

  
  

News from our Local Schools

• Sharon Taylor, Headteacher of Stanmore Primary, is looking back on some of the school’s pre-lockdown activities with renewed appreciation.

Parish and Government News

All of our councils, plus our MP share their latest news on the Covid-19 emergency, although as Steve Brine says, this information “comes with a health warning owing to the fact  anything can be out of date these days before you’ve finished the sentence but whatever the world looks like by the time you read this, we know things will never be quite the same again.” In addition to the Covid-19 news,

• Oliver’s Battery Parish Council let us know that the VE day celebration has been postponed until the autumn. They now have two working groups comprising local residents and councillors: the Events Group identifies and organises community events and the Handyperson Group undertakes regular and ad-hoc maintenance tasks within the parish.
• Badger Farm Parish Council had planned on their Annual General Meeting being an entertaining session for the whole community with refreshments, speakers and raffle, but sadly it has had to be cancelled. Undaunted, they will be back for an even better community event for you in May 2021. If you have any ideas of what you would like to see at the event, do get in touch on clerk@badgerfarm-pc.gov.uk.

News from Local Organisations and Clubs

• The Art Group, which is running online tutorials, show some of the art works the members have created during lockdown. If you would like to join in with the online classes, email Sarah at snippycards@hotmail.co.uk.
• Due to Covid-19, Winchester Photographic Society’s Annual Exhibition 2020 will not be held at the Discovery Centre. Instead, it is being hosted online by the Hampshire Cultural Trust from 23rd May until 21st June.
• Winchester Local Group Hampshire and IOW Wildlife Trust has cancelled all forthcoming events. It is hoped that the first talk of the autumn season will go ahead on Wednesday 9th September from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in the Bushfield room in the Community Centre.
• Winchester Horticultural Society hopes that their summer programme will run as normal, starting on 10 June but please check on 01962 868862 before you set off in case this meeting has to be cancelled. Another event, on Saturday, 22nd August, will be the Late Summer Show held annually at Badger Farm Community Centre from 2pm-4pm. It is an Open Show and should you wish to take part, schedules will be available online at winhortsoc.weebly.com.

General Articles

• In Winchester Smiles Better, Ali Cochrane, the Community Centre Manager, hopes that when things eventually return to normal we will still continue with some of our newly learned habits like smiling and chatting more with our neighbours.
• In a personal perspective, Norma Goodwin ponders whether Covid-19 will be the terrible catalyst to force us to change direction on climate change?
• Simon Lever enjoys the sense of freedom a walk brings during lockdown in A walk on the bright side.
• Local charity, Winchester Radio, on 94.7FM, provides a truly local radio community service across Winchester and the surrounding villages. Do get in touch on studio@winchester.radio if you would like to request a shout-out on Winchester Radio’s airwaves.
• Neighbourhood Watch tells us that criminals are exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic to defraud people and make us aware of some of the most common scams
• Local seamstresses have been helping in the fight against Covid-19 by sewing scrubs and wash bags for local NHS and careworkers. There are still more sets of scrubs to be sewn. If you are an experienced seamstress with an overlocker or an industrial machine and would like to help, please contact Carolyn Lamber on Carolyn@benitayoga.co.uk.
• If these unprecedented times have inspired or awakened your desire to take more control of supporting your health and wellbeing, local nutritionist Amanda Turner shares information on medical doctors who may offer services and information to guide you.

• 

  The sun is out, so hedgehogs are now up from hibernation. Hogs are nocturnal animals, so they mainly come out at night. However, as the days get longer, you can now spot them in the light evenings. Jo Martynka and Mike Davies, who care for hedgehogs that need help in Badger Farm, tell us how we can help these magical creatures.
• In Tech Talk, Ann Jury hopes to inspire you to create your own recipe collection like hers, now that Covid-19 means that home cooking is the new eating out.
• In Nature Notes, Norma shares some amazing information on the migration of birds; a swift named ‘Antrim’ left Northern Ireland mid-July one year to complete a round trip of 18,000 miles as far as Mozambique and Malawi, arriving back in his nest site in May. She also shares a rare sighting of a cuckoo.
• Janelle Quitman, Hon. Sec. Hampshire Beekeepers Association, finds the life of the honeybee a subject and occupation that happily requires full focus and mindfulness when it comes to what she plants in her garden.

---

If you have a community contribution for the next edition or would like to advertise with us, please get in touch with Ann Jury, Community News Editor, at bfobrca.cnews@gmail.com. The editorial deadline for the Autumn 2020 issue is Friday 31 July 2020.

---