MOVES by Hampshire county councillors to call on the Post Office to suspend its closure programme have been described as "too little, too late". Council leader Councillor Ken Thornber today received the council's backing for his plan to request a meeting
CAMPAIGNERS worried about thousands of nursery places being under threat due to funding changes took their fight to County Hall today. Nursery owners and parents lobbied a full meeting of Hampshire County Council, in Winchester, for support to address
THE Conservative group leader at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has stepped down. Councillor Mark Ruffell said he thought it was best to resign the leadership position, which he has held since the Conservatives formed the council's ruling administration
HEATH End Village Hall: There will be a talk entitled "Heart of the Sahara" by John Pilkington, tomorrow, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £7.50, including a glass of wine, and are available from Janette Hewitt on 0118 9814858 or Ann Jeffrey on 0118 9816731.
CIRCUS comes to town: You should, by now, have a note in your diary for May 8 and 9, when, for the first time, a circus will come to Bramley. Through a joint venture with Bramley Primary School, a circus will entertain on the Clift Meadow. Tickets cost
MANOR Field Junior School: A special assembly was held at the school on March 28 for Pat Kirrage, a brilliant dinner lady, who worked there for more than 10 years. Though Pat is retiring as a dinner lady, she will return for the sports day and when there
AUCTION: We have some very old stuff this time around. One lot consists of a Meissen tray that could date from earlier than 1750! Friday is the deadline for your lots to be included in the catalogue, which will be available from Sunday, priced at £1
GARAGE sale: A sale, in aid of Basingstoke and District Alzheimer's Society, will be held on Saturday, at 21 Warbleton Road, Chineham (behind the village hall), from 9.30am to 3pm. On offer will be toys, glass, bric-a-brac, china, books, paperbacks,
EASTER: The church held a new event for Easter by way of a Vigil Communion on the night before Easter Day. Starting at 8pm, it continued until about 9.30pm, with the church lights gradually increasing in intensity. The whole service was very evocative
CHAMPIONS everywhere: Last Saturday's horticultural society spring show at Ellisfield Memorial Hall was awash with spring flowers, the most marvellous craft and culinary delights, and attracted more than 200 entries. Emma Ilsley and Dariah Hutchins won
HATCH Warren WI: A reminder that the WI meets tonight for its monthly meeting. It starts at 8pm, at the community centre, and the speaker will be telling "Tales from a Dentist's Chair". New faces are always welcome. GOSH! Pupils at St Mark's primary
ROWING competition: Basingstoke's Sports Centre will be hosting a rowing competition on Sunday, from 10am to 4pm. SENIOR exercise sessions: Are held at Kempshott Village Hall on Wednesdays, from 2pm to 2.50pm. The sessions are for the over-60s, and
SPRING fair: The Village Bunnies are having a spring fair at the Village Club on Saturday, from 10am to noon. Admission will cost 20p. There will be a wide variety of stalls including "baby footprints while you wait", and lots of refreshments. FILM
JUMBLE sale: This Saturday, there will be a sale at East Oakley Village Hall, in aid of Andover Road Village Hall. The event will start at 2pm and include a raffle, tombola and all the usual stalls. Refreshments will be available. Items of jumble will
ADULT learning classes: The classes for the summer term start at The Vyne Community School from April 29, so, in order to get all the details of classes to you, I am starting to tell you early. The family learning workshop, learning through play and
BASINGSTOKE RFC is launching a £50,000 fundraising appeal to mark its diamond jubilee. The club was founded in April 1948, making it 60 years old this month, and to celebrate this milestone, members will be holding, and taking part in, a wide range
TEA party: You are all invited to a lovely afternoon tea party at the Royal British Legion Hall, in Crown Lane, on Saturday, from 3pm to 5pm. All proceeds will go to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. OBAGS Trading Hut: Will be open on Sundays April
A TAKEAWAY in Basingstoke and its owner were so dirty that magistrates decided they posed a serious risk to customers' health. At Basingstoke magistrates court, Taleb Uddin, owner and chef at Reemin's Indian Takeaway, in Popley, pleaded guilty to seven
CALLEVA WI: This friendly group meets on the second Tuesday of the month, at Mortimer West End village hall. Meetings start at 7.30pm. Refreshments are served during the evening and there is a sales table for produce and other items. April's meeting
ROOKSDOWN Community Association: Received a grant last week, from our county councillor, for a second Rooksdown community noticeboard, which will be put on the side of the building, in the Mill Road green area, and a small generator, which will be useful
HELLO... To young Aussie Olly, the latest member of the extended family headed by the Reverend Peter Hewlett-Smith. New grandson Oliver Sebastian Hewlett-Smith was born last month in Brisbane, Australia, to Peter's son Simon and his wife. In the words
GARDENING club: Sherfield and District Gardening Club met on March 17, when it was entertained by Kelvin Mason, from Sparsholt College, who talked about growing vegetables. Linda said: "He gave us all sorts of tips and ideas, and we are looking forward
ANNUAL church meeting: Will be held next Wednesday, at 7.45pm, in the Mission Church, Bramley Road. This is the time when anyone who lives in the parish can have a say in how the church is run. Join us for coffee at 7.30pm, before the business starts
COUNCIL surgeries: On Saturday, two council surgeries are being held - one at the swimming pool, from 10am to noon, with town councillors Tony Flahive and John Moss, and one at 11am, when county councillor Marilyn Tucker will be in Sainsbury's. So, if
WEEKLY public events in Whitchurch. On Sundays, at St John Fisher Church, there is a Catholic Mass at 9am, a morning service at the Baptist Church at 10.30am, and an Alpha Course at the Methodist Church, from 7pm to 8.30pm. AT All Hallows, in Whitchurch
WHEN Patricia Slaney left for the hills of Pakistan and Afghanistan as a volunteer in 1965, she believed she had much to give. But it was not until the young nurse returned to Britain a year later that she realised her volunteer adventure had given
IT'S THE end of an era at a Basingstoke college as a man who has been at the heart of its growth and progress leaves after almost four decades. After 38 years, Gareth Thomas, assistant principal at Queen Mary's College, in Cliddesden Road, is retiring
BASINGSTOKE sports stars picked up three awards at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Sport Awards, which took place at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday night. Footballer Danielle Bird was named as winner of the Senior Sportswoman award, athlete
THE future use of more than £20,000 of arts cash in Basingstoke remains a mystery. As previously reported in The Gazette, members of the Basingstoke Theatre Trust (BTT) were told the money had been discovered in last year's accounts, and a VAT refund
