Giggles Party Shop - Flackwell Heath Community Centre

COMMUNITY
NEWS
IDEAS
DATES
SUGGESTIONS
EVENTS
POINTS OF VIEW
NEWS
Grapevine
THE
March ‘15
THE
NEWSLETTER
OF
FLACKWELL
HEATH
50p
COMMUNITY
ASSOCIATION
Giggles Party Shop
The person who caused Giggles
to be opened on 19 August 2001
was daughter Georgie.
For her
first birthday, Sharron searched for
balloons and a table cover, she found
just one place selling the items she
required and she ended up buying a
whole lot more. Not just a table cover
but plates, cups, banners, napkins
and of course balloons. She thought
“What a great place. I could do that”
Sharron visited a trade show with her
mother, Patricia, a florist by trade and
stumbled across suppliers she needed
to start her own company. The right
premises became available, location,
size and plenty of parking and a good
community spirit in Flackwell Heath.
After two years she decided to expand
into fancy dress hire and to buy
costumes. The timing was just not
right as the recession hit and when
people wanted fancy dress it was the
more budget range they went for,
therefore not making it viable to keep
another premises running. The fancy
dress closed around 4 years ago and
Giggles is now back to one shop selling
balloons, table and partyware, and
fancy dress accessories. Something to
cater for everyone’s needs.
The range of balloons, both foil and
latex, that Giggles have is immense.
Over 170 designs and colours of
just latex alone, it’s like going into a
sweetie shop and picking the ones
you would like from the jars behind
the counter.
Giggles prides itself on its reputation,
Photo: Jim Fanning
which has grown from strength to
strengths over the past 14 years, with
returning customers every week.
Venue decoration is a speciality and
sculptures, columns and displays are
day to day for the Giggles team. “We
have a balloon for every occasion,
from births to weddings, christenings,
hen nights, bridal showers, birthdays,
milestones and, just in case you want
that something different, we can
provide that with our personalisation
of balloons, while you wait.”
So if you need inspiration, pop along
to Giggles and speak to Sharron or
Lisa who would be more than happy
to assist you and guarantee to make
your party go with a bang!
Sharron Taylor and Tim Kendell
Changes at Carrington Junior School
Big changes are ahead at Carrington as the School prepares
to say 'Good-bye' to both the Head and the Deputy Head.
Both are moving on to further their careers. Miss Amanda
Fell is leaving at Easter to be Head of a larger school in
Slough, which covers the whole Primary age range from
3 to 11 years. Mrs Jane Gardener is going to be Head at
a small village school in Norfolk, leaving at the end of
the summer term. We wish them both well; more in later
issues of The Grapevine.
Sue Arnautov
The Chairman and Members of
Chepping Wycombe Parish Council
invite you to the
Annual Parish Meeting
to be held at
Christ Church
Chapel Road, Flackwell Heath
Wednesday 1 April 2015 at 7pm
An RSVP would be appreciated
to the Council Offices, Cock Lane,
Tylers Green, Bucks HP10 8DS
Telephone 01494 814600
Email: [email protected]
Two New Grapevine Road Reps wanted!
Sue Rushton has moved away from Flackwell. Please can
anyone deliver Grapevines to about 30 houses in The Fairway?
Also, a smaller 'patch' of about 15 houses on Common Road
(near The 3 Horseshoes) will need a new Rep soon. Please
contact me on 01628 523907, or Pauline Cooper on 01628
522562 or [email protected] if you can help
by delivering Grapevines ten times a year and collecting
subscriptions once a year.
(A volunteer kindly came forward last month to take over
from Mavis Luxford: Thank You!) Sue Arnautov, Editor
1
FLACKWELL HEATH
RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
[email protected] Janet Smith, Tel. 01628 520451
[email protected]
Chloë Andrews-Jones,
Tel. 01628 526547
Our AGM - Monday 30 March, 7:30
pm for 8:00 pm at Royal British Legion,
Flackwell Heath. All are welcome
(although only members may vote).
2015 EVENTS in collaboration with the
Community Association:
Village Fête & Picnic - Sunday 12 July
at Straight Bit Recreation Ground.
Last year’s event was really successful;
we hope that all the groups that
participated will be joining us again;
we’ll be in touch in due course. If any
other local group would like to be part
of this year’s picnic, then please get in
touch!
Quiz Night - Saturday 17 October at
the Community Centre.
Christmas Lights
Saturday
28
November at the Community Centre &
Jubilee Gardens.
We are also hoping to bring the village
another event on Saturday 13 June.
Look out for news in due course!
COMMITTEE VACANCIES
Chloë is standing down as Secretary
at the forthcoming AGM. No-one has
come forward to take on the full role,
so we have decided to seek a couple
of volunteers to simply come along
to a meeting or two, take notes and
produce the Minutes. We have had
some success, but ideally need two or
three other volunteers. The meetings
BANJOVI
REVIVAL CONCERT
Thursday 16 April • 7pm
Royal British Legion, Flackwell Heath
to raise funds for Iain Rennie and
ScanAppeal
Tickets £6 from Pauline Gibson at
01628 523946
2
are held on a Tuesday evening, every
six weeks. Excluding the AGM, there
will be only 7 meetings during 2015,
so if we secured more volunteers, they
would only need to do a couple of
meetings each.
Perhaps Social Media is more your
thing. We’d like to find other ways
to communicate news and views
in addition to the existing methods.
FHRA aims to makes a difference to
the lives of everyone in the village. It
is run by volunteers - and we are fairly
thin on the ground. Could you help? If
so, please give Chloë a call on 01628
526547 or email her at fhra-secretary@
flackwellheath.net.
FLACKWELL HEATH – YOUR VILLAGE,
YOUR OPINION
You may remember that in 2014, we
said one of FHRA’s aims for 2014 was
to conduct a village survey. We really
are in the final stages of producing this
and it will be available on-line soon
(possibly before you read this); we
won’t be disenfranchising those who
don’t have computers – you will have
your chance to have your say too. Keep
a look out for further details.
PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT
fhra-planning-environment@
f l a c k w e l l h e a t h . n e t
Carolyn Leonard, Tel. 01628 526512
RESERVE SITES
The first meetings of both the Abbey
Barn South & North and the Gomm
Valley/Ashwells Liaison groups have
taken place where the Terms of
Reference for the Liaison Groups were
discussed. Initially the Abbey Barn
group will concentrate on Abbey Barn
South.
The Gomm Valley/Ashwells workshop
was really interesting with each of
the groups coming to very similar
conclusions as to how to develop the
site so there would still be an attractive
green look to it from all directions,
including from this side of the valley.
Discussions were very inclusive of all
participants.
By the time you read this the Abbey
Barn South & North workshop will have
taken place; however the Wycombe
Infrastructure workshop is not until 7
March, so there should still be time to
register for it. I understand the morning
is likely to focus on roads and the
afternoon on other infrastructure.
You do need to register to attend:
e-mail: team@wycombe-reserve-sites.
org or phone: Riccardo Bobisse on
02032 908979.
Joe Griffin
TV AERIAL SERVICES
Poor Reception Solved - Aerials repaired & supplied
TVs - Hung on your wall for you. Also supplied & tuned
Extra TV Points - For aerial and Sky (In HD!)
Sky TV - Also Foreign Language TV
Call Marlow 01628 439115
A part of
OSTEOPATHIC CLINIC
Michael Thornton ND, DO
Treatment for pain in the back,
neck, shoulders, knees and hips
Sports injuries and headaches
25 Heath End Road
01494 433072 or 07799713117
Methodists
Sunday Live - Sunday 8 March Lively
worship for young families and the
young at heart, led by Rev David Miller.
Food from 10.15am, Service begins at
11.00am.
Time Out for Busy Mums - Tues.10
March 9.30-11.30am.
(Crèche available - wallisrands@
btinternet.com to book a place)
Red Nose/Comic Relief Dance Night Fun for all the Family!
Saturday 14 March at 6.30pm. Come to
supper and join in the dancing to raise
funds for Comic Relief. Wear something
RED and SILLY to add to the fun - and
make a donation for this worthy charity!
Girls’ Brigade Enrolment Service Tues.17 March at 6.00pm
and gathering darkness following Jesus’
journey to the Cross.
Our girls and their leaders re-dedicate
themselves to the work of the Company.
Everyone is warmly welcome to join in
this special occasion.
Meditation for Good Friday - 3 April at
9.30am led by Rev David Miller.
Sunday Club - Sunday 22 March at
10.30am-12 noon
For children aged 3-11. Followed by
Church Family Lunch at 12.45pm to
which all are warmly invited.
United Celebrate Service - Sunday 29
March - PALM SUNDAY at 6.30pm.
A service of Prayer and Praise with live
music, where people of Christ Church
and the Roman Catholic community in
Flackwell and also Methodist people in
the High Wycombe Circuit
join together for worship. Led by Rev
David Miller.
Tenebrae Service for Holy Week
Wednesday 1 April at 8.00pm led by Rev
David Miller. A service by candlelight
This Easter... Give yourself a
moment to reconnect with
the Easter Story:
Christ Church now has three
services EVERY Sunday: a
9.00am more traditional
Holy Communion service
with hymns; a 10.30am
more contemporary service
with a mixture of styles and a full
range of children’s and youth groups,
and a 6.30pm quieter evening service
to end the day. There is something for
everyone.
Palm Sunday (29 March):
Palm Crosses will be
distributed during our 9.00am
and 10.30am Holy Communion
services.
Do visit our Church website for details
of Sunday talks on ‘The Jesus who…’
was born, lived, died, rose again and
will come again’ (Speaker: Eddie
Arthur), and our first Sunday all-age
services ‘Hair-raising Beastly Bible
Stories!’
Maundy Thursday (2 April): 8.00pm
Holy Communion and Foot-washing.
Boys v Girls Pancake Bake-Off
Challenge (7 March): A Christ Church
Masterchef (fairtrade) fun event for
children and their adults. Booking is
required.
Lent Quiet Morning (11 March): Two
guided talks and plenty of space for
personal reflection, from 9.30am to
1.00pm.
Mothering Sunday (15 March) Paulin
and Luli Vilajti, our Mission Partners
from Albania, will be with us at both
morning services, where we shall also
be presenting mums with flowers to
say ‘thank you’.
Monday 30 March to Easter Eve ~
Saturday 4 April: 9.00am: a half-hour
Morning Prayer service for each day
of Holy Week, with a ‘Thought for the
Day’.
Good Friday (3 April): 11.00am to
1.00pm: TGI Friday – a creative Easter
Story event for children; and 12noon to
1.00pm: Devotional Service for adults.
Good Friday Messy Church and Tea - 3
April at 3.30pm for young families.
Our usual worship services continue
as usual on Sundays at 11.00am and
6.30pm.
Our weekly Fellowship groups meet
together on Wednesday evenings and
Thursday mornings, Play and Praise
on Friday mornings for young families
and Coffee mornings on Saturdays
for everyone between 10.00-12noon.
Please join us for a Time and Place for
Prayer on Saturday mornings between
10.30-11.30am.
Please go to our church website : www.
fhmc.org.uk for times and contact
information.
Grapevine Subs
Time!
The annual subscription to The
Grapevine is now due. Cost, same
as last year, is £5 standard, £4
concession (over 60 years) and £2
email add-on for far-flung family
and friends. Please pay your Road
Rep, who will put a reminder slip
through your door; cheques made
payable to the Flackwell Heath
Community Association please, or
cash. Prompt payment would be
most helpful. Any profits go to the
Community Association. Contact
details for The Grapevine are on the
back page.
Easter Day (5 April): 9.00am:
Holy Communion with coffee and
homemade cakes afterwards; 10.30am:
Easter Family Holy Communion
with Easter Egg Hunt; and 6.30pm:
Easter Songs of Praise – Christians
in Flackwell Heath gather at Christ
Church to celebrate, renew & refresh
their Easter faith.
Call Stephen
for all your electrical work:
More details of events and services
are available from the website (www.
ccfh.org.uk) and the Church Office in
Chapel Road: 01628 533004 (9.00am
– 1.00pm Monday to Friday).
01628 850968
07790 546975
• Interior & Exterior wiring •
• Upgrades & repairs •
• Outside security lights •
• Emergency service •
email: [email protected]
member of Elecsa • CRB checked
3
Neighbourhood
Watch News
March 2015
TVAlerts - Website: www.
thamesvalleyalert.co.uk
TVAlerts are messages sent out to our
area by Thames Valley Police from the
Wycombe Police Station advising of
crimes in the district, providing safety
and security information, details of
‘missing persons’, etc. All members
of Neighbourhood Watch schemes
have access to these messages,
either via their scheme coordinator
or by personal registration with the
TVAlerts system. However, as the
system principally uses e-mail to
communicate these messages, it
is vital that you let us know of any
change in your e-mail address. You
can do this by logging on to your
personal account with TVAlerts, or by
telling your scheme coordinator – or
myself. If you do NOT have an e-mail
account, you can also receive TVAlerts
by voicemail, but again it is essential
that you advise us of any change to
your phone number(s). [There are
currently restrictions on the number of
messages being sent out as a result of
staff changes at Wycombe.]
Cybercrime
This is one of the fastest growing
types of crime and includes ‘Phishing’
(e-mail crime) and ‘Vishing’ (telephone
crime). Cybercrime is either ‘Internetdependent’
(only
possible
via
the Internet) or ‘Internet-enabled’
(extending the scope of ‘traditional’
crime via the Internet). There have
been reports of local residents being
‘conned’ out of substantial sums of
money by these devious criminals. In
many cases, they operate from outside
the UK which makes it very difficult
to track them down and prosecute
them successfully. Cybercrime is now
extending its unpleasant tentacles
into the ‘social networking’ arena,
attempting to exploit any weaknesses
in Facebook, Twitter, etc. or trying to
‘persuade’ the victim to reveal personal
data for identity theft or worse.
Crime Statistics
Although the latest published ‘Crime
Survey for England & Wales (CSEW)’
is now a couple of years old, it shows
quite clearly that mobile phones are
the most common item involved in
‘Theft from a person’, and bicycles
and computers the most common
item taken in burglary. However, the
4
survey shows substantial
falls in property crime, with
levels having fallen by half
since they peaked in the
mid-1990s. This significant
fall has been driven by large
reductions in very common
crimes such as vandalism, vehiclerelated theft and burglary. While these
high volume crime types continue to
show falls, in contrast, recent trends
show increases in the lower volume
(less common) personal theft offences
such as ‘theft from the person’
recorded by the police.
(Source:
CSEW published by the ONS, May
2013)
Home Security Booklet
I have a stock of this useful little booklet
on Crime Prevention produced by
Thames Valley Police. Contact me if
you would like a copy.
For further information on these
topics or about Neighbourhood
Watch, contact:
David Gresswell
Area Co-ordinator, Flackwell Heath
Tel: 525019
e-mail:
[email protected]
Police General & Non-emergency
number: 101
Public Safety Team
(Anti-social behaviour): 01494
421087
Crimestoppers (Anonymous):
0800 555 111
Trading Standards (Consumer
Direct): 0845 4 04 05 06
ACTION FRAUD: 0300 123 2040
www.actionfraud.police.uk
NEW NHS: 111
(replacing NHS Direct)
Friends of Juniper Hill
Nearly New Sale
of Child - Related Items
Sunday 22 March
11am – 3pm
at the School
Flackwell Amblers
If you would like to join us on
Sunday 22 March, The Flackwell
Amblers will be going for a walk
at Burnham Beeches. We will be
meeting at the ex-Budgen’s car
park at 10.00am. This walk will
last approximately 2 hours and is
undertaken at your own risk. Please
wear walking boots or strong shoes.
N.B. This walk may be subject
to change at short notice due to
prevailing weather conditions.
(Parking charge will apply). The
next date for your diary is Sunday
26 April.
C. Barker
Ken Ross gets MBE
Ken Ross is well known in Flackwell,
Wycombe District and Buckinghamshire
through his activities in local politics
and charities. In the New Year Honours
List he was granted the MBE (Member
of the Order of the British Empire) for
this service. Ken has, of course, been
recognised for his service in other
ways – he's an Alderman and a Deputy
Lieutenant for the County, but this is
special. He now matches his wife
Nancie, who received her MBE in 2006
for her work with Age Concern and
the Day Centre. The Palace says this is
an unusual double; couples are quite
often recognised together for some joint
service, but not for activity in separate
fields.
The investiture is in July, and we hope to
have more on this story then.
DON THE HANDYMAN
QUALIFIED PLUMBER AND TRADESMAN
LOCAL AND RELIABLE SERVICE
• General property maintenance,
including the little things that
need fixing
• Bathroom refurbishments a
speciality
• Your DIY problems solved!
Please call to see how I can help
07957 490142
www.donthehandyman.co.uk
Flackwell
Heath
Community
Library
More than just a Library
– it’s a Community
When you come into the Flackwell
Heath Community Library you
will immediately realise that there
is a difference compared with a
‘traditional’ library. This is because it
is completely run by our very friendly
volunteers who all enjoy meeting and
chatting to people and will go out of
their way to be helpful. The volunteers
are doing this because they want to
help the community, so it is more of a
vocation rather than a job.
As a voluntary activity it’s got a lot
going for it. It is interesting work and
is a great opportunity to meet people
– plus, you get to choose your own
hours. In addition to issuing and
returning books, it’s helping find:
which library branches have a copy of
a book; what books have been written
by a specific author; what eBooks
are available or any number of other
enquiries…..the answer is we’ve got
time for you.
After almost 3 years of operating as
a community library, our volunteers
have commented that we also have
very friendly users, who understand,
and appreciate, that we are all
volunteers striving to provide a library
service to the local community.
Flackwell Heath & Loudwater Local
History Group
Monday 16 March
7.30pm
Flackwell Heath
Library
Early
Schooling
in
Flackwell & Loudwater
Do you remember your
first few years at school?
The school children of
today have technology
at their fingertips. How
different this is to the
school years of our youth.
If we were to go back to
the 1800’s, where our talk
begins, schooling would
have been very different
indeed.
Mike Dewey will present
the history of the early
schools in the two villages The Infants School building, Straight Bit, Flackwell
from the early 1800’s up to Heath. C 1930 Courtesy of the Bucks Free Press
the 1940’s. The research
•The schools in the Great War and
is from a number of sources including
WW2
newspapers and original school
Jane Dunsterville will role play
documents.
reminiscences of some of the villagers
During this illustrated talk, using
recalling their time at the two schools.
photographs and images from the
original Logbooks and Registers, Mike If you were a pupil at either school and
can come along to share your memories
will consider
you would be most welcome.
•How schooling moved from a local
Tickets at £5 ( £3 for Friends of the
to a national issue
FHCL ) from Flackwell Heath library.
•The
problems
involved
in
establishing the two national (Please note this is a ticket only event and
will not be available at the door)
schools
• Staffing at the schools
So, come and talk to our volunteers
and see what is available at the
friendly Flackwell Heath Community
library. You can just come in and read
the daily paper if you want! Or if you
would like to meet more people and
help the community then talk to us
about being a volunteer. The library
is a community resource which can
also be booked for meetings and
events. Just call in at the library to
find out more.
Wednesday 11 Flackwell Forum, Library, 8pm, see page 6.
Flackwell Heath Community Library,
Chapel Road, Flackwell Heath, HP10
9AA
April
Tel:
0845
230232
e m a i l : f h c l @ f l a ck w e l l h e a t h . n e t
web: www.buckscc.gov.uk/libraries
Dates For Your Diary March
Monday 16
Local History Group Talk on Flackwell Heath and
Loudwater Infant and Junior Schools, see page 5.
Sunday 22
Juniper School Nearly New Sale of children's items. 11am
– 3pm at the School, see page 4.
Monday 30
FH Residents' Association AGM at British Legion, 7.30pm.
Wednesday 1
Annual Parish Meeting at Christ Church, 7pm, see page 1
Thursday 16
FH Community Association AGM in Sarney Room,
Community Centre.
Thursday 16
Banjovi Concert in Royal British Legion
5
Flackwell Forum
We have now held 3 meetings of this
Forum, where all groups and individuals
in our village community are invited to
be part of an information gathering and
sharing group. Representatives from the
Parish Council, Police, Community and
Residents Associations, Library, Scouts,
Churches, W.I., Community Groups,
Bucks Free Press and others have come
together to seek ways for letting our
residents know all about what goes on for
all age-groups.
The next meeting of Flackwell Forum
will be held on Wednesday 11 March
in The Community Library at 8.00pm.
Everyone is welcome to join that meeting
either to hear what's available or to share
information about an activity in which
others may be interested.
We look forward to seeing you. Contact
07979 541874 Vicky Everitt
Flackwell Heath Women’s Institute
2015 is the Centenary Year for the
Women’s Institute nationally. The
Annual General Meeting in June will
be a special celebration. The Royal
Albert Hall, the traditional venue, can
only accommodate one delegate per
two Institutes, so the proceedings will
be streamed over the Internet. There
was a possibility, if there was sufficient
interest nationally, that it might be
shown live on large screens at local
cinemas. When Flackwell Evening
WI heard this, and that the Bucks
County Federation felt unable to be
involved, they saw an opportunity.
If they hired the smallest ‘screen’ at
Cineworld, could they find about 200
WI members to fill it? With a slight
gulp, they went ahead – bookings
rolled in, and they upped their desired
‘screen’ twice. Currently they have
about 300 bookings and very few
spare seats. At last on 18 February
the go-ahead came from National. A
great initiative from Flackwell Heath
Evening WI and especially their
President, Barbara Dickinson!
Morning WI
Ashton Opticians
O P T O M E T R I S T S
1 Acorn House, 12-16 Straight Bit, Flackwell Heath
We had an almost full house of
members in February to hear our
speaker, Jane Dunsterville (a local
resident), who was very suitably attired
in Victorian costume. She described
the many changes in lifestyle brought
about by the Industrial Revolution. It
gave many women opportunities for
employment for the first time, even if
life could still be hard.
In March we will have a demonstration
of Japanese flower arranging, and now
that spring is almost here, perhaps
our gardens will produce suitable
material with which to practise.
Evening WI
Chilly, dark and wet here – what
better than an evening in Africa! Our
speakers, Mark and Jacky Bloomfield,
are wild life photographers; last year
we heard about the local natural
world, this time it was the hot, dry
plains of the Masai Mara reserve
in Kenya. They showed us some
beguiling pictures – even a young
hyena can be appealing – and
explained how the migration of the
huge herds of wildebeest keeps the
grass down and the forest at bay,
allowing other savannah species to
flourish.
We congratulated the overall winners
of the competitions in 2014: Wendy
Mander for the general competition
and Jackey Hill for Bloom of the
Month.
Next month, a complete contrast with
‘Grandma Flew Spitfires’ by Richard
Poad.
PRIVATE AND NHS EYE EXAMINATIONS
SPECTACLES & CONTACT LENSES
Your independent practice in
Flackwell Heath
for value, style and personal service
LADY PAINTER & DECORATOR
Painting &
Wallpapering
01628 530420
NO JOB
TOO SMALL
www.ashtonopticians.co.uk
Partners: Mr. M. W. Ashton BSc.(Hons), MCOptom,
Mrs R.V. Ashton BSc.(Hons),MCOptom
M artin
V e h i c l e
s e r V i c i n g
0771 4420772 / 01494 716441
Your LocaL MoT speciaLisT
A friendly family run business with 30 years experience
Adams
Servicing all cars, new and old
also light commercial vehicles.
01628
850000
email: [email protected]
6
Your Local Tree Surgeon
Office: 01628 533355
Mobile: 07748 314950
Email: [email protected]
CHATTELWORTH
LIMITED
CW
All general building work plus
Full Decorating Service
Purpose-Made Joinery
Maintenance Free Products
First class service at competitive prices
Call now for a no obligation estimate
Local Authority Approved
• General car repairs and maintenance
• Free courtesy car available
• Tyres, exhausts and batteries supplied and fitted
• Latest diagnostic equipment for all makes of vehicle
• Air conditioning service available
Alexander House, Wessex Industrial Estate, Bourne End, Bucks, SL8 5DT
www.rphtreeservices.co.uk
M artin
V e h i c l e
s e r V i c i n g
Ada ms
95a Queens Road, High Wycombe, Bucks
HP13 6AH
Tel/fax 01494 461544
Pigeon House Farm
The 2014 Harvest at Pigeon House
Farm was not out of the ordinary. The
quality of the grain met the standards,
the weather was only a bit difficult and
there were the normal delays with the
haulage. It had been pleasing to see
that the farm wildlife was surviving well
and that the environmental margins
had set enough seed and grasses to
support the smaller wildlife including
birds, mice and shrews etc. The bases
of the hedges too, looked sufficient to
hold the yellowhammers which would
nest there readily when left undisturbed.
We could also see that the stubbles
contained enough spent seed and grass
and weed stems to provide habitat and
feed for the hares and skylarks.
But there was one difference – it was the
last harvest that the Smith family would
carry out at Pigeon House Farm as Ivan
had decided to retire from farming.
Our family had farmed at Pigeon House
since the early 1900’s and Ivan was the
fourth generation of the family to farm
there as a tenant farmer on the Carington
Estate. Our Great Grandparents, John
and Eliza Smit had farmed in Flackwell
Heath on their own land (now The
Meadows and Recreation Ground) and
they and two generations before them
had also been tenants on Estate land
in Flackwell. John Smith also worked
at Kings Mill in Loudwater. He was a
Sunday School Teacher at the Wesleyan
Methodist Church for 37 years and the
Parish Constable of the High Wycombe
portion of Flackwell Heath for 10 years.
Pigeon House Farm dates back to the
16th century. The lands had for nearly
350 years belonged to St Mary’s Priory
at Well End (where Abbotsbrook now
is). In 1535 Commissioners acting for
Thomas Cromwell, on behalf of Henry
VIII, visited the priory and before leaving
had, with the agreement of the prioress,
dismissed the Nuns and put in place the
dissolution of the Priory.
In December 1537, Henry granted the
priory and lands to Elizabeth Restwold
of Hedsor including a field called Grete
Flackwell. The first part of the farmhouse
that we see now was constructed about
then.
The farm had seen other long serving
tenants before our family, such as
between 1818 and 1853 when a tenant
farmer named William Wethered
used Pigeon House Farm as a base to
farm much of the land from between
Minchins Farm, (Loudwater Station) over
Photo: Jim Fanning
the hill to Well End and from between
Northern Woods Farm to Daws Hill. Mr
Wethered died at the farm aged only 62.
The 2014 Harvest was the 57th that Ivan
and I had worked on - we began helping
on the farm in 1957 when our Father,
Noel, gained the tenancy and we moved
there from Flackwell aged 8 and 9.
We fed the calves, pigs and hens in
the early morning before walking up
across Copen Acre to Flackwell each
school day – we knew if we were early
or late for the bus because we could
expect to see Joe Weedon at the corner
of Chapel Road and Sedgmoor, by the
old allotments, as he returned from
Wilkes Stores after delivering his fresh
cut produce.
The bus to Wycombe left from the stop
near what was the Green Man side
gate. Treadaway Hill was very narrow
then and if occasionally the bus was
overloaded, some schoolchildren were
asked to get off and rejoin near the
railway crossing at the bottom of the
hill. It was a normal Thames Valley bus
service – no such thing as a school bus
then. We wonder if the other Flackwell
boys that used to block the pavement at
the bus stop with us are retiring now.
When Ivan left school he undertook his
agricultural training at Spade Oak Farm,
gaining experience before returning to
Pigeon House and then later farming
on his own account when our Father
retired.
In deciding to retire, Ivan considered
that, because the European Common
Agricultural Policy was undergoing
major reform and improvement for
2015, it would be necessary to undertake
a new agreement which would be best
done when able to commit for the
medium to long term. Much of the
environmental stewardship that Ivan
and other farmers on the Estate carried
out voluntarily has now been written
into the reformed Common Agricultural
Policy and also now, encouragement is
to be given by Defra to support younger
entrants into farming. The average age
of farmers was quoted by Eurostat in
2005 as being 58 years with 25% being
older than 65 years.
Another factor was that, after a very brief
rally, commodity prices had fallen yet
again to below the cost of production,
with no signs of any improvement being
given on the futures markets.
We all continue to live in the main
farm cottages, with our Father still in
his cottage across the farmyard, but
the land has now been returned to the
Carington family who are farming it
directly themselves. Our transition from
‘working on the farm’ to ‘retired on the
farm’ was made easy for us by the Estate
and we are looking forward to many
years quiet enjoyment.
Ray Smith
Editor's note: the spelling of the Carrington name
varies according to the precise context, whether
family or (which) peerage.
7
Spring is
here...
Summer
is right
behind...
Time to go
for a walk
Express Videos & Off License
Hundreds of DVDs now only £1 per night
So why not treat yourself to a bottle of wine, a
good DVD and a quiet night in?
•
Quality beers wines and spirits with
10% off most wines and the cheapest
cigarettes in Flackwell Heath
Tobacco, newspapers, sweets, snacks,
Paypoint – pay bills and mobile top ups
We are fortunate to live
right on the edge of the
countryside
and
are
surrounded by footpaths that
are well maintained by the
Chilterns Path Maintenance
Volunteers and the Bucks CC
Rights of Way Team.
Walking on our paths
appeals to all ages and as
part of improving access the Parish
Council - ever mindful of the health
benefits of walking - has created
another green footpath taking walkers
and runners off a dangerous, fast, busy
road. It runs alongside Heath End Road
towards, although not (yet) as far as, the
motorway bridge. See sketch map.
Sponsored by both Chepping Wycombe
and Little Marlow Parish Councils,
3 Straight Bit
9am - 11pm
every day
01628 298224
Age Concern Day Centre
Flackwell Heath
require a General Member
of Staff (paid)
with funding from the Bucks CC
Chepping Wye Valley Local Community
Partnership, the new footpath mimics
another completed three years ago:
the popular green footpath down
Sheepridge.
Monday to Thursday
10am – 2pm
No experience needed
The result is now a joined-up network of
circular routes down the hillside and to
the River Thames.
For info. ring 01628 526113
Jeff Herschel
Flackwell Heath Community
Association
Divorce | Conveyancing | Commercial | Employment |
Wills | Probate | Litigation | Elderly Client
Buchanans Solicitors can assist with all the above and more. We are a
friendly, modern law firm which offers a broad range of services and aims
to deliver clear advice promptly and cost effectively.
Call Sam Buchanan or Nick Rees (Family Law specialist) for a no
obligations chat on 01628 810 707
Now providing
specialist Fam
ily
and Divorce leg
al
advice –
please contac
t
our Nick Ree
s in
confidence
Swains House, Swains Lane, Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire HP10 9BN
[email protected]
www.buchanansonline.com
Chairman: Chris Cramer
01628 526129
Secretary
Chris Thomas
01628 520361
Treasurer
Val Weston
01628 523213
Centre bookings Denise Anstey,
07903 070503
[email protected]
Keyholder
Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (No. 00469169)
A1 TAXI SERVICE
01628 851466
851466
01628
01494 441000
441000
01494
Flackwell Heath & surrounding area
HighWycombe & surrounding area
4 - 6 - 8 Seater Vehicles Available
Minimum Fare From £3.50
Airports - Seaports - London Theatres
Express Video Shop
Reg Charity No. 1044870
Grapevine
Editor: Sue Arnautov
58, Chapman Lane, Flackwell Heath,
HP10 9BD • 01628 523907
Tim Kendell • 01628 521149
[email protected]
Delivery: Pauline Cooper 01628 522562
Design: [email protected]
Subscriptions: M Patel 01628 528101
The Grapevine is printed by
Spot On Print using vegetable inks on
Revive silk recycled paper,
FSC certified and totally chlorine free.
8