Extras – April 2020

Basinga Extra > Extras archive > Extras – April 2020

Author: March 19, 2020

Extras archive

 

Isolation During Coronavirus Outbreak

If you are lonely or isolated at this time and in need of any support, please do not hesitate to contact Reverend Heather on 01256 363636 or 07745 731729. There is a team of DBS checked volunteers from St Mary’s Church who willing to provide support, and at the time of going to print we are in conversations with the British Red Cross and other organisations about how we best work together to keep everyone safe.

Thank you,

Heather
—-
Revd Heather Leppard
Vicar, St Mary’s Old Basing and Lychpit
Facebook @StMarysOldBasingAndLychpit
www.stmarysoldbasing.org.uk
Day off: Tuesday

Basingstoke and District Railway Society

On Wednesday 8 April Mike Bunn, who previously gave us a talk on French narrow gauge railways, will return to present an examination of The Paris Suburban Railway System, Note that this meeting will begin at the earlier than usual time of 7.30pm.

Also returning, at our meeting at 7.45pm on Wednesday 22 April, Mike Fenton will present The Life and Work of Branch Line Photographer Maurice Deane. Mike, whose last talk on Great Western camping coaches showed his extensive knowledge of the social history of our railways and all things Great Western, will also be accompanied by his wife to give us a short musical interlude.

Our meetings are held at The Wote Street Club in New Road in Basingstoke town centre. We welcome new members to the Society and are always pleased to see non-members at our meetings at a cost of £5. More information about the Society, membership and our programme of meetings in 2020 can be found on our website at www.bdrs70d.com or telephone 01256 331002.

BDDF Events and Services from March 2020

Coffee Mornings – free tea / coffee & cake, social informal coffee morning on 3rd Wednesday morning of the month 10am-12noon. Meet at the Orchard, White Hart Lane, Basingstoke RG21 4AF at 10am for an optional gentle walk around War Memorial Park – route suitable for mobility aids, dogs and pushchairs. Or simply enjoy a free refreshments in The Orchard coffee bar, enjoy a chat and take part in an activity.
Chronic Pain Support Groups – Do you suffer from Chronic Pain? Would you like to attend a FREE local support group? BDDF run regular daytime and evening support groups offering free networking meetings with local fellow pain warriors. Enhance your pain management tool kit skills with interesting talks and demonstrations from local specialists. Previous speakers have included a mindfulness coach, Hampshire Hospital Pain Clinic, Massage Therapist, CBD oil information, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and Energy Medicine Practitioner, and a talk from the Chair of Fibromyalgia Action UK.

DAYTIME CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP
Third Monday of every month between 1-3pm at
The Roger Morris Centre, Eastrop Way, Basingstoke RG21 4QE

EVENING CHRONIC PAIN SUPPORT GROUP
First Wednesday of every month between 6-8pm
Melrose Community Centre, 597 Abbey Rd, Popley, Basingstoke RG24 9ES

Chair Yoga – Suitable for people with mobility issues, those suffering with chronic pain conditions and other disabilities. Benefits include improved pain management, mental clarity & reduced stress. Followed by a free cuppa and opportunity to make friends and share your experiences in a safe and relaxed environment.
Sessions :2nd & 4th Wednesday, from 12:00 noon @Melrose Community Centre, Popley. Pre-booking is essential, reserve your chair info@bddf.org.uk
 
Disability Information Day – Friday 15 May 9am-5pm, come along to speak to local professionals who will be able to offer advice, support and information about the disability you or a member of you family is affected by. We will be in The Malls, Castle Square (outside Primark).

What is Divorce Recovery Workshop?

Divorce Recovery Workshop (DRW) is a nationwide registered Charity and a non-profit organisation, dedicated to helping people come to terms with a marriage or significant relationship that has irretrievably broken down.

DRW is suitable for anyone of any age, gender, faith or background, and at any stage of separation or divorce.

DRW accomplishes this over 6 sessions using video material, which provides a constructive focus, followed by small group sessions, that offer a safe and secure environment in which to discuss, share, support and understand personal feelings.

Here are the 6 session titles. Each lasts for about 2 hours.

•Is this really happening to me?

•Coping with your ex-spouse

•Assuming new responsibilities

•Letting go and forgiveness

•Family matters

•Thinking about new relationships

The workshop is run by volunteers who have themselves, suffered the breakdown of a relationship and who have attended the workshop as a participant. The key theme of the workshop is ‘go through it or grow through it’ – that is, recovery from traumatic experiences can bring plenty of opportunities for personal growth.

I first heard about and attended Divorce Recovery Workshop last year after coming across a poster for it at my Church – St Mary’s in Kingsclere. I was suffering following the breakdown of relationship between myself and my partner, shortly after the arrival of our baby daughter. I found the advice given in the videos, the subsequent, small group discussion and the on-going friendships to be immensely helpful.

For me personally, DRW gave me a safe space to open up to people who ‘got it’ since separation and divorce brings about common emotions and practical issues, regardless of the individual circumstances. There were many, unique often heartbreaking stories, but we came together under one ‘boat’ and DRW was helping us to navigate the tricky, scary and at some points overwhelming journey.

If you are experiencing a significant relationship breakdown or are in (any) stage of divorce, please do consider reaching out and letting Divorce Recovery Workshop guide you through, like it did me.

Coming to BASINGSTOKE 25th April, 30th April and 5th May……

For further information, or to book a place at the workshop, you can call Mary on 01256 334022 or email basingstoke@drw.org.uk. You can also call the National Helpline 0333 335 0489 (local call rate) for more information on DRW and other local and residential courses.

The workshops are held at –

St. Mary’s Church, Goat Lane, Basingstoke, RG21 7PZ (ample free parking close by the church) and refreshments are provided.

Don’t suffer alone.

Susie Rees

Basingstoke Civil Service Retirement Fellowship

On arrival at the meeting held on Wednesday 4th March members were greeted by Richard Marmoy from Basingstoke Neighbourcare with a display of the work they carried out in the area. There was then a chance for people to test their memories with a photographic competition organised by Martin Bishop which was based on trips that had been taken during the past year. The Group then held their AGM which was attended by 45 members and 1 visitor. The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and commented on the help given to him by both the members of the committee and all the others who helped at the monthly meetings. This meant that the group had another successful year with a wide range of speakers and outings while still maintaining a steady membership and ensuring financial stability. The Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Welfare Officer all gave their reports and the officers and committee members for the coming year were appointed.

The committee members for the coming year are:-

Chairman – David Cowling, Vice-Chairman – David Dance,

Secretary – Tony Brazier, Treasurer – June Brazier,

Membership Secretary – Sonia Waite, Welfare Officer – Christine Broadbent,

Speaker Secretary – ­Maggie Hatton.

Following this we had a talk from Brenda Pullen of Hampshire County Council’s Connect to Support Hampshire. She explained that their work was to bring together as many aids and give as much advice as possible to adults in the county. The main source was their web site www.connecttosupporthampshire.org.uk which had a number of sections including Information and Advice, Community Directory, Care Options and News and Events. Within these headings were numerous options to find out about almost anything that was available to everyone. Further information in the form of literature and directories was also available at libraries.

Bookings are now being taken for the trips to –

Hatfield House on Thursday 23rd April,

Afternoon Tea at BCOT on Thursday 30th April

and A Day at Newbury Races on Friday 15th May.

The next meeting is on 1st April when we will have a talk called “Amdram” from Mike Brooks. The group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at Brookvale Village Hall from 10am to 12noon and all retired Civil Servants, their relatives and friends are welcome. Further details about the group and information about our trips can be obtained by contacting csrfbasingstoke@gmail.com.

David Cowling

Basingstoke Volunteer Action Group

Are you looking for more volunteers to support your group activities? If so why not take part in Basingstoke Voluntary Actions ” I Volunteer” campaign. Running from 1st March until 4th June the campaign seeks to highlight the many groups that have volunteers in the borough, the reasons why people volunteer with them and recognise the great work your volunteers do in the community.

How do I Take Part?
To take part, you will need to download an ” I Volunteer” template from the BVA website, ask one of your volunteers to write why they volunteer on it and send BVA a picture of the volunteer holding the sign. BVA will publish a photograph a day to promote volunteering on their social media channels.

How Does This work?

Organisations may put their logo in place of the BVA logo by I volunteer.
Please leave the logo for the Volunteer Centre at the bottom. Organisations may submit a maximum of 2 photographs. Only the image is used. Each photograph needs to be accompanied by this completed form.
Please find the “I Volunteer” A3 Poster and Form in the on the Bvaction website

Any queries please email contact@bvaction.org.uk or ring 01256 423816

Probus Hears from Local Author and Raconteur

Mel Rees was the guest speaker at the latest Probus Club meeting and he had the whole room in stitches and just spoke off the cuff. He had nothing but his memory to rely on as he thoroughly entertained everyone. There was no specific topic despite his talk having the title “My Family and Other Setbacks” as he gave anecdote after anecdote about his observations of life.

It is not surprising he has been passed on from one club to another so these days he gives over 200 talks each year across the south east of England, sometimes two a day, driving over 30,000 miles in the process. And what good value he gives as he passes from one topic to another with always the amusing aspects of life experiences coming to the fore.

Living in Ash Vale, or, as he describes it, Upper Ash Vale, with a posh GU postcode, he therefore asserts he cannot catch the Coronavirus and is most disparaging about the neighbouring conurbation of Aldershot. When he had to use a mobile medical investigation unit he asked the nurses if next time instead of using the Tesco car park that it would be preferable to use the Waitrose car park as they would get a better quality patient.

A multi-faceted individual he acts as a tour guide at the Hoggs Back Brewery and finds it amusing when talking to the visitors, if they hesitate before answering, he knows they lie about where they have come from. Reigate instead of Redhill, near Horsham instead of Crawley, Hove instead of Brighton – it becomes a double barrelled name of Hove Actually, West Camberley instead of Blackwater.

He has also written several books which mirror his view upon life and its vagaries especially about politics and his view of Guardianesta readers and PC attitudes. His nomme de plume is Anthony Mann and although he had one book as the Daily Express book of the month he could not get any literary agent or publisher interested in his outpourings. He had no option but to self publish and set up The Trouser Press. Today several of his books are on their third printing. Naturally all editions were on sale so a steady trade was carried out. But they can also be purchased on Amazon or downloaded as an E-book.
See www.probusbasingstoke.club

Get Active in 2020 at the St. Michael’s Hospice Basingstoke Run

With so many people thinking of getting fit and taking on a new challenge for 2020, St. Michael’s Hospice are encouraging North Hampshire to sign up for their upcoming Basingstoke Run, taking place at the brand-new location of Stratton Park in Basingstoke on the evening of Wednesday 13th May.

Runners will set off from 7pm, choosing from either a 5k or 10k route around the grounds of the centrally located park.

The event is suitable for all the family and provides the perfect opportunity to put on your trainers and raise vital funds for the Hospice, providing specialist care and support to patients suffering from life limiting illnesses across North Hampshire.

Laura Holmes, Events Manager at St. Michael’s Hospice comments, “We are very excited to be hosting our Basingstoke Run at our brand-new location, Stratton Park. This offers our runners a great opportunity to try our new routes to help challenge those personal bests, enhance training or for enjoyment with friends and family. Whether you are a club runner or a novice, you’ll enjoy a fantastic atmosphere and incredible support from our team of staff and volunteers on the night. We very much hope that the community of runners will get behind us in supporting this event to help raise ongoing funds for our Hospice care.”

To find out more about St. Michael’s Hospice 2020 events or to register, please visit: www.stmichaelshospice.org.uk/events

Council Introduces Fines For Idling Motorists

It’s not fine to idle – that’s the message from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council who is set to introduce new powers to penalise motorists idling their vehicles.

Stepping up a gear to tackle air pollution in the borough, the council will issue fixed penalty notices to those motorists caught idling while stationary on a public highway from Monday 23 March.
The notices will be issued by the council’s civil enforcement officers, community safety patrol officers and environmental officers while carrying out their normal duties.
The £20 fines will be a last resort and a notice will only be issued when a motorist refuses to switch off their engine.
It’s been over year a since the council launched its Clean Air Campaign encouraging people in the borough to reduce air pollution by using their vehicles less, to stop idling their car engines and to think about the ways in which they can reduce pollution in their own homes.
The campaign has seen the council and partners work with local schools to encourage parents and children to travel to school differently, reduce idling outside the school gates, work with taxi drivers to reduce idling and encourage the use of ultra-low emission taxi vehicles.
Together with partners including Hampshire County Council’s school travel team, Basingstoke Clean Air Campaign and Stagecoach, the council has also supported awareness and education events giving out over 5,000 anti-idling stickers to motorists to place on their car windows.
The new move to issue fixed penalty notices supports the council’s Climate Emergency declaration last September to work towards a carbon neutral borough by 2030.
Cabinet Member for Environment and Enforcement Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “Leaving your engine on while waiting in your car contributes to unnecessary emissions that affect levels of air pollution and greenhouse gases. Many motorists are simply not aware they can make a difference by switching off their engine while waiting.
“Our primary objective is to raise awareness and educate motorists to switch off their engines while waiting, but it is also important they understand that vehicle idling is an offence. These powers enable us to issue a fixed penalty notice for a fine of £20 and these will be issued by our officers when required.”
For more information on the new powers and what they mean for motorists, why the council is tackling engine idling, information on the Clean Air Campaign and myth busting visit www.basingstoke.gov.uk/clean-air

For further information on this release please contact: Senior Communications Officer Krissy Lloyd on 01256 845240 or email krissy.lloyd@basingstoke.gov.uk.

Media enquiries line 01256 845220 or email communications@basingstoke.gov.uk.
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