Final Report 2021

It’s the end of an era. For almost 12 years, the Sherfield English Children’s

Garden has been providing a friendly, multigenerational setting for local children, their parents and volunteer helpers to meet, learn and share a passion for all things gardening. Whether growing vegetables from seeds, harvesting fruit from the fruit bushes and trees, weeding and watering plots

or learning about the insects that play an important role in our ecosystem; Saturday mornings from March to October would see hardy gardeners of all ages congregating in the plot next to the car park at Gilbert’s Nursery -

whatever the weather!

Sadly following the uncertainty over the past couple of years the Children’s Garden at Gilbert’s Nursery will be closing down. We are very grateful for all the support and refreshments given over the years by Gilbert’s Nursery

to this community group, and also for the very dedicated volunteers who gave up their Saturday mornings to share their knowledge and skills with

the children. Many thanks to you all. We are hoping to be able to continue a community gardening group in another form if we can work out what and where, so hopefully more to follow. Neil, volunteer at the Sherfield English Children’s Garden

St

WW5 FTTP Update from David

Unfortunately progress is very slow. Openreach sent details of 130 properties

served by Wellow 5. However, further analysis showed that 33 of those addresses contributing to the minimum of 80 required to raise the £230,000

were actually empty. These were lock-ups, storage units, an automated

chicken farm, sewage works at Eastwood(!) etc. in Wellow, Shorts Farm, Plaitford and Sherfield English and also included St. Leonard’s Church!!

Openreach have just advised that they are willing to look again at the properties, but have now changed their policy to bidding for FTTP for whole cabinets only and smaller group bids (as were successful in Newtown) are a

thing of the past. Also, if 80 addresses agree to sign up for the voucher scheme, they must sign up for a minimum 12 month contract to a

broadband supplier of their choice. Will everyone wish to do that? Update next month if Openreach reply to my email by then!!

Church Warden's Letter October 2021