Crowthorne and Sandhurst

A talk about what Fair Trade really means on Thursday, 1st December, Sandhurst Community Hall, at the Memorial Park in Sandhurst, Yorktown Road, in the Kitty Dancy Room, 7.30pm

Talk by Bente Madeira from RISC in Reading (A Fair TradeTown), and a demonstration by the Sandhurst & District Corps of Drums.

Refreshments available and Fair Traid Stalls for those Christmas presents with a differences, from Body Shop, Traidcraft, PULA, and some beautiful gifts from Palestine and Oxfam. Lots to choose from.

This event is being sponsored by the Co-op Group. For further details contact Sylvia Trevis on 01344 771511 or 07789352110

Sandhurst manager Pete Browning says his team have nothing to fear from the visit of the Combined Counties League leaders this Saturday.

Southall have lost just once all season but Browning knows that if his team perform to their capabilities then they can inflict a second defeat on the West London outfit.

He is expecting a strong, physical battle and admits he would not be surprised to see the referee brandish a red card or two.

Browning said: "They are the league leaders but we always seem to do well against them and I fancy us to get something from the game.

"They are a very ill disciplined bunch, every time we've played them they've had a man sent off so as long as we keep our discipline we will have a chance.

"They have good individuals but I think we do better against the better sides anyway so I'm looking forward to it."

Gavin Matthews is still expected to be absent due to his thigh strain and Ricky McNamara may also miss out due to other commitments.

Sandhurst Town ..............3 Chipstead ........................2

FIZZERS' boss Pete Browning hailed his players' fighting spirit after a late comeback helped them to a crucial 3-2 win over Chipstead.

Sandhurst Substitute Steve Stairs grabbed the winner with just three minutes remaining to steal the points and earn Sandhurst their third victory in five games.

But Browning knows they will have to play much better if they want to continue their rise up the table during the busy Christmas period.

He said: "We didn't play very well but we got the three points which is the important thing.

"I gave the players a bit of a rocket at half-time because I didn't think they'd turned up in the first half.

"It seemed to work because we were a bit better in the second period. We upped it a bit and got at them which was pleasing.

"Steve Stairs did well when he came on as he caused them problems and got a lovely goal."

The visitors started the better at Bottom Meadow and took the lead early on when Fizzers keeper Andy Ewen was deceived by a long range effort.

But Sandhurst are now beginning to find some form and hit back on 18 minutes through Nick Rowe.

The goal came after fine work out wide from Pete Mulvaney who waltzed past two Chipstead defenders before crossing to the back post where Rowe was waiting.

Both teams then seemed to sit back as the first half went on with neither pressing too hard for a second.

But the second half was a different matter as Chipstead took the lead for the second time on 50 minutes when they slotted home a penalty.

This rocked the Sandhurst Fizzers who spent the next half hour looking for an equaliser with Mulvaney and Mark Anderson both going close.

Manager Peter Browning threw on Stairs in place of Martyn Fairminer as he looked for a leveller and the substitution proved to be a masterstroke.

Sandhurst made it 2-2 on 85 minutes when Danny Wilde whipped in a fantastic cross which caused panic in the Chipstead box before being poked in by Anderson.

Then two minutes later it was super-sub Stairs' moment as he latched onto a ball from Wilde before bending an excellent shot into the bottom corner to send the home fans wild.

Sandhurst: Ewen, Roberts, McNamara, Wilson, Fairminer (Stairs), Hutchings, Wilde, Nesbitt, Anderson, Mulvaney, Rowe.

ic Berkshire ~ Nov 24 2005

Broadmoor Primary School Christmas Fayre, 2/12/05, 7pm

Lower Broadmoor Road, Crowthorne, Berks

Lots of fun, activities, crafts, stalls, raffle, adult bar, an auction, loads of great prizes and of course, Father Christmas will be dropping in!

30p for adults, 10p for children

Nearly New Sale ~ Crowthorne NCT
Edgbarrow Sports Centre,
Grant Road,
Crowthorne

We are a charity and rely heavily on the profits of these sales to fund our trainees. Any help appreciated.

Saturday 19th November

2:15 – 3:30pm

2pm entrance for NCT members

Edgbarrow Sports Centre

Grant Rd, Crowthorne

Good as new babies and children’s clothing,

toys, nursery equipment, videos and books.

Call 0870 421 1873 for more information.

Crowthorne & Sandhurst NCT

The bulk of Broadmoor hospital in Crowthorne is to be demolished and rebuilt in a £200m programme designed to bring the world-famous Victorian institution into the modern era. The decision by ministers, announced yesterday, puts an end to debate about whether large, high-security units are the right places to treat severely disturbed offenders deemed a risk to the community and to themselves.

Critics have declared Broadmoor, Crowthorne and the other "special" hospitals to be beyond reform after a series of scandals. But ministers have concluded that moves to change the culture of the units are succeeding in bringing them more into the mainstream of mental healthcare. In a written Commons statement, the mental health minister, Rosie Winterton, said outline proposals for Broadmoor contained constructive options to provide "a safer and more effective clinical environment". She said the cost would be unlikely to exceed £190m at today's prices.

The announcement was kept low-key because of anxiety that the tabloid press would claim improvements to the hospital would amount to feather-bedding the Crowthorne patients, who include perpetrators of some of the most notorious crimes of recent years. Louis Smidt, who chairs the West London mental health trust, which has run the hospital since 2001, said: "This will enable us to provide appropriate, modern healthcare facilities for patients at Broadmoor, the majority of whom are detained with significant restrictions placed upon them for many years."

Broadmoor was built in 1863 and occupies a 53-acre hilltop site in Crowthorne, Berkshire. Two years ago, the healthcare inspectorate condemned its older wards as "not an appropriate humane environment" and "lacking basic standards of privacy, dignity, cleanliness and amenities".

In its early years, Broadmoor enjoyed a fine reputation for enlightened treatment of those then called the criminally insane. More recently, however, its record has been questioned and it has suffered from association with the findings of the 1999 inquiry into another special hospital, Ashworth on Merseyside. As part of a security crackdown Broadmoor, Crowthorne built a second perimeter fence and imposed severe restrictions on its patients.

Although most of those restrictions remain in place, Broadmoor, Crowthorne has been quietly reforming: the number of patients has been reduced to 280 by the transfer of 140 others, mainly to medium-secure units; the 39 remaining women patients are to be transferred in 2007 to a new unit in Ealing, west London; and a state of the art facility has opened for the specialised treatment of men with dangerous and severe personality disorders.

Critics of the three English high-security hospitals - the third is Rampton in Nottinghamshire - expressed dismay at the announcement. Ray Rowden, who was once director of commissioning for the three hospitals, said Britain had failed to learn from models of forensic psychiatric care in Australia and the Netherlands. "The [English] model is fundamentally flawed and it's profoundly depressing that a government supposedly committed to evidence-based healthcare is not learning from elsewhere in the world."

But Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation charity, said there was a need for some high-security care. "There is a tiny proportion of people in every society who are mad and bad and unfortunately likely to stay that way for a good while."

Guardian ~ Friday November 18, 2005

Television news presenter Nicholas Owen will host an evening of Christmas carols at Wellington College, Crowthorne in aid of Thames Hospicecare.

The impressive chapel at the Crowthorne college will echo to the sounds of Christmas on Thursday, December 8.

The concert will feature chamber choirs from the Brigidine and St Bernard's convents as well as music from the Berkshire Young Musicians' Trust's wind band.

Alex Smith, event organiser for Thames Hospicecare, said: "We are really pleased that Nicholas Owen has kind-ly offered to host the evening this year. Nicholas is known to so many people through his presentation of the ITV lunchtime news and will certainly add some extra sparkle to the occasion.

"We have gone for a very youthful theme to this year's concert. There is some huge young talent locally and it is wonderful to have their support and equally to be able to offer a platform to their abilities both musically and vocally."

The popular annual event will raise funds for Thames Hospicecare's Windsor and Ascot-based hospices which provide services to people suffering from a terminal or life-limiting illness, their families and their carers.

The charity formed earlier this year following the merger of the Paul Bevan Hospice and Thames Valley Hospice.

The Crowthorne carol concert will start at 7.45pm. Tickets priced £10 are available on 08456 128 812.

ic Berkshire ~ Crowthorne ~ Nov 15 2005 ~ By Sarah Clark

A Birmingham TA soldier proudly marched with his squadron in yesterday's Remembrance Day parade, weeks after scooping the top cadet prize on his officer training course at Sandhurst.

Warren Cain, aged 31, who joined the Sparkbrook-based 48 Signal Squadron 18 months ago, has spent a total of 11 years swapping his suit for Army combat gear.

Last October, the civil servant faced the most gruelling three months of his life at Sandhurst, proving that he could lead 30 men and women in testing battle conditions.

Now Mr Cain, who marched in his dress uniform with his squadron, has been promoted to the rank of second lieutenant.

"The physical challenge was very tough," he said. "There was a series of exercises where you led your platoon on military expeditions for two or three days.

"You don't get much sleep when you are out in the field or get too many meals. There was a lot of mental pressure as well.

"If your usual day is sitting in an office environment it's quite a shock to the system."

48 (City of Birmingham) Signal Squadron - part of the 35 (South Midland) Signal Regiment (Volunteers) - has its origins in the Royal Corps of Signals, formed in 1920 out of the First World War Royal Engineers, which initially handled communications.

Although much has been written lately about the challenge the TA is facing in attracting new recruits, 48 Signal Squadron's membership has risen 20 per cent in the last six months.

"I joined the TA because I wanted to experience new challenges and meet a lot of new people, and just do something different from my normal job.

"It was a surprise and a bonus to win top cadet," said Mr Cain, top out of 48 cadets on his course at Sandhurst.

icBirmingham ~ Nov 14 2005

A colourful Japanese event will be taking place to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of the second world war and to recognise VJ day.

With funding from the Imperial War Museum and the Big Lottery Fund, Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Sandhurst Town Council are running a Japanese themed Memory Tree event, which follows two second world war reminiscence events in local libraries.

Workshops are being run with a specialist artist, where visitors can try the tradional Japanese art of writing haikus - short poems. The poems will be on the theme of the second world war memories.

Sandhurst Residents can also come along and try their hand at Japanese lantern making in workshops running throughout the day.

And to relax, visitors will be able listen to a japanese story teller telling traditional tales from Japan.

Finally a tree in the park will be dressed with the poems and lanterns that have been created during the day as a tribute to VJ day.

The theme of the poetry and the day will be reminiscences of the war, which have been collected from previous reminiscence events organised by the Council.

But residents of all ages are encouraged to attend the event, which is aimed at young and old alike.

In keeping with the tree theme, the Mayor of Sandhurst will also plant a new tree in the park as a commeration of the anniversary.

Cllr Mrs Dorothy Hayes, Heritage Champion said: "This is a truly unique event, which will be of interest to people of all ages, and should be a fantastic experience!"

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure and Public Services, said: "Its great that the Council is working in partnership with Sandhurst Town Council, The Big Lottery Fund and the Imperial War Museum to provide such an unusual event.

"I hope that people from across the Borough can attend and enjoy this very different cultural experience."

The free memory tree event takes place at Sandhurst Memorial Park and Hall on Saturday November 26 from 11am to 4pm.

It is open to all, but poetry workshops sessions need to be booked in advance as places are limited.

Poetry workshops run at 11.30pm, 1pm and 2.30pm.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council ~ 11 November 2005

A Young man has told a jury how he punched and kicked his father's partner before hurling a brick at her head and killing her.

Nolan Curley of Moray Avenue in Sandhurst said he "lost control" and grabbed 53-year-old Christine Medley by the throat after she urinated on his bed.

Giving evidence at Reading Crown Court, 24-year-old Curley said Miss Medley had made his life hell for months leading up to the attack.

He told a jury how she had stolen from him, kicked him, urinated in his shoes and verbally abused him on a daily basis in his own home.

However, he could not explain why he saw red after the last incident in Sandhurst on March 20 this year.

Curley, who admits manslaughter but denies murder, said he had been in a pub watching a Liverpool v Everton football match before returning to his home in Moray Avenue, Sandhurst.

"I went over the road to the kebab shop to get something to eat and then went straight home," he said.

"I went upstairs and I noticed that there were a few wet patches on the side of the bed.

"I pulled up the duvet cover and underneath was soaking wet. I knew Christine had urinated on it. I went to confront Christine about it. It kept happening, day in, day out and I was really angry about what had happened.

"She came up to me quite aggressively and started calling me a liar. She pushed me and I hit her. She fell backwards on the bed.

"She was struggling to get up and she was waving her arms about and she was kicking out."

He continued: "I hit her again and grabbed her by the throat. I kept hitting her in the head and face.

"I don't know what happened. I just lost control. She fell to the floor and I kicked her quite a few times to the body and to the head.

"There was a wine bottle and a pint glass on the side. I threw both at her. The glass smashed on her head."

Curley then left his step-mum bleeding in the bedroom while he went outside and picked up a brick.

"I was leaving the house and was walking over the patio when I saw the brick. I picked it up and went back inside. Christine was on the floor bleeding. I think she was unconscious. I threw the brick at her.

"I don't know what I was thinking at the time. It hit her. It was a terrible thing to do. I can't believe I did it and I'm very sorry."

ic Berkshire ~ Sandhurst ~ Nov 10 2005

If your children like art, but you don’t like the mess…
…then bring them along to the Coffee Spot!

On
Wednesday 21st & Thursday 22nd December between 2pm and 4pm

It is a kiddies Christmas Craft day run by Sandhurst Baptist Church. For just £1.50 per child you can have a coffee and a chat whilst your children will be happily occupied.

Price includes all materials, a drink and biscuit.
All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Prince Harry is to be pelted with potatoes as part of his year-long training at Sandhurst.

The aim of the exercise, which will take place in Officer Cadet Wales's final term, is to prepare recruits for periods of civil disorder.

During the training, he and his 30-strong platoon will have to fend off a baying mob, made up of Gurkhas and fellow cadets hurling potatoes.

The prince and his fellow cadets have already been warned that he faces being injured during the exercise at the military academy in Camberley, Surrey.

"If they don't keep their shields up they can end up with some nasty bruises. The potatoes are thrown with a lot of force.

"We are simulating a real situation that troops have to deal with regularly in Iraq, Bosnia and Afghanistan," said Lt Col Roy Parkinson, spokesman for Sandhurst.

"It is a real test of the cadets' nerve and strength of character. Spectators who have seen the exercise can't believe how frightening it is."

The exercise will take place in a mock town built specifically for the military to simulate fighting in urban areas.

The only consolation for Prince Harry is that he will be allowed to enact revenge on his attackers by taking his turn at becoming part of the angry mob.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: "All recruits at Sandhurst in term three go on Exercise Broadsword to recreate, in a controlled training environment, civil disorder.

"The idea is to prepare them if they find themselves at the wrong end of a riot. Potatoes are less dangerous than concrete or bricks."

It is unlikely that the "spud bashing" exercise will deflate Prince Harry's spirits.

In an interview to mark his 21st birthday, he said that the gruelling regime at Sandhurst had done him good.

Telegraph By Nicole Martin 07/11/2005

Two of the rare trio of birds whose presence threatens a Crowthorne development are still classed as highly endangered, according to government figures.

It has also been revealed that there are a number of bat roosts within 100 metres of the site in Lower Broadmoor Road where developers want to build 28 flats and houses.

Campaigners in the village are currently fighting the plan on the grounds of the endangered species at Wildmoor Heath - a site of special scientific interest and a special protection area. A petition has joined complaints already logged on the Bracknell Forest Borough Council planning website, and English Nature has also since objected.

The plans face being thrown out because they are within 400 yards of the Crowthorne heath which is home to ground nesting Dartford warblers, woodlarks and nightjars.

Statistics released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) revealed how both the woodlark and the nightjar are still classed as red list species, meaning they are the ones most in danger should development affect their habitat.

Objector John Baster said the figures should mean the objections are given a "higher priority".

He added: "The land around these protection areas where you have lots of houses, and cats like mine, will affect the wildlife and we must move to protect them."

Nov 3 2005 ~ ic Berkshire

At Sandhurst & Yateley Methodist Church, Scotland Hill, Sandhurst
Saturday 19th November - 7.30pm Tickets £3.50 (includes buffet supper)

Auction items include: household articles, clothing, weekend holiday cottage, dining out,
gardening services, chauffeured shopping trip for Christmas, golf lessons, etc., etc.

For further information and reserve your place, please call: 01344 775521 / 01276 36631

The church will be 100 years old in 2006 and all proceeds are in aid of the Restoration 100 Fund initiative for various church improvement projects.

CHURCH COMMUNITY NEWS

St Michael’s, St George’s, Sandhurst & Yateley Methodist’s, Sandhurst Baptist’s and The Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Would like to invite you to their forthcoming events in October and November:

You are invited to a
Fashion Show

High Street Clothes – Bargains galore!

Sandhurst Community Hall,
Yorktown Rd
Weds 26th October

7.30pm for 8.00pm
Tickets £5 Available on the door

All Proceeds to Sandhurst Baptist Church

The Church of The
Immaculate Conception

Invites all the Churches of Sandhurst
To an

Ecumenical Remembrance Service

7.30pm 11th November

At The Catholic Church

St Michael’s Church, Sandhurst
Invite you to a

BARN DANCE on:
Saturday 19th November 2005
7.30pm-11.30pm

Tickets in advance from Parish Office £7.50
Bring a dish to share

All Proceeds to our Charitable Giving Fund

St George’s Church, Owlsmoor
invite you to a
Supper Evening on:
Saturday 19th November 2005
7pm for 7.30pm
Including an interview with:

TONY MARRIOT – writer of
‘No Sex Please We’re British’

Talking about his life in the theatre amongst other things.

To reserve a supper and choose what to have, please contact either:
Linda Hewlett by phone on 01276 34979 or Tim Hulse at timhulse@aol.com

There is no charge for the evening, but donations are invited to St George’s Church

SANDHURST CHURCHES TOGETHER
Invite you to a

Fair Trade & Wine Tasting Evening
Illustrated by a talk on
Fairtrade working in South Africa

Saturday November 26th at 7.45 for 8pm
At the Coffee Spot.
Tickets £5 - to include nibbles to dilute the wine
Contact Jo Jones 01276 38601