The Parish Council has received details of the following planning application. Please ensure you submit any comments to West Berkshire District Council.
21/02586/HOUSE
Old Oak Cottage, Lambourn Road, Weston, Newbury, RG20 8JF
Single and two storey extensions to provide utility, shower room, studio and study and associated works.
Full details can be viewed at http://planning.westberks.gov.uk/rpp/index.asp?caseref=21/02586/HOUSE.

Welford Parish Council has a vacancy for a councillor. The parish includes the villages of Wickham, Welford, Easton, Weston, Hoe Benham and Halfway with a total population of just over 400. The council are looking for a dedicated parishioner who will contribute to the decision making of the council and to ways of improving life within the parish.
 
Applications should be made to the Locum Parish Clerk, Jennie Currie whose contacts details are below.

For details of the next Parish Council meeting click here

Welford Park Cricket Club are raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
​
3rd August 2021  10:30 to approx. 19:00

Welford Park Cricket Club are looking forward to staging a match against the MCC, raising funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. Gates open at 10:30 with the match starting at 11:30.
 
Tickets (well, a donation to the Charity) are priced at £8 if purchased in advance or £10 on the day. Follow the link to purchase the tickets. https://macmillan-org.enthuse.com/cf/mccvwelfordpark
 
Facilities on the day include a BBQ (no personal BBQ’s allowed), a Bar provided by The Queens Arms, a Cricket book stall, a Honey stall with an observation beehive, toilet blocks, Ice cream & tea stall, Macmillan’s own stall plus a treasure hunt for the children around the estate. All you need to do is bring your own chairs or picnic rug.
 
There will also be a raffle with some great prizes (including a pair of Teddy bears, tickets for the snowdrops at Welford Park, bottles of gin and whisky, Voucher for the Woodspeen and many more) plus a silent auction which will be open from around a week before the event (including a round of golf with Gladstone Small, fishing on the River Lambourne, tickets for The Henley Festival, a meal at The French Horn, tea in the Long Room at Lord’s and others).
 
During the game ex England players including David Gower, Gladstone Small and Claire Taylor will be around for you to meet plus Hampshire’s Nick Pocock.
 
Tim Deller from BBC Radio Berkshire will be a roving reporter during the day interviewing both the celebrities and the members of the public for their comments which will go over the PA system.
 
The entrance to the ground (RG20 8HP) is off Welford Road and up the track to the pavilion where free parking is available.  Please note there is no access via Wickham due to road works on the motorway bridge.

The following notification has been received from Highways England

Welford Road
Whilst we are replacing the central reservation of the M4 above, we will close Welford Road from Monday 12 July through to Saturday 18 September 2021.
A diversion will be in place via Welford Road, Rood Hill, High Street and the B4000.
 
Access will be maintained for pedestrians and cyclists, and for emergency services.
 
All our work is weather dependent, particularly when using a large crane. We’ll advertise the closures on yellow signs placed in advance alongside the road, via the media and on our South-East Twitter feed @HighwaysSEAST.
 
We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience or disruption you may experience during this work.
 
If you have any questions, or if you would like to know about our work, please contact us on 0300 123 5000 or email info@highwaysengland.co.uk. Alternatively, please visit www.highwaysengland.co.uk/our-work/south-east/south-east-maintenance-schemes/
 

The following notification has been received from Highways England
​
M4 Junctions 13 to 14 Wickham – Bridge Repairs
 
We’ll shortly be carrying out essential repairs to the bridge which carries the M4 over Welford Road (near Wickham, West Berkshire). During our inspections we have found that water is leaking through to the bridge joints and this needs to be repaired.
 
To ensure the bridge remains in a safe condition, work will include:

• reconstructing the central reservation
• replacing the joints across the M4 motorway
• replacing the waterproofing material below the road surface
• resurfacing the M4 across the bridge
• upgrading the safety barrier along the M4 verges

 
This work is currently scheduled to start on 14 May 2021 and is expected to be completed by the end of October 2021.
 
For the safety of our workforce and customers, the following traffic management restrictions will be in place on both the M4 eastbound and westbound, and on Welford Road beneath the bridge:
 
Welford Road
Whilst we are replacing the central reservation of the M4 above, we will close Welford Road from Monday 12 July through to Saturday 18 September 2021. A diversion will be in place via Welford Road, Rood Hill, High Street and the B4000.
 
Access will be maintained for pedestrians and cyclists, and for emergency services.
 
M4 motorway
From Friday 14 May 2021 for up-to five weeks, there will be a 24/7 closure of the hard shoulder on both carriageways and overnight lane closures.
 
Then from Monday 21 June 2021 for up-to 12 weeks, 24/7 narrow lanes and an enforceable 50mph speed limit will be in place on both the westbound and eastbound carriageways. Free vehicle recovery will be available for anyone who breaks down in the narrow lanes.
 
Once the central reservation has been replaced, the narrow lanes will be removed, and the remaining activities will be done using full weekend closures of the M4 eastbound and westbound carriageways.
 
M4 weekend closures
To replace the central reservation, a large crane will be required, and we will need to close the entire motorway for the full weekend. A further weekend closure of the M4 will be required to replace the waterproofing material and surfacing. This is to allow enough time for the material to cure.
 
These weekend closures will be between junctions 13 and 14. The dates of the weekend closures are currently planned as follows:

• 9pm on Friday 30 July through to 6am on Monday 2 August
• 9pm on Friday 20 August through to 6am on Monday 23 August
• 9pm on Friday 10 September through to 6am on Monday 13 September (contingency)
• 9pm on Friday 24 September through to 6am on Monday 27 September
• 9pm on Friday 8 October through to 6am on Monday 11 October (contingency)

 
During these closures, signed diversions will be in place via the A338, A4 and A34.
 
All our work is weather dependent, particularly when using a large crane. We’ll advertise the closures on yellow signs placed in advance alongside the road, via the media and on our South-East Twitter feed @HighwaysSEAST.
 
We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience or disruption you may experience during this work.
 
If you have any questions, or if you would like to know about our work, please contact us on 0300 123 5000 or email info@highwaysengland.co.uk. Alternatively, please visit www.highwaysengland.co.uk/our-work/south-east/south-east-maintenance-schemes/

​Join Welford Park - Walk for Parkinson’s UK or take part virtually - the choice is yours!  

• Every pound raised, matched by the Frank and Evelyn Brake Connect Fund, will help transform information and support services for people affected by Parkinson’s

 
You  can now sign up to Welford Park Walk for Parkinson’s on Sunday 4 July  to help fund vital support for people affected by the condition, or if you would like to volunteer at this event please contact us too.
 
Charity Parkinson’s UK has launched its annual Walk for Parkinson’s series, which was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This year, there are three ways to take part:

• Join one of our socially distanced organised walks in your area at Welford Park.
• Walk for Parkinson’s 66 mile challenge: complete 66 miles of walking in July
• Walk for Parkinson’s Your Way: walk 2 or 6 miles wherever you are over 25 and 26 September.

The money raised by Walk for Parkinson’s will help transform the way the charity offers information and support to people with Parkinson’s, and the people in their lives. This year, thanks to the Frank and Evelyn Brake Connect Fund, sponsorship will be matched pound for pound, doubling the impact for people affected by Parkinson’s.
 
Organised walks taking place include Welford Park in Newbury on Sunday 4 July. The walks will comply with local coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance. 
 
This year, there will also be two virtual walking challenges: Walk for Parkinson’s 66 mile challenge and Walk for Parkinson’s Your Way. 
 
If you know 66 people, you know one person living with Parkinson’s. So why not take on Walk for Parkinson’s 66 by walking 66 miles throughout July?  How you want to complete this challenge is up to you. Whether it’s alone or socially distanced, all you have to do is reach the target of 66 miles by the end of the month.
 
With Walk for Parkinson’s Your Way, you choose your own course, when you do it and who you walk with over the weekend of 25 and 26 September. Participants can choose from two distances - 2 or 6 miles - depending on what suits you best.
 
To take part in Walk for Parkinson’s, visit: www.parkinsons.org.uk/get-involved/walk-parkinsons or www.events.parkinsons.org.uk/walkwelfordpark
 
Or call 0800 138 6593 or email fundraising@parkinsons.org.uk