Dorney Parish News February 2023 A serious problem on our village roads – see Page 12 ISSUE NO. 1/23 1/23 FEBRUARY 2023 EDITORIAL This issue of ‘Dorney Parish News’ includes updates on local issues such as the state of the roads in the Parish, the tortuous progress over the Orchard Herbs site plus notice of a new-style meeting of the Horticultural Society. But this editorial must deal with the magazine itself. From this issue on the annual subscription will be increased from £5 to £7. We’re not sure how long the cost has been a fiver, but that was the subscription when I started to write articles thirteen years ago. We have been proud that there has been no increase in recent years while the magazine has increased in size and the breadth of its content, while now featuring photographs and most importantly, colour. Even so, we would prefer to have maintained the cost for another year. But that is no longer possible. Printing is our only major cost and over the span of my editorship – the last four years – printing costs have increased by 167%. The cost of producing one copy has risen from 46p to £1.23. Around two thirds of households subscribe, but we do not think that there is much scope to gain more revenue from readers or from our loyal and supportive advertisers. We – myself and my colleague Bill Dax – have considered all the alternatives. Online distribution, free of charge has much to recommend it. We would eliminate the vast proportion of our costs. There would be no need to collect subscriptions or to pound the streets pushing copies through letter boxes. We do know that a move online would not be popular. The relationship with readers would change. DPN is like a glossy magazine. It is kept through the month and, we are told, often much longer than that. As someone said, the online version might be consulted just once, like a newsletter. We could publish fewer issues over the year. Eton Wick’s magazine, for instance, is quarterly. The burden on the tiny editorial team would be eased considerably. But it has been satisfying to update readers on developing stories -traffic issues, Parish Council affairs, planning threats to our environment. For the moment we’ll stick to ten issues a year. Perhaps the best cost cutting policy is to reduce issue sizes. I think in 2023 we will be less likely to serve up 44 pagers which challenge the width of letterboxes. I admit this policy will serve as a good cost reducer to be used as appropriate as this year progresses. We’d like our readers to help us out. We’d prefer, and with that awkward £7 sub, your distributors might as well, for subs to be paid direct to us by BACS. Make your payments, the sooner the better, to account number 13611690, sort code 60-04-53. Please, please use your name as the payment reference and we will let your distributor know that your sub has been paid. Please let us know what you think about the various options outlined here. Please let us know if you are willing to help us with distribution of the magazine. Please contribute articles because perhaps the most significant issue facing ‘DPN’ is whether there are residents out there willing to take up the editorial responsibilities from the two of us now occupying the editors’ desk. Peter Bowman 3 Buckinghamshire Council and Orchard Herbs: Council incompetence? Are you frustrated by the apparent lack of effective action to resolve the illegal storage of hundreds of non-agricultural vehicles on Green Belt land adjoining Lake End Road, known as “Orchard Herbs”? Do you wonder what individual Dorney residents can do about this despoliation of our village? The purpose of The Planning Inspectorate is to ensure a fair planning system. One of the ways it does this is to ensure that the right to appeal a planning decision made by a local authority is a key feature of the planning system. The owners of the Orchard Herbs site -Land to the West of Lake End Road, North of The Pineapple (Formerly ‘Orchard Herbs’), Dorney, Bucks, SL4 6QS – have appealed twice, firstly in 2008, regarding an enforcement notice issued by Bucks Council and, secondly, in 2010 against the conclusions of the first appeal. The second appeal, which was remitted for re-hearing and determination by consent order of the High Court, was concluded on 16 April 2010. It was remitted on grounds that the first Inspector erred in law on the question of whether the storage area [of non-agricultural vehicles] had become immune from enforcement by the passage of time. The second inspector – who conducted a very detailed assessment of the usage of the site between 1985 to 2007 – concluded that an area of the site had (through the ten year rule) achieved immunity from enforcement and, therefore, could continue to be used for the “storage of non-agricultural plant, equipment, vehicles and materials.”The Plan referred to in the two appeals is shown here. The total hatched area marked “Area of Non- Agricultural Storage” is the area which is now (since 2010) legally permitted for storage of any nonagricultural vehicles such as trucks, containers, fire engines etc etc. So, leaving aside the refused hotel proposal, it has been the responsibility of Bucks Council since 2008 to ensure that the owners of the land only use the designated legal area for such storage – which they have clearly failed to do. 4 The Council’Council’s use of Enforcement Notices over 12 years has been a complete failure. The bazooka solution, which has been available to Bucks Council during the 12 years of apparent incompetence, has always been a High Court injunction. Other similar instances of illegal land grabs in Bucks have been resolved through High Court injunctions instigated by Bucks Council. In November 2019, an injunction covering land to the rear of Nash Park in Winslow Road, Great Horwood, Bucks was issued and eventually complied with. Another High Court injunction was issued by the Council in 2020 with regard to extending the Willows Caravan Park, Marsh Lane, Bishopstone, near Aylesbury, Bucks onto adjoining land. The Council also issued two High Court injunctions in 2021 regarding land in Lodge Lane, Little Chalfont where illegal dwellings and caravans were sited. Eventually the Council’s specialist contractors entered the land to carry out works. This included the cessation of the use of the land as a caravan site, the removal of caravans, buildings, horse boxes and associated hardstanding. Mr Williams (the then Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment for Bucks) said: “The action we have taken is another example of the Council’s ‘no nonsense’ approach to planning enforcement which we continue to employ where necessary. “We will always aim to work with parties to reach an amicable conclusion but where this is not possible, we will take further action such as this.” The Council will not tolerate breaches of planning control and use enforcement tools, Mr Williams said as “a warning to others”. But not Orchard Herbs, apparently. Dorney Parish Council have been making very strong representations to our Councillor – George Sandy – who sits on the South Bucks Area Planning Committee and Bucks Planning Enforcement, and are monitoring site movements carefully. However, as can be seen from the Parish Council minutes – getting any kind of satisfactory resolution from Bucks Council is glacial. As has been stated before in Dorney Parish News, there are times when residents can’t leave all of the heavy lifting to the Parish Council – especially when the offending site isn’t in our Parish but is Burnham Parish Council’s direct responsibility. Consequently, it is suggested that we leave Dorney Parish Council to continue with their due processes whilst others may wish to take a more direct communication route. According to the South Bucks Local Enforcement Plan (March 2018), the decision whether to instigate court proceedings (such as prosecutions or seeking injunction proceedings) is delegated to the Head of Legal and Democratic Services having received instructions from the Head of Planning and Economic Development. 5 The current Head of Planning and Economic Development is Ian Thompson, Corporate Director Planning, Growth and Sustainability, Bucks Council, Email: ian.thompson@buckinghamshire.gov.uk The current Head of Legal and Democratic Services is Sarah Ashmead, Deputy Chief Executive, Bucks Council, Email: sarah.ashmead@buckinghamshire.gov.uk The Chief Executive Officer is Rachael Shimmin. Her email address is: rachael.shimmin@buckinghamshire.gov.uk One resident has recently sent an email to Ian Thompson, copied to Rachael Simmin and Sarah Ashmead along the following lines: As a resident of Dorney Parish I am extremely disappointed at the lack of urgency, over the last twelve years since 16th April 2010, by executive members of the Council to resolve the illegal storage of hundreds of non-agricultural vehicles on Green Belt land adjoining Lake End Road, SL4 6QS and the M4 motorway, known as “Orchard Herbs”. It completely despoils our village. It is abundantly clear that your Enforcement Notices are ineffective. The only solution is, therefore, according to your own Local Enforcement Plan, to issue a High Court injunction. It is interesting to note that you have reached this decision over recent years for similar problems in Great Horwood, Little Chalfont and Bishopstone (and possibly others) but presumably, because Dorney has very few voters and is too far away from Aylesbury, it isn’t a priority to the executive and/or it isn’t worth the investment. I would ask you to urgently reconsider your position on this matter so that this longfestering sore on the Green Belt and our beautiful village can be removed. A large number of emails such as this to the three responsible executive officers might put some pressure where it is needed. A follow up to local, regional and national media will be the next step, if necessary, and our Member of Parliament. Bill Dax and Peter Bowman 6 Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School I cannot tell you how pleased I am to see the back of 2022, especially the months leading into November and December when the dreaded Strep A and Scarlet Fever hit our community and school. I am so pleased that all our children have recovered even as some were hospitalised for serious symptoms. Although winter illnesses are still upon us for a few months longer, the promise of impending sunshine and the coming of spring bring with it hope, optimism and lots of Vitamin D, essential for good physical, and mental health. Since the New Year, we have already welcomed some special visitors to school to enhance the learning experience for our children. Author Visit Gemma Stone and her son, Archie visited our school on Friday. Gemma is passionate about raising awareness of Albinism, a rare condition that Archie has. This condition affects his skin and his sight. She has written several children’s books and we were privileged to hear her read one due to be published. Her books all centre on being different, and the trials that disabled children and their families face. She channels her emotions through writing, and our children were spellbound when she read aloud the story of Herb, the Little Star who Twinkled Differently. She was inspired to write this story due to the times when people have been unkind to Archie, staring and mocking him when the family have been out and about. Our children listened with interest, maturity and empathy as Gemma recounted some of these experiences. They asked perceptive questions and were delighted when Archie walked around them during assembly. Gemma visits many schools and organisations, but she wanted us to know that the children of Dorney School have been the best audience by far! Coming from an author who has received several awards, this is praise indeed! In the next few months, we will also welcome celebrated children’s authors Richard O’Neill and Chris Connaughton. Our school believes that such visits are important in creating positive relationships with children and young peoples' reading skills, and their enjoyment and confidence in both reading and writing. Speak Out, Stay Safe Pupils from years 5 and 6 attended assemblies and workshops organised by the NSPCC. Trained volunteers from this national charity delivered workshops aimed at helping all primary aged children understand how to keep safe from abuse, who they can turn to seek help and support, and to speak out if they are concerned, or worried about anything. Our school takes safeguarding and child protection seriously and we believe, when the community, parents and schools work together, we can keep all children safe from harm. Do look at their website for more information and links to volunteer or donate to this worthwhile charity https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ Martin Luther King Day 17th January We also celebrated the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. This is an annual event at our school as every year, our pupils learn more about Martin Luther King and the struggle for equality and civil rights. It is important that we remember the fight for justice, empowerment, and equity. Our children are inheritors of freedom, and we have the responsibility to keep lighting the way by carrying the torch to pass on to future generations. Racism has no place in our society and as a collective, we all need to remember this and stand up against discrimination, bias, and racism. I am loving the start of 2023 and know that our school will go from strength to strength. Our pupils are happy, our staff are positive and committed to delivering an excellent education. Our parents support us in what we do, and I am privileged to lead a thriving and successful community. Why not come and see us in action? Have you considered helping out at our school? Email the school if you are interested in a visit office@dorneyschool.co.uk I wish you well and hope that 2023 will be a happy and prosperous year for you too. Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee, Headteacher 8 Whilst January threw some of our worst winter weather for some time, DPC held our Annual Finance and the first PC meeting of 2023. The good news is, due to some careful budgeting over the past year, the annual Parish precept for 2023/24 has been set at £25,000 for the 3rd year running. Some of the problem potholes DPC PREPARING A FULL REPORT WITH PHOTOGRAPHS TO PRESENT TO BUCKS ALERTING THEM TO THE APPALLING STATE OF THE ROADS IN THE PARISH. PLEASE CONTINUE TO REPORT POTHOLES (WITH PHOTOGRAPHS ALSO) ON FIX MY STREET. Following a survey of the oak trees in the Memorial garden last year Maydencroft were contracted to carry out the highlighted remedial work. We await details of the planned ongoing maintenance from Maydencroft. Pressure on Bucks continues with the hope that this will finally lead to further legal action on the Orchard Herbs site. Burnham PC (whose Parish this is sited in) are actively engaged and DPC have contacted Taplow PC who have agreed to support us so we can present a united front. Much progress with Neighbourhood Plan -await a notification through your door with updated information. Next meeting 21st February 2023 at Dorney School. DORNEY SCHOOL NOW INCLUDED ON THE EMERGENCY PLAN AS AN EMERGENCY HUB. INFORMATION CONTINUES TO BE UPDATED AND WILL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE. 1 9 Services in the Local Churches Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Vicar: Revd. La Stacey, The Vicarage, 69a Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6NE Tel: 01753 852268 email: revlastacey@gmail.com For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Rev La Stacey writes: If you are reading this on 1st February, then in the church we are still in Christmas! The Christmas season in church ends with Candlemas, which is the 2nd of February. The truth revealed by the incarnation, which is what the church’s Christmas festivities are all about, never comes to an end though. So, before we head into Lent, I’m going to dwell a bit longer on the wonder! Because what happens in the incarnation is worth dwelling on! You see, it challenges all the things we thought we knew about God, and I love that. We who think we know it all, can only stand in awe. From now on all our thoughts about God neatly up there and out of the way, have to change. The incarnation shocks us out of our habit of keeping God safely out of our existence, tucked away behind a cloud somewhere. Because God emptied God’s-self to be with us, to be one of us, to be among us. Here is God, if you believe the claims of the gospel writers, made flesh among us: the invisible made visible, the impassable suffering hunger and tummy ache as any other infant, the ineffable needing love to thrive, the immutable needing to suckle its mother’s milk to grow, the omnipotent as weak as a day-old baby… God is here among us, making [him]self entirely dependent on human love. And the Gospel of John says we rejected him. Of course we did! I mean, who wants to be caught gazing at a baby in wonder, utterly divested of everything we had thought that was important up to now? Who wants to be totally undone by a baby’s reciprocal gaze and have that baby completely re-order our lives around it? Change us from the inside out? Upend all our priorities? Open our eyes to the frailty and value of each human being and the whole of created life? Who can afford to be that vulnerable, that naked? Charles Wesley’s hymn puts it beautifully – it says God ‘emptied himself of all but love’. Our response is to find ourselves, likewise, emptied of all but love. As the 10 season of love approaches, may we allow the love of Christ, which is stronger than suffering and stronger than death, remake us and fill us with vision and hope again. suffering and stronger than death, remake us and fill us with vision and hope again. With blessings, La Church Services in February 2023 Wednesday 1st February 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 5th February 9.30 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Any Age Family Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 12th February 9.30 am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 15th February 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 19th February 9.30 am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 22nd February (Ash Wednesday) 7.00 pm Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney Sunday 26th February 9.30 am Morning Worship St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St Mary Magdalene, Boveney This beautiful church on the Thames is open daily. www.st-mary-magdalene-boveney.org.uk 11 Potholes are a serious problem on our village roads! I suspect every reader has recently encountered (or managed to avoid) one or more of the many potholes on Dorney’s roads. Dorney Parish Council have advised Bucks Council of the problems and are preparing a detailed report for them. Buckinghamshire Council says recent weather has caused deterioration in the roads and that it is aware of an increased number of potholes in local roads due to recent weather. The prolonged period of cold conditions followed by wet weather has caused a rapid deterioration in some surfaces. Freezing temperatures can impact surface layers where freeze-thaw action causes potholes and cracks to widen but can affect the integrity of the underlying layers if it penetrates deep enough. If this does happen the damage to the roads can be extreme. The council says repairs are being prioritised for the most serious defects and will be made as soon as possible, but some may need to be short term because of current weather conditions. Councillor Steven Broadbent is the Cabinet Member for Transport: "Where a defect is unsafe, repairs will be made as quickly as possible. Ideally this will be undertaken as a long-lasting repair, but at times, such as during very wet or cold weather, or when it is an emergency "out of hours" repair, this may be possible and a temporary "make-safe" repair will be undertaken. "In extreme cases the issue may require the temporary closure of the road. None of these temporary options are ideal, as this type of repair may not last very long in poor weather, particularly where the road is subject to large numbers of HGV movements. The best time to fix road defects properly is when the weather is warm and dry – which, of course, is the opposite of when the majority of the problems occur! Transport for Buckinghamshire is working hard to assess and rectify defects as soon as possible. "The council continues to invest heavily in our highway network and the ongoing programme of local schemes and strategic road repairs/improvements continues. "Prudent financial planning has meant that severe weather reserves exist to help fund the required priority repairs to deal with the issues we are currently seeing. "We urge residents not to repair potholes themselves -the best way to report a problem on the highway, so the council can repair the roads, is via Fix My Street.". Available via the Dorney Parish Council website under “Report a Problem”. RAC advice regarding Potholes: If the pothole you want to report is on a motorway or major A-road in England, you can also contact National Highways on 0300 123 5000 or visit https://report.highwaysengland.co.uk. Making a pothole claim If your car is damaged by a pothole, you may be able to claim compensation. The chances of being successful in claiming compensation will significantly depend on whether the pothole has already been reported. Councils have a statutory defence in that they cannot be held liable for a defect they are not aware of – either because it has not been reported to them or it has not been picked up their own system of inspection and maintenance. 12 To make a claim you must address it to the right authority. Sending it to the wrong place could mean your claim is delayed or doesn't get looked at. If the pothole: your claim is delayed or doesn't get looked at. If the pothole: • is on a major A-road or motorway in England, contact Highways England on 0300 123 5000 or by emailing info@highwaysengland.co.uk • is on any other road, contact Bucks Council and make a claim step-by-step online – search “Bucks Council Claim for Damage”. If you have fully comprehensive insurance, it might also be possible to make a claim via your insurer for the damage to your vehicle, but be aware of your excess amount. Pothole damage If your vehicle is damaged due to a pothole: 1. Take notes – When you are parked somewhere safely, write down all the key details including the location of the pothole, its rough size, shape and depth. If it is safe to do so, make a simple sketch of the area showing the position of the pothole including any surrounding features. It is also worth taking a photograph of the offending pothole (not on a Motorway!). 2. Have witnesses – Wherever possible, get the details of any witnesses who saw the incident. This might help your claim. 3. Get garage quotes – Make sure you get quotes for all repairs. Keep all quotes, bills and garage receipts safely in one place and make copies of them to support your claim. 4. Weigh up the pros and cons – It may not always be worthwhile making a claim for compensation if the amount is below a certain level. Before attempting to make a claim, do your research first as it could be a costly, time-consuming process. 5. Prepare for rejection – The highways authority may defend the claim under section 58 of the Highways Act and their right to statutory defence. If they can prove they have a regular inspection and repair system in place, they may be able to reject your claim. 6. Do your research – before going back to the authority to discuss the claim further, review the guidance provided on their website, check what the council is liable for and verify if they are carrying out a reasonable system of inspection and repair. 7. Be willing to negotiate – If the highways authority makes you an offer, you should seriously consider it. You may be able to negotiate but while you can claim the cost of repairs, you won’t necessarily be compensated for additional travel expenses or the inconvenience caused. 8. Consider the small claims court – If your claim is rejected, you may be able to go to the small claims court. If you choose to, seek legal advice as you could end up incurring legal costs. 9. Keep calm – Always try to remain calm and professional when dealing with the highways authority. And keep copies of all the letters and emails you send and receive – if you do go to court, you will have to provide a record of all your correspondence. What damage can potholes do to your car? According to the RAC’s tyre partner, ATS Euromaster, hitting a pothole can cause a number of wheel and tyre problems. Initial impact on a vehicle can cause buckled wheels, cracks, lumps in the tyre, cracked alloys and it can knock out the tracking and wheel balancing. Reports have found that a third of all recorded vehicle damage is as a result of potholes. In more severe cases, it could lead to drivers losing control of their vehicles and being involved in an accident. With thanks to Bucks Radio website and the RAC for certain of the content of this article. Bill Dax 13 Dorney Horticultural Society 'Going for Gold' with Jamie Butterworth MD of Form Plants RHS Chelsea Gold Medalist 2022 Friday 24th February 3 -5 pm to be held in The cafe at Crocus at Dorney Court Our February meeting has an exciting new format and will be held in a new venue courtesy of our friends at Crocus. Our new patron Jamie Butterworth tells us how his work with the children’s mental health charity Place2Be led to his first gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Come and join us -all welcome Tickets £10/head for members £12/head for non members New members can join on the day. Tea/Coffee and Cake is included. Numbers are limited so please book your place. Book your places with Peter Bowman 07889 912714 or email ddhs@btinternet.com 14 The Palmer Arms Valentine’sSpecials Menu 2023 The Palmer Arms Valentine’sSpecials Menu 2023 Starters Mix Platter to Share £12.95 (panko breaded squid, garlic mushrooms & bbq wings) Pea, Courgettes and leek risotto with parmesan (VE,VG,GF) £6.95 Figs stuffed with stilton, wrapped in Parma ham, Balsamic glaze (GF) £7.50 Beer Battered King scallops, lemon mayo (GF) £10.95 Mains Sweet Potato Red Onion Marmalade and Pumpkin Seed Tart with fries and salad £17.95 (Ve) (GF) Dover sole, new potatoes, spinach, and garlic prawn butter £25.95(GF) Chicken supreme, buttered mash, creamy mustard chive sauce £17.95 Roast Beef Fillet with croquettes, seasonal vegetables and red wine jus £19.95 (GF) Desserts Strawberry cheesecake with raspberry coulis £6.50 Chocolate Fondant with Mint chocolate ice cream £7.95 Pear frangipane with vanilla ice cream £6.50 Selection of British Cheese with red onion chutney £12.95 (to share) Chocolate fudge cake vegan vanilla ice cream (ve) £6.50 *For any questions or allergy related enquires please ask one of your servers* GFA = Gluten Free Alternative VE www.thepalmerarms.com 01628 666612 DORNEY REACH IN 1921 Before 1902, Dorney Reach did not exist as a residential area. The land was used by tenant farmers to grow arable crops. Then the landowner, Colonel Palmer, decided to develop for housing part of a field in the north east corner of the parish, next to the river. Between 1902 and 1910 eleven individual large houses were built in spacious grounds. Fitted out with servants’ quarters, billiard rooms, tennis courts and such like, they offered the convenience of nearness to Taplow railway station combined with “unspoiled rural surroundings” and a relaxed riverside lifestyle. A ferry boat took passengers across to Monkey Island and there were even regattas held in Dorney Reach in 1912 and 1913. Initially, all but one of the houses were rented out and the occupants changed frequently. The 1921 census gives us a picture of who was living there on the night of June 19th. At the southern end of the riverside houses was Bray View, now called Touchdown. One of the few houses to be owner-occupied rather than rented, on census night the only residents were the owner’s chauffeur, wife and baby. The owner at this time was probably Charles Bertram Liddell, who was certainly there by 1923. Born in China, the son of a wealthy tea merchant, Charles worked in the motor trade before the First World War, in which he served as an officer in the Royal Engineers. He married in 1917 and had two children. The 1921 census shows him in London where they lived in a flat. So, the house in Dorney Reach, which he kept until the late 1920s, was presumably used for weekends and holidays. Next door was Riverdale, recently purchased by Joseph Gardner. He was living there with his wife and ten-year-old daughter, with one domestic servant and a visitor. Joseph’s father was a farmer, in White Waltham and later Maidenhead Thicket, and his wife Jane had been brought up by her aunt who was the miller at Hambleden Mill. Joseph however worked in financial services in the City of London. He had previously lived in Thames Ditton after his marriage in 1909. The Gardners left Dorney Reach around 1930 and later lived in St George’s Hill, Weybridge. The neighbouring house to the north, Willowcroft, was rented by Vera Serkoff who lived there with her younger sister. Keen readers of this column will recall that I have written previously about Vera, who claimed to be a widowed countess with Russian connections. She was in fact Scottish. In 1921 both Vera and her sister, then middle-aged, said their occupation was journalistic work. Vera was indeed a prolific author, whose stories for adults and children were often published in newspapers. During her time in Dorney Reach, her written output concentrated on non-fiction books, on such subjects as the interpretation of dreams and fortune telling. She stayed in Willowcroft until she died in 1933, when her sister moved back to London. Continuing up the bank, the tenant at Rippledene was Herbert Edward Carmalt. His stay really was brief – he was not there in 1920 and left in 1923. From London, he had married in 1911 but their only child was not born until 1919, after he had seen service in France as an officer in the First World War. Herbert was another resident who must have commuted to work in London, where in 1921 he said he was a ladies’ hat maker in Regent Street. On other occasions, he was said to be a salesman in millinery or sportswear. At Rippledene, the family employed a live-in domestic servant. The house now called Melrose was rented between 1921 and 1924 by David Leonard Oliver. In 1921 he was a company director in the textile trade living there with his wife and staying with them was his wife’s sister and her husband. David had also served in the war, as an officer in the RASC, attached from the British Red Cross to the French Red Cross. After leaving Dorney Reach, David returned to London and changed career, becoming a barrister and JP. 16 Another army officer was living next door at Meadowcroft (now River House). Philip Arthur Hibbert rented this house from at least 1921 until 1929, then moving to Taplow. Originally from Wales, he had fought in the First World War and was wounded in action in France in 1916 and again in South Africa in 1918. In 1921 he was still in the army, assigned to the War Office, but later worked in the private sector as managing director of a dying and cleaning company. He had married in 1919 and their first child was born while living in Dorney Reach in 1924. In 1921 they employed one domestic servant living in. army officer was living next door at Meadowcroft (now River House). Philip Arthur Hibbert rented this house from at least 1921 until 1929, then moving to Taplow. Originally from Wales, he had fought in the First World War and was wounded in action in France in 1916 and again in South Africa in 1918. In 1921 he was still in the army, assigned to the War Office, but later worked in the private sector as managing director of a dying and cleaning company. He had married in 1919 and their first child was born while living in Dorney Reach in 1924. In 1921 they employed one domestic servant living in. The Mead was another rented property occupied by a former army officer. Kenneth William Elder had served in the Boer War and then in World War I when he rose to the rank of major. He was not however a professional soldier but an accountant who became Secretary of the Phoenix Insurance Company in London. His first wife had died only a few years after their marriage and by 1921 he had been widowed for 15 years. A few months after the census, he remarried and settled in Dorney Reach where two daughters were born in 1923 and 1924. Kenneth and his family moved to Sussex around 1928 and one of his daughters later described him setting off for work: “My father was a businessman typical of the era. Each morning he would leave the house smartly attired in his business suit, complete with a fresh buttonhole for the jacket. This would very often be a rose, prepared daily and left ready for him in the hall. He always wore a genuine bowler hat to work each day and a silk top hat on special occasions. If he had a Board Meeting to attend, he would wear his tailcoat. Thus attired, he would travel by car to the station and then by train to his London office. The formality of his dress, and of his general demeanour, was quite typical for the era for people of his status in life, and especially so for those who spent their days in the world of commerce.” Although this description relates to Sussex rather than Dorney Reach, it’s not hard to imagine the commuters through Taplow similarly attired. Ambrose Francis Pollard who lived at the Chalet (now the Clock House) was a former manager for a brewery in Southwark. He had retired to Dorney Reach with his wife and adult son Francis Charles, who became an architect and building developer. Unlike most of the neighbours, the Pollards were long term residents who invested in local properties. They owned the Chalet and rented it out after moving in 1927 to Banksyde (later Tirra Lirra), a new house they had built on the riverbank south of Bray View. In the early 1930s they moved upriver to Dorney End, next door to the Chalet, which they also bought. Francis married the daughter of the tenant at the Chalet and they raised their daughters and remained at Dorney End until after his death in 1974. The Pollards kept a live-in servant to do the cooking and housework. The northernmost house beside the river, Dorney End, was empty on census night in 1921, because its owners Herbert and Louisa Woodfield were in London, which was perhaps where Herbert worked as an electrical engineer. They had married in 1909 and bought the house soon afterwards, but by 1923 they were renting it out. The remaining two houses in Dorney Reach were built at the bottom of what became Harcourt Road. In 1921 Island Close was rented by Herbert Ambrose Cope, an engineer who had married in 1911 and worked in London. He served as an officer in the Royal Engineers throughout the 1914-8 war and was in Dorney Reach by 1917 when he was renting The Mead. He made the move to Island Close by 1919 and stayed there until the mid-1920s when he moved to another new house on the riverbank, Littleholme (now Gable End), which he bought. The Copes stayed till the early 1930s. The last house was Dorney Reach House, originally called The Elms. Henry Wordley had moved here from London after retiring as a senior civil servant. In 1921 he was living there with his wife, two adult daughters and mother-in-law. During the war, the house had also been home to another daughter and her young son while her husband was away serving as an army officer. The young 17 couple had both worked in the offices of the Prudential Assurance Company in London, where he subsequently continued his career. The Wordleys left Dorney Reach in 1923. had both worked in the offices of the Prudential Assurance Company in London, where he subsequently continued his career. The Wordleys left Dorney Reach in 1923. What does the census tell us about Dorney Reach in 1921? It was a world where the men went out to work and the women stayed at home, often supported by one or more servants who lived in the house with the family. There were few young children and most of the men worked in London. Other sources tell us that families often came from London and sometimes retained a home there. The shadow of the First World War loomed large, with many of the men sharing experience as officers. The houses in Dorney Reach were mainly rented and stays generally short. It’s possible that a factor leading families to move away was the rapid development of Dorney Reach from the 1920s. In 1919 Colonel Palmer sold a further 33 acres of arable land for building. The first new houses were built in 1923 to the east of Harcourt Road, detached houses with large gardens but more modest in scale than the riverside dwellings. Newspaper advertisements in 1924 offered houses ready for occupation or built to order. By April 1927, 33 of these houses had been built, plus three more large houses on the riverbank. Almost all the new houses were owner occupied. Development continued in the 1930s and by 1936 Dorney Reach had grown to 63 houses, plus Oak Stubbs Cottages in Marsh Lane, a terrace of four cottages for retired farmworkers. What had begun as an exclusive and secluded riverside retreat had become a commuter housing estate with a much more diverse population of residents. Virginia Silvester ***** 18 19 Update from Joy Morrissey MP joy.morrissey.mp@parliament.uk In contrast to misleading and false assertions made recently, the simple truth is that this Conservative Government is the first government to set out our expectation that water companies must take steps to significantly reduce storm overflows. We are now delivering the largest programme to tackle storm sewage discharges in history. Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan Our Storm Overflows Discharge Reduction Plan will revolutionise how water companies tackle the number of discharges of untreated sewage. Water companies will face strict limits on when they can use storm overflows and must eliminate the harm any sewage discharge causes to the environment under our plans. By 2035, the environmental impacts of 3,000 storm overflows (75%) will have been eliminated. There will be 70% fewer discharges into bathing waters. By 2040, approximately 160,000 discharges, on average, will have been eliminated and by 2050, approximately 320,000 discharges, on average, will have been eliminated. Water companies will be encouraged to accelerate these timelines wherever possible. The Government expects costs on water companies to deliver this programme will reduce through innovation, better asset management and maintenance, and identifying more effective local solutions. We will monitor the delivery programme, and the Government will not hesitate to set faster delivery timelines for targets if delivery costs reduce. The Government and regulators will act against those companies who do not meet expectations. Our new monitoring and reporting framework as legislated for in the Environment Act will significantly improve the enforcement ability of both Ofwat and the Environment Agency. Empowering Ofwat It is government’s expectation that Ofwat and the water industry will prioritise appropriate action to enhance water quality and deliver a resilient and sustainable water supply. We expect Ofwat to challenge water companies to prioritise improvements to protected sites and recognise the importance of priority habitats such as chalk streams. Environment Act Water Targets We have committed to restoring three quarters of our water bodies to be close to their natural state as soon as possible. We have also committed, in the 25 Year Environment Plan, to increasing supply and improving the efficiency of water usage, including the amount used by individuals and households. To make progress towards these ambitions, the Government is proposing targets to improve water quality and availability by 2037. We will reduce nutrient pollution by reducing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment pollution from agriculture to the water environment by 40%; and reducing phosphorus loadings from treated wastewater by 80%. 20 We will reduce the length of rivers and estuaries polluted by metals from abandoned mines by 50%. These targets will act as powerful tools to deliver cleaner water, increase biodiversity and protect the water environment for future generations. These pollution targets will ensure national and local action to combat major pressures on the water environment, increasing the pace and mines by 50%. These targets will act as powerful tools to deliver cleaner water, increase biodiversity and protect the water environment for future generations. These pollution targets will ensure national and local action to combat major pressures on the water environment, increasing the pace and ambition of the Government’s existing interventions and sending a clear message to industry about what is expected of them. The target to reduce water demand will encourage more efficient and sustainable use of fresh water by businesses, water suppliers, and communities. Enforcement Since 2015 the Environment Agency has brought 48 prosecutions against water companies, securing fines of over £137 million. Some of the biggest fines were imposed last year, including a record £90 million fine for Southern Water in July for thousands of illegal discharges, making clear that polluters will be made to pay for damage to the environment. In addition, between 2020 and 2025, water companies are investing £7.1 billion to protect and improve the environment. Of this, £3.1 billion is being invested specifically in storm overflow improvements. I hope you will agree with me that this is a comprehensive and robust plan of action to drastically improve our water quality across this country, and nothing like what the opposition want you to believe. As your Member of Parliament I will always do my utmost to protect and preserve our precious environment and will always strongly refute accusations to the contrary. Joy Morrissey MP Member of Parliament for Beaconsfield Assistant Government Whip House of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA | 020 7219 6453 Disraeli House | 12 Aylesbury End | Beaconsfield | Buckinghamshire | HP9 1LW | 01494 977505 www.joymorrissey.uk | @JoyMorrissey | fb.com/joy4beaconsfield 21 Black Friday I always had a rather smug sensation when watching the evening news on Black Friday, thinking haughtily that I would rather pay the correct price for whatever rather than brave the queues and rushes, mostly from well-built aggressive females, although now I suspect, the modern equivalent is sitting in front of a screen gazing at crashing software. “Honey?” wailed my lovely partner Cheryl, “I think the washing machine is playing up. Can you take a look please?” and sure enough, the digital display announced ‘error code 123 ABC’ and beneath it was a drum full of stationary dirty washing. My ex and I had bought ‘Old Faithful’ when our second son blessed us with his arrival forty plus years ago, so I could hardly address a whining missive to Mr. Hoover as she had performed impressively albeit for the last ten years with only one paddle instead of three. Off to Mr. Curry we trotted in the estate car in the untutored expectation that I would be returning with a new machine in a cardboard box, but our arrival in the car park gave the first intimation that this was unlikely to happen, in that it was full. I squeezed the Mondeo (Ghia no less!) between two lesser carriages, was warmly welcomed into the kingdom, directed to washing machines, and there, in a row of dazzling flash digital washing goddesses which would require a first-class honours degree in computer sciences to operate, sat the idiots’ version with proper knobs complete with little illustrations of bubbles, spinning and draining. It was made for an old git like me, and I approached one of 'the team'. “Just choose what you want, and I shall be right back,” he smiled his salesman smile. We didn’t see him again that visit. We double checked the simpleton’s washer and decided it was for us and because of ‘Black Friday’ it was reduced! Doh! I had been caught, but needs must, I would soon be running out of clean shreddies, so I approached another of ‘the team’. He was in a deep conversation with another family while pressing urgently on the keyboard of an apparently passive computer. “Is there a problem?” I enquired respectfully. “No Sir. No problem. I am busy. See a colleague over there.” ‘Over there’ turned out to be a lone lady swamped by other would-be customers who was similarly pounding apparently uselessly on another keyboard. Cheryl and I returned to the washer of our dreams in the faint and useless hope that our disappearing saviour might return and found a middle-aged male looking at the same machine. Seeking reassurance that I had made the right decision, I asked, “Excuse me Sir. What do you think of this machine?” It transpired he had a lot more pressing matters than me. His views on my choice proved utterly irrelevant. “I am in a flat in Slough,” he said with a thick Eastern European accent, “and it needs a washing machine.” “Where are you from?” I asked. (It did not propel me to national disgrace!). “Ukraine,” he looked sad. “My wife and daughter are there and won’t escape. I want to go home but my wife pleads with me to stay here. If I go home, I will be called up because of my age and experience. I was in the Russian army. There is a fifty per cent chance I would be killed. I miss home and would take the chance, but my wife and daughter, they say ‘please don’t’, so I stay for now.” “What was it like in the Russian army?” I had to ask. 22 Set in the grounds of Dorney Court Estate, near Eton, visitors will find a unique and innovative garden destination offering a curated range of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden. Our shop blends practical and stylish products from around the world with plants that are often difficult to source, particularly from garden centres. With a full nursery of garden and indoor plants, eco-friendly growing supplies, home and garden décor, furniture, firepits, and gifts, Crocus at Dorney Court seamlessly offers something for every home and garden. www.crocus.co.uk 23 “It was brutal,” he looked even more sad. “They are animals!” We shook hands and we wished him heart felt good fortune as we wandered back to the ‘Team Member’ with the large family. It appeared chaotic and conversations on a walkie talkie suggested that their system could not cope. “Has it crashed?” I asked. “I know what I want.” “The computer is down,” he confessed as the family glared at my interruption. We left and returned later, thinking of our new friend with his frightened wife in a country three days drive away where he would probably die violently if he returned. My frustrations were paltry, and we bought the thing without further drama, although it could only be delivered, not collected at extra cost, which in fairness it was, professionally and at the appointed time about five days later, during which I suffered the rigours of hand washing. My mood was lightened later when, wearing my green uniform, I was having a well-earned break in an RBH eatery in Reading munching a steak slice when two ladies took delivery of a spectacular slice of cake. It transpired they had ordered two and I smiled saying it looked delicious. “Would you like one?” one asked. “Oh how kind,” I offered reddening, “but no thanks.” Five minutes later, the waiter approached. “Someone has bought you a cake,” he smiled. “Would you like to choose one?” Later the same week I was ‘caught short’ and in urgent need in Slough. Next pick up was in Bracknell. Too far from any hospital or convenience, I pulled up outside Lidl and asked a Lidl lady, “Excuse me, but do you have a public toilet please?” She grinned. “We don’t, but we do for you. Follow me,” and I was led to staff sanctuary. Relieved and washed, I picked up a lovely prawn sandwich as lunch would be some way off, but my heart sank as I saw the pre-Christmas queue. I had no time, but hunger dragged me to the back. “You must go to the front,” the next in line ushered, and so I was pressed down to the front where the man at the checkout said, “Go ahead Mate. I’m buying that!” I struggled to decline but did successfully. People are wonderful, but especially if you’re wearing a green uniform. Everyone should for a year. It restores your faith. Janet Gillard is the [bell-ringing] tower captain at St James in Dorney. She was also the school crossing lady at Eton Porny School from 13.12.1982 to 16.12.2022. Forty years protecting our children (mine included) is quite remarkable and I for one, as you do, humbly offer our most grateful thanks. Thanks Janet. A very happy and healthy 2023 to my reader, with a desperate hope that it turns out better than 2022. Stay safe. Mike Quincey 24 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL HELD TUESDAY 17th January 2023, 7.30 P.M. AT DORNEY SCHOOL Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Robert Stopford Clerk Ruth Senior and 4 members of the public Cllr. Euan MacLennan Cllr. Stephen Baker Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford Cllr. William Voaden Public Forum Mrs Barnard (representing Dorney School) thanked the Parish Council for their help in getting the potholes filled in the entrance to the Village Hall car park, this has made parent parking much easier. Mrs Barnard also spoke about the school reaching out to local groups in the area who may be interested in working with the school on projects. Peter Bowman (resident and Dorney Parish News Editor) raised concerns about the amount of construction traffic on Harcourt Road for the various developments. The verges and trees are being damaged, it was agreed that the Clerk will investigate the responsibility of putting this right. PC/01/23 Apologies for absence Cllr. Anna Palmer PC/02/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda None disclosed PC/03/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd November 2022 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/04/23 To receive the Clerk report No update from the Clerk. PC/05/23 Items of business carried forward 05.1 The Orchard Herbs Site County Cllr. Sandy has written to County Council regarding the lack of progress on clearing the site considering similar problem sites in the north of the county have been successfully dealt with very recently. It was agreed that the Parish Council will also write to County to express concerns and disappointment that we are still in the same position with the site. It was also noted that Burnham Parish Council have written in the same vein. It was agreed that Cllr. Dax will communicate with Taplow Parish Council to ask for their support due to their close proximity. 05.2 M4 Digital Motorway It was agreed that the Clerk will contact Balfour Beatty and other Smart Motorway contacts for information on when the last parts of the project will be completed, especially around the entrance 26 to the Village Hall and how the project will be signed off with us, also to request information on who to contact for future problems i.e. planting. and how the project will be signed off with us, also to request information on who to contact for future problems i.e. planting. 05.3 The Neighbourhood Plan Local resident Mark Brand has joined the Neighbourhood Plan working group which is very much appreciated and is helping to develop a Village Design Scheme to be submitted to county. It was agreed that the Dorney Parish Council website will be kept up to date with all Neighbourhood Plan developments. The next part of the project will be to design and distribute an information/guidance leaflet to residents about the plan. It was agreed that Cllr. Voaden will investigate costings for the plan. 05.4 The Emergency Plan Local businesses and other contacts have been asked for their willingness for inclusion in the emergency plan. It was agreed that we should add a provision for wild fires in the plan. 05.5 Playground There was nothing to report on from the Playground charity. It was agreed this item will be removed from the agenda and only added as an item when needed. PC/06/23 Planning Eton have submitted slight changes to the planning applications at Boveney Court Farm PL/22/3562/FA and PL/22/3563/HB and some issues have been raised on these changes and it was agreed that Dorney Parish Council support the concerns and will make additional comment submissions. It was noted that should any objections or comments be made, they should be made on both applications. The Parish Council will have the opportunity to put forward any views when this goes to the Planning Committee and will endeavour to send a representative. Planning has been granted for the demolition of the garages on Harcourt Close however no further development plans have been granted. PC/07/23 Finance 07.1 The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting and approved. 07.2 The Finance Committee Meeting took place prior to this meeting (17th Jan 2023), a Precept of £25000 was agreed which is the same as last year. In a year when everything is increasing for residents, the Parish Council element of Council Tax will not change due to the diligent management of the budget and having sufficient reserves to fund any unexpected costs. It was agreed that the Clerk will notify Buckinghamshire Council. PC/08/23 To discuss gulley cleaning Following an email from Councillor Joy Morrisey in December 2022 stating that over two thirds of gullies in Buckinghamshire have been cleaned and repaired, it was agreed that Cllr. Dax will complete a survey of Dorney gullies in conjunction with RJC Landscapes as we don’t believe these to have been included. PC/09/23 To review/consider changes to the grounds maintenance contract Cllr. Dax and the Clerk met with RJC Landscapes before Christmas and thanked them on behalf of the Parish Council for the smooth take over of the grounds work contract. It was agreed that should the need arise, one off clean/tidy jobs would be undertaken. 27 PC/10/23 To discuss Lake End Road and Court Lane resurfacing /10/23 To discuss Lake End Road and Court Lane resurfacing All Councillors agreed the roads throughout the parish are in a dreadful state and despite the assurance that Court Lane and Lake End Road would be resurfaced after the M4 works, there has been no commitment from Highways to carry out this work. It was agreed that the Clerk will continue to chase this. It was agreed that Cllr. Dax will produce a full report of the roads and potholes for submission to County and Highways. The Parish Council stressed the need for all residents to report every pothole through the FIX MY STREET app as this is not currently being done and the more we get reported, the better chance that we will get the desired response. PC/11/23 To receive an update on the Slough Treatment Works development We have not had an official update, the last report stated that a redesign is being considered but not available at present. PC/12/23 To consider the renewal of SBALC membership It was agreed that we will renew this membership at £20 for the year. PC/13/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents The Clerk confirmed that investigations into the Gatehouse light continue with an onsite meeting planned between SSE and the Council contractor. It was agreed to instruct Maydencroft to carry out the works agreed last year on the oak trees in the Memorial Garden. We have been informed by Transport for Bucks that the works to the cattle grid will be delayed until the next financial year. It was agreed that the Clerk will write to Keith Dolan to express our disappointment over the wait as the work had been agreed. It was agreed that the Clerk will include details of local groups and community events on the Parish Council website. PC/14/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 21st February 2023 Please keep a close eye on the parish Council website for a possible change of venue for the February meeting. MINUTES OF THE DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TUESDAY 17th January 2023, 6.30 P.M. AT DORNEY SCHOOL. PRESENT: Finance Committee Members; Cllr. Euan MacLennan, Cllr. Robert Stopford and Cllr. Stephen Baker. Cllr. Jill Dax and Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford. 1. Apologies for absence -none 2. Declarations of interest – Cllr. MacLennan declared his interest as a Trustee for the Dorney Village Hall charity. 3. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18th January 2022 – These were agreed with no amendments. 4. Matters arising from previous minutes not covered elsewhere on the agenda – none 5. To review revenue and expenditure for 2022/2023 – Cllr. MacLennan presented an overview of last years budget and the expenditure against the budgeted figures. 6. To consider the budget for 2023/2024 – Cllr. MacLennan presented the proposed budget for this year which is more settled and easier to predict now that the groundworks contract has been in place for the year and admin/staff charges do not vary by much. The new budget will leave an estimated surplus of around £2000 to cover any unexpected expenses/projects. It was agreed that the insurance renewal will be fully investigated this year to find the best price and ensure the cover is best for the Parish Council. It was agreed that the Clerk will provide a breakdown of Clerk salary and over time hours. It was agreed that money will be added to the budget for the Neighbourhood Plan project and tree works. 7. To agree a precept for the year to 31st March 2024 to recommend to the Parish Council – The Finance Committee RESOLVED to recommend a precept of £25000 which is the same as last year. In a year when everything is increasing for residents, the Parish Council element of Council Tax will not change due to the diligent management of the budget and having sufficient reserves to fund any unexpected costs. 8. Any other business – none 9. Items for the next agenda - none ******* 29 Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk 30 31 32 Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising RatesHeight mmWidth mm10 issues1 issueFull Page190130£100£13Half Page90130£55£8Third of a page (Horizontal)60130£50£7Quarter Page (Horizontal)45130£45£6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 33 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News March 2023 The Dorney Lake Millennium Lime Avenue In Springtime (with thanks to Philip Highy for the photograph) ISSUE NO. 2/23 MARCH 2023 EDITORIAL Dare we use this editorial column to talk about the magazine itself for a second month in a row? Well, actually it’s more about the readers…and the distributors. Last month we set out how this magazine’s future could be challenging given the rising cost of production. There has been a tremendous response. A higher number than expected have rushed to pay, either online, which remains easier for us or by handing over (a little more) cash to our very diligent distributors. Each month the Editor sets out on quite a trek to get the title in the right people’s hands. Several have volunteered to make that trek shorter for him, while those bumped into have been full of support and encouragement and, of course, cash. Suddenly it seems, the Coronation is close. Hard to believe maybe that our next issue will be April’s. This issue, March, sets out potential Parish Council support for those planning community events to mark the memorable day. Let’s hope that in April we will have news of public celebrations in the Parish. Our February issue was dominated by potholes and the Orchard Herbs site. There is some optimism about progress in these areas. Incidentally, our campaigning poster-style cover seemed to be well liked last month. But alas, some dark shadows cloud the future. Things are not always what they seem. ‘It might be attractive, but it is not safe at all’ headlined the Maidenhead Advertiser reporting the coroner’s remarks in the inquest for a schoolboy drowned last summer. No doubt we will carry pictures of swans this summer on the Jubilee River, but let us hope that the next fatality doesn’t occur on our stretch of the waterway as temperatures inevitably rise. ‘Talk to the Water Board’ said our plumber in regard to a pressure issue, clinging to that benign image of utilities we hold dear – or did hold before Thames Water became identified in minds round here with sewage discharge into rivers and pipes carrying said effluent across Dorney Common. See a reader’s anger expressed in this issue. When I was a boy, ‘family doctors’ were bastions of reassurance, a surprising number of whom I recall smoked pipes. Now surgeries, or to be precise Burnham Health Centre, have become synonymous with frustration and, increasingly, fear, as it becomes impossible to surmount the telephone system let alone secure a much-needed appointment. Mike Quincey’s wit skewers these shortcomings while delivering good advice -namely, put your faith in NHS 111. DPN would like to hear of readers’ experiences dealing with this problem. I worked in communications and tutored students in internet marketing. I recall fondly the euphoria that greeted the coming of vast enlightenment and data provision from the ‘information superhighway’. Not expected was the Head Teacher of our local school having to write in the parish magazine of the need to work together to keep children safe from internet harm. Oh dear, four reasons to be gloomy. So, enjoy the Spring sunshine, stay safe – and continue paying those subscriptions. Services in the Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Vicar: Revd. La Stacey, The Vicarage, 69a Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6NE Tel: 01753 852268 email: revlastacey@gmail.com For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Rev La Stacey writes: I was in an earthquake once. We had just moved to Athens and there had been a large earthquake just before our arrival in the spring of 1981. We were in one of the aftershocks. We grabbed the children and dived under the table, following advice we had been given. After crouching there for a few seconds, which seemed like an age, we decided it was probably better to get out of the house, so we rushed into the street along with many of our neighbours. There was a balcony that was damaged on the building next to us, but that had already been affected in the previous quakes. I don’t remember there being any damage to our building. It seems that the authorities had been strict about the building regulations so that all new blocks of flats were indeed built to withstand seismic shocks – unlike in Turkey and Syria where we have seen the terrifying cost of dishonesty and laziness, or so it seems. Whilst nothing could have prevented massive damage to the area affected by the recent earthquake of 7.8 magnitude, well-constructed buildings may well have meant that fewer lives were lost. Our reading in church, on the Sunday following the earthquake, happened to be St Paul writing to the church in Rome explaining that all of creation is groaning. It is groaning and waiting with intense longing for the action of the Spirit in us and through us “in hope that creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” It says the earth is waiting until the children of God “come into their own.” I wonder what difference it would make if we had the courage to “come into our own”, to step up when opportunities present themselves? We talk self-limiting talk: “I’m not going to have a go at that. I know I won’t be any good at it”, “I’m not confident enough to stand up for this thing I believe should change: my voice won’t let me speak”. If we really are children of God, what are we afraid of? Each of us is as much a child of the universe as any other. Each of us is of infinite worth and value. In fact, how dare we not speak up? Are we prepared to let people who are cheating continue in post, or those who should protect us, continue to exploit us for their own ends, or to let the planet get in a sorry state because we don’t shout loud enough for change? Lives are at stake and the earth is groaning because we haven’t yet stepped up. I challenge you (and myself) to take the next opportunity that comes along to make a difference and step up! I’d be interested to hear your stories of bravery! With Lenten blessings. La Church Services in March 2023 Wednesday 1st March 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 5th March 9.30 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Any Age Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 12th March 9.30 am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 15th March 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 20th March (Mothering Sunday) 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Morning Worship (children welcome) St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 26th March 9.30am Morning Worship St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St Mary Magdalene, Boveney This beautiful church on the Thames is open daily. www.st-mary-magdalene-boveney.org.uk As one of Buckinghamshire’s 16 Community Boards, Beeches Community Board works with organisations, groups and residents to explore matters of local concern. Led by Chairman Cllr David Anthony and your other Buckinghamshire Council councillors, it provides opportunities to raise and explore concerns, to support local initiatives and to collaborate on addressing the issues that matter to residents. We are grateful to the Parish Councils of Dorney, Farnham Royal, Burnham, Stoke Poges and Taplow for their support, helping us to identify local priorities and concerns. The Board’s current priorities are Wellbeing, Supporting the Environment and Highways & Infrastructure – each has an Action Group comprising local representatives, groups and residents that considers issues and makes recommendations to the wider Board and representations to Council services. The Board also has access to networks of partners and funders that can help develop and deliver worthwhile projects across the area. Beeches Community Board has responded to requests from the community for support across a wide variety of topics -from contributing to Eco Audits in support of local climate action initiatives to hosting a return visit of the Virtual Dementia Tour Bus and providing seed funding to GLL for a new gentle exercise class in Stoke Poges. We were pleased to support the area’s first Pride event and, in the run up to Christmas, we helped Burnham Beeches Rotary Club with its Christmas Parcels project and contributed to the successful Festive Fun & Carols event in the Farnhams. On the highways side of things, we know that speeding and safety are key local concerns and have partnered with the Parish Councils in Dorney, Taplow and Burnham to purchase Mobile Vehicle Activated Signs, and worked with Farnham Royal Parish Council to deliver the Blackpond Lane Footway Extension project. Residents tell us that they would like to see more activities for young people, to build on the great opportunities already available. To help with this we are planning an event in May where those who work with young people can collaborate on designing a youth engagement plan to find out exactly what our young people would like to see locally. Please get in touch if you would like to be involved. Whether you would like to take part in an action group, have thoughts on how an issue could be improved or would just like to receive our newsletters, drop us a line at beechescb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk, follow us on Facebook or see our page on the Buckinghamshire Council website. We’d love to hear from you!! Andy Chapman – Manager, Beeches Community Board Beechescb@buckinghamshire.gov.uk 07753 288039 Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School I usually begin with a positive report on Dorney School and its activities. However, this month is somewhat different as we participated in national campaigns of Safer Internet Day and Children’s Mental Health Week. I was shocked recently to learn of this statistic that I would like to share with you. According to Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner, 10% of 9-year-olds have watched graphic, violent pornography online. That is around 3 to 4 children in a classroom in every school. What these children have seen, will now remain in their minds, most unable to disclose to anyone for fear of being in trouble. The risk to these pupils, and now their friends and peers, when they share such explicit videos, are extremely high. Imagine the confusion, fear, and curiosity that access brings. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I have spoken to many parents who are troubled by the language and behaviour that the youth of today are using at home and outside the home. It may be easy to dismiss this to the influence of peers or classmates. However, do we know what our children have access to? Do we supervise their internet use properly? Even simple games aimed at children are no longer that innocent. We know that sick minded individuals and gangs target these seemingly innocent children’s games. Amanda Spielman, Ofsted Chief Inspector, also suggests that children under the age of 11 do not need a smartphone. She explains that there will be long periods of time each day when parents are unable to monitor their child’s use, the influence of social media, and their child’s communication and network systems. All these pose a grave and invisible danger to our children. The harm that is caused may be irreparable and we may be faced with a generation of children whose mental and physical health decline to such an extent, that it will be beyond our means to repair. This is a heart-breaking video on Molly Russell, the 14-year-old who took her own life due to online influence and poor mental health. Her father explains how everyone, including the family missed the signs. We know that younger children, even in primary schools, are exposed to these harmful influences and we also know that many more children, even as young as 7 are self-harming. Do be advised that this video contains disturbing scenes and violent images. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-46966009 I am taking the opportunity to lead a campaign to raise awareness to our families and the wider community. There is a clear need to work together to ensure all our children are kept safe from internet harm. We need to use our voices and all our networks to hold social media platforms to account and implore the government to do more to protect all our children. Schools such as ours can only do so much but together, we are always stronger! Do email office@dorneyschool.co.uk and arrange a visit to see what we do, or if you are interested to volunteer or work alongside us. I look forward to hearing from you. Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee Headteacher PROGRESS CONTINUES WITH THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN. FULL PRESENTATION AT MARCH MEETING DO TAKE A LOOK AT THE EMERGENCY PLAN WHICH IS NOW ON THE DPC WEBSITE UNDER NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN TAB DPC have submitted a robust response to the Savills submission on behalf of Eton College’s proposed development for Boveney Court Farm At the Februarymeeting DPC agreed to take up Joy Morrissey’s offer of engagement with Bucks over the lack of enforcement on the Orchard Herbs site. It is hoped that pressure from our MP through to Bucks Cabinet level will assist in our plight to address the illegal operations being run there (currently worse than the above picture). DPC continue to press for action to repair our roads. A response from Bucks indicating that surfaces have been badly affected due to the weather conditions has not been accepted and a response sent accordingly. Two new MVAS signs will shortly be in place, along with yet another replacement for the one knocked over on Village Road. Speeding problems are high on the agenda. The King’s Coronation. Bunting will be put up throughout the Parish in recognition of this event. Does anyone have plans for a Parish celebratory event? If so, do contact The Parish Clerk, DPC with your ideas as we may be able to make a contribution. 1 The Meadows of Dorney Lake Dorney Lake literally looms large in the lives of Dorney residents. But it seemed that coverage in this local magazine was limited to questions of opening dates, events and any subsequent parking issues. What is going on within a site that many of us enjoy spending time in? What changes might visitors notice as the Lake approaches two decades of existence? ‘Interview Lee Marshallsay, our Grounds Manager, about what is happening with the flora and fauna at Dorney’ suggested the Bursar, helpfully. DPN was intrigued. Lee, who has worked in grounds management at Harrow and Charterhouse before his three years or so at the helm of the thirty strong team responsible for Eton College sports grounds, gardens and the Lake, turned out to be both helpful and very enthusiastic about the future the College had embraced and how that would work out for Dorney Lake. It seems there is no written policy and I don’t have a catalogue of horticultural innovations, so I hope I can do justice to the vision Lee and his team are following. Lee outlined how Eton had adopted a landscape strategy over the last ten years involving tree planting, hedgerows and a general policy of encouraging biodiversity. This was now being fully implemented across the 400-acre parkland site which is Dorney Lake. The Dorney Lake environment has been traditionally ‘heavily managed’. A favourite word of Lee’s is ‘manicured’. I learned from our drive around Lee’s domain that a good deal of the site will be less manicured in appearance. Meadows are emerging. I asked Lee whether ‘rewilding’ was an appropriate description, and, yes it was, in the sense that many previously heavily managed environments were now to be left relatively undisturbed. Residents will be entering the site from the main entrance on the north side. Get past the avenue of trees at the entrance and the public car parks and you walk or drive generally southwards until sooner or later the boat house area comes into view. Lee summed up the current policy in the phrase ‘until you see the boathouse, you will see meadow.’ Over 30,000 trees have been planted. The vista of Windsor Castle in Springtime from the Millennium Avenue of lime trees features on our cover this month. Open areas between the tree groups are being left uncut in summer to encourage wildflowers and wild life. I said to Lee that I enjoyed walking within the groups of trees, and he told me about the ‘copsing’ that was going on to thin out these areas and improve the growth of trees and the accessibility to them. The centrepiece of the land to the north of the Lake, which is parkland using the soil removed during the Lake construction, is the arboretum. Footpaths are being opened up there to encourage walking. Lee pointed out the sturdy growth of the horse chestnut trees which line the drive down to the Rowing Centre entrance. Lots of whips had been planted in that area. The rewilding of the north end of the site would be leading to the creation of wild life corridors between the site and the areas outside the perimeter. Past the newly created meadowlands, the boathouse area with its collection of around 150 of Eton College Boat Club’s boats, would remain as is. Some areas have to retain that degree of ‘manicure’. Lee told me that visitors would benefit from an increased provision of notice boards detailing the history and design of the site and the flora and fauna to be found there. These are indeed very handsome and very informative. A personal plea here – the rich archaeological heritage of the site dating from extensive investigations facilitated by the Lake construction, culminating in the unveiling of a timber bridge dating to around 1400 BC, and which used to feature on the first generation of notice boards, seems to have been forgotten. May it also feature? The highlight of Lee’s tour for me was a glimpse of the 100-acre Nature Conservation Area between the Lake and the River Thames, normally inaccessible to the public. I was surprised just how beautiful this has become, being an area of riverside meadows offering, as one of the new notice boards says, ‘secluded shelter, feeding and breeding grounds for wildlife’. It provides ‘diverse habitats of grassland, hedgerows, spinneys and wetland…supporting a wide range of flowering plants, insects, amphibians, mammals, wildfowl and other birds.’ Of course, the drawback of such natural evolution is that public access is not possible. It's at this point that the statistics start to flow. Over 350 types of flora have been identified around the lake. 140 separate bird species have been sighted. The waters of the Lake – all 350 million gallons of them – are home to 60,000 perch and 72,000 green tench. Lee and I did briefly discuss two questions that I’m nervous to ask. How did the Lake fill up without, it seems, human help? It’s fed by underground aquifers percolating through a natural gravel filter from the River Thames. Without stocking ever having happened, where do the fish come from? Still not quite clear about that one. Looking at the sheep grazing and wetlands which ebb and flow with the rainfall, all under a very big early Spring blue sky, it suddenly struck me that this was what the enormous Thames Field looked like thirty years ago before excavation began. I admire what has been achieved at Dorney Lake whether it’s the manicured, or now the meadowland, phases. But a regret would be the loss of the old Barge Path which ran down from Climo’s Corner where the entrance to the Lake now is to the Thames. I remember a group of us gathering in the Path, sharing our fears with a camera crew from ITV News, back in the mid-1990s. What we wished to avoid, we said, was a manicured landscape in those lovely surroundings. Now, as the site has become established and fashions and priorities in land management evolve, it seems as though the aims of the Lake management are to avoid precisely the same thing. Judged by my tour with Lee, the Grounds Manager, they will make a rather good job of that objective. Peter Bowman DHS – Jamie Butterworth, ‘Securing Tomorrow’ A talk by a gold medal winner at the Chelsea Flower Show? Tea and cake in the middle of the afternoon? Not the hallowed Village Hall venue, but the café at Crocus at Dorney Court? The announcement in last month’s magazine heralded ‘an exciting new format’ for the first meeting in 2023 of Dorney Horticultural Society. Thanks to the speaker, DHS’s new patron Jamie Butterworth, and the efforts of manager Peter Leach and his team at Crocus on February 24th, that format pretty well delivered. It better be pointed out that the writer here is a DHS committee member, so possibly prone to bias, but it would be great to hear from anyone cosily seated in the side room of the café that afternoon as to the event’s success. Jamie was the star attraction, but it’s worth saying a word or two about the Society. Maybe it was the aftermath of a two-year enforced cessation of meetings, but much thought has been given to refreshing what DHS offers its members. With the discount offered by Crocus to members to build on, it makes sense for a horticultural group to work closely with local gardening operations like Crocus and Jamie Butterworth’s FORM Plants. An afternoon meeting offered the chance of reaching out to a new audience. Membership is flourishing and it looked like a steady stream of new subscribers seemed attracted to Crocus that Friday. For all this activity, the bedrock of the DHS programme will remain supper meetings in the Village Hall, garden visits, and, of course, the Annual Show. Jamie was intent that his entry in the 2022 Chelsea Show should be inspired by and supportive of a charity. This motivation behind horticulture, even more than Jamie’s celebrity, made this presentation unlike any other witnessed by Society members. I also doubt if a speaker has ever featured a video hosted by Monty Don. I urge those who were not fortunate enough to be there, or those wishing to relive the afternoon, to catch up with this film which describes the creation of a sanctuary garden – ‘Securing Tomorrow’ -for the children’s mental health charity Place2Be, supported by Sarasin and Partners – it’s on YouTube, and is Episode 13 of the BBC’s Chelsea 2022 coverage, kicking in at around 17 minutes. The road to a Chelsea medal was a long one. Jamie declares he is a ‘plantsman’ and he decided that was his destiny at a remarkably young age. Swamping his parents’ garden with cabbages was a painful memory while pride in winning a boyhood accolade for growing the longest carrots in Wakefield seemed to rival that in his gold medal. I hadn’t realised that the garden which won prizes in May was relocated in November 2022 to the Viking Primary School in Northolt. Jamie had been inspired by the input of the kids from this tough inner-city neighbourhood. I didn’t realise that expensive and distinctive seats carved by sculptor Alison Crowther for the garden could be inspired by school kids’ Play-Dough modelling. Two bon mots I picked up – in gardens ‘trees provide structure, plants provide texture’ and our speaker’s favourite tree? Flowering dogwood. Next DHS Meeting? April 28th, Village Hall, 7.30 PM, Spring Buffet with Speaker. Peter Bowman MEET THE ABROOKE FAMILY When Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1558, Dorney was a thriving little community. During the 1550s, sixteen couples tied the knot in Dorney church and seventeen families brought 35 babies to be christened. For most of these residents, we have no information beyond the parish registers, but sometimes wills and other sources offer us the chance to learn a little more about them. That’s the case with the Abrooke family. On 26 April 1551, Thomas Abrooke married Joanna Culverhouse in Dorney. Thomas came from Bray and Joanna was a widow. Born Joanna Carter, no doubt part of the extensive Carter family in Dorney, she had married widower Richard Culverhouse in June 1549, acquiring four stepchildren. Richard had died seven months later, leaving her pregnant with son John. Life could be short in the mid-16th century, but now Joanna had another chance at family life with Thomas. The couple settled in Dorney, and their family grew and flourished. First came four sons – Henry, William, Robert and Richard – and then two daughters, Margery and Joanna. All except the last child are known to have reached adulthood, which was quite an achievement. Thomas was a farmer, almost certainly renting from Dorney manor, but he also bought an acre of arable land from Abraham Carter. This land was described as being part of a field in Dorney, beside the Thames and opposite Water Oakley on the Bray side of the river. It sounds as though this was in Thames Field, one of the village open fields, now occupied by Dorney Lake. The eldest son, Henry, married and his first child, a first grandchild for Thomas and Joanna, was born about 1578. Two more children followed. Then, after over 30 years of marriage, Joanna died in 1581. Daughter Margery married John Willis in 1587 and they had two children. Robert too married, settled in Bray and had four children, his wife pregnant with a fifth when he died in 1593. In 1592, Thomas remarried, to widow Margaret Milland. Thomas died in 1595 and was buried in Dorney churchyard. We don’t know how old he was, but he would have been at least 65 – a good age. He had made a good life, raised a family and earned enough to make provision for them in his will. Henry was settled somewhere outside Dorney, in a property leased for £4 a year by Thomas, who left this to him. William, who remained in Dorney, was left the acre of land by the river. Thomas bequeathed varying amounts of money, livestock and barley to his children, grandchildren, godchildren and servants. There were three servants – a male farm worker and two maids who would have helped on the farm as well as in the house. One of these was Alice Milland, no doubt a relative of William’s wife Margaret. Thomas’s will illustrates some interesting features of contemporary life. He specifically provided for his wife to keep the goods and chattels which she owned before she married him, which had been her dower in her previous widowhood. At that time, a woman’s possessions became those of her husband when she married. It was also common for a pre-nuptial settlement to set out financial arrangements in case the woman should be widowed. This had obviously been the case for Margaret in her earlier marriage. In the 16th century, and indeed for a good while afterwards, there were no banks, and so if you wished to borrow money, you had to find someone able and willing to lend it. Often this transaction would be recorded in a bond. Thomas had lent £10 to his son Robert, who had not repaid this before he died. In his will, Thomas asked Robert’s executors to pay the £10 to his son Henry. William was the executor of Thomas’s will, but he also asked two friends to be overseers of it. This was another common practice, designed to help with any difficulties that might arise and to provide advice to the executor. One of the witnesses to the will, Thomas Frend, had married Jackaman Abrooke in Dorney in 1565, no doubt a sister or other female relative of Thomas. Thomas hoped that his widow Margaret would remain living in his house with his son William. It looks as though she did, as she was still in Dorney when she died in 1600 and left most of her possessions to William. In her will, she was particularly concerned to pass on the best of her clothing, to her sister and to the eldest daughter of Henry Abrooke. Margaret’s wardrobe was typical of a countrywoman in 1600. She had a russet gown, a best petticoat and a red petticoat. Aprons were habitually worn and she left several, including one made from coarse linen and another from canvas. To protect her skirts from dirt while riding, she had two savegards, a kind of overskirt. Several kerchiefs might be used to cover her hair or across her shoulders, while the neckerchiefs were tied round her neck. Margaret’s attire was finished off with a hat and shoes. William now took over as head of the household in Dorney, and in 1598 he married Alice Milland. He was 44 and she was 17. They had 5 children – first a daughter, Elizabeth, and then four boys, William, Thomas, John and Richard. However, William did not live to see his family grow up. On 22 April 1612, he made his will; four days later he was buried in Dorney. His will set out detailed arrangements for the maintenance of his wife and support of his young children, aged from 2 to 12. He owned a farm called Bean Readings in Oakley Green, Bray, which he left to Alice and after her death to their son William. When William junior reached the age of 23, he was also to inherit the rented farm in Dorney where the family lived and the riverside acre of land opposite Water Oakley. Meanwhile, revenue from these properties was to be used to bring up the children and to provide each of them with a nest egg for adulthood. The two friends William appointed as overseers – Rowland Hind of Dorney and William Mountague of Boveney – were asked to look after these savings and “put out” the money, in other words lend it out at interest. The most interesting feature of William’s will is the detail it offers of the family’s lifestyle. William parcelled out the contents of his house between his children, with the greatest part going to William junior, then Elizabeth and so on down the ages. The rooms mentioned were the hall, chamber, malthouse and loft. There were two feather beds, which were the most comfortable type available, and plenty of sheets, blankets and coverlets. In the hall was a long table and a great cupboard, and the family had a surprisingly large number of tablecloths and napkins, pewter platters and dishes. There was another table and two chairs, including a “great joined chair”. Additional storage took the form of seven further chests or presses. For cooking, there were spits for roasting meat, and pots of all kinds, including long-legged pots which would have stood over the fire. Some items were clearly heirlooms – the Milland furniture (unspecified) which must have come from his wife or stepmother, and “the great cawdron that was my grandfathers”. This all suggests a significant degree of comfort in the home. With the need to provide for his immediate family, William made few other bequests. He left 20s to his servant John Culverhouse, who is likely to have been his stepbrother or relative. He also remembered his brothers Harry (Henry) and Richard, Harry’s daughter and a relation of his sister. Six months after William’s death, his widow Alice remarried, in a small church in the City of London, to George Cleave, a vintner who was five years younger than her. It is believed that he came from Somerset and later ran an inn in Shrewsbury where he remarried in 1618, before emigrating to America in 1630. If this is so, then Alice must have died by 1618. There is no indication what happened to her children. The records are silent on whether they went to London or Shrewsbury or remained living with family in or near Dorney. The Abrooke connection with Dorney was nearly at an end. Richard Abrooke – probably William’s brother – died in 1616. Elizabeth Abrooke – perhaps William’s daughter? – gave birth out of wedlock to a daughter who lived only a few days. By 1657, when Sir James Palmer drew up his will, he referred to a farm on the estate “called the Outhouses lately Abrooke Farm”. The family had gone. There was one last link. In 1672, a coat of arms was granted to William Abrook, a London merchant, whose roots were in Dorney. There is no indication who he was, but he was proud that his family had come from Dorney. Virginia Silvester The Palmer Arms Mother’s day Menu Appetizers to Share Homemade Bread & Oils with balsamic reduction £3.95 (GFA) Baked Camembert with cranberry sauce £13.95 (GFA) Starters Lamb Samosas with mint yogurt £6.95 Soup of the day with crusty bread £6.50 (GFA) Prawn cocktail, buttered brown bread £7.50 (GFA) Crispy Chilli beef salad £7.50/£15.00 (GFA) Tempura prawns with sweet chilli sauce £7.50 Grilled goats cheese salad with olives and roasted peppers £7.50 (GF) Vegan Kofta with vegan garlic mayonnaise £6.95 (VE) (VG) Roast Dinners All served with a medley of Vegetable, Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding & Gravy Roast Fillet of Surrey Farm Beef £19.50 (GFA) Roast chicken with stuffing £15.95 (GFA) Roast Pork with crackling £14.95 (GFA) Vegan sausages with portobello mushroom and all trimmings £14.95 (VE)/(VG) Mains Baked Macaroni Cheese with garlic bread £11.95 Gammon Steak with fries, fried free-range eggs or char-grilled pineapple £14.25 (GFA) Beer Battered Hake Fillet with crushed peas, chunky chips & homemade tartar sauce £13.95 (GFA) Oven Roasted Sausages with creamed potato, buttered greens & onion gravy £13.95 Cajun Chicken Burger with avocado, tomato salsa, mixed leaf salad & fries £13.95 (GFA) Palmer Homemade Beef Burger with bacon, cheddar cheese, mixed leaf salad & fries £13.95 (GFA) Cajun Chicken Caesar salad with anchovies, croutons & shaved parmesan £13.95 (GFA) Seabass fillet with crushed new potatoes, baby spinach, garlic prawn butter £19.95 (GF) Homemade Pie of the day with seasonal veg £15.95 (GFA) Sides Fries, Crushed Peas, Mixed Leaf Salad or Mash Potato £3.95 (GFA) Seasonal Vegetables of the day or Chunky Chips £4.95 (GFA) All our food is freshly prepared and made to order – If there is something you would specifically like that is not on the menu then please feel free to let us know. *For any questions or allergy related enquires please ask one of your servers* GFA = Gluten Free Alternative www.thepalmerarms.com 01628 666612 Letter to the Editor Sewage in our waterways I read with interest our MP lauding her achievements in environmental campaigning for cleaner rivers and beaches (Dorney Parish News, February 2023). In October the government, including Ms Morrissey, voted to delay the requirement for water companies to comply with the existing regulations from 2027 to 2050. Currently 14% of England’s rivers are rated good, the rest being moderate, bad or poor. By 2027 this is forecast to be just 6%. There is no detail behind Ms Morrissey’s stated ambition to restore three quarters to their natural state. Ms Morrissey applauds the 48 prosecutions against the water companies over 7 years. Thames Water have amassed fines of £32.4m since 2017, but this has not changed their behaviour. Why would it, when they have just announced profits of £398m in just 6 months? Their CEO continues to earn £2m in salary and bonus, whilst the expected increase to water bills this April is 7.5%. Environmental crime pays. Thames Water’s sewage discharges can be tracked here -https://www.thameswater.co.uk/edm-map . Sewage flowed into Roundmoor Ditch and through to the Thames from 8th -19th January for an average of 13.5 hours every single day. The monitor is now offline and Thames Water have ignored requests to restore it. The answer is not to improve the sewage drain into the Thames as has previously been reported, it is to improve the sewage works themselves. For more information (and to really ensure you will never let your dog near the Thames) follow The Times “Clean it up” campaign, and Fergal Sharkey on Twitter. Alice Foxley ***** DORNEY BADMINTON CLUB I have been running the Badminton Club for over 20 years so goodness knows how long it’s been running. Most of us are of a certain age i.e. over 50 and enjoy our Tuesday nights together, playing, having fun, getting some exercise and catching up on all the local gossip. Some take the games more serious than others (they like to win) but all in all it’s a good fun evening in the Village Hall, 8 to 10pm. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we are now looking for new members. You have to have some experience of the game and are able to score. We play mixed doubles, ladies’ doubles and men’s doubles depending on numbers on the night. For further details please contact me on 07776364046 Teresa McGuinness Jean Spencer, Editor Supreme I doubt if many of our readers turn to that page towards the back of the magazine which lists those necessary things like distributors, advertising rates and the names of those responsible for bringing all this to you. Such eagle-eyed readers might have noticed the absence of one name from that page this year. Jean Spencer is no longer listed as one of the editors. Now is the time to reflect on the enormous contribution made by Jean Spencer to ‘Dorney Parish News’ and, indeed, to our community. Words have always been of enormous importance to Jean. But these days she only reads the words in this magazine after her regular couple of copies have been pushed through her letterbox. For several decades, every word published was scrutinised by Jean because she brought professional experience of publishing, and in particular proof reading, to bear on the publication which I think she rather loved. If the issues are now more prone to the sort of grammatical or spelling errors she abhorred, we apologise to her, and our readers. At least we are now leaving her more opportunity, in her mid-nineties, to read the five books she gets through weekly and the ‘Telegraph’ crossword she completes daily. I’ve often enjoyed sitting in Jean’s kitchen and hearing her talk of the very different world of her childhood and early working life but also a more recent time in Dorney when she was a housewife and young mother, and maybe the world was a little more settled and more kind. Jean was listed as an ‘editor’ but, in reality, she only actually contributed an article once, when her colleague was away. She approached the task with enormous trepidation, she recalls. Because that colleague was the legendary Charles Cody who edited ‘DPN’ for half a century from the sixties onward. Charles and Jean forged a formidable double act and remain friends to this day. Jean was a stern proof-reader, but she had to see every word submitted anyway because she typed up the lot in pre-word processor days, when articles were submitted written by hand. Jean was active in many of the organisations that featured in the pages of this magazine. Oh, that we had that steady stream of copy nowadays! Dorney Women’s Institute (‘the WI’) was paramount and young housewives like Jean were in awe of those who ran it and who Jean dubbed the ‘better people of Dorney’ who lived in big houses on the Common. The magazine’s pages hinted at the likes of the Dorney Social Club, the Country Dancing Society, the Horticultural Society (some things never change) and a Ladies’ Reading Group set up by Jean. Jean was born in Bristol, but her childhood was largely spent in India, where her father, a Doctor of Theology, was a Congregationalist minister in the south of the country. She remembers India well and talks fondly of its culture, language and food. She claims her life was ‘lovely’ until she was nine, when she began to be sent back to boarding school in Sevenoaks. Language was always important – she talks of waiting for the delayed ‘Madras Mail’ to arrive, and should DPN produce an issue in Telugu, I’m sure Jean could proof read it. Eventually she read English in the post war years at Bristol University. I detect here a degree of feminist frustration emerging as she explains how a single young lady emerging into the world with an English degree at that time was told that two avenues were open to her, teaching and secretarial work. She quite definitely did not want to teach. Time at secretarial college in London led by chance to an opportunity at the Oxford University Press. She recalls typing in a basement, and furthermore, typing out large sections of the ‘Oxford Dictionary of Quotations’. It seems that her employers imagined all young ladies had Oxbridge degrees and were supported by trust funds. Despite being rebellious, she clearly picked up formidable proof reading skills, which probably didn’t surface again for a number of years. A local connection emerges next. Her father had become the minister at Cores End Congregational Church a few miles from Dorney. Here she married Russell Spencer, who many in Dorney will remember. She was not married by her father but the procession from the manse to the church stopped the traffic according to a press cutting from the local paper. They lived in Wimbledon and Lincoln before taking up residence in Harcourt Road, Dorney Reach. Here they raised a family consisting of daughter Claire and son Paul. Russell, a keen rambler, also had literary interests. In retirement, Jean tells me, Russell took himself off to London for tuition in Russian. He had the ambition to read Crime and Punishment in the original language. Dr Claire Spencer, now a leading expert on North African affairs, has had brilliant recollections on growing up in Dorney Reach in the 1970s and 1980s published in Dorney Parish News in the last twelve months. Claire, we hope for more… Brother Paul is a successful hi tech entrepreneur. Jean, we wish you many happy days in your book lined sitting room. We hope this magazine continues to reach the lofty standards you have set. I remember your 90th birthday party in a large marquee at Paul’s house. Then last summer, you were surrounded by neighbours in your own garden for your ninety-fourth. I think I might just nip along the road and once more push a hard copy of this article through your letter box and request one more proof-read. Peter Bowman Just Three Plants By means of introduction, I am the new horticulture manager at Crocus at Dorney Court. I joined last November and having completed my RHS level two & Garden Design Diploma some 12 years ago, I have worked commercially in design with both interior and exterior plants most of that time. So suffice to say, I love plants but my mantra is very much 'Right plant, right place'. My ethos at Dorney is to buy those interesting & beautiful varieties for our customers -yet commercially sound and awarded the Award of Garden Merit (AGM). I have had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with a few members of the local community and horticultural society, and I’m very happy to explore a certain border you may have, offer some suggestions, what we might stock, what combinations would work together and why. Why do some plants just "work together" and some may seem uncomfortable companions? The conditions may suit some plants and not others -nature's natural selection process. So we struck the idea to review "Just three plants". It's finding combinations of plants and varieties that can be bought to embellish, change, add the subtle beauty without screaming that delights the gardener. Layer upon layer of foliage form, colour & interest that suit the conditions in your own garden. This month; three plants that are very suited to natural borders, happy in shady conditions but still need to look beautiful ...think cottage garden and informality. Brunnera Macrophylla 'Jack Frost'. Almost Forget-me-not type sprays of blue flowers that sit atop heart shaped silvery leaves edged and veined with green. Exquisite. Flowering April/May and will sit happily amongst Epimediums, Ferns -and the two I suggest below. But they die right down in winter, nothing but a root stock and are only just emerging now after a cold winter. Pulmonaria 'Sissinghurst White' The more ubiquitous but still beautiful Pulmonaria officinalis has clusters of flowers opening pink and soon changing to blue. Pulmonaria 'Blue Ensign' has more silvery leaves and dark blue flowers. The Pulmonaria 'Sissinghurst White' is a Beth Chatto favourite with dainty snow white flowers from March/April/May. It's a front of border star in my opinion. Lift and divide large clumps every three to five years after flowering or in autumn. Just be aware Ms Chatto might suggest to plant this with Gallium Odoratum. Such a beautiful plant in the woods & peaty soils of Devon, Cornwall, Yorkshire Dales.....but not the chalky Chilterns. Pulmonarias are happy on chalk, clay or loam, Gallium are not for chalky/alkaline soils. I call this the 'Chelsea match'. Stunning combinations for a short time only, that in nature would never survive together on one soil type. Tiarella 'Sugar & Spice' Giving more height than the other two above, so potentially a little further back in the border, the Tiarella will reach around 30/35cm when flowering. Being rhizomatous, they will spread in drifts and allow nature to plant more for you. The flowers of Tiarella Cordifolia are creamy white but adding that 'je ne sais quoi' is Tiarella 'Sugar & Spice'. More interesting foliage with dark brown central markings and clusters of flowers that are white/pale pink. Tiarella give a frothy, wand like appearance -and again -like the shade. They pick up the flowering from late Spring to early summer. Linda Wadley, Horticulture Manager, Crocus at Dorney Court Set in the grounds of Dorney Court Estate, near Eton, visitors will find a unique and innovative garden destination offering a curated range of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden. Our shop blends practical and stylish products from around the world with plants that are often difficult to source, particularly from garden centres. With a full nursery of garden and indoor plants, eco-friendly growing supplies, home and garden décor, furniture, firepits, and gifts, Crocus at Dorney Court seamlessly offers something for every home and garden. www.crocus.co.uk A Fairy Story “By God you look rough Mike!” a dear friend of forty years admonished as I wheezed pityingly around the Badminton court in a futile late effort to hone my ageing body. “What’s the matter?” She was always lovely, but now angry. I was being told off in no uncertain terms. “I’ve got a bad cough,” I mumbled guiltily. “How long has that been going on?” she barked, hands on hips, head thrust menacingly forward. Lying with Angela was never an option. She could always read me like a book, and I was in deep enough already. “Twelve weeks,” I muttered. “Twelve weeks???!!! What have you done about it?” I am a man. We men (or some of us) think we’ll live forever and ignore even persistent symptoms in the vein hope they will go away; but the other side of this equation is that we are utterly convinced that, if we seek help, it will always be serious. Indeed, in those twelve weeks of sleepless coughing nights, I had planned my funeral, even to the Faure’s Requiem, the ‘Agnus Dei’ of course, that I wanted played to my weeping throng including my reader and their dog; and my will needed updating.” “I can’t get a doctors’ appointment,” I ventured timidly. “Nonsense!” glared Angela. “You are not working tomorrow, so get an appointment and sort it out!” It was most definitely an order. Further mumbled excuses would not be accepted. “I’ll do my best,” I succumbed, convinced that I would spend the morning listening to recorded medical excuses why all the appointments had gone two minutes after the phone had been switched on with a vicious invitation to go through the same sad timewasting exercise the next day. As I drove home, I had already resolved not to torture myself at 8am the next day, but rather to avoid Angela until the cough diminished. That night it didn’t diminish. I sat up through most of it sipping cough mixture between coughs with a little light relief (no pun intended) sitting on the loo for the obvious but also to give the lovely Cheryl a break while being glared at by the angry awakened cat. In the morning I took Cheryl to work and returned to my bed at 7.30 to resume my acquaintance with the contents of my lungs and thought how ridiculous I appeared to any sane onlooker, in that I needed to grow a pair and “get it sorted” as Angela had demanded. I did not waste time or stress on going through the fruitless charade my local doctor had devised, but bravely dialled 111. “Ring Ring! Ring Ring” it squeaked in my good ear (don’t ask! The cough’s enough for now) and it clicked encouragingly. I thought that what with the return of Mr Covid accompanied by his friend Flu, I would be hours, but no. Here was an entreaty to ‘go online’ for the pharmacist or the undertaker or anywhere not in a surgery or a hospital; I listened like a good boy, made a coffee with the thing on speaker, returned to bed when all of a sudden, I heard a human voice, not a recording. I knew how Robinson Crusoe must have felt. He was charming, helpful, attentive and reassuring as I ran through the symptoms and did not lie about the twelve weeks. I did not receive an Angela type telling off, but rather, “From what you have told me, you need to see a clinician. Are you free tomorrow at 8.30am?” “Yes,” I croaked. “Good. I will make a telephone appointment for you at 8.30 tomorrow.” “There are never any appointments,” I said. “You won’t get one.” He was even more reassuring. “They have to reserve slots for us. You’ll be OK. I have booked a telephone appointment for 8.30. Is there anything else I can help with?” Oh, Bless him! I couldn’t thank him enough, and warmly, and settled into the pillows cough free, basking in the warm glow of a job…… “Ring Ring, Ring Ring.” “What now?” I huffed (carefully). “Good Morning, Is that Mike Quincey?” asked the pleasant male voice. “Er, yeeers,” I replied suspiciously. “Who’s this?” “Your doctor,” he replied. I thought it was a wind-up. “You rang 111?” Well, I had but was I expecting him tomorrow. There was no way I was going to pass up the appointment now. “I did,” I replied and we went through the same diatribe that I won’t bore you with again. “You need to come and see me,” said the doctor. “When?” “Now if you like.” “Really?” “Sure. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” I wheezed pulling clothes back on. “Go on through,” the nice receptionist waved and moment later I was sitting in a real doctor’s surgery with a real doctor who was warming the works end of his stethoscope in his hands before placing on my wracked torso with a faraway look in his eyes listening to the stirrings and rattles from within whereupon we swopped smug heroic tales of giving up smoking and, not so smugly, my lifestyle. “You need antibiotics and a chest x ray. Can’t hear anything but just to be sure,” he stated while passing the magic prescription. “Over the way should have that,” he smiled pointing toward the chemist in the same building and ten minutes later walked out with a bottle of jollop with instructions. Fifteen minutes after that I pulled up at St Marks, Maidenhead in the Dagenham Dustbin and fifteen minutes later I was out again having been zapped by two white coated ladies, and back home by 10.30, just over 2 hours after I had dialled 111. I told you it was a fairy story! I hope you’re sitting down because actually IT’S ALL TRUE!!! Here’s a phrase you don’t hear often. ‘Well done the Doctors’ Surgery’. Oh, the outcome? Well, I was fine. The jollop did the trick, and I could have hugged the lady who said, “It’s all clear. There’s nothing wrong,” but I might have got arrested. Only the good die young. Stay safe. Mike Quincey MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL HELD TUESDAY 21st February 2023, 7.30 P.M. AT DORNEY SCHOOL Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Anna Palmer Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford (arrived during item 5) Cllr. Robert Stopford Cllr. William Voaden (left after item 5.3) Clerk Ruth Senior and 1 member of the public Public Forum Peter Bowman reported that following that he had had a positive response from MP Joy Morrissey with regards to the Orchard Herbs site, to be discussed further in item 5.1. PC/15/23 Apologies for absence Cllr. Euan MacLennan, Cllr. Stephen Baker PC/16/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda None disclosed PC/17/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 17th January 2023 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/18/23 To receive the Clerk report The Clerk report updating minutes actions from January was circulated to Councillors prior to this meeting. PC/19/23 Items of business carried forward 19.1 The Orchard Herbs Site Cllr. Stopford confirmed that Mitchel Pugh from Buckinghamshire Council who was dealing with the Enforcement has now left and he has made initial contact with his replacement. It was agreed that following the response from MP Joy Morrissey to Peter Bowman, Cllr. Stopford will contact the MP to arrange to meet and discuss the site and the Buckinghamshire Council responses. 19.2 M4 Digital Motorway It was agreed that the Clerk will contact Burnham Parish Council regarding the planting on the Burnham side of the motorway bridge. It was agreed that this item will now be removed from the agenda in future. 19.3 The Neighbourhood Plan Cllr. Voaden confirmed there will be a full presentation to update on the Neighbourhood Plan during the March Parish Council meeting. It was agreed that initial contact with residents will be made soon, in the form of a flyer, to inform them of the Neighbourhood Plan and a link to a questionnaire for public views. It was agreed that the Clerk address and email will be added for further information or responses. 19.4 The Emergency Plan It was agreed that the Emergency Plan is now ready to publish on the DPC website following the addition of the contact pyramid and agreement from local companies such as Maydencroft to be added to the plan in case of the need of equipment. It was agreed that a Community Emergency Plan Working Party should be set up for ongoing plan work and communication, Cllrs Jill Dax, Martyn Westcott-Wreford and Anna Palmer will be in the working party and Cllr. Palmer will contact Joanie Wraight for her input. It was agreed that this item will now be removed from the agenda in future. PC/20/23 Planning Boveney Court Farm planning applications PL/22/3562/FA and PL/22/3563/HB were discussed as they have made comments on the planning portal with regards to the objections lodged. It was agreed that Cllr. Stopford will draft a response on behalf of DPC to submit on the portal as some of the comments made do not appear to be correct. PC/21/23 Finance The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting and approved. PC/22/23 To consider adopting General Power of Competence (GPC) The Clerk circulated information regarding the Parish Council adopting GPC following completion of the Certificate in Local Council Administration and it was unanimously agreed that Dorney Parish Council will adopt GPC from now. The Councillors congratulated the Clerk on this achievement. PC/23/23 To update on pothole/road surfaces Cllr. Dax wrote to Martin Tett and Highways on behalf of DPC regarding the problem of potholes and road surfaces around the village which have been this way since prior to 2019. The response was disappointing as the recent bad weather was used as a reason despite the letter confirming that this has been the state for a number of years and assurances were made in 2020 by Cllr. Dhillon and County Council that this would be resolved after the completion of the M4 works. It was agreed that a response will be sent. Cllr. Dax confirmed that at the recent SBALC meeting where each Parish had been asked to report their main concerns, planning and enforcement and the state of the roads were the main issues and SBALC will be having a meeting with Cabinet to discuss further. Dorney Parish Council would like to reiterate that it is imperative that every resident logs potholes and road surface issues on FIX MY STREET as the more reports that Buckinghamshire get, the more chance of repairs. It was agreed that the Clerk will contact RJC Landscapes regarding bollard cleaning. PC/24/23 To consider options for replacing the damaged MVAS It was agreed that we should go ahead with the insurance claim to replace the damaged MVAS using a bigger pole and deeper concrete base. PC/25/23 To discuss expanding the DPC website to include other Dorney based groups It was agreed that DPC will add pages on the website for groups in Dorney unable to have their own websites with a disclaimer that DPC holds no liability for the information added. PC/26/23 To begin discussion on Coronation events and decorations It was agreed that DPC will not hold an official Coronation event but will put up the bunting purchased for the Jubilee celebrations and if residents do want to organise events in their smaller communities, DPC may be able to support the event in some way. It was agreed that Cllr. Dax will include this information in the newsletter. PC/27/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents It was agreed that the Clerk will forward the email from Sheila Brown regarding Trumpers field to Buckinghamshire County Council. It was agreed that following the email from Rebecca Mackay regarding parking problems and pavement blocking outside the Pineapple Pub, the Clerk will contact the Local Area Technician to suggest bollards are fitted on the grass verges. PC/28/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 21st March 2023 Slough Treatment Works update. Meeting ended at 9 pm Join us for lunch on Mondays Midday to 2pm in the Church Room St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Everyone welcome! supported through RBWM and Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System (ICS) Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising Rates Height mm Width mm 10 issues 1 issue Full Page 190 130 £100 £13 Half Page 90 130 £55 £8 Third of a page (Horizontal) 60 130 £50 £7 Quarter Page (Horizontal) 45 130 £45 £6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News April 2023 Dorney Parish: Boveney, Dorney Reach, Dorney Village and Lake End ISSUE NO. 3/23 3/23 APRIL 2023 EDITORIAL Let us kick off with two Springtime events that make you feel good to be alive. I wasn’t there to see either of them, alas. They were very different. They were at opposite ends of the village. They even involved different species. Late March sees the observance of Holi, the Festival of Colour, Love and Spring – three things we’d all benefit from. Local celebrations centred on Dorney as over 300 members of the Hindu community focused on the Village Hall and Trumpers Field with music, dancing and home cooked food plus the wearing of white T-shirts intended to be smeared by colourful powders in vibrant hues. The atmosphere was one of ‘joy and laughter’ as ‘diversity and the spirit of community’ were celebrated. Happy people, but animals were happy too. In the last week of March, cows returned to the Common, maybe the most obvious harbinger of Spring in these parts. Cheer yourself up by the sight of cows frolicking with literally the joys of Spring captured on the Eton Wick Facebook pages. But alongside the smiles, there is a serious message to all those who use the Common alongside the cows in summer – see elsewhere in this issue. Also in this issue we reveal how an item in this magazine prompted our MP to put her weight behind the Parish Council’s campaign over the Orchard Herbs Farm site. Now we don’t take all the credit for the potholes special cover in February’s magazine, but Martin Tett, Leader of Bucks Council, who admitted that potholes were now the biggest issue in his post bag last month, talked of an extra £5 million (plus an extra figure half that size from the government) to fix the county’s roads. We just hope it’s spread evenly through the county, Martin. Not all the news in Springtime is welcome. Better weather means that Dorney Lake feels it has to close its gates to visitors for the summer, with closure occurring as we distribute this issue from April 3rd. It’s a real pity as the grounds begin to look their best and the rewilding policies we wrote about last month bring real benefits. While we’re thinking about the Lake, it’s splendid news that the Boat House will be the venue for the Annual Parish Meeting in mid-May. Equally splendid are plans to return this core community event to the significance it enjoyed in the last century. If you run a local club or society or an important village body, this could be your chance to tell all to your neighbours. No doubt, the Parish Clerk will be in touch. Talking of communication, plans to complete a Neighbourhood Plan are continuing and the Parish Council will be inviting residents to complete a questionnaire covering our views on future development in the parish. More is to be found in this issue. Many of us thrill to news of celebrity goings on, and the article this month on Dorney resident Kevin Welch may well represent the first occasion that Daniel Radcliffe, Angelina Jolie and Kate Bush have featured in this august magazine. When it comes to celebrity, the Horticultural Society are not left behind, following up February’s meeting with a Chelsea Gold Medallist by an April spring supper addressed by a recent editor of The Garden, probably the foremost horticultural title and one of the country’s highest circulation magazines. Again, details in this issue. 3 Services in the Local Churches Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Vicar: Revd. La Stacey, The Vicarage, 69a Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6NE Tel: 01753 852268 email: revlastacey@gmail.com For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Rev La Stacey writes: People say, ‘it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all’. I think I used to say that. But that was before I really knew what it was to lose someone. I have a vivid memory of picking up the telephone one July day many years ago, being told to sit down and then being told the news that my son had died. I never truly realised the finality of death until that day. The depth of loss is never-ending. There is no resolution to this pain. I imagine that Mary Magdalene was feeling something like this on that first day of the week after the death of Jesus when she went along to the tomb to anoint the body with herbs. She, like others in Jesus’ close group of friends, had loved and lost – and now, to add insult to injury, his body had disappeared. What is said to have happened to that body amounts to what surely must be one of the most astounding claims in the history of the world. We all know that someone who is dead and buried doesn’t come alive again. That is why death is so unremittingly painful. So why have the stories of Christ’s resurrection even been preserved? Such utter nonsense belongs in the fairy-tale section of the library, surely? And yet…it was in nobody’s interest in those early years to stand up for the story if it wasn’t true – as far as we know all the male followers of Jesus, bar one who was exiled, were executed because they asserted this resurrection had happened. The audacity of claiming that the man who died in agony on the cross was the creator of the universe cannot be overemphasised. It is a claim that could only have been made if something entirely out of this world had happened. And the fact of the matter is that down through the years I have spoken to numerous people for whom the recognition of the reality of Mary’s encounter with the resurrected Christ on that spring morning has been life-changing. 4 Somewhere at the heart of that recognition, is the courage to live on in the pain of loss. Whatever stream of love it was that Jesus lived in during his lifetime, death wasn’ , is the courage to live on in the pain of loss. Whatever stream of love it was that Jesus lived in during his lifetime, death wasn’t enough to defeat it. Maybe the pain of lost love is an indicator of hope after all. It wouldn’t hurt if we hadn’t loved – and love is something of eternal worth. With Easter blessings. La Church Services in April 2023 Sunday 2nd April (Palm Sunday) 9.30 am Holy Communion (BCP) 11.00 am Any Age Service Wednesday 5th April 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) 6.30 pm Passover Communion Thursday 6th April (Maundy Thursday) 7.00 pm Foot Washing and Tenebrae Service Friday 7th April (Good Friday) Walk of Hope: 9.30 am Beginning of Walk 10.30 am Middle of Walk: Good Friday Service 12.30 pm End of Walk Sunday 9th April (Easter Day) 5.45 am Sunrise Service 9.30am Holy Communion 11.00am Easter Family Communion Sunday 16th April 9.30am Holy Communion 11.00am Morning Worship Wednesday 19th April 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) Sunday 23rd April 9.30am Morning Worship 11.00am Holy Communion Sunday 30th April 9.30am Holy Communion 11.00am Family Communion St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St John the Evangelist, Eton St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St James the Less, Dorney St John the Evangelist, Eton St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St James the Less, Dorney St Mary Magdalene, Boveney St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St John the Evangelist, Eton St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick 5 ***COWS ON DORNEY COMMON *** It’s that time of year for the cows to go on the Common from Saturday morning 25 March. Please tell everyone you know that from Saturday morning until the end of October the cows will graze Dorney Common all day and all night so please drive slowly in the dark (daylight too as cows have also been hit in broad daylight). They don't have road sense so please be careful. A lot of the cows are pregnant too so when you see a new-born please let me know and don’t approach the cow as she will be protective. Always give the cows a wide berth -there is 180 acres on the Common so no need to walk through them, keep yourself safe. Also, dogs have to go on lead during these months so we have better vision to see where our dog’s poo is to pick it up because it can cause a pregnant cow to miscarry. If you see someone with a dog off lead and not picking up their dogs’ poo, please offer them a dog poo bag and try to educate everyone why it’s so important to pick it up. If you’re not able to approach them and want to let me know privately we can address it discreetly without shaming anyone. To all of you who love the cows like I do, thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting us. Michelle Bosher ‘Thanks to Michelle Bosher for permission to print her post on Facebook’s Eton Wick Village Pages’ 6 Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor BENEFICE OF ETON OF ETON -ETON WICK -BOVENEY -DORNEY Easter Day 9 9 th April Sunrise Service St Mary Magdalene, Boveney 5:45am Come and light the Easter fire and celebrate Christ risen! Orchard Herbs: Joy Morrissey M.P. has added her support to Dorney Parish Council’s effortParish Council’s efforts to resolve this long-standing issue. We regularly send Dorney Parish News electronically to those who influence life in this community. This, of course, includes our MP, Joy Morrissey. Joy made contact with this magazine immediately on receiving a recent issue that set out the Orchard Herbs Farm site controversy and offered to make representations on our behalf. She was briefed more fully by an email from Cllr. Robert Stopford, Dorney Parish Council and then she wrote to Bucks Council. Here is a summary of the response received by our MP from Peter Strachan, the Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration. On the evidence of this correspondence, it does appear that Bucks Council may well be planning an injunction intended to force the owner of the Orchard Herbs Farm site to cease their breaches of planning control. Letter Summary The letter is a response to an enquiry about the unauthorised development at Orchard Herbs. The site has had a history of breaches of planning control dating back to 2007. The use of the land has changed significantly since then, with the current mix of uses including open storage of plant and machinery, as well as storage and distribution of aggregates and ready-mix concrete, among others. There is currently an extant enforcement notice on the land, but the mix of uses has changed since the notice was issued, resulting in a new breach of planning control. Efforts were made to remedy the breaches without the need for formal action, but progress ceased in September 2021, and the site is now in a very different place. The uses of the land continued to fluctuate and change in 2022, and a Temporary Stop Notice was issued in August 2022 to curtail the unauthorised airport parking use. The airport parking use ceased in September 2022, but the unauthorised storage use across the site appears to have intensified. The council is considering the expediency of further formal action, and officers are of the opinion that neither a new enforcement notice nor commencing a prosecution investigation are unlikely to achieve a resolution. A potential injunction seeking to force the owner to cease the breaches of planning control may be the best and most likely road to an ultimate remedy. This decision has yet to be finalised and advice is being sought from the legal team as to the likely chance of success. At which point a decision will be made. We anticipate this decision will be made in the coming 2 weeks. The letter acknowledges a perceived lack of action on the ground but assures the recipient that work has been taking place behind the scenes since April 2022 and evidence has been gathered in preparation for action to be taken. Peter Bowman 9 ‘You’ll Believe a Man Can Flya Man Can Fly’ ‘Of course, you know, James Bond lives in Dorney’. With that statement I knew that the conversation with Dorney resident Kevin Welch, sitting at his very hospitable kitchen table in the heart of the village was going to be something special. In addition, Kevin tells those he meets that ‘my job is flying people through the air on wires.’ James Bond? Well, Kevin lists a number of what seem to the average listener to be stupendous feats. In 1988, he doubled for Timothy Dalton as the star was seen to descend from 95 feet in License to Kill. That descent was rigged from a crane in Mexico City by Kevin himself. ‘Rigged’ is the operative word here. Kevin describes himself as a Stunt and Rigging Co-ordinator. His company is Stunt Rigging Services Ltd. Look at their website, and you will find a jaw dropping list of movies, TV dramas, commercials and pop videos that serve as Kevin’s credits, plus highly entertaining clips of people being thrown off tall buildings yet invariably enjoying a soft-landing that the movie goer does not see. I was keen to ask the obvious fan’s questions about the big names that he had flown through the air, but felt that one should ask ‘how did you get into this business, Kevin?’ Born in Reading, Kevin points out that as a boy he was a head chorister, yet he was ‘always outside doing or fixing something, making camps, climbing trees, putting swings over rivers and all the mischief boy things you do…’ Panel beating led on to scaffolding – at 21 he was the most accomplished scaffolder in the south of England. The big break was a job as a rigger at Pinewood, and in 1979 he started ‘flying people on wires’. Among the first was Christopher Reeves in Superman 1. ‘From there my life changed’ he says. Superman 2, Superman 3, and Supergirl followed. He describes the Tarzan movie Greystoke with Christopher Lambert as the ‘next big break’. Then a cascade of titles – more Bond movies, Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie, everything from Alien III to 101 Dalmatians, plus, and I suspect this will most resonate with many of our readers, Kevin worked on all 7 Harry Potter films. Currently his company is working on a comedy version of the Dick Turpin story for Apple TV starring Noel Fielding. I admitted that neither James Bond nor Harry Potter were my absolute faves, but Kate Bush most definitely is. Jaw dropping time again – Kevin worked on the gorgeous Running Up That Hill video, where even Kate it seems benefitted from wires to swoop just off the ground with her partner. Elton John was 10 required to dance on a glass piano in one of his videos, but in reality he hovered to dance on a glass piano in one of his videos, but in reality he hovered slightly above the surface with one of Kevin’s safety harnesses reassuring the star’s insurers. We didn’t dwell too much on the technicalities of his trade, but Kevin showed me a picture of Daniel Ratcliffe perched at the business end of one of his ‘parallelogram rigs’, a kind of enormous one ended see saw. Take a look at a fairly recent commercial for Just Eat, Delivering for the Nation. A biker is made to soar and swoop on this rig, while later CGI using the same image, creates a flock of bikers – it’s amazing. Propelling people through the air creates a bond between star and co-ordinator. Kevin speaks warmly and engagingly of various stars. He was close to Superman Christopher Reeve and spoke movingly of his plight in later years. Angelina Jolie and Daniel Craig are friends. He told me that he has watched closely as the Harry Potter stars have progressed into adulthood. The sets of the Potter movies have been lovingly transferred to the Harry Potter World tourist attraction. Our grand children loved it! Kevin played a big part in that process and still regularly oversees safety and security for this fabulous venue. Round about the time Timothy Dalton was supposedly descending in Mexico City, Kevin was also, as he puts it, ‘heavily into stock car racing, going all around the UK up and down the country crashing into people’. In 1994 he won the European Championship in Holland. Amazon’s Ray Winstone vehicle, The Prizefighter obviously features boxing bouts. In one Kevin spars with Julius Francis, who as a pro fought Mike Tyson. Nowadays he says that his hobbies are more ‘subdued’ such as playing golf and rough shooting. He is a Master Mason. Kevin as Timothy Dalton As I said Kevin’s household is very hospitable, all helped by Kevin’s partner, Magdalena. After they met, Kevin discovered that by a strange twist of fate, she had worked with the Cirque Du Soleil in Poland, whose business is likewise sending people soaring through the air. Personal partners and business partners, Magdalena now oversees those safety harnesses. Marriage is in the offing. Dorney Parish News wishes them well. Kevin says ‘I have had a very full and active life with some wonderful experiences’. Believe me, spend an hour in his company and you will truly believe, as the old cinema posters said, that a man can fly. Peter Bowman 11 DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School Beautiful Books Author Day – Richard O’Neill WHAT AN AMAZING DAY we had with author Richard O’Neill! Richard visited every class and inspired every child to immerse themselves in oral storytelling. The parents who attended his workshop was just as mesmerised as I was! There was a large queue after school of children and some parents who managed to speak to Richard. I have made Richard promise to visit us again with his stories of the RoleyYoley. If you are interested in Richard’s work, this is his website https://richardthestoryteller.weebly.com/ Richard is passionate in giving smaller booksellers a platform to promote and sell books. Do look out for his books in independent bookshops if you are interested -a few examples below: World Book Day We celebrated this annual event on Friday 3rd March. All pupils arrived in non-school uniform with the theme of ‘Hairstyle’. The idea of this year was to celebrate pupil’s unique hairstyles as part of their personal and cultural self-identity. It was an exciting day where we all let our hair down, or up, or coloured with some amazing hairdos. Teachers promoted books and stories that celebrated self-identity and representation, and pupils were encouraged to bring a book of their choice in to share with classmates in which they identify with their favourite character. 12 Dorney History Grouorney History Group comments on Boveney Planning applications including a positive proposal The Dorney History Group (DHG) is made up of local residents who are interested in and respect the history of the area. DHG is concerned about the two current planning applications relating to Boveney Farmhouse Buildings (PL/22/3563/HB and PL/21/1884/HB) and their impact on listed buildings in Dorney Parish and the Boveney Conservation Area. DHG believes that the primary legislation being relied on is contained within ss. 16, 66 and 72 of the Planning (LBCA) Act 1990, which states that regard must be had to the preservation of listed buildings and the enhancement of the conservation area. DHG suggests a possible solution to both issues, which involves removing the five new buildings (3 shown in photo on the right and 2 at far end of photo below), demolishing the open-sided barn and replacing it with Barn A, deconstructed and reconstructed, resulting in a total of 9 houses (instead of 12). DHG believes that the proposed development fails the relevant test regarding the legal requirements of the Boveney Conservation Area and must be refused, but the alternative suggestion could leave the character and appearance of the Conservation Area unharmed and could, therefore, be acceptable. DHG also supports the need for a 12-18 month exercise to examine the possible use of the existing buildings, including Barn A, for their original purposes such as storage, and a comprehensive traffic survey of the usage of Boveney Road past the Site to either deny or support the armchair Transport Report. Dorney History Group 13 PARALLEL TURNS ON DORNEY COMMON At last, as March disappears, the clocks spring forward to brighten our evenings, enhanced by a return of the cows to graze on the common. Joy and hope for better weather as memories of persistent minus temperatures still scald our memories. This winter was particularly harsh, worsened as utility rates spiralled high forcing many to turn down the thermostats within our homes in a hope to control the outgoings. Here at Dells Cottage was no exception, as its single skinned walls bled chill into the rooms, promoting log fires and early duvet retreats. Frequently assisted by a tot of vintage port, I managed to keep on top of the icy weather, but sadly, outside the garden struggled. By early Spring it was evident that some of the tropical palm trees had taken a bad hit, several showing signs of deepset ice singe, and other shrubs were definitely not for resuscitation. How bad it would turn out to be could only be measured when the growth season started. To escape the rot, it was decided by my boyfriend Bob that I should join him on his annual vacation with a group of friends to go skiing in Andorra. Only one problem, just a small one, actually two, I don’t ski, and I don’t like the cold. I took a drink with a girlfriend down the Palmer Arms, and she advised, practise squats to improve thigh and leg strength. We practised in the warmth of the pub, squatting and standing much to the amusement of the old boys supping pints at the bar. I borrowed ‘old stock’ ski gear from Bob, (we are nearly the same size), bought Ice Breaker merino wool layers and headed off to the Pyrenees mountains without a clue. I had booked into ski school each morning, for two hours one-to-one with a private instructor, hoping that my feet stayed on the ground and bottom above them. Initially a struggle to stay upright, determination overtook skill, until I felt my body finally relax to swoosh from side to side down the nursery slopes with my best listening and learning ear open to every word of advice. All good, no bone broken, by the fifth day my instructor told me we were now going to learn parallel turns. Interesting, do we ski together and turn at the same time? Nothing that easy, bring your inside ski together with the outside one (or something like that) to parallel your skis when you go round a corner. Later, my dear Bob lent me his time so I could copycat parallel turns to serpentine down a shallow slope. Not perfect, but my head now understands what my two feet don’t quite do! Arriving home, it was good to be back, no more slippery butter skids, but good old Dorney with its familiar pace of life. Dorney Horticultural Society had taken a new lease of life for 2023, and since the accelerator pedal of enthusiasm was at full throttle, I happily stepped into the slipstream to be invigorated by many ideas generating by our expanding committee. Our first event of the year proved to be an excellent deviation from our usual format. This was a wonderful talk by Jamie Butterworth at the Crocus Garden centre. One of the first to be held on a weekday afternoon, and although not without a few technical 14 issues, was very much enjoyed by our members, lessons learnt for future tweaking, and a way forward to provide more interesting and creative events. Exciting times! , was very much enjoyed by our members, lessons learnt for future tweaking, and a way forward to provide more interesting and creative events. Exciting times! King Charles at Highgrove The programme of events that the committee team have organised really puts more fire in the belly of this lovely group. Big on the horizon is a visit to Highgrove, but as a trial only a small coach was booked, until we were confident that this is what our members enjoy has been established. It was fully booked within 3 weeks of being announced. So, those that couldn’t get a seat, do not worry, more is to follow so keep your eyes and ears open for any announcements for next year. Simultaneously, I have been busy planning the re-emergence of the little charity garden play held last summer at Dells Cottage, ‘Educating Rita’. It is now scheduled for three performances at the Old Court Art Centre (The Old Fire Station for those that are my age), in Windsor, for the 2nd and 3rd June, two evenings and one matinee. Same actors but improved set, if you fancy coming to support this, please do save the date; it would be good to have a few friends and familiar faces in the seats. As we head into Easter, chocolate eggs and bursting bulbs, how welcome this approaching warmth will be, that energises our souls and ignites garden growth. Lawn mowers now poised ready to start the trudge of many a nearly straight stripe, with a parallel turn at each end. It’s good to get out in the garden, fresh air, al fresco coffee and cake, and chance to engage with a few neighbours and villagers to congenially pass the time of day. Kristina Perkins 15 Dorney Annual Parish Meeting All members of the public are invited to attend The Annual Parish Meeting at Dorney Lake Boathouse on Tuesday 16th May 2023 at 7.30pm The management of Dorney Lake have very kindly offered to host our Annual Parish Meeting this year. Refreshments will be provided. AGENDA 1 Apologies for absence 2 Approval of 2022 Meeting Minutes 3 Report from the Parish Council: Report from the Chairman of the Council Report on Council Finance 4 Community Updates 5 Report from Unitary Authority 6 Questions from the floor on Parish/County issues 7 Any other business This meeting is an opportunity for all residents of the parish to express their opinions or concerns regarding issues relevant to the parish. Please note that this is not a Parish Council Meeting, but it is chaired by the Chairman of the Parish Council in accordance with legal requirements. Parish Councillors attend this meeting as members of the public. More details on the meeting are on: www.dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk/annual-parish-meeting/ The Annual Meeting of the Parish Council and its usual monthly meeting will take place prior to the Annual Parish Meeting at 6.30 pm. 16 Dorney Horticultural Society Horticultural Society would like to invite you to 'An Evening with Chris Young' Friday 28th April 7.30-10.00 pm to be held in Dorney Village Hall Chris Young is a landscape designer, gardens consultant and Former Editor of “The Garden” The evening will kick-off with a buffet supper supplied by Chrys Fisher of the Palmer Arms Come and join us all welcome Invite some friends and make up your own table Bring your own drinks and glasses Tickets £10/head for members £12/head for non-members (New members can join on the evening) Numbers are limited so please book your place with Peter Bowman 07889 912714 or email ddhs@btinternet.com 17 Good Friday 7th April WALKING THE CROSS St John the Evangelist, Eton 9.30am St John the Baptist, Eton Wick (hot cross buns) 10.30am RCCG Praise Embassy, Eton Wick 11.20am St James the Less, Dorney arriving 12.30pm ROYAL CORONATIONS Early next month, King Charles III will be formally crowned, wall-to-wall coverage of which will be watched by millions. To celebrate the occasion, towns and villages throughout the country are planning events. The coronation ceremony dates back for generations but, in years gone by, few people were able to witness it. No doubt ordinary people marked the occasion in their own way, ringing the church bells and drinking the monarch’s health. It is only relatively recently that we know much about how people celebrated. For Queen Victoria’s coronation in 1838, there were, surprisingly, no publicly organised celebrations in Windsor and Eton, although events were recorded in other places round about. It was a Thursday and a public holiday was granted. The church bells were rung and a royal salute fired; the inmates of Windsor workhouse feasted on roast beef and plum pudding and local tradesmen dined together at the Star and Garter Inn. In London, crowds started gathering before dawn to line the route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey, and in the evening there were fireworks and fairs in the parks and free entry to theatres. By the time of the next coronation, Edward VII in 1902, Windsor had a well-oiled system of committees which had served it well in organising Queen Victoria’s Jubilee festivities and the celebrations planned followed a familiar pattern. They could not have foreseen that the coronation planned for June was postponed at the last minute until August because the King was unwell, and as this fell in the school holidays, the events for children had to be further delayed until September. As with the Jubilees, the children from Dorney were included in the arrangements for Windsor and neighbouring schools, and 77 pupils with 5 teachers made the journey to the Great Park for an afternoon of games and sports, followed by fireworks and sustained by milk and buns, meat pie and cake. Each of the six thousand children was given a commemorative medal depicting the King and Queen and a collection of coloured pictures of the royal family, and finished by singing the National Anthem. In June, the Dorney children had also each been given a coronation bible by Mrs Boyle and Mrs Quinn from Huntercombe Manor. For Coronation Day itself, most of the original plans for Windsor were fulfilled although not on quite the scale envisaged. Bells were rung at the parish church, where there was a special service, and at the Curfew Tower of Windsor Castle, and a royal salute of guns was fired in the Long Walk. Perhaps because of the earlier postponement, it was noted that there were no events in some of the adjoining villages and so there were big crowds in Windsor. In the afternoon there were aquatic sports on the river and later a Venetian fete. Hundreds went to the Long Walk to view the bonfire on Snow Hill which “lit up the country for miles around”. The streets were full of people until after midnight, enjoying the decorations and illuminations and the extended pub licensing hours. The coronation of George V in 1911 involved a similar programme of festivities on the day itself, with a larger celebration a week later when the King and Queen drove in state from Slough through Eton to Windsor. Dorney held its own event on Coronation Day, in the grounds of Dorney Court. The arrangements were planned by a committee of local worthies including the vicar Rev Arthur Sharp, the doctor John Waters, the two village grocers Bertram Barksfield and William Grove, and Colonel Ferris, a retired Indian Army officer living in Dorney House. Some 300 village adults sat down to a lunch 20 of cold meat and salad, while 30 children had tea after an afternoon of sports supervised by the school teachers. Each child was presented with a coronation medal and a Doulton mug. There were races too for the men (including boys who had left school) and a few for the women. Cricket and dancing were “indulged in freely” and the men’s sports concluded with a tug-of-war between ex-army men, led by Colonel Ferris, and civilians, who won the contest. Of course, the National Anthem was sung and the day finished with “a fine display of fireworks” 30 children had tea after an afternoon of sports supervised by the school teachers. Each child was presented with a coronation medal and a Doulton mug. There were races too for the men (including boys who had left school) and a few for the women. Cricket and dancing were “indulged in freely” and the men’s sports concluded with a tug-of-war between ex-army men, led by Colonel Ferris, and civilians, who won the contest. Of course, the National Anthem was sung and the day finished with “a fine display of fireworks”. Dorney school pupils again took part in the fete for 6,000 local children held in Windsor Home Park on 1 July 1911, 45 of them with two teachers transported there in the local farmers’ wagons. As on previous occasions, there were sports, refreshments and entertainment such as Punch and Judy shows. The youngest child of the King and Queen, five year old Prince John, was brought to see the fun. At the end of the afternoon, all 6,000 children were lined up along the route to witness the arrival of the King and Queen at the Sovereign’s entrance to Windsor Castle, cheering and waving their handkerchiefs as the procession passed. The coronation of George VI took place on 12 May 1937, originally planned as the date of the coronation of Edward VIII before he abdicated. This was the first coronation broadcast live on radio and even on television -an estimated 50,000 people were able to watch the event on television, many in specially created public viewing rooms. Radio sets were widely available and the newly crowned King used the medium to address his people live after the ceremony. Street parties and patriotic decorations were the order of the day. Dorney pupils joined the children from the Eton schools in lining the High Street to cheer the King and Queen on the occasion of their State Drive a month later. By 1953, more than 2 million people had a TV licence and so the coronation of Elizabeth II was viewed live by many more people than before. Friends and family were invited to watch by the lucky few who possessed a television and the streets of Windsor were notably empty. Memories of the way the occasion was marked were revived a year ago when we celebrated the late Queen’s platinum jubilee. Although it was early June, the weather was cold and many parties were moved indoors. Villages like Burnham organised programmes of activities lasting a week or more -processions and parades, carnivals and displays, sports and games and hundreds of teas. As after previous coronations, the subsequent state entry into Windsor was a big event locally, with thousands of children lining the streets. Home Park was reserved for school children only to join in the celebrations and cheer as the carriage went by. Dorney commemorated the coronation in a lasting way, by installing the organ in the gallery of St James’ church; the Queen made a donation towards the cost. The coronation of Charles III in May will include traditions old and new. Windsor will play a special part again when the castle hosts a coronation concert the following day and Big Lunches will take place in neighbourhoods across the country. A new feature involves dedicating the extra bank holiday to volunteering and in the evening Windsor racecourse is offering a free race night. Bunting and flags will be rolled out; cheering crowds and the National Anthem will echo the past. God save the King! Virginia Silvester 21 22 How we make sure development is appropriate The issue that is raised with me more than any other by my constituents is how we can protect the fantastic green spaces and keep the character of the wonderful collection of towns and villages that make up the south of Buckinghamshire. Many of these settlements date back to the Domesday Book or even before, they are places that people make their home and are communities worth preserving and protecting. I recently went to a planning hearing for the latest round of expansion sought by Pinewood Studios. I began by making the case that such a significant new development would have a disproportionate and adverse impact on local residents, arguing that it should not go ahead. However, it was equally important to make the case that where development is allowed to go ahead it is vital to hold developers to account, and make sure they commit to and deliver mitigations for the people whose lives they are impacting. When schemes are put forward and genuinely have the support of local residents, they must enhance the local community, reinforce infrastructure and genuinely engage with local people. Far too many projects provide only superficial interaction with residents, paying lip service to consultation with a predetermined and rigid outcome in mind. Without genuine consultation, real dialogue and a willingness to flex to meet the needs of the community, no development should be allowed to proceed. While action to prevent large scale development destroying the character of an area is important, preserving local character and heritage is just as essential. Heritage assets for example are part of what define the places we live, giving character to an area that extends well beyond their boundaries. It will only be by taking action to prevent inappropriate development at large scale, preserving our local historic and heritage assets, and by ensuring that development benefits communities, that we will retain the fantastic character and spirit of our area. Joy Morrissey MP Member of Parliament for Beaconsfield Assistant Government Whip House of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA | 020 7219 8708 Disraeli House | 12 Aylesbury End | Beaconsfield | Buckinghamshire | HP9 1LW | 01494 977505 www.joymorrissey.uk | @JoyMorrissey | fb.com/joy4beaconsfield 23 Interested in the history of houses in Dorney Reach? In the course of researching articles for Dorney Parish News, I have accumulated quite a bit of information about houses in Dorney Reach, many of which are now nearing 100 years old or more. If anyone is interested in finding out what I may have or sharing their own information, please get in touch at virginia@dorneyphoto.com . Virginia Silvester, 29 Harcourt Road. Acquaintance and Reacquaintance It was a poor neglected bungalow, devoid of any maintenance for years, and it looked sad, surrounded by overgrown leylandii trees, the large south facing rear garden brimming with healthy brambles. A young family bought it, revived and improved it beyond recognition of its former self, and Cheryl and I became friends with them, helping where we could in small ways and receiving in return delicious hot cooked food parcels. We watched as work progressed, engrossed as the transformation developed to the point where our new friends gave us the Grand Tour of what had been achieved with a mixture of excitement tinged with guilt that I lacked their courage and had repeatedly delayed improvements to my own home. Much to our surprise and delight, we were invited to a party to celebrate completion and the awakening of their lovely home, and clutching a couple of rose plants we attended at the appointed time to find that the ‘party’ was so much more than that; it was a religious blessing by a priest on the home called a Pooja. Lavish food had been lovingly prepared with wonderful ingredients including saffron (a new one on me) and blessed by the priest. We did not attend the actual ceremony; many did, dressed appropriately; our arrival was soon after. I understood the first meal had been offered to God after which we were guided expertly by another friend of our hosts through each unfamiliar dish, what it contained and how it tasted. “You speak with great knowledge,” I said to our guide. “Are you in catering?” “No,” he grinned. “I just like eating!” and so, another first, we ate our very first blessed meal which was fabulous. As we left, we were presented with some handsome glassware! My reader may recall that, some while back in a weak moment my partner, the lovely Cheryl, had agreed to marry me whilst, I recall, clutching an empty baked beans tin. She wanted the full works and so arrangements were soon underway, including the choice of church in which to tie the knot. You may also recall that I ring the bells in our venerable St. James the Less, and this was Cheryl’s choice and a very good one too if I may say so. After Cheryl’s phoning, we found ourselves sitting in the Vicarage, nervously wringing my hands, as my acquaintance with my maker was, shall we say, distant and intermittent. “Oh, it’s you again,” I can hear Him say. “You in trouble again Mike?” My relationship with Him (or Her?) is very private and came to the fore during particularly scary moments in my long police career, or perhaps after mis-reading weather at sea at the helm of a 32 foot yacht in a force 7 storm in the dark; my colleagues having gone below with violent sea sickness, or again when a colleague at the ambulance station died of Covid. I have been told there are no atheists in fox holes and, from experience, I believe it. 25 We should not have worried, La Stacey was wholly reassuring and kindly said, “Oh, you’re Mike Quincey! We always read you.” It seems, Dear Reader, that you may have a colleague. She quite reasonably explained that, since we lived outside the parish and wished to be married in God’s church in Dorney, it was wholly reasonable to expect the odd attendance at a service or two, or more specifically, six times in six months. Furthermore, here was a sheet of paper for signature for each attendance, and last Sunday I am pleased to report that we have four signatures to our credit. The scary thing is that, having grown familiar with what happens in the service, and being welcomed by regulars, Vicar La, and the remarkable Curate Carole, we are becoming friends while consuming coffee and cakes after the service. As these develop, I am becoming aware of a curious peace I have long been seeking to add to the blissful contentment of Cheryl’s presence in my life. I wondered how I could share this strange feeling with Cheryl, when she unexpectedly said as we walked away, “Do you know, I’m enjoying this!” In the winter of 2021, I made some really great bird boxes out of scrap plywood left over from a rare home improvement as Christmas presents (I know how to flatter!) and saved three for us. We placed them in various parts of our rambling garden, mainly in trees that we thought would be attractive to a broody Mummy sparrow or two; but one we stuck on to the top of six feet of polished steel curtain rod and placed it close to the house where, should it find favour with our feathered friends, we could enjoy the comings and goings. Our thinking was that, while there was little protection from covering plants and leaves, six feet of polished tube would be too much even for our young cats, and so provide safe haven for the aforementioned broody sparrow. The well camouflaged boxes were occupied by a colony of wasps, and another by a rat, but the lonely exposed six footer was, joy of joys, occupied by a pair of blue tits who gained our increasing admiration as they flew in constantly with twigs, feathers and moss as they made the box a home and later, as they supplied squeaking chicks with food. We both worried like parents as the chicks prepared to fledge, locking the cats in during the last week when suddenly, they were gone; flown the nest while we were at work. We were glad to see the absence of little corpses in the days that followed, and later examination of the nest revealed one unhatched egg. They’re back! Lately we have watched fascinated as the pair deliver twigs, feathers and moss again this year, and again, we will watch like worried parents as the chicks poke their heads out of the box to view the world for the first time, and the cats will enjoy another week of incarceration. Stay safe. Mike Quincey 26 Set in the grounds of Dorney Court Estate, near Eton, visitors will find a unique and innovative garden destination offering a curated range of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden. Our shop blends practical and stylish products from around the world with plants that are often difficult to source, particularly from garden centres. With a full nursery of garden and indoor plants, eco-friendly growing supplies, home and garden décor, furniture, firepits, and gifts, Crocus at Dorney Court seamlessly offers something for every home and garden. www.crocus.co.uk Indoor trailing plants. There are so many beautiful trailing indoor plants to add interest, texture & a casually cascading elegance. As always, think about the contrast of leaf & foliage shape working together. A variance of vertical height will add to the impact; whether from shelving, plant stands, containers with height -or hanging, even a macrame hanger -it's the devil in the detail to enhance your indoor jungle. Rhapsalis pulcha: Fabulously different and this undemanding and easy to grow house plant forms a shaggy mass of slender, branching stems, which occasionally can be studded with small flowers -and later, mistletoe-like berries. Hence, it's called the Mistletoe Cactus (not to be confused with the Christmas Cactus -Schlumbergera) Position in bright, but indirect light and don't overwater. Philodendron scandens 'Brasil’: Philodendrons come in a number of varieties and colours. One of the most striking versions of the plant is the 'Brasil'. Its leaves are split into two colours, dark green and neon green. They can grow really quickly in the summer months but tend to go dormant in the wintertime. It's a handsome plant, and the leaves are also noted for their ability to help purify the air inside the home, so not only do they look lovely, but they are very useful too. Hedera Helix 'White Wonder' "A study carried out by NASA found English Ivy as the number one best air-purifying plant. This is due to it being the most efficient plant when absorbing formaldehyde." So as well as its purification qualities, a wardrobe staple such as an ivy can be stunning. Bringing the outside in, particularly when the plant is relatively young, this adaptable plant will look great spilling over the edges of pots & baskets, inside & out. Before getting fully established, some varieties cannot tolerate cold winter climes so worth checking first. Ivy does get big so don't let it outstay it's welcome inside. However, if planted in the border, this self-clinging evergreen climber can also be used to cover ugly walls and fences in good time -or provide a lush green carpet in the dry shady areas beneath shrubs and trees where little else will grow. There are a surprisingly large number of varieties, it's not just common old ivy; Hedera 'Oro di Bogliasco', 'Gloire De Marengo', 'White ripple', 'Wonder', 'Goldchild', 'Clotted Cream'....It's the subtle tone that matters if you are teeming it with hint of rich gold hues or silver/white depending on your taste, decor or available pots. Devil in the detail. Again. Linda Wadley, Horticulture Manager, Crocus at Dorney Court 29 Neighbourhood Plan for Dorney Parish -Update Why a Neighbourhood Plan? The principal reason is to allow the Parish Council and the residents of Dorney to have a greater say in the future development of the Parish. 1) Neighbourhood Plan Designation • Dorney Parish was designated Neighbourhood Plan status by Buckinghamshire in September 2022. • The details of the submission and designation have been posted on the Dorney Parish Council website. 2) What next? • This designation grants the right for the Parish Council to consider the future requirements of the Parish by producing a Village Design Scheme, thereby allowing a greater say in the design and layout of any future housing plans. • It is therefore appropriate to consult with, and seek the views, of all Dorney residents. This will be done via a questionnaire and meetings to discuss the findings. • We aim to deliver an information flyer to all parishioners soon, giving details of the Neighbourhood Plan and questionnaire. The questionnaire will be available to complete online by following the link on the flyer or through the Dorney Parish Council website. If you are unable to complete online, you can request a proper copy from the Parish Clerk: clerk@dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk or 07769704010. • Please note, all completed questionnaires need to be received by the end of May. • If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Parish Clerk. • May we take this opportunity to thank you for helping shape the future of our Parish. Ruth Senior Parish Clerk ****** 30 Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/1 Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/1 Taplow, Burnham and The Farnhams Neighbourhood Team Neighbourhood Priorities The priorities for your Neighbourhood Policing Team (NHPT) will be decided by the Policing Issues Panel; comprised of representatives from Community Boards in relevant areas. The Police do not run the panel, although we do attend as representatives. The top three priorities are chosen by the forum every four months, which are then adopted by your Neighbourhood Policing Team. If you wish to learn more please use the following hyperlink: Chiltern & South Bucks Policing Issues Forum – Community and Neighbourhood Police stronger together (csb-forum.org) Priority – Serious Acquisitive Crimes Offending levels for Burglary have reduced from last quarter from 11 to 9. To continue to reduce this, we have increased our patrols around the following locations: Farnham Common – Heatherside Gardens and Beaconsfield Road, Farnham Royal. Burnham – Coulson Way, Green Lane and Dorney Wood Road Taplow/Dorney – River Road and Cavendish Close We are continuing to combat this with proactive operations which specifically floods rural and cross border areas of the LPA with proactive patrols during peak offending times. This has helped us to detect crime and apprehend cross border offenders who use arterial routes to enter our policing area and to protect residents living within South Buckinghamshire. Priority – Anti-Social Behaviour The NH team are working closely with Bucks Community Safety team and Bucks and Berkshire Fire and Rescue to promote awareness around water safety and cold water shock. There will be talks in schools prior to the school holidays and we are also looking at working together with partner agencies to create a new video to raise awareness around these issues. Other News During February PCSO’s have been visiting local schools as part of Internet Safety week giving talks around being safe on line. Now that the nicer weather has made an appearance we are seeing an increase of visitors to our local beauty spots. The neighbourhood team are conducting patrols around these locations and reminding visitors to not leave valuables on display in vehicles in an effort to combat vehicle crime. Please remember to take all items with you. 31 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL HELD TUESDAY 21st March 2023, 7.30 P.M. AT DORNEY SCHOOL Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford Cllr. Anna Palmer Cllr. Robert Stopford Cllr. Euan MacLennan Cllr. William Voaden Clerk Ruth Senior and 2 members of the public Public Forum Peter Bowman asked for an update on the removal of the fallen tree at the end of Harcourt Rd which Cllr. Palmer is chasing. PC/29/23 Apologies for absence Cllr. Stephen Baker PC/30/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda None disclosed PC/31/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 21st February 2023 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/32/23 To receive the Clerk report There was no update this month. PC/33/23 Items of business carried forward 33.1 The Orchard Herbs Site It was agreed that the Council will keep Peter Bowman informed of updates as and when we receive for inclusion in the Dorney Parish News as appropriate. Following the response from Joy Morrissey, Cllr. Stopford has asked for clarification on some point and will report back. It was agreed that we will await the response from Buckinghamshire County Council before submitting any further comments. The planning application for the hotel on the site is being appealed with a 29th March deadline. It was confirmed that everything previously submitted will form part of the appeal proceedings. There is no update on the Certificate of Lawfulness. The Chair and Councillors thanked Cllr. Stopford for all his efforts on this issue. 33.2 The Neighbourhood Plan Cllr. Voaden and Mark Brand presented the latest update on the Neighbourhood Plan. There will shortly be a letter to all residents informing them what the plan is and how they can be involved by completing an online questionnaire (paper copy can be requested). 32 It was agreed that Councillors will review the questionnaire and submit any change requests to Mark Brand before Tuesday 28th March. It was agreed that both the letter and questionnaire will make it clear that this is for Dorney residents only. The questionnaire will be run through Survey King at a cost of $15 per month, it was agreed to proceed for a maximum of 6 months. It was agreed that any discussions and decisions regarding the letter and questionnaire can be resolved via emails and ratified at the next meeting so the plan is not delayed. It was agreed that Peter Bowman will add information on the letter and questionnaire in the April or May Dorney Parish News, Cllr. Voaden to communicate with Peter on what should be published. It was agreed that a link to the questionnaire will be added to the Dorney Parish Council website. When the information is collated, we will be in a good position to progress with a comprehensive Neighbourhood Plan/Village Design Scheme with the Dorney parishioners having their input. This will not stop further development in Dorney but it gives the Parish a greater voice on planning applications and what developments may look like and where. The Chair and Councillors thanked Cllr. Voaden and Mark Brand for their work. 33.3 The Emergency Plan It was agreed that the Working Party should arrange their first meeting as soon as possible. PC/34/23 Planning Boveney Court Farm planning application (PL/22/3562/FA and PL/22/3563/HB) objections were submitted. The County planning meetings in February and March were cancelled and we are awaiting confirmation of the April date. Eton College have submitted plans to repair a separate building on the site. At this stage, the Parish Council have no comment on the repair works however should plans be submitted for further development, this will be reviewed. PC/35/23 Finance The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting and approved. PC/36/23 To discuss plans for the Annual Council and Annual Parish meetings Dorney Lake have kindly offered the use of the Boathouse for the Annual Council and Annual Parish meetings on 16th May. Refreshments will be provided. The Annual Council meeting will take place at 6.30pm followed at 7.30pm by the Annual Parish meeting. The Annual Parish meeting, although chaired by the Parish Council Chair, is not a Council meeting, it is a meeting for the whole Parish. We are hoping to have information available from groups and businesses within Dorney and hope that many residents will attend. PC/37/23 To update on plans at the Slough Treatment Works There is currently no update on the works. PC/38/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents There were none reported. PC/39/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 18th April 2023 Bikers and jubilee footpath issues Dorney Lake 33 Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk 34 35 36 Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising RatesHeight mmWidth mm10 issues1 issueFull Page190130£100£13Half Page90130£55£8Third of a page (Horizontal)60130£50£7Quarter Page (Horizontal)45130£45£6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 37 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News May 2023 Impact of possible housing developments in Dorney Parish (revised APR23) Houses Possible new Houses %age Possible Developments Current Houses Future increase Dorney Village (inc. north of Cress Brook) Court Farm 100 20 120 20% Dorney Reach Oak Stubbs Lane 171 45 216 26% Lake End Gaskins Meadow 19 42 61 221% Boveney (south of Cress Brook) Boveney Stables and Boveney Court Farm buildings 12 13 25 108% Totals 302 120 422 40% The Future of Dorney? If you prefer another scenario to this, please complete the Dorney Parish Neighbourhood Plan Questionnaire before 31st May 2023, and come to the Annual Parish Meeting at Dorney Lake Boathouse at 7:30pm on 16th May 2023 (Details on Pages 13/14 and 20) to register your views. Please also participate in the various meetings being arranged in June/July 2023 to discuss the Neighbourhood Plan. ISSUE NO. 4/23 MAY 2023 EDITORIAL It’s the May issue. Our pages should be full of street parties and picnics. Our Nature Notes column – could someone please volunteer to write one – should teem with ducklings and swallows. But no, we have serious stuff about planning and councils because our old friend ‘Dorney under threat’ doesn’t go away. But added to this is a new dimension. It’s what the tabloids label ‘you couldn’t make it up’. How about in these times of sustainability and net zero, the motorway we uneasily sit by is widened in a construction project that destroys hundreds of mature trees, displaces badger colonies, and causes three years or so of misery to a goodly portion of Dorney’s population only for us to be told it was all one ghastly mistake, and sorry we won’t inflict it on any other community. Or try this one…our County Council take 16 years to enforce notices against a landowner who smothers a stretch of green belt, hitherto agricultural, land under fleets of lorries, thus despoiling the borders of the parish. As slow moves are made towards action, the timing slips because of a planning appeal by said landowner. The subject of the appeal? A 416-bedroom hotel, yes in Dorney, on the Green Belt. It goes on – a report has surfaced from the Slough Borough and RBWM Wider Area Growth Study (inevitably dubbed WAGS) which reports in the local press claim will lead to very large chunks of Berks and Bucks Green Belt being sacrificed to the expanding housing needs of Slough. The leader of RBWM has already said that Slough can’t have any of his green belt land, so South Bucks, including this area, could be squeezed in the middle. Added to all this knockabout stuff is the threat to Dorney posed by Eton College’s plans for new housing in the parish. Serious threats require serious action, and we devote more serious pages to all this. The Parish Council is preparing our Neighbourhood Plan which will form part of the response to the Bucks Local Plan 2040. As part of the process a questionnaire for Dorney residents will soon be released. The Annual Parish Meeting at Dorney Lake on May 16th now takes on more importance. We urge all residents to attend. Talking of questionnaires, we also urge our readers to search out the survey on the Bucks Council website that is part of that county Local Plan. I want to return to the M4 and the motorway which can be called many things, but never ‘SMART’. Why? Because I’m angry. Of course the emphasis has been on the casualties and the campaigns of wonderful people like Claire Mercer whose husband was killed because he broke down. Then there has been the technical stuff about whether 4 lane running has fulfilled its promise to ease congestion (it hasn’t because we’ve learnt to shun the new extra lane). But nothing has been said about the three-year plight of communities like ours. It was during lockdown in 2020-21 when life was hard enough, especially for families. I was called by a local grandparent; her grandchildren could not sleep because of deafening noise for night after night. They were coughing because of all the dust. Could the magazine do something to ease the situation? If they read this, I’d like our MP, or the Ministry of Transport or National Highways to come here and apologise. The Annual Parish Meeting offers a good opportunity. Services in the Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Vicar: Revd. La Stacey, The Vicarage, 69a Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6NE Tel: 01753 852268 email: revlastacey@gmail.com For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Rev La Stacey writes: Did you see the videos on Facebook of the cows being released on to Dorney Common? They were dancing and kicking up their heels and generally bouncing, full of the joys of spring. There’s a verb in the Greek language that you learn when you try and do some Greek studies at Vicar school. It’s a verb ‘luo’ and you learn it because it is a short regular verb that is easy to conjugate. It always struck me that it was a very odd verb to learn because it means ‘to loose’. No doubt very useful if you are a farmer and tie up your cows or donkeys, because you will eventually untie them and let them go. So you might want to say, ‘I loosed the cows’ or ‘I will untie the donkey’. But in the big scheme of things, a rather odd verb to learn as your introduction to the Greek language! But then, once you get on to actually trying to read the New Testament in its original Greek, you find out that this little word ‘luo’ is actually really important. Cos there it is when Lazarus is raised from the dead and Jesus says, ‘unbind him and let him go’: it is the verb ‘luo’ that is used. And when we read the passage from the book of Acts that is read on Easter day where Peter says, “God raised Jesus up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power”, then that word ‘freed’ is ‘luo’ again. It’s not just a verb about cows being let out on the common, it's about release from death! Even death couldn’t hold Jesus down! The verb pops up again and again, used in the context of reconciliation, forgiveness, healing, restoration as well as the defeat of death and resurrection. A tiny word, but holding the meaning of resurrected life! Maybe this is a clue to that most poignant and mysterious saying of Jesus, when he says to Mary Magdalene, ‘don’t cling to me’. It’s a different verb, but the same idea. That’s the message of Easter. If we let him, Jesus looses us, he sets us free to jump and run and leap with sheer exuberance again. And we are called to learn to let him do this: He can’t do it if we grasp at him. There needs to be a lightness of touch in the way we hold him and we allow him to hold us. In the power of life that is set free by the resurrection, we can be set free and in turn set others free. Happy Easter season! With jaunty blessings. La. Church Services in May 2023 Wednesday 3rd May 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 7th May 9.30 am Holy Communion (BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am ‘Any Age’ Family Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 14th May 9.30 am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 17th May 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Thursday 18th May (Ascension Day) 9.30 am Holy Communion on the Tower St James the Less, Dorney Sunday 21st May 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 28th May (Pentecost) 9.30am Morning Worship St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St Mary Magdalene, Boveney This beautiful church on the Thames is open daily. www.st-mary-magdalene-boveney.org.uk Mission (almost) accomplished: The felled Marsh Lane tree! Grateful thanks to Richard George (Pigeon House Farm) who, on Sunday last, managed to get the tree to where it is in the picture above. When it is dry, Richard will return with the grab and remove the heavy root ball, the pile of brush and the larger lower sections. Meanwhile the Parish groundsman can now mow again. The Parish Clerk has been asking Transport for Bucks to come and remove this tree ever since it toppled over in Storm Eunice on 18th February 2022 – but with no success, unfortunately. We have to thank Richard George in particular for sorting the problem out. As a bystander commented “Once again this demonstrates that these days the community needs to look after itself, rather than depend on local Government that is happy to hoover up ever higher taxes while delivering ever less service.” Peter Bowman Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor Orchard Herbs – Calling in the Secretary of State. In our February issue we pointed out that despite the ‘very strong representations’ by our Parish Council, ‘getting any kind of satisfactory resolution from Bucks Council’ over Orchard Herbs was proving to be ‘glacial’. While resolution edges closer, an unexpected development relating to this benighted site means that villagers’ hopes and fears on this issue now depend on the decision to be taken by none other than Michael Gove. We said that Bucks Council’s use of Enforcement Notices to reduce ‘the storage of nonagricultural plant, equipment, vehicles and materials’ on this site west of Lake End Road had been a ‘complete failure’ for sixteen years. The call is now for a High Court Injunction. Our MP, Joy Morrissey, offered to make representations on our behalf. In our April issue, we said that after correspondence with our MP, it appeared that Bucks Council may well be planning such an injunction. Joy Morrissey had been briefed by Cllr Robert Stopford and ‘Dorney Parish News’ thanks Robert for keeping us informed. Joy asked Bucks Council for a further response. She received the feedback that they were gathering information, taking witness statements and reviewing the likely success of an injunction with their legal team. The timescale for that has slipped ‘as there is also a current appeal on the site, and it was felt necessary to ensure any potential action would not impact on the Council’s current position.’ Our Parish Council has been advised to contact Rachel Shimmin, the CEO of Bucks Council and request a face-to-face meeting, preferably in Dorney. It’s been agreed (see DPC minutes in this issue) to get Burnham Parish Council to sign a joint letter with DPC. Robert says the aim is to keep up the pressure directly on the county council and via our MP. What’s this appeal, and where does Mr Gove fit in? Well, the application for outline permission to re-develop this ‘partial brownfield site’ – a redevelopment centred on a 416bedroom hotel – was refused last June. The owners appealed, Dorney Parish Council responded alongside Bucks Council, the EA and some local individuals, and an answer came on April 12th. It was unexpected and unwelcome. The Planning Inspectorate issued a letter stating that the appeal had been ‘called in’. The appeal Inspector would make a report and recommendation as normal, but the final decision would be made by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Rt Hon Michael Gove MP. The letter said “The reason for this direction is that the appeal involves proposals which involve any main town centre use or uses where that use or uses comprise(s) over 9,000m² gross floorspace (either as a single proposal or as part of or in combination with other current proposals) and which are proposed on a site in an edge-of-centre or out-of-centre location that is not in accordance with an up-to-date development plan document and proposals for significant development in the Green Belt.” Now you know… Again, concerted action is planned. It is likely that Dorney Parish Council plus Burnham, Taplow and Eton Councils will all write to their respective MPs expressing deep concern and requesting support in opposing this development. It appears that we should remain optimistic about the outcome, which is unlikely to be imminent. Peter Bowman Dorney Parish News endorses Edmund King’s article in The Daily Telegraph on 16th April 2023: For a decade I’ve been banging on the doors of a dozen transport secretaries and ministers telling them about the deadly dangers of “smart” motorways. I have asked them if they would rather break down on a motorway with a chance of getting onto a hard shoulder or on a motorway where they would have to pray they would be spotted in a live lane, pray that the control centre will activate a warning, pray that a Red X comes up and pray that other drivers will not ignore it. I have told them that 37 per cent of breakdowns on smart motorways happen in live lanes and that drivers are then “sitting ducks”. I was told by at least 11 of them I was too emotional. Yes, I was emotional because lives were at risk. I was emotional because I had worked with Meera Naran whose beautiful boy, Dev, 8, was killed on the M6. I make no excuse for being emotional after listening to calls to the AAfrom drivers stranded in live lanes asking, with fear in their voices, what they can do. At the AAwe did all we could to make the case for change. Grant Shapps when transport secretary, did begin to listen and instigate changes. But even then, the Stopped Vehicle Detection technology belatedly rolled out to “make these roads safe” was not even meeting targets according to the Office of Rail and Road. Officials knew that “moving the goalposts” from emergency areas every 400 to 500m on the pilot M42 to every 2,500m when rolled out across the network would cost lives. This was widening on the cheap and at least 40 people have paid the ultimate price. I wrote to Rishi Sunak pleading for action on Good Friday and am delighted that the Prime Minister has at last listened. I welcome the decision that all new future smart motorways planned will be scrapped. This is a victory for common sense and safety which I whole-heartedly welcome. The question now is what happens to the existing smart motorways? I think there is a relatively simple solution. Reinstate the hard shoulder with a permanent Red X and new lane markings. Keep the emergency areas and overhead technology. Get the police to instigate a hard-hitting lane discipline campaign to get rid of the middle-lane hogs and free up road space. Currently smart motorways are not really alleviating congestion as more than one third of drivers don’t use the inside lane because they are petrified there may be broken down vehicles ahead. Any incident on smart motorways causes severe congestion by closing lanes and delaying the emergency services getting through. I have waited a long time for politicians to listen. Let’s hope that this decision marks the end of the deadly smart motorways. Edmund King OBE is president of the AA Annual Parish Meeting The Annual Parish Meeting is an opportunity to ask questions that are important to you as a resident of Dorney. Tuesday 16th May 2023 7.30pm Dorney Lake Boathouse Everyone welcome. Come and join us at our new style Annual Meeting in The Lake View Room, have a chat with your local community groups and councillors. Lift available. Refreshments will be served. Agenda on www.dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk Letter to the Editor May I begin by saying how much I enjoyed reading the March edition of DPN. It had all of the valuable local community and historical insights readers have come to expect. What set this edition apart from recent months though was the very welcome omission of the usual two-page party-political advertorial on behalf of Joy Morrissey, MP & the Conservative party. Its omission was apt considering the current national debate over the impartiality (or otherwise) of the national broadcaster prompted by the Twitter activity of Mr Lineker. Is it too much to ask for our local parish newsletter to adopt political impartiality as a guiding principle? If Ms Morrissey is to be allowed space to promote her party's achievements, shouldn't equal space be allowed for challenge or alternative perspectives from her opponents? In this regard, I must applaud Alice Foxley for her letter 'Sewage In Our Waterways', as well as your good self for printing such an informative counterpoint. More of the same, please. David Williams Ye Meads Thank you very much for your comments. While mindful of the viewpoint expressed in your thoughtful email, we did set out to invite Dorney’s MP to contribute regularly to DPN. It seems to be a convention across all local titles like ours that elected officials whose decisions can influence local lives – Members of Parliament, county councillors and leaders of Parish Councils – should be able to report on their actions and priorities direct to readers. David, that is the only reason that Ms Morrissey is ‘allowed space’. But as these comments give me the opportunity, I would like to expand on this a little. One of Joy’s team said to me recently that an MP writes in magazines like ours as an MP for everyone in the constituency. The tone is different from that in an election leaflet. I think this column has managed to keep to this level, but when it can be argued that a more partisan stance was taken over a controversial issue like the regulation of water companies, as happened in February, then we were more than ready to publish the dissenting letter from Alice Foxley. We could, of course, retreat behind the printed disclaimer in each issue about taking no responsibility for correspondents’ opinions, but I prefer to actually declare a moratorium on party political controversy in these pages. That gets more difficult as issues loom surrounding housing, planning and utilities. Would readers be happy to see more naked political discussion here? I hope they will let me know. Peter Bowman Letters to the Editor Dear Editor I was rather disappointed in reading in last month’s Dorney Parish News that the Dorney Lake site was again being closed to Dorney residents. For years since the advent of the rowing lake Eton College has influenced our lives and now I see that one of our old farmyards, Boveney Court Farm, is up for development as a housing complex. With my lifetime experience of planning, I see that it has now become the custom that the developer must make a contribution to benefit the local community. Besides a bypass, I think our aging population would most welcome an easily accessible Health Centre in our midst. Eton College is the owner of two suitable sites – Court Farm in Dorney or the field opposite the Pineapple. An all-year-round residents’ pass to Dorney Lake or the gift of a plot with a suitable building for a Health Centre would be my choices as a sweetener. I have heard that this issue of a Health Centre is included in the impending Parish Council questionnaire. My recollection of the last poll is that speeding in Village Road was the main issue. This seems to have been swept aside like other issues. I would like you to come to the Annual Parish Meeting in the Dorney Lake Boathouse on May 16 and support me in galvanising the Parish Council and County Council into action to provide the local community with better health facilities in the immediate future given our choc a bloc NHS. We don’t want another Orchard Herbs Farm scenario. Come to the meeting and raise two hands if you think this is a good idea! Let’s have a full house and show the authorities that we are disappointed with the health services in our area. See you on the 16th! Regards John Barker Interested in the history of houses in Dorney Reach? In the course of researching articles for Dorney Parish News, I have accumulated quite a bit of information about houses in Dorney Reach, many of which are now nearing 100 years old or more. If anyone is interested in finding out what I may have or sharing their own information, please get in touch at virginia@dorneyphoto.com . Virginia Silvester, 29 Harcourt Road. Dorney Parish Council Launches Neighbourhood Plan Questionnaire By the time you read this, if you are a resident of Dorney Parish, you should have received a flyer (delivered by hand by DPC ) which provides details of the Dorney Neighbourhood Plan Questionnaire. The aim of the questionnaire is to help to understand the attitudes and opinions of residents about the future of the parish for better decision-making. We felt that it might be helpful to put this questionnaire – and the Neighbourhood Plan – into a wider context, which is summarised below: Why can’t we just repeat the Parish Plan we did in 2005? 1. Legal status: 1. Neighbourhood Plans: Have formal, legal status. 2. Parish Plans: Are non-statutory, community-led. 2. Focus: 1. Neighbourhood Plans: Focus on land use and spatial planning. 2. Parish Plans: Broader community issues beyond land use and planning. 3. Conformity with higher-level planning policies: 1. Neighbourhood Plans: Must conform with Local Plan and National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). 2. Parish Plans: Not required to conform with Local Plan or NPPF. 4. Adoption and implementation process: 1. Neighbourhood Plans: Independent examination and local referendum required. 2. Parish Plans: No examination or referendum needed; adopted by the parish council. Why do we need a Dorney Parish Neighbourhood Plan? • Prompted, in part, by Eton College's stated plans in the Bucks Local Plan 2040 preparation to build around 120 new houses in the Parish. Impact of possible housing developments in Dorney Parish (revised APR23) Houses Possible new Houses %age Possible Developments Current Houses Future increase Dorney Village (inc. north of Cress Brook) Court Farm 100 20 120 20% Dorney Reach Oak Stubbs Lane 171 45 216 26% Lake End Gaskins Meadow 19 42 61 221% Boveney (south of Cress Brook) Boveney Stables and Boveney Court Farm buildings 12 13 25 108% Totals 302 120 422 40% • DPC decided that a formal process was required and Dorney was designated as a Neighbourhood Area by Bucks Council in September 2022. How do the Bucks Local Plan and the Dorney Parish Neighbourhood Plan work together? • Both are integral parts of the UK planning system. • Neighbourhood Plan sits below the Local Plan in the planning hierarchy. • Neighbourhood Plans must conform with Local Plan's strategic policies. • Both plans involve public consultation, independent examination, and adoption. • Planning decisions must align with both plans once adopted. Village Design Statement (VDS) and the Neighbourhood Plan: • DPC have decided to include a VDS in the Neighbourhood Plan, if external funds or grants are made available. • Neighbourhood Plan does not specifically require a VDS. • Incorporating a VDS can provide detailed guidance on local design principles and characteristics. • VDS should reflect broader policies and objectives of the Neighbourhood Plan and conform with Local Plan and NPPF. Dorney Parish Neighbourhood Plan Questionnaire: • April 2023 -Flyer with a link to the online questionnaire delivered to all 300 houses in Dorney. Full details available on DPC website – www.dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk • Alternative methods: Mailed copy or emailed PDF version upon request to Parish Clerk. Email: clerk@dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk or Phone: 07769704010 • Eligibility: Any resident aged 18+; multiple responses per household allowed. • Deadline: 31st May 2023. • Results to be published on the DPC website and summarised in Dorney Parish News. Next Steps: • Inviting different geographic areas of the parish to attend meeting groups. • Submitting draft Neighbourhood Plan to the Bucks Local Plan team for consideration. • Neighbourhood Plan target completion date: 31st December 2023. • Legal inspection of Plan and other necessary processes to follow. Bucks Local Plan 2040 • Bucks Council have just launched a Local Plan for Buckinghamshire and Local Transport Plan 5 Survey – Your chance to take part. • The Survey is about the Draft Visions and Objectives for two important Council strategies. They are the new Local Plan for Buckinghamshire and the Local Transport Plan 5. • These Visions and Objectives based on the responses we received through the Discovery and Exploration Phase. They want to hear your views. • You can fill out the survey questionnaire online on Your Voice Bucks: https://yourvoicebucks.citizenspace.com/planning/vision-and-objectives The indications are that the Bucks Local Plan 2040 will strongly support the Green Belt. Dorney Parish Council recommends that you complete this Survey if you can. Bill Dax MEAT PIES IN DORNEY What were the women of Dorney doing 80 years ago? Making meat pies! They were making this contribution to the war effort as members of the WVS. Originally founded in 1938 as the Women’s Voluntary Services for Air Raid Precautions, WVS was initially formed to help recruit women into the ARP movement assisting civilians during and after air raids by providing emergency rest centres, feeding, first aid, and perhaps most famously assisting with the evacuation and billeting of children. By 1943 the organisation had over one million volunteers and was involved in almost every aspect of wartime life from the collection of salvage to the knitting of socks and gloves for merchant seamen. In September 1941, all the villages in the Eton Rural area were busy helping the military with camouflage nets. Later, women from Dorney were helping with the evacuation programme, driving vehicles and ferrying supplies to hospitals. In October 1941, the WVS opened a canteen in Dorney. WVS members ran this until May 1943, when the canteen was taken over by the NAAFI. The NAAFI already ran a facility on the camp for the anti-aircraft battery on the Eton Wick side of Dorney Common. May 1943 also saw the start of the meat pie scheme in Dorney. The pies were made at the village baker’s, but shortage of labour meant the women had to help. Eight members of the WVS went to the bakery each week, and it was reported that 300 meat pies a week were being made in Dorney in June 1943. This scheme, which was a national initiative for rural areas, was designed to provide food in the middle of the working day to farm workers, taking pies and snacks out to them in the fields. As food rationing was having an impact, it was considered important to make sure that those engaged in strenuous work received enough nutrition. Nationally, it is recorded that 1,300,000 pies were sold in one week in 1944. The scheme was deemed a great success, in which the wives and mothers of Dorney were playing their part. During the war, the farm workers locally included not just those who had made it their career but also women who volunteered to serve in the Land Army and schoolchildren who volunteered during the school holidays to help with harvesting. The Land Girls and schoolchildren helped to plug the gaps left by experienced workers who had joined the armed forces. In August 1943 it was reported that boys from a Slough school were ploughing 28 acres of land on Dorney Common on which barley had just been harvested. Older boys were given three days training in driving a tractor and doing running repairs, and there was keen competition for this role. Food rationing did not end when the war ended and likewise the meat pie scheme continued until 1953. In peacetime the WVS was able to take on other welfare activities; in April 1948, it was reported that the Dorney branch had received grateful letters from old people who had been given food parcels. The WVS carries on today as the WRVS. Virginia Silvester An update from Dorney Playground Committee – Spring is here. I have to admit that the Dorney Playground Committee has been a bit lazy over the winter months. But now spring is here, we have woken up with a bang! The start of the school summer term means that the tuck shop has reopened. The tuck shop is located at the end of the village hall and opens from 3.15 (end of school) to about 4.00 – depending on demand. It is run by volunteers and all profit goes to help maintain the playground. The problem is, as more mums are working full-time, getting volunteers to help in the tuck shop has become really difficult. So, if you are free from 3.15 to 4.00 on any weekday, and would like to help, please get in contact. One day a week would be great – or just help when you can. It is very enjoyable. Kids are great if you don’t have to look after them! The concentration required, for some kids, to spend 20p is amazing. The annual playground check was carried out in December by PlayDale. We were pleased to read that all the issues raised were either low or very low risk. However, the playground committee put in an order to PlayDale for just under £2,000 to help maintain the playground to a high quality. The items have all now been received and will be fitted in the next few weeks. With the start of the school summer term, we are beginning to plan for the ‘end of term’ summer party – a fund raising event. We are hoping to have the ‘end of term’ party on Wednesday 19th July – not quite end of term but the date gives us some flexibility to reschedule if weather conditions are extreme (last year we had to cancel due to the heat!). Dorney playground is a well-used resource within the community. If you would like to help, even if in a small way, please contact me. Ettie Brand Dorney Playground Management Committee Tel: 07737053409 Email: Playground4Dorney@gmail.com Emergency Plan to the rescue…. The heavy storm last month left a huge branch in the Memorial Garden dangerously resting on the telegraph pole in front of the cattle grid. Our ‘pyramid’ reporting system resulted in Maydencroft sending a crew to make it safe and subsequently logged it late the same evening. Our thanks to them for their speedy response. Also, sincere thanks to Richard George who has sorted the fallen tree in Marsh Lane and will be back to clear the rest of the debris shortly. DON’T Private NEIGHBOURHOOD FORGET THE ANNUAL PARISH Dorney Lake tour – 7th June. See PLAN FLYER WILL BE DELIVERED TO ALL PROPERTIES WEEKEND 29/30 MEETING: information APRIL 16TH MAY to secure a DORNEY place on LAKE 7.30PM page 20 Steps to prevent dangerous parking on Lake End Road being investigated. Please continue to report potholes on Fix my Street to ensure action is taken by Bucks Council. Next meeting 16th May 2023 at The Boathouse at Dorney Lake. 1 Dorney Parish Council and Dorney Lake Management offer residents a tour of The Meadows of Dorney Lake, recently covered in an article in Dorney Parish News (March 2023). The tour will be in two minibuses, kindly provided by Eton College, and will take place, starting at 2:15pm, during the afternoon of Wednesday, 7th June 2023. We will meet in the car park of Dorney Lake (free parking) The tour will include a visit to the “Far Side” of the Lake which is usually not open to the public. Grounds Manager Lee Marshallsay will conduct the tour and will be able to answer any questions that residents might have about the landscaping strategy and execution. There are 25 free seats available, and seats can be booked from 8th May, 2023 by emailing the Parish Clerk on Clerk@dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk. First come, first served. Dorney Lake has been implementing a landscape strategy over the past decade to encourage biodiversity. Grounds Manager Lee Marshallsay and his team have been working on this 400-acre parkland to transform the traditionally heavily managed environment into a more natural and diverse habitat. Meadows are emerging, and the term "rewilding" accurately describes the changes occurring at the site. Jill Dax, Chair, Dorney Parish Council A Tail of Two Kitties We Quincey’s always root for the underdog, or undercat if you will. Hence the lives and aspirations for those we care about is marred in sadness for the brave little souls who batter at life from disadvantage attaining modest success, surpassed by the more fortunate by dint of their birth. My sister is the same, so when a bedraggled thin pregnant cat was adopted by her friend, she was the first to step in line for the inevitable three of the litter, where they were carefully raised as ladies and a gentleman in her glorious country cottage in the wilds of Cambridgeshire; even supressed by the vet before they were allowed outside. “Bad news Mike. I think Daisy is pregnant,” intoned Debbie on one of our many visits to peace and tranquillity. “How did that happen? Surely not. She’s been supressed!” But Daisy showed all the signs of a broody Mum seeking out a suitable place and preparing it for what she knew was to happen, and sure enough, Debbie was woken in the middle of the night to the unmistakable sounds of four new lives coming into the world emanating from the wardrobe in her bedroom. “Oops!” said the vet at the news, doing all the subsequent vetty things without charge and two weeks later, they were visited by adoring subjects (Cheryl and I) who paid homage to one tom and three females, one of which was graced with wonderful Bengal markings, another an attractive tabby and the third, whose body appeared to have been the unintended target as the Almighty walked by with a tray of opened paint tins and accidentally dropped them on her, resulting in a haphazard scattering of various splashes of random colours. “This is Stripes,” smiled Debbie with a proud aunty smile, “and this is Splodge.” I had to admit that Splodge ably suited her while the tiny wobbly kitten stared at me in a way that made me avert my gaze. “I would love Stripes,” I said thinking that she would add class and a little glamour to our little bungalow, and Stripes smiled a confident smile that said, “I’m gorgeous and I know it.” “I love Splodge!” Cheryl interrupted my grandiose musings. She always was a nicer person, and her heart went out to the funny little furry animal. Time passed, the kittens stopped wobbling, had vaccinations and it was time to bring ours home and introduce her to Emily, our elegant jet black lady who knew she was very much the mistress of all she surveyed, allowing Cheryl and I to stroke her on our laps only if her mood permitted the interruption to her days of sleeping and eating. The only fly in her idyllic ointment was that she was not allowed out in fledgling week. (see a previous DPN). Stripes arrival was delayed by our modest social whirl, a bad dose of what my late Mother called ‘the trots’ and a party, so it was three weeks later that Cheryl and I arrived in tranquillity armed with a viciously expensive cat basket and an impressive collection of feline baby food at home, all ready for the arrival and the snooty cat sniffing I expected from these two ladies. “There you are,” announced Debbie. “Splodge for you!” “Splodge!” I was aghast. “We’re having Stripes,” I wailed. Cheryl, a much nicer person, squealed with delight and scooped up Splodge, cradling her as they both purred contentedly. Splodge gazed at me smugly. “Gotcha!” she smiled that superior cat smile. “Stripes has already gone,” said Debbie. “Splodge is the last of them. I can get rid of the dirt box at last!” During a painfully careful drive home with Cheryl in the back of the Dagenham Dustbin comforting Splodge, I concocted more glamourous names for our new family member. I had, and it remains a mystery how she came into the world given Mum’s suppression. “What do you think of ‘Mystery’ as a name?” I asked Nurse Nightingale in the back. “I suppose we could change it to ‘Misty’,” she replied, “but I love ‘Splodge’,” and as if on cue, a tiny mew agreed. We had both agonised over the introduction of Emily to Stripes, now Splodge and we carefully carried the basket to the front door as Emily noisily greeted us in her usual fashion, running and mewing at the same time. She slowed at the sight of the basket and sniffed the air. “And what is that?” she asked imperiously. I mumbled something to her in a patronising way fearing that she would attack Splodge at the first sighting. We lowered the basket carefully onto the lounge floor and opened the door as Emily glared fixedly at the tiny contents crouched in an old towel. “SSSSSSSSsssssD!!!” The tiny kitten hissed at the huge cat in front of her and growled a deep formidable growl that shook her little body. Emily took a step back; Splodge took two forward and hissed again. “I’m off,” announced Emily and retreated none too gracefully to the kitchen where she attempted and failed to create an air of indifference. Splodge moved to the doorway of the lounge, where she proceeded to preen after a good scratch, thereafter lying stretched out and going to sleep. Emily ventured back to the lounge door, saw the little firebrand was still there, and decided to go out for a sulk. Splodge awaits her visit to the vets for suppression and is therefore confined to very comfortable barracks whereas Emily still rules the garden, and while relative peace reigns, Splodge is most definitely in charge. What happened to ‘Mystery’, or even ‘Misty’? Well we discussed it with Splodge; her views were emphatic. “Don’t you dare saddle me with a name like that. I’m Splodge, and proud of it.” Might have some kittens soon if Splodge gets out. Anyone for a kitten? Stay safe. Mike Quincey Thames Water Storm Water and Sewage outfalls affecting Dorney Further to Alice Foxley's letter about Thames Water’s storm outflow, this article aims to present facts about the outflows affecting the Thames and Jubilee rivers in the Dorney Parish area, aiding wild swimmers and others who enjoy these waters. Thames Water’s Storm Discharge Map (www.thameswater.co.uk/edm-map) is used as a reference. Storm overflows help prevent sewer flooding, acting as a safety valve by diverting rainwater and foul water into watercourses. Regulated by the Environment Agency, storm discharges are legally allowed, only used when necessary, and operate automatically when flow levels increase. Thames Water's storm discharge map provides near real-time storm discharge activity, allowing users to see if overflows are currently discharging into a watercourse and the details of the last recorded discharge. It can take up to four days for sewage to clear after a storm discharge, and the data provided from EDM monitors isn't always 100% accurate. Two Thames Water storm water outfalls directly affect the Dorney Parish Thames stretch from the M4 bridge to Boveney Ditch, just downstream from St Mary Magdalene Church, Boveney. The Little Marlow Sewage Treatment Works (STW) treats sewage from the Marlow, Bourne End, and High Wycombe areas and discharges effluent into the River Thames and the River Wye at Bourne End. The Maidenhead STW treats sewage from Maidenhead and discharges effluent into Maidenhead Ditch, which runs into the River Thames just downstream from the Summerleaze footbridge to Bray, near Bray Marina. Three popular wild swimming and water sports stretches in Dorney Parish are: 1)Alongside Trumper’s Field down to the last house on Dorney Reach Road, 2) On the sharp bend downstream of the Willows Riverside Park (with mobile homes and residential moorings), and 3) Between Andrews Boathouse, Dorney Lake, and St Mary Magdalene Church, Boveney. The Little Marlow outfall (10 miles upstream) affects the first stretch and the Jubilee River, while the Maidenhead outfall affects the other two stretches (1.5 miles), in addition to Little Marlow. The outflow from the Slough Sewage Works is currently along Roundmoor Ditch and Boveney Ditch, running along Dorney Common's eastern boundary and part of Eton Wick. It doesn’t directly affect Dorney residents. The most recent outfalls from these three Sewage Works are recorded as follows: Started Stopped Duration 1. Little Marlow: 27/02/23 01:46 27/02/23 01:50 4 mins 2. Maidenhead: 19/02/23 17:00 19/02/23 17:30 30 mins 3. Slough: 21/01/23 11:45 21/01/23 14:45 3 hrs There is also some form of outfall from Marsh Lane Bridge, Taplow which feeds into Roundmoor Ditch/Boveney Ditch. We are still attempting to find out what this does. So, in summary, if you are interested in swimming or other watersports we suggest that you check these outfalls and their most recent activity on www.thameswater.co.uk/edm-map. The best spots are likely to be near Trumper’s Field, Dorney Reach and the whole of the Jubilee River. Bill Dax Quiz nights! -May 2nd and June 6th 7pm. Tables/teams of up to 6 people. Call or pop in to book. Coronation weekend -Bank Holiday Monday 8th May-live music in the garden 1-5pm, no need to book, just come along and enjoy a relaxed afternoon in the garden. Call 01628 662353 Coronation Weekend -Sunday 7th May, live music from ‘Euphoria’ and BBQ, 7pm onwards. No need to book, just come along and enjoy a drink and BBQ in the garden. Saturday 3rd June -Live music from !daft! under the tent. Tickets £10, call or pop in to book. Also don’t forget to book your table for Father’s Day on June 18th! Give us a call on 01628 666612 DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School Visit by Italian pupils We welcomed eighteen Italian pupils to our school and their two team leaders. It was an amazing experience for our children as it was for the Italians. The team leaders, who teach at the Italian school in Rome, spoke highly of Dorney pupils and staff, and the feedback about our school makes me smile when I recall. They said what stood out was the warm welcome they received all week. They were impressed by how friendly, respectful, and polite all our children are as this is not often so in Italian schools. They were amazed that our children held doors open without being told, smiled and helped out when required without being reminded. They were amazed by the quality of teachers, the lessons, and the activities. They spoke highly about PE and our sport provision, and they were completely enthralled by the pets we have at school. These pupils come from a private school in Italy, and their teacher explained that even in their private schools, the education offer is not as excellent as what they have observed in our small village school. This came as a huge surprise to me, as lack of funding especially in small primary schools means that we must think carefully on what, and how we spend our budget. I think I fell more in love with our school, what we represent, and what we do hearing the feedback from our visitors. Bellissimo! National Science Day All children enjoyed Science Day. Classes were involved in a round robin of science investigations throughout school. They had to think, plan, investigate and discover just like scientists would. The excitement of identifying minibeasts, investigating static electricity, planting seeds, and many more scientific discoveries promoted the subject of Science. We are currently seeking anyone interested in talking to our children about their particular field in science, especially if they come from an underrepresented community. Please get in touch at office@dorneyschool.co.uk if you are interested. Reception School trip Reception class discovered the lives of minibeasts in their first ever school trip to Eton College Museum. They thoroughly enjoyed walking around the museum and having a picnic lunch at the venue. Easter Unwrapped Year 4 pupils made a visit to St James the Less church on Thursday to listen to Reverend La, who explained the story of Easter and encouraged all children to participate in some exciting learning activities. We love visiting our beautiful 12th century parish church. Ducklings! Every year, the children are thrilled to watch eggs incubate and hatch in front of their very eyes. All pupils at school visited the newly hatched ducklings and they had the opportunity to hold the cute little birds in their hands and watch them paddle in the water tray! We would love to welcome you for a visit at our wonderful school. All you have to do is ring 01628620871 or email us office@dorneyschool.co.uk .Enjoy the wonderful spring sunshine until next time. Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee, Headteacher Dorney Horticultural Society's Annual Garden Visit Lords Wood -Marlow This year the horticultural society has arranged a visit to Lords Wood in Marlow. This will be a private tour led by the owner Millie Messum followed by tea/coffee and homemade cake. This year our members will enjoy not only the beautiful gardens and water features but a fantastic array of statutory positioned to compliment the stunning gardens. "An outpost of Old Bloomsbury in Marlow Woods" was how Frances Partridge CBE (1900-2004) the accomplished writer and diarist described Lord's Wood in 1958. Lord's Wood's artistic heritage continues under David and Millie Messum's stewardship and since 1974 the garden has undergone a transformation, the five acres surrounding the house becoming a showcase for sculpture, water features and extensive mature borders in varying styles. There are flower and herb gardens, a thriving orchard and chickens and woodland walks with spectacular views over the Chilterns. Further information will be available nearer the date on how to book this trip with the society so save the date 13th June 2023 - 2pm ddhs@btinternet.com COMMON ENTRANCE ON DORNEY COMMON “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” Aristotle As we enter the final month of Educating Rita rehearsals, the pace gathers momentum with the set now mocked up inside the cottage. Frank’s whisky glass regularly chinks whilst Rita’s Liverpool accent glides effortlessly. The more we develop this little play by Willy Russell, the more I chuckle over their banter, as the delivery strengthens, and the characters expand in depth. Rita and Frank, raw student meets disillusioned Professor, sparks a special relationship. Rita with a thirst for knowledge to learn about ‘everything’ as a way of achieving self-liberation. “Found a culture, have you Rita? Found a better song to sing? No, you found a different song to sing, and on your lips it’s shrill and hollow and tuneless.” Willy Russell’s Educating Rita Frank world weary, with a thirst for the sedation of whisky ‘the great thing about the booze is that it makes one believe that under all the talk, one is actually saying something’ as he becomes enamoured with the youthful zest of Rita. Meantime, the Burnham Health Pharmacy contact me to re-open their vaccination clinic as the new Spring Booster for the 75s and over is released. VidPrevtyn Beta by Sanofi/GSK, is a monovalent recombinant-protein Covid-19 vaccine, modelled on the Beta variant spike antigen mixed on site with GSK’s pandemic adjuvant. This adjuvant boosts older bodies to take up the vaccine more effectively. The first week saw back-to-back appointments every 5 minutes, to remove winter layers from older frailer folk took best part of that time! As the back log increased the verbal bun fight amplified, especially when word got round that the vaccine was in short supply due to an overwhelming response. Arguing who arrived first lead to me putting in place a new system, known now as the ‘NextArm’ regime. This entailed asking a room full of eleventy-eight eager arms to converse together to discuss politely and agree the running order. Finally, filing rhythmically into the cubicle on the call of ‘NEXT’ created a lot of chortling in the crowd, especially as my delivery used a hearty projected theatrical voice, or a little sing-song vocal. Bravo! Some days recently, it seems a bad bout of trench foot could occur, especially if you are a keen gardener. Rain seems to have been persistently present for a very long time, with the lawns at Dells Cottage mostly resembling bog moss. Squelching around outside, included some housekeeping in the Garden of Tranquillity, my special little veggie-flower plot, where one can sit to reflect the meaning of life and how not to be mean in life. I potted up two different types of courgette seeds, a pale green ‘Lebanese’(my absolute favourite), and a yellow variety called ‘Gold Zucchini’. These are the bully boys, large leaves, hollow thick prickly stems that spider leg off in all directions, followed by abundant produce. Seeding up six, in my heart I know that’s three too many. Hopefully, my boyfriend Bob could find a space for half in his garden. In addition, having learnt a harsh lesson from the last couple of summers, that searing heat and a hose pipe ban means brown toast lawns and shrivelled plants, I also potted up three types of Fernleaf Yarrow (Achillea) which are hardier in the absence of moisture, love the sun and bloom throughout the summer. Finally, the last lesson of the day another chuckle about our grammar: AProfessor of English wrote upon his blackboard the following words “A woman without her man is nothing” and asked the students to punctuate the sentence correctly. All the male students in the class wrote “A woman, without her man, is nothing.” All the female students in the class wrote “A woman: without her, man is nothing.” Kristina Perkins Dorney History Group The Dorney History Group has no meetings, currently, but it has a wealth of information about Dorney’s past on its website: www.dorney-history-group.org.uk, with over 18,000 web visitors each year. Eton Wick History Group www.etonwickhistory.co.uk The Eton Wick History Group has been meeting regularly since 1992. Eton Wick and the surrounding area is rich in history and the village has a heritage dating back to 1217. Meetings are held at 7.30 pm in Eton Wick Hall, Eton Wick, and everyone is welcome. Refreshments are served, and there is a charge of £3.00 to cover costs. Visitors and new members are always very welcome. 2023 Programme 24th May 'Brownsea — A Secret Island': with Mr. Tony Weston 12th July Speaker invited — 'More than Biscuits, Beer and Bulb -Reading's other industries': with Jo Alexander-Jones 13th September 'History of Colnbrook as a Major Town’: with Julian Hunt 25th October Speaker invited — 'Heathrow -A Smooth Operation': with Alan Clare 13th December 'The Village's history through the website': with Mr. Steven Denham Further details from: Teresa Stanton teresams35@virginmedia.com Hedgerley Historical Society www.hedgerleyhistoricalsociety.org Hedgerley Historical Society (HHS) was founded in 1976. All evening meetings begin promptly at 8pm, unless otherwise stated. Arrival from 7.30pm is advised. In Hedgerley Memorial Hall, Kiln Lane, Hedgerley Buckinghamshire SL2 3UZ 2023 Programme 17 May (Wed) AGM, Charles Rennie Mackintosh Rene Hume ZOOM 6 June (Tuesday) Outing, Haddenham Museum and Village Tour 10am, Stephen Sharp Booking deadline 17/05/23 21 June (Wed) Broadway, A Cotswold village Julian Hunt 25 June (Sunday), Outing, High Wycombe Cemetery Tour Sally Scagell Free Booking required Closing date 21/06/23 12 July (Tuesday), Outing, A Summer Evening at Bekonscot Brian Newman Smith, 6pm for 6.30pm 19 July (Tuesday), Outing, The Restoration of Church Gardens Harefield. Arcadia Visitor Centre. Refreshments available. Kay McHugh, 6.30pm £10 pp Limited numbers – Free but Pre-Booking required – deadline 21/06/23 Set in the grounds of Dorney Court Estate, near Eton, visitors will find a unique and innovative garden destination offering a curated range of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden. Our shop blends practical and stylish products from around the world with plants that are often difficult to source, particularly from garden centres. With a full nursery of garden and indoor plants, eco-friendly growing supplies, home and garden décor, furniture, firepits, and gifts, Crocus at Dorney Court seamlessly offers something for every home and garden. www.crocus.co.uk MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL HELD TUESDAY 18th April 2023, 7.30 P.M. AT DORNEY SCHOOL Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Anna Palmer Cllr. Euan MacLennan Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford Cllr. Robert Stopford Cllr. Stephen Baker Cllr. William Voaden Clerk Ruth Senior and 1 members of the public Public Forum No comments PC/40/23 Apologies for absence None PC/41/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda None disclosed PC/42/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 21st March 2023 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/43/23 To receive the Clerk report There was no update this month. PC/44/23 Items of business carried forward 44.1 The Orchard Herbs Site Cllr. Stopford updated on the two main points linked with Orchard Herbs, the Enforcement Notice and hotel appeal. Cllr. Stopford received a letter from Peter Strachan (Buckinghamshire Council) apologising for the delay in response to the Enforcement Notice questions sent. It was agreed to write to the CEO of Buckinghamshire, Rachael Shimmin to fully explain all points related to the enforcement and ask for support from Taplow and Burnham Parish Councils. The hotel development appeal has been ‘called in’ by the Secretary of State. It was agreed to write to Joy Morrisey with our concerns over the size and scale of the out of town plans on greenbelt land and question why the appeal is allowed to go ahead. It was agreed to ask for support from Burnham, Taplow and Eton councils 44.2 The Neighbourhood Plan Cllr. Voaden confirmed that the flyers have now been printed and it was agreed that they will be distributed on 29th/30th April. It was agreed that the questionnaire link will be sent out for the Councillors to test ahead of going live from 29th April. It was agreed that the questionnaire and details of the plan will be on the Website ready for 29th April. It was agreed that Dorney Parish News will publish the flyer. PC/45/23 Planning Slough Borough Council and Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead are looking for development sites as a part of a wide area growth study. One of the areas identified for possible future development is part of West Town Farm, it was agreed that we will keep a close eye on any further information. PC/46/23 Finance The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting and approved. The Clerk and Cllr. MacLennan confirmed that all paperwork is in order for preparation on the annual accounts. It was agreed that Cllr. MacLennan will produce a finance overview of the past year for the APM. PC/47/23 To discuss the problem with the Jubilee footpaths and bikers The problem of motorbikes on the Jubilee paths and surrounding farmland continues. PCSO O’Connell is trying to arrange a meeting with the Environment Agency to discuss options for prevention. PC/48/23 To consider what options are available for parking issues outside the Pineapple The inconsiderate parking on the grass verges and paths is creating a dangerous problem for residents of Ashford Lane, completely blocking the view when trying to exit the lane. It was agreed that Cllr. Dax will speak with the pub regarding signage to ask customers to park responsibly and not block pavements. It was agreed that the Clerk will contact the Local Area Technician regarding options such as bollards to stop verge parking. PC/49/23 To consider Dorney Lake plans Dorney Lake has now closed to the public and will re-open in September. They have offered an opportunity for Dorney residents to have a minibus tour of the lake and facilities on 7th June from 2.15-5pm – meeting in the Lake’s public car park. PLACES ARE LIMITED and must be pre-booked on a first come, first served basis. From 8th May -To book a place, email clerk@dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk PC/50/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents The Eton Wick Village Association contacted us regarding reducing the speed limit across Dorney Common. It was agreed that as this is one of the questions in the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire, we will await all results and proceed from there however the Parish Council do acknowledge that this should be considered. PC/51/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 16th May 2023 Cattle grid – to ratify the decision to contact Keith Dolan regarding the grid as it has become even more unstable. Meeting ended at 8.45 pm Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising Rates Height mm Width mm 10 issues 1 issue Full Page 190 130 £100 £13 Half Page 90 130 £55 £8 Third of a page (Horizontal) 60 130 £50 £7 Quarter Page (Horizontal) 45 130 £45 £6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News June 2023 Visit The Kingof Siam’s Garden and others on 4th July 2023 in Eton The Gardens consist of The Headmaster's Garden, The Provost's Garden, the King of Siam's Garden, Fellows' Garden and Luxmoore's Garden on an island in the Thames, ranging in style from very formal to romantic, so there is something for everyone. See page 19 for details. ISSUE NO. 5/23 JUNE 2023 EDITORIAL It probably isn’t a good idea for elderly chaps to talk too much about ‘golden ages’set in the past. So, I am going to talk about them. Furthermore, I would claim that Dorney might just be on the verge on enjoying another, well, golden age. The other day I was leafing through the 1993 inspector’s report on the appeal by Eton College against Bucks County Council’s refusal to grant planning permission for the construction of Dorney Lake. Unusual reading maybe, but the inspector, while reaching a conclusion that at the time disappointed the majority of residents, had words of praise for our local community. He noted approvingly that 177 residents had gathered in Dorney Village Hall in November 1991 and another 147 in April 1993 to debate the issue. ‘Dorney’ he said, ‘is an ancient settlement which, despite the pressures from surrounding towns has managed to preserve an aura of rural tranquillity’ while being ‘a vibrant community that values its heritage and environment’. Dorney Horticultural Society has a past as well. An issue of this magazine from the beginning of 1975 had a Diary of Events for the whole year. There were two shows, one in the summer and one in the autumn plus both Spring and Summer gardens competitions. Never a dull moment. Mind you, in the past things could get a little stereotypical. I doubt if a current chair of DHS would proclaim approvingly, as did his predecessor after reviewing the savoury and jams and pickles exhibits in the 1992 Show, ‘My, the men of the Society are well looked after.’ Could these heady Dorney days return? I may be wearing those traditional rose- coloured spectacles, but I’m sure that after that surge of community fervour three decades ago there was an upswing in interest in council matters and what we would now call ‘the environment’. The pages of this magazine were full of passion and central to this were the columns of ‘kejjers’, the anonymous words of the redoubtable chair of the council, Ken Richmond. Tellingly, the attendance at Annual Parish Meetings seemed to soar because after all the community had a focus in that appeal. Holiday ensured that we missed the recent APM, but all reports, and there are two of them in this issue, say that it was a real success. The Neighbourhood Plan being prepared might once again provide that focus, and the NP team urge residents to complete their questionnaire, and to attend the further meetings in June and July in each village locality. A revitalised DHS have had a cracking start to the year, but looming up is the big one – the 68thAnnual Show. All the signs in 2022 were that the Show could come back after two lost years, but let’s make this year’s the best-ever. Whenever the Society point out that the young people’s sections are poorly entered now – unlike in those golden days – then it is said that the Show needs publicising. Well, it’s being publicised now. If it was good to see a well-attended Annual Parish Meeting, it would be just as great to see standing room only when the time comes to hand out those medals on Saturday September 2nd. Complete those questionnaires, attend those Neighbourhood Plan meetings to have your say, and work on your entries for the Annual Show - and volunteer for the Playground’s party in July. Happy days are here again! Services in the Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Vicar: Revd. La Stacey, The Vicarage, 69a Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6NE Tel: 01753 852268 email: revlastacey@gmail.com For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Rev La Stacey writes: Time to go. As the famous quotation says, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”. And then it goes on about beginnings and endings. I am at an ending now. The Church of England recognises that even vicars reach an age when decrepitude kicks in and they offer us a pension. I reached that venerable age last year and so I will be retiring on 31st July. We are very blessed in this benefice at the moment to have Revd Carole Gooding working with us as a curate and she is planning to continue for a year after I leave. With her help and the support and generosity of some other priests nearby and with the amazing, continued dedication of the congregation of St James the Less, all the usual services will take place: baptisms, weddings and funerals and burials can continue to happen, and the visits we love with Dorney School will carry on. The question is, what will happen in the longer term? The very ancient parish system ensures that each area of our country has someone who is praying for them or holding a spiritual space for them. The vicar is tasked with the care of the soul of the community (not just the care of the buildings and the land!) Because we have unique laws in this country linking the place to the church, the vicar can offer weddings, baptisms, and funerals – and burials where there is space, as there is in Dorney. The aim is that the vicar is part of the ‘glue’ of the local village, and we have the privilege of working with schools to help grow spiritual awareness in the children. When the incumbents weren’t spread so thinly, it also used to be possible to visit people who were in need of support. Those visits tend to be few and far between in current circumstances! At the moment, Dorney shares a full-time vicar with Eton, Eton Wick and Boveney, and this little, green and beautiful patch keeps me well occupied!! Will a full-time vicar be allocated to our benefice next time? The powers that be will be scrutinising our accounts and the numbers of church-goers to help them decide. They will take their time over this. The letter the church secretary will receive will say, ‘Over the coming months, a series of meetings and consultations will take place, typically involving the Bishop or Archdeacon, the Parochial Church Councellors, the Patrons of the benefice and often the Area Dean and Lay Chair of the deanery synod. The Mission and Pastoral Secretary of the diocese may also be involved in these discussions. At the end of this process, a new minister will be appointed.’ Typically, it can take up to a year! It would be fabulous if those of you who love our ancient church, could pop in from time to time on a Sunday morning at 9.30 to help keep spirits up while to process runs its course. David and I will be leaving this green and pleasant land and going to live in another one. We are planning to move to the Dordogne to do nothing-in-particular for a while. The village where we are going has a boulangerie, and a boucherie, and a marché on Wednesday mornings and a corner shop and a tabac and of course a ‘Hotel de Ville’ and a church whose bell rings at midday to remind us that it is lunchtime. I will say more next month… With blessings. La Church Services in June 2023 Sunday 4th June (Trinity Sunday) 9.30 am Holy Communion (BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Any Age service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 7th June 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 11th June 9.30 am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 18th June 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 15th June 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 25th June 9.30am Morning Worship St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor Get in touch: sjb.admissions@sjb.email 01784 494 053 EXPERIENCEA SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER Preparatory School for boys 3-13 years SJBwindsor.uk Est. 1888 + Outstanding academic results + Small class sizes & individual care + Large estate with superb facilities “Pupils are highly successful in their academic achievement.” ISI 2022 Conveniently located in Old Windsor May was a busy month… On a beautiful May evening we held our Annual Parish Council meeting followed by the Annual Parish Meeting. A big thank you to Eton College for providing the venue and the refreshments and to all those who attended the APM. We set out to update and inform on the most topical matters and to take away comments and questions from the audience. We closed the meeting watching the most amazing sunset over the Lake whilst sipping a glass of wine! NEW DEADLINE BUCKS PURCHASE Problems with trail bikes on the FOR NEW Jubilee River NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN POTHOLE MACHINE footpaths and local farm land. Please report any QUESTIONNAIRE Continued sightings to the 16TH JUNE pressure to police (101), but recommend not to repair roads approach any in the parish offenders Finally (!) we are advised that the cattle grid repair/ replacement is scheduled for September. If you haven’t already done so, please complete our Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire. Details on page 12 Our maintenance contractor is on catch up after such a wet spring. Some additional days agreed to keep the parish looking tidy. Next meeting 20th June 2023 at Dorney School at 7.30 pm. 1 Are you free on Wednesday 19th July between 15.00 and 17.30 and would like to help Dorney Playground Management Committee raise funds to maintain the Playground? Dorney Playground is maintained by an independent charity. On Wednesday 19th July we are holding a summer party to raise funds to help maintain the playground. The summer party is open to all 4 – 11 year olds. Tickets will be available to buy soon, in advance, from the tuck shop situated in Dorney Village Hall. The tuck shop is open most school days from 3.15 to about 4.00. We are hoping to run a number of exciting activities and need volunteers to help run the event. We need volunteers to help with: Monitoring three inflatables: All the fun of the fair assault course Party time play zone Party time fun run Wet fun area Shoot the basketball Zap the Rat Croquet Pineapple shy Lucky dip Football penalties Barbecue – cooking and taking orders Sweet, ice cream and drinks stalls Selling tickets on the day (hopefully most people will buy in advance) So, if you are free and would like to help, please call Ettie on 07831 479346 / Jackie on 07814 021816 or email ettiebrand@gmail.com We also would like to do face painting. If there is anyone who could do face painting for part or all of the afternoon, please let us know S A V E T H E D A T E 1 9 T H J U L Y 2 0 2 3 E N D O F T E R M S U M M E R P A R T Y 1 9 T H J U L Y , 2 0 2 3 3 : 1 5 P M - 5 : 3 0 P M D O R N E Y P L A Y G R O U N D 1 0 0 % O F A L L P R O F I T R A I S E D A T T H I S E V E N T W I L L B E R E - I N V E S T E D I N D O R N E Y P L A Y G R O U N D T i c k e t s a r e n o w a v a i l a b l e t o p u r c h a s e f r o m t h e p l a y g r o u n d t u c k s h o p . T h e t i c k e t s a r e £ 1 0 . 0 0 e a c h a n d i n c l u d e a f r e e ‘ l o n g - r a n g e ’ w a t e r g u n ( a s l o n g a s s t o c k s l a s t ) . P r e - s c h o o l e r s ( w h e n a c c o m p a n y i n g p a y i n g b r o t h e r s o r s i s t e r s ) c o m e f r e e o f c h a r g e . Tickets now on sale T i c k e t p r i c e i n c l u d e s u n l i m i t e d a c c e s s t o : A l l t h e F u n o f t h e F a i r A s s a u l t C o u r s e , P a r t y P l a y z o n e , P a r t y T i m e F u n R u n , W e t w a t e r f u n a r e a , S h o o t t h e b a s k e t b a l l , Z a p t h e R a t a n d o t h e r g a r d e n g a m e s a n d c h a l l e n g e s ( w i t h p r i z e s ) . B B Q , i c e c r e a m s , d r i n k s a n d s w e e t s w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e t o p u r c h a s e o n t h e d a y . Nature Notes Towards the end of June last year, I made a strange discovery in our bathroom. It was 6am so I was still a bit groggy but that bedraggled, brown blob, pathetically flapping its soaked wings was a poor bat that had unfortunately landed in the toilet bowl. What to do? I grabbed a slotted spoon from the kitchen and scooped the unlucky creature out of the water. It was tiny and looked quite sad with its fur all wet and matted. I was aware of bats in the area, having often seen bats at dusk in the summer and we’d put up wooden bat boxes which successfully housed some roosting bats as evidenced by the plentiful droppings. But I’d never had to rescue one. What to do? Aquick search on the internet brought up the bat conservation trust and a phone number to ring. The immediate advice online was to put it in a shoebox on a tea towel to dry off which I did. After leaving a message on the bat hotline a lady from Reading called me back within 15 minutes. I had no idea that there was a network of bat volunteers around the country ready to help on these very situations! She referred me to a lovely bat lady called Helen based in Eton Wick, who almost immediately got in touch. We would end up seeing a lot of Helen over the next few weeks. She advised to keep the bat in the box and she would come round after work to pick it up. By this stage a quick peek revealed the bat was drying off and its fur was starting to fluff up. I thought it now looked quite cute. It was amazing to see one so close up. Helen arrived and identified the bat as a female soprano pipistrelle, Britain’s smallest bat. She was an expert in caring for bats to get them ready to release back into the wild. I learned that she even had some bats staying permanently in her home that had been too badly injured by cats or other misfortune so couldn’t be released back. Helen took the bat away and named her Bathsheba (I’d left the boxed bat in the bath so you can see what she did there. Much better to be named after a bath than the toilet I suppose). Bathsheba weighed in at 3.6g but ate 48 mealworms in one day to fatten up to 4.2g. Helen shared some videos of the bats eating over WhatsApp – the wonders of technology – so we could see how she was progressing. Over the next few days we found another grounded bat on the sofa which Helen took away (Sofia) and then another outside the patio French doors (Frenchie). Helen advised that young bats get grounded if they don’t eat enough and lose energy. In between I had to shoo two very not grounded bats that were flying around the kids’ rooms back out (not an easy task). How were they getting in and where were they roosting? We were concerned they were living in the house but there was no obvious place they could enter. Helen brought round two bat experts from the conservation trust who did a house inspection and they confirmed there was no internal evidence of bat habitation. They suggested we keep all windows shut at dusk and dawn (it was early July now so really quite warm) and then my wife saw them leaving at dusk outside our bedroom window: a gap had developed in the wooden boards of the soffit outside and they were roosting in the eaves. I started to do “batwatch” in the evenings (sometimes the kids joined me) and initial counts scored 66 bats!! Helen advised this was probably a female roost and they would all have one pup each over the summer. Incredibly, the bats mate in early autumn and the females keep the sperm in a wee tube over winter until they decide if the environmental conditions are right to get pregnant in the spring. Sounded very sensible to me. Within a few days, Helen decided Bathsheba was ready for release and she came round at dusk. As the other bats left the roost, she let Bathsheba go and she immediately zoomed off after her bat friends. Success! By now the bat count had tipped over the 100 mark which suggested the pups were now ready to fly and feed by themselves. Helen had fed up Sofia and Frenchie to well over 4g, but they still needed more time to be strong enough to be released (she does test flights in her home in a big net cage to find out). Helen was worried the bat roost may move on without them, but our nightly bat counts confirmed they were still in residence.Afew days later, they were finally ready, and we had another successful launch and an alltime bat count high of 135 from the eaves roost, with 4 bats (the boys?) leaving our wooden bat boxes. I was quite proud of such a large number but apparently some bat counts Helen attends are much larger -one cottage in Cookham has over 500! I tried hard not to be put out by this competition. This year the bats have returned, and we have bought special custom nets (recommended be Helen) to go over any open windows as the nights get warmer (and hopefully deter any bat intruders), but we may still get some bats grounded outdoors. We have made our garden as nature friendly as possible with native trees and hedging and large areas of unmown meadow full of native flowers. We also built a pond which is a big wildlife magnet. I am also sure the pocket rewilding of the Thames Water field will have helped make the area more bat friendly with lots of native scrub providing insects for the bats to feast on. I would encourage everyone in Dorney to find some space in their garden for nature if they can. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful corner of South Bucks and there are lots of things you can do to provide food and shelter for wildlife in your garden and make our environment even more diverse. As well as owls, badgers, foxes, grass snakes, slow worms, stag beetles, sparrowhawks and treecreepers, I love seeing less celebrated wildlife like bees nesting in my bee boxes, newts and dragonfly larvae in the pond, and of course, the marvellous bats! Andrew Oliver Neighbourhood Plan Have you had your say? Deadline for completion of the questionnaire is 16th June! Keep Dorney Special Firstly, a big thank you to all of our residents who completed the Neighbourhood plan questionnaire, giving us their views on how Dorney should be developed in the future. Now you have another opportunity to make your views known. We have arranged a series of meetings to allow Dorney residents to discuss and express their opinions directly to us. These will be collected and incorporated into the plan, together with the feedback from the questionnaires. The meetings will be held between the 26th of June and the 14th of July. The venues and dates will be advertised on the website on the 16th of June We hope that you will able to attend at least one of these. It is important that we gain as many views as possible, so if you haven’t completed the questionnaire yet, please do so as soon as you can. If you happen to be talking to neighbours or friends, could you please encourage them to let us have their views. We have extended the deadline for completion to the 16th of June to gain as many responses as possible. The questionnaire is available on the Dorney Parish website www.dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk and on: http://surveyking.com/w/ei5sf5w This is the largest programme for collecting Dorney residents’ views undertaken for some time, so please make sure you use the opportunity to tell us what you think. Thank you for your support. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING 2023 Picture the scene, dear reader. It is a warm spring evening. The venue is a large room on the first floor, with expansive windows offering a view over a body of water and through which the late sun shines brightly as it sinks gently to a magnificent sunset. All around the room stand little groups of men and women in animated but gentle conversation, renewing old acquaintances and making new ones. A waiter with a tray of wine glasses glides deftly among the guests. The atmosphere is relaxed and cordial; it could be any drinks party or reception. But this was in fact Dorney’s annual parish meeting on 16 May, hosted at the Boathouse by Eton College who also provided refreshments. Perhaps it was these that attracted such a good turnout from the residents of Dorney. In another welcome break with tradition for the meeting itself we sat in groups at small tables. And so the business began, with our chairman reviewing key points from the parish council’s work over the past year, other speakers commenting on their areas of interest and questions from the floor. It was good to see our Bucks councillor in attendance, despite obvious physical difficulties. On the subject of potholes, he enthused about a new JCB machine which could fill them more quickly and more cheaply. However, he appeared as perplexed as the rest of us about why previous commitments by his council to remedy the dire state of the roads in and around Dorney had not been met. He was unable, either, to say whether uncut verges causing a serious sight hazard at road junctions were council policy to leave the wildflowers or just a failure to act. Nevertheless, our councillor was able to update us on the valuable work of the new community boards in such measures as combatting loneliness and planting wildflower seeds. Perhaps the “active travel” initiative to encourage people to walk rather than drive is designed to reduce pressure on the council to deal with those potholes. A positive note is that the cattle grid is due to be repaired by the end of June – good news for the residents of Southfield Close who bear the brunt of its clanging! The long-term problem of illegal activities at Orchard Herbs remains unresolved, although we were told that Bucks Council staff are seeking Counsel’s advice on potential action. No bets on the outcome! Neither are there any imminent decisions on planning applications for new housing developments in Boveney, nor indeed any firm proposals for building elsewhere in the parish. It was suggested that section 106 funds arising from new development be used to provide health care facilities in Dorney. The parish council had already received 60 completed Neighbourhood Plan surveys but there were warnings from those with experience elsewhere that a plan which rejects any increase in house numbers is very unlikely to succeed. I wonder sometimes what objections, if any, were raised when our houses in Harcourt Road were built a century ago, on green fields. Pleasingly, our friendly local police representative was able to report drops in burglary and in theft from and of cars. Riding of trail bikes in fields and along the Jubilee River continues to be a problem; discussions between interested parties are seeking solutions and the Environment Agency is considering what barriers it could put in place to keep out trail bikes but still allow cycles, buggies, wheelchairs and the like – not easy! We learned that the Jubilee River will not be called a river anymore, in an attempt to prevent the loss of life through drowning; other practical measures are also being put in place. Our parish council is seeking parking restrictions near the Pineapple and lower speed limits, including a 40mph limit across the common, in line with other places where livestock graze freely. Our local farmer provided an update on what is growing in Dorney’s fields and confirmed my longheld belief that our water table is much lower in the growing season since Thames Water started extracting from nearby boreholes. Perhaps TW should be compensating us for the difficulty in keeping our gardens alive? Parish grass cutting this spring has been delayed due to the wet weather. Detritus from the M4 works is still lying around; the parish clerk was deputed to ask the owners to remove it. And after everyone had had their say, the meeting drew to a close and we all drifted out into the dusk. Postscript: miracles do happen! By the Saturday after the meeting, the potholes in Marsh Lane by the Jubilee River bridge (sorry, Flood Relief Channel!) had been filled. Was this the new super machine? Did it result from the meeting or from the parish council’s exchanges with the leader of Bucks council? And does it mean the other holes will be fixed sometime soon? Answers on a postcard to the editor, please. Virginia Silvester [Note: The APM draft minutes are on the Dorney Parish Council website] Dorney Horticultural Society's Annual Garden Visit Lords Wood -Marlow This year the horticultural society has arranged a visit to Lords Wood in Marlow. This will be a private tour led by the owner Millie Messum followed by tea/coffee and homemade cake. This year our members will enjoy not only the beautiful gardens and water features but a fantastic array of statutory positioned to compliment the stunning gardens. "An outpost of Old Bloomsbury in Marlow Woods" was how Frances Partridge CBE (1900-2004) the accomplished writer and diarist described Lord's Wood in 1958. Lord's Wood's artistic heritage continues under David and Millie Messum's stewardship and since 1974 the garden has undergone a transformation, the five acres surrounding the house becoming a showcase for sculpture, water features and extensive mature borders in varying styles. There are flower and herb gardens, a thriving orchard and chickens and woodland walks with spectacular views over the Chilterns. Further information will be available nearer the date on how to book this trip with the society so save the date 13th June 2023 - 2pm ddhs@btinternet.com Dorney Horticultural Society Dear members and friends of the Horticultural Society, with everything now happening at once in the garden our two recent events couldn't have been more relevant. For those of you who managed to attend our first event in February 'Going for Gold' with our new patron Jamie Butterworth we were treated to an afternoon talk full of inspiration and ideas. At the time of writing Jamie is busy with this year's Chelsea Flower Show. In April for our second event of the year we were treated to an Evening with Chris Young, former editor of The Garden Magazine and now a garden designer. The evening kicked off with a buffet supper provided by Chrys Fisher of the Palmer Arms which was the usual excellent fare followed by our speaker who has a passion for turning Grey Britain Green. There were lots of tips and ideas with conservation a strong theme helping the environment and wildlife. Our next event is on 13th June and is a visit to Lords Wood in Marlow. Lords Wood stands in 35 acres in Marlow Common and is a labour of love. This will be a private tour led by the owner Millie Messum followed by tea/coffee and homemade cake. Visitors will enjoy not only the beautiful gardens and water features but a fantastic array of statutory. Invites will be coming out shortly. Finally please don't forget our Annual Show on September 2nd held in Dorney Village Hall. There is a range of classes to suit everyone, including fruit and vegetables, flowers, domestic, arts and crafts and of course the children's section. The 2023 programmes will be dropping through your letter boxes in June. Last year we had 132 exhibits, with your support let's see if we can beat that this year! Best Wishes Dorney Horticultural Society Committee Thames Valley Adventure Playground -Update What a busy 2022 we had! The charity was celebrating 40 years since we welcomed our first visitors. Since those humble beginnings with just a few children and families a year coming to see us, we now welcome nearly 15,000 visitors a year. It’s not been plain sailing however: the last three years saw us having to close for the first time thanks to Covid and it’s been a slow return to pre-covid levels of children coming to the playground. During 2022 we ran many events to celebrate our anniversary at the playground including Quiz nights, Bingo and Bridge evenings. Our biggest success was our annual open day where over six hundred families of both our regular users and those interested to see what goes on came for a great day of fun and activities. The whole year concluded with our Ruby Ball at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. We had a fantastic evening which raised over £55,000 for the playground. This ball was organised and put on by a small group of volunteers who did an amazing job for which we will be forever grateful. This year is shaping up to be another busy one of activities and fundraising events both here at the playground and out and about at events in the community. If you’d like to come and see what we do, this year our Open Day is Saturday 5th August. Keep an eye on our website and social media for more information. We are having a big push this year to recruit more volunteers to help us. We need people who can give a few hours from time to time to do things like help run a stall at a Fete or man a stand at the Maidenhead festival. If that’s not for you, if you can Bake, Sew or Garden then we have a need for you too. Basically if you have something you like to do and you want to support us, then please get in touch -we can usually fit you in somewhere! Thank you all for your support since our last update. Please sign up for our newsletter or follow our social media to keep abreast of everything we are up to. Follow us on our social media channels: Facebook: ThamesValleyAdventurePlayground Instagram: TVAP_charity Twitter: @tvapSN Sign up for our newsletter via: www.tvap.co.uk/contact/stay-in-touch Thank you for reading, and stay well, stay happy and take care! Keith Hanks Engagement and Fund-Raising Manager National Garden Scheme: Visit Eton College Gardens Wednesday, 4th July 2023 Originally established to raise funds for district nurses, since 1927 the National Garden Scheme (NGS) has donated over £67 million to nursing and health charities through organising the opening of private gardens, both large and small, to the public. In 2022 just over £3 million was donated, with the principal beneficiaries being the Queen’s Nursing Institute (which founded the NGS), Macmillan Cancer support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Carers Trust and Parkinson’s UK. There was also funding for projects which promote gardens as therapy, give grants for community gardening, support the training of gardeners and offer respite to horticultural workers who have fallen on difficult times. 82p of every £1 paid by the visiting public was donated. Those who open their gardens do not receive payment of any kind. During 2023 3,500 gardens will be open across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Some of the gardens have opened for decades, none more distinguished than Sandringham, her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II having given lifelong support to the NGS. Our gardens at Eton College have been open for over 60 years and we are delighted to be participating again this year on Wednesday 4th July from 12.00 to 4.30. You will be able to see the gardens of the Provost, Vice Provost and Head Master, bounded at the back by medieval and Tudor buildings of the School and at the front by Fellow’s Eyot and the Thames. From there you can walk over to Luxmoore’s garden which is situated on a small island in the Thames. Luxmoore was at Eton in the 1850’s and later became a Classics Master and House Master here. He turned the island from a waste site, underwater whenever there was a flood, to a the beautiful and serene garden it is today The fascinating Eton College Natural History Museum will be open together with the adjacent Banks garden, featuring a variety of plants that were among the 1,300 new species of plant collected by the renowned Etonian botanist Joseph Banks who travelled with Captain Cook on HMS Endeavour as official scientist on his voyage to South America, New Zealand and Australia from 1768 to 1771. As well as seeing the gardens, you will also be able to enjoy tea and delicious home-made cakes (which I can vouch for personally!) provided and served by supporters of Thames Hospice. All the money which they take will go to Thames Hospice. The charge for entry is £6, children are free. A cup of tea and large slice of cake will set you back £5. Please bring credit card (preferred for entry) and cash (preferred for tea and cake). There will be plenty of signs directing you to the free parking. We do hope that you will be able to come along and support this very worthwhile and, of course, enjoyable event and do tell your friends about it. Janet Walker Bursar Eton College DORNEY SCHOOL Respect•Collaborate•Grow"Your local school with a 'Big Heart' and a warm welcome" Beautiful grounds and excellent facilities Visit our website at www.dorneyschool.co.uk and telephone in to book your school visit 01628620871 office@dorneyschool.co.uk Published results above local and national schools, every year. Graded‘Good’for Early Years, Personal Development and Behaviour and Attitudes by Ofsted Warm, inclusive, nurturing community that places the child first. Ample parking for everyone DORNEY SCHOOL Respect•Collaborate•Grow"Your local school with a 'Big Heart' and a warm welcome" Beautiful grounds and excellent facilities Visit our website at www.dorneyschool.co.uk and telephone in to book your school visit 01628620871 office@dorneyschool.co.uk Published results above local and national schools, every year. Graded‘Good’for Early Years, Personal Development and Behaviour and Attitudes by Ofsted Warm, inclusive, nurturing community that places the child first. Ample parking for everyone DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School 15 May of every year is observed as The International Day of Families. This day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic, and demographic processes affecting families. It is even more imperative this year that we consider how the cost-of-living crisis is affecting the families in our community. I know that many more families and their children are having to make significant changes to their lifestyles, with less disposable income. It is heart-breaking to hear of families within our own community who are unable to access universal credit, relying on local foodbanks, and the generosity of friends and support from the school. The financial hardship that many families face is also reflected in the hardship that most government funded schools face. The marked reduction in the school budget, combined with increased costs for staffing and services, mean that many schools are being faced with real prospects of laying off staff, and making further reductions in their expenditure. Recently, I have heard of schools combining or merging classes as they have been unable to recruit new teachers and cutting costs. I know that teacher strikes are unpopular with many due to the disruptions they cause, but teachers and school staff are being faced by unprecedented financial hardship themselves, and working conditions in schools are becoming increasingly difficult due to the lack of support from the local authority and the DfE. For the first time in living memory, all four teacher and leader unions are balloting to take further coordinated strike action with the aim to highlight the plight of schools. I am part of several national Headteacher networks, working together to raise our concerns to our MPs and ensuring that the government takes this matter seriously. The future of education and schools is in jeopardy. This is also the reason the number of pupils at school is so important as the funding per pupil will benefit our school as it raises the amount our school receives. Instead of having to make difficult decisions and cuts, that may impact on what we are able to deliver, we would instead, be able to invest in our staff and our pupils. We still have spaces available for Reception in September. Do spread the word about our wonderful village school to family and friends who are considering school places. Make an appointment for a visit and see for yourself this amazing school in action. Year 6 SATs Our fantastic year 6 cohort completed SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) for this academic year. You may have heard in the news how the tests were rather challenging this year, especially the reading paper. On behalf of all staff at school, I would like to thank our amazing children for their effort and for trying their best. I could not be prouder of every single one of them and all the teachers who have taught them from their first day at school. SATs do not define a child’s success at school. In fact, SATs do not impact on an individual child’s learning journey. The results of the assessments are part of the high stakes accountability system which create competition between schools as each vie for places in the league table. I would go as far as using the football premier league as a good analogy for this. Apart from the surprise status of Leicester winning the premier league trophy in 2015/16, the top four places have been dominated by the richest clubs, with the greatest investment. This has also become the landscape of education. Science poster competition Well done and thank you to all those who entered the Science poster competition all about Connections. It is clear to see that we have some fantastic scientific minds at Dorney! Well done to everyone for putting in a huge amount of effort -the quality of the posters was fantastic! A special well done to: Louie (Reception), Savannah (Year 2), Connie (Year 3), Katy (Year 5) and Charlotte (Year 6). Your entries have been submitted into the national competition and fingers crossed we will hear back with some exciting news! Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee, Headteacher Wednesday 21st June  River Road, Taplow  2pm – 5pm Thursday 17th August  Jubilee, Lake End Road side  2pm – 5pm Thursday 24th August  Jubilee, Mill Lane side  2pm – 5pm Buckinghamshire Council’s Community Safety Team, Thames Valley Police and Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service are holding partnership Water Safety Events to engage with the local community on how to keep themselves and others safe around water. Come along to see the Fire Service display rescue and survival skills and talk to the teams for safety information and advice! Wednesday 21st June  River Road, Taplow  2pm – 5pm Thursday 17th August  Jubilee, Lake End Road side  2pm – 5pm Thursday 24th August  Jubilee, Mill Lane side  2pm – 5pm Buckinghamshire Council’s Community Safety Team, Thames Valley Police and Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service are holding partnership Water Safety Events to engage with the local community on how to keep themselves and others safe around water. Come along to see the Fire Service display rescue and survival skills and talk to the teams for safety information and advice! 22 Rain on my Parade: Coronation Day I’m not a fan! This is not the forum upon which to bore my dear reader with the reasons, but I, along with one or two others, adopted an air of slightly haughty indifference, and as such, ignored the almost unavoidable outpouring of public hysteria that seemed to have gripped most of the nation, and seemingly, all of the British broadcasters on the day and on those leading up to the Grand Event. I was too craven to ignore the requests of my fellow bell ringers, and did manage to ring some very tidy ditties, but save that, the pouring rain spoiled my plans and perhaps those of others in Westminster, viewed by me with a wry smirk, and so the lovely Cheryl and I resolved to visit our nearest town (beginning with M) to book a well-earned holiday, buy me some proper shoes, those three pounds bargain from a charity shop having fallen apart, and to ‘verify’ a credit card, whatever that meant. The aforementioned downpour made the intended cycle ride less attractive than that intended, and so we took the Dagenham Dustbin, to discover on arrival that M’s main car park was shut and we were invited to park ‘in another car park’ with little indication of where that might be. “Try Sainsbury’s,” suggested the ever-helpful Cheryl, and upon entry to the dark cavern, I was confronted by an upslope and downslope. I hesitated and immediately was hooted at by the following vehicle, complete with its inferiority complex exhaust, the driver of which had clearly done the course I had not. Flustered, I proceeded cautiously, passing floors confusingly numbered 2 lower and 3 lower as we climbed, eventually stopping in a bay, much to the demonstrated joy of Mr. Charisma Bypass. We paid too much to park in the deserted sanctuary, surrounded by signs indicating the penalties for non-payment up to but not including execution and found a sign ‘To The Shops’ indicating right. We wandered a few yards across the barren wastes and found a similar sign indicating left. We returned to the first sign and stood baffled until some kind soul indicated an unsigned footpath leading through a complex clearly built later as it had not had time to look neglected. We trudged for some while finding the eastern end of the High Street, well short of the main shops (or those that remain) at the west end and found Hayes Travel, the subject of Cheryl’s dream and the passport to her holiday. It was shut! Who shuts a travel agency on a Saturday? We rattled the door to be sure, but the dark abandoned desks inside didn’t lie. We put it down to some celebration or other twenty miles down the road. We passed a young man sheltering from the rain in the doorway of an abandoned shop, surrounded by his broken life in three carrier bags and a wet sleeping bag. The joy of the nearby celebration seemed to be passing him by, as it did the Asian lady bravely trying to sell the Big Issue in the rain on the other side of the road. We entered the shopping mall and found a famous brand shoe shop, similarly deserted save for three bored staff killing time in deep conversation. The youngest of them looked nervously at Cheryl and me, not sure whether to acknowledge our unfamiliar unexpected presence with a smile, glancing apprehensively at the older woman still in uninterrupted conversation with the other colleague. The youngest continued her awkward stare. “Is anyone working today?” I enquired in a slightly raised voice. “Yes, can I help you?” the older lady bustled out of her discussion. I explained the purpose of my visit; that I wanted proper shoes in size 10. The displayed shoes appeared to have been widely spaced apart apparently to hide the lack of stock. She offered the only suitable pair, the price of which would have bought an elderly third hand car. My feet hurt. I tried them on. They still hurt. “Have you some with a wider fit?” “I’ll have to check the store,” and she was gone, returning with, “they used to do a size haitch.” ‘Two out of three ain’t bad’ as the song goes and so off we trudged to ‘verify’the credit card. Dear Reader, you are ahead of me. Whatever ‘verify’ meant, my card still isn’t. Never mind. We needed some fish fingers for a grandchildren’s’ visit, and we were outside Sainsbury’s. We found the main door hidden down a side street, struggled for the pound deposit to release a trolley with a mind of its own and wandered into the vast complex, all unfamiliar to us. “Excuse me,” I asked a uniform. “Where are the fish fingers please?” “Fish what?” “Fish fingers?” “Is that raw meat?” I gave up asking but eventually armed with the goodies we made our circuitous route back to the car using Cheryl’s built in head map and fraught with frustration headed back to blissful civilisation. “Frankie and Bennies?” suggested Cheryl. “Ah wonderful idea,” and soon we were sipping coffee in familiar friendly surroundings being spoiled by the lovely staff anticipating the very unhealthy but delicious American meal just ordered. All was well with the world as our frustration melted away. Our favourite waiter passed by, smiling his usual greeting. “Have you heard our news?” he asked. “No,” we replied in unison. “We’re closing on the 27th this month,” he said sadly. “For good?” “Afraid so.” And so it is that the King and his lovely Queen have had the last laugh, and my haughty indifference has bitten me I can’t say where. Maybe he knows where a shoe shop with stock in it can be found, or perhaps he could give me the use of the RAF for our holiday break. Serves me right. Congratulations Your Majesty. Stay safe. Mike Quincey Dear Dorney, I am delighted to provide you with an update on my recent work and activities for Dorney and the Beaconsfield Constituency. Over the past month, I have remained dedicated to serving Dorney and ensuring your voices are heard on a range of issues. In line with our commitment to protecting Dorney from urban sprawl, I have been actively engaging with the Secretary of State for Housing, Levelling Up, and Communities, Michael Gove. I have been pushing to ensure that unscrupulous greenbelt development does not encroach on Dorney and the wider Beaconsfield Constituency, including the land at Orchard Herbs Farm. Preserving our greenbelt and safeguarding Dorney's character remain at the forefront of my efforts. Engaging with constituents on matters of vital importance is always a priority for me. I have been diligently holding Thames Water accountable and addressing the concerns raised at sewage action groups. I have also campaigned to ensure Dorney and the Beaconsfield Constituency are supplied with proper water infrastructure whilst preserving our treasured greenbelt. I also pressed for improved fire protection coverage for Dorney. Through extensive campaigning efforts alongside Councillor Simon Rouse, I welcomed the UK's first Fire Investigation Team in the Beaconsfield Constituency. Ensuring the long-term future of the station is a priority for me, as I understand the crucial role they play in keeping Dorney and its surrounding areas safe. It is gratifying to know that their expertise will benefit not only Dorney but the entire United Kingdom. This month, our regular advice surgeries resulted in addressing concerns related to our green spaces as well as raising positive support awareness of neurodiversity. I am committed to supporting neurodiverse individuals and the organizations that represent and assist them. I also recently lent my support to Alzheimer's Week, raising awareness about the challenges faced by those affected by this condition. Mental Health Awareness Week highlighted the importance of positivity and well-being, particularly among our young people. It is crucial that we continue to prioritize mental health and create a supportive environment for all. Lastly, I am proud to have contributed to the delivery of the Freedom of Speech Bill. This significant legislation is on the verge of receiving royal assent and will safeguard free speech within our universities and higher education institutions. It is essential that open dialogue and diverse perspectives thrive in our society for years to come. I remain committed to championing the interests of Dorney and working hard to address the issues that matter most to us. Together, we can strive for a vibrant and prosperous future for Dorney and the Beaconsfield Constituency. If you have any concerns or require assistance with any matter, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at joy.morrissey.mp@parliament.uk or 01494 977 505. With warmest regards, Joy Morrissey MP Joy Morrissey MPMember of Parliament for Beaconsfield Assistant Government WhipHouse of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA | 020 7219 8708 Disraeli House | 12 Aylesbury End | Beaconsfield | Buckinghamshire | HP9 1LW | 01494 977505 www.joymorrissey.uk | @JoyMorrissey | fb.com/joy4beaconsfield Dorney History Group The Dorney History Group has no meetings, currently, but it has a wealth of information about Dorney’s past on its website: www.dorney-history-group.org.uk, with over 6,000 web visitors each year. Eton Wick History Group www.etonwickhistory.co.uk The Eton Wick History Group has been meeting regularly since 1992. Eton Wick and the surrounding area is rich in history and the village has a heritage dating back to 1217. Meetings are held at 7.30 pm in Eton Wick Hall, Eton Wick, and everyone is welcome. Refreshments are served, and there is a charge of £3.00 to cover costs. Visitors and new members are always very welcome. 2023 Programme 12th July 'More than Biscuits, Beer and Bulb - Reading's other industries': with Jo Alexander-Jones 13th September 'History of Colnbrook as a Major Town’: with Julian Hunt 25th October 'Heathrow - A Smooth Operation': with Alan Clare 13th December 'The Village's history through the website': with Mr. Steven Denham Further details from: Teresa Stanton teresams35@virginmedia.com Hedgerley Historical Society www.hedgerleyhistoricalsociety.org Hedgerley Historical Society (HHS) was founded in 1976. All evening meetings begin promptly at 8pm, unless otherwise stated. Arrival from 7.30pm is advised. In Hedgerley Memorial Hall, Kiln Lane, Hedgerley Buckinghamshire SL2 3UZ 2023 Programme 6 June (Tuesday) Outing, Haddenham Museum and Village Tour 10am, Stephen Sharp Booking deadline 17/05/23 21 June (Wed) Broadway, A Cotswold village Julian Hunt 25 June (Sunday), Outing, High Wycombe Cemetery Tour Sally Scagell Free Booking required Closing date 21/06/23 12 July (Tuesday), Outing, A Summer Evening at Bekonscot Brian Newman Smith, 6pm for 6.30pm 19 July (Tuesday), Outing, The Restoration of Church Gardens Harefield. Arcadia Visitor Centre. Refreshments available. Kay McHugh, 6.30pm £10 pp Limited numbers – Free but Pre-Booking required – deadline 21/06/23 Set in the grounds of Dorney Court Estate, near Eton, visitors will find a unique and innovative garden destination offering a curated range of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden. Our shop blends practical and stylish products from around the world with plants that are often difficult to source, particularly from garden centres. With a full nursery of garden and indoor plants, eco-friendly growing supplies, home and garden décor, furniture, firepits, and gifts, Crocus at Dorney Court seamlessly offers something for every home and garden. www.crocus.co.uk 25 May 2023 Dear resident, When I last wrote to you a few weeks ago the rain was still pouring down. Now it’s great to see this spell of warmer, dry weather – not least as it’s allowing us to start to make real progress on repairing Buckinghamshire’s roads under our new Buckinghamshire Highways contract. There is still a great deal to do but you should soon be seeing the difference. Road repairs We’ve made a number of changes to speed up the number of repairs we can complete, plus have been able to keep works on track with the much drier weather. These two factors mean we’re making good progress, despite the record numbers of reported ‘potholes’ on our roads this winter/spring. Since 1 April we have: • repaired more than 2,400 potholes and counting – now completing nearly 700 jobs a week • increased the number of crews doing this work from six to fifteen and they’re working seven days a week • introduced our time-saving, three-in-one Pothole Pro machine which uses an ‘all in one’ process to cut and prepare the surface ready to finish the repair • brought in overnight working on some schemes to complete high priority works as quickly as possible • made use of our emergency powers to fast-track essential repairs • got our extended ‘plan and patch’ programme and wider maintenance and improvements programme underway in earnest • continued to clean and fix Buckinghamshire’s 85,000 gullies As both a driver and a cyclist on Buckinghamshire’s roads, I am beginning to notice the difference and I travel to many parts of the county every week. I am not complacent. I know there’s still a lot of work to be done but we are doing everything we can to get round the repairs, prioritising the most serious defects. Please continue to report any problems using the Fix My Street link on the council’s website. [Extract from Martin Tett’s (Leader of Bucks Council) update to residents] Quiz nights -6th June and 4th July 7pm Teams of up to 6 people, £1 each Silent disco under the tent 30th June 7pm £5 per person Call 01628 662353 !daft! Live music 3rd June, 7pm £7 per ticket-pre book your ticket as limited spaces. Father’s Day 18th June filling up fast, give us a call to book your table. Give us a call on 01628 666612 Special offer for residents at The Palmer Arms through June! Bring this advert with you to get 25% off your food bill! Valid for Tables up to 4 people Mon-Sat only. MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL HELD TUESDAY 16th May, 6.30 P.M. AT THE BOATHOUSE, DORNEY LAKE Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford Cllr. Anna Palmer Cllr. Stephen Baker Cllr. Euan MacLennan Cllr. William Voaden Clerk Ruth Senior and 6 members of the public Public Forum No comments PC/52/23 To elect a Chairman and Declaration of Office of Chairman Cllr. Baker proposed, Cllr. Westcott-Wreford seconded, Jill Dax as Chairman, who accepted the role. AGREED – all in favour. Declaration of office completed. PC/53/23 Apologies for absence Cllr. Robert Stopford PC/54/23 To elect a Vice Chairman Cllr. Baker proposed, Cllr. Palmer seconded, Martyn Westcott-Wreford as Vice Chairman, who accepted the role. AGREED – all in favour. PC/55/23 Declaration of office signed by each elected Councillor This was duly completed. PC/56/23 To elect a Finance Chairman Cllr. Baker proposed, Cllr. Dax seconded, Euan MacLennan as Finance Chairman, who accepted the role. AGREED – all in favour. PC/57/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda None disclosed PC/58/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18th April 2023 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/59/23 To receive the Clerk report There was no update this month. PC/60/23 Items of business carried forward 60.1 The Orchard Herbs Site Continuous efforts are being made from Dorney Parish Council and County Cllr. George Sandy with the support of Taplow and Burnham Parish Councils. Dorney Parish Council received a response from Joy Morrisey confirming that the hotel appeal is being taken to the Secretary of State for review. 60.2 The Neighbourhood Plan Cllr. Voaden thanked Council for the timely flyer distribution to publicise the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire. There has been a successful response rate so far of over 60, it would be great to hit 100. Cllr. Voaden would like to encourage residents to complete the questionnaire or contact the Clerk for a hard copy. The main comments so far include the problem with road surfaces and speed limits. PC/61/23 Planning There have been no new applications this month. Orchard Herbs – refer to minute PC/60/23 60.1. Boveney Court Farm – no update since 1st March. PL/21/1884/HB – this application has been ‘called in’ for review by the Buckinghamshire Planning Committee. PC/62/23 Finance 62.1 The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting and approved. 62.2 Cllr. MacLennan presented the latest update on Council finances. We are awaiting payment from Buckinghamshire for the 2 MVAS, all other spend is mainly the same each month, Clerk services, grounds maintenance, streetlighting and subscriptions. The draft AGAR was circulated and will be sent for internal audit soon. There has been no increase in the Parish Council Precept again this financial year. It was agreed that we will instruct RJC Landscapes to an extra 2 days to have a full tidy of the grounds now the weather has improved. PC/63/23 To receive and update on the problem with the Jubilee footpaths and bikers Cllr. Dax met with the Environment Agency, police and Slough Borough Council regarding the ongoing problem. One of the main entry points is the bridge over the M4 from Mercian Way, Cippenham. It is a very difficult situation as access cannot be blocked for wheelchairs, pushchairs etc but options are being considered. It was agreed that the restricted access at Roundmoor Ditch and Old Lake End Road has helped considerably. Discussions will continue but in the meantime, reports must be made to 101 of sightings and encounters. PC/64/23 To consider insurance renewals The Clerk reported that the Insurance renewal quote has increased from £1145.70 to £1421.54 this year which is largely due to the claims on the MVAS accidents. Unfortunately as a result of the claims, two insurance companies who specialise in Parish Councils have turned down our quote request, we are awaiting one more. It was agreed that unless the last company offer a better quote, we will stick with Gallagher again this year. PC/65/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents We have received a number of requests for information/help this month: Deer signage around Court Lane/Dorney Lake -this will be investigated with Buckinghamshire County Council. Memorial Garden trees – the works reported on the tree survey in 2021 have all been completed, there will be a new survey at the end of this year and any further recommendations will be undertaken. Barrier to Trumpers Field – this barrier was installed by Buckinghamshire County Council, and neither Dorney Parish Council or Dorney Village Hall are responsible for its use or maintenance. Buckinghamshire CC will be notified that its reinstatement has been requested by residents. PC/66/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 20th June 2023 Pension scheme. Dorney Village sign at Eton Wick end of Dorney Common, which has rotted and possibly been knocked down by the cows. Speeding review. Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising Rates Height mm Width mm 10 issues 1 issue Full Page 190 130 £100 £13 Half Page 90 130 £55 £8 Third of a page (Horizontal) 60 130 £50 £7 Quarter Page (Horizontal) 45 130 £45 £6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News July/August 2023 The Dorney Horticultural Society Annual Show 2nd September 2023 For more information, please see details on Page 15 ISSUE NO. 6/23 JULY/AUGUST 2023 EDITORIAL First of all, this column wants to join in the farewell tributes to La. The Reverend La Stacey, Vicar of Eton with Eton Wick and Boveney and Dorney for a few months under a decade, is retiring. This magazine thanks La for her monthly homilies and a stream of posters and pictures. We have admired her encouragement of services in the long unused St Mary Magdalene’s and have benefited by the wisdom of countless phone conversations. We will miss her. Linked to this sad event maybe, the last month here has had a biblical quality. This column last month forecast the good times that were just around the corner. In June we saw glimpses of the end times as foretold in the Book of Revelation. There were floods. Summer months in recent years have seen the formation of the vast ‘Dorney Lake’ on the north side of the Common. I swear I saw flamingos there the other day. Now we hear of flooding around Lake End Common. There are several theories as to the causes. These should get an airing at the July Parish Council meeting and in the September issue of this magazine. There has been fire. Just when the Orchard Herbs saga couldn’t get any murkier, it seems that one day smoke billowed out from the site across neighbouring properties and even the M4. Councillors and residents are keen to find out who was burning what and why. Perhaps the worst pestilence we can imagine is the complete loss of broadband, particularly when a good proportion of Dorney Reach are so deprived. We watched out our window as a team from Bucks County (sorry, Mr Tett if that’s wrong) set about dropping the kerb for a newly rebuilt house…’there are cables under there…’ Sure enough, half an hour later the router was flashing orange. A DIY blitz spirit set in. Contact was made with the right engineer, the developer was contacted via an estate agent, the ‘pestilence’ was barely for 24 hours, and Open Reach and the developer emerged with credit. The team from the council? Well, the jury is out. OK, there has been no famine. Indeed, peckishness can be avoided next month by using this copy you are reading to take advantage of the splendid money-off offer from The Pineapple set out later in this issue. Furthermore, a veritable feast could be prepared from all those vegetables, fruit, jams and cakes to be on display in the Village Hall as entries in the Annual Show on Saturday September 2nd. You shouldn’t miss it. There is another date that all residents should not miss. In this issue we do our best to set out just why Dorney’s planned Neighbourhood Plan is of vital importance to all our futures and that progress is being made by the NP team. There will be a full presentation of the initial findings of the questionnaire and the future of the Neighbourhood Plan on July 18th at 6.30pm at Dorney School. All, of course, will be welcome. ‘Dorney Parish News’ will be back in the first week of September, as traditionally there is no August issue. Enjoy the Playground Party, enjoy the Dorney School fair…everybody, enjoy your summer. Be safe. Best Wishes. Services in the Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Vicar: Revd. La Stacey, The Vicarage, 69a Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6NE Tel: 01753 852268 email: revlastacey@gmail.com For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Rev La Stacey writes: Time to go -part 2. I am about to embark on lots of shredding here. I’ve been sorting through paperwork related to church and making sure that I’m leaving behind only the up-to-date papers and those that have to be kept for certain lengths of time. It is rather an emotional task as it brings to mind ceremonies and events, moments and lives that have been precious. That is one of the things about moving house, isn’t it? If we got someone else in to sort through our paperwork and stuff for us, they could do it in no time. But when the stuff belongs to you, all of it has a memory attached to it, it is a much longer job and pulls on the heartstrings. It is all part of the process though. Sorting through papers is a way of noticing what is of lasting value and letting go of the rest. It is an exercise in gratitude. As we go, I want to thank you for being part of our lives and part of our story for the best part of a decade and for letting us be part of yours. There’s a weird little parable that Jesus tells about letting the wheat and the weeds grow up together in the field – don’t fuss too much about making the garden pristine all the time -because if you start pulling things up while it’s all growing, you might pull up good stuff by mistake. When the time comes and you sort everything through, you will be able to tell what is of lasting value and what needs to go in the shredder. It's a handy principle about living together in community, I’m thinking. If we get all judgemental about people before we’ve really got to know them, if we start criticising, thinking that we can set them to rights, we’ll miss the goodness that is in each other. Growing together, we learn to value each other for our different attributes and then when the time comes to leave, what is valuable shows up really clearly and we know it is going to be a wrench to part! My prayer is for God’s blessing to remain with you. Keep on being kind to one another and supporting each other. Thank you for your welcome. I will carry a part of you into my next adventure. Grace, mercy and peace be with you. La Church Services in July and August 2022 Sunday 3rd July 9.30 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Any Age Family Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 7th July 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 10th July 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 17th July 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 21st July 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Saturday 22nd July 4.00pm Patronal Festival Service St Mary Magdalene, Boveney Sunday 24th July 9.30am Morning Prayer St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 31st July 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 3rd August 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 7th August 9.30 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Any Age Family Service St John the Baptist Eton Wick Sunday 14th August 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 17th August 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 21st August 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 28th August 9.30am Morning Prayer St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Are you free on Wednesday 19th July between 15.00 and 17.30 and would like to help Dorney Playground Management Committee raise funds to maintain the Playground? Dorney Playground is maintained by an independent charity. On Wednesday 19th July we are holding a summer party to raise funds to help maintain the playground. The summer party is open to all 4 – 11 year olds. Tickets will be available to buy soon, in advance, from the tuck shop situated in Dorney Village Hall. The tuck shop is open most school days from 3.15 to about 4.00. We are hoping to run a number of exciting activities and need volunteers to help run the event. We need volunteers to help with: Monitoring three inflatables: All the fun of the fair assault course Party time play zone Party time fun run Wet fun area Shoot the basketball Zap the Rat Croquet Pineapple shy Lucky dip Football penalties Barbecue – cooking and taking orders Sweet, ice cream and drinks stalls Selling tickets on the day (hopefully most people will buy in advance) So, if you are free and would like to help, please call Ettie on 07831 479346 / Jackie on 07814 021816 or email ettiebrand@gmail.com We also would like to do face painting. If there is anyone who could do face painting for part or all of the afternoon, please let us know S A V E T H E D A T E 1 9 T H J U L Y 2 0 2 3 E N D O F T E R M S U M M E R P A R T Y 1 9 T H J U L Y , 2 0 2 3 3 : 1 5 P M - 5 : 3 0 P M D O R N E Y P L A Y G R O U N D 1 0 0 % O F A L L P R O F I T R A I S E D A T T H I S E V E N T W I L L B E R E - I N V E S T E D I N D O R N E Y P L A Y G R O U N D T i c k e t s a r e n o w a v a i l a b l e t o p u r c h a s e f r o m t h e p l a y g r o u n d t u c k s h o p . T h e t i c k e t s a r e £ 1 0 . 0 0 e a c h a n d i n c l u d e a f r e e ‘ l o n g - r a n g e ’ w a t e r g u n ( a s l o n g a s s t o c k s l a s t ) . P r e - s c h o o l e r s ( w h e n a c c o m p a n y i n g p a y i n g b r o t h e r s o r s i s t e r s ) c o m e f r e e o f c h a r g e . Tickets now on sale T i c k e t p r i c e i n c l u d e s u n l i m i t e d a c c e s s t o : A l l t h e F u n o f t h e F a i r A s s a u l t C o u r s e , P a r t y P l a y z o n e , P a r t y T i m e F u n R u n , W e t w a t e r f u n a r e a , S h o o t t h e b a s k e t b a l l , Z a p t h e R a t a n d o t h e r g a r d e n g a m e s a n d c h a l l e n g e s ( w i t h p r i z e s ) . B B Q , i c e c r e a m s , d r i n k s a n d s w e e t s w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e t o p u r c h a s e o n t h e d a y . A summer afternoon at Dorney Lake On June 7th a minibus full of Dorney residents was treated to a tour of the ‘The Meadows of Dorney Lake’ organised by Dorney Parish Council and Dorney Lake Management. Thanks are particularly due to Philip Highy, who as well as being Managing Director of the Lake was an excellent driver and Lee Marshallsay, Eton’s Grounds Manager, who was an excellent guide. Eton College have been developing a landscape strategy that encourages biodiversity, and a less heavily managed environment or as Lee puts it ‘until you see the boathouse, you will see meadow’. For a wider description of this policy, please see an article in our March issue this year. May I share a few vivid impressions of this happy June afternoon? We stopped to consider some of the hundred or so varieties of Japanese Cherry Trees donated by Dr Takatsuki, the College’s Summer Schools representative in Tokyo. These ranged from south island varieties that flower very early to those from the north of Japan which flower much later giving the Lake an extended season of spring blossoming. Just a little further into the site, Lee outlined the efforts being made to preserve a stately, mature ash tree, a survivor from pre-lake times, standing proud among the thousands of new trees planted in recent years. The nearby verges (see photo) were alive with wildflowers newly coming into bloom really well. A memorable sight was Lee on his knees triumphantly pointing out specimens of the distinctive bee orchid, soon to be joined by one or two photographers in the party. The flower looks like a female bee, leading male bees to sweep in to pollinate it. The orchid favours rarely trodden roadside verges, so the Lake’s verges are not cut until the orchids have seeded. The tour concluded with a drive through the 100acre Nature Conservation Area between the Lake and the Thames, normally inaccessible to the public and which offers ‘secluded shelter, feeding and breeding grounds for wildlife’. Actually, the real conclusion was tea taken in the finishing post building. The biscuits were certainly memorable. There will be, I’m sure, further tours in the future. Watch out for announcements in this magazine. Peter Bowman Neighbourhood Plan Update The first stage of the consultation with residents using the questionnaire has now been completed and the committee is delighted with the number of questionnaires that have been completed. We set ourselves a challenging target of 100 replies, which would represent over 25% of the households, and we achieved 113 responses. This shows how passionate Dorney people are about the area they live in and how they wish to ensure that many of the qualities they love about Dorney are preserved. So what’s next? Although the questionnaires are the backbone of the plan, we also wish to hear residents' thoughts directly and would like to explain how we are intending to move forward. So, there are to be two meetings, one on the 20th of June, which at the time of publication will have taken place, and another on the 18th of July, where we would like as many of you to attend as possible. They will be held at Dorney School, Harcourt Close, at 18.30 for an hour. Any feedback from these meetings will be considered for incorporation into the plan, together with the opinions expressed via the questionnaire. Once we have finished capturing all the feedback from you, we will start to produce the actual Neighbourhood Plan. Hopefully, we will be able to feedback our progress on this next stage of the process to you in September. Thank you once again for your commitment to the plan. The Dorney Parish Neighbourhood Plan Developing a shared vision for our neighbourhood. A neighbourhood plan is a key part of the Government's localism agenda for Parish Councils to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood. Its aims are to give communities greater power to shape development by taking a more active role in the formation of planning policies at a local level -to choose where they may want new homes, what they should look like and the type of housing to meet their community's current and emerging needs. It gives local people a chance to create a planning document that guides and shapes all types of development in their local area. It is written by the local community, the people who know and love their area, not the remote Buckinghamshire Council. An adopted plan is a formal statutory document that is additional to, and not a replacement for, the emerging Buckinghamshire Local Plan 2040. What can it influence? • The planning of new homes to meet local needs. •Apowerful tool to ensure the community gets the right types of development in the right places. • Style and materials used in planning applications. • Traffic management measures. • Identify where impacts can be minimised. • Safe walking routes. • Continued protection of Green Belt. What do we want to achieve? • Protect sensitive landscapes and avoid harm to biodiversity. • Protect characteristics that set us aside from neighbouring urban areas. • Ensure that current listed and heritage buildings and areas are protected and not harmed by new developments. • Identify buildings of designated interest so they are protected from demolition and development. • Identify and minimise impact to our lanes and residential roads from through traffic. • Preserve and enhance community facilities. What could happen if we don't? We are vulnerable to developers using national planning policies to force development onto our community so that they can maximise their profits. Without a Buckinghamshire Local Plan in place the only way we can have an impact on planning applications is by having an adopted Neighbourhood Plan. How is the plan is being developed? A team consisting of Parish Councillors and volunteers has been developing the foundation of the plan, looking at policies and how to formalise them into a working document. The team who have contributed so far • William Voaden, Parish Councillor • Jill Dax, Parish Councillor • Robert Stopford, Parish Councillor • Mark Brand, resident • Bill Dax, Dorney History Group and resident CHAIRMAKING IN DORNEY For many years, chairmaking was one of the skilled trades carried on in Dorney. The chairmakers were all connected to each other. The story starts with John Webb, born in Dorney in 1702. When he married in 1731, in Old Windsor, to Elizabeth Hunt, they were both said to be living in the parish of Burnham. At that time, Lake End was part of Burnham, not Dorney, so they may have been living there. Their nine children were all baptised in Dorney – four boys, two of whom died young, and five girls, of whom one died as a baby. As far as we know, John always worked as a chairmaker. He would have served an apprenticeship somewhere, but we have no record of that. We know that he must have been successful in business. He owned at least three houses, one in Lake End, and two in Dorney which together with outbuildings and a close of meadow land formed the property on the common now known as Dell’s Cottage. This property ownership qualified him to be one of only five people in Dorney entitled to vote in 1784. He served as churchwarden of Dorney in 1750 and he kept a cow. Both of John’s surviving sons also became chairmakers. The younger son, Thomas, remained and worked in Dorney, where he married Mary, daughter of Richard Sedding, a substantial local farmer. Sadly, Thomas died in 1775 aged only 31, leaving his widow with three small children. Mary’s brother, another Richard Sedding who farmed in Dorney, left bequests to her and the children when he died in 1805. What kind of chairs did John and Thomas make? We don’t know for certain, but they probably made Windsor chairs. This is the name given to a chair constructed from a solid wooden seat, into which the legs and the uprights of the back are inserted in prepared holes. Made in the Chilterns and Thames Valley, they were transported to London along the river from Windsor which became the centre for the trade between the producers and the London dealers. It is believed that is how Windsor chairs got their name. This type of chair came in a variety of forms – with or without arms, high or low backed, plain or highly elaborate. The seat was generally shaped or saddled to make it more comfortable. Windsor chairs remain a popular style today. I have three in the kitchen – an old one and two made for us – all produced in High Wycombe, which became and continues a centre for wooden furniture manufacture. John Webb’s other son, Henry, moved to London and around the mid-1750s he settled in Hammersmith. The chairmaking business he established there subsequently passed to Henry’s sons and a daughter. They supplied to the aristocracy a variety of what were known as forest chairs – ornamental rustic garden furniture constructed on the same principles as Windsor chairs and thought possibly to have been made originally of wood from Windsor Forest. It’s possible that John Webb also made this kind of furniture in Dorney. Another Dorney chairmaker, John Prior, married in Burnham in 1760; he could well have been apprenticed to John Webb, and the Rebecca Webb who was witness at his wedding was probably John Webb’s daughter. John Prior also left Dorney and set up on the outskirts of Uxbridge as a high-quality Windsor chair maker and turner. Like Henry Webb, John Prior’s children continued as makers of Windsor chairs and garden furniture. John Webb’s eldest daughter Sarah married John Dell in Dorney in 1757. Their children were all baptised at Burnham, but they may have been living in John Webb’s house in Lake End, which is where they were in 1793. Their son Jeremiah Dell, born in 1760, became a Windsor chairmaker and worked in Dorney all his life. He served as churchwarden for 50 years. When his grandfather John Webb died, Jeremiah inherited all his tools and the two cottages and meadow on the common. Jeremiah lived in one of these cottages until he died in 1859. His son John carried on the chairmaking tradition into the fourth generation of the Webb/Dell family. He lived next door to Jeremiah and his wife was one of the Dorney laundresses, no doubt taking in washing for Eton College. Like his father and great-grandfather, John served as a parish official in Dorney, and was one of two constables there in 1850. John Dell was still making chairs in 1861 but he was the last chairmaker in the village. I wonder how many houses in Dorney were furnished with locally made chairs and whether any of the chairs still exist. For anyone interested in learning more about the craft of making chairs and its history, High Wycombe has two museums focussed on chairmaking with examples of Windsor chairs and displays of the tools and techniques used to make them. You can also see live demonstrations of chairmaking at the Chilterns Open Air Museum. The website of the Regional Furniture Society has useful information and I am indebted to Julian Parker for his blog https://lincolnshirechairs2019.blogspot.com/ and for a copy of his yet to be published paper about the Webb, Dell and related families. Virginia Silvester Highgrove June 2023 25 members of Dorney Horticultural Society enjoyed an outstanding trip to Highgrove on 2nd June 2023 accompanied by a bright mostly sunny day. Highgrove Gardens are part of the private residence of King Charles and Queen Camilla. The coach departed Taplow in the morning and took an interesting cross country route to Tetbury. There we were given an extensive guided tour of the gardens by an expert guide for one and a half hours which semed to fly by. The gardens are constantly changing and great emphasis is placed on sustainable principles instilled over the last 38 years. The King has an expert eye and is very hands on in the gardens with particular regard to conservation and the natural order of things. A tour of the organic gardens offers a wealth of knowledge, beautiful scents and harmonious sounds. The enormous wild flower meadows are absolutely stunning. We finished off with cream teas or cheese scones and a final group photo. DORNEY AND DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY The Sixty-eighth ANNUAL SHOW Saturday 2nd September 2023 In DORNEY VILLAGE HALL Everyone Welcome Special Children's Section Exhibits registration: 10:00am to 11:30am Exhibitors excluded at 11:30am Exhibition opens to all at 2:00pm Prizes presented at 2:30pm Dorney Horticultural Society visit to Lords Wood, Marlow Dorney Horticultural Society was privileged to arrange a fantastic private visit to Lords Wood in Marlow on 13th June. Lords Wood is a magnificent grade II Victorian house within 35 acres nestled in the Chiltern Hills near Marlow Common. The current owner Millie Messum greeted us at the gate and gave us a brief history of their tenure at Lords Wood from 1974. The house when they purchased it was rather run down following the reclusive and increasingly eccentric previous owner in her last years. David and Millie set about restoring the house and gardens to their original glory and they can only be described today as stunning. The estate covers 35 acres and around the house are various lakes, yew hedges, herbaceous borders; box hedging surrounds a parterre, there are working greenhouses and a large pergola walkway around the formal gardens. Throughout the gardens you will find works by several renowned British sculptors exclusive to Messum's. We had planned to take a group photo in front of a giant pink dogwood tree which had managed to withstand the recent heavy rains, however within minutes of arriving our group had dispersed to the four corners of the huge garden, so the tree is pictured in peace in its full glory. The owner also opened up the studio run by her husband David a fine art dealer which added another wonderful dimension to the day. We finished off with tea and home-made cake on the lawn. Millie Messum works tirelessly for local charities with all profits going via the National Garden Scheme to the UK's best loved nursing and health and gardening charities. Ron Alsworth DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School I am always delighted to share a few thoughts with you about our wonderful school. However, sometimes words cannot convey the warm, wonderful, and inclusive culture that exists at Dorney School. I invite you to come and visit our school, in action. You do not need to be a prospective parent to visit. Our school welcomes visits by members of the local community who may be curious about our little gem of a school. Do email office@dorneyschool.co.uk and we will arrange a visit. In early June, we commissioned a beautiful wall mural that truly represents the ethos and values of Dorney School. Lily Clay, a Bristol based artist spent the week with our children painting the mural you see below. It was important to us that the children felt represented and could see themselves in this display. The rainbow which is a symbol of hope, and inclusion creates a continuous path for our children to follow and the ubiquitous pineapple, which is seen not only at our school, but also around Dorney Village. The children are passionate not only about diversity in community, but also in biodiversity. They chose British wildflowers and pollinating insects to be represented in the mural too. Can you spot the different varieties of fauna and flora? It would be fantastic to work with our local gardening enthusiasts or the local garden centres in developing further our campaign of biodiversity; preserving nature for all to enjoy and for the local insect population to thrive. If you are interested, do let us know. We currently have limited places in the Reception (EYFS) class for September and a few places across other year groups. We are the local school that cares for its pupils, staff, and community. If any parents are seeking primary places, please get in touch with us. We are here to help. I wish all readers a lovely Summer. May the sun continue to shine on you and your family. Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee Headteacher Wednesday 21st June  River Road, Taplow  2pm – 5pm Thursday 17th August  Jubilee, Lake End Road side  2pm – 5pm Thursday 24th August  Jubilee, Mill Lane side  2pm – 5pm Buckinghamshire Council’s Community Safety Team, Thames Valley Police and Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service are holding partnership Water Safety Events to engage with the local community on how to keep themselves and others safe around water. Come along to see the Fire Service display rescue and survival skills and talk to the teams for safety information and advice! Wednesday 21st June  River Road, Taplow  2pm – 5pm Thursday 17th August  Jubilee, Lake End Road side  2pm – 5pm Thursday 24th August  Jubilee, Mill Lane side  2pm – 5pm Buckinghamshire Council’s Community Safety Team, Thames Valley Police and Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service are holding partnership Water Safety Events to engage with the local community on how to keep themselves and others safe around water. Come along to see the Fire Service display rescue and survival skills and talk to the teams for safety information and advice! Nature Notes In last month’s issue, I mentioned that some bats had returned this year. I counted around 16 in late April, but I held off confirming an exact number last month, as I felt the total bat count would be much more impressive as the season progressed. Unfortunately, as it turned out, it’s amazing how wrong someone can be (which will surprise my wife, who regularly claims that I think I’m always right). I didn’t get much time to monitor the population through May as I was away with work and on holiday in Bonnie Scotland for a cycling trip with friends. So, as I considered the follow up article, I felt it was essential to gather some fresh #batstats to try and impress the Parish News readership with. I spent the first night sitting outside with number two son who had kindly offered to help with the Great Bat Count at around 9:30pm. After thirty minutes of zero bat action, he wandered off, bored. To be fair, I was amazed he lasted that long. Typically, playing Pokemon Fusion or Roblox online with his friends trumps any of my fascinating suggestions for parental “quality time”. His keen father stayed out for another half hour, determined to count what was obviously a bunch of (very) reticent bats. By the time total darkness fully descended, I had to face the terrible reality: there appeared to be NO bats in residence. To misquote Sean Connery: “Shurely shome mishtake?” What on earth had happened? The bats must be having a well-deserved rest I reassured myself. Probably the weather conditions. Random behaviour is to be expected from what are, after all, wild animals. I would try again tomorrow, when I would likely lose count of the plethora of bats making up for lost time to feast on the plentiful insects in the air. On the second evening I sat out pensive and alone, intently surveying both last year’s bat roost in the eaves and the bat boxes on the adjacent wall. I worried that if I wasn’t attentive enough, I might miss the bats. My neck started to ache from my constantly elevated gaze. It was a beautiful, balmy evening, perfect bat counting conditions (surely). The dogs came and went, curious about my activities and snapping at the occasional dozy bee droning through the air. A couple of stag beetles (one male and one female) floated over the roof of the house and zig zagged hazily through the late evening light. I diligently recorded them on my phone (https://ptes.org/campaigns/stag-beetles-2/). The stag beetles disappeared over the horizon, as did the fading patches of orange and yellow in the darkening sky. Where. Were. The Bats?? Finally, just as I was about to give up all hope, one (ONE!) solitary bat zoomed out from under the bat boxes and flitted towards the hedges, traversing giddily from side to side over the top of the greenery in the gloom. I imagined he was a lonely boy bat, who was as confused as I was as to why all the female bats had not returned. One was better than none, but I couldn’t help but feel a tad rejected (as I’m sure he did). It seemed obvious that last year’s large maternity roost was not to be repeated. Alarge gin and tonic seemed to help soften the blow of this relatively devastating news, so I felt compelled to have another. With minimal bat action to report (and with a slight desperation mounting for compelling content) I messaged Helen the Bat Lady to share the dispiriting news of the absent bats. She confirmed my treacherous bats had probably found another roost and shared a picture (which I include here) of the first (tiny) rescue pup she had received this year. It was only 3 days old, eyes still closed, weighing 1.25g. She’d had to hand the pup over to Tiggywinkles as she couldn’t manage the required feed schedule of every two hours (as well as being a bat rescue volunteer she has a full-time job). Poor Helen felt quite helpless as sadly, when they are that small, they are very unlikely to make it without their mum. Thankfully, as always in Dorney, there has been plenty of non-bat related wildlife to observe. When I removed the cover on our pool heater a couple of weeks ago, as well as approximately 367 slugs and snails (which I donated to my grateful chickens), I discovered a small family of slow worms nestled on the paving slabs. They quickly slithered off, but I had a few minutes to admire their gleaming coppery skin before they disappeared into the wildflowers. Red kites regularly soar above, and the cheeky wee robin comes to find me, hopping around on the patio, when I haven’t put out the anticipated mealworms at the expected time. The wet May has resulted in abundant wildflower growth in my garden. An entire veggie bed has been taken over by teasel and foxglove seedlings (which I need to try and find the time to transplant), and oxeye daisy, knapweed, birds foot trefoil, pink and white campion, vipers’ bugloss, yellow rattle, and lovely purple blue cranesbill are all straining for sunlight in the meadows. On my cycling trip around the Ardnamurchan peninsula of Scotland and the Isle of Mull, there were fantastic displays of yellow primroses and bright bluebells still to be seen, a few weeks after ours had receded. We were assured by a tweed clad, binocular equipped gent by the roadside that the distant bird we were looking at (that I would happily have accepted was a large crow) was, in fact, a golden eagle. Later, a bit further on, a larger gathering of similar binocular toting spotters was entranced by a group of sea otters playing in the nearshore. It was uplifting to see them rolling through the lapping waves and ducking under the shiny brown kelp. A beer garden on Iona turned out to be the perfect vantage point to observe gannets diving into the Sound. Nevertheless, being on the West coast of Scotland, the dreaded midge was a constant menace, and we quickly learned not to stop on our bikes in wooded, damp, sheltered areas as dark clouds of the tiny wee insects would almost immediately descend. Nobody wants midges trapped in their tight Lycra cycling gear. Terrifyingly, I read a recent article predicting a “mega second hatching” of midges due to “favourable” weather conditions. Clegs (horseflies) have also been noticeably virulent up North this year (and we’ve also had a few bites ourselves down here on dog walks by the Thames). Some wildlife is harder to celebrate! Andrew Oliver ARRIVING AT NARNIA ON DORNEY COMMON ‘There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind’ C S Lewis Summer arrived overnight to bake brown our lawns and stifle our sleep during the night, following a long wet Spring which drowned peony heads and mulched rose heads The garden now begged for water in the parch of the midday sun. The Dorney Horticultural Society had planned a visit to a very special garden, Lord’s Wood on Marlow Common, which promised to be something extra special. It was described by Frances Partridge (the last surviving member of the Bloomsbury Group) as ‘an outpost of Old Bloomsbury in the Marlow Woods’ in 1958. The Bloomsbury set was a group of associated English writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists in the first half of the 20th century, including Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E M Forster and Lytton Strachey. The house was built by Granville Streatfield in 1899 in a fashionable Lutyen style, (after Edwin Lutyen an English architect) in the Arts & Craft style, influenced also by Tudor architecture and the vernacular styles of south-east England. Having met and worked with garden designer and horticulturist Gertrude Jekyll, this professional partnership defined the look of many country houses. This dynamic combination recreated the quintessential English garden, and we can see this reflected at Lord’s Wood, where the current owners, David and Millie Messum, have spent much devotion restoring their garden after it fell from glory, to mirror just this. As our group spread out in all directions to disappear down pathways, it was easy to lose oneself in the cool shade and wander alongside the evocative scents of flora, to admire the genius of the planting plans. Blissfully blousy, it certainly was a creative wonder, carefully thought out and a joy to soothe one’s heart. Amongst the foliage were bronze statues and fascinations to distract the eye, and places to sit and contemplate the meaning of life or empty one’s head of unwanted stress. In the centre of the garden sits the Studio, an imposing building containing carefully selected imposing but endearing art, that captures the eye. Mostly with a heavy price tag, sadly beyond budget for most, but so very enjoyable to study close at hand. Finally, the tour nearly complete, we sat savouring the moment with a very British cuppa tea and slice of cake. How good is life to have your cake and eat it! Soon after the day out with my DHS friends, my boyfriend Bob and I headed off to a very different adventure, an Italian road trip. As with all good intentions, ‘pack small and carry light’, this failed to happen, so with bulky bags weighing eleventy-eight kilos (my one actually), we lugged ourselves around Tuscany and Umbria with the sun on our backs and fronts. Having planned to stay in various ancient and remote accommodations with beautiful views, this worked out very well, except, none were accessible directly by car, only by the four mule feet belonging to Bob and me. Our first destination was Scarlino in Tuscany, our hot tempers soon evaporating as we settled into a hidden hillside retreat. Everywhere (and onwards throughout the journey) we smelt the heady intoxication of Star Jasmine, such a strong scent that it permeated every crevice, one of the most evocative memories of our trip. Maybe we just coincided with the best month of the pale creamy exotic flowers in full bloom. The highlight of this visit was a wonderful terrace restaurant with perfect views. Leaving Tuscany and onwards to Umbria, we arrived in Narni, another ancient town perched incredibly high, only just about accessible by road, but mainly by funicular or elevator. The town centre was riddled with tiny convoluted narrow lanes that revealed mediaeval architecture, and many small bars with tempting aromas, selections of delicious gelato and beverages. Interestingly, not a known tourist spot, this turned out to be the most fascinating place. Having not realised that Narni held another little-known fact, I discovered on reading more, the English author, C S Lewis, stayed here in the 50’s and was so enchanted with this mystical mountaintop gem, that it inspired him to write The Chronicles of Narnia, which as we all know remains as relevant to children’s literature today as it ever was. Incidentally, this town named after the river Nar that snakes below, was originally called Narnia by the Romans, but later changed to Narni. Another fascinating sight was an underground mediaeval chapel, with adjoining areas that held dark secrets. In 1979, six young Italian men discovered a door to a chamber beneath St Dominic’s convent, the entrance hidden by densely overgrown foliage and collapsed brick. An elderly local man who had used the land outside as a vegetable plot for many years, told these young men that there were underground chambers, long disused and hidden by rubble. The six young men finally found the entrance, but the old fellow had used so much water over the years to grow his produce, much wet had seeped underground to spoil beautiful art that adorned the walls. When finally, all was revealed, it was clear that this place of worship, a small chapel, was a preserved gem that dated back to the Inquisition. For many years it was home to a religious factor, then due to the war had been commissioned for other uses. The murals had much damage, but over time have been mostly restored, and are now known as the Narni Sotterranea. However, there were other areas adjoining this little underground chapel, and in particular one that held a sinister history. Walking down a narrow underground corridor we entered a small room with high ceilings; it was a dark torture chamber used by the Inquisition, and although the items of torture were now replicas, the malevolent past was clear to imagine. Without windows, there was one very low door, those that know me can picture me bent double to gain entry to a very small cell, whose walls were covered with prolific graffiti. Cramped and dark, the symbols, pictures and writings were made by a man who was incarcerated for a small insignificant crime, and his work were a claim of innocence. Carved into the walls with a sharp object or painted in red brick dust mixed with urea (from his urine), the scratched scars and red stain left permanent documentation. On our very last night, we had been out at the local bar, sampling wine and eating local delicacies with gay abandon, until we staggered the 100 yards back to our apartment… no keys. Bob who was in charge of the bunch, had sadly not put them in his pocket. 11pm, slightly the worse for wear, our kind neighbours, an Italian couple, took us in and helped contact the owner. During this fraught time, the ice broke when the lady of the house told me that her sister lived in Maidenhead! A shrinking world indeed, and what lovely people to open their arms to us. We travelled onwards and it became increasingly obvious that I was not up to driving alongside the fast erratic Latino drivers. Bob took over to be the main man, using his accomplished road skills to good resource. Poor devil, on top of this, at each new destination, he had to heave my overweight case up eleventy-eight uneven steps to some remote stopover, usually in a 30 degree plus heat. For he’s a jolly good fellow! From Narni we traversed the next region of Italy, Le Marche (pronounced Mark-hey) that lies on the neck of the stocking halfway up from the foot. Driving to the coast to stay in a most bizarre house/B&B owned by a well-preserved delightful couple with the joie de vie loose hang of the 60’s. We drove in and Geo (husband of Gil) came to my side of the car. Winding down the window, I smiled at him and said “hello, I am English” to be greeted with an instant response of “hello I am Italian” and an even bigger cheeky smile! Both had a huge sense of humour and warm hospitality in a wonderful home, crammed with memorabilia from every decade. Their colonial house was surrounded by a garden of Eden floral triumph of many acres of garden, masses of trailing bougainvillea and a cool David Hockney style swimming pool. Despite his age, Geo carried my weighty case up the drive and steep steps without a murmur, (apart from one loud grunt at the last step) whilst Bob and I (we did try to wrestle the case off him) cringed in guilt. Note to self: do not fill the case because the space is there. Our final stop was a three nighter, and supposedly a large busy hotel / wedding venue. Arriving early to a very large castellated building, bodies dropping with the midday heat, we couldn’t hear a pin drop. We gained entry round the back, admired the pool and garden which sat in total silence, then wandered inside to view the spacious vacant ground floor space in bewilderment. Not a soul in sight. Has it closed? Somebody must be here. That old film, The Shining, imaged through my mind, when just at that moment out of nowhere emerged a young fellow called Brando, to show us to our ‘apartment.’ This was a one-bedroom affair on the first floor, with a huge bathroom, and kitchen diner, that looked as new as the day it was installed, and complete with its own large double wooden door access to the gardens and pool. We were the only people staying there (apart from Brando) so had the run of the place for three days, but, there was an eerie feel as we wandered about, avoiding the ground floor which was shuttered, dark and void of furniture. So there ends the Italian road trip, plenty of adventures, heaps of delicious food, buckets of wine, tubs of Italian gelato and lashings of Aperol spritz. What’s not to like. ‘You are never too old to set another goal, or dream another dream’ C S Lewis Kristina Perkins National Garden Scheme: Visit Eton College Gardens Tuesday, 4th July 2023 Originally established to raise funds for district nurses, since 1927 the National Garden Scheme (NGS) has donated over £67 million to nursing and health charities through organising the opening of private gardens, both large and small, to the public. In 2022 just over £3 million was donated, with the principal beneficiaries being the Queen’s Nursing Institute (which founded the NGS), Macmillan Cancer support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Carers Trust and Parkinson’s UK. There was also funding for projects which promote gardens as therapy, give grants for community gardening, support the training of gardeners and offer respite to horticultural workers who have fallen on difficult times. 82p of every £1 paid by the visiting public was donated. Those who open their gardens do not receive payment of any kind. During 2023 3,500 gardens will be open across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. Some of the gardens have opened for decades, none more distinguished than Sandringham, her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II having given lifelong support to the NGS. Our gardens at Eton College have been open for over 60 years and we are delighted to be participating again this year on Tuesday 4th July from 12.00 to 4.30. You will be able to see the gardens of the Provost, Vice Provost and Head Master, bounded at the back by medieval and Tudor buildings of the School and at the front by Fellow’s Eyot and the Thames. From there you can walk over to Luxmoore’s garden which is situated on a small island in the Thames. Luxmoore was at Eton in the 1850’s and later became a Classics Master and House Master here. He turned the island from a waste site, underwater whenever there was a flood, to a the beautiful and serene garden it is today The fascinating Eton College Natural History Museum will be open together with the adjacent Banks garden, featuring a variety of plants that were among the 1,300 new species of plant collected by the renowned Etonian botanist Joseph Banks who travelled with Captain Cook on HMS Endeavour as official scientist on his voyage to South America, New Zealand and Australia from 1768 to 1771. As well as seeing the gardens, you will also be able to enjoy tea and delicious home-made cakes (which I can vouch for personally!) provided and served by supporters of Thames Hospice. All the money which they take will go to Thames Hospice. The charge for entry is £6, children are free. A cup of tea and large slice of cake will set you back £5. Please bring credit card (preferred for entry) and cash (preferred for tea and cake). There will be plenty of signs directing you to the free parking. We do hope that you will be able to come along and support this very worthwhile and, of course, enjoyable event and do tell your friends about it. Janet Walker Bursar Eton College It has been another bustling month in Parliament and near the constituency. My aim has been to ensure that the voices of the constituents have been heard. The Greenbelt has continued to be at the heart of my priorities, with a focus on keeping our green spaces vibrant and safe for the future in Dorney and around the constituency. June, home to World Environment Day, allowed the constituency and Dorney to highlight the importance of keeping our green spaces clean and protected for the future generations. Last month, I sought to secure movement on this through writing to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up regarding Orchard Herbs. As your Member of Parliament, I will continue to stand up and champion our green spaces, as it is a vital part of our community. Around the constituency I have also focused on the next generation of our community, serving a number of visits to local schools. I visited Dropmore Infant School where I met many of the staff and attended a speed watch which gave me an insight into the danger that high-speed vehicles can pose around young peoples’ schools. I have raised this with the Buckinghamshire Council, and I will continue to ensure the safety of our young people is prioritised. Last Monday, Parliament voted on the Privileges Committee report and recommendations into Boris Johnson. This report, with all its flaws, risks a chilling impact on the rights of Parliamentarians, and I felt I needed to make a stand against that. It sets precedents that will last long and reach deep. This was why I voted against the recommendations. I know that not all in Dorney and around the constituency will agree with the stance I have taken, but as I respect their positions, I hope they will respect mine. When I vote in Parliament, it is important to me that my constituents know I do so determined to be a local champion for Dorney and the whole of the Beaconsfield constituency. My goal as Dorney’s Member of Parliament is to ensure that I look out for your best interests. I will continue to work steadfastly and diligently, to provide these services to my constituents. If you wish to read my full statement regarding this issue, it is available on my website. Thank you for taking the time to read this update on my continued work as your representative and Member of Parliament. As I stated earlier, I will remain dedicated and look forward to continuing to serve Dorney, the whole constituency, its green spaces and our upcoming generation. Should you require any further assistance or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at joy.morrissey.mp@parliament.uk or 01494 977 505. Together, let us make a difference and create a stronger future for Dorney and the whole of the Beaconsfield Constituency. Joy Morrissey MP Joy Morrissey MPMember of Parliament for Beaconsfield Assistant Government Whip House of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA | 020 7219 8708 Disraeli House | 12 Aylesbury End | Beaconsfield | Buckinghamshire | HP9 1LW | 01494 977505 www.joymorrissey.uk | @JoyMorrissey | fb.com/joy4beaconsfield Revolving Doors “Growing old is a pain!” My elderly lady patient, beautifully spoken and handsomely dressed muttered as she painfully negotiated her front doorstep. “The alternative’s a lot worse!” I grinned as we made slow progress to the ambulance. Fearing smugness, I added, “but it comes to us all,” and for the last few weeks, I recalled this conversation as I have been shedding the toys of my younger life and losing a valued friend as they change theirs. So, the doors gently close. The first was my boat, or rather half a boat, which I co-bought with an eighty something years ago when we were both younger. She (the boat – not the tough old male friend) was beautiful, albeit almost as old as us. Kerensa, thirty-two feet long, spacious, forgiving in bad weather stole our hearts as she lay abandoned and unloved in the yacht brokers, and soon she was ours. A friend said, “The only time you really enjoy a boat is the day you buy it and the day you sell it.” Similar warnings came from an elderly fragrant Magistrate friend who was aghast at my purchase with, “Oh Michael! Really! I am surprised. If it flies or floats, hire it!” We had some great adventures in Kerensa and spent too much money on her (a boat is a hole in the water you throw money into), and I spent many hours on my back scraping her hull and painfully slopping anti foul paint on her; or dragging out the 1950’s engine and gearbox, replacing it with a beautiful unused lifeboat engine. We loaded her with supplies of baked beans and Fray Bentos pies for long adventures, but rarely sailed more than 12 hours, and after agonisingly putting off the inevitable, my old mate and I finally found her difficult to board, and she was gone, along with the rusting pies and lethal baked beans into a skip. The only new vehicle I ever bought was a gorgeous red Honda 1000cc motor bike back in 2007, and I earned a great living riding her to police stations all over the south of England as a legal eagle representing those unfortunate enough to come across the works end of my former colleagues. She was beautiful, smooth, utterly reliable and I loved her, but as the years passed, and I joined the Ambulance Service, she spent too much of her time in the shed, and on the rare occasions we went out together, she kept whispering “You’re not taking me out enough Mike. You’re out of practice and losing your skill level. You’re going to hurt us both.” I knew better of course and didn’t listen, often frightening myself, and her I suspect, until one morning, she refused to start. “Enough is enough!” she scolded, and she was gone in the blink of an ad on the internet, being hugged by a lovely lady up north who has invited Cheryl and I to visit her and the Honda. Cheryl and I live the high life, and when we want to splash out, it has to be the PalmerArms or Frankie and Bennies in the Bishops Centre, and so it was that, as predicted in a previous DPN, Franky and Bennies shut for good. We went for a final meal which was, as usual, superb, and the staff, most of whom were professional friends, were similarly brilliant. We promised to come back on their last day, a Saturday. “What time will you shut on Saturday?” we asked. “We’ll stay open until we run out of food,” sighed our moist eyed waitress as she cleared our table for our last time. I looked around. Everything was normal, polished, busy and very American. It had success written all over it, and yet, within a month, all this would be torn out, lots of it headed for landfill. It seemed impossible. “We’ll call in then!” we assured her, trying to brighten the mood, but on the Saturday, it seemed many others had the same idea and while still open, they had indeed run out. “I’ll have a coffee,” I said brightly. “Have to be black, we’re out of milk,” grinned our waiter at the door. We shook hands with those nearby and wished them luck, then walked away. I wish the remarkable staff well. Very occasionally, I meet someone who I think is extraordinary, and so it was, just before I moved locally, I met such a person who was wise, charming and comforting through a tough period I was battling through at the time. Cheryl and I shared many adventures with them and their family until they too, hit a tough patch and found succour elsewhere, and all too soon, we were history. Clearly it appeared that a future more exciting and vibrant awaited them, and they were gone. Phone an old friend who may be wondering how you are! Back to Revolving Doors then. By the time you read my next offering (with the editor’s blessing), I shall be married to the fabulous Cheryl who, in an extraordinary moment, has agreed to spend the rest of our lives together, and, should you be passing St. James the Less on 5thAugust you may see a small throng including a pretty girl in a lovely dress. To say I am honoured doesn’t come close. Several doors close, and another delightful one opens; or revolves if you like. Lastly, I met your lovely Rev La Stacey and as she welcomed us into St. James the Less, making our visits enjoyable, she later announced her well-deserved retirement. All will be well with the Curate Carol stepping in, I understand on a temporary basis, so that’s all good. Stay Safe. Mike Quincey The Urgent Meeting: a Short Story ‘It is an absolute disgrace.’ Mrs Ratner had not even sat down when she blurted out her blustered and fury ridden greeting. ‘Hear hear, a disgrace,’ the ever-agreeable Mr Bunting replied. ‘Right, everyone, calm, down,’ Mrs Williamson tried to call the meeting to order. This was not the third Tuesday of the month, and therefore it was abnormal for the Parish Council to be meeting. Furthermore, it was July, and in July the hard-working Parish Council took a well-earned break from their important duties. But such was the shock which echoed furiously around the village because of the County Council letter which had arrived in the clerk’s inbox, that the chair had decided to call an urgent meeting. The poor clerk, herself an eighty-three-year-old resident called Doris, had been vigorously emailing anyone and everyone in an attempt to find a space to hold the important gathering. Finally, the Vicar, taking pity on the esteemed elected officials, allowed the group to meet at the church hall. The attendees had to step over vast piles of glitter which were being prepared for the summer school which was due to begin the following day. Neither God, nor the glitter, could dampen the anger which now viciously hung in the air. For once, the Parish Council were unanimous in their position. There were no dissenting views, as there usually were at these sorts of things. Mrs Ratner managed to stay quiet for a full fifteen seconds before talking again. ‘We will get lawyers involved, we will take this all the way to the supreme court, no parliament, no we will take it to the King, the King I say. How dare they?’ ‘Mrs Ratner, please, we have an agenda, we have to follow the agenda,’Mrs Williamson brought the room back to order. ‘I propose we begin with a summary of what the County Council has said in their letter, yes?’ she looked around and carefully counted the nodding heads, there would be no need for a vote on this decision. ‘Right, at precisely ten fifteen this morning, we received a letter from the Council noting that they would not be re-surfacing Handbury Road due to budget cuts. They gave no reason for their decision; indeed, they did not even ask our opinion. They have noted they would look to complete the resurfacing next financial year if there is room in the budget, have you got all that Doris?’ Mrs Williamson looked at Doris who, presumably through excitement, had fallen asleep. On hearing her name, she woke, nodded a few times, and shut her eyes again. ‘Now Mr Bunting, I believe you have the count, could you update us on where we stand?’ Mr Bunting stood, produced a leather-bound attaché case, placed one hand behind his back, and coughed a few times. ‘As of thirteen hundred hours this afternoon, there are no fewer than seven, I repeat, seven potholes on Handbury Road. Taken together they amount to one-point-three square meters of serious danger to our residents.’ Mr Bunting bowed slightly, before retaking his seat. ‘Now, we will go around the room and ask for opinions, please do keep it short.’ Mrs Williamson did not have time to anoint the first speaker, Mrs Ratner took to the floor. ‘The King,’ she screamed. ‘We must immediately take it to the king.’ ‘Or independence, why don’t’ we simply declare independence?’ Mr Downer, who had remained silent until this point made his position known. ‘Can we do that?’ Mrs Ratner, clearly upset she had been upstaged, asked. ‘Doris, can we do that?’ Doris remained asleep. ‘We must immediately close the road; the risk is too great. I propose we begin by creating a guard rota and patrol the road immediately.’ Everyone ignored Mr Bunting. ‘Now there’s an idea, lets create a militia and seize the County Hall, how many guns do we have between us?’ Mr Downer added. ‘Fantastic idea let’s vote. I would like to put myself forward as the supreme commander.’ Mrs Ratner added. ‘We are not going to declare independence, write to the king, or seize the County Hall. I propose we write to the County and ask them to reconsider.’ ‘Pffft.’ ‘I like the idea of independence.’ ‘What’s wrong with the King?’ Mrs Williamson ignored the general sentiment and concluded, without a vote, that speaking to the council would be the first step. ‘What about rumours, we don’t want people thinking we aren’t doing anything.’ Mrs Ratner came back in. ‘Win the information space, win the war! Adverts, lets take out adverts. Start with the BBC.’ Mr Downer had truly found his voice, this was primarily due to the not insignificant amount of beer he had drunk over lunch due to the stress of the whole thing. The Parish Council agreed to put a message both in the village news, and on the notice board. An action not undertaken since the Second World War. In the end, the council agreed to resurface the road, it was costing so much money responding to all the angry and somewhat vicious emails, that they reversed their decision. There was a great party on the night of the resurfacing, roughly 70% of the village’s 130 residents attended. Mr Downer attempted to sign them all up to the newly formed, and highly illegal ‘Village Militia.’ A property developer, driving through the village a few months after the resurfacing noticed the beautiful road which now ran to one side of the settlement. A few years later, and after no fewer than three declarations of war, and seven of independence, 73 new homes were built. Mrs Williamson, Mr Downer, Mrs Ratner and Mr Bunting all moved to a village a few miles down the road and were quickly elected to that Parish Council. Doris moved to Spain. Rory Shotts Quiz night -4th July 7pm Teams of up to 6 people, £1 each The winning team get to win all the entry money as the prize! Call 01628 662353 Special offer for residents at The Pineapple through July! Bring this advert with you to get 25% off your food bill! Valid for Tables up to 6 people Monday-Thursday only. Three later summer flowering perennials. By the end of June, foliage is strong, leaves are lush and old trusty favourites take their space in the border. It's comforting….but gardeners strive for something new, a little different, a detail, an interest.... The only constant is change in a garden. Achilleas, or yarrows, are traditional border perennials. They have long been valued for their feathery foliage and the beautiful, flat-topped flowers that bloom right through the summer months, giving a contrast in form. The ideal site for Achillea is free-draining soil in full sun to partial shade. However they will tolerate quite a wide range of soil types, as long as they don’t suffer from waterlogging. Achilleas are quite straightforward in their requirements. Cut back old foliage in spring and deadhead flowers through the summer to encourage more blooms. Leave a few flowerheads if you want to collect seed. The classic Achillea millefolium ‘Cerise queen’ is always popular but a newer dwarf cultivar like A. ‘New Vintage Violet’ is more compact variety with stunning magenta flowers. Deer & rabbit resistant interestingly – if that’s a requirement. Echinacea , or Coneflowers, need a position in full sun in soil that drains easily, tolerating dry soil. Easy to grow, these bold, tough perennials are increasingly popular in gardens. Flowering in late summer, they combine well with other late perennials and grasses. A magnet for butterflies and pollinators, perfect for wildlife gardens. It's perfect for growing in drifts towards the middle or back of a cottage-style or herbaceous border, or among grasses and rudbeckias in a prairie-style planting scheme. It's resistant to adverse weather and doesn't need staking. The flowers are longlived, are excellent for cutting and are extremely attractive to pollinators. There are many cultivars of Echinacea purpurea available, ranging in height, flower colour and size of cone. Echinacea purpurea 'Green Twister...is pure E. purpurea , not a hybrid, so comes with none of the difficulty in overwintering seen in so many modern hybrids. Lime green and pink -is simply stunning. Another late summer flower is Rudbeckia. The classic is Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'. Large, goldenyellow, daisy-like flowers up to 12cm (5in) across with coneshaped, blackish-brown centres from August to October. This award-winning black-eyed Susan looks great planted in bold drifts with other late summer-flowering perennials and ornamental grasses. Coping well in a sunny spot, it's ideal for the middle of a border that doesn't dry out over summer. Linda Wadley, Horticulture Manager, Crocus at Dorney Court Crocus Summer Market 30th July 10-4pm We are pleased to announce our first summer local market set our beautiful Walled Garden. We are thrilled to welcome a range of local producers to sell their products. Food, drink, Jewellery, Art & Craft. For more info please check our social media. If you would like a stall please email events.dorney@crocus.co.uk . MINUTES OF THE DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY 20th JUNE, 7.30pm AT DORNEY SCHOOL Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Anna Palmer Cllr. Euan MacLennan Cllr. Robert Stopford Cllr. Stephen Baker Cllr. William Voaden Clerk Ruth Senior and 1 member of the public Public Forum We would love to see more Dorney residents and members of the public attending the Parish Council meetings. Anyone is welcome to attend and the meeting dates are published on the website. The first 15 minutes of every meeting are open to the public to bring things to our attention or comment on existing issues. The Parish Council were informed of a problem where the BT cabling has been cut on Harcourt Road due to the building works, this has been reported to Planning at Bucks to determine responsibility. PC/67/23 Apologies for absence Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford PC/68/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda Due to personal connections, Cllr. Stopford declared an interest in item 10 on the agenda (Parish Boundaries) and Cllr. Palmer on item 6.1 (Planning) and will refrain from voting on these items. PC/69/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 16th May 2023 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/70/23 To receive the Clerk report The Clerk presented the report which was circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting. PC/71/23 Items of business carried forward 71.1 The Orchard Herbs Site It was agreed that it is critical that the Parish Council continue to push for the closure of the site. Cllr. Stopford reported that he has made contact with Stephanie Penney – Bucks Enforcement however no response has been received as yet. It was agreed that the Council will submit an official response to Darran Eggleton’s email of May 23rd including up to date site photos, information on the fires on site and the new concrete mix business – we will request support from Taplow and Burnham Parish Council’s. There was a hotel planning appeal site visit today, we will await the report from the inspector. MP Joy Morrissey has written to the Secretary of State, Michael Gove and Minister of State, Rachel Maclean raising her objections to the planning application and appeal. The Certificate of Lawfulness is still being processed, there is no update. Cllr. Dax is speaking with the Fire Service to get their official report on the latest fires that they attended, this will continue to be pursued. These have been flagged to the Environmental Health Department of the Council. 71.2 The Neighbourhood Plan The Parish Council received 113 responses to the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire which is very good news. The results are now being analysed and Mark Brand has presented an outline report of the findings which will be used to produce the first draft of the Neighbourhood Plan hopefully by September. It was agreed that the timeline chart from Mark Brand will be put on the website with the disclaimer that dates are guides only and are subject to change. There will be a full presentation of the initial findings of the questionnaire and future of the Neighbourhood Plan on 18th July, 6.30pm at Dorney School, all welcome. PC/72/23 Planning 72.1 There has only been one planning application of note this month at Squirrel Corner PL/23/1614/FA. Two objections have been made so far, it was agreed that the Parish Council will support these objections due to the size of the development and the new windows overlooking neighbours. Cllr. Dax also questioned the ownership of the Black Locust tree next to the property which Cllr. Palmer will investigate. 72.2 The 3 Ward Councillors have ‘called in’ the applications to Boveney Court Farm, which will now go to the planning committee. It was agreed that Cllr. Stopford will attend the meeting and make our 3 minute objections subject to availability, Cllr. Dax will attend otherwise. PC/73/23 Finance 73.1 The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting, some minor amendments were made to a previous cashbook, these will all be approved at the next meeting. 73.2 Cllr. MacLennan has completed the AGAR ready for the Internal Auditor. This will be submitted to PKF Littlejohn by July 31st and open for public review from 3rd July to 11th August. PC/74/23 To discuss meeting dates for 2023 and 2024 In line with other local Parish Councils, it was proposed by Cllr. Stopford and unanimously agreed to move the Parish Council meetings to every other month. Jan, March, May, July, Sept, Nov. Should there be an emergency/new situation where a decision must be made urgently, we will seek a majority agreement over email and ratify at the next meeting, however, wherever possible decisions will only be made at meetings and Extraordinary Meetings can be called where needed. It was agreed that when an email is sent from the Clerk to ask for opinions/agreement, ALL Councillors must respond by the date requested in the subject matter. PC/75/23 To consider Dorney Parish Council joining the Local Government Pension Scheme through Bucks As the Clerk qualifies for joining the scheme, this was agreed. More information will be brought to the next meeting with figures and timescales. PC/76/23 To discuss the Community Governance Review on Parish Boundaries Cllr. Stopford will be submitting a request for review as a resident to push the boundary from Roundmoor Ditch to the M4. It was agreed that should Buckinghamshire agree to the review, Dorney Parish Council will support. PC/77/23 To consider replacing the entry to Dorney signs that have eroded and been destroyed by the cattle It was agreed that we will revisit this next month with more information. The Clerk will establish ownership of the signs, Cllr. Dax will explore costs and Cllr. Westcott-Wreford to provide photos. PC/78/23 To discuss speed controls on Lake End Road, Common Road and Marsh Lane It was agreed that there needs to be a review on speed limits across the parish, this was also apparent from the Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire results. The Clerk will look at the processes for review. PC/79/23 To confirm extra days for RJC Landscapes There are no areas currently that the Parish is responsible for that are causing a problem. It was agreed to wait until the end of summer and review. It was agreed that Cllr. Palmer will investigate hedge trimming near the Dorney Lake entrance. PC/80/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents None PC/81/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 18th July 2023 Lake End Common and Dorney Common floods. Posts outside Pineapple and Ashford Lane. Annual Plan for the Parish Council. Pension scheme. Dorney Village sign at Eton Wick end of Dorney Common, which has rotted and possibly been knocked down by the cows. Speeding review update. 41 Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising Rates Height mm Width mm 10 issues 1 issue Full Page 190 130 £100 £13 Half Page 90 130 £55 £8 Third of a page (Horizontal) 60 130 £50 £7 Quarter Page (Horizontal) 45 130 £45 £6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News September 2023 Picture of Boveney Court Farm buildings taken from Bucks Council’s Planning Department’s Appraisal for the Boveney Conservation Area in July 1996 Proposed 12 new houses on Boveney Court Farm buildings site: Planning Permission Refused! See Page 12 for details ISSUE NO. 7/23 SEPTEMBER 2023 EDITORIAL ‘Dorney is a little haven of green surrounded by urban development from all sides. It should be protected as such for everyone to enjoy’. So commented a Dorney resident in the recent Neighbourhood Plan survey. If we see this ambition as now part of the DNA of this village, then events since our last issue have been very encouraging. Firstly, the Planning Committee of Bucks Council voted to reject the application by Eton College to build 12 houses on the Boveney Court Farm site (see page 12). Secondly, there had been signs of momentum this summer in Dorney’s efforts to ensure that the owner of the Orchard Herbs site complies with Bucks Council’s planning enforcement notices, but, as we go to press, these seem less promising (see page 18). Thirdly, after a well-attended public meeting and the publication of the survey results, the Neighbourhood Plan team will be encouraged as they proceed to completion of a draft plan (see page 8). Preserving the unique character of a beloved, historic hamlet, removing or at least ameliorating an eyesore that for long has been a scourge on our village, and building a long-term defence to better protect our ‘little haven of green’ are all straightforward concepts. But the background to these issues and the route to solutions are complex and cloudy. So, can we recommend three documents, each of which can be found online, which cut through to the essence of these issues? In 1996 South Bucks District Council prepared an appraisal document (see this month’s front cover) which designated Boveney as a conservation area. Copies of this were held in Dorney, but Bucks Council had mislaid theirs and Eton had forgotten they had one. The appraisal played a pivotal role in Dorney’s case to the Planning Committee. In May, an acerbic email on Orchard Herbs winged its way to Bucks Council from our Parish Clerk. It spoke the language of us residents (Dorney is located ‘on the forgotten edges of the council’s administrative area’ and has ‘no confidence the Council will follow up with further action’).Answers did appear to be forthcoming. If you wonder why this magazine is giving such support to the Neighbourhood Plan, one answer is buried deep in the report prepared on the Boveney application by the Case Officer, who was inclined to approve the application. It implied that without a completed plan there were no ‘local planning policies that specifically prevent ..additional housing within Dorney’. Please come to the next open meeting on October 8th. Talking of following online, it’s worth taking a look at the webcast of that planning committee meeting. Local councillors making the case for Dorney conservation and those on the committee sympathetically debating our future for an hour or so rather bolsters your faith in the relevance of local government. The recent survey revealed a degree of sadness at our lack of year-round access to Dorney Lake. Well, it’s been confirmed that the site will be open to visitors from ‘early September’. If you have a local resident complimentary car parking pass, be sure to renew it. Many will see the re-opening as some consolation as summer draws to a close. Services in the Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Part-time Assistant Curate: Rev. Carole Gooding (07786) 290162 Churchwardens: Stephen Baker & Mark Procter Correspondence Address: St. James the Less, C/O St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JA Email: Helen O’Neill stjohnstjamesed@hotmail.co.uk For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Stephen Baker writes: We bade farewell to the Rev. La Stacey at the end of July after she and husband David had spent the last 9 years supporting the parish of Dorney. They will be greatly missed, and we wish them well as they embark on their retirement to France. This puts St. James the Less (and the churches in Eton and Eton Wick) into a period of planned vacancy between assigned clergy, usually lasting around a year. Unlike previous vacancy periods, we will be able to maintain our current frequency and types of services due to the support we will be receiving from the Rev. Carole Gooding, our part time Assistant Curate and some additional support from the local area. Our service times can be found at the end of this article. September is the time in the annual church calendar dedicated to God as Creator and Sustainer of Life and the theme for this year is “Let Justice and Peace Flow”. It is the time of the year when we can especially focus on our relationship with God as Creator, with the Earth, with other creatures and with those around us. We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful landscape, with the river, lake, and beautiful fields, with an abundance of nature on our doorstep and friendly people to share it with. This unfortunately is in stark contrast to other people, in the UK, or further afield who do not have what we may take for granted, who are suffering day to day, or have recently lost their livelihood through natural disasters. If you get the opportunity, have a think about all the things you have, not what may be missing. Best regards, Stephen Baker Church Warden Church Services in September 2023 Sunday 3rd September 9.30 am Holy Communion (said BCP) 11.00 am Any Age Service St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 6th September 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 10th September 9.30am Holy Communion 11.00am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 17th September 9.30am Holy Communion 11.00am Morning Worship St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 20th September 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 24th September 9.30am Harvest Worship 11.00am Holy Communion for Harvest St James the Less, Dorney St John the Baptist, Eton Wick St Mary Magdalene, Boveney This beautiful church on the Thames is open daily. www.st-mary-magdalene-boveney.org.uk Bon Voyage, La and David When Rev La Stacey attended her last Open Book session at Dorney School, she was presented with a very fitting leaving gift -a lovely pineapple plant. We are told that each of the school’s classes presented wonderful handmade cards to her. At her last service in St James the Less, a photograph was taken of La and husband David.After her very last service in the benefice on July 30th there was what La called a ‘leaving do’in Eton Wick School. Dorney Parish News wishes La and David bon voyage. Dorney Neighbourhood Plan Next meeting on Sunday, 8th of October, 6pm at Dorney Village Hall. You may already be familiar with the Dorney Neighbourhood Plan through previous editions of the Dorney Parish News. However, if this has somehow passed you by there is a wealth of information available on the Dorney Parish website under Planning/Neighbourhood plan. Alternatively, you can put the link below in your browser and it will take you straight there. https://dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk/parish-plan/neighbourhood-plan/ Progress has continued at a pace since our last update in the Dorney Parish News. We’ve successfully conducted two productive residents’ meetings, where some excellent suggestions and feedback have been incorporated into the planning process. The Background and Procedures as well as the Visions and Objectives documents are nearing completion thanks to your input. We are now pleased to invite you to the upcoming Dorney Neighbourhood Plan Meeting. This meeting marks a key moment in shaping the future of our community and is your final chance to make a difference. Join us on Sunday, October 8th, 2023, at 6pm, at the Dorney Village Hall where we will present our plan, seek final feedback and look for your acceptance in order to submit it to Bucks Council. Your presence is vital as we complete the crucial next steps in completing the Neighbourhood Plan, a document that will be presented to Bucks Council for approval. The key areas covered will be housing development, roads/traffic, environment, and welfare, so it is really important that we gain your commitment. Although our original plan was to hold this meeting in September, unforeseen commitments compelled us to reschedule it to October 8th. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may have caused. With your continued support, we will move forward to the finalisation of the draft document that will be presented to Bucks Council. Please be a part of this important project and attend the meeting on the 8th of October, 6pm at Dorney Village Hall. Your input really does matter. If you have any queries or wish to be kept up to date by email, please send your request to dorneyneighbourhoodplan@gmail.com Dorney Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Working Group ‘Thank you for letting us have a say’ – Dorney’s 2023 Survey A survey of Dorney residents’ opinions was recently undertaken as part of the Neighbourhood Plan preparation. Following an open meeting at Dorney School in July, the results were uploaded to the Parish Council website. Dorney Parish News thought we should summarise the findings, but we do recommend you have a look on the website for yourselves. A Neighbourhood Plan should demonstrate how a community has been consulted, and questionnaires like this are a tried and tested form of such consultation. The survey was available through May into mid-June. The vast majority of responses were online. We can’t be exactly certain how representative of the whole community these respondents were, but the 101 completed questionnaires met the team’s objectives, and we can be pretty confident that with such a sample the general pattern of Dorney thinking has been captured. Some readers might remember rather wider parish appraisal surveys in 1990 and 2000, but this exercise was very much focused on the concerns of the NP – housing development, roads and traffic and Dorney’s environment. It’s worth catching up with the residents’comments that the questionnaire invited – they are almost more enlightening (and entertaining) than the numbers. We are rather suspicious of ‘development’ with two thirds of respondents answering ‘no’ to the question of accommodating further development, and to take just one example, a thumping 95% agreeing that green spaces and the Greenbelt needed protection, with a restriction to brownfield sites strongly supported. Perhaps reflecting our parish’s demographics, 78% favoured any development being of ‘family houses’. There seems to be much lower support for ‘flats/maisonettes’ (are we put off by the example of Maidenhead?) and ‘starter homes’ and ‘social housing’ (likewise the vast estates threatening communities like Bourne End). If we all tend to love our environment, then we’re unlikely to be in a hurry to see change. 85% of us would favour only ‘construction and building materials in keeping with the area’ included in any further development. Endemic Dorney infrastructure issues still cut through, with two thirds and a half of respondents respectively citing ‘fibre internet’ and ‘high water pressure’ as important add-ons for any development. 57% favoured a general reduction in speed limits, and there was a very positive response - with three quarters in favour - to limiting speed across Dorney Common. North of 90% of us think the volume of traffic has increased in recent years, that ‘high tonnage HGVs should be restricted from Dorney, and that ‘all road approaches into the Parish should reflect the character of Dorney’. Similar proportions use the Children’s Playground as use the Village Hall (51% and 55%) and three quarters of us ‘make use of Dorney Lake’. The comments indicate deep regret that residents’ entry to the Lake is now restricted. ‘A pass system should be devised to allow residential access all year round’ was a typical comment. This review must be brief – please, everybody, visit the PC website. Despite regrets over the Lake and the M4 despoliation, we are not too gloomy. Small majorities of those answering point to improvements in biodiversity and deny feeling less safe than in previous times. A substantial minority, mercifully, think our environment has actually improved. Peter Bowman What’s happening at Dorney Playground? Well, the simple answer is LOTS. We had a very successful summer party on July 19th. Over one hundred children attended and we raised £1200 for playground funds. Remember that Dorney Playground is maintained and improved by a group of volunteers who receive no money from either Dorney Parish Council or Buckinghamshire County Council. All money comes from fund raising or grants. So, the next event in the calendar is the Halloween Party on Friday 20th October. The party runs from 17.00 – 19.30 at Dorney Village Hall, with the entertainment being provided by NON-STOP KIDS ENTERTAINMENT who provide a magician show and high energy party games with prizes. Obviously, the theme of the party is Halloween and the Village Hall will be decorated accordingly. It is open to all 4–11-year-olds. The only slight problem with the party is that two of the committee members are out of the country on this date, so we are actively seeking volunteers to join us to help sell food and drinks to the children and their parents. It would be a real shame if we don’t have enough people to run the event. CAN YOU HELP? Please contact me if you can spare 2.5 hours on 20th October. TIMBER SNAKE SWING If you’ve been down to the playground you will probably have seen the metal structure called the I-play. This hasn’t worked properly for some time, so we are fundraising to replace the I-play with a TIMBER SNAKE SWING. The quotation from PlayDale is £15,241.81 The Dorney Playground Management committee are working very hard applying to various organisations to try and raise this amount. Obviously, we’ll keep you up to date with how we are progressing, but if you know anyone or any company (local or not) who might be willing to donate some money to boost the fund raising, please let us know. Dorney Playground Management Committee 07737 053409 Email: Playground4Dorney@gmail.com Charity number: 1131683 Following ‘call in’ of proposed residential development at Boveney Court Farm we can confirm that this application was refused by the Planning Committee. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN MEETING…. Sunday 8th October 6pm in the Village Hall. This meeting is your chance to view Dorney Parish Council’s proposals and contribute your feedback. This will allow us to prepare the draft document to be presented to Bucks Council. Your contribution at this stage of the preparations will shape a Dorney Parish that thrives and where every voice contributes to our shared vision for the future. The Parish Council would like to thank the litter pickers for their hard work across the Parish. Review of Parish Maintenance CATTLE GRID Speed Limits: Bucks Council Dorney Parish Council meetings during the autumn. Latest advises that will now be on the information: work changing any 3rd Tuesday of will commence on 11th September. speed limit costs approx. every other month: NEXT PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: Check the DPC £10,000. January, March, 19TH website for Options being considered. May, July, September, SEPTEMBER 7.30 at Dorney updates November. School 1 Eton College’s PlanningApplication for 12 new houses in Boveney is refused. In November 2022 Eton College submitted a planning application for a development of 12 new houses at the site of Boveney Court Farm buildings (previously used as the depot for Dorney Lake maintenance and before that Landmark Tree Surgery, owned by Mark Knight). There were a number of objections submitted by residents, Dorney Parish Council and Dorney History Group. The final recommendation of Bucks Council’s Planning Department was that this application for a significant development, swamping Boveney, should be approved, with few changes from Eton College’s original plan, and be delegated to themselves, with they, the Planning Department deciding under delegated powers. Dorney Parish Council were very unhappy with both the recommendation and the proposal that the Planning Department would mark their own homework on such a substantial and important development. Consequently they persuaded our three Ward Councillors – George Sandy, Paul Kelly and Kirsten Ashman -to “call itin” to thePlanning Committee,madeupof elected councillors, who would then be the decision makers on whether to accept or refuse the application. On behalf of the Dorney History Group (DHG), I had been trying to establish why the 1996 Boveney Conservation AreaAppraisal document (which DHG had a copy of) had not been included in the extensive list of Policy Considerations and Evaluation in the planning department’s 54 page recommendation to the Committee. AFreedom of Information request to Bucks Council in June for correspondence relating to this document resulted in a response stating that Bucks had no paperwork on this as it was a 27 year old document! This raised a red flag as theAppraisal document was not listed on the Bucks website – but the Conservation Area Map was.AMap cannot exist without an Appraisal document. An article in the July 1996 edition of DPN written by the then Chair of Dorney Parish Council, Ken Richmond states ““The latest talking point is that, despite strong opposition from Eton College, much of Boveney has been designated a Conservation Area. The College claimed that, as the hamlet was already designated an “Area of Attractive Landscape” and in the “Green Belt” it was sufficiently protected from development.” This raised another red flag. If Eton College opposed it, they must have a copy of it. Why didn’t they provide a copy to their planningAgents? So, this legal document – the Boveney Conservation Area Appraisal – which is a required “material consideration” in planning matters, meaning that the planners had to include it and provide reasons why they may not be following its guidelines, had been totally ignored. One of the most important guidelines in the document is “The Council would therefore not want to see further development or any intensity in the use of the settlement by visitors.” Acopy is available on the Dorney Parish Council website and the Dorney History Group website. On 25 July 2023, the South Area Planning Committee of Bucks Council met to determine the answer. Jill Dax, Chair of Dorney Parish Council, and I, on behalf of Dorney History, made 3 minute speeches at the meeting and there followed a discussion amongst the Councillors and Planning Officers on a number of subjects – access down Boveney Road, density of the site, car parking spaces, Green Belt, the Appraisal, loss of employment, sight lines and affordable houses. Two hours later the Committee voted 6-1 to reject the planning application. In many cases, planning committees do follow the recommendations made by the planning department. The planning department's recommendations are typically based on extensive assessments of the application, taking into account local planning policies, public consultations, and relevant regulations. However, there are instances where the planning committee may not accept the recommendation and make a decision that differs from what was suggested. This can happen for various reasons, such as: 1. Strong public opposition: If a planning application generates significant public interest or opposition, the committee may decide to go against the recommendation to reflect the community's concerns. 2. Legal considerations: The planning committee might have legal reasons for rejecting the recommendation, such as potential conflicts with national planning policies or environmental regulations. 3. New information: Occasionally, new evidence or information may come to light during the committee meeting, leading to a different decision from the initial recommendation. In this case all three of these reasons came into play. Residents had had their say at a presentation at Dorney Lake and in their objections, Dorney Parish Council prepared a 10 page document, together with a copy of theAppraisal, which stated very clearly what the planning officers had not legally considered. This was emailed to all the Committee Members during the weekend before the meeting so they were fully appraised of the full details before the meeting. Some drove down to Boveney that weekend to ensure they understood the content of the document and theAppraisal. TheAppraisal was the “new information”. Those of us attending from Dorney felt that the Planning Committee was very well chaired, asked penetrating questions, understood the rural environment and were concerned at some of the specialist Officer’s opinions provided to them. It was encouraging to see the level of detail that they went into. On the other hand, the same could not be said of the two Planning Officers present. So, it is possible (but not definite) that Eton College will appeal the decision. If they do, within 12 weeks, we will all have to do battle again. Alternatively, Eton College could decide to put in a new application for a lesser number of houses, perhaps four, using the existing buildings – but it won’t be easy for an architect to create four saleable houses, given the lack of potential garden space for two of them. In the meantime, the weeds will continue to grow on the site, and it will continue to look quite sad. On the front cover of our May issue, we published a table setting out the possible impact of housing developments in Dorney Parish drawn from Eton College’s publicly stated plans. We estimated a future increase of 120 houses, or 40%. Following representations from Eton, we have revised this estimated increase to 93 houses: Impact of possible housing developments in Dorney Parish (revised JUN23) Houses Possible new Houses %age Possible Developments Current Houses Future increase Dorney Village (inc. north of Cress Brook) Court Farm 100 11 111 11% Dorney Reach Oak Stubbs Lane 171 30 201 17% Lake End Gaskins Meadow 19 39 58 205% Boveney (south of Cress Brook) Boveney Stables and Boveney Court Farm buildings 10 13 23 130% Totals 300 93 393 31% The Boveney application, which is still subject to appeal, is for 12 houses, but there is a separate approved application to convert a barn into a house at Boveney Court Stables, hence our number of 13. Eton College have advised DPN that the new homes under consideration at Court Farm number 11, rather than 20. Eton College have put Boveney Court up for sale. The two separate smaller buildings within the curtilage – The Lodge and The Bungalow – are now vacant and included in the sale, so the current housing reduces from 12 to 10. The total number of new houses is now 93, a 31% increase. This has to be considered against the latest government forecast of the population of South Bucks decreasing between 2020 and 2030: Area 2020 2025 2030 Change England 56,678,470 58,060,235 59,181,798 4.40% South East 9,235,982 9,440,908 9,596,381 3.90% Buckinghamshire 545,925 557,874 564,319 3.40% Aylesbury Vale 205,426 217,764 226,334 10.20% Chiltern 96,274 96,985 96,703 0.40% South Bucks 70,083 70,212 70,007 -0.10% Wycombe 174,143 172,914 171,275 -1.60% Source: Office of National Statistics 2018 We now have to both await the appeal decision and see whether Bucks Council’s review of submitted sites suitable to build houses on for the Local Plan 2040 removes the Oak Stubbs Lane Field and Gaskins Meadow from the list, as they did in the defunct 20162036 Local Plan, given that both are green field sites in the Green Belt. No deadline set for that, yet. In the meantime we must all work to protect our (still) beautiful parish. Bill Dax Dorney History Group Dorney Horticultural Society Harvest Supper Evening Friday 6th October 7-30pm Dorney Village Hall The evening will start with a buffet supper followed by our guest speaker Charlotte Popescu with a fascinating talk about wild food All Welcome Bring your own drink and glasses Tickets £10/head members -£12/head non-members Book now email: ddhs@btinternet.com All Enquiries to Peter Bowman: 07889 912714 WHAT WE HAVE LOST As Dorney works to develop a new Neighbourhood Plan, attention is rightly focussed on the pleasant environment in which we live. The expansive common, still traditionally grazed; the many old houses in the village; the ancient manor house and church; the fields of arable crops; all are greatly valued by Dorney’s current residents. How lucky we are to enjoy such a lovely place which retains so much of its history! That set me thinking what a visitor from an earlier time might miss about today’s village. Arriving across the common from Eton Wick, our visitor might first notice the absence of a gate across the road. Dorney Gate came complete with a look-out box housing a gatekeeper ready to open the gate when traffic arrived. In 1885 the gatekeeper was an old man of 86 wearing the smock frock which had been the traditional garb of a farm labourer in earlier times, happy to engage in conversation with passers-by. This was probably Thomas Tugwood, who died in 1887, the position as gatekeeper being inherited by another Tugwood. Probably Thomas’ son George, he was still on duty at Dorney Gate when schoolmistress Miss Bennett arrived in 1919: Mr. Tugwood, the keeper of the Common gate, was one of the old school, who dressed in the Sunday clothes worn fifty or sixty years before: a black cut-away coat, much washed, tightfitting corduroy breeches, cloth gaiters, with red handkerchief and billycock hat. Every day he stood at the Common gate, which he opened and shut for the traffic. He got a small wage augmented by tips. If a pedestrian went through with only a polite 'thank-you', the old man replied, "I've had a pocketful of them today." He had a tiny hut for wet days. He continued his job until he could no longer walk up to the gate, even with two sticks. Both Thomas and George Tugwood worked on farms before taking on the role of Once through the gate, our visitor would recognise much that was familiar in the buildings lining Village Road, even though cottages that were once multiple occupancy are now restored single dwellings. It might however be puzzling to see no shops or post office. Since at least the mid-1830s, the people of Dorney had been able to buy fresh bread from the village bakery. There are residents who still remember the daily (and nightly) activity of preparing those loaves, the appetising smells they generated and even the delicious taste of the iced plaits made by the last baker. In 1851 Dorney gained its own post office, run by the baker who also sold groceries. The post office provided local people with not only gatekeeper in later life. convenience in posting letters and parcels but also a telegraph office for immediate communication and a banking facility. Later a second bakery and grocer’s shop opened. Both shops and post office ceased trading in the 1970s. Gone, too, are the ponds that used to provide water for passing livestock on the south side of the road, although the ditch linking them is still there. In their place, the visitor would now see houses, trees and gardens. One of the modern houses is called Pond House, recalling the former use of the site. Old Pond House, of 17th century origins, still stands to one side of the former village pond. The Palmer Arms would be a familiar sight for our traveller, but the village stocks which used to stand in front are long gone. Dorney had no gaol house but the stocks could be used by the village constable to hold securely some vagrant or miscreant. The person held sat on a bench and placed their legs in the holes, the upper bar keeping them in that position until released by the constable’s key. A story recounted in 1849 told how a group of young artists fooling around managed to trap one of their number in the stocks, freed by the village blacksmith only after an hour and a half during which he was tormented by jeering local lads. Arriving at Climo’s Corner (though not then known by that name), our visitor might glance to the left and wonder what had happened to Barge Path. Formerly a straight lane running down to the river, for the use of barge horses towing vessels on the Thames and subject to the payment of a fee, the path now meanders its way to the riverbank, while the route straight on leads into Dorney Lake. But our visitor might not have been allowed access to the path in earlier times. In 1859, Henry Palmer issued a notice stating that there was no right-of-way for people to get to Monkey Island across his land, either along Barge Path or from the Thames Bank. Trespassers would be prosecuted. It was only in more recent times that both became public rights-of-way and we could then enjoy the leafy walk down Barge Path. Continuing up Marsh Lane, the traveller’s vista to the left would be significantly changed. In years gone by, much of the road was unfenced and an open field of arable crops stretched away west to the river and north towards the boundary with Amerden. This was known as Oak Stubbs field, one of the four big fields of Dorney. Beside the road part way along was a gravel pit, one of three in this field. Little by little, this field has been transformed. First came the development of Dorney Reach from the early 1900s; then came the Climos’ dairy farm and two enclosed fields alongside Barge Path. In the mid-1980s arable farming in the field ceased when it was leased to Thames Water and divided up as we know it today, used for grazing horses, water extraction and rewilding. On Google Maps satellite view, the oval shape of the former gravel pit can still be made out. Would our time traveller have felt regret at the absence of much-loved features? Or would they have simply recognised that places and landscapes inevitably change over time? I wonder. Virginia Silvester Orchard Herbs Site; Dorney Parish Council attempts to restore to green field being thwarted by Bucks Council’s incompetence. On 11 May 2023 Dorney Parish Council, supported by Burnham and Taplow Parish Councils, wrote an excoriating letter to the Chief Executive of Bucks Council. The full letter can be read on the Dorney Parish Council’s website under Local Projects/Orchard Herbs site (Burnham). The key points include the following: “Extant enforcement notices 6. We understand from appeal documentation issued by the Council in connection with the ongoing appeal relating to the Certificate of Lawfulness, that there are currently only two enforcement notices that remain in force at the Site. 7. The first is dated 6 June 2007 and was issued in respect of storage bays (07/20923/ENBREN). The second is a notice that was issued on 30 May 2008 in respect of the importation, deposit and processing of waste at the Site (SB/ENF/06/18). 8. We would be grateful if the Council could confirm the position. If there are any other enforcement notices that remain in force at the Site, we would be grateful to know and to be provided with a copy of all extant enforcement notices. A site neglected from effective enforcement 9. The main purpose of this letter is to express our frustration and ongoing concerns as Parish Councils and on behalf of the residents that we represent. The owners of the Site are notorious for their persistent and continually changing breaches of planning control. In our view, Buckinghamshire Council has not been able to monitor and effectively deal with the various breaches of planning control. The Site has for far too long been neglected; we consider that part of the reason is that because it is located on the forgotten edges of the Council’s administrative area. A sentiment echoed by the residents we are in contact with. 10.Firstly, we have no confidence that all the current breaches of planning control are the subject of an enforcement notice. The danger is that in failing to monitor the Site effectively, the Council is running the risk of further applications for Certificates of Lawfulness in due course. 11.Secondly, even where enforcement notices are served and take effect, that should not be the end of the matter. We have no confidence that the Council will follow up with further action where the Site owner fails to comply with planning enforcement notices. We discuss this in more detail below. Legal powers available to the Council that have not been utilised 12. We note that the Council has the option of pursuing a criminal prosecution pursuant to section 179 of the Town and Country PlanningAct 1990 (the “1990Act”) or alternatively section 171G where a Temporary Stop Notice has been contravened. However, the penalties for failing to comply with an enforcement notice, is the payment of a fine which fails to remedy the breach of planning control. 13. We have lost confidence in the Council which has failed to utilise the full range of statutory provisions available tothem under the said 1990Act. We are aware that the Council can secure an injunction pursuant to section 187B where it is considered necessary or expedient for any actual or apprehended breach of planning control, whether or not the Council has exercised or is proposing to exercise any other enforcement powers pursuant to this part of the 1990Act. 14. The Council also has, in respect of enforcement notices that have already been served and not complied with, powers under section 178 to enter the land and take the steps required by the enforcement notice and subsequently recover expenses incurred from the owner of the land. 15. The Council also has separate powers under section 215 of the 1990Act to serve a notice on the landowner requiring the condition of the land to be remedied where it appears to the Council that the amenity is adversely affected by the condition of the Site. Section 219 provides the Council with the powers to enter the land and take the steps required by a section 215 notice that has either not been appealed or survived an appeal. 16. It is clear therefore that planning legislation provides Buckinghamshire Council with all the necessary powers to investigate, pursue and remedy breaches of planning control, as far as we are aware the Council has never considered use of direct action powers. The Site has and continues to be an eyesore. If the Council has considered use of powers under sections 178, 187B and 215 but decided not to use them, we would like to understand your reasons. 17. Having considered the Council’s Planning Enforcement and Monitoring Plan we are not persuaded that the breaches of planning control at the Site are sufficiently minor to justify no direct remedial action. The Council’s service of a temporary stop notice indicates (in line with paragraph 7.17of the Planning Enforcement and Monitoring Plan) that the airport car parking and vehicle storage “…is so serious that it warrants immediate cessation.” If that is the case, what approach is to be taken in respect of any remaining breaches? Meeting with the Council 21.While we appreciate the Council must be seen to be proportionate in their enforcement response, in the matter of the Orchard Herbs Site, the owner operates on a strategy of delaying voluntary remediation, appealing applications and enforcement notices to delay any notice taking effect and operating in the full knowledge that the Council is unlikely to follow up with a prosecution and/or injunctions or the Council carrying out the remedial works themselves. 22.The owner’s strategy has worked to his advantage for at least 30 years and we require a meeting with the relevant officers at the Council (including key decision makers) to discuss this. [and the following matters: • Which enforcement notices remain extant and of those notices which have been complied with in full and which have not. • An understanding of the Council’s appraisal of the current status of the Site, in particular are there any breaches of planning control that are not subject of an enforcement notice and if so, is the Council still within the relevant time limit to serve enforcement notice(s) to remedy those breaches. • In respect of those breaches of planning control where the Council is confident that there can be no allegation that the breach is now immune from planning enforcement action, or it remains the subject of an extant enforcement notice, what steps the Council will take to ensure that (i) the remedial work is carried out without delay or (ii) an enforcement notice will be served to prevent immunity from planning control. • Understanding the Council’s strategic approach in monitoring the Site at consistent intervals, taking into account the matters mentioned above.] 23.We do not consider that it is necessary to await the outcome of the appeal in respect of the Certificate of Lawfulness before the meeting can take place. We have seen the Council’s letter of 10 March 2023 to the appellant’s agent inviting him to withdraw the appeal. It is clear from this correspondence that the appeal is highly likely to be dismissed as it has no prospect of success. 24.We request that the meeting take place within the parish of Dorney, a suitable venue will be provided once the date, time and attendees have been confirmed. We look forward to hearing from you. Sent by Ruth Senior, Clerk to Dorney Parish Council, On behalf of Jill Dax – Dorney Parish Council Chair. ” Also, on the website, the responses of Bucks Council to this letter can be read. They can be summarised as follows: • 23 May 2023: I can advise you that the current situation is that we are still considering the expediency of further formal action. This decision is yet to be finalised. It should be borne in mind that prosecutions and injunctions do not immediately lead to the breaches being resolved but I can assure you that all these avenues are being fully explored in order to seek a final remedy. • 28 June 2023: Further to our previous correspondence I write to advise that we have now received legal advice in relation to this matter. We will now be acting upon that advice and taking action accordingly. I hope you are able to understand that for operational reasons, I can’t go into any detail about what that action is, but I can provide assurance that we have a direct of travel and we are pursuing it. We will be able to tell you more once we have clarified a few other points and once the relevant action has been instigated. • 26 July 2023: I have caught up with the team and can advise that we have received legal advice which has provided an initial view of the matter and an indication as to the next steps forward. We are currently reviewing our position and gathering further evidence in order to be able to progress the relevant actions. At this stage, I am unable to go into more detail about that action nor am I am able to disclose the legal advice but I do anticipate being able to provide more details in 3 weeks as this will allow us the necessary time to move forward and provide a suitably positive response. In the opinion of Dorney Parish News, the responses are inadequate and demonstrate 30 years of incompetence by Bucks Council. Relying on two enforcement notices over 15 years old, failing to issue any injunctions and patting oneself on the back for a Temporary Stop Notice that did stop the illegal airport parking but failed to address the illegal lorry scrap yard and the illegal concrete mixing business is hardly demonstrating competent local government. We understand that, after many years of requesting a meeting with senior officials in Bucks Council on this matter and no one in the Council being willing to travel the extraordinary distance to Dorney from Amersham or Aylesbury, Bucks Council may have finally agreed to a meeting with Dorney Parish Council, Burnham Parish Council and Taplow Parish Council – in Dorney to discuss their lack of plans to resolve this totally unacceptable situation. Let’s hope that is the case! Regrettably, in order to get a final resolution to this 30 year old issue, Dorney Parish Council (and the other two Parish Councils) may have to resort to initiating a formal complaint or, possibly, a judicial review against Bucks Council. What a mess Bucks Council has got us all into on this one. And they have no plan! Peter Bowman and Bill Dax DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School Let me introduce myself to new readers and other members of the community at the start of a new school year. I was born in sunny Singapore and spent my formative years there right up to earning my degree from the National University of Singapore. Singapore is an island nation surrounded by other South East Asian nations and you can easily commute from one end of the island to the other in under an hour. Known for its highly developed economy, Singapore boasts excellent public services including education. Across the border (a mile across the Singapore channel) lies Malaysia. Both Malaysia and Singapore used to be part of the same entity better known as Malaya. The Eastern culture places much value on education and learning facilities are renowned across the world. I completed my Master’s degree at the University of Manchester and spent many happy years up North, starting a family (I have four grown up children), relocating South due to work commitments, and then completing a teaching degree at the University of Reading. I was awarded a Fellowship by the Chartered College of Teaching and work with many grassroots and education organisations. My heart lies in education, Currently I lead a wonderful local village school that places children at the centre of everything we do. Dorney School has around two hundred pupils and is located in an area of outstanding local beauty, surrounded by nature, a park, and is close to the Rivers Thames and Jubilee. It is a gem of a school which never fails to surprise visitors as it is tucked behind some houses and next to a beautiful little park. Our school boasts large, adequate parking facilities for visitors and beautiful, extensive grounds. Staff are highly experienced, committed and above all, happy to help, and teach our children. Our aim is to develop happy children who enjoy learning, discovering and playing; and achieve well. Dorney School, along with all schools, have faced multiple challenges in recent years, the more recent ones being Covid 19, lockdowns and the rising costs of living. Through all these challenges, our values and aims never wavered and this year, we celebrate excellent SATs results yet again, maintaining our high standards of attainment. I am so proud of our amazing school and community. Parents work hand in hand with the school to ensure that every child receives the best support, teaching and provision, regardless of needs. We are led by our values of inclusion, equality and fairness and we teach, and equip our children with these values. We have an amazing PTA (Parents and Teachers Association) that organises community events and raise additional funds for the school. We also work closely with local organisations and businesses, ensuring that the school is always a part of the local community. I urge you to visit our school and see for yourself the wonderful things we do. You may wish to join our increasing number of local volunteers and participate in some of our community projects or come for one of our multiple open events. Do contact the school on 01628620871 or email office@dorneyschool.co.uk I hope to welcome you soon. My very best wishes, Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee Headteacher DORNEY SCHOOL Respect•Collaborate•Grow"A little village school with a 'Big Heart' and a warm welcome" •5 mins drive from the local Sainsbury’s(Taplow) •Beautiful grounds and excellent facilities •Ample parking for everyone Published results above local and national schools, every year. Warm, inclusive, nurturing community that places the child first. Ofsted graded ‘Good’for EYFS, Personal Development, Behaviour & Attitudes Open events 20th September 10am - 11am 12th October 1.30pm – 2.30pm 7th November 10am – 11am 30th November 1.30pm –2.30pm DORNEY SCHOOL Respect•Collaborate•Grow"A little village school with a 'Big Heart' and a warm welcome" •5 mins drive from the local Sainsbury’s(Taplow) •Beautiful grounds and excellent facilities •Ample parking for everyone Published results above local and national schools, every year. Warm, inclusive, nurturing community that places the child first. Ofsted graded ‘Good’for EYFS, Personal Development, Behaviour & Attitudes Open events 20th September 10am - 11am 12th October 1.30pm – 2.30pm 7th November 10am – 11am 30th November 1.30pm –2.30pm Visit our website at www.dorneyschool.co.uk and telephone in to book your school visit School Address: Harcourt Close, SL6 0DY office@dorneyschool.co.uk 01628620871 BREAKING: (with apologies to the formidable Phil Lynott) ♪ The bats are back in town, the bats are back in town ♪ I’m sure regular readers will be relieved and excited to learn that my #batstats are now on an upward trajectory and firmly back in positive territory. The first signs were apparent by the sudden increase in the amount of bat droppings under the bat boxes. I was delighted; my wife instructed me (quite firmly) to immediately jet wash them off the patio. Opposites attract, as they say. Some new dusk bat surveys were therefore in order, although given the weather patterns this summer it was tricky to find a pleasant evening to sit out and gaze at the bat boxes serenely for 40 minutes without a brolly. Nevertheless, a lovely evening did present itself and I took up residence in my favourite bat spotting chair at around 9pm. I had my binoculars at the ready but found that however long I held them up to see the bat boxes in close range, inevitably a bat launched itself out of the bottom of the box just as I dropped the binos into my lap. And launch themselves they did! One … two … three … four . FIVE bats. This was infinitely better than one I thought smugly to myself. I wondered if the single boy bat had invited his mates round for pizza and beer, or if he was now involved in some kind of mixed gender polyamorous type set up. I decided it would probably be healthier if I stopped spending so much time speculating on bat community arrangements. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to definitively identify the species of bat in the boxes. I kind of presume they are common pipistrelle, and I did have a bat echolocation device but it has been “borrowed” by my northern family and lost in the mists of time. I did find the bat listening device useful, but I have to admit that I am a late adopter of technology. I remember being at Uni in the early nineties and noticing quite a few people in the computer room in the campus. “What are they doing?” I asked a friend. “Oh, they’re on these new internet chat rooms” he said. “Why would you want to chat on the internet when you can go to the pub?”, I remember thinking. We decamped to the pub (no prizes for guessing I’m afraid). I also remember having a Blackberry phone at work (maybe around 2006?) and was really quite disappointed when I was “upgraded” to one of these newfangled “iPhones”. I really liked the BlackBerry keyboard with proper buttons for each letter and thought that this ridiculous touchscreen that Apple had introduced would never catch on. Since then Apple have sold well over one billion iPhones (and the Blackberry share price has since crashed from a peak of $140 to, er, $5). I will not be publishing investment advice in the Dorney Parish News anytime soon. Anyway, I digress. As a now very adopted iPhone user, I was recently introduced to the Merlin birdsong app. What a revelation! I’m not bad at identifying birds by sight but am fairly useless with birdsong. So, if you’re the same as me, the Merlin app could be a godsend. It identifies the birds I can generally see in our garden (blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits, starling, robin, blackbird, jay, magpie, goldfinch, red kite etc.). And of course, the naturalised ring-necked parakeets (which I do actually have a soft spot for). But also, the ones that I rarely ever see (coal tit, dunnock, wren, great spotted woodpecker, chiff chaff, blackcap, kingfisher, treecreeper, goldcrest). I’ve maybe seen a blackcap twice in our garden in 15 years of living in Dorney Reach but using Merlin I can identify blackcap birdsong virtually guaranteed anytime I walk down the Thames towpath past the black metal sign that marks the left turn to Dorney Lake. Interestingly, Merlin identifies my chickens as “Egyptian geese” so it’s not perfect. On one of our dog walks down the towpath, I didn’t need the Merlin app to identify this poor song thrush fledging that looked a bit bewildered by the side of the path (although Merlin did pick up its mum cheeping frantically in the trees above). Luckily, the dogs ignored it and I hope it survived. I recently enjoyed a weekend in Devon at a place called Embercombe (https://embercombe.org/). They are “rewilding” which I see in the press has ruffled the feathers of gardening luminariesAlan Titchmarsh and Monty Don. I struggle to see why the concept of rewilding gets up the nose of certain people. I don’t think anyone is suggesting we just let nature take over. For me “rewilding” a garden still means its structured and maintained by humans, you’re just doing it primarily for the benefit of wildlife. So I choose native flowers, log piles, bee nesting sites, ponds and never use pesticides or inorganic fertilisers, but I still mow the lawn (although its less now I have more meadow), I still clip the hedges, I still (try) and grow some veg (which always seems to be harder work than you think). “Human curated gardens for the benefit of wildlife” is not very catchy but perhaps less threatening than “rewilding”. No one is suggesting reintroducing wolves in South Bucks, although our friends in Spain, Portugal, Italy,Austria, Germany and France seem to be able to coexist with their wolf populations which have gradually been able to re-establish across the continent. Having been up in the Cairngorms this summer where they are hoping to re-introduce the beautiful lynx, maybe one day there could be room for a few wolves as well. Certainly, with record numbers of deer in the UK there is plenty of food for them. Andrew Oliver Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/2 Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/2 Neighbourhood Priorities Priority – Speeding During May our Roads Policing officers have spent 100 hours conducting speed enforcement at various locations: out of ten site visits they identified 756 offences across South Buckinghamshire LPA. Our fixed cameras have identified 405 offenders. Neighbourhood Officers have been out conducting speed checks at the following locations. Location Number of Number of Highest Speed Vehicles passed vehicles over Recorded Check Site speed limit Marsh Lane, Taplow 21 1 35 MPH Lake End Road, Dorney 135 1 47MPH Priority – Burglary Your Neighbourhood team ensure that victims of burglaries are visited, that neighbours are aware that a burglary has taken place in the area, and both are given crime prevention advice. We have worked with our local Neighbourhood Watch teams to put in place free crime reduction surveys, by trained Crime Reduction Advisors from the local Neighbourhood Watch, who offer a good independent assessment of aspects where you can improve your home security, without any “pressure selling”. Trail Bikes We are getting reports around with regards to off-road bikes being ridden around various locations such as the Jubilee, Taplow, Blackpond Lane, Farnham Common and Burnham Park, Burnham. We are doing extensive patrols in the area and are working with the local parish councils to try to find alternative solutions such as gating to prevent access and ensure public safety. Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/2 Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/2 Waterways Now the warmer weather is here we are seeing an increase in local residents attending our beautiful waterways. The NH team are working closely with Bucks Community Safety team and Bucks and Berkshire Fire and Rescue to promote awareness around water safety and cold water shock. We have been carrying out talks in schools prior to the school holidays and having worked together with partner agencies we have a new video to raise awareness around these issues. Please use the link to view this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdcxThIHUmc&t=1s. The environment agency have also made the following comment about the Jubilee Flood Relief Channel: “Although the Jubilee flood relief channel resembles a natural river on the surface, its channel is designed to convey water as effectively as possible. It is trapezoidal in shape, up to 5 metres deep in places, and has steep sides. It also has weirs along it which can produce very strong currents and the volume and flow of water can change rapidly. For these reasons, we consider that the Jubilee is not safe for swimming, and this has been our publicly stated position since it was created. Previously we have allowed one organised annual swim event to take place, subject to conditions including the provision of safety measures. We have however now reviewed our position in the context of our work with numerous water safety groups and their campaigns to inform communities of the risks posed by swimming in rivers, lakes, and other waterbodies. We now feel that an organised swimming event in the Jubilee undermines the efforts of these local water safety groups by giving the impression that the Jubilee is safe to swim in at any time, when it is not. Consequently, we will no longer consent to this, or any other organised swimming events on the Jubilee.” Offenders Brought to Justice A male has received a community resolution for drug offences in Dorney A male was issued a community resolution for drug offences in Dorney Contact Us: Call 101 (Non-Emergency Contact Number) Call 999 in an emergency only Thames Valley Police Webform: https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/report-a-crime As your Member of Parliament, I have been busy in the constituency over the last month, listening to residents, supporting local businesses and holding regular surgery meetings on the issues that matter most to you. One of my key principles as your representative is that our Greenbelt and green spaces must be preserved. I know this is an issue that residents across Dorney are particularly passionate about. I was glad to meet with residents in Holtspur to discuss a planning application to build 120 homes on our Greenbelt. I have several concerns about the proposal, such as air and noise pollution, water supply, and of course, damage to our green spaces. I also share concern over the current local services in Beaconsfield being able to cope with the increased demand this proposal will bring. Since I was elected, I have always defended our Greenbelt and green spaces and as your Member of Parliament I will always continue to do so. Another issue I have made sure to champion as your Member of Parliament has been tackling antisocial behaviour on our streets across the constituency. It was great to be in Iver, where I spoke with residents about the impact of anti-social behaviour on their community. Speaking with residents, it was clear that we all wanted to work together to create a safer neighbourhood for the future, which I will continue to champion. It was fantastic to visit many local businesses in the area, including Costcutter in Richings Park, the new Pharmacy on Iver High Street and Paul Antony Hair Salon. It was a pleasure to be in Beaconsfield, where I learnt about the ins and outs of how the Royal Mail delivery office functions. I was absolutely delighted to join our fantastic local posties, delivering letters and parcels to constituents. I was also pleased to spend some time with PCSO Vijay Desai, who joined me on a town walkabout. PSCO Desai has dedicated so much to the community, and I highly commend him for that. Although it is recess, the Government is still working hard to deliver for the whole nation. I was pleased to welcome the Government's plan to invest an extra £250 million into the NHS in an effort to boost capacity and tackle waiting lists. The additional nine hundred hospital beds funded through this investment will help bring down waiting lists across the country. Bringing down waiting lists has been one of the Government's main priorities, so I am happy to see action is being taken. Thank you for reading this update. Although Parliamentary recess is still upon us, I have continued to work hard on championing the issues you care most about. If you require further assistance or have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact me at joy.morrissey.mp@parliament.uk or 01494 977 505. Together, we can bring a better and brighter future to the Beaconsfield Constituency and to Dorney. Joy Morrissey MPMember of Parliament for Beaconsfield Assistant Government Whip House of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA | 020 7219 8708 Disraeli House | 12 Aylesbury End | Beaconsfield | Buckinghamshire | HP9 1LW | 01494 977505 www.joymorrissey.uk | @JoyMorrissey | fb.com/joy4beaconsfield Never Too Late Nothing to do? Bit listless? It’s all running too smoothly. You should be pleased with this quiet utopia, but to be honest, a tiny part of you is missing that gut wrenching ‘Oh my Lord!’ that is part of life’s ups and downs? Well, I have the cure!!!! Get married in later life is the answer to that; an expensive one I grant you, and of course, if you are in marital or co-habiting harmony, a quite irrelevant one, but for me sadly that had fallen apart and I had found a lovely lady who appeared reckless enough to ‘take a chance on me,’ to coin a phrase. The amazing, delightful and magical acceptance of my proposal was (and still is) a source of complete wonderment, and I anticipated that slightly smug contentment that ensues after such an announcement, where friends and colleagues slap you on the back while your fiancée modestly displays the huge rock set in gold designed to ward off all other hopefuls of her hand in marriage. A sad little gathering around an official from the local council was never really my cuppa, and most certainly not Cheryl’s either. Watch out Your Majesty. Our celebration will match yours or even better it. The back slapping, congratulations and ‘Oohing and Ahring’ of the engagement ring were very much in evidence, enjoyable too, and the date was set for August 5th 2023 at St. James the Less in lovely Dorney, a date not to be overlooked by yours truly in future years. “Where are you going to have the venue?” a friend at work asked. “Oh, it’s months away.” “Well actually not Dear,” she said. “Just four months or sixteen weeks!” There was much peering into parish magazines, this one included, and searches of what my niece calls ‘the webulator’ followed by complicated conversations about occasional licences, discos and the like; it was all a bit depressing. “This looks good!” said Cheryl and sure enough, attached to glowing notes about the place was a picture of rolling grass, trees and water in dappled sunlight. “Come on!” I replied positively gabbing the keys of the Dagenham Dustbin and off we sped to the great adventure that was to be our Wedding Breakfast venue. Mabel the sat nav directed us into a gravel track alongside the sizable stream we had seen in the picture and our anticipation rose until we found the gravel pit with a few dead lorries, and further down piles of rubbish and more dead vehicles. “I don’t want to get married here,” muttered Cheryl, and in spite of my positive, “Oh let’s at least find it and have a look,” response, I had to agree; conformation that she was right came at the sight of the cleverly photographed nineteen sixties nylon and concrete pile. My colleague at work commiserated, guiltily feeling perhaps that she had panicked me into unwise areas. “Have a look at Wexham Golf Centre,” she suggested a couple of weeks later. There and then I jumped into my car and frightened a few on my arrival less than a mile away still wearing my green suit looking like a waif and stray from Holby City. Coffee in hand, I was introduced to the ever patient (no pun intended!) Jane, for whom it appeared nothing was too much trouble and a few minutes later all concerns about occasional licences, room layout, decorations, menus and the hundred and one other necessities were solved. There was even a disco (ask your dad) included. “I’m retiring,” said the Rev, “but don’t worry, my curate will marry you. She’s very nice,” and so she was, as nearly all Church people are. “I’m marrying you,” said an e mail weeks later from a person new to both Cheryl and me, “but (I paraphrase) please be prompt on your visit for the wedding planning as I have etc etc…” “What’s going on?” I asked the Rev. “I thought your curate was going to marry us.” “She’s on leave then but Albert steps in to help us out.” Albert’s officiation appealed to neither of us and I consulted my bell ringing chums over our dilemma. The font of all knowledge and charismatic ‘Nice Guy’ suggested a whirlwind blonde dynamo in a dog collar (my description, not Mr Charisma’s), The Rev Janet Minkkinen from Burnham. Brevity is laudable in this profession. Suffice to say that within two weeks we had met, planned, and a suggested order of service had arrived unannounced on my webulator. All we had to choose was the music and readings. There were even suggestions there, one of which we used on the great day. Wedding lists are an embarrassment both for the giver and receiver. The implied invitation seems to be, “On a rare day off, drive halfway across the country, sit on an uncomfortable wooden bench for fifty minutes while a friend or distant relative you had forgotten about stands in front in a hired suit and mumbles. Sing a few unfamiliar songs, guiltily reacquaint yourself with God and I’ll give you a nice meal in return… oh, and don’t forget the expensive present! Here! I’ve made a list of what I want!” Our house is tiny and full of sentimental nonsense. There’s no room for more. Awful, isn’t it? But it’s part of the tradition. I have a captain of industry, my niece. She’s a born organiser, clever on the webulator and makes things happen, besides being a mother of three and looking out for an ageing uncle. “Can I help in any way?” asked Sally, the industrial whirlwind. Within a day or two she had organised an ‘on line’ wedding list and had arranged to be here on the day to make Cheryl even more beautiful, followed closely by her sister Helen making the cake and their Mum and my mentor Debbie dashing around, whilst constantly reassuring yours truly that all would be well on the day. I had to be away from my bride the night before the wedding according to tradition. I had booked a Premier Inn room for one in that most romantic locations for a pre wedding night, the Slough Trading Estate. I miserably packed a bag for one, plus my penguin suit and Debbie drove us to the hotel where we three sat silently in the room. Cheryl left on a brief errand. “You look miserable!” said Debbie. “I don’t want to be alone. We’ve not had a night apart for four years.” “I think it’s a bloody silly idea.” “Oh, and I thought it was yours.” “It was mine,” sighed Cheryl as she returned to the room. “I don’t like it either!” “Let’s go home then.” And we did. Another £100 blown. Told you it was expensive, but never boring. Part 2 another time, editor permitting. Stay safe. Mike Quincey What is it Like Living in a Small Village as a Teenager? A 16-year-old girl living in Dorney, that’s me. I have lived in Dorney my whole life and I frankly never wanted to live anywhere else, so much so that I told my parents If they ever want to leave, they will lose their daughter, because I refuse to leave. Everything about Dorney is superb. The location, the community, the pubs, the café at the garden centre and more. Firstly, the location… -A 6-minute drive to Taplow train station which stops on the Elizabeth line, perfect for a teenager wanting to go here, there, and everywhere. -A 5-minute drive to a Sainsburys with a Starbucks, unfortunately an easy way to drain pocket money. -A10-minute drive to Eton which is a quick walk to Windsor; this again is an ideal location for teenagers like me and my brother Seb. But less about the locations around Dorney, more about Dorney itself, and of course, the Jubilee River and Dorney Lake are right round the corner. The Palmer Arms located on one side of Dorney -this is a popular pub and a very handy landmark to direct my Deliveroo orders, ‘I am opposite the Palmer Arms pub’ I say down the phone. Then on the other side being The Pineapple, famous in our family for their mouth-watering garlic bread, a good reward after the 5-minute dog walk I do every couple of months, something my parents aren’t the happiest about and the main reason why a second dog isn’t an option now. Saying that Dorney is an ideal location for dog walks or runs, which is something I did do for about a week at one time and that got progressively less to none now, but I will start again, hopefully!! Dorney is a beautiful little village that has a strong community. For example, I think that everyone knows everyone. The generations aren’t that close to mine, meaning there could be possible varied interests across the residents in Dorney and what they want for the future of the village. The different societies Dorney has to offer in my opinion seem like they are aimed at the older generation, for example, the Horticultural Society. But saying that, everyone is still friendly, meaning there’s always an opportunity for a quick conversation walking down to either The Pineapple, The Palmer Arms, or Crocus, and one thing is for sure, the pubs will bring everyone together. Another community event that as a family we haven’t attended in quite a few years is the Christmas Eve service held in St. James the Less Church near Dorney Court. You brought your orange and stuck those little jelly dots on with cocktail sticks and see people from the village and sing Christmas carols. Along with this I was christened in that very church, not that I can recall the event, but I’m told it was a great fun with all our friends and family attending. Something I haven’t mentioned yet, the famous Dorney Lake, the lake that held the 2012 Olympics for rowing and where I was told when I was much younger that I was going to be a very good rower. When my mum told me that, I took it up and went down to the Lake and joined the club and in fact I thought I was pretty good but unfortunately the thought of capsizing on the water slightly put me off, so I parked that talent at the lake. Since then, I have only gone there for the few runs and walks I have been on that I mentioned earlier. It is a shame that it is closed so often. My parents have lived in the village since 2003, everyone knows everyone’s names, or at least recognises each other and that creates a safe environment which is perfect for a young teenager like me. Generally speaking, I love living in Dorney as a teenager and I think there are so many positives and I really enjoy living in such a tight knit community. If I could be the Mayor of Dorney for one day I would host a big village get together to bring the community just that bit closer, encouraging people to talk to people they don’t normally see or talk to when walking around the village. I’d also get better 5G ;) Laila Marples The Stretch tent has been cleaned and is now back up with new festoon lights that also go into the play area. Our festive menus are online now so do take a look and book your tables. There are a couple of tables still available for Christmas Day! Call 01628 666612 to book Quiz night Tuesday 5th September -730pm, tables of up to 6 people, call or pop in to book your team! Back to school offer-One free kids’ meal with each full price adult meal if you show this advert Mon to Thurs 5-9pm throughout September! Call 01628 662353 to book MINUTES OF THE DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY 18th JULY, 7.30pm AT DORNEY SCHOOL Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Euan MacLennan Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford Cllr. William Voaden Clerk Ruth Senior and 5 members of the public Public Forum The Clerk confirmed that the dead tree on Harcourt Road should be reported on Fix My Street. PC/82/23 Apologies for absence Cllr. Anna Palmer, Cllr. Robert Stopford, Cllr. Stephen Baker PC/83/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda There were none PC/84/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 20th June 2023 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/85/23 To receive the Clerk report The Clerk presented the report which was circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting. PC/86/23 Items of business carried forward 86.1 The Orchard Herbs Site Darran Eggleton responded to our email for an update on the site on 28th June: Further to our previous correspondence I write to advise that we have now received legal advice in relation to this matter. We will now be acting upon that advice and taking action accordingly. I hope you are able to understand that for operational reasons, I can’t go into any detail about what that action is, but I can provide assurance that we have a direct of travel and we are pursuing it. We will be able to tell you more once we have clarified a few other points and once the relevant action has been instigated. In the meantime thank you for the images below and I write to advise that we are pulling together response to the question you raise below. Our priority at the moment is acting on the legal advice but we will pick up the answer to your questions with you in the coming weeks. Kind regards, Darran Eggleton Head of Planning Policy and Compliance It was agreed that the Clerk will chase for the latest update. Cllr. Dax confirmed that a response was received from the Chief Fire Officer regarding the fires on site however this was not very useful as the specifics were not recorded however this has been forwarded to Bucks to log. 86.2 The Neighbourhood Plan Thank you to everyone who attended the presentation prior to this meeting. The analysis of the questionnaire continues. Cllr. Voaden has received some detailed parish maps from Bucks which will help with the next steps. There will now be some further analysis into the pros and cons for possible development sites within the parish. There will be a presentation of the next steps of the Neighbourhood Plan on Sunday 8th October 6-8pm at Dorney Village Hall, all welcome. PC/87/23 Planning The applications on the Boveney Court Farm site have been called in and are going to the Planning Committee on 25th July. Cllr. Dax confirmed she will attend and speak on behalf of Dorney PC. PC/88/23 To discuss the flooding problems on Lake End Common and Dorney Common Cllr. Devon Davies (Eton and Castle Council) spoke about the flooding problems which are suspected to be coming from the Slough Treatment Works; Some work has been undertaken to remove weeds by the Eton Wick Waterways Group to increase flow. The Environment Agency are keen to fence off areas to stop the cattle from entering the water as they are breaking the banks and the silt in the water reduces flow. Thames Water have agreed they could contribute towards improving the situation. It was agreed that the Environment Agency should be chased to improve flow and clear blockages. PC/89/23 To update on the possibility of installing posts outside the Pineapple pub It has been confirmed that unfortunately Bucks do not have the funds available to install posts to stop parking on the pavements and recommended that the Parish Council and residents seek funding from elsewhere. It was agreed that we will speak with County Councillors and the Community Board regarding the situation as this is becoming very dangerous particularly for the Ashford Lane residents exiting the lane. PC/90/23 To consider an Annual Plan for Dorney Parish Council Cllr. Dax has drafted and Annual Plan as we are now in the 3rd year of the new Parish Council. We would like to have a proactive approach to current and future matters within the Council and hope this will help towards that. Draft: Current Matters • Progress Neighbourhood Plan ‘journey • Continue to pursue Bucks (work with Burnham PC) for injunction and revert to permitted usage • Memorial Garden tree survey • Work with Slough, EA, police to prevent trail bike incursion on Jubilee River/local fields & footpaths • Meetings with Dorney Lake to gain summer access for residents • Support parish boundary change -Lake End • Pressure on Bucks to repair potholes • Pursue previously agreed resurfacing of certain roads • Resolve dangerous parking at junction of Ashford Lane/Lake End Road • Make good Village Road cattle grid • Pursue reduced speed limits Lake End Road (60 down to 40mph)/Common Road (60 down to 40mph) Boveney Road (60 down to 30mph) Marsh Lane -from entry to Dorney and Court Lane from 40mph down to 30mph • Replace sign on entry to Dorney from Eton Wick and also on Lake End road entry to Dorney • White entry gates Marsh Lane & Lake End road entry points Matters to discuss and consider 2023/24 • Review of Boveney conservation area and possible expansion • Review of Dorney conservation area and possible expansion • Review management of roadside verges -how to manage less manicured look • Planting at Dents Corner, Marsh Lane/Harcourt Road • Ditto for Memorial Garden • Establish ownership of Trumpers Field, Dorney Reach • Review usage • Footpath Audit -ensure useable • Encourage volunteer litter pickers • Consider re-entering Best Kept Village (2025) -involve Horticultural society • Annual street furniture and signage review • Investigate flooding on Lake End Common (Ashford Lane) It was agreed to discuss this further in the September meeting. The Parish Council would like to thank the litter pickers for their hard work across the Parish. PC/91/23 To update on the Local Government pension scheme It was unanimously agreed that the Dorney Parish Clerk will be enrolled into the scheme. Dorney Parish Council resolved to contact the LGPS to begin the process. PC/92/23 To update on the broken Dorney Village sign It has been confirmed by the Local Area Technician that the sign can be replaced. It was agreed that we will go ahead with this and the replacement/installation of the same signs at all entrances to the parish. PC/93/23 To update on the review on speeding throughout Dorney parish The Clerk circulated information on Bucks speeding reviews prior to the meeting and confirmed that it will be the responsibility of the Parish Council to fund any reviews or changes following changes made in 2013. Current guidelines suggest that approximate costs would be: £550 for speed survey on each road/site £1100 for a speed limit assessment per site In excess of £10,000 to change road speed It was agreed that we should contact the farmer at Boveney to confirm the number of cow deaths in recent years. PC/94/23 Finance The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting and approved. It was agreed that the Clerk will confirm the SSE streetlighting price increase, how many lights are still to be changed to LED and report the light not working on Harcourt Road. PC/95/23 To review the constitutional documents and policies There are no amendments this year. PC/96/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents None PC/97/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 19th September 2023 Lake End Common and Dorney Common floods. Annual Plan for the Parish Council. Dorney Village entry signs. Meeting ended at 8.30 pm Set in the grounds of Dorney Court Estate, near Eton, visitors will find a unique and innovative garden destination offering a curated range of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden. Our shop blends practical and stylish products from around the world with plants that are often difficult to source, particularly from garden centres. With a full nursery of garden and indoor plants, eco-friendly growing supplies, home and garden décor, furniture, firepits, and gifts, Crocus at Dorney Court seamlessly offers something for every home and garden. www.crocus.co.uk Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising Rates Height mm Width mm 10 issues 1 issue Full Page 190 130 £100 £13 Half Page 90 130 £55 £8 Third of a page (Horizontal) 60 130 £50 £7 Quarter Page (Horizontal) 45 130 £45 £6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News October 2023 Dorney Horticultural Society Annual Show: My Dream Garden by Isobel Palmer, selected as the winner of the Dorney Mouse ISSUE NO. 8/23 OCTOBER 2023 EDITORIAL This issue of ‘Dorney Parish News’ includes important updates on Eton College’s plans to develop housing on two sites in the village and routes to solving the disgrace which is the Orchard Herbs site. Roughly every fourth weekend this magazine is delivered to distributors and individual subscribers.Any conversation at those addresses usually includes ‘Oh, I just wanted to ask you, what’s happening about….’ and the subjects of enquiry are usually Orchard Herbs, Eton’s plans for our village and entry to Dorney Lake. We’ve long wanted to spell out, if we could, the exact state of play around these issues. At least the Lake is now open, after a probably justifiable re-closure due to September’s heat wave. But with the publication of an article sent to us by the bursar, we now know that Eton intends to appeal the refusal of their application to build 12 houses in the Boveney Conservation Area which we celebrated in our last issue, and to build 11 houses on the Court Farm site, with public meetings planned about the latter in November. This article is on page X. An email from Bucks Council to our Parish Council seems to make it clear that formal action over the site is likely to be long delayed and casts doubt as to whether Bucks ever intends to produce an injunction against this illegal activity. This email and our council’s strong reaction to it can be read on page Y. Many of those subscribers live in Harcourt Road, and Virginia Silvester wishes us a happy centenary birthday. A large proportion of the current houses, much of the south side of the road, was built and occupied in a rush, one hundred years ago, in 1923. True to form, Virginia reveals the fascinating identities of those pioneer residents in this issue. I don’t know if a regular writer for this parish magazine ever has been married in St James the Less, but Mike Quincey has, last August. He completes the heart-warming story this month and Dorney Parish News wishes Mike and Cheryl every possible happiness. We’d like to welcome a new contributor to ‘DPN’, well, actually two. Laila Marples speaks with the voice of ‘teenager living in a small village’ (her description), and that surely is a voice never heard before in these pages. Andrew Oliver has recently written several smashing articles covering what we have always referred to as ‘Nature Notes’. Andrew, better known as ‘Olly’, will be back in future issues as will be our Dorney Common correspondent, Kristina Perkins. In fact, we are always appealing for new contributors. We’re conscious that much in issues like October’s is controversial. Let us know how you feel (preferably for publication) about not just the high-profile disputes, but anything about the politicians who serve us, whether it be here in Dorney, in Aylesbury or in Westminster, or the utilities that often infuriate us. The recent Neighbourhood Plan survey has been a helpful start, but this magazine is committed to reflecting the views of this very special parish. 3 Services in the Local Churches Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Part-time Assistant Curate: Rev. Carole Gooding (07786) 290162 Churchwardens: Stephen Baker & Mark Procter Correspondence Address: St. James the Less, C/O St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JA Email: Helen O’Neill stjohnstjamesed@hotmail.co.uk For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Rev. Carole writes: As we enter the month of October, so many of our big supermarkets and department stores are festooned with decorations related to the upcoming season … and sadly I am not referring to Christmas. Of course, I am talking about Halloween ... and it seems to be getter bigger and bigger every year. According to the New York Times, Halloween is now bigger business in the U.K. than Valentine’s Day and Firework /Guy Fawkes Night and second only to Christmas and Easter. Undoubtedly the influx of American movies and television series like “The Walking Dead” have added to the enthusiasm for Hallowe’en in the last decade. But how many of us know the origins of Halloween? The word “Hallowe’en” comes from All Hallows (All Saints Eve) and is celebrated the day before the Christian Festival of All Hallows or All Saints Day on 1st November. However, the festival of Hallowe’en originates in the pagan Celtic New Year celebration of Samhain. It was a time when it was thought the dead revisited the earth, and when people wondered what the new year held in store … this accounts for the twin emphasis of Hallowe’en; fear of the dead and evil spirits alongside the customs associated with predicting the future. Christians believe that good and evil are opposites, and many are worried about the presentation of evil as no more than “harmless fun” at Hallowe’en. Concentrating on evil at Hallowe’en brings fear to impressionable young minds and can also breed an unhealthy interest in the occult, which leads to emotional, mental and spiritual distress. This is confirmed 4 by child psychologists, who are dealing with increasing numbers of disturbed children. bed children. For these reasons it is hard to accept Hallowe’en as “harmless fun”. However, Christians believe that evil is real but a defeated power, defeated by the death and resurrection of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ nearly 2,000 years ago, and therefore those who trust in Christ need not ultimately fear evil, however evident it is, at times, in the world today. Hallowe’en at my house means that we do not celebrate this pagan ritual, but we do celebrate Jesus being the light of the world and the next day is All Saints Day when we remember all those people down through the centuries who have followed Jesus in their lives. We do not want to spoil our children’s fun, but we need to teach our children the facts so that they know the truth about Hallowe’en. We often have a pumpkin in our window that has a cross carved out of it rather than an evil face. Some Christians also hold a ‘Light Party’ celebrating Jesus as the light of the world and doing fun activities, so that children do not miss out. Perhaps this Hallowe’en, those of us who are Christians can all give a special ‘treat’ to those that call and bless them with a gift (chocolate is always popular!) and perhaps a leaflet giving information showing them the true way of life by following Jesus. Acknowledgement is given to the Association of Christian Teachers for some of the material included in this article. By Rev Carole Church Services in October 2023 Sunday 1st October 9.30 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am All Age Family Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 4th October 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 8th October 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 15th October 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 18th October 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 22nd October 9.30am Morning Worship St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 29th October 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, Eton Wick 5 ‘Abuzz with Excitement’ – the Dorney Annual Show September 2nd Scores of villagers visited the show at Dorney Village Hall, which was abuzz with excitement throughout the afternoon. Not our words but those of a visiting reporter from the Maidenhead Advertiser. Indeed, the 68th DorneyAnnual Show, organised by the Horticultural Society, was a happy, well-attended and memorable occasion. The Society committee was very pleased that a supportive and cheerful throng turned up on a Saturday afternoon to inspect the entries. Of course, we’d like those numbers and that interest to be reflected in more entries across the 79 different classes, but this was a great platform to build on in future years. The number of entries held steady, but, as importantly, the judges – John Barker (vegetables and flowers),Andrea Alsworth (Domestic) and Jan Bowman (Handicrafts and the children’s section) – agreed the quality was admirable. Jan pointed out that the entries revealed the ‘talent’ that resided in the village. As always DHS chair Ron Alsworth ensured the day ran smoothly and efficiently. He thanked the committee for their efforts, and the Tuck Shop for opening up to sell ice creams on this summery day. Handing out the prizes, he thanked everybody, winners or not, who took part and pointed out that the edible entries no doubt tasted better and were cheaper than those to be found in your local supermarket. He urged all our guests to join the Society and benefit from the events staged. The next will be our Harvest Supper (on October 6th) with a talk by the celebrated author (The Autumn Fruits Cookbook, Wild Food Garden Food) Charlotte Popescu. If Ron rightly paid tribute to all entrants, lets spotlight a few of the successes. Over the years, DHS has owed an enormous debt of gratitude to John Akerman, a most stalwart supporter of the Show. Once again, this year his 42 entries won for John the DDHS Cup. His Exhibition Shallots propelled him towards sweeping the board in the Fruit and Vegetables awards. After all this, the Dorney Show Cup was John’s as Overall Show Winner. Anna Snook’s display of Mixed Flowers made her Overall Winner in the Flowers division while the winner of the Domestic Section was Jan Bowman. Her lemon curd is truly scrumptious (believe me). Adult Handicrafts featured a number of fine watercolours and high-quality photographs. One of the artists, Chris Knightbridge, was declared overall winner. Special mention must be made of Chris Vine – his large skilfully hand stitched leather framed circular mirror was declared Best Exhibit in this division. Pete Stevens’entries ranged from a prize-winning savoury quiche to wildlife photography and Pete was deservedly nominated the Show’s Best Newcomer. Everybody delighted in the Children’s Section entries. There were gingerbread men, dinosaur illustrations, painted pebbles and even a bug house. Henna Bywater- Owens painted her Dream Garden and was overall winner for the under 8s. Another dream garden won Isobel Palmer the special award of the Dorney Mouse and a place on this month’s cover of Dorney Parish News. But perhaps it is fitting that the overall winner of the over 8’s division was MatthewAkerman. Yes, grandson of John and with other grandchildren Luke and Daisy doing well, the dynasty is established. 6 DORNEY & DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY Awards 2023 DIVISION 1 ‐FRUIT & VEGETABLES BEST EXHIBIT (for Exhibition Shallots) John Akerman OVERALL WINNER John Akerman JUDGES SPECIAL AWARD (for Exhibition Shallots) John Akerman DIVISION 2 ‐FLOWERS BEST EXHIBIT (for Floral Decoration) Jan Bowman OVERALL WINNER (for Mixed Flowers) Anna Snook DIVISION 3 ‐DOMESTIC SECTION BEST EXHIBIT IN JAMS & PRESERVES (for Lemon Curd) Jan Bowman BEST EXHIBIT IN PASTRY AND HOMEM (for Savoury Quiche) Pete Stevens OVERALL WINNER Jan Bowman DIVISION 4 ‐ADULT HANDICRAFTS BEST EXHIBIT (for Leatherwork) Chris Vine OVERALL WINNER Chris Knightbridge DIVISION 5 ‐CHILDRENS SECTION BEST EXHIBIT (Children under 8 years old) Henna Bywater‐Owens OVERALL WINNER (Children under 8 years old) Henna Bywater‐Owens BEST EXHIBIT (Children 8 years old and over) Matthew Akerman OVERALL WINNER (Children 8 years old and over) Matthew Akerman SPECIAL AWARD Dorney Mouse for Dream Garden Picture Isobel Palmer OVERALL SHOW WINNERS EXHIBITOR WITH MOST ENTRIES (DDHS Cup) John Akerman BEST NEWCOMER (Judges Special Award) Pete Stevens OVERALL SHOW WINNER (Dorney Show Cup) John Akerman 7 Dorney Horticultural Society’s Annual Show 2023 The Prizewinners The Hall is Open Anna Snook Chris Knightbridge John Akerman's prize winning display 8 Digging for Victory Isobel Palmer -the Vegetable Section Jan Bowman John Akerman 9 Matthew Akerman Pete Stevens My Dream Garden by Henna Bywater-Owens Dinosaur by Peregrine Palmer 10 Annual Plan 2023/24 Updated: 19 September 2023 Action Purpose Heritage Review of Dorney Conservation Area Orchard Herbs Site Environment Review management of roadside verges Planting at Dents Corner, Marsh Lane/Harcourt Road areas Trumper’s Field, Dorney Reach Review Memorial Garden, Village Road Memorial Garden, Village Road Trail bikes in fields and on Jubilee River footpaths Annual Footpath Audit Volunteer litter-pickers Best Kept Village competition Dorney Lake Community Possible parish boundary change -Lake End Planning and Architecture Complete Neighbourhood Plan by 31 December 2023 Consider expansion to include other parts of Dorney Village and Lake End Work with Burnham PC and Bucks Council for injunction and to revert to permitted usage as soon as possible. How to manage a less manicured look Improve appearance of Dorney Reach entrance and centre of Dorney Village Review ownership and usage Review planting in Memorial Garden Conduct Tree Survey (DEC23) Work with Slough, EA, police to prevent trail bike incursion on Jubilee River/local fields & footpaths Ensure all footpaths are usable and maintained according to standards. Continue to support large group of volunteers with necessary equipment Consider re-entering in 2025 -involving Dorney Horticultural Society and others. Meetings with Dorney Lake to gain summer access for residents Support parish boundary change Support Neighbourhood Plan Working Group as required Infrastructure Potholes Resurface certain roads Dangerous Parking outside Pineapple Village Road Cattle Grid Review reduction in speed limits Review reduction in speed limits Review reduction in speed limits Reduce speed on entry to Parish Reduce number of street furniture and signage Flooding of Lake End Common (Ashford Lane) Pressure on Bucks Council to repair all potholes. Pursue previously agreed resurfacing of certain roads Resolve dangerous parking at the junction of Ashford Lane and Lake End Road Pressure Bucks Council to make good and reduce noise Lake End Road (Sainsbury’s into Dorney): reduce speed limit from 60mph to 40mph Common Road/Boveney Road: reduce speed limit from 60mph to 40mph Marsh Lane (from entry to Dorney)/Court Lane: reduce speed limit from 40mph to 30mph Review installation of white entry gates on verges - Dorney Reach at Marsh Lane from Taplow and Lake End Road from Sainsbury's Annual Street Furniture/Signage Review Investigate flooding on Lake End Common/Ashford Lane with Thames Water and Environment Agency 12 Cattle Grid: On 20th September Littlewood contractors, working on behalf of Bucks Council, carried out the long awaited remedial works to the failed noisy cattle grid on Village Road. The grid is constructed from a steel frame attached to the concrete pit. Bolted to this are four frames which form the grid. After cleaning out the build up of rubbish work unfortunately was interrupted by the huge amount of rainfall. The following day rubber pads were glued to the frame before reinstating the grids which were bolted through the rubber to the frame..finally work completed and relative peace returned to this end of Village Road. NEW DATE FOR DORNEY OVERHANGING PUBLIC PARISH COUNCIL BRANCHES IN MEMORIAL NEIGHBOURHOOD ANNUAL PLAN GARDEN, VILLAGE PLAN ROAD WILL BE PRESENTATION POSTED ON REMOVED SHORTLY. Thursday, WEBSITE AND October 12th ONOPPOSITE DATE AWAITED. 7pm PAGE To be discussed at next meeting of Parish Council on 21st November 2023 at Dorney School: Speed limits – particularly Dorney Common Budget planning Litter picking equipment Review of Parish Maintenance during the autumn. Please report any problems in Dorney Parish or the surrounding area on FixMyStreet 1 13 ETON COLLEGE’S SITES IN DORNEY PARISH By Janet Walker, Bursar As Dorney residents will be aware, Eton College owns two sites in the parish area: Boveney Court Farm and Court Farm Dorney. I am writing to set out our intentions for both of these locations, and to advise of a forthcoming public exhibition in respect of our proposals for the latter. The College has, for a number of years, been looking carefully at the future of these two sites, as part of our wider duty to optimise investments to further our charitable purposes, such as helping to pay for the College’s extensive outreach programme and provision of bursaries. In addition, in the case of Boveney Court Farm, the site is no longer needed for our grounds and maintenance staff. Consequently, it is surplus to the College’s requirements, and consideration must be given to its future. When looking at the future of the two sites, we have (a) taken into account the opportunity to restore and utilise existing barns, and ensuring a sustainable future for the sites as a whole and (b) sought to design proposals which are sensitive and sympathetic to the character of the wider local area. Furthermore, we recognise that the South Buckinghamshire area has an acute housing need (for both market and affordable homes), coupled with a shortage in delivery. Buckinghamshire Council can only demonstrate a 2.5 year supply of housing land (in this area) for the period 2021-26 and this continues to decline: now standing at 1.8 years for 2022-27. This is considered to be a chronic position (given the requirement for five years), resulting in what is known as “a presumption in favour of sustainable development” (a national planning policy) applying when such proposals are assessed. According to the Office of National Statistics, nearly a third of 20 to 34 year olds in the UK are living at home with their parents (2021 figures). Against this background, the College considers that it is appropriate to make use of previously developed land in its ownership – such as these sites – to make a modest contribution to tackling the wider housing shortage. Having full regard to this context, we believe that the redevelopment of Boveney Court Farm and Court Farm Dorney to provide residential dwellings – including through the conversions of existing barns and buildings – would be the most effective utilisation of these landholdings. The College will therefore seek to secure planning permission in respect of its plans for both sites. BOVENEY COURT FARM As readers of DorneyParish News will be aware, our proposals for residential properties at Boveney Court Farm were shared with the local community (particularly those residing in Boveney) through a public exhibition in late 2021. Following this, and taking account of feedback received, an application for 12residential dwellings was submitted –toBuckinghamshire Council –in 2022. Despiteanofficer recommendation for approval, the South Buckinghamshire Area Planning Committee refused this application at a meeting in July 2023. Whilst we acknowledge the Committee’s prerogative to make such a decision, we consider that the reasons for refusal do not stand up to scrutiny – particularly given the comprehensive assessment provided by planning officers as to why the application should have been approved. The College has therefore decided to exercise its right to appeal Buckinghamshire Council’s refusal decision to the Planning Inspectorate, and we will commence this process shortly. We very much hope that our appeal will be upheld, thereby allowing us to utilise Boveney Court Farm to provide much-needed new residential properties, In addition, subject to the appeal being successful, the College will make a substantial financial contribution to the delivery of affordable housing elsewhere in the South Bucks area. 14 COURT FARM DORNEY Our attention now turns to Court Farm Dorney, on the eastern side of the village, and adjacent to the boundary with the Borough of Slough. The site – accessed via two vehicular routes from Common Road – compromises of four existing residential properties (Court Farm House and Court Farm Cottages), five former agricultural buildings and paddock land. Following the issuing of a Certificate of Lawfulness in 2019(which confirmed the existing uses ofbuildingson the site), the College is now in a position to bring forward plans for 11 high quality residential dwellings at Court Farm Dorney. After much preparatory work (including through pre-application discussions with Buckinghamshire Council, which has led to a smaller but higher quality scheme), we have now almost finalised proposals which would see the conversion of one barn and the re-construction of another to create residential properties. In addition, nine new dwellings would be constructed; whilst other barns would be demolished or partially demolished. All of this would complement improvements being made to the four existing properties on the Court Farm site. It is recognised that this site – like Boveney Court Farm – is in the Green Belt. National planning policy allows for limited infilling or the partial or complete redevelopment of previously developed land (as this is) where it does not (1) have a greater impact on the openness of the Green Belt or (2) cause substantial harm to such openness, where it contributes to meeting an identified affordable housing need within the area of the local planning authority. As will be set out in the College’s application, we consider that our scheme meets these tests. However, before finalising the proposals, we would like to share them with the local community.This will provide residents with an opportunity to speak to our project team and provide feedback on the scheme, which will be taken into account ahead of submission. The College will be hosting a public exhibition in Dorney Lake’s Lake View Room on the following dates: • Friday 17th November – 4pm to 7pm • Saturday 18th November – 10am to 1pm This exhibition will operateona“drop-in” basis, opentoall Dorney residents.Ahead of ittakingplace, details will be distributed to all properties in Dorney Parish (along with those in the immediately adjacent part of Slough Borough, on Common Road), inviting them to attend. We fully recognise that these proposals – like those for Boveney Court Farm – are likely to generate quite a bit of interest locally, and we expect there to be concerns. However, it is important that the College secures a meaningful future for the Court Farm Dorney site, and we consider that a residential scheme in this location would be the most effective use of it, not just in helping us further our charitable purposes, but also contributing to housing need in the wider South Bucks area. The College is committed to this being a high quality development in keeping with the character of the surrounding area. We look forward to sharing the proposals with local residents later in November. 15 HAPPY 100th ANNIVERSARY! This year Dorney Reach celebrates a special milestone. It is one hundred years since the building and occupation of the first houses on the south side of Harcourt Road. Before this development took place, there were only eleven houses in Dorney Reach – nine on the riverbank and two at the northwest end of what was to become Harcourt Road. The road at that time did not join Marsh Lane where it now does; rather, it curved up what is now Meadow Way. In 1919, 33 acres of farmland between Marsh Lane and the houses on the river were sold as building land. Some or all of this area was acquired by a London firm of developers, the Honest Housing Company, who later changed their name to Dorney Estates Company Ltd. Building began in 1923 towards the river end of Harcourt Road and gradually spread eastwards along the south side of the road. Two houses were also built on the east side of Dorney Reach Road. In 1924, it was proposed to extend Harcourt Road as far as Marsh Lane. By April 1927, 33 new houses had been completed. Newspaper advertisements in 1924 offered houses ready for occupation for between £1,150 and £1,650, or built to order from £900. The developer provided a booklet “with full particulars, photographs and plans”. One of the earliest houses to be occupied was later described as having been “built to the present owner’s requirements in 1923 under the supervision of an architect”. There was an architect associated with the developers – John Edwin Sterrett FRIBA, known mainly for designing religious buildings including a church in Slough. Looking at the houses today, it’s clear that each is individual but with recognisably similar features. Perhaps prospective buyers had the choice of square or rounded bay windows, inset porches or a small porch roof, optional sunlounge, interior door style. Inside, it’s the same; some houses were fitted with washbasins in the bedrooms, some had corner fireplaces. One was built as a chalet bungalow and only four initially had garages. Almost all the new houses were owner occupied. They were detached and built on long narrow plots backing on to the remainder of Oak Stubbs field. Typically, about half an acre in size, these gardens offered scope to the new residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables and keep chickens. The owners named their houses; there were no house numbers in Dorney Reach then and indeed Harcourt Road did not receive a name initially, being known as the “New Road”. By the end of 1923, seven of the new houses were occupied. Who were the people who first made their homes on this new housing estate? The earliest residents were young couples with young children or slightly older childless couples. At least five of the husbands had fought during World War I and most, if not all, worked in London, presumably using the train from Taplow which was a key selling point for the estate. Let’s take a look at each of these households. 16 Trevose in Dorney Reach Road was occupied from Christmas 1923 by a couple in their thirties, Norman and Dorothy Kyte. Norman had begun his military service as an Army private but then became a sapper in the Royal Engineers and finally a 2nd lieutenant in the Machine Gun Corps. From June 1916 he was in France before marrying Dorothy early in 1918. They lived in North London before moving to Dorney Reach and Norman continued to work for a stockbroker in the City. We can guess they named their house after the place on the north Cornish coast; the 1921 census found them holidaying in Barnstaple in north Devon. They do not appear to have had any children and moved away to Sussex in the early 1930s. At Valhalla in Harcourt Road, nearest to the river, were Frank and Ada Pound. Frank was 28 years old and was born in Portsmouth, where he became an apprentice in the naval dockyard. Early in the 1914-18 war, he had won a scholarship to Greenwich Naval College and joined the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors in April 1917, spending a year at sea on HMS Renown from June 1918. He married Ada in 1920 and they lived in Portsmouth where their son was born in 1922. Promotion in 1923 saw him posted to the Admiralty in London and he brought his wife and baby son to live in Dorney Reach. A second son was born in 1926, but Frank’s career as a naval shipbuilder took the family away by 1930. It seems likely that their house was named for HMS Valhalla, a destroyer built in 1916-7, which perhaps was the first ship Frank had been involved with. Next door lived another young family. Claude Bloor was 26 and born in Chiswick, although he and his parents did live in Maidenhead for a time. During the First World War he served as a junior officer in the Royal Field Artillery and was treated for a gunshot wound in his right arm in 1917. An only child, he followed his father in becoming a chartered accountant and joined the same firm in the City of London. In 1919 he married Maude Grantham and their daughter Jeanne was born in 1921 while they were living in East Molesley. Claude became a partner in the firm in 1923 and the family moved to their new home in Dorney Reach, which they called Jeanne Lodge after their little girl. The Bloors did not however stay long and by 1926 were living in Bedford Park where their son was born. A later owner renamed the house White Lodge. The next house, a chalet bungalow, was the home of a Scottish couple, Arthur and Lily Turnbull, from the end of December 1923. The house was called Sunnyside, perhaps after the street of that name in Edinburgh. In their early forties, the Turnbulls had been married since 1910 and previously lived in South London. They do not appear to have had any children. Lily had been a shorthand typist before her marriage and Arthur worked as a clerk and commercial traveller. He served in the RAF as an aircraftsman during the 1914-18 war and spent a year of that in France. In the late 1930s Lily’s elderly parents came to live with them in Dorney Reach. Then tragedy struck. A casualty of the Great Depression, Arthur was made redundant by the woollen merchant who had employed him for eleven years – effectively from the end of his RAF service. He became very depressed and committed suicide on 10 November 1930 by throwing himself under a Bakerloo line train at Paddington. Lily’s parents returned to Edinburgh where two months later her father died. Lily probably went with them as the house was recorded as unoccupied in April 1931. But she did return to Sunnyside, where in 1939 she was housekeeper to the occupiers – a widower and his late wife’s brother and sister. 17 The fourth house in this group, Dorincourt, was bought on 10 October 1923 by Leslie Moss and his wife Ethel. Married since 1909, they were in their mid-thirties. They came from north London and Leslie worked as a marine claims settler at Lloyds Insurance. Apparently childless, they took a leading part in arranging social activities to raise funds for the first Dorney village hall – “whist drives, dances, concerts and sales”. Leslie’s father had been an actor and theatre manager and there were other family theatrical connections. At home they laid out the garden. The front was screened with a yew hedge which still survives, as does the ornamental fishpond in the centre of the back lawn. Beyond, an avenue of filbert nut trees led to an area where fruit and vegetables were grown. Having designed the house the way they wanted it, this couple remained much longer than most residents and it was not until 1951 that they moved away. Jumping over the next plot, which was still vacant, the house called Taroba was owned and occupied by John and Winifred Malin. John worked as a patents’ clerk and came from Sunningdale, completing the purchase on 5 October 1923. Newly married and aged in their twenties, the Malins had a son born in 1926 and stayed in Dorney Reach until 1934. Their reason for naming the house is unknown, but they called a later home, in Chorleywood, “Dorney End”. The final one of this first group of houses to be occupied was Longfield, where Walter Carter moved in on 26 November 1923. Walter had joined the army as a private early in the First World War and went to fight in France in January 1915. He was commissioned as an officer at the end of the year and the following year married Esme. Before they came to Dorney Reach, Walter and Esme lived in Wandsworth where their son was born in 1920. Walter worked as a jeweller specialising in restoring antique jewellery, in Gerrard Street in Soho. Walter and Esme were in their early thirties when they moved in and a second child, a daughter, was born in 1926. The Carter family was still living in Longfield at the start of the Second World War and probably still in 1949, but later moved to Sussex. As the Dorney Reach estate grew, another developer became involved. L Walter & Sons, a London based firm of draughtsmen and builders, announced in March 1926 that they had acquired building rights as part of the estate and offered to build standard bungalows to purchasers’ own requirements for £595. Meanwhile the Dorney Estates Company branched out to build a Dorney Estate in Banstead in Surrey. The company ceased trading by September 1931, by which time the new estate in Dorney Reach comprised 34 houses. Harcourt Road was named after an 18th century bride of Sir Charles Palmer. Our houses have for the most part stood the test of time. Often extended and modernised, they continue to shelter us today. May they long continue to do so. Virginia Silvester 18 DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School What a great start to the school year! Happy children skipping through the school gates and the sound of laughter and learning in the air. I love the Autumn term. Treasures are found under the canopy of trees that surround our beautiful school. Conkers, acorns, sycamore seeds and bouquets of colourful leaves that seem to glow in the warm autumnal sunshine. This is the season that shows off our village school in all its glory. Being part of the Woodland Trust means that we have pledged to look after the woodland and nurture the trees around our school and park. Being part of Eco schools means that we encourage biodiversity in our nature garden. The scent of late Summer is still in the air and our children enjoy looking after our school chickens amid the butterflies and bees, busy with their last summer soiree. The new year has been made even better by an email that dropped into my inbox last week: “Congratulations to you, your staff and pupils at Dorney School for gaining Healthy Schools status for 3 years. You will have automatically received a validation certificate and Healthy Schools logo from Leeds City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Service. Access to the Leeds Healthy Schools toolkit has been commissioned by Buckinghamshire Public Health for 3 years, with support provided by the Public Health team. You are the fourth school to achieve Buckinghamshire Healthy Schools status as part of this initiative.” This accreditation validates what we do at our school. We encourage everyone to make healthier choices whether at home, at work or at play. We promote self-awareness and ways to keep active and healthy. We grow some of our fruit and vegetables and collect our very own free-range eggs to make delectable snacks for all to enjoy. Our extensive grounds mean that we promote outdoor learning and are now on our way to becoming a Forest School. On top of this, we also received this for our School Travel Plan initiative: “Congratulations your Very Good TP level Modeshift STARS accreditation application for Dorney School has been approved…….. Overall, engagement is higher than average for schools in the UK, even though a couple of schools have not engaged and with some launching quite late. 7 schools have an engagement rate of 50% or over. 4 of these schools have engagement rates above 70%. Dorney school have the highest engagement rate at 94% (which is amazing!)“ We are so proud of our school as we place children at the centre of all that we do. Our teachers are highly experienced, and our lessons are engaging, challenging and fun. Above 20 all, our curriculum aims to develop the whole child – happy, positive, active and enthusiastic! Our Early Years Reception class is outstanding with the local authority encouraging staff from other schools to visit and learn from our provision. As one local authority advisor said, “Everything you now do, is the icing on the cake”. Come and visit this delectable school. Let us entice you to join us and be part of an inclusive, warm, nurturing community. We love our school. It is our happy place. The next open events are: • Thursday 12th October 1.30-2.30 pm • Tuesday 7th November 10-11 am • Thursday 30th November 1.30-2.30 pm Everyone is welcome. There will be light refreshments and a tour of the school in action. More details can be found on our school website https://www.dorneyschool.co.uk/ or by emailing the school at office@dorneyschool.co.uk or ringing us on 01628 620871 I hope to see you there. Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee Headteacher 21 DORNEY SCHOOL Respect • Collaborate • Grow"A little village school with a 'Big Heart' and a warm welcome" DORNEY SCHOOL Respect • Collaborate • Grow"A little village school with a 'Big Heart' and a warm welcome" •5 mins drive from the local Sainsbury’s(Taplow) •Beautiful grounds and excellent facilities •Ample parking for everyone Published results above local and national schools, every year. Warm, inclusive, nurturing community that places the child first. Ofsted graded ‘Good’ for EYFS, Personal Development, Behaviour & Attitudes Open events 20th September 10am - 11am 12th October 1.30pm – 2.30pm 7th November 10am – 11am 30th November 1.30pm –2.30pm Visit our website at www.dorneyschool.co.uk and telephone in to book your school visit School Address: Harcourt Close, SL6 0DY office@dorneyschool.co.uk 01628620871 Celebrate Christmas at Dorney Lake Set within 400 acres of stunning Berkshire Countryside between Royal Windsor, Maidenhead, and the business centre of Slough, Dorney Lake offers the perfect central location for friends, family and colleagues to celebrate the festive season. Breakfast with Santa Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th December 2023 Both children and adults can enjoy a hearty and delicious breakfast, with activities for the kids and of course, a very special visit from the man himself. Adult: £27.50 Under 3's: £15.00 Child: £25.00 Under 1's: £5.00 (gift only) Festive Afternoon Tea Sunday 10th December 2023 The classic indulgence with a festive twist. Enjoy sweet treats and savoury delights whilst overlooking our 400 acres of stunning Berkshire countryside. Junior Afternoon Teas are inclusive of a small Christmas Gift. Adult: £29.95 Junior : £16.50 (Children under 10 years) Shared Christmas Party Night Friday 15th December 2023 Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere, fantastically unique festive cuisine served from street food style market stalls, and dance the night away with our live DJ. Tickets: £70 per person Price including VAT. Minimum 2 tickets per booking. Over 18 event Exclusive Christmas Parties November and December 2023 Celebrate the festive season with one of the most unique office Christmas parties in Berkshire. Discover a new, fresh take on the traditional with street food market stalls, live DJ, and more. from £65 per person Price excluding VAT. Cost per head variable dependant on peak and off-peak dates. Suitable for 60 to 150ppl Book Soon,our Festive Events sell out fast! For more information or to book, visit our website at www.dorneylake.co.uk Got a question? Talk to our friendly Events Team at info@dorneylake.co.uk info@dorneylake.co.uk | 01753 832756 | www.dorneylake.co.uk Does Dorney have good amenities coming from a teenager lacking the ability to drive just yet? One of the many positives of Dorney was the recent parish survey and being able to have your say. In this article, I’m going to go into detail on one specific question along with giving my opinion as a teenager on this matter. One of the questions in the recent survey was ‘with regards to amenities in Dorney, which of the following would you most like to have available’. This question interested me, especially seeing the results. These were the options given and how many votes they got, village shop (33), dentist (1) and doctors (59). Firstly, the dentist, getting one vote. Sorry to that one person, the likelihood of this happening could be limited…. But nonetheless still a good choice. Having a dentist would be useful with people who can’t drive or need people to drive for them and making that trek to the nearest dentist in either Maidenhead, Windsor or Slough could be hard for some people. Having it down the road could benefit many of us. On the other hand, people may already have a specific dentist that they have been to previously. More questions about this could be: would it be NHS or Private? You most commonly only need a check in every 6 months unless something goes wrong, so how much would it be used by the residents -there are only 753 of us -when the typical dentist would have 2000 people registered? Would it be open to walk-ins in which case this would likely mean a lot more traffic through the village and the bigger benefit likely for people outside of the village? Coming a not so close second was having a village shop, getting a positive 33 votes. I think this again would be a positive asset to Dorney. Although we have a Sainsburys in Taplow about a 4-minute drive and then a little Nisa over the common in Eton Wick, we don’t have one in the heart of the village. But do we need one if we have a few around us? You could also argue that again people may not want to drive four minutes, which seems like a waste of petrol especially with prices still being very high (and everyone seems to be discouraging us from using cars). So having a shop in the village would be very convenient, extra convenient if you forget that one item for dinner. As a teenager this would be helpful, in particular when my parents go out and I have to order a Deliveroo and in some situations (even if it is a very rare occasion) I want to cook my own dinner it would be helpful to have a shop a walk away. The obvious thought of a village shop is the same as the Sainsburys, but I would suggest a Daylesford-esque shop with fresh meat or freshly cooked meals. A more organic style shop. And finally coming in top with 59 votes was a doctor. I think that this would be a brilliant asset to the village as having various generations in the village everyone would benefit, especially as health is some peoples' number one priority. A doctor’s surgery with a pharmacy included would also be beneficial for people who need prescriptions so they don’t need to travel somewhere else to collect them which kind of defeats the purpose of a local doctor. But on the other hand, people may have a particular doctor they go to and who knows them well, so this may cause stress in the process of moving doctors. Saying that I still think a doctor’s surgery would be beneficial in Dorney, especially if it means it will be easier to get an appointment. Having a doctor that also has a mother & baby clinic would attract more families to the area and having access to physiotherapy to help with mobility of all ages, this would help if I got into a lacrosse injury in the little amount of matches I play. Other amenities that a teenager like me would love in the village could include more flexible hours of access to Dorney Lake and the tennis courts, or a Post Office to help return all my Amazon orders and DPD packages. Overall, the village shop would be something my brother and I would really love to see so it would get my vote. Having a shop in the village would allow more choice and independence especially considering I can’t drive. I could even get a holiday job there! Laila Marples 24 The Palmer Arms Festive Menu 2023 Available From the 24th November £29.95 -3 Courses / £25.95 -2 Courses Complimentary Crackers Starters Parsnip Soup, parsnip crisps, truffle oil, Crusty Bread Smoked Salmon and cream cheese roulade with Prawns and watercress Roasted Pumpkin risotto, sage fritters (VG) (GF) Chicken Liver & Port Parfait with a fig and apple onion Chutney Smoked duck, orange, spring onion salad, chilli plum jam Mains Turkey Breast with Pigs in Blankets, Roast Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, sage onion stuffing & Red Wine Gravy Pan fried Seabass with Crushed New Potatoes, Wilted Spinach, parmesan wafer, chorizo and olive cream sauce Pork Belly with Crackling, Apple Cider Sauce, Roast Potatoes, Cabbage & Bacon Beef Wellington with Spinach Duxelle, Dauphinoise Potato & Buttered Carrots, Jus (+£5.00 Supplement) Lentil and Chickpea rissole with leek and potato mash, braised red cabbage, onion gravy (VG) (GF) Desserts Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard Chocolate fondant with mint chocolate Ice cream Selection of British cheeses with celery, grapes, and crackers (+£2.00 Supplement) Apple & raisin Crumble with Custard Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream Optional 12.5% Service Charge will be added to the bill Terms & Conditions Apply 25 Taplow Harvest Join thecelebrationsby makingascarecrow todecoratethechurchEveryoneiswelcometojoin in,includingindividualsand organisations Scarecrows should relate to our theme of HARVEST and the CREATION Scarecrows should be built from scratch by the entrant using natural materials as much as possible Deliver your scarecrow on Thursday 19th or Friday 20th October The display will remain open for viewing throughout half term 23rd-27th October SCAN ME! 26 For detailed information and a registration form, Scan the QR code or visit St Nicolas Church website st-nicolas-taplow.org or email churchwarden hilary@turpinsacs.co.uk Dorney Neighbourhood Plan Next meeting on Thursday, 12th of October, 7pm (changed from Sunday, 8th October) at Dorney School (NOT Dorney Village Hall). We hope you manged to read our progress to date in the September Issue of the Dorney Parish News. We are very excited to tell you where we have got to so far and receive your input and response to our proposals. Unfortunately, due to issues outside of our control, the Dorney Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Working Group has had to change the date and venue for our final residents meeting but not by much!! We are really sorry to mess you about and we do hope you will be able to attend the new meeting which will be held on Thursday the 12th of October between 7pm and 9pm, just a few days later than the previous meeting. The venue has changed as well and it will now be held at Dorney School rather than Dorney Village Hall. As we mentioned before your presence is vital as we complete the crucial next steps in completing the Neighbourhood Plan, a document that will be presented to Bucks Council for approval. We look forward to seeing you on the new date and we thank you in advance for your patience. Just to remind you: THE MEETING DUE TO BE HELD ON THE 8TH OF OCTOBER IN DORNEY VILLAGE HALL HAS NOW BEEN CHANGED TO 12TH OF OCTOBER AT 7.00PMAT DORNEY SCHOOL. Please be a part of this important project and attend the meeting on the 12th of October, 7pm at Dorney School. Your input really does matter. If you have any queries or wish to be kept up to date by email, please send your request to dorneyneighbourhoodplan@gmail.com 27 It’s Still Never Too Late There are some conversations in life that are tricky. It starts with, “The dog was sick on my homework,” at school, then through teens when confronted by an exasperated father at two in the morning demanding, hands on hips, “Where the Hell have you been?” and later on to “Dad, sorry I’ve put a dent in your car.” You get the idea, and as you progress through life, the squirming hand ringing that precedes such utterances diminishes to zero; or so it should. “Dad’s getting married!” is certainly tricky when announced to sons in their forties, but wonderful people that they are with lovely wives and children, both appeared to think it a great idea, agreeing not only to be ushers and generally look after the old fellah, but to include their gorgeous children as bridesmaids and pageboy. Well, I did warn you Dear Reader, that there would be a part two of last month’s offering, and like all good (and bad) cliff hangers, I left you returning from an unoccupied hotel room in the fleshpots of Slough, breaking with tradition and spending my last night of bachelorhood with my bride. A year earlier, the local all round ‘good guy’ JohnAkerman met Cheryl and I at a friend’s get together, and the moment marriage was mentioned he bounced excitedly, “When?” “Probably August next year,” we said. “I insist on driving you in my old Bentley,” he smiled, and on the third of August a year later became the proud recipient of a masterplan for the fifth together with all the other main players on the ‘Great Day’. To say I was nervous would be to describe World War Two as unfortunate, and by the time Usher Pete arrived to take me to the church ridiculously early in my ill-fitting hired suit, my nerves were jangling at C sharp. The sky was a deep grey, carrying the heavy downpour predicted to arrive as my new wife and I would later emerge from the church. Pete and I arrived almost an hour too soon, and the other two ushers (Dave, my second son and old friendAndi in charge of car parking) were early too, and at that point ‘looking after the Old Fellah’ duties started with a trip to the Palmer Arms for a settling G&T, and warm congratulations from the on-duty boss. On return to St James the Less, I was reassured that my nightmares of no one turning up had indeed been nightmares, as old friends and loved relatives hugged and shook hands over smiling conversations as Pete and Dave elegantly handed out orders of service under even darker skies. As the ceremony drew nearer the church staff bustled around and the blonde dynamo in the dog collar grinned hugely as my Best Man Duncan (an old police mate) and I stood at the altar, waiting apprehensively. Had Cheryl come to her senses and run? The bells started ringing, announcing she had not! Thanks Roger and the brilliant team in the tower. I was pleased with myself that so far all was running to plan, and I had held it all together very well, when suddenly, the hubbub of conversation stopped as the organ struck up Pachelbel’s Canon in D as a small beautiful little girl in a white dress carrying a huge posy walked alone and confident into the aisle, and I started to choke. Duncan raised an eyebrow. “You OK Mate?” he whispered. I nodded. The bridesmaid was followed by the pageboy in his Sunday Best, and then by three identically dressed delights, followed by my stunning smiling beautiful bride. 28 That was it! From then on, she supported me, aided occasionally by Duncan. The remainder of the ceremony was intensely personal, and perhaps not for these pages. It is perhaps sufficient to say that I came from the church into the pouring rain (well the porch actually) with my glorious wife and her entourage surrounded by the people I care about most on the planet, happy to be back in that great family of families, the most fortunate of pensioners. Thanks Rev Janet. John drove us in the Bentley as he had promised as the sky lightened. Thanks John. The wedding breakfast and subsequent party followed traditional lines except that roles were reversed. Usually the happy couple and their friends are youngsters and do the things youngsters do, while parents, grandparents and their friends sit around the edges and smile benignly over a glass of stout or port and lemon, at the antics of the young. Here, the youngsters watched bemused with their elders who were in the majority who seemed to have forgotten their age and ailments as the years rolled back, if only for the moment. The bride’s entourage stayed up into the night sipping soft drinks, bewildered until the older ones found normality in their phones. The reception turned into a rowdy happy party as Cheryl and I performed our very brief and terrifying first dance, much to the approval of our patient dancing teacher friend who managed to drag some order from my two left feet, and became progressively wilder as my young ambulance friends rowdily taught us new group dances while the venue staff subtly moved around and catered for our every whim. Thanks Jane and all at Wexham Golf Centre. All too quickly it was over, and some kind soul took the new Mr. and Mrs. Quincey home where Cheryl, whose happy smile had not left her face for twelve hours breathed into my ear, “I don’t want this day to end. It’s been the happiest day of my life.” Three weeks later, after two honeymoons I was back to work in my green uniform, proudly flaunting my new shiny wedding ring. I collected my first patient Pam. “You are getting married Mike!” she stated. “Already done,” I grinned. “Oh, you must tell me all the details,” she exclaimed excitedly, and I did en route to the next pick up. “Mike’s got married,” Pam told her as she got into the ambulance, and so they chatted amiably about it, continuing the conversation at their clinic. At my first break, I recalled the momentous events of the last few months and felt exhausted and elated at the same time. “You’re too old for this,” I told myself. “Be your age!” Certainly not. Stay safe. Mike Quincey 29 Since I last wrote for this magazine, Parliament has returned after a busy summer recess. It was fantastic to spend so much time in the constituency this summer, meeting residents, attending events and visiting local businesses. With Parliament sitting again, I have been back in Westminster continuing my job as an Assistant Government Whip for the Energy and Education Departments. As I have always done, I have been championing the voices of the people of Dorney and the voices of the whole constituency in Parliament. As your Member of Parliament, one of my main focuses is ensuring residents have access to fundamental health care services. Recently, I spent time talking with Buckinghamshire NHS Trust and Healthwatch Bucks. I continued to express the concerns raised by residents regarding Burnham Health Centre and their struggle to find suitable appointments and general access to healthcare. If residents are experiencing problems with healthcare access, I would be more than happy to represent your concerns to the local NHS trusts, so please get into contact with me. In the first week back from recess, the Government introduced the Energy Bill for its Third Reading. This Bill will help drive down the cost of energy bills and deliver more affordable green energy for people across Dorney, the constituency and the country. At a time when Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine has caused energy prices to soar, this Bill has become more important than ever before. As I mentioned in my previous article, I know that protecting our green spaces and the greenbelt is a key focus for residents living in Dorney. This continues to be a priority of mine, too. Although not in Dorney, residents in Little Marlow have continued to express concern over the development of the Marlow Film Studio on our greenbelt. I have been clear in my opposition to such development and will continue to stand up for residents concerned by this project. It has been an absolute delight to attend so many events in recent weeks, specifically hosting popup surgeries. I have been speaking to residents at these pop-up surgeries in Wooburn, Iver and Marlow about the issues that matter most to them. These discussions are so important and are vital in ensuring I champion the most important issues to residents across the constituency. One issue I know matters to many across the constituency and in Dorney is the work being done to combat Dementia. Alzheimer’s Research UK visited Parliament recently, and it was great to learn more about the future of dementia care in the UK. Funding for Dementia will rise to £160 million a year by 2024, and I know this is an issue that the Government will continue to put their focus on. Thank you for reading this update. Although Parliament has been sitting, I have and will continue championing the important issues residents care about in Dorney and across the Beaconsfield constituency. If you require further assistance or have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact me at joy.morrissey.mp@parliament.uk or 01494 977 505. Together, let’s work together to bring a bright future to the Beaconsfield Constituency and to Dorney. Joy Morrissey MP Member of Parliament for Beaconsfield Assistant Government Whip House of Commons | London | SW1A 0AA | 020 7219 8708 Disraeli House | 12 Aylesbury End | Beaconsfield | Buckinghamshire | HP9 1LW | 01494 977505 www.joymorrissey.uk | @JoyMorrissey | fb.com/joy4beaconsfield 30 Orchard Herbs Site: The incompetence of Bucks Council continues….. 25thAugust 2023: Email from Bucks Council to Dorney Parish Clerk (extracts) “In the past few weeks we have sought Counsel legal advice from 2 separate barristers about how to take this site forward. Unfortunately, both of those opinions were that applications to the High Court for a mandatory injunction was unlikely to be successful and that there is insufficient evidence to support a prohibitory injunction. There are also concerns raised as to if there any breaches of the enforcement notices currently taking place on the site. Our view is that this is mainly because the manner in which the site is currently being used has materially changed since the time that the notices were originally issued [2006 and 2007!] and therefore the activity occurring on site is outside the scope of the enforcement notices. Given the complexities of this site, as a Council, we need to make sure our case going forward is legally sound, and that any actions we take are justified and proportionate. We are therefore currently preparing a new planning enforcement notice which we propose will address all the activities occurring at the site. Due to the complex nature of this site, officers will be seeking legal advice on the enforcement notice prior to serving and therefore we anticipate issuing a new notice in the next 6-8 weeks [by 20 October 2023!]. There is, of course, the likelihood of the owner lodging an appeal against the enforcement notice and this will again take time to be determined [Current Government estimate is one year – say, December 2024]. In the meantime we will advise you accordingly when the new notice is issued and send a copy to the Parish Council and the Local Ward members as per our standard protocol.” 11 September 2023: Email from Dorney Parish Clerk to Bucks Council “Thank you for your email of the 25th of August. As you can imagine we are extremely disappointed with what seems to be yet another delay in taking formal action on this site and the tone of your advice gives rise to Dorney Parish Council questioning when, and indeed if, Bucks Council have any intention or desire to produce an injunction for these illegal businesses. Your email of the 1st of August set out the expectation that effective action was finally going to happen to eliminate the daily noise, dust and disruption caused to our residents by the Ready-Mix Concrete operations, scaffolding business and skip hire. Furthermore it gave hope that the total eye sore of the second-hand truck and parts business, located in this rural environment, had moved to an end game – sadly this now seems not to be so. The advice you have received seems in contrast to 5.1 Section 187B of the Town and Country Planning Act (“the 1990 Act”) (inserted by section 3 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 (“the 1991 Act”)) which enables the LPA [Local Planning Authority] where they consider it expedient for any actual or apprehended breach of planning control to be restrained, to apply to the High Court or County Court for an injunction. An application can be made whether or not the LPA have exercised, or propose to exercise, any of their other powers to enforce planning control.” As the storage of non agriculture vehicles is in clear breach of the existing enforcement notice, which last year the Council was forcing the land owner to move, with some success. Can you 32 please explain to us why the use of an injunction for this breach of an enforcement notice was noach of an enforcement notice was not considered. In relation to these matters we have the following questions, 1. DPC request sight of the legal advice given by your external barristers. 2. The existing enforcement notices (those closed by Bucks and the current open one) clearly cover the limitation on storage of non-agriculture vehicles. Could you explain why these couldn’t be used to clear the site, irrespective of the other ongoing businesses?. Last year this was happening under the weekly inspection by the council. We would appreciate knowing why a new enforcement notice is required to clear the site, when the old one seemed to work well. Secondly following on from the email sent by Robert Stopford on the 17th of August please address and answer the following unanswered questions: • We do appreciate the Stop Notice EN/18/2279 the council issued last year to close down the airport car parking operation, but would like to understand the reasoning why the council chose not to issue a Stop Notice for the Ready Mix Concrete operation at this time, for an illegal business which had been running for over a year on site and the scaffolding business which has started on site in the last 3 months along with a second Ready Mix Concrete site which can clearly be seen from the M4. Why can a Stop Notice not be issued for this operation? We understand such Notice only operates for 28days however it would seem this action would at least have the effect of indicating that the Council are taking action which in the long term could be more permanent. • Finally, please update us of the situation in regard to the appeal by Orchard Herbs for the certificate of lawfulness PL/20/3452/EU. We welcome the offer to meet to discuss these matters further, in Dorney, and will come back to you with some dates.” Both complete emails, together with previous correspondence and updates, can be found on the Dorney Parish Council's website under Local Projects/Orchard Herbs Site (Burnham). Dorney Parish News has been consistent over the years in “calling out” the incompetence of the Planning Enforcement function at Bucks Council with regard to the Orchard Herbs site. The above email from Bucks Council simply reinforces that fact. Dorney Parish Council, in its email above, continues to strongly pressure Bucks Council to resolve the problem, of their making, quickly. It appears that the time is approaching for Dorney Parish Council to raise a formal complaint to the probably extremely busy Complaints Department at Bucks Council. On the assumption that this will not succeed in resolving the problem, the next step is to refer the complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Only when these two steps have been taken and no satisfactory solution delivered can a Judicial Review be initiated. The tragedy continues……. Peter Bowman and Bill Dax 33 MINUTES OF THE DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY 19th SEPTEMBER 2023, 7.30pm AT DORNEY SCHOOL Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Anna Palmer Cllr. Robert Stopford Cllr. Euan MacLennan Cllr. William Voaden Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford Clerk Ruth Senior and 1 member of the public Public Forum No items raised. PC/98/23 Apologies for absence Cllr. Stephen Baker PC/99/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda There were none PC/100/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18th July 2023 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/101/23 To receive the Clerk report The Clerk presented the report which was circulated to Councillors prior to the meeting. PC/102/23 Items of business carried forward 102.1 The Orchard Herbs Site The Clerk sent a reply to Darran Eggleton @ Buckinghamshire Council but no response has been received as yet. All correspondence is available on the Parish website. In the meantime it was agreed that the Council will begin to prepare for the next step. There is no further update on the Certificate of Lawfulness. 102.2 The Neighbourhood Plan Thanks were given to Cllr. Voaden and Mark Brand for their continued hard work on the Neighbourhood Plan. The proposed plan was circulated to the Council prior to the meeting. It was agreed that any recommendations for changes be emailed to Cllr. Voaden by end of Friday 22nd Sept. It was agreed that the meeting should be delayed if possible so that we have representation from Councillors as there is nobody available for Sunday 8th Oct. The Clerk will investigate the possibility of holding the meeting at the school on Thurs 12th Oct. 34 It was agreed to remove the suggested site names for future development from the plan and to include more appropriate photos of local housing examples, possibly period properties in Boveney. It was agreed that more of the DNA of Dorney article could be included within the plan. Once agreed, the plan will be sent to Buckinghamshire as a draft for approval before official submission. PC/103/23 Planning Hotel planning application appeal is still under review. The Heritage Report is to include photos of the site view from local residencies after a visit from the Inspector. Outstanding applications Address Application Comment 14 Dorney Reach Road Single storey side extension none 59 Harcourt Road Demolition of building, replace with 6 bed house Further investigation needed when documents are available Boveney Court Farm 10 mobile stables It was agreed after a majority vote that no action will be taken PC/104/23 To discuss the flooding problems on Lake End Common and Dorney Common It was confirmed that the Environment Agency have been working on clearing blockages to alleviate flooding. It was agreed that the Parish Council will write to Thames Water to advise of the apparent link between the Treatment Works discharges and the flooding on the commons. Cllr. Dax confirmed that since receiving the Cain report 2022, the flooding on Dorney Common is in hand with the Dorney Common Management Committee. PC/105/23 To update on the possibility of installing posts outside the Pineapple pub Further investigations of installing parking deterrents along the stretch of road outside the pub and Ashford Lane will continue. It was agreed that Cllr. Dax will contact the landlord regarding moving the planters to stop people parking on the pavement. PC/106/23 To discuss and finalise an Annual Plan for Dorney Parish Council The Clerk and Councillors thanked Cllr. Dax for producing the Annual Plan. It was agreed that all Councillors should look at the plan and agree to take on some of the points as their projects, to confirm in November. It was agreed that an outline of the plan will be sent to Peter Bowman for inclusion in the next Dorney Parish News edition. PC/107/23 To discuss the entrance signs to Dorney No update – to be moved to November meeting. PC/108/23 To update on the broken Dorney Village sign No update – to be moved to November meeting. PC/109/23 To discuss the Memorial Garden tree pruning Following the quote from Maydencroft to trim the overhanging branches for £375 +VAT, it was agreed that this will go ahead. The Clerk confirmed this can be Community Infrastructure Levy spend. 35 PC/110/23 To update on Dorney Playground 110/23 To update on Dorney Playground Cllr. Dax confirmed that there are problems with the number of volunteers for playground duties. The tuck shop will close as usual in October for winter/spring and the annual Halloween party is scheduled for Weds 18th October. The Clerk confirmed that the request for more bins in the playground has been submitted to Buckinghamshire Council. The Trustees have applied for funding to the community Board and Village Hall Charity to replace one of the pieces of equipment. PC/111/23 Finance The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting and approved. PC/112/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents None received. PC/113/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 21st November 2023 Speed limits – particularly Dorney Common Budget planning Litter picking equipment Meeting ended at 8.55 pm 36 Set in the grounds of Dorney Court Estate, near Eton, visitors will find a unique and innovative garden destination offering a curated range of plants for all seasons, as well as inspired items for the home and garden. Our shop blends practical and stylish products from around the world with plants that are often difficult to source, particularly from garden centres. With a full nursery of garden and indoor plants, eco-friendly growing supplies, home and garden décor, furniture, firepits, and gifts, Crocus at Dorney Court seamlessly offers something for every home and garden. www.crocus.co.uk 37 Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk 38 39 40 Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising RatesHeight mmWidth mm10 issues1 issueFull Page190130£100£13Half Page90130£55£8Third of a page (Horizontal)60130£50£7Quarter Page (Horizontal)45130£45£6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 41 42 SU S A N HA N D YDA N C E A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 43 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News November 2023 World War l – St James’ Church World War ll – Memorial Ground 2 ISSUE NO. 9/23 NOVEMBER 2023 EDITORIAL Dorney is a good place to live and what is good about it deserves preservation. If you have the privilege of writing this column month by month you think about our village, past present and future, and you realise that many residents will have come to the same conclusion. Before continuing along that line of thought, let me recognise that, at this time especially, many millions (and inescapably this weekend, we think of the Middle East) do not live in a good place, or if they do, it is torn by bloodshed and hatred. Perhaps it is our humble obligation to improve and harmonise what is around us. Listening to the discussion in the village meetings on the Neighbourhood Plan, while impressed by the collective zeal to preserve a special neighbourhood, I wondered whether Dorney had a distinctive case to make over and above the normal wish of residents in every rural community to conserve its environment. If it does, how could Dorney Parish News define and promote it? Could Dorney avoid the dismay current in, say, Bourne End over large scale developments at Slate Meadow and Hollands Farm? Does it deserve to? Then we read with horror of the plight of East Chiltington on the Sussex Downs where a ‘new town’ with 3000 homes is planned by developers and the owner of the surrounding 500 acres. That landowner is Eton College. Some time ago, this magazine published an article maintaining that every community, like each and every human being, had its own DNA. Arguably, Dorney’s DNA was that little bit more distinctive. Maybe readers could summon up these elements with ease…43 listed buildings, cattle on our enormous Common, a status conferred by Green Belt situation and defined Conservation Areas, natural diversity which sees 400 species of trees, plants and shrubs identified in the parish. Residents will nominate others. This magazine will, over coming issues, seek to define that DNA, and to understand, and maybe agree over, why Dorney is so special. But also, we need to identify what protections are available, external to the village and internal (for instance, litter picking), that will help us keep it special. In conclusion, two examples which intrigue this writer. The late Peter Tyler, of whom more elsewhere in this issue, pointed out that the parish formed a north-south wildlife corridor which allows birds and animals to pass safely between adjacent built-up areas – Dorney was a bridge between Burnham Beeches and the Chilterns and Windsor parkland to the south. In addition, the ownership of the land forming that corridor is crucial. Paradoxically, Eton College and the Lord of the Manor have shaped Dorney’s landscape over many years, with the reduction in the last century of many local landowners to just these two, who recognised the potential threats posed by Slough's expansion to the rural communities of Eton, Eton Wick, and Dorney. Their agreement, it seems, ensured a green belt around Dorney and Eton Wick, forming a ‘rural oasis’. We hope the spirit of that agreement between these two parties will continue to be observed in the years to come. 3 Services in the Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Part-time Assistant Curate: Rev. Carole Gooding (07786) 290162 Churchwardens: Stephen Baker & Mark Procter Correspondence Address: St. James the Less, C/O St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JA Email: Helen O’Neill stjohnstjamesed@hotmail.co.uk For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Stephen Baker writes: National Remembrance At 11a.m. on the 11th November 1918 the guns fell silent so that Germany and the Allies could reach a peace agreement, effectively ending World War I and the following year on the same date and time, the first two minute silence fell across Britain at the request of King George V, where they would, and we continue to, remember those who lost their lives in the conflict from the British Armed Forces and those across the Commonwealth. Sunday 12th November marks Remembrance Sunday, a broader national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of the British Armed Forces and those of the Commonwealth that have defended our freedoms and protected our way of life, both in historic and current conflict and those who have lost their life through terrorism. This certainly feels extremely apt looking across the globe today, with a significant increase in conflict and terrorist activities in the Middle East, the ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe, Africa and increased tensions between Asia and ‘The West’. This year we also remembered those who served in the Korean War which ended 70 years ago and the end of National Service for young men between the ages of 18 and 26 which ended 60 years ago. Remembrance closer to Home On Sunday the 5th November at 3p.m. we will be holding a Commemorative and Thanksgiving Service at St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick. The purpose of this service 4 is to commemorate and give thanks to those loved ones whom we have lost recently or over the years. All are welcome to come, and all are welcome to participate. Remembrance Sunday 12th November services: -Dorney, St. James the Less: 09:15 commencing in the graveyard opposite the church. -Eton, St. John the Evangelist: 10:55 commencing in the Remembrance Garden in front of the church. -Eton Wick, St. John the Baptist: 14:30 commencing at Eton Wick's War Memorial near the Library with a procession of the scouts and associated youth groups (14:45 if you wish to join at the church). All services will be followed by refreshments. Dorney Residents Who Lost their Lives in WWI and WWII World War I James Moriarty Percy Poolman Albert Poolman Bertie Belcher Robert Eustace Courtenay Lindsay World War II Richard Andrew Clinch Cholmondeley Alan Comyn Percy Evins Peter Ingram Reginald Leslie John McCartney William Poole Benjamin Rolfe Edwin Sprackling Harold Stevens Harold Thomas Church Services in November 2023 Wednesday 1st November 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist Eton Sunday 5th November 9.30 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am All Age Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 12th November (Remembrance) 9.15am Holy Communion with Remembrance St James the Less, Dorney 10.55am Remembrance Service St John the Evangelist, Eton 3.00pm Remembrance Service with scouts St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 15th November 10.00am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist Eton Sunday 19th November 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 26th November 9.30am Morning Prayer St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick CompletedActionPurposeHeritageReviewof DorneyConservation Area Considerexpansion to include otherpartsofDorneyVillage and Lake EndOrchard Herbs SiteWorkwith BurnhamPCand BucksCouncil for injunction and to revertto permitted usage as soonaspossible. EnvironmentReviewmanagementofroadside vergesHow to manage a less manicured lookPlanting atDents Corner,MarshLane/Harcourt Road areasImprove appearance ofDorney Reach entrance andcentre of DorneyVillageTrumper’s Field, Dorney Reach ReviewReview ownership and usageMemorial Garden, Village Road Review planting in Memorial GardenMemorial Garden, Village Road Conduct Tree Survey(DEC23) Trailbikes in fields and on Jubilee RiverfootpathsWorkwith Slough, EA,police to prevent trail bike incursion on Jubilee River/local fields& footpathsAnnualFootpath AuditEnsure all footpathsare usable and maintainedaccording to standards. Volunteerlitter-pickersContinue to supportlarge group ofvolunteerswith necessary equipmentBestKeptVillage competition Considerre-entering in 2025 -involving DorneyHorticultural Society and others. Dorney LakeMeetings with Dorney Lake to gain summeraccess forresidentsCommunityPossible parish boundarychange -Lake EndSupport parish boundarychangePlanning andArchitectureComplete Neighbourhood Planby 31 December 2023Support Neighbourhood Plan Working Group asrequiredInfrastructurePotholesPressure on Bucks Council to repairall potholes. Resurface certain roadsPursue previouslyagreed resurfacing ofcertain roadsDangerous Parking outside PineappleResolve dangerousparking at the junction ofAshford Laneand Lake End RoadVillage Road Cattle GridPressure Bucks Council to make good and reduce noiseReviewreduction inspeed limitsLake End Road (Sainsbury’sinto Dorney): reduce speed limit from60mph to 40mphReviewreduction inspeed limitsCommon Road/BoveneyRoad:reduce speedlimit from60mph to 40mphReviewreduction inspeed limitsMarsh Lane(fromentryto Dorney)/Court Lane: reduce speed limitfrom 40mph to 30mphReduce speed on entryto ParishReview installation of white entrygateson verges- DorneyReach at Marsh Lane fromTaplow and Lake End Road fromSainsbury'sReduce number of street furniture and signageAnnual Street Furniture/Signage ReviewFlooding of LakeEnd Common (Ashford Lane)Investigate flooding on Lake End Common/Ashford Lane with ThamesWaterandEnvironment AgencyUpdated: 19 September 2023 6 Potholes and worse …. Dorney Parish Council needs your help.. The stateof our roads throughout the parish is appalling. Despite DPC’sconstant pressure on Bucks Council, with a reminder of their commitment to resurface Lake End Road to Dorney Common following completion of the smart motorway works, there is no obvious action, apart from the occasional appearance of a team filling in random potholes. PLEASE will everyone report, on Bucks FixMyStreet.com, any potholes or any blocked road drains you find on every road in the Parish, especially the ones outside your home. The more complaints recorded the more chance of things getting done. ORCHARD HERBS: DORNEY PARISH ETON COLLEGE: Still waiting for satisfactory responses from COUNCIL ANNUALACTIONPLAN: Planning permission refused for new stables in Boveney – due to Green Belt Bucks Council. POSTED ON DPC WEBSITE & Boveney Conservation Area AND HERE IN Appraisal DPN RJC are experiencing difficulty in cutting the verges in some areas due to placement of logs/stones on these areas. Their machinery has been damaged causing delays in grass cutting. Where obstructions are placed on verges, it is down to residents to ensure the grass in that area is kept tidy please. To be discussed at next meeting of Parish Council on 21st November 2023 at Dorney School: • Speed limits – particularly Dorney Common • Wildlife signage • Litter picking equipment 1 DHS – a Harvest Supper, a Christmas Supper and a good 2023 It’s not yet Halloween as we write. Is it too early to feel Christmassy? Well, the thoughts of the Dorney Horticultural Society committee have very much turned towards the Annual Christmas Supper, which this year is to be held on Friday Ist December. DHS approaches the festive season and the end of the year feeling upbeat. There are at least two reasons for this. Membership, with both new members and former members returning, is on the rise, and there seems to be a growing interest in the activities of the Society. We really noticed the former trend at the Harvest Supper in early October. It was pleasing to see whole tables of new faces. Our speaker at the Supper was the author of several books on foraging and wild food. Topics that reflect growing interest like this could feature more and more for our speaker events. In fact, it would be very good to hear from members and potential members about the kind of speakers, and other activities, which you think should be in the programme. The growing interest in the Society was reflected in the number of entries and, particularly, in the attendance at the Village Hall, for early September’sAnnual Show. We’ve highlighted before the tremendous talents made evident in our community, horticultural, floral, culinary and artistic. 2023 has seen a number of highlights, so welcome after the two-year break forced on us by Covid. We had our first Friday afternoon meeting, with tea served up by our friends at Crocus. We had two celebrity speakers in Chelsea Gold Medal winner, Jamie Butterworth of Form Plants followed by a former editor of The Garden, Chris Young. Aspecial coach trip inserted late into the programme saw more than twenty members visit Highgrove, while the regular early summer garden visit whisked us up into the Chilterns to the lovely Lords Wood. Our chairman is fond of pointing out that DHS is just about the last functioning social organisation in Dorney. So, it’s important we have a special Christmas do. Guests last year said they wanted more chance to mingle before they sit down to the serious business of tackling Chrys Fisher’s (of the Palmer Arms and Pineapple, whose buffets have done us proud in 2023) roast turkey supper. Enjoying a glass of bubbly on us should help that process. Mini quizzes with bumper prizes will add to the fun along with the crackers, bunting and a very Christmassy looking Village Hall. Advance payment will help speed us all into the fun without hitch, although payment can be made on the night. Reserving a place beforehand by email or phone is vital. Finally, thank you for all the support given to DHS so far in 2023. DHS Committee ddhs@btinternet.com 07889 912 714 Facebook -DDHS https://dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk/dorney-horticultural-society/ 8 Dorney Horticultural Society Annual Christmas Supper Friday 1st December 7.30 to 10.00 pm at Dorney Village Hall - A welcome glass of bubbly on entry Traditional Full Roast Turkey Supper with all the trimmings Followed by dessert 3 fun mini-quizzes with Christmas Hamper prizes Crackers, Bunting, Decorations Galore and much more Come and join us for a great party evening Don't forget to bring your own drinks and glasses ddhs@btinternet.com Tel: 07889 912714 9 (with apologies to Elvis): The bats have left the building! Between various holidays over the summer, I didn’t have much time for bat surveys, but they have most definitely moved on for their winter hibernation. At least the patio won’t need cleaning for a while. I am intrigued as to what kind of South Bucks bat cave they disappear off into but am pretty sure Michael Caine isn’t in there polishing the silver and cleaning any droppings off the batmobile. Rather surprisingly, on a weekend in Marseilles to watch Scotland vs South Africa in the Rugby World Cup, a lone bat launched itself from a roost in the cavernous Stade Velodrome and did a loop of the pitch over the colourful, cheering crowd. Judging by the number of insect bites I had after the match there must be enough airborne food to keep it well fed. My most exciting Dorney wildlife discovery lately was heard but not seen. I was at home around 10 pm and heard a bird calling. Given it was pitch black I presumed it had to be an owl (no flies on me, well apart from in Marseilles). My neighbour Theo regularly sees a little owl sitting on fence posts around Dorney when he leaves early for work, and we have put up a couple of little owl boxes in trees to the side of Marsh Lane (with the permission of James Palmer given they are on his land!). Afew years ago, Theo also spotted a shorteared owl hunting over the Thames Water field. Some of the other dads on Harcourt Road do find our “owling” interests rather amusing but we persevere regardless. Anyway, this bird call was not your traditional “twit twoo” and didn’t sound very “owl” at all, so I turned to my trusty Merlin app. Merlin didn’t seem sure at first, but after a couple of minutes identified it as a tawny owl. The red dot on the photo suggests that it is rare for this area at this time of year. I wonder if the rewilded field has helped its range and provided a new territory? Just to make sure I recorded it and WhatsApped it to a group of birdwatchers I know, and they confirmed it was a tawny, if fact that it was a “junior tawny still finding its voice”. Might now put a tawny owl nesting box on my Christmas list (that’s just how I roll) as I’ve heard it/them quite regularly since. In other developments that may also amuse the Dorney dads, I have a new wildlife obsession: beavers. Or more specifically, beaver reintroductions in the UK. I took the family for a weekend camping at a place in Devon called Coombeshead Rewilding, which was set up by a Scottish guy called Derek Gow who is a bit of a legend in beaver circles by all accounts. He has beavers in an enclosure on his land, but there are now wild beavers in various parts of Scotland and England (some through legal routes, others through alleged “beaver bombing” where they have been “accidentally” released). There is a good case for beavers being the most influential keystone species for ecosystem engineering after humans and elephants. They were of course previously hunted to extinction in the UK 10 over 400 years ago for their fur and castoreum*, so most of us have no idea of what a beaver created landscape looks like. They create multiple dam systems that then support an explosion in wildlife from water voles, dragonflies and kingfishers, to amphibians, sand lizards and salmon. Beavers are vegetarian and do not eat fish, contrary to the concerns of some in the angling community. There is also growing evidence that their dam systems slow the flow of water and help prevent flooding and also filter and clean it. Given there are now wild beavers in Oxfordshire and just released in an enclosure in Ealing this month, I am intrigued as to whether the gap in between will be filled and a release in South Bucks would be possible (or perhaps, as their range expands, it’s inevitable). I note there have been some developments in the Thames Water pocket rewilding field with an insect house being erected. I would love to hear more from them and what they are planning. I tried to contact the Thames Water project manager via LinkedIn but sadly appear to be persona non grata. You would hope they are planning to replace many (most/all?) of the trees that were planted last year as most of them do not seem to have survived due to the summer drought. I think some kind of habitat management is also required either by human intervention, or by the temporary controlled introduction of some large herbivores. I don’t think the intention is to allow the field to become closed canopy woodland, but that’s what’s ultimately going to happen if there is an absence of management (although I guess the deer have some impact). I think on the original plans that were shared for the pocket rewilding scheme there was also some pond creation planned. At the very least the path used by dog walkers and others should be mowed and kept clear. I wanted to learn more about rewilding and so joined the UK’s first nature recovery/rewilding training based out of Embercombe in Devon. The final project is to find some land and form a plan for it. If there are any local landowners (or if you know of any landowners) who would be interested and or open to a discussion around dedicating all or part of their land to a nature recovery programme, please get in touch. This project will be overseen by some of the leading experts in nature recovery in the UK, so a good opportunity for those who want to know more or who have been thinking of doing it. I was thinking recently it would be wonderful if instead of building houses on Boveney Court Farm, Eton decided to rewild it and benefit from some of the new natural capital incentives. * Castoreum is a substance that beavers produce in their glands that used to be prized for perfumes etc. Andrew Oliver 11 Celebrating Peter Tyler's Timeless Legacy: A Journey into the Natural History of Dorney Parish and his views on the ongoing Protection of the DNA of Dorney. The late Peter Tyler (1935-2022), a resident of Dorney, sadly passed away just over a year ago. In the year 2000, a dedicated and passionate naturalist named Peter Tyler embarked on a remarkable journey, enlisting the help of several kindred spirits, to craft a definitive chronicle of Dorney Parish's rich tapestry of life. His efforts resulted in the creation of "The Natural History of Dorney," an exceptional report that has continued to reverberate through the years, its wisdom and insights enduring in the collective consciousness of the community. As time marches on, Peter Tyler's legacy remains a beacon of inspiration and guidance for the residents of Dorney, and Dorney Parish News is honoured to pay homage to this invaluable work over the coming months by printing extracts of Peter’s comments and vision. The Essence of Dorney's Natural World: Dorney Parish is a place of profound natural beauty and ecological significance. With its beautiful landscapes, diverse flora, and a thriving tapestry of fauna, this idyllic locale has long captivated the imaginations of those fortunate enough to call it home. Peter Tyler's “magnum opus”, "The Natural History of Dorney," is not merely a historical record but an ever-relevant testament to the extraordinary biodiversity that defines this precious pocket of England. Peter Tyler: A Champion of Conservation: A tireless advocate for the environment, Peter Tyler's enduring passion for the natural world is unmistakable in every page of his pioneering work. His meticulous observations, unwavering commitment, and boundless enthusiasm for the preservation of Dorney's genetic heritage are a source of inspiration for anyone who cares deeply about the environment. Through "Dorney Parish News," we embark on a journey to revisit the cherished wisdom that Peter Tyler imparted to us, seeking to understand how we, as stewards of this unique ecosystem, can contribute to the safeguarding of Dorney's irreplaceable DNA. Preserving the DNA of Dorney: Throughout the coming months, Dorney Parish News will delve into the pages of "The Natural History of Dorney" to explore key contributions and insights by Peter Tyler. We will reflect on his research, his vision for Dorney's future, and his enduring message to all of us: that the responsibility of preserving the DNA of Dorney rests upon our shoulders. Each article will shed light on the myriad ways in which we can actively participate in the protection of Dorney's natural heritage, ensuring that future generations can continue to revel in the wonders of this remarkable ecosystem. As we venture deeper into the timeless pages of "The Natural History of Dorney," we honour the legacy of Peter Tyler, a true custodian of nature and an advocate for conservation. In a world where the value of preserving our environment is ever more crucial, Peter's work serves as a poignant reminder of our collective responsibility to protect the unique DNA of Dorney Parish. Dorney Parish News invites you on a journey of exploration, reflection, and action, inspired by the enduring wisdom of a man whose love for the natural world has left an indelible mark on the heart of Dorney. The Natural History of Dorney (2000) and Peter’s brief update in 2018 are available on the Dorney History website under the section – The Natural History and Archaeology of Dorney. Bill Dax 12 The Palmer Arms Festive Menu 2023 Available From the 24th November £29.95 -3 Courses / £25.95 -2 Courses Complimentary Crackers Starters Parsnip Soup, parsnip crisps, truffle oil, Crusty Bread Smoked Salmon and cream cheese roulade with Prawns and watercress Roasted Pumpkin risotto, sage fritters (VG) (GF) Chicken Liver & Port Parfait with a fig and apple onion Chutney Smoked duck, orange, spring onion salad, chilli plum jam Mains Turkey Breast with Pigs in Blankets, Roast Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, sage onion stuffing & Red Wine Gravy Pan fried Seabass with Crushed New Potatoes, Wilted Spinach, parmesan wafer, chorizo and olive cream sauce Pork Belly with Crackling, Apple Cider Sauce, Roast Potatoes, Cabbage & Bacon Beef Wellington with Spinach Duxelle, Dauphinoise Potato & Buttered Carrots, Jus (+£5.00 Supplement) Lentil and Chickpea rissole with leek and potato mash, braised red cabbage, onion gravy (VG) (GF) Desserts Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard Chocolate fondant with mint chocolate Ice cream Selection of British cheeses with celery, grapes, and crackers (+£2.00 Supplement) Apple & raisin Crumble with Custard Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream Optional 12.5% Service Charge will be added to the bill Terms & Conditions Apply Dorney Playground Halloween Party On Wednesday 18th October, about 80 children attended the Dorney Playground Halloween (if a little bit early) party. Entertainment was provided by ‘Non Stop Kids Entertainment’ and involved a magician show, competitions and games, and of course lots of music and food. The event raised about £600 for the Dorney Playground fund. So why, you may ask, are we making all this effort to raise money? Dorney Playground is funded purely by fund raising, grants and donations. We get no money from local authorities. Obviously, the amount needed to keep the playground safe varies, but last year it was about £6,000. But on top of this, we want to improve the playground. We want to replace the not working i-play with a timber snake swing. But the removal of the i-play and replacement with the timber snake swing will cost £15,000. We have applied to the Beeches Community Fund and applied for other grants, but money is hard to get at the moment. So we have set up a fund me page. If you would like to donate any money towards the new timber snake swing, go to https://gofund.me/1a5ed9aa or scan Any amount will helpPlease support Dorney Playground Dorney Playground Management committee Playground4Dorney@gmail.com 14 Protecting the DNAof Dorney: Update on Eton College’s Planning Permissions Janet Walker’s (Bursar of Eton College) article last month provided a helpful insight into Eton College’s position regarding the two potential housing development sites she mentioned – Boveney Court Farm buildings and Court Farm. Eton College also put forward in August a planning application for 10 stables on land at Pond Cottage, Boveney which has recently been refused – for similar reasons to the refusal for the Boveney Court Farm buildings development. These refusals included being contrary to National Green Belt legislation (National Planning Policy Framework), contrary to South Bucks Local Plan (1999), contrary to South Bucks Core Strategy (2011) and contrary to the Boveney Conservation AreaAppraisal (1996). Boveney Court Farm buildings However, it is a sad sight to see Boveney Court Farm buildings site closed up and weeds growing outside the listed buildings. The buildings do need to be used, hopefully as they were in the past, by a successful business with relatively limited vehicle movements. Eton College have stated that they will be appealing the refusal decision – and they have a further three months in which to initiate the appeal. Court Farm Eton College stated, before finalising their proposals for this site, that they would like to share them with the local community. This will provide residents with an opportunity to speak to their project team and provide feedback on the scheme, which will be taken into account ahead of submission. The College will be hosting a public exhibition in Dorney Lake’s Lake View Room on the following dates: • Friday 17th November – 4pm to 7pm • Saturday 18th November – 10am to 1pm This exhibition will operate on a “drop-in” basis, open to all Dorney residents.Ahead of it taking place, details will be distributed to all properties in Dorney Parish (along with those in the immediately adjacent part of Slough Borough, on Common Road), inviting them to attend. Court Farm is Green Belt land, but new properties can be built on “previously developed land” (brown field sites). However, the footprint of the new and redeveloped buildings cannot exceed the current footprint of the existing buildings unless there are “very exceptional circumstances” – which is unlikely. Fitting the nine new buildings on the existing footprint without significantly increasing the height and mass of these buildings will be architecturally challenging. The site is currently almost entirely shielded by trees, and it would be necessary, we believe, for there to be a planning obligation to retain all of the trees along the Dorney Common boundary. Another challenge lies within the Dorney Conservation Area Appraisal document where Bucks Council Planning Department states “The Council is concerned to ensure that traffic flows through the village do not increase above their current (1996) levels”. It is difficult to see how an additional eleven houses on the boundary of the Dorney ConservationArea will assist in alleviating the Council’s stated concern. Bill Dax 15 TO QUOINAPHRASE ON DORNEYCOMMON ‘Raise your words not your voice, it is rain that grows flowers not thunder’ -Rumi On and off, during the late summer, warmth arrived encouraging visits to friends and trips to consume tea and cake in some comfy teashop. It was on one such trip, we happened to visit and stay with an old friend, Gerry the plate-licker, (next time folks), who was a volunteer at the Norwich Print Museum. Rather dull, I first thought, then quickly changed my mind as I wandered around the historic printing machines that clacked away and watched the ancient technique of bookbinding. The museum is housed in the estate grounds of the National Trust property Brickling Hall, a fine Jacobean house in Norfolk. Inside a stout barn adjacent to the old stables, was a collection of historic printing presses and associated apparatus spanning the decades. Old volunteer print technicians and masters demonstrated the art of printing, imparting fascinating tales which included some very interesting phrases, still used today: Upper and lower case -This terminology, familiar to us now, is derived from the original Caseroom practise of separating the capital and small letters into two different cases for efficiency, which were then stored in frames. When required for setting, they were placed on top of the frame with the capital letters on the upper station and the small letters on the lower station, hence the ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ case. Quoin a phrase -One idea is that this comes from the old printing methods when type was locked into the forme (where the typesetting is created). A line of type was a phrase, and it was locked into position in the forme using wedges called quoins. These were originally wooden, but as technology advanced, more reliable metal versions were invented. When they were tightened up, the Compositor (the composer of the type that was laid down) or their apprentice had ‘quoined a phrase’. Come a cropper -The ‘cropper’ was a small hand fed treadle operated platen press. These were popular with the expanding number of small jobbing printers setting up all over the UK throughout the mid-1800’s. There was no safety guard system on these early presses and the inexperienced apprentice or distracted printer could mis-feed a sheet, catch their hand in between the paten and the bed, and so would ‘come a cropper’. Not the full shilling -The type height in the letterpress process is 0.918” this being the height of a British shilling coin, and the Compositors would keep one in their apron as a handy gauge. If the type was badly cast or damaged, it was ‘not the full shilling’. Putting the newspaper to bed -Once the type for a paper has been composed, proofed and imposed into the forme with any mistakes corrected, it is then laid on the bed (flat surface) of the printing press, signalling its readiness for printing, hence ‘putting the newspaper to bed’. Once put to bed, no further additions can be made. Make a good impression -To produce clean and even print, the imposed forme of type would be planed (with a mullet and planer) to ensure everything was smooth and the printer could ‘make a good impression’. Dab hand -Before rollers, printers used ‘dabbers’ (a wooden stick with a leather pouch on the end that was filled with sand or straw). It was critical that a consistent even spread of ink was applied to ensure a good impression throughout the job, and those who could do this well were considered a ‘dab hand’. Out of sorts -The ‘sorts’ are individual pieces of letter type. Should the Compositor run out of sorts in the middle of setting a job, they would most certainly be displeased, and ‘out of sorts’. 16 Mind your P’s and Q’s -Apprentices were frequently given this advice by experienced Compositors, as it is very easy to confuse the mirror images of the p and q type. In its original sense it meant to take care with your work, although it has evolved to mean take care of your manners. Wrong end of the stick -Compositors would pick out the letter types to form sentences on use their upper and lower cases, then rack them on a wood stick in the right order by mirror image. An apprentice could easily hold this stick the wrong way round which would result in meaningless text. Hence the phrase ‘getting the wrong end of the stick’. Later, as I wandered around the grounds of the Brickling Estate, I saw one of my very favourite places, and that is the traditional ancient potting shed. Unlike my own 4’ by 3’ space, barely enough for my spade and fork, this was a perfectly proportioned old fashioned potting shed, complete with decades of gardening odours, a vast line-up of assorted character tools, shelving stacked with many terracotta pots of every imaginable size, and down the opposite side, a long wood workbench that would spill words of wisdom if only it could creak. ‘The secret of being boring is to say everything’ – Voltaire. Meanwhile, once the wordsmiths had left the room, with the tail end of summer’s fading flowers taking in the last drop of sun, it was back to Dorney village to roll up one’s sleeves. Firstly, for the DHS Annual Show (and what a turnout that turned out to be) and then on to plan the remaining two events of the year. Next on our agenda was the Harvest Supper, which promised delicious food from Chrys Fisher and an informative speaker, Charlotte Popescu, who has great depth of knowledge on foraging. Wild food is very much on trend, and we wanted guests to come along and learn some tips on how to eat the right mushroom and how not to eat the wrong berries. If you book a place at a DHS event, and next up is the Christmas Supper Evening on December 1st , you reserve your space to celebrate our village life, (a good old chat), the meaning of life, (a glass of your favourite), and the incidents that make light of life, (cheesy jokes from the 70’s). As a distraction from multiple recent rainy spells, after a lot of persuasion, my boyfriend Bob, dragged me out one night to make a mug out of me. Finally, I had taken my ukulele out of its case, and blown off the dust to join the Marlow Ukulele Group, or MUG as everyone else refers to it. Having not played for 35 years, he thought it a good idea I go cold turkey, and despite reminding him that it had been a while, decided to leap in with both hands and hope there would be no discord with my chords. In fact, it was great fun, my fingers became more active, and bum chords less evident. However, fortuitously, as there were eleventy-eight other players in the hall, my output was somewhat inaudible and irrelevant. I might go again! It was a chance to wind back the years and sing out loud! Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born – Albert Einstein Kristina Perkins 17 ABSENT VOTERS When the 1918 electoral register was compiled, a note was made of those men who were still away from home on active service in the armed forces. There were 26 of these from Dorney, and 20 of these had still not returned by the time of the 1919 electoral register. These numbers illustrate that the impact of the First World War in Dorney was not limited to those households that lost members to the conflict. In such a small village, the absence of so many men for such long periods would have been keenly felt. In November 1918, many mothers, wives, children and sweethearts were still waiting for their loved ones to return. The men came from a variety of backgrounds and occupations and served in different ranks in a wide range of units. Many were farm workers and the Army made good use of their familiarity with horses, which were an important motive power on the battlefield just as in agriculture. Those men who had been regular soldiers or the Territorials before the war, or those who enlisted in the autumn of 1914, were absent for a particularly lengthy time. Seven of the men were registered in Lake End. Vine Cottage in Ashford Lane was home to Mary Blackford. Her husband Edward was born near Wantage and as a young man served in the Royal Berks Regiment as a regular soldier. It was perhaps in South Africa during the Boer War that he met Mary’s brother Richard Newell, a regular soldier in the East Surrey Regiment. After that conflict, Richard returned to his home village of Dorney where he worked as a gardener’s labourer, and Edward too came to Dorney, doing similar work. He married Mary in 1908 and they had two daughters before the war began. Although Edward was by then 50 years old, his previous military experience must have been valuable and the 1918 register shows him in the Army Service Corps. Meanwhile Mary’s son by an earlier relationship, Frederick Newell, was only 17 when he enlisted as a gunner in the Royal Artillery in 1913. In the Royal Field Artillery, he found himself immediately involved in the war, sent to fight in France in August 1914. Wounded in 1915 and again in 1918, he like Edward had not returned home by 1919. The war years must have been a particularly worrying time for Mary with both her husband and son away in the army. Thankfully both returned home safely to Lake End. Another anxious mother nearby was Lois Shirley, whose parents lived at End Cottage. Her son John had trained as an instrument maker before joining the Royal Navy as an electrician in 1910 at the age of 22. For much of the war, he was assigned to HMS St George. This ship was a cruiser that had been converted to a supply ship and during the later years of the war was used to supply submarines. John would have been in the Aegean with the 2nd Submarine Flotilla in 1918-19. He too came home safely but continued in naval service, absent more often than not from his mother’s cottage in Lake End. Robert Blake came from Eton Wick but in August 1915, when he joined the Royal Engineers, he was working at Lake End Farm. Aged 22, he was “very anxious to be doing something”, like many young men who were keen to play their part in the war effort. By the end of the month he had landed in France where he worked as a pioneer. As the war dragged on, army service perhaps became less attractive, and Robert was punished a few times for minor incidences of absence without leave - including overstaying home leave by one day in October 1918 – and insolence to an NCO. He was finally demobilised in April 1919. 18 In Wheeler’s Cottage in Lake End lived Percy Holdway from Slough. He was living with his sister Emily who married William Shrimpton, the wheelwright who had followed his father in business at the cottage. Percy had various jobs including working on farms before the war, when he then became a private in the Middx Regiment. He was safely back in Lake End by 1919 and resumed farm work. Three of the eleven houses in Dorney Reach were waiting for men to return in 1918. Essex and Leonard, the two sons of Arthur and Annie Birch at Rippledene, had both joined the Royal Navy. Their ships were still actively involved in the war effort, one in the Mediterranean and the other the English Channel. Soon after their return, the family moved to the new Taplow Station Estate. Like many other returning veterans, Essex and Leonard had difficulty finding work in their previous occupations of fitter/turner and motor repairer, and both were unemployed in 1921. Herbert Cope was an engineer who was probably in the Territorials before the war. By the end of it he was a captain in the Royal Engineers. His unit was involved in installing searchlights to defend the coast and to detect enemy attack on the front in France. Herbert and his wife Maud moved to rent The Mead during the war and, when that house was sold in November 1918, they rented Island Close. Herbert was away throughout this time, so the responsibility of moving must have fallen largely on Maud. The third family was the Wordleys at Dorney Reach House. Henry Wordley’s daughter Winifred married Frank Garraway, a lieutenant in the London Regiment, in May 1914. After he was sent to France, his wife and baby son lived with her parents and sisters. By the end of the war Frank had been promoted to major and awarded the Military Cross. Fifteen of the absent men were recorded in Dorney village or the common. The most senior ranking of all was Major Piers North at Northfield. A career officer, he served in the Royal Berkshire Regiment during the Boer War and later became a King’s Messenger. In 1915, he was appointed to the Royal Marines and fought in France and in Gallipoli where he was wounded. The following year he was given command of the 20th Battalion Durham Light Infantry as acting lieutenant-colonel. During the battle of Ypres in August 1917, he was severely wounded again, in the chest and back, and was awarded the DSO for the way he led the attack under heavy fire. Daniel Pusey from Lent Rise was a gardener like his father. He was 27 when he enlisted in December 1914, married for 5 years to Annie and with 4 small children. He rose to sergeant in the Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry and spent much of the war in the Balkans. At least from 1918, the family was living on Dorney Common, where Daniel returned in March 1919. But the war had left him in poor health. As well as having had malaria, he was 100% disabled by TB. By May 1922, the Army awarded him a disability pension and he was in a sanatorium, where he died in June 1924. The Quarterman household in Vine Cottage on the common was awaiting the return of three members. Daughter Alice, a laundress like her mother, had married George Austin in 1917. One-time groom to Captain Palmer, he was a corporal in the Lancers, awarded the Military Medal for service in France in 1918. Alice’s two younger brothers were also away. Arthur had enlisted at Taplow in September 1914 as a driver in the Army Service Corps, serving in France and Italy. Frederick was a private in the Gloucestershire Regiment, also in France. All three men returned home, though Arthur was still suffering the effects of being kicked by a horse while on duty and received a disability payment. His leave records show that his mother would have seen him only twice, briefly, in the four years he was abroad. In the village, it must have seemed as though every other cottage was waiting for a soldier or sailor to return. At the post office, Emma Grove’s eldest son William was serving with the Durham Light Infantry. Arthur Tugwood, son of George gatekeeper to Dorney Common, was in the Army Service Corps. Arthur had married neighbour Florence Jacobs in 1916; her younger brother Bert was invalided out of the army the previous year after being wounded. At 3 Woodbine Cottages, the Bampton family was missing son Arthur. Their older son James had been invalided out in May 1915 after service in the Royal Fusiliers left him with a pronounced limp (battle of Mons) and an amputated index finger (Ypres). Agnes Cox in Walter’s Cottage with four children was waiting for her husband Albert, on HMS Lucia, a captured German ship converted into a depot ship supplying submarines off the Tees. Emma, the daughter of James Watson, coachman at Dorney Court Lodge, had married Frank Ford, a corporal-of-horse in the Life Guards, in July 1915. As a regular soldier, he had been sent to France in August 1914 and was wounded at Ypres in May 1915. He returned in 1919 to start a family. Village blacksmiths Albert and Thomas Climo were both away serving as farrier sergeants. Aged 50 by 1919, Albert was already married with a family; Thomas married around the time he was released from the army in March 1919. One family suffered not just the prolonged absence of their men but the pain that some of them were never coming home. This was the Poolmans. Albert and Percy, two of the sons of shepherd William Poolman and his wife Mary, lost their lives in 1918 and are commemorated on the memorial in Dorney church. Meanwhile, their older brother George and his stepson John Webb were still away, leaving wife and mother Annie Poolman with four children to look after. John was only 16 when he enlisted in November 1914. As a driver in the Royal Field Artillery, he suffered two bouts of malaria in Salonika. These are just some illustrations of the effects of the war on Dorney families. There were others who likewise left our village to serve their country but whose stories remain to be told. Thankfully, the men recorded as absent voters in 1918 and 1919 did eventually come back and most resumed their pre-war occupations. This year on Remembrance Day, let us remember the sacrifice of these soldiers and sailors who played their part in fighting to protect their country for future generations. Virginia Silvester 20 DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School In a world full of turmoil and escalating war, Dorney School actively works to raise awareness, understanding and compassion through lessons and activities at school. It will be our children who will inherit this world we live in; what do we need to do to ensure they are equipped with the language and toolkit of peace? Harvest Celebrations Our school hall was packed! Year 3 class had put on a great show singing Harvest songs and hymns. We were thrilled with the presence of Lester Tanner from Maidenhead Foodshare who thanked the Dorney community for the food donations and informed us of the 600 families they serve locally who turn to them for help. These are just the families who reach out to Foodshare – there are so many others who face increasing hardship. It is very sad that food poverty is such a problem in our country. In the UK, an estimated 14.5 million people are living in poverty, which represents 22% of the population. Of these, 4.3 million are children. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2022), for the last 25 years, children have been the demographic most affected by poverty. It is time for urgent action and the need to work together to reduce, and eventually eradicate this statistic. We also welcomed Farmer William Emmet who drove his tractor through the school playground. William spent the morning talking to all children about the history of local farming, his own family history, how farming has changed today, the massive impact of climate change and how harvest is the busiest time of a farmer’s calendar year. William owns and manages a local farm - you may notice the fields around Dorney, Taplow and Maidenhead that are being harvested now - he owns 120 of them! Classes took it in turns to look at the massive tractor and asked fascinating questions such as the one from Harley where even William could not answer -“How much wheat goes into a box of Weetabix?” Working with the community Community officer PCSO Angela has been in again to talk to all pupils across school on cyber safety, and how pupils can ensure that they use the internet safely. Angela is a friend of our school, and her role is so important in being part of the wider network in ensuring that we are updated on any worrying trends and in giving pupils, staff and parents advice. 22 International Walk to School Month (October) Thank you to all children and their families who cycle or scoot to school. Our school is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty and the school actively promotes sustainable ways of travelling to and from school. We do so much at school, and work alongside our families and the community to provide our children with a safe space to learn, laugh, care, love and just be children. Our thoughts go to the children affected by war who do not get this chance. Our school prays for ceasefire and peace – it is the only way. “These are all our children. We will profit by, or pay for, whatever they become.” James Baldwin Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee Headteacher ***** The headteacher at Dorney School shared with us a note sent out recently to parents. Dorney Parish News congratulates our local school on recent achievements. Dear Parents, Our school’s Year 6 SATs Reading results were higher than other local schools and higher than national results. 90% of our pupils achieved age related expectations when compared to 76% locally, and 73% nationally. A higher percentage of our pupils were judged as working at Greater Depth at the end of Year 2. The Year 1 phonics results (83%) are 4% higher than national results. Our pupils' Good Level of Development (GLD) in Reception stands at 84%, 17% higher than national results. This is testimony to the excellent curriculum and Teachers at Dorney School. We have never rested on our laurels. Even during the last re-inspection (September 2021), the HMI (Her Majesty’s Inspector) was frustrated with the timing of his inspection as he could see the accelerated progress of the school and urged us to look at the criteria for Outstanding in the category of Behaviour and Personal Development. He could see good progress in all areas and knew that our results would validate the work we do. Yes, we now wait for the next round of inspections which seem really unfair (as the results above demonstrate) and yet we carry on, going from strength to strength! This is the reason why the illustrious Chartered College of Teaching chose our school amongst thousands of applicants to help them develop a bespoke primary curriculum which will be rolled out nationally. It is a great time to be a child at our school, and I am delighted by the success, positivity and happiness of our pupils, staff and parents. Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee Headteacher 23 Is there room for both the Commercial Christmas and Traditional Christmas? As we are coming up to my personal favourite time of the year, I thought it was appropriate to talk about Christmas and how it has changed and adapted to society even during my lifetime. So, with the rise of the commercial side of Christmas how is it affecting the old Christmas spirit? Does the commercial Christmas reach all audiences or are some people still clinging onto the traditional side of Christmas? Black Friday, probably more commonly known to the shopaholics out there, has become the biggest date in the retail calendar. It has almost weaved its way into the fabric of the lead up to Christmas, with its phenomenal sale prices and offers, which is ideal for the cost-of-living crisis going on. It falls on the 4th week of November, which this year is the 24th of November. There is an estimated £3 billion to be spent this year, with 79% of the Gen-Z (which is my generation) participating and spending an average of £176. Another example of the commercial side of Christmas now, is the change in Advent calendars. They are no longer your £2 classic Cadbury Advent calendars, rather they now come as £260 beauty advent calendars, for example, which allows you to effectively open a present everyday till Christmas What more could a teenage girl want! The extraordinary range of various advent calendars is astonishing, going from dog themed to beer ones. I mean who would have thought the classic opening of a little door to a religious Christmas scene would have turned into opening that door and finding yourself with a different type of beer each day? Now, less about commercial Christmas. Christmas as I knew it when I was younger, as I mentioned in my first article was going to the church on Christmas Eve for the Christingle service, and it being a wholesome evening. Carol singers going round the village bringing joy as festivities around the Christmas time. These are memories that stick with people. Creating traditions around Christmas, for the Marples family it is always getting the Christmas tree from the same place in great Windsor Park and going up to London so each of us could choose a new bauble. I think all these elements create the special love I have for Christmas. As a young person living in a small village, I think that creating these memories in the village is so important. But has this commercial side of Christmas ruined the spirit for generation alpha 2010 – 2024? This is why it is so important to keep traditions flowing through and keeping the true meaning alive. So as a community what could we do to keep it alive? Well, as some of you may know Eton host a Christmas Street party, creating a Christmassy atmosphere which involves the arrival of Father Christmas, turning on the lights, singing, food and more. Yes, Eton is a larger village, but it shouldn’t mean Dorney can’t have their own version. Could this be a new tradition for Dorney? Or at least we could get some of the Christmas lights to match Eton Wick? Christmas is a magical time of the year, and yes, it is changing, but I am all for keeping the memories and making new ones! Laila Marples 24 Now You See It…… by Mike Quincey There was something strange that caught my eye as the new Mrs. Quincey and I approached our home at 6.30pm. I noticed through the bedroom window our laundry basket up ended on our bed and clothes scattered across it. Neither of us are very tidy but even for us, this was a bit far and smugly, I knew I hadn’t done this and inwardly recriminated the lovely aforementioned with a raising of eyebrows.As soon as I opened the door I knew that she was blameless; some unspeakable moron or perhaps more, had ransacked the room, and Cheryl shouted alarm from the lounge in the rear where we found diamond shaped fragments of safety glass shot across the carpet from where the same morons had smashed a French window and climbed through the hole. Most of the house had been ransacked. We had been burgled with what the police call an ‘untidy search.’ “Don’t touch anything Honey,” I said and dialled 999. “Police please.” “Police emergency.” “Hi. We’ve been burgled.” “How long ago?” “We’ve just come back. Been away about 6 hours, but it could have happened just before we arrived.” The male voice was professional and reassuring. “That will be an urgent call. Someone will come.” “How long will that be?” “It’s one down from a blues and twos,” he replied uncommittedly. “Please don’t touch anything.” In my Met policing days such a call was what we dreamed of; a chance to turn on the woop woops and the flashing lights and scour the area for breathless burglars with broken glass in their hair with hopefully some booty nearby. With luck, Floyd the dog and his handler Conrad would arrive with the excited pooch yelping in the back of the van eager to please Dad, sniff out the villains, ideally bite them if they ran off or attacked Dad, and as a reward, be allowed his favourite ball on duty! The road would soon be teeming with police cars; perhaps even a throbbing helicopter above tracking infra-red bodies in their frantic rush to hide. We waited in excited anticipation. It was, after all, an urgent call. And we waited, as the temperature dropped to freezing through the smashed glass door, and still we waited. At 8.30pm I rang 101. A long diatribe of information and numbers to press continued to a number where I thought I might find out when Thames Valley’s finest might show an interest, pressed it and we waited, and waited some more. To counteract the boredom of listening to warnings of long waits due to ‘exceptionally high’ workload, and the freezing cold, I counted the number of recorded updates that interrupted the ringing tone. I paraphrase, but there were: 25 entreaties to go online since they were busy. 7 polite suggestions to clear off. 12 threats of termination of the call and/or prosecution if I wasn’t nice, and, believe it or not, 1 invitation to complete a satisfaction survey. Thirty-five minutes later a charming lady answered the phone and listened politely to my equally polite enquiry as to when the blue lights would screech to a shuddering halt outside my more than usually open home? She explained politely that no officer could be ‘identified’ to take the call, and she accepted that I would at least fill the hole in the door as best I could and clear the bed so that we could sleep. About eleven minutes later a lady called and informed me that we were next for ‘resourcing’, whatever that meant, but clearly, I was next in line and so we waited in the colder cold, and we waited some more. At 10.30pm we gave up, cleared the bed, clingfilmed the hole in the glass and went to bed. I reckoned by now our unwelcome guests would have been round their dealer and ‘shooting up’ in some litter strewn hovel or alley on the proceeds of yours truly’s property. We slept the sleep of the just. At about 9.00am we were woken by the doorbell. I struggled into my dressing gown and opened the door to be met by two CSI experts who had arrived to search for clues. They were efficient, polite to the point of charming, took lots of photos of the mayhem and dusted fingerprint dust over all the shiny objects they could find. I thought they were very good and redeemed to some extent the dismal failure of TVP thus far. Cheryl though the male was ‘dishy’. They were followed later by two detectives, and as one knocked on many doors in a ‘house to house’ enquiry, the other took thorough details and showed interest and compassion, with a genuine desire to find the morons and arrest them, which again redeemed TVP even more. A friend rang me to commiserate and arrived later with two sheets of timber for boarding up with an apology for having to rush off! Another neighbour found a clue buried in her garden which was collected by our detective soon after. Concerned neighbours called constantly and we were both warmed by our friends and neighbours wrapping round us. Soon, as the clear up progressed and our home returned to normal, the burglary faded into the background as we resumed our lives. But wait! What’s this? Why, it’s a letter from the Thames Valley Police, hand delivered too as it bore no stamp. It’s fromAmersham Police Station! “Dear Resident,” it reads. Well, it’s a little distant, but they are very busy. “There has been a burglary in this area.” No Sh** Sherlock! You don’t say! It tells me that “the impact of having my house burgled is immense.” Yes, I know, probably better than most! It all comes flooding back, with some anger thrown in. Who thought it was a good idea to put this through my door? It’s signed by an Inspector no less, who’s contribution to holding back the forces of darkness it appears is to sit in leafy Amersham Nick writing patronising nonsense to victims of crime! Those papercuts can be nasty! Stay safe. 27 Dorney Parish Neighbourhood Plan Update Firstly, a big thank you to all of you that came along to one of the three consultation meetings. We were pleased that so many of you recognised the importance of the Plan to the future of Dorney. For those that were unable to attend, the presentations by Mark and William are now available on the Dorney Parish website on https://dorneyparishcouncil.gov.uk/parishplan/ neighbourhood-plan/ and, without the settlement maps, are shown below. Thank you to those that subsequently provided feedback to us following the last meeting. We have now closed the window for responses and are putting together the final draft to be sent to Dorney Parish Councillors for their final comments and then to Bucks County Council. We will soon be entering a period of liaison between the Neighbourhood Plan Working group, the Dorney Parish Council and Bucks County Council to enable the best possible plan for Dorney that has the support of all parties. After that it will be published and the residents of Dorney Parish will be asked to vote on its acceptance. It is really important that we receive a massively positive vote at this stage. So, thank you for your amazing support up to now and if you are not on our mailing list for future updates and wish to be, then please send an email to dorneyneighbourhoodplan@gmail.com. Neighbourhood Plan Meeting 12th Oct 2023 (document circulated) Vision and Objectives I’m sure you will all agree that we are lucky to be living in Dorney Parish with its rural character, cherished history, and beautiful scenery. It is one of the few unspoilt areas between Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead and must be preserved for all to enjoy and our objectives will relate to doing just that. So, our objectives are simple and based on both the questionnaire responses and meeting feedback. • To protect and enhance the rural quality of Dorney Parish • The historic character of the parish must be conserved and where appropriate enhanced. • The diversity of wildlife and habitats to be preserved and encouraged. 28 • Housing development will have a positive impact on the parish by enhancing the area in which it is constructed. • Footpaths, cycle ways and bridleways will be enhanced or constructed to ensure connectivity between places and access into the countryside from the village and transport hubs. • Formal and informal amenity green spaces will be protected and enhanced where they are of community value. • A parish with social diversity and cohesion that is also a healthy and safe place to live. We also wish to ensure that we have sustainable development and there are three main principles. • Any new development achieves high quality design and environmental standards whilst also being sympathetic to housing stock in the area. • It reflects local preferences in terms of location. • It supports community infrastructure. This translates into the following for Dorney Parish We believe that: • We should aim for 20 new dwellings by 2040 • Any new development should be small scale and no greater than 10 dwellings in any one location. • There should be development boundaries for Dorney Village. Dorney Reach, Lake End and Boveney to sustain the character of the parish, and to protect the current environmental areas, which should have at least equal protection. • There is a need for development to contribute to the quality of life for residents, including healthy lifestyles, green open spaces, safe places for active play, and to be accessible by walking and cycling. • Construction must be in areas where all key utilities are sufficient to support additional building or subject to an improvement where required. In summary the overriding principles for housing development in Dorney Parish are: 1. It should be constructed on brown field sites or infill plots as a priority. 2. It will protect, conserve, and enhance the quality of its environment including designated heritage assets and their settings. 3. It will be small scale and in locations where it would support the community. 4. It will be of a high standard of design and reflecting the housing stock in the area of construction. 5. It will contribute to community infrastructure. 6. That existing key utilities, including fibre-optic broadband, are efficient and available or are enhanced prior to construction. 7. It will be of contemporary construction requiring energy efficiency and water management to be adhered to. Dorney Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Working Group 29 It has been a busy few weeks since I last wrote for this magazine. I have been working to deliver on various issues, including our Greenbelt, support for our elderly community members, and the well-being of the people of Dorney and across the Beaconsfield constituency. Despite my return to Parliament, every vote and discussion I have has been conducted with the people of the Beaconsfield constituency in mind. The preservation of our Greenbelt has been my top priority since I was elected in 2019. From Beaconsfield to Marlow, I have been dedicated to protecting our beautiful greenspaces, many of which played a significant role in our decision to make this constituency our home. Alongside the residents of Little Marlow, I've been actively involved in the fight to protect a substantial portion of our Greenbelt from a film studio development. I was hugely disappointed that the Strategic Sites Committee delayed their decision on this application until next year. While this delay is disappointing, I take pride in the collective efforts of the residents of Little Marlow, and I remain committed to working alongside them to ensure the protection of our Greenbelt. Meeting the residents of Westhorpe Park reaffirmed why it is so crucial for Buckinghamshire Council rejects this application. The residents of Westhorpe Park are threatened by the potential increase in flood risk that the development would provide and fear for the air quality if development does begin. As I've consistently done as the Member of Parliament for Beaconsfield, I stand with those who feel their voices are not heard. As previously mentioned, I am determined to support our elderly and vulnerable constituents. I was delighted to visit Farnham Common House Care Home earlier this month, engaging in delightful conversations with the residents about the issues that matter most to them. One of the most heartwarming aspects of such visits is the opportunity to hear the remarkable stories and experiences shared by the elderly residents. There is so much we can learn from residents like those at Farnham Common House Care Home. In Parliament, it was fantastic to mark Loud Shirt Day with Auditory Verbal UK. The charity provides crucial support to individuals with hearing loss, delivering early and effective assistance to people like Louis and Noli, whom I had the privilege to meet. Their journey with AV UK over the years is a testament to the positive impact of the support they received, enabling them to thrive. October marks the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness, highlighting the need for further research and support for those affected by breast cancer, an issue of great importance to me. I was proud to wear pink on 'Wear It Pink Day' last week to support Breast Cancer Now in raising awareness of the disease. Lastly, I want to talk about the current Israel and Palestine conflict. What unfolded in Israel just over two weeks ago was a horrific and barbaric attack, and I join the UK Government in standing by Israel as it seeks to defend itself. The Government and I support Israel's right to take back the hostages, defeat Hamas and strengthen its security for the long term. The situation in Gaza is also extremely troubling, and I am pleased that the UK Government announced it will send an additional £20 million of support to the region. I know that the UK Government supports a lasting solution for Israelis and Palestinians to live alongside each other in peace. Thank you for taking the time to read this month's update. It is a privilege to serve the people of Dorney, and I will always give a voice to the voiceless residents across the constituency. If you require further assistance or have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact me at joy.morrissey.mp@parliament.uk or 01494 977 505. 30 Thames Valley Adventure Playground - Update Hello, I have worked as a playworker at TVAP for 21 years. I have just taken on a new role working in the community and would love to hear from anyone who may be interested in popping in for a tour or getting to know more about what we do. We have lots of exciting events coming up and loads of opportunities to get involved in a truly magical playground! There are lots of different ways to become a Friend of TVAP; areas to help include gardening, art donations, poster design, spreading the word about the playground, stalls at local events and cake baking to name but a few. We have also set up a Community Choir this year for our friends with special needs and supporters of TVAP. We performed to their family and support network on the last session before the Summer which was a very special occasion for everyone involved and we can’t wait to do it again at Christmas (email if you would like to join us!). Please take a look at the videos on our social media pages to get a real insight into everything TVAP. Facebook -"Thames Valley Adventure Playground" Instagram -"tvap_charity" Email – lucie@tvap.co.uk I look forward to meeting you soon, Thank you. Lucie Community Outreach Coordinator 32 35 36 DORNEY SCHOOL Respect • Collaborate • Grow"A little village school with a 'Big Heart' and a warm welcome" •5 mins drive from the local Sainsbury’s(Taplow) •Beautiful grounds and excellent facilities •Ample parking for everyone Published results above local and national schools, every year. Warm, inclusive, nurturing community that places the child first. Ofsted graded ‘Good’ for EYFS, Personal Development, Behaviour & Attitudes Open events 20th September 10am - 11am 12th October 1.30pm – 2.30pm 7th November 10am – 11am 30th November 1.30pm –2.30pm DORNEY SCHOOL Respect • Collaborate • Grow"A little village school with a 'Big Heart' and a warm welcome" •5 mins drive from the local Sainsbury’s(Taplow) •Beautiful grounds and excellent facilities •Ample parking for everyone Published results above local and national schools, every year. Warm, inclusive, nurturing community that places the child first. Ofsted graded ‘Good’ for EYFS, Personal Development, Behaviour & Attitudes Open events 20th September 10am - 11am 12th October 1.30pm – 2.30pm 7th November 10am – 11am 30th November 1.30pm –2.30pm Visit our website at www.dorneyschool.co.uk and telephone in to book your school visit School Address: Harcourt Close, SL6 0DY office@dorneyschool.co.uk 01628620871 Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk 38 Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising Rates Height mm Width mm 10 issues 1 issue Full Page 190 130 £100 £13 Half Page 90 130 £55 £8 Third of a page (Horizontal) 60 130 £50 £7 Quarter Page (Horizontal) 45 130 £45 £6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 41 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk Dorney Parish News December 2023/January 2024 No Potholes! Resurfacing at Village Road. Which Roads Next? HS2 pothole fund? 2 ISSUE NO. 10/23 DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 EDITORIAL Around a year ago, the twin editorial team of this magazine were anxious. The cost of printing ‘Dorney Parish News’ seemed ever to rise. There did seem to be one definitive solution. We wanted to share information with our whole community, and that can be done more efficiently without incurring printing costs at all. I think it’s fair to say that for about one day the decision had been taken. ‘Dorney Parish News’ would be an online publication. But hold on…we talk much now about Dorney DNA. Our DNA might be about a tangible, and maybe, attractive, physical journal. Even more so, it might be about that journal being distributed by people. Elsewhere, we pay tribute to our distributors and appeal for new team members. Our distributors have been among the most loyal advocates of the well-loved (we hope) traditional format. Thanks to them for shepherding our readership through the resulting price rise, and thanks to readers for, almost universally, paying it. There is still a missing ingredient. You, dear reader. Leaving aside the question of succession – a new team will be required someday – does the parish magazine reflect our community’s thinking? The most obvious example is a current one. We are disposed to be suspicious of inappropriate development which upsets the delicate balance of what we have in this parish, such as Eton College’s twin house building ambitions and the application to build a hotel on the already disgraceful Orchard Herbs site. Does this suspicion reflect widespread local thinking? Can a magazine with traditions like ours reflect the diversity of our current demographics? I won’t cite examples, but recently we have carried contributions that definitely do not reflect the views of one or other, or both, of the editors. Yet, those perspectives by significant figures need to be reflected. But we have little idea of what readers think. I wish we could hear, and possibly publish, more subscribers’ viewpoints. From time to time, we do receive photographs. Thanks to Sarbjit Dhandia for the dramatic fireworks picture. We were at the Dorney School display, and the universal view seems to be that such a well-organised and downright enjoyable evening could be the foundation of a real village event, open to all. Public gatherings could return as part of the ‘Dorney DNA’! Animal conservation seems to be rightly claiming its share of that DNA. Our contributor, Andrew Oliver (‘Olly’) via the Parish Council has put rewilding back on the agenda. Wildlife warning signs may well be appearing around Marsh Lane after a spate of deer fatalities. The safety of the beloved cows on Dorney Common is a major incentive in plans for a reduced speed limit on the road to Eton Wick. The magazine enjoys an interval now during which I hope all our readers, writers, distributors and their loved ones have a peaceful and safe Christmas. ‘DPN’ will be back in early February. See you then. Urgent – Distributors Required! Entering December, thoughts turn to Santa. As a small boy, my scepticism was first aroused by the thought ‘how does he complete such a delivery round in one night?’ In recent months another round has rivalled the size of Santa’s, and that is the delivery of each month’s copies of Dorney Parish News. Well, this magazine would now like to recruit some elves to help out! Five years ago, when this editor succeeded Charles Cody, 12 names were listed as ‘Distributors’, politely arranged by their surnames in traditional fashion, with three quarters ‘Mrs’. Now the team is 8 and the Editor has more letter boxes to stuff. Now, I do not doubt the generosity of our readers will be immense. Hinting at my exhaustion, many suggested that they would answer the call when it came. That time is now, as we approach a new year. We can be flexible going forward, but the vacant rounds are centred on Dorney Reach Road, Meadow Way, Oak Stubbs Lane and Marsh Lane, but believe me, volunteers from The Common, Boveney and Dorney Village will be warmly received. I think each of our team has over the years enjoyed the camaraderie of distributing to no more than around 20-25 addresses. As enjoyable has been the challenge of requesting and, if necessary, persuading those households to part with the modest cash sums required to join the two thirds or so of villagers who are privileged to receive this publication. I say ‘cash’, but while the editors firmly prefer the cashless environment facilitated by online payments, I’m not sure a hybrid world of money and transfers has made life easier for our distributors. All we can assure our new distribution team is that the parting with cash eventually will phase itself out. But powers of persuasion on the part of distributors still will be welcome. Tributes are long overdue. The list of distributors includes the most stalwart characters in Dorney. Further back, Jean Oxlade and Rob Schwartz patrolled Dorney Reach Road and Dorney Village with efficiency and friendliness. Many Harcourt Roaders will recall opening the door to Maureen Cox, and when she wasn’t organising the badminton players and New Year Village Hall parties Teresa McGuinness, with Harry, covered much of Meadow Way. Michael Cobb sees to the rest. Dorney’s loss is Dorset’s gain with both Maureen and Harry, and we wish them well. Jean Tyler has left the village as has Joy Richmond. Jean is fondly remembered by Oak Stubbs Lane subscribers, while much of Harcourt Road was Joy’s patch and she was our ambassador to the congregation at St James the Less. Of course, we pay tribute to those no longer in a position to distribute the magazine, but as the season of goodwill looms, let’s introduce the rest. Liz Stockwood has picked up the gauntlet of Harcourt Road, while Tim Penfold has been a tower of strength with the higher numbers. Sandy McCabe takes care of the DPN community on the borderlands with Taplow, sharing Marsh Lane with Anna Snook. Does anyone remember when Jacquie Leishman and Deysia Tuddenham were not delivering around Lake End Road and Ashford Lane? Finally, Angie Wood-Dow and Paul Temple marshal with great care our Dorney Common and Village Road subscribers. Oh, and the editor delivers one or two. Services in the Local Churches St James the Less, Dorney St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick St. John the Evangelist, Eton Part-time Assistant Curate: Rev. Carole Gooding (07786) 290162 Churchwardens: Stephen Baker & Mark Procter Correspondence Address: St. James the Less, C/O St. John the Baptist, Eton Wick Road, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JA Email: Helen O’Neill stjohnstjamesed@hotmail.co.uk For information about our churches, activities and church history please see our parishes’ web site: www.stjohnstjamesed.org.uk RCCG Praise Embassy, Haywards Mead, Eton Wick, Windsor, SL4 6JN Pastor: Olusegun Omotayo 07712 126334 www.rccgchurchatslough.com Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Burnham Parish Priest: Fr. Joseph Udoh, M.S.P. 01628 605764 Stephen Baker writes: Our four-week Advent Season starts on Sunday 3rd December, where each week we focus on a specific theme running up to the Season of Christmas (which lasts for 12 days). For those of you who attend a church, regularly or infrequently, this is when we remove our Paschal Candle from its centre stage and replace it with our Advent Wreath. During the first week of Advent we focus on hope, where we light the purple Prophecy Candle. This is the week where we begin our four-week journey of preparation, reminding us that Jesus is coming. During the second week we focus on peace, where we light the purple Bethlehem Candle. This week we remember the journey of Mary and Joseph as they travel to Bethlehem. It is also where we are invited to reflect on how we can be an incarnation of that peace through how we live our daily lives by helping those in need around us. During the third week we focus on joy, where we light the pink Shepherd’s Candle. This week we reflect on the joy we have within our faith, the joy we have experienced so far and the joy yet to come. In the fourth and final week, we focus on love, where we light the purple Angel’s Candle. This week we remember God’s love of the world, Christ’s love for all of us and our love for one another. Finally, on Christmas Day, we light the Christ Candle. This candle is white and represents the purity of Christ and officially starts the 12-day celebration of Christmas. Whether or not you yourself are a Christian, worship in a different religion or are not religious at all, the four key messages of Christmas are: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love. Hopefully they will all form part of your Christmas this year, but also take the time to think of those around the world and closer to home who are struggling with one or more of these. Particularly remember those who are caught up in conflicts, natural disasters, sickness and financial uncertainty. So that is the serious bit over and done with... It’s nearly Christmas! The emails have been flying round for months, getting ourselves ready for Christmas 2023 across the three churches across the Benefice and of course St. Mary Magdalene in Boveney. If you think Christmas is creeping in earlier and earlier into the Supermarkets every year, trust me they have nothing on the Church. In addition to all of our standard services, this is the time of year we get to some of the really fun stuff and by the time you read this we will have brought a class from each of the three primary schools into their respective local Church to partake in Christmas Unwrapped – a fun exploration of the Christmas story. We also have our Carol Services running, the two to pay particular attention to for our readers are Boveney on the 10th December at 3p.m. and Dorney on the 17th at 6.30p.m. Dorney’s will be followed by Mulled Wine and Mince Pies… yum. Our Christingle service on Christmas Eve will take place at 3.00p.m. followed by Midnight Mass starting at 11:30p.m. I hope to see some of you at these services and would like to sign off by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Stephen Church Services in December 2023 and January 2024 Sunday 3rd December 9.30 am Holy Communion (BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Any Age Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 6th December 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 10th December 9.30 am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick 3.00 pm Advent Carol Service St Mary Magdalene, Boveney Sunday 17th December 11.00 am Nine lessons & Carols St John the Baptist, Eton Wick 4.00 pm Carols & Mince Pies St John the Evangelist, Eton 6.30 pm Nine lessons & Carols St James the Less, Dorney Wednesday 20th December 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 24th December: Christmas Eve 3.00 pm Christingle Service St James the Less, Dorney 4.30 pm Christingle Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick 11.30 pm Midnight Communion St James the Less, Dorney Monday 25th December: Christmas Day 10.15 am Combined Family Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 27th December 10.00 am Dedication Holy Communion St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 31st December 9.30 am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 3rd January 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 7th January 9.30am Holy Communion (BCP) St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Any Age Family Service St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 14th January 9.30am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Wednesday 17th January 10.00 am Holy Communion (said BCP) St John the Evangelist, Eton Sunday 21st January 9.30 am Holy Communion St James the Less, Dorney 11.00 am Morning Worship St John the Baptist, Eton Wick Sunday 28th January 9.30am Morning Worship St James the Less, Dorney 11.00am Holy Communion St John the Baptist, Eton Wick 7 Come and celebrate Jesus’ birth with us! St. Mary Magdalene, Boveney Carol Service 10th December – 3.00p.m. Please join us for our annual Carol Service at St. Mary Magdalene, alongside the River Thames This is usually a busy service, in a small church, so please arrive early to be guaranteed a seat Please wear appropriate clothing for the weather (including footwear) and please bring a torch Parking is available in the Ramblers' car park, Boveney Contact: stjohnstjamesed@hotmail.co.uk Find us at www.facebook.com/Church-Community-of-Eton-with-Eton-Wick-Dorney-and-Boveney St. James the Less, Dorney invites you to…St. James the Less, Dorney invites you to… Come and celebrate Jesus’ birth with us! You are welcome to all of our services, supporting TearFund and Wayne Dixon (CCiS) 10th December Advent Carols 3.00 pm St Mary’s Boveney 17th December Nine Lessons and Carols 6.30 pm St James’ Dorney 24th December -Christmas Eve Christingle Service 3.00 pm St James’ Dorney Midnight Mass 11.30 pm St James’ Dorney 25th December -Christmas Day Family Communion 10.15 am St John’s Eton Wick Contact: stjohnstjamesed@hotmail.co.uk Find us at www.facebook.com/Church-Community-of-Eton-with-Eton-Wick-Dorney-and-Boveney Down on the Farm by Peter Bowman By any yardstick it was a significant Dorney event. The evening of 17th November, and the morning of 18th November (a Saturday), saw Eton College share their unfinalised proposals to develop Court Farm with Dorney residents in a Lake View Room incongruously bedecked in Christmas party glitter. In other places (including in this very issue) the serious planning implications can be considered, but Dorney Parish News was there at both events, so could we judge the initial reaction? Were Dorney hearts and minds won over? Just a reminder first…Eton ‘have worked up plans for 11 high quality new homes in this location…a combination of barn conversions, reconstruction and new builds to replace demolished barns’ alongside the (improved) 4 existing properties. At the same time, Eton are appealing against Bucks Council’s refusal of 12 residential buildings on the Boveney Court Farm site, just across Dorney Common. Let’s be positive. The exhibition was professional and our hosts (drawn from architects, planners, consultants and the higher echelons of the College) were attentive and courteous. The colourful visuals were easy on the eye, a strategy best expressed by the stated aim of ‘retaining the existing farmstead feel’.An eyesore it wasn’t and some real examples of those, like the enormous grain silo visible from Southfield Close, would disappear. Some said the designs were more sympathetic than those at Boveney Court Farm. So, there we were, four seated village neighbours, reflecting on the show, and my ‘you wouldn’t object too much then?’ brought forth various versions of ‘well, no, not really.’ But, honestly, that’s about as positive as it got. I suppose ‘better than an earlier scheme that was deeply unpopular’ is not a storming endorsement. What is it about this scheme which makes us uneasy? Here we should say, please let this magazine hear your views, views which may come to a different conclusion. It’s a mistake by Eton to link these proposals to ‘acute housing need’. The answer to those problems is surely not 4-or 5-bedroom dwellings on Dorney Common. The universal response we heard is ‘there are no affordable houses’. One acute observer saw a Dorney demographic profile being further skewed to the elderly and comfortably off. Residents couldn’t believe that these developments would leave the Common unscathed, with attention focussed on the surely inadequate trackways leading into the site. One who lived close by the site expressed dread over the strain on the already inadequate local infrastructure, blighted by low water pressure and failing broadband, plus of course, more traffic on the B3026. The site might have a degree of elegance, disguised by new planting, but it represented an unwelcome increase in density, as many pointed out, in the flood plain. These local views were widely expressed, but a rather unattractive sentiment emerged, expressed by more than one of our hosts. The Dorney DNAof open spaces has seemed to us to be buttressed by planning conventions embraced by Bucks Council, hence the Boveney Court Farm refusal. But this was a false reprieve. Dorney Parish would be called upon in the future to surrender its fair share of land for housing. Protections like the Boveney Conservation Area Appraisal would be swept aside once Eton’s appeal got to work. Given our perilous future, we should fall in line with these proposals because, after all, ‘better the devil you know’. Won over? No, not entirely. Thank you to the happy resident of Village Road who sent this picture. A few days of inconvenience but a great result. It’s a start -pressure will continue to resurface the other roads in the parish. ORCHARD HERBS: DORNEY PARISH APPLICATION MADE TO THE LONGAWAITED NEW COUNCIL AGREES TO SUPPORT A COMMUNITY BOARD FOR INSTALLING ENFORCEMENT RESIDENTS SPEED-REDUCING NOTICE IS GROUP TO WORK WHITE ENTRY IMMINENT ON REWILDING OF THAMES GATES ON LAKE END ROAD & WATER FIELD MARSH LANE Ashford Lane/Lake End Road initial safety measures agreed. Dorney Village Hall request consideration to transfer charity to Dorney Parish Council Proposal being made to Bucks Council to reduce 60mph speed limit on Common Road to 40mph, based on precedent of National Parks with unfenced roads Next DPC meeting Tuesday 16th January 7.30pm at Dorney School. 2024 Meetings will be held January, March, May (+APM), July, September, November 11 1 Dorney Playground MovieAfternoon As you know, Dorney Playground Management Group are trying to raise money to improve the playground. We want to replace the not working I-play with a timber snake swing. In October we had a Halloween Party and raised £600. In December, we are having a movie afternoon. On Wednesday 6th December, Dorney Playground are having a movie afternoon in Dorney Village Hall. Between 3.15 and 5.30, we will be showing The Grinch. Tickets cost £5.00 and all monies raised will go towards the new timber swing. Please see the poster for more details.Although it is inevitable that most of the audience will be from Dorney School, everyone is welcome. So, if you know of children who would like to attend, but you can’t get to the tuck shop, just email me on the address below. Remember that we are trying to raise £15,000. So, we have set up a fund me page. If you would like to donate any money towards the new timber snake swing go to https://gofund.me/1a5ed9aa or scan Any amount will help. Please support Dorney Playground Dorney Playground Management Committee Playground4Dorney@gmail.com When: Wednesday 6th December Time: 15:15 -17:30 (film to start 15:30) Where: Dorney Village Hall £5 entry (tickets available from tuck shop) Come along straight after school and watch The Grinch with friends. You can drop your onesie and pillow off to the tuck shop in the morning to change into afterschool to get super comfy!! Tuckshop treats like hotdogs, drinks, ice creams and snacks will be available. (please bring cash on the day) Years 1-4 must have a 'designated adult' (1 adult could supervise a couple of friends for example) yrs 5/6 just need to provide a parent's contact number when purchasing the ticket and must be collected after the film by an adult as it will be 530pm and dark. Helpers to supervise would be appreciated. *This is being run by the Playground Trust and all profits got towards the Playground* Fireworks at Dorney School With thanks to Sarbjit Dhandia for the picture The Dorney School's fireworks event on Saturday, November 11th was a resounding success, drawing a crowd of over 250 attendees from both the school and the broader community. The feedback was unanimous—the fireworks display surpassed expectations, delivering an outstanding spectacle that one might not anticipate from a small village school! The event not only provided a memorable evening for all in attendance but also proved to be a substantial financial success with a profit of over £2700 that will be directly channelled towards benefiting the pupils at Dorney School. The proceeds will contribute to revitalising and enhancing the playground markings helping the children to pursue an active and healthy lifestyle. Dorney School are hopeful that next year's fireworks extravaganza will build upon this success and cement its place as a highlight in the local event calendar. As Dorney School continues to engage and unite both its immediate and extended community, the event highlights the school's commitment to fostering not only educational excellence but also a vibrant and connected community spirit. Isy Mostyn Dorney School PTA The Palmer Arms Festive Menu 2023 Available From the 24th November £29.95 -3 Courses / £25.95 -2 Courses Complimentary Crackers Starters Parsnip Soup, parsnip crisps, truffle oil, Crusty Bread Smoked Salmon and cream cheese roulade with Prawns and watercress Roasted Pumpkin risotto, sage fritters (VG) (GF) Chicken Liver & Port Parfait with a fig and apple onion Chutney Smoked duck, orange, spring onion salad, chilli plum jam Mains Turkey Breast with Pigs in Blankets, Roast Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, sage onion stuffing & Red Wine Gravy Pan fried Seabass with Crushed New Potatoes, Wilted Spinach, parmesan wafer, chorizo and olive cream sauce Pork Belly with Crackling, Apple Cider Sauce, Roast Potatoes, Cabbage & Bacon Beef Wellington with Spinach Duxelle, Dauphinoise Potato & Buttered Carrots, Jus (+£5.00 Supplement) Lentil and Chickpea rissole with leek and potato mash, braised red cabbage, onion gravy (VG) (GF) Desserts Christmas Pudding with Brandy Custard Chocolate fondant with mint chocolate Ice cream Selection of British cheeses with celery, grapes, and crackers (+£2.00 Supplement) Apple & raisin Crumble with Custard Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream Optional 12.5% Service Charge will be added to the bill Terms & Conditions Apply BLACK FRIDAY ON DORNEY COMMON ‘Avarice, in old age, is foolish; for what can be more absurd than to increase our provisions for the road the nearer we approach to our journey’s end?’ Cicero I love a good sale! However, back in the day when we had famous post-Christmas January sales, the push-shove queues started in the chill of early morning, creating a bottle neck flood of shoppers grabbing cut-price bargains. I wasn’t particularly keen to enter the scrummage, to feel the thrill of seeing the present you bought your mother now at a 50% discount. Now we have Black Friday, which once was a single bargain basement day, now seems to have migrated into a full week or more. Bombarded by the media, in every communication crevice, what is the origin of this frantic frenzy that electronically zaps eleventy-eight cutprice offers down our portable communication devices each day?Apparently, it has migrated from over the water. The first use of the term ‘Black Friday’ was apparently associated with the crash of the US gold stock market in 1869, when two Wall Street financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, worked together to buy up as much gold as they could, hoping to drive prices up so they could cash in a bonanza. On that Friday, in September, this conspiracy was exposed, which sent the stock market into free-fall, resulting in mass business bankruptcy. Shopkeepers struggled, making losses throughout the year, ‘in the red’, would then supposedly earn a profit on the day after Thanksgiving, ‘went into the black’, because holiday shoppers blew their money on discounted merchandise. However, this theory is challenged by another, which is claimed to be the ‘real deal’ of the day. Back in the 1950’s police in the city of Philadelphia used the term to describe the chaos that ensued on the day after Thanksgiving, when hoards of suburban shoppers and tourists flooded into the city mostly on a Friday, in advance of the big Army-Navy football game held on Saturday each year. The Philly cops were fully engaged that long weekend, working extra shifts and long hours dealing with the swell of crowds and traffic. Shoplifters took advantage of this bedlam in stores, and made off with merchandise, adding to the law enforcement headache. Which is true? Maybe neither! The English language and humour connection is something I have always enjoyed, playing with words, anything from theatrical innuendoes to sharp perceptive retorts, always bring a smile to my face, and underline the fact (in my humble opinion of course) that smart words hit harder than the strongest fist.As decades past, of course our language and phrases mutate, as do we change in body and soul: 1978 2023 Long hair Longing for hair 8 tracks Cataracts Streaking Leaking Acid rock Acid reflux Seeds and stems Fibre Stayin’ alive (the song) Stayin’alive (the goal) Going to a new, hip, joint Getting a new hip joint Rolling Stones Kidney Stones Bell bottoms Big bottoms Disco Costco Whatever Depends Rock n roll all night Sleep through the night (bar loo run) Think you know everything Think you know your name This last week, I have been amused at the volume of cars that traverse the common to use the Boveney turn off and my drive to turn back, surprised that the ROAD CLOSED signs actually meant no passage and no rat run to the Bath Road. The first time venturing across the cattle grid into the village and onto the new black tarmac was an astonishing treat. Instead of eyes down on a bingo call looking for potholes the size and depth of large buckets, the surface was as smooth as a new infants seating area. My car silently glided along, and I could finally drive looking ahead! The simplest thing brings the largest pleasure. We are upon our annual Dorney Horticultural Society splendid Christmas Dinner, which this year boasts the usual sumptuous festive dinner, convivial conversation, tipsy tippling and a new fun three phase quiz which hopefully did go well. Bob and I were allocated the ‘Name this Tune’section, where I can only hope (since it hasn’t happened yet but will be by the time you read this) will go as smoothly as the village road. Our DDHS Christmas get-together is slightly later this year, (last Friday 1st December) so as our parish magazine goes to print, this evening has surely passed, but I have no doubt that we all enjoyed ourselves! So, here we are, on the brink of another new year, and with that I sincerely wish you all a very happy and contented 2024. ‘Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have’. Rabbi Hyman Schachtel. Kristina Perkins The DNAof Dorney:An Analysis of Housing Density in Dorneyand its Settlements One of the major contributors to Dorney’s unique DNAsitting, as we do, in between Maidenhead, Burnham and Slough, is the low density of our housing. This is cited in a number of planning documents produced by Bucks Council – the purpose of which is to provide planning guardrails: 1. Dorney’s Landscape Character Assessment 2011 (LCA): a. Bucks Council: “Landscape Character Assessment (LCAs) describe and record what makes parts of Buckinghamshire different, distinctive or special. LCAs encourage sensitive siting and the design of development that minimises harm to the character and the valued qualities of Buckinghamshire’s landscapes.” b. Dorney: “Settlement is dispersed and spread linearly along roads or as common edge settlement, with a strong historic character (e.g. Dorney and Dorney Common). Isolated properties and farmsteads are also scattered through the landscape. c. Landscape Guidelines: i. Conserve open views, particularly across Dorney Common towards Windsor Castle and towards higher ground in the north. ii. Monitor vertical development [e.g. houses] along the floodplain, which will impact greatly on the low lying, open character. iii. Maintain the historic openness of Dorney Common and conserve the loose linear settlement character preventing infilling and nucleation.” 2. Dorney’s Conservation Area Appraisal (1996): a. “Because of Dorney's low density residential layout, there is very little hierarchy of space within the village.” 3. Boveney’s Conservation Area Appraisal (1996) a. “Consequently, there is little in the way of townscape views, nevertheless, this rural, low density character is a quality that the District Council regards as being worthy of preservation. b. A number of key landscape views onto Dorney Common and across to Windsor Castle exist from within the settlement.” The following analysis of Dorney’s net site area housing density (dwellings and gardens/hectare) indicates, by Settlement, the current housing density. The right hand column of the first chart assesses the housing density of the two current Eton “aspirations” for Boveney Court Farm buildings and Court Farm. Current and Proposed Houses Dorney Parish Housing Density Approximate Numbers Net Site Area Density Net Site Area Total Density Settlements Hectares Houses Houses/ha Hectares Houses Houses/acre Lake End 1.9126Dorney Reach 29.51776Dorney Village 14.2735Dorney Common (inc Court Farm site) 10.2293Boveney (South of Cress Brook) 8.591Totals 64.3 300 5 Settlement Site Court Farm Site (build/garden area only) 1.194.031.191513Boveney Farm Site (build/garden area only) 0.570.010.571221Refused Net Site Area: dwellings and gardens only Proposed Planning Applications Current Houses Houses based on specific Settlement Density and on highest Density (Lake End) Dorney Parish Housing Density Approximate Numbers Proposed Allocation Proposed Allocation based on Settlement Density based on Lake End Density Settlements (highest) Lake End 6 Dorney Reach Dorney Village Dorney Common (inc Court Farm site) 3 Boveney (South of Cress Brook) 1 Totals Court Farm Site (build/garden area only) 3 4 existing 8 4 existing/4 new Boveney Farm Site (build/garden area only) 1 1 New 4 4 new The Bucks Planning Committee voted 6-1 against the Boveney application, citing "substantial harm to the openness of the Green Belt" due to “the increase in built form on the site, the increase in the number of buildings, and the bulk and massing of the new buildings” – essentially, high housing density. Despite the application’s 12 houses, density calculations (using Lake End’s and Dorney Reach’s highest figure of 6 houses/ha) suggest it should have a maximum of four new houses (second graphic,right hand column). Dorney Parish comprises five distinct settlements: Boveney, Dorney Common, Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, and Lake End. Each has a unique history and development. The Court Farm Proposals pertain to Dorney Common, characterised as a low-density linear settlement along the Common's edges. Dorney Common currently has a housing density of 3 houses/ha, while Dorney Parish averages 5 houses/ha. The Court Farm Proposals aim for 15 houses on a small plot, resulting in a housing density of approximately 13 houses/ha – four times higher than Dorney Common's average. To align with planning policies and using the parish’s maximum housing density, Dorney Reach's and Lake End's density of six houses/hectare, the Court Farm site should have a maximum of eight houses, not fifteen (second graphic,right hand column). This suggests a likelihood of Bucks Council treating the Court Farm application similarly to the Boveney one. Bill Dax Are you doing New Year resolutions this year? According to an article I read the top seven new year’s resolutions are exercise more, lose weight, get organised, learn a new skill or hobby, live life to the fullest, save more money (something my Dad would LOVE my Mum to do!) and finally quit smoking. Well, I wonder how many people do these and keep it up. Very few I assume. The New Year is looming. 2023 is ending so why not talk about what we are going to change from the past year, for the next? Every year I hear less buzz about New Year resolutions. So, do younger people care less about setting resolutions? New Year’s resolutions came about some 4,000 years ago from theAncient Babylonians. They were the first civilians to hold this tradition to honour the New Year, but they did this in mid-March rather than at the start of January timed with when their crops were planted. Through many different eras New Year resolutions moved to the start of the New Year. At the start of 2023 a survey found that 30 million (which is about 44% of the population) Brits have made resolutions. In Australia over fourteen million (which is about 55% of the population) people made them in 2022. So clearly people are keeping the tradition, but it’s easy to set them but not so easy to follow through with it. 43% quit before the end of January says a survey on people who live inAmerica. I’m not in my Year 2 class anymore talking about what I’m going to do more or less of in the coming year, which tended to be eat less chocolate but would find myself on the 1st of January devouring a dark chocolate KitKat that would be in my sweet tin. With no thought to it, with no cares in the world, just a little girl enjoying the sweet sensation of eating a chocolate bar at the end of what felt like a long day then, but now a day I would love back. I’m now in Year 13, A-Levels in 5 months and thinking to myself, maybe my New Year’s resolution should be taking in the last few months of school before leaving for university. This year I have been reminiscing of events and life skills and things that I could benefit from changing for the new year. I find it so interesting the habits and activities that you mature into and fall out of. Like I said in my anecdote earlier 10 years ago, I was saying to cut down on the amount of chocolate I eat and frankly now I would probably say the same, but I would also have a sensible one that I could follow through with and at the end of the year, before making 2025’s resolution, being like ‘wow I feel accomplished’. So, I encourage you all to make a New Year’s resolution that is realistic, something you know you can get to and don’t have to push yourself too hard. Forgive yourself if one day you go off track. Finally, be specific, this will allow you to know your achievement clearly, for example if it’s lose weight, make a weight you want to get to and how you’re going to get to. As long as you have determination and want to see a change at the end of the year, you will be able to do it. I’ll finish this article with a quote. ‘If you can dream it, You can do it’ – Walt Disney Laila Marples Ourgateswillbeopenfrom7.30.amto6.00pm,butpleasedoexitby5.30pmtoensurethatthegatesdonotcloseonyou. SPORTINGEVENTDAYS2024Pleasecheckourwebsiteforthemostuptodateinformation.Additionaleventdaysmaybeaddedatanytime. MERRYCHRISTMASFROMTHEDORNEYLAKETEAM Ourgateswillbeopenfrom7.30.amto6.00pm,butpleasedoexitby5.30pmtoensurethatthegatesdonotcloseonyou. SPORTINGEVENTDAYS2024Pleasecheckourwebsiteforthemostuptodateinformation.Additionaleventdaysmaybeaddedatanytime. MERRYCHRISTMASFROMTHEDORNEYLAKETEAM CHRISTMASOPENINGHOURS2023DorneyLakewillbeopeneverydaythroughouttheChristmasandNewYearperiod. DORNEY SCHOOL RESPECT * COLLABORATE * GROW News from Dorney School World Children’s Day 2023 Four big campaigns that overlap this month which I think is a happy coincidence as events around the world and closer to home show me that we need more than ever now, to educate and inspire our children to make moral and good choices so that they are prepared for their future. What is the legacy we want our children to inherit? For me, my deep wish is for a more peaceful world, where all people are equal with equal rights and opportunities. A place where everyone has a place they can call home, and where racism, discrimination and extremism no longer exist because we see ourselves, and our families in each other. A planet where we show kindness to everyone, and respect for our planet and natural resources so that the world can remain beautiful for multiple generations to come. It is within our power; what we need is to work together and encourage our children to follow in our footsteps. Although we will cover each campaign in turn at school, this will be a lifelong of learning and we will revisit the themes in each campaign multiple times over the years the children are at Dorney School. UNICEF has designated 20th November to be World Children’s Day to highlight the rights of every child no matter where they live in our world and how these rights must be protected. It is vital today that we understand what this means and how we can all work together to ensure that the 54 articles in the convention cover all aspects of a child’s life including the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children everywhere are entitled to. It also explains how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy all their rights. It is inexplicable to me that in our lifetime, in the last weeks, more than 5000 children have lost their lives in Gaza because we, as adults, are unable to negotiate for peace. Children are the innocent victims of any conflict and hardship, and it is our collective responsibility to hold all leaders and global organisations to account to ensure children remain the first priority. 2023 Theme: For every child, every right Many of our families celebrated Diwali this month and we were so pleased to see so many of our children dress up and enjoy the festivities. Staff were treated to some Diwali treats too! The school’s annual Fireworks event was a huge success. The community was treated to an impressive display of fireworks and enjoyed many autumnal treats on a clear, cold night. We had families who travelled from as far away as Uxbridge to join us. If you missed it this year, do look out for our posters next year. Hope to see you there! 22 BBC Children in Need Another annual event that marks the school calendar. This year the whole school went on a teddy bear ramble in our local area of outstanding natural beauty and raised nearly £300! Dorney School wishes to send each and every reader warm Christmas wishes and hope that the Yuletide brings you warmth, happiness and peace. Let us pray together that the peace we hold dear will ripple out to everyone near, and far. It took the birth of a child not far from the arena of conflict today, to send the message and love and peace in our world. We always welcome visitors to our school and would like to invite you for a visit soon. Do come and see us in action. All you need to do is email office@dorneyschool.co.uk Warmest wishes, Mrs Sharifah Firza Jelany-Lee Headteacher A request for Dorney Parish Council to consider taking the helm of Dorney Village Hall. In a move aimed at safeguarding the legacy and financial stability of Dorney Village Hall (DVH) for many years in the future, theTrustees of DVH have extended a request to Dorney Parish Council (DPC) to consider becoming the Sole Trustee of the charity. The genesis of this request lies in the escalating difficulty faced by village hall charities across the country in finding dedicated individuals willing to assume the responsibilities of trusteeship. The recent challenges encountered by DVH in this regard have prompted the current trustees to seek a solution that ensures the continued prosperity of the hall and falls in line with many other village halls in small parishes in England. The rationale behind this proposition is multi-faceted. Firstly, the dwindling availability of individuals willing to undertake the role of trustees. Recognising the imperative to protect the longterm future of the charity, the current trusteesare taking proactive measures. Secondly, the Trustees felt that such a change should take place when DVH is in a strong financial position with current reserves of over £60,000 and an average annual operating surplus running at £7,000+ p.a. The hall has recently been decorated throughout inside, the floor is being re-sanded and sealed this winter and the outside is also being repainted and tidied up. DVH will remain a separate charity and its accounts will be completely separate from the Parish Council’s. Thirdly, Dorney Parish Council, deeply ingrained in the local community, is perceived as the ideal candidate for the role of Sole Trustee. The attributes that DPC would bring to the management of DVH are myriad: a commitment to opennessand transparency, a culture of accountability, adherence to high standards of public conduct, and a shared commitment to the welfare of the community. Moreover, the Parish Clerk, Ruth Senior, concurrently serving as the Village Hall Manager, adds a layer of continuity and familiarity to the proposed transition. The changing landscape of DVH over the years is another factor underpinning the request. Since its establishment in 1930, DVH has undergone significant transformations in purpose and usage. The evolving needs of the community necessitate a recalibration of the hall's management structure, aligning it with the contemporary dynamics of Dorney. A brief historical overview of DVH sheds light on its evolution. Established in 1930, DVH initially served as a hub for numerous village clubs and associations. The governance structure involved a Committee of Management comprising 32 members, reflecting the vibrant community clubs and associations at the time. Fast forward to the present, only two clubs—the Dorney Badminton Club and the Dorney Horticultural Society—regularly utilise the facility, highlighting the need for a tailored and sustainable approach to its management. Drawing parallels with neighbouring Buckinghamshire parishes, such as Taplow and Burnham, where Parish Councils own and manage their respective village halls, the proposal aligns with a trend towards securing community spaces through local governance. The next steps involve DPC carefully considering the request and providing feedback to the Trustees of DVH. This pivotal decision will shape the future of Dorney Village Hall and determine its continued role as a community anchor. In the spirit of communal foresight, the collaboration between DVH and DPC emerges as a beacon of hope, ensuring that the heart of Dorney continues to beat vibrantly for generations to come. Bill Dax, Trustee, Dorney Village Hall A Time for Reflection by Mike Quincey I still work in my green uniform long after most sensible people are cruising or adding to climate change in other extravagant ways. I get my jollies driving mostly incredible awe-inspiring people to and from clinics, hospitals and home, whatever ‘home’ may be. So it was with this mildly ‘do gooding’ smugness in mind during this recent conversation in the bell tower at St James the Less in Dorney…. “Listen up everybody! Ringing next Sunday will be at 8.45,” instructed Janet, the Tower Captain and Boss. “Is that 8.45am?” I enquired. The lovely Cheryl, now Mrs.Quincey and I have a lie in on Sunday after our 6.00am struggles out of the pit during the week. “That’s the middle of the night on Sunday!” I grizzled. “It’s Remembrance Day,” she stated. I felt ashamed. We were remembering brave men and women who had given an awful lot more than a lie in and I resolved not to be late. We rang as we always do on this sombre occasion with the bells ‘half muffled’. This is done by strapping a leather pad to one side of the clapper on each bell so that the exposed side gives that familiar hard, joyously clear sound, and as the bell spins the muffled side produces a haunting soft sound; almost a caress it is so beautiful. As we rang, my thoughts turned to my then 23-year-old father taking a terrible beating in HMS Exeter as she vainly fought off theAdmiral Graf Spee, losing half of the crew in the battle. A story that haunts me every year is that of a frantic radio operator trapped in a torpedoed and sinking merchant ship broadcasting the ships name and position ending, “Tell Ethel I love her. My will and all she requires is on the mantel piece behind our wedding photo.” I thought of my mother as a 21-year-old, lying buried in the ruins of her home shattered by a bomb that killed her mother. Visions of burned airmen’s faces and bodies loomed out of my childhood memories in the early post war plastic surgery unit at The Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead where I had the honour to be in their remarkable company for a while. More recently, I remembered a soldier acquaintance who had a colourful career until recently Afghanistan took a piece of his mind and tranquillity. Young futures lost completely, or damaged, sometimes beyond repair, perhaps living in a tent on the street near you as a ‘lifestyle choice’, are all a failure of diplomacy, the bill picked up mostly by the young. A young patient I have carried a few times sobbed in fear as I took her to her clinic to learn if she were to live longer than 23, and I thought of her too and her wretched bad luck. We rang to a staggered ‘stand’ or stop, where the treble, the highest note from the smallest bell stops first followed by the 2nd, then the third and so on till the tenor, the heaviest and lowest note tolls slowly half muffled alone like the sole survivor of a battle for a few heart rending strikes until it too stops. Fortunately, the national threats of disorder on the day were overblown slightly and left sleepy Dorney unsullied, allowing us the luxury so hard won by those we were remembering, of reflection. We all stood silently in our own thoughts, tears in our eyes. “Gets me every time,” said one quietly, and it did. My sombre mood didn’t last long as that same afternoon Cheryl and I were visited the same afternoon by five grandchildren four to ten years and three parents, where they built a huge barricade from the nonsense that I thought was hidden from view in our garden, gave my drum kit a thorough outing (sorry neighbours) and we all dined on healthy food, plus of course fish fingers and cakes. It was only the second time the kids had all met together, a first for my home, and it was wonderful to hear the delighted screams, laughter and the pad of running little feet (the children’s that is) in the old place that rarely hears such fun. Thanks Ladies and Gentlemen for our freedom to enjoy this in freedom. We owe you so much more than two minutes a year and some memorials. And so to Christmas. I’m sorry Dear Reader to mention it here, but the editor in his infinite wisdom, gives you all a well-deserved break from yours truly and his chums in January. It has been a pretty grim time for the last few years, what with the pandemic, a financial crash and two wars. Mrs Quincey and I have suffered three dead cats, two stolen cycles and one burglary; happily pushed into obscurity where that nonsense belongs by our marriage, mostly featured in my offering to you that the Editor, in his unfailing wisdom, continues to entertain. So, Dear Reader, and anyone else who picks up the Dorney Parish News out of curiosity, please accept from me my most ardent wishes for a very Happy Christmas and Wonderful New Year which we all hope to be better than the last (save of course for ‘That Wedding’), and in the words of the late lamented DaveAllen, “May your God go with you.” Stay safe. Innovative proposal from Dorney Parish Council to reduce the Speed Limit on Dorney Common from 60mph to 40mph. Dorney Parish News has been advised that Dorney Parish Council, based on carefully considered National Parks unfenced roads precedents throughout the country which appear to have assisted in reducing animal related deaths on such unfenced roads, have proposed to Bucks Council that they take the necessary special legislative actions in order to change the speed limit on roads crossing Dorney Common (Common Road – B3026, Boveney Road and Lock Path) from 60mph to 40mph. Similar action was done by Hampshire Council (New Forest) in 1990, Devon County Council (Dartmoor) in the 1990s and in 2015 by the London Borough of Richmond (Richmond Park). This to be done at no cost to Dorney Parish Council. In these situations, where animals roam across unfenced roads (Dartmoor, the New Forest and Richmond Park), the authorities have recognised that these areas require special laws to protect people and animals. In all cases these councils have determined that a speed limit between 20mph and 40mph would be sensible. It is reported that the implementation of a 40mph limit, with suitable additional signage, in the New Forest significantly reduced animal related accidents. Background: Dorney Common is common land and is crossed by the B3026 (Common Road, Boveney Road and Lock Path). Commonable cattle have been permitted to graze on this land since 1637, possibly earlier. These cattle have right of way on the roads crossing Dorney Common. There are around 200 possible cattle grazing rights for the Common. There are also horses and sheep rights but, currently, they are not used. Common Land now accounts for 3% of England, but this includes large tracts of the country’s most well-loved and ecologically rich landscapes including Dartmoor, the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, the New Forest, the Shropshire Hills -and Dorney Common. Regrettably, cattle have been killed and injured on Dorney Common since the motor car arrived in the early 1900s. Many suggestions on how this might be avoided have been examined and rejected over the years by Buckinghamshire Council, Thames Valley Police, Dorney Parish Council and the Dorney Commoners Management Committee. Fencing the Common, deep ditches alongside the roads, reflective head collars and corralling the cattle every night have all been examined and rejected. The records show that a number of cattle have been killed or seriously injured by vehicles on Dorney Common roads over the past years. These collisions often also cause injury to drivers and passengers, as well as severely damaging the vehicles. They usually occur at night. The sight of a seriously injured calf is extremely harrowing. This is an innovative, creative proposal by Dorney Parish Council and we are sure that all residents wish them the very best of luck. Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/3 Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/3 Taplow, Burnham and The Farnhams You Said – Speeding is a concern We Did: During August, our Roads Policing officers have spent 14 hours conducting speed enforcement at various locations. Ten sites were visited, this resulted in them identifying 168 offences across South Buckinghamshire LPA. Our fixed cameras have identified 359 offenders. Neighbourhood Officers have been out conducting speed checks at the locations shown below, however during August no speed enforcement was carried out by the Neighbourhood team due to other commitments and leave, and this was left to the Roads policing officers alone. September Location Number of Vehicles Number of vehicles Highest Speed passed Check Site over speed limit Recorded Lake End Road, Dorney 65 2 44MPH October Location Number of Vehicles Number of vehicles Highest Speed passed Check Site over speed limit Recorded Lake End Road, Dorney 68 2 40 You Said – Burglary is a concern We Did: Offending levels for Burglary have again reduced from last quarter from 7 to 6. As the evenings start to draw in, we always expect to see an increase in burglaries due to the patterns our crime data demonstrates. Although we will diligently continue in our efforts to prevent and reduce burglaries, we highly encourage you also continue to take the necessary steps to assist in protecting yourselves, your homes and your neighbours. Windows: Lock your windows. Interior: Put your interior lights on a timer. Doors: Double or deadlock your doors. Exterior: Put your exterior lights on a sensor. Neighbours: Keep an eye out for your neighbours. 30 Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/3 Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter Issue 2023/3 You Said – Drugs are a concern We Did: People may be lead to believe that smoking or taking drugs is a victimless crime -think again. As per the findings of a recent police pilot scheme, 150 individuals were arrested for domestic violence and were then drug tested while in custody, 85% of them were found to be under the influence of some sort of drug. Over the next quarter, the Neighbourhood team will be going into schools to raise awareness around this issue. Regionally, Thames Valley Police carried out 31 warrants on suspected cannabis grows. This was part of the largest national operation of its kind, aimed at unearthing and disrupting organised crime groups and their illegal revenue streams. The warrants, which ran through June 2023, saw 35 arrests as well as the seizures of drugs, plants, and electronic devices. Cannabis ‘factories’ are a very real threat. Those tasked to look after the plants are often vulnerable and sometimes the victims of human trafficking and modern slavery. The size of criminal cannabis factories means that damage is often caused to the properties themselves; the buildings can become dangerous as a result of fire risks, booby traps, unlawful abstraction of electricity, fumes and water damage. Anyone with information about a potential cannabis factory, or drug dealing in general, can contact Thames Valley Police online or via 101. In an emergency always call 999. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or crimestoppersuk. org Other News We are getting various reports in regards to off-road bikes being ridden around various locations such as the Jubilee, Taplow, Blackpond Lane, Farnham Common and Burnham Park. We are doing extensive patrols in the area and are working with the local parish councils to find alternative solutions to ensure public safety, such as gating to prevent access. Offenders Brought To Justice • A 50 year old male was arrested and charged for possession of an offensive weapon and assault in taplow • Two males have been arrested and charged with drug offences and abstraction of electricity in Dorney after a cannabis factory was identified • Three males were arrested and received a caution for assault on police and criminal damage in Taplow • A 31 year old male was arrested and charged for assault in Burnham 31 MINUTES OF THE DORNEY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD TUESDAY 21st NOVEMBER 2023, 7.30pm AT DORNEY SCHOOL Present Cllr. Jill Dax (Chair) Cllr. Anna Palmer Cllr. Euan MacLennan Cllr. Martyn Westcott-Wreford Cllr. Robert Stopford Cllr. Stephen Baker Cllr. William Voaden Clerk Ruth Senior and 4 members of the public Public Forum No items raised. PC/114/23 Apologies for absence County Cllr. Paul Kelly PC/115/23 Declaration of interest on any items of business on this Agenda Cllr. Palmer and Cllr. MacLennan registered interest in item 16 on the agenda -Dorney Village Hall transfer. Cllr. Palmer registered interest in a planning application. PC/116/23 To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 19th September 2023 These were approved with no amendments required and signed by the Chairman. PC/117/23 To receive the Clerk report There was no update from the Clerk for this meeting. PC/118/23 Items of business carried forward 118.1 The Orchard Herbs Site Cllr. Stopford reported that the Enforcement Notice is still expected by the end of November. The appeal for the hotel application could possible be ongoing to the middle of 2024. Any responses on the site will be posted on the Parish Council website. 118.2 The Neighbourhood Plan The Neighbourhood Plan presentation in October was very well attended and the main questions were in relation to Eton College plans and the number of houses planned for Dorney. The plan has been reviewed following resident and Council comments and the draft has now been submitted to Buckinghamshire for review. There are further questions over two areas of the plan; the extension of the conservation area to include more of Lake End and the Common and in our draft, it states up to 20 new developments however in the Bucks Local plan up to 2036 it suggests less. These two areas will be reviewed further. PC/119/23 Planning Cllr. Stopford asked the Clerk to check the objection submission for PL/23/2744/FA as it was not showing on the planning portal. It was reported that Eton College may ask for a public hearing to the Boveney plans. Outstanding applications Application Address Application Comment PL/23/3328/PNE 15 Marsh Lane Notification under The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015 Within permitted development allowance. No comment to be made. PL/23/2744/FA 59 Harcourt Road Demolition of building, replace with 6 bed house Objection based on visual character, overshadowing, loss of privacy and car parking. County Cllr. George Sandy agreed and suggested a ‘call in’ if required. PL/23/3576/FA Dorney Court Replacement of derelict pool house and pool equipment structure with a single storey pool pavilion No comment to be made. PL/23/3165/SA 4 New Boveney Court Farm Cottages Certificate of lawfulness for proposed single storey rear extension No comment to be made PC/120/23 To receive an update on the Thames Water rewilding field Harcourt Road resident, Andrew Oliver (Olly) presented plans to become more involved in the Thames Water rewilding field project. Thames Water were looking for charity support to take on the project but this has so far not been successful. Olly requested support from the Council on engaging with the local community and pushing the project forward, which was given. It was agreed that Cllr. Dax will make contact with Rebecca Elliot and Olly. PC/121/23 To update on the installation of posts and safety outside the Pineapple pub Maydencroft have quoted £660+VAT for the installation of new posts outside Ashford Lane. It was suggested that for extra safety we should install a wide angled mirror opposite the entrance to Ashford Lane on an existing post. Initial investigation suggests a maximum cost of £350. Proposed Cllr. Dax, seconded Cllr. Westcott, all in favour after Cllr. MacLennan confirmed we have the funds available for this project. PC/122/23 To update on local policing issues Cllr. Dax reported on the update from PCSO Ange O’Connell. The Roads Policing Officers attended Lake End Road on Sunday 5th November although being a Sunday, there were not many speeding offences recorded. PC/123/23 To update on communications with the Local Area Technician The Clerk reported that at the recent Clerk’s Forum, she raised the problem of the lack of contact from the LAT for Dorney and also raised this with the Management Team. As a result, from December 12th the Clerk will meet with the LAT every other month to discuss the outstanding issues, examples could be from road safety, Fix My Street reports, street signage etc. It was agreed the Clerk will compile a list for the first meeting and chase the information on the gullies report. PC/124/23 To discuss funding for white gates and villages signs PC/125/23 To update on the broken sign and new entrance signs to the village These items were combined. Graham White from the Beeches Community Board presented on what the Community Board is and examples of what they can fund. In Buckinghamshire there are 16 boards with £1.9 million split across them. The Beeches board has £95k allocated to it. The Clerk confirmed that Buckinghamshire will fund the replacement sign at the Eton Wick end of the Common which has rotted. It was proposed that we should apply to the Beeches Community Board for funding for the white gate entry signs on Lake End Road and Marsh Lane as these have been proven to work in speed reduction and would be a welcome addition to the village. All in favour of this proposal, it was agreed the Clerk will begin the application process. PC/126/23 To discuss and finalise the Annual Plan for Dorney Parish Council It was agreed that this will be moved to the January Agenda. Cllr. Dax will re-circulate the plan with suggestions of areas which could be allocated to Councillors to manage. PC/127/23 To ratify the £30 spend on printing for the Neighbourhood Plan presentation This was ratified. PC/128/23 To discuss Clerk hours increasing from 5 to 8 per week The Clerk presented the reasons for the increased workload including; an increase in communications from Buckinghamshire, more in person meetings, increased demand from Council. As overtime has been previously claimed monthly, the increased cost to Council will be minimal but will be more stable and better for budgeting purposes. This was agreed, all Councillors in favour. PC/129/23 To consider the transfer of the Dorney Village Hall charity to DPC Dorney Village Hall (DVH) have contacted DPC with regards to DPC becoming sole trustees of DVH and taking over the management and charity. It was agreed that this will be considered, all in favour and questions will be asked of DVH with regards to the charitable status, audits, and transfer process. The Clerk will write to DVH and this will be discussed further in January. PC/129/23 To consider the proposed price increase from RJC Landscapes Although the contract between the Council and RJC was for 3 years, overall costs have increased and the demand from Council for extra work has also increased therefore RJC have requested an increase to £565 per month. It was agreed that the Clerk will request a full schedule of works from RJC and confirm the increase. All in favour of accepting the increase with immediate effect. PC/130/23 To consider the speed limits in Dorney particularly Dorney Common It was agreed that we should request a speed limit change on Dorney Common from 60 to 40mph following documentation provided by Cllr. Dax suggesting there should be no need for the £10k speed surveys as per other Common Land speed change projects in the UK. All in favour. PC/131/23 To discuss litter picking equipment It was agreed that this will be added to the January Agenda. PC/132/23 Finance The cashbook was circulated prior to the meeting and approved. Cllr. MacLennan will begin budget planning and precept request for 24-25 to present in January. PC/133/23 To consider any complaints/comments received from residents We have had a request to install wildlife warning signage around Court Lane into Marsh Lane following the recent deaths of 3 deer. There is a post already in place which may be suitable. It was agreed that the Clerk will investigate signage costs and report back in January and will confirm this to the resident. There have been several reports made on pothole issues on Fix My Street which have been closed off without repairs undertaken. It was agreed that the Clerk will investigate this further with the LAT. PC/134/23 Items to consider for discussion at the next meeting on 16th January 2024. Annual Plan Playground update Litter picking equipment Wildlife signs LAT meeting Meeting ended at 9.20 pm Over the last few weeks, I have been working hard to champion the priorities of people across Dorney. Ensuring residents have access to better local health care, protecting our green belt and green spaces and getting more investment for our infrastructure. Our green spaces and green belt continue to be a focus of mine and I know it is an ongoing concern for residents. I believe our local areas must be protected from any inappropriate damage, such as the ongoing issue of Orchard Herbs. I know that local Councillors agree with this too and are doing all they can to protect this area of Dorney. On local healthcare provision, I have continued in my mission to improve access and quality of care for residents across the constituency. I am in communication with Buckinghamshire Health Watch and other local authorities to voice residents’ concerns over the standard of their local healthcare. I am determined that every resident should be able to see their GP with ease and in good time, and I know that the Government is committed too. From next year, residents will be able to visit their local pharmacies and receive care for seven common conditions without the need to see a GP. This will release GP availability for more appointments. If residents do have concerns about their local healthcare, please do contact my office. I know that residents in Dorney and across the whole constituency have been concerned by the state of the roads in our area. I was delighted to learn that an additional £51.7 million will be allocated to road repairs in our local area. This is being delivered via the Government’s redistribution of funds after a section of HS2 was scrapped. Ever since I was elected, I have campaigned to put a stop to HS2, so I am pleased that the funds for the scrapped part of HS2 are making their way to roads repairs in our local area. In Parliament, I was delighted to be moved from Assistant Government Whip to Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury. It has been an absolute honour to serve in the Whips office and I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass Bills that deliver for the people of Dorney and the country. I welcomed many of the Bills announced in the Kings Speech. These Bills will help deliver for people across the whole country. November marked a time of remembrance for our fallen heroes, who sacrificed so much for our country and freedoms. I was honoured to laya wreath in Beaconsfield for our fallen and marked the occasion in Parliament by placing a cross in the Constituency Garden of Remembrance. During this time, I wanted to send a special thank you to the Royal British Legion branches throughout the constituency who serve our community, especially our Armed Forces community. The work they did during the Poppy Appeal this year, and in years gone by, should rightly be praised. To close my column, I want to talk about the Autumn Statement. I have always been a low tax Conservative, so with this in mind I am delighted with the Chancellor’s statement. A 2% National Insurance cut for people across the country is putting money back into people’s pockets, rewarding hard work. The Government is also focusing on support for our high streets and small businesses, by extending 75% business rates relief for hospitality, leisure and retail until 2025. Finally, the Government is also committed to protecting pensioners and the low paid. The triple lock has delivered an increase of the state pension by 8.5%, as well as an increase in universal credit and benefits for the lowest paid. Tax cuts for business and individuals and the lowest paid and pensioners protected. A brilliant Autumn statement from the Chancellor for the people of Dorney and across Beaconsfield. From protecting the green belt to getting better access to local healthcare, I will work to champion the issues that matter most to residents in Dorney and Beaconsfield. If you require further assistance or have any inquiries, please do not hesitate to contact me at joy.morrissey.mp@parliament.uk or 01494 977 505. As your local champion, I’m here to help you. Joy Morrissey MP Dorney Village Hall www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Village Hall has a large main area with stage, a smaller annexed room, and kitchen. It has recently been redecorated throughout. It is served by a large private car park and adjacent there is a tennis court, a multi activity games area (MUGA), playground and a playing field. It is used by residents for a multitude of activities such as dancing classes, keep fit, yoga, badminton, horticultural and hired out for parties, dances and weddings. The management committee welcomes non-residents, organisations, clubs, businesses, and societies to hire the halls. Main hall: 15 x 7.4m, ceiling height 7m Fixed stage with curtains: 4.5 x 6m Annexe: 9.8 x 3.5m, ceiling height 2m Licensed to seat 100 people Children’s tables and chairs available Beechwood suspended dance floor 75 space free car park From £15 per hour (minimum of 3 hours) for Dorney Parish Residents Email: bookings.dorneyvh@gmail.com Online on www.dorneyvillagehall.co.uk Dorney Parish News Published monthly (except January and August) Editors: Peter Bowman, peter.bowman@talktalk.net Mobile: 07889 912714 Bill Dax, bill@daxfamily.com Mobile: 07802 365448 (Production) Distributors: Mr Cobb, Mrs Leishman, Mrs McCabe, Mr McGuinness, Mr Penfold, Mrs Stockwood, Mr Temple Miss Snook, Mrs Tuddenham, Mrs Wood-Dow RATE OF SUBSCRIPTION: £7 per annum for 10 issues Bank Transfer Details: Sort Code 60 04 53, Account Number 13611690 The Editors are not responsible for the opinions of correspondents expressed in letters or articles published in this magazine. Advertising in Dorney Parish News Dorney Parish News is an A5 newsletter that is circulated monthly (except January and August) to residents and businesses in Dorney Village, Dorney Reach, Boveney and Lake End. Our current print run is 250. Estimated readership is around 400 people. There are approximately 300 residential properties in Dorney Parish. Rate Card: Advertising Rates Height mm Width mm 10 issues 1 issue Full Page 190 130 £100 £13 Half Page 90 130 £55 £8 Third of a page (Horizontal) 60 130 £50 £7 Quarter Page (Horizontal) 45 130 £45 £6 Contact: Peter Bowman, Editor peter.bowman@talktalk.net 07889 912714 SUSAN HANDYDANCE A Complete Dance Training FREE TRIAL CLASS BABY BALLET 18 MONTH+ PRIMARY BALLET PRIMARY MODERN PRIMARY TAP ACROBATIC ARTS BALLET BODY CONDITIONING CONTEMPORARY CREATIVE DANCE GCSE DANCE MODERN JAZZ TAP ADULT BALLET STRETCH ADULT BALLET ADULT CONTEMPORARY ADULT BEGINNERS TAP ADULT INTERMEDIATE TAP BOYS CLASSES FROM BABIES TO ADULTS W W W . S U S A N H A N D Y D A N C E . C O . U K ETON WINDSOR DATCHET OLD WINDSOR ETON WICK ICKENHAM WOKING RICHMOND office@susanhandydance.co.uk / 07515 270432 BHS &ABRS Approved Riding School and Pony Club Centre Ri:ling School & Liverv Elm Farm, Boveney Road, Dorney Common NrWindsor, Berkshire, SL4 6QD We are a family run Riding School based on Dorney Common established for over 40 years! • Qualified lnstructors • Lessons available from 7 years upwards • Pony Rides available for children as young as 4. • We offer very popular Birthday parties • Large Indoor and Outdoor schools • Pony Club and Own a Pony activity days • Open 6 days a week, Tuesday-Sunday Gift Vouchers available through the website For bookings and enquiries please call us on 01628 661275 www.spanishbit.co.uk