HENLEY NEWS

Olympic Torch passes through Warwickshire

Thousands of people gathered on the High Street in Alcester (above) to witness the London 2012 Olympic Torch pass through the district on Sunday morning.

Founder of Modern Games twice visited Rugby School

On Monday morning, the Olympic flame was carried through Rugby School.

The School was one of the main sources of inspiration which led to the revival of the modern Olympic games. It was the Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who founded the games in 1896.

As a child, he had read the novel 'Tom Brown's Schooldays' which was based at Rugby School during the reign of Head Master Dr Thomas Arnold. He was so taken by Arnold's ethos of personal achievement through sport, that he visited Rugby School twice, and stayed overnight in the chapel where Arnold was laid to rest.

Whilst the torch was at the School, today's pupils recreated a game of Rugby Football dressed in clothes and caps of the 1860s. The game of football which was played at the School between 1750 and 1859 permitted handling of the ball, but players were not allowed to run with it in their hands towards the opposition's goal. With no limit to the number of players per side, hundreds would participate in an enormous rolling maul. The innovation of running with the ball was introduced between 1859 and 1865.

A plaque (left) "commemorates the exploit of William Webb Ellis who with a fine disregard for the rules of football as played in his time first took the ball in his arms and ran with it thus originating the distinctive feature of the Rugby game. AD 1823". Rugby School produced the first written rules for their version of the game in 1845.

Rugby School 1859, note the number of players (Credit: Rugby School)

Heart of England in Bloom Town Judging

Friday 6th July is Judging Day

Henley-in-Bloom volunteers are pulling out all the stops this week preparing for the judging by Heart of England in Bloom on Friday morning 6th July.

As well as the flower displays and community participation, the general appearance and cleanliness of the town wins points, so residents, businesses and shop owners are asked to help the Town to win by tidying up their frontages.

Everyone should be vigilant against litter dropping and a special appeal to dog owners to keep the pavements clean.

Please help our Chairman and our committee and our band of helpers to show our lovely town to its best advantage.

John Love, Treasurer - Henley-in-Bloom

Please Keep Henley Tidy on Friday 6th July

HSBC Branch in Henley-in-Arden to Close

HSBC has announced that its branch in Henley-in-Arden will be closing permanently on 21st September 2012.

A spokesman for HSBC UK media relations told Henley NEWS:

Our branches are an important way for our customers to bank with us and we are spending around £30 million each year upgrading and improving them.

However, we need to ensure that our branches are in the right locations for our customers and on occasions this means that we need to close a branch where customer footfall has fallen dramatically or there has been a shift in customer shopping patterns. Unfortunately our branch in Henley in Arden is a case in point and customer usage has fallen very significantly over the past few years.

Our customers are now increasingly using branches where they work, or they are using the 24 hour convenience of internet or telephone banking. Our network has to be 'fit for purpose' and we have to ensure that our branches are located in areas where they are used.

This wasn't an easy decision to make, but we are now working with the small number of customers who use the branch to help and advise them on their banking options ahead of the planned closure on September 21st. The two members of staff who man the branch will transfer to other local branches.

Local residents will still have banking and 'fee free' ATM access in the town.

Both Lloyds TSB and Barclays have branches in the town and no doubt will be inviting local HSBC customers to transfer. A spokesperson for Lloyds TSB told Henley NEWS:

The Henley-in-Arden branch of Lloyds TSB has recently undergone refurbishment and been fitted with new facilities, all designed with the needs of customers in mind.

Last year, we committed to keeping the same number of branches on a net basis, over the next three years, and we also commit not to close a branch if we are the last one in a community. The branch network will continue to play a vital part in our future plans.

24 High Street Drains Blocked

Swift Action by JPC and Warwickshire Highways

It is almost five years since there was major flooding in the town but with recent heavy rain the town must remain ever vigilant to the risk of flash floods. April to June this year has been the wettest quarter in the UK since records began in 1910.

Cllr Chris Milsom told councillors at the Parish Council meeting on Monday 25th June that he had carried out a survey of the drains on the High Street at the request of a Henley Independents Councillor and that 24 drains were found to be blocked.

Councillors resolved to request Warwickshire Highways to arrange for the problem to be resolved swiftly.

Paul Cowley, County Highways Manager told Henley NEWS: "We addressed this matter this morning (29 June) and a team from County Highways cleared the High Street drains which were causing problems. We are always ready to respond to local concerns and aim to fix problems as quickly as possible."

Far From the Madding Crowd

At the end of another week of stressful news (banking crises, Andy Murray playing Wimbledon etc) two beautiful young musicians created an oasis of calm to soothe our battered brows - or, at least, the brows of those attending a Guild Hall recital on Saturday night by Rita Schindler (harp) and Dominika Feher.

The Hungarian youngsters, who met as students at the Birmingham Conservatoire, were playing to a most attentive audience to raise funds for the Guild Hall’s refurbishment fund. They played music composed for the harp between the 17th. and the 21st. Century. Many felt that our 15th. Century Hall warmed more to the sounds of the former rather than the latter.

Of the many emotions captured by the music none was more poignant than the piece by Marius Flothuis written while the Dutchman was being held in a Nazi Death camp in the Forties, more dramatic than the De Falla Spanish Dance No 1, more beautiful than the Prokofieff Harp Prelude or more stirring than the finale created by Saint-Seans’ “Fantaisie”.

The combination of the grand old lady which is the Guild Hall and the talented young ladies from Hungary was a heady cocktail which brought pleasure to all those who attended.

Many thanks and congratulations to Dawn Leech, Sue Osborne and all those who worked hard to make the evening so enjoyable.

John Latham reporting

NEXT GUILD HALL APPEAL EVENTS

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Henley Tennis Club Championships

Henley-in-Arden Tennis Club Championship took place last Sunday against some pretty tough competition from the local Olympic Torch procession and the Euro Cup final.

The weather proved kind for this annual family event allowing a packed programme of junior and adult competitions. Free games were available to residents from Henley and Wootton Wawen to encourage new members. The club is currently promoting ‘cardio tennis’ as part of a fitness regime together with social and competitive matches and coaching for children and adults.

The event was sponsored by Hemming and Peace funeral services. Their representative, Nigel Peace, and club chairman, Simon Maddox, presented winner’s cups and prizes. The Judy Wilde Junior Award Trophy was won by Grace Turner for her on-court decorum and club contributions and Harriet Holmes was awarded the most improved junior player.

For further information on how to join the club contact Judith Mathias Tel. No. 01564 792378

Olympic Themed Sports Camp for Summer Hols

Parents stuck for inspiration when it comes to entertaining the children this Summer are being given a lifeline from local children’s sports and exercise specialists, Coolsportz.

The Henley in Arden based sports activity company is running an Olympic Themed Sports Camp with plenty of activities planned to keep kids aged four to fourteen active and entertained through the holiday.

The Ofsted Registered Camp which accepts childcare vouchers is held at Warwickshire College in Henley in Arden and will be running for the whole 6 weeks from Mon 23rd July – Fri 31st August. Children can attend half day morning or afternoon sessions or full day sessions (full day only for 5 – 14yrs).

The Camp is based on a fun multi-sports programme offering tennis, football, unihoc, parachute games, extreme dodgeball and much more. All children who attend will also have the chance to explore their creative side with art and craft workshops. During the Olympic themed summer club we will also be offering specific Olympic sports including trampoline afternoons and Football Only Day Camps which you must sign up separately for.

Coach Neil Supperstone, who will be running the Camp, says: “Coolsportz camps provide children with a brilliant chance to have fun while taking part in different sports that help boost their fitness levels. Sessions are held in fantastic indoor and outdoor facilities, so the camps will be run no matter what the great British weather throws at us.”

To book your place or for further information please visit www.coolsportz.co.uk or please contact Neil Supperstone on 07912 664426 or email neil@coolsportz.co.uk. Book and pay before Fri 13th July and receive a 10% discount.

Johnsons Coast to Coast Success

TEAM BEAT THE FLOODS TO GO 140 MILES IN A DAY

Despite the terrible weather, with floods, road closures and wading through knee high water, last weekend the 9 strong JOHNSONS cycling team made it across the country, coast to coast - 140 miles in a day. John Johnson, company director and team leader said, "Our team of 9 performed heroically; one member survived a nasty crash and still finished, and two others got rather lost and ended up doing over 150 miles and taking over 19 hours...from 5am until midnight!"

But all 9 in the team successfully completed the epic challenge from Whitehaven on the Irish Sea, to Tynemouth on the North sea, which went up and over the Lake District and the Pennines and included over 3,800 metres of climbing.

Even more fantastically... the team have now raised over £3,000. They want to say thanks to all Johnsons' friends, family and customers who have very kindly donated, to help raise funds for Alzheimer's Society and Dementia UK, two great causes. And it’s not too late to contribute either! Just Click here:

Attached are a couple of shots; the 'finish line photo' was taken at 8.15pm...15 hours after the start. Shown from left to right are Andy Thomas, Matt Sheppard, Lewis Jacklin and John Wagstaff, then John and Richard Johnson. The three other members of the team, Anne Johnson, Jimi Day and Adrian Davies are not pictured here...as it was dark - nearly midnight when they crossed the line!

Make Henley Greener
Our Award Winning Column
Save Money - Help Save the Planet

Last chance for low cost/no cost insulation.

If you are thinking of insulating your home to reduce energy bills, now is definitely the time to act. The reason is that at present, insulation costs for homes are kept low by means of heavy subsidies so you pay only a fraction of the real cost (and sometimes nothing at all – see later). This makes insulation a fantastic deal because the typical outlay of a hundred pounds or so (depending on the size of house) pays for itself in less than a year and is worth many thousands of pounds over time. The diagram below shows a real example from a home in Henley that was insulated in 1989.

Consumption here has fallen from nearly 50,000 units a year to under 40,000 units a year. Savings at current gas prices are £410 a year – or over £8,000 since the insulation was installed. And 47 tonnes of CO2 pollution have been saved over the same period. For a typical 3-bedroom semi, savings will be smaller – about £140 a year at current gas prices. But energy costs are expected to rise, so savings will get bigger over time.

Can you afford it? Cavity wall insulation typically costs £100-£150 for a three bed semi – and is usually free for those over 70 or on certain benefits. There are also free offers for everyone if you apply now – see below.

So why insulate now? The answer is that the subsidies are about to be replaced by an arrangement known as The Green Deal. On the face of it, The Green Deal is very attractive, because a home having energy saving improvements installed will pay out nothing at all at the time of installation. However, the cost of the energy saving improvement is gradually recovered in energy bills from the money saved by reduced energy consumption. This will typically take years, so there is no immediate large financial benefit. This is quite different from the present arrangement for insulation, where the full financial benefit kicks in immediately if the insulation is free or after only about a year if you have to pay for it.

So, my advice is do not wait for The Green Deal to get your cavity wall and loft insulation. Get it now. The Green Deal is scheduled to start in October, so there are only three months to get insulated under the present scheme with its more rapid financial benefit. There will be a last minute rush of homes wanting insulation, so some may be disappointed if requests for insulation are left too late. Investing in insulation is one of the best financial deals on the planet; even if you have to pay for it; 100% rate of return, which is loads better than money in a savings account. So, act now before The Green Deal kills the golden goose.

John Stott

John Garner's Business Column

Trouble at ’bank.

What a week it’s been for banks!

First we had the NatWest/RBS computer problems. According to one report these were caused by a junior technician in India inadvertently deleting some key files when doing an upgrade – but I don’t suppose we’ll ever get the real story as it smacks of incompetence. Perhaps they shouldn’t be outsourcing to India.

Incidentally I read that there are now phishing emails appearing which appear to be from NatWest (and signed by Stephen Hester, their chief exec who dare not now accept his bonus this year). These say that a security upgrade requires you to confirm your bank details. As usual, if you get one just delete it. Entering your account details on this fake site will give the fraudsters access to steal your money (that’s assuming of course that the system is working again!).

Then we have the Barclays problem that hit the headlines last week; this got them fined £290million.  Somehow I didn’t think Bob Diamond would last much longer.  As I write this he has just resigned: by the time you read it on Wednesday I wonder what else will have happened.  It now appears the other major banks are being investigated for this too.  What a mess!

But worst of all, beside which the above pale into insignificance, is the decision of HSBC to close its Henley branch. This will have far more impact on the lives of many people in Henley than the shenanigans at NatWest, Barclays, the Vatican Bank or even the European Central Bank. (OK, I exaggerate just a little). Even those who do their banking on line have a need to pay cheques or cash into their account: modern electronic banking doesn’t allow this: you have to physically get to a branch  – and branches of other banks won’t usually accept payments into another bank’s account – so don’t bother trying to pay in to your HSBC account at Lloyds or Barclays.

And what about the elderly who don't have transport or those who don’t have the internet and still need to pay in? A notice in the branch says our nearest branch will be at Studley. Ever tried getting there from Henley by public transport? Certainly the elderly can get to Stratford on the bus but it’s a long way from the bus stop to the HSBC branch if you can’t walk too well – and the X20 (excellent service though it is) doesn’t allow electric scooters on board as far as I know.

However, this is supposed to be a serious business column. We think there are over 250 businesses in Henley and I’ll bet a high proportion use HSBC. Do they really want to lose all these business customers – or do they think they won’t lose them? HSBC say the footfall has reduced significantly recently but using that as a justification doesn’t seem logical to me. Have they measured where their footfall comes from? Have they thought how many businesses will simply switch to Barclays (assuming they’re still in business!) or Lloyds? Perhaps they don’t care.

My point is: have they actually asked their customers? HSBC, when it was the Midland Bank, used to be called “The Listening Bank”. Hmm.

Finally a quote from Stephen Hester: “…he agreed that there needed to be a cultural change in banking. ‘[Bankers] thought they were masters of the universe, when they should have been servants of the customer.’"

Amen to that.

John Garner - Business Correspondent

Warnings from Trading Standards

Pensions Scam

A Warwickshire Trading Standards Officer recently took an unexpected call from a man called Derek who claimed he was entitled to £1000 under a pension scheme. The caller asked the Trading Standards Officer if he had ever taken out any private pensions and then asked for details. At that point the Trading Standards Officer asked the caller for the name of his company – and the line went dead!

Warwickshire Trading Standards advises consumers not to provide any personal or financial information to unexpected callers. If you believe the call to be genuine, ask for their name, company name and address and a publicly listed telephone number to call them back on.

Door to Door Lottery

Warwickshire Trading Standards are reminding residents to ask for identification if they are approached on the doorstep by charity collectors after reports of people going door to door in South Warwickshire selling lottery tickets.

European City Guide Warning

Warwickshire businesses are warned to beware of letters and phone calls from the European City Guide as the Trading Standards Service has received complaints from Warwickshire businesses that believed they were either agreeing to take a free entry or updating existing information in this directory.

However, having either agreed over the phone or returned a form, each business then received a demand for over £3,000. Further demand letters and threats of court action follow if payment is not made.

However, Warwickshire Trading Standards is unaware of any instances where this has gone beyond threats to actual court action. The activities of this Spanish based business have already been highlighted by a number of UK and EU institutions and action has been taken against them to disrupt their activities.

Warwickshire Trading Standards advises businesses not to respond to any telephone calls or letters from the European City Guide.

Aggressive Selling of ‘Health Giving’ Pots and Pans

Consumers are warned to beware of door to door sales people offering ‘free’ cooking demonstrations.

Dressed as cooks, the sales people offer to prepare food for the consumer as a way to get a ‘foot in the door’ before high pressure sales techniques are used to sell householders pots and pans for hundreds of pounds.

Sales people claim they are ‘not selling anything’ before going into a pre-prepared sales pitch to claim that their pots and pans cook food in a ‘healthier’ way than other pots and pans.

Trading Standards urges householders to think twice before inviting sales people in to their homes. Consumers are reminded that if they buy goods in their home for over £35, they have 7 days in which to cancel the contract, which they must do in writing.

More information is available on our website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/

Simon Cripwell, Senior Information Officer, Trading Standards Service
Warwickshire County Council
email. simoncripwell@warwickshire.gov.uk