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 JudgingFriday 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 CloseHSBC 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 BlockedSwift 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 CrowdA Recital in the Guild Hall
 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 |
|  |
Register for tickets at Henley Ticketing below |
|
Henley Tennis Club ChampionshipsHenley-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 junior winners and finalists were: Eight and under - James Price (Claverdon) (r/u Leo Bartlett) Nine and under - Alex Didlick (Wootton Wawen) (r/u Millie Fenwick) Twelve and under - Fraser Kent (Henley) (r/u Max Beishon) Sixteen and under - Emma Hancocks (Bearley) (r/u Hannah Raper) The senior winners and finalists were: Ladies singles - Karen Foort (Redditch) (r/u Jane Palmer) Men’s singles - Max Retallack (Henley) (r/u Rob West) Ladies doubles - Dawn Grennall (Henley) & Sarah Rowan (Wootton Wawen) Men’s doubles - Neil Supperstone (Henley) & Phil Bishop (Henley) Mixed doubles - Rob West (Wootton Wawen) & Molly Eyre (Henley) | 
Simon Maddox, Henley Tennis Club President, and Max Ratallack, Men's Singles winner |
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 SuccessTEAM 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! |
|
For the most Comprehensive Information about Henley-in-Arden Visit the Henley-in-Arden Town Website at: Henley-In-Arden.org This website is sponsored by the Henley War Memorial Trust and receives no money from public funds. | |
Armed Forces Day
Armed
Forces Day differs from the annual November Remembrance Sunday in that
it is an opportunity to raise public awareness of the contribution made
to our country by those who serve and have served in Her Majesty's
Armed Forces and, secondly, it gives the nation an opportunity to show
their support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces
community: from currently serving troops to Service families, and from
veterans to cadets.
Saturday 30th June 2012 was the fourth such Armed Forces Day and the
second to be celebrated in Henley. The parade, consisting of members of
the Royal British Legion, members of local Emergency Services and Civic
Dignitaries, started outside the Memorial Hall from where it proceeded
to the Parish Church, led by the Shirley Pipe Band. A
Service of Celebration was conducted by the Rector of St John’s,
Revd. John Ganjavi. In his address the Rector reminded the assembled
congregation of the events leading up to D-Day in June 1944; how all
the major leaders involved in the preparation of the Allied forces had
a declared testimony of their faith in Almighty God, and believed that
their actions were directed by God’s motivation; and how the
Deputy Chaplain General had said that “the consecration of our
armies had not been a last minute effort”. He went on to declare
that “Not all of our forces are necessarily church-going men, but
all are God-going men”. After
the service the congregation were invited to retire to the Guildhall
Garden for light refreshments where they were entertained by the
Shirley Pipe band. To hear Revd. Ganjavi’s Armed Forces Day Address in full, please click here. Click here for the full photo report |
|
Rotary Club Gets Steamed Up
Henley-in-Arden Rotary Club members and friends took a journey back to the 1940s when they rode the Severn Valley steam trains last week. Nostalgia ruled!
The
rail company went into great detail to re-create the railway stations
along the 16 mile track between Kidderminster and Bridgenorth as they
would have been in the war-torn Britain of the 1940s. Old-fashioned
bobbies, fire wardens, Army and RAF personnel (all in period uniform),
German POWs, refugee school children, spivs selling nylon stockings,
army vehicles trackside and sandbags at the windows all helped to add
to the authenticity of the day. As if
this wasn’t enough, authentic English Beef and Yorkshire pudding
with apple pie and ale was on the menu and most enjoyable. The
backcloth for the lunch was a display of full-size steam locomotives
and rolling stock which is housed in the Highley Engine House halfway
along the line. 
It was
felt that the day was made very special not just by the beauty of the
Severn Valley and the lovely station gardens along the way, but also by
the enthusiasm and commitment of all the volunteers of the Severn
Valley Steam Railway Company who wanted us to enjoy the Steam
experience as much as they obviously do. John Latham |
|
Have You Registered Yet? Diamond Jubilee Henley Telephone Directory 
We now have a large number telephone numbers but we need more to make the new directory a definitive reference which all the previous editions have been. Unfortunately, we cannot use the previous editions, so if residents want to be included they must provide us with their details. We hope to publish this autumn but we must insure that we have the majority of residents listed and we are not there yet. Please will you encourage all your friends and neighbours to register. If they do not have access to a computer, there are manual input forms at the Library and Heritage Centre. Karen Topham-Steel and Bill Leech Click Here to register your FREE LISTING (Business or Residential) |
|
|
Annual Parish Church Fete
After
one of the wettest Junes on record preparations were made to hold our
annual St John’s Church Summer Fete in the Church Hall in
Beaudesert Lane. In the event we need not have worried – on
Saturday 23rd June the weather was kind to us and for a while the sun
even shone. At
11.00am the Town Crier, Gordon Trinder, officially declared the fete
open, and over 350 people attended, enjoying tea and home-made cakes,
trying their luck on the various games outside, and having a cooked BBQ
lunch. In addition they were able to buy plants, bric-a-brac, gifts,
pictures, or win bottles and other prizes on the tombola, all the time
being entertained by music from Brian Jackson’s traditional
hand-operated barrel-organ. One of
the highlights of the day was the famous Duck Race on the River Alne,
with nearly 1000 ducks floating down in the swollen water towards the
finishing line in Beaudesert Lane. As usual it was a very close finish
and the first duck home won £50 for its sponsor, Elaine Field.
This event alone raised over £900 towards the fete total of
£3,125, which was a fantastic result for church funds. A key to
this success was the effort put in by all the helpers and stall holders,
and our thanks go out to all our sponsors and individual helpers who
helped in any way to make the fete such a success. Thank you to you all. Click here for the full report |
|
Henley Websites Co-operateDavid Archer, webmaster of the Parish Church website, has provided Henley NEWS
with some excellent 360º panorama photos taken in the summer and
winter from the top of St John's Church tower for the home page of the Town Website - 'This is Henley-in-Arden'. This website is sponsored by the Henley War Memorial Trust. 
Click here to view the new photos All
organisations which have information or pages on the Town Website, are
asked to check that their information is up to date. All changes should
be advised to Henley NEWS. |
|
Advertisement Feature for the benefit of the Guild Hall Trust Opportunity To Snap Up Your Dream Apartment
 Aspiring house hunters looking to own a stunning new build apartment in
the heart of a highly desirable location, should head to Taylor Wimpey
Midlands’ Farriers Cross development in Henley in Arden, where
just two apartments have been released for sale.
The stunning two bedroom Lyndhurst apartments feature a spacious open
plan living/dining room, kitchen, master bedroom with en suite, second
bedroom, modern main bathroom and allocated parking.
“The Lyndhursts are currently the only new build apartments
available in Henley in Arden,” comments Anne Wallace, regional
sales and marketing director for Taylor Wimpey Midlands. “This
makes them incredibly desirable and, being set just around the corner
from the high street of Henley in Arden, perfect for both first time
buyers and downsizers who want to be close to all the amenities.”
As well as owning an incredible new home, those purchasing a property
at Farriers Cross will benefit from living in a town rich with history
and culture. An array of spectacular architecture and listed buildings,
including the 15th century Guildhall, makes Henley in Arden one of the
most sought after places to live in Warwickshire.
Anne concludes: “The opportunity to snap up a new build apartment
in the heart of Henley in Arden, a charming village surrounded by
stunning Warwickshire countryside, doesn’t come around often, so
those interested should act fast to avoid disappointment.”
Farriers Cross comprises just 30 private homes ranging from two
bedroom apartments and coach houses to three, four and five bedroom
homes. Prices start from £199,995 for the Lyndhurst apartments.
For more information on homes and financial schemes available visit
Farriers Cross, open Thursday to Monday from 10am – 5pm, call
0845 026 5159. Alternatively log onto: www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/farrierscross *Research carried out by the NhbC Foundation and Zero Carbon Hub Rachel Tillman reporting |
|
|
For Late Breaking News - Follow Henley NEWS on |  | |
|
Top Quality Rating for Henley HotelAfter Luxury Upgrade Following a luxury make-over the Best Western Henley Hotel
has been awarded the group’s Plus standard, joining only 23 other
properties included in the portfolio of independently owned hotels
across the UK. The
hotel, which has been recently taken over by the team that run the
Henley Golf and Country Club, has been transformed into a rural
hideaway complete with 27 en-suite rooms, including the sumptuous
Honeymoon Suite and five executive/ family rooms. Aiming
to provide the perfect accompaniment for couples and guests enjoying
the bespoke wedding day packages at their sister business, the hotel
now boasts carefully selected tub chairs, leather seats, mirrors and
chandeliers. Plus all rooms are equipped with TV, radio and free Wi-Fi
access for all customers. The highlight of the renovation is the
Honeymoon Suite which features a king-size bed, sitting area and
bathroom complete with double shower and large roll top bath.
On site,
a range of tasty bar meals are served at affordable prices. In
addition, the hotel boasts a delicious Full English Breakfast served
every morning to ensure that guests have the best possible start to
their day. A
complimentary shuttle bus runs between the two venues (one mile)
providing the perfect excuse for hotel guests to play a round of golf
or pamper themselves at the on-site beauty salon. All golf and salon
prices are listed on the website and bookings can be made in advance
via telephone. Graham
Waller, General Manager, comments; “This is really great news for
the hotel. We are thrilled that Best Western has recognised that we now
offer our guests a totally different and much more refined experience.
The Best Western Plus status will enable us to reach a new audience and
position the hotel as a quality stay. Most importantly it enables us to
offer our wedding, business and golfing customers a great place to stay
that is affordable and convenient. A shuttle bus between the two venues
will mean guests can travel between with ease.” Prices for the rooms will start from £70. For more information please visit Henley Hotel website |
|
Don’t lose your vote!! You could also be fined £1,000 Voter registration forms will soon be dropping through letterboxes across Stratford-on-Avon District and residents are being urged to return them as soon as possible to make sure their voice is heard not only in next year’s County elections but in the new Police and Crime Commissioners election in November.
Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s Elections team will be sending forms to around 55,000 households in the District over the coming months to compile the electoral register. Normally forms are sent out in August but due to the elections in November the Government has brought forward the publishing date of the register to 16 October so there is an up to date register for the Police and Crime Commissioners election. Darren Whitney, Stratford District Council’s Democratic Services Manager said: “Registering to vote is very simple and should only take a few minutes to complete. All you have to do is update the annual canvass form with the details of everyone in your household who is eligible to vote and return it to us as soon as possible. If your details haven’t changed you can also reply by phone or by internet. Some people may not realise that they have to register every year and you are not automatically entitled to vote because you pay council tax or have voted before. By law, the registration form is required to be completed and returned from all households. Also returning the form or registering by phone or internet quickly will help to keep down costs and reduce the number of reminders that will otherwise have to be sent out. It is important that you complete your registration so you’re able to take part in the upcoming elections enabling you to vote for the people who will make decisions that affect your everyday life.” On the electoral registration form residents can opt to have their details excluded from the edited register. If you wish to opt out, even if you have done so in the past, you must tick the box in the relevant column or follow the instructions on the phone or internet. This will mean that details cannot be bought by individuals and commercial organisations. If you wish to opt out on a permanent basis you must make this clear on the form. For further information or if you haven’t received your form after 13 July please contact the District Council on 01789 260208. |
|
Stratford Parkway Railway Station Warwickshire County Council
is pleased to announce that an official agreement has been reached with
London Midland for the new Stratford-upon-Avon Parkway Station. The
county council has been supported in the negotiation of the deal with
London Midland by its rail delivery consultants SLC Rail. The agreement
confirms that the county council will develop and deliver the new
Parkway station and that London Midland will operate the station when
it opens and run new train services between both Stratford stations and
Birmingham. Following
the accord, the county council will now focus on letting the
construction contract for the new station while London Midland will
work towards providing new Saturday and evening train services
between Stratford-upon-Avon and Birmingham in May 2013. The agreement
also confirms that the train operator will work towards providing new
weekday off-peak train services in December 2013. Cllr
Peter Butlin, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for
Transport and Highways, said: “Reaching this agreement between
Warwickshire County Council and London Midland marks a major step
forward in the delivery of the new Parkway station scheme. The key
stakeholders are all working hard to deliver this project as quickly
and efficiently as possible. The sooner the station opens, the sooner
the town of Stratford will benefit from the new station and,
importantly, the new train services it will provide.” London
Midland’s Head of Franchise Management, Nicola Moss said:
“We are pleased to be involved in this exciting project. The
approach to this scheme underlines the importance of partnership
working in delivering projects in the rail industry. With the help of
Warwickshire County Council, Centro and Network Rail this scheme will
bring huge benefits to rail passengers in Stratford.” |
|
Warwick Parkway sees £2.5m car park expansion Work on a £2.5m car park deck is under way at Warwick Parkway railway station following a rise in passenger numbers. The new
decking area will create 222 additional spaces, bringing the number at
the station, which is on the outskirts of Warwick, up to 959. Chiltern
Railways said the number of people using Warwick Parkway was 32% higher
following the launch of the faster Chiltern Mainline service. Its
fastest service now takes 90 minutes between Birmingham and London. Warwick
Parkway opened in 2000. The car park expansion has been funded by
Chiltern Railways, with £1m from the Department of Transport. |
|
|
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 ColumnTrouble 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 StandardsPensions 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
|
|
For the most Comprehensive Information about Henley-in-Arden Visit the Henley-in-Arden Town Website at: This website is sponsored by the Henley War Memorial Trust and receives no money from public funds | |
|
|
Ask your MP or your Councillors | Nadhim Zahawi
is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Stratford upon Avon and he
has said, "I am extremely keen on hearing your views so please feel
free to contact me." Get in Touch with Nadhim
| |
| Many residents find it difficult to know to which of the three levels of local government to refer their questions. To assist residents Henley NEWS
provides a service enabling a question to be sent to the elected
representatives on the County, District and Parish councils
simultaneously. Click on the link below to send your enquiry. ASK YOUR COUNCILLORS Planning Applications - Search on-line | | |
|
|  | | | | | | | | | Diamond Jubilee Henley Telephone Directory 
We now have a large number telephone numbers but we need more to make the new directory a definitive reference which all the previous editions have been. Unfortunately, we cannot use the previous editions, so if residents want to be included they must provide us with their details. We hope to publish this autumn but we must insure that we have the majority of residents listed and we are not there yet. Please will you encourage all your friends and neighbours to register. If they do not have access to a computer, there are manual input forms at the Library and Heritage Centre. Karen Topham-Steel and Bill Leech Click Here to register your FREE LISTING (Business or Residential) |
| | | | | | CLICK ON the banner above for further information. | | CLICK the left and right facing arrows in panel above for more adverts. | Register to receive automatic alerts Henley NEWS provides email alerts to advise readers, who have registered for the service, when a new edition is published. If you would like to receive an alert each time a new edition is published, please click on the link below. REGISTER FOR AUTOMATIC ALERTS Henley News is registered with the Information Commissioner and we will NOT disclose your information to third parties. Registration will also give you advanced notice of special events and invitations. In addition, we occasionally broadcast News Flashes to our registered readers. Henley NEWS |
|
| HENLEY WILDLIFE SOCIETY We are going for a morning "Farm Walk" near Moreton-in-Marsh on Tuesday
July 10th. Please note this is the 2nd Tuesday of the month and members
should contact Dave Evason or Bob Riley for details. STRAWBERRY TEA Thursday
12th July 2.30 - 4.30pm at Alne House, Beaudesert Lane. Tickets
£5 to include strawberries, cake and a cup of tea in aid of
church funds. Tickets from Barbara Warmington tel: 793640 JAZZ IN THE GARDEN July 21st...Music, Dancing, Fizz ,Strawberries and Fireworks For information phone Marijana or Duncan Bainbridge 794987 eve 795149 day. HENLEY FLOWER CLUB 28TH July COMPETITION DAY and Flower Show from 2 – 6pm. Prize
giving at 4.30pm. Entry details from Angela Pinnegar 795918. HENLEY KARATE CLUB Meets every Tuesday at St John's Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane (6.30-7.30). Contact Paul Barnard 01564 792278.
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH Co-ordinators At a recent meeting of co-ordinators for the Stratford area, the
chairman stressed how important it is to contact residents quickly when
crimes are reported in the area and this is why co-ordinators are
needed. Henley is covered quite well with most roads but there are
areas still in need of someone to contact. If you are willing to have
your name and telephone number registered to receive calls from the
Crime Officer when necessary please let Annette Walker (792837) know.
JOHNSON HOUSES HENLEY IN ARDEN A Flat has become vacant at Johnson House, Henley in Arden.
Applications are invited from person or persons born in Henley. Apply
in writing to Mrs S Nicholson Flat 3 Whitehouse Mews Henley in Arden
B95 5GA by 30th April 2012. Diary Dates for WARWICKSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE - Henley & District Volunteers
| |  Warwick Castle Heroes Run | Nuthurst Grange Coffee Morning Henley Primary School Fete Henley Primary School Assembly Co-op Henley - Bucket Shake WNAA Volunteer Conference | 10th September 2012 15th September 2012 26th September 2012 6th October 2012 3rd November 2012 |
We are always looking for new volunteers to join our group to support this vital service. Please contact Mandy Hollands
|  A FREE service for Henley Event Organisers Register your event details at: tfaforms.com/234494
GUILD HALL APPEAL EVENTS For details about these events call: Dawn Leech 01564 793699 
|
| Details of all the local cinemas, theatres and exhibitions can be found on The Henley Town Website HenleyInArden.org | HENLEY IN ARDEN TENNIS CLUB Open to members (juniors and adults) of any standard. Full time coach.
7 courts open throughout the year mean that there is always a court
available. No need to book. Club and American Tournaments held during
summer months. League matches summer and winter. For details of
membership please contact Judith Mathias 01564 792378 | THE ROTARY CLUB of HENLEY-in-ARDEN Rotary
International in Great Britain and Ireland, is an organisation of more
than 55,000 men and women who, as members of over 1,850 Rotary clubs,
volunteer their time, talents, professional skills and energy to
improving the lives of people in their local communities and others
around the world. The Henley-in-Arden Club meets at the Golf Club on
Monday evenings at 7pm. New members are always welcome. Please email Rotarian Michael Redman | HENLEY-IN-ARDEN FLOWER CLUB
Are
you interested in gardening and flowers or just spending a pleasant
evening watching a demonstrator arrange foliage and flowers? We
meet on the second Tuesday each month at 7.30pm in The Memorial Hall,
Station Road, Henley-in-Arden so why not come along and see for
yourself? Visitors are always welcome £5.00. You do not have to
be an active flower arranger to enjoy watching our demonstrators but if
you do feel you would like to 'have a go' we hold occasional workshops.
For further information contact Paula Pugh on 015647 42781 henleyinardenflowerclub@hotmail.co.uk 2011 Programme | HENLEY-IN-ARDEN ALLOTMENTS & GARDENING CLUB The Objectives of the Club are: - To maintain and develop facilities for gardening and allotment sites.
- To enable members to enjoy the activity of gardening and allotments.
- To enable a healthy and rewarding past time enriching people's lives.
- To preserve local green spaces for the community of Henley-in-Arden.
- To foster an allotment and gardening spirit.
- To create synergies and alliances with other like minded organisations.
To create a network
where members can communicate with each other in order to exchange
ideas, exchange produce and flowers, share equipment, seek advice and
help. The HAAGC is open to everyone with an interest in gardening and membership is FREE. Click Here for Application Form | HENLEY-IN-ARDEN BADMINTON CLUB Meets every Friday and Sunday evening from 8pm at the Memorial Hall,
Station Road, Henley-in-Arden. The season runs from mid September to
end April. A warm welcome is extended to all badminton players who may
be interested in joining the club. Visitors welcome. Please contact the
Chairman, Alan Barber, on 01564 793320 for further details. | HENLEY CRICKET CLUB Henley Cricket Club
fields two teams in the Cotswold Hills League on a Saturday and two
teams in friendly fixtures on Sundays from mid-April to mid-September.
We are always on the lookout for new players, irrespective of age or
ability. Anyone interested in joining our club should contact Kevin
O'Brien on 01564 794903. | HENLEY-in-ARDEN BOWLS CLUB meets on Monday
evenings from April to September at 6.30pm and plays until it is dark.
The club is situated next to the Tennis Courts at the Sports and Social
club ground on the A3400 just outside Henley. The Club welcomes new
members, whether beginners or established players. For further
information contact John Townson 01564 792407. | HENLEY KARATE CLUB Meets every Tuesday at St John's Church Hall, Beaudesert Lane
(6.30-7.30). Any age are most welcome to learn About the art of self
defence or just for good general exercise. Contact Paul Barnard 01564
792278 | JOLLYTOTS Jollytots meet every Tuesday morning during term time between 10am and
11.45am in the Church Hall on Beaudesert Lane, Henley. It is open
for all under 4 year olds and costs only £1.50 which includes a
drink and a biscuit. There are toys, games, arts and crafts and
singing. Any questions please ring Rachel on 01564 794470. | NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH There are still vacancies in some areas of Henley-in-Arden for
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH Coordinators. If you are aware that your area is
not covered or you are willing to be a coordinator, please contact
Annette Walker on 792837 | 1st HENLEY & WOOTTON SCOUTSThis is an exciting opportunity to make your mark on what has been a
vibrant and successful scout troop. In order for it to continue to
provide young people with diverse opportunities we urgently need the
support of our local community. Please come forward and find out more
about how you can get involved. For more information please contact
Graham Mallinson on: 01564 795297 / 07535 233313. | THE WARWICKSHIRE BUSINESS CLUB Holds its
monthly lunchtime meeting on the third Thursday of each month from
11.30am to 2.15pm at the Henley Golf Club. There is a one hour
networking session followed by a quality lunch and an informative
speaker on a business topic. Full details at swbc.co.uk | The HUB @ HENLEY
Recently
handed over from Warwickshire County Council to the Henley in Arden War
Memorial Trust. A grand re-opening event is currently being planned for
September 2012 In the meantime the Youth Club is open every Wednesday
night during school term time from 19:00 – 21:00. Teenagers from
Henley in Arden and surrounding villages aged 13+ are very welcome to
attend. Many exciting plans are underway... we are hoping the youth
club will be open at least 3 times a week from September. Full details at thehubathenley.co.uk | TAI CHI in HENLEY Thursdays, 11am at the Parish Hall, Beaudesert Lane. Age, health or
fitness no barrier. £5 per session – no termly fees. For
further information contact Debbie Wild on 07773 318830.
Full details at: swantaichi.co.uk | WOOTTON WAWEN FOOTPATHS GROUP Meets the last
Sunday of the month at Wootton Wawen village hall at 2.15pm for a
conducted walk of about 5 miles over the local and surrounding area
footpaths. The Group welcomes all walkers. There is no subscription.
More details from Denis Keyte on 01564 792872. | THE PROBUS CLUB OF BEAUDESERT Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month. Membership
consists of retired professional and business men residing in the
vicinity of Henley. Visitors are most welcome and for further details
please contact the secretary Andrew Yarwood on 794079. | DE MONTFORT LODGE OF FREEMASONS De Montfort Lodge is the only freemasons’ lodge meeting in
Henley. It was established in the town in 1930 and holds meetings in
the Guild Hall. Anyone interested in freemasonry should contact John
Pollard on 0121 603 8577 for further details. | HENLEY-IN-ARDEN BRIDGE CLUB Plays
Duplicate Bridge of intermediate standard on Tuesday evenings at the
White Swan Hotel and usually finds time for a tipple, which may or
may not improve our play!! Play commences at 7.15 promptly. There
are normally 5 - 8 tables and the club does not issue master points. For further information please contact the Secretary - Christine Whitehouse on 01564 792993. | HENLEY FOCUS Each month the Henley Focus contains plenty for everyone with local
business advertisements, reviews and community information. The Henley
Focus could be helping you to promote your business or service to local
people at affordable prices and also offers a range of design services
at very reasonable rates. The publication is very happy to promote
community and charity events free of charge. Please call Karen on 01564 774748 or email karen@henleyfocus.co.uk for more information. | HENLEY-IN-ARDEN EVERGREEN CLUB.
Meetings
are held on the first Wednesday of the month in the Parish Hall,
Beaudesert Lane at 2.15pm. The Club has around 80 members and organises
a varied programme together with various outings. If you are interested
in joining please contact Gordon Trinder. | WEDNESDAY CLUB FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE The Wednesday
Club provides a friendly environment where people with visual problems
can meet together and enjoy good company, interesting speakers, outings
and a delicious tea together. The Club meets on alternate
Wednesday afternoons and welcomes new members. For further information
please phone: 0121-705-3926, 01564-792724, 01564-794209 or
01564-792138. | Details about tourist attractions and neighbouring villages can be found on The Henley Town Website www.HenleyInArden.org | From our own Correspondents HENLEY
NEWS is
looking for additional correspondents to send in stories and pictures.
Why don't you become one of our correspondents and send in stories
about your area, your club, your school or events you have witnessed?
Please always try to include a photo in jpg or png format. Letters,
articles, pictures sent to the Editor are always welcome. Please do not
use the following file formats 'Publisher" or 'Serif'. 'Microsoft Word'
is the preferred format. Please send to editor@henleynews.co.uk We are delighted to publish the list of our correspondents: | Make Henley Greener | | Rotary Club | | The Henley Society | | Henley History | | Henley in Bloom | | Wild Life Society | | Warwickshire College | | Henley Diary | | Flower Club | Paula Pugh | Parish Church | David Archer | Editorial Team | | Proof Reader | John Garner | Editor | Bill Leech |
| Ullenhall Gardening Club | Penny Stott | WCC Trading Standards | | Business | | Heritage Centre | | Memorial Hall | | Henley High School | | C of E Primary School | Elaine Field | St Mary's Primary School | | Drama - HADS | | | | Photographers | | Court Leet & HADS | Alan Robson | Claverdon & Railway | Clive Hanley |
| Special Correspondents Henley-in-Arden Church of England Primary School Our team of Newshounds | |
| | 
| Bill Leech - Editor 253 High Street Henley-in-Arden B95 5BG |
| Henley NEWS prints best with Firefox |
| | HENLEY NEWS is a confidential 'Not For Profit' on-line newsletter, exclusively for our registered readers.
Commercial advertisers are asked to make donations to Henley's charities. The views expressed in these stories and articles do not necessarily match the views of the editor. Privacy Statement |
|
|
|
|
|