Local News

All smiles at Chiltern Way Academy

CWA Wendover continues to strive for the best ways to communicate with our students. The nationwide rules around face coverings are being implemented around the school to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Our students have SEMH (Social Emotional and Mental Health) challenges and as such face coverings make their ability to communicate and read emotions much more difficult. At a time when our students are already feeling more anxious this presents them with extra challenges.

Luckily at CWA we provide ourselves on being solution focussed and look for ways to help our students succeed. Our staff have been issued with high quality face masks that incorporate a clear panel around the mouth area. This allows students to be able to read facial expressions more easily and be able to communicate with staff more successfully.

Importantly it also allows our fantastic students to see us smile!

Paul Coffey, Head of Campus , Wendover

BBOWT Christmas and New Year

The shop and cafe at College Lake Reserve HP23 5QG is open from 10am till 4pm Wednesday to Sunday but closing on 24 December, reopening 1 January. Come and combine a bracing walk with some shopping and a hot drink with a pastry or a pastie. If you are feeling more active, conservation work in small groups is going on at most local reserves like Weston Turville Reservoir, Bacombe Hill and Dancersend with contact details at bbowt.org.uk/volunteering. We shall also be continuing our series of online talks by Zoom with a new speaker at 7.45pm on Tuesday 19 January - please go to bbowt. org.uk/events for details. Thank you for your support in the year gone by and the year to come. richardbirch60@yahoo.com

The Friends of Wendover Health Centre desk has reopened!

You can call between 1pm and 3pm on weekdays to book transport to a medical appointment or to ask for your prescription to be delivered. (Regular prescription deliveries continue as in lockdown.) Please ring on 01296 622565 for more information or email friendsofwhc@aol.com.

Shakespeare and Emilia

Peter Bassano, Music Director of the Wendover Choral Society for nearly two decades, has taken the opportunity granted by lockdown to finish a book which he has been working on for some years about the relationship between William Shakespeare and Emilia Bassano, an ancestor of his.

He says: "It struck me that many of your readers will have come to the WCS concerts in St Mary’s and may be interested in reading the book. At the moment it is only available as an e-book from Amazon but I hope that it will be printed as a paperback soon."

Search Shakespeare and Emilia on the Amazon website to find the e-book.

DfT publishes recommendations to deliver fairer deal for communities on HS2 property schemes

An overhaul of how land and property is purchased for High Speed 2 (HS2) will deliver a fairer deal for communities impacted by the project, Transport Minister Andrew Stephenson announced 17 November, as he published a range of recommendations to improve acquisition processes. Read more on https://bit.ly/3pYbLIj.

Rob Butler, MP - Letter to HS2

A letter was sent on Thursday 19 November to Andrew Stephenson, MP, querying HS2’s application of a Transport and Works Act Order in Bromford, whilst refusing the same in Wendover. Please have a read of it on the Wendover Parish Council website - www. wendover-pc.gov.uk/post/transport-andworks-act-orders-letter-hs2. See also HS2 Update for more about the letter.

Local Community Impact Award

In late November, WPC Chair Tom Walsh accepted the WPC Highly Commended, ‘Local Community Impact Award’ from Buckinghamshire Council for the ‘Wendover Good Neighbour Scheme’. Thank you to everyone who made the Scheme possible.

Wendover Swimming Pool

The Trustees of Wendover Swimming Pool would like to thank Peter Chaplin for his dedication and service to the Pool for the last seven years. He undertook the position of Chairman when the charity was set up in 2013 and he will be missed. If you would like to volunteer at the Pool or are interested in becoming a Trustee, please email the Trustees at trustees@wendoverswimming.org or message the Wendover Swimming Pool Facebook page. Many volunteer roles are available. See also this month's Local Face.

Thames Valley Partnership

Thames Valley Partnership has been established for over 25 years, supporting victims of crime, helping offenders to resettle and providing mentoring for young people. We also facilitate Restorative Justice. We are looking to recruit new volunteers for a range of projects which include providing practical and emotional support to victims, mentoring prison leavers and mentoring young people who may be at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour or crime.

There is flexibility around the number of hours you volunteer and we provide training and reimburse travel expenses. No previous experience is required, just a nonjudgemental attitude and the willingness to listen and make a difference.

For more information or to request an application please contact Emma on emma@ thamesvalleypartnership.org.uk.

Windows and Gardens trails

Thank you to the organisers of the Christmas Carol Trail in Wendover. Such ingenuity! Such joy! By following this trail at least we could indulge in a little silent Carol singing. As we go to press, gales are forecast and the hope is that the outdoor displays will survive! Many thanks to all who brightened our gloomy days.

Well done all those who took part in the Princess Mary Gate Advent Calendar windows. A great community initiative.