Horatio's Garden

Patients, families, friends and NHS staff at the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) have come together in Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville to cast their thumbprint for an artwork to be displayed in the charity’s show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in May.

Part of a nationwide project, the thumbprints in Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville are being collected by local ceramicist Sophie Smith. They will join a thousand others to form the final artwork appearing in a woodland room within Horatio’s Garden Chelsea, designed by Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg from Harris Bugg Studio in collaboration with architects Mcmullan Studio on the prestigious Main Avenue of the world leading flower show.

Imprints were cast by patients, NHS staff, volunteers and the charity’s staff alike, including Lead Nurse for the NSIC, Zoey Pullar, and Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville, Amy Moffett. They follow the casting of the first thumbprint in Horatio’s Garden London & South East earlier this year by the charity’s patron, HRH Princess Eugenie of York.

All the thumbprints will be fired and glazed, so that they are ready to feature alongside those collected across the UK from the broad community of Horatio’s Garden, including patients, staff and volunteers within its gardens in spinal injury centres, as well as those involved in bringing the show garden to life.

Amy Moffett, Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville said: “It’s wonderful to have a creative project that everyone can be involved in – patients, visitors, staff and volunteers – all together! Everyone is getting very excited about having their unique thumbprint displayed as part of the first ever Horatio’s Garden show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show. This is such a thoughtful and inclusive way of making everyone feel part of this inspiring event and it’s getting everyone talking, spreading the word about Horatio’s Garden and what a positive difference these gardens make for so many people.”

Horatio’s Garden Stoke Mandeville opened in September 2018. Created by multiple RHS Chelsea Gold Medal winner, Joe Swift, the garden forms part of the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

Earthworks progressing

HS2 have started the main earthworks for the Wendover Green Tunnel with stripping of the topsoil along the route of the line north of Ellesborough Road. A fleet of 10 large dumptrucks, diggers and bulldozers has been busy, but deeper excavation is still awaiting approval from the Environment Agency due to the potential impact on the Coombe Hill aquifer.

We understand that revised mitigation proposals were submitted to the EA in March but will take “several weeks” to assess. We sought commitment from the HS2 minister that further excavation won’t start until EA are happy, but the response has been less than reassuring. We understand that more groundwater monitoring is being planned, which suggests to us that aquifer damage is now anticipated.

Construction stockpiling

There has been a constant stream of HGV lorries for the last three months delivering hardcore to a massive stockpile which now covers about seven acres near Folly Bridge close to the bypass. Dump Trucks are now moving some of that further north and can be seen crossing Nash Lee Road.

Road diversions

The temporary diversion of Nash Lee Road is nearly complete, and is expected to open in June following the installation of crash barriers and street lighting. Nash Lee Lane will also be diverted to the roundabout on the bypass at the same time to enable the “North Cutting” to be excavated. At Ellesborough Road more closures are anticipated until June to give access to the embankments for the new road. The diversion and temporary bridge over the Green Tunnel cutting are expected to open in September. The new link to Bacombe Lane should follow in October.

A413 and Small Dean Viaduct

Piling work has now started for the foundations of the Small Dean Viaduct, and the A413 will be moved eastwards to enable the safe construction of a Viaduct pier next to the Chiltern Railway line in May. We’ve managed to get electronic signage installed at Amersham, Missenden, and World’s End to let motorists know about closures of the A413; which should allow them to avoid the Small Dean area. Further disruption can be expected for some time, as the road will then be shifted westwards to its permanent location with the road weaving around the viaduct piers.

Construction information

Despite limited notice, about 70 people attended an HS2 “Meet the Team” exhibition in Wendover on 28 March and were able to interrogate the project managers and engineers building the line. Further events are expected during the year, including visits of their Mobile Information Centre. Details can be found at hs2.org.uk/ events/. More information about the actual design can also be found on our website at whs2. org/construction.htm

Help from HS2?

In addition to resolving your complaints, if you think HS2 can help with a social value project in the Wendover area please contact the HS2 Helpdesk team on 08081 434 434 (which is available 24 hours a day) or email hs2enquiries@ hs2.org.uk. HS2 can support in a variety of ways including financial donations, volunteering hours and material donations. Information on funding is available at hs2funds.org.uk/about/ Need our help?

If you need further help, want to join us, or have ideas and suggestions that would mitigate the community impact, then get in touch at enquiries@whs2.org.

Wendover Youth Centre ran a foodbank donation week with Churches together Wendover during the last week of March. We are still finalising how much was collected but would like to thank everyone who donated to the foodbank.

This summer term we will continue to have a wide range of activities running, including youth clubs, workshops and trips. We will continue our revision session on a Thursday from 6-7:30pm for Year 11 & 13 students who are preparing for GCSE’s & A-Levels. We provide free hot drinks and biscuits and a quiet space for students to study.

We are a part of the Tesco Community grant scheme, which means we are part of the blue token voting scheme which takes place from April - June 2023. This is applicable to all Tesco stores in Wendover and Aylesbury so please, if you shop there, can you support us by getting a blue token after you have made a purchase and vote for the youth centre.

If your child/ren are interested in attending our youth activities or have any questions/queries, please email admin@ wendoveryouth. co.uk

Please follow our social media platforms and visit our website for more information about what the youth centre is doing.

Facebook: Wendover Youth Centre Instagram: wendoveryouthcentre

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Electric Vehicle Charging Trial in Wendover

Electric Vehicles are clearly the future of motoring in the UK over the next twenty years but not everyone has the ability to charge them easily at home.

18 months ago Climate Action Wendover, in conjunction with a local resident and Wendover Parish Council, conceived a project to help potential Electric Vehicle owners who had no ‘off street’ parking. The project was based on an initiative in Oxfordshire that involved installing pavement gullies between property and the public road, hence providing a safe way to attach a charging cable between the EV and the owner’s home charging unit.

There are of course some challenges with this concept and after various discussions with Buckinghamshire Council we are delighted that they have decided to take on the project themselves as a pilot scheme in Wendover. CLAW and WPC will assist where they can with local liaison and promotion.

Currently Buckinghamshire Council are looking for Wendover residents who would like to take part.

If you are interested, then see the message from Bucks Council below.

Bucks Council Wendover EV charging trial

Buckinghamshire Council is running a pilot scheme in Wendover which will make it possible for owners of electric vehicles (EV) to charge their cars while they are parked on the road.

The council is inviting people living in Wendover who own an EV but don’t have off-road parking at their house to be part of the trial. The trial involves installing an in-pavement charging channel making it possible to connect safely from an EV charge point at your property to your EV parked on the road outside your house. The council will fund the cost of the channel and any necessary planning permission costs.

To find out more or to register your interest please go to: buckinghamshire.gov.uk/wendover-IPCC-trial

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