Tag: #LoveWhereWeLive

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Book today for Picnic and Play 2024

#PicnicAndPlay takes place again this year at Ash Vale Chapel and we can’t wait to welcome you, for lots of family friendly fun in the sunshine. We have plenty of fun on offer, DJ Martin is doing the disco & games, Revd Neil is planning his legendary pancakes, and we have arts and crafts, games and activities each week from printing to clay, sand and water play, and more in between.

DATES: It’s on the 4 middle Wednesdays in the holidays: 31 July, 7th August, 14th August, 21st August from 11:30am until 3pm (slightly longer this year so it’s easier to work around naps for our littlest customers!)

BOOKING ESSENTIAL text phone or whatsapp to 07730 609446 please so we know you are coming and can cater for the right numbers. (All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult please.)

FOOD: Let us know your choice of sandwich filling for each person when you book (or let us know now if you already booked and we dont have your lunch choice yet). We can offer cheese, ham, vegan humus, cream cheese, jimjam chocolate spread, or jam. Let us know your preference and we will order in accordingly, so there is no waste. Any allergies eg gluten free please let us know before you get here so we can be prepared.

COST: We don’t set a fixed fee, so that all families who want to can join us. We do have a donations link, and we do need donations to help cover our costs, so please if you can bring a cash donation on the day or pop a contiribution on the Give A Little link if possible. The amount you give is up to you, THANK YOU! . https://givealittle.co/c/4BYNqSiaQc0wz1KTSgzKPz

VOLUNTEERS: We are always in need of more helping hands, setting up the gazebos, making the picnics, serving the drinks, leading the crafts, clearing down and cleaning, theres a job for everyone! If you would like to pitch in please get in touch thank you!

Love to all and see you soon at #PicnicAndPlay!

#PicnicAndPlay#Community#FunInTheHolidays#AllWelcome

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Food Parcels Update and The community Organisations Cost of Living Fund

By Alex Sanderson (Project Manager)

Did you know? Our Ash Villages Food Parcels Proejct received funding from the The Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund to help us keep the project going in 2023/2024. We are so grateful for this government funding, as it makes all the difference for local families. The funding ended in March and we have just finished writing up our end of grant report, so I thought you might like to see a few of the statistics.

I am so incredibly proud of this amazing volunteer team! In 23 weeks they have fed 1300 people. They have been very busy collecting donations, managing the stock, packing and delivering over 400 parcels. The funding we received stocked up the shelves to make sure we could deliver enough food, basic toiletries, and baby bank items to those in urgent need in our local villages of Ash, Ash Vale, Ash Green and Tongham.

Have a guess how many volunteer hours they have racked up between them? We had 32 different volunteers, who worked a total of 373 shifts, donating a staggering 648 hours of their time between them during these 23 weeks. What a huge thing to do for the community. Thank you all so much!

If you would like me to pass on a message to them for you, please email me projectmanager@Ash-Vale.org.uk and I will be sure to share it in our team chat!

Have a happy week!

Alex

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Memories in old money

by Mike Jacobs

I came across a sixpence recently and this made me think of the rich culture we had with our pre-decimal coinage. The only recognisable one these days is half-a-crown mainly because the bricks for the Cathedral were sold for this amount. Two shillings and sixpence. The pennies and ha’pennies were real coins and with two or three in your pocket, you knew you had some money. My first ‘pocket money’ was thruppence or three whole pennies. With these in your pocket, you were rich.

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What moves you?

by Catherine Free, Life Coach

Movement can feel like a luxury and is so important.

Spring is the perfect time to get more active. In Ash Vale we have the beautiful Basingstoke canal to enjoy. Regular walking is beneficial in so many ways including: 

+ Maintain a healthy weight and lose body fat

+ Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes

+ Improve cardiovascular fitness

Continue reading “What moves you?”
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What’s on in February & March 2022 – Regular Groups

Mondays:
Keep fit:  HIIT at 7.45pm with Janet Thomas Fitness (St Mary’s, Vale Rd)

Tuesdays:
Baby Group 10am—11.30am : A support group for 0-12mth olds and their parents and carers. Tea, coffee, chat, and we have song time at the end. All welcome. Text or call Alex for details 07730 609446  (St Mary’s, Vale Rd)
Choir Practise: 8pm on Tuesday evenings, all welcome (St Mary’s, Vale Rd)
Keep fit:  Fit Steps 7.30pm with Janet Thomas Fitness (St Mary’s, Vale Rd)

Wednesdays:
Chapel Kids 11:30am—1.30pm Come and join our Baby & Toddler group with craft, story and songs at The Chapel. All welcome 0-4yrs and their parents and carers. We eat lunch together too. Bring a picnic or enjoy something from the community fridge! (The Chapel, Wharf Rd)
Chapel Craft 8pm-10pm Bring along your latest craft project and craft  enjoy a  sociable cuppa and chat as we craft. (The Chapel, Wharf Rd)

Thursdays :
Baby Plus (Tongham)  10.30am Baby group for non-walkers at The Old School, Poyle Rd, Tongham. (St Paul’s, Poyle Rd)
** Lent Special ** Thursday Lent Film nights 6.30pm at The Chapel  
Every Thursday in lent—Film, food and discussion. Starts on 3rd March, running for 6 weeks, all welcome. Text to book 07730 609446

Fridays:
Community  Café 10am-12 Noon Please pop in for a cuppa and a chat at the  St Mary’s community café. All are welcome, all faiths and none, all ages and stages. It’s free / by donation (St Mary’s, Vale Rd)

Sundays:
Sunday Services 10:30am at St Mary’s. All are welcome, whether life long Christians or just exploring. We serve refreshments after the service, join us for cuppa & chat. You can also join us via Zoom online.
Sunday School is on too!  Join us on Sundays at 10:30 at St Mary’s while your grownups are in church. The sessions are aimed at school age children.

More on Facebook: @StMarysAshVale @TheParishioner @AshValeChapel

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A New Lease of Life for the Church Steps

By Nikki Glover (St Mary’s Church Warden)

St Mary’s church has changed over the years, from the tin hut it used to be in Victorian times, to the brick building it became, then the extensions of the entrance hall, office and small hall on one side  and the large community centre and kitchen on the other side. The need to accommodate those with extra needs meant a change to the front steps by the building of a ramp and extending the steps.

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A huge * Thank You * to all of you who supported our first Christmas Market!

By Val Hoppichler

What an amazing event the Christmas Market & Carols was at St Mary’s! We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who had a stall, all who came to support us and of course the choir who led us in the beautiful carols afterwards. We  enjoyed being able to invite the whole community to be a part of  Christmas at St Mary’s even though we couldn’t do our usual events indoors.

Continue reading “A huge * Thank You * to all of you who supported our first Christmas Market!”