A quick update from Wessex Water this morning :

After speaking to our site supervisor this morning, I can confirm we are still on track with accordance to the programme and we have completed our work on piecing up the mains and reinstatement work with tarmacking of around 100m area.

From : Shayne Smith

From : Michael Bromley Gardner

Hankerton is entered in the CPRE Wiltshire Best Kept Village competition in the Lawrence Kitching Winner of Winners section. This resulting from winning the Wiltshire Small Villages 2 years ago – consequently being in the Winner of Winners section for the next 2 years.

The judging is about to start – it will be on any single day in the period 27 June-19 July’ There’s only one key really – don’t drop any litter and pick up any that you see. Oh, and keep the bus shelter litter-free.

The Wessex Water updates have moved from informative, to succinct, to minimal, and now to non existent for the last two weeks !
I’ll chase Dan, Dan, the Engineer Man next week.

As far as I can see though they’re pretty much on target :

I can see that the drilling exit hole has been filled in and the trench leading to Dove House is backfilled with concrete so just needs a tarmac topping to finish off. I’m assuming that will happen next week so they may actually be slightly ahead of schedule.

Apologies, WordPress went mad…. hopefully this is better.

Free piano, Plays well and appears to be tuned. Collection only

Contact: Nick Warren, Oxleaze Lane – 01666 577363

Free piano, Plays well and appears to be tuned. Collection only

Contact: Nick Warren, Oxleaze Lane – 01666 577363

From : Peter Wyman

Many of you will remember Beryl Lees-Smith and her son Adrian Lees-Smith – unfortunately both have died recently (about 10 days apart) and their joint funeral will be on 1st July at the North Wilts Crematorium near Royal Wootton Bassett, starting at 12.30.

There will be a wake afterwards at The Churchill, Royal Wootton Bassett. If you plan on going please let Abby know on abby.leessmith@gmail.com so that she has an idea of numbers for the wake.

Hopefully that image is now out of date ! Many thanks to David Pynn for getting it changed.

Dan’s update this week is fairly short and sweet :

Hi All,

Update for this week.

100m of Open Cut has been completed.

Preparation for Directionally drilling has been made, ready to commence next week.

I would also like to ask that members of Folly field estate are to enter and exit from the Charlton side only please.

I’m not entirely sure what the final line is about ? I’m away at the moment but the team normally leave a single track open when they’re not working. I can only assume that people have been trying to use the Crudwell route as the team have been working ?

Or it may be the case that the drilling activity is going to cause a more complete road closure in that direction. I did ask the question but I didn’t get an answer yesterday. Perhaps I will on Monday.

From : Dai Davies

Hello Hankertonians,

I am contacting you as I have recently been elevated to the chair of YOUR Parish Council for 2026/27.

There are two specific issues facing us.

1. What do we do with the £60,000 that we have recently received in the community fund from the new local solar panel farm. At present it is deposited with a bank earning tax free interest.

2. We seem to have lost a feeling of community.  How many people in the village do you know?  Who picks up the litter, plants flowers, paints the telephone box, puts salt out on the icy road?  It is the same handful of community minded people. Would you like to help and participate?

I hope to visit every house in the village in the next month or so to get your ideas. At the same time I wish to undertake a small census which you do not in any way have to participate.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts.

Dai Davies
07900 580767
Dai_davies@hotmail.com

From : Philip Carter

The Churchyard. Village Volunteers Required. Rake and wheelbarrow borrowable.

Our long term churchyard contractor has stopped. Daniel  in the village has kindly offered to cut the grass but his machine does not pick it up.

Therefore we need to remove the cut grass and put it behind the trees in the south east corner. This would be quite a small job, if a few of us could volunteer.

Please contact Philip next to the church at The Old School House, philipjacarter@hotmail.co.uk