Local News By Email

 

 

This page is relevant to all villages.

 

 

Unchanging useful links/info
Roadworks and diversions
Bear in mind that the Roadworks Map link, on the above website, isn't particularly useful as it will look as if the majority of roads are closed when they aren't and the dates for closure span many weeks with no specific closed dates. It's no wonder people ignore 'road closed' signs as they often are not. Ed

 

 

A Handy link to the cheapest petrol in your area

 

 

Nottingham Knockers

A great deal of people, especially the lone elderly, do not like opening their front door to be face to face with a young man selling what most households already have in their possession. If anything, the Nottingham Knocker call is more akin to menacing begging based on some of the Facebook posts regarding this activity. Often, a Facebook post raises the alarm for locals so that they can be more wary of opening the door. Stickers on doors stating 'No doorstep Selling Zone' do not deter these people. Most of the time the Facebook alarm is too late and so a simple Whatsapp group for an instant alert would work better. A simple statement of Road and Village will quickly highlight where these activities are taking place.
If you want to be notified by and/or notify your neighbours of activity in the areas covered by these pages follow the instructions below.
Click here to join if you're reading this on your mobile or scan the QR code with your phone if looking at this on your PC.

 

 

Added 28 May

Napoleonic Weekend Returns with a Bang to Chiltern Open Air Museum

On 31 May and 1 June, over 150 Napoleonic re-enactors and over 15 cavalry horses from the Napoleonic Association will be taking over Chiltern Open Air Museum in Buckinghamshire again for a special living history weekend. Full details here.

Last year’s event went off with a bang of cannon and gunfire at the outdoor museum’s large site will be filled with military encampments depicting Wellington, Blucher, and Napoleon's armies, each recreated to offer a glimpse into the past. Napoleonic re-enactors will share the untold stories of the men and women behind the armies – the unsung heroes who kept them fed, clothed, marching, and loved. There will also be the opportunity to meet actor, Jason Salkey who played Rifleman Harris from the hit TV show Sharpe.

In the display arena, there will be spectacular musket, cavalry, and artillery displays where you can hear cannons roar, horses charge, and muskets fire transporting you to the heart of Napoleonic warfare.

Michelle Luttrell, Event Manager at Chiltern Open Air Museum, said, “We are really excited to have this event return to Chiltern Open Air Museum. Last year’s event was one of the most spectacular events that we held on-site. It’s the largest re-enactment event that we have held and we’re really excited to be offering this immersive experience to our visitors.”

The event takes place at Chiltern Open Air Museum on the 31 May and 1 June between 10am and 5pm. For further information and to book tickets visit www.coam.org.uk

 

 

This is an informal event with no readings, simply providing a space for commemoration and reflection.


  • We will open our chapel doors between the hours of 10-1pm to anyone within the community who would like a space to use to commemorate or for any reason finds this day difficult (They do not need to have been to the crematorium before).
  • We will have gentle music playing.
  • Bereavement volunteers will be on hand for a chat and sign posting.
  • Memorial & Bereavement information / literature will be available.
  • Refreshments will be available.
  • We will also be offering seeded paper for those who may wish to write a letter to their loved one, which they would be welcome to take home to plant or leave with us to add to our wildflower garden.


Donations will be gratefully received in the name of the charity “WAY” (Widowed & Young)  however this event is free to attend, and they do not need to have been to the crematorium before to come along- it is open to all.

 

 

 

Added 21 May

COAM is Highly Commended at the Museum + Heritage Awards

The Museum + Heritage global awards, which are now in their 23rd year, took place on Thursday, May 15, 2025 at Hilton Park Lane, London, to celebrate the absolute best in the world of museums, galleries, and cultural and heritage visitor attractions.

Chiltern Open Air Museum, in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire, scooped second place in the Visitor Accessibility Award category and were awarded Highly Commended. The winner of the Accessibility Award was the Wellcome Collection and other shortlisted museums were Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Royal Collection Trust, and The National Galleries of Scotland.

COAM were Highly Commended for the many improvements that they have made on-site to improve accessibility and welcome. This includes the addition of an adult changing facility, sensory backpacks, school SEN provision and outreach activity that has helped to generate a 50% increase in concession visitors to the museum.

Martin Curtis, Chief Executive at the Museum said, ‘It was wonderful to receive this recognition from the Museum + Heritage Award judges. The team have worked so hard on making Chiltern Open Air Museum as accessible as possible. There is still more to do and this award helps to galvanise that continued effort.’ You can find out more about the work that Chiltern Open Air Museum is doing at www.coam.org.uk

 

 

Stand Up Against Street Harassment

 

With 80% of women in the UK reporting harassment in public spaces and 75% of harassment victims saying no one helped, the need for action is urgent.

 

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has partnered with L’Oréal Paris to deliver the Stand Up Against Street Harassment training programme across the UK.

 

Developed by international NGO Right To Be, this globally approved free bystander intervention training empowers individuals to safely step in and support victims of public harassment.

 

Join over 18,000 people in the UK who've already completed the training by booking one of our May dates:

 

👉 22nd of May 12:00-12.30

 

👉29th of May 12:00-12:30

 

Sign up now here

 

Most people want to help but don’t know how - this training changes that. Together, we can make public spaces safer for everyone.

 

Thames Valley NW Association 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) 22nd May evening

 

 

Dear Thames Valley Neighbourhood Watch members

 

The Thames Valley Neighbourhood Watch Association would like to invite you to the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 22nd May at 7pm - 8.30pm.

 

The event will be held online via a Teams link.

 

This invitation is extended to all members of registered Neighbourhood Watch schemes across the Thames Valley Force Area.

 

The agenda will be issued nearer the time. Our plan includes two speakers: Cheryl Spruce, Head of Membership and Engagement for the National charity, and Superintendent John Batty, Head of Community Policing Command for Thames Valley Police.

 

If you would like to attend, please register in advance. The link

 

NOTE: Those that register will receive a confirmation email which will include a link to the online Teams event. Please check your spam/junk box if not found in your inbox.

 

Spaces are limited, so please register as soon as possible.

 

AGENDA

 

Welcome, Introductions and Apologies

Presentation from Ian Bretman, Chair of the Trustees for the National charity

TVNWA Annual General Meeting matters:

 

  • Acceptance of the draft 2024 AGM minutes please see our website
  • Committee report for 2024/5 (ditto website).
  • Treasurer and Financial Accounts report (ditto website).
  • Elections to the Committee and Officer roles.

 

Presentation from Superintendent John Batty, Head of Community Policing Command for Thames Valley Police: “an overview of the Government’s new Neighbourhood Guarantee: what this entails and what work is going on within Thames Valley Police”.

 

The Thames Valley Neighbourhood Watch Association committee acknowledges financial support received from the Thames Valley Police Commissioner.

 

 

Added 14th May

A pdf files with the full program throughout Bucks is here on Bucks Art Weeks website

 

 

Public Alert

With the arrival of warmer weather , I'd like to raise urgent concern about dogs being left in vehicles during hot days.

 

Even with windows cracked, a car can become a death trap within minutes. Temperatures inside can soar to deadly levels, putting pets at serious risk of heat stroke or death.

 

If you see a dog in distress in a hot car, please call 999 immediately. Time is critical. Public awareness and quick response can save lives.

 

Let's all act responsibly to protect our pets from avoidable suffering this summer.

 

 

Action Fraud Alert: rise of extortion phishing email reports

 

Action Fraud are urging the public to look out for phishing emails that relate to extortion as the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) received over 2,924 reports in March 2025, a staggering increase compared to only 133 reports made in February.

 

The reported phishing emails received by the National Cyber Security Centre’s SERS relate to a type of extortion referred to as ‘Financially Motivated Sexual Extortion’ (FMSE).

 

Reports suggests the phrasing of the email and subject lines can vary, but the theme remains consistent: the phishing email claims to have installed malware on the recipient’s computer and recorded them visiting adult websites. The sender will then coerce the email recipient to pay a ransom demand by threatening to release the videos. The ransom is usually demanded in a form of cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin.

 

In order to make these phishing attacks convincing, emails will often include genuine pieces of personal information relating to the victim, such as a password or home address. It is likely these would have been obtained from historic breaches of personal data.

 

Analysis shows that many people who received these emails also later reported becoming victims of online account hacking.

 

In 2024, a male victim in his thirties received numerous extortion emails that contained a password he used for one of his online accounts. The emails demanded a ransom of $500. Having correctly identified the emails as a scam, he deleted them. However, shortly afterwards he noticed that he was unable to login to one of his social media accounts. After some checking, he realised that one of his bank accounts and multiple social media accounts had been hacked and he was locked out of them.

 

What to do if you receive an email like this:

 

  • As with other phishing emails, do not to engage with the phisher, forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk, which is the NCSC's Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS), and then delete it.
  • If you are considering paying the Bitcoin ransom, you should be aware that doing so, you will likely become the target of more scams, as the phisher will know they have a ‘willing’ customer.
  • The inclusion of genuine passwords or other personal information in phishing emails is a strong indication that you may have been affected by a historic data breach. You can use this service to check which of your online accounts were affected:  https://haveibeenpwned.com

If the phishing email includes a password you still use, then change it immediately. Advice on how to create suitable passwords and enable other factors of authentication is available here

 

If you have been a victim of extortion, or concerned that someone may be in possession of intimate images of you, you should report it to your local police force by calling 101.

 

Find out how to protect yourself from fraud

 

If you’ve lost money or provided financial information as a result of any phishing scam, notify your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

 

 

 

Foster Care Fortnight 2025

​

As we celebrate the Fostering Network’s, Foster Care Fortnight 2025, Buckinghamshire Council is proud to recognise this year’s theme, 'Power of relationships.' Our fostering community has truly embodied this theme, resulting in positive placement outcomes for our children and young people in Buckinghamshire and improving value for money across council services.

 

Over the past year, our in-house fostering team has implemented a broad transformation programme to enhance the support and benefits available to our dedicated foster carers. These efforts have not only improved the lives of children in our care but also emphasised the invaluable role of our foster carers in achieving these outcomes and the important work that they carry out for our community.

 

Last year, we introduced a unique package of benefits to recognise the contribution of our foster carers, including a full rebate on council tax, free parking and leisure experiences, alongside our extensive training and support programme.

 

This year, we are delighted to announce the addition of further exclusive benefits as we continue our commitment to building brighter futures for our children in care.

 

On Friday 9 May, during our annual foster carer conference, a special celebration and training event in Aylesbury, we unveiled the second phase of foster carer perks, which includes:

 

  • Platinum annual Merlin Passes for adult carers and children under 18 living in the household giving unlimited access to the biggest UK attractions such as Alton Towers, Legoland, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures, SEA LIFE centres and much more
  • Financial assistance for holidays
  • Discounted travel - 1/3 off national rail ticket prices as part of the Family and Friends Railcard scheme
  • Memory book - free subscription to the Caring Life Digital online platform and app
  • Utility checks - payment up to £150 towards home energy safety checks, including an annual gas safety check
  • Blue Light Card - access to over 15,000 discounts from national retailers to local businesses

 

These new benefits, along with our ongoing support and training, highlight our dedication to our foster carers and the critical role they play in transforming lives. Buckinghamshire Council remains committed to recognising the value and importance of our foster carers and the power of the relationships they build, which are the cornerstone of successful placements and positive futures for our children in care.

 

Since the fostering transformation programme began the fostering panel have approved a total of 20 placements for children.

 

With over 500 Buckinghamshire children in care, even with the new foster carers who have been recruited, more are always needed. The Foster with Bucks team will be out and about across the county during Foster Care Fortnight ready to answer questions and provide information. The team will be at the following locations:

 

  • Tuesday 13 May at Beaconsfield Market - 9:30am to 3pm 
  • Wednesday 14 May at Aylesbury Market - 9am to 2pm 
  • Saturday 17 May at Buckingham Market - 9:30am to 4pm 
  • Wednesday 21 May at The Gateway, Aylesbury - 12pm to 5pm 
  • Friday 23 May at High Wycombe Town Centre - 9:30am to 4pm 

 

Alternatively  join us for an in-person information evening on Wednesday 21 May at The Gateway, Aylesbury from 6:30-8pm. You will have the chance to meet the fostering team, hear first-hand accounts from our foster carers and hear the full details of what support we have available for our foster carers.

 

To keep up to date with all the latest news, events and information on fostering in Buckinghamshire sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media.

 

For more information on the new package of benefits for foster carers visit our website.

 

 

 

 

Added 7th May

Here’s the latest edition of our newsletter for Neighbourhood Watch

This month we’ve got…

- Our meeting with Crime and Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson

- The Youth Council are recruiting, find out what they’ve been doing

- An exciting new partnership with Future Proof Estate Planning

- Secure your outside spaces with essential tips from Patlock

- Community news

Also - we really want your views on how we can improve our newsletter, please tell us what you think in the survey.

Read the May edition of Our News

We hope you enjoy this issue - do share it with your neighbours, friends, and professional networks.