NEWS

LOCAL HEADLINES (please note that "news links" by there very nature, are liable to become obsolete after a period of time and may end up as broken links)

4 March
Fleet Pond Volunteer: Hart District Council chairman Sharyn Wheale has presented the Volunteer of the Year award to Brenda Brown who has been a volunteer working to ensure Fleet Pond remains one of the best natural lakes in Hampshire for thirty years.

12 Feb
Longer Hours: The Co-op in Ridgeway Parade has been given permission to sell alcohol up to 11pm in spite of objections by local residents.
OAP's Flays: Plans to demolish the Curtis Court building in Award Rd and build 24 two bed roomed and 3 one bed roomed flats for the over 60's has been given the go ahead by Hart Council.
Carnival EGM: Fleet Carnival is holding its EGM on Monday 22 Feb at 7.30 in the Harlington civic offices when this years theme will be revealed.

5 Feb
MP To Pay Back Expenses: Fleet MP James Arbuthnot has been asked to pay back a total of £13,470.33 of overpayment expenses from his second home. So far he has not appealed against this demand.
Charges Dropped: Charges against former Hart Council chairman Denis Gotel have been dropped.

29 Jan
Councilor Faces Charge: A Fleet councilor and former Hart Council Chairman, Denis Gotel, is facing a charge that he brought his authority into disrepute. The allegation centres on a bid to build a nursing complex in Ewshot.
New Town Plans: Developer Taylor Wimpley have submitted new plans to build a mini town on the old Queen Elizabeth site in Church Crookham.
Loss Of Play Areas: Furious residents are protesting at Hart Council plans to build homes on land in Elizabeth Drive, Church Crookham and Netherhouse Court in Crookham Village.
Fix Broken Bench: Guildford Rd resident Ralph Elliot has lost patience with Hart Council after reporting that the bench by the Kings Rd bus stop out side Lynchfield Tyres needs fixing. He first reported the problem in 2004. Ralph has given the council one last chance before he arranges to have it fixed himself.
Pyestock Hearing: A High Court judge will consider an appeal by the Pyestock Mega Warehouse group SPLAT on May 26 and 27.
Haiti Appeal: Fleet schoolgirl Emily Sleet swam 90 lengths of the Farnborough swimming pool to raise more than £400 for the Haiti victims. Fleet Rotary Club are raising money to supply Shelter Boxes. To support their appeal take your donation to WC Baker in Fleet Rd.

22 Jan
Gurkha Funds: Friends of the Gurkhas group have raised over £2,000 when 300 people attended a music contest at the Harlington Centre.
Lion Loose in Fleet: A huge Chinese style lion paraded through the Hart Centre to promote a new self defence workshop run by the Eagle Claw Kung Fu Association. For more info phone 07880 721765.
Young Person Winner: Richard Bennett has been awarded a £100 voucher and a glass trophy for winning the first Young Person of the Year award organised by the Fleet Festivities Partnership.
Anniversary Celebrations: SeeAbilitys Fairways residential home in Fleet has celebrated its 10th year of helping adults with sight problems and learning difficulties.

15 Jan
Angry Residents: Hart Council are to build either a single home or two flats on land at Netherhouse Court in Crookham Village and four homes in Elizabeth Drive in Church Crookham. Local residents are shocked at the proposals which would entail selling of some of the local playparks.
Bin Chaos: Bin collections have virtually ceased in the Hart area due to the cold weather. Re4sidents are complaining that some blue bins in the Elvetham Heath Estate have not been collected for up to seven weeks.
Graffiti Removal Week: Local residents are being asked to report any graffiti they come across to the Safer Hart Partnership which is to run a Graffiti Busting Week between March 29 and April 5th when graffiti will be removed by a community safety team. Report to community-safety-team@hart.gov.uk or phone 01252 774229.

8 Jan:
Fleet Hit By Snow: The BBC recorded Fleet as the third worst hit snow area in the country as a depth of 28cm, 11inches, of snow was measured. It snowed continually for over 24 hours but most of the downpour took place within the first two hours from 6 to 8 pm when huge snowflakes descended on the area. Even the New York Times in the USA mentioned the snow in Fleet. Most people found it difficult to remember anything like it for decades.
Motocross Application: Fleet taxi driver, Mickey Mcleod has submitted controversial plans to build a new motocross track on farmland in Totters Lane which is farmland between Winchfield and Hook.
Acadamy Success: 90% of girls from the June White Acadamy in Fleet have passed their stage one musical theatre exam with honours. Acadamy details from 01252 614639.
Cat Saved: A cat stranded on a duck house after ice melted on Turners Pond on the Elvetham Heath estate escaped to safety across the melted ice after firefighters and RSPCA officills had tried to rescue it.

2 Jan:
Christmas Day Baby: Fleet's Claire and Tim Elversin were delighted when daughter Zoe was born at 6am on Christmas Day. Claire thought it was the best Christmas present ever.
Off Licence Saved: The Church Crookham Wine Rack in Aldershot Rd has been bought by Wickham Vineyard after the previous owners went into administration.. The Wine Rack store in Fleet has been closed down.
Questions In The House: Both Aldershot MP Gerald Howarth and Fleet MP James Arbuthnot have put questions to Harriet Harman in the commons regarding the Pyestock Mega Depot development. Harman declared that the aim to promote employment within the planning system is in the public interest.

2009

25 Dec
Snow Chaos: Snow in the Fleet area caused traffic chaos particularly on the M3 were motorists were held up for hours due to lack of gritting.
Lighting Up Christmas: Craig Colclough spent three days setting up his dazzling light display at his house in Frere Ave. Over 10,000 computer controlled lights. All donations received go to the Fleet and District Guide Dogs.

19 Dec
MP Paying Some Back: Fleet and Crookham MP, James Arbuthnot has agreed to pay back some of the expenses he has claimed. But LibDem opponent Denzil Coulson has called for his resignation. list of expenses claimed
New Recycling Bins: Two new can recycling bins have bee placed in the Fleet Town Centre to encourage more recycling by local shoppers. James Arbuthnot

12 Dec
Ideal Christmas Present: Cheyenne Kai, a young Fleet author, has just published her first book called "All the Lost Souls: Damnation". She had been writing it since she was 12 years old and is now 22. It is aimed at the young adult audience but would be suitable for any reader who likes fantasy adventure written in a colourful and descriptive style. For more info telephone 01252 629420 or go to www.allthelostsouls.info. She is in the process of writing her second book "All the Lost Souls: Redemption"
New Pharmacy: A new chemists has been opened at 157 Aldershot Rd, the old hairdressers in Church Crookham.
Fine Refund: After a four month battle Wendy Still has had a parking fine overturned. Last July she parked in a bay in Fleet Rd and after reading the signs decided she was allowed to park for half an hour. She returned 20 mins later to find a ticket to pay a fine of £70. She appealed and because the parking information was not on a single sign, as it should have been, she won the case.
Best Cook: Chris Hearn, who is the chef at Elvetham Heath Day Nursery and Pre-school, has been voted the best Nursery Chef in the country. He was presented with the award by Esther Ransom at the Hilton Hotel in London.

8 Dec
New No Cold Calling Zones For Fleet: 108 households across Fleet will be covered by four new No Cold Calling Zones. The new zones cover Holland Gardens, Little Copse, Southby Drive and Coach House Gardens and bring the total number of No Cold Calling Zones within Hampshire to 108, covering 9,318 households. Each zone is aimed at discouraging rogue traders from approaching residents and gives households the confidence to say ‘no’ to people seeking business at their doorsteps. They are not meant to stop legitimate callers such as charities or the local Avon representative, but to deter people who are unknown to the residents, from seeking work that is often overpriced and/or unnecessary. Residents receive special No Cold Calling Zone packs, with information about the zone, consumer advice and information on cancellation rights. Also included are window stickers telling visitors that cold callers are not welcome, and a copy of the new ‘Buy With Confidence’ directory, featuring over 500 organisations from across Hampshire who have been approved by the County Council's Trading Standards team.
Annual Festivities a Success: This years Fleet Festivities enjoyed a dry evening and attracted thousands to the Town Centre for the switching on of the Christmas lights. Amongst the attractions were an open air ice rink, inflatable horse racing, Victorian swing boats, Millers Arc Animals, a Tiny Tots R/b and other fairground rides.
Assault In Fleet: Three men jumped on a 21 year old man in Fleet Rd. One attacker was white around 6ft2inches with short dark hair. Another was white about 6ft, blond hair and light coloured clothing. The third was white around 5ft8inches. The attack took place near to a nightclub. Contact Crimestoppers on 0800555111 if you can help the police.

28 Nov:
Lake Appeal: A 3.5 million appeal to dredge Fleet Pond amidst fears that the lake may turn into a stagnant ditch is being launched by Fleet Pond Society. The silt has been building up for over 30 years. To help phone Colin Gray on 01252 616183.
Free Parking: Local traders are up in arms following Hart District council proposals to allow unlimited free parking in the Fleet Rd car bays after 3pm when the restrictions are lifted.
New Man U Book: Free lance sports journalist Bob Wightman from Church Crookham has brought out a new book about Manchester United. It is full of memorabilia and new pictures. It can bought from Amazon or visit Bob's website at www.RobWightman.co.uk

21 Nov:
Young Dancer: Nine year old ballet dancer Grace Kinnell from Elvetham Heath is to play the part of one of the mice in the Royal Ballets production of The Tales of Beatrix Potter.
New Community Store: The old Crookham Village store has bee renovated by David Long and Caroline Shand to become a successful community store.

15 Nov
Fleet Accident: A man has been taken to Frimley Park hospital with possible serious injuries after an accident in Norris Hill Rd.
New Fleet Town Plan: A new vision of Fleet is to be put on display in Fleet Town centre on Dec 4 and 5. A document outlining the ideas will shortly go out for public consultation.
Pointing In The Right Direction Takes Four Years: After a four year campaign Monster Raving Looney member Alan "Howling Laud" Hope has finally succeeded in getting the Saturday Market sign at the Oatsheaf crossroads to point in the right direction instead of towards Crookham Village.
New Arts Centre: St Nicholas' school has opened a new performing arts centre called the New Pritchard Hall. The new theatre seats over 300. For more info phone 01252 850121.
Grant Awarded: The after school youth and study group run by Fleet and Church Crookham Churches Together has been awarded a £5,000 grant.

12 Nov
Restaurant Fire: Three fire engines were used to fight a fire at the Tree House Harvester in Cove Rd. Residents from the Innkeepers Lodge were evacuated as it took 40 minutes to control the blaze.

8 Nov
Remembrance Parade: For the first time in over a decade Fleet and Church Crookham commemorated Remembrance Sunday with a parade which started from Church Rd car park after the first half of the remembrance service at All Saints church. The march ended in Gurkha Square were the service was continued with the laying of wreaths by the Mayer, local MP Mr. Arbuthnot and various other organisations. The parade was organised by the local British Legion. pictures The Hart Council Chairman, Sharyn Wheale, lays a wreath

Fleet Shoe Site On TV: Helen Chapman's website selling shoes on line has been featured on an ITV programme called "Could The Internet Make You Rich". Helen starting making her own shoes in 2005 and has never looked back. She has launched a new range this year called My Twinkle Toe Shoes. website

30 Oct
Make a Difference: As part of the "Make a Difference "campaign the Church Crookham Sue Ryder shop is asking for volunteers to help them make a difference to the community. more
Colourful Spring: The Friends of Oakley park have organised volunteers to plant thousands of bulbs in Oakley Park. The bulbs were provided by Hart District Council.
No Amusements: Hart Council have thrown out plans to open an amusement arcade at 208 Fleet Rd.
Signs Will Not Be Changed: Despite complains about the ambiguity of the parking restriction signs along Fleet Rd they are not be changed. The council have taken more than £300,000 in fines since the modernising of Fleet Rd in 2006.

23 Oct
School Club Award: An after school youth and study club at Court Moor School and run by Fleet and Crookham Churches Together has been awarded a grant of £5,900. The grant is part of a total of £133,931 awarded to organisations working with children and young people by Councillor David Kirk, Hampshire County Council’s Executive Member for Children’s Services.
Fleet Road Parade: Fleet's Royal British Legion branch are organising a Remembrance Sunday parade along Fleet Rd from Church Rd car park to the memorial in Gurkha Square. The parade will form in the car park after the remembrance service at All Saint Church.
School Tidy Up: Students from Court Moor School have spent an afternoon clearing up Basingbourne Heath as part of the Keep Britain Tidy's Big Tidy Up campaign.
10K Winners: This years Peter Driver 10K race was won by Ted Dicker of Fleet and Crookham Athletic Club with a time of 33:17. First woman home was Shan Morgan in 37:57.
Mission To Sri Lanka: Ten members of Ocean Stars Trust, a Fleet based charity, are to travel to Sri Lanka on a 10 day mercy trip. The charity was set up by Dilanee Bunter from Church Crookham after the 2004 tsunami and has raised more than £100,000. more

16 Oct
Seatbelt Checks: Officers from Hants fire service, the police and Safer Roads Partnership have caught 68 people driving without seatbelts during a 6 hour operation in Fleet. Four people were caught using their mobiles whilst driving and one driver was fined for not being in control of his vehicle.
Warehouse Challenge: Campaigners have launched a high court challenge to the governments decision to approve the plans for a super warehouse to be built in Pyestock.
Star Visit: Pop star Peter Andre popped in to Jaxx night club to launch "Passion" a new Friday night event for the over 21's.

9 Oct
Jobs In Fleet: A new Job Centre Plus service is to open in Fleet at Hart's Civic Officers every other Friday from 9am to 5pm. For more information phone 01252 774420.
Parks and Open Spaces: Elvetham Heath Local Nature Reserve came 8th in its class out of 41 nation-wide. Oakley Park was ranked 11th and Calthorpe Park 16th of 181 national sites.
High Speed Connection: Virgin Media has launched the UK's fastest broadband service ion Fleet. The 50Mb service is nine times faster than the average UK headline speed.
Not Amused: Residents are objecting to an amusement arcade which Hart councillers are being recommended to grant permission to open at the former Portman Building Soc premises at Norway Parade in Fleet Town Centre.
Plans Thrown Out: A 58 bed nursing home planned by 5k Design and Build to replace two bungalows in Kings Rd have been rejected by Hart District Council officers because they say it would be unduly dominant and fail to meet a high quality of design.
Memorial Run: The annual Peter Driver Memorial 10k run will be taking place around the streets of Fleet on Oct 18th. It will start and finish at the Harlington Centre.

2 Oct
Learn To Sing: Church Crookham's Victoria Beebee, who has shared the same stage as Paul McCartney, Status Quo, Bill Wyman and Eric Clapton, has set up a vocal coaching school called VoxSkool. She welcomes all kinds of singers from beginners to pro's. website
Cheers: The Prince Arthur has been listed in CAMRA's Good Beer Guide 2010. It is the only local pub to be chosen by branch members.
Mayers Collection: Last years Hart District Council chairman, Denis Gotel, and his eldest daughter Caroline and her partner Alan Greenfield have presented a cheque for over £11,000 to Naomi House Children's Hospice which had been collected during his period in office.
Nordic Walking: Susan Braganza is holding Nordic Walking taster sessions in Fleet. Each session costs £5 with the proceeds being donated to the Farnborough and District branch of the Parkinson's Disease Society (PDS). You can call Susan on 01252 674200 or email nordicwalking@ntlworld.com
Gurkha Memorial Call: Hart District Council's new chairman Sharyn Wheale is to raise funds through the Gurkha Welfare Trust to pay for a permanant memorial to the Gurkhas.

25 Sep
Indoor Market?: Jon-Lee Butler from Church Crookham has come up with the idea of using the old Woolworth's retail area for an indoor market to replace the outside market held in Gurka Square. Fleet Town Centre Manager Paul Doughty said Fleet Forward, the towns volunteer management team, had discussed the idea. The problem at the moment is that nothing can be done until Woolworth's is wound up.
Warehouse Challenge: The Pyestock warehouse development campaigners SPLAT are to mount a High Court challenge over the governments decision to approve the development.
Outstanding Local Schools: Both Tweseldown Infants School and Tavistock Infants School have received "outstanding" awards from OFSTED.

18 Sep
Development Turned Down: A development of 14 homes to be built in Bowenhurst Rd, Church Crookham has been rejected by Hart officials. Failure to reach quality and ecology standards was stated by the officials.
New Owners Of Centre: Hart District Council is to hand over the Harlington Centre to the new Fleet Parish Council. The centre is making a loss of around £350,000 a year.

Garden Project Opened: A Hart Voluntary Action Gardening scheme has been officially launched. Set up to clear and tidy the gardens of the elderly, disabled and vulnerable by a team of volunteers the scheme has been masterminded by Guy Clayton of Hart Voluntary Action. To find out more phone Sue Vincent on 01252 815652. Some of the volunteers with Guy
Running For Charity: Paul Gurney who works for the Co-op is taking part in The Great North Run to raise money for deafness and hearing loss charity RNID. To help go to http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Gurney/

11 Sep
Three Of A Kind: Fleet triplets Emily Katherine, Sophie Ann and Grace Isabel Cooke have been babtised at The Church on the Heath in Elvetham Heath. The triplets were born 6 months ago to proud parents Naomi and Barry. The couple also have a daughter Annabel.
Park Vandals: Vandals are ruining Calthorpe Park by setting fire to 70% of new trees that have been planted and throwing hundreds of bottles around the Park. Locals are complaining that the problems have been going on for a number of weeks.

4 Sep
Best Charity: The Lions Community store has been voted Sainsbury's charity of the year. The store, founded in 1995, has handed out furniture and household items to more than 45,000 people. For more details contact 01252 616998.
Mega Warehouse To Go Ahead: After years of campaigning SPLAT have lost their battle to stop the building of a massive warehouse development at Pyestock on former MoD land. Although they are to appeal it would seem that the battle is lost. The Department for Communities and Local Government gave the go ahead in spite of Hart Councils refusal which was backed up by the planning inspectors.

28 Aug
New Town Centre: A long term vision of Fleet Town Centre is to be published next year. Architects Denning Male Poliano have been appointed to produce the vision and the project team is to be led by Martin Pearson.
Space Invader: Humphrey Peak who lives in Cove Road is convinced that a meteorite was responsible for shattering his conservatory.
Cattle may be moved: Cattle grazing on the Velmead common may be moved because they are being chased by dogs causing them to be nervous. For more info call 01256381190.

21 Aug
New Mini Estate: 5K Build and Design wants to build a mini estate in Bowenhurst Rd Church Crookham. They want to demolish four bungalows to make way for 14 new homes. Hart Council have received a number of objections to the scheme.
Gluten Free: Fleet's Pippa Rushton-Wines has founded a range of gluten free cookies which are sold on line. more Cookies

14 Aug
Pondtail To Fleet Mini/Taxi: A new service providing transport using a A2B taxis is to be trialled from Monday Sep 14th. The idea is from conservative councilor David Healy as a result of concerns from local people in the Pondtail area during his street surgeries. The loss of Alldays and                                                                                                                                                             A2B Taxi
the local PO has made this service even more urgent. The fare will be £2 per trip. more
No Late Opening: Propaganda Music Canteen has withdrawn its application for an extra hour every night of the week. It will want only to stay open later on Fridays and Saturdays.
Reduced Glass Collection: The fortnightly glass crate collection service provided by Hart Council is to change to a monthly service commencing in September.
Swine Flue Collection: The National Pandemic Flu SErvice have identified Morrisons as the areas Tamiflu collection point.                   A2B Taxi
Fleet Man's Plunge: Steven Reeves escaped with his life after falling 60ft through the roof of the Crown Pub in Chertsey. He suffered hip, back and neck injuries. It is thought he was trying to reach a stone owl.

6 Aug
Picnic Celebration: Around 300 pupils and former pupils of Wood Lane Playschool attended a picnic in Oakley Park to celebrate 30 years of local education.
Objections To Nursing Home: Local residents in Kings Rd are fighting to stop the demolishment of two bungalows to make way for a 58 bed Nursing Home.
Veteran Honoured: Fleet war veteran 88 year old Eric Brown has been presented with an Armed Forces Day flag by counciller Sharyn Wheale. Eric was in the Anti-Tank Regiment and was awarded the Military Cross in 1944.
Not Amused: An application to open an amusement arcade in Fleet Town centre has caused concern for local residents who feel it will change the face of the area.
Shocked d Pensioner: Maurice Stafford was handed a parking ticket after spending 6 minutes delivering a table to a Debra's charity shop in Fleet Rd.

31 July
Sports Shop Owner Dies: Basil Hawkins who ran Fleet Sports in Fleet Rd has passed away aged 70.
Possible Sites: Hart Council have identified the coucil offices in Harlington Way as a brown field site for new homes. Three hundred homes could be built at Grove Farm in Crookham, 325 at Watery Lane in Church Crookham and 400 on land near to Pale Lane Farm in Eletham Heath.
Arson Attack: Police are looking for those rersponsible for an arson attack at the rear of a derilict bungalow in Cambell Close between 2.30 qand 3.10am on Tuesday. Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 if you can help.

24 July
New Wine Bar: Claire Stacey is to open the Bamboo Bar opposite the Prince Arthur pub in Fleet Rd. The new licence was approved conditionally upon CCTV being installed inside and out, two trained door staff and bar staff to monitor noise levels. Claire was denied opening hours until 2pm but can open until 1pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Other town centre pubs are open until 2pm on these days.
Asleep On The Job: Chris Carrigan smashed the rear windows of a car in Aldershot, got in and promptly fell asleep. In court he pleaded guilty to criminal damage.
High-Tech Centre Approved: Plans to build a data centre between Fleet and Farnborough have been approved despite local residents fear that the development will ruin the gap between the two towns and add to the already congested roads traffic.
Dance Success: Fifty-six pupils with the June White Academy of Dance have achieved between 81% and 96% in their recent dance and freestyle exams. more

16 July
Punch Cost £385: Antony Stephens from West Byfleet was fined a total of £385 for punching another man in the face in front of a police officer after a night out in Jaxx nightclub in Fleet. He pleaded guilty to common assault and possession of cannabis.
Fleet's Wheelchair Champion: Lucy Shuker has won the ITF 2 Series Wheelchair Tennis Doubles with her partner Daniiela di Toro. A week ago they reached the final of the Wimbledon Women's Wheelchair Doubles.

10 July
100 Not Out: Hilda Neville has celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends at the Prince of Wales pub. Hilda moved to Fleet from Andover when she was 5 years old.
Donor Award: Dorothy Fitchen from Church Crookham has been awarded a crystal plate by the National Blood Service for giving blood 75 times. It is estimated that she could have saved up to 225 lives.

2 July
Andrews Memorial: Andrew Macallan has donated an interpretation panel, individually designed by local graphic artist Andy Bardell, which gives information about Basingbourne Heath. The panel is a memorial to Andrews wife who lived in Fleet most of her life and cared about the environment.
New Walks Book: Fleet's Stephen and Pam Turner have published a revised and updated edition of "Walks Around The Blackwater Valley". Get your copy by phoning 01252 810852

25 June
No Objection: Natural England has decided not to object to the Pyestock Mega Depot as they do not think that the development will have a significant effect on the habitat of threatened bird species. A decision on the development is expected on Aug 6th.
Boards Threat: There are now more than 50 sandwich advertising boards in Fleet and many of them are under threat because they do not meet Hampshire highways guidelines and are a danger to disabled people and the elderly. Fleet Town Centre manager Paul Doughty has warned that the County Council are ready to take action.
Free Parking: The Hart Council is to allow free parking for the Fleet Carnival procession day on 11 July.
Jobs Website: A Fleet mother has launched a jobseekers website for those who want to work away from a desktop. To find out more visit www.jobswithoutdesks.com
Promotion: Fleet netball champions Heath Hoops who were formed only three years ago have won promotion for the second year running.

19 June
No Extension: An application from the Jaxx nightclub in Fleet to stay open until 2am on Bank Holiday Sundays has been turned down by Hart Council.
Missing: Police are looking for a Christopher Wells who was last seen in Church Crookham on June 5th. He is white with a stocky build and light brown stocky hair. He is clean shaven, with a round face and wears glasses. Last seen he was wearing black and white checkered shirt and blue jeans. Call 0800555111 if you can help.
New Care Home: A new 74 one and two bedroomed care home to replace old buildings in Campbell Close has been given the go ahead by Hart District Council.
Ebay Scam: Andrew Masterson has been jailed for 5 years for his involvement in a £350,000 ebay stolen goods scam.
OBE: Fleet's Michael Ankers who is chief executive of the Construction Products Assoc has bee awarded an OBE.

12 June
Sharyn Beats Denis: Conservative Sharyn Wheale held on to the Hart seat in the county elections beating Denis Gotel by over 1.5 thousand votes. In the Church Crookham & Ewshot seat Community Campaign Hart gained the seat from the Conservatives. full results
Bakers Fined: The previous owners of the two Wrights Bakery shops in Fleet and Church Crookham have been fined £1,780 for hygiene offences. Dirt, cobwebs, debris, ineffective cleaning equipment, mold, rodent and mouse droppings were amongst the problems discovered at the premises.
Time Capsule: A time capsule has been buried by children from the Buttercups Day Nursery at the Bupa owned Freeland's Croft nursing home in Redfields Lane. The capsule was filled with memorabilia including hand drawn pictures of the area.
Coast To Coast: James Starling from Woodcote Green has cycled from Lands End to John O'Groats in just four days for charity. Contact Malcolm Inglis on 01252 615 916 to make a donation.
Buttercups Day Nursery

5 June:
Pyestock Decision Delayed: A decision on the Pyestock mega depot has been put off because the Dept for Communities and Local Government needs more information from Natural England regarding the impact the proposals would have on The Thames Basin Special Protection Area - land protected because of its habitat for a number of threatened bird species.
Bike Ride For Charity: Fleet's Paul Hobson is to attept a 2,600 motor bike ride from the UK to Casablanca and back next month to raise money for Honypot Charity. To donate go to www.justgiving.com/rideofthebumblebee

30 May
Increased Members: Fleet and Church Crookham Society has a reported 20% increase in membership since the demise of the Fleet and Church Crookham Residents Society last year. For more details and to see what the society does click here
New Pond Book: A new book called "Fleet Pond Society - The First 30 Years" has been written by the Pond Societies president Peter Martin. For more info call 01252 629420 684828. more

24 May
Pond Plans Rejected: Plans by Helical Bar (Fleet) Ltd to build over 200 new homes overlooking Fleet Pond have been turned by Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Hart District Council had already rejected the scheme.
School to Close: Wood Lane Playschool is to close in July. Owner Liz Hume-Wright has decided to retire.
Lost Snake: Driving Instructor Stuart Taylor discovered a snake on the King's Rd opposite Lynchford Tyres. His pupil did a perfect emergency stop and Stuart managed to get the snake in a plastic bag and take it to Pets Emporium in Sandhurst. If you know who might own the snake phone Mr. Taylor on 07786517855.
Shoe Sale: Kristena Shoes has been bought by Hart Travel owner Roger Crocker and his daughter Sally Hitzalla.
Top Marks: Court Moor Centre Community Group have received the highest award of "outstanding" from Ofsted. Playgroup Logo
Champions: Crookham Rovers U16s have won the NEHYL Premier league.

15 May
MP's Expenses: Fleet and Church Crookham MP James Arbuthnot, who is a direct descendant of James 1st of Scotland, has apologised for claiming expenses for pool maintenance, a housekeeper, work on trees, property insurance, furnishings, a house sign, an oven, decorating and windows.
Art Award: Jean Haines, who is from Church Crookham, has won the Anthony J Lester Art Critic Award at the Society of Women Arts annual exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London. One of the award presenters was Gloria Hunnerford Jeans Website

Climbing Fun: Two new climbing boulders are to be unveiled at Oakley Park on May 22nd. The boulders, which are ideal for older children, were bought with lottery money.
Poll Battleground: The candidates for next months County Elections are Hart Fleet: Sharyn Wheale (con), John Davies (lab), Denis Gotel (ind). Church Crookham and Ewshot: Jenny Radley (community campaign hart), Pritpal Singh (con), Jim White (lab)

7 May
Drama Award: Fleet's Alex Maude from the Ann Bauer School of Drama in Fleet has won the open Shakespeare Cup playing Bottom from A Midsummer Nights Dream at the recent Bristol Eisteddfod.
Parking Victory: After an appeal lasting 7 months over a parking ticket Eric Moggach, 62, has had his penalty Charge Notice overturned. Eric, who is disabled and needs extra space to open his car doors to get out, parked in two spaces in the Gurkha Square car park. Eric stated that he had been given special dispensation to park by parking attendants but nevertheless was still given a ticket.
Tyre Fire: A blaze at Lynchford Tyres in Kings Rd took 20 minutes to control by firefighters. Vandals are suspected to have started the fire. By the time owner Derek Bell arrived after being informed just after midnight the blaze was under control.
Reduced Parking Fees: Evening charges for parking in Victoria Rd, Civic Officers, Harlington Rd and the Central Courtyard have been cut from £1.60 to £1 and Gurkha Sq charges cut by 10p.
Money Swimmer: Matthew McAllister, 10, who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome Type 3(EDS) is hoping to raise £4,000 for a younger child, Olivia Court, who has also been diagnosed with EDS, by completing a 1,000 metre swim. The swim will be a tough test for Matthew. To help visit www.teamcoloursuk.org.uk
Fleet FC More Success: Fleet Town FC have won the Russell Cotes Cup Final by beating Hayling Island 3-1 with goals from Michael Douglas, Tom Bird and Bernard Asante. They have recently won the Hampshire Cup.

1 May
£20.000 Raised: Christ Church Community Project has raised over £20,000 at its fundraising launch event. Aiming to raise £500,000 towards a major building project at Christ Church in Church Crookham fundraisers were delighted with the fantastic start made. For details of future events visit www.christchurch.crookham.org.uk

30 May
Fleet Win Cup: Fleet Town FC uncorked the champers after winning the Hampshire Cup at St Mary's ground, the home of Southampton FC. After two previous finals in the last three years Fleet finally got their hands on the cup after a very even game against VTFC in front of a crowd of 1,242 fans. With chances at both ends the game seemed to be heading for extra time when, with only seconds to go, Nathan Smart scored with a thunderous drive into the back of the net. Fleet skipper and MOM Steve Noakes lifted the cup to the delight of Fleet fans who were left disappointed two days ago when they failed to clinch a place in the play-off final in the Ryman One league.
St Mary's Ground

28 April
Fleet Lose Promotion Chance: Fleet Town FC went down 1-0 at home to the Metropolitan Police in their Ryman One South play-off semi-final. The police took the lead in the first half and held on until the end after determined late attacking failed to produce a vital goal for Fleet. This is the third consecutive year Fleet have lost out in the play-offs.
Butchers Success: Kevin Horn, who joined Clark Butchers from Court Moor School, has reached the semi-final stage of BBC3's Young Butcher of the Year competition. Although Kevin did not reach the final he hoped his efforts will bring more business to the shop in Fleet Rd and promised to win the competition next year.

23 April
Damaged Path Repaired: A walkway at Fleet Pond has been repaired by volunteers as part of Action Earth 2009. Pond Chairman Colin Gray stated that erosion by high water had damaged the timber bridge and part of the footpath causing a risk to cyclists.
Stylish Win: Stylists from the KJM Salons in Fleet have won the Schwarzkopf Professional Creative Team Competition 2009 held in London.

17 April
Rejected: A plan to build four detached homes behind 41 to47 Wood Lane has been turned down by Hart Council.
House Fire: Colin Johnson and his wife and children suffered smoke inhalation and burns after a fire at their home in Dinorban Close.

15 April
Not Enough Schools: Next year children in the Fleet and Crookham areas may have to go to secondary school in Aldershot or Farnborough due to lack of facilities in local schools.
Parking Freeze: Parking charges in the Hart area are to be frozen this year.
More Room: Hart Council has agreed to increase the burial space at Fleet cemetery. Without an increase there could be no space left within the next few years.
Speed Limit: A speed limit of 30mph is to be introduced along Hitches Lane from Reading Rd North to the new roundabout were the road will be diverted.

10 April
Charity Canoe Marathon: After three months training local canoeist Brian Biffin will be paddling the World's longest canoe marathon from Devizes to Westminster over the 4 days of Easter. Brian who wants the money raised to go to the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice will be backed up by his wife Anne and fellow canoeist Mike. To donate click here

Brian at the back with partner Mike
Reunion: Former Court Moor School pupil Peter Cole is arranging a class of 84 reunion on Sat June 13th. for more info email petecole@hotmail.com
Five Years of Charity Raising: Volunteers from the British Heart Foundation shop in Fleet rd have celebrated the shops 50th birthday.
Outstanding School: Oftsted have judged Court Moor School as outstanding for overall effectiveness and capacity to sustain improvement. more
Expensive MP?: Expenses claimed by local MP James Arbuthnot total £146,192 for the year ending 5th April 2008. Allowances totalled £141,026 and Travel £5,166 more

James Arbuthnot
First Aid: The Red Cross is running an Emergency Life Support course at the Fleet Red Cross Centre at 141 Clarence Lane in Fleet on April 22nd. The course costs £20. Call Charlotte on 01483447872 to find out more.

3 April
Carnival Recovers: After the Fleet Carnival EGM in February a meeting was called to discuss the future of Carnival. At this meeting the Carnival Chairman and a member of the committee resigned. This left only four committee members and no Chairman or Secretary was in place. Since then, after an advertising campaign run by Vice President Allan Gibson, the Carnival committee has grown to around 10 with a new Chairman and Secretary elected. This years Carnival will be held on 11 July with a Children's and a Grand procession. A line dance will also be held on 10th July in the Harlington Centre.
Illegal Signs: Campaigner Peter Ashford is calling on Hart Council to stop giving parking tickets and refund paid fines for parking in what he claims are illegal parking bays in Connaught Road and Clarence Road.
Free Swimming: From the 1st April over 60's and under 17's can go swimming in Hart Leisure Centre free of charge. The government scheme is set to run for two years.
New WI Group: A new Woman's Institute has been set up in Elvetham Heath. For more details contact heathuns@googlemail.com
Drama Awards: A Fleet School of Drama run by Ann Bauer has won many awards in the drama section of the Woodley Festival held over two weeks in Reading. The group, aged between 10 to 19, won 8 trophies in total.
Gurkha Portrait Moved: Martin Bennett has won a two year battle to move a portrait of a Gurkha Soldier from a hidden corridor to a prominent position in the Harlington Centre Reception area. The portrait was presented to Fleet Town when the Gurkhas left some years ago.

27 Mar
Jump For Charity: Melony Robertson and her sister Louse Jankoski plus some old school friends from George Abbot school in Guildford have come up with the idea of skydiving for the Help For Heroes charity. To donate contact girlsjump@hotmail.co.uk
Centre Refurbish: A £360,000 project to refurbish the Velmead Centre in Church Crookham is under way. There will be an extension to the hall and the children's play area plus a new kitchen and disabled toilet.
Bone Marrow Donors: Around 40 people signed up to a bone marrow recruitment clinic at Court Moor School organised by teenager Jo Smith to celebrate the success of her sister Beth who has been given the all clear by doctors after treatment for leukemia.

21 Mar
We're Well Off: Hart District is officially rated by the Government as the least deprived district in the whole of England. This means that we receive the lowest level of government grant per head of population of any other district.
M3 Control: Lights are to be installed on the M3 Fleet northbound junction to help control traffic joining the motorway. Lights have already been installed on the southbound junction. Work is expected to be completed by summer 2009.
Half Marathon: Matthew Blundon won the Fleet half marathon in a time of 1hr10min48sec. Mark Croasdale was second and Matthew Bennett third. Victoria Gill was first woman home in 1hr17min49sec followed by Claire Donald and Louise Vallier. The race was run in lovely sunshine and well supported by local people who crowded into Fleet Rd.
Donors Needed: Caroline Bicheno, who is suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma, is urging people to join a bone marrow database. Caroline who fears she may not see her children start school, requires a bone marrow transplant. Those willing to help should visit the Anthony Nolan Trust website at www.anthonynolan.org.uk
Fleet Festivities Threat: The annual Fleet Festivities Christmas event held in Fleet Rd and organised by Kevin Whibley, chairman of the Fleet Business Partnership, may not be held this year unless more support is forthcoming. Kevin has decided not to organise the event this year due to business committments and family pressures. He is also putting the Business Partnership into mothballs for a year. It is hoped that Paul Doughty, Fleet's Town Centre Manager will be able to take on the event with the support of Hart Council but he requires willing volunteers to save the event. If you can help contact Paul on 01252 774079.
News Merger: The Fleet News and The Fleet Mail are to merge to produce one broadsheet which will be published every Friday.
Young Chef: Chloe Tayler, from Calthorpe park school, is through to the finals of the Future Chef competition.

16 Mar
Canal Threat: Hart Council have approved plans to redevelop Poulters Bridge Cottage a beautiful residence by the Basingstoke canal in Crookham Village. Local residents have criticized the development of two storey extensions at the site.
Volunteers Wanted: The British Red cross are asking for volunteers to give some of their time to collecting money in Fleet for vulnerable people at home and abroad during their appeal week between May 3 and 9. To help call Charlie on 01962 866833.
Fleet Reach Final Again: Fleet Town FC have reached the final of the Hampshire Cup after beating Eastleigh 2 - 0. It is their second final appearance in three years. They will play VTFC in the final at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium on April 30th.

12 March
Pond Appeal For Help: Fleet Pond, the largest freshwater lake in Hampshire, needs volunteers to join its conservation team. Repair of the pond's spring banks will take place on April 12th and footpaths fixed on May 10th. Contact Mr. Gray on 01252 616183 if you want to help.

Lollipop Winner: Michael (Mike) Cotton, who patrols the Gally Hill Road site in Church Crookham near to Crookham Infant School, has been voted Hart’s district finalist in a competition to find Hampshire’s favourite School Crossing Patrol of the Year. He was nominated by the the Morris family, whose two children attend the local infant school, wrote: “He (Mike) always has a wonderful smile and is cheerful, no matter what the weather is. He is always very smart, a true gentleman and good role model. We were without a lollipop man for over a year and that’s why we really do love Mr Cotton.”

6 March
Redfield Revamp: Redfields Garden Centre has been given permission by Hart Council to redevelop its business into a new hi-tech centre. Owner Malcolm Goater hopes to start the work this Autumn and it is expected to be complete by Spring 2011. The old garden centre will remain open during the work.
Shops to stay Closed: Fleet Town Centre Manager, Paul Doughty has warned that due to administrators work on the affairs of Woolworth's, The Officers Club and Adams shops in the Hart Centre re-letting the units may not be possible for a year or so. Even ideas to make the shop fronts more attractive have been rejected.
University Challenge: Fleet's Simon Baker has won the University Challenge Quiz show as part of the Manchester University team after a member of a rival team had been disqualified.

27 Feb
Dutch Painting: Fleet artist Peter Richardson has completed a portrait of the retiring President of the International Court of Justice, Rosalyn Higgins. The painting is being displayed at The Haig in Holland. Peter had a gallery in Fleet for more than 20 years and has paintings on display at the Phoenix Gallery and Farthingale Centre at Hartley Wintney.
102 Celebrations: Agnes Apsey who lives at a Marlborough Hse nursing home in Church Crookham celebrated her 102nd birthday on Feb 17th.

20 Feb
Load Of Rubbish: Areas of Fleet and Crookham, such as Pondtail Rd and Elvetham Heath have not had rubbish collections for over three weeks due to the recent heavy snowfall. Residents have complained about bags being left on the pavement attracting vermin. The council blames Health and Safety problems during the bad weather and refuse to put in earlier collections to deal with the backlog.
Dinner Cancelled: A charity dinner dance in aid of the Naomi Trust has been canceled by the organiser Hart Council Chairman Denis Gotel. Mr. Gotel blamed the recession, redundancies and the weather for people not buying the £20 tickets. He added "Fleet has lost its community spirit.
Upper Street Danger: A "call for action" has been made from residents and business owners regarding the junction between Upper St and Albert St and Clarence Rd. There have been a number of accidents near to the junction and it is feared that someone will get seriously hurt if nothing is done.
Boar Spotted: Wild boar have been seen near Dogmersfield by Fleet resident Mrs. Mead. They have been extinct in the area for 300 years.

6 Feb
Harlington Meeting: At a packed cabinet meeting to discuss the future of the Harlington Centre it was disclosed that 70% of the footfall for events held at the centre were from Fleet and Church Crookham residents. 22% from elsewhere in Hart and 8% outside Hart. 100% of costs were paid by Hart Council. It was proposed that the annual losses incurred be reduced from £350K to £175K. For the year 2009/10 events booked by current users will be honoured. Existing concessionary rates offered to charities will be retained but there will be an increase of 5% in hire fees. Concessionary rates offered to commercial users will be curtailed. The staff requirement will be reduced from 11.7 to 4.5. It is proposed to close the centre when there are no events running. For the future it is proposed that the Parish Councils take ownership of the centre in April 2010 and will be responsible for the running costs. It was also proposed that in the long term a more modern facility should be built locally to replace the Harlington Centre. Only this years changes will be put in hand all other changes are only proposals at this time and all users will be kept fully up to date.
Development Condemned: The Carling Homes housing development at the Peter Driver Centre has been condemned by the government agency Sport England .
Winter Wonderland: Fleet was covered by a record breaking 6"of snow with on Monday. more pictures
Closed Down: Thomas Day Motors in Fleet have called in administrators. They are closing down after 40 years in the area. The recession has been blamed.

30 Jan
For Children: A new under water themed play centre has opened in Church Rd called Archie's Submarine. website
Crondall Rd Danger: Residents were invited to give their views on new plans, which include reducing the speed limit to 30mph and introducing more signs, to make Crondall Rd safer. One residency stated that he wanted features to force drivers to slow down not signs and paint.
Offices Like Houses: Invista Real Estate plans to build new officers in Ancells Park to replace The Beech Hse and Hays Hse have been thrown out by Hart Council.
School Remembers: Pupils from Court Moor School wore paperclips to school to mark the Holocaust Memorial day. The theme of the event was Stand up to Hatred.
Well Done: The Fleet and District group of the Phyllis Tuckwell Trust raised more than £37,000 in 2008. fleethants supports the trust events
New Sponsor: This years Fleet half marathon to be held on March 1st is to be sponsored by Lucozdade Sport.

23 Jan
Harlington Not Closing: The council confirmed to a meeting of the Harlington Centre users that it had no intention of closing down. The meeting was called to get the users views on new manning proposals. The council aim to provide 1 and a half men i.e. a staff manager and caretaker, to be on duty whilst events were taking place. At a noisy meeting many of the users feared that the centre was to be closed or class hire fees were to be substantial increased, had started to look elsewhere to run their events. Starburst stated that this years summer show could be called off. The point was made that this could lead to further non-use of the facilities and further problems to add to the £350,000 losses already being made per annum. £500,000 is already being spent on the centre with an income of only £250,000. The council is to have meetings with the staff and will then report back to the users.
Chess Champ: Seven year old Harry Grieve, a pupil at Velmead Junior School, has won the London Junior Chess Championship. He has only been playing for one year.
Composer Champ: 15 year old Fleet student Ralph Wyld has been named best jazz composer in the Sibelius Student Composer of the year competition. click here to hear the composition
Ralph

16 Jan
Recession Bites Hard: Woolworth's have closed their doors for the last time in Fleet. Also Adams and Officers Club have closed and Maher's Book shop is due to close on Feb 14th. The good news is that their are no plans to close the Fleet outlet of M&S.
No Markets: There will be no Hampshire Markets this year in Fleet. This is due to reduced footfall.
Cold Start: A temperature of -8.8C was recorded in Fleet on the 7th Jan by Fleet amateur weather enthusiast Chris MacDougall. more
Reunion: Peter Cole wants to bring together Court Moor School's class of 1984 Tickets for the event at S Farnborough Working man's club are £10. For more info phone 07801 496455.
Man Steals Drill: A Fleet man stole a power drill from his friends house "but did not know what to do with it". He rec 40 hours of unpaid community work.
Velmead Tragedy: Luke Soane, aged 17, was killed in an accident along Velmead Rd when his motorcycle collided with a Hyundai car. He was taken to Frimley Park Hospital were he died the following day.
Thousands Raised: Fleet Morning Townswomen's Guild has raised £2,620 for its 2008 chosen charity. The money is to be donated to the charity Help for Heroes.

8 Jan:
Cycle Warning: Last year 57 bikes were vandalized or stolen from Fleet Station. Cyclists have been warned to ensure they secure their bikes.
Getting Ahead: Many police in the Fleet area are to be fitted with head mounted cameras (head-cams) which can provide evidence to be used in court.
Ice Warning: People are being warned to keep of the Basingstoke Canal and Fleet Pond when iced over. The ice may be very thin causing a high risk to any one skating or walking on it.
Double Whammy: Parents Dean Durrant and Allison Spooner have had a second pair of twins. Sven years ago twin girls Lauren and Hayleig were born and now the Church Crookham pair have done it again with the births of Miya and Leah.
New Year Babes: Lucy and Lawrence Godfrey had Toby at 2am on New Years day and Katie Coughlan and Adam Warren saw their daughter Aaliyah born at 6.20am

2 Jan
Special Present: Oliver John Nicholson was born at Frimley Park Hospital at 5pm pm Christmas day. Mum and dad, Kylie and Lawrence were delighted. Both parents, who live in Fleet, are planning to move to Australia this year. They plan to wed in April.
Well Done: The recent Fleet Festivities raised £3,523.10 to give for holidays to sick children.

18 Dec
Can You Help: Members of the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society are asking for helpers to carry out maintenance work along the towpath of the Basingstoke canal in Fleet. If you want to help phone Mr. Hornsey on 01252 623591.
Charity Lights: Graig Colclough has spent a whole weekend putting up a dazzling display of Christmas lights outside his home in Frere Ave. Craig hopes to raise money for Fleet Lions
Tag Exhibitions: Tag Farnborough Airport are to hold exhibitions and consultations for the public in Fleet and Crookham at the Harlington Centre at 9.30 to 1pm on the 31st Jan and 4.30 to 8pm on 4th Feb. Also in the Crookham Memorial Hall at 9.30 to 1pm on 7 Feb.
Fleet Carnival at Serious Risk: Fleet Carnival are appealing for more committee members to help organise next years carnival. At the moment there are only 6 members left. There is also a critical need for a secretary. If more people do not come forward then the carnival will be axed for the first time in 54 years. Call Allan Gibson on 01252 629420 if you can help save carnival.

11 Dec
Allotment Wait: Land set aside for allotments in Fleet and Crookham has not been developed as quickly as had been envisaged and the campaign by the recently set up Fleet and Church Crookham Allotment association for new allotments will have to wait another year.
Free Christmas Song: Local singer Victoria Beebee is giving away her Christmas single "Apple Eyes" as a gift to all her supporters. All you need to do is visit her website at www.victoriabeebee.com
Return of Free Parking?: Plans have been made for either the return of free parking or a complete ban of parking along Fleet Rd. A full public consultation is to be held before any final decision is made.

4 Dec
Festivities Fun: Fleet Rd was amass of visitors all enjoying this years festivities. Amongst the attractions were Father Christmas, farm animals, carousal, market traders and traders. A firework display followed the switch on of the towns lights.
Dance Success: Eight pupils of the June White Academy of Dance in fleet are to appear in the show Annie at the Princes Hall in Aldershot.
Bakers Closed Down: D R Wrights bakers in Fleet Rd was closed down by health inspectors following the discovery of evidence of poor cleaning and unchecked mice infestation. The shop has now been reopened after the owner Lucas Borek arranged for a deep clean of the shop and pest control contractors stopped the mice from getting in.
Parking Bays Still Wrong: Campaigner Peter Ashford has claimed that the repainting of parking bays in Fleet have still not been done correctly after three attempts. The county council state that the work has been completed correctly.
Samantha's Fund: The St Nicholas PTA has raised £3,150 for the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust. The cheque was presented to Samantha's parents Neil and Angela who set up the trust following the death of their teenage daughter. Samantha had been a pupil at the school from 1991 to 1996.

28 Nov
Good Place To Live: Hart has been placed 5th in a survey listing the best places to live in the country
Theatre Group Need Help: Starburst Theatre group need a small piece of land to site its 40ft metal storage container. If you can help please phone Mr. Phillips on 01252 642066.
Fleet Town FC Under Threat: Calthorpe Park landlords Hart Council are becoming "hostile" to Fleet Town Football Club according to the club. Hart Council have reported bright lights and noise problems from local residence. The club is asking for the support of residents to secure its future at the ground.
Battle Begins: The fight to prevent the mega warehouse development being built at Pyestock has begun with 400 people filling Hart Leisure centre on the first day of the inquiry. latest

21 Nov
Lots Of Medals: Acting group "Beginners on Stage" have received 8 gold, 8 silver and 16 bronze medals at the annual British Arts Festival for Speech and Drama held in Guildford.
More Medals: Fleet Matinee Club have won 3 gold medals, 1 silver and 5 bronze in the 2008 REACT Games a competition held for over 50's in the South East. The 65 plus age group were second overall and won the runners-up trophy.
Music Grant: Fleet Lions have secured a grant of £4,250 to help fund the SMART music project for 11 to 19 year olds in the Hart district.
Gurkha Tributes: Tributes have been paid to Colour Sergeant Krishnabahadur Dura who has been killed in Afghanistan. He was based in Church Crookham for 18 months and was married with two children.

14 Nov
Pyestock Public Inquiry Dates: The inquiry opens at Hart Leisure Centre at 10am on Nov 25th then continues each weekday until 16 Dec. There will be a morning and afternoon session on each day. The public evening session is at 7pm on Dec 4th also at Hart Leisure Centre. The Stop Pyestock bLot Act Today (SPLAT) group urge everyone to demonstrate their feelings to the Inspector by attending sessions and signing in. more
£1 million For Development: Developers Helical Bar have been asked to provide a million pounds contribution towards the building of over 200 new homes on the Waterfront Business Park by Fleet Pond. A previous application had been thrown out by Hart Council but the developers have appealed. An inquiry starts on Jan 6th.
Road Works Diversion: Local Residents are complaining at the diversion due to the closure of Reading Rd North for drainage and resurfacing work. It has been described as "barking, raving and mad."
Waiting For Loss: After a two year selection process Fleet resident Leigh Hagger has been granted a government funded weight loss gastric bypass operation.
Light Up A Life: The Sue Ryder Care charity shop in Church Crookham invites everyone to make a donation in return for a Lights of Love Christmas star on which they can write a message to a loved one and hang it on their tree at home. more
Best Loos: Fleet's motorway services station toilets has won the highest award in this years Loo of the Year awards.
Green Tokens Raise £1000: Waitrose have given the Gurkha Welfare Trust £375, the Naomi House children's trust £425 and the Starburst Theatre Co £200 as a result of their green token scheme were customers are handed a green token to place in one of three labelled boxes in the front of their store.

8 Nov
Carnival Pizza: The new Pizza Express opening at the old Electricity Showroom shop in Fleet on Friday 14 Nov is using old Fleet Carnival Programme covers for the wall decor. The posters are A1 size. Pizza Express are to sponsored next years Carnival Programme Artwork Competition.
Fight To Stop New Nursing Home: Powell Jessavala, son of the long serving councilor Keki Jessavala, is joining the campaign to stop the building of a 60 bedroomed nursing home on the former Shotts nightclub site by the Peter Driver centre in Bourley Rd. Plans have been put forward to move the centre to a new location within the Hitches Lane development.
Parking Risk: Local resident Stephen parker has claimed that car parking along Tavistock Rd near to the junction with Reading Rd North is a risk and feel that someone could get seriously injured if it is allowed to continue.
Poignant Visit To Ypres: Year 10 and 11 pupils from St Nicholas School have spent a day visiting Ypres, an area of historic interest from the 1st World War. They visited the Menin Gate, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Flanders Field museum and Sanctuary Wood were they could walk through the muddy trenches left as a memorial to the battle of Passchendale where tens of thousands of soldiers died in just 100 days.

30 Oct
Rushmoor Help: Rushmoor Borough Council are to provide expert consultancy advise at the forthcoming inquiry into the proposed mega warehouse development in Pyestock.
Fleet Rd Shopkeeper Honoured: Fleet Lions have made Geoff Baker from WC Bakers a Melvin Jones Fellow. Geoff has sponsored many activities in Fleet including Fleet Carnival and Festivities. His family shop is now in its 100th year.
Slow Upgrades: Fleet station upgrade projects have been under fire for progressing too slowly. A Double Decker car park and lifts for the footbridge are among many improvements to be made.
Photo Competition: This years winners of the Fleet Business Partnership photography competition are: Up to Year 2 Archie Hamerton, Up to Year 11 Robin Davies, Up to Age 25 Leo Janson, Up to age 50 George Willoughby, Over 50's Roger Cansdale, Spring - Ian Larkin, Summer - Danny Lewis, Autumn - Marilyn Larkin and Winter Kay Newby-Driscol.

24 Oct
40 Brownie Years: Fleet Brownie pack have celebrated their 40th birthday with a special event held at St Philip and St James church Hall. The pack registered in 1968 with 18 girls led by Brown Owl and Tawny Owl Mildred Ormisher and Susan Collings.
Cats Whiskers: A picture of Sarah O'Garros cat Jonny-Blaze was runner-up in the national PDSA's pets gallery photograph competition.
More Help For Pyestock Campaign: Yateley Town councillors are to do "everything in their power" to stop the mega warehouse development in Pyestock.

17 Oct
Yellow Lines To Go: Double yellow lines and hatching along Velmead Rd and deemed as illegal by campaigner Peter Ashford are to be removed after an inspection by John Foggo Hart District Councils Highways Team Manager.
How's That: Tim Thornton, long time head of a very successful junior section at Fleet cricket Club has decided to retire.
Quality Selection: Fleet Pond has been selected by the University College London as the site in the South East which is to be monitored for the next five years in a study to determine the quality of water in the countries lakes
Just Reward: Colin Gray, chairman of both the Fleet Pond Society and the Fleet and Crookham Society, has been presented with a special award in recognition of his work in the community. Colin said he was surprised to receive the award of a special trophy and £50 worth of garden vouchers.
Photo Competition: Hart District Council Chairman Dennis Gotel has launched a photographic competition for digital pictures that reflect the "spirit of the district". There are two age groups, 16 and under and over 16. Entry forms can be collected from the Harlington Centre. Closing date November 30th.

9 Oct
Illegal Chutney: Five officers from the UK Border Agency have surrounded Chutneys Indian Restaurant in Fleet and arrested a Nepalese man who has been sent back to Nepal as an illegal worker.
Liable to Flood: A list of all local sites susceptible to flooding in being drawn up by Hart District Council.
£600 To Go To The Loo: Restaurants in Fleet have rejected a council plan to pay them £600 a year to allow the public to use their toilets thus saving money in providing public conveniences.
Free Swim: Hart leisure centre is to provide free swimming for the over 60's from next April as part of a government move to promote sport before the 2012 Olympics.
Seeing Double: Double yellow lines and white hatching on the Velmead Rd near two schools has been condemned as illegal and dangerous by illegal road markings campaigner Peter Ashford. He has called for their removal.

2 Oct
Splat Money: Yateley Town Council have donated £500 to SPLAT the group campaigning against the Pyestock Development. They are concerned about rising traffic levels in the Yateley area.

25 Sep
£20,000 Pledged: The Pystock fighting fund has now reached more than £20,000 towards the fight against the development of a mega depot plan.
Meter Confusion: People are staying away from Fleet restaurants and other areas of the town because of confusion over car parking meter charges. New rules concerning daytime and evening parking are to blame. People are running out of restaurants in the middle of their meals to top up the meter at 8pm when the evening charge comes into force and do not realize that they can pay for the evening parking at the time they arrive even if it is before 8pm.
Eye Catching Offer: Fleet Specsavers are sponsoring Crookham Rovers u 16's and have provided them with a brand new kit.

23 Sep
Carnival Charity Donations: This years Fleet Carnival has given out £2,500 to local charities. Mayor Denis Gotel handed out cheques to Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, Parity for Disability, Friend of Fairways (Seeability) and Calthorpe Park School Association at the AGM held at the Civic Centre. more
New Branch: Thomas Yau, star of Halifax Bank commercials, has opened up a new branch in Fleet Rd.
Saddled With Cash: Fleet man Mark Ryder was part of a five man team of cyclists who have raised money for charity by completing a 500 mile ride from Belfast to London.
Annual Rally: The Basingstoke Canal Boat Club's annual rally has been held at the Fox and Hounds pub in Crookham Rd.

11 Sep
Antiques Road Show: Eric Knowles who is one of TV's top Antiques Roadshow experts staged a one man show at the Harlington Centre called "Antiques Antics"
Stars Christie Roll: Local actress Raquel Cassidy is to star in the first of a new series of Poirot called Mrs. McGinty's Dead on TV at 9pm on Sun Sep 14th.
Quality Centre: Hart Leisure centre have received a commended and the Harlington Centre an accredited mark by Quest a national quality scheme for sport and leisure.

5 Sep
Eat Safely: A new website lists the worst and best places to eat in Hart. Outlets are listed as excellent, satisfactory or unsatisfactory. In Fleet, New Support Options in Farnham Rd, Cafe Giardino in the Hart Centre and Seeability in Elvetham Rd were all classified as excellent. Visit the site at www.safe2eat.com
Pyestock Latest: Residents are being invited by planning inspector Christina Downes to attend public meetings to discuss the Pyestock warehouse development plans inquiry. The inquiry will be at the Civic Offices starting at 10am on Nov 25th.
Harlington Centre Losses: Fleet's Harlington Centre is losing £350,000 a year and will be reducing staff levels and cutting opening hours to try to save money which would then pave the way for the three new parish councils in Fleet and Crookham to take over the running of the Fleet Rd centre.
Men Wanted: Fleet Choral Society is looking for more male singers. if you are interested call Pat Hundley on 0118 973 2847.
Charity Trek: Jackie Skinner is taking part in the Dales Way Challenge, which is a trek along a footpath running from Ilkley in Yorkshire to Bowness in the Lake District. She is undertaking the 90 mile walk in memory of her nephew who died from leukemia aged just 22. If you wish to help you can her raise more than ",500 for the Teenage Cancer Trust visit www.teenagecancertrust.org/sponsor/jackieskinner

29 Aug
Cows Dying: Scottish Luing cattle have been removed from an area of heathland between Aldershot and Fleet after some animals had been found dead. It is thought that the cows had died from lead poisoning caused by a discarded putty, batteries, metal, oil and paint.
Illegal Workers: Illegal workers at KFC in Fleet have been arrested during coordinated raids accross NE Hants.
Another Place To Drink: A new wine bar is to open opposite the Prince Arthur in Fleet Rd. The unit has been empty for at least five years having been previously marketed as a shop.

21 Aug
Park Development Appeal: The Waterfront Business Park developers Helical (Fleet) Ltd have lodged an appeal to fight the decision by Hart District Council to say no to the development. A public inquiry is now likely with the final decision to be taken by the Secretary of State.
Thirsty Fleet: The Fleet Lions second beer festival was deemed a success with a record crowd of nearly 500 drinking every clear pint got out of the barrels.
Clear Sighted: Specsavers staff in Fleet got into fancy dress to raise £120 for young Joshua Wilson who is battling eye cancer.
It Goes On: Parking fees in Fleet have increased by 33% in spite of protests from local people and retail shops. Charges are now £1.60 hour compared to £1.40. (Don't our council members ever walk down Fleet Rd and see the empty shop windows. This sort of narrow view will inevitably lead to even more closures. Is this what the council want? - Webmaster) forum
More Access: Consultation with Hampshire County Council is under way on £6 million 20 year plans to make Fleet more accessible. The county began working on the Fleet Town Access plan in May 2007. (Reducing parking fees would be a nice start - Webmaster)
A Party For Connor: Ten year old Connor Couzens, who is suffering from a life threatening condition, has had his dream of going to Disneyland come true after local people raised £4,000 through a special community party at The Black Horse in Crookham Village.

14 Aug
Centenary Success: In spite of a damp day weather wise Fleet has celebrated 100 years of retail therapy. WC Baker and Son, the Catholic Church, Avondale Tennis Club and the National Scout movement all celebrated 100 years when Fleet came alive with many activities along the high road. Organiser Kevin Whibley from Captured Moment declared Fleet a community town and the day a success.

7 Aug
Office Conversion: Sanctuary Housing Association have applied to Hart Council to knock down empty offices at 125-147 Fleet Rd and build a new care home.
Recycling Website: Elly and Chris Russell from Church Crookham have had some success with their new recycling website www.rehomeyourstuff.co.uk They have 170 registered users in NE Hants and over 70,000 page visits so far.
Grazing Back: Cows have returned to graze on the wet heath at Fleet Pond and Elvetham Heath and will be joined by Shetland ponies later in the year.
Works Complete: Major refurbishment of Hart Leisure Centre is now complete. A state of the art gym which is fully air conditioned and with integrated multi media entertainment and new aerobics and dance studies have been provided. Vibrant colours are decorating the walls and carpets.
Assessments: Both the Hart Leisure Centre and the Harlington Centre have scored well in a Quest assessment which is the UK standard for quality in sport and leisure. Hart scored 73% and The Harlington Centre 65%.
Keeping An Eye On You: There are now 62 cameras located at the Civic Centre's CCTV control room in Fleet. They cover the Hart District Council area.
Grave News: Fleet cemetery has been given a three month tidy up and refurbishment by unpaid workers from the local probation service. They dealt with undergrowth, neglected graves, footpath, boundaries and bench painting.

31 July
QEB Held Up: The Labour government have rejected the plans to build a 1000 new homes at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks. The Secretary of State Hazel Blears wanted more urgent action on affordable homes and thought there was not sufficient funds for schools. It is expected that the developers, Taylor Wimpey, would re-submit an new application.
Fleet Shop Burglar: A shop assistant working at Clarks shoe shop disturbed a burglar as she opened up the shop in the Hart Leisure Centre. The man was at the shops safe and ran away empty handed. He was around 40, 6ft tall, of heavy build with short spiked hair and wearing a black, leather jacket. Call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you can help the police.
Successful Artist: A painting by local artist Linda Gresham of Westbury Gdns has featured in the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy in London.
New Boatshed: Following a mammoth fund raising effort a new boat shed has been built by the Fleet Pond Society.
Calthorpe Car Chaos: Posts, which have been erected to stop cars parking along the entrance road to Calthorpe Park to stop compacting the earth and causing tree damage have caused havoc. Parking spaces have been reduced from 100 cars to 20. Some minor accidents have occurred.
Car Show: Around 3,000 people went to the 5th anniversary on the Elvetham Heath car show.

24 July
Blood Doner: Alexander Furneaux from Church Crookham has been has been honoured by the National Blood Service for giving blood 147 times in the last 20 years.
Flats Turned Down: Plans to demolish three family homes and build 33 flats have been turned down by Hart Council. The one and two bedroomed flats were to be built in Reading Rd North by Millgate Homes.
New Bus: Court Moor School have taken delivery of a new 17 seater minibus which has been bought out of funds raised by the schools Society.
Join The Band: Local singer Victoria Beebee is looking for talented musicians to back her at future gigs. If you are between 18-35 then send a demo MP3 with a recent photo to info@victoriabeebee.com
Opposition To Court Move: Local residents are trying to stop the move of a games court next to the new 60-bedroomed care home being built on the old Shotts Nightclub site in Bourley Rd. A plan to move the court to the new 300 home development in Hitchens Lane has been put forward.

16 July
Elvetham Heath Smell: 300 people living on Elvetham Heath Estate who have been suffering from the smell of a nearby sewerage works from across the M3 have signed a petition demanding action from the Thames Water Authority. One stated "Its just like breathing in toilet water"
Carnival Success: Organisers are patting themselves on the back after an excellent weekend at Fleet carnival. Although forced in the last week or so by the local council and the police to run the funfair at the top of the views, thus much reducing the space available for the two processions to gather at the end of their route through Fleet, the organisation was enough to avoid too much crowding and chaos. The Walls funfair has run at the bottom of the views for over 50 years with very little in the way of problems. results

9 July
More Travellers: Travellers have moved into playing fields at Ancells Farm. A judge has given them seven days to leave the site or an eviction order will be applied for.
Juliet's Success: Fleet born actress Juliet Aubrey has been acclaimed for her performance in the recent BBC production "Criminal Justice"

4 July
Free Bays Are Back: 24 free car parking red bays have been marked out in Fleet. 6 each are in Victoria Rd and Gurkha Square car parks and 12 in Church Rd car park. 30 minutes free parking is allowed.
Bays Still Wrong: Parking campaigner Peter Ashford still thinks the newly laid out parking bays along Fleet Rd are incorrectly marked. A national adjudicator ruled the original marking of the bays unenforceable some weeks ago.
New President: Chrys Goodburn has been made the new president of the Fleet Rotary club.
Powerlifting Success: Andrew Shipman set a new European record for the 82.5 Kg class in the European Championships weight lifting event. Dean Drury set a new world record in the 90Kg class. Both men are from Fleet and won Gold medals.
Roads OK: A report by the Highways Agency who studied the PRUPIM and Astrals plans for the mega depot at Pyestock have come out with the surprising conclusion that the roads around the proposed depot will be able to support the increased traffic.
Pyestock Cash: Hart District Council has set aside £300,000 to fight the Pyestock Warehouse development appeal.
Fleet Pond Birds: Hart District Council and Fleet Pond Society are encouraging the breeding of new birds at Fleet Pond by providing two artificial islands at the reserve.
Twinning Celebration: Crookham Village and Levignen in Picardy have celebrated 25 years of twinning. More than 40 people from Church Crookham travelled to France to celebrate with a dinner and dance and renewal of the twinning charter which was originally signed in 1983.

June 26
Drug Den: A crack house at 65 New Barn Close has been closed down by police. Nobody can enter the property for 3 months without police permission.
Gambian Garden: A garden at All Saints Junior School has been opened by former Headteacher Janet Roberts who started the garden 5 years ago. The garden is designed to mark the schools links with Soma Lower Basic School in Gambia.
Remarked Bays: Fleet Rd parking bays have been remarked and Hart Council is now satisfied that they comply with national guidelines.

June 20
No Power: First Choice travel agency in Fleet Rd are facing the possibility of having their electricity cut off by energy company Eon because they have not paid their electricity bills.
Man Accused: Shane Seddon of Larmer Close has appeared in court charged with possession of a knife.
MP's Award: Local MP James Arbuthnot has narrowly missed out on a prestigious Charity Champions Award but finished in the final short list of three. James was nominated for the award by the Fleet Pond Society for his support in their heavy silting campaign.

June 14
Fine Again: Over the next few weeks parking regulations in Fleet Rd will be enforced again. The regulations have been suspended for more than 7 weeks following a legal challenge.

8 June
Ruined Football Pitches: Travellers who set up camp in Calthorpe Park for a week have been ruining the Fleet Town Colts football pitches. The club spent thousands of pounds improving the playing surface last year.
Nursing Home Problem: A new 60 bed nursing home at the site of the former Shotts nightclub near the Peter Driver Centre is under threat due to its proximity to a Farnborough Public Safety Zone.
Centenary: The Church of our Lady in Kings Rd is celebrating 100 years with a flower festival.
No More Bread: DR Wright and Sons bakers in Fleet Rd and Linkway for nearly 50 years are calling it a day. The shops have been sold to a Polish father and son.
Another Centenary: Avondale Lawn Tennis Club is celebrating 100 years this year with a display of photographs and memorabilia at Fleet Library. It started as a cycle club. There are currently 400 members and 200 juniors.
Playing With John Prescott: Local actress Raquel Cassidy who has appeared in Lead Balloon and Moving Wallpaper is to star in The Ragged Trousered Philanthropist alongside former deputy prime minister John Prescott. The play will be in three parts and be broadcast on Radio 4.

3 June
New Chairman: Independent councillor Denis Gotel is the new chairman of Hart District Council.

28 May
Roman Remains: Prehistoric and Roman remains have been found on the Hitchens Lane development site were 300 new homes are to be built. Building has stopped whilst the remains are being assessed.
Big Cat Spotted: Delia Irving has reported seeing a big cat running in front of her car in Gally Hill Rd. She described it as about 3 feet up to its back and a sort of beige colour with black edging round its ears and a lighter colour on its tummy. It had a huge tail and big teeth and was three to four feet long without the tail.
Abortion Limit: Local MP James Arbuthnot has voted with the government to keep the abortion limit to 24 weeks.
Local Time Capsule: A time capsule has been buried at Cadogan Court in Branksomewood Rd. Amongst many objects placed in the capsule was an insight into the Rotary Club of Fleet with a pennant and information about the County Federation of Woman Institutes and a history of Denham Cottage.

19 May
Carnival Winner: This years Fleet carnival programme winner is Caitlin Griffith from Dogmersfield Primary School. With over 230 entries competition was very keen. Caitlin's picture will be seen on the front of thousands of Carnival programme's to be distributed throughout the area.
more
Pyestock Donations: To date more than £10,000 has been donated towards the Pyestock redevelopment opposition fund. more

11 May
Fleet Win Cup: Fleet Town FC have retained the Russell Cotes cup they won last year after a 3-0 win over New Milton.
Forward With Fleet: A new group called Fleet Forward has been set up by Fleet Town Centre manager Paul Doughty. It is made up of councillors, businesses and various local organisations. Mr. Doughty believes the steering group will succeed as it focuses on getting everyone in Fleet working together for the common good. The old Fleet Town Centre group broke up in July 2006.
Attack: The police are looking for witnesses to an attack in Ancells Park when a man was left with facial injuries. Anyone with information should contact 0800555111

5 May
Election Results: The Conservatives made two gains in the local council elections. In both Fleet Pondtail and Fleet Courtmoor the LibDems fell to the Conservatives with over 50% turnouts. The Pyestock campaigner David Healey took Fleet Pondtail with a majority of 493 in a straight fight with Sue Fisher. The Hart council remains with no overhaul control. more
Fleet Miss Out: Fleet Town lost their play off game 2-1 to fourth placed Uxbridge to deny themselves the opportunity to gain promotion from the BGB Southern 1 South and West league. Fleet finished second to Farnborough in the league, their highest ever position.
Shots Club Site Offices: Plans to build offices on the old Shots nightclub site which was burnt to the ground some years ago have been lodged with Hart Council. The site near the Peter Driver sports ground was once going to be turned into a medical centre but insufficient funds were found.

Mr D.Healey

David In Town: Opposition leader David Cameron has visited Fleet. He popped into W C Baker's who are celebrating their 100th year, then toured The Point youth centre. Asked about the Pyestock development the Conservative leader explained that this was a local matter best dealt with by the local council. more

Mr Cameron with local conservative councilors
Picture courtesy of Louise Lamb

30 April
Chimes Back: The clock above the Emporium Pub in Fleet Rd is now fully working thanks to Fleet Trader Geoff Baker and resident Derek Bardon and also £1,500 raised from The News readers and £1,000 donated by Betty Barney in memory of her husband Ken Barney who was manager of the Midland bank in Fleet and president of the local chamber of trade. He was also a local councilor and involved in the Rotary Club and the CAB. The clock now chimes on the hour and keeps the correct time.
Bangers Back: A new Stock Car racing track has been built near Rushmoor Arena by Spedeworth Racing. The track has been built at the same place used by Fleet Motor Club for many years before they moved to Paices Hill Tadley. The new arena has lots of parking spaces, toilets and burger bars. Spedeworth Racing owned the old racing track at Tongham before it was demolished to make way for the Blackwater Bypass. Racing is every Sunday starting at 1pm.
Record Success: Breathe, a song by Victoria Beebee from Church Crookham, is to be released worldwide by Active Universal distribution on June 9th.

24 April
Fleet Centenary Celebration: The Fleet Business Partnership and W C Bakers in Fleet Rd are planning to celebrate Bakers 100 years trading in Fleet and 100years of the Catholic Church and 100 years of the Horticultural Society. Also 50 years of Wrights the Bakers and a few 25 and 20 years celebrations. The date is Saturday 9th August and there will be entertainment, stalls Kids stuff etc etc along Fleet Rd. Also this years Fleet Festivities will be held on 26th November. To take part and for more information email chairman@fleetbusinesspartnership.com
Sports Event: Hart Leisure are to stage an outdoor sports open day at Calthorpe Park on Saturday June 7th.
Fleet In Playoffs: Fleet Town FC have qualified for the promotion playoffs in the BGB Southern 1 South and West league
School To Be Extended: Elvetham Heath Primary School is to be given a £ million extension which will enable it to cater for all the children on the Elvetham Heath estate. The current capacity of 420 will increased to 630. Work will begin in July 2008 and finish in April 2009.

17 April
Cemetery Refurbishment: Fleet Cemetery is being refurbished by unpaid probationers. hey are attending to unkept graves, footpaths, boundaries and repainting benches.

12 April
100 Years Of Service: W C Baker and Son hardware are celebrating their 100th birthday. The family run business has been operating in Fleet for the past 100years and has won many accolades including business of the year in 1987, 1988 and 1989 and the Fleet in Bloom shop frontage award for six successive years. more
Oak Trees Protected: Bollards are to be installed along the entrance to Calthorpe Park from Reading Rd North to stop cars parking near the Oak trees and compacting the earth causing the trees to be stressed.
Golden Year: Peter and Mavis Smith are celebrating 50 years of marriage. Family members from around the world came to Brookly Gns in Fleet and then on to a 16th century hotel in Holford in Somerset to help them enjoy their golden anniversary.
Potted History: Avondale Lawn Tennis club is celebrating its centenary by looking for memorabilia and old photos to compile a history of the club to be displayed at the clubhouse and in a presentation case at Fleet Library. If you can help contact Doreen Healy at the Avondale Lawn Tennis Club, Ewshot Lane, Ewshot. GU10 5BT.
Charity Climb: Andy Auge-de-Rancourt is to take part in the Ford Ranger Great Lakeland Challenge in the Lakeside to raise money for charity. If you wish to support Andy visit www.woodenspoon.com

Early April snowfall in the area signalled the arrival of Spring with up to an inch of snow and a cold Northerly wind.

Parish Councils: Hart council have voted to set up three parish councils in Fleet, Church Crookham and Elvetham Heath. A second ballot will be held in Fleet Courtmoor offering the electors the choice of going in with either Fleet or Church Crookham.
No Topless Dancing: The Albert Street Sports Bar has been refused permission to introduce Semi-naked pole dancing to its entertainment plans.

30 March
Not Giving Up: Joint developers of the Pyestock site, Prupim and Astral, have decided to continue to press for the building of the proposed warehouse scheme at Pyestock. The next step is a public inquiry at which all parties will have their say before an independent planning inspector.
SPLAT Tory: Leading Pyestock Development campaigner David Healy has joined the conservative team in Pondtail. He wants to better defend the area's quality of life by becoming aware of problems at an early stage.

24 March
Fleet Get Their Revenge: Fleet Town, who lost to Farnborough 5-1 at Christmas, scored a 3rd minute goal from a shot by MOM Ben Wright which trickled in of the post to set up a three nil score line to secure their revenge at the town ground. Nathian Smart headed in a second after 22 minutes to give Fleet a 2-0 half time lead. After the break Mark Anderson got Fleet's third after 75 minutes when the Farnborough goalkeeper, who was having a nightmare match, let the ball tumble out of his hands from a low shot. Fleet are third in the league with Farnborough at the top.
Theatre Group Raise Cash: Church Crookham Players have donated £725 to the CHASE hospice raised from staging three shows at Christ Church, Zebon Copse community cenre and the hall of the Church of Our Lady in Fleet.

21 March
Carnival Princesses: This years Fleet Carnival is due to be held over the weekend of the 12 and 13 of July. The carnival disco to chose the Princess was held at the Harlington centre. The winner was Hannah Kirby from Elvetham Heath School. Holly Strowger was chosen as this years Flower Girl. more
Pyestock Rejection: At a packed Princes Hall public meeting all seventeen councilors on the Hart planning committee voted to reject the Pyestock mega depot plans. more
Half Marathon Results: This years Fleet half Marathon was run in atrocious conditions but almost 2,000 runners were not deterred and completed the 13.1 mile course. The men's race winner was Neil Chisholm in 1hr10m14s followed by Tim Crossland and Nigel Leighton. Helen Decker won the ladies race in 1hr20m43s followed by Tamsin Clark and Debbie Cosslett. The Royal navy won the men's team event and the Army ladies the woman's event. Fastest from Fleet and Crookham AC were James Allen 1hr18m59s and Lisa Hale 1hr36m50s.
Table Dancing: The Sports Bar in Albert Street has applied for a license to stage Table Dancing. Eight district councilors have objected to the idea.

14 March
Parking Fines Illegal: The National Parking Adjudication Service has ruled that 6,000 plus motorists who were fined for illegal parking in Fleet Rd were not illegally parked.
No Free Parking: A proposal to reinstate free red parking bays in Fleet has been thrown out as too expensive. The free bays were originally offered as an alternative to the lost free parking in Fleet Rd due to the recent refurbishment of the High Street. The reinstatement would have cost £30,000

7 March
Berkley Homes Plan Given Go Ahead: Plans to build 300 new homes on land adjoining Hitches Lane have finally been given the green light by Hart Council. 40% will be affordable housing. There will be a country park, sports pitches, an allotment site, a green amphitheatre, mountain biking mound, a pavilion and a Health Centre.
Sporting Award: Andrew Kern from Church Crookham has won a Sporting Champion award from Sainsbury's for going above and beyond the call of duty in engaging local people in sport.
Lorry Alight: A Biffa lorry travelling along Crookham Rd caught fire after an aerosol went off with a loud bang.
Schoolgirl Singer: Brooke Collins from Court Moor School is the youngest under-18 finalist in Live and Unsigned, a competition to discover the UK's unsigned musical talent.

28 Feb
No To Pond Homes: The plan to build 206 homes at the Waterfront Business park location near Fleet Pond have been thrown out by Hart Councilors.
KFC Robbery: Three armed robbers got away with £3,000 when they attacked a delivery man as he left the KFC shop in Fleet Rd. The victim was not hurt. Anyone with information should ring Det Sgt Watson on 0845 045 45 45.
New Care Home: Plans to build a new 64 bed care home on Redfields Industrial Estate have been approved.
Fire Fighters Needed: If you live within four minutes of the fire station in Connaght Rd you qualify to become a retained firefighter. If you are interested go to one of the Monday drill nights or log onto www.hantsfire.gov.uk
Hart Council Taxes: Council tax is due to go up by 4.8% in April. Fleet and Church Crookham Band "D" households will have to pay £1,385.50 and Crookham Village £1,356.07.

15 Feb
Vantastic!: A golf day organised by the CRAFT Golf Society helped raise £8,000 towards the cost of two new vans for the Lions Community Store. The event encouraged support from Waitrose, Hart Windows and Glazing Ltd and Sunrise Senior Living in Fleet. Support from Hampshire County Council, Rushmore Borough Council, Hart District Council, First Atlantic and Sentinel Housing Association also contributed. Aldershot's RocketUK.com offered to pay all leasing costs of a second van with ownership going to the Lions after three years. To contribute donations of household items call 01252 616998. Fleet Lions have just donated £500 to the Fleet Pond Society.
Clockwise: Fleet's clock has been removed and sent to Good Directions Ltd for repair so that it will keep the right time and chime on the hour. The work is being paid by donations from readers of The News which amounted to £1,500.
Larger School: Elvetham Heath School is to be given a much needed extension. Work should be completed ready for the Sep 2009 intake.
Plans Dropped: Plans to build two 60 bed roomed nursing homes in Victoria Rd have been dropped after more than 500 people objected.
Missing Cat: Have you seen an 18 month old Balinese cat which may have run away from home to the Fleet Area. Owner Angela Wells believes the cat from Dartmouth may have hitched a ride in a hired van from Refearn Industrial Estate in Church Crookham which was in Dartmouth at the time and she had been seen in the back of the van. If you can help call 01803 722507 or email apewells@waitrose.com

7 Feb
Vote For Parishes: Only 34% voted in the recent poll taken to find out if local people wanted Parish Councils . In Church Crookham 78% of those voting wanted a parish, with most wanting a Parish just for Church Crookham. In Courtmoor 69% voted for a Parish but most preferred one for the whole of the unparished area. Fleet voted 67% in favour and most preferred a Parish for the whole area. Elvetham Heath had a 92% vote with the majority voting for a local Parish and at Ancells Park 72% voted for a Parish with a majority wanting a single Parish for the area.
Recyclers Website: Elly and Chris Russell from Crookham Rd have set up an online recycling website where people can give away unwanted products free of charge. visit the site at www.rehomeyourstuff.co.uk
Social Networking Site For Gardeners: Peter Richards from Farriers Close, Church Crookham is celebrating the first year of running a website were gardeners can get together and socialises. find out more at www.growsonyou.com

1 Feb
Crime Down: Violent crime in Fleet has fallen from 30 reports in 2006 to 14 reports in 2007.
Hatchback Loaders: A National Parking Appeals Service adjudicator has ruled that hatch back cars parking in Fleet Rd can be classed as goods vehicles under parking restrictions enforced by Hart District Council. It is possible that 1000's of parking fines might be reclaimed.
Builder Hurt: A builder working on a house in Hitchens Lane heard glass breaking and went to check his van only to find a man had broken in and was stealing his wallet. He chased the thief and tried to follow him into the back of a car but was pushed off and ended up in Frimley Hospital.
New Waste Laws: From Feb 14th Hampshire County Council are introducing new rules banning commercial vans and lorries from using Household Recycling Centres
Alldays Burgled: Alldays in Fleet has been burgled twice in one night. The first time £70 cash was stolen and later a fruitless search was made. Police have released CCTV images of three men. If you can help phone 0800 555 111.
Arsenal's Mascot: 10 year old gunners fan Thomas Smith from Fleet led out the team at the Emirates Stadium in front of 60,000 supporters. He also got players autographs and a free Arsenal kit.

25 Jan
New Parish Concerns: Peter Green from Isitfair campaign for tax reform has warned that voting for a parish council in Fleet and Church Crookham could be costly because parish councils are not subject to government capping. Local residents are currently being asked to vote to keep things as they are or create one parish council for the whole of Fleet and Church Crookham or have two separate parish councils. The results will be discussed by the full district council on March 27.
Lost Wheelchair: All Saints church are appealing to joyriders to return a wheel chair taken from All Saints Church. If you find it call 01252 812114
Charity Currie: The Golden Triangle is to host a charity curry meal to help raise funds for victims in Bangladesh. If you are interested call 01252 616352.
Tweseldown Boost: Tweseldown Race course has been chosen to host elite equestrian events as part of the build up to the 2012 Olympic Games.

18 Jan
Pyestock Plans: Plans for a massive warehouse complex have been lodged with Hart District Council. It proposes ten new buildings ranging from 27,000 to 330,000 square feet. more
Talented Singer: Singer Brooke Collins, 13, has won a place in the national talent competition Live and Unsigned. She attends Court Moor School.
Post Office Is To Go: Pondtail PO has been named as one of 61 post offices to be closed in the latest round of cuts. The move has shocked local residents.
Allotments: A group of local residents have formed an allotments association and will be contacting Hart Council to secure land for use as future allotments. For more information contact bobchughes@googlemail.com
Car In Shop: A car has smashed into the recently redecorated "Ready2Print" shop in Fleet Rd. Nobody was hurt but a customer and shop assistant are recovering from shock.

10 Jan
Fleet's Big Brother: Race driver Jeremy Metcalfe,19, has been invited to join the latest version of Big Brother the reality TV show. To find out more visit Jeremy's website www.jeremymetcalfe.com
Charity Theft: A "swearbottle" containing approximately £600 has been stolen from the bar at the Albert Social Club. If you have seen anything or can help call 0845 045 4545
Loos Shut: The public toilets in Victoria Rd car park have been closed because of fears of vandalism. Nearest public toilets are in the Harlington Centre.

4 Jan
Doris Celebrates: Doris Cowpe who lives at Thurston House has celebrated her 103rd birthday. Her sister Alice is 93.
Indecent Photos: Clive O'Neill of King John St has appeared in court on charges related to children under 16 years of age. He was bailed to reappear on Feb 13 for a committal hearing.
Careless Anglers: Fleet resident Margaret Birch has asked anglers at Fleet Pond to be more careful when discarding line after a black headed gull was found hanging from a tree with line around its wing. She said another big problem was discarded drink cans.
Recycling Up: Hart District's recycling rate is up to a record 41.7% for the month of Nov thanks to the Alternate Bin Collection system. The average recycling before ABC was 25.8%.
Peake Of Success: Gordon Peake has been made an honoree 365 card holder of Hart Leisure Centre for his work associated with the success of the Fleet Matinee club.
Cat Shot: Two-and-a-half-year-old cat Stanley had to be put down after arriving home in Kenilworth Rd with pellet wounds from being shot by a marksman. Owner Angela Caruana is warning other cat owners to be vigilant.
All That Glitters: More than 200 goldfish have been removed from a small pond at Elvetham Heath and taken to another site. They had grown from a few pet goldfish which had been dumped there some time ago.
Pupil Joins Orchestra: Year 6 flautist pupil Madeleine Jewell from St Nicholas School has won a place in The National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain.

26 Dec
Fleet Town FC Lose Local Derby: Fleet lost 5-1 to rivals Farnborough. They took the lead after 23 minutes when Mike Douglas hit the target. Fleet were on top at this stage but a great shot by Ian Oliver in the 38th minute made it 1-1 at half time. Fleet were playing the better football but it was Farnborough who took over the game in the second half when Rob Saunders scored a second for Farnborough after 5 minutes with a great header and seven minutes later a similar goal from Marcus Richardson put the score at 3-1 to Farnborough. After this Farnborough started to dominate the game and scored two breakaway goals on 73 minutes by Rob Saunders and a gave away 5th goal again by Rob Saunders after 86 minutes. Crowd trouble behind the Fleet goal was quickly controlled by the stewards. The attendance was a record 951. Man of the match was Rob Saunders. Fleet can get their revenge when they play Farnborough at home on Monday 24th March. (It was nice to see Cllr Denis Gotel at the game supporting Fleet Town - Webmaster)
Dance Success: June White Academy teacher Abigail Williams will soon be appearing in the West End tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Abigail started dancing at the age of four. She has appeared in Spirit of the dance, and on TV.

19 Dec
Not Pointless: The seven man Crookham Street Darts Team scored 359,981 points in a 24 hour darts marathon in aid of the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice. They are waiting to see if they have broken the record.
Relieved Councillor: Cllr Denis Gotel said he was very relieved after having been cleared of any breach of the councils Code of Conduct following a complaint by Tory Cllr Sharon Wheale regarding confidentiality at the time of the resignation of the former Fleet Town Centre Manager Sue Collen.
Back From Thailand: Jack Sylvester has just returned to Fleet after being one of 60 BUPA volunteers who marked the companies 60th anniversary by helping to redevelop Sarnelli House orphanage to improve the lives of children affected by HIV and AIDS. Jacky said she would never forget the amazing experience.

14 Dec
Pizza Problems: Local residents are protesting against plans to open a new takeaway pizza parlour on the corner of Reading Rd South and Compton Road. They say that the area is already congested and the increased traffic and parking will bring it to a standstill.
More Fleet Homes: Berkeley Homes have lodged plans on how it will develop 300 homes on a site by Hitchins Rd. The new homes were approved by a government inspector two years ago. 40% of homes would be affordable housing.
Local Derby: Fleet Town are scheduled to play Farnborough Town away on Boxing day. Fleet are currently fourth in the Southern League Division South & West with Farnborough at the top. Should be a great game.

8 Dec
Mast Gets Go-ahead: The building of a mobile phone mast on the corner of Courtmoor Ave and Reading Rd South has been given the go-ahead by a government planning inspector after an appeal by Hutchinson 3G. Hart Council's planning committee originally threw out the plan.
Homes Plan Objections: Local residents are expected to come out in force to object to the building of 206 homes plan at the Fleet Pond Waterfront Business Park.
Legion Funds: Staff at CHL mortgages have raised £600 towards the Royal British Legion.

5 Dec
Buy A Light: Hart Lions Club are lighting up Christmas with the "Light up a Life" campaign to raise money for the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice. For £5 a light on the Christmas Tree at Hart Shopping Centre can be dedicated to the memory of a loved one.
Cycle Trek: NHS worker Steph Thorns from Velmead Rd is to take part in a sponsored ride from Guatemala to Honduras to support Mayan families in Central America.
Cleaner Sweep: A change from using mechanical sweeping to the old fashioned brush and barrow has resulted in a noticeable difference in the cleanliness of the streets in Fleet and a number of positive comments.

30 Nov
Footballers Tribute: A tea bar has been refurbished and dedicated to the life of teenager Daniel Ayre who died on his birthday, September 16, in a crash in Ewshot. The bar, named "Danny's Place" is located in Calthorpe Park.
New Allotment: Hart District Council has agreed to seek government approval to convert a site in Azalea Gardens in Church Crookham into a 60 plot allotment. Currently 74 people are on the waiting list on Fleet.
Grave Issue: A bid has been made to extend Fleet Cemetery in order to provide an extra 15 years of grave space.
MP Lion: Local MP James Arbuthnot has accepted an invitation to become an honorary of the Fleet Lions.

25 Nov:
Not Rained Off: Over 14,000 people braved the rain to enjoy this years Fleet Festivities along Fleet Rd. more
Lost Car Park: Developers Taylor Wimpey want to cut the Bourly Rd car park to five spaces as part of its plans to build 1,000 homes at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks site in Church Crookham. Local residents are organising objections to the plan.
Medal Winners: Children at the "Beginners on Stage" group in Fleet have won a number of medals in the annual British Arts Festival for Speech and drama Tuder Rose event in Guildford.
Free Lessons: From next January youngsters between 11 and 19 in Hart will be able to get free music lessons from SMART music. Tuition will be provided at the Point Youth Centre in Fleet. Contact Charlotte Tickner at charlotte.tickner@hants.gov.uk for further information.
Hair Award: KIM Salons in the Hart Centre are overall runners up at the Schwarzkopt Professional Creative Team Competitions 2007.

20 Nov:
GCSE Results: Court Moor School achieved 77% of 5+ grades A* - C, 73% of 5+ A* - C including English and Maths and 98% of 5+ A* - G including English and Maths. Calthorpe Park School achieved 62% of 5+ grades A* - C, 53% of 5+ A* - C including English and Maths and 54% of 5+ A* - G including English and Maths.
Safer Fleet: A team of volunteers are to offer support and advice to revellers suffering from the effects of alcohol and emotional distress in Fleet and Church Crookham. Further information can be obtained on 0845 0454545 extension 605129.
Colourful Fleet Again: Winter hanging baskets are to return to the town centre after their removal for the Fleet Rd refurbishments.

15 Nov
Parish Vote: Fleet and Church Crookham residents are to be balloted regarding being represented by a parish council. The postal vote will cost about £14,000
World Champion: 72 year old race walker Maureen Spelman competing in the Masters Athletics Championship has collecting four gold medals. She took up the sport in 1999.
Bike Charity Ride: Steph Thorns, a nurse from Velmead Rd, is training for a charity bike ride from Guatemala to Honduras. Al Fresco restaurant is hosting a charity event on Mon Nov 26 to help her on her way. Visit www.thorns.info/guatemala for more information.

11 Nov
Remembrance Day: More than 300 people turned up at the Gurka Square memorial to remember those who have fallen since the first world war. Later in the day a service of remembrance took place at a packed All Saints Church. The new Fleet Methodist minister the Rev. Stephen Robinson addressed the congregation and introduced his little friend Will Wesley - a ventriloquist dummy - which he used to great effect to enhance his sermon.
Delayed Fireworks: Fleet Lions Firework display held in The Views was delayed by 15 minutes due to the largest turnout for many years. A spokesman said it was the best display ever.
Flower Power: Robyn Lapper was placed third in the first heat of the Interflora Florist of the year competition. Charlotte Murrey came second in the Florist of the Future section. Both girls work at Oasis Flowers in Fleet.
Science Buff: Fleet's Elaine Baxter has been selected as one of six finalists in the Woman of the Future Awards sponsored by Shell.

5 Nov
Poppies: The poppy collection by volunteers along Fleet Rd was enhanced by a number of Gurkhas who travelled to fleet to support the British Legion Remembrance fund.

3 Nov:
Photo Competition: The winner of the Fleet Business Partnership's 2007 photo competition was Leo Janson with an image entitled "Grab Air" More than 150 people entered the competition which had prizes of more than £800 donated by Starbucks and Ready 2 Print. more
Fraudulent: Robert Marchant of Dudley Court has pleaded guilty to making a false declaration to obtain benefits of £8,682. He was ordered to repay £500 still owing plus Hart's costs of £100
No Allotments: A council report has concluded that the council is not in a position to provide allotment gardens. Campaigner Bob Hughes said the report was disappointing and not very forward thinking.
Flood Action: Fact finding tours of Fleet Pondtail, Fleet Courtmoor and Fleet West wards have taking place with an all-party group to ascertain what can be done to with flood hotspots in Fleet.

28 Oct
Garage Fire: Fleet Garage Services in Sankey Rd Co-owned by Clive Watson and Aubrey Hayns-Wood has been destroyed by fire. It is thought an electrical fault may have been to blame.
Car Crash: A teenager had to be cut free after a crash in Aldershot Rd. Two female passengers were treated for minor injuries. They were taken to Frimley Park Hospital.
Support For Gurkhas: Fleet and Crookham residents have raised over £3,500 from a flag day towards the Gurkha Welfare Trust which helps veterans and their families.
Chinese Talk: St Nicholas School in Flee is to introduce Mandarin Chinese for its year 6, 7 and 8 pupils.

25 Oct
Lollipop Shortage: There is a shortage of lollipop men and woman in the Fleet area. Pay is £5.94 per hour for two hours per day. For more information phone 01962 870500
Danger To Deer: A young deer had to be killed after being attacked by a dog in a field in Crookham Village. A notice requesting people to keep their dogs on a lead has been displayed round the area.
Closure Order: A Crack House Closure Order has been granted by magistrates on 51 Woodlands a week before a similar order had been placed on 81 Woodlands.
What Do You Think?: Children from schools across Fleet have been asked to put their views forward regarding transportation and road safety.

19 Oct
Kings Rd PO To Go: Pondtail Post Office is to be axed under government plans to close 2,500 local branches by the end of 2008. Harbhajan Ahluwalia who runs the PO and the shop fears he will not be able to carry on if the PO is closed. It has been there since 1910. To comment on the closure email consultation@postoffice.co.uk
Tree Vandalised: A tree planted outside Crookham Village Stores has been mindlessly destroyed by vandals and will not be replaced.
Female Attack: Roderick Byrne from Church Crookham has appeared in court and charged with assaulting a women and causing grievous bodily harm. He was remanded in custody.
Scouting Birthday: The 22nd Odiham Fleet Scouts have celebrated their 80th birthday at their Fleet headquarters.
Collection: Fleet Hospital and Community Friends have collected over £1000, more than £700 more than in previous years.
Lions Van Vandalised: Thieves have stripped a van belonging to Fleet Lions taking of the bonnet, radiator Grill and front bumper. They cut open a chain link fence to get at the vehicle.
Two Years Jail: Dwayne Lee Ayres who lives in Church Crookham has been has been jailed for two years. He was accused of sustained, aggressive and continual bad driving and pleaded guilty to charges of causing the death of two teenagers in Hitchens lane. by dangerous driving.

10 Oct
Appealing Clock: £3,000 has been raised by residents and retailers towards a fund to get the clock on the top of the Emporium pub to strike again. The appeal was launched by Derek Barden and Geoff Baker. Donations can be sent to the Fleet News and mail office at 349 Fleet Rd and cheques should be made out to The Fleet and Crookham Civic Society.

Retail Use Refused: An appeal by Hamseys Ltd to change the use of a former car showroom adjacent to the Oatsheaf pub to retail use has been refused by Hart District Council.
Cetre Revamps: Refurbishment work has started at the Hart Leisure Centre in Fleet. It is expected to be complete by the New Year.
Quality of Life: Hart came fifth in a recent national survey to find the areas having the best quality of life in the country.

5 Oct
Reading Rd North Accident: A yellow Honda Jazz has been involved in an accident at the Reading Rd North junction with Tavistock Rd. A 12 year old boy suffered serious injuries and was taken to hospital. Local residents are calling for improved traffic calming measures and a 30 mph limit right along the road.
Top Team: Fleet Town FC have climbed to the top of the South & West Division after beating Andover 4 - 0

28 Sep
Leak Folly: Neighbours in Folly Close are fed up of waiting for a water leak to be fixed by residents living in Durnsfield Ave. The leak was detected by the SE Water Board in Durnsfield Ave which is private property and therefore they could not fix it. Water has flooded in Folly Close because it is on lower ground.
No Extra Opening: Julian's Off Licence in Fleet Rd has failed in its bid to sell alcohol into the early hours of the morning. A three member group of Hart Councils licensing committee has ruled that they could only sell alcohol until midnight every day of the week, that is one hour longer than at present.
School Website Awards: Calthorpe Park School has won the "most accessible" award in the Hantsweb Awards 2007. Court Moor School came second in the best school or college website category.
Car Park Going?: The new owner of the car park at the rear of Ridgeway Parade in Church Crookham has applied to the Council to get permission to build an MOT station on the land.

21 Sep
Trees To Be Felled: Angry residents are complaining to Hart Council because it plans to cut down six trees in Calthorpe Park to make way for a new parking area.
Teenager Killed: A 16 year old boy has been killed in a car accident along Beacon Hill Road in Church Crookham. Other passengers in the car, a blue Vauxhall Corsa, suffered injuries and were taken to Frimley park Hospital. Anyone with information should ring Crimestoppers on 0800555111 quoting operation Ivor.
Child Abuse: Three paedophiles who subjected children to six hours of sexual abuse in a house in Fleet have been jailed.

14 Sep
New Head: Stuart Adlam has been appointed as the new headmaster of Elvetham Heath primary school.
Over 200 Medals: Stephanie McAllister set up Team Colours UK, a disabled athletics team, last March and so far members have won more than 200 medals. Stephanie first competed in disabled swimming before taking a break to have her son Matthew. She first tried wheelchair athletics two years ago. Visit www.teamcoloursuk.org.uk for more.
Surprise About Turn: Plans to redevelop a complex for elderly people in Campbell Close which looked set to be approved have now been thrown out. The Sentinel Housing Association wanted to replace 25 bungalows with a series of three and four-storey flats. The scheme divided the residents with some warning that the development would set a precedent for future developments in Fleet whilst others wanted to move out of their crumbling sheltered housing into the new flats.

7 Sep
Fleet CC Promoted: Fleet CC consolidated their first place spot in Thames Valley League 2 by completing a comprehensive victory over second placed side Kidmore End to guarantee their promotion to the Thames Valley League 1 more
Third Oldest: The Hart area came third in a recent national survey to find out who lives longest in the UK. The average life expectancy in the area is just over 83.
Nightclub Assault: Three Fleet men were taken to Frimley Park Hospital following a dispute at the Jaxx nightclub. Anyone with information should contact 0845 045 4545.
85 Years; The Albert Social Club in Albert Street is celebrating its 85th birthday.

30 Aug
Coining It: Visitors to a new Fleet retirement development at Cadogan Court in Branksomewood Rd who are over 60 years old will be given a £5 coin which celebrates the diamond anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip. Call 0800 586 8844 to book a viewing.
Diamond Celebration: Edwin and Vera Milhench of Argyll Court, Clarence Rd have celebrated their Diamond Wedding anniversary with a special meal laid on at their retirement complex. They also received a message from the Queen.
Podium Place: Jeremy Metcalf is in sixth place in the 2007 Formula Renault UK Championship after securing third place at the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit.
Fleet Services Death: Shaun Ian Lucas, 26, of Knight Close in Church Crookham has been found dead in a room at the Days Inn Hotel at Fleet Services. Toxicology tests are to be carried out to determine the cause of death after injury and illness had been ruled out.

27 Aug
Pyestock Objections: More than 5000 people have now objected to the planned warehouse development at Pyestock.
No Smoking: A group of customers at the Black Horse in Crookham Village have managed to stop smoking for two months with the help of the Local NHS Stop Smoking Service. The pub has recently been refurbished.
Get The Picture: The Fleet Business Partnership has launched a photography competition with more than £800 worth of prizes. More details and entry forms can be obtained from www.fleetbusinesspartnership.com

23 Aug
Moving Fear: Marion Wilson aged 78 who lives in Campbell Close which is set to be demolished to make way for a block of sheltered homes is worried because no one will tell her were she will be moved to. Marion wants to live in Fleet were her daughter and grandchildren live and fears being moved away from the area. Plans to build the new homes have been in the pipe line for three years.
Not Very Charitable: A charity box has been stolen from the counter of McDonalds in Fleet Rd.It was thought to contain about £30 for a children's charity. If you saw anything call 0800 555111.
Stock Car Race: The popular Stock car racing which took place on land at the rear of Rushmore Arena and was run by Fleet Motor Club has ended and the club is hoping to move to a new venue near Basingstoke. Meanwhile Deane Wood the man in charge of the company that used to run the popular Tongham racing track has won a tender from the army to build a new stock car racing venue on the same land.

15 Aug
Iraq Medal: James Cannings, a corporal in the Territorial army, has received the Operational Service Medal after a six month tour of duty in Iraq. He serves 10 Company The 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment.Cpl Canning has lived all his life in Fleet and went to Court Moor School
Tea At The Ritz: Sunrise Living Centre raised £600 to support the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice at their "Tea at the Ritz" event. Guests had a glass of Buck's Fizz and tea with cucumber sandwiches, scones, cakes and chocolates. The event was organised by Judy Keep, Sue Collen and Sheilagh Bell. Musical ntertainment was provided by Jill Morris, who is blind.
Victory: Mark II Motor Sport won the "Fat Albert" stages of its latest rally at the RAF base at Keevil in Wiltshire. Drivers Mark Welch and James Sutherland romped home in first place against a quality competition

10 Aug
Approval For New Homes: Plans to redevelop a complex for elderly people in Campbell Close look set to be approved. 25 bungalows are to be replaced by three and four storey blocks comprising 63 flats.
Appeal: Hutchison 3G are to appeal against Hart District Councills decision to throw out proposals to install a phone mast and base station on the corner of Courtmoor Ave and Reading Rd South.
New President: The Rotary Club of Fleet have a new president, John Forsyth, who takes over from John Burton. Mr. Forsyth has lived in Fleet for 23 years.
New Offices: Work has started on a new office complex at the Blue Prior site between Redfields Gdn Centre and Redfields Industrial Est. Completion is expected in Feb 2008.

3 Aug
Foot and Mouth Back: Fleet and Church Crookham are placed within the six-mile surveillance zone which the Government has ordered following the foot and mouth outbreak on a farm near the village of Normandy. Police and environment officials will monitoring the movement of animals.
Buzz Off: Countrywide travel bus service have changed to Fleet Buzz. bus services

Road Death: A 58 year old woman died of her injuries when her car collided with a van in Aldershot Road, Church Crookham last Tuesday. Two men in the van were taken to Frimley Park hospital for treatment. Police have appealed for witnesses to contact 0845 0454545.
Pub Reopened: The Black Horse pub in Crookham Village has reopened after a major refurbishment.

27 July
New Offices: Developer TA Fisher is building 10,000 sq ft of offices at the Blue Prior site between Redfields Garden Centre and Redfields Industrial Estate. The work should be complete by March 2008.
Raving Looney: Alan Hope who is a member of the Monster Raving Looney party in Fleet has finished second from bottom in the by-election at former Prime Minister Tony Blair's Sedgefield constituency.

18 July
Game Sett and Match: Would-be sports stars of the future are set to benefit from a new £345,000 all-weather pitch at a Court Moor School. The school will contribute £140,000 to the cost of the scheme. Unusually, a badger sett is located near to the pitch. The County Council has employed a specialist ecologist to ensure that the sett is not disturbed during the construction works and that all necessary measures are taken to protect the badgers' habitat and home.
Summit Meeting: Kate Fellows-Tully is to attend the Future Leaders of the World Summit in Washington DC. Kate, 17, wants to be a lawyer and hopes to study at Bristol. She is at present studying her A levels at Farnborough 6th Form College.
Axed Bus Service: The 71 bus between Fleet and Farnham is to be withdrawn from July 28. bus services
Carnival To Pay?: The council is to charge Fleet Carnival for repairs to damage caused by Wall's Funfair vehicles when they pulled out their funfair from this years carnival. Senior citizens living locally complained about damaged lawns and footpaths. Wall's claim that they could not use their usual route up the hill on the views due to heavy rain and that the route they took was one agreed many years ago.
Music Festival: All Saints School choir was one of only 10 year 3 and under choirs to attend the 2007 National Festival of Youth at Birmingham Symphony hall.

12 July
Garden Back: A Nepalese garden originally built in 2000 in memory of the Nepalese children who attended Crookham Junior school has now been reinstated after it had been demolished to build an extension.
Smaller car Park: Taylor Woodrow wants to cut the Bourley Rd car park to five spaces as part of its plans to build homes on the QEB site. It requires the space to avoid impact on the nearby Thames Basin Heathes Special Protection Area.

6 July
Not Deterred: Pyestock developers Astral, are pushing ahead with the development of the former industrial site in spite of the objections of thousands of local people. The Project Director of the property investment arm of the Prudential said he had consulted with residents and addressed their concerns. more
Gang Attack: A man was reported to have been attacked by a gang in Calthorpe Park between 7pm and 8pm last Monday. He was described as black and aged about 30. Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
School Award: Courtmoor School has achieved Artsmark Silver status which is presented to schools demonstrating a committment to developing their provision from drama to music, design to literature and dance to sculpture.
Carnival Washout: Only 500 music lovers turned out to the "Party in the Park", Fleet Carnivals first event of the week. The views was turned into a mini Glastonbury by the rain but the spirit of those who went was not dampened and it is anticipated that the event will be run again next year. more
New President: Mike Collen is the new president of Fleet Lions. He has lived in Fleet for more that 20 years.
Line Dance Success: This years Fleet carnival Line Dance, held at the Harlington Centre, raised over £500 for carnival charities. Organiser Allan Gibson expressed his thanks to his wife Chris, daughter Claire, friend Ann Baker, all those who attended and helped sell tickets and disc jockey Allen Timmons "The Celtic Cowboy"

29 June
Attack Near Fleet: Robert Bridges slashed his 38 year old victims throat before cutting her clothes off, sexually assaulting her and leaving her for dead, naked in woods near Fleet. The married woman survived by flagging down a passing car and was taken to Frimley Park Hospital.

21 June
Man Attacked: A man sitting in his car at the Harlington Centre Gurkha car park was hit in the face by a thug who hurled racist abuse at him. He was later treated for facial injuries. Any witnesses to this attack should ring Crime Stoppers on 0800 555111.
Grazing Cattle Under Fire: The cattle grazing on Velmead (see article on 12 June) have come under attack by vandals who have thrown sticks and rocks at them. It is hoped that this will stop once these thugs get used to the idea of the cattle being there.
Lost Appeal: Developers have lost an appeal to build a block of flats at 220 and 232 Fleet Rd.

15 June
MP's Object: Fleet MP James Arbuthnot and Aldershot MP Gerald Howarth have sent a letter a joint letter to the PRUPIM/Astral scheme for the former Pyestock site more
Call For 20mph Limit: Christine Clayton headteacher of Fleet Infant School is recommending that every school in Hampshire takes up the option of having 20MPH signs out side their schools. Fleet Infants has already got a sign saying "20s Plenty!" in Velmead Rd
Help: The Blue Cross pet charity shop in Fleet Rd requires volunteers to help with a variety of tasks. If you want to know more ring 01252 627133.

12 June
Carnival Winner: Chloe Marchant is this years Carnival Programme Artwork Winner. Her picture will appear on the front cover of thousands of carnival programmes which will be going on sale soon. Chloe is from Elvetham Heath Primary School. more
New Home Plans: Plans to build a new 60-bedroomed nursing home at Blue Prior near Redfields Industrial Estate have come under fire from a number of local groups.
Fleet Winners: Fleet Town FC Girls under11s have won the NEHYL league cup. They also won their League Championship this year.
Grazing Project: A bull, two calves and four cows are happily munching through the grass on Velmead Common as part of the Hampshire Wildlife Trust's Grazing for Biodiversity Project. The idea is to rejuvenate neglected heathland. more

8 June
MEP Objects: Green MEP Caroline Lucas was given a tour of the area around the Pyestock site by members of the Stop Pyestock bLot Act Today group. She commented "I was against this development beforehand and I am still against it. more
Tory Roles: Richard Appleton (Fleet West) has become deputy Conservative Group leader, Stephen Parker (Fleet North) is responsible for environment, Sharyne Wheale (Fleet Pondtail) is looking after Fleet Town Centre management.
Meet Your Local Policeman: A local monthly police surgery will be held at Morrisons car park when residents will be invited to talk about policing and safety concerns.
Hijacked: Millions of pounds worth of mobile phones were stolen from a transit van which was forced to the side of the road by the driver of a dark coloured Subaru whilst the driver was driving along the a link road to the M3 - 4a junction.

1 June
102 Pints: Mike Williams from Church Crookham has given his 102nd blood donation saving the lives of over 300 hundred people. Next month he will be 70 and will no longer allowed to give blood.

25 May
Cash Boost: Fleet and Crookham Local History group have received a grant of £3,880 from the National Lottery Awards Scheme and will be using the money to set up a museum and history resource centre. Anyone with historical questions about Fleet or Church Crookham should call Mrs. Ralton on 01252 623806.
Call For Governors: Schools in Fleet are appealing for volunteers to become governors. If you can help call the School Governors One Stop Shop on 0870 241 3883 or email info@sgoss.org.uk
Fleet Centre Review: Over the next few weeks a review of the Fleet Town Centre improvements will be taking place to determine the impact on the town since the works were completed a year ago. A street questionnaire will be carried out next month. If you wish to supply information contact the town centre manager, Paul Doughty at ftc.manager@hart.gov.uk

23 May
Molly Leaves Us: We are sad to announce the death of former Carnival Committee Chairman Molly Ebdon MBE. Molly died peacefully at home on Tuesday 22nd
May following a long illness. She served on the Carnival Committee for many years and was also a long standing member of the Women's Royal Voluntary
Service, honoured with an MBE from Her Majesty The Queen a few years ago in recognition of her services to the community. She will be sadly missed by
all who knew her.

17 May
QEB: The public inquiry into the Queen Elizabeth Barracks development in Church Crookham has been adjourned until June 19th.
Step Nearer: Support for the provision of allotments for Fleet and Church Crookham residents was unanimous at a full meeting of the Hart District Council.
Fleet Rd Fines: More than 4,200 fines have paid by motorists convicted of parking illegally in Fleet Rd during the last year. There are now no free parking bays in Fleet following the conversion of the red bays. The promised 10p for half an hour parking promised as part of the Fleet Rd improvements package has vanished in the wind.
More Protests: New plans for the Pyestock warehouse development have met with more than 800 protests. more
Fleet FC Move: Fleet Town Football will be played in the Southern League South & West Division after finishing fifth in the Ryman Division One South this season. They were the only Hampshire team in that league.
Gurkha Garden: With the help of £3,500 from local company SC Johnson, pupils at Church Crookham Junior School can enjoy a new Nepalese garden. The garden was first built seven years ago with the help of Gurkha soldiers but was destroyed to make way for an extension. The school lies close to the old QEB barracks.

12 May
Man Killed: John Barber of Larmer Close was tragically killed when his Honda was in collision with another car on the A325 at Bordon. His family said "John is irreplaceable and we are all devastated by his loss.
Mobile Mast: Local residents living near the junction of Courtmoor Ave and Reading Rd South are devastated that the local council is expected to approve the installation of a mobile base station at the junction by Hutchison 3G.
More Lollypops: Tweseldown infants and Church Crookham junior schools are appealing for lollipop people to man crossings for an hour in the morning and afternoon on schooldays at £5.94 per hour. Any one interested should phone 01962 846275
Fleet Lose: Fleet Town FC have lost 2-1 to Aldershot Town in the final of the Hampshire Senior cup.

7 May
No Promotion For Fleet FC: Injury time goals from Tooting and Mitcham ruined Fleet Towns biggest night in their history when they were knocked out of the promotion play off. Fleet took the lead in the 74th minute and had dominated most of the play before the final crunch broke their hearts.
25 years Old: June Messenger is celebrating 25 years running the June White academy of Dance. She started in 1982 with 26 pupils at Basingbourne pavilion and now runs schools at Ancells Farm community Centre and the Memorial Hall in Church Crookham.
No Restrictions: Hart Council have scrapped plans to introduce pay and display parking in Old Cove Rd to the delight of local residents action group "Leave Our Road Alone"
Extremists Arrested: Two people residing at an address in Aldershot Rd have been arrested as part of an international operation to crack down on animal rights extremism.
Late Opening: People living above Fast Food restaurant Subway are objecting to an application for late opening until 2am.

2 May
Dispersal Zone: An order to give police powers to disperse groups of people has been secured by Hart Council. It covers Fleet Rd from the Oatsheaf traffic lights to the Kings Rd junction and 50 metres either side of the road. It has been brought in to combat youths who have been causing problems for shoppers and local residents.

27 April
Surgery To Move?: Managers at Richmond Surgery in Richmond Close want to move the surgery to Stiller's Farm in Ewshot.
Flower Girls and Princesses: This years Fleet Carnival Princesses and Flower Girls have been chosen at Discos in the Harlington Centre. Reanne Phillips is the new Carnival Flower Girl and her two attendants are Katie Willoughby and Emily Watson. The new Princess is Jade Roberts and her two attendants are Amie Okuma and Nicole Sheehan. more
Fleet FC Success: Fleet Town FC have qualified for a play off place in the Ryman Div One South after striker Tony Reid score twice in their 3 - 0 win against Corydon Athletic
Restaurant Closed: The Maa Indian takeaway in Fleet rd has been closed down by environmental health officers following an investigation which led to the discovery of unhygienic Fridges, worktops and overalls.
More Parking At Fleet Station: SW Trains are looking into the possibility of providing 200 extra spaces at the Fleet Station car park by building a new double-decker car park.
Powering Success: Fleet Powerlifters Andy Shipmen and Dean Drury both won British titles in the British Powerlifting Championships. Andy won the Master 82.5Kg class with personal bests and Dean won the Master 90Kg class. Dean also won the overall Master Classes Champion of Champions.

The "Nokia Statue" is back in place after being sent away to its sculptor in Scotland for repair after being hit by a car.
The statue was erected in 2000 after a national competition to find a sculpture that would represent the Nokia corporate message of Connecting People. The winning statue was created by sculptor David Annand. The statue is made of bronze with two stainless steel arcs.

Photos Courtesy of Matthew Gibson

17 April
Fire Alarm: Two teenagers and a 20year old youth have been arrested in connection with a fire which occurred in Quetta park. A 41 year old woman and her nine year old daughter both escaped the blaze. Anyone who can supply information please ring 0845 0454545 or crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Fleet Pond Tractor: A Kubota 1410 tractor has been obtained by Fleet Pond conservationists and is ideal to transport equipment around the pons areas. Money came from Rushmoor Borough Council and the TAG Farnborough Airport Environmental Fund plus £1000 from the Cayo Foundation, £250 from Fleet Lions and £540 from the Fleet Pond Society.

Swans at Fleet Pond
Photo courtesy of Matthew Gibson

Horrendous Act: Police are hunting for the thugs who beheaded a swan whose remains were found floating on Fleet Pond by a passer-by. A business man has offered a £1,000 reward for anyone giving information leading to a conviction.. Local residents acted with horror upon heae ranger said "This was a cruel barbaric act". Anyone with information should call police on 0845 0454545 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.

One of Fleet Pond's Beautiful Swans
Photo courtesy of Matthew Gibson

Help The Environment: Hampshire Wildlife Trust is running volunteer sessions at the wildlife reserve at Ancells Farm on the third Sunday of every month. For more information log onto www.hwt.org.uk

31 March
Theme For 2007: This years carnival theme was chosen by holding a competition between all the local junior/primary schools in Fleet. The winning school was Church Crookham Junior. Two children Alex Harvey (yr3) and Aimee Crilley (yr4) put forward the winning theme which is "Different Cultures from around the World" more
Call For A Memorial: Hart District Councillor Tim Davies, a family friend of Lucy Bryant whose son John was recently killed in a car crash in Hitchins Lane, has backed calls for a memorial as a lasting tribute to John by erecting a bench with an appropriate plaque.
New Pyestock Plans: New plans have been unveiled for a massive warehouse complex in Pyestock. Campaigning group SPLAT are not happy. They state that the needs of thousands of people who have already formally objected in writing have been ignored. more
Watchful: Fleetsafe, the Pubwatch scheme currently running in Fleet has been proclaimed a success by the Police, licensees and Hart District Council. Fleetsafe is committed to making Fleet a safer and more enjoyable place to be in. Since the scheme started antisocial behavour has been reduced.
Lost Dogs: Ronald Lee is offering a reward of £5,000 for the safe return of his two Jack Russell terriers who ran off whilst exercising between Fleet and Farnborough more than 6 weeks ago.
Facelift: The Prince of Wales pub, which is set alongside the Basingstoke canal in Reading Rd South, has reopened its doors after undergoing a major facelift which was a result of a survey aimed at locals

25 March
Fatal Accident: Callum Forbes, 15, and John Bryant, 18, have both died in a tragic car accident just outside Calthorpe Park School in Hitchens Lane. Three other teenagers were taken to hospital, one with serious chest injuries. Calthorpe Park head teacher stated that at about 2.45pm a loud screech of brakes and a loud bang was heard outside the school gates. Students were gathered at the rear of the school to keep them well away from the scene of the accident. Councilor Denis Gotel has urged action to make Hitchens Lane at least a 30mph zone. Another proposal is for a flashing 20mph sign near the school. At the moment the lane speed limit is 40mph.

Is Raquel Engaged?: Has popular Fleet actress Raquel Cassidy got engaged to be married. In this picture taken at the House of Commons last week, and sent to fleethants.com by Sally Rainbird, Raquel, top right, is clearly sporting an engagement ring...

16 March
More Pay & Display Parking: Local Residents living in Old Cove Rd have formed a local action group, LORA (Leave Our Rd Alone) to object to proposals from Hart District Council to introduce pay and display parking along their Road.
Four Half Marathons: Recovered leukemia patient John Applebee from Aldershot ran the Fleet Half marathon course four times starting at 3.30am to do a 39 mile warm up before completing the actual 13 mile race. Mark Miles won the race with a time of 1:06:03. First woman home was Jo Kelsey in a time of 1:17:53.

9 March
Jaxx Application Refused: An application by Jaxx nightclub to continue a temporary one year permission to open until 2am on Sundays before a bank Holiday Monday has been turned down by Hart District Council.
Sweet Smell Of Success: The links pub has installed an aroma machine in preparation for the smoking ban due to start on July 1st this year.

2 March
Mountainous Effort: Dean Townsend faces an uphill challenge in climbing part of Mount Everest to raise money for Cancer Research, He will be climbing up to an altitude of 18,000 feet. To sponsor Dean email toensend@meridianiq.com
Lost Ring: Jo Chamber has lost her valuable grandmothers ring which has been stolen from her home in Kings Rd. It is a 1930's classic Art Deco style ring with three large diamonds on a platinum band. If you can help please phone the Fleet News on 01252 622448.

28 Feb
Marines Commando: Former Calthorpe Park pupil Neil Mehrtens has completed a 32 week course to become a Royal Marines Commander.
Badminton Successes: The Fleet Falcons Badminton Club reaped success at the annual Hampshire Tournament held in Winchester. Steven Cappleman won the u15 boys singles, the boys doubles and mixed doubles. Lisa Turner and Katie Walters won the u17's doubles. Mark Cappleman won the u17's singles. Hayley Duckett won the u13's singles and doubles.
Travellers Cause Outrage: Local residents are outraged at local travellers who set up camp in the Park and Ride at Elvetham Heath. They have now gone but have left behind a trail of rubbish.
End of Free Parking Confirmed: Hart Council has given the go ahead to increases of 30% for car parking charges in Fleet from the beginning of April. Free red bay parking is to be scrapped and moves are under way to install parking bays in Harlington Way. Local Tories claim that the charges will make Fleet a "no-go" area for shoppers.
Tree Loss M3 Problem: Local residents in Elvetham Heath are concerned that developers removing trees from woodland on the Brickyard Plantation site where the M3 crosses the A323 to build office blocks will increase motorway traffic noise.

22 Feb
Glass Case: Disabled pensioner Judith Johns signed up to Harts glass recycling scheme in October and is still awaiting the first collection of the glass she has put dutifully outside her door as she was asked to do. She has contacted the council on a number of occasions to explain the problem but to no avail.

15 Feb
Romantic Couple: Fleet couple Mike and Ally Ward, who have been married for 15 years, have won BBC's Southern Counties Radio's most romantic couple competition. Ally entered the competition to thank her husband for all his romantic gestures.
Brave Lad: Liam Kemp of Crookham Rd has received a special award for his bravery in battling a rare cancer.
Viking Sailors: Pupils at Crookham Infant School have bought a Viking longboat and a sea creatures climbing wall thanks to a £5,000 grant from the Woolworth's Kids First Charity's Playground Partnerships Scheme.

9 Feb:
Long Service Celebrated: Sharyn Wheale, who represents the Fleet Pondtail ward, has celebrated 50 years of public service in Fleet. She stated "I have always loved Fleet and over the years have fought many battles for my constituents, especially on planning.
No More Free Parking: According to John Pearson, Hart District Councilor for Fleet Central, Hart Council's coalition group is proposing to increase short -term parking charges in Fleet by up to 50% and also abolish free parking bays which were put in following the loss of free parking until after 3pm in Fleet Rd.

2 Feb:
ACAS On Strike: Local workers at the SE Regional office of ACAS in Fleet went on strike over plans to cut more than 100,000 jobs in the Civil Service.
Get Your Bin: Hart Council has extended its offer of free large blue recycling bins until Feb 9th. The offer also includes a free upgrade to a larger black bin.
Well Done: Residents in Gally Hill Rd have been praised by the police for their efforts in quickly removing a tree which had fallen and blocked the road.
Don't Stop Money: Canal enthusiast David Millet , vice president of the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society, has pleaded with the Hart Council not to stop its financial backing to the Basingstoke canal. The council is trying to find cuts of £1,5 million. Currently the canal gets £66,000 annual funding.

26 Jan
Manhole Covers: Hampshire County Council have been able to agree with the SE water company to use steel covers suitably textured and coloured in keeping with the footway pavers to replace the existing Fleet Rd pavement manhole covers. It is currently programmed that covers to all water meter chambers will be replaced in February/March 2007. This operation will involve no excavation and will not disrupt the traffic or pedestrian flow along Fleet Road. There have been problems associated with lifting the current covers.
First AGM: The first AGM of the newly formed Fleet Business Partnership and Community Interest Group has taken place at the Harlington Centre. Kevin Wibley was elected Chairman, Rick Bolger Secretary and Grahame Chebery Treasurer. more

19 Jan
Recycling Success: Hart Council has announced a massive increase in the amount of bottles and jars collected since the collection service was introduced late last year.
Harvesting Money: Fleet Harvester have raised more than £3,000 for McMillan Cancer research by hosting one of its world biggest coffee mornings.
Rat Run Problems: People living in Crondall Rd are hoping that the forthcoming review of speed limits on roads will be applied to their road because of increasing high speed traffic using it as a rat run. The local residents say that recent and future developments are increasing the problems.
Ban May End Soon: SE Water is to review the current hosepipe ban which is still in force in the Fleet area despite the continuing rainfall.
Artist Dies: Gerald Wooley a well known and respected local artist died at his home in Ryelaw Rd, Church Crookham on Jan 8th. He was 77. Mr. Wooley leaves a wife and two daughters.

12 Jan
Missing Man Found Dead: A body found on land near Beacon Hill Rd in Ewshot is believed to be that of former Fleet man Andrew Scanlan who has been missing since Nov 06. Three men have been charged with Mr. Scanlan's murder.
Parking Fines Should Be Refunded: Thousands of people given parking tickets for parking in loading bays in Fleet Rd should be refunded because of a wrongly worded traffic regulation order issued by Hampshire Council says campaigner Peter Ashford. Hart Council who enforce the regulations claim it was only a "minor error".
Mobile Phone Evidence: Photos and videos on Daniel Fearnleys mobile phone provided police with evidence of his rampage through Fleet town centre damaging 20 cars in one night. Mr. Fearnley from Church Crookham was given a six week curfew order and ordered to pay car owners a total of £1,120.73.
Memory Loss: A 19 year old boy suffered loss of memory after being attacked by a youth who took a cd from him. in the early hours of New Years Day in Glen Rd. Anyone with information should call Pc Nick Sexton on 0845 0454545 or ring anonymously on 0800 555111.
Surprise Surprise: A resident of Aldershot Rd has claimed that yobs have taken bottles out of recycling crates along his road and used them as target practice at his house. He has asked Hart Council if they carried out a risk assessment before bringing in the recycling scheme. The council claim that the glass collection scheme has been a great success. Councellor Denis Gotel said "we trialed the service for six months and the issue of bottle throwing did not come up"
Parking Area Could Go: A plan to turn Gurkha Sq into a pedestrianised square has been proposed as part of plans for the next 20 years.

4 Jan
Long Delays Expected: Three months of traffic chaos is forecast due to work on one of the two bridges forming the gyratory system on the A323 at Pyestock. The Norris Pyestock Bridge. which is the one closer to Aldershot. will be closed and traffic diverted over the Norris Bridge.
OBE For Headteacher: Congratulations to Mrs. Janet Roberts head of Fleet All Saints School for the past 16 years has been awarded an OBE in the New Years Honours list.
First Baby: Chloe Rose Wallace was born at 10.27am on Jan 1st weighing 6ib 11oz making her one of the first New Year babies. Proud parents Darren And Nicole live in Church Crookham.

2006

29 Dec
Mega Shed Changes: Hart District Council have received amended plans for the Pyestock development which the developers state will address campaigners concerns. Campaigners against the development SPLAT have not yet had an opportunity to study the changes. more
Long Inquiry: The public inquiry into the minitown proposed for the Queen Elizabeth Barracks is likely to take up much of next summer. It starts at Aldershots Princes Hall on May 15th.

22 Dec
New FTCM Speaks Out: New Fleet Town Centre Manager Paul Doughty wants to see a town with a sustainable future that faces challenges boldly and effectively, an inclusive, welcoming, exciting and safe place to visit and work both day and night. more
Rally Charity: Demand Technology in Fleet has sponsored Team Starkey and Clutch in its bid to drive 3,700 miles from Plymouth to Gambia in aid of charities in Gambia and Senegal. The two drivers are Neven Kirkpatrick and Andy Sanders who are driving an American Ford Escort. To follow the team visit www.startkeyandclutch.co.uk
Royal Marine: Former Fleet Schoolboy Neil Mehrtens, who went to Fleet Infants, Velmead Juniors and then Calthorpe Park, has qualified to become a Royal Marine.
Missed Out: Star actress Raquel Cassidy has been named best actress in a leading roll in the 2006 Manchester Evening News drama awards. She could not pick up her award as she was busy filming a new TV series and could not be released.

14 Dec
Buses Threat: Countrywide buses are under threat in the Fleet area due to subsidy cuts which are due to the fact that the services are not well used by the public. The 74 service between Elvetham Heath and Fleet will be axed on Jan 2 next year and the 72 Aldershot to Reading hourly service will be diverted through Elvetham Heath Estate. The 71 service between Fleet and Farnham railway station will be reinstated.

11 Dec
FTCG Dissolved: The final meeting of the Fleet Town Centre Group has taken place. A vote to dissolve the group was passed without opposition. It is expected that members of the group will be able to apply to be committee members of the Fleet Business Partnership Group which has recently been formed.

8 Dec
No Inquiry: An inquiry into the Hitchens Lane 300 homes development has been thrown out by the Liberal Democrat Hart coalition following advice that it would have lost a High Court appeal.
Flying High: The Flying Goose pub on the Ancills Farm estate has raised more than £1,000 for the Phyllis Tuckwell hospice. The pub has recently been refurbished.
Best Male: Fleet's world number one quad tennis player has been named joint winner of the Best Male Achievement Award at the 11th annual British Wheelchair Sports Awards in Reading.
Poppy Appeal: The local Poppy collection raised £25,310 which was £1,532 or 6.4% better than last year.
Fighting Fit: The Hart area has been placed equal third with Kensington and Chelsea in a UK survey of exercise levels. The winners were Richmond upon Thanes with Macclesfield gaining second place.

1 Dec
Poets Corner: United press are holding a poetry competition for the best poem about life in Fleet. visit www.unitedpress.co.uk for further information
Extended Hours: Despite local residents opposition the Emporium Pub in Fleet Rd has been granted an extra hours opening time until 2am from Thursday to Saturday.
Still Flooding: Despite drainage ditches and culverts the recent heavy rain has caused flooding near the junction of Redfields Lane and (aptly named) Watery Lane on the Zebon Copse estate. 10 homes suffered flood damage in Du Maurier Close.
Sun Raising: Sunrise Senior Living in Church Rd have raised more than £400 at a coffee morning. Manager Sue Collen said "It was a great event. Everybody got involved and we able to raise money for a great cause."
Teenagers Honour: James Maull, 18, has been chosen by Mary Fagan to act as a representative of the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire at official functions and ceremonies. The former Court Moor School pupil is a member of the 2407 Yateley and Eversley Air Training Corps.
Poetry Winner: Sue Lattey, who lives in Fleet, has won the international "Help the Hospice" poetry competition. Her poem "Fred is Dead" was written in 2000 while she was studying palliative care.
Bottled: Bottle collections are to begin in Fleet for the first time this week. Green recycling crates have been issued to every resident. £168,000 has been spent on two trucks to collect the glass.
New Church Opens: Fleet's £2million "The Church on the Heath" has opened at Elvetham Heath. For further information visit the churches website at www.churchontheheath.org.uk

24 Nov
No Barn Conversion: Plans to turn barns at Cross Farm, Church Crookham into rural workshops have been turned down by Hart councilors.
Four Star Toilets: The Welcome Break sites at the M3 have won four stars in the Loo of the Year Awards 2006.
Cove Road Again: Cove Rd which links Fleet with Farnborough is to close from 27 November to remedy work previously undertaken a few months ago because the work did not meet the required specification. more
Better Safe Than Sorry: Free Bike postcode marking by the police will be held at Calthorpe Park school on December 14th 2006 between 6 and 9pm and on the 1st February 2007 at the same times.
Well Done: A well provided by Fleet Rotary Club at the Hart Centre has raised £10,128 for charity. Since it was put there in 2004 290,000 coins have been put in it.
Long Life: Boys born in Fleet should look forward to live until they are 80 according to recent information from the National Office of Statistics.

18 Nov
Star To Switch On Lights: Fleet actress and star of BBC's "Lead Balloon" Raquel Cassidy is to switch on this years Fleet Rd Christmas lights at 6.00pm on Wednesday 22 Nov to open this years Fleet Festivities.
Pub Backs Down: Canal-side pub The Fox and Hounds who had applied for permission to stay open with live music until 1am from Mon to Sat have reached a compromise after Hart Council received over 40 complaints from worried residents. The pub agreed to only have music up to 12 midnight on one night a week.
Up In Smoke: Fleet Lions have raised £8,000 from their annual fireworks display. 4,000 people watched the £3,000 display which lasted for 30minutes.

Ashes Remembered: Journalist Rob Wighton who lives in Church Crookham has co-written "Match of my Life" which relives 12 classic matches from past Ashes series through the eyes of the players. Priced at £16.99 it is available from all major bookshops and at www.amazon.co.uk Rob's blog address is ashes200607.blogspot.com

Light Up The Hart Centre: Fleet Lions are inviting people to remember loved ones by buying a Christmas tree light to put on the Centre's Christmas tree. For each donation the Lions will send a personal dedication card. For more details write to : Light Up A Life, Hart Lions Club, c/o 27 New Road, Blackwater GU17 9AY.
Star Turn: Former Southampton striker Adam Walker has signed for Fleet Town to help their bid to win promotion this season. Fleet are currently second by one point to Dulwich but with a game in hand.
Sation Improvemants: Fleet Station is to benifit from government funding to give passengers an obstacle free accessible route from station entrances to and between platforms.

14 Nov
Humbug?: Richard Noble of Kenilworth Gds has not slept properly for months because he hears a low frequency hum that never stops. Environmental health offices have cannot hear the noise. Mr. Noble has been advised that if he can find other people who can hear the hum the council would have a statutory duty to do something about it.

10 Nov
Greek Collection: £222 has been raised in Fleet by Greek Animal Rescue a charity that helps care for the sick and injured animals in Greece.
Bin Bugs: Councillor Denis Gotel has not ruled out the possibility of fitting bugs to wheelie bins if residents fail to hit tough government recycling targets.

1 Nov
Fleet 10K: Phillip Berntsen was first home in a time of 33mins21sec in this years Fleet Peter Driver memorial 10K race. The first woman was Issy Menzies in 38.18. Just under 600 runners took part.
Gurkha Barracks Exhibition: Taylor Woodrow Developments are holding a public exhibition on Friday 10th Nov from 4-8pm and Saturday 11th Nov from 10am - 4pm for residents to consider amendments to their plans to develop Queen Elizabeth Barracks.
Christmas Scam: Trading Standards have issued a warning to people to be aware of a scam were rouge Parcel Delivery Services post cards through peoples letter boxes to claim that they have attempted to deliver a parcel. When the printed number on the card is phoned the caller can be charged a minimum of £15.

27 Oct
Its Bin 5 Weeks: Steve Coward, a former police chief living in Elvetham Heath, is angry that his blue bin has not been emptied for five weeks.
Marshals Wanted: This years Fleet Christmas Festivities will be on Wed Nov 22 starting with the lights being switched on along Fleet Rd at 6pm. The organisers, Fleet Town Centre Group, desperately need marshals to help control the road junctions. If you can help please contact Maria Jones at maria.jones@fleetbusinesspartnership.com
Lead Balloon: Fleet actress Raquel Cassidy is breaking all records in the BBC comedy Lead Balloon starring Jack Dee. It has the highest ever viewing figures for a comedy on BBC4 and has now been switched to BBC2.
Fleet Lions Competition; Fleet lions are looking for young unsung community heroes between the ages of 15-18 in Hart. It is running an Ambassadors for Youth competition. If you know of a likely candidate call 0845 833 7358 or email YA@fleetlions.org
Gurkha Flag Day: A Flag day in Fleet and Church Crookham has raised £2.829 for the Gurkha Welfare Trust. The Gurkha Band will be performing in the Harlington Centre on Dec 2 at 7.30pm. For tickets call Mr. Shoesmith on 01252 621268.

20 Oct
Big Blue Bins: The council is concerned that not enough residents are switching to the larger blue bins in preparation for the fortnightly collection service being introduced from 30th Oct. To order a bin call 01252 622122.
Costly Case: The cost of legally challenging the Hitchins Lane development has been put well at over £50,000 by Councilor James Radley. He stated the chances of winning are "dreadfully weak"

12 Oct
Denim Collection: Staff from Software Solutions at Ancells Farm have collected more than £400 for National charities by donating £2 each for the privilege of wearing Jeans to work on Genes Day.
Guides Raising The Roof; Fleet Girl Guides are applying for lottery money to rebuild their old headquarters at Basingbourne Rd. If successful the new building will be ready in early 2009.
Silting Support: Local MP James Arbuthnot has been invited to address Fleet Pond Society so that they can thank him for raising the problem of silting in Fleet Pond. Mr. Arbuthnot raised the issue in the House of Commons to help persuade The Ministry of Defence to authorize works to install measures to reduce the escape of eroded soils which cause the pond's silt.
Dirty Pavements: Local Traders in Fleet Rd are protesting at the lack of cleaning taking place down the High St. They complain of cigarette buts, chewing gum and vomit not being effectively cleared.

5 Oct
Petrol Station Robbery: Two teenagers were forced to hand over money and a mobile phone when they were approached by a youth who asked them to exchange a £20 voucher for cash. The boys aged 14 and 15 were walking along Kings Rd near the Murco petrol station at around 8.30pm on Sep 25.
Hart Gives Up Fight: Controversial plans to build 300 homes along Hitchens Lane look likely to go ahead after Hart Council decided not to fight a High Court Appeal following legal advice they would lose the case.
Real Pub: The Prince Arthur pub has gained an entry in the Campaign for Real Ales Good Bear Guide for 2007. It is the only pub in the town to have been selected for CAMRA entry.
Late Pub: Residents are objecting to a bid by their local pub The Flying Goose to stay open until 12.30 Sunday to Thursday and host live music every night from 8pm to midnight.
Expensive Pub: Customers are angry that they are being fined £100 for not buying a parking ticket to park in the Emporium's car park. They are supposed to claim the money back when they buy their first drink. The system has been introduced to stop people parking there for free whilst shopping.
Top Team: Fleet Town FC are currently top of the Ryman league having collected 18 points from the 7 games played so far.
Tots Library: The Busy Bees Day Nursery in Ively Rd has opened a library to allow parents to borrow children's books for free as often as they like. Contact by phoning 01252 533430

29 Sep
Late Licence Bid: Local traders and residents are fighting a bid from Jaxx club in upper street to open until 2am on Sundays before a bank Holiday Monday.
Fleet Eggheads: A team of pensioners calling themselves "Russell's Raiders" are to appear on the BBC2 show "Eggheads" on Thursday Oct 12th. They are members of the U3A which meets at the Harlington Centre.

23 Sep
Traders Parking Fury: Fleet Rd traders are fed up of seeing their customers being hit with parking tickets on a daily basis. They have written a protest letter asking for parking restrictions to be suspended until the current confusing signage is replaced by a system which people can understand.
Dog Problems: Solicitor Nicolette Pike is incensed by the lack of services provided by Hart Council since Hart's Dog Warden Lynn Byfield has been out of post. She says if you ring the police or the RSPCA they say it is the councils responsibility and the council will tell you it is a police matter. Lynn used to deal with dog fouling and dangerous and stray dogs etc. She has been out of post for 14 months.
Jump For Charity: Brain injury survivor Iain Pryer from Fleet has helped raise £2,000 for Headway the brain injury association after a daredevil tandem skydive.
Hospital Update: A £250,000 six-month project has updated Fleet community hospital. A new ward with 18 beds has been created. Work is still going on to improve the therapy area and assessment unit.

20 Sep
Man-hole Covers To Be Changed: The SE Water board have advised Hampshire County Council that due to operational difficulties in lifting the manhole covers down Fleet Rd pavements they are going to replace the matching paved covers with conventional steel ones.

15 Sep
FTCG May Be Replaced: A meeting at the Harlington Centre has sown the seeds for a new Fleet Based Partnership between local community groups and retailers which will replace the existing Fleet Town Centre Group which has never been popular with Fleet Rd retailers. It is possible that the Group could apply for the vacant post of Fleet Town Centre Manager freeing the £16,000 in wages to spend on projects.
Best Frontage: W C Baker and Sons have won the Best Frontage award at this years Fleet and Church Crookham in Bloom awards. Full Results.
Puzzling Fifth Birthday: Elvetham Heath Primary School pupils celebrated the schools fifth birthday by solving three dimensional puzzles. The school began with less than 50 pupils and now has 430 pupils in 15 classes.
High Five: Fleet CC under 11's star Ollie East took five wickets in five balls to win the North Hampshire Youth Cricket League match against Eversley. Eversley were 80 - 5 chasing 127 to win when Ollie struck taking the last five wickets

7 Sep
Make Your Mind Up: Six children have been allowed to attend Elvetham Heath Primary School after the county council, which had won a court case after a judge ruled that it was right to refuse the children, changed its mind and let them in.
Bins Uncollected: More than 3000 bins have not been emptied throughout the Hart area because six of the district councils dustcarts broke down in one day.
Flasher Round Fleet Pond: Police are investigating a flasher who has been exposing himself to dog walkers round Fleet Pond. The first report was six weeks ago and there have been a number of reports since. Phone 0845 0454545 if you can help the police.
Happy Birthday Your Royal Highness: A 9 year old schoolgirl from Church Crookham has made a birthday card for the Queen's 80th birthday. To her surprise she received a thank you reply from the Queen's Lady-in-Waiting.
Rowing Champ: Fleet's Vicki Hansford and her three team-mates have won gold and broke the world record by six seconds at the world Rowing Championships.

30 Aug
May Is The Best: Pyestock bowler Leo May has won the Champion of Champions Bowls competition at Worthing. He beat England International pre-tournament favorite Simon Skelton 2-0 in the semi-final and Graham White in an exciting three end tie-breaker in the final.
No Parish Council: Councillors have voted by 20 to 4 to throw out the idea of a Parish council in favour of a full parish review. A recent petition covering the wards of Church Crookham East and West and Fleet Courtmoor and collected by the Community Campaign Hart was signed by more than 2000 people. Councillor Sharyn Wheale stated that the whole of Fleet and Church Crookham should be consulted.
Hair Cut Sir?: A car driven by an 85 year old gentleman from Kings Rd crashed into the shop window of the Linkway barbers in Linkway Parade. The car missed a little girl by less than a metre. No one was seriously hurt.

24 Aug
Views Mugging: Three thugs robbed and punched a teenager walking through the Views Park last Friday at about 1am. The victim was able to give police descriptions of two of the attackers who were both white aged 16-17. One was 5ft 10" tall, average build with a shaven head. He had a round face with a bulbous nose. The other was 5ft 11" tall, slim build with spiky blond or slightly ginger hair. If you can help call 0845045 4545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Silting Held Up: Silting in Fleet Pond has been arrested by the Defence Estates Agency who have installed dams, drains and filters. The army maneuvers in Long Valley have been thought to have contributed to the build up of silt in the pond which had resulted in reducing the depth of the water to less than a metre in places.
Golden Bin: Mrs Ann Gotting of Fleet has won first prize of £100 in the Hart District Councils "golden compost bin" competition. The competition was open to everyone who bought a cut price compost bin between 7th and 14 May.
Youths Charged: Four teenagers have been charged following a robbery at the Murco petrol station in Kings Rd on August 16.

18 Aug
Costly Parish Council: Residents calling for a Parish Council to be formed in the Church Crookham and Courtmoor areas have been warned by County Councillor Peter Hutcheson that they would be hit hard in the pocket. The petition calling for a parish council will be considered at a full meting of Hart District Council this Thursday from 7pm at the Civic Offices in Fleet.
Take Hart: Hart has been rated second only to Elmbridge in Surrey as the best area to live in terms of "quality of life".
Top Film: A short film called "Stick Guns" made by Dave Tucker of Fleet and shot entirely in woods close to Elvetham Heath was one of only two selected to represent the UK in the Los Angeles Film Festival.

11 August
New Parking Charges Planned: Plans to introduce parking charges to Harlington Way have been critisised by Conservative Richard Appleton. He said that the change must not proceed without taking steps to protect nearby roads from increased parking. Plans to introduce parking charges along Elvetham Heath Rd have been scrapped.
Enough Pubs: Police have stated that Fleet has reached saturation point as far as drinking licenses are concerned. The claim was made during an appeal into plans to turn the Help the Aged shop in Fleet Rd into another pub.

3 August
End Of Tourist Office: The Tourist Information Centre (TIC) situated in the Harlington Centre has been identified as a service that the Council is not required to provide and one that does not match any corporate priorities. Therefore, since Hart District Council does not have a particular strong tourism industry and the income generated has not met the operating costs of the service for some years, the decision has been taken to close the Tourist Information Centre in Fleet on Friday 22nd September.
Parking Appeal Accepted: Paul Burch challenged a parking ticket given to his wife Valerie because the Application Code was incorrect and the words "Loading Only" must be painted on the road. He also pointed out that such a restricted parking place requires a yellow kerb line and a yellow "No Parking" prohibition notice, neither of which were in place. Hart District Council has waived the penalty as "a gesture of goodwill".
School May Be Overlooked: The governors at Heatherside Infants School are horrified that a new development of retirement cottages would overlook the children's playground.

28 July
New TCM To Be Appointed: The Hart Council has overwhelmingly passed a motion to urgently find a replacement for Sue Collen who recently resigned as Fleet Town Centre Manager.
Sea Turtle Project: Sam Allen is leaving home for a voluntary placement in Colola, Mexico to help with a Sea Turtle Project. She is trying to raise the £1,500 needed to pay for the trip. Sam is studying "A" levels at The Sixth Form College, Farnborough.
Fleet In Gloom: Fleet is getting set for a summer without any flowers. It was decided that because of the water bans in force it would be too expensive to provide planters with special water containing compost which would deliver water gradually over a period of time. Cllr Gotel, Fleet's Cabinet member decided to order artificial flowers but upon further inspection decided they were not satisfactory. He has now decided to "kick the idea into touch" and stay with an uncluttered Fleet Rd for the summer.
Chemical Alert: An ambulance and fire engines were called to Hart Leisure centre after a chemical had leaked over the duty manager. He was taken to casualty but later returned home.
Full Marks: Fleet Infant School was judged "outstanding" in all seven categories after Ofsted inspectors visited the school for two days last month.

25 July
Councillor May Have Breached Confidentiality: Hart Conservatives say they intend to report Cllr Denis Gotel, the cabinet member for Fleet, for allegedly breaching council confidentiality in relation to the Fleet Town Centre Manager thus making her position untenable. Go to www.hartconservatives.com for more

20 July
Dream Come True: Fleet based 16 year old goalkeeper Neil Etheridge has signed professional forms for Premiership club Fulham.

13 July
Town Centre Manager Resigns: Sue Collen the Fleet TCM has resigned after meetings with Hart District Council. She issued the following statement "It was with a heavy heart that my letter of resignation which detailed my reasons for leaving was delivered to Hart District Council last week, and resulted in a meeting on Monday 10th with Viv Evans and Matthew Evans of the Hart District Council." Sue had been so successful as town manager that her two days a week contract had been recently increased to three days a week. She introduced Farmers Markets to Fleet on a regular basis and also staged very successful Fleet Christmas Festivities in November, She was also responsible for improving the quality of Fleet's Christmas lights. She worked hard for the town her motto being "Putting Fleet First". She will be sorely missed. The reason for her resignation remains a mystery.

Pond Appeal: Fleet Pond Society are appealing for old photos of the pond on their 30th anniversary. If you can help contact Colin Grey on 01252 616183 or email colin@fleetpondsociety.co.uk

Ad Boards Can Stay: A compromise has been reached between traders and Hampshire County Council regarding the use of Ad Boards, displays and tables and chairs outside shops along Fleet Rd pavements. A set of rules has been agreed and accepted by both sides. (A sensible common sense approach - webmaster)

3 July
Memorial day: Family and friends of Mike Richie a popular local footballer who died in a road accident on April 9th, are holding a Memorial day on July 22. The day will start at 11am at Hartley Wintney. At midday the Mike Richie Trophy match will kick off. Later at 3pm Hartley Wintney will play Fleet Spurs in what is to become an annual fixture. There will be a final get together at the Sports Bar in Fleet. To make a donation to the Sports Aid on in memory of Mike go to www.sportsaid.org.uk/donate/index.htm
Best In Fleet: Mai Lait has been selected as the best baby in the Fleet carnival's babyshow held at the Harlington Centre. Jan and Alfie Woodman were selected as best Mum and Baby. more + pictures
Taxi Threat: Four men who used a Fleet taxi to go from Fleet Rd to Basingbourne Road tried to make of without paying. The driver managed to grab one of them and a scuffle broke out. One of the men later threatened to stab the driver with a knife.

Victoria Rd car park landscape has been given an oriental touch with the planting of several Gingko biloba trees to replace Poplars which had been recently felled.

Gingko Tree

Ad Boards Have To Go: Hampshire County Council has warned all town centre traders to get rid of advertising boards by 17 July or they will have them removed. (Is this happening throughout Hampshire and the rest of the country or just Fleet. Also are the council to get rid of the flower beds, seat benches, post boxes, litter bins etc that also appear on our pavements. Webmaster)

20 June
Long Life: Hart has been placed third in a study to determine the ten areas with the highest expectancy of life in years. It was beaten by East Dorset which was first followed by Kensington and Chelsea. The current employment rate in Hart is 82.6%. The study was published by the Charted Society of Physiotherapy.
CABs Merged: Fleet and Yateley Citizens Advice Bureaux have merged to become Citizens Advice - Hart District Limited following a cash crisis.
Pop Video Success: Fleet's Leigh Nicholson has become a success in the video "I wish I was a Punk Rocker" which has shot to number 2 in the charts.

16 June
Charity Horse Ride Cancelled: Fleet Lions have had to cancel a money spinning sponsored horse ride at Tweseldown two days before the event because a decision taken by English Nature not to give their permission for the event to go on. The event has been held for the past 20 years and was expected to raise £4,000 for charity. English Nature stated that it was unable to give consent because Tweseldown failed to demonstrated it would not damage a nearby site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Protection Area. (Surely after 20 years it would have been damaged already- webmaster)
Parish Council: Two thousand residents in the Church Crookham and Fleet Courtmoor wards of Hart Council have signed a petition, collected by members of the Community Campaign Hart group, to be represented by a parish council. The council will now consult with every resident in the ward. Hart Conservative leader Stephen Gorys warned that this process could cost an estimated £77,000 pounds.
Kenyon Eye Charity: The Rotary Club of Fleet have collected £1024.55 to be given to the Kwale District Eye Centre on the Kenyon coast of Mombassa.

10 June
Executive Jailed: Laurence Ford of Old Cove Rd, Fleet has been jailed for 6 years for his role in a major money laundering scandal.
Dumped In Fleet; Paul Archer, Hampshire County Council's head of waste management has said that to solve major problems at Farnboro's Eelmoor Road tip, a long term solution would be to find an alternative site in the north of the county, ideally in Fleet.
New Rotary President: John Burton has become the new president of Fleet Rotary Club. John who joined the club in 1999 is a steward at Fleet Methodist Church, a volunteer driver and treasurer of the Crookham Village Association and Crookham Village Twinning Group.
Shop Of The Year: Fujifilm Image Service in Fleet Rd has won a Gold in the annual Fujifilm Awards and then went on to win the Store of the Year award. Manager Phil Dodd who took over the store a year ago said "we are constantly trying to add value to the service we offer and feel a great sense of pride in winning this award.
Calthorpe's Ballet Star: Pupil Henry Paerkins has been accepted by the Bolshoi ballet. He will leave in Sep to train for 4 years with the world famous school.
Crèche Closing: The Abacus play centre inside Hart Shopping Centre will close down on June 30th.

Police have issues this E-Fit picture of the man who they wish to question with regard to an incident at the Hart Leisure Centre when a seven year old girl was grabbed in the communal changing rooms. The girl managed to escape. Anyone with further information should call 0845 0454545 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

27 May
Pyestock Development Exhibition: Prudential and Astral Developments are holding a public exhibition to enable local residents to see plans and talk to developers about the warehouses they are planning to build at the Hartland Park Pyestock development. Bus tours will take visitors round the site. Access is from Bramshot Rd off the Nokia roundabout. Visiting times are: Fri 2nd June 2pm - 8pm, Sat 3rd June 10am - 4pm and Mon 5th June 2pm - 8pm more
Fleet Rd Parking Confusion: New parking restrictions in Fleet Rd are causing mayhem for local shoppers who have been fined £2,500 in just two days. They are being confused by signs which state that parking is restricted to 30mins Mon - Fri from 3pm - 6pm and Sat and Sun from 9am - 6pm. Goods vehicles loading only is Mon - Fri from 9am - 3pm. Previous to the road improvements parking was available all day at more or less the same bays. (you have been warned - webmaster)

21 May
Water Leak: Water has been oozing out of a leak and pouring along Bourley Rd in Church Crookham. It was reported to SE Water on 11 may by Lee Cobb who first though the flooding was being caused by heavy rain. It has still not been repaired and its ironic that at a time of draught and hosepipe bans so much water could be wasted.
Good News: The News has been named Regional Newspaper of the Year at a ceremony in London. The competition recognises excellence in newspaper production.
Closing Down: Abacus crèche in the Hart Shopping Centre is to close down next month after four years.
Horse Trials: Tweseldown Racecourse is to stage international horse trials next week, for the first time in 50 years. more

17 May
All Over: The controversial Fleet Rd improvements have been officially declared "over". The £3.6 million improvement scheme has upgraded 700metres of road and pavement and also extended and upgraded Victoria Rd car park.
Recycled Warehouses: Fleet MP James Arbuthnot has suggested that the Pyestock development scheme to build massive warehouses could be replaced by building a new recycling centre to alleviate the queuing and congestion at the existing Farnborough recycling centre. more about the Pyestock Horror development

10 May
Carnival Princess Crowned: This years Carnival Princess is Francessca Ward age 12 from Calthorpe Park School. Deputy Princesses are Megan De-Sausa and Jorja Brown both aged 9 pictures
Money For New HQ: Fleet Girl Guides have raised £40,000 towards the £200,000 target cost of a new Headquarters to replace their existing 30 year old HQ. They also require volunteers to be leaders or assist with the Guides. For further details ring 01252 628973
Biggest Catch Ever: Fleet angler Graeme Pullen and his friend Peter Scott together have caught the biggest porbeagle shark ever found. It weighed 550lb and was caught of the coast of Bude in Cornwall.

5 May
Local Election Results: Community Campaign Hart won both Church Crookham East and West. Independent Dennis Gotel won Fleet Central. Fleet North and West both went to the Conservatives. The hotly contested Pondtail seat which has the threat of the Pyestock "horror" warehouse development hanging over it, was retained by Conservative Sharyn Wheale after a huge turnout of 54.1%. The conservatives have lost overhaul controll of Hart Council. click for full results
Oh No Not Again: Once again the council are planning to cause disruption of traffic along Elvetham Heath Rd. They are planning to introduce on-street parking on parts of the road. This will not only cut drivers speed but alleviate parking problems at the Church Rd surgery and hospital and also at the Railway Station. It will cost £1 for 2 hours, £2 for up to 4 hours and £3 for more than 4 hours.
Warning To Parents: A seven year old girl was grabbed by a man in the communal changing rooms at the Hart Leisure Centre. She managed to pull herself free. The police have asked for vigilance from the public. Anyone with further information should call 0845 0454545 or crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
School Award: All Saints School is one of the first schools to gain the prestigious new Information Communication Technology Mark which is awarded by Becta the governments lead agency in education. Headteacher Janet Roberts said she was delighted and represents our approach to ICT.
Hague Visits Fleet: Former Conservative leader William Hague visited Elvetham Heath and Glen Rd close to the centre of Fleet where residents have bee plagued by late night drinkers.
Mid-Table: Fleet Town FC have finished 13th in the 2005/06 Ryman League Division 1 Table

28 April
Another MP Backs Campaign: Shadow transport secretary Chris Grayling was visibly shocked when he heard the implications of building the huge Pyestock "Horror" warehouse development. He said it would ruin the area, was madness and will ruin peoples quality of life. more
Former President Dies: Former Fleet Chamber of Commerse president Chris West has died peacefully at his home.
Sam's Film Wins Award: Former Church Crookham schoolboy Sam Rogers reached third place in the finals of the CobraVision Awards - the worlds shortest film competition with his entry called "Stuffed"

21 April
Bye - Bye: Sean Holden Council member for Fleet West is stepping down and moving to Kent. Richard Hunt is also stepping down as member for Fleet West. Both were Conservatives.
New York Turned Down: Fleet actress Raquel Cassidy has turned down a weekend in New York to represent her new film "Festival" because she promised to take part in nine-year old Aliesha Oedra's play "Love or Death Watersyle" in London.

14 April:
Racecourse Fire: An historic building at Tweseldown Racecourse has burned to the ground. The fire started in the canteen. The possibility of arson is being investigated.
Plan Thrown Out: Hart District Council have rejected a plan to knock down a property at 29 Basingbourne Close and build a four bedroomed chalet style home.
Cars Vandalised: About 15 cars have been vandalised whilst parked in Glen Rd, Connaught Rd, Stanton Drive, Ferndale Rd and Albert St. Contact 08450 454545 if you can help police.
Tributes to Fleet Footballer: Michael Ritchie, 28, who died after losing control of his car and colliding with trees in Ewshot has been paid many tributes by family and friends. Michael was a striker for Fleet Spurs. He grew up in Fleet and went to Calthorpe Park School and Farnborough Sixth Form College.
Use Or Lose Bus: A long awaited bus route, No 79, between Yateley and Fleet has been officially opened but comes with a warning by Edward Dawson, chairman of the Yateley town centre management group, who said "Its not subsidised by the council. Its a private venture and therefore may stand or fall depending on its use."

10 April:
Enough Is Enough: Fed up residents of Elvetham Heath estate are campaigning for action to stop teenager antisocial behavour which they say they have suffered from for years. They have sent emails to leading Hart District Councillors. They say escalating problems caused by drug taking, drinking, car racing, loud music, swearing, abuse, theft, damage and fires have gone far enough.
Hosepipe Ban: SE Water have imposed a hosepipe ban for domestic uses in the Hart area. It is the first ban for 11 years.

5 April
Wider Bridges: Soldiers from the Royal Engineeers have offered to help widen two bridges at Fleet Pond. They have offered to re-build the Brookly and Carnival bridges, construct a fishing jetty and fence off marshland.
Teenager Attacked: An 18 year old has been attacked outside El Castello restaurant in Fleet Rd. One of the attackers was white, of slim build aged 18-22 wearing a dark blue top, dark jeans and white trainers. The other was of dark European appearance, similar in age and build with black spikey hair and wearing a black jacket and trousers. If you can help police with their inquiries phone 0845 0454545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
5 Second Wonder: Sam Rogers new five second film called "Stuffed" is in the final 20 films of the worlds shortest film competition CobraVision to be held in London on 24th April. Sam is from Church Crookham.
Load of Rubbish: Cllr Denis Gotel has formed FLEET - Fleet Late Evening Establishments Together - in a bid to set up a fighting fund to pay for regular street cleaning

30 Mar
Parents Victory: Parents with children living on the Elvetham Heath estate have forced Hampshire CC to allow their children to enroll at Elvetham Heath Primary school have been initially told that the school was full and they must go to Tavistock Infants school.
MP Opens Wetland: Velmead Junior school children have spent the last two years clearing an acre of scrubland in the school grounds to reveal an area of unique wet heath land. The site was opened by James Arbuthnot who praised the school's achievement.
A Grand For Fleet Pond:

Local MP James Arbuthnot has handed over £1,000 to Fleet Pond Society on behalf of Cayo Foundation. The cash will help replace the societies elderly tractor.

Princely Night Out: Prince William visited Fleet on Tuesday. He enjoyed a meal at We Restaurant before going for a drink at the Propaganda Music Canteen in Fleet Rd.

Protesters against the Pyestock warehouse development which is to be built at the back of Pondtail and next to Fleet Pond met James Arbuthnot to discuss the future "Pyestock Horror" which is what local campaigners are calling this huge development. Mr. Arbuthnot, who has joined the protest and has written a letter of objection issued to Hart District Council, stated that it could possibly be the largest warehouse in Europe. more

Local MP James Arbuthnot talks to local residents at Fleet Pond

High Street Closed: Fleet Rd is to be closed from 3 - 24 April to enable the current road improvements to be completed. Final completion is expected by the end of April.
Four Years On: Police are still conducting the investigation of Milly Dowler who was found dead in Yately Heath Woods four years ago. It is one of the largest operations in the history of Surrey police.
Half Marathon: Toby Lambert of Alton Runners has won the this years Fleet half marathon in a time of 1hr 18min 47 seconds. Grandad Ted O'Toole won the men's over 70's category. Ted from Fleet who has competed in all 25 marathons took 2hrs 32seconds to complete the course. First woman home was Debbie Coslet in 1hr 18min 47sec.

20 Mar
Still Richest: Channel 5 news today compared Fleet with Liverpool in regard to the difference in affluence stating Elvetham Heath is the richest place to live in England.
Andrew's Health Check: Andrew Macallan and his team of volunteers will soon be delivering some 600 questioners to find out what is pleasant/unpleasant about living in Fleet and Church Crookham. The aim of the study is to enhance the area by identifying what is most important to the people living/working/visiting the area. If you want to help the Fleet and Church Crookham Town Health Check Group phone Andrew on 01252 668076
Top School: St Nicholas School is one of only five schools in the country to achieve a 100% GCSE pass rate. It is also top of the county league table.

17 March
Hitchens Lane Appeal: Hart District Council has appealed to the High Court against Deputy Primeminister John Prescott's ruling that 300 homes could be built on land at Hitchens lane.
First Film: Former Fleet schoolboys Rob Weston and Byron Valsey are planning to make a horror film "Gnaw" in April.
Percussionist Picked: 13 year old Fleet teenager Ralph Wyld has been picked from hundreds of contestants to join the National Children's Orchestra of Great Britain for the third year running.

10 March
Tony Replies To James: As promised Tony Blair has replied to James Arbuthnot's question to him at Question Time regarding the development proposed for Hitchens Lane . He said that the Hitchens Lane decision was subject to legal challenge so he was unable to comment further. He added that the government thought it important to fund new infrastructure to support new homes needed for the next generation. and that funding would need to come from a variety of sources including developers.

7 Mar
All Change At Oasis: David Parry has decided to retire from his flower shop in Fleet Rd and has handed the business over to his manageress for the last ten years, Gill Chilton. He said only Wrights next door and Bakers over the road are still here from the time I opened in the shop in 1982 the rest has all changed.
Eclipsed: Mark Lanes and his son Tim are going to drive 5,000 from Fleet to Turkey to see a total eclipse of the sun. The journey through Belgium, Germany, Australian Alps, Croatia and Bulgaria will take three weeks.
Fleet Cricket Courses: Simon Massy will soon be running cricket courses at Fleet CC for youngsters aged from 6 to 13. To book call Simon on 01252 661416.

3 Mar
Bridal Window Smashed: Yvette Morrison faces a bill of £2,000 to replace a large window at her shop - Smartlady- in Albert St. The window had been smashed by vandals on Sat morning when a local resident heard glass being broken.
Stone Set In Church: Sir Euan Anstruther-Gough Calthorpe will lay a commemorative stone at the site of the new Elvetham Heath church. An inscription on the stone reads "The Church on the Heath - Serving Christ in the Community". It is hoped that the church will be ready to open this Autumn
Fleet Hospital Improvements: Builders have started work on improvements to Fleet Hospital. Builders will initially concentrate on the improving Calthorpe Unit and then work on the therapy area and day assessment unit. The work will take 4 months to complete.
Breathing Easier: Fleet Breathe Easy Group has bought pulse oximeters to be used by Fleet hospital and main GP practices in the area. The group who support anyone with chronic breathing conditions meets on the last Friday of every month at Velmead Centre on the Zebon Copse. New members are welcome and should call 01252 845142 for more information.

28 Feb
Inquiry Delayed: The public inquiry into the homes development on the QEB site in Church Crookham has been delayed until Spring 2007 at the request of Taylor Woodrow and the MOD.
Mark's Bronze Medal: Calthorpe Park pupil Mark Cappleman has won a bronze medal for England competing in the Eight Nations badminton tournament in Denmark. Mark is coached by Benny Khaw.

Feb 25
UNICEF Award: Tavistock Infants School has become one of the first schools to gain a UNICEF award by learning about the United Nations Convention and the rights of the child.
Hospice Cash Gift: Fleet and District Choral Soc have donated £1,700 raised from its successful Christmas Concert to the Phyillis Tuckwell Hospice.
Anthony Meets His Heroes: Fleet Spurs u10's goalkeeper Anthony Jones's dreams came true when he led out Reading's team for their home match with Southampton. He had a fantastic evening topped off when promotion contenders Reading won 2-0.

Feb 18
Beach or Christmas Tree: Every year The Fleet Rotary Club install and decorate a Christmas Tree in Gurkha Square as part of the celebrations. The Council have dug up trees in flower beds either side of were this tree is put. The Rotary Club have asked the council if they could put a Christmas tree in place of one of the two beach trees. This would save the cost of a new tree every year and save three parking spaces during Christmas. The council has refused.
Army Fund: A collection for the Hampshire committee of the Army Benevolent Fund at Morrisons in Elvetham Heath has raised £590.
Top Marks: Stockton House independant school has gained top marks in all categories in an Ofsted report. The staff celebrated with Champers.

Feb 12
Fleet Pond Cash: Farnborough Airfield operator TAG have set up a fund worth more than £40,000 to pay for Fleet Pond Nature Reserve improvements. Every time a plane takes of a contribution is made.
Outstanding Pub: The Emporium has won Greene King's division sales award for outstanding growth over the past year. Pub managers Richard Hailwood and Jenny Rice accepted the award at a ceremony at the Alton Towers hotel.
Crack Den Raid: A house in Meadow Walk was raided following a tip that the house was being used for drug dealing. A 38 year old woman and a youth aged 18 have been charged with supplying drugs. The house has been boarded up.
End Is In Sight: Fleet Rd contractors have stated that the High Street roadwork's will be complete by the first week in May.

Feb 8
Pyestock Planning Meeting Deferred: Due to over 100 people filling up Council Chambers and many many more angry residents packing the Civic Centre foyer the Pyestock Warehouse Development meeting has had to be deferred until a larger venue can be found. There is also going to be an exhibition of the development set up by the council. MORE
Prime-Minister's Question: Local MP James Arbuthnot raised the issue of additional housing in Hitchins Lane by asking the PM, during PM's Question Time, if he was aware of John Prescott's decision to allow 300 new houses to be built in an area already suffering from very low water levels and severe service problems due to increased local housing. Tony Blair said he was not aware of the problem in Fleet but would look into it and write to Mr. Arbuthnot.
Another Horse Attack: Sid Evans has been attacked by a horse near to playing fields in Church Crookham. It ran at him from about 40 feet and then head-butted him. He landed on his head which prompted the horse to stamp on his back before running away. There have been three attacks recently. Local MP James Arbuthnot is making inquiries by writing to Hart District Council.
Calthorpe Park 1976 Reunion: A committee has been formed to organise a giant summer reunion of old pupils which attended the School 30 years ago. About 100 former pupils have already been traced. The plans are on view at www.calthorpe-reunion76.co.uk or call Kristina on 01252 615906.

Feb 3
Carnival Saved: Thanks to a good response to a plea for more help to run Fleet Carnival the committee have decided to go ahead with this years Grand Procession. The Children's procession and other events such as the Line Dance and U18's gig will also take place. Family Funday will not take place this year. Click here for more
Help From SID: Speed Indication Devices (SID) have been fixed to lampposts along Elvetham Heath Rd. They will monitor, record and flash the speed a motorist reaches whilst travelling along in the hope that they will slow down.
Free Parking: A new car park has been opened in Branksomewood Rd which provides 18 additional 30 minute free parking bays with two extra spaces for disabled drivers and a goods vehicle loading bay.
Ratre Bird: A rare bird of prey was seen at Elvetham Heath nature reserve. Called a Hobby it is small and feeds on large insect and small mammals. There are only an estimated 500 - 900 breeding pairs in the UK.
Waste Not Want Not: From Autumn 2006 The Hart District Council will collect non-recyclable household waste one week - and your recyclable materials the following week. Garden waste will continue to be collected fortnightly. Larger 240 litre blue bins will be available if required by applying to the council.
Hitchens Lane U Turn: Berkeley Homes have been given the go-ahead to construct 120 homes at Hitchens Lane. This number could rise to 300. John Prescott had initially vetoed the development but this was challenged by Berkeley on a point of law. As a consequence John Presscott finally gave the permission for the houses to be built.

Jan 30
Pyestock Warehouses, Noise Threat: Local residents are battling against the threat of land being developed into warehousing at Pyestock within 300 metres of residential housing at the rear of Pondtail near Fleet Pond, . Noise levels of up to 110dba are expected whilst the site is under construction and up to 40dba once the work has been completed. They urge all concerned to attend a Council meeting to be held at the Civic Offices in Fleet at 19.00hrs on 8th February.click here for more or go to www.fleethants.com/pyestock
Yateley To Fleet Link: Countrywide Travel plans to provide an hourly bus service between Fleet and Yateley with stops at Cricket Hill and Gibraltar Barracks. The service is to be reviewed after 6 months to see if it is paying its way.
Tumble Drier Fire: Children had to be evacuated from the ABC Kindergarten in Clarence Rd after a tumble drier burst into flames.
Falling Scaffolding: Luckily no one was hurt when three storeys of scaffolding outside Austin House in Upper Street collapsed onto a delivery van. An HSE spokesman said "We are looking at the adequacy of how the scaffolding was secured to the building".

Jan 28
New Book From Local Author: Malcolm Noble is to release his new novel "Piggy Tucker's Poison" next month (Feb). click here for more information. Malcolm wishes to thank his local readership, especially those who have borrowed his first two titles from local libraries.
One Council Too Many: Hart District and Hampshire County councillor Peter Hutcheson is to step down from his Hart Council role in May having represented Church Crookham for 20 years. Peter said "As the county role becomes more demanding it is time to make way for someone new so that I can give more time to the task of representing you in Hampshire.
Reward: Sandy Lane garage owner Alan Jaymes is offering a reward of £250 to catch the firebug who destroyed a £3,000 MGB and caused £2,500 damage to two other cars. Contact Yateley police station on 0845 045 45 45 if you can help.

Jan 17
More Free Parking: A council cabinet meeting decision has been made to increase the number of short term free spaces in Fleet Town Centre by 24. In addition evening parking in Church Rd will also be free.
Max's Brave Website Diary: Church Crookham teenager Max Horwood, 13, is to receive a bravery award after capturing worldwide attention with his website diary. Max started the site after being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in 2003. The diary has been visited by many celebrities including Will Carling and Richard Hill. He is receiving the award for "stoicism in dealing with the challengers he faced" and will receive a trophy and a certificate signed by Kylie Minogue plus a family cinema Ticket.
New Arts Centre: The Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Rev. Christopher Hill, has blessed a new creative arts centre at the All Saints School in Fleet. The new facility, which has cost £118,000, has been named after Headteacher Mrs. Roberts who has been at the school for 15 years.

Fleet Rd Plinth: As part of the Fleet Rd development a plinth has been built at the Oatsheaf traffic lights amongst the flower beds. It has been suggested that a plaque or statue of some sort be erected to commemorate Fleet as the historic home of the Gurkhas. What do you think

The Mysterious Plynth

Jan 10
Fleet FC Lose Local Derby: Fleet Town FC put up a brave fight in front of a crowd of 555 at the Aldershot Rec but lost 3 - 0 to a fitter and quicker team. The Hampshire cup quarter final game was dominated by Aldershot in the first half with goals from MOM Garry Holloway (8mins) Ahmed Deen (21min) and Tim Sills (30 min). The second half was more even with both teams coming close to scoring. Fleet started to tire towards the end of the game but valiantly hung on to a second half 0 - 0 draw. Aldershot now play Basingstoke in the semi - final.

6 Jan
Roadworks Go On: Fleet Rd will be one way between Victoria Rd and Birch Ave as the roadwork's resume after the Christmas break. Fleet Rd will be closed between Victoria Rd and Birch Ave for about three weeks in March and April whilst a new road is built. Call David Stokes on 07748427168 for more details.
Load Of Rubbish: Complaints have been made about the bin collection day during the festive period. The council put an advert in a local paper listing collection times but Church Crookham residents say the information was wrong. There were also complaints that the paper was only read by less than half the local population.
Tragic Fire: 75 year old Pensioner Colin Denby was found dead at his house in Aldershot Rd after firefighters went to the house following reports that smoke could be seen inside. The fire is not been treated as suspicious.
Bricks For Sale: Elvetham Heath's church minister the Rev. David Price, has launched an appeal to help pay for the building of the Church on the Heath overlooking The Key. Anyone who would like to buy a brick at a cost of £5 should call the Rev. Price on 01252 695067 or visit the De Havailland Arms.
Dog Trek: Church Crookham Grandmum, Linda Williams, is preparing for a six day husky dog trek through Norway and Sweden in April to raise money for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Sponsors should call 07919 173562.