Open Gardens will be held on Sunday 7th July 2019. Eleven local gardens will be open. For more information see here.

Sarah Richardson of the Avon Dassett Soapbox Derby team was interviewed by Phil Upton on Coventry and Warwickshire radio’s Breakfast Show on 31st May 2019. Phil, who is a keen cyclist, knows the hill in Avon Dassett well and was keen to hear about the race. The Soapbox Derby is rapidly becoming legendary in the county.

To hear the interview on listen again (during the newspaper review at 0740) please go to: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0786jk3

Sarah also recorded an interview with Keith Wedgbury who presents Wedge’s Raw and Rural on Saturday mornings.

A garage and vehicle on Wharf Road, Fenny Compton were broken into in the early hours of the morning of 31st May 2019. Tools and equipment were stolen. Police have been informed.

There will be an open meeting to discuss the forthcoming Soapbox Derby at 6 pm on 29th May in The Yew Tree.

This will be an opportunity for people to ask questions of the Soapbox Derby organising group and to sign up as volunteers to support the day. The soapbox group will explain how they have addressed feedback from last year’s event including issues such as car-parking and toilets. Sharon and Wayne Marsh will outline The Yew Tree’s plans for the day.

All are welcome and any help will be gratefully received!

The official election results for the district and parish council elections are as follows:

Red Horse

• Allison Aves, Green Party, 226 votes
• John Feilding, Conservative Party, 698 votes
• John Insoll, Liberal Democrats, 135 votes
• Jan Sewell, Labour, 75 votes

Avon Dassett

• Philip Baxter, 48 votes
• Mike Blakeman, 72 votes
• Trevor Gill, 63 votes
• Martyn Heard, 47 votes
• Liz Hirst, 70 votes
• Darrell Muffitt. 58 votes

Congratulations to the successful candidates and thanks and commiserations to those who stood and were not successful.

There are parish and district council elections today. Remember to vote at the Reading Room.

Parish Council Candidates

• Phil Baxter
• Mike Blakeman (Independent)
• Trevor Gill
• Martyn Heard
• Liz Hirst
• Darrell Muffitt

District Council Candidates

• Allison Aves (Green Party)
• John Fielding (Conservative Party)
• John Insoll (Liberal Democrats)
• Jan Sewell (Labour Party)

A caravan was stolen from Piles in Warmington on 23rd April. We have received an update about the theft from Cllr Jacqui Harris of Harbury. There is a professional cross-border team targeting local businesses stealing various types of property. At Piles they had to move an HGV to steal the caravan so they are very determined. Please be vigilant.

Even when it’s expected, an autism diagnosis can have a big effect on the person diagnosed and their family. You might be trying to cope with a condition you don’t know much about and learning to live together in new ways, or supporting people to do this. Thinking about what comes next can be a daunting prospect for everyone.

Grapevine, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups are working with professionals and local families to find different ways of coming together to solve problems early and lay the foundations for a wonderful life.

We’re all on this journey and hope that by looking beyond the process of getting a diagnosis and understanding how getting things right early on, we can build a promising future for all those with autism, their families and the communities they are connected to.

Join us so you can influence these developments and be involved in the Walks and Talks and Ideas Factory that will follow.

The first step is to go for a walk and talk out in the open where families, individuals, professionals, commissioners, community workers can come together and talk about how things are at the moment and tell each other about their experiences and how they have overcome some of the challenges.

The second session is an ideas factory where we will build on some of the ideas and potential solutions that came out in the walk and talk and develop actions to move them forwards.

Children are welcome at the events but please let us know if you plan to bring them and their ages so we can ensure appropriate activities are arranged.   Support with travel expenses can be provided for individuals and their families to attend the events.

Coventry Walk and Talk: Friday 17^th May 09:30-12:30 at Friargate

Coventry Ideas Factory: Tuesday 21^st May 09:30-12:30 TBC

Warwick Walk and Talk: Thursday 23^rd May 09:30-12:30 TBC

Warwick Ideas Factory: Monday 3^rd June 09:30-12:30 TBC