LINK March 2024 final Colour : simplebooklet.com

4 tight schedule. Those of us who were able took pictures where they were allowed. We had visits to the Jewish quarter, the Wailing Wall and The Upper Room where it is believed the last supper took place. The next day the weather was not much better, not very wet but damp and cold. The outing was a visit to Bethlehem where we had to go through Palestinian territory, via a check point with armed soldiers of both sexes. We showed our passports, after which we were given passes and sent on our way. In the distance we could see some of the abandoned Where has the time gone?? Just over a year ago one of my life long wishes came true and I found my-self, along with a very close friend, joining a group from St. Mary's Church Langley on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The trip had been organised by Mc Cabe Pilgrimages and led by Father Chris Fer-ris, Vicar of St. Marys Langley. There were 21 in total, of us including Father Chris. We met at Heathrow Terminal 4, and greeted by the McCabe Representative who ushered us through customs for our ight to Tel Aviv. Once we had landed, we were met by another Rep. and taken to the coach for our onward journey to Jerusalem. Just over an hour's drive to the Golden Gate Hotel outside the city wall and across the road from the Damascus Gate. Af-ter breakfast we set off with our Local guide in the coach to as near as possi-ble to our rst agenda, The Church on the Rock in the Garden of Gethsemane. Also known as the Garden of Betrayal. The weather was terrible. It rained all day and we were soaked to the skin. Father Chris had planned celebrating an Eucharist before lunch which we had to abandon as all the visits were on a

Page 5

5 After lunch we headed up the ‘Way of Suffering’ the Via Dolorosa (it repre-sents the route Jesus took when forced to carry his cross to His Crucixion) which is quite a climb. There were no roads for us to get to the start of the walk in our coach. What is classed as roads are really foot paths. There are however, golf type buggies which are used to transport things/people up and down—a very skilled manoeuvre We also visited the banks of the River Jordan at the point where Jesus was baptised. I found it very disappointing. The water was muddy although it had not rained there. It was also very narrow at this point. Apparently, the muddy colour disappears when it is left standing for some time and this is true because the sample I brought back is as clear as tap water! Some of our group actually got into the water - I was too wet already to venture in! Editor’s note This is the rst instalment of Stella’s journey to Jerusalem, - watch out for the next in a future LINK ! homes from the conicts between Israelis and Palestinians Once in Bethlehem, we visited the Shepherd's Field to the Church of the Nativity, with the Crib’s location. We had lunch in what we were told was a typical Jewish home of the time of Jesus. There’s a stone press for the olives to get the oil and one to grind the grain for our. We ate freshly made unleavened bread, bitter herbs salt and horse radish. Before returning to Jerusalem we visited a Shouk (a market) run by a Christian family. On the next day, we visited the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. This is a vast and very ORNATE building and has numerous chapels within it. Several of us took a few pictures before we went on to Mount Zion with its impressive panoramic view of the old city. We then journeyed on to a Monastery to celebrate the Eucharist before lunching at the restaurant run by the Monks.

Page 6

6 The Link is 25 this year—how amazing is that? It has evolved and grown throughout those years—but only through the vision of the Team behind it, and demonstrates the power of the commitment of volunteers who are the essential ingredients to its success over that time. Would you like to join our The LINK Team? There are Several ways to help. From praying, to volunteering to deliver the publication four times a year, contributing articles to help-ing to plan and develop it. We are always looking for new people to provide fresh interest and ideas, skills and support in other ways to help keep this well received publi-cation for the wider Community of Datchet, in production. We have a few areas of production that are in need of new inspiration, or people will-ing to use their skills to help move it into the modern world of Apps and internet. Since Covid, we have produced an electronic ip book (in colour) alongside the hard copies, But are hampered by our lack of time and skill to develop the programmes behind the technology to project The LINK into this inter-active world—is this something YOU could help with? . Fancy trying your hand at:-  writing an article,  interviewing a person  Designing layout /web /Social Media  Being part of the Team?  Being a Community News or Sports report-er? Do you have suggestions for regular features or a one off …. Can you help deliver The LINK? A huge thank you to volunteers already delivering The LINK each edition. Our existing and very committed group of volunteers, do an excellent job but we are always in need of more people to help with the distribution, particularly this past year which has sadly seen the group dwindlethrough illness, death, or people moving away. The commitment is only 3 times per year to take on a delivery round— in March, June, with a bumper edition for November. Some of our volunteers make it a family event delivering, others share with friends; a number will pick up the slack if they can where roads are no longer covered by regular distributor. There is a grow-(07969 719407)

Page 7

7 BAPTISM James Ager-Jones Zachary Ager-Jones Albert Ager-Jones CONFIRMATION None WEDDINGS None DEATHS The Rt Revd Alan Wilson Bishop of Buckingham BAPTISMS, MARRIAGES, AND DEATHS AND SPECIALS CELEBRATIONS ing need for more people to join and help where they can—even if only a few letterbox-es. A group of people come together to bundle up the printed copies into the numbers required for each round. There is always a positive and good atmosphere as they chat and catch up with a healthy dose of laughter and compan-ionship to make light work of it all. Someone (usually David and Jane Simpson) wil then drop off the bundles for volunteers to deliver. There are pick up spots like The BRIDGE, Library and the Church where spare copies can always be found. you If you feel can help, in some way—big or small it is all valued and important, or know someone who can, or you just want to nd out more about what is involved in joining the Team in any capacity, then please contact:- Sally-Anne Jarvis , editor on e mail Sa_j2@btinternet.com or text/phone 07711269545 (text or email preferred There are many ways to share in Companionship and Fellowship , why not give The LINK a try?

Page 8

8 Dear The Link readers Thank you for your continuing support and interest in Slough Foodbank. It’s a stark reality that year on year the increase in demand for Slough Foodbank continues – it’s not a trend that’s acceptable. There was a 21% increase in the number of food parcels provided (11,300) versus the same period in 2022. It’s clear from these figures, that for many in Slough, the cost of living crisis continues and families are being hit hard with a 17% increase in the number of children being fed. More people are being dragged into debt and having to turn to food banks to survive. This escalating hardship cre-ates dire consequences for individuals and the Slough com-munity as a whole. Since July 2022, the UK government has used one-off cost of living payments to help people on low incomes, but the limitations of this approach are now clear. We see in our data that there is a dip in the need for food banks when each payment is made, however this res-pite only lasts between one and three weeks. In October, along with Citizens Advice, we launched a new service in Slough to further help people in crisis. Citizens Advice workers run confidential sessions at the Foodbank’s Distribution Centres. This was a significant step – a long-term approach, helping people get the advice they need so they can reduce their reliance on crisis support, including the use of foodbanks, as their financial situation improves. Slough Foodbank’s primary function is to supply a three-day emergency food parcel to those who suddenly find themselves in an unexpected crisis. In addition to food, we also supply basic toiletries and household products, as well as nappies, baby wipes and pet food if required. We provided 1,300 SIM cards for clients to use in their mobile phone, each valid for 6 months with free calls and texts and internet data (20GB per month), which is important in helping people stay digitally connected and have access to the support they need. We also provided 783 emergency fuel vouchers ( this is an Update from Slough Foodbank: Newsletter for Spring 2024 increase of 30%) for home gas or electricity for clients who qualify to receive food parcels, and who top up their meter at a pay point or a post office. This is to enable clients to cook the food we provide or heat their homes. The increase in fuel costs meant that many clients faced the tough deci-sion over the winter months of whether to eat or heat their homes. In December, we provided 383 Christmas Hampers to households to help bring a little joy to people struggling in food poverty crisis this Christmas. Graph showing number of food parcels by month Jan – Dec 2023 vs 2022, along with dates of Government Cost of Living payments

Page 9

9 TRUSSELL TRUST PLEASE CONSIDER SIGNING THE PETITION TO ‘GUARANTEE OUR ESSENTIALS’ TO ENSURE THAT THE BASIC RATE OF UNIVERSAL CREDIT AT LEAST COVERS OUR CORE COSTS, SUCH AS FOOD and bills. Trusselltrust.org/petition Slough Foodbank Manager, Laura Cole commented: “It is so disheartening to see the stats prove what we see first-hand in the distribution centres, the continuing deprivation in Slough leading to people facing food poverty crisis and turning to us, often as a last resort. We were hopeful that the cost of living payments would make a substantial difference, sadly the relief was temporary. Although it does show that with a little extra in their pockets people can afford to eat. That’s why we are supporting the Trussell Trust’s campaign to ‘Guarantee our Essentials’ and that, at a minimum, Universal Credit should protect people from going without essentials such as food, household bills or travel costs. With a 21% increase in food parcels, we are under real pressure to meet this demand both on supply of food, which we rely on donations for, as well as volunteers who sort food, prepare food parcels and serve clients.” HOW YOU CAN HELP US: Donate food and toiletry items including A full list of our needs is available here: https://slough.foodbank.org.uk/give-help-2/foodbank-wishlist/ Donate money – we are having to buy more food and toiletries to meet demand: Details of financial giving are available here: https://slough.foodbank.org.uk/give-help-2/donate-money/ Volunteer with us – we are looking for a Secretary to join the board of Trustees for the food bank and support that board to fulfil its responsibilities for the overall governance and strategic direction of the food bank. Further details are available here: https://slough.foodbank.org.uk/give-help-2/volunteer/ Long-life items Fruit Juice Sponge Puddings Toiletries Soap Deodorant Shaving Foam/Gel Toothbrushes Toothpaste Tinned Items : Tuna Carrots Spaghetti Fruit Rice Pudding Sundries : Tea & coffee (small Sizes) Nappies Toilet Rolls Washing Up Liquid

Page 10

10 One of the things I appreciate most about Spring is the bringing of hope that the ow-ers hailing it’s arrival bring: From the rst show of Snowdrops to the burst of bright yellow that appears when Daffodils start to bloom. It somehow makes everything seem brighter, They give out such energy, the sight uplifts and brings hope: however dark and grim the winter, they rise again re-sponding to sun, rain and increased day-light. A beautiful ower, with its trumpet shaped bloom and of-ten underrated in favour of more showy blooms. But Daffodils have much more depth to them than a brave ower blooming on the roadside, in gardens or commercially. They have, for cen-turies, been a symbol of resilience, puri-ty, clarity, inspiration, transformation and spirituality all over the world and in different faiths. They were originally intro-duced to the UK by the Romans who be-lieved they held healing powers. This humble ower, due to its blooming near the Spring Equinox, has long been associated with renewal and re birth and has symboli-cally become entwined with the new life in Jesus. In northern Christian European Coun-tries, the Daffodil is seen as a symbol of Lent and Easter. In the UK in particular, they are often referred to as the Lent/ Lenten or Easter Lily. Reminding of Jesus’ death and resurrection as they die back and remain dormant in the body of the bulb, waiting, and then they rise again around the time we follow Lent observances and celebrate Easter. They are transformed from some-thing dull and lifeless to the vibrant bloom, giving out an energy that is almost visible – as light reects from the trumpets. They remind us we too can transform, we can overcome challenges, and thrive. We often hear Christians referring to sharing the ‘Good News’ of God and this is an-other element of Daffodils and their symbolism – the trum-pet shaped ower blasts out positivity and ‘Good News’ whether you believe in God or not. It is easy to imagine them trum-peting news of new beginnings, hope and positivity and encourage us to be receptive to, and hopefully embrace any good news – be it religious or other, as it comes our way. In China, as they bloom around the time of the Chinese New Year, they are seen as a symbol of good fortune and prosperity, and the people believe that seeing or receiving them is a sign of a positive year to come. They are also a symbol of inspiration and creativity for many – who hasn’t heard of Wordsworth’s famous poem I wandered lonely as a Cloud ? The last two lines of the third stanza leading to the nal verse epito-

Page 11

11 mises the unique quality Daffodils have to uplift, inspire and heal. But there are many other things that this humble often underrated ower symbolises across many cultures.– we’ve heard of the common ones – hope, rebirth, regeneration transformation and perseverance, but the following are also symbols that the Daffodil represents • Unity and Identity – particularly in Wales • Resilience & Renewal - no matter how cold and t heard the winter, they always reappear each year. • Good Fortune • Creativity and Inspiration – for example poets and artists • Joy • Clarity • Friendship – when given as a gift. Flowering around the rst of March, St David’s Day the Patron Saint of Wales, it is no surprise that they are known, and have overtaken the Leek in modern times as the National ower of Wales. They are called Cenhinen Pedr in Welsh, literally “Peter’s leek”. Although they have always been associated with Wales, and the Welsh, it is believed the Daffodil became the national ower gradually from the 19th century, but it was in 1911 when David Lloyd George then Prime Minister and Welsh ( he spoke Welsh as his rst language) strongly encouraged their use at the Investiture of future King Edward VIII when he was made Prince of Wales, that it has steadily became rooted as the Flower of choice . The daffo-dil represented, and still represents, perhaps more DAFFODILS I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’re vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden daffodils; Beside the lake , beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margins of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in a sprightly dance . The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such jocund company: I gazed-and gazed-but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills And dances with the daffodils William Wordsworth

Page 12

12 Dynamic Printmedia are the printers for The LINK strongly today, Peace and Unity which ts the narrative of modern Wales more fully than the traditional Leek (Cenhinen in Welsh) with its military associations, does. The Welsh national website states in its conclusions that “it becomes clear that the daffodil is more than just a botanical marvel. It is a symbol deeply ingrained in the Welsh psyche, representing the na-tion’s history, culture, and aspira-tions. From its historical ties to mod-ern-day significance, the daffodil stands as a testament to the endur-ing spirit and unique identity of Wales.” Daffodils have been used in medicine and health treatments for centuries – the Romans used it as topical application to tumours, and other things such as skin conditions, although it is an irritant to skin without processing the flower into essential oil and essences. These are still used today In modern healing practices such as aromatherapy for specific purposes for example, to promote relaxation and wellbeing and relieve stress. They are commonly grown for the pharmaceutical industry to produce galantamine which is an alkaloid extracted from the bulbs of Daffodils, and Snowdrops in particular but other bulbs too as well as synthetically produced. This is commonly used in treating early stage Dementia and Alzheimer’s, and is available only on prescription. This is only a very short resume of the humble Daffodil, there is much to read about these owers and their unique prop-erties, historical uses and symbolism across the world: Perhaps when you are next given a bunch of Daffodils, or see them growing wild on the roadside and in elds, you will remember their signicance and enjoy their brave, vibrant glow as they shine brightly, owering through the wind and rain of March on the cusp of Spring bringing the Good News of Hope and better days to come .. Galantamine molecular structure

Page 13

13 It may seem a little late but we all wish everyone a Happy 2024 and hope it is a year full of fun and new memories. The rainy New Year’s Eve night did not spoil the celebrations and the sky around Datchet, Windsor and Slough were alight with amazing displays of reworks. So, what have we been up to ? May brought more celebrations and bunting, the WI gates were once a gain decorated in preparation for the Coronation of HM King Charles 111. Our members toasted his good health at our May meeting In August we took to the water and on a gloriously hot, sunny day and enjoyed a river trip from Runnymede to Hampton Court and back. In November our presidents repre-sented the WI in the laying of a wreath for Remembrance Day at the village War memorial on the village green. It reminded us that Freedom is not Free – there is always a price to be paid, we remembered those who gave their lives for our freedom. The end of 2023 was once again a busy time for the WI. Datchet community certainly knows how to celebrate! We thoroughly enjoyed opening our hall for Christmas on the Green, our ladies used their decora-tive skills to create Santa’s grotto which proved a popular place for the children to place their requests for gifts from the “Great Man “ JOINT DATCHET WI PRESIDENTS BEVERLEY EDWARDS & KATE RAYNER CONTACT DETAILS  Email: datchetwi@berkshirewi.co.uk  Beverley Edwards : 01753 971938  Kate Rayner : 07729 732710 Our two Presidents Kate and Beverley made sure their wish lists were included ! We had our Christmas meal at Wexham Golf club, a good time was had by all, great food, a quiz and plenty of noisy, happy chatter. We may have stunned a few of the golfers as we sang Jerusalem ! 2024 will be another busy year. We have welcomed new members and visitors to our monthly meet-ings and have a variety of visiting speakers booked. Come along and join us, you will be assured of a warm welcome.

Page 14

14 After a hectic summer we took it easier and held a MacMillan Coffee morning at the end of September in the Bridge with the kind permission of Caroline. There were so many people dropping in that it was difficult to know if they were just having coffee or going for our special Tea which we all provided. It was a jolly two hours and we made a healthy sum of over £100. We then had to prepare for our Autumn meeting as we usually make items for Baby Basics which in-cludes baby cardigans, mittens and hats as well as blankets that was donated at the meeting. This time we learned about another chari-ty, Ronald MacDonald House which MU are supporting to make a real impact on the lives of families with children in hospital. So at our next meeting we made a donation of £70 as it costs £35 to accommodate a family for one night, and the average length of stay at the Houses is 16 nights. Whilst looking around the stall we found a new item – baby booties to hang on the Christmas tree. These were in red with white trimming which we decided to make for our Christmas Fair. We only had six weeks to make all the items and collect others for the Fair. We decided to carry on with the ’water into wine’, craft stalls as well as a raffle for adults and children which you can see below the table is laden with item including our stalwart members Stella and Judith. We were lucky enough to recruit some extra help-ers which included two new ladies – Irene and Eiri-an who also helped out at the Coronation Fair in

Page 15

15 May as well as our stalwarts Stella and Judith. We were glad to welcome Rose Spicer who managed to stay for some time. We also made a healthy profit of over £90 which will go towards one of our charities. Finally we decided that our Christmas Meal should be held at our local carvery in Langley. There were 12 of us including Samson and Mike so each man held court at a separate table. On our table there were Stella, Mary, Sally-Anne, Parveen and Me. The other table consisted of Sheila, Pam, Judith, Eirian and Irene. It was a jolly evening with delicious and very tasty food. The group were so happy with the food and company that they made a donation to our funds of £40 which will go towards AFIA to enable a family to have a holiday. Every month our members go to Eton House resi-dential home for a short service which has been run by Robert Spicer and our dear priest Samson together with Sally-Anne, Pam, Stella, my friend Paddy as well as Marcena. Our last service was before Christmas and the residents joyfully sang with us in singing carols. A few years ago we were without any music so Sally-Anne decided at the end of the service to invite requests and one lady asked for a special favourite from a well-known musical which we fortunately knew. Her voice was the loudest of all On Christmas Eve St Mary’s held its Nativity and the Church was full of families with many children taking part. There was a jolly atmosphere during the service. and I decided to give the children the unsold prizes from our raffle including the baby booties which was an added surprise for them. In fact the Midnight Mass was very special for our members and the Church was packed with many of the congregation unknown to us but they participated in the service and there was a queue down the aisle for communion which I do not remember having seen before. We are looking forward to the World Day of Prayer on 1st March which is about Palestine and it will be hosted by the Baptist Church at 2 pm. Then two weeks later will be Mothering Sunday. Datchet M U Last year we donated to the following Charities CHARITY PURPOSE Children Heard and Seen to support children whose parents are in prison 1 2 Baby Basics Making baby cardigans, mittens, hats & blankets 3 Ronald McDonald House To help families that need a break 4 Gender-based Violence To help abused women

Page 16

16 struggle both financially and emotionally over the years to come, again. I am confident we will show the same resolve and commitment as we did in 2020/21 and support our community out of this crisis. We will see the Borough Council bring in new initiatives to help and support children, families, and the residents of Datchet who may need some financial support until inflation drops and the economy sees growth for higher paid jobs for all. If you see or hear of anyone struggling, please contact www.rbwm.gov.uk/here-to-help or call 01628 683800. Also remember our Datchet library offers a safe, warm place where the community can access advice, public access to computers and support from the library team. Again, if you wish to know a little about what Datchet Parish Council does. Some of you may be aware that in 2021 the Datchet library was due to be closed by the previous leadership at RBWM, but Datchet Parish Council stepped in financially for residents and kept the doors open. This facility is now an important part of the cost-of-living crisis scheme “Here-to-help” which you will see more information on in coming months and during the cost-of-living crisis. There is always confusion on what the Parish Council’s responsibilities are or what powers they have. This is further complicated in Datchet as we have a Borough wide Unitary Council that is The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead that has overall responsibility on most matters, that affect our day to day lives. So, I would like to add a link here to the Datchet Parish Council website that shows our responsibilities and duties in detail. I hope you take the time to read what the responsibilities of the Parish Council are and how it can support your needs: https://www.datchetparishcouncil.gov.ukRoles__and__Responsibilities_1735.aspx The responsibilities and duties of the Parish Council can be broken down simply as: • Give views, on behalf of the community, on planning applications and other proposals that affect the parish. • Alert relevant authorities to problems that arise or work that needs to be undertaken in Datchet • Help the other tiers of local government keep in touch with their local communities. We hope you are seeing the value of the Parish Council in Datchet grow in the village as we have seen public meetings Winter is slipping away and we look forward to welcoming the Spring. During the past few months we have seen a number of flooding events which have resulted in a saturat-ed water table and some flooding of gardens in the Parish. This has resulted in some sewage in a small number of resi-dential gardens, and we are looking at a solution for this with Thames water, where we hope to get a long-term an-swer in place during 2024. Please keep an eye on all the flood defence meetings and feel free to contact the Datchet Parish office to find out what events or information is avail-able if such a flood event should occur this year. Datchet Parish Council is still seeking additional residents who would be prepared to co-opt onto the Parish Council to contribute to the community. We have a seen a number of residents stepping forward to be co-opted. We hopefully, will see a full and effective council as we go forward into 2024. If you would like to join the hardworking members of the Datchet Parish Council and add value to your communi-ty please contact the Clerk on Clerk@datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk or call 01753 773499. We continue to see the cost-of-living crisis affect us in many ways from people downsizing and moving away from the area, to having multiple family members having to work longer or go back to meet the higher costs of mortgages (rents), food, childcare and energy. A local business in-formed me today that a can of Heinz baked beans were 89p last year and are now £1.52 an increase of nearly 80%, shocking. This may continue for a longer period than any of us wish to see and have life changing affects to many families. So now is the time ,again, that the great residents of Datchet, need to pull together to meet these demands. We showed this through the pandemic and now we need to look out for our neighbours, friends and family members who may CLERK TO COUNCIL Mrs Sonia Masikito DPC ADDRESS Contact :-  Tel: 01753 773499  Mob. 07862 013161 e-mail: clerk@datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk Datchet Parish Office 1 Allen Way Datchet Berkshire SL3 9HR DPC Website 8 : https://datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk THERE IS A PARISH COUNCIL MEETING ON 11th MARCH 2024 Parish Councils are generally on the second Monday of each month (Check Datchet Parish Council website for updates) – We hope to see you there, all are welcome!

Page 17

17 in previous years on large developments or community concerns on the future of The Manor Hotel in Datchet. The Datchet Parish council facilitated the gathering of residents to discuss and debate these and many important issues that may concern them at Parish Council meetings where the public are welcome. Recently we have seen the approval of the controversial develop-ment known as AL39 the land at the rear of London Road Datchet consisting of 80 dwellings to be built in the future. Again, Datchet Parish Council called an extraordinary meeting for residents to debate this application in 2022 and again recently in September 2023. On behalf of Datchet residents the Parish council has voted to take legal advice to review the current application and we hope to see the approval revisited to change or stop the development as it has serious breaches in the application process. This is an ongoing legal dispute with RBWM on behalf of Datchet residents and we hope to update you in the future months with a view to successfully winning our action for the residents of Datchet. There is no update on this as we go to print but we are working with solicitors to gain advice from an experienced barrister as soon as possible and within the timeline of the decision notice. The Datchet Parish Council are responsible for the lovely grounds on the recreational area, the memorial greens, the cemetery, and the Riverside. We have seen an extension of the hanging baskets this year, which brings a beautiful addition to village life, and we hope to see these extended further in coming years, so you can see them from any point as you enter the village. We continue to see the improvements and ongoing maintenance to the number of buildings that the Parish Council own and maintain on behalf of the community. From the library, the cemetery, the village hall centre, the Bridge café to the Doctors surgery and several other properties, all maintained by the Parish Council on your behalf. We hope residents will look to co-opt onto the parish council and support the community as listed above and to help guide the village with its positive future. A reminder is set out below of the serving Parish Councillors that have been voted into Lead member positions at the Council, to support the community throughout 2023. Contact details of Parish Councillors can be found on the Parish Council website here: https:www.datchetparishcouncil.gov.ukYour_Councillors_1733.aspx Or you can call the Parish office on 01753 773499 Datchet Parish Council web-site address:  www.datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk We have seen the progression of one officer Mrs Sonia Masikito to Parish Clerk with training committed to a level of Parish Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) and we thank Sonia on making this commitment to the Parish Council and the residents of Datchet. Sonia is progressing very well and taking on more responsibilities allowing the locum support to reduce in hours making savings for the residents. This is one of the key responsibilities of the Parish Council to maintain all the Parish Buildings and assets. This is one of the largest expenditures of the Parish Council and the new Lead member for Properties is getting their feet under the table as quickly as possible and will continue to keep an eye on the quality and maintenance of all the Parish properties throughout the financial year within budgets and safety require-ments. A monthly report is sent to the Council with recom-mendations and updates on all work carried out or to be carried out by the Properties team. This is posted onto the Parish website each month for public review or comment and presented to the Council to debate. This continues to be the largest area of work that the Parish Council are charged with, and the ongoing projects are very large and time consuming. We continue to make progress and complete the projects to maintain and improve our village. We have recently seen the improvements around some of the borders on greens and this work is continuing under the watchful eye of the lead member and the team for grounds. The ongoing inflationary pressures are being worked around by the Lead Member to make the best use of residents and public money. Some projects are being reviewed to reduce expenditure at these difficult times but as always maintenance of our beautiful village does not stop. We have seen reduced projects being completed due to covid restrictions and now inflationary issues; this continues as inflationary pressures continue. The Lead member continues to balance these on a day-to-day basis to supply Datchet residents with a strong historic landscape, open green spaces and continuous maintenance so residents can continue to enjoy its assets. The planning team continue to see lots of activity in the applications for development of existing and new properties in the Parish of Datchet and work to support residents on local knowledge and weighted recommendations to the RBWM planning team. Through the years there is a reduced weight given to Parish local planning recommendations due to the National Planning Framework and the Borough Local Plan, which have made more of the applications we see fall into Permitted Planning or to release building plots on Green Belt/Flood zones. We continue to add local input on behalf of the residents and bring your FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION PROPERTIES GROUNDS a) FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION: Finance Committee started in October 2023 . Strategic & Development committee and Staffing Committee b) PROPERTIES Lead Cllr. Darren Sander and Deputy Lead Cllr Ian Bacon c) GROUNDS Lead Cllr. Ian Thompson and Deputy Lead Cllr Steevan Glover d) PLANNING Lead Cllr. David Buckley and Deputy Lead Cllr Darren Sanders e) CEMETERIES Lead Cllr Phil Bicknell f) HIGHWAYS AND GENERAL PURPOSES Dissolved Review set for March Full Council Meeting g) FLOODING AND DRAINAGE Lead Cllr Ian Thompson and Deputy Lead Cllr Susan Young h) EVENTS Lead Cllr Andrew Clemens and Deputy Lead Cllr Steevan Glover i) CHAIRMAN - Cllr David Buckley j) DEPUTY CHAIRMAN - Cllr Ewan Larcombe PLANNING

Page 18

18 Please take the time to find out where you can get flood alerts or information on what to do if your home is threat-ened by flood water or what to do when a flood hits the village. In particular, if you are a new resident to the village, it may be worth you getting, in touch with the Parish Council Office to find out what to do in a flood event. You can follow this link as a useful guide in the meantime: https://www.datchetparishcouncil.gov.ukFlooding_1592.aspx What a lovely Christmas we had in the village with some excellent events throughout the festive season. We have budgeted for a similar number of events next year with a summer event and the very special National D-Day 80th Anniversary where beacons across the UK including our Parish beacon will be lit on the 6th June 2024. One of 80 beacons to commemorate the D-Day landings where so many gave their lives to allow us the freedoms we enjoy today! Please send the lead member and the deputy lead member any ideas for community events for the Parish as during these difficult times our events are run FREE for the community and we hope residents get the greatest of pleasure from them. Let’s pull together and keep enjoying these throughout the year. We hope that many, if not all Datchet residents get to attend these events, where we can all come together and celebrate the great community, we have in Datchet. We would like to encourage the community to contribute on an ongoing basis as to your needs in the village by coming to our monthly Parish meetings, to engage and have input with the Councillors to discuss where you feel improvements can be made or what further positive steps could be taken to benefit the whole community. However, you can also contact or engage with your Parish Councillors always should you feel the need, have a constructive idea how to improve the village and improve the quality of lives of the community. We look forward to looking after your needs in the future. Can I say thank you to all Datchet residents on behalf of the Datchet Parish Council for your ongoing support we all really appreciate all the time you give to attend meetings and report local issues to us. concerns forward to add more weight to guide RBWM plan-ning officers’ decisions towards local needs. Additionally, we have seen the successful adoption of the Datchet Design Guide and the Datchet Neighbourhood Plan completing a referendum in May 2023 to adopt the Datchet Neighbour-hood Plan, which has been years in the making. Once adopted, both these two documents will add weight to any Parish recommendations and help protect the Historic and design of Datchet village for years to come. Planning can concern many residents and we hope to get a closer and stronger working relationship with officers at RBWM with the support of the 3 Independent Borough Councillors who wish to support the Parish Council and the residents as a priority. We hope that soon, more emphasis and weight will be given to local planning recommendations from the Parish Council on behalf of residents and the community to help maintain our traditions and quality of life in a rural village. We must remember that good planning is also good for the comm-unity, but poor planning decisions affect our community and us all. We are seeing an increase in the need to engage planning enforcement as some developers and opportunists try to take advantage of the lapse in planning resources at RBWM. Datchet Parish Council have raised or supported a much larger number of planning enforcement matters in the past year. This is an ongoing pattern as our Local Authority RBWM struggles to maintain an effective planning team to oversee Borough wide requirements. We will continue to fight the good fight on behalf of residents to maintain, Improve and put Datchet first. We have seen another year pass with no maintenance of our flood defences and still a fight to see our only suitable flood defence River Thames Channel One being deferred further but as we all know it is not IF, but WHEN we get another flood season, with climate change and the lack of mainte-nance to our waterways (no maintenance for over 10 years). RTS Channel One would support ongoing insurance and residents’ property values, at a time when a large flood event becomes all more likely. During 2024 we are looking at having regular flood resilience events, in conjunction with various agencies and experts who will visit the Parish to help residents make their properties more flood resilient. In the background, we will work with the local flood authority, local councillors and all government agencies to see the longer term installation of suitable flood defences that are missing for the Parish after Windsor & Maidenhead had flood defences installed and paid for with the help of Datchet residents but downstream we are left vulnerable to annual flooding. The Lead member for flooding has reported recently that he is working with other Parishes that are affected by flooding to re-introduce the local flood defence groups who work tirelessly to get the funding in place for RTS Channel One. Please support our efforts to get protection for your homes and families not just from the physical effects of flooding but the financial impacts on insurance, safety, home values and disruption to local businesses, residents, and commuters. We need your support to safeguard residents, our property values (flood re is due to end in 2035) and the prosperity of Datchet is at risk. FLOODING EVENTS Cllr David Buckley Chairman Datchet Parish Council Email: chairman@datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk Email: dbuckley@datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk Email: clerk@datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk

Page 19

Page 20

Page 21

Page 22

22 along with the Manor Houses, the Manor Cottages, and all the other land and property which make up Datchet Manor. BACK TO THE MIDDLE AGES To understand England’s manorial system, and the lords who owned these manors, we need to look back a very long way, to before and after William the Conqueror’s invasion in 1066. From before the Norman Conquest in 1066 the structure of society, including the system of manors, was all about ownership of land: all the land in this country. It had also developed In Europe and other parts of the world but persisted longer in England than elsewhere. Below is an outline of how the system worked, though there could be local variations: THE KING There was one central point on which the whole manorial system depended: the King himself owned all the land. THE BARONS Since the King could not manage all the land himself, he divided it up between the powerful barons who had supported him. In return, the barons pledged their loyalty to the King and had to provide soldiers to ght on his side if war broke out. Barons gave land to lords to manage as manors. THE LORDS The lords organised their own manors and could be called into battle at any moment by their overlord, the baron. The lords owned everything on their land including the peas-ants, the crops they grew, and the village. The Manor of Datchet is not, and never was, the Manor Hotel in the middle of the village (picture 1). However, it is easy to see how, in talking about staying, meeting or eating at the Manor Hotel, we might refer to it as ‘The Manor’. Unfortunately, the hotel's own website appears to interpret any historic mention of the Manor of Datchet to mean the Manor Hotel. This is a very serious misunderstanding and a total distortion of historical facts. The building was not even known as The Manor Hotel until Victorian times. Its rst pub name, in1753, was The Half Moon; then from 1767 it was The Horse and Groom; only from 1877 was it called The Manor Hotel. The lords of Datchet Manor did, in fact, own this pub or hotel, Picture 1: The Manor Hotel in the centre of Datchet, 2022 Picture 2: Pyramid diagram structure of society in the English Middle Ages, re-drawn by C R Kennish from https://thehistoryjar.com

Page 23

23 Lords held absolute power over their manors, organising law courts and deciding punishments for crimes. THE KNIGHTS The knights provided protection and military service for their lords or for the barons and even the King’s army in time of war. THE PEASANTS Around 90 per cent of people living in the Middle Ages were peasants. Some peasants were considered free and could own their own businesses, such as carpenters, bakers, and blacksmiths. Others were more like slaves. They owned almost nothing and were pledged to serve their local lord. They worked long days growing food on the land and often hardly had enough food themselves to survive. A MANOR was a unit of land and property held by a landlord who was himself the tenant of a baron, so that through a chain of power and dependence, all land was owned by the King. Under the Feudal (or landholding) system in the Middle Ages the centre of life for most people was the manor they lived in, run by its local lord. He lived in a large house or castle where people would gather for celebra-tions or for protection if they were attacked. A village would develop around the castle, including the local church, and farms would spread out from there which would be worked by the peasants. A manor often came to be much the same in area and population size as its village or church parish would be after the Middle Ages. The great landowners held manors in different parts of England, from where they could call up for military service all those men who owed them allegiance. In later times, this ghting service was replaced by payment of money or a supply of food, so that possession of a manor was a nancial asset as well as a power base. A manor could be inherited or sold just like any other property but could also be forfeited back to the King if its lord had seriously displeased him. The diagram in Picture 2 shows how levels of society depended on and supported each other within the manorial structure. THE DOMESDAY BOOK AND THE MANOR OF DATCHET In common with almost all other English villages, it is the Domesday Book which gives us the rst account of Datchet Manor. This survey, conducted in 1085 to 1086, was drawn up as an inventory and valuation of land for tax assessment and to estab-lish rightful ownership in case of future disputes. It was also a record of its owners after King William the Conqueror, had distributed possessions of the old Anglo-Saxon nobility to the conquering Normans. These new owners took over the land and its organisation much as it had been structured before the Conquest. The fundamental unit of local landholding administration was already the manor, and it was England’s manors which were recorded in the Domesday Book. Entries were handwritten, mostly in Latin, by a scribe. In the case of Datchet the size and shape of the later church parish and village probably correspond fairly closely to the original Manor of Datchet, or Daceta in Latin. It’s quite easy to nd the word DACETA, with a red line through it, in the 3rd line down in Picture 3. So what did The Domesday Book actually say about the Manor of Datchet? Here’s a line-by-line transla-tion: • Lines 1 & 2: Giles brother of Ansculf holds Datchet (Daceta) for 13½ hides • Line 3: Land for 12 ploughs, in Lordship 5 hides, 1 plough, 4 ploughs possible • Line 4: 16 villagers with 16 smallholders have 7 ploughs, 3 slaves • Line 5: Meadow for 5 ploughs, woodland for 300 pigs, 2 sheries, 2,000 eels • Line 6: the total value is and was £6, before 1066 £12 • Lines 7 & 8: Saewulf, Earl Leofwin’s man, held 6 hides & 3 virgates of this manor as one manor, his brother Siward, Earl Harold’s man, also held 6 hides and 3 virgates. Unfortunately, this means almost nothing to us in 2023. All we can see is that the inventory is based entirely on agriculture and the number of working people available. Luckily, here is an expert’s helpful interpretation of what might actually have been going on at the time: • Lines 1 & 2: Giles, brother of Ansculf, was one of William the Conqueror’s great land-owners. Giles was related to the even more powerful William FitzAnsculf who, in 1086, had a castle at Dudley as well as 30 manors in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. (These included Stoke Poges and Ditton, whose future history was to be closely intertwined with that of Datchet.) A hide was the amount of land that could be ploughed by one ox team in a year, perhaps about 120 acres and enough to support a household. • Line 3: The 5 hides ‘in Lordship’ was land farmed by the lord himself or his tenant, known as the demesne (pronounced ‘demeen’) of the manor. • Line 4: Villagers were the peasants who held most land, the smallholders held less. All were ‘tied’ to the land and were obliged to plough the lord’s land as well as their own. Slaves at rst worked entirely for the lord but later merged with the other peasant classes. The numbers given were heads of households or families so the population probably consisted of about 22 families. • Line 5: Datchet was rich in meadowland alongside the river Thames on south and west, and to streams on the north. The woodland where pigs foraged for food was, curiously, in Fulmer which then belonged to the Manor of Datchet. The two eel sheries were at modern Black Potts in the north and Southlea in the south, where they were still operating into the 20th century. • Line 6: The value of the manor was an estimate of the total income its lord would receive each year in money and in produce from his peasants. Not all values were higher after the 1066 conquest, perhaps due to the disruption of the conquest itself. • Lines 7, 8: Saewulf and Siward were both nobles under the defeated King Harold and Picture 3: A facsimile (exact copy) of the rst section of Datchet Manor’s entry in the Domesday Book

Page 24

24 still held parts of Datchet Manor as sub-tenants, which was not unusual. A virgate was a quarter of a hide. THE DE PINKNEY FAMILY AND THE TWO (BAD!) HUGH LE DESPENSERS Giles, brother of Ansculf, was one of the Conqueror’s great landowners, based at Weedon in Northamptonshire but owning 15 other manors. His Norman family name was de Pinkney from Picquigny on the Somme. (They owned the original Manor of Pinkney’s Court in the parish of Cookham from the 12th to the 15th century.) At the time of the Domesday Book Giles de Pinkney owned the Manor of Datchet which remained in that family’s ownership for another 250 years, until the 1330s, but not without difculties. England was in an almost constant state of conict among King and nobles; property was frequently conscated as punishment and redistributed as a reward. During the rebellion against King John in 1216, Robert de Pinkney’s estates were seized but returned to him when he was pardoned by the next king, Henry III. This family’s name is still remembered in the village of Pinkneys Green and in the pub called The Pinkneys Arms (Picture 4), both near Maidenhead. From that time onward, Datchet changed hands several times, becoming a pawn in the quarrels between King Edward II and those who opposed him. Sometime before 1300, and without royal permission, Henry de Pinkney granted Datchet to the powerful although disreputable character called Hugh le Despenser the Elder. Both he and his son, Hugh le Despenser the Younger (Picture 5), were royal ofcials and Hugh the Younger was reputed to be King Edward II’s lover. Both the Despensers were fabulously wealthy, partly due to criminal land dealings, and they presented an unacceptable challenge to the King’s authority. In 1326, both were executed for conspiracy and high treason. The Despensers’ lands were then forfeited to the King but Datchet Manor was returned in 1331 to Edward de Pinkney, who unfortunately died a year later in 1332. (Spoiler Alert! Matters improved greatly in the following centuries as Datchet became a Royal Manor. Find out more in the next edition of The Link!) Picture 4: The modern Pinkney’s Arms pub. Picture 5: Hugh le Despenser the Younger, 1268-1326

Page 25

Page 26

Page 27

Page 28

28 The Bridge continues to be a very popular place for both locals and those from further afield. It really is a terrific meeting place and the coffeeshop is frequently full of people enjoying company and low cost refreshments. The significant rises in costs for supplies and utility bills are challenging and have meant that the menu prices have had to be increased. The Bridge is still great value and we depend upon the good-will of our customers and the Parish Council to support the ongoing success of our Village Hub and Help Point. If people can put some extra cash in our House money box this helps us to keep the prices low enough for everyone to be able to enjoy what is on offer at The Bridge. The Management Group meets regularly to review progress and make plans to keep The Bridge running successfully. It was noted that the sign on the front of the building had become very shabby and needed to be replaced. This has been achieved thanks to a generous grant from The Barker Bridge House Trust. We were also challenged on storage space for supplies as the store cupboards had sagging shelves and the space in the backroom was underused due to lack of suitable shelving. Both these issues are being addressed, again, thanks to support from Barker Bridge House Trust. We are very grateful indeed to the Trustees of the Barker Bridge House Trust for supporting The Bridge. We are now able to do our shopping at Bookers and come back to sufficient places to store the goods. The new shelves have also made things easier for the volunteers to access supplies. We are also thankful for the ongoing support of our Parish Council. We now have a new councillor in charge of buildings who is providing excellent help whenever it is required. Darren Sanders has already given his help with a serious plumbing issue that arose in January. The ancient nature of the building means there are often issues arising and we are grateful for the diligence of the Parish Council in caring for such a special part of Datchet’s heritage. The Datchet Village Society is also a valued supporter of The Bridge. The DVS publications are available at The Bridge and a percentage of the revenue goes towards our much needed funds. The Bridge was created in 1994 by the three churches, St Mary’s, Datchet Baptist Church and St Augustine’s, therefore, it is thirty years old this year. The Management Group is planning a special church service and celebration in Sep-tember this year. We hope that many of the peo-ple who have been involved since 1994 will be able to join the special event and celebrate what has been achieved. The Bridge depends on volunteers and all those who freely give their time and effort to keeping the project going deserve a very big thank you. Volunteers are always welcome; you can offer occasional help or provide regular support. It is a worthwhile and rewarding opportunity for volun-teering ;please get in touch if you would like to join our team. Send an email to Caroline : caro-lineatrosecottage@btinternet.com or speak to one of the coffeeshop volunteers.

Page 29

Page 30

30 MARCH 2024 Friday 1st 2:00PM World Day of Prayer Service, at Datchet Baptist Church Sunday Lent 3 3rd 9:30am Sung Eucharist Wednesday 6th 11:00 Holy Communion Friday 8th 9:15 am St Mary’s Primary Academy ’Celebration of Women’ Service at St Mary’s Sunday Mothering Sunday 10th 9:30am Sung Eucharist, Celebration of Mothers and giving out of posies Led by MU Monday 11th 8:00pm St Mary’s POCC meeting in the Church Community Centre Sunday Lent 5 17th 11:00am Lay Led Service Café Style Thursday 21st 9:30am Eton End School’s Easter Service at St Mary ‘s Church Sunday Palm Sunday 24th 9:30am 6:30pm Sung Eucharist, with procession of Palms Choral Evensong Wednesday 27th 10:00am & 11:20am Churchmead School Easter Services at St Mary’s Church Thursday Maundy Thursday 28th 9:15am 11:00am 1:45pm 7:30pm Datchet St Mary’s Primary Academy easter Service in St Mary’s Service at Eton House Term ENDS at both Datchet St Mary’s and Churchmead Joint Service for Maundy Thursday at St Thomas’ Colnbrook Friday Good Friday 29th 11:30am 1:00pm ‘Walk of Witness’ Procession with the Cross from Datchet Baptist Church to the Green , followed by Hot Cross Buns and Cof-fee in The Bridge (open ONLY for this event today) One Hour at the Cross at St Mary’s Church Saturday 30th 2pm—4pm 2:00am Messy Easter—an all age activity and crafts event with light refreshments in St Mary’s Church Community Centre Clocks go FORWARD an hour Sunday Easter Day 31st 6:00am 9:30am ALLELUIA HE IS RISEN! Dawn Service of First Light at Easter Easter Festival Sung Eucharist APRIL 2024 Wednesday 3rd 11:00am Holy Communion in St Mary’s Church Thursday 4th 7:30pm Churches Together in Datchet meeting in The Bridge Sunday Easter 2 7th 9:30am Sung Eucharist Sunday Easter 3 14th 9:30am Sung Eucharist Monday 15th Term STARTS at both Datchet St Mary’s and Churchmead Sunday Easter 4 21st 11:00am Lay Led Service Café Style Thursday 25th 11:00am Service at Eton House Sunday Easter 5 28th 9:30am 6:30pm Sung Eucharist Choral Evensong

Page 31

31 MAY 2024 Wednesday 1st 11:00am Holy Communion Sunday Easter 6 2nd 9:30am Sung Eucharist Thursday ASCENSION DAY 9th 7:30am Joint Ascension Holy Communion Service at St Mary’s Church Sunday Easter 7 12th 9:30am Sung Eucharist 12th - 18th CHRISTIAN AID WEEK Sunday Pentecost 19th 11:00am Lay Led Service Café Style Friday 24th Term ENDS at both St Mary’s and Churchmead Sunday Trinity Sunday 26th 9:30am 6:30pm Sung Eucharist Choral Evensong Thursday 30th 11:00am Service at Eton House JUNE 2024 Sunday Trinity 1 2nd 9:30am Sung Eucharist Monday 3rd 8:00pm Term STARTS at both St Mary’s Academy and Churchmead St Mary’s PCC meeting in the Church Community Centre Wednesday 5th 11:00am Holy Communion Thursday 6th 7:30pm Churches Together in Datchet meeting in The Bridge Sunday Trinity 2 9th 9:30am Sung Eucharist Sunday Trinity 3 16th 11:00am Lay Led Service Café Style Sunday Trinity 4 23rd 9:30am 6:30pm Sung Eucharist Choral Evensong Thursday 28th 11:00am Service held at Eton end House Sunday Trinity 5 30th 9:30am Sung Eucharist USEFUL CONTACT DETAILS Editor Sally-Anne Jarvis  0771 126 9545 Sa_j2@btinternet.com Advertising & Treasurer Justine Elmore  0771 034 7484 justineelmore@yahoo.co.uk Distribution Sally-Anne Jarvis  he Editor Sa_j2@btinternet.com Vicar please contact :Area Dean: Revd Canon Janet Binns  01753 681335  07917 565626revjanetbinns@gmail.com @ StMarysDatchetChurch Parish Administrator Wednesdays & Fridays Fiona Norton  0175 358 0467 office@stmarysdarchet.org.uk Churchwarden Elaine Eastham  0796 085 9697 ladypink_11@hotmail.com Churchwarden Sally-Anne Jarvis  0771 126 9545 Sa_j2@btinternet.com Treasurer Via Office  0175 358 0467 office@stmarysdatchet.org.uk Datchet Parish Council Clerk : all enquiries Sonia Masikito  0175 377 3499  clerk@datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk

LINK March 2024 final Colour

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4