Parish News 8th June 2026

Parish News

St Pauls Church
Just letting parishioners know that the conservation charity Caring for God’s Acre is organizing a “Love your burial ground week” from Saturday 6th – 14th June. As part of this the biodiversity group will be doing a bat and moth count one evening. St Paul’s churchyard is looking particularly lovely at the moment after its month of rest from mowing. The orchids are out in abundance. Do try and pop in some time. It is a lovely safe area for little ones to explore and play in the outdoors with a huge variety of wild flowers and bugs of various sorts. My two youngest grandchildren had a great morning playing there on Monday, just making nests with the grass cuttings, looking for insects and filling in holes with rubble from the pile by the village hall and it would be lovely to see other families in there. Please just beware that children do not climb on the graves or the wall (particularly to the left of the entrance gate) as they are quite unstable and are on the list to be repaired as soon as we can find someone to do the work. Our churchyard was described this week by Rev James Turk, the team rector, as one of the most beautiful in the area and it belongs to you, the parishioners of Whiteshill and Ruscombe so please enjoy it.
Also on the subject of the church, when it is hot outside, the church always remains cool. It is unlocked by volunteers but it should be open between about 9 am- 5pm so do feel free to sit in there if you need to cool off. Cold drinks are provided at the back of the church and there is a toilet with nappy changing facilities available”
Heather Bayly, PCC member

Party in the Playing Field
everything is going to plan for the event, with a number of stalls on site and a variety of activities. It all starts at 2pm, finishing at 6pm on Saturday 20th June. Please walk to the event if you can as there is no parking on the playing field car park that day. And don’t forget if you can spare an hour or two to help out at any point, do drop Cllr Nickie Webster a message cllr.nickie.webster@whiteshillandruscombe-pc.gov.uk

Parish Council news
At the May Annual Council meeting, Cllr Rebecca Charley was voted back in as Chairman and Cllr Chris Brian remains as Vice Chair. We are now waiting to hear back from two grants we have applied for to do the works on the bike ramps. Hanging baskets have been put up at the bus stop by the church, thanks to Cllr Karon Vizor-Beard.