ALZHEIMER'S collection: Many thanks to the collectors around our area and to Sainsbury's Tadley for allowing a collection there during the recent Alzheimer's Awareness Week.

The amount raised was £430.31 and the total for the Basingstoke area was £1,518.

ROMAN dig: The open days announced are both Saturdays - July 23 and August 6.

Visitors will be welcome to come along from 10.30am, look around and hear news of any new findings.

DIG supper: A few tickets are left for the supper on Monday, in the village hall, from 7.45pm.

SPRATS: Will meet in the church room on Wednesday, at 9.45am, and then have a break during August.

LICENSING (of a different kind): St Mary's Parish Church welcomed the Rev Andrew Ashdown at his licensing service last Friday evening.

A full church heard the Bishop of Basingstoke, the Right Reverent Trevor Willmott, give a welcome to Andrew and licence him, and Andrew made the two oaths of allegiance.

Following the service, the congregation hot-footed it to the village hall, where wine, iced drinks and food were consumed and all had a happy time.

Andrew will serve the USPG missions in London for part of the week and the remainder of his working week in Silchester.

CRICKET: Our team are at home on Saturday, playing against Colden Common, starting at 2pm.

Come along and help the boys break the duck of no wins this season, despite some spirited batting and bowling.

ORDINATION: Of the Rev Lesley Martin into the Methodist Church took place here at the end of June.

Lesley is now looking after two churches - Bishopsthorpe and Colden Common. We wish her well.

Also in the Methodist news, have you booked your child into the activity day on July 30, from 10am to 4pm?

Contact Kathy on 0118 9701234, for more details.