You may have heard that the Parish Council has had to cancel the Extravaganza because of serious illness with one of their councillors, Peter Fountain - but they are replacing it with a community focused event on the same evening - the Odiham Christmas Evening.

This will focus on providing fun and excitement for our local community, with free food and drink available to you all, and events being provided by our local schools, the RAF team, our churches, our local retailers and businesses, our local Rotary Club and others.

The RAF Group Captain will be launching the superb Christmas Tree at 6pm outside The Frame - and all children can have baubles put on it before hand - and then go and see Father Christmas in the Grotto at The George.

The Parish Council is making good progress on pulling things together, and we are sure it will be delightful for you to join in on the evening.

For those of you who are Facebook members, then have a look at the facebook page - click here.

Meeting invitation

As you know, Odiham Town Manager Group is the trading name for Odiham Interactive Community Interest Company. And our mission is to ensure a sustainable and vibrant retail and commercial community in the Parish of Odiham for the benefit of residents and local businesses

That is why this is an invitation to an important meeting that we have set up on Monday, the 27th September which will be held at The George Hotel.

The meeting is in place to:
- understand better your views on how Odiham should move forward to benefit you and others you would like
- update you on broader information on local retailers and businesses
- hear what the current future plans from Hart Council, Hampshire Highways, the police, Networking Naturally and Odiham Interactive are on development, events and traffic issues
- and see what needs to be done to get these future plans in line with your views.

Everyone is invited to the meeting - and if you can also alert your neighbours and friends to join this meeting, that will be very helpful for us all.

And The George will be offering a FREE buffet for all who come!

Join us when you can at any time from 5.30 pm to 8 pm

We will be delighted to meet you at any time that suits you between 5.30 and 8.00 pm. At any time you will be able to talk to the current ‘planning groups’ mentioned above who will give you their information and take on board your views and opinions.

And every 10 minutes or so from 6pm, there will be very short and re-cycled talks from a number of people including:
- Bo Nightingale on what Networking Naturally is
- Ken Crookes on Hart’s new planning ideas for Odiham
- Simon Quarrell on Odiham Interactive and moving forward
- Peter Fountain on future events
- Derek Kearns on continued growth or decay?

Please join the meeting at some time during the evening – this can be very important for Odiham, and for you!

As part of the work taking place to prepare a Management Plan for Odiham Common, Hart District Council have arranged a series of events over the forthcoming months. To celebrate the many qualities of the common, a range of top experts have been booked to discuss the major topics relevant to Odiham and common land. Robert Deane is the Leader of the Land Use Consulting team for HDC.

As well as an entertaining event, there will be a chance for people who have an interest in the common to exchange information and views. Attendance is open to everyone.

The 2 upcoming events are:

Friday 3rd July 2009, 7-9pm. The Cross Barn - Odiham Common’s trees and woodland with Ted Green from the Ancient Tree Forum and Woodland Trust, followed by a walk across the common led by Ted Green on Saturday 4th July 10am - 12.30pm

Thursday 27th August 2009, 7-9pm. The Cross Barn - The use of plants and their environments through history, with particular reference to Odiham Common with Chris Howkins a renowned ethno-botanist.

An emergency meeting called by the Odiham Parish Council Traffic Partnership took place on Tuesday 16 June 2009 to discuss the traffic management problems caused by the development of the site to the east of Church Street Odiham. The meeting was attended by representatives the Parish, District and County Councils. Under emergency powers Hart District Council will introduce a temporary “No Right Turn” restriction on traffic joining the High Street from Church Street. The matter is to be kept under constant review, and further consideration will be given to the long-term arrangements.

I just want to say thank you to Peter Fountain and his whole team for arranging such a great celebration of RAF Odiham and its future now in Odiham. It was excellent, and I look forward to the next one in 2011!

The day went well with a good attendance and a fairly high sign-up level of residents as 'stakeholders' in the overall process: they will be kept up to speed and their views factored in as the plan emerges.

Many thanks to the display groups who did a superb job including the Hampshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England, Odiham Bio-Diversity, Odiham Society, Natural England, National Trust, Hart District Council, Forestry Commission and Open Spaces Society - all pulled together by Steve Lyons, senior ranger.

Now we need to move forward on developing the actual plan for the Common!

The 'Common Purpose' process to agree a management plan for the Common is now moving forward - and this Saturday you have the opportunity to state your views and register as a stakeholder in the process, so you that you will be regularly consulted as things move forward.

In the Cross Barn there will be displays by the Wildlife Trust, Forestry Commission, Natural England, Odiham Bio-diversity Group, Odiham Society and Hart District Council.

Do come and see - and have your say!