Ralph Webb

Thatcham Town enter the new season in a stronger position after last year’s instability, with manager Cameron Philbey expressing confidence that the team can compete at the top end of the Combined Counties Premier North. The squad has remained largely intact, with several new signings added and key player Callum Willmoth opting to stay despite outside offers. Pre-season performances have improved steadily as the club prepares for its opening fixtures, including league matches against Penn & Tylers Green and Bedfont and an FA Cup tie with Cinderford.

Andrew Balding recorded two victories at Newbury’s Weatherbys Super Sprint meeting with Shrimp Shady and All Moonshine, strengthening his second-place position in the 2026 British Flat Trainers’ Championship behind Aidan O’Brien. Other local successes included wins for Richard Hannon and Clive Cox, while John and Thady Gosden’s Miss Scott won the day’s remaining race. The meeting attracted nearly 14,000 spectators.

Newbury Blues aim to build on a strong finish to last season that lifted them to fifth place, although injuries forced them to withdraw from the promotion play-offs. Head coach James McAvoy says the club is focused on evolving rather than starting again, retaining most of the squad while adding coaching experience and new players. Pre-season training has attracted 30 to 40 players and emphasizes movement, skills, commitment, accountability and resilience. The team will play Reading and Beaconsfield in pre-season before opening league action at home against Cleve on September 12.

BBOWT is encouraging people to take part in The Wildlife Trusts’ 30 Days Wild challenge during June, which promotes simple daily ways to connect with nearby nature. Wildlife Trust staff share childhood memories involving hedgehogs, newts, birds, wildflowers, bats and other wildlife, illustrating how early experiences can foster lasting interest in conservation. Participants can sign up to receive a free activity pack and ideas for making their month more nature-focused.

Dreams has moved its Newbury store from London Road to a larger 5,459-square-foot location at Newbury Retail Park. The relocation retained the existing staff and created two additional retail positions, forming part of the company’s store rollout and investment in physical retail across the UK.

Britain in Bloom, the UK’s largest community gardening campaign, is encouraging communities to create wildlife habitats and improve parks, gardens and shared spaces. The Royal Horticultural Society has partnered with the Campaign to Protect Rural England, whose Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire branches are sponsoring a new Biodiversity Award to mark CPRE’s centenary. Communities can enter regional competitions or join the free, non-competitive It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme, receiving advice, assessment and potential access to national awards.

Ash Appella, co-founder and director of Primo Engineering, spoke to Newbury College students studying Level 2 Engineering (Machining). He discussed the company’s high-performance transmission work for motorsport and performance vehicles, including applications in Formula 1, Formula E, MotoGP and WRC, as well as digital modelling, simulation, verification and testing. The session emphasized innovation, technical skills, professionalism and career pathways such as apprenticeships. Newbury College described the event as a valuable opportunity for students to learn directly from an engineering industry leader.

Moth populations in the UK have declined by about a third since the 1960s, driven by urbanisation, climate change and pollution. Wildlife experts say gardens can support moths, which are important pollinators and indicators of environmental health, by tolerating caterpillar damage, planting native food plants and providing nectar sources that bloom at night. The advice also highlights that moth-friendly gardens benefit wider wildlife and recommends using a moth trap before releasing moths back into the wild.

Newbury College held a Skills Partners Workshop with local employers and educators to examine workforce needs and identify priority skills for Generation Alpha. The discussion highlighted the generation’s digital confidence, preference for flexibility and familiarity with artificial intelligence, while stressing the importance of communication, critical thinking, adaptability, resilience, teamwork and accountability. Employers and educators were encouraged to work together on a “careers, not courses” curriculum involving programmes, placements and apprenticeships.

The dawn chorus is celebrated as a free, uplifting natural experience that peaks around sunrise in late April and early May. The piece explains how light, feeding behavior and habitat influence the timing and diversity of bird song, highlighting species commonly heard in countryside, gardens and urban parks. It also recommends listening practice and bird-sound recordings or apps to improve identification, while encouraging readers to experience the dawn chorus and explore wildlife walks offered by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust.

Thatcham Town lost 2-1 away to play-off-chasing Abbey Rangers after Joden Trickett scored an 85th-minute winner. Abbey led through Tanaka Gabaza before Luke Polding equalised in the 71st minute, but Thatcham’s attempt to push for a winner left them vulnerable on the counterattack. Manager Cameron Philbey felt his side deserved a draw, though Thatcham’s survival remains in their hands: one win from their final three Combined Counties Premier South matches will guarantee safety.

Newbury Blues secured a place in the Regional 2 Tribute Ale Severn play-offs with a dramatic 43–41 victory away at Witney. Chris Laidler scored a late try and captain Dan Thorne converted it to seal the win, the team's fifth consecutive victory. Head coach James McAvoy praised the squad's resilience but criticized defensive discipline, handling of the weather and inconsistent away performances ahead of the play-offs.

Lambourn Open Day on Good Friday, April 3, will give racing fans access to more than 20 training yards, including Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows, where Constitution Hill, Altior and other notable horses are expected to appear. The programme also includes celebrity showjumping, an equine heroes parade, schooling demonstrations, the Shetland Pony Grand National and family entertainment. The charity event will raise funds for the Lambourn Valley Housing Trust, Thames Valley Air Ambulance and other local causes.

Ralph Webb recounts observing a family of treecreepers nesting and raising chicks in local woodland, describing their camouflage, feeding behaviour and eventual disappearance from the nest site. He encourages readers to explore West Berkshire’s wooded reserves, including Bowdown Woods, Moor Copse and Snelsmore Common, and directs them to BBOWT for further wildlife-watching and nature-support advice.

Newbury and Thatcham’s men’s and women’s second teams secured promotion after key victories. The men’s second XI beat Thame 3-1 to guarantee a top-two finish in South Central Division 2 North, while the women’s second XI won the Division 1 Thames title by defeating Maidenhead 3rd 2-0. Newbury’s men’s first XI and women’s first XI remain in contention for promotion, while several other club teams recorded mixed results.

Lambourn trainer Jamie Snowden is targeting another record-breaking season after his yard delivered its best results yet last year. Snowden’s stable finished 16th in the trainers’ championship with 62 winners and £801,776 in prize money, and now has 80 horses in training. Despite difficult dry conditions affecting preparations, the yard has already recorded wins and is preparing runners including Ga Law and Git Maker for the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury, with several other high-profile horses among its leading prospects.

Former Premier League striker Charlie Austin has returned to Hungerford Town, where he began his senior career as an 18-year-old in 2007–08. The Hungerford-born forward, who scored 111 Premier League goals and completed his professional career with Swindon in 2024, joins from Basingstoke Town to help the club challenge for Southern League play-off places. Chairman Cris Bowden and manager Danny Robinson welcomed the move, highlighting Austin's experience, leadership and enduring passion for football. The club has also recently added Jordon Ibe, Max Gryncewicz on loan and goalkeeper Jenson Kilroy on loan.

Tadley Calleva have won six consecutive matches and moved to 10th in the Combined Counties Premier South, five points from the play-off places with games in hand. Their latest victory was a 2–0 win over Alton, secured by goals from Ash Neal and Kieran Rodgers, despite Alton dominating the first half. Manager Joe Lawler expects a demanding FA Vase second-round tie away to Punjab United but believes Tadley can continue their cup run.

Luke Littler defeated Newbury’s Luke Humphries 6–1 in the World Grand Prix final in Leicester, earning the £120,000 top prize while Humphries received £60,000. Littler won the opening four sets, survived Humphries’ strong scoring and finishing, and sealed victory after Humphries briefly avoided a whitewash. The result added another major title to Littler’s season and moved him to within £70,000 of Humphries in the rankings, intensifying their rivalry for the world number-one position.

Newbury & Thatcham recorded their first South Central League Division 1 North win of the season by beating Aylesbury 3-0, with goals from Doug Clayton, James Higgins and Matt Hall and Alex Philp named player of the match. Other Newbury teams also produced mixed results: the men’s second team beat Oxford Hawks, the Masters defeated Portsmouth 10-1, and several sides recorded draws or losses. The women’s first team preserved its unbeaten start with a last-minute equaliser from Megan Smith against Amersham & Chalfont, while the women’s second and third teams also won.