In this issue: Brill Spring Clean - Growing up in Brill - the War Memorial - Brill & the Coronation - Celebrating Brill Common͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ ͏‌ 
Brill Parish Council

Brill Parish Council Newsletter

March 2023 (vol 3, issue 3)

Composite image of five photos showing display of old photos, books and artefacts, people talking and two children play-fighting with shields and swords.

This poll was conducted face-to-face and on Facebook during November 2021. We asked “What are the three best things about living in Brill?” and over 10% of the adult population responded.

Welcome!

… to the March issue of the parish council newsletter.

Do you remember the poll we conducted a couple of years ago when we asked residents what they valued most about living in Brill? Your top two votes were ‘community & neighbours’ and ‘views & landscape’ - and it these things that seem to predominate this month. In this issue:

  • Brill Spring Clean 2023

  • Growing up in Brill

  • The War Memorial

  • Brill & the Coronation of King Charles 3

  • Protecting & Celebrating Brill Common

Brill Spring Clean 2023

This will follow the same format as last year: Brill Beavers, Cubs and Scouts will litter pick within the village during the preceding week (thank you, girls and boys and leaders!) and the remaining areas will be cleared by families and adults on Sunday March 26th.

Please click the green button to chose your patch of Brill to clear and then complete the registration form. We’ll supply picking sticks and gloves (adult and child sizes), hi-vis waistcoats, black bags and bag holders. You just need to make sure you’ve read the safety guidance on the website - and then turn up at Brill Sports & Social Club at 10am on March 26th to collect your equipment and eat a free bacon roll supplied by Jon the Pointer Butcher.

This year’s Spring Clean will also see the launch of the Brill Wombles; a year-round litter picking scheme to keep or green areas and access roads clear of unsightly rubbish. More about this on March 26th.

Any questions? Please email Cllr Hannah Hulme Hunter or add a message to your registration form.

 REGISTER FOR THE SPRING CLEAN  
Robin in frosty grass.

Workers at Brill Packing Station during World War 2, likely towards the end of the war. Do you recognise anyone?

Growing up in Brill

One Friday afternoon earlier this month, a large group of senior Brillites gathered in the Memorial Hall to drink tea and coffee and share their memories of Old Brill. The lively conversation was guided - with some difficulty! - by Paul Norman, and proceedings were professionally recorded by Andy Fisher. Both are members of the newly constituted Brill Society.

We’re not sure yet how these precious memories will be organised and shared with others. It would be good if they could be made available online in some format; at the very least, we hope elements will be part of the planned Brill Museum in the URC on the High Street. Watch this space!

One thing is sure, we’ll be inviting the older ladies and gentlemen of Brill back again some day soon, to share more memories. There’s even talk of a guided walk around the village one sunny day.

If you’d like to be involved, either sharing your memories of growing up or living in Brill - or helping with the museum or website, please email Paul Norman.

 EMAIL PAUL  

The War Memorial

It’s looking better already! Gordon Govier (left) and Rob Timms hard at work on one of the coldest days of the year uprooting the old woody rosemary bushes. Hopefully, by the time you read this, a date will have been set to steam-clean the stonework (including the paving and bollards). Once this has been done, we’ll replace the remembrance wreaths and start digging out all the couch grass. We’ll add lots of lovely mushroom compost - and then we’ll start planting.

Our vision is of a memorial garden that is dignified, simple and uncluttered; allowing unrestricted sight of the whole monument, and offering (once mature) year-round interest. The first stage is the planting of what will eventually be a beautiful circle of snowdrops - and for this we need your help. There’s LOTS of snowdrops around this year so if you have any large, congested clumps surplus to your requirements, please dig them up - bulbs, greenery and fading flowers - wrap them well in damp newspaper and leave near the memorial during the last week of March for us to separate and plant early in April.

Transplanting snowdrops “in the green” is the very best way to get new plants established so they can spread (surprisingly quickly) in years to come.

The rosemary bushes were disposed of by Oxford Oak Tree surgery free-of-charge, and the compost was donated by Derek Turner. Thank you!

Brill & the Coronation of King Charles 3

Yes! It’s official! Brill will be hoisting Union Jacks and hanging out the bunting for the Coronation Weekend early in May

Plans are afoot for a family event on Sunday May 7th to celebrate the Coronation (on Saturday May 6th) AND mark the official opening of our two new playgrounds and splendid Multi Use Games Area (MUGA). Expect food, drink, music, and fun and games for all.

Want to be involved? Email Cllr Liz Springs.

PS Oxfam is selling gorgeous bunting made out of recycled saris. Just saying…

 EMAIL LIZ 
Distant windmill, grassy slopes and trees lit by golden evening sunlight.

Protecting & Celebrating Brill Common

Quick Quiz (answers at the end of this newsletter)

  1. What is the total acreage of Brill Common? 7, 47 or 74 acres?

  2. What links The Green (in the middle of Brill Village) and The Walks?

  3. Span Green (the long tentacle of rough grass and scrubby woodland linking Touchbridge and the B4011 is: (a) a footpath, for walkers only (b) a bridleway, for cyclists and horse riders (c) part of Brill Common?

  4. Which of the following are allowed on the common: a hen coup; a sturdy bench overlooking the view; a small cultivated patch of native wild flowers; marker stones to delineate a parking area; strimming of nettles?

Sometime next month, the Parish Council will be delivering a letter to all households in the Parish about Brill Common, our responsibilities as residents and the steps the PC are taking to protect the common’s boundaries. You can find out more in advance - and expand on the answers to the Quick Quiz - by reading the BPC Common & Walks Policy and our new BPC Encroachment Policy.

Note that these documents are relevant to ALL residents of Brill Parish, not just those lucky enough to live on the common. The common stretches far and wide and both Policies include our other green spaces; The Square, The Green and The Walks.

Beating the Bounds of Brill Common
Saturday May 20th : Save the Date!

And, finally…

Please tell others about this e-newsletter. Lots of people aren’t on Facebook or comfortable with social media, and we want to reach all parishioners equally. We also value the opportunity to give something extra to subscribers - longer explanations or different perspectives - than is possible on the website.

Tell friends, family or neighbours to email hello@brillparishcouncil.co.uk or fill in the newsletter form on the Brill Parish Council website. Alternatively, if they’d like to read a paper copy, please tell them there are always copies of the newsletter in the pouch on the door of the Old Library in the Memorial Hall, on the welcome table at the back of All Saints Church, and (sometimes) in Brill Stores.

All good wishes
Brill Parish Council

Quiz Answers

(1) Brill Common is 74 acres. (2) The Green and The Walks are both designated village greens. (3) Span Green is part of Brill Common; a right-of-way footpath runs down the middle. (4) NONE of these things are allowed on common land; all could be evidence of encroachment.

 EMAIL THE PARISH COUNCIL 
Brill Parish Council

Brill Parish Council, 9 Church Street, Brill, Aylesbury, Bucks. HP18 9RT, UK

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