Brill Parish Council Newsletter

October 2025 (vol 6, issue 10)

Brill Common
Wildlife & Community Ranger

A message from Cllr Emi Slater:

We’re delighted to announce that this exciting new role (made possible by the National Lottery Heritage Fund) has now been filled. Fiona Bennett-Meere will be joining us in Brill for her induction day on Monday November 3rd. Fiona has been appointed to deliver the 5 year Protect Brill Common Forever! National Lottery Heritage Fund project. Read her job description and details of the rationale and background for the project (scroll to April 2025).

Fiona brings a wealth of experience in nature and conservation work. She’s previously worked as a ranger for The Chiltern Society and a community wildlife officer for BBOWT, and she’s been involved in a wide range of nature conservation projects in Warwickshire, Berkshire, and Costa Rica. She was part of the National Lottery Heritage Fund Nextdoor Nature programme, engaging with under-served community groups in Reading, and she’s worked on a number of other nature-based people engagement projects in a variety of settings. Fiona has a BSc in Anthropology with Sociology, and Masters in Primate Conservation and Marine Vertebrate Ecology and Conservation.

Fiona lives with her husband Jason, four dogs, six chickens and a rescue turkey called Rodney. Besides her family, her main passion is Canicross, in which she competes with her Pointers Mario and Luigi.

Fiona can’t wait to get started in her new role, meet local people and get to know Brill Common. She’ll be out and about during November so do say Hello. We’ll shortly organise an event to welcome her properly to Brill - so keep an eye on the Brill Common News & Notices page on this website and the community noticeboards.

What next for the Brill
foodbank collection?

The Aylesbury Vineyard food bank collection from Brill was initiated by the parish council during Covid using Bernie the Bernwode Bus (a service now overseen by the Haddenham-based I’d Like To Borrow service). Although it’s been well supported over the intervening years, Brill contributions are dwindling and the vintage volunteer Bernie Bus drivers want to hang up their keys in the New Year. So … time for a rethink.

Sadly, food banks are needed now more than ever - but is the present collection from Brill useful - given that all major supermarkets now have food collection points? Should we amalgamate our efforts with those of All Saints Church, who quietly collect for the Bicester Foodbank - or is there a Brill resident willing to work with the North Bucks Food Drive to continue the present arrangement?

Please share your thoughts on this with Marcia and Hannah.

Buckinghamshire History Festival

Buckinghamshire History is an annual festival celebrating the fantastic heritage of Buckinghamshire. Events (mostly free) are planned throughout November. Here’s a small sample.

November 1st : Stories from the Archives (in-person, Aylesbury). An exclusive tour revealing some of the exciting stories hiding in the collection including royal charters, secret journals and rare photographs.

November 2nd : Historic Corn Milling Day (in-person, Quainton Windmill). See how the mill worked, how the mill has been restored, and how corn was ground.

November 7th : Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery tour (in-person, Buckingham). There are visits to Bletchley Cemetery and Halton Churchyard later in the month.

November 12th : Victorian Crime and Punishment (online talk). An insight into the social and cultural context surrounding crime during Victorian times, and how justice was administered.

November 13th : Phantoms of the Chilterns (in-person, Chesham). A local historian takes us on a journey of the paranormal, through towns, villages and lonely countryside.

Details and booking.

Tackling courier fraud

An important message from Crimestoppers

What is Courier Fraud?  

Courier fraud typically involves a criminal posing as a police officer or bank official. They claim there is fraudulent activity on your bank account and ask for sensitive information like your bank details and PIN. They may then instruct you to withdraw cash and will send a courier or taxi to collect the money “to support the investigation” - money you will never see again. To find out more about how this fraud works and how to protect yourself visit the Crimestoppers website.

What do I do?

If you or someone else is in immediate danger or risk of harm, dial 999 now. Otherwise -

• REPORT an incident of courier fraud to ACTION FRAUD on 0300 123 2040 (Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm) or via their online form.

• USE the government website Stop! Think Fraud! to give you the knowledge and tools you need to stay ahead of all types of phone scams.

• CONTACT VICTIM SUPPORT for free, independent and confidential advice if you are the victim of crime. Call 0808 1689 111 or start a live chat on their website.

• FOLLOW the advice at Take Five to Stop Fraud.

You may also like to take a look at the Community Safety and Fraud & Scams pages on the Brill Parish Council & Community website.

Please share this information with vulnerable family members and neighbours.

Brill MUGA has just got (even) better!

“An amazing FREE community resource” (Katherine, regular MUGA user)

“We old blokes love it!” (Ian, 5-a-side footballer)

A few days ago at our regular monthly meeting, Brill Parish Council approved finance for two important improvements to Brill’s Multi-User Games Area:

• permanent floodlights

• a new user-friendly tennis net

Work will start on the floodlights very soon and they should be in use by mid to late November.

Brill MUGA can be booked for 30 or 60 minute sessions - or just turn up and play - so long as nobody with a confirmed booking appears. We will extend the booking window once the floodlights are installed.

The Best of Brill!
Brill Sports & Social Club

BSSC’s page on the Brill Parish Council & Community website has been updated. You can now view upcoming events at the Club and apply to join online.

Other Best of Brill pages on BPC&C website -

• The Bernwode News 📰

• Bernwode Lunch Club 🍽️

• Brill Allotments 🥕

Is there a people-centred organisation or amenity that you feel qualifies as “The Best of Brill”? Email the editor.

Brill Common; free for all?

“I thought the common was common land - ie for all” wrote someone on Facebook recently. Well, yes - and no!

Brill Common, The Walks, The Square and The Green* are all owned by Brill Parish Council. The Parish Council holds these parcels of land in trust “for the benefit and enjoyment of all Brill's residents” and our many visitors. As such, the Council has an obligation to protect these open spaces from “damage and misuse”.

The two quotes above are from the Brill Common & Walks Policy*, a detailed document that covers encroachment (annexation of common land, however minimal) and the following topics:

• Vehicle access and parking on common land

• Track maintenance

• Building materials and skips (placement during works)

• Planting, grass cutting and weed treatments

• Small structures (such as hen coops, boundary markers, tents and benches)

• Grazing rights (including the responsibilities of people owning land adjacent to the common)

• Events on the common (eg large celebrations and commemorations, fireworks, sporting events and filming including wedding and fashion photography)

ALL of these situations require discussion with, and permission from, the Parish Council - and we strongly recommend you initiate this process as early as possible to avoid misunderstandings and upset. If you’re not sure whether or not you need permission - just ASK! A simple email to the Parish Council will open a dialogue for everyone’s benefit and, provided your request is timely, reasonable and considered, permission is more likely to be given than withheld.

Let’s enjoy Brill Common - and make sure others can do likewise.

(*This document lumps Brill’s four grassed areas together as “common land”. This is not technically correct - but the description is adequate for the purposes of the Policy and its application.)

Finally!

This newsletter is emailed every month to nearly 200 subscribers and we really appreciate your interest and support. If you’ve enjoyed reading please mention it to friends, family and neighbours. Tell them there are two ways to subscribe:

• complete the newsletter form on the BPC&C website

• email the Editor hannahbrillcommunity@gmail.com

We also publish an abridged print edition a few days after this digital version. There are always copies of this on the Parish Council noticeboard (on the front wall of the Memorial Hall), in the pouch on the door of the Parish Office (near the Memorial Hall kitchen), and in All Saints Church, Brill shops, and Unity Health centre.

Remember, you can read past newsletters on the Brill Parish Council & Community website.

All good wishes
Brill Parish Council