Open Gardens this weekend - 25th/26th April

This coming weekend sees three gardens open in our area. Please do go along to support them:

38 Leckford Road - Open on Sunday 26th April (2-5pm). A protected long walled garden with many unusual plants and mature trees

41 Leckford Road - Open on Saturday 25th (2-5pm) & Sunday 26th April (2-5pm). An exquisitely designed garden for entertaining and relaxing.

50 Plantation Road - Open on Saturday 25th (2-5pm) & Sunday 26th April (2-5pm). A wide and deep garden in two parts; lovely trees, lots of pots with an unusual water feature.

Admission: Saturday 25th - Combined admission £8, children free and Sunday 26th - Combined admission £9, children free

On Sunday, Tea, coffee and cakes are available at 38 Leckford Road with a plant sale.

Schwarzman Centre now open to the public

On Saturday 25th April, the new Centre for the Humanities is holding an Open House so we can all see what's inside our latest local venue. Tickets for events that are open to the public are now available from their website. Many events do not require tickets and the schedule is wide-ranging; encompassing talks, exhibitions and concerts.

Adapting our houses for energy efficiency

English Heritage have recently issued updated advice on how to update English homes for energy efficiency.

Our houses must continue to change and evolve if they are to both contribute to a greener future and be fit for purpose for the people who live in them. Yet, it is not always clear how we can make our houses more energy efficient without eroding their special architectural character. However, if modifications are carried out thoughtfully and carefully they can achieve the complementary goals of protecting our heritage and adapting to a changing climate. Historic England has recently published Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency that provides residents with very helpful information and advice. The section on Windows on Page 19, that sets out a range of options for upgrading historic sash windows without having to resort to new windows, is particularly good. The advice note can be downloaded here

Latest from 179 Kingston Road Building Works

This week may be a noisy one at the site. The pile driver has arrived and will start work during the week. Please see our website if you wish to contact the builders about any concerns you have. We will publish their weekly updates as we receive them.

Wishing you a sun filled weekend!

The WMRA Committee