The Latest News & Snippets About The Village
(Contributions welcome please email kingtonstmichael@btinternet.com)
Village Newsletter
Here’s the latest edition
Book Recycling Scheme
The 88th and 89th donations of £50 from this scheme go to the village shop, and to Kington St Michael School. The scheme is run from the shop foyer and books are only 50p each. Village organisations that would like to be considered for a donation should contact Linda Durno via kingtonstmichael@btinternet.com.
Housing Needs Survey
Rural Housing Needs Survey – Kington St. Michael
Your parish council needs your opinions to help plan for the future housing needs in your community and the aim of this survey is to understand the housing needs and aspirations of the local community.
The information that you provide will help the parish council to understand the housing needs of the parish. It will be treated as strictly confidential and will be used for the purpose of analysis only.
The parish council would like each household in the parish to complete a questionnaire. Please note that there may be multiple households living in the same property.
In addition, it would like every household that doesn’t currently live in the parish but has a local connection through employment or a close family connection to the parish, to complete a survey if they would like to live in the parish. This survey on average takes 10 -15 minutes to complete. When you submit the form, it will not automatically collect your details like name and email address unless you provide it yourself. The closing date is 26th October 2026.
QE2 Field News
Bonfire night, Saturday 7th November: Save the date! With a bonfire, fireworks display, and plenty to eat and drink, we look forward to gathering our community together for this popular annual family event. Keep an eye on Facebook and for posters around the village to see when tickets will be available.
In the meantime, WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS, particularly in the lead up to and after the event. Would you like to get involved? This is a great event that has been running for so many years, but its success is solely reliant on volunteers who help to make it happen.
Other Projects: We are also seeking volunteers to support a separate small working party, to help install racking and a small metal shed up at the QE2 Field. Please get in touch, if you are interested in helping with bonfire night or any other projects. We’d love to hear from you – email us ksmqe2fieldgroup@gmail.com.
Macmillan Cancer Support
Do you give, or receive, tubs of sweets or crackers around Christmastime? If so, please consider saving them from landfill and handing them to Julie Thompsett to give to the Greene King “Tub2Pub” campaign, raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Last year, Julie, the village organiser, donated 234 tubs and would like to exceed that figure this Christmas. Greene King raised over £10k for Macmillan Cancer Support last year and this is an easy, clean and quick way to raise much needed funds to further their work.
With the kind permission of the village shop Manager and the Church Wardens, you can leave your clean and empty tubs either at the village shop, in the church porch or outside No. 53 The Ridings, Kington St Michael and Julie will make sure that they are delivered to our local Greene King pub for recycling.
Let’s have a ‘Cracker’ of a Christmas and celebrate our ‘Heroes’ at Macmillan Cancer Support! Julie will be collecting until 10th February 2027. Thank you so much
Christmas Fayre
The Christmas Fayre will be held on Saturday 5th December, 10am to 1pm in the village hall. If you have any unwanted presents in the back of your cupboards we would love to have them for the tombola stall. Donations are also welcomed, please drop them off at Linda Mills’ house 81A KSM. Thank you!
Progressive Supper
Hosts are wanted for the progressive supper on Saturday 27th February 2027. This popular event highlights the upcoming 20th anniversary of the village community shop, which opened its doors in May 2018. More details will follow, but currently the group is looking for villagers happy to host a starter or a main course in their home. If you are interested, please contact Lyn North on 07796 666867.
Never heard of a progressive (or safari) supper? Here’s how it works:
- Starters and mains are hosted by villagers in their homes
- Guests begin at their allocated home for starters then move on to another home for the main course
- Everyone finishes the evening together at Kington Club for cheese and desserts
It’s always a sell-out village event and a fantastic way to meet neighbours and make new friends, especially if you’re new to the village. More information coming soon, but for now, save the date and get in touch with Lyn if you are happy to host!
Flexercise currently has vacancies in the fitness classes, held every Monday during term time, in the village hall. Starting at 11am (assemble at 10.45am) for 50 minutes of gentle aerobics, strength work with small weights and Pilates-style stretch and tone routines. £5 per session, pay as you go. If you’re interested in joining the group, please contact Sue Cassell cassellsue@hotmail.com or telephone 07551 135581.
Shop News
We did it, and so did the chocolate! Now we’ve got that seemingly endless heatwave behind us, the gratitude of customers and volunteers for our recently installed air conditioning knew no bounds. And, unlike other years, when we’ve had to stash the Mars Bars et al in the fridge, we were able to keep any product with chocolate in it, on it, made of it, as a solid thing, rather than some wobbly slithery lava-lump. Ditto the humans.
We have welcomed a new manager in Barbara Jones, who is now holding the reins. Barbara has spent many years in the grocery retail trade, and we hope she will bring her extensive knowledge and experience to the shop.
If you’ve some business experience, and would like to be involved somehow on a voluntary basis behind the scenes, we are looking for a new treasurer to join us. You don’t need to be an accountant! Please contact us if you are interested. As we always say, we can never have enough volunteers to help out in the shop and otherwise; our ‘gang’ is well over 25 in number, and the more the merrier. As above, if you’d like to talk about how you can help our shop, do get in touch, and thank you.
In other news, we have had a regular feature published in the Gazette and Herald over the last few months. “Till Tales” appears every three or four weeks on the “Letters to the Editor” page, and is written by volunteer Carole. If you’ve missed the previous ones, they may be available online.
Finally, and on the shop floor, the ‘C’ word lurks just around the corner, though the big supermarkets may have us believe that it was time to start buying Christmassy things back in the summer! We will be taking orders for turkeys, hams and other meats from Allington Farm Shop. The last day for orders will be around the 12th December. Before then, we’ll have the usual wide array of lovely cards, gifts, and foods coming into the shop in November.
We hope to see you soon in our lovely ‘emporium of almost everything!’
Email hello@kingtonstmichaelshop.co.uk, telephone (01249) 760181.
Village Harvest Supper
Wednesday 28th October
Church News
The church offers lunches from 12pm until I.30pm every Monday, excluding bank holidays. This is an informal, self-service lunch and all we ask is for a donation. We generally provide soup, rolls, pâté, cheese, salad, crisps, quiche, fruit, biscuits, homemade cake, and a tea, coffee or squash. All welcome but we request that any special dietary requirements are notified in advance. Thank you. Please email chris.laskey@outlook.com.
There will be a box in the church throughout October for Harvest gifts of tinned and dried goods, which will go to
The Salvation Army; please give if you can.
Following the recent very dry weather, a number of headstones and grave edgings have become unstable. If you have a family grave, please can you check it and arrange any repairs needed. Please take care when enjoying the churchyard. If you have any queries, please ring Alison Greenhalgh on (01249) 750742.
Thank you, on behalf of the PCC and the organising group, to everyone who came along to The Parachuting eddies afternoon to raise much-needed funds for the church.
We are delighted to announce that we raised a whopping £1,135, beating last year’s record takings!
The sun shone, ice creams sold out, we had 117 teddy parachute jumps and watched a wonderful performance in the church from the children of Bybrook Valley School Choir Club.
Of course, this event would not be possible without all the hard work and effort from the organising team and raft of volunteers and village organisations who give up a lot of time to make this special afternoon such a success.
Carole Britton’s fascinating talk on her book “Past, Present, Presence” raised a further £102. We are very grateful for all the support the church is given.
Thank you so much to everyone involved.
Alms House Vacancy
Kington St Michael United Charities has a one bedroom Almshouse which has become available in Kington St Michael. The purpose of the Charity is to provide housing for the elderly, on low income, from within the county of Wiltshire. For application forms please contact Mrs Susan Roe, Clerk to the Trustees, at clerkksmuc@aol.com or telephone 01249 750622.
Anti-Social Behaviour at the QE2 Field
On the weekend of 25th & 26th April, Merv Singer went down to undertake some ongoing work in our new Muga area at the QE2 Field to find the newly marked surface vandalised.
This is incredibly disappointing anti-social behaviour after all the hard work that has gone into making this area nice for our community to enjoy.
These are not chalk markings that can be washed away. These have been etched into the new surface with a bit of the stone from the path in front of the Muga – this must have taken a lot of time and effort. A lot of rubbish was also left around the rest of the playing surface.
If you witnessed this, know who did it, or you know who Jess H is, please email us at ksmqe2fieldgroup@gmail.com.
QE2 Field News
MUGA – Damage from weeds to the playing surface of the multi-use games area (MUGA) has been repaired by Merv. The planned line markings for basketball, football, badminton and pickleball will be installed as soon as possible. Sadly, damage to the MUGA wall (caused by vandalism) will now need to be repaired. As a great facility designed to benefit our local community, this is very disappointing. If you know who is responsible for this, please email ksmqe2fieldgroup@gmail.com.
We have some great ideas for the future but can ONLY make things happen with enough volunteers to continue the work we do!
CONTACT: email ksmqe2fieldgroup@gmail.com or message via Facebook (KSM QE2 Field).
Do You Fancy an Allotment in KSM?
Spring has sprung and it will soon be a good time to start planting up an allotment to benefit from lovely fresh fruit and vegetables, not to mention flowers for the year ahead! If you would like an allotment, or at least to have a look around before deciding, please contact Jessica on (01249) 750270.
Tree Planting at the Recreation Field
As part of a nationwide, community-led initiative, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II,
an English oak was planted at the Recreation Field on 22nd February 2026.
Funding from the tree comprised of a grant from the campaign and contributions from both Kington St Michael Parish Council and the QEll Field Group. The location of the tree will be added to a national map recording the positions of all the trees planted and also those in the Great Western Community Forest.
Those involved in the planting were (left to right) Peter Macdonald (RAF and RFA veteran) Chair of KSM Parish Council, Alex Marton, arborist, and Alex Martin Chair of the QEll Field Group.
Nigel Farr’s Sponsored Bike Ride
On Saturday 13th September 2026, Nigel Farr and Warren Burgess started out on their journey to London to raise funds for Dorothy House Hospice.
Following the death of his sister, Kathryn, whose last days were spent being cared for in Dorothy House Hospice, Nigel decided to undertake a ride in her memory, in order to raise as much money as possible for the charity.
Nigel and Warren took the train from Chippenham station early on Saturday morning, heading for London, where they took to the saddle for the two-day cycle ride back to Kington St Michael; Clive Dury, Harvey Bull and Martin Casey joining them at Newbury for the final leg of the ride.
Typically of the English climate, after a long, dry summer, they had to contend with heavy downpours of rain, and wind, but undeterred they arrived back safely in the village on Sunday 14th, to a joyous crowd of villagers who had come out to greet them.
Kington Club opened its doors at 4pm for people to join them in congratulating Nigel and Warren on their successful fundraising challenge.
Nigel’s ride was made more challenging for him following his recent health problems. In 2002 he contracted meningitis and septicaemia; last year he suffered two strokes. In addition to this Nigel has only one kidney, and a pacemaker.
Nigel’s family has lived in the village since1625 when the first Farr family appeared on the church registry.
Nigel’s grandparents lived in Honey Knob cottage and his parents, June and Brian Farr, moved into the village when they got married. They lived in a cottage in Sebastopol Terrace for a while then moved to Mayfield Cottage at the end of Stubbs Lane, where Kathryn, Nigel and Richard were born. All three children attended the old village school before it was converted into the new village hall and shop. Afterwards Nigel went to Chippenham boys’ school which later became Sheldon School. After leaving school he went to Lackham College where he obtained a City and Guilds diploma in gardening. His passion had always been farming so he went to work for various farms in the area. When farming work dried up, he was employed at the Jolly Huntsman, which led to him being employed by other hostelries over a period of 26 years.
After his parents passed away Nigel moved out of the family home into an Alms House on the main village street, and by a quirk of fate ended up in the same Alms House that his great grandfather had lived in many years ago.
Dog Fouling
Recently there have been multiple incidents of dog fouling on pavements throughout the village, especially regularly along the main street by the telephone box and up by the school.
Wherever you are walking your dog in the village – street, public footpath, QE2 Field, Nymph Hay Wood or the surrounding fields – picking up after your dog still applies! If anyone sees an owner letting their dog foul in a public place please report it to Wiltshire Council, either by ‘phoning 01249 706111 and asking for the Dog Warden, or email publicprotectionnorth@wiltshire.gov.uk or via an on-line form on Wiltshire Council’s website. Photographic evidence of the owner neglecting to pick up is always a help. Your personal details will be treated in strict confidence and you will be informed of the outcome of the complaint. Please note that complaints regarding aggressive dogs should be made to the police.
Accessibility Along Pavements
A repeat of a previous request, to help our disabled and visally impaired residents (and those with children in buggies):
~ Please do not block lowered pavements with parked cars.
~ Please do not park on pavements, partially or otherwise.
~ Please don’t block the pavement with wheelie bins or black boxes.
~
If your property is next to the pavement or footpath, please trim back any overhanging branches, shrubs, etc. Of a dark evening, and with the new lower lighting, it’s no fun walking into prickly or wet overgrowth! Please trim back lower shrubs too, as these affect children. Thank you.
“The Kingtons” Book – Available Now!
Get your copy of “The Kingtons” now – available from the village shop or Kington Café at only £14.95.
Commissioned by the parish council, this book gives an interesting history of the ancient parish
of Kington St Michael with Kington Langley, written by Louise Ryland-Epton.
Kington St Michael Parish Council now has a new website www.kingtonstmichaelparishcouncil.gov.uk.
The website has been designed as a “one stop shop” for parishioners and the wider community, and is intended to provide up to date and historical information on all Parish Council related matters, including meetings and decisions.
This website has been created to comply with the latest regulations and will run alongside and complement this community website.
Get in the Know!
Would you like to receive news and updates on local matters from the Parish Council and Wiltshire Council, etc, via email?
The Parish Council has set up an email database – if you would like to be included, please email the Clerk, Viv Vines.
Making A Planning Application
If you are considering or are about to make an on-line planning application via Wiltshire Council’s website, you will be redirected to the Planning Portal.
Unfortunately, if you choose to use autofill for your address, and if you happen to live along the main street (i.e. no.** KSM) then you will find that it submits your address as being in Honeyknob Hill or C154 Road.
This causes confusion to those wishing to or needing to look at planning applications, and, in fact, there are only 8 properties which have the Honeyknob Hill address (unsurprisingly 1 – 8 Honeyknob Hill).
The Parish Counvil is asking affected residents who make a planning application to please check that “Honeyknob Hill” or C154 road” isn’t included in the address (unless you are one of the eight!) and to enter the address manually.
If you spot this issue elsewhere, please let the Clerk to the Council know: ksmparishclerk@gmail.com.
Village Help Facebook Page
If you are on Facebook, please search for the KSM Community Help page, where you will find lots of useful information and support.
Village Hall Car Park
The Village Hall Management Committee would like to remind villagers that the village hall car park is only for village hall users and shop customers. Recently, a number of paying village hall users have not been able to park. Thank you.
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