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New Scout and Community Building

Four Marks & Ropley Scout Group have new plans for a scout & community building at Uplands Lane that have been approved by East Hampshire District Council. They intend to demolish the old Scout Hut and place the new building on the same site at the top of the playing field. Download the plans here. Download the the latest update here

Cost depends on choice of materials and building methods, but the latest estimate is over £1.5 million. With the help of generous donations from village groups and individuals, the Group has raised £87,000 in the past 3 or 4 years. This still leaves a long way to go. If you can help with fundraising or donations, however large or small, please let the Group know. It will help the planning process if it can demonstrate village support for the project. If you like the look of what is planned, or have ideas for other uses, please either write to Four Marks Scout Group, c/o 5 Fairfield Green, Four Marks, GU34 5BL, or email to chris_lake_5ffg@hotmail.com.

Booklet - Four Marks Fallen 1914 - 1945

Four Marks News is proud to publish a full colour booklet recounting the lives of the thirty men remembered on the new War Memorial, that was dedicated on 9th November 2014. Originally the war memorial listed 29 men, but the name of a youth aged 16, whose family had lived in Blackberry Lane, was subsequently added in the summer of 2017. Copies are available from the Editor, price £1.00 (plus £1.25 postage if necessary). Cheques should be made payable to Four Marks Village News. An addendum is in course of preparation for the new name.

Police Advice about latest scams

Latest advice appears in the Policing Matters report within the Civic Business & Community Notice Board, which you can download here.

Police Changes

Our PCSO for Four Marks & Medstead is Matthew Sheppard who, with PC Kelly, are our neighbourhood team to contact for advice or to report a problem.
In an emergency always ring 999

Call 101 for general enquiries, non-emergency anti-social behaviour, community safely advice, information and action or to report a crime when it is not an emergency. Also call this number to contact PC Kelly or PCSO Sheppard or email them at peter.kelly@hampshire.pnn.police.uk or matthew.sheppard@hampshire.pnn.police.uk as appropriate. Calls cost a flat rate of 15p.

Current News

Community Plan

The Community Plan is now available. Download a copy here

Useful Local Information

The village has a wide range of clubs and associations for leisure, sport and young people. Download details of where and when they meet, who to contact for further information, as well as the names & addresses of our Civic Representatives and some useful telephone numbers for advice, civic services, community care and health here.

Our Village

Four Marks is a large and vibrant village sitting astride the A31 about 4 miles to the south of Alton. It has a shopping centre at Oak Green Parade, with free car parking, as well as a number of other interesting shops and a cafe in Lymington Bottom. It is one of the highest points in Hampshire with fine walks from this elevated chalk ridge to a number of surrounding villages. Four Marks News has produced a book of ten attractive walks in and around the village called 'Exploring Four Marks and the surrounding Countryside', which is on sale in Arrows, Four Marks Golf Club, Garthowen, Reads, Rivers, and Rumours, priced £3.50. Alternatively send a cheque (payable to Four Marks Village News) for £4 to cover postage, with your name and address, to the Subscriptions Manager.

It is also the first station from Alton on the heritage railway The Watercress Line (www.watercressline.co.uk). Find out more about this interesting and thriving community at www.fourmarksvillage.co.uk.

The Magazine

Four Marks News, originally called Four Marks Village News, started in 1973 and has been in continuous monthly production ever since. Initially it was the inspiration of the Women’s Institute in the village to raise funds for maintenance and improvement of the Village Hall. In March 2006 the last WI editor stood down through ill-health and production passed into the hands of a small band of volunteers, who constitute the management team. The business is run as a voluntary organisation under a constitution adopted on 24 August 2012 and revised on 8 December 2016. Download a copy here.

Forthcoming Local Events

Civic Business & Community Notice Board Download details of civic & community news here.

Events Out and About in October and Forthcoming Events Download details here.

Local organisations and individuals can have their forthcoming event included here. Send your details of the date, time, place and contact by email to editor@fourmarksnews.co.uk, including, a poster up to A4 as a pdf file if available. Brief information will be listed and your poster made available online.

Contributions

Contributions, including letters on local topics of interest and details of forthcoming events, are always welcome and should reach the Editor at the address on the contact us page, by post or email no later than 15th of the month preceding the month of publication. Contributors are expressing their own views and claims and not those of the Editor, who reserves the right to accept, reject, or abridge all material received for publication.