A closer look at village life
Burnham is packed with community groups, organisations and projects covering all walks of life. After two years covering the patch, Community News Reporter Jade Kidd takes a closer look at what makes the village tick.
Burnham is a village brimming with history, activity and wellloved groups, organisations, and amenities.
The historic South Bucks community, which is featured in the Domesday Book of 1086, also boasts a popular High Street with an array of pubs, restaurants, shops and Burnham Market, which takes place every Wednesday.
Community facility Burnham Park Hall features alongside a range of other amenities such as places of worship, including St Peter’s Church, parks and playgrounds and the scenic Burnham Beeches.
Alongside Burnham Parish Council, a range of organisations, charities and community groups are also active in the village.
They include Burnham Health Promotion Trust (BHPT), Burnham Community Association (BCA), Keeping Burnham Litter Free, Burnham Lion’s Club, St Peter’s Church, Burnham Resilience CIO, the Rotary Club of Burnham Beeches and Burnham Village Twinning Association (BVTA).
In 2019, Burnham received the prestigious Pushman Cup after winning Buckinghamshire’s Best Kept Village competition that year.
Through the course of the year, the village is a hub of entertainment, featuring popular events including the Burnham Donkey Derby, Burnham Village Fete, and Burnham Lions Christmas Fayre. A new fireworks night event will take place on Friday, November 5.
Rich in history, Burnham was formerly home to 1st Baron Lord William Wyndham Grenville, who was the UK Prime Minister from 1806 to 1807 and was responsible for the abolition of the slave trade.
During his life, he resided at Dropmore House and he is buried at St Peter’s Church.
A memorial bench dedicated to him and his work was installed outside Burnham Park Hall in October 2020 by Burnham Parish Council.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the community rallied to support those in
need. In recognition, Beaconsfield and Burnham MP Joy Morrissey presented ‘hero’ and ‘thank you’ awards to those who had gone above and beyond.
Meanwhile, Burnham Resilience CIO, a charity set up to support the community during COVID-19, presented awards to 17 businesses, including restaurant Artigiani Del Cibo – which provided free meals to Wexham Park Hospital – as part of its Burnham Business Awards.
Throughout the years and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the community has been focusing on tackling a number of important issues including speeding, climate change and the environment, anti-social behaviour, food poverty, protecting the greenbelt, fly-tipping, helping those in need, loneliness, mental health, grief and bridging the intergenerational gap.
I've taken a a look at some of the groups and organisations that have made an important impact on the community, and gained an insight into how social media has played a key role in the village, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.