CYCLING is the undisputed flavour of the month, so when better to undertake a major charity project.

Andy Gajraj, is taking part, together with his cycle buddy, Duncan McGregor and Jason Batten, driving a support car, in a challenge to cycle the 870 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End in seven days which works out to be about 125 miles a day! The ride takes place from July 11 to July 17.

The aim is to raise money for the Royal Berks Charity, in particular for a new linear accelerator which is used to deliver radiotherapy to cancer patients, and also for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

It is in memory of Andy’s Dad, Mel Gajraj, who passed away from lung cancer in January and Caroline Gajraj’s mother, Dorothy Thomas who died in August of pancreatic cancer.

How challenging have the last few months been for the family.

If anyone would like to sponsor them or follow their journey they have a blog and a link to their Virgin Money Giving page at www.furiouspedaler.org EVER wondered what Neighbourhood Watch can do for you – here’s an example.

Wycombe District Neighbourhood Watch Association is pleased to announce its forthcoming Crime Prevention Event will take place on Saturday, July 12 in the Eden Shopping Centre in High Wycombe (beside the escalator that is near Boots). Between 9am and 4pm you can find a range of useful crime prevention gadgets (including Selecta DNA and shed security products, as promoted in recent publicity bulletins) and information there.

The Barn Club are holding one of their barbecues on Sunday.

Their patio area is a perfect setting and can cater for scores of people. If the weather fails to cooperate fully, there’s plenty of comfortable space inside. While the day is mainly for members, who can sponsor guests to come along, you, as a valley resident, could do yourself a favour by joining. It’s an excellent meeting place and very family friendly.

Shelley, renowned for outstanding food, will start cooking around mid-day, and you’re sure to be served at least until 4 pm.

REBELLION is on the move. Don’t worry, it’s just their shop. Recent occupancy agreements seem to confirm their presence in the valley for the next couple of decades, at least. But, meanwhile, they’re making the place more customer friendly than ever before.

We all know how much of a crush the shop can get at busy times (that largely covers the hours from 8 to 6); well, last Monday they started using their new shop, which is several times the size of the old one and much more rationally laid out, as a result of the additional space.

The brewery has taken over the old Thameside Cutters building (they’ve moved to Cressex) and has re-jigged and refurbished the building to a high standard.

Although already fully open for trading (and tasting), work continues to make a fenced-off south-facing balcony to keep customers separated from manoeuvring cars.

Eventually, there will be easier access, including for disabled customers, with new toilet facilities. A new reception room for wine tasting offers a gathering place for groups with a specific interest, and a separate wine check-out counter.

When I spoke to him on Monday, a proudly smiling Tim Coombes was eager to point out that the new arrangements do not herald a new expansion phase; they want to remain more or less as now in terms of size and distribution (around 80,000 pints a week output, and supplying a variety of outlets within roughly 25 miles).

The improved shop facilities will allow increased flexibility in how they use the rest of their buildings, leading to better service for all customers, trade and retail.

One immediate outcome for the public is that the new shop will be open from 8am until 7pm, Mondays to Saturdays, allowing those arriving from work a more accommodating time to shop.

I well remember the brewery’s start-up in April 1993. While, obviously, the beer was good then, the rickety old premises, with dripping taps and water all over the floor where you bought your only choice – IPA, it is an amazing transformation in just 21 years.

A renowned and prize-winning range of products, a popularity that probably exceeds their greatest aspirations, Rebellion has become a major employer in the Marlow area, with some 50 to 60 staff, and a product image that makes them widely recognisable.

REMEMBER the complaints about the C100 and queues at Handy Cross?

Well, it seems it’s all in our interests and we’re using the wrong road anyway! Naughty us!

The Highways Agency advise that the SCOOT system at Handy Cross was switched on at the end of May.

SCOOT stands for Split Cycle and Offset Optimisation Technique and comprises linking of the traffic signals on the junction to try to ensure that these work as effectively as possible. This means that the timings and priorities change throughout the day in response to the amount of traffic rather than staying fixed.

Anecdotally, it appears that overall the junction is working better, though at times there are longer queues than people have been used to on the C100 from Marlow Bottom; on a strategic traffic management level this should always have had less priority than other approaches.

In time, it is hoped that more people will use the A404 Marlow bypass to get onto Handy Cross and it will settle down.

So there!