HM Forces Families
Created by lou lou 27Hello,
I am just wondering if there are any HM Forces Families living here on Kingsway?
I heard a couple of rumours when I first moved here that the MOD had purchased houses on the development to use as Married Quarters.
Where I previously lived had a big support network for the familes. I would like to meet anyone (if the rumours are true) who is in the same or similar position as myself (husband working away either on deployment or during the working week) whilst I’m left at home looking after the children and desperately trying to be a domestic goddess!
Look forward to any replies.
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on Sunday, August 15th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
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August 18th, 2010 at 9:26 am
Try contacting the HIVE at Innsworth. The HIVE is the centre for dependants to find information about the local area.
August 27th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Moving to the area…
Hi everyone,
My family and I will be moving to the area towards the end of October.
Could anyone let me know what the local schools are like for my 4 year daughter, and a general feel for the local area.
Thanks very much in advance,
Chris.
August 29th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Thatcham Resident, thank you for the reminder of the HIVE! I have contacted them and hopefully will soon be able to visit.
Wingman, there are a small handful of schools in the area, Kingsway has it’s own primary school, then a 5-10 minute walk from Kingsway (located behind Tesco’s) is Beech Green Primary School – there is also another two school, FieldCourt and Meadowside within reach of Kingsway. Tesco’s is also on our doorstep, it is currently being refurbished making it much larger. In the area we have Next, Matalan, Blockbusters, a very decent chinese takeaway, Domino’s Pizza and a pet shop, there is also a number of pubs as well as a Harvester.
Kingsway is 5 minutes from Junction 12 on the M5, giving quick and easy access to the north and the south of the country.
My Eldest son attends Beech Green and my 4 and a half year old daughter will also be attending when schools starts back again in September. I can’t speak for the other schools but I am very happy with Beech Green (they also have a pre-school attached to the main school, I am not sure but I don’t think Kingsway Primary Pre-school is up and running yet although I could be wrong), after moving from overseas and having my son attend school there, he has come on leaps and bounds in his first year at Beech Green. We have been here almost 12 months and we love it.
Which Service are you? Do you know where you will be living? If I can be of any further help please shout.
Lou
August 31st, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Hi Neighbours,
I’m not sure if it’s any help but here’s some information about the Kingsway Children’s Centre (for Pre-School children, toddlers and new mums).
September 20th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
Hi,
There’s loads of military families here now, myself included.
We run an Army Wives Coffee Morning in school on Wed’ mornings, all military wives welcome.
September 21st, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Hello hat.bratpack
Firstly welcome to Kingsway.
I’m feeling a little concerned about this Army wives club you seem to have here at the School. As there are lots of families moving on to this estate and not are all military familes, and they have no friends here and find it hard to go and make friends with hectic home lives and finding their way around the area.
I feel that the way you’ve put this item across is being decribed as a closed group for which only military wives can attend which is being held in a community school and not a military one.
Maybe it would be more practical to open it up to every new and existing family so that everyone can get to know each other, as I’m led to believe that you all came together from Germany so friendships were all ready established.
September 21st, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Hello Hat.bratpack,
Thanks for that info, what time is the coffee morning on a Wednesday and whereabouts in the school? I am as yet still trying to work myself around my four year old daughter who is still on half days since starting school so once she starts full time in October, I will be able to call over. It will be nice to speak to other women who have a common thread with husbands/partners in the Armed Forces as I am missing the whole lifestyle a military life brings. Don’t hold it against me but my hubby is Royal Navy (and I am ex- Royal Navy) lol. Having spent two and a half years in Belgium, attending coffee mornings, mums and tots groups and just lolling around the local cafe with friends, I have come here and my social life has stopped!
Kevgee, I am sure that the coffee morning is open to the forces wives at the moment, purely because as a Forces wife, we usually have our own system set up for socialising and meeting new people mainly organised through the HIVE, as this is a residential area, not normally connected to the Armed Forces I am sure that the group will have been set up to help the new familes who have relocated from Germany to settle in more easily to the area.
I hope that this comment has not offended as that is not the intention.
Welcome to Kingsway by the way, don’t believe the hype the paper gives, it really is a nice place to live.
September 22nd, 2010 at 3:05 pm
The families come from all over some from Germany and Bicester, Aldershot, Larkhill, in fact everywhere! Military families don’t move together as such so friendships have to be remade as you move which tends to be every 2/3 years! The reason it has to be closed is a welfare team come down to deal with problems such as deployment, breavement, postings etc which couldn’t happen if it was open to everyone.
However saying that, we do a fundraiser every month for a different charity which is open to everyone. Today’s Macmillan coffee morning was open to everyone and raised £90.21p, next month’s coffee morning is planned for the last Wednesday morning in Oct’ in aid of breast cancer and everyone is welcome, so is a great mixer as well as a fun way to make a few pounds for a charity.
I hope this has cleared things up a little bit for everyone. I do agree we need somewhere or something that everyone is welcome to attend as it is hard making new friends when you’re new to the estate.
September 22nd, 2010 at 3:08 pm
I also spent 2 years in Belgium
coffee mornings are 9.30 -11.30 entrance is via the back gate not the reception entrance. See you there very soon hopefully
September 22nd, 2010 at 3:16 pm
My son is 9 and attends Kingsway Primary, it is an excellent school. They have been brilliant helping him settle in etc, there’s lots of military families in Kingsway who send their children there. I can’t comment on other primary schools as I haven’t had any contact with them.
My daughters both go to Beaufort School and had a few teething problems settling in, but we stuck with it and both girls are now happy there. I have friends that send their children to Severn Vale too with no problems, Chosen Hill comes highly recommended too although that is a distance and they have to be driven there! Sorry I can’t be of more help.
I too am very happy here. I believed the bad press so was very pleasantly surprised when I got here no anti-social behaviour, thugs etc, it’s all normal everyday people happily getting on with life.
September 22nd, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Thanks for that hat.bratpack, I shall make sure I get over there next Wednesday. I will be the nervous looking lady with a two year old; (once the 1st mtg is out the way I am ok)!
How long ago were you in Belgium? We were there 2007-2009. I don’t miss the place but I do miss the social events! It has been our one and only overseas posting but I was glad of the experience!