FAIRTRADE: The Fairtrade Foundation guarantees a better deal for Third World producers by giving farmers and plantation workers fair and stable prices for their products.

St Mary's Church is working towards becoming a Fairtrade church by the use and promotion of products bearing the Fairtrade logo, and these are available on the Traidcraft stall in the parish room after the morning service on the third Sunday of each month.

This stall will also be manned at the Cafe Bienvenu next Friday, and again on March 13, to mark Fairtrade Fortnight (March 1 to 13).

OLD Basing WI: Is holding its birthday meeting in the parish room on Tuesday, at 7.30pm, when the guest speaker will be Mr Hook, who will be talking about the Queen's Yeomen of the Guard.

FRIENDS of Basing House: The final talk in the winter series will be next Thursday, when Chris Hillier, of the Farnham Museum, will speak about William Cobbett, the author of Rural Rides.

Call Andrew Howard, on 327014, for more details.

OLD Basing Beer and Wine Circle: Is holding its annual square dance on Saturday, March 12, so now is the time to start limbering up.

Tickets cost £5 (bring your own food and drink) and can be obtained from Pat Brace on 478372 or John Davie on 464168.

PIGGY Dam, or is it Picketts Dam? The latter has been suggested to me as the original name for the dam on the River Loddon, just off Newnham Lane.

If you know any better, or have anything you would like included in the Village News, contact me on the above telephone number or e-mail me at gp-kirk@supanet.com