TIME for soup: At Basingstoke Baptist Church on Tuesday, May 9, I dropped in for a bowl of soup, fruit and cakes in the new church hall. This week the menu included beef broth, plus spicy bean soup and courgette soup, all home-made.

After the meal it was time for a quiz, with two teams competing to win. I wish I was a more successful quiz player, though I did remember that Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the United Kingdom.

Next week, I understand there will be games.

PATIENT and Public Involvement Forum: The group met on Friday, and I attended to report on visits to the primary care trust board meetings.

The forum discussed visits to general practitioner surgeries, patient surveys and matters relating to the policy for a "patient-led NHS".

This involved considering the proposal for a single primary care trust for Hampshire, with Portsmouth and Southampton remaining independent.

At the time of writing this, there are several primary care trusts in Hampshire, including one in Basingstoke.

Will a large, single PCT be easier to manage, or is it unlikely to be helpful or accessible to local patients?

TEA time: The Church of Christ the King and St Michael's Hospice in Basingstoke are coming together to host a special tea party at the church on Sunday, June 4, beginning at 3pm.