We wish to extend our sincere thanks to all newsletter readers and website visitors who took the time and trouble to complete the recent Parish Link Survey. Many of you were kind enough to offer helpful suggestions to improve both the paper newsletter and our complementary website. We will be acting on these in the coming months.

We would also like to express our appreciation to the local shops and pubs that kindly accommodated our survey collection boxes for four weeks, namely:
Harpers and The Red Lion in Studham, Yogi’s and The Farmer’s Boy in
Kensworth, and the mobile homes site office in Whipsnade. Thank you.

A detailed analysis of the survey results is still in progress, but here is a snapshot so far:

Summary of Results

The vast majority of respondents (over 92%) were aged 40-79, and of these over two-thirds were in the 60-79 age bracket, possibly reflecting a little more leisure time and a greater willingness to complete our survey among that group. The gender split was 62% women and 38% men.

More than half our respondents (58%) read Parish Link from cover to cover, and a further large proportion (32%) read their own village section plus several other pages. At least part of each edition of Parish Link is kept as a reference source by over 95% of those completing the survey.

The newly reconfigured look of the newsletter was very favourably received, with 88% of respondents describing the photographs of people and events as Excellent or Good. Respondents were also very supportive of the seasonal images on the front cover. However a small minority (9%) were concerned that images and cartoons within the body of the newsletter might displace useful information.

Given the demographics of the survey population, it was perhaps unsurprising that there was very little enthusiasm for a children’s section. Other suggestions receiving less than enthusiastic support included crosswords and jokes & cartoons (miserable lot!). Local pub entertainment updates were also relatively unwelcome. In contrast, those completing the survey were most enthusiastic at the prospect of reading items on a local organisation featured each month; a spot-the-location competition; a regular letters page; customer reviews of local tradespeople (although some were cautious about the legal position for such reviews); a farmer’s diary describing activities in our surrounding countryside; and most popular: security tips and neighbourhood watch updates.

Parish Council reports were widely read, but some of these were criticised by a significant minority for being boring in tone and style, like minutes of meetings.

Thanks to all respondents once again for your kind help.
The Editor

Parish Council