What is Popley Matters?

    The idea for Popley Matters came out of an article in the Basingstoke Gazette about 16 years ago, it asked for local people to write in about their interest groups. The very first edition was produced by a group of people and agencies under the name of Popley Interagency Project PIP, for short. The first cover was drawn by Rebecca Dobbey who was an art student at John Hunt School. In the first five years there were just four issues printed, with long gaps in between them.

The Magazine Update to 2008:-

    A group of local people met in 1996 and arranged the first Popley Forum in January 1997. We were sitting talking about the negative press and how much we all loved living in Popley. We wondered what we could do to change what we all felt the wrong attitude to Popley. We also wanted let other people know how much was available in Popley and what great people lived in our estate. Someone mentioned that there used to be a magazine called Popley Matters and how good it would be if we could revive it. Paul Frankum said, "I will do an initial copy, but just the one".  Famous last words! Paul has guided us from an A4 one sheet fold over, to the booklet quarterly and then on to the monthly issues that we produce today and we are fast approaching our 75th edition that Paul has laid out. Iris King, David Phillips and Ron Rowe have been involved from the very first edition. Kate Lomas was our advertising Manager but failing health prevents Kate from doing many things she did before. But Kate is still serving on the committee David has now moved to live up north but Iris and Ron still are deeply involved with both the Forum and Matters. The magazine is self funding as the advertisements cover the cost so that we can pay the printer. Iris King has the headache of trying to get the Popley Matters delivered to nearly 4000 households and local interest groups. We have a whole army of wonderful people who deliver for you but we always need more, many hands make light work.

    Popley Forum has had meetings around the estate on many subjects. We have had as few as 10 residents and as many as 120 people, on many of the different issues. Your Councillors, agencies and residents have worked together on many issues over the years. Some of the positive outcomes being Popley Partnerships, CCTV in Longfellow Parade and Abbey Road Shops. The retention of the number 5 bus rout to the hospital, the new Everest Community college, homes to get around 600 people off the social housing waiting list, Community Wardens, PCSO’s and two Police Beat officers. We have also seen a huge project to start to get the drainage sorted, new paths, more parking and safer crossings on some of our busy roads. The work continues. Litter, dog fouling, landscape, anti social behaviour, graffiti  are some of the subjects we are tackling in Popley Matter sand there is still much to do.

     The first four Popley Matters in the 1990’s was mainly advertising however we continue to try to keep you informed and give you a chance to communicate with all our neighbours and read some interesting articles too. We try to promote what groups re available, where and when they meet. As an editorial team we try to make the Popley Matters both interesting and informative with articles and reports that people have written and that you will want to read. It has proved to be a mammoth task and takes many hours of work to produce and deliver. We hope you enjoy reading Popley Matters.