Copy for the next edition should be given to Paula or Vanessa by midnight on 15thJanuaryplease.
Paper submissions can be left in the box in the Church
If you normally prepare your material using a computer, it would make my life easier ifyou could submit your offering in electronic form. The ‘official’ e-mail address is: news-editor @ oxhill.org.uk if you wish to send me stuff that way.
This edition (457)
edited by Paula Buffery, Vennesa Druce & Roger Goodman
Refuse Collections
Recycling and green waste bins (blue and green bins) will be collected on Tuesdays 4th and 18th.
The grey rubbish bins will be collected on Tuesdays 11th and Thursday 27th.
Mobile Library
The library van has books withlarge print, ordinary print, picture books, children's books, paperbacks, non-fiction, novels, sagas, crime, mysteries, adventures, westerns and romance. The van also has talking books, cassettes and CDs.
The library van will continue to visit Oxhill every 3rd Wednesday, stopping at the Village Hall at 10 a.m. and staying there for 30 minutes.
This monththe van will visit us on Wednesday 5th.
You can renew books between van visits by calling 01926 851031, or online at www.Warwickshire.gov.uk/wild.
Weekday Walkers
There will only be one walk in December:
December 14th – In 1625 Lord Chipping's manservant was suspected of theft and sent to the stocks, but the allegations were never proven and the loot never located. Last week as Sam Straw, the Thatcher, was replacing a roof he came upon a crumpled map and instructions tucked among the rafters, telling where the hoard was stashed. Can you help to locate the treasure, return the stolen goods to the rightful families and share in the reward.
This is a special treasure hunt walk of 2 mile mainly on roads but some fields in Chipping Campden. Lunch will be at The Red Lion Chipping Campden. Leaving Oxhill at 9:30am.
Due to the numbers on the walk Jim Saxton now contacts regular members to get meal decisions by Wednesday evening. Those who wish to join us are most welcome, but please contact Jim Saxton on 01295 680613 or at saxton @ tiscali.co.uk before the Tuesday evening prior to the walk.
Contributions to the Oxhill News
The editors would welcome any pictures, photographs, drawings, poems, puzzles, recipes, announcements or items of local news for possible inclusion in The Oxhill News.
Please emailnews-editor @ oxhill.org.ukor place paper contributions in the box labelled ‘The Oxhill News’ in the Church.
January Issue
The copy deadline will be the 15thof each month, this is necessary due to the external printing of the News.
Please can you ensure all copy is sent to us by midnight on 15thDecember 2012 for the next edition –news-editor @ oxhill.org.uk A box labelled ‘The Oxhill News’ has been placed in the Church for any paper based contributions.
Paula & Vanessa
Church Service Times
St. Lawrence Oxhill
All are warmly invited to our services
Sunday 2nd - Advert I
9:30 a.m. Holy Communion (ML)
Sunday 9th - Advent II
9:30 a.m. Sunday Praise (BR)
Sunday 16th - Advent III
9:30 a.m. Parish Communion (ML)
Thursday 20th - Village Carol Service (NM)
7:30 p.m. with Festival Choir - all welcome
Christmas Day
9:30 a.m. Christmas Communion (ML)
Sunday 30th - Christmas I
11:00 a.m. United Benefice Service - Tysoe
For details of other services in the Benefice please see the list in Church or telephone the clergy.
Vicarage Notes
Dear friends,
The Archbishop of Canterbury elect, Justin Welby, was Rector of Southam from 1995-2002 before going to work at Coventry Cathedral. We wish him well as he prepares for a new and challenging ministry. I am sure he still values the formative years of working in a real parish in our Diocese.
He, with all members of the Christian family worldwide, will want to see the transforming power of living faith in the world, and an end to the internal matters that probably drained some of Rowan Williams energy! The first part of the well-known Prayer of St.Francis would surely be appropriate, and specially so as we look to celebrate the Nativity of Christ – of love come down to earth.
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness joy.
On behalf of Martin Bill and all the team,
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
Best wishes and God bless,
Nicholas Morgan
01608 685230
PS A warm welcome to all the special services over Christmas!
Deanery News
We had a very special evening with Bishop John in St. Edmund’s, Shipston, in November. It was lovely to welcome him, to listen to his word for us, and to have the opportunity to pray for one another.
Deanery Synod
The next Deanery Synod is onTuesday, February 5th, alsoat St. Edmund’s Shipston(just in case the weather is horrid). Following on from the last Synod, when we heard about working to help those who are struggling to find work, and those coping with debt, we want to look further at how we can help in our communities within our various Benefices. As ever, we meet at 7.30pm
Quiet Day for Advent
Cath Vickers is hosting a Quiet Day for Advent in The Old Chapel, Oxhill, on Friday, December 14thbetween 10.00 and 3.00 pm. Anyone is welcome if they would like to come: if you do, it would be helpful if you could contact Collette on 07583 434468 oradmin@stourdene.org. Lunch will be provided: donations towards its cost would be appreciated.
As we approach Christmas, may we re-discover anew the great gift that God is giving to us:
Lord, your gift to us of your very self lies, unwrapped, in the forgotten corners of our world. Give us, today, the joy of rediscovering your presence in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the willingness of inviting him into our lives.
Have a wonderful and blessed Christmas as you celebrate Christ’s coming,
Jill
Sunday December 2nd
1stSunday in Advent 9.30 Holy Communion
We are pleased to welcome back to Oxhill, Canon Marilyn Sharland. Some of you may remember her leading a service for us two years ago and very lively it was. She has been invited to take the above Service so hope you will take this opportunity of coming along.
A reminder about the candlelit Carol Service on Thursday 20th December
We are looking for young people to read the lessons. Any volunteers?
Please contact me on 680223 if you would like to read. Thank you.
Carol Fox
At the Peacock
Quiz Night
Quiz night on Sunday 2nd December at 8pm
Village Events
The village coffee morning is on Wednesday 19th December at 10:30am and the village lunch is on Wednesday 5th December.
Opening Times over Christmas
Christmas Eve: Food at lunch and dinner time.
Christmas Day: Drinks from 12 noon.
Boxing Day: Food 12 noon to 6pm.
Then open as usual until...
New Year's Eve Dinner
New Year's Day: 12 noon to 6pm.
Garden Club - October News
Howard Drury D.H.E. (Hons) multi qualified broadcaster and horticulturist was to talk about getting the best from clay soils at the October meeting. This became “Gardening as We Get Older” and he offered many tips for making our gardens more manageable, safer, better for our health and more practical. Some of this advice was to avoid bedding plants, get rid of those roses and planters that need constant attention and watering. We shouldn’t have slippery paths near ponds and could introduce swathes of gravel instead of lawns – although one of those robotic mowers would be an advantage should we want to retain grass. We can make our gardening lives easier by having raised beds, but these need to be designed with thought to accessible widths.
Many of the gardens Howard illustrated his points with were very small and easy to redesign, although we can all make some adaptations to our existing landscaping to make more time for retirement activities other than gardening, with a little thought to types of plants we grow.
Perhaps Howard Drury will return to let us know how to get the best from clay soil – I bet he will be advising us all to grow roses!
November News
The mysteries of growing orchids became totally unravelled for the Garden Club by Martin Mitchell and Janet James. Martin showed that men can successfully multitask by mixing compost, re-potting and talking at the same time, un-phased by questions thrown out by the rapt audience. By loosening the pot-bound roots, tidying dead shoots (actually knowing which were the shoots!), wiping leaves and using the right type of pot, his magic touch transformed sad-looking specimen with new dignity.
Getting orchids to re-flower seemed to be a common difficulty, but following rules of correct pruning, feeding, watering and temperature, Martin made it all seem simple.
If you don’t know your Cymbidium from your Dendrobium, or your Paphiopedilum from your Phalaenopsis culture perhaps you need to head to the pre-Christmas Orchid Fair at Arden School, Knowle on 24th November to discover more.
Dates for the diary:
December 12thChristmas Party 7pm
January 17thMaking alpine troughs from hypertufa, planting and maintaining them with Tony Cleary
February 21stThe wonderful world of sweet peas with Rev. John Carrier
Congratulations to the winners of the photo competition – Jim Saxton and Peter Rivers-Fletcher!
Ann Saxton
Auction of Promises
Fund Raising for the roof repair project at St Lawrence.
The PCC would like to thank everyone who kindly donated all of the promises (73 altogether) on Saturday evening. It was a fun evening and thanks to all involved we raised £3,700 towards the cost of repairs and restoration. Thanks also to Tom Heritage for being our Auctioneer for the evening and to all the bidders. Without them it would not have been possible. Jill Tucker very kindly gave us the use of the Chapel for the evening and we are most grateful for her support in this way. And last but not least thank you to the ladies of the sub-committee who worked hard to gather the promises and helped to prepare the Chapel for the Evening.
Thank you all
Village Hall Events
Forthcoming Events
Christmas Beer & Bubbly Cocktails plus Canapés
– Friday, 7 December
Following feedback we have made a small change to the very successful Cocktail evening to celebrate the Christmas season, consisting of a variety of Canapés which can now be washed down with some Bubbly, Bubbly Cocktails or a glass of Beer on Friday 7 December. The Hall will be specially decorated to reflect the season and appropriate mood music will be playing softly in the background for this special Posh Frocks & Black Tie (or suits) evening. The price will be £12.50 per head and includes a selection of delicious canapés and 2 drinks. Additional drinks will be available and the evening will run from 8.00pm to 10.30pm (or later!). This is a great way to start the Christmas season and meet up and socialise with your friends.
Tickets, which should be ordered in advance, from Tricia Harbour on 680676.
Christmas Lunch – Monday, 10 December
Our traditional 3 course Christmas Lunch with wine for people 65 & over (and their partners, of any age) in the Village will be held at the Village Hall, starting at 12.30pm on Monday 10 December. In addition to the meal and drinks, we have Carols from the local school children. We are sending out invitations but if you know of anyone who is entitled to attend but has not received an invitation, please let Pat Crowther on 680705 know. Transport to and from the Village Hall will be available if needed.
Burns Night Celebration – Saturday, 26 January, 2013
Following the successes of previous years we are staging another Burns Night celebration on Saturday, 26 January, 2013. The evening will be a traditional event with Haggis (Vegetarian alternative available), Tatties and Neeps and a wee dram to keep out the cold. Our talented Scots from the Village will be on hand to recall and toast the life of Rabbie Burns, ‘address’ the Haggis and entertain us.
The evening will start at 7.00pm for a 7.30pm Dinner
Tickets, which cost £12.50 per person, need to be ordered and paid for in advance as this is always a sell-out. They are available from Tricia Harbour on 680676.
Planning Ahead
We plan to hold events in the Spring, 2013 and we have some ideas but we are entirely open to any thoughts or ideas that you may have for these months. If there is something that you would like to see featured call Derek Harbour on 680676 and we’ll try to incorporate it in the programme.
WOT2Grow Community Orchard
So Autumn has arrived at last and the leaves are beginning to fall at the orchard but the autumn raspberries just keep on coming. They are not as sweet due to the lack of sun but they are still very tasty! Picking fruit on a bitterly cold morning with frozen hands just doesn't seem right but is well worth it.
The orchard is not looking as neat and tidy since we put a mole plough through to break up the compacted soil and allow the tree roots a better environment, it will settle down as it did this year. We have started digging the holes for the new trees, around 70 of them plus the cherries we grafted at the beginning of the year, and also producing the tree labels. This is a fun way to spend a few hours sanding the wooden stakes, tracing the names onto them and then writing with permanent marker pens.
Brailes School Environment Club visited the orchard recently and we all enjoyed it very much. We told them about the orchard and what we are doing and then they explored the orchard to find answers to some questions. But the best bit, according to the children, was picking raspberries which they weighed and recorded before tucking in to raspberries, chocolate biscuits, flapjacks and squash! Good to know we have the next generation of pickers!
We are planting trees on Saturday and Sunday 8th/9th December. John Edgeley, the fruit expert, will join us Saturday morning to explain about the different needs of the trees we will be planting. These include peaches, nectarines, cider apples, perry pears and more apricots, damsons, greengages and nut trees. John will also be with us on Saturday 9th February to teach us about pruning all the trees, canes and bushes. Everyone is welcome to come along to these sessions and learn from a real expert who is a fantastic teacher.
Check out your orchard atwww.wot2grow.co.uk
Find us off the Shenington Road behind the allotments – entrance gates at the far end of the allotments.
If you would like more details please contact one of the following who are co-ordinating the community involvement
Liz Atkinson (680045), Paul Sayer (680451), Derek Harbour (680676), Sue and Mike Sanderson (688080), Graham Collier (680127), Julia Stirman (01608 686776)
Wild Flower Competition
Everyone is invited to participate in the OWLS 2013 wild flower competition. The aim is for you to give over an area at least 1 square metre (but the larger the better) in which to grow wild flowers. This can be either on the roadside verge adjacent to your property or in your garden. The areas will be judged during the summer and valuable prizes will be awarded.
OWLS will have a supply of wildflower seeds for anyone who wishes to use them or you can provide your own. There are several internet sites from which native wild flower plugs, plants or seeds can be bought and which give great advice (see ‘wild flower meadows’ inwww.naturalengland.co.uk). OWLS also plan to hold a talk about growing wild flowers in the near future. So come along and find out more.
Wild flower mixes can be chosen to support and encourage various insects, bees or butterflies – all of which will enhance the wealth of biodiversity in our village. Join in and let’s make Oxhill even more stunningly beautiful, colourful and environmentally rich next year.
OWLS Annual Report
OWLS, rather like Nature Notes, has been rather dormant this year, what with the Jubilee and the Olympics taking up much free time. We didn’t organise our annual photographic competition or our calendars. On the plus side we have installed a barn owl box under cover at Nolands Farm, and if anyone has or knows of a Dutch barn or open-ended barn/building, we have at the moment a spare owl box waiting for a home.
We have had two brilliant talks this year; one on Swifts by Gillian Westray – I love their tag line “keep the skies alive”, and another informative talk by our own Liz Atkinson on Mucky Magic (compost and how to make it). it you didn’t make either of these, I’m afraid you missed two very good talks. We have some further good ones lined up for next year – watch this space.
We now have, with thanks to the PCC, a permanent area of the churchyard as a small wildflower and nature reserve, with a commemorative plaque erected at the Jubilee celebrations. We have also agreed a managed mowing schedule with Stratford District Council to try and encourage more wildflowers on our roadside verges along with several areas within the village. George and Gwyn Adams have very generously given 9 volumes ofBirds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa – The Birds of the Western Palearcticto OWLS to sell in order to raise funds. One of the reasons we are raising funds is to finance the installation of swift boxes when the Church chancel is re-roofed.
Look our for our first talk of the year by Karl Curtis from Warwickshire Wildlife on Gardening for Wildlife and Biodiversity on January 22 – put it on your calendar. Also coming, our fabulous garden wildflower competition, inspired by Jim Saxton – watch his front verge next year. See also Jane Smith’s piece.
Look out for Nature Notes back in the New Year. A merry Christmas to you all.
Grenville Moore
Stour Singers
The Cherwell Orchestra
(leader Judy Springate)
Rachel Bird, organ
Bach:Christmas Oratorio
(Parts 1, 2, & 3)
with
Sarah Power, soprano
Shelley Coulter-Smith, mezzo-soprano
Nathan Vale, tenor
Darren Jeffery, bass-baritone
Conducted by Richard Emms
Saturday, 8thDecember 2012 at 7.30pm
St.Edmund's Church, Shipston-on-Stour
Tickets £12.50 from choir members,
R. Clarke, 27 High St. Shipston-on-Stour, and at the door.
(accompanied children free)
Stour Singers
present
The GreatCarol Sing
for
Choir and Audience
with
Helen Porter, piano
Anne Hume, reader
Conducted by Richard Emms
Friday, 14 December 2012 at 7.30pm
The Townsend Hall, Shipston-on-Stour
Tickets £7.00
(£5.00 if purchased with ticket for Christmas Oratorio)
from choir members, R.Clarke, 27 High St. Shipston-on-Stour
and at the door. (accompanied children free)
Festival Choir
I am sure you are all aware of the new dates for rehearsals but in case anyone has lost their list the remaining rehearsals will be:
Tuesday 4th and 11th December 7.30 at the Old Chapel
Monday 17th December 7.30 in the Church
Thursday 20th December 6.30 - Carol Service in Church
If anyone has any problems please let me know. Thanks
Gaynor Van Dijk (680349)
Broadband News
What is superfast broadband?
Superfast broadband is defined as offering speeds faster than 24Mbps. This threshold was chosen as it is the theoretical maximum broadband speed that can be delivered via a copper telephone line using ADSL2+ technology. The Government’s target is that 90% of homes and businesses in each upper tier local authority area should be able to access superfast broadband by 2015.
Where will the CSW Broadband Project’s funding be spent?
European State Aid legislation requires that our funding is only spent in areas of market failure, i.e. areas where no superfast or minimum 2Mbps services are currently available or will be available over the next three years. The pink areas on the two maps show the intervention areas for our project, in relation to current and planned future broadband provision. To access the coverage maps go to:http://www.cswbroadband.org.uk/suppliers/procurement/
Don’t forget to complete the surveys on our website:www.cswbroadband.org.uk
Mike Collins
On behalf of Oxhill Parish Council
Shipston Home Nursing
VINTAGE 2NDHAND CLOTHES SALE
SATURDAY 8THDECEMBER
9.30am-12.30pm-FREE ENTRY
SHELDON BOSLEY HUB, SHIPSTON ON STOUR.
BRING YOUR OWN CLOTHES TO SELL, with a rail…. £20, table provided. 10% to go to SHN….. OR PURCHASE SHN’S DONATED ONES.
ALL GOOD CONDITION/NEW.
For more details call Rebecca 01608 674 929
Calling All Residents!
Be a Street Champion!
If there was a Burglary in YOUR Street would you be prepared to take delivery of 20–30 Safety Packs and deliver them to your
neighbours?
Remember - Only YOUR Street! - Only YOUR Neighbours! - Only 20 – 30 packs max! No Burglaries in YOUR Street then no request – ever!
If you can help then please contact Julie Dale 01926 415000 (ask for Julie Dale) orwatch@warwickshire.police.uk
Shipston SNT would like to make you aware of recent burglaries that have happened in the Shipston area. The offender/s have mainly stolen silverware which was on display near windows which could be seen from the road.
We would like to give you the following advice:
Remove valuables, especially silverware, from the sight of windows and doors.
Smartwater or stamp items. Please contact me for further details.
Don't give any personal details to cold callers unless you are happy to do so.
Report any suspicious details such as vehicle registrations or
suspicious activity in your area to the SNT regardless of how small you think it is. It might be a small piece of a puzzle we are missing.
The contact details for the SNT are:
PC 396 Richard Grove - 07977 456 585
PCSO 6234 Hayley Ditchburn - 07879 608 696
PCSO 6218 Andrew Steventon - 07966 626 908
Email -shipston.rural.watch@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk
If you have any questions or want any further advice please contact the SNT.
Kineton & Tysoe Surgeries
We now providing Flu Vaccinations to our patients aged over 65 or those who have a chronic condition. Please call the Surgery on 01926 640471 (Kineton) or 01295 680220 (Tysoe) to book your appointment.
St Peter's Church Whatcote Fundraising Christmas
St Peter’s Church, Whatcote is again selling Christmas puddings to help church funds. They are great puddings and make excellent Christmas gifts for family and friends. At £6.00 for a 454g (1lb) pudding, or £9.50 for a 908g (2lb) pudding they are the same price as last year.
All the profit goes to St Peter’s Church, Whatcote.
Order from us simplyby telephoning me on 01295 680294.
Alternatively you can e-mail me onjunewreford@hotmail.co.uk
The puddings can be delivered by arrangement, or collected from me atChurch Cottage, Whatcote.
June Wreford
Accident and Medical Emergencies
Time is critical in medical emergencies and so in order to ensure we attend as quickly as possible
First Call - 999
Then Call
Ambulance Responders
Mick & Barbara Shepard
07977149317 Mobile / 01295680644 Home
3, The Leys, Oxhill, Warwick, CV350QX