Copy for the next edition should be given to Roger or Vanessa by midnight on 15thSeptemberplease.
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 (490)
edited by Vanessa Druce & Roger Goodman
Cover Picture
Enjoying the sun with the Summer Holiday Playgroup at the Village Hall.
Contributions to the Oxhill News
The News is what we make it!
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.
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 Friday, stopping at the Village Hall at 2:30pm and staying there for 30 minutes.
This monththe van will visit us on Friday 7th & 28th at 2:30pm.
You can renew books between van visits by calling 01926 851031, or online at www.Warwickshire.gov.uk/wild.
Refuse Collections
Recycling and green waste bins (blue and green bins) will be collected on Tuesdays 8th and 22nd.
The grey rubbish bins will be collected on Tuesday 1st, 15th and 29th.
Weekday Walkers
Weekday Walkers usually walks on the 2nd and 4th Friday's of the month.
If you are interested in joining or to find information, pleasecontact Jim Saxton on 01295 680645 or
at saxton @ talktalk.net.
At the Peacock
Village Events
The village coffee morning is on Wednesday 2nd September at 10:30am and the village lunch is on Wednesday 16th September at 12:30pm.
Hedgehogs
After many years absence when I thought we had lost our local hedgehog population altogether they appear to be making a comeback. There have been several sightings around the village, indeed I have three regular visitors to my garden. They are fascinating creatures and any gardener will tell you they are a good friend as they have a voracious appetite for slugs, worms and insects. They are nocturnal and sleep during the day in a quiet area, usually in brushwood, in woodland, under logs or even in your compost heap. They forage during the night over a wide area, up to a mile, males even further. They have extremely poor eyesight but have acute hearing and smell. They are usually solitary except when the females have hoglets usually in March/April. They are with their mother for a few weeks and then strike out on their own. Hedgehogs hibernate from roughly November to March although they can be seen occasionally up to Christmas in the early evening if the weather is mild foraging for food to keep them going through the winter. Hedgehogs' main enemy is badgers so they are safe from them in the village. However foxes will have go at a hedgehog and occasionally cats. Of course with the unfortunate habit of either curling up into a ball or crouching stock still on the ground when perceiving a threat their biggest danger in the village is cars. Hedgehogs in general have seen a catastrophic drop in numbers over the last 20 years so if you want to help our village hedgehogs survive here are a few tips.
Make a 7 inch hole under your fence so the hedgehog can come and go through your garden and into neighbouring gardens or fields. Hedgehogs will eat dog/cat food as well as scraps from under your bird table. Large pet stores have bags of hedgehog food and mealworms are a particular favourite. Put a saucer of food out in the evening with another bowl of water. Do not feed them milk it gives them an upset tummy. Be careful when turning over your compost heap or moving a pile of logs you may disturb a hedgehog at any time of the year. If you have a quiet corner of your garden, preferably under trees, make a large pile of logs with a narrow entrance for them to take up residence in over the winter. There are hedgehog boxes available on the internet (or you can make one) which will give them a safe, warm and dry home to hibernate in. If you set it up now they will have probably come across it during the next few months and eventually make it their home for the winter. Please drive very carefully around the village at night so you can make sure to avoid any hedgehog that is lying in the road. On behalf of Solo and Little and Large (my prickly visitors) thank you!
Gaynor Van Dijk
OWLS
Churchyard Wildflower Area
In an effort to reduce the grass in the wild part of the churchyard we are going to plant some wildflowers. They are all species found locally such as meadow cranesbill, musk mallow and knapweed so they will ‘fit in’ with the flora already there. If you would like to help with the planting, please bring along a spade or trowel on Sunday 27thSeptember at around 10.30am.
A Warning
Please be aware that the green mesh surrounding fat balls is a hazard to birds and should be removed. I knew that birds can trap their feet in the mesh but thought it would be safe in the suspended feeders. I left it on as it slowed the rate at which the birds were getting through the fat balls. However I recently found a starling hanging by its tongue which had become entangled in the mesh. When we cut it free it flew off so hopefully survived but it was horrible to see that I had unwittingly injured a bird I was trying to help.
Date for your diary
Looking ahead to November 22nd, OWLS are holding a bird box decorating afternoon for children and adults alike. Tea and cake will be on offer too. Watch out for more information.
Any questions please contact Grenville 680664 or any of the OWLS group
Tysoe Show
Another fun and fabulous year at the Tysoe Flower Show & Fete.
Village Hall Events
Forthcoming Events & News
Coming next…
Saturday 12 September - Progressive Supper
There’s still time to book your place on this year’s Progressive Supper and perhaps show your culinary skills by hosting a course. A reminder that we gather in the village hall for drinks at 7pm, then split up into groups to enjoy starters and main courses in different houses across the village before returning to the village hall for dessert. The cost to take part is £17.50 each but if you host a course there is no charge to take part.
It really is a fantastic opportunity to meet one another in our homes and experience Oxhill’s warm and friendly atmosphere, especially for recent newcomers.
If you would like to participate, please telephone Diana Cronin on 680938 asap.
Saturday 19 September - Village Market
The Village Food Festival was hugely popular last year. We hope you will come along and support our Village Market this time round which builds on the success of last year. See the poster to whet your appetite!
Coming soon ...
Friday 9 October - British Night
This autumn marks the 75thanniversary of the Battle of Britain victory which, according to our friends at Wikipedia, lasted from 10 July until 31 October. To mark the occasion we are having a British Night in the village hall. A chance to wear something red, white and blue and display that `stiff upper lip`. Meal and great company provided all for just £10 each. Tickets available now from Tricia Harbour on 680676. Chocks away from 7.30pm.
Friday 30 October - Mark Harrison (original roots and blues)supported by Robyn Johnson
A welcome return by Mark Harrison (www.markharrisonrootsmusic.com), who visited us in October 2014, and this time is supported by singer and guitarist Robyn Johnson. Tickets are £10 each and are available from Pat Crowther now on 680705.
It’s a 7.30pm for 8pm start.
And advance notice….
Friday 13 November - Indian Night
Monday 7 December - Village Christmas Lunch
Friday 18 December - Cocktail Night
Oxhill Village Hall
Local Food & Craft Market
10.00am to 12.00pm on Saturday, 19 September
Meat (Paddock Farm), Vegetables & Fruit (WOT2Grow), Chilli Products (Oxhilli Chilli), Bread, Preserves, Chutneys, Eggs and Various Craft (Penny Varley Pottery) and (Wool Products from Home Farm) items for sale
Entrance fee: £1 to include a hot drink and a Raffle Ticket for a Sampler Box of produce.
Call Derek Harbour (680676) if you want to sell any produce.
Knit & Natter is back
Great news - Knit & Natter re-starts on Thursday 10thSeptember from 2.00pm to 4.00pm in Oxhill Village Hall!
PLEASE NOTE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KNIT
Just come along and enjoy a cup of tea and a biscuit with friends
If you want, you can bring along any craft like embroidery, crocheting, sewing, etc that you want to do.
We also have a selection of paperbacks that you can swap or borrow.
As in previous years, we will continue to meet every other Thursday afternoon so our next session will be on 24 September.
I look forward to seeing you all in September but if you want to speak to me in the meantime, please do not hesitate to call me. Tricia Harbour (680676)
Pavement Parking
There has been a sudden welcome influx of babies and small children in the village and with that has come the forming of a Toddlers’ Group that meets in the village hall every week. The Parish Council has been approached by some of the mothers regarding cars parked on the pavement in various parts of the village, which forces them to push their prams/buggies into the road. If for some reason you have to park on the pavement for a short period, please be considerate and leave enough room for the prams and buggies to get through.
Grenville Moore
Parish Council
Leys Field
As I am sure you all know, outline planning permission was granted for 15 houses on Leys Field. 53 members of the village attended the committee meeting at Kineton School, and I leave you all to your own opinions on how this meeting was conducted. However, I include here the letter the Parish Council has sent to Stratford District Council.
Oxhill Parish Council
For the direct attention of Paul Lankester, Chief Executive, Stratford on Avon District Council
Cc Robert Weeks, Nadhim Zahawi MP
Sir
Ref: 14/02168/OUT
Since the announcement of the Stratford on Avon Core Strategy, Oxhill Parish Council and its residents have been pro-active in supporting new housing development within the parish. We have firm ideas how and where we would like this development to take place, which is to continue the linear development of the village, and specifically to exclude the area of land within the triangle, considered to be the ‘green lungs’ of the village. This is all referred to in our Parish Plan, accepted by Cabinet.
I refer to the Planning Committee decision of 29 July 2015 on the above application to build within the triangle of land specifically excluded in the Parish Plan. It was felt by all the residents who attended the meeting, that the committee was careless, cursory, and lacked quality. As a major application we consider a site meeting should have been obligatory, and was indeed requested by myself, especially with such substantial opposition from the Parish Council and the vast majority of the residents, 53 of whom turned up in person on the evening. It appeared that only one committee member had actually visited the site. Such a major application should have been managed by a senior planning officer. We are asking the question, was Sarah Luckham qualified to do this?
Why does Stratford District Council devote resources to considering and approving Parish Plans and then completely ignore them when planning applications are decided? Our Parish Plan was not taken into material consideration as it should have been. One councillor did not even know Oxhill had completed a Parish Plan, let alone that it had been accepted, and seemed shocked when told we had an 83% return. The fact that he was unaware of this surely suggests he had not read the Committee Report, or indeed the full application, or the 56 stated reasons for objection. Surely this was unprofessional? He voted in favour of the development.
The Chairman was ingratiating to the Stansgate representative and congratulated him on his presentation before the debate and the planning decision, and therefore was not impartial.
There were questions concerning access to the field and when the Chairman asked the Planning Officer what the width was, she replied that she did not know. There followed what can only be described as a farce, when two planning officers shuffled plans, produced a six-inch ruler, and tried to measure from a not-to-scale plan. In any event it is not clear if this was indeed the correct map of the site entrance, as the access map contained in the on-line planning application is in fact for Bishops Itchington and not Oxhill.
The Chairman also seemed to be confused about the definition of backland development, and when a planning officer clarified this, which supported our objection, he decided he preferred his own interpretation and went on to support the application with the comment that the field was ‘not backland and was ripe for development’. There were further comments that ‘it is only 15 houses’. This development is in fact more than a 10% increase in the size of the village in one application.
During a meeting with planning officers at Elizabeth House to finalise our Parish Plan, myself and my deputy chairman were informed that these fields were backland and were not suitable for development. In the Appeal to the land to the rear of Fithers Field (APP/J3720/W/14/3001907) on 29 June 2015 the Planning Inspectorate dismissed the application, one of the grounds being‘it would introduce a backland form of development, encroaching into an open landscape, at odds with the predominantly linear settlement pattern’. Exactly the self same comments apply to this estate-type development in a ridge and furrow field. It shows a lack of consistency in the planning process and the Council’s decision. Perhaps you could explain this?
Taking all these points into account, we are seeking judicial advice and therefore appeal against the decision made by the Planning Committee.
Yours faithfully
Grenville Moore
Chairman – Oxhill Parish Council
Church Service Times
St. Lawrence Oxhill
All are warmly invited to our services
Sunday 6th - Trinity XIV
9:30 a.m. Parish Communion (ML)
Sunday 13th - Trinity XV
9:30 a.m. Morning Worship (JT)
Sunday 20th - Trinity XVI
9:30 a.m. Parish Communion (ML)
Sunday 27th - Trinity XVII
9:30 a.m. Harvest Festival (NM)
For details of other services in the Benefice please see the list in Church or telephone the clergy.
Vicarage Notes
Dear friends,
Nadia MacCall has been climbing the high scaffolding to clean and repaint St. Lawrence’s Church. I got woosy just looking up at her!
Golden fields and the sights and sounds of modern machinery have been with us for a while – a reminder of the annual business of the harvest season.
We live in a prosperous part of a prosperous nation and that proper sense of thanksgiving is expressed as people gather for harvest homes and at the special services planned for this time of the year.
All are very welcome to the Harvest Service which will be at 6.30pm on the 27th.
The choir will be in good voice and our collection will be for Farm Africa. Along with those from Tysoe, non perishables goodies will go to the Foodbank.
Do get your tickets for the Harvest Barn Dance – it was a great event last year and
I’m sure we’ll match it again … put on your dancing shoes!
The Warwickshire and Coventry Historic Churches Trust “Ride and Stride” will be on the 12th – calling all cyclists – details in Church.
Best Wishes & God bless,
Nicholas Morgan
01608 685230
braileschurch @ gmail.com
Barn Dance
Harvest Festival
September 27th 2015
We will be celebrating Harvest Festival at 6.30 pm on Sunday evening of 27th September. We would be very grateful for any contributions of produce, flowers, packet or canned foods to display in Church on this occasion. Light refreshments will be available and we hope to have the choir performing and the produce will be auctioned after the service. All packet and canned foods will be sent to the local food bank. Do come and join us. Children will be very welcome and will have fun bidding for fruit and vegetable and other produce.
Church Redecoration
We have scaffolding in church at present while the interior is being repainted but services are continuing as normal. We look forward to having a beautifully clean and repainted interior in due course.
Church Cleaning
The re-decorating of the church is well underway, so cleaning has been suspended until the re-painting of the church is finished. Hopefully this will be in time for Harvest Festival at the end of September. As soon as it is possible after painting finished could we please ask for help with cleaning? We would like to gather up a working party to do this. Is anyone able to help? If so please contact me.
Thanks. Carol Fox 680223
PS: We are still looking for 2 persons to complete our rota for cleaning throughout the year.
Auction of Promises
Auction of promises in the Old Chapel on November 7th at 7.30pm. Catalogues available at end of October. In aid of church funds. More details next month.
Age UK Warwickshire Web Wise Project
The Web Wise Project aims to help people over the age of fifty to get similar benefits from using the internet that younger people take for granted. Eleven million people in the UK do not use the internet, yet often services and goods are most easily, and cheaply, available from the internet. Older people, who do not use the internet, are increasingly at risk of being excluded from what are becoming “normal” life opportunities and activities.
Web Wise is provided by Age UK Warwickshire, in conjunction with Stratford District Citizen’s Advice Bureau. We organise courses in local venues, like village halls. Each course lasts six weeks, with one two-hour lesson each week. The project is funded by Comic Relief. We also work in partnership with Orbit Housing, Heart of England.
Web Wise courses are free.
Our courses cover the basic functions of the internet, including the World Wide Web, email and Skype (video calling), banking, shopping, and searching for information. There is a particular emphasis on helping learners to save money, and to manage finances more effectively, by using services on the internet.
You may bring you own laptop or tablet computers, or you can use one of ours. John Sawyer, the Project Co-ordinator, leads the courses and, where possible, there will also be Web Wise volunteers, who can give one to one support. We try to tailor the course to individual needs, and to this end each learner is invited to do a self-assessment prior to starting the course. Our next courses are at:
Stretton on Fosse Village Hall- Wednesday afternoons, starting 12 August
Wellesbourne Church Centre– Tuesday mornings, starting 1 September
Southam Grange Hall– Monday afternoons, starting 7 September
Claverdon Church Centre– Thursday afternoons, starting 10 September
If you would like to attend one of the above courses, please contact:
John Sawyer on 07881 812943, or emailjohn.sawyer@ageukwarks.org.ukor write to John Sawyer, Age UK Warwickshire, 8 Clemens Street, Leamington Spa, CV31 2DL
What will you be learning?
Lesson one: Introduction
Overview of course
Introduction to the internet and how to get on line
Introduction to web browsers and search engines
Practicing basic search skills
Lesson two: Staying safe on line
Anti-virus and firewall
Password security
Awareness of scams
Awareness of fraud
Using secure websites
Using credit and debit cards
Avoiding exploitation
Advice from Warwickshire Trading Standards
Lesson three: Communication
Setting up an email account
Composing emails
Replying to emails
Forwarding emails
Attaching files to emails
Setting up a Skype account
Introduction to social networking
Lesson 4: Managing money more effectively
Online banking
Saving money on train tickets
Internet shopping
Improving search techniques
Lesson 5: Increasing income
Getting financial advice
Getting the best savings rates
Selling things on eBay
Using Pay Pal
Using customer service terminals
Lesson 6: Saving money on utilities
Cheaper gas and electricity
Cheaper broadband connections
Using social networking
Backing up
Review of course
Tysoe School Update
Hopefully everyone is now aware of the Federation between Wellesbourne C of E School and Tysoe C of E school which took place in January. If you would like more detail on that please feel free to contact me . As a member of the new Governing body and Chairman of the Pupils, Parents and Community committee I have taken on responsibility for keeping the villages informed of developments at the school.
Since March last year, David Bell has been enticed out of retirement and has been acting Head and latterly Head of School, since the Federation . We thank him for the stability and renewed purpose he has brought to the school, and hope that his recent retirement (for the second time !) will bring him more time to relax.
I am pleased to announce that Jenny Coates will be the new Head of School from September. Jenny has many years experience across the education sector, and her passion is to make learning a valuable and exciting experience for all. I attach a letter sent out recently to parents which I hope you will find of interest.
Gill Roache (680309)
From Jenny Coates
Dear Parents and Carers,
I am very pleased to introduce myself as the new Head of School at Tysoe CE School from September.
I have extensive experience as a senior leader in three schools, including currently working at Wellesbourne CE School and for six of those years, with Mrs Oscroft. During my career I have taught in a wide range of settings from preschool to sixth form, although mostly within the primary age range. I am passionate about making learning exciting for all children and am delighted that my role at Tysoe will include a 0.5 teaching commitment.
I am mindful that Tysoe School has its own identity and culture. I will work alongside the Governing Body and ensure that Christian values are an integral part of the life of the school, as well as ensuring good links continue within the village community.
I value the tremendous support Mr Bell has been to the school and to me personally, and wish to thank him for the helpful discussions we have had to ensure a smooth handover. I wish him a long and happy second retirement.
My aim is to promote the best possible learning experiences for all children and I look forward to working in partnership with all families. I am pleased to have already met some of you and your children, and also spent time in school working with the staff. Please do introduce yourselves when you see me, either on the playground in September or at the Summer Fete.
Yours sincerely,
Jenny Coates
Drones
Last Saturday the 8th August, I heard what I thought was a swarm of bees, only to discover that it was a drone flying low over the houses.
I don't know whether anyone else saw it, but it is my understanding that it is illegal to fly a drone over build up areas.
Perhaps next time, if it is seen, a resident with a legal shotgun might hopefully shoot it down.
Concerned resident.
Michael Halderthay
Deanery News
Suddenly, Harvest is upon us: this month and next I trust you will be able to enjoy thanking God and celebrating all that he has so bountifully given us around here, and also think long and hard about the ways that we in turn give of that bounty to those who have so little.
Mid-way through September, there is the ‘Reconciling a Wounded Planet’ Conference at the Cathedral, on September 18th and 19th for all who are concerned about our use of the earth’s resources. For more details, look onwww.reconcilingawoundedplanet.com
In October the Dean of Coventry, Very Revd. John Witcombe will be our guest at the Deanery Synod on October 6th, at 7.30pm at Butlers Marston Church. Later that month Bishop John will be leading a Quiet Morning at The Old Chapel, in Oxhill, on Saturday, October 31st, 10.00am – 1.00pm. Everyone is warmly invited to both of these events.
A Prayer for Harvest, from Christian Aid.
O God,
you have made us creatures of this earth,
hungry and thirsty and needy,
that you might satisfy all our longing with your abundant love.
Satisfy the hunger of our bodies for food and shelter,
health and human touch.
Satisfy the hunger of our spirits for dignity and freedom
in giving and receiving.
Satisfy the hunger of our minds to understand the world,
the reasons for its pain:
the ways we are connected to each other.
Satisfy the hunger of our hearts
that all who share this loving earth with us shall share our satisfaction.
And satisfy the hunger of our hands to help you make it so.
Through Jesus Christ, Amen.
Harvest Festivals will soon be upon us:
in Oxhill as part of the celebrations, there will be a Messy Harvest in The Old Chapel on the morning of Saturday, September 19th, between 10.00 am and 12 noon. All children and their carers are warmly invited to come along and help make the Harvest Display to go in church for the following week, to spend some time thinking about Harvest, andmostimportantly to have something to eat and drink. If anyone else wants to pop in and see what is happening, and also have coffee and cake, that would be lovely.
Those who enjoy singing with the Festival Choir will know that we have been invited to sing at all three Harvest Festivals:
Whatcote at 6.30pm on Sunday, 20thSeptember; Oxhill at 6.30pm on Sunday 27thSeptember, and Tysoe at 11.00am on Sunday 4thOctober. No one is expected to go to all of them, you will be pleased to hear, but hopefully some of us can get to each of them. Music will be much the same in each case, and rehearsals will be on Wednesday, September 9that 7.30pm in The Old Chapel, and then again the following week. Look forward to seeing you all there.
Finally, two new events as we seek to develop a rhythm of prayer in the Benefice:
· From October onwards, there will be a short service of Holy Communion in one of the Churches at 10.00am. The pattern will be:
o 1stWednesday, Oxhill, at Oddcote, the home of Janet Gardner (then coffee in the Peacock)
o 2ndWednesday, Tysoe Church (then perhaps coffee in the café)
o 3rdWednesday, Whatcote Church, then coffee in church
o 4thWednesday, Tysoe Church, as above.
For October, this means October 7thin Oxhill, 14thin Tysoe, 21stin Whatcote, 28thin Tysoe.
· Also, beginning in October there will be an informal ‘house group’ meeting in The Old Chapel, Oxhill, for anyone from across the Benefice. We are planning to study The Lord’s Prayer using the Pilgrim Course as a base. To begin with, this will meet every month on Mondays, at 7.30 pm:
o Monday, October 5th
o Monday, November 9th
o Monday December 7th
Anyone from across the three parishes is more than welcome at any of these, as we seek together to listen to God and meet together around his table.
PS can anyone think of a better name than ‘house group’ when we meet in a chapel?
Every blessing, Jill
Church Bell Ringing
If you are an experienced ringer, would like to learn or just want to know more, please contact Tysoe Tower Captain, David Bell on 01295 688466 or email davidbell811@btinternet.com
Summer Holiday Activities
During August, children from Oxhill and the surrounding villages have been getting together for summer activities at the Village Hall. It was great to meet and get acquainted with new friends and families. The children played with games and toys, cake decorating, colourful mask-making and other arts and crafts as well as outdoor games when the weather was kind. Perhaps best of all, they had fun making new friends.
Thank you to everyone who gave their support in one way or another. We have received generous donations of toys and games and lots of ideas for future events. We have been compiling a list of contact details for organisation and notification of future events such as Messy Church, Hallowe’en and Christmas etc. If you haven’t been able to attend, but would like to be included, please get in touch with either Catherine Kimmins or Jo Sweby with your contact details.
Finally, we are looking into the possibility of setting up a weekly playgroup to run through term-time for babies and toddlers. Again, if you are interested or know of someone who might, do please get in touch Catherine or Jo as soon as possible.
Catherine Kimmins – 07811195345 / catherine_kimmins@hotmail.co.uk
Jo Sweby – 01295 680411 /
josweby@hotmail.co.uk
Tysoe Post Office .....
..... has been saved!!
Our wonderful local post office in Tysoe is staying open. The financial assessment and report the post office submitted met the standards.
Benefice Choir
Come and Sing this Autumn with the Benefice Choir.
Those of you who enjoy singing, and have taken part in the joint Benefice Choir over the last year, might like to know some of the special services we are planning this autumn and Christmas, which we very much hope you can be part of. This year practices will be held on a WEDNESDAY, at 7.30pm, in Oxhill Chapel, as before: hopefully you can get to at least some of them.
Harvest Festivals: it would be wonderful if some were available to sing at the Harvest Festivals in Whatcote and Oxhill:
Whatcote: Sunday September 20th, 6.30pm
Oxhill: Sunday September 27th, 6.30pm.
If you are to sing at one or both of those (music will be much the same), rehearsals will be on:
Wednesday, September 9th
Wednesday, September 16th,
both 7.30pm in The Old Chapel, Oxhill
(plus an informal refresher rehearsal if needed)
WOT2Grow - Community Orchard
Things are going pretty well at the orchard despite the variable weather. We are on track producing soft fruit although the summer raspberries are coming to an early end. The stars this year have been the red gooseberries, two delicious varieties, the black currants and the logan and tay berries with all of them producing large quantities of fruit. The autumn raspberries have started but need some rain to get them really producing. A good number of members, and friends, have been coming to our picking sessions and going home with at least one large punnet for their efforts. After the aphid attacks earlier this year a lot of the apples are affected but we do have good fruit on many of the varieties. There are also a few other fruits in tiny quantities - at least we know they will produce!
The big black birds and the badgers have their eyes on our fruit so we have resorted to hanging CDs in the trees which we hope will scare some things away!
We have taken the first harvest of honey from our new hives - only a small amount but delicious! It seems like the bees are happy so long may they remain at the orchard.
CREAM TEAS!
Our annual Open Sunday Afternoon is on September 6thfrom 2:00 to 4:00pm.
APPLE DAY
Put the 17thSeptember in your diary and come along from 1:30 for apple juicing and refreshments!
If you can give just an hour of your time to help at the orchard we would be delighted to have you come along! It isyourcommunity orchard so why not make sure that it continues to provide a wonderful amenity for everyone get some fruit for helping and even more fruit if you become a member!! Contact one of us
Liz Atkinson (680045), Paul Sayer (680451), Sue and Mike Sanderson (688080)
‘Cooking for Victory’ ....
.... on the AGA at Upton House
Upton House & Gardens is holding a special AGA demonstration in the house’s authentic 1940s kitchen for anyone interested in finding out the secrets and wonders of AGA cooking on Thursday 17 September, between 10am and 3pm.
Upton has currently reverted to the 1940s with an amazing transformation of the house to reflect what happened during the war. So demonstrations of delicious modern meals will be inspired by wartime AGA recipes, which of course you are able to enjoy. The day includes a private tour of the house which will be closed to the general public on the day.
Victoria Wright, Events Manager, said “We have replaced our 60 year old AGA with a new one, which is still in keeping with Upton and thought this would be an ideal opportunity to offer those interested to see the capabilities of a modern Aga and have a tour of Upton at the same time”
Booking is essential on 01295 671122.
National Trust Members £20 and non-members £25.
Details of all events, opening times & dates are on the website.
For further details call Upton House and Gardens on 01295 670266