Copy for the next edition should be given to Roger or Vanessa by midnight on 15thNovemberplease.
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 (468)
edited by Vannesa Druce & Roger Goodman
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 Wednesday, stopping at the Village Hall at 10 a.m. and staying there for 30 minutes.
This monththe van will visit us on Wednesday 13th.
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 5th and 19th.
The grey rubbish bins will be collected on Tuesday 12th and 26th.
Weekday Walkers
This walking group usually walks on the 2nd and 4th Friday's of the month. If you are interested pleasecontact Jim Saxton on 01295 680613 or at saxton @ talktalk.net.
At the Peacock
Quiz Night
Quiz night on Sunday 3rd November at 8pm will be a special Quiz night in aid of church funds.
Please ask all your friends and neighbours to come along, enjoy the evening and raise funds for the church roof.
Village Events
The village coffee morning is on Wednesday 6th November at 10:30am and the village lunch is on Wednesday 20th November at 12:30pm.
A Big Thank You
A big thank you to all the people who purchased a raffle ticket at the Curry Night to support my fundraising efforts for the Shakespeare Hospice. Your kind donations raised £130 for thisindependent local charity providing specialist care for families affected by life limiting illness in South Warwickshire and the North Cotswolds.
On Sunday 20thOctober I joined 19,999 other people to run in the Bupa Birmingham Half Marathon to raise further funds for the Hospice. The weather was kind to us and the atmosphere was amazing. The race had its’ challenging moments especially the killer hill at the 11 mile point when I was reminded of the quote: “Give up, give in or give it everything you have got!” In the words of Len Goodman, I ‘gave it some welly’ and crossed the finish line after 2 hours and 4 minutes. A new personal best for me!
Yours and my sponsors’ generosity helped to keep me going and enabled me to raise over £900 for the Hospice. I appreciate your support very much.
Best wishes
Karen Barker – Duckpool Barn, Rouse Lane
www.justgiving.com/Karen-Barker2
Church Service Times
St. Lawrence Oxhill
All are warmly invited to our services
Sunday 3rd - Trinity XXIII
9:30 a.m. Parish Communion (ML)
Sunday 10th - Remembrance XXIV
9:30 a.m. Sunday Praise (BR)
Sunday 17th - Trinity XXV
9:30 a.m. Parish Communion (ML)
Sunday 24th - 1st before Advent - Christ the King
9:30 a.m. Family Service (NM)
For details of other services in the Benefice please see the list in Church or telephone the clergy.
Vicarage Notes
Restoration Project
The faculty application has been sent – but no other news at the time of writing, although there’s always paperwork crossing the ether!
Harvest Festival
The Harvest Festival was a very happy and well attended service, with the collection and proceeds from our mini auction going to Farm Africa, a total of £150. Thanks to all who shared in the service and for all the support.
Harvest Concert and Quiz Night
Congrats to Carol and the FR team for making the Harvest afternoon such a success, with the Shenlow Singers, to who extra thanks are due, and the teas afterwards - £664 was raised. The support of the Peacock in hosting the Quiz Night is also much appreciated – it raised £339. Many thanks to Yvonne and Pam!
The end of the year
The Church’s Year concludes on the 24th, and the old collect used is always memorable – you may well find the words familiar!
Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people, that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Best wishes and God bless,
Nicholas Morgan
01608 685230
braileschurch @ gmail.com
Church Fund Raising
Shenlow Singers in concert
On 29th September, following a beautiful Harvest Thanksgiving service and Auction of Fresh Produce in the morning, we were entertained by some wonderful singing in the Church in the afternoon. The singers led by Sue Witeman performed some lovely pieces in their varied programme. We thank them very sincerely for coming to sing for us to help raise money for the Church Restoration Fund.
The church was looking very festive with colourful flower arrangements - thanks to the "flower" ladies who beavered away on the Friday before. Thank you to all who brought produce, gave flowers and foliage and also for the packages and tins of food which will be on their way to the Coventry Food Bank.
After the singing, refreshments were served at the Old Chapel courtesy of Jill and Colin Tucker. Thanks go to all the ladies who baked delicious scones and cakes and to Ed Fox for helping with the pig roast. Thanks go to James who kindly set up the bar which was well patronised even at 4pm in the afternoon!! Possibly because most people could walk home!!
The afternoon activities achieved the sum of £664 for the Restoration Fund. See Nicholas' report on the Harvest Service.
Pub Quiz
A good number of people turned up for the Pub Quiz at the Peacock on the 6th October. Normally these monthly quizzes support the air ambulance but on this occasion Pam and Yvonne very kindly supported the Church Restoration Fund.
As well as the proceeds from the quiz, Pam and Yvonne organised a raffle and achieved the sum in total of £339. At the end of the evening Pam presented a cheque to our Treasurer James Synge. We are very grateful to Pam and Yvonne for offering this opportunity to boost our funds, so thanks to you both.
Of course we must not forget to thank quizmaster Robin Teal who added to the entertainment of the evening.
Carol Fox
Deanery News
Dawn is Breaking:
A Quiet Morning as we move into Advent.
On Friday, November 22ndwe want to offer you an opportunity to take time out to reflect on the meaning of Advent, using the words of the Benedictus, Zachariah’s Song:
To give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of all their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
The morning will be led by Jill Tucker, Rural Dean, and Elisabeth Ashworth, using music, reflection, prayer and silence.
Time: 10.00am to 1.00pm. Coffee will be available from 9.30am, and a light lunch will be provided at 1.00pm for any who would like to stay.
Place: The Old Chapel, Main Street, Oxhill
All are welcome. There is no need to book – you can just turn up on the day. If you would like to let us know you are coming, contact Jill on 01295 688193 orrevjill.tucker @ tiscali.co.uk
Every Blessing, Jill
Burland Poplar Trees
The avenue of poplar trees at Burlands is due to be felled, in late November.
The felling of any tree can be an emotive subject, but there are sound reasons for removing these particular ones. Planted in the 1960s, they’ve outlived their anticipated life-span of 40 years, have now reached the dying phase and, with it, pose a danger. The recommendation to fell is supported by independent arboriculturists and the Forestry Commission, which has issued the felling licence.
Many people will be dismayed to see the avenue gone, but I would add that I’ve planted over 10,000 natural broad-leafed trees here, many of which are now becoming beneficial features in their own right. Furthermore, the number of trees felled next month will be matched in re-planting by 2016.
Behind the Candleabra
Saturday 23rd November
Tickets are selling fast!
A reminder that we will be showing BEHIND THE CANDELABRA, the hugely entertaining Liberace biopic on Saturday 23rdNovember in The Old Chapel. Directed by Academy award-winning Steven Soderbergh (ERIN BROCKOVICH, OCEAN’S ELEVEN) and starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon.
The evening will start at 6.30pm with drinks and a delicious 70’s inspired light supper, prepared by Grenville Moore. Included in the ticket price of £15 is a drink on arrival, your food & the screening. Beer, wine and soft drinks will be available before and after the film. The film will start at 7.30pm. The event is in aid of Chernobyl’s Children.
Please call Jo Sweby on 07720 401691 or Anne Marshall on 01295 680411 for tickets.
Note -not suitable for children under 15 years of age.
Village Hall Events
Forthcoming Events
New Event – the Barbershop Trio: Quarto are here on Friday 15 November
We are fortunate to have securedQuartoto appear at the Village Hall on Friday 15 November. They have a varied and amusing act and are very popular. If you haven’t heard them yet, look them up on You-Tube, I’m sure that you’ll be entertained!
This gig and one other are the only appearances in Warwickshire this year so order your tickets now! Refreshments will be available and the doors will open at 7.30 for an 8.00pm start.
Many thanks to Roger Goodmanfor suggesting this event and for the work that he and Gill have put in to make it happen.
Tickets are available at £9 each from Gaynor van Dijk on 680349.
Another New Event – Wine Tasting – Saturday 30 November
We are pleased to announce this new event for the Village Hall which we think will be of interest to many of you with Christmas not far away!
The evening will be ‘hosted’ by Ian Smith who is a Director of Matthew Clark, the highly regarded Drinks Wholesaler and is the main buyer and negotiator for hundreds of their wines - he has an encyclopaedic mind for wines and their qualities. Ian will present a selection of 3 Reds and 3 Whites with some interesting stories about their production. There will also be some blind tasting to try and we will be looking for an Oxhill Christmas Champion!
Many thanks to Andy Buchanan for suggesting this event and for all of the work he has put in to bring it to fruition.
For this very special event we are restricting the numbers to around 30 and Tickets, which need to be bought in advance, are available at £7.50 each from Tricia Harbour on 680676 but please hurry as many have already been requested. The evening will start at 8.00pm.
Christmas Lunch – Monday, 9 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 9 December. In addition to the meal and drinks, we have Carols and accompaniment from the children of Tysoe School. Gaynor van Dijk is 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.
Christmas Cocktails & Canapés followed by 60’s & 70’s Disco – Friday, 13 Dec
Our very successful Cocktail evening to celebrate the Christmas season, consisting of a variety of Canapés which can be washed down with some Bubbly, Cocktails or a glass of Beer takes place on Friday 13 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) event.
At around 10.00pm, the mood will change, handbags will be placed on the floor to dance around and the music volume will go up as the Christmas 60’s & 70’s Disco starts up!
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 start at 8.00pm. 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.
Diana and Gaynor organisers of Mexico Night progressive supper in October.
Knit & Natter
Our new ‘season’ has started very well and we will be meeting on 31 October, 14 & 28 November at 2.00pm until 4.00pm.
Come along and join us!
We are continuing to send parcels to Greenfields for Africa Charity. We are still knitting squares for blankets for the babies. Can anyone spare double knitting wool for these blankets? I have patterns for baby cardigans, hats and lovely small teddies we are hoping to put in the parcels, perhaps other people would like to knit to send to this deserving charity. They have recently opened a clinic in Western Kenya which is providing much needed help.
Joyce McKail
Lloyds Bank Funding Bid
from the Village Hall
Just to pass on, on behalf of the Village Hall Committee, a big thank you to everyone who voted for Oxhill Village Hall’s bid for funding from the Lloyds Bank Community Fund.
We will know if we have succeeded in our quest for £3,000 to fund new seating, in early December. If we don’t succeed, we are guaranteed £300 for getting this far.
It’s fair to say we had a tough task, up against two national charities based in the district and Shakespeare Hospice – all very worthy causes and all with professional fundraising teams and networks of supporters, but we know that many of you have `pulled out the stops` for us, so many, many thanks for all your votes!
Protect against Oil Theft!
Its that time of year again when many of you will be ordering or have had ordered some heating fuel. There have been a spate of heating oil thefts in Ullenhall area of Warwickshire and we would like to offer some advice on how to protect your tanks and property.
Siting Your Oil Tank
The position of the tank can have a significant effect on how hard a target it is in the eyes of the thief. If the tank is close to the house, with one or more windows capable of giving a view of it, then the thief may consider the chances of being seen too high. If the tank is close to a road, path, drive or alleyway then it will be a far easier target. Hiding the tank behind the garage, shed or some other type of outbuilding is fairly commonplace, but it does give the thief the advantage.
Control Switches
Control switches that control the flow of oil should be turned off and the electricity supply isolated when the tank is not in use.
Padlocks
A thief will usually come equipped with a limited range of tools to attack your tank so it's worth spending a little more on good quality locks. Close shackle padlocks are the best as they offer most resistance to the most popular of burglar tools; the bolt cropper! Remember that buying a padlock is like buying a car, the more you pay the better the quality and the longer it will last.
Good neighbour scheme
If possible, work with your neighbours and have the heating oil delivered at the same time. This will allow you to be more vigilant outside of the oil delivery date and some heating oil companies offer a cheaper rate in these circumstances.
Oil Level Gauges
Remote electronic oil level gauges are now available which will set off an audible alarm if the oil level in the tank suddenly drops or falls below a quarter full. These gauges can be located in the kitchen or perhaps a utility room to warn of any potential problem. There are two or three different versions on the market at the moment and cost between £70 and £100. Get into the habit of regularly checking oil levels so that you will know if you have lost any.
Security Lights
Security lights can have a very positive effect and make any property a much harder target for the thief. It's not always necessary to floodlight the area with high power beams, as a more subtle level of lighting may be all that is needed. Low energy 'dusk till dawn' lights positioned close to the tank should, in most cases, provide sufficient light to illuminate any suspicious activity.
Defensive Planting
Defensive planting is nature's way of helping to reduce crime. Thieves will not wish to force their way through or over a prickly hedge. The smallest trace of blood or shred of ripped clothing could help the police identify the offender. These shrubs can, if planted around your tank, provide an effective and decorative thief proof barrier.
Securing Your Oil Tank
Following on from the defensive plant tactic, fences and walls can also make life difficult for the thief. A wooden or metal fence, trellis or wall can give significant protection to the tank, but it must be remembered that the oil tanker driver will need access to fill the tank! A metal or grill cage with a lockable access point across the top of this wall or fence can further improve security. The wall or fence should be as close to the tank and as high as possible. Of course a trellis could also be decorated with defensive planting. A product called 'Tank Guard' surrounds the existing storage tank with a metal enclosure. This sheet metal enclosure has lockable access doors to allow filling and maintenance and has internal anchorage points to fix it to the concrete base. A tank guard costs less than one tank full of oil and will last many years.
CCTV
The use of CCTV as crime prevention and a crime detection tool has grown massively in recent years. It could play a part in the protection of oil tanks, but before you spend lots of money on equipment make an assessment of your needs.
Ask yourself :
1. What do I hope to achieve by using CCTV?
2. How much am I prepared to spend ?
3. Is there a reasonable level of light where the cameras will be operating or do I need to think about using cameras with low light capability? (Most thefts take place at night).
4. What am I going to record the captured images on? Digital recording is best.
5. How am I going to provide the Police with any evidence I may capture?
Additional Advice
OFTEC or the 'Oil Firing Technical Association for the petroleum industry' offers advice and guidance for those who use and store oil at their premises. There are certain rules and regulations that may apply to you and OFTEC will help clarify these for you.
They can be reached atwww.oftec.orgor by calling 0845 6585 080. They also produce an 'easy guide to domestic oil storage'
Remember be vigilant and report any suspicious activity including registration numbers of suspicious vehicles to the Police on 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress. Or report it to the team direct on the below details:
PC 1681 Craig Purcell - 07977 456 585
PCSO 6234 Hayley Ditchburn - 07879 608 696
PCSO 6218 Andrew Steventon - 07966 626 908
PCSO 6230 Emma Turner - 07966 626 908
Kind Regards
PCSO 6234 Hayley Ditchburn BA (Hons)
Shipston Safer Neighbourhood Team
Tysoe Tennis Club
www.tysoetennisclub.co.ukAttic Auction
Tysoe Village Hall - Saturday 16th November
Viewing and refreshments from 10:00
Hammer down on Lot 1 at 12:00 noon.
Have you any items you could donate?
Antique furniture, valuable paintings or anything else in your loft and cupboards you haven’t used for ages. We would be happy to collect.
Please contact:
Carol - 01295 680659 or 07708 412767
Colin - 01295 680139
Les - 01295 680792
Proceeds in aid of new eco friendly tennis court floodlights.
This site is maintained by villagers of Oxhill for the benefit of the community and those interested in the history, news and activities that make the village such a pleasant place to live.
Send mail to the editor of the Oxhill News at news-editor @ oxhill.org.uk.
©2013 Oxhill Village (Terms and Conditions of use)
Last modified:October 30, 2013
Gardening Club
Kicking off our new season of talks in September was an introduction to the RSPB Otmoor nature reserve, located just outside Oxford. Adrian Tysoe, one of the volunteer wardens took us through a series of slides on the history and landscapes of this relatively local and perhaps, little known reserve. Looking more like the Fens with big skies and lots of water, it was a treat.
At our last meeting on Oct 17th, Christine Cluley gave us a very interesting talk on the history of Compton Verney house and the influence of Capability Brown, including pictures of before and after the recent improvements which transformed it into the splendid venue that we can enjoy today. We welcomed visitors from Radway Club and were pleased to see that the hall was full to capacity. The competition photographs were on display and prizes and certificates handed out. Many thanks to Grenville for acting as judge. Well done all the members who found a Flower of the Month for our regular competition-there were 11 entries.
NOV 21st Green grows the holly-Monica Evans
Dec 11th Christmas party 7pm at the Old Chapel with entertainment from the Shenlow Singers.
Ruth Gibson & Peter Rivers Fletcher
Amicantus Choir
Amicantus Choir, from Stratford Upon Avon, are performing a concert of traditional Christmas carols at St George’s Church, Lower Brailes on Saturday 7th December 2013. The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets, priced at just £5, are available on the door or from the Musical Director, Maddy Evans, on 07792 515783 or via email on: maddy_evans1981@yahoo.co.uk.
Amicantus were formed in 2012 by Miss Evans and have performed at a number of events in and around the Midlands including the Birmingham German Christmas Markets, Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebrations and the Stratford River Festival. They are also representing England at next year’s Llangollen International Eisteddfod having been successful in an application to compete. They will be singing against choirs from all over the World in the hope of clinching the title of World Choir of the Year and lifting the Pavarotti Trophy.
You can find more details about the choir on www.amicantus.com or www.facebook.com/amicantus.
OWLS (Oxhill WildLife Society)
Achievements to date
Grenville Moore initiated OWLS in 2009 as a part of the LBAP (Local Biodiversity Action Plan) scheme, the aim being to increase awareness of local wildlife and improve and extend habitats for wild flowers, insects, amphibians and small mammals where possible. A meeting was held with the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to find out the best way to set up the group so that it would be able to access grants for raising funds. OWLS then sent out a survey to all Oxhill residents to determine what habitats e.g. ponds, copses etc were already in the parish and a website was set upwww.oxhill-owls.org.ukto record the group’s activities.
Over the past four years, the group have arranged several talks including topics about butterflies, wildlife gardening, photography, swifts, the environmental stewardship scheme and Ryton organic garden. A talk on bats involved an evening walk around the village with a bat detector which identified several different bat species. The talk on swifts was instigated after a juvenile swift was rescued from the ground in the churchyard and, as swifts annually nest in a space under the eaves in the church roof, this has led the group to raise funds to install swift boxes when the roof is replaced.
For three years, a wildlife photographic competition was run leading to production of calendars and notelets using the winning pictures. Sale of these helped to raise funds for biodiversity projects among which were the manufacture of kestrel, little owl, tawny owl and barn owl boxes. Two additional barn owl boxes were purchased and these have all been erected around Oxhill. Other funds have come from very generous donations.
The PCC agreed to let OWLS section off an area behind the church to develop a wild flower zone and a survey of all the plants there was carried out. Over 50 species were recorded, many of which were also found in a survey carried out in 1989. This year the area has been extended and it will be divided into three sections which will be managed with different cutting regimes to investigate the effect this has on the plant species.
With collaboration from the highways authority, several of the verges in Oxhill are no longer cut by the department’s contractors but are managed for wildflowers. To further this, OWLS provided seeds for a wildflower competition this year and it has been delightful to see patches of flowers replacing low cut grass verges. This is now an on-going project and seeing the number of bees, butterflies and other wildlife around these areas makes it well worth while.
The group has links with other organisations such as the WOT to GROW community orchard in Tysoe and has also contributed to surveys at the natural burial ground, the nationwide PlantLife survey and the Big Butterfly Count.
Wildflower Competition
A big thank you to everyone who took part in the wildflower competition and to all who took the trouble to send photographs in. In the judges’ opinion the best show of wildflowers and grasses was Jim and Anne Saxton’s. Wouldn’t it be fabulous if all our verges looked like this. Our runner up is Ruth Gibson, who shows what can be done with just a very small plot. Your prizes are on the way. A special mention goes to Charles and Nadia McCall who had the talent to keep their roadside plot flowering from summer into autumn – what a treat.
The purpose is not just to look pretty, but to provide a much-needed food source for a myriad of insects and especially bees. The Department of the Environment’s ‘Countryside Survey’ of 1993 reported a dramatic loss of wild plants in our hedgerows verges and river banks, and by 2004 a survey found that a third of native British plants had significantly decreased in forty years, and by 2005 it was stated that one in five of our wildflowers is threatened with extinction. Come on Oxhill, we need more wildflowers. If you need help, please contact OWLS.
Grenville Moore
Whatcote Christmas Puddings - 2013
St Peter’s Church, Whatcote is again selling Christmas puddings to help church funds. They are great puddings and, at £6.00 for a 454g (1lb) pudding, or £10.00 for a 908g (2lb) pudding, they make excellent Christmas gifts for family and friends.
All the profit goes to St Peter’s Church, Whatcote.
Order your pudding by telephoning me on 01295 680294.
Alternatively you can e-mail me at junewreford @ hotmail.co.uk
The puddings can be delivered by arrangement, or collected from me at Church Cottage, Whatcote.
June Wreford
Festival Choir
I am delighted to inform you that Sue Wightman, who leads the Shenlow Singers, has kindly agreed to take our Choir this year. Anyone who came to the Church Concert in September will have seen her lead the Shenlow Singers in a truly wonderful performance of a very varied programme. We have a great deal to live up to, so I hope everyone has been practising hard and has those vocal chords in tip top condition for our big event.
Apologies, but I have had to change the days for our rehearsals due to numerous other commitments, busy business this being retired!! Rehearsals will be as follows: Tuesdays 12th, 19th and 26th November, Monday 2nd December, Tuesday 10th December, Monday 16th December, Carol Service Thursday 19th December. All rehearsals will be at 7.30 pm in The Old Chapel except for Monday 16th when we will be in the Church with our organist. Please try to come to as many as you can, but especially Monday 16th, as we have two new carols to learn so they will need a little more work. Any problems please let me know.
We are still in need of tenors so if anyone knows of someone who could help us out do let me know. If you have a young son who could sing tenor but is terrified of joining a choir please encourage him to give us a try. We are a very friendly bunch and would be more than happy to help him along, no auditions and no vast knowledge of music required. Believe me, if I can muddle my way through, anyone can!!
See you all at 7.30 pm in the Chapel on the 12th.
Gaynor Van Dijk (680349)
Tysoe Marionette Group
‘SURREALISTIC PETER and the WOLF’
‘The Duck gets so excited, she jumps right out of the pond’ as the hungry Wolf eyes up his next meal!
But our Duck has an oboe for a neck and our Wolf a French horn for guts! This show carries to the ultimate Prokofiev’s original idea of using musical instruments to represent his Russian characters and offers a unique theatrical blend of his glorious music with magical settings. The backcloth drips with musical instruments hanging from trees! You are in for a unique experience in one of the few residential marionette theatres in the country.
We are giving two matinees on Sunday 24thNovember at 2pm & 4pm in the Barn Theatre, Baldwins Lane, Upper Tysoe, CV35 OTX.
Tickets: Adults £5, Children (5-15 yrs) £4, from Faith Hall on Tel: 01295 680547.
All takings to Air Ambulance.
Burglary in Whatcote
Between 01:00hrs and 06:00hrs on 11th October 2013, unknown offender/s have forced entry to a shed in Whatcote. Once inside, they stole pole cutters, leaf blower and other tools. If you have any information regarding this incident or saw anything suspicious in the area around the time of the offence please contact your Warwickshire Police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555111, quoting crime reference number S/13/10267.
Village Survey - A big Thank You
The survey forms were personally delivered to homes across Oxhill parish last month. The Oxhill Parish Plan Steering Group would like to thank everyone who has completed and handed in a survey form.
It is not too late to submit your form, if you haven't managed to do so yet. Either hand back to the member of the group who delivered your form or, if it is easier, deliver to Sue Hunt at Eudon on Whatcote Road.
Please note that all responses are, firstly, extremely valuable to us as we progress the work of producing the Oxhill Parish Plan and, secondly, please be assured that your responses are confidential and will not be identified to you or your household within plan documents.
So what happens next? Well, the group will be analysing all the survey form responses in November and December. We will then produce a draft report and an action plan and consult villagers on the report and plan in January, and then we will present our findings to the Parish Council in February.
We will keep updating everyone as the project progresses.
Thank you again for your continuing support.
Sue Hunt
Chair, Oxhill Parish Plan Project Steering Group
Grand Annual Sale
In aid ofMacmillan Cancer Supportwill be held in Badgers Lane, Lower Tysoe on Friday 15th November from 10 am to 2 30 pm.
Christmas gifts, jewellery, flower arrangements, cards, cakes and preserves and much more.
OurAS NEWitems will include clothes for adults and children and Bric a Brac.
Coffee/tea and mince pies will be served.
Look forward to seeing you and please bring your friends.
All contributions gratefully received.
Jackie Thompson 01295 680263/ 07811794634
Carers 4 Carers
Finding support through supporting each other.
A support group for rural carers.
Last month I introduced Carers 4 Carers, the self-help support group for carers living in the rural area surrounding Kineton. At our last meeting we were delighted to welcome two new carers who came along to our meeting after contacting me.
In August, our status changed; we are now part of the charity Omega Care for Life and the first of their network of Meeting Point Support Groups for Carers based in Warwickshire. We are the same friendly group, run by carers and dedicated to supporting each other, but we now have the backing of a national charity which will provide major support to those running the group. We would like to increase the number of ways in which we can support carers in our rural area and it will now be easier to attract funding to enable this to happen. I’ll keep you posted! At our September meeting, we offered a warm welcome to Thomas Memery, Omega’s Director of Development who was impressed by our group. He commented, ‘I am always in awe of family care-givers and the power of peer-support.’
If you offer unpaid care to a family member or friend who is ill, disabled, frail, elderly or is mentally ill, then you are a carer and you are very welcome to attend our meetings as is anyone whose cared-for person is in residential care. We meet on the fourth Friday of each month (December’s date is to be decided) at Kineton Methodist Church Hall. Coffee and chat (and sometimes cake!) is available from 10.30 and this is followed by a speaker or a carer wellbeing workshop. On November 22nd, we celebrate our first birthday and also mark Carers’ Rights Day. The group publishes an informative monthly newsletter and, if you are unable to attend the group but would like to receive this, please get in touch. If transport is an issue, we should be able to help. For more information on any aspect of the group, please contact Gillian on 01926 640203, emailkcarers4carers@gmail.comor go to our new websitewww.carers4carersonthefosse.org.uk.
Gillian Grason Smith
Oil Consortium News &
Change to e-mail address
Our first time at the helm of the oil consortium went well, carrying on Diane Harper’s many years of good work. However problems have arisen with the Yahoo based email address, which has caused me to change from it. Hopefully to a more reliable email address. If you have not registered your details with me yet, and are planning to use the Oxhill Oil Consortium sometime in the future, please do so now with, Name, Full Address, Post Code, Home Phone Number. Email addresses will not be shown when block emails are sent.
For the few remaining customers who are NOT on email, Barbara and I would now be pleased to receive your orders, please do NOT use my ambulance Number.
My home number is, 01295-680644.
Closing date for next order is 19thNovember 2013.
Mick Shepard.
The new email is: oil @ oxhill.org.uk
Kineton Amateur Dramatic Society
KADS is pleased to announce that our next production will be "When We Are Married" a Yorkshire comedy by J B Priestley in Kineton Village Hall on 28th, 29th and 30th November 2013 at 8:00pm.
Three couples have gathered to celebrate their Silver Wedding Anniversary when it is pointed out that their joint wedding was not valid. Things go from bad to worse as they reconsider their relationships. Will they ever be the same again?
Tickets (£6.00, concessions £5:00) will be available from "Flower Thyme", Banbury Road, Kineton from early November, or can be reserved now by calling Yve on 01926 642313.
Check out our website for further information at www.kads.org.uk.
A big Welcome
to Dave & Jane Rollins who have recently moved into Morningside.
Stour Singers – Christmas Music
Benjamin Britten’s music has been heard in many a concert hall and church this year especially, as it is his centenary, and Richard Emms’ Stour Singers present their annual Christmas concert on Saturday 7th December, at St. Edmund’s Church in Shipston, featuring both Britten and Mendelssohn, with young prize-winning harpist, Elen Hydref as soloist.
Both melodic and rhythmic, Britten’s Ceremony of Carols was composed to beautiful medieval English poetry, predominantly during a wartime transatlantic crossing from America to England. Mendelssohn’s 3 Motets (Opus 69) are deeply moving, and written towards the end of his life in the mid 19th Century.
Tickets priced £12.50p.are available from R. Clarke, 27 High Street, Shipston, and from choir members. There is no cost to accompanied children.
The choir is well-established in Shipston and its surrounding villages, and is open to all who have a love of singing. Experienced in singing, or new to it, Stour Singers offers a special opportunity for local people to make music. Rehearsals are on Thursday evenings at Shipston Primary School, and the choir always welcomes new singers. Rehearsals start on 9th January in the new year, for Brahms’ Requiem (to be performed in May), and anyone interested in joining (most especially if you are a tenor) is invited to contact Yvonne Ridley, Deputy Choir Manager, on 01789 269587.
Thank you
Jill Eastaugh from Charity House has been faithfully delivering the Oxhill News for many years. But soon the Eastaughs will be moving from the village, so a bigh thank you for all you've done and great good luck fro the future
WOT2Grow Your Community Orchard
The orchard continues to provide lovely fruit despite the chill in the air – it is slowing down but we have had a bumper year and there is still some to come.
We are doing well in providing food sources for bees and beneficial insects, especially with the sensory garden, and also documenting the butterflies, moths and other creatures that are feeding on the various plants and trees. There are lots of things we check for to ensure we remove the “baddies” and encourage the “goodies”!
On Saturday 23rdNovember at 10:00 at the orchard we have our expert, John Edgeley, coming to teach us about pruning our two and three year old trees. We need to think about producing blossom as well as shaping the older trees so we are looking forward to an interesting session. There will be another on 15thFeb to look at the bushes and canes. Members of the orchard attend these sessions for free but there is a nominal charge of £10 for non-members. Let us know if you want to come along.
We are now into autumn tasks and trying to get things finished before the weather gets too hard for working! The wild flower areas are being cut down with the annual seeds collected and spread to ensure next year's display. Lots of things that need doing are really DIY tasks like measuring, using a glue gun and creating bug hotels from natural materials. If you can help let us know as just an hour of your time will accomplish a lot for the orchard which will benefit everyone.
See us atwww.wot2grow.co.uk
If you would like more details please contact one of the following who are coordinating the community involvement
Liz Atkinson (680045), Paul Sayer (680451), Sue and Mike Sanderson (688080), Graham Collier (680127), Julia Stirman (01608 686776), Pam Bennett (01608 685606)
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