utlook October n Oxney 2020 Outlook On Oxney Wittersham, Stone & Ebony Community Magazine
Photo courtesy of Hayley Tait
Contents
Note from the Editor 02 Stone Church News 10 Meet your Volunteers 03 Letter from the Rectory 11 Story of the month 04 Sport! 13 What’s happening 05 In the garden with Lex 16 Wittersham CEP 07 Autumn Virtual Show 17 News 08 Geordie In Kent 18 Royal British Legion 09 Boar Watching 19
Help keep us all virus free! According to www.gov.uk we must wear face coverings (unless you are exempt) in shops as well as other indoor spaces such as Banks, Post Offices, places of worship, Museums, Entertainment Venues and Libraries. Please look after yourself and others by wearing a mask. Wash your hands, cover your face, make space
www.outlookonoxney.co.uk 02
Dear Readers,
Welcome to the October Edition!
I hope you’ve all enjoyed the glorious September weather and managed to make some late summer memories. Me and my little boy Ollie enjoyed the sights (and many sweet treats) of Rye and the harbour before starting big school, showed grandparents the ‘secret’ wood and watched my sister get married. After having to change her plans due to breast cancer and again (multiple times) due to Covid, it wasn’t quite the event she envisaged. Did any of you enjoy a wedding or any other celebrations that was Editor affected by the restrictions? If so, we’d love to hear your story. Sam Collins outlookonoxney@ Right, as you’ve probably observed we’re back to black. It’s not yahoo.co.uk quite as fabulous, I know, however we are limited by our budget. We do hope to have some colour specials throughout the year, if Proofreader not more, providing we can secure more adverts, kind donations Jo Thom and perhaps some sponsorship. Advertising Outlook On Oxney - October 2020 Chris Lee Looking ahead to the next issue we hope to focus on the local farawaycott@ wine offerings, so you’ll have all the info you’ll need to stock up gmail.com before Christmas. Treasurer Finally, with another potential lock down looming and more Peter Burnett uncertainty, I just want to remind you all that we will get through Stone Rep this, and better times are ahead. Sue Lowrie I and the team are always here, plus our lovely neighbours are 01233 758560 always there to support one another.
Wittersham Rep Stay Safe Alison Phillips 01797 270423 Sam x Meet your Volunteers 03 I’m sure many of you are very pleased to see a good traditional paper copy of Outlook on Oxney appear through your letterbox once more. You will no doubt be aware that we have a great community team of volunteers who battle against all adversity each month to deliver them, so we thought it might be nice if we introduced you to our army of mostly willing (some dragooned) helpers who, come rain, come shine, trundle up and down driveways, get fingers caught in letterboxes and are chased by dogs – so that you can receive your very own copy of Outlook on Oxney.
There are several new volunteers who are covering for people who are shielding, moving house, in hiding or plain exhausted by years of staggering under the weight of a pile of Outlook magazines. If we have missed your house, or delivered two copies, or if you want us to drop it through the cat flap rather than the letterbox, please contact your relevant Distribution Manager.
This month, we are featuring our three Distribution Managers who between them manage the three villages, and the army of fabulous volunteer deliverers there.
Sue Lowrie - Stone (01233 758560) I am Sue Lowrie and have lived in Stone all my life, now living with my husband, Richard, and son, George. I am very much involved with the village helping out with several groups. I started delivering Outlooks about 40 years ago as a young girl. My mum took over from me and then when it was too much for her I took back over from her.
Alison Phillips - WIttersham (01797 270423) I’ve just taken over the distribution of Outlook to Liz Orpin - Ebony (01797 270303) the twenty-three members of the Wittersham I have lived in Ebony all my life, a farmer's delivery team whom I have been delighted to daughter now a farmer's wife. I was a secretary meet. in a Tenterden Estate Agent's for 8 years, married Stuart (the boy next door), had our 2 boys I’m a relative newbie to the area, having moved (Matthew and George) and then did part time back to the UK after many years living in rural Post Office work. France, and I’m keen to get involved in village life again. An artist/designer by profession, I have a Now I help run the family farm, enjoy gardening & growing passion for horticulture – of which I know visiting National Trust properties and am an little. Lockdown has encouraged me to get my Arsenal supporter, Poppy Appeal Coordinator for walking boots on and explore and appreciate the Stone-cum-Ebony and have delivered the countryside here. It’s not a cliché to say we live in magazine to Ebony/Reading Street residents for The Garden of England and walking in our many years. beautiful area has kept me going through the pandemic.
More about your Volunteers next month!
[email protected] 07737 990380 04 Story of the Month! Whether you love them or loath them, there is something quite special about this story about baby snakes. Well done to Martha and Jamie for saving the eggs, Phil for hatching them and all the children that helped release them.
Grass Snakes We were surprised and delighted to find a clutch of around 30 grass snake eggs in our woodchip pile at home, Stone in Oxney, at the start of Summer. Jamie is a tree surgeon and surveyor so we have a large woodchip pile, which he was digging through when he found them. At first, we thought they were some kind of mushroom because the texture is very different from a bird’s egg. Partly because we’ve seen a large adult grass snake in the area, and with confirmation from Google, Jamie managed to identify them and moved them to a safer spot. We found two more clutches of eggs over the next few weeks. The woodchip offers ideal conditions for baby grass snakes, as the rotting woodchip keeps the eggs warm. Female grass snakes are the only egg laying snake in the UK and actively seek out such sites for their eggs. Susan Lowrie put us in touch with Phil from Wittersham, a lifelong wildlife enthusiast, who proceeded to hatch 16 of the eggs out in a tank in his garden. The same week that Phil’s ‘babies’ hatched, our daughter spotted a baby grass snake (dark with a white bar on its head) in our flowerbed at home, about 4” long. The next step was to release the hatched snakes: some to shady places near ponds in Wittersham and the rest back in Stone. We met at Stone cricket pavilion, as the community recreation group in Stone has developed fantastic spots for wildlife, including reptile shelters. This was an opportunity for the village children to learn about our local wildlife. The children were fascinated, quite brave, and asked Phil many interesting questions. Most of the children took up the chance to very carefully hold a baby before they were released. We learnt that grass snakes do not have ears and can grow up to 5’ long! Grass snakes are protected in the UK and can live 15-25 years, so we saw this as a real success. Like other reptiles, grass snakes hibernate so we are unlikely to see them again until April next year. Martha
www.outlookonoxney.co.uk What’s happening 05
Jam and Marmalade sales
Jam, marmalade and chutneys will be sold outside Wittersham Church on October 10th and October 24th between 10.00am and 12.00 noon. If you are unable to make these dates then come along when the Church is open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 10.00am - 12.00 and 2.00 - 4.00pm and we can sell it to you then. We also have the food bank box out during these times if you have anything to spare for this. Social distancing and all guidelines will be in place. We look forward to seeing you. Jean Elliott
Wittersham Tai chi Will be back in the village hall as from Thursday 8th October. Gentle exercise for all ages, beginners welcome. Classes start at 10am and cost £6. New members please contact me first as we obviously need to limit numbers to keep the spacing right. Contact Ann Simpson 01797 270858 or email [email protected] Many thanks. Ann
Notice to all potters I have a decent sized kiln that’s not getting enough use, you are welcome to use it for a small charge for running costs. Contact David on 01797270761
Acknowledgements Final copy for the Thank you to everyone who has contributed articles, pictures, November Edition stories, and suggestions for this is 15th October! edition. [email protected]
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06 Wittersham Parish Council Planning Applications
Stone-cum-Ebony Scrapbook 2020 There is still time for you to write your piece for the book. We have received some excellent stories and photos but still have room for more and would love to hear from you. It could be about anything, happy, sad or funny. What you did during lockdown – gardening, baking or working from home. If you're unsure where to start – get in touch and we can help. Sue Lowrie [email protected] tel. 01233 758560 or Mandy Button [email protected], Janet Ledger, Sue Wotten or Cheryl Paine.
Stone-cum-Ebony Memorial Hall The Memorial Hall Committee is happy to announce that the Hall has reopened following closure due to Covid-19 restrictions. User numbers will have to be limited in order to comply with current Government guidelines, and strict procedures advised by ACRE, Action with Communities in Rural England, during the current pandemic, will be observed. We hope that these measures will ensure our community can once again use and enjoy our lovely Memorial Hall. For more information, please contact Janet on 01233 758362 or email [email protected] Thank you. Stone-cum-Ebony Memorial Hall Committee
Also, a vacancy has arisen for a new member to join our friendly Committee. If you feel you have a little time to spare and could help by taking over the Treasurer's role, please contact the Committee by emailing [email protected] Thank you. Wittersham CEP 07 It has been wonderful to welcome back all of our children at the start of September. We stayed open throughout the lockdown period and managed to have 50% of our pupils attending by the Summer Term. Nevertheless, we really missed those children who we hadn’t seen since March and it brought us much joy to be back together again.
There have been some necessary changes to aspects of the school day to ensure we keep our whole community safe during the Coronavirus pandemic. Our parents have been fantastically supportive and proactive in helping us ensure that everything has gone very smoothly. In fact, there are a few changes we might even keep!
The school was over-subscribed again this year for our Reception class meaning we had twenty very eager and confident children starting in Windmill class. The first day at school is such a special event and it was heart-warming to see what a great start our newest pupils have made.
For the first few weeks back, our whole school have based their English learning around the wonderful book ‘Here We Are’ by Oliver Jeffers. The book is about our planet, belonging, community, empathy and kindness and is the perfect text for all ages to reflect on the last few months and to look forward in a positive way.
The school site itself has had some work done over the summer holidays. We had both school bathrooms painted and decorated, meaning they look fresher and are a more pleasant space for the children to use. More excitingly for us, every classroom had new flooring which is something we have been hoping to achieve for a while now. Some playground works were also completed and we have a new paved pathway to the Nature Garden which gives the children better access.
Finally, we are really pleased to announce that the school has been nominated and then awarded the Music Mark for 2020/21 by the UK Association for Music Education. The letter from the Association says that ‘it is in recognition of the value Wittersham places on music and the high-quality music education we provide in school’. Research shows that music benefits children socially, emotionally and academically as well as being lots of fun so we are very proud of this award.
Claire Frost @WittershamCEP
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08 News Ebony News Welcome back Outlook on Oxney Ebony/Reading Street residents would like to thank Miriam and the rest of the outgoing Team for all their hard work in the past keeping us informed of local happenings on the Isle of Oxney and beyond and congratulate Sam and the new Committee on their first edition, the September issue of Outlook on Oxney.
Belated congratulations to: George Orpin and Florence Harris on their engagement back in March; Maurice and Tina Norton who celebrated their Ruby Wedding Anniversary in August; Tim and Marylyn Bacon and Tim and Karen Stuart who have recently celebrated their Coral Anniversaries; Henry and Jess who were married in Ebony Church on 1st August.
Belated welcome to: Dinyar and Tracy who have come to live at Old Orchard Cottage. We hope they will be happy in their new home.
We send our deepest sympathy to: Derek Paine on the loss of his wife, Julia.
We send our best wishes to: Keith Quilter and anyone else who has been unwell over recent weeks.
A Fond Farewell Marguerite Bracher 20.7.1937 ̶ 4.7.2020
Marguerite and Geoff Bracher moved to Tenterden in March this year after 25 very happy years living in Wittersham, having moved from Banstead in Surrey. Their home in Swan Street was a newly renovated barn with scope to organise and develop a garden and small vegetable plot. Marguerite was very active in the village, having been on the Parish Council, specialising on planning applications; a committee member of the Horticultural Society and a keen entrant participating at the Shows with cooking, flowers and vegetables, winning many cups and rosettes over the years. Geoff said “she usually managed to get her entry money back, usually with a little profit!” She also helped Geoff with his Treasury duties for the Friends of Stocks Mill and, of course, was a member on the Outlook of Oxney Committee, obtaining advertisers and delivering the magazines to parts of Swan Street. She was always inquisitive and happy to help and will be sadly missed by her family and friends. Geoff has asked me to thank everyone for their cards and messages of condolence.
Sue Duff
[email protected] 07737 990380 Royal British Legion 09 I think I wrote most recently about the Isle of Oxney Branch of the RBL back in March. Since then it might be fair to say that not a lot has happened. The Branch hasn’t met. County organisation itself seems to be in lockdown BUT, lacking evidence to the contrary, we’re all still here. I met another member by chance in Tenterden the other day and, having elbowed each other, agreed we missed the monthly meetings. So this bit of writing is to remind everyone that the Branch still exists, quietly simmering below the surface! Our Secretary, George Parkin, has circulated that “in line with County guidance and the Govt. Rules we have no plans to start Branch meetings in the near future. Realistically we will probably not meet until the New Year. We are hoping to hold a ceremony for Remembrance Sunday at the Wittersham Memorial. If we follow social distancing rules we should be able to lay the wreaths and observe the two minutes silence. This will be dependent on the rules pertaining at the time. As you know, there will be no door-to-door poppy collection this year but donations can be sent to John Jordan.”
I personally don’t see why some poppies should not be available eg. in the Village Store, but if TRBL think they risk spreading the disease, so be it. We’ll just have to wash and iron the old one – again!
TRBL also reminds us that October is the time for AGMs. If the old gang is still ready to stand, we could all vote on line, or by snail mail. The Legion also reports that ‘in the first quarter (Jan - March 2020) 177 Branches reported making over 3,458 telephone ‘Buddy Calls’. In the second quarter (April - June 2020) this had risen to 234 Branches. The number of calls had risen to 19,199.’ This is basically about staying in touch so if you know a member’s number, give ‘im a bell’ if only to pass the time of day. This can make a difference.
On a different subject, I was out in the garden on 4th Sept, and it suddenly struck me there were a lot of aeroplanes flying about. Then I thought well, of course, this summer 80 years ago, in 1940, was the height of the Battle of Britain. Kent skies would have been full of aircraft, RAF and Luftwaffe. As everyone knows, after the ‘phony war’ stopped being phony, the fall of France and the evacuation of the remainder of the BEF from Dunkirk, Göring turned his attention firstly to shipping in the Channel, and then to Radar Stations and RAF bases in the South East. Incidentally, the only known film in colour of the Battle of Britain is amateur footage on 16 or 8mm, mostly of a family playing with the dog and having tea in their back garden. At the end of the film, somebody points the camera at the sky and there in the blue, probably at 20,000ft, are the interlacing contrails of many aircraft. Maybe 80 years ago, someone had the same thought as me – there are a lot of aeroplanes flying about today!
By coincidence, the day I write this, 15th September, hopefully just in time for the Outlook deadline, is Battle of Britain Commemoration Day. 80 years ago, Hitler switched his target to London, allowing the RAF to recover. He also abandoned his plans for invasion.
Stay well! Roger King 10 NEWS FROM STONE CHURCH Like churches up and down the country, the church of St Mary the Virgin was closed at the beginning of the lockdown and all activities stopped. However, since then, step by step, the church has returned to being open and operational again. The church is open for prayer and visits every day between 10 am and 5 pm. These hours may sometimes vary slightly. You are welcome to have a look around this historic church: the famous Roman altar is at the back of the church underneath the tower. Please follow the rules of hygiene and social distancing: there are two sanitising stations inside the church. The churchyards can be accessed at any time. Local produce is often available in the porch together with a porch library. Please help yourself to books and games. Any donations can be made in the wall safe by the entrance door in the interior of the church. Church services have also resumed to a limited extent. Every fourth Sunday in the month there is a said service of Holy Communion with traditional language. However, you are welcome to attend whether or not you wish to take communion. Pews are currently being organised in ways to facilitate social distancing inside the church. On Sunday 1st November at 6.00 pm it is hoped that there will be a Service of Commemoration of the Faithful Departed. We will remember friends and family who have died and a candle will be lit for every person whose name has been put forward. This is subject to confirmation nearer the time. It is hoped to arrange other services, subject to whatever restrictions are in force at the time.
Further information is available from the noticeboard outside the church by the road or from the website www.stoneinoxneychurch.org. This also contains histories of the church and village and historic photos.
Stone Parochial Church Council
www.outlookonoxney.co.uk Letter from the Rectory & Vicarage 11 From the Vicarage I spent a couple of days with my 91-year-old mother last month in Staffordshire. She always keeps her local church magazines for me as, being a Vicar, I must be interested in them. I normally read through them before depositing them in the recycling before I leave.
However, in one that she gave me from March this year I found a very interesting article. The Rev’d Andy McCosh, a Vicar in South Staffordshire, has updated the words of an old favourite hymn to reflect the realities of global warming. After penning his new lyric, he shared it with a few friends and local schools who have tried it out.
He sent a copy to his Bishop and the Diocesan Environment Officer picked it up. He was delighted that Andy had rewritten a hymn that encapsulates the goodness of God’s creation and had twisted it on its head in the tradition of the modern protests. One of the ‘Marks of Christian mission’ that the Anglican Communion has identified is to ‘strive to safeguard the integrity of creation.’ In the creation story in the Bible, God looks at all that he has made and says that it is ‘very good.’ But as we look around us at the world today in a time of climate breakdown and of mass extinction, we recognise that humans are not doing a very good job of safeguarding that creation God’s given us as a task to look after.
Andy wanted to try to contrast the words that are full of the joy and goodness and beautiful nature of God’s creation which the original hymn achieves very well with our current St Mary the Virgin, Stone-in-Oxney climate issues. The fact is that trees are being torn down, hillsides are left bare, we’re getting huge storms that October Services shouldn’t really be happening and an increase in the world temperatures as well as the danger of really serious Sunday 4th October environmental destruction. We are losing so many species 10.30am which actually puts us at risk in terms of our future existence Morning Worship on Zoom as well. Can you guess the hymn that I’m talking about? It is, of Sunday 11th October course, “All things bright and beautiful.” You will find the 10.30am rewritten hymn words on the Outlook website. Harvest Festival We live in a really beautiful part of our world and it is our Holy Communion responsibility to try and keep it as beautiful as God intends it Appledore to be. Sunday 18th October Depending on governmental advice, we hope to continue in 10.30am October with a service once a month on the fourth Sunday morning and will also be worshiping on the computer via Morning Worship on Zoom Zoom on the Sundays when there is no church service. If Sunday 25th October you don’t normally receive a copy of our Pew News which gives the sign-in details, please do contact me and I will help 9am Holy Communion you to get online. (said Book of Common Prayer) Midweek Services But, watch this space and also our Facebook page as things can and do change very quickly. Holy Communion every 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 9.30am God Bless Tricia 01233 758250/07885285636 at St Peter & St Paul, Appledore [email protected]
[email protected] 07737 990380 12 Letter from the Rectory & Vicarage From the Rectory Dear Friends Despite the latest guidance, we are delighted that church services are permitted to continue. We have a morning service at Wittersham every Sunday at 10.30 am and at Ebony we follow the usual pattern of services at 9 am on the first and third Sundays in the month. We are continuing to record a service each weekend which is on a YouTube link on Wittersham Church website from Sundays.
We continue to be in contact with many of our congregation by our daily e-mail and the church at Wittersham is open for private prayer on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10am – 12 and 2pm to 4pm. For all visitors we ask that you observe social distancing and it is now mandatory that we all wear masks in church. There is a sanitising station by the entrance of the church and we request that you sanitise your hands as you come in and sign in for track and trace purposes. This way we are all doing our bit to keep everyone safe.
We are hoping to hold our APCM following the church services. The Wittersham one will be on October 4th but it is essential that you let me know if you are coming so we can arrange the seating accordingly. We continue with pastoral telephone calls and visits when possible and trust that anyone in need will contact me on 270227.
Obviously through the restrictions we realise that we do not always hear about situations but very much rely on everyone to keep an eye open for needy neighbours. We continue to make our jams and marmalades for sale and these can be obtained at the church opening times and fortnightly on Saturday mornings.
Please do not hesitate to call if we can help at all. May God Bless you all.
Rev Judy
www.outlookonoxney.co.uk
Sport! 13 Beyond the Boundary Where does the time go? It seems it was only yesterday that I was writing last month’s report on Stone's curtailed start for the 2020 season and since then Stone have played nine games, or should I say should have played nine. I do have most of the games results with some highlights, but I am afraid I will not have enough room to put them all in. I did say last month that on August 16th Stone were due to play Charing, but I think Charing could not field a side. I do believe there was a game on the field but I have no idea who played who, so I will have to leave that one out. Sack the scribe, I say! On 22nd Stone travelled to Whitstable Labour Club; actually they play in Chelsfield, but quite near Whitstable. They are one of the few clubs that still play the more old fashioned way where you can play to draw, not limited overs where there has to be either a win or lose result. Stone lost the toss and were put in to bat. Stone made a very solid start scoring 53 before the first wicket fell and then both openers fell in quick succession and it was now 61 for 2. It was rather shaky middle order batting with just a few runs scored for the loss of more wickets but the tail wagged well finishing up on 160 for 9. It was good to see a young lad playing and also his grandfather in the same team, just a shame they were not at the crease together. After a short break, Stone took to the field and did not do very well with Whitstable passing Stone's score with the loss of only 2 wickets. On 29th Stone were at home to Town Malling, which is one ground I have never played on. It was great to see Saminda Senapathi, who played for Stone until moving away for work in Blackburn, back in action at Stone. Town Malling won the toss and elected to bat. Stone’s opening bowler bowled up the hill which the batsman edged to second slip and was caught. A very good start for Stone. I like the idea from Stone's skipper of keeping everyone involved during the game and using several bowlers during the game. I can recall fielding deep leg slip at both ends or square lag and not doing much else while fielding apart from walking to and fro. Then after that bat at number 11 and not facing a ball it is not very encouraging. I think my last games I played I asked to go number 11 and also field well away from the bat, but that was approaching 60 years after my first game and things are not quite so sharp now. Sorry, I have digressed, back to the game. After their allocated overs Town Malling had scored 177 for 2. After a short break Stone took to the crease needing 178 to win. Some of the top order batsmen got out cheaply putting rather a strain on the remaining batsmen with Saminda Senapathi given out lbw on 47 and Lee Freeman a good, quick 27, but unfortunately Stone were all out for 127 in the 37th over. On September 5th Stone travelled to Lordswood. Stone had a full team for most of the week until two dropped out, but no panic, Lordswood had too many and had two to lend Stone so both now had full teams. Stone won the toss and decided to field. Lordswood consisted of many, some adults and a Kent Ladies player. Stone used several bowlers including one of the borrowed players, who bowled 6 overs for 30 runs and took 3 wickets. I bet he was pleased with the day. The other borrowed player kept wicket and took a fantastic catch behind, so he also had a good day. After 30 overs Lordswood had scored 133 for 9. After a break it was Stone's turn to bat. Stone struggled to score runs facing a Kent Ladies player who knew all about line and length and after 13 overs Stone were 36 for 4. Being 4 wickets down and needing 98 runs in 17 overs is rather an uphill struggle, but all was calm. Getting a few fours and keeping the over rate ticking along with the single or two in each over Stone managed to get the runs required with just 2 balls to spare. David Norton on 49 not out and Andrew Boorman scoring 5 runs made an eighth wicket stand of 59 runs. According to the players, the highlight of the day was Lee Freeman being caught out by a lady. I have run out of room for September the 6th match but will put it in next month. Frank Wenham PROFESSIONAL WRITER Sensible, down-to-earth prices for: New Beauty Room Open in ❖ editorials ❖ press releases ❖ editing Stone. ❖ headlines and copy for advertising ❖ brochures For more information and ❖ annual reports ❖ magazines ❖ newsletters Treatment details please contact ❖ packaging ❖ websites ❖ speeches for Poppy: weddings, celebrations and funerals ❖ fun poems 07825393232 [email protected] ❖ proof-reading ❖ dodgy translation or suspect @chestnutbeautyroom punctuation turned into proper English. All work quoted in advance. Call Kay Williams on 01797 270278 or email [email protected] 14 Sport! WITTERSHAM SPORTS CLUB (WSC) UPDATE
September 2020 Wittersham Cricket Club played a winning Presidents Match on Saturday 5th September 2020. What wonderful weather and what a lovely turn out. Thank you to all those that supported us. We post all matches and results on the WGSC Facebook and Nextdoor Wittersham pages.
We are continuing to make improvements to the clubhouse and grounds. Requirements for COVID-19 are already in place, including NHS recommended track and trace. Please come along to support us.
We have been approached regarding several sports activities to review our facilities with a potential to perhaps use them, for example, running, walking football, darts, junior rugby, cycling and tug of war. If you or any member of your family is interested in supporting or joining any of these activities, then please contact our Secretary, Tina Barratt.
The sports club bar is open normally to members and their guests as follows: Friday 17:00 to 21:00 Saturday 13:00 to 21:00 Sunday 14:00 to 21:00
Gail Bartlett Wittersham Sports Club
Wittersham Village Store
Dax and family congratulate the committee for keeping Outlook going since the March lockdown, and for its new edition, and we thank all our loyal customers for their trade during the crisis.
A reminder that deliveries are available for customers who are shielding - just phone with your order. 01797 270 971
Open: 7.00 am - 7.30 pm Seven days a week Sport! 15 Wittersham Cricket Club - The President’s Match Saturday 5th September 2020
Dr. A. R. Lloyd-Smith’s Eleven vs. The Wittersham Players
On a glorious September afternoon the teams met for this important fixture. It is hugely pleasing to note that the club has a very good contingent of enthusiastic players with as many as sixteen competing for a place in the team. In several recent years attracting enough players to form a team has been a challenge.
With the home team batting first, Paddy Maclachlan and Hugo Lynn opened the bowling with some fierce deliveries although , perhaps due to lack of practice, there were some wides and no balls. Dax Patel progressed steadily to 75 and eventually fell to one of two LBWs accrued by Ben Porter. Dax was well supported by Bob Barratt, the Wittersham captain, and by Chris Pierce. Josh Edmondson took the valuable wicket off Mervyn Toogood and Ben Porter scored a direct hit on the stumps to run out Stuart Hibbert. Indeed, he had dropped a difficult catch and his swift thinking to achieve the run out more than made up for things. There was also some excellent good length bowling from both Josh and Charlie Edmondson. Victor Mallet took two good catches.
Dax at the crease - he was the stand-out high scorer in the match with 75!
When the President’s team batted Alan Lloyd-Smith was out second ball of the innings to an excellent diving catch by Mervyn Toogood off Bob Barratt’s bowling. Ben Porter and Rory Lynn both reached double figures but the team’s batting never really got going and they managed to score only 73 in response to the home team’s 169. Some excellent wicket keeping was seen by both teams with Ed Maclachlan making some near impossible stops and Badger recording two very neat stumpings. Possibly the highlight of the fielding was a magnificent slip catch by Scott Balcolme, one-handed and low to his right, to Paddy Maclachlan. This catch sticks in my mind as one of the best I have ever seen.
Covid regulations prohibited a formal tea but generous and enthusiastic spectators brought cakes and sandwiches. Thank you for this. And this occasion, out in the open air, with lots of family supporters was a wonderful and refreshing outdoor event, possibly one of the first post lockdown village events to be staged. Let’s hope for lots more.
Our thanks to Adrian Delaney and John Newton for umpiring so fairly, to Philip Maynard for pitch preparation, and to the trustees and others at the Sports Club in Wittersham for the work that goes on throughout the year.
Alan Lloyd-Smith Potmans Heath September 9th 2020
Paddy Maclachlan and Charlie Edmondson (aged 9) going out to bat together. Kent Peg Tiling & Listed Building Specialist Summer House, The Street, Wittersham,In the Tenterden,garden with Lex 16 Kent TN30 7EA It’s been a sorry sort of year, no flower shows and no Yellow Book gardens open, or the Tuesday open gardens for the church we have enjoyed in Wittersham forTel: the last01797 two years. 270268 Let’s hope for better in 2021. But all our gardens should have Mobile:been spectacular 07958 as we’ve 495787 had so much time to work in them. Still plenty to do, though. In the Flower Garden Don’t stop deadheading your rosesEmail: and Dahlias; [email protected] they will go on flowering until the frosts if you keep doing it. Once we’ve had frost (if we get any)www.kentpegs.com I like to dig out the Dahlias and Cannas to store them for winter. I know many people do not bother with this as they will usually survive. If you want to leave them in I suggest a good mulch on top of them. We lift ours to make space for Wallflowers and Tulips, so it is just a simple choice. Keep the Dahlia tubers somewhere dark, frost-free and dry. They need to be wrapped. We use bark but old compost, wood chip, shavings or newspaper will do as long as it is dry. Do make sure there are no slugs on them, though. I can’t write this article without mentioning slugs! When you have made space you can plant Wallflowers, Winter Pansies, Forget-Me-Nots or Foxgloves. Don’t forgetStocks hanging Farm baskets Physiotherapy when you are dead heading, and pansies or bulbs can go into them too. If you haveMrs terracotta Kate Jpots Gale in MCSPthe garden SRP year AACP round you should just raise them off the ground for winter; you can buy “feet” for them, butWittersham, just tucking Nr a Tenterden,croc or broken Kent, tile TN30 under 7ET them will suffice. Make suremob: you 07810106325 have taken all tender tel: 01797270895 plants indoors before it gets too cold. [email protected] It is fine to lift and divide herbaceous perennial plants in October. * FULL MUSCULOSKELETAL/ORTHOPAEDIC ASSESSMENT *Renovate SPINAL MOBILISATION; or create grass CERVICAL areas by THORACIClaying turf at AND this LUMBAR time. * MANUAL THERAPY/MASSAGE/TRIGGER POINT THERAPY In the Vegetable Garden * ELECTROTHERAPY Once your indoor Tomatoes have finished it is a good idea to take everything out of the greenhouse and give it a good clean. Wash off any shading* youACUPUNCTURE may have painted on and hose it down, preferably with a power hose. Get into all the little nooks and crannies to* oustEXERCISE any pests REHABILITATION hoping to overwinter in there. Wash it down with Jeye’s Fluid or another brand of greenhouse disinfectant.* BACK CARE AND INJURY PREVENTION * HOME VISITS IF REQUIRED Remove dead leaves from Brussels sprouts and clear up debris in the veg garden in general. This helps stop diseases spreading. Carry on protecting from pigeons. Cut back the foliage of asparagus and give it a good layer of manure or compost from the compost heap. Be careful, though, asparagus has nasty little thorns. When you remove pea or bean plants dig the roots into the soil as legumes have nodules on their roots which add nitrogen to the soil. Now you can take cuttings of currants and gooseberries. Plant out new potted fruit bushes or trees. If necessary lift and divide Rhubarb plants.
Enjoy the lovely autumn colours. Lex Datta
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to suit your needs. CallMADE us 24 hours TO a dayMEASURE IN SOLID WOODS Appledore KITCHENS, BEDROOMS,01233 758325 BOOKCASES DRESSERS,Scotland TABLES, & Bates CABINETS Appledore CALL GLENKent ON T: 01797 270561TN26 M: 2AJ 07908 858617 Wittersham Autumn Virtual Show 17 Just as the analogue (?) show had been cancelled Laura Mepham and Sarah Woodley came up with the brilliant idea of a virtual digital (?) show. As usual, members responded and sent in their efforts.
There was to be no judging and no prizes and many of the images (in no particular order) are displayed here. I think that you will be impressed by the entries. By the way Paul Venning was not made during lockdown—I believe the tear share loaf was! John Carroll
Autumn Flower Arrangements
Ernie Stone Dahlia
Basket of homegrown veg
Something made during Lockdown
[email protected] 07737 990380 18 Geordie In Kent What’s a Geordie doing in Kent you may well ask, or not, as the case may be. The answer is quite simple. Some few years ago we were looking for somewhere to live and scoured an area from East Anglia to Cornwall, back and forth but kept being drawn back to Kent. Neither of us has any local roots, but here we are.
You could ask (or not) what’s a Geordie, then. My definition is someone born north of the river Tyne, ie Newcastle, and is an avid supporter of our football team, ie Newcastle again. Definitely not south of the river where only is to be found a barren region lacking in culture, Durham aside, filled with uneducated, unwashed heretics, ie Sunderland supporters.
Geordie is also an unwritten language (OK, dialect), well understood in both Scandinavia and by my Grandfather, who brought me up. But not in Kent. “Howway man, tell that gadjie to hoy wor haddawayandcomeback owwer here cos we’re gannin hyem.” Roughly, “Inform the old man to throw our yoyo over here because we’re going home.”
It is said that whereas most coal miners adopted the Humphrey Davy safety lamp, those in the North East chose that invented by their local man, George Stephenson of railway fame, George, Geordie.
So, being an ardent native, my next challenge was to prove my Northumbrian ancestry, preferably a Viking warrior. Influenced by TV, my family was also keen to see what landed gentry were in my family tree or, if not, some rich entrepreneur. Starting with my father and keeping for practical reasons to the male lineage, I set off. Great grandfather was buried in Gateshead, part of no man’s land south of the river; no matter, carry on, find his birth and there it is, can’t be, Milton, Kent!
So only two generations back and my ancestors came from Kent. I researched further back until 1707 and all my great grandfathers came from Kent, all of them. My 6th great grandfather was buried in Canterbury; after that, connections become dubious. Is there anyone famous? No, unless you count labourers. In 1858 Edward Phillips was jailed for two months; his crime, “larceny from Oyster beds”. On the same page of the Kent Criminal Register, a number of felons were to be transported and a few pages on, two sentenced to death for robbery.
Try another angle. My maternal grandfather (as mentioned above) and his male line. Great grandfather, OK, ie born Newcastle, then... his father came from Portsmouth!! And his father before him and before him, the same. Time to give in.
However, one last bizarre twist. One source of contacts is other family trees; sometimes there are common connections which you can borrow. I had seen a clue to a family crest. Perhaps fame at last. Edward, of earlier renown, married Jane Fullagar at Milton, but her father came from Headcorn as did his father, and his father came from Tenterden, and is buried in Woodchurch. So much for Vikings.
Alan Phillips
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www.outlookonoxney.co.uk Boar Watching 19 My involvement with the free living wild boar in the south east of England would mean that the media wanted to know what was going on, on a regular basis. This added publicity attracted people with a love of the countryside and natural history in particular and it was not long before I was pressed, albeit willingly, to arrange some boar watching evenings, guided walks and talks on the subject of free living wild boar.
This type of event was totally new to me and I was not really sure where to begin. But begin I did with my first talks given to charitable organisations like the Lions Club and Round Table. As my success with the filming of wild boar increased so I was able to give illustrated talks to various wildlife groups and organisations in the local area. Sometimes this would mean stepping in at the last moment when a guest speaker had to cancel an arranged talk. Such was the interest in these illustrated talks that there was standing room only on most occasions. It was, I think, the interest generated by these talks that led to the requests for the boar watching evenings. This type of event had not been done before with wild boar and presented me with quite a challenge.
In order for the event to be a success I needed to have the boar coming to a feeding site on a regular and predictable basis. This had not been done before, and although fine for one person, a party of six or seven people was a different kettle of fish and would require a great deal of planning if things were not to go pear-shaped. I found what I considered to be the perfect spot, an area of high ground overlooking a small clearing some seventy five yards away through the trees, far enough away from the open area not to alert the boar to our presence, but close enough to allow detailed observation for those watching. All I had to do now was persuade the boar to cooperate in the plan.
Typical family group of adult sows and their piglets
I started feeding at the chosen site some weeks before the first scheduled event and the boar found the food almost at once. Within two days the animals were clearing up the food every night. If this continued I was fairly confident of a successful evening, provided the weather behaved. When first approached to arrange these boar watching evenings I was a little unsure as to what to expect. From the contact that I had it was quite obvious to me, and to the organisations that were involved, that there were far more people wanting to see the boar than I could safely cater for. Reluctantly, I found it necessary to limit the number of people to seven at a time, and to preserve the safety of the boar I also decided to limit the number of trips each year to six. After all, the main reason for my activities was to study the wild boar in their natural environment, not to attract tourists.
The first group of boar watchers arrived at the designated rendezvous on time, a good sign. A little apprehensive at first, I introduced myself and explained what I expected to see and a few things that I required from them in order for the evening to be successful. Questions were to be kept to a whispered minimum until after the boar had left the feeding site, when I would be pleased to answer all their questions as best I could. The evening could not have gone better. We arrived on site in good time, the evening was mild and humid and once everyone had settled down and got comfortable we waited quietly for the arrival of the boar.
I explained in whispered tones on arrival at the feeding site which direction I thought the boar would come from, and that I would appreciate them not using their cameras once the light started to fade as I thought the flash might spook the boar. We were all taken by surprise when the boar came in from a totally different direction to the one I had expected. It was quite clear from their appearance that they had visited a wallow before coming in to feed. The first two animals to appear arrived covered in mud; at the same time the air temperature changed and the mist started to rise in the hollows.
The boar were appearing and disappearing back into the bank of mist as it approached our position, and as if on cue the nightingales started to sing at the tops of their voices. To say that this could not have worked out any better if it had been scripted would be an understatement. Then to top it all a peacock, one of several at a local estate not too far away, started to call, the sound sending shivers down the spine. The atmosphere in the forest had now turned decidedly medieval, perfect for the return of a medieval creature, and it gave those present memories that they will never forget, myself included. The sounds of those nightingales singing their hearts out as we left the forest, perched as they were on the highest branches of the pine trees, is beyond improvement. Nature once again came up trumps.
DEREK HARMAN (Copyright Derek Harman 2011)
[email protected] 07737 990380 utlook October n Oxney 2020
WE NEED MORE VOLUNTEERS Web Manager - to help update and maintain the website Ebony Rep - to ensure we continue to receive great content from the villages We also welcome any other interest! We will have a general meeting later in the year to get your thoughts/feedback, allow people to volunteer for all roles & hopefully vote in a long term committee. Have we missed you? Were you a part of the delivery team previously, a group/society leader or perhaps an advertiser? If so, apologies we couldn’t reach you. Please do get in touch with us so we have your details! ————————————————————————— The scarecrows are coming to Wittersham!
Just to cheer us up, we would like to hold a scarecrow festival again this year. Can you make a scarecrow and put it in your front garden? In order to observe the restrictions please put a registration form through the Rectory door with a small donation for the Church Fund by 6th October. Each entrant will be e-mailed a number which must be displayed with their scarecrow along with its title. There are no rules of type of scarecrow but please keep it tasteful. Scarecrows should be displayed where they can be easily seen, without blocking public Footpaths. They should be displayed by the 24th October until 2nd November, so that voting can take place during half term. To vote for your favourite scarecrow please e-mail Judy with your choice – 1st, 2nd and 3rd. An online map with all the names and locations will be published on the church website.
Entry Form and small donation
Name______
Name of Scarecrow______
Location of scarecrow______
Your e-mail ______
Voting please e-mail [email protected] with your 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices. ————————————————————————— The Small Print! All contributions to the website and magazine are subject to Editorial Committee approval. The Editor reserves the right to amend or, if there is insufficient space (for magazine), to omit articles as necessary. We are grateful for the considerable amount of voluntary effort that goes into the typing, layout, preparation and delivery of Outlook on Oxney. The website and magazine is funded by donations from the Parish Councils, subsidised by advertising and other donations. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, we cannot be held responsible for any misinformation, typesetting or errors contained within the magazine. www.outlookonoxney.co.uk