Issue 398 June 2017 50p June Jollity Time to enjoy Chipping Norton’s local festivals & fun Have you had enough of elections? After the many weeks of build-up – and your vote on 8 June, perhaps it’s time to get out and enjoy the Chipping Norton sunshine, with plenty of fun on offer at lots of local events in June. Town Festival 25 June Get ready for another full Sunday in the town centre with annual Town Blooming bonnets Festival – with the music stage, stalls, rides, food and more. A great family day out with the chance to meet friends and visitors alike. Thanks again to Rotary and the Festival Team. Fetes and fun all round Our June fetes round up inside reveals another 15 outdoor fetes, festivals, beer tents, dog shows, and the rest – in Chippy, Salford, Chadlington, Tew, Bledington, Churchill, Ramsden, Gt Rollright, Swerford, Charlbury, and A warm May day at the Community Orchard Kingham. We live in a terrific town with saw a wonderful display of decorated bonnets – some beautiful and lively villages well done everyone. More on page 5. around and about. Time to enjoy.

News in this issue: Features: • Our General Election candidates for • Should our new streets be named after 8 June (see p34) more women? • More new homes approved – 100 at • Chippy’s Marathon Marvels ‘The Pillars’ and 73 for the over 55s • How do we spend the ‘Planning Gain’ • Mayor Making – Mayor Tysoe starts his money from all our new housing? 5th year; Council look to traffic issues • Revealing Salford’s past secrets • BBC seek Recording Studio memories • HSBC finally closes its doors Plus all the usual Local News, Arts, • Mr Cameron’s shepherd’s hut delight Sports, Clubs, Schools and letters. LOCAL NEWS

June’s Fetes, Festivals & Gardens

Sat 3 June thefibrefestival Sat 17 June Great Rollright Young Makers & Entrepreneurs. Summer Fete 2-5pm at Village 10am-4pm in Chipping Norton’s Hall and adjacent field. The Middle Row. Classes and Friends of Great Rollright School demonstrations at The Fibreworks shop, children’s activities, promise something for everyone! Bezerkaz Circus 30 min artisan ice cream. Details 645970. More in Arts p20. workshops, juggling, spinning plates, riding a unicycle and creating large bubbles! Workshop tickets from the School Sat 3 June Salford Fete & Fun Dog Show free entry, noon office (737202) or [email protected] Plus -4pm, on the Green, teas in Village Hall. Live music, barbeque, popular dog show, pony rides, animal corner, barbecue, Pimms. Vintage and pre-loved clothes stalls, cakes and licensed bar and café, raffle, stalls, games and bouncy castle. A preserves, books, plants, bric-a-brac. A rare vintage car and beautiful village location. All proceeds to the School. win a ride in it! Children's races, traditional games, showpiece tug of war. Supervised children's area: bouncy castle, pets Sat 17 June Broadwell & Donnington Fete Broadwell corner with lambs and piglets, and more. The hotly contested Green, Fun Dog Show events start at 1.30. Waggiest Tail, Dog children’s round-village race at 3.30. Fun dog Most like its Owner etc – entries on the day agility starts 1pm, dog show 2pm. Entries 15 from noon. www.Broadwellvillage.co.uk min before. Proceeds to the Lawrence Home Sat 17 & Sun 18 June Swerford Open Nursing Team and Salford Church and Village Gardens 1.30-6pm. Nine beautiful and Hall. Information from Mayur Amin: 644456 or [email protected]. Plus try the The interesting gardens. Unique Flower Festival in Salford Inn Beer & Cider Festival hog St Mary’s Church for British Flower Week. roast from noon with live music 4pm onwards. Displays from celebrated growers – Chelsea All proceeds to The Outward Bound Trust and Growers, suppliers to the Ritz and more. the Fete charities Expert talks 4.30 each day. Saturday: Stephen Crisp, head gardener at Winfield House, the Sat 3 June Chadlington Beer Festival noon- American Ambassador’s London home. 11pm on Village Green. 20 real ales, Pimms, Sunday: Chelsea and Malvern judge, Stephen barbeque, food, music, children’s entertainment. Woodhams. Teas, plant stall, raffle and tombola. Funds for the School. www.chadlingtonbeerfestival.co.uk £6 entry for adults, free to under 12’s. Proceeds to Katharine House Hospice and St Mary’s Church repairs. Details on Sun 4 June Churchill Village Festival noon-4pm. Village Swerford Community website or Green, free entrance and car parking. Dog Show, pony rides, [email protected] barbecue, jazz band, games, teas, stalls and car boot (info/bookings: 07980 306961, [email protected]) Sun 18 June Chipping Norton Garden Party Cakes, beer tent, folk dancing, flower festival, Heritage Centre bubbly & music for Teenage Cancer Trust. John and Liz Atkins open. open their garden at 36 New Street. From 2.30, music, entertainment, Chippy’s own Gay Holden singing jazz classics Sat 10 June Great Tew Fete noon-4pm. In village at OX7 and Caroline Watsham, Banbury’s Musical Saw Lady. Entry 4DB. Horse and cart rides, Spitfire flyover, cream teas, £7.50, includes first glass of fizz, with under 18’s free. Tickets barbeque, beer tent, Morris dancers, live music, stalls, games, from 645511. Enjoy the garden, have fun and support this very pony rides and more. Free entry. worthwhile charity. Sat 10 June Bledington Village Fete on the Village Green. Sat 24 June Chipping Norton St Mary’s School Summer Lunches from noon, barbecue, teas, beer tent, band, cakes, Fete noon-3pm. Bouncy castle, barbecue and bar, face books, plants etc. Many games and sideshows, tug of war, painting and plenty of games and activities for the children. Ancestry UK – and a possible surprise visitor! Please come along and support this event, to raise money to Sat 10 June Ramsden Village Fete & Dog Show 1-4pm fund activities, and help enhance the life of the School. Wynter’s Close, High Street, OX7 3AU. The Food Hall, Sat 24 June Kingham All Blacks FC Fun Day noon-4pm espresso bar in a vintage Citroen truck. Pimms and prosecco. on Kingham Playing Field. Mini farmers’ market, stalls, games, Gin tasting. Tea & cake from 2pm. Small fairground, water refreshments, car boot (£5 per car – call 07999 721535 splash, bouncy castles, coconut shy, tug of war and egg- booking essential). throwing. Maypole dancers, Morris men, local folk groups and a brass band. Stalls galore and a Dog Show. See Sat 24 June Charlbury Beer Festival noon-10pm at www.ramsdenvillage.co.uk Cricket Club. Food, live music, kids’ entertainment, Aunt Sally, Culture Club tent. See www.Charlburybeerfestival.org Sun 11 June Open Gardens at Chivel Farm Heythrop (OX7 5TR) 11am-4pm for CN Theatre. A beautifully designed Sun 25 June Chipping Norton Town Festival 11am- country garden with extensive views. Colour schemed 8.30pm in Town Centre. Music all day, stalls, vintage cars, borders, unusual trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, small formal children’s rides, hog roast and more from local shops, pubs white garden and conservatory. Tea and coffee. £3 on the gate. and restaurants. Organised by Rotary and local volunteer Call Theatre Box Office (642350) for details team, proceeds to local charities – see advert opposite.

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th summarised some of the key events of the past year thanking 5 year for Mayor Tysoe everyone for their support, and looked forward to a year of Chipping Nor- development and progress in Chipping Norton, alongside the ton Town challenges of growth, and important decisions on new Council held its housing, town centre traffic and infrastructure. He said he was Mayor Making honoured to continue for another year but had promised his ceremony in family this would be his last! A shortened normal Council the Town Hall meeting also took place with discussions on traffic issues, on Monday 15 planning, the 20 mph speed limit, and reports from Finance May. Cllr Mike and Recreation. Tysoe was sworn in for his 5th year as Bank doors finally close Mayor; Cllr The News team arrived at 2pm on the dot at Market Place in Don Davidson Chipping Norton on Friday 12 May to witness the sight of continues as Deputy Mayor. The only other time a mayor Cllr Mike Tysoe, Monica Tysoe and has served 5 Cllr Don Davidson years was Cllr Smith in World War II. Mayor Tysoe moved a vote of thanks to the Mayoress Monica Tysoe who continues in her supporting role. A strong turnout of Town Councillors attended the meeting, along with around 40 members of the public. Cllr Jo Graves, who formally nominated the Mayor, said that Cllr Tysoe was a strong person to lead the Council through a likely period of instability and change, and that his professional skills, passion, energy and tenacity for getting Maria with l-r Julie Brooks, Maria Harris and Jenny Harrison things done would continue to be a major asset. She added long-serving employee Maria Hutchison ceremonially closing that with Mayoress Monica Tysoe in support they made ‘a the doors of the branch for the last time. HSBC, as part of cracking team’. In his speech of acceptance, Cllr Tysoe major cuts to its national branch network, had decided to close our long-standing branch which has its roots back to 1834 (see May News). Maria is taking the opportunity to stop after an amazing 38 years’ service at our branch –- starting when she left school. Team colleagues there with Maria to witness the event were Jenny Harrison (32 years with HSBC and two in Chippy), Julie Brooks (26 years and 11 here) and Maria Harris (8 years and helping in Chippy for three). HSBC has been offering team members posts elsewhere. 20 mph speed limits At May’s Town Council meeting there was a further update on plans to implement a 20 mph speed limit on roads in the town centre, including main through roads. The cost of this, for example to include new signage, may partly be funded by ‘infrastructure’ levies coming from developments such as new housing at The Pillars on Banbury Road. The next stage is to get timescales and final agreement from Oxfordshire County Council. Meanwhile local police and the Town’s new Neighbourhood Watch members are pursuing the idea of using community volunteers out and about around Chippy with speed gun equipment provided by the police and used under supervision. If you are interested in helping with this contact Chipping Norton’s police sergeant on 101. NHS changes – June meeting After over six months of public meetings and many objections, the responses to the controversial NHS ‘Phase 1’ Big Consultation are all now being processed by the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group. The biggest changes affect the Horton – particularly making hospital bed reductions permanent and downgrading maternity services.

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Chipping Norton patients are affected by transport and arrangement, but approved of an open process to get the access to Banbury and Oxford, and have concerns over how right supporting evidence and with extensive consultation and ‘closer to home’ care is being strengthened. The future of our the right public debate. He expected that residents and public, maternity unit, community hospital, GP services and social affected by changes, would take an active interest in the study. care will be considered later in Phase 2. Because of the Longstanding News readers will remember the packed and General Election, the OCCG Board will now consider the noisy Town Hall meeting in the 1990s to discuss the changes consultation results at their Board meeting on 20 June – and to traffic flow and parking on Topside! Any next stage will then make any decisions their August Board. The meetings are need the Town Council to propose a study approach and open to the public and attendance is expected to be high. costs for the work, and anyone interested in being involved or helping should contact the Town Clerk. Town Council’s traffic project At the Annual Town Meeting and again at May’s Council Rock Hill – new homes plan Meeting, Mayor Mike Tysoe announced a new project called The Oddfellows are trying again to build on vacant land that they own off Rock Hill in Chipping Norton. Their planning application for four homes was refused permission in March this year, following objections from neighbours. The North Gloucester District Lodge of the Independent Order of Oddfellows, a not for profit Friendly Society, now believes it has overcome these concerns by reducing the number of homes to three and repositioning them. Existing car parking would be retained. The planning application 17/01209/FUL can be viewed on WODC’s website. A Mayoral Magnificence ‘Chippy 2020’, for the Town Council themselves to look again at how Chippy’s town centre should cope with increased The full Mayor Making ceremony and Council meeting in May, traffic and growth. This has been provoked somewhat by years with Cllr Tysoe wearing the mayoral robes, was followed by a of ‘option reports’ but lack of action on HGV pollution and traffic through town. Over 15 years or more, County and District Councils have looked at compulsory weight limits, town one-way systems, Horsefair ‘gating’, possible bypasses and an alternative HGV route via the Rollright Stones. Costs, practicality and ‘other priorities’ have stopped any progress. WODC’s latest Local Plan suggests a ‘Relief Road’ from Banbury Road to Burford Road at the edge of any new major housing development based at Tank Farm. Chipping Norton Town Council are unhappy with these latest draft plans, and Mayor Mike Tysoe told May’s Council meeting that the millions of pounds for any relief road could be better spent on other and different improvements in the Town. A magnificence of mayors: l-r former mayors Dixon, Beacham, Davidson, Graves, Jarratt, Grantham, Butterworth and Peterkin The Mayor wants the Town Council to go ahead with their own with Mayor Tysoe in the centre. new study project, called Chippy 2020. He suggested at the reception in the Lower Town Hall hosted by the Mayor and Town Meeting that, with input from independent experts, they Mayoress, with refreshments provided by The Tea Set. There might look at significant changes to traffic Town Centre itself. was a toast to the Town, with, at the reception, a notable nine Ideas mentioned could include a ‘gyratory’ system making past and present mayors of Chipping Norton attending, all Albion Street one way south bound and High Street one way pictured here. Together they represent around a quarter of a north bound, 20 mph zones, ‘shared space’ with pedestrians, century of mayoral service. improved ‘streetscape’, and more or better parking arrangements. The Mayor said that project plans were still ‘embryonic’ but that once the study starts, coming up with Harpers housing plan refused ‘vision and objectives’ could take two months, 3-5 months for The future of the site of the former Harper’s store in the more concrete plans, and then 3 years to implement. High Street is on hold after WODC’s Uplands Planning To implement traffic changes will need full approval, and Committee voted to refuse Planning Permission for the possible funding, from Oxfordshire County Council Highways redevelopment of the site. This was against their own officers’ – and backing from police and West Oxfordshire District recommendation. The proposal was to reduce the retail Council. Chipping Norton’s re-elected County Councillor floorspace, convert upper floors to two flats and construct Hilary Biles, in her election leaflet, said she was against any nine new homes to the rear off Portland Place. The new one way system in the Town. District Councillor Geoff Saul development had received objections from some neighbours told the News he as ‘very positive about a proper review of about loss of privacy, from the Town Council about over the Town’s road network and a look at any solutions that development and inadequate parking, and even from WODC’s improve traffic safety, congestion and air quality in Chippy’. He own architect who, like the Town Council, thought the remained to be convinced about a possible one-way scheme would be better without three of the homes adjacent

4 LOCAL NEWS to Dickenson Court. a further ‘free for all’ period with developers submitting Officers had recommended approval, saying that the planning applications on sites of their choice. Anyone who has proposal would not be ‘unacceptably overbearing’, there already submitted a comment to WODC on the policy would be no ‘adverse overlooking’ and that no ‘unacceptable proposing the large extension to Chipping Norton can ask to living conditions’ would result from the development. speak in person at the hearing in July. Check WODC’s website However, at the Planning Committee meeting, local for details. Councillor Geoff Saul argued that the number of dwellings on the site amounted to overdevelopment and his proposal that permission be refused was agreed. Community Orchard blessed Supporters of Chipping A Morris dancing surprise Norton’s Community Orchard, off the Worcester A stroll for a morning coffee in Middle Row on a May Road, were doubly blessed Saturday morning found a major congregation of Morris when, on Sunday 7 May, the sun shone warmly on the circle of dancers blessing the trees for Blossom Day. We welcomed over 100 visitors who enjoyed the blossom, dancing, games and refreshments. Decorating of hats was a special feature for the day. The fruit trees all look p r o m i s i n g Dancers – and no-one knew they were coming! It turned out for a good that the Powder Kegs from Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire had harvest, so met the Dead Head Morris and Broomshakers from watch these Whitstable in Kent a few years back at a festival. They got on pages for the well and every year they meet somewhere halfway! This year ‘pick me it was a campsite outside Chipping Norton, for a colourful now’ advice display of dancing in town and an evening of celebration in The from August Blue Boar with more dancing. Come again next year! o n w a r d s . Apple Day WOBA winners with apple Last month the News reported the great success of the tasting and Tickittyboo team in Middle Row in winning a West pressing will Oxfordshire Business Award. Both the Tickitty businesses be Sunday 15 October. Make a note now! Meanwhile enjoy the were set up by Julia Cook – apologies from the News team Orchard through the summer for strolling and picnics. There is for getting Julia’s surname wrong in our report and now a gate at the top with a welcome sign for walkers to congratulations again. come through the orchard as an alternative to the footpath. Heather Leonard – Orchard Group Opposition to Local Plan WODC’s latest big changes to housing numbers in their Draft Queen’s award for Mumford Local Plan were under scrutiny in May as the Examination by Chipping Norton-based Owen Mumford Ltd has won the a government-appointed Inspector re-started in public. In May, Innovation category of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise he examined District-wide strategy issues – including the 2017, UK’s highest accolade for business success. Owen process used for housing site selection as well as Mumford received the award in recognition of their infrastructure and transport. All these issues were of concern innovations in medical device design and manufacturing, to Chipping Norton residents and the Town Council – such as diagnostic sampling and drug delivery. The award particularly with the increase to 1400 new homes proposed focused on the company’s injection pen needles for use by at the top of the town and proposals for a new relief road to people with diabetes. Owen Mumford’s extensive deal with traffic. The Town Council had submitted detailed research, design and manufacturing capabilities produce objections and Councillors were at the hearing in person to leading medical devices that are used worldwide, with verbally put their case across. The Mayor reported that many over 85% of their products exported to more than 60 other interested parties, particularly landowners and countries. Jarl Severn, managing director at Owen developers, were objecting to items in the Plan. July will see Mumford, said ‘Receiving the Queen’s Award for more hearings – including one on 13 July when Chipping Innovation is particularly rewarding as it highlights how Norton’s specific site issues will be discussed. If the Inspector everything we do at Owen Mumford is about making a doesn’t like this Local Plan, he may throw it back to WODC world of difference. Through our work, we seek to for more work, more delay, and this could potentially result in improve quality of life, encouraging adherence to

5 LOCAL NEWS treatment and reduce healthcare costs’. Jarl thanked all a house.’ However, several people supported the proposal, those who had contributed to the company’s success. saying it was ‘much needed’ and well located. Also WODC Planning officers said there is an ‘identified requirement to Vernon Court’s new residents provide further housing for elderly persons in the District, In late April, Cottsway including within Chipping Norton, which is acknowledged in Housing Association’s Policy BD4 of the Chipping Norton Neighbourhood Plan. Vernon Court (the Policy BD4 states that ‘developments which increase the space formerly choice of different types of housing available to older and occupied by Vernon disabled persons will be supported including specialised and House) on Burford accessible housing.’ It was also pointed out that the location Road in Chipping was in easy reach of the Health Centre, and the development Norton was formally would increase the vitality and vibrancy in the Town and opened. There are five improve the existing site. houses, with 2 or 3 Hares hopping about Readers around town may have spotted that our giant hare in New tenants Top: Nikkel the Town Centre has moved about. For some time it was Humphreys and Cottsway outside Jaffé & Neale – but in May it was proudly squatting CEO Vivian Rosser Right: Paula outside The Tea Set on Topside. As explained in the Arts page Blennerhassett with in April, this was part of the Cotswold Hare Trail, aimed at Cottsway Chair John Brace visitors and tourists across the area. Each hare is named in honour of someone with local connections. bedrooms and 14 flats Ours is called Geoffrey Furbidge – with 1 or 2 bedrooms and after the renowned astrophysicist all are currently occupied. Professor Geoffrey Burbidge The builders E G Carter & Co, represented at the launch by (1925–2010) who was born in their regional manager Phillip Barnes, completed the building Chipping Norton. Different local in just 12 months and before the target date. They were businesses have sponsored the hare delighted to see how thrilled the new residents were with and take turns to have it on display. their new homes. There are huge concerns about the supply of affordable housing both to rent and to buy and Cottsway Chief Executive, Vivian Rosser, recognised this shortage, saying that Cottsway is pledged to start development of 200 new homes for affordable rent this year, at the start of a large scale programme to build 750 homes over a five year period which will help to deal with the current disparity between need and Also spotted in May at availability of places to live. It has seemed a long time since the Carrick Travel in Middle occupants of Vernon House were re-housed and the building Row was a newcomer to closed, but to have a new building put up and occupied in a the hare gang. A smaller year and to have the site once again part of life in Chippy is a version made at the great success. Albion Centre and fashioned as the Chipping Norton’s famous ‘Ratcatcher’s Wife’, has joined the trail. Readers need McCarthy & Stone go ahead to wander down to St Mary’s Churchyard to spot the grave More homes for older people are coming to Chippy despite of said wife next to the path coming out of the church. the concerns of Town Councillors that there are already too many in the Town. WODC’s May Uplands Committee gave Bookings for Glyme Hall planning permission to McCarthy & Stone to go ahead with Glyme Hall, the purpose-built community building up the Burford 59 Assisted Living apartments, 8 bungalows and 6 houses – all Road behind the Leisure Centre, is run by the Glyme Hall Ltd for the over 55s – at the rear part of the former Parker Knoll charity who lease the building from Oxfordshire County Council. site on London Road. The self-contained flats will be Mike Tysoe, one of the Charity Trustees, told the News they are specifically designed for older people, linked by heated level delighted to announce that the protracted negotiations with the corridors from a secure entrance. Communal facilities will landlords have resulted in a new long-term lease, albeit at a higher include laundry, restaurant, coffee lounge, well-being suite, rent. Glyme Hall hosts a variety of events, catering for babes in function room, refuse room and guest bedroom. Aimed at the arms (and their parents) through to the senior citizens’ Monday ‘frail elderly’, day to day assistance and domiciliary care will be Club, with a Youth Club on Friday afternoon and the Community available to purchase in care packages to suit residents’ needs Church on Sundays – the full programme is advertised on the as they change over time. Glyme Hall notice boards. It is estimated that over 500 people a The Town Council, in their written response, had said, week use the hall. More users can be accommodated in rooms ‘There is not a need for another old person's development in varying from well equipped classroom / meeting areas, to the main Chipping Norton … the Town doesn't cater enough for the hall complete with a sprung floor suitable for dancing / exercise young people and there is a need for more public sector classes and even parties! Details can be obtained from Tori at housing to be built for the people who cannot afford to buy [email protected] or on 238037.

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report of their monitoring inspection visit will be published in Recording Studios memories the next few weeks. BBC Radio Oxford are looking at the history and memories In the meantime, the School is opening its doors to Year of the Town’s famous recording studios and a BBC team will 5 pupils and their parents for an Open Morning on Tuesday 4 be in Chipping Norton on 15 June for a special programme July. Details will go out to pupils from their primary schools in remembering Chipping Norton Studios and the bands and due course. artists that recorded there. They're looking for anyone with Cotswold Gate Takes Shape Cotswold Gate, Chippy’s biggest housing development for some time, continues to take shape. Situated between Burford Road and Walterbush Road, the development of 228 homes is beginning to look more established as new residents set up home. Of the 228 homes, 45 are now occupied. Curtains hang

memories of the studios – maybe you worked there, or maybe you were one of the fans who camped out for a glimpse of the Bay City Rollers when they came to record Bye Bye Baby! Whatever your story, they’d love to hear from you – contact Will on 07711 913297 or [email protected]. at the windows, gardens are neatly landscaped, cars are parked in driveways and children’s bikes and toys are in Progress at CN School evidence, giving the site a much more ‘lived in’ appearance. The houses, built by Bellway, are in a variety of sizes, styles and Last month the News put the spotlight on Chipping Norton materials, from two-bedroom terraces to four-bedroom School, its successful exam results last year and recent detached. Houses fronting the Burford Road are in the improvement since they came under some Ofsted scrutiny. vernacular yellowish stone, with brick being used for many of The latest news is that the School welcomed Ofsted the houses behind them. Prices range from £300,000 to inspectors back for a monitoring visit in May. Headteacher £560,000. Forty percent of the homes, to include some flats, Simon Duffy was pleased with the visit and told the News, will be allocated to a housing association. ‘Just as the School anticipated, the inspectors agreed that the So who is buying all these homes? Georgina, in Bellway’s school was in a very strong position and that improvements Sales Office, confirmed that there is a fifty-fifty split between were very evident.’ This was seen in the quality of work in books, the quality of learning seen in lessons, and the quality of care afforded to students in the School. They agreed that the Sixth Form was especially strong. Simon added ‘It was great to be able to show case all the good learning taking place at Chipping Norton School. Inspectors saw students engaged in their work and enjoying their learning. They saw no disruption to any learning and were very complimentary about student behaviour. We still have work to do to make sure that all aspects of teaching and learning are consistently good but the signs are all there. We are now looking forward to some excellent GCSE and A Level results this summer.’ Inspectors spoke to students, to parents and to staff. They saw over 30 lessons and spent two days in the School. The Ofsted buyers from the Chippy area and those coming from elsewhere. Some buyers are downsizing from bigger MINDFULNESS for STRESS properties, some are moving up to bigger family homes The next 8-week Course will be held on Tuesdays (apparently, there is a dearth of four-bedroom homes in from 26th September to 21st November Chippy). Many couples whose workplaces take them in Chipping Norton Health Centre opposite directions are choosing Chippy as a central point in Also weekly drop in classes on Thursdays which to base themselves. The Newsteam met Dan Stafford starting 28th September (pictured above) who moved into one of the new family For details & bookings: Email: [email protected] homes in February with wife Sally and two young children. Tel: 07816 786656 They couple grew up in Chipping Norton and told the News they were pleased with the community feeling, green play

7 LOCAL NEWS areas, and the number of young families moving into the chart to read whilst you wait for the publication of Mr Cotswold Gateway estate. Cameron’s magnum opus. Parts of the site are still a noisy hive of activity as construction continues, with much of the social housing and Red Sky’s delight the long-awaited clubhouse for Chippy’s football club still to When Paul be finished and occupied – for football or any other social use. Bennett of Red Have you moved to Chippy or to this new development? Sky Shepherds Let us know what you think of the Town, our new homes and Huts answered all the facilities. Email the News at [email protected] the phone in January, it led to a Shepherd’s Warning conversation he would never Watch out shepherds forget. The caller – one of your working was David spaces has become Cameron who David Cameron with Paul Bennett of Red fashionable. The liked the Sky Shepherds Huts picture of our ex-MP shepherd’s hut located in Scotland and owned by his mother- David Cameron with a in-law. A few seconds with Google and he had found locally luxury shepherd’s hut based Red Sky. Little did they know that both men were at his Dean house has already connected through one of life’s twists of fate. The hut hit the headlines. The that Mr Cameron was about to buy was only made possible, wheeled shelters according to Paul, by the PM’s decision, some years earlier and which gave refuge while in power, to change the rules on pensions. He allowed from the wind and people to cash their pension in at 55 and use the money to weather to shepherds do things like Paul did – start a shepherd hut business, following their flocks following his dream of becoming an artisan cabinet maker. were generally Father and son team Paul and Adam Bennett made the battered and smelt bespoke hut for the Cameron family. More on Red Sky at strongly of sheep. They’re now being specially built as leisure www.redshyshepherdshuts.co.uk and Paul is happy to discuss spaces at a basic cost of £16,500 with expensive bells and requirements on 07870 223114! whistles added. It is basically a shed on wheels, well designed and well built, but still a shed. Most of us have experience of What’s in a Shed? Did you know the national ‘Shed of the sheds: the almost falling down place at the end of the garden Year 2017’ competition is in its final stages (try googling it)? stuffed with things that will come in useful one day, old bikes, But the News is interested in what kind of sheds our readers the tangled remains of hose-pipes and half empty paint tins. have in Chipping Norton. And what do you do in it? Send the And for what: a hobby workshop or with an old comfy chair News a picture and a short item and we’ll publish any for biscuit-eating, a crafty smoke or other private interesting tales. Send to [email protected]. indulgences? But there is also a tradition of artists using sheds, particularly writers like George Bernard Shaw (whose shed Is there a beast about? was on a turntable to follow the sun); Dylan Thomas, in one Have you seen precariously overhanging the sea at Laugharne; as well as any strange Virginia Woolf, Phillip Pullman and Arthur Miller. In beasts about in preparation for a new entry into the political memoir section and around the of literature our former MP and Prime Minister, David Town? Large Cameron, has joined this elite group by installing his own black cats . . . shepherd’s hut, built by Red Sky based in Leamington, as a very large cats? space in which he can write. Lisa London claimed rec- Proper posh paint The ‘Beast of Burford’?? ently that she But not just any shepherd’s hut. The basic version can be fitted nearly knocked down a black panther with her car at the with solar panels, a stove, a bed, connected with electricity village of Upper Arncott, near Burford. She said, ‘What I saw and can also be decorated, in this case by design expert was maybe 100 yards in front of me, it strolled across the Samantha Cameron, to suit your taste. In this instance, Farrow road and leapt into the bushes. It looked like a black panther. & Ball paint has been used with colours that blend in with the There was no way it was a dog, deer or domestic cat, it was surroundings. The posh paint purveyors are renowned for too big’. She estimated the creature was more than three feet their delightfully eccentric approach to names. In the neutral tall and nearly five feet long. Mrs London had never heard of range there are names like Smoked Trout, Mole’s Breath and the fabled ‘Beast of Burford’ and it wasn’t until she got home Skimming Stone. Nancy’s Blushes is a rosy pink, Churlish and told her husband about her encounter that he Green looks like you feel the morning after the night before remembered hearing similar stories. and Down Pipe is a very dark grey. Unfortunately, Blazer, Oxford resident Steve Archibald, who runs the website which offers the image of a striped paint is a dark red. We bigcatsightings.com, said it was not the first time he had heard have a local supplier of Farrow & Ball in Chippy at Splendid of such sightings; they go back to the 1990s, although recent Interiors on the Primsdown Estate – get a copy of the colour sightings are rare. He received a call from Thames Valley Police

8 LOCAL NEWS a few months ago to say a farmer near Chipping Norton ‘Movie Morning’ for Scout Hut funds reported he was in his tractor when he saw a big black cat The Theatre in running across his field with a muntjac deer in its mouth. Over Chipping Norton the past ten years Steve has received about 40 calls reporting is hosting a ‘Movie Oxfordshire sightings. He said ‘There definitely are big cats in Morning’ from Oxfordshire, but they are very elusive’. In one of the most 10am–12.30pm famous sightings, a suspected big cat was photographed in a on Saturday 8 July, field opposite the Masons Arms pub in Burford Road, Brize showing a family Norton, in 2005. The photograph now hangs on the wall of film chosen by the the pub. The only big black cat that would normally be seen in 6th Chipping Britain is a melanistic leopard, commonly called a panther. But Norton scouts many zoologists think Britain has a large wild population of (aged 5–14). It’s big cats which have been breeding and forming colonies in £8 a ticket, which remote areas of countryside since the late 1970s. That was includes an ice when the Dangerous Wild Animals Act required owners to cream – adults are licence exotic pets and instead many owners chose to release not required! them into the wild. Demolition of the old scout hut Children will be supervised by Scout Leaders. Funds raised go to the new Co-op support Chippy Scouts scout hut. Tickets via The Theatre box office (642350) or for Over 100 scouts special group bookings contact Group Scout Leader Amy Hill in Chipping [email protected] or 07703 292561. Norton are Progress is being made up at Greystones with the celebrating after provision of a new Scout Hut to replace the old one which their scout had reached a dangerous state of disrepair. The Scouts are group was busy raising substantial funds to help match the grant which selected as The came through the ‘Section 106’ money for the Cotswolds Gateway houses development. Donations welcome at Midcounties Co- www.justgiving.com/chippingnorton-scoutgroup. operative’s official charity partner. The Town Hall Bingo for Alex two-year partner- Everyone is welcome to a special Family Prize Bingo evening ship will help 6th on Friday 9 June at Chipping Norton Town Hall. Doors open Chipping Norton 7pm with first game at 7.30. All ages welcome for a fun night Scout Group with out: refreshments, raffle, and prizes. The event is to help with their new hut, as the ‘Step Up For Alex’, a fundraising campaign for local five-year- group have been old Alex for her rehab after surgery for cerebral palsy – to without a help Alex eventually walk with a frame and wheelchair. permanent home Bartholomew’s Hairdressers and Gill’s Hardware are helping since September organise both this and a 70s disco event in September. 2016. Amy Hill, Joint Contact Sue Bartholomew on 642606 or Scout Group Leader [email protected] for more information. See said, ‘We are www.facebook.com/StepupforAlex. overcome by the support we have already received from The Mid-counties Co-operative as they Kingham train time changes have a big presence in Chipping Norton. They have already The Cotswold Line train times from Kingham station changed begun to help us fundraise for our group, and this support is on 21 May. Mostly, the times differ by a minute or two either invaluable alongside events we plan to host, such as a car way, but a few trains have changed their final destination. wash. This funding will allow us to open another scout group However, the one major change is to the former 09.58 to to cater for our increasing popularity. Our scouts, local boys London. This now departs much later – at 10.30 – arriving in and girls, can take part in activities such as climbing, hiking, Oxford at 10.56 and London Paddington at 12.01. sailing and working towards challenge and interest badges to Unfortunately, there is no longer a sensible X8 bus learn skills such as first aid and survival’. connection. Chippy News have asked Pulham’s to consider The charity partnership forms part of The Midcounties retiming their 09.37 X8 to run later to provide a better Co-operative’s Regional Communities strategy, which sees connection, as well as an additional bus to connect with the members and colleagues come together to provide impactful 09.31 London train, a service much requested by Chippy and sustainable support for local community groups through residents, but not previously possible because of the lack of volunteering and fundraising. Stewart Howe, leadership team turnaround time. At the time of going to press, no conclusion ambassador in Chipping Norton, said, ‘The 6th Chipping had been reached. Details of the revised train times are in Norton Scout Group is an important part of the community. GWR booklet E5 ‘London and Oxford to Worcester and Local young people get a range of invaluable experiences Hereford’ which can also be downloaded from the GWR which can help their confidence and team working skills’. website.

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people and families facing life-limiting illness in our community. Freemasons’ Open Day See https://www.khh.org.uk/Event/midnight-walk. Most people This year’s Festival of Open Gardens runs from May will have to September with over 30 gardens to visit plus garden talks heard about from renowned local gardeners, as well as a flower festival, Freemasonry not to mention teas and home-made cakes at many of the but in the past gardens. Early dates include Sunday 4 June ~ Adderbury, it has had an Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 June ~ Swerford, 18 June ~ air of secrecy Deddington, Sunday 2 July ~ Bledington. More information at with strange https://www.khh.org.uk/Event/gardens, or call 01295 816484. rituals, carried out by a small section of 100 homes at The Pillars society. To try A big development of up to 100 new homes has been approved on land off Banbury Road between Cromwell Park and the Cricket Club. WODC Councillors had deferred a Exterior & interior of the decision in March so they could visit the site and, having done Masonic Lodge so, gave consent to the development at their May meeting. and dispel some of these images This plan is for outline consent, establishing the principle, and and inform local people of what the next stage will be for a house builder to purchase the site the organisation is about, the and apply for detailed permission within the parameters set. Chipping Norton Lodge recently The scheme also provides for the first stage of the Eastern held an Open Day at their Distributor Road between Banbury Road and Burford Road, premises on the Over Norton as proposed in WODC’s Draft Local Plan that is being Road. The News went along to currently considered by a Government Inspector. (See earlier take a look. Freemasonry claims articles.) The Town Council initially objected to the planning to be ‘one of the world’s oldest application, saying the site should be used for employment, and largest non-religious, non- then accepted the residential use and asked for the link road political, fraternal and charitable to be included, but more recently has asked for the number organisations’. Its roots lie in the of homes to be reduced by half. However, WODC felt that the traditions and ceremonies of the information submitted with the application demonstrated medieval stonemasons, who built that the site could accommodate 100 homes. our cathedrals and castles. Today, there are over 200,000 members belonging to 7,000 Lodges in England and Wales and around six million worldwide. Their aims are fraternity, charity and care of family and community. They are the second largest donor charity in the country, second only to the National Lottery. The Chipping Norton Lodge comprises four local groups, totalling about 80 members. They meet six times a year between October and April on the first Tuesday of the month. A ceremony of about an hour, consisting of various rituals and scripture readings, is followed by a formal dinner with toasts and sometimes music and song. At the Open Day, visitors were shown the Temple and the dining area. It was also an opportunity for potential new members to chat to some older Freemasons, who have many years of experience. There will be efforts now to publicise the organisation more openly and people can see the part the members play, particularly in contributing to local charities. Basic requirements for membership are: to be male and over 21, to be of good character and be prepared to declare a belief in a Supreme Being, which can be from any recognised religious background. For further information phone Darren Cox 07958 009269. Katharine House Update Katharine House Hospice supporters are gearing up for the Midnight Walk on Saturday 24 June. This year’s theme is ‘Animals’, so bring your rabbit ears, slip into a zebra onesie, or join your friends in a giant caterpillar. Whatever shape, size, or type of animal you choose, you’re sure to have a memorable Midnight Walk! Please sign up and help raise money for

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The permission comes with hefty financial strings go to university for the first time this year, you can book a attached. Forty percent of the homes must be affordable; nurse appointment at Chipping Norton Health Centre where £380,400 must be paid towards the expansion of St Mary’s you can have this free vaccine and check if you need any other Primary School; £140,000 towards an on-site equipped play boosters or immunisations. Good luck with the exams from area; £115,600 towards off-site sports and recreation in town; all at the Health Centre. up to £100,000 towards enhanced bus services; £38,700 towards nursery education; £24,600 towards library Lots on at The Lido improvements; and £12,600 towards ‘artist-led bespoke features’ to enhance public spaces, as well as the restoration of the two listed pillars as reported in the April News. These are significant sums that could really make a difference to facilities in the Town. And there will be more to come from the other new homes planned for Tank Farm and beyond. The Town needs to ensure that the money is channelled to where it is needed most. See feature article on page 16. Showery Church Fete

A misty early morning swim There’s lots to report from The Lido as the season really gets going. The popular Summer Solstice Late Swim & Barbecue is on Saturday 24 June – swim from 7.30pm into the sunset! On the Sunday the Lido will be at the Town Festival with the traditional Teddy Tombola. The NPLQ course for budding lifeguards is Monday 10 to Friday 14 July. The junior intensive swimming lessons are available Monday to Friday for four weeks starting 31 July. Book your place now! Looking a bit further ahead, save the date for a Late Swim with Swing by The Top School orchestra under cover on a stormy afternoon, Fiddlebop on Saturday 26 August. Finally, a season ticket is still with their own impressive take on modern hits from artists well worth getting and by far the most economical way to including Coldplay enjoy The Lido all summer – particularly for larger families. Kirsty Garrett and Giles Beale, owners of the Old Vicarage on For bookings and more information on all this and future Church Street, have had the St Mary's Church fete on their events see www.chippylido.co.uk or email wonderful lawns for the past six years. Kirsty told the News, [email protected] or call the Lido office on 643188. Also ‘A lot of effort goes into this but every year we target to raise see facebook/ChippyLido and Twitter @ChippyLido. For about £2000 for the friends of St Mary's which goes towards donations to the The Lido’s upkeep, see keeping the fabric of the Church going’. This generosity is www.Totalgiving.co.uk and/or as you shop online via supported by a number of local organisations donating prizes www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/chippylido, if you prefer. and time to make the event a real success, and these are all Claire Williamson listed at the bottom of this article. Despite the rain everyone enjoyed themselves and the ducks on the hook a duck pond Christmas in Chippy was certainly bobbing around very happily! The fete was After last year’s highly successful Christmas market event in supported by Sainsbury's, The Blue Boar, Blenheim Palace, the Town Centre the organising team are hoping to do it again Cotswold Wildlife Park, The Lido, Mid-Counties Co-op, this year – put Friday 8 December in your diary for an Renault Sport, Bippity Boo, Cotswold Distillery, Boots, Gills, enjoyable evening in town for shopping and fun. There should Cedar Therapy and the Crown & Cushion. also be some new Christmas lights up as well. Get a meningitis jab Do you know any students in Chipping Norton just planning Local support for refugees to go off to College or University? Dr Isabel Welch, a GP at The TV cameras have long gone. But the refugees still come, the Health Centre, told the News that as part of the NHS and they still need our help. Fleeing bombs, civil war, famine, catch up scheme, 17–25 year olds planning to go to university religious or political persecution in Syria, Afghanistan and this year are eligible for the Meningitis ACWY vaccine which elsewhere, they leave everything, and risk everything, for protects against four different strains of meningitis. University safety and security. But in Europe, the walls and fences have students are at higher risk of infection because many of them gone up; armed guards confront those trying to cross, while mix closely with lots of new people, some of whom may volunteers who rescue ‘boat people’ are accused of collusion unknowingly carry the meningococcal bacteria at the back of with the smugglers and are sometimes prosecuted, as are their noses and throats. The highest risk of meningitis is in the those providing food, clothing, shelter or lifts, in France, first year of university, particularly the first few weeks, so Greece, Denmark and elsewhere vaccination before the academic year begins offers the best The money raised by Charlbury Refugee Action Group protection against this deadly disease. If you are planning to (CRAG) – over £20,000 in our first year, and another

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£13,000 since September 2016 – has mainly gone to the ad hoc camps of France and Greece, to help with the provision Help the Lawrence Team! of food, clothing and bedding, via Help Refugees. Our The Lawrence Home Nursing Team are looking for volunteers campaigning work has focused on children travelling alone, who can spare an hour or two per month to join our who are the most vulnerable to abuse, violence, trafficking for sex and for labour exploitation, and we will press the new government to do more than its predecessor. If you would like to know more or to get involved, check out our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ charlburyrefugee, or email [email protected]. Frances Webber Witness in Chippy A bright Wednesday evening at the end of April saw Dominic Muir and his wife Thea bringing their street ministry to Chippy. Having founded Nowbelieve Ministries in 2005, after taking the fundraising support group. They meet once a month at Wyatt’s to catch up on past fundraisers and to brainstorm new ideas for events and initiatives. If you also like baking cakes that would be an added bonus. They have a summer of cake baking ahead with teas at Chastleton Church, Salford Village Hall and cakes to bake for the Charlbury Beer Festival. Please call Verity Fifer on 684475 for more information. Jane Phillips Memorial Golf Day, kindly sponsored by Excelsior Taxis, takes place on Friday 23 June at the Cotswolds Club, Chipping Norton. Book now via the website or direct with Danny Phillips at the Club, on 642383. All welcome at the inaugural four-mile family walk departing Salford Village Hall Jo Kele from St Mary’s Church with Dominic and wife Thea, on Sunday 2 July from 10am. The walk is to Over Norton and singing Amazing Grace returns to Salford via St Mary’s Church, Chipping Norton. A Alpha course and receiving a strong calling from God to shorter, children’s nature trail will also start from Salford spread the great news of the gospel, he has travelled to India, Village. Details and a map of the route are available on the Sri Lanka, Africa and many towns and cities in the UK. As we website. saw in Chippy, his style is no-holds-barred enigmatic and Comedian and actor, Miles Jupp, passionate, delivering his own testimony and singing atop his joins fellow comedians, Mark Steel, bright red pick-up, pictured here. Passers-by were bemused, Lloyd Langford and Pippa Evans, for curious, intrigued and a few antagonistic but Dominic and Laugh for Lawrence on Friday 15 Thea’s genuine belief and enthusiasm was extremely engaging. September at 7.45pm at The Theatre, They encouraged young and old to envisage the miracles they Chipping Norton. £25 tickets are on would like to happen in their lives, reflecting the miracle of sale via the box office 642350, in Jesus dying on the cross to save us from our sins, and his person or online at resurrection from the dead giving us the hope of eternal life. www.chippingnortontheatre.com. Roger Sinclair Grateful thanks to Caroline and Pete Warburton at The Crown Inn, Church Gt Rollright – great market! Enstone, who took part in our restaurant scheme during May. Come to the June market and stock up with plants from Chris’s Verity Fifer special and unusual varieties. June is the perfect time to plant up your tubs and borders ready for a glorious summer! Joan will be New Wychwood exhibition there, her table groaning with her wonderful homegrown trays of plants. Gardening is the theme for the ‘preloved’ books, so A new free exhibition opens on Saturday 10 June at come and get inspired while you enjoy the ever popular café Oxfordshire Museum, Woodstock. It explains the origins of with fresh coffee and bacon rolls! And of course there will be Wychwood Forest as a hunting ground for Norman royalty local organic produce, unusual preserves, Fairtrade groceries and illustrates the way of life of local people in the 19th (and chocolate!) artisan breads, dairy, quiches and more from century, whether shepherds, woodsmen or gloveresses. It also Roger’s deli, local oils and honey and a selection of crafts. covers the dramatic change to West Oxfordshire in the Knitting is back in fashion and so Vicky will be there with her 1850’s when much of the forest was enclosed, trees were wool, but if you want a handmade cardie for a baby or toddler felled, the land was turned over to farming, people were and think you wouldn’t get it made quick enough, Sue will have turned off common lands and many lost their livelihoods. The a selection for you to choose from. Markets are on the first Wychwood Project, a local conservation charity, is mounting Saturday of the month in Great Rollright Village Hall. Next this exhibition with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund markets: 3 June and 1 July. 9.30am-12.30pm and WODC. The exhibition opens on 10 June with rural craft Brenda Hayden demonstrations, wild food tasting, and arts and crafts for all

12 LOCAL NEWS the family to try. It runs until 19 September with additional few years! The News will pass on suggested names. A reminder Saturday wood craft events on 8 July, 29 July and 19 August. that names cannot be of anyone living and should be easy to pronounce and spell. Where are the women? Last month the Fun at Henry Cornish News had a full The Bagnall Tales page feature group came to called ‘What’s in a entertain us at Henry street name?’ – Cornish Care Centre which described last month with some how eight names classical music mixed of notable people in with an array of from Chipping songs from the past. Norton, selected This was extra special from a list as Satoko is a chef at suggested by the Henry Cornish and Town Council and Chris, her husband, the History often comes to sing Society were to be used for the new street names up at the and play the guitar. new Cotswold Gate housing estate. This provoked a This time it was the challenging item sent to the News (see letters page) saying, whole family with very ‘surely the main news story here is that out of eight talented son, Robert, nominated names only one is a woman! Are women invisible?’ and daughter, Martha, It appears that the tide of history – often with men in formal playing an array of positions of authority – seems to have won the day. But there instruments. Residents call them the Von Trapps and claim are many women from Chipping Norton’s past – Mill strikers, they are just as talented! campaigners, community leaders, war veterans, professionals, We also had some fluffy visitors over Easter. Everyone doctors, nurses, teachers, leading academics, and many more enjoyed meeting the chicks. Iris was our resident nurse and role models – who have led the way for the Town. Ideas and Albert the nursery caretaker. Both made sure everything was suggestions from our readers are welcome – there will spick and span at the maternity unit for the chicks. certainly be plenty more new roads to be named in the next Karen Berwick

Anna Richardson (1806-1892) Anti-slavery and peace campaigner Why should most of our new streets be named after men? Here, local Historian Adrienne Rosen reveals the story of a remarkable woman who grew up in Chippy. A 19th century anti-slavery campaigner born in Chipping Anna became a prison visitor in Newcastle and set up a Norton can be added to the Town’s list of former residents women’s mission to bring religious knowledge to the poor. of distinction. Anna Atkins was born in 1806, the daughter of During the 1840s and 1850s she was the national leader of Samuel Atkins, a well-to-do mealman and banker and a the ‘free produce’ movement which aimed to persuade member of Chipping Norton’s Quaker British manufacturers and community. Samuel rebuilt the house consumers to find alternatives to now called Hill Lawn in New Street cotton grown in America using and this was Anna’s childhood home. slave labour. When Frederick Her parents brought up their large Douglass, an escaped slave, came family in the Quaker tradition; her to England to publicise the cause, mother would take no sugar in her tea Anna led a campaign that raised as it might be produced by slaves, and funds to purchase his freedom. no one in need was turned away from She was a prolific writer and their door. Near the Atkins family publicist, sending monthly home was a large garden (now the car ‘illustrations of American slavery’ park) from which Samuel supplied to newspaper editors all over evergreens for wreaths and bowers to Britain, and she edited a children’s celebrate peace after the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, magazine called the Olive Leaf to promote the idea of although during the war he had refused to provide laurels to international peace and an end to war. Anna Richardson was celebrate battles. In 1833 Anna married Henry Richardson one of the leading women anti-slavery campaigners of her from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The Richardsons had no day, and there are plans for a blue plaque on the children, and together as prominent Quakers they devoted Richardsons’ house in Newcastle to commemorate Anna their lives to charitable and reform activities. and Henry’s lives.

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challenging surfaces, stiles or gates and many lack information Tea at Swalcliffe School and signage about points of interest and circular routes. TOE2 Residents from Beech would like to fund: Haven care home in • Strategic routes and links to these routes e.g. longer riding Chipping Norton routes were invited to • Trim trails and path exercise circuits, access for people afternoon tea at with disabilities, Green Health Routes Swalcliffe Park School • Improving year-round access for wheelchairs, pushchairs on Wednesday 3 May. and bicycles The School is a • Projects that link biodiversity, education and access residential school for boys with autism set • Supporting the establishment, training and work of access in the village of volunteer groups. Swalcliffe. The boys The County Council is responsible for managing the rights of had contacted Beech way network, doing so by working with farmers and local communities. But OCC has limited funding and time to carry Haven several months out improvements; this is where TOE2 and volunteers can ago with the idea of help. For further information contact Fiona Danks offering an English www.trustforoxfordshire.org.uk, 01865 407003, Afternoon Tea, all of fiona.danks@toe2_oxon. which they had prepared themselves. Beech Author at the Library Haven’s Deputy Manager, Local author and artist, Jan Harvey, Sandra Marskell, said, ‘We will be appearing in the Library on were thrilled at this Thursday 29 June at 7pm. Jan’s debut exciting invitation and to novel The Seven Letters was meet all the staff and, published in February to great most of all, the boys. We reviews. The book follows the story were greeted and shown such hospitality from all at the of Claudette Bourvil who is School and treated to an amazing afternoon tea and music. It’s recruited to the French Resistance great that our residents were able to visit the School and in Paris. Constantly under threat of build firm relationships with all involved. Hopefully, we will be discovery, Claudette risks able to repeat this experience. Our residents had a wonderful everything when she falls in love time and are still talking about it a week later’. with the wrong man. Over 70 years later, in a rural Oxfordshire town based on Charlbury, Connie Webber discovers seven letters Care home open day 16 June linked to a famous playwright, As part of a national open day on Friday 16 June, our local Freddy March. The letters lead care homes are inviting everyone to call in, meet residents Connie to Paris where she discovers and staff, and see what life is like there. Southerndown (11– the horrific reason behind Freddy’s 3pm) is having a vintage tea party, craft stalls, tombola, cake lifelong depression. As his mother’s sale, knitted sale, tours and a choir performance at 2pm. story unfolds Connie uncovers a Beech Haven is also welcoming everyone from 11–3, as are dark past that the city has tried to Henry Cornish Care Centre. All the care homes welcome erase from history. Jan will tell us visitors throughout the year but the national open day gives how The Seven Letters came about them a chance to be in the spotlight – so if you are interested, and field any questions about the please try and call in. book, which is available in 13 Oxfordshire libraries including Improving green access Chipping Norton, Hook Norton, Charlbury, Woodstock, Witney, Burford and Wychwood. You TOE2, (Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment), an independent can also buy a signed copy on the night. The event is free! environmental funder, wants to hear from local organisations, Please telephone the Library on 643559 or email voluntary groups or companies interested in supporting [email protected] to book a place. better access to green spaces around the Town. TOE2 Sally Moore – Chipping Norton Library Manager provides funding for good local projects and is keen to support more voluntary groups. Chipping Norton Green Gym and the Bee Project have already benefited from TOE2 Celebrating at St Andrew’s funding, but is there anybody else who has a good project? On Thursday 1 June, John Acreman, the Rector at St Andrew’s Oxfordshire has an excellent network of local rights of way Church, Great Rollright, will celebrate 25 years in the and accessible green spaces, including footpaths and Benefice. The church is marking the occasion with a service in bridleways. Walking or cycling has many health benefits and St Peter’s, Hook Norton, at 7pm with the Bishop of brings people closer to the natural world. But could the rights Dorchester in attendance and refreshments afterwards; all of way around Chipping Norton be better? Some routes have are welcome. After that excitement, everyone will need a

14 LOCAL NEWS quiet month to recover. Please find us on Facebook to keep volunteers could use speed checking equipment to establish up to date with services, or collect a Calendar of Services speeding patterns on main roads in and out of town. Secondly, from church, which is open every day during daylight hours. inconsiderate parking, could be addressed, particularly in Sarah Durham relation to blocking pavement access. Thirdly anti-social behaviour and drug use will get attention. Information Finstock Festival supplied by the public, to the Group or directly to the Police, will be the key to increased knowledge. Regular meetings will A weekend of music and family entertainment will be here for review progress and further issues will be chosen. The next two nights Friday 30 June & Saturday 1 July at the Finstock meeting will be at the Town Council Chambers on Tuesday 13 Festival. The main attraction is the musical line up which June at 7.30. If you feel you can make a contribution or have includes a mix of local and young talent featuring Wood information to share, please contact Clare Percival Green School Big Band, Quartermelon, Highway 61, Alex (Chairman) or Natasha David-Batchelor at Chapman and the highly acclaimed, The Della Grants. There’s [email protected] free entry to the village green marquee from 7pm on the Friday. Saturday tickets are £8 in advance (£10 on door) Drug dog Sammy in town www.wegottickets.com/event/402648. All profits to Finstock Police Sergeant Neal Village Charities. Templey reported to the News about spending the evening of Police & Neighbourhood safety 6 May around Chipping New Chippy ‘Resilience Group’ Norton with a ‘passive drug dog’. He said, ‘We After feedback at the recent Town Hall Awareness day, around took the dog into 25 people including Mayor, Councillors and a News team various public houses member attended a special Community Forum with Police in and had some positive May at the Crown & Cushion. There, it was agreed to establish results. The dog a regular Chipping Norton Resilience Group, which will indicated that several comprise the local neighbourhood policing team, the Mayor, persons were either town councillors and members of the public. It is hoped that carrying or had been in a combination of skills and experience will contribute to a recent contact with safer and pleasanter environment in Chipping Norton. Three drugs. Drugs have been initial priorities will be worked on. Firstly on speeding, seized and persons are being dealt with for those offences. Whilst some individuals were not so impressed, there were plenty of others who welcomed Sammy (the dog) into the Town and appreciated his presence. Such was the positive response, that I will look to bring him back sometime in the near future’. Join Neighbourhood Watch Chippy’s ongoing Neighbourhood Watch scheme is run by volunteer residents – to raise awareness, and make sure we are looking after each other – working as a group to tackle issues such as antisocial behaviour and criminal damage. A quarterly newsletter was launched last month. You can join in. Contact our co-ordinators Clare and Natasha with any questions or suggestions at [email protected] or join the Chipping Norton Neighbourhood Watch Facebook page. Feedback from crime victims Have you suffered as a victim of crime in or around Chipping Norton? Our Police and Crime Commissioner is looking for views of victims of crime to help plan future support services. A research company, Perpetuity Research, are working for the Commissioner looking particularly at the emotional and practical support that different types of victims need. You can take a survey online or by telephone (around 20 minutes for an interview). Visit https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r /PRCI_TVOPCCvictimsurvey or you can contact [email protected] for an interview. Participants can win £50 in shopping vouchers in a prize draw. The information you give is confidential and anonymous.

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‘Planning Gain’ – Time To Get Involved? With 100s of new houses in Chippy comes a large financial ‘planning gain’ – adding up to millions of pounds levied from developers to be spent on essential ‘infrastructure’. But what should it be spent on and are the ‘powers that be’ spending it on what they think best, or what we really need? The Newsteam’s Nigel Rose investigates. How we get ‘infrastructure’ money Big opportunity for Town Council Since 1947 there has been a principle in UK planning With say £8m from the CIL at Tank Farm, and even more from legislation that some of the extra value created by granting other new sites, how should this new money be spent? As a planning permission should be ‘shared’ with the community. first priority, WODC, with County input, have identified their Originally, much of this extra value own list of Chippy’s infrastructure was passed on, but the amount was requirements, which includes gradually reduced. This might well removing primary lorry route status have caused an amount of from the A44 and introducing NIMBYism (‘Not In My Back Yard’) associated weight restrictions, the with a perception that landowners Eastern Link Road, enhancement of got all the gain and the local Chippy-Oxford bus services and community all the pain. Over Railbus to Kingham station, several decades this has evolved. improvements to off-street car Since the Planning Act of 1990, parking, new primary school, all- under ‘Section 106’, local weather pitches for football and authorities, on granting planning rugby, community facilities at the permission, may require financial eastern end of town and enhanced contributions from developers to library provision. help fund public or community But because Chipping Norton services related to the New houses at Cotswold Gate bring £550,000 for has a Neighbourhood Plan now in development. ‘infrastructure’ place (a project led by the Town But a new national process, the Community Council), the new rules say 25% of any CIL money will be Infrastructure Levy (CIL) will apply in West Oxfordshire later delegated to the Town Council to spend – on items not this year, which could open up real opportunities for our necessarily catered for in the WODC priority list. So 25% Town. The new Levy now has to be at a fixed ‘tariff’ calculated could mean £2m+ from Tank Farm, and even more from as £ per square metre for similar developments across the elsewhere, giving the Town Council a great opportunity to District. WODC are proposing a CIL rate of £200/m2 of floor work with the local community on other important area for most dwellings but this would be reduced to improvements to our local infrastructure – and they must not £100/m2 for houses in the proposed Strategic Development be pressurised to use the money on things WODC and the Area (SDA) around ‘Tank Farm’. One estimate, if there were County should fund. The Town Council, like other parishes in 1400 new homes at this main site, could see around £8m in Oxfordshire, is likely to have an increasingly important role in levy, with more coming from other sites as well. spending and in looking at local services, and will be looking to work with the local community to achieve the best results Where is the current £££ going? for the Town, as set out in our Neighbourhood Plan. What Recent sites, under the old ‘Section 106’ scheme, have already specific important projects should they choose and how? seen significant money coming available. WODC are What do our voters and residents think? How should residents supervising the spending of around £550,000 from the feed into the decision making process? The Chippy News is Cotswold Gate development of 228 houses. They decided interested in any views on the priorities and best ways to achieve £186,000 should go on on-site play facilities, £63,000 for some community benefit from the inevitable increases in housing creative education linked with the Theatre and £40,000 for over the next decade. the Police. They then asked the Town Council to decide how another £250,000, secured by WODC for sports provision, should be spent. The Town Council task was not simple – an initial Councillors’ idea for a skatepark was aborted through therapy clin ysio ic & p lack of interest. Then an initial £125,000 was allocated to h hand to g ilate io P lping et you s stud improve Greystones including help with a new Scout Hut and he back A to health upgrades to pitches, fencing and access. The Town Council has yet to decide on where the final payment of £125,000 should be allocated. Physiotherapy | Sports Massage | Pilates Classes Then, in a recent planning approval for up to 100 new homes at The Pillars along Banbury Road, another £700,000 Visit the website for more information could be made available (see article page 10). The authorities or call to speak to a member of the team have already decided that over half would be allocated to expanding St Mary’s School – and the rest on sports and play T 01608 645 608 E [email protected] facilities, help for bus services, nursery education, library www.chippingnortonphysio.com improvements and more.

16 LOCAL NEWS

Marathon Marvels The London Marathon saw 40,000 runners – the vast majority raising large amounts for charity. This included many in Oxfordshire, including from Chipping Norton. Here are some stories sent to the News Dave’s running recipe but enormous admiration for every single one of the runners, who are all amazing, extraordinary people. And a heart full of Dave Hall, head chef at Whistlers Bar & pride and love for my wonderful nephew. Thank you Ryan, Restaurant, finished in 5 hrs 1 min. He from all of us and the cats, for supporting Sunshine Cat had done no running before he started Rescue.’ training last October! Dave raised £2700 for Prostate Cancer Research in Supporting the Lawrence Team memory of his father who passed away The Lawrence Home Nursing Team in July last year due to complications came out well from the efforts of Danny from cancer treatment. Thank you to Phillips, our local golf pro, whose mother everyone in Chipping Norton who Jane was instrumental in starting the donated and those of you who came Team. Danny (pictured right) raised over along to Whistlers charity Sunday lunch £3400. James Catling (pictured below), is in March. Oh, and well done Dave! the nephew of LHNT’s Jenny Nolan, and raised over £850. Thanks to all A Marathon Day Out supporters and shirt sponsor, Elmer Ryan Carbonero’s run raised nearly £2000 Cotton Sports, Oxford. This is from for local charity Sunshine Cat Rescue. His Danny’s blog. ‘What a day ... I felt a aunt Sharon, who is an active supporter in strange sense of calmness on the Sunday Chippy, told the News about her day morning … my body was ready to go. watching an amazing spectacle: ‘A Looking back it turned out I was not fit wonderful experience, from the moment enough, even after 400+ training miles. we got on the train alongside other This is how demanding a marathon is. I runners and their families and all started did finish the race in 4.00.51 – not bad talking times, strategies, nutrition plans, for a first time. The day itself however charities and sponsorship. From watching was incredible, the support from start to the Red Start, we found a spot before the Cutty Sark at Mile finish from the crowds was 6 and saw the Elite men and women coming through, and then overwhelming, I had been told how good eventually the mass runners appeared. Amazingly we spotted the atmosphere was but never imagined Ryan amongst them. Eventually then to the South Bank, then it being as awesome as it was. To be spurred on by people you over Westminster Bridge – lucky to find space just at Big Ben. have never set eyes on really did show me the good side of The atmosphere was phenomenal, encouraging runners who humanity! Seeing my girlfriend and her family at mile 18 and were flagging, and giving extra cheers to those in crazy fancy mile 26 was superb and really gave me a lift when I was dress (giraffes, beer bottles, `phone boxes, fairies, vikings, struggling. My thanks to everyone who sponsored me, to dragons) and shouting out the names that we could read on Hook Norton Harriers for helping me. All that is left now is the t-shirts. With the aid of an app, we knew when Ryan was for the lactic acid to depart from my legs so I can start due to appear and as we spotted him, amazingly he saw us and training for the next one. I have unfinished business to attend managed a wave. A Very Emotional Moment! I have nothing to in the London Marathon now…..Danny’ Walking & Cycling for Cancer Research UK Are you up for lots of 5 miles so you could get to 150 miles by walking around Chipping the end of the month – about the distance Norton in June? One in two from London to Manchester. For ideas on of us, and close family and sponsorship and motivation see friends, will develop cancer. www.cancerresearchuk.org/ Research into the 200 and Gill Begnor from Chipping Norton’s more types of cancer has CRUK fundraising group is going a lot already resulted in some further on 12 June, doing a 550 bike ride tremendous success stories. But much more work is between the five major Cancer Research needed. Cancer Research UK is challenging us to Walk All UK centres to raise money. Gill is Over Cancer by aiming at 10,000 steps every day in June Cycling for Charlotte a little girl from to help fund research. You probably walk further than you Hook Norton who is fighting cancer for think anyway. CRUK reckons most of us do between 3,000 the third time. See www.justgiving.com/ and 4,000 steps per day normally. Why not try a pedometer cyclingforcharlotte. Or text CYFC74 £10 or a phone app to measure every step: around the house, to 70070. Watch out also for the cake sale for CRUK at the across the office, shopping, running for the bus, walking the Co-op on 3 June. To help local CRUK fundraising in Chippy dog, playing with the kids and so on. 10,000 steps is around contact Gill on 07855 807005 or [email protected].

17 LOCAL HISTORY

Spotlight on Salford – as seen through wills The intriguing history of our nearby Oxfordshire village is revealed by some careful research of very old wills. Joy Timms, from the Salford Probate Group, told the News the story.

A number of years ago the Salford History Group disbanded, Salford and many more bequests of property and money. It is leaving a sum of money in its account, which remained in the hard to realise that this is the mid 14th century. hands of the Trustees. I suggested to my fellow Trustees that Another notable will is that of Sir Mathew Smyth, Rector it would be a very worthwhile and fitting project to use the of Salford, Principal of King’s Hall and Brasenose College in the money to transcribe the wills for Salford and its neighbouring University of Oxford. The will, proved in 1548, is intriguing, and villages of Cornwell, Little Rollright and Chastleton. We the lengthy inventory will keep academics and amateur secured a small band of friends who are generous with their researchers pondering a long while. The imagination can run time and greatly skilled in the art of transcribing ancient riot, with this important man riding the faithful old nag he writing, and work began. It has been a project close to my mentions, clopping along Golden Lane, Salford, feathers flowing heart for many years, and this money will go a long way from his colourful tippet (also mentioned) ‘atop' his head.

Some of the pages from the will and inventory of Sir Matthew Smyth, Rector of Salford who died in the mid sixteenth century

towards costs. I have acted as project co-ordinator, which These documents have been deposited in The Oxford involved listing and sourcing the wills from the National History Centre in Cowley and are available for all researchers Archives, the Oxford History Centre, private collections and and will be followed by those for the other villages in the near more. future. The documents of Probate will also be an aid to the The task has entailed creating and plotting the names, Victoria County History Team, who are soon to be working dates, reference numbers of the testators and much else on this area of North West Oxfordshire. Our Group besides onto spread sheets, printing and handing out the members are Janice Cliffe, Angela Dix, Joan Howard Drake documents for transcribing, filing the checked hard copies and Wendy Pearse. into folders and finally, storing e-copies in a computer file. I may say it proved easier to organise a project of this nature today than it was back in the 1970s and 1980s before the Dyakowski Gafford computer age got going! Salford’s wills are the first to be completed, filling three large folders or volumes. The first So lic i tors volume includes an introduction, self-explanatory spreadsheets with names of the testators, lists of Salford’s We offer an efficient, friendly & personal Rectors, a monumental survey of St Mary’s Church Yard and miscellaneous documents of ecclesiastical origin. service in conveyancing of res i den tial & Salford’s earliest will to date is that for ‘Martin of Salford’, business premises a chaplain in Oxford who died in 1348, probably from the * wills & probate * leases & tenancies * Black Death, which raged in Oxford at this time. It was free stor age of wills & other documents discovered back in the early 1980s whilst delving around in * * ‘Charters’ at the Bodleian Library. The Medieval Latin was almost impossible to read and very difficult to translate. HOME VIS ITS NO PROB LEM However, it has some gems within its lines. As a chaplain, he 2 New Street Chip ping Norton OX7 5LJ was not allowed to marry. Nevertheless he left money to Tel: (01608) 643051 Fax: (01608) 641019 ‘Alice my little daughter’, money to repair the roof of Salford Email [email protected] Church, money to his brother who lived by the Green in

18 THE ARTS

The Theatre ChipLitFest The Island – a review Once again a buzzing weekend with a feast of events. Firstly a few words from a visitor Two black South to Chippy, which our Arts Pages co- African prisoners ordinator thinks may ‘say it all’: on Robben Island ‘A brilliant line-up of speakers, authors are seen working and agents made the Chipping Norton silently and Literary Festival 2017 one of the best I’ve attended. mechanically in a Contributions from the likes of Sir Tony Robinson, Ian Rankin, quarry, condemned Jenni Murray, Joanna Trollope and Rev’d to a futile daily Richard Coles (pictured) made it an task. This opening attractive event, not just for writers, scene of repetitive but for anyone. While it is a good Mark Springer as John Photo Joel Fildes actions is some 20 chance to see and hear from people & Edward Dede as Winston minutes long: it you may have long admired, it is also shows the dreadful drudgery of the prisoners’ routine, day in, good to meet new authors and learn day out. Could it have made its point in half the time? Perhaps. about their journey to publication. For However, the uncomfortable length certainly has an impact on anyone with an interest in cooking, the audience and allows them, in some small way, to there was a Bengali cookery experience the awful, slow passage of ‘incarcerated time’. A demonstration, which my husband was delighted to attend siren goes and they return, shackled, to their cell. It is here while I was scribbling away at a workshop! that the first words are spoken. This two-hander, set in the All the events I signed up for were informative and round, develops from a simple ‘getting to know the enjoyable, but for me the best day was on Friday. Trade secrets characters’ to what becomes the overriding message of the was an all day workshop hosted by two great writers and in play: the strength of the human spirit in the face of great the afternoon our work was critiqued by agent Caroline adversity. Remember that it was written at the height of the Wood of the Felicity Bryan Agency. apartheid era when, unjustifiably, the state imposed its laws of I’d never been to Chipping Norton before and found it segregation on black South Africans. This is a true story. delightful. All the venues were within walking distance and we John, played by Mark Springer, decides – with minimal found plenty of cafés and restaurants and, of course, pubs. resources – to stage Sophocles’ play Antigone in front of Overall, a great success. Would I go again? Definitely.’ fellow prisoners and staff. His role of King Creon was Christine McHaines originally played by Nelson Mandela. Antigone was There were many wonderful events during the Festival. Here forbidden by the state to bury her brother, but she went Kaye Freeman reviews of just two of them. ahead and faced execution. John’s cellmate, Winston, played I See You Clare Macintosh in by Edward Dede, takes on the role of Antigone and conversation with Sharon Bolton. together they are a tour de force, bringing out the iniquity Having lived here for 13 years until of state law versus humanity. The Island is on a nationwide her move last autumn to North tour and is directed by The Theatre’s own John Terry, in Wales, she knew she was among association with the Duke’s, Lancaster. If you missed it in friends and was truthful and open Chippy, do try and catch it at Southwark Playhouse, 31 May about her transition from Chippy’s to 24 June. Contact: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk Police Station Sergeant to Gay Holden & Alison Huitt successful crime writer. Her debut novel I Let You Go was a best-seller and she was here to promote her second book I See You, another thriller, this time based on the Photo Charlie Hopkinson premise that ‘routine can kill you’. She confessed that this is actually her third book, the second one being thrown away and put down to ‘experience’. The personalities of former colleagues in the Police Force enter her story and she is in Excellent books touch with them to ensure her details of police procedure are still correct. Questions from the audience were answered in detail and helped us learn more about her. Her husband and & delicious three children came up time and again in her conversation and it is evident they come first as she adjusts to her new life as an author. coffee & cake Rather be The Devil Ian Rankin in conversation with Mark Billingham.The Theatre was packed with fans anxious to hear Middle Row, Chipping Norton about Detective Inspector John Rebus and the 21st novel in 01608 641033 [email protected] which he is the star. In explaining the name chosen for him, Rankin told us that John is a homage to John Shaft, created by

19 THE ARTS

Ernest Tidyman for a TV series in the 1970s and Rebus is a At a beautiful conversion puzzle in which words are represented by a mixture of of The Old Fire Station in pictures and individual letters. Albion Street was an Rankin thinks of Edinburgh as a interesting and Jekyll and Hyde city and regards accomplished exhibition Rebus’s character as similar. He of painting, drawing, glass shared information on how he and mixed media by works, the authors who have Lesley and Andrew influenced him and how he keeps Inspector John Rebus a fresh Wildman. Lesley character after thirty years of is renowned for writing about him. Rankin told us her beautiful he hasn’t watched TV glasswork - several interpretations of his work so as sparkling pieces not to be influenced by the actors’ were on show. She portrayal of his characters. I learnt has recently that I should also read the first novel Knots and Crosses, branched out into painting and colourful fabrics which also written in 1987, in which Rankin writes about the background featured in the exhibition. Andrew has for many years worked that helps form the character who is DI John Rebus. as a comic book illustrator for Marvel Comics. This was a rare chance to see some of his original vivid comic book pages as Artweeks well as some of his personal drawings and paintings. Contact: This much anticipated annual event was taking place as the theoldfirestation.org CN News was going to press. During the opening weekend Melanie Wright at her studio in Spring Street with a fine Arts team members, guided by Andrew Wildman’s useful trail example of her map, viewed some of the exhibitions – what a lot of talent we equestrian paintings. have in Chipping Norton. Here we mention briefly just four, Alongside commissioned wishing we had space to tell readers about them all. portraiture, Melanie Sarah Grinsted at her draws inspiration from improvised little ‘gallery on landscape, equestrian the stairs’ in Church Street subjects and sporting had some attractive cards & activities all of which pictures – she ‘has were on show, together accumulated junk’ from an with a delightful sketchbook containing drawings of her dog. early age turning it into She also teaches on a one to one basis and tutors small group sculptures or collages. workshops. Contact: melaniewrightartist.co.uk Sarah is originally from Chipping Norton and has Other local events and news returned, now working at Young Local Makers and the Town Nursery, after Entrepreneurs is the theme of doing various arts projects in Sussex, including running collage this year’s Fibre Festival. Along workshops on an allotment! The ‘stairs’ also included Middle Row local makers will be colourful linocuts by Hannah Forward. Contact: given the chance to showcase Instagram.com/galleryonthestairs their work. Work on show and for sale: dressmakers, screen- printers, silversmiths, local button makers, contemporary embroiderers, textile upcycling, a jeweller with new parents in Embroidery by Kate Shipley. mind, hand dyed yarns and even an artisan ice cream maker. In The Fibreworks shop there will be classes and demonstrations, along with free children’s activities.10am to 4pm Saturday 3 June. Cello and Piano Recital at the Sunday Tea Concert for Charlbury Refugee Action Group. Schumann: 3 Phantasie Stücke, Shostakovich: Cello sonata and Manuel de Falla: 7 Canciones Populares Espagnolas, arranged for cello and piano with Jacqueline Johnson (cello) and Emma Lowe (piano). 3pm on 4 June at Charlbury Memorial Hall. Tickets £10 (under 15s £5), including tea and cake, at Cotswold Frames or Charlbury PO, on the door or phone Val and Nick on 811558 or at [email protected]

20 THE ARTS

Longborough Festival Opera is one of the UK's finest leader Kate Bailey. Angharrad Lyddon, Mezzo-Soprano. Brian country opera houses: an intimate 500-seat theatre set amidst Kay – Conductor. Tickets reserved at £23, £19 and £15, the glorious rolling hills of the Cotswolds. 8 June to 4 August. unreserved £10. Full details and booking form available at Wagner performances from 3-9pm. Beethoven, Mozart and burfordsingers.org.uk Gluck 5-9pm with a 90 minute dining or picnic interval. North Cotswold Arts Association, Summer Exhibition, 8- Information and booking at lfo.org.uk. 14 July. Daily 10am to 5pm; late opening Tuesday 11 July. St Sir Ben entertains The Friends of All Edward’s Hall, Stow-on-the-Wold. All welcome. Free entry. Art Saints Church in Spelsbury are presenting work in all different media. ‘An Evening with Sir Ben Kingsley’ at the Cotswold DFAS India Church on Friday 23 June. Doors Open Ross from Burford 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Bar and light School and Anna Jacobs refreshments. Parking in Church Lane. from Chipping Norton Tickets £15 from Gillie on 684234 or School both won online at http://tinyurl.com/spelsburysirben bursaries of £400 each Churchill movies On Saturday 10 June, Screen by the Green from the Cotswold at Churchill and Sarsden Village Hall are showing Sully Decorative & Fine Arts starring Tom Hanks. In 2009, the ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ saw Society. India will begin a Capt Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger heroically land his US Flight foundation course in Art 1549 on New York’s Hudson River after a bird strike crippled and Design at Oxford both engines. All 156 passengers and the crew survived. Clint Brookes in September Eastwood creates great tension in a masterly film around and Anna (pictured here) these events, and the investigation where Sully was put under will attend the scrutiny. Hanks’s depiction of a quiet, dignified, extraordinary foundation course at De man makes this film memorable. All films start at 7.30; tickets Montfort University in £4.50 on the door. For information and bookings 659903 or Leicester. This is the fifth [email protected] year the Cotswold DFAS Photo Derek Cotterill. has awarded the Anne Anna Jacobs shows off her drawings Wild Thyme hosts Stevens Young Arts of environmentalists local artist Wild Thyme Bursary, named for the society’s founder. Further details at Restaurant with Rooms in cotswolddfas.org.uk or contact Robin McCulloch on 658941. Chipping Norton’s New Street is displaying the local talents of artist Pauline Nolan this month. For two weeks from Sunday 11 June, Pauline’s colourful paintings will adorn the walls of this favourite restaurant. Wild Thyme’s Sally Pullen told the News that their usual resident artist, Pam Franklin, is hosting her own exhibition at Potato Town in Swerford in June and so this was a great opportunity to show someone else’s work. Sally added. ‘Pauline enjoys visiting the restaurant and I love her bright, cheery paintings so I was very pleased when she agreed to exhibit here as our guest artist’. Pauline works primarily in acrylic paint and ink, experimenting with vivid colour combinations to create random background effects. Each piece gradually evolves, as hidden images are discovered, built up and enhanced. Often incorporating her life drawing skills into her paintings, Pauline blends fantasy and exploration to develop unique explosions of colour and movement in semi-abstract form. More of her work at blendsandfriends.com and Pam’s at potatotown.co.uk. Contact Wild Thyme on 645060. Chipping Norton Choral Society Summer Concert, Saturday 17 June 7.30pm at the Church of St Simon and St Jude, Milton-under-Wychwood. Excerpts from Handel’s epic oratorio Samson conducted by Bernard West. Tickets £10 on the door, under 14s free. Burford Singers Karl Jenkins The Armed Man Sunday 25 June 7.30pm. Church of St John the Baptist, Burford OX18 4RY. Burford Singers with the Cotswold Chamber Orchestra,

21 CLUB NEWS

Euro miscellany at Railway Club U3A does. For more information about membership, visit www.u3asites.org.uk/chipping-norton or call 646578. At our May meeting the speaker was Cyril Parsons, talking Martin Davies about ‘The Post Office Railway’. Also known as Mail Rail, this is a 2ft narrow gauge driverless underground railway in Chipping Norton Royal British Legion London, built by the Post Office in 1911 to move mail On Thursday 27 April some 40 between sorting offices. The line ran from Paddington Head Branch members and guests District Sorting Office in the west, to Whitechapel to the east. visited the National Memorial It consisted of eight stations, the largest being Mount Pleasant. Arboretum in Staffordshire. It It operated from 1927 to 2003. Cyril is an enthusiastic was an incredible place to visit, volunteer helper, with a plan to re-open part of the line to with the National Memorial to visitors this year. Next month’s News will include a detailed all servicemen and women who report of the outing to The West Somerset Railway in have died since World War II Minehead on 14 May. On 6 June, Club member Jim Portlock being most moving. A highlight will once again entertain us with a talk on ‘Euro Miscellany: was to find the name of a Trams, Trains and the Occasional Bus’. An intriguing title for Chipping Norton man, Private speaker Mark Smith, on 4 July, ‘The Man in Seat 61’. The lighter Cyril Barrett on the Army nights are now here, so do come along and join us on the first Commando Memorial. He died Tuesday of the month; for an evening of Preserved Steam and in the Dieppe Raid in August 1942. Everyone enjoyed the day just occasionally, Diesel travel. Meetings, in the Town Hall, out and a return visit is planned for next year begin at 7.30pm. You will meet new friends and enjoy a free On Friday 5 May cup of tea or coffee and biscuits in the interval. around 50 members Estelle Brain 641586 and guests were Views on Tony Blair at U3A entertained by singer Lula May at the Crown Our May meeting heard about the story of the Volkswagen & Cushion Hotel . She Beetle and some insights into the motor industry from Bob entertained us with Mcfarlane. On 6 June we welcome back Dr Martin Holmes to beautiful renditions of give his thought-provoking views on 'Tony Blair - a reputation songs from the 1940s revised?'. Dr Holmes is a lecturer at St Hugh's College Oxford and had us all singing and is a well-respected writer and publisher on political along. Before the matters. Guests are welcome for £2 – come and see what entertainment began there was a presentation of flowers to Betty Hicks of the Women’s Section and a photo Betty Hicks pictured with Lula May book to Malcolm Holland, our past Standard Bearer and Poppy Appeal Organiser, for all their hard work. The evening was a great success, Lula is a charming and talented performer and we hope to invite her back to sing for us during the Poppy Appeal. Thank you Lula, and thanks as usual to Linda and her team at the Crown & Cushion for looking after us so well. Our Poppy Appeal total for this year stands at a record £13,061.67 thanks to the generosity of the Town and around. Steve Kingsford Chippy Folk Club says it all All the world needs now is love – Breaking up is hard to do – Don’t try to rule me, don’t try to fool me, just let me go. This may sound like a commentary on Brexit but in fact it’s just a few of the songs we enjoyed at Folk Club on 8 May! As ever, the evening featured a delightful mix of songs and styles – including a great rendition of Sally free and easy which has been in Terry’s repertoire for 55 years, and Moonlight Shadow from Bev which entered her repertoire for the first time that night! We had blues, folk, Americana, jigs and shanties. We even had a shaggy dog story (the one about the long nosed, long tailed, shorted legged lurcher – ask Bill!). So thank you to all our performers – Claire, Rachel, Ginnie, Lyn, Terry, Ted, Caroline, Gemma, Marcus, Dave, Lizzie, Kate, Bev and Bill and to all those who come to listen and tap their feet. We meet again on Monday 5 June 7.45pm at the wonderful Artyard Café, Oxford Rd,

22 CLUB NEWS

Enstone OX7 4NF. Sing, play, recite or just listen. £1.50 on the Rotary update door. Visit www.chippingnortonfolk.org.uk for details. Shuttle bus benefits Following the successful Race Night in Rachel Chai April, topped off by extra funds, the Rotary Club will be giving Yacht Club Show & Tell £1000 to the Shuttle Bus which runs autonomously under the umbrella of the Rotary Good Neighbour Scheme. We hope At last month’s meeting a few of us showed bits and pieces this fantastic Chippy service will run for a long time and help we thought might interest other members. townspeople to get around the Town. Frances Miller Town Festival helpers The Town Festival is on Sunday 25 bought a number June see info in advert p3. The Rotary Club needs volunteers of run-of-the mill to help on the day, so if you like the Festival and would like to things that might get involved in making it a brilliant day, please contact Martin save the day on a on 642723, Simon on 677156 or e-mail via small boat far from www.chippingnortonrotary.org.uk . help or chandleries. She Polio eradication closer This year there have been only and partner Jaques five cases of polio in the world compared to 14 last year. Final honed this list eradication is near but the cost remains massive as millions of through their 15 children must be vaccinated to prevent outbreaks. The Club year circum- has raised over £1500 this year to help Rotary International, navigation. She support the fight to eradicate the disease. You can help by extolled the donating at the Rotary Tent at the Town Festival or online via virtues of old Hollandes Cays, San Blas Islands which the Rotary End Polio Now website. Every pound you donate transformer mag- featured in one of the Show & Tell talks will be matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. nets to fish for ferrous treasure or lost items; caps, stoppers, Simon Hamilton and a coat hanger having many uses; chewing gum to repair Timely Debate at CNWI leaks and so on. At their meeting on 10 May members of Chipping Norton Barnaby Scott, designer extraordinaire, brought along Women’s Institute discussed two currently important issues some 3D printed (laser-sintered) rudder fittings that form the which are to go forward for debate at the National AGM in plugs for bronze castings for the boat he is building. High-tech Liverpool. Our conclusions of these resolutions will now be or what! sent to the representative who is to vote on our behalf. We Roger Backhaus (engineer at heart) encouraged people rounded off the evening with an instant auction, when lively to fit a clever device that makes it significantly easier to maintain cooling water pumps without which a marine diesel won’t run. He also suggested that every nut on a boat was a missed opportunity to replace with an eye-nut to lead a line, or tie something to. A change from the usual talk – and we met at the Chippy Chequers rather than the Cotswold Hotel. For details of talks, to book, or to join our club, visit cnyc.co.uk. Roger Backhaus Green Gym: fitness & good company We spent one session at the New Street car park, tidying up the greenery and at Stretch Pool clearing debris and weed. Another at Highlands tidying up the garden and at the ACE centre weeding the front garden and pruning one of the willow structures. Then up to the Community Orchard, preparing it for Blossom Day. I hope by the time you read this you will have had an enjoyable – and sunny! – day there. And don’t forget that it is always open for you to enjoy at any time. There are picnic tables there, space for children to play, and a lovely view. And fruit for all to pick in due course - first red and black currants, and later plums, pears, apples and soft fruit. But of course leave some for others to pick after you – and take your litter home!! Chippy Green Gym meets every Wednesday morning. New members are very welcome – to get fit and enjoy good company while caring for the local environment. There are jobs for all ages and abilities, there’s no joining fee and lifts may be available. Visit our website: www.chippygreengym.org or email [email protected]. All are welcome! Jenny Harrington 643269

23 CLUB NEWS bidding for a variety of items raised a useful amount for funds. car-wash which raised £482. Thanks to everyone who had The speaker at our next meeting on Wednesday 14 June their bag packed or their car washed! is Analiza Jones who will give a talk and demonstration about On Easter Sunday the BBC came to film us playing handmade bags from the Philippines. The bags are available to baseball for The Antiques Road Trip. The programme will purchase, and visitors are very welcome to join us at this feature a piece on Fred Lewis who started the first Chipping event which begins at 7pm in the Lower Town Hall. Norton Scout group in 1907. Whilst running the Scouts he Prudence Chard 642903 was looking for a game that anyone could play and hit upon baseball; this resulted in the game’s popularity soaring in Scouting around & about Britain. The episode will be aired in the autumn. Beavers (Woodpecker Colony) Katie Blundell one of our have had a quiet few weeks. Explorers has been Congratulations go to four selected to go to the Beavers, Isla, Ethan, Alex and international camp in Steve, who have moved up to Norway next year. This is Cubs and got their Chief Scout’s her account of the selection Bronze award. Cubs have been procedure: ‘Following a playing team games and learning paper application to Alex at about Fairtrade by playing the International Scouting, I was Orange Trading game. They also lucky enough to get invited spent an evening doing a to a trial weekend. We were practical experiment which placed into groups and Katie pictured recently at Oxon showed them how the digestive given a timetable of events. Scout HQ, where she picked up her hoody and badges system works – this was very We were tasked with lots of messy but lots of fun! Scouts team building exercises including making structures, climbing have had a trip to a farm to and cooking. We had some lively songs round the camp fire in learn all about sheep farming as the evening and great weather the whole weekend! Out of part of their World Challenge the 90 Scouts and Explorers who attended the trial, I am one Scouts down on the farm! badge. They bottle-fed lambs and of the lucky 40 to be chosen. I am looking forward to July met the cows and chicks. All sections have been fundraising 2018 for whale watching and camping on the beach, 200 miles for our new hut. There was a bag pack at the Co-op on Easter north of the Arctic Circle.’ Saturday which raised £985. The Co-op also helped us with a Chippy Labour Party ‘You're joking, not another one’. We know how Brenda feels; having achieved a very good result for Geoff Saul in the County Council election, we regroup for a general Election on 8 June. The Labour Party candidate is Chippy's very own Councillor Laetisia Carter. Laetisia has become widely respected for her work as a councillor over the past three years, particularly for her campaign to protect the ACE Centre. At our May meeting we were able to discuss the Labour manifesto and were encouraged by its emphasis on the things that matter to people. Schools, the NHS, and housing are all areas which have seen serious underinvestment, first by the

24 CLUB NEWS

Conservative/LibDem coalition and continued over the past the Foreword. Please come and have a look and start your two years. If, like us, you think that a party's policies are what Christmas shopping – it will make a lovely present! Thanks to really matters, why not come along to one of our monthly the very hardworking team has produced this book. We meetings. For further information contact me, David Heyes, at welcome visitors to our meetings, so please get in touch. [email protected] Meet every third Monday at St Mary's Parish Rooms, 7.30pm. Details from Hilary Dix 646228. Mountain Lions First, a last word about our Easter Eggs. Thanks to your NOOG visits Tackley generosity they added over £1300 to our charity funds A guided tour of enabling us to continue to help the less fortunate as well as Kingham Lodge groups in need. But the major event of the month was In provided an impres- Scotland where our intrepid President, Maz Jesty, and three sive (if somewhat other members, accompanied by some family and friends, chilly) start to our reached dizzying heights by mounting a successful sponsored outdoor visits in May. climb of Ben Nevis. The Club is immensely proud of them and And on Wednesday 7 very grateful for their effort in raising money for our June, we head off to charitable activities. Well done all. If you would like to know Tackley to visit Old more about us or our activities visit Whitehall Barn www.chippingnortonlions.org.uk or speak to any Lion. (pictured). Paul and John Roxby Gill Withers started developing their one- Chipping Norton Flower Club acre garden 15 years ago and have transformed this former April was our farmyard so that its features now include colour-themed garden talk by borders and a productive vegetable garden. A £4 charge Nathalie Mignotte includes refreshments. On Wednesday 5 July, we’ll be in Hook Norton to visit the organic garden at Nailsworth, as well as who took us on a hear about the creation of the village’s ‘Incredible Edible’ journey through vegetable plots in public places. the garden year Do join us. Our meetings start at 7pm and shared explaining how to transport is available. For enquiries about North Oxfordshire have colour and Organic Gardeners please contact [email protected], scent from January 01295 780710, www.noog.org.uk. to December. All we need is a garden big enough! June is our garden visit to The Lodge in Kingham, with kind permission of Mr & Mrs Stockwell, followed by a cream tea at CN Tea Set. The visit is on 22 June from 5.15pm cost: £10.50 and booking is essential through Ann (683289) or Kaye (01993 831146). 5 May was 29 West Street, Chipping Norton, Lonely Bouquet Day, when NAFAS* asks its members to leave Oxfordshire OX7 5EU a small bouquet somewhere in town for anyone to have, and Telephone: 01608 642606 to help advertise local flower clubs, so hopefully some Chippy folks were lucky enough to take home a few flowers. Elaine Parsons *National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies!!! We offer WOWI launch their Recipe Book quality If any of the readers of the News have never been to the Chipping Norton Museum, they really need to go! It is well products worth the visit. Fascinating artefacts, and if you're a Chippy at resident, you can look up the deeds and history of your house. Members of West Oxfordshire Women’s Institute competitive (WOWI) had a great time there in April before moving to The Fox for a drink and lots of chat. Our May meeting was a talk rates from Michael Lynes who has a jewellery shop in Witney. We found out whether our jewellery and antique silver had any monetary, in addition to any sentimental, value. Something to bring to your attention is WOWI's contribution to the Town Easy access ground floor salon Festival in June. Our stall is launching our very own WOWI Reduced rates every day for Recipe Book. Delicious recipes from all our members and pubs and restaurants in the area plus a recipe from Prue Leith, Senior Citizens (Great British Menu and now Bake Off!) who has also written

25 CLUB NEWS

Horticultural trip to Bristol of support, enough to populate a large city. We are fielding a candidate in the General Election, as his profile appears elsewhere in the News, I will let him speak for himself. I must thank those who supported me in the recent OCC Election. UKIP has been very low in the polls before, but still forced the Referendum. I believe that Brexit will be diluted if there is a Tory landslide. It is then that the true worth of UKIP will again be apparent, and we will restore, and I believe, exceed the support we have had until recently. As usual, I can be contacted on [email protected], or please stop me for a chat when you see me about town. Jim Stanley A busy time for Amnesty May will have been a busy time for Amnesty. At our regular meeting on 11 May we had a visit from Robert Richwood, a trainer from Banbury. He led us through an interesting discussion/workshop on Saudi Arabia as well as giving us On a very wet morning in the middle of May, (after weeks of information about our prisoner of conscience, Waleed Abu al- lovely weather,) the Horticultural Association set out for the Khair. He is a human rights lawyer who founded 'The Monitor first of its summer trips to Bristol. The University of Bristol of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia' in 2008 and has subsequently Botanic Garden has developed over the years having been been sentenced of 15 years in prison. moved from its original site. This was a mammoth task with In May there will also have been our Book Sale in the everything that could be moved, packed, labelled and Town Hall during Art Week as well as our exhibition in The transported to the new site. Though fairly well established, it Theatre during their production of The Island (10-20 May). As is still work in progress. We continued the day (in the rain!) for June, we will be joining in with the Chippy Festival (25 to the Clifton Suspension Bridge (pictured) where a June) having our usual stall during the festivities. Our regular knowledgeable guide gave us its history. For information meeting coincides with the General Election, but it will still about other summer trips, visit our website www.cnha.uk or take place: 7.30pm, Thursday, 8 June in the Lower Town Hall. phone the secretary Eileen Forse, 643275. Everybody welcome. For further details, if needed, contact We will have a plant stall at Chippy Festival in June. Please Barbara Walters (643750). support with donations of plants and the purchase of reasonably priced plants for the home and garden. UKIP Corner K J Millard Ltd Well, that did not quite go to plan! To be fair, it was UKIP who were the motivating force behind Brexit. When comparing the current government policies with ours, it seems that our 2015 Skip manifesto has had a change of cover to the Tory oak tree, very flattering, but with most our current thinking already being enacted, we have not the luxury of time to bring fresh new with thinking to the National table. Many say our job is done. It is not. While our numbers have sunk, we still have a strong core us for a Fast, Friendly Efficient Service! All Sizes of Skips delivered 2b Marston House, Cromwell Business Park where you want, when you want. Chipping Norton, Oxon OX7 5SR tel. 01608 642570 email. [email protected] Environmentally friendly, family run business www.astral-lbh.co.uk committed to recycling. Business Start ups iXBRL Reporting Established 30 years. VAT & Corporate Tax Competitive prices. Payroll & Bookkeeping Business Consultancy Self Assessment & Personal Tax & Planning Trust us to take care of your rubbish Phone us now on Member of the ACCA Advising clients in Chipping Norton for 30 years 01608 641361

26 SPORTS NEWS

Four Shires Swimming Club Given all the turbulence around the Club off the pitch, unlucky in the cups and with some heavy defeats during the season those negatives still didn’t prevent Chippy finishing 4th in a highly competitive league, a significant improvement on the previous season and, with the Club much more stable going into next year, things are looking up. May also saw Chippy celebrate the end of season with Mark Corbett’s testimonial and the Club Awards Evening – details next month. Dominic Rickard Chippy Swifts update Awards Day 18 June sees Chippy Swifts host their annual awards day at CN Rugby Club starting at 1pm. The afternoon will be a celebration of kids’ football in our Town, with each of our age groups entertaining the crowd in small sided games. The talent throughout the Club is incredible and I am sure the fans will be noisy and supportive. Then there will be a short awards ceremony to recognise some of the On 22 April this group of our swimmers took part in the last outstanding achievers in the 2016/17 season. Refreshments Chilterns League evening at Aylesbury. 4SSC were asked to will be available in the Rugby Club bar. run the evening for the first time – the evening went very smoothly and in addition 4SSC won the league and will be promoted to Division 1. A fantastic result – well done to all who took part. Special congratulations to Charlotte Oliver and Matt Edmond who were Swimmers of the League. Our coaches and 12 swimmers took part in The Rotary Charity Swim-A-Fun at the Leisure Centre in April. The senior girls won overall with 88 lengths. So well done to Abby Chapman, Leah Hawtin, Lauren Hester, Phoebe Edwards, Charlotte Oliver, Sarah Jarvis. In early May the Club held a very successful Spring Club Champs at Kingham Hill School. Good experience for our younger swimmers to see how galas run and to swim competitively. Congratulations to Rebecca Hoadley and Ellie Lawrence who were the fastest girls and William Huddleston and Gordon Syme the fastest boys. Soccer School Saturday mornings at Greystones. Our Good luck to Ellie Lawrence soccer school, so successful last year, is again running on (pictured) competing in the Swim Saturday mornings. Hour-long sessions starting at 9am are an England South East Regionals U15 excellent way for boys and girls aged 5-7 years to gain an championships. Ellie has secured introduction to football with our qualified coaches and if swims in all strokes in the 50/100m there is enough interest, like last year, the group will form the races so we look forward to seeing basis of our U7 squad for the 2017/18 season. Sessions cost how she gets on. Two other £2 with money raised going towards club equipment. No swimmers have taken part in need to book, just turn up with appropriate footwear and a Regionals recently for other clubs. Laura Tolley swam in the drinks bottle, and have some fun. South West Regionals and Adam Nash swam in the West New U12 team Swifts hope to field an U12 team next Midlands Regionals and came away with a gold in breast season. If we can muster enough payers, we will go for it. stroke and two bronzes. The Club is attending three final galas Contact Martyn on 07775 696837 if you’d like to play. this year at Witney, CMK and Oxford. Finally the Club would Martyn Walsh like to welcome Eloise Upton (Club Captain) back after six months of illness. If you are interested in joining the club Chipping Norton Bowls Club please contact Rachel at [email protected] Everyone in the Club has been busy preparing for the new Philippa Upton outdoor season. This year the Green has been prepared by a specialist company but maintenance will be carried out by our CN Town Football Club own In-house team of Mike Harris, Keith Field and Martin Only one game in April for Chippy Firsts who signed off an Acock with specialist support if needed. Despite dry weather interesting season with another fine performance against and night frosts, the green is bowling reasonably well. Carterton Town. The immaculate Enstone pitch made free We have so far played and won three friendly away games flowing football the order of the day and the Magpies built – a great start to the season! We have again entered teams for upon their previous home victory against Kirtlington with the Westox League and also Oxfordshire Men’s (Thursday another 4-2 win. Goals coming from Mark Corbett, Josh Hunt night) League, having been promoted to Division 2 in the and Dan Bott with a brace, to round off a season of ups and latter. As always, enthusiasm abounds at the start of the downs, though one from which many positives can be taken. season and we are fortunate to have retained most of our

27 SPORTS NEWS members plus a few more. An Open Day in April was held to Cricket Club recruit new members with a friendly game played to demonstrate what flat green bowls is all about. We attracted Senior Teams It is still early in the season. Our First XI has eight people, who showed an interest and joined the players won one game and lost one, while the Second XI and Sunday for tea and cake after the game. We hope to welcome them XI have played and lost the one game each. On the downside it all as new members. The Monday afternoon 2-hour games looks as if we shall have 100 houses on our doorstep. We shall league and a newly formatted Wednesday evening league have to see if we can work with a developer in the future? which reflects the Australian Pairs system are proving popular. Sunday cricket seems a problem with a struggle to get enough The Greystones site is a hive of activity as the new Scout players. On the positive side, what a great place the Club feels hut is built behind the Club with the creation of additional car to be on a Friday night! Youth training is in full swing and the parking spaces. Together with other site improvements the youngsters training and then playing afterwards are a great whole area will be much more attractive with better parking. sight. And it’s good to see their parents enjoying the evening too! This season we have a new parent rota to help running the Monkey Dragon School of Karate bar and cleaning the clubhouse. This is very much appreciated. Graham Beacham Congratulations to Esther, Emily and Lisa Youth Section has started the season well with all age who recently graded. groups enjoying Friday night training sessions. We have 80 Esther attained 5th Kyu youngsters so far and the U9's age group is now full with a Blue Belt, Emily: 3rd Kyu waiting list. Matches are starting and we hope for good Brown Belt and Lisa: 6th weather. And parents of any ability and any experience, or Kyu Green Belt. They none, are being encouraged to give cricket a go and play in have all worked hard to the social team on a Sunday and some midweeks. A few achieve their grades. We players are needed to keep the team running – it’s for fun welcome anyone and is an enjoyable family afternoon. Interested? Contact interested in training Sue, [email protected], or Lee Boswell, Team Captain Thursday evenings, (07786 041292). The Club also needs someone to do the Juniors 6-7pm,Teenagers teas for Saturday afternoon home games. Enjoy the & Adults 7-8pm at Chipping Norton Leisure Centre. Please summer weather and the sounds of leather on willow with call 643903 or 07472 789346 for details. First lesson free. children having fun at Chipping Norton Cricket Club. Julie Dowling Sue Powell

28 SCHOOLS NEWS

pupils that germs can be very beneficial in protecting the Chipping Norton School human body, but sometimes can cause nasty bugs as well. The LAMDA examinations: Since September 2016, 34 Year 7, 8 pupils took samples, using cotton buds and petri dishes, from and 9 students have been working towards their LAMDA the bottom of shoes, sink taps and fingers. Dr Hagan explained that he was going to grow the samples and see what developed. Photographic results and explanations of which bugs grew have now been sent to the primary schools. Everyone really enjoyed all of the experiments, and learned lots of very interesting facts.

exam. Students have attended a weekly club led by local Drama specialist Pippa Phillips, and took exams at the end of March. We are delighted to report that every student passed with distinction. Congratulations to you all; you have worked incredibly hard and are fabulous ambassadors of Chipping Norton School. Thanks are due to our fantastic tutor, Pippa Phillips, for all of her support and professionalism. Sports News: Senior Language Leaders, with younger students acting as Many of our team managers and supported by teachers from the MFL sports teams Department, hosted a MFL Festival for CNPS Year 4 pupils. r e p r e s e n t e d The younger pupils took part in workshops to learn some W e s t new words and phrases in French, Spanish, Italian and German. Oxfordshire at They played games, and one of the most popular was the the recent ‘Splat Game’. This caused lots of laughter, but also School Games. determination to splat the right word. Pupils had the All teams did opportunity to try cheeses from different European countries incredibly well which caused some children to smile with delight while with the Year 7 others were not so thrilled with their tasting experience. Boys winning Thank you so much to all of the teachers and especially our Bronze for CNS Leaders and younger students, who ran and hosted the athletics and the Year 8 Girls being runners up in the hockey workshops tournament. RAF Roadshow: Year 8 were visited by the RAF Roadshow, Year 11 student Callum Smart recently enjoyed great success at the British Swimming Championships. He won the 100m Junior Male Breaststroke final (15-18 years) and came second in the 200m Junior Breaststroke final. His 200m time of 2:16:02 was a new British and English record for his age group (16 years) and Callum has been selected to represent Great Britain at the World Junior Championships in Indianapolis, USA in August. This is a terrific achievement and we wish Callum the best of luck. CNPS News: Thirty enthusiastic Year 4 & 5 pupils from our ten partner primary schools visited the Fun With Flight, where they got to see how the Physics they Science Department learn in Science lessons is an integral part of the work that to learn about engineers undertake in the RAF and other engineering Microorganisms and organisations. Students were able to play catch with a drone, Disease. The experience Virtual Reality and the show culminated in the workshops were led very loud demonstration of a fully-functioning jet engine. The by Dr Hagan and Mr show also highlighted the range of careers available with the Mavromichalis supported by Sixth Form Science Leaders, who RAF – everything from engineers to dog handlers. The helped pupils use various scientific equipment. The lesson was students left having very much enjoyed the action-packed and started with a question ‘Think about everything you have very noisy show which perhaps may have inspired some touched today?’ Dr Hagan and Mr Mavromichalis assured the engineers of the future.

29 SCHOOLS NEWS

grounds and made two large holes at the end of our playing St Mary’s Primary field. The children questioned the Head Teacher and Foundation: Having been inspired by Chipping Norton Caretaker to see if they could solve the puzzle. At the time of Literary Festival, Foundation class decided to set up and open going to print, nothing has been confirmed but the children their own bookshop. We invited Mrs Stallwood-Barnes to have used the incident in their English and Maths lessons!! open 'The Lovely Bookshop' and all the children have been busy buying and selling books and giving recommendations to Year 1/2 Topic friends. We will be opening our coffee shop soon so that Launch: Iolo and everyone can enjoy some cake with their book! Thank you to Noah report: On Jaffé & Neale for providing so many fantastic resources. Mrs Monday we had a Weaver is also the Children's Director for the Festival and launch lesson about was thrilled to see so many of her pupils enjoying the weather and the weekend’s events. seasons. We carried out a weather Author visit: Jessica Hester forecast around the reports: During the Chipping UK and Ireland. We Norton Literary Festival enjoyed playing with author Abi Elphinstone, who the snow, sand and writes amazing books, came the dressing up to visit our school. Her clothes. We also did books are strong and some cutting and powerful and use interesting sticking and wrote words. My favourite book is about the four The Night Spinner. In our class seasons. ‘It was fab- we are reading The Dream ulous’ said Sinead. Snatcher. At the end of her Noah added, ‘It was visit we were able to buy amazing!’ ‘It was the copies and she very kindly best launch lesson signed them for us. Her talk ever’ said Iolo, ‘It was inspirational and was fantastic’ entertaining. Abi has another book out in the New Year which agreed Libby. I expect will be brilliant too. Year 4 Language Festival: Lilly-May Sumners & Aliyah Majid HiddenBeauty 8 Middle Row Chipping Norton 0X7 5NH 01608 643862 Email:[email protected] Website:www.hiddenbeautyoxfordshire.co.uk Hair and beauty boutique in the heart of Chipping Norton report: We had so much fun when we attended the Modern Language Festival at Chipping Norton School. We learnt to Offering a wide range of beauty speak in different languages like French, German and Spanish. and hair treatments. We even got to taste different cheeses, some we liked and some we didn’t! Hair services Nail treatments Year 3/4 The unexpected visitor: Amelia Hergt & Alyssa Thompson report: On the night of Thursday 27 April something Environ Facials mysterious happened. It was midnight and everything was Waxing dark and gloomy. Someone/something entered our school Lashes & brows

St Mary’s C of E (A) Primary School Competitive prices Open Morning We pride ourselves on our quality standards and customer care Friday 29th September 2017 9-11am Come and see the School in action – all very For queries, questions and more welcome! Call 642673 for more information. information, feel free to get in touch today.

30 SCHOOLS NEWS

Modern Foreign Languages: Our Year 4 children enjoyed Holy Trinity Primary an afternoon of foreign languages alongside children from all We have had a very exciting month at Holy Trinity. the Partnership Schools. They were taught French, German Adventure Playground: We are thrilled to have our new and Italian. They enjoyed playing games and they especially Adventure Playground up and running. The children have enjoyed the French cheese tasting! Great fun was had by all, particularly enjoyed our Pirate and the enthusiasm and participation was infectious. Thanks to the staff and pupils at Chipping Norton School for organising the event. Chipping Norton Literary Festival: The author of Electrigirl, Jo Cotterill, kindly came to talk to Years 4, 5 and 6 on 28 April, delivering an energetic and inspiring talk to an enthusiastic audience. It involved readings from her book, dramatic re-enactment and even an entertaining science ‘lesson’ about electricity, all involving lots of audience participation! The children were bursting with excellent questions for her and, hopefully, some are inspired to further develop their own writing. Ship and have been acting out School Olympics: On Wednesday, 26 April, Years 2 and 3 some amazing adventures. A took part in the Schoolympics event organised by the huge thank you to our PTA and parishioners who contributed towards the cost. Co-operative carrier bag donations: We would like to thank the Co-op in Chipping Norton for awarding our school with a donation of £541.25 to help fund the purchase of seeds, plants and seating for the reflective/creative garden, from their sales of carrier bags. The wild meadow turf and plants are all blooming and there is a bounty of colour in the garden.

Chipping Norton School Leaders, who were outstanding, as usual. The children competed in lots of fun games with other local schools. Several of our children were awarded a special certificate and medals. Well done to Germany, who won the overall event. This annual event is very well organised and great fun for the children. Our amazing staff: Mrs Medler, our Year 5 Teacher, ran the London Marathon in aid of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York.

The same weekend, Mrs Hills, a Year 6 Teaching Assistant, paddled her kayak all the way from Devizes to Westminster in aid of Cancer Research. Amazing Staff! Top Mrs Hills kayaking Left: Mrs Medler after completing the London Marathon

31 SCHOOL NEWS

in their classes and listened to children’s ideas and they Middle Barton Primary helped with the costing so that the project came within As we go into the summer months the school community budget – all excellent skills and opportunities for young continues its children to experience. The new equipment has created an busy and exciting exciting and challenging area for children from our Early Years curriculum. As class up to Year 6 and there really is something for everybody. part of our The School is currently holding a competition to think of a commitment to name which will stick with the play area for many years to provide a broad, come. Our thanks go to everybody who has worked hard on varied and this project and also to everybody who has donated and balanced cur- helped to fundraise. riculum to the children we have held two special Kingham Primary whole school School started back with new topics for all: Ancient Egypt in sessions since Easter. On Friday 5 May we took part in a Sing- years 5 and 6; The Great Outdoors in 3 and 4; Splish, Splash, Up afternoon, when all the children learnt and sung four Splosh in 1 and 2 and Down on the Farm in reception. songs. We then performed them in a special assembly at the On Friday 5 May, members of the choir participated in the end of the day. On Friday 12 May we held a ‘Global Learning’ Kingham Hill School choir competition. Last year the choir Day (see photo), when a range of activities was enjoyed, including recycling and caring for the environment. This gave the children an important message about Global Citizenship. As we prepare for the next school year we are excited that the School has grown again and we shall have six classes in September. We were successful recently in appointing a new teacher, Miss Amy Reynolds, and are looking forward to welcoming her to our school in September. The school community has been hard at work improving our school site, both inside and outside. We held a TLC afternoon on 7 May when families and staff worked together to tidy up the gardens, playgrounds, outbuildings and paths. The school year has flown by and we are already thinking about summer events. FOMBS (Friends of Middle Barton School) are organising our summer fete, which will be held on won the ‘best unison’ performance so we had high hopes. Our Saturday 2 July from 12 noon until 2pm. We look forward to first song started brilliantly by Scarlett (Yr6) with her seeing you there. unaccompanied solo, before the rest of the choir joined in with a mixture of unison and harmony singing. This was Acorns Primary followed by ‘All for the Best’ from Godspell. After Acorns Amazing Adventures Project! Pupils and staff are performances from two other schools the judges left to delighted with their new adventure playground, which was deliberate. Due to the nature and complexity of our officially opened on 4 May by the School Council and Play performances, we were given ‘Best Technical Performance’ as well as ‘Best Choir Overall’. We are incredible proud of this achievement and it is testament to the hard work of the children, ably led by Mr Lamming. As part of the Chipping Norton Literary Festival our year 5 class was fortunate to have a visit from the author Joshua Khan. He explained the motivation and inspirations for his book and finished with a question and answer session and book signing. Chadlington Primary Stained glass window project: Our stained glass window project is nearly complete. The finished design depicting our school values, designed by the children, will be installed on the long Victorian window in our school hall over the coming weeks. There will be a grand unveiling to parents and children Leaders. Throughout the last two years, the PTA, staff, pupils at a special evening event after half term. The project has been and their families have been fundraising to improve the hugely enriching across the whole curriculum and all this will outdoor spaces at Acorns. The School Council had a very be on display at the event. active role right from the start, taking part in meetings with representatives from a range of play equipment companies, Trips: Our Key Stage 1 classes (the Pixies and Elves) have been they helped measure out the space and create plans through on their annual residential to Cothill where they took part in choosing the items they would like in the area, they held votes some exciting activities. Meanwhile Our Dragons and Wizards

32 SCHOOLS NEWS went to the Harry Potter Studios near London and had a See Fire, Banuwa and California Dreaming. Kingham Hill wonderful time. They took part in a fascinating workshop on School Gospel Choir also took to the stage to entertain the Filmmaking which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. choirs and guests with a medley of Motown classics. Kingham Primary School, were named winners of the Beer Festival: Final preparations are being made for the Chadlington Beer Festival on Saturday 3 June. This is the School's main annual fundraiser, enabling us to experience all the amazing extracurricular activities and trips that our children enjoy, as well as helping equip the School with first rate IT equipment. It is always a wonderful day out for the whole family. Bledington Primary The Parliament Education Service visited school last month and led a whole school assembly about British Values. This was followed by two drama workshops, for Blue and Green classes, entitled My Vote Counts. Rosamonde Birch talked about the history of The Houses of Parliament and explained about how bills become laws. She brought several artefacts best technical performance and Wychwood Primary School with her and pupils were able to relate the experiences of (pictured) won the best a cappella performance. Both choirs writing our school rules, to making the laws of the country, were presented with cheques of £450 to go towards and of voting for their school councillors to voting in an supporting music at their schools. election. In our assemblies this term we have been thinking Kingham and Wychwood also went into the running for about democracy, the rule of law, tolerance and individual best overall choir, with Kingham Primary receiving the liberty. The four new signs in our playground will act as accolade and trophy. A huge well done and thank you to all the reminders of our many thoughts and discussion. wonderful choirs that took part in the competition, they certainly made it a wonderful day. Sibford School Sibford School Open Day: 175-years of outstanding Quaker education will be celebrated later this month when Sibford School hosts its annual Open Day. Thistakes place on Saturday 17 June, and is open to current parents, friends, old scholars and Author Adam Stower, who writes and illustrates children’s anyone interest- books, was visiting the Chipping Norton Literary Festival but ed in the spent an afternoon with our infants, reading stories and telling possibility of a them about his numerous characters. Adam inspired the place at Sibford pupils to create their own Troll characters. He left us with in the future. In loads of enthusiasm and an amazing signed copy of an original the Senior Pupils look forward to welcoming visitors to drawing. School, there the School’s Open Day on 17 June By the time this goes to press, we will have skipped and will be a Meeting for Worship at 9am, followed by an Opening danced around the maypole at Daylesford Summer Festival Celebration at 9.30am. In the Junior School, classroom and at our own Maypole Afternoon. displays will be open for visitors from 9.30am. There will be a host of events and activities taking place around the school Kingham Hill School campus and a performance by the recently formed Sibford Community Orchestra. A presentation for parents of Junior Choir Competition: Last month the School was prospective pupils will take place at 11am and, in keeping with very proud to be joined by local primary and preparatory the theme, the School’s Parent, Staff and Friends Association schools for its sixth, annual Junior Choir Competition. The will be running a Victorian Café from 10.30am to 2pm. For choirs put on some brilliant performances as they sang two further information email Elspeth Dyer songs each, which were then judged on the criteria of best a ([email protected]) or call 01295 781203. cappella and best technical performance. Choir judges, Kingham Hill Head of Music Dan Chambers, former Stop press: The popular Rain or Shine Theatre Company international bass soloist Mark Glanville and former returns to the School on Thursday 29 June to present professional operatic singer Beverley Savidge were treated to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Tickets £13 adults, £11 concs and some lovely renditions of There’s One More Angel in Heaven, I £6 for children from the School on 01295 781216.

33 ELECTION SPECIAL

General Election The General Election in the UK on Thursday 8 June sees a parliamentary election in the Witney Constituency. Voting is from 7am to 10pm. Election candidates are as follows: Laetisia Carter Robert Courts Alexander Alan Craig (Labour) (Conservative) (UKIP) Laetisia is the I was honoured Educated at only candidate to be elected as grammar school, born, raised and your MP in university and educated in West October 2016. I business school, Oxfordshire. She have been Alan has been lives with her working hard Chief Executive of husband and two since on your an international children in priorities, which m a n u f a c t u r i n g Chipping Norton. are my priorities: group, live-in A passionate, hard working District housing, broadband, health, education, warden of a home for young offenders, Councillor here with 13 years public local businesses, transport. I am focused and director of a church and community sector experience, Laetisia has fought entirely on West Oxfordshire and there centre in a deprived neighbourhood. A many local high profile campaigns. She is much more we can do together. Christian and social conservative, he is was Police and Crime Commissioner Should you honour me with your vote, I passionate about the UK achieving full candidate for the Thames Valley area in will continue to work hard as your Brexit and rejoining the world; 2016, achieving a close second place! strong local voice in Parliament. Before promoting the traditional family as the She said ‘I am standing for this October, I was a self-employed barrister best place for nurturing children, and important role as I want to be the and Deputy Leader of your District challenging growing Political Islam change our area needs. We can do Council. I live with my wife and young without Muslim-bashing. Happily better than this. West Oxfordshire son in Bladon, and am a Thames Valley married with two stepsons and two deserves it!’ Air Ambulance volunteer. daughters, Alan swims, sings in a choir, walks the dog and enjoys a pint. Claire Lasko Liz Leffman (Green) (Liberal Democrat) Previous results: I am an award Liz lives in The election is only seven months winning producer Charlbury. She after a by-election in October of documentaries, was the Liberal living in Chipping Democrat can- following David Cameron’s Norton. Both my didate for the resignation. In that by-election the daughters were Witney by- result was: born here and election, when Courts (Con) 45%, went to local she took 30% of Leffman (LibDem), 30% schools. Standing the vote, reducing Enright (Lab) 15%, for the Green Party I believe the system the Conservative majority to just over Sanders (Green) 3.5%, is stacked against the young and for the 5,000. In May she won the Charlbury and Bird (UKIP) 3.5% establishment. I want a society where Wychwood County seat from the young people can afford homes, the Council’s Deputy Leader. Liz has run her Salisbury (Nat Health Action) 1.1% NHS is treated with real respect, people own business since the ’90s, and is a Plus 8 other candidates. are educated throughout their lives, Trustee of West Oxfordshire Citizens In the 2015 General Election David without tuition fees and with proper Advice Bureau. Liz has a proven track Cameron won the seat with 60% of investment in society and environment. record of standing up for services in the vote, followed by Enright (Lab) Brexit will be a financial disaster; with West Oxfordshire including Chipping 17%, Strutt (UKIP) 9%, Graham (Lib the young living with the effects. A Norton Hospital. She is a member of Dem) 7%, MacDonald (Green) 5% second vote, when terms are available, WOBUG, the local group that is working should confirm we want to leave the EU. to restore bus services to our villages. Plus 7 other candidates. County Council Election Results The May election result saw the Turnout was 44%. Compared with 2013 the Conservatives still the largest party but Biles (Con) 1635 45% Conservative share dropped 4%, Labour still (with only 31 seats out of 63) short Saul (Lab) 1231 34% increased 3% Lib Dems rose 13% and UKIP of an overall majority. Conservative Graham (Lib D) 584 16% dropped 11%. In nearby Charlbury, Lib Dem Hilary Biles held the Chipping Norton Lasko (Green) 98 3% Liz Leffman unseated Conservative Rodney seat which includes the Town and Stanley (UKIP) 66 2% Rose but overall in West Oxfordshire several local villages. The result was Conservatives dominate the County seats.

34 LETTERS

‘Ridiculous’ one way idea Councillor Geoff Saul. Otherwise a combination of stealth and I attended the Annual Town Meeting on 19 April to hear the apathy may result in this ridiculous scheme being implemented. Mayor refer to ‘embryonic’ plans to include Albion Street in a Richard Collings See article p4 Our new street names What’s in a street name? Gina (May News feature) Burrows: the Surely the main news only woman story here is that out of to feature in eight nominated names the latest only one is a woman! batch of Are women invisible to street names. the Town Council and See article the History Society? on p13 Name supplied (from Chippy News blog) Would a One Way Traffic system for the Town solve the problem posed by the heavy flow of traffic, including HGVs? Election thanks One Way Traffic system for the Town. Though I don’t live in or I am writing to say ‘Thank You’ to all of you who supported near Albion Street this seems to me a ridiculous idea. Albion and voted for me at the County Council Elections on the 4 Street is totally unsuited to becoming a permanent one way May. I am delighted to be chosen to represent you at County street for all the cars and HGVs who need to pass through the Hall. I represent all residents whether they supported me or Town. This is NOT a sensible solution to the Town's traffic not, so please do not hesitate to contact me should you need problems for so many obvious reasons which I shouldn't even my help. If it is not a County matter I will know who is able need to mention. Major relief road(s) so that traffic can avoid to help. the town centre is what is required, particularly in view of the Hilary Biles County Councillor, Chipping Norton Division major increase in housing coming our way. At the end of the meeting, a lady who does live in Albion Street and myself ‘Still only 50p’ engaged our District Councillor Geoff Saul in conversation So many of us speak about the marvels of the Chippy News, and who said he would not be supporting the proposal. I thought a word of Thanks to you all would be appropriate. The Nonetheless, I suggest Albion Street residents mobilise dedication, and discipline, and sparky way you tell us about themselves against this ridiculous idea and arrange to meet, en things, is quite amazing. Thank you so much, it makes my masse, with both our Mayor, Mike Tysoe, and District day/week/year! Plus the colour printing, and Still Only 50p! Name & Address supplied ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Chipping Norton News Club Tel: 01608 643219 Email: [email protected] Twitter: www.twitter.com/chippynews Blog: www.chippynews.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/chippynews Editorial Team for this edition: Judy Buckingham, Alison Huitt, July deadline: Friday 9 June Lindsay Johnstone Linda Rand, Keith Ruddle & Jill Thorley Section contacts: Arts - Gay Holden (643635), Blog - Pat Moral Final copy should be sent to Chipping Norton News, (www.chippynews.org), Business - Chris Hogan (646395), Sports - c/o Hill Lawn House, 22 New Street, Chipping Graham Beacham (810047), Schools - Clare Davison (642373) Contributors: Richard Averill, Graham Beacham, Alice Burns, Frances Buckel, Norton, OX7 5LJ tel/fax 643219. Items should Judy Buckingham, Clare Davison, Kaye Freeman, Sue Hadland, Chris Hogan, Gay preferably be typed, on disk or sent via email to Holden, Alison Huitt, Lindsay Johnstone, Jo McVicker, Patricia Moral, Roger Sinclair, Linda Rand, Carole Rose, Nigel Rose,Keith Ruddle & others where stated. [email protected] Production & proof-reading: Jill Thorley (643219),Judy Buckingham, Kaye Sales Outlets and Subscriptions Freeman, Lindsay Johnstone, Jo McVicker, Carole Rose & Deborah Webb You can buy the News at the following outlets: Aldi The Blue Boar Bartholomews Caffè Nero The Chequers Co-op Foodstore Cotswold Newsagent Costcutter CN Health Centre. CN Hospital Distribution: Jill Thorley (643219) Judy Buckingham, Rolie Clarke, Judy CN Post Office Crown & Cushion Gill & Co Guildhall One Stop Shop Hidden Beauty Highlands Donegan, Kaye Freeman, Alison Huitt, Carole Rose & Sam Stretton Day Centre Jaffé & Neale CN Leisure Centre Old Mill Bistro New St Dental Surgery Advertising & Club Treasurer: Terry Kitchin (645502) Porcupine Sainsbury’s Spar at Esso Robert John West Street News Café de la Post Chadlington Printers: KMS Litho (738005) If you are unable to get to any of the outlets you can have the News posted to you. Send The editorial team welcomes articles and letters (names supplied please), but a cheque for £18 annual subscription, made payable to The Chipping Norton News to reserves the right to edit or cut depending on space available. While taking every care Rolie Clarke 63 New Street, Chipping Norton OX7 5LL. to check accuracy we cannot take reponsibility for errors which might occur. Advertising and Sponsorship Opinions expressed in contributions are not necessarily those of the Editorial Team. The Chipping Norton News, with a circulation of over 2000, welcomes financial support The News does not endorse or accept liability for any products or services provided from local businesses. For information about advertising (from £30 for an eighth of a by advertisers. The News is published monthly (except January and August) by the page) please contact Terry Kitchin (645502). Chipping Norton News Club which is voluntary and non profit-making. The Chipping Norton News is printed on FSC approved paper

35 LOCAL NEWS

Welcome for Ursula at St Mary’s The Newsteam’s Roger Sinclair reports on the newest recruit to the team at St Mary’s, our parish church, who was licensed at a special service at the end of April. As reported last month, Chipping Norton’s thriving Benefice people across the Benefice and helping strengthen the small has a new team minister in the form of Ursula Simpson. She groups and life of discipleship at the heart of the churches’. was licensed by the Bishop of Dorchester at a special service Team Rector James Kennedy told the News, ‘We’re really on 25 April at St Mary’s, which was followed by a wonderful thrilled that Ursula is joining the team. An important part of spread of food in the parish the life of the church is our rooms that was enjoyed by all. network of small groups, which Before working for the meet mid-week in people’s Chipping Norton Benefice, homes. Ursula, and her husband, Ursula was Priest-in-Charge of Roger, bring with them a vast an inner city church in York. She wealth of experience of helping was involved in developing small to nurture that kind of small groups and training leaders at group in large churches. The churches in Edinburgh, stronger our small groups, the Vancouver and York along with more able we are to grow in her husband, Roger. They are depth of community, and at the already closely connected with same time to reach out even Chippy says Ursula, ‘It was more actively and effectively to actually Martha (your curate) serve the wider community. and Tom (our oldest son) who, People within our own town when they heard that James Bishop Colin, along with representatives of the local are increasingly coming to us in Kennedy was considering community, welcome Rev’d Ursula Simpson at her licensing their moments of need, and – another member for the staff service at St Mary's with Ursula’s help – we look team, said to us, “This might suit you” and when I read the job forward to being able to extend a more powerful hand of love specification I thought that indeed it might!’. and compassion as we continue to grow as a church family Ursula had been hearing about the life of the church in ourselves’. With the growing enthusiasm for church and Chippy largely through Tom and Martha who themselves have spiritual life from people across all ages and backgrounds in found a spiritual home in which to settle, flourish and and around Chippy, and the burgeoning sense of coming contribute and this is now Ursula’s hope too. She went on to together in faith and prayer, she is joining at a great time in the say, ‘I’m looking forward to getting to know the diversity of life of the Benefice – so a warm welcome to you Ursula! DIARY See also page 3 for Fetes, Festivals & Gardens June (News out TUESDAY 30 May) 17th Chipping Norton Farmers’ Market 8.30-1.30 3rd Cancer Research Cake Sale @ the Co-op see p17 CN Choral Soc Summer Concert details p21 Fibre Festival: Young Local Makers & Entre- 19th CN Amateur Astronomy Group - 7.30 Methodist preneurs 10-4 Middle Row - see p20 Hall - call 07527 224411 for details 4th Rambling Club meet 2pm New St Car Park 20th CN Probus 11am Crown & Cushion Hugh Granger - 5th Folk Club 8pm Artyard Café, Enstone - see p22 The wonderful world of E-bay - details 676997 6th Railway Club 7.30 Lwr Town Hall Jim Portlock - Euro 22nd CN Flower Club Garden visit - to book see p25 Miscellany see p22 23rd An Evening with Sir Ben Kingsley 7.30 Spelsbury see p21 7th U3A 2.30pm Methodist Hall Martin Holmes - Tony Blair see p22 24th N Cotswold Society of Recorder Players 2.30- North Oxon Organic Gardeners details p25 5pm Sandford St Martin Parish Hall details 641037 8th GENERAL ELECTION see p34 Lido Summer Solstice Late Swim & BBQ - details p11 Amnesty 7.30 LowerTown Hall - see p26 25th Town Festival 11am-8.30pm see advert p3 9th Step up for Alex - Town Hall Family Bingo 7pm - details p9 Transition CN Foraging Walk & make your own CHIPPING NORTON NEWS DEADLINE scented skin cream! details 07803 753684 10th Sully in Churchill 7.30 details - p21 29th Library Talk 7pm - Jan Harvey, author - details p14 13th CN Resilience Group 7.30 Council Chambers, Town Hall - details p15 July (News out Monday 26 June) 14th Methodist Coffee Morning 9.30-11.30 for Katharine 2nd LHNT Family Walk 10am Salford - details p12 House Hospice Rambling Club meet 2pm New St Car Park CNWI 7pm Lower Town Hall - see p24 4th Railway Club 7.30 Lwr Town Hall - details p22 15th CN Recording Studios memories BBC in town - details p7 5th U3A 2.30pm Methodist Hall Barry Oxley - Birds see p22 16th National Care Homes Open Day details p14 North Oxon Organic Gardeners details p25

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