With Love and Prayers, Sarah Dear Friends, Happy Christmas!

The Flying The Goose say it all!) they were close to giving up. They struggled say toto all!) theyit close struggled They were giving up. to seems Hardscrabble name (the landscape unyielding in children to a a ranch and feed numerous pretty with r to onwhich family and their raise a ranch bought Yates the of Anne acouple by of area Ira name Texas, and

water. and bills the mortgage, the pay lid the lift (also story another Here’s away? e the after years 2000 endure story this does Why mean? all - re and embedded remains and history in pivotal is that a story is Friends, Dear drilled down and got beneath the surface the their beneath of surface andgot land, down drilled they Once it! know didn’t just but millionaires were they Yat the this oil All to those field. years manage needed workers built town many to A today. was the house States whole field is Oil Yates instill the one of largest United the erected years! that were lasted barrels Wooden ground. that oil the all accommodate to hadto adecent Pretty infrastructure swiftly build they priority. huge a exactly weren’t concerns environmental the into In They’d air. the hit those days jackpot! feet of hundreds oil crude spewed gusher A surprise! underground. 1000ft metres!) sent(300 about was drill A drilling. exploratory for set was date a directors andafter a oneof company’s from visit the company anoil to with contact actdecided onahunch. made He ear cattle. Times were pretty hard and a few years in, in, years few a and hard pretty were Times cattle. ear The Flying The Goose say it all!) they were close to giving up. They struggled say toto all!) theyit close struggled They were giving up. to seems Hardscrabble name (the landscape unyielding in children to a a ranch and feed numerous pretty with r to onwhich family and their raise a ranch bought Yates the of Anne acouple by of area Ira name Texas, and

water. and bills the mortgage, the pay lid the lift (also story another Here’s away? e the after years 2000 endure story this does Why mean? all - re and embedded remains and history in pivotal is that a story is Friends, Dear drilled down and got beneath the surface the their beneath of surface andgot land, down drilled they Once it! know didn’t just but millionaires were they Yat the this oil All to those field. years manage needed workers built town many to A today. was the house States whole field is Oil Yates instill the one of largest United the erected years! that were lasted barrels Wooden ground. that oil the all accommodate to hadto adecent Pretty infrastructure swiftly build they priority. huge a exactly weren’t concerns environmental the into In They’d air. the hit those days jackpot! feet of hundreds oil crude spewed gusher A surprise! underground. 1000ft metres!) sent(300 about was drill A drilling. exploratory for set was date a directors andafter a oneof company’s from visit the company anoil to with contact actdecided onahunch. made He parish andwardofWolvercote A quarterlynewsletterforthe ear cattle. Times were pretty hard and a few years in, in, years few a and hard pretty were Times cattle. ear They were millionaires but they just didn’t know it! know didn’t just they but millionaires were They vents place in 3 a vents took country Dur On in verge the throwing On the of towel, It story. a remarkable lies Christmas of heart the At What happened next all com next by took them happened What They were millionaires but they just didn’t know it! know didn’t just they but millionaires were They told es family had lived impoverished lives andyet familyes had lived impoverished

vents place in 3 a vents took country Dur On in verge the throwing On the of towel, It story. a remarkable lies Christmas of heart the At What happened next all com next by took them happened What ing the 192 the ing …… told es family had lived impoverished lives andyet familyes had lived impoverished

ing the 192 the ing …… Christmas after Christmas. But what does it it does what But Christmas. after Christmas . ,

Christmas after Christmas. But what does it it does what But Christmas. after Christmas

. Issue 58

Issue 58 0 s in the Hardscrabble Trans Hardscrabble the in s

0 s in the Hardscrabble Trans Hardscrabble the in s

was pouring of pouring out the was

to keep their heads above above heads their keep to was pouring of pouring out the was true) that perhaps helps helps perhaps that true) to keep their heads above above heads their keep to ½ true) that perhaps helps helps perhaps that true) thousand miles miles thousand ½ thousand miles miles thousand Ira Ira Ira Ira o plete plete ne day ne day - o Pecos Pecos plete plete ne day ne day

- Pecos Pecos

1 as rest in our find him. we restlessness, can love anendto whose put our the with God us around C these brokenness our with identifying to of is in comes who love humility us a God of Christmas of story andhope. The renewal of ocean redemption, is unending and of deep reality a wonderful revelry the t all of surface the beneath but enjoyment and celebration of time a indeed is It stage. centre take many for children’ ‘the and family friends, Parties, off! time and specials TV spending, of drinking, year eating, another terms! financial of sea oil; gold pure in unimaginable an they discovered

perhaps in our very next edition! edition! next very our in perhaps again as happening they return soon are will as things in this appears Be goodcomfort: edition. of Calendar Lynx

perhaps in our very next edition! edition! next very our in perhaps again as happening they return soon are will as things in this appears Be goodcomfort: edition. of Calendar Lynx Christmas often fin often Christmas - eyed readers will readers eyed ovid days, wit days, ovid Christmas often fin often Christmas - eyed readers will readers eyed Revd Sarah Flash Sarah Revd ,

ovid days, wit days, ovid we can drill beneath the surface and connect andconnect surface drillthe can we beneath Revd Sarah Flash Sarah Revd ,

we can drill beneath the surface and connect andconnect surface drillthe can we beneath S

t Pet t With love and prayers, Sarah Sarah prayers, and love With S

t Pet t With love and prayers, Sarah Sarah prayers, and love With hout our usual family and friends friends and family usual our hout er’s Wolvercote & Sa & All Wolvercote er’s

note that neither Directory nor nor that Directory neither note ds us of us ds uponthe living surface hout our usual family and friends friends and family usual our hout er’s Wolvercote & Sa & All Wolvercote er’s

note that neither Directory nor nor that Directory neither note ds us of us ds uponthe living surface man, Interim man, man, Interim man, and struggle. Perhaps in in Perhaps struggle. and Happy Christmas! Christmas! Happy

and struggle. Perhaps in in Perhaps struggle. and Happy Christmas! Christmas! Happy

Associate Minister Associate

Associate Minister Associate his fun and and fun his ints December his fun and and fun his ints December '

Wytham '

Wytham -

2020 -

2020

ISSUE 58 DECEMBER 2020

The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020 News from Wolvercote Primary School

Many of us will recall the end of summer and the return to school as a time of sadness! This year at Wolvercote School, however, it has been a time of considerable joy. We were delighted to be able fully to reopen the school at the start of September, and despite the restrictions and changes of COVID, there has been lots of fun and lots of learning (including for the grown-ups) as we all adapt to new ways of doing things. We are so lucky to have spacious school grounds; the need to keep to specific play areas, along with the shift in seasons to Autumn, have brought opportunities to discover new things about outdoor spaces we may not have explored so well before. Amongst the piles of leaves in the Den and on our field our youngest children have found worms, woodlice and hedgehogs; and have learned about microhabitats. The main playground has helped us learn new games as well as exploring learning for science; some of our Year 3 and 4 children enjoyed investigating air resistance by making parachutes for mini plastic toy soldiers which they tested there. The winter season in primary schools is always linked with celebration and community; it is a term that is busy with performances and traditions. This year there are changes, from virtual parents’ evenings to very different approaches to the festive season, but the overwhelming feeling is of positivity and comfort in our surroundings and in the people who enrich our school community year in, year out. “The best thing about being back at school is seeing my friends.” Tess - Y6. Miriam Marsden - Deputy Headteacher

WOLVERCOTE COMMONERS Wolvercote Green, cut off from Wolvercote Common by the canal in 1788 and the railway in 1846, lies alongside the canal between the Village Hall and The Plough. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with remarkable biodiversity for such a small area (2 hectares/5 acres), and has managed to preserve the grassland with its beautiful array of hay-meadow flowers. These include five species of orchid, yellow rattle, (which is parasitic on grass, helping to keep it in check and allow more flowers to grow), cowslips and adder’s- tongue fern. Butterflies, moths, bees, crickets and grasshoppers thrive, and the pond and shrubby areas provide additional habitats for wildlife. To manage the meadow, the grass is cut in summer to make hay, and then cattle are brought in to graze the “aftermath”, restoring fertility in the traditional way. It’s a fine balance though: cut too soon and we may lose some of the early summer flowers, cut too late and it becomes difficult to control the meadowsweet which is apt to take over. Those cattle are doing an important conservation job as well as looking picturesque! They are domesticated,

but they are not pets, so remember the Countryside Code and treat them with respect. Keep dogs under control near them, though if cattle do chase you and your dog, it’s safer to let the dog off the lead. Over 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost in the UK since the 1930s, and we’re

Photograph by Kirsten Berry by Kirsten Photograph lucky to have this rich and diverse meadow on our doorstep, and the opportunity to keep it that way! Julie Hamilton

2 The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020

Neighbourhood Planning - The Future? It is not often that national and local politicians from all parties, the Council for the Preservation of Rural England and Neighbourhood Plan makers all agree. But it’s clear to all of us that the proposal to streamline planning in the White Paper published last summer will, if unaltered, tend to reduce local democracy and to weaken the protection of green spaces. However, www.wolvercotenf.org.uk that is no reason to give up. We are doing our best to ensure that these proposals [email protected] are challenged and our policies are not ignored.

We need a resounding ‘Yes’ in the local referendum. When will the referendum be? We know only that it will be after 6 May 2021. In the meantime our major concern has to be to find out as much as we can about the amount of Community Infrastructure Levy available for local projects. Please keep telling us what you think is needed. We have continued to fight for the surgery on the Mill site. The problem is not CALA Homes, who have provided the space, but the continued unwillingness of the Clinical Commissioning Group to support it, though it is clear that the proposed Centre at Diamond Place has no funding or submittable plans in the foreseeable future. We have tried to find alternative ways forward. This needs your strong expressions of local support. The proposal to develop the land behind Goose Green is on hold, but when an application is made we must try our hardest to ensure that any development respects the character of its neighbourhood. Much has been done but there is much to do. We need the Plan to be approved, whenever the Referendum is. Christopher Hardman

WOLVERCOTE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

The digging of the Oxford Canal south from Banbury had reached Enslow Bridge by the end of 1788. Then on Saturday 21 February 1789, Jackson’s Oxford Journal announced, “The Publick are hereby informed that coals and coke, by the Oxford Canal, may now be had at the Company’s wharfs at Aynho, Heyford, Enslow Bridge, and Woolvercott; at all which places a regular supply will in future be provided.” Previously coal would have come by sea from Newcastle to London and then up the Thames. When coal became available by canal from the Midlands coalfields, the price halved. We have no evidence of the impact this had on life in Wolvercote, but the digging of the canal and then the traffic of narrow boats must have been astonishing. How exciting it must have been to hear news of the progress of the canal, and when the digging reached Wolvercote what opportunities there must have been for supplying the workers and for trading. One result of the trade by canal is evident from the gravestones in St Peter’s churchyard. The thirty or so stones that survive from before the 1790s were all local limestone; those from the early 1800s were predominantly of Mansfield stone from Nottinghamshire. Michael Daniell

The Wolvercote Local History Society has had to cancel its talks for 2020 but we hope the programme can resume at some point in 2021. Meanwhile anyone who is a member will have their membership automatically extended to October 2021 at no extra cost.

3 12

The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020 Part II of our two-part 'Former Vicars of St Peter's' mini-series. The Revd Dr Mark Butchers left us in 2015. When Mark left we were blessed by Charles's arrival; but how has Mark been getting on in the meantime? I 'phoned him! And now? On 6th September Mark was Unsurprisingly Mark said that what he licensed as Principal of the South West Ministry had missed after Wolvercote was the Training Course. He is responsible in Exeter and closeness to people. 'Once you leave a Truro dioceses for the training of those seeking parish, you have to leave - it's strange to ordination and those interested in Lay Reader cut the ties that have bound you to a place, ministry, and for the provision of post-ordination and move on.' He missed 'vicaring around' training for recently-ordained curates. on local occasions! Was this a significant change of direction? As Archdeacon of Barnstaple Mark's Mark said that there will be much more teaching responsibility was to build close, trusting but that the new post drew on his ministry since relationships with the clergy and ordination, which had ranged over rural, suburban churchwardens in his 150 thinly-spread and city environments as well as academia (before parishes. Close involvement with anyone Wolvercote he was Chaplain and Director of was seldom possible, although he spent Theological Studies here at Keble College). So it extra time with the people of Lynton on the is a natural step and a good fit, and he described his almost north coast because of the vacancy in 2015-17 which ended, visceral sense of calling when he saw the position as it happens, with the appointment of the Revd Samantha advertised: a lot seemed to come together for him here. He Stayte, formerly assistant priest at St Michael's, describes his appointment as 'God pushing me off another Summertown. cliff!' but trusts that God, prayer and the support and help of North Devon is an impoverished rural area. Mark other people will enable him successfully to meet the encouraged links between the parishes and the diocesan demands of an exciting and energising new role. officers in Exeter (who may seem remote), and poured oil Mark has a staff of ten, mostly part-time, who help him into various bits of parochial machinery. An Archdeacon to deliver the courses. Currently the training has to be on mediates where things have gone wrong: one can imagine Zoom, which impedes the development of the closely how good Mark was at this. He was aware of the difficulty for supportive relationships that Mark and his team must create the rural vicar of being responsible for numerous church with their students; but better times will come. buildings (Samantha now has eight!), and encouraged Mark and Hilary will soon move into their very own parishes to set up 'Friends' groups to share this burden. home in a Victorian terrace near Exeter Cathedral - this is a Challenges in these parishes include pressures on the first for them. Hilary will have had her second hip farming community, rural poverty and rural slavery. Mark replacement by the time you read this article - she became was especially pleased to have left the revitalised Devon pretty much wheel-chair bound after her first hip went into Churches Rural Forum in capable hands to help address meltdown last year. Her second followed suit just after the such concerns. first operation was completed. It's been a very choppy time for her and I sent our love and best wishes to her for the op and to Mark for his first months in post. Their other big news is grandson Arthur, born 15 months ago and now toddling around. 'Give my love and best wishes to Wolvercote and Wytham!' Mark said, as we rang off. So I do! CSSD

Lorna's lockdown March 2020. At the Baptist Hall the entire membership of the Monday lunch club voted to carry on regardless, but the next week closure was announced. At the last lunch John Beale led a spontaneous rendition of “We’ll meet again” and we promised we would meet up again in the autumn when the crisis would doubtless all be over(!). Thanks to the hospitality of Teresa Woodbridge and Robin Lipsey some safely distanced tea parties took place in their lovely garden in September. Robert and I had to shield during lockdown. Thank heavens for Carl and his deliveries! On Thursday evenings Godstow Road around us erupted, banging saucepans, playing guitars and a full-sized harp! Then May came - see Youtube 'Wolvercote Morris May Day 2020'. It takes more than a pandemic to stop Wolvercote Morris! By going out at dawn I enjoyed a unique May. I walked the right of way across closed North Oxford Golf course and on to the fields that are to become Oxford North. It was a chance to say goodbye to a landscape

4 2

The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020 Where you shop matters! Empty shelves and queues round the block at supermarkets: before lockdown this was the stuff of dystopian novels. One reason for optimism however is the way in which community groups and local shops and producers worked tirelessly to adapt and ensure that we were all able to access food and basic goods. Why did they pull out the stops? Not only to protect their livelihoods - local businesses know and care about their customers on a personal level. We also saw a change in buying habits with more people buying locally and others growing their own fruit and veg for the first time. In our globalised world, with food chains stretching tens of thousands of miles, is it any wonder that just one break in the chain - due to a pandemic, freak weather conditions or other factors - leads to empty supermarket shelves? But we, as individuals, can change this. At the time of writing, local lockdowns are coming into force. If we are to weather future crises, it’s vital that we act to build a resilient local food supply. By making just a few small changes to our buying habits, we can help prevent shortages so that we are all protected. Good Food Oxford and the council, amongst others, are working to try to make our local food system more resilient. But we can each do our bit. If every adult in Oxford spent just £5 per week in local independent shops, markets, and businesses more than £30 million each year would stay in our local area, keeping people in work, encouraging more local food production and ensuring that our community remained resilient and vibrant. It’s not only about food supply: it’s about livelihoods and community. By shopping locally, we help stem the spread of COVID, we cut air pollution and traffic, we boost the local economy and help protect jobs. Having a chat with our local shop keeper or our neighbours at the market even gives us a feeling of normality that can improve our mental health. Stable local jobs and a healthier, happier place to live. What’s not to like? Tamsin Smith

when the buttercups and moon daisies were coming out and the motorway was almost silent. Deer, rabbits, birdsong and, for the first time in years, a cuckoo near the Lakes. Uncertainty is the only certainty at present. I am a warden at All Saints', Wytham. We had to close, causing grief. Then, with risk assessment, we could open for silent prayer. In July, we could have our farewell service for the Revd Charles Draper. Currently we have distanced Book of Common Prayer services and had a beautiful Harvest service, with (permitted) professional quality solos from a young Wytham singer. As with pubs and businesses, uncertainty must be managed by churches at the time of writing. But as followers of Christ we trust with Julian of Norwich that, in the end, “All shall be well”. Best wishes to Wolvercote and Wytham people, wherever you are when this is printed. Lorna Logan

5 The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020

Christmas Crosswords by Troglodyte

1,20,24A (6 words) and 16,34 (4 words) form a pair of seasonal wishes. These are related to seven further answers (as three pairs and a single), which are clued without definition. Two-letter “answers” are unclued, but are valid words or abbreviations. Across 1. See instructions. 9. Swiss overcome by excitement in old capital. (7) 11. Stoic, oddly, struggles with monster. (7) 12. Sentiment? – roundabout way to show it! (8) 14. Bricks not left for setter in Rome. (3) 16. See instructions. 19. Clubroom in Tottenham, surroundings of taste. (4) 21. Portray mice stuffed into tree. (11) 23. Blades placed amidships in boat, reversibly. (4) 24. See instructions. 28. Book by Ondaatje starts badly;... (3) 29. …Zebedee loses diamonds, and joins the navy in confusion. (8) 31. Tea on ship is what holds things together. (7) 32. Minty? It gets chewed. (4,3) 34. See instructions.

Down 2. Erect male stands on cosmic alignment. (6) 3. Bird, fancy style – not half! (3) 4. Derby’s heart won by lion, perhaps, with paperwork to follow. Non-cryptic (8) The four two-letter answers are clued (slightly 5. Go-getting taxmen getting elevated on mixed drinks. (6) cryptically) as follows, in no special order: 6. “So right, Edward.”: “Exactly so”. (6) a. Large-size map. 7. Awkward Yoga motion: no go… cramp! (8) b. Airline degree. 8. Small group get power the old-fashioned way. (5) c. Travel game. d. Capone gore. 10. No trick in triumph for bowler, perhaps? (3) 13. Segments of game where fans are beheaded? (5) Across 15. Rising author, I borrow pens – maybe just one? (4) 1. How it might sound if you travelled quickly in a 17. It takes honour, and the last shred of decency, to comply. (4) suitable vehicle through the snow? (6,3,3,3) 18. A jewel of an old friend. (4) 9. He’s got a red nose. (7) 19. Spleen shown in Poet’s first four letters - also the final letter. (5) 11. Especially good. (7) 20. See instructions. 12. Rubbish, written or spoken. (8) 21. “Sound of Silence” composer grips support, opening bid in game. (8) 14. Period of time. (3) 16. Fixed. (3) 22. Misplaced zeal in matelot’s case over missing half – Cheers! (5,3) 19. One, perhaps, for everyone. (4) 24. Muscles: overuse leads to many kinds of unpleasantness. (6) 21. Plants for this time of year. (5,3,3) 25. Cases of aggravations and excesses after the French make agreements. (6) 23. Horse of mixed colours. (4) 26. Tidy plumage for troglodyte, with goatskin edgings. (6) 24. Small Scot. (3) 27. Cold comfort, covered by book about suffering. (5) 28. The night before. (3) 30. A long time to finish off some back bits of bacon? 29. 9‘s one. (8) 33. Yes! Yes! Give them a cheer! (3) 31. A little ring. (7) 32. Element of particular mass. (7) Cryptic solutions to [email protected] as soon as you like, in the 34. Dad for the special day? (6,9) hope of honourable mention in the pages of the next edition! Down 2. South & Central American lizard. (6) 3. Sticky gunk. (3) 4. Painfully longing. (8) September 2020 solutions 5. You might have five of these to go with a couple of fish. (6) Congratulations to Sachiko Tytler, who submitted his solution at 15:07 on 8th September 6. Young sheep. (6) and won Troglodyte's bottle. There were four other correct submissions and Troglodyte 7. What you might be after too many 27s of 15 or generously flung them all into a hat for a second prize, which was won by Roddy Eatock- 33s of 26? (4,4) Taylor. 8. Pleasure boat. (5) Special mention goes to someone who moved into Millway Close on 3rd October, found 10. A City of Essos. (3) The Flying Goose on his doormat on 4th October and submitted his correct solutions on 13. Stocking polymer. (5) 6th October. Welcome to Wolvercote, Laurence Wroe - what an entrance! 15. A drink you might 27? (4) 17. Things one might 16 against the middle. (4) 18. Proverbially bitter plant. (4) 19. Bring to mind. (5) 20. Someone 11 might have one! (4) 21. Filbert or Cob. (8) 20 Vainly; 21 Gossip; 23 Mere; 24, Jive. 22. Informant. (8) 24. A duke’s boot? (6) 25. Sexy, like that chap in Piccadilly Circus. (6) 26. Spirit of Italy? (6) 20 Trusty; 21 Worlds; 24, 23 Zane Grey 27. A big hearty drink. (5) 30. Two in harmony? (3) 33. Size of drink more suited to 26 than 15. (3) 6 The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020

It is hoped that Councillors' Surgeries will run as follows:

White Hart, Lower Wolvercote: 11.30-12.30 on 13th December 2020, 10th January 2021, 14th February, 14th March; Kendall Crescent shops: 10.30-12 noon on 23rd January 2021, 27th February, 27th March.

The Beat Goes On Sixty thousand people in the UK lose their lives to sudden cardiac arrest every year. Rapid access to a defibrillator could reduce this toll. After several years of community effort, Lower Wolvercote now has its own unit. We give grateful thanks to CALA Homes who provided the defibrillator’s location - a keypad-accessible cabinet on the outside of the Wolvercote Mill Marketing Suite which is designated to become a village community centre. 01865 821109 or 07901826455 If you suspect someone’s heart has stopped, call 999 immediately. Ask for the keypad access code. No training is required. The unit gives clear voice instructions. Turn To Us For Help And Support Thanks are also due to a number of residents who have supported the project including (but not limited to) Carl and Katie In your time of need we’ll take care of all the funeral arrangements. Keeble in The Post Box, Rachel Clack and Charlotte Croft. Steve Goddard Call us 24 hours a day. provided the lion’s share of funding from his Councillor’s Priority Fund. A huge • Funeral Pre-Payment Plans • Memorials thank you also goes to John Winterbottom, The Idle Women, Ben Avison, S & R Childs Funeral Service Mandolirium and Bill Clarke for performing at, and organising, the main event Pharmacy House 10 The Parade 142 Oxford Road 69 London Road Oxford Road Cowley which contributed to the purchase – and the chance to steal their concert name Headington OX3 9AA Kidlington OX5 1EE OX4 2EA for a great headline! Yet another brilliant community effort. 01865 427272 01865 378888 01865 714007 Local residents Phil Dove, Amanda Saville and Steve Roberts are Guardians 4 Elms Parade 1 Courtland Road 81 Ock Street Botley Rose Hill Abingdon of the unit. They should be your first port of call for further information. Val Tate OX2 9LG Oxford OX4 4HZ OX14 5AG 01865 245464 01865 772780 01235 520808 81 High Street Witney OX28 6HY Apples galore! 01993 702675 2020 could go down in history as the year H J Knapp & Sons L Hartness Nature fought back, reminding us of the Funeral Service Funeral Service consequences of climate change and 4 Church Street 11 Victoria Street inappropriate use of resources. Floods, drought Wantage OX12 8BL Bicester OX26 6QD 01235 772205 01869 253282 and pandemic - that’s three of the ten plagues of Egypt already, not to mention polluted water Part of Dignity plc. A British Company. supplies, diseased farm animals, forest fires and locust storms. We’re so lucky to live here in Wolvercote where we find people willing to do something positive to help heal the planet. The Community Orchard, tended by a committed band of volunteers from the Wolvercote Tree Group (WTG), has had a good year despite everything. Although COVID-19 and over-running building work forced us to keep the orchard locked in the interests of public safety, and to cancel our major fundraising event - October’s Apple Day - lateral thinking and hard work have turned the situation around. Orchard apples have been sold at the Wolvercote Community Market for nearly two months, delighting customers, some of whom are appreciating the complex flavours of heritage apples for the first time. A bumper harvest has given It’s best to ring or us the means to produce three times as much of our delicious, organic apple juice email first, please. as in previous years. Juice will continue to be sold in the market up to Christmas. After a difficult and distracting year, planting a tree is a great way to celebrate the many benefits trees bring to our wellbeing and the environment. So, in support of National Tree Week (28 November – 6 December), Wolvercote Tree Group is supplying, at affordable prices, six types of tree suitable for planting in urban gardens. If you missed the 22 November Community Market sale, you can plant bare-root trees anytime through the winter - trees that will help clean the air, provide homes for wildlife, reduce city temperatures and of course ease global warming. On behalf of Nature – thank you! Val Tate

7 The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020

'Ride and Stride': Oxford Historic Churches Trust Supporting Oxfordshire churches since 1964

'Ride and Stride' is Oxford Historic Churches Trust's major fundraising event of the year and one of their biggest sources of income for the repair and upkeep of our churches. Each year on 'Ride and Stride' day church members, friends and families, old or young, set out on foot, cycle or horseback to visit as many churches as possible in their area. Each participant is encouraged to obtain as many sponsors as possible. Half of the money collected goes to the Churches Trust and half to their own church. It is a joyous event; at each church visited they will be welcomed by a friendly face and refreshments. Some may take the opportunity to spend time exploring beautiful buildings which they might not normally see. Even though we are going through difficult times this year due to the pandemic, we were very fortunate at St Peter's to have three wonderful volunteers, Charlotte Fenton, Helen Brown and Howard Davies. We are very grateful to them for taking part. Between them they visited the grand total of 44 churches, and collected the most amazing sum of £1040. This is the most money we have ever collected at our church for this event. A huge thank you to them and to everyone who sponsored them - a tremendous effort. Please join in next year if you can; it is a great event to be part of! De.Grant

Join the FG Team! This box should be We're a small team of five volunteers who work together to create and circulate The Flying Goose. We meet quarterly to plan the next edition, pulling together advertising your all your stories, information and lots of photos. We’d like some help – would business! you join us? - We need someone to help with editing - Val Tate and Stephen Drew Editor “A client who receives The edit alternate editions and they’d welcome a third editor to spread the load. If Flying Goose recommended we you have any experience (or even none) contact Stephen and chat through advertise with them and we are what they need. Stephen’s contact details are [email protected]. glad we did! We're a local – we deliver to every Distributors company house in the parish supported by a offering at- huge group of volunteer deliverers. If home support you have an hour to spare every three to older people months contact Diana Edwards and we have (01865 451206 or been able to [email protected]) and she’ll provide our add your name to her list and guide services in the you through the simple process. FG area. Thank you.” Jessica from El- Why not advertise your business in Well. The Flying Goose? Your fave quarterly magazine is pushed free of charge through every letterbox in Flying Goose Land (the parish and ward of Wolvercote). It reaches over 3000 addresses in Wolvercote and the area of Cutteslowe lying north of the ring road. Talk to Sarah Pepys (mobile and email in the box below) about our competitive F rates for colour or monochrome copy. FAI IEENRICHEDLD LIVING Wonderful personal care in The Flying Goose is produced by St Peter’s Church, the Anglican Parish Church of Wolvercote the heart of North Oxford (www.stpeterswolvercote.org). It appears four times a year (in March, June, September and December) and is distributed free to 3,000 homes in the parish and ward of Wolvercote. It is a resource for local community groups to Our beautiful brand new let others know about their news and events. It is printed on recycled paper. home has 38 bedrooms, Articles, Diary Dates and Advertising To submit an article or amend the Directory, contact Stephen Drew at [email protected], tel 554352. views over the gardens, a To put something in Diary Dates, contact Nick Buckland at [email protected], tel 557830. busy programme of activities, To enquire about advertising, contact Sarah Pepys at [email protected], tel 07931664034 Disclaimer The views expressed in The Flying Goose are not those of the editing team. The Flying Goose does not delicious freshly cooked food accept liability for any loss or damage caused by any error or inaccuracy in the printing or non-appearance of any and a friendly team of carers, advertisement. The Flying Goose regrets that it cannot in any way guarantee the subject of any advertisements. Next edition The copy deadline for the next edition, to be published in March, is 19th February, once it has been all of which make Fairfield a confirmed with the editors that space will be available. real home from home. What’s in a name? The Flying Goose is so called because Wolvercote has a long connection with geese being kept on Port Meadow and Goose Green; because in Celtic Christianity the goose was a symbol of the Holy Spirit; because geese flying in V formation are a good image of community co-operation (flying in a V, geese can travel up to 70% CONTACT US TO ARRANGE A VISIT: further than any single goose on its own, each goose taking a turn as the leader whilst the others honk Fairfield, 115a Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6LA encouragement from behind). It also made the editorial team smile! T: 01865 558413 E: care@fairfieldhome.co.uk Printed by Parchment Ltd Crescent Road Cowley Oxford OX4 2PB / Design and layout donated by Franks and Franks WWW.FAIRFIELDHOME.CO.UK

8 12

The Flying Goose Issue 58 To trade, or not to trade, fairly? December 2020 This article helps us understand the world of fairer trading. Traidcraft plc and which consumers can trust, and demonstrate how Traidcraft Exchange are alternative business models can work. sister organisations which Traidcraft Exchange was set up in 1986. It have complementary recognised that current trading systems kept people objectives of ensuring that trade properly benefits the poor, and challenges the policies which shape workers and farmers who put in all the effort to make international trade. Products sourced by social products that we, as consumers, enjoy. enterprises which have treated their workers fairly Traidcraft plc is a social enterprise set up more cannot compete on a supermarket shelf with an than 30 years ago to provide a market for products where equivalent product subsidised by poverty wages of workers and farmers are paid fairly and treated with workers and land-grabs in the commercial supply chain. respect. Traidcraft Exchange's campaigns have led to many Traidcraft was one of the organisations which changes in both UK law and the practices of UK helped establish the Fairtrade labelling system - this companies, including persuading UK clothing brands to enables more workers and farmers in the Global South to reinstate orders to their suppliers after these businesses benefit from international trade. Fairtrade products unlawfully reneged on their contracts at the start of the provide the producer with a minimum price, and money is coronavirus pandemic. also put into a fund for workers or farmers to spend to What can we all do? Where possible we should benefit their community. Fairtrade labelling has been buy from dedicated social enterprises, like Traidcraft plc, increasingly successful and the bulk of products carrying and other WFTO members (https://wfto.com/who-we- the label are run by commercial businesses. As a result, are); buy labelled Fairtrade products; and educate hundreds of thousands of farmers have been paid higher ourselves on which products are most socially and prices – many more farmers than Traidcraft and other fair environmentally responsible (Ethical trade social enterprises could have provided a market for. Consumer magazine provides Traidcraft plc will only buy food from farmers who own independent advice). As global citizens their own land, but not from plantations, which are often we also need to challenge injustices in owned by huge corporations. the current economic system, which The World Fair Trade Organisation is an umbrella keep people poor, and to hold for fair trade social organisations who have a social businesses and governments to purpose as well as a need to remain economically viable. account when their actions harm Member enterprises, like Traidcraft plc, provide products people. Fiona Gooch works for Traidcraft Exchange Lockdown on the Canal *RRRRNNNNKL RRRRRRRNNNKKKL RRRRNNNNKKLLLL*

The alarm rips sleep from me like a fox in a hen-house. Finding my phone, I swipe blindly until it grants a 15 minute reprieve. It doesn't last. Still, it's Saturday. I could do with a Saturday. Every morning feels like Saturday right now, but only Saturday actually is Saturday. It isn't Saturday. It's Tuesday. I'd better get some breakfast, and brew a pot of something hot and caffeinated. While the kettle boils, I open the curtains and look out across the cut. Our ducklings are squeaking under the bushes on the offside. I'll throw them some coconut later, when I throw the side hatches open for fresh air. And it looks like it'll be a sunny day. That's good. I've been limping along on batteries that are a long way past their best for a while now. It didn't really matter when I spent 8 or more hours a day in the office, because I could charge devices under my desk, and that just left the batteries powering the water pumps and lights. Things are different now, though. I'm one of the lucky ones; one of the people who still has a job, still has an income, and is able to work from home. Now I have to run my laptop off those batteries. If it's a sunny day, the solar panels will provide more than enough to see me through; the batteries, dead as they are, can still condition the variable power a solar panel provides. We've been blessed with sunny days since lockdown began. I say I'm one of the lucky ones, but there is always a but, isn't there? At work my desk has two huge monitors on it, and a keyboard. The monitors are raised up on arms to put them at the right height for me to look at them, and the keyboard is at the right height for typing. I have a chair. A nice, comfortable chair, with a back. At home I have a laptop with a 15" screen. I don't have an office chair. I don't have a good desk which is the right height for typing. I don't have huge monitors which are the right height for looking at. My boat provides a very comfortable home, but it is a lousy office. I have a very traditional layout, with a cabin at the back, which has a drop down table and a plank for a seat, and a "saloon" area at the front with a comfortable sofa. Neither of these are good places to sit using a laptop for any length of time. One week into lockdown I had started to notice a few aches and twinges. One month in, I was ready to start teaching lessons on grouchiness. I was very glad when lockdown restrictions started to ease, as I had a booking at Tooley's Boatyard in Banbury for blacking. The two weeks I spent out cruising, with barely a boat moving, was delightful - and did wonders for my back. And, slowly, the days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to seasons. One thing you don't notice when you're heading out to the office all the time is just how fast the seasons change. It was a wonderful thing to witness, and while I am glad that I am now working from an office again (for now, at least), I shall be sad not to experience the changing of autumn into winter. Dave Stewart

9 1914-1918 Wolvercote

The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020 Christmas Services 2020 All Saints’ Wytham Christmas Day, 09.45 BCP Holy Communion - Further details from Revd Sarah Flashman (Interim Associate Minister during the vacancy): 01296 655237 / [email protected] / www.wytham-church.org.uk

St Peter’s 20 December, 18.30 Carol Service 24 December, 18.30 Holy Communion NB: There will be no Midnight Mass this year Christmas Day, 10.00 Christmas Holy Communion Please book a place by contacting Julia Goddard: 01865 236094 / [email protected] Further details from Revd Sarah Flashman (interim Associate Minister during the vacancy): 01296 655237 / [email protected] / www.stpeterswolvercote.org

Wolvercote Baptist Church 13 December, 15.00 Carols by Fairy-light 20 December, 15.00 Carols by Fairy-light Christmas Day, 10.00 Christmas Day Service Booking is essential for these services: please phone 01865 790755 to book. Further details from Revd Vivien Edwards: 01865 790755 / [email protected]

St Michael & All Angels, Summertown 20 December, 18.30 Candlelight Carols (bookings: [email protected] / live- streamed: www.facebook.com/stmichaelssummertown) 24 December, 16.00 Crib Service in The Threshold (bookings: [email protected] / live-streamed at www.facebook.com/stmichaelssummertown) NB: There will be no Midnight Mass this year Christmas Day, 08.00 Said Eucharist 10.00 Eucharist of the Nativity of Our Lord (live-streamed: www.facebook.com/stmichaelssummertown) Further details from Revd Gavin Knight: 07833 251939 [email protected] / www.stmichaelssummertown.org.uk

Summertown United Reformed Church 13 December, 10.30 Morning worship for the Christmas season Christmas Day, 10.30 Joint Family Service with Marston URC (352 Marston Rd, Marston OX3 0JB, opp. Croft Rd.) NB: There will be no service at Summertown URC. There will also be a service on Zoom with Wheatley URC. Further details from the minister Revd Pauline Main: 01865 513581 / [email protected]

What next for St Peter’s and All Saints?

We are making good progress with the process of finding a new vicar in amongst the challenges of ‘covid time’. The parish profile is now written, embellished with photos of our churches and local area. A huge amount of work has been invested by our wardens, ably assisted by some of our church family. Various meetings and consultations with our patrons and senior clergy continue. We are aiming to advertise during February and interview prospective clergy in April. I spoke in our last Flying Goose about the important dimension of prayer and inspired discernment ‘If it seems good to us and the Holy Spirit’; this biblical phrase, often quoted, encompasses well the considered process we undergo in the Church of England when a vicar leaves. We will continue to keep you posted as this important journey continues. Revd Sarah Flashman, Interim Associate Minister, St Peter’s and All Saints

From St Peter’s Register: Funerals Fri 2 October Sheila Freeman (St Peter’s, then Wolvercote Cemetery)

10 The Flying Goose Issue 58 December 2020

Wolvercote Horticultural Society During lockdown the society has produced two virtual shows: one in June and one in September. The number of photos submitted on both occasions was tremendous and showed the bounty of the village and beyond.

Both shows are still available to look at by going to https://wolvercote.org/wolvercote-horticultural-society/ and then scrolling down to the section about the Virtual Shows. We have also held two plant sales and a number of trips have still been organised – very carefully, of course. The society is really looking forward to meeting up again properly, face to face, at a talk or a show, and being able to enjoy sharing tea and cake or (even better) a glass of wine together once more. Clare Winterbottom

Together with Migrant Children Together with Migrant Children – is a very small, national charity founded in 2016 by Nick Watts and in Wolvercote! Jane Goldsmid. Having just returned Did you know about the charity from Calais working in the camps working from a room at WYPC in there, we came to appreciate the lack St Peter's Road? of support offered to children, young people and their families with immigration difficulties right here in the UK. We came to Wolvercote in January 2018 to the Wolvercote Young People’s Club, where our operations have been based ever since. Forming a strong relationship with a progressive, local youth provision in such a warm, local space has been great for the charity. We also work closely with Oxford Brookes, providing placements for local trainee social workers. Today, we work with around 600 young people a year - not only with asylum seekers, but across a broad range of human rights practice for young people both with and without parents in the UK. We do this by providing specialist social work and family support. Our busiest project is our anti-destitution project, working with families with No Recourse to Public Funds who are ineligible for most forms of state support. This can mean young people, including babies, who are left street-homeless and without enough money to meet their most basic needs. We provide a holistic family support service that meets practical needs through our hardship fund, and delivers independent advocacy and challenge to public bodies, alongside a mother and baby, young people and parents group and an annual summer activities programme.

https://togethermigrantchildren.org.uk/ to find out more. Twitter: @TwMCuk

https://togethermigrantchildren.org.uk/hardship-fund is the place to go if you would like to donate - we would be extremely grateful! Nick Watts

11 21 21

TheThe Flying Flying Goose Goose Issue Issue 5858 DecemberDecember 2020 2020 YouYou winwin some,some, youyou lose some ....

Creeping Marshwort has been the winner this year. After two years of not Creeping Marshwort has been the winner this year. After two years of not beingbeing seen seen on on Port Port Meadow, Meadow, thisthis CriticallyCritically EndangeredEndangered species was refound byby JudyJudy Webb Webb and and volunteers volunteers fromfrom thethe OxfordshireOxfordshire Flora Group. About 17 plants andand small patches were seen with two inflorescences; they were mostly south of the small patches were seen with two inflorescences; they were mostly south of the AristotleAristotle Lane Lane entrance, entrance, butbut nonenone inin thethe originaloriginal area which had most plants inin thethe earlyearly 2000s. 2000s. Unfortunately Unfortunately thethe plantsplants werewere nearlynearly smothered by the dense grassgrass growth.growth. Also Also present present were were a a goodgood numbernumber ooff thethe diminutivediminutive and uncommon Mudwort.Mudwort. Moreover,Moreover, Creeping Creeping MarshwortMarshwort hashas alsoalso mademade an appearance at two otherother sitessites in in the the UK, UK, one one in in a a newnew scrapescrape inin EssexEssex byby the River Lee, near where itit appearedappeared several several years years ago ago,, andand thethe secondsecond inin Norfolk at an entirely new site,site, againagain where where the the ground ground had had beenbeen disturbed.disturbed. TheThe bad bad news news is is that that thethe AustralianAustralian SwampSwamp--stonecrop has been busy spreadingspreading at at the the north north end end ofof PortPort MeadowMeadow andand now covers extensive areas. DespiteDespite several several attempts attempts to to suppresssuppress it,it, thisthis plantplant forms dense mats that excludeexclude otherother species. species. Camilla Lambrick

BirdsBirds inin Jackie'sJackie's gardengarden

InIn 1989 1989 there there were were moremore treestrees inin sunflower seedseed neighbouringneighbouring gardens. gardens. Some Some houseshouses inin feeder.feeder. DunnocksDunnocks UplandUpland Park Park and and Davenant Davenant RoadsRoads havehave have learnedlearned toto sincesince beenbeen pulledpulled use thethe feeder,feeder, asas down,down, withwith twotwo oror have chaffinches.chaffinches. II moremore builtbuilt inin theirtheir have noticednoticed thethe place.place. LargeLarge drop inin greenfinchgreenfinch treestrees werewere lost;lost; numbers, tawnytawny owlsowls werewere presumably duedue toto nono longerlonger seenseen oror eveneven heardheard the severe outoutbreakbreak ofof trichomonosistrichomonosis disease. disease. afterafter 2004.2004. House sparrowssparrows havehave beenbeen absentabsent since since 2003, 2003, grey grey WeWe havehave aa pondpond surroundedsurrounded wagtails since 2017.2017. PiedPied wagtailswagtails are are infrequent infrequent visitors, visitors, byby native native plants, plants, which which encourages encourages thethe alongalong withwith pheasantspheasants and and kestrels. kestrels. We We see see birds.birds. Herons Herons h haveave not not been been seenseen sincesince moremore greengreen woodpeckers,woodpeckers, probably probably because because 20142014 and and this this year year no no mallard, mallard, perhapsperhaps ofof moremore ants.ants. GreatGreat spotted spotted woodpeckers woodpeckers becausebecause the the fringed fringed--waterlilywaterlily tooktook overover comecome toto drinkdrink fromfrom thethe birdbath birdbath or or attack attack the the thethe surface surface of of the the pond. pond. AnAn oldold appleapple fat.fat. BeforeBefore aa talltall pinepine was was cut cut down down in in a a neighbour's garden a great spotted treetree overhung overhung the the pond pond before before itit neighbour's garden a great spotted woodpecker would call from its top or from succumbedsuccumbed to to honey honey fungus. fungus. ThisThis waswas aa woodpecker would call from its top or from our walnut tree, lost to honeyfungus in 2009. favouritefavourite spot spot for for a a family family of of treetree our walnut tree, lost to honeyfungus in 2009. SparrowhawksSparrowhawks visitvisit more more often, often, sometimes sometimes creepecreepersrs untiluntil 2002.2002. InIn 20102010 taking aa longlong timetime bathingbathing inin thethe pond,pond, ever ever watchful watchful for for aa pairpair ofof kingfisherskingfishers flew to small birds toto capture.capture. thethe pondpond andand perchedperched forfor a For me thethe saddestsaddest fewfew momentsmoments beforebefore flyingflying loss fromfrom thethe gardengarden isis away.away. ReedReed buntingsbuntings have the spotted flycatcherflycatcher,, notnot beenbeen seenseen sincesince 1999. last seen inin 2007.2007. OneOne InIn winterwinter redwingsredwings feastfeast year we had twotwo nests,nests, onon cotoneastercotoneaster berriesberries and hidden in the roserose wewe fieldfaresfieldfares joinjoin themthem laterlater inin then had climbingclimbing upup thethe December.December. Our Our feeders feeders areare popularpopular withwith thethe growinggrowing front of thethe house,house, andand numbernumber of of goldfinches. goldfinches. Blue,Blue, great,great, coalcoal andand longlong--tailedtailed in the honeysucklehoneysuckle atat titstits visit visit too. too. Until Until 2014 2014 siskinssiskins werewere regularregular visitors.visitors. the back. TheThe currentcurrent RedpollsRedpolls came came in in 2011 2011 and and 2013,2013, bramblingbramblingss inin 20022002 conservation statusstatus forfor andand 2009,2009, andand nuthatchnuthatches inin the spotted flycatcherflycatcher isis red.red. 20032003 andand 2019.2019. II amam hopefulhopeful thatthat more more people people realise realise BullfinchBullfincheses havehave thethe importanceimportance ofof feedingfeeding the the birds birds and and visitedvisited puttingputting upup nextnext boxes.boxes. The The appreciation appreciation of of occasionally,occasionally, thethe necesnecessitysity forfor cover,cover, planting planting of of berry berry-- generallygenerally whenwhen bearingbearing shrubs,shrubs, thethe building building of of a a pond pond for for chcherryerry blossomblossom isis wildlife,wildlife, plantingplanting aa meadow meadow and and leaving leaving a a out,out, andand areare nownow wildwild areaarea willwill helphelp to to ensure ensure that that birdlife birdlife here here usingusing thethe inin OxfordOxford willwill bebe ofof importance importance in in the the future. future. JackieJackie Eatock Eatock Taylor Taylor