Beckley & Area Community Benefit Society Limited (BACBS)
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Welcome to Beckley New residents’ survival pack! 1. Abingdon Arms Pub 2. Beckley and Area Community Benefit Society Ltd (BACBS) 3. Activities organised by BACBS 4. Village Hall and other community activities 5. Beckley Church 6. Beckley Primary School 7. Stanton St John and Islip Shops 8. Stanton St John PYO 9. Local delivery and postal services 10. Local GP Surgeries 11. Good Neighbour Scheme 12. Bin collections 13. Buses 14. Newsletters 15. RSPB reserve 16. Maps and Walks 0 Abingdon Arms Pub The Abingdon Arms was purchased by the community in 2016 under the auspices of the BACBS, set up for this purpose, when the pub was put up for sale by its owner, Brakspear, following a deterioration in both the running and fabric of the enterprise. BACBS appointed tenants to operate the pub, which reopened in June 2017. Since that time it has gone from strength to strength and is now a successful blend of local village pub and destination restaurant. The prices are competitive and the atmosphere welcoming. We thoroughly recommend an early trip to sample its wares! It is open 7 days a week. THE BAR MONDAY - SUNDAY 11AM-11PM THE RESTAURANT LUNCH DINNER MONDAY TO SATURDAY 12-2.30PM SUNDAY 12-4PM MONDAY - THURSDAY 6-9PM FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 6-9.30PM Website https://www.theabingdonarms.co.uk/ Phone Tel: 01865 655667 Email: [email protected] Table reservations can be made online via the website. 1 Beckley and Area Community Benefit Society Ltd (BACBS) website https://bacbs.org BACBS was initially formed to save The Abingdon Arms pub from closure by the then owners, Brakspear. Much support was received from the Plunkett Foundation (https://plunkett.co.uk/ ) and its ‘More than a Pub’ programme and BACBS raised the £1/2million from about 300 investors that was required to purchase the pub. The society went on to improve the building and gardens ready for the first tenants, and subsequently added a new, fully accessible, toilet block. In addition to being the owner of the pub land and buildings, and the landlord to the tenants who run the pub’s business, BACBS is involved in other community enterprises detailed elsewhere in this guide. BACBS is run by a committee and the current members are: • Chair: Mike Hobbs • Treasurer: Gabriel Brodetsky • Secretary: Adrian Hampshire • Communications: Lise Traynor, Gabriel Brodetsky, Adrian Hampshire • Community engagement: Susy Jepson, John Stradling • Financial Governance: Gabriel Brodetsky, Sam Clarke, Adam Jeffrey • ‘More than a Pub’ programme: Susy Jepson, Dave Drew, Mike Hobbs and co-opted member, Mary Stuck • Property: John Stradling, Dave Drew, Adam Jeffrey, Lise Traynor (garden) • Tenant Liaison: Nin Kelay, Mike Hobbs, John Stradling See also https://bacbs.org/our-story for a complete history of BACBS! If you would like to be a part of this community venture, you can buy shares by contacting the Secretary on [email protected] . 2 Activities organised/supported by BACBS Under the ‘More than a Pub’ programme, BACBS organises or supports both regular and one-off events. Regular activities at, or starting at, the pub WOMEN OF BECKLEY 12.30pm – First Tuesday of each month LUNCH Contact Sarah Smith for more information: [email protected] MEN OF BECKLEY 12.30pm – First Wednesday of the month. LUNCH Contact Steve Smith for more information: [email protected] COMMUNITY COFFEE 10.00–11.30am - second Thursday of each MORNING month. Coffee and cake. Come along, meet old, and make new, friends. COMMUNITY WALKS Approximately once a month, usually at the weekend. Watch the BACBS website. https://bacbs.org/newsletters and https://bacbs.org/events . Dogs usually welcome, except in parts of the RSPB reserve. JAZZ @theAA 6.30–8.30 - third Sunday of each month No entry charge, fund-raising raffle. COMMUNITY AFTERNOON 4.00–5.30pm - last Wednesday of each TEA month. Afternoon tea with family, friends, neighbours…. Tea, coffee, cake. Table games now available too. Special events LITERARY AND On some non-jazz Sunday evenings, watch the BACBS EDUCATIONAL TALKS website, https://bacbs.org/newsletters and https://bacbs.org/events Plaque on the front of The Abingdon Arms celebrating its connection with the author Evelyn Waugh 3 Village Hall and other community activities There are always activities going on in the village. Some of these are one-offs, and others are regular. Some of these happen in our new award-winning village hall. See http://beckley- and-stowood-pc.gov.uk/village_hall/Home.php for information about our hall. Regular activities Table tennis Beckley Village Hall 10.00 to 11.00 Mondays Contact Alison Kealy (01865 358714, [email protected]) or just turn up! Art club Beckley Village Hall 9.30 to 1.00 Fridays Contact John Stradling (01865 351623, [email protected]) https://beckleyart.com Senior circuits Beckley Village Hall 8.30 to 9.30 Wednesdays Contact Carl Davis ([email protected]) or just turn up! Beckley book group Various homes in Beckley 20:00 to about 22:00 Fridays about every 6 wks Open to all, contact Lyn Croft (01865 358514, [email protected]) Stanton film club Stanton Village Hall Contact Sue Baker ([email protected]) Beckley Community Orchard (1/3 the way down Otmoor Lane on way to RSPB reserve) Contact Matthew Pether ([email protected]) Judy Bushrod circulates information about events in the village or locally. Email Judy if you would like to be included in the email circulation list [email protected] The parish council has a website with useful information although some of it is out of date https://beckley- and-stowood-pc.gov.uk/ There is a golf course at Horton-cum-Studley, about two miles from Beckley. Studley Wood Golf Course, Straight Mile Road, Horton-cum-Studley, OX33 1BF. 01865 351122. http://www.studleywoodgolfclub.co.uk/ Beckley Village Hall 4 Beckley Church (The Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) The History First there was a little wooden Saxon church then, in about 1150, when Beckley was the “capital” of Otmoor, a new stone church was built in its place. This coincided with the construction of the Palace (just to the north of where the High Street now is) built by the rich Normans who had seized the land after the Norman Conquest. The Norman church was much enlarged between1272 and 1307. A hundred or so years later, two side aisles, the porch and the South doorway were added in the Perpendicular style. The church is rich in wall paintings, and is very unusual in that it still has some medieval stained glass. For information on the “skew” chancel, the “squint”, the 12th century font, the church clock and much more, have a look at “Beckley Reflects”, the guide book in the church, or better still, visit the church which is open every day! Services in the Church Times for all services can be found in the Four Parishes Newsletter (see Newsletter section) and on the notice board outside the Church. Support for the Church There are occasional concerts and other events in the Church, particularly in the summer, to raise money for the upkeep of the Church which, as a Grade 1 listed building and our oldest resident, needs quite a lot of upkeep! Contacts: Gina Robson ([email protected]) Betty Dye ([email protected]), both Church Wardens, and Susy Jepson, Treasurer ([email protected]) 5 Beckley Church of England Primary School Church Street, Beckley, Oxford, OX3 9UT • Tel: 01865 351416 • Email: [email protected] Website: www.beckleyschool.org Headteacher: Mr Mark Szortowski Beckley School is currently open for admissions. Please contact the school if you would like to look around. About the School Beckley Church of England Primary School is a small village school providing a happy, secure and stimulating learning environment where values are embraced by all. The school has high expectations and its ethos both encourages and promotes an environment where children can be themselves and achieve their very best. It is an inclusive school, serving the villages of Beckley, Elsfield, Horton-cum-Studley, Stanton St John and Forest Hill. The school also attracts pupils from Headington and other areas of Oxford. To arrange a visit, phone 01865 351416 or email [email protected] Vision Promote and achieve excellence in all areas of school life. The school is a place and a community where all children are happy and safe, where they can flourish and achieve their best in a caring, inclusive environment. Kindness is the school’s core value, underpinning the school vision: “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another” Ephesians 4:32 What do Ofsted say? "Across your school there is an industrious yet joyful atmosphere" "Pupils are nurtured and cared for well" "Safeguarding is a real strength" "Governance is impressive. Governors bring their educational expertise to bear in how they carry out their roles" 6 Village Shop at Stanton St John 13 Middle Road, Stanton St John, OX33 1HD 01865 351532 http://www.stantonvillageshop.co.uk/ Monday to Friday 8:00 to 17:00 Saturday 8:00 to 13:00 Sunday 8:00 to 11:00 This village shop in Stanton St John (7 mins by car) is run by Rowan and stocks most things you could want! Well nearly! Orders can be taken for delivery (free if over £25). Newspapers can be ordered. ATM for cash. Agents for Excel drycleaners (Summertown) who collect/deliver Mondays. And much more – see the website http://www.stantonvillageshop.co.uk/drinks-and-off-license/ There is a nice walk from Beckley over to the shop across fields and takes about 40 minutes.