Theletcombe Register

The Letcombe Register

The Letcombe Regis Parish Newsletter August 2018

Diary August

Sundays 5,12,19,26 10.00 am Tennis open roll-up sessions Tennis Courts Wednesdays 1,8,15,22,29 6.30 pm Tennis open roll-up sessions (mid-week) Tennis Courts

Please note that Voices in the Vale, Hatha Yoga with Beth and Pilates with Rachel Lock are all taking a break during August, returning in September.

Wed 1 8.00 pm Book Buffs Greyhound Inn Sun 5 10.00 am Matins - lay led St. Andrew’s Thu 9 2.30 pm Knitwits 4, Hamlyn Close Sun 12 10.00 am Holy Communion St. Andrew’s Sun 12 10.00 - 4.00 pm Singing Day: Song Connections - Lisa Doscher (VOTV Choir) Village Hall Sun 12 8.00 pm Greyhound Pub Quiz - this months’s charity - Water Aid Greyhound Inn Fri 17 7.30 pm Bingo! - jackpot £100 - all welcome Sports Pavilion Sat 18 1.30 - 4.30 pm Nature Reserve Work Party Nature Reserve Sun 19 10.00 am Matins - lay led St. Andrew’s Sun 19 4.00 - 7.00 pm Greyhound Folk Music Greyhound Inn Thu 23 2.30 pm Knitwits The Old Manor Sun 26 10.00 am Holy Communion - The Revd. Tony Lynn St. Andrew’s Mon 27 12.00 pm Greyhound - Summer Garden Party Greyhound Inn

August Bank Holiday Waste Collection th ( Normally Monday 27th August ) Tuesday 28 August - Grey Landfill and Food Waste bins.

September

Sun 2 10.00 am Matins - lay led St. Andrew’s Tue 4 9.30 - 10.45 am Hatha Yoga with Beth Village Hall Sat 8 10.00 - 6.00 pm Ride & Stride Oxfordshire

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There was an excellent attendance by villagers at the last King Alfred’s Academy is looking for enthusiastic Parish Council on July 16th undoubtedly attracted by the volunteers to be reading partners for students. presence of Mark Bradfield, the new Officer for the Letcombe Brook Project Charity. Mark previously worked This programme helps children starting school who have for our local Wildlife Trust, BBOWT, and is known to many reading difficulties to fully participate in classes, particularly of our volunteers working in the reserve. He gave a short when some lessons are online and reading is essential. It presentation and answered questions on his plans and is designed to prevent them getting left behind in lessons, ongoing work for the Project. He will also be working becoming isolated from their peers and demotivated. All of alongside volunteers on the Millennium Green and which can affect a pupil’s life chances in future. Classes monitoring the management plan for Richmond lakeside also become difficult for everyone else, if teachers are planting. required to devote extra time to those who are struggling to keep up. He is keen to work with all riparian owners in the village and would be happy to visit gardens adjoining the Brook to Ideally you would only need to give half an hour each week give advice on maximising wildlife and letting more light on between 8.40 to 9.10 am (although timing is flexible and to the stream. He would also be grateful for notification of alternatives could be arranged). the noxious weeds, Himalayan Balsam and Japanese Knotweed if spotted. We hope to publish photographs in a If you feel you could help a child with the gift of reading subsequent edition of the Register to aid identification. please contact: Mink have also been sighted throughout the Brook area [email protected] and need to be reported to Mark. [email protected]

The Parish Council formally adopted the Community You could really make a difference Emergency Plan which will soon appear on the Village website. However our core group of volunteers will need to refresh our First Aid Training and will be looking for suitable providers. Other volunteers particularly qualified first aiders Open Gardens Teas would be very welcome to join this group. I would like to say thank you to everyone who contributed Despite this amazingly hot summer which has made us all cakes to the Open Garden teas - many compliments were slaves to our hose pipes and watering cans, Open recieved. Also a big thank you to all the helpers on the day Gardens in Letcombe Regis was a great success with over - it all went smoothly, despite the heat and we made just £2000 raised from the event. Again many thanks to all for over £470. their hard work. Sophie Fitzpatrick The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on September 17th and all are welcome to attend. 200 Club We wish you all a continuing good summer with some rain at night. 200 Club Draw — No 5 August 2018 Loretta Light 4 Tim ECCLES £50 Vice Chairman Letcombe Regis Parish Council 110 Jane ELLIS £25

98 Anne JONES £10 Book Buffs 151 Derek MAURICE £10

The next meeting will be held in the Greyhound at 8pm on 14 Eunice KNIGHT £5 Wednesday 1st August when we shall be discussing: 'The Road Home' by Rose Tremain and any biography we Special Draw: have recently read. 182 Sara GIBBARD £25

The library book for September, available at the meeting, is 121 Dianna WADDINGTON £20 'The White Queen' by Philippa Gregory, the alternative being any work by either Lucy Atkins, Nicola Cornick or 88 John & Sue PESKETT £10 Fanny Blake - these authors will be attending the Wantage Literary Festival in October. 33 Bernard LEVY £10 22 Margaret STOCK £10 Letcombes WI 13 Diane MONNERY £10 167 Thérèse CLARKE £10 There will be no meeting of the Letcombes WI during August. Look forward to seeing you all again in New Numbers draw September. 4 Tim ECCLES £5 © 2018 Francesca Engelmann for Letcombe Regis Parish Council 2 The Letcombe Register August 2018 St Andrew’s Church Ringing Our Bells For The Armistice Centenery With Gardens Open right on 1st July and with a deadline for the Register of 27th of each month, in last month’s article there was thanks in advance to all those about to open The UK Government has invited all bell ringers to join the their gardens and provide the other attractions of the day. nation in marking the end of the First World War by ringing together at 12:30 p.m. on Remembrance Sunday, The day itself proved to be very warm but despite the heat th almost 300 people came along to see the gardens, some November 11 , as thousands march past the cenotaph. from quite far away attracted by good publicity. As ever the gardens were not the only attraction, with the plant stall as 1,400 bell ringers died during the First World War. To popular as ever and teas in the Village Hall both popular honour their memory, an organisation called Ringing and a necessity in the heat for most of those who came Remembers (in partnership with the Central Council of along. Church Bell Ringers) has been encouraging the recruit- ment of 1,400 volunteers to become new bell ringers in There were many complimentary comments from those 2018. picking up their cars from the car parks, about the gardens of course but also about the whole afternoon and the St. Andrew’s is fortunate in having a friendly, loyal, village itself. Many thanks again to all those who helped to committed team of four adults and five young people who make the day such a success. Overall it raised just over regularly ring our six bells on Sundays when there is a £2,230 and the treasurer is promised some more from later service (except in August when most are away on holiday). sales from the plant stall. However, the eldest of our young people will be leaving us to go to university next year so we will need a trained Gardens Open came just a week after the Safari Supper replacement. So if you would like to learn a new skill (free which was also raising funds for the same two causes, the intensive tuition can be arranged during the summer upgrade to the children’s playground and essential work on holidays) and be one of the 1,400 new recruits to ring on the church building. This raised nearly £600, as well as a Remembrance Sunday, please contact Anne Williams lot of enjoyment for those taking part and a lot of happy (764862) for more information. chatter and contributions for coffee in the Greyhound at the end of the evening. From these two events, once all the final contributions are in, a cheque for over £1,400 should be skipping along to the playground upgrade fund.

It seems strange to be thinking of events in October now but with holidays the time flies. Our Harvest Festival with be on Sunday 14th October and, as usual, we hope to hold the Harvest Supper on the previous evening, We are trying to get an organising team together just now, so more information in the September Register.

Lastly, as last month, if in this heat you are looking for a cool, quiet place, St Andrew’s is open, as always, every day to anyone who wants to drop in, cool off, look around or just sit quietly for a while. The village’s only war memorials are in the church, one on each side wall, and as we approach the centenary of the ending of the First World War they provide much to reflect on in the cool, calm and quiet.

Oxfordshire Ride and Stride

Oxfordshire Ride and Stride will take place on Saturday 8th September.

Sponsor forms available from Helen Wood, The Sparrow, South Street Letcombe Regis. Volunteers will be needed to greet visitors in the church. Timetable for sign up will be on the notice board inside the church or contact Helen on 01235766288.

Sculpture in the Vineyard

Saturday 8th – Sunday 23rd September

10am – 6pm every day Bothy Vineyard, Frilford Heath OX13 6QW sculpture • music • workshops • refreshments supporting Wild Oxfordshire & The Heartstone Fund www.sculptureinthevineyard.uk © 2018 Francesca Engelmann for Letcombe Regis Parish Council 3 The Letcombe Register August 2018

Letcombes Gardening Club flowers are a soft purple to violet colour and are arranged in whorls on the stem. Like many other salvias, the plant is strongly aromatic and was used in teas and as a flavouring Topical Tips in the past and was sown on graves in the medieval period. Although wild clary does self-pollinate, it is highly Well I know that us Brits are world-renowned for attractive to a wide range of bee species and other complaining about the weather so I suppose I ought to live pollinating insects. Other chalkland flowers have been up to our reputation. It is undoubtedly phenomenally good thriving and are also excellent sources of nectar and pollen weather as I type this but a bit of rain would actually be for all sorts of insects. These flowers include knapweeds nice as our grass looks like hay and even some of the and field scabious, the latter with the delightful common tougher plants in the garden are wilting. That being said names of 'Lady's pincushion', 'Gipsy Rose' and 'Blue my first tip is obviously to keep your pots watered but also bonnets'. However, the long-term picture is not so rosy to spare a drop or two for any plants that have not been in because chalkland soil is shallow and does not retain the ground very long. However, its not good practice to moisture so a crucial point is being reached with plants water well established plants unless they’re obviously wilting in the prolonged drought. Many chalkland flowers stressed as it causes the roots to come to the surface and are essential food plants for the larvae or caterpillars of then they dry out quicker. Make them search for their large numbers of insects, moths and butterflies. If larvae water! and caterpillars are without sufficient food the concern is that butterfly, moth and insect populations will crash next In the flower border continue with the deadheading to year. With sources of water being scarce, many wildlife prolong flowering and cut back any perennials that have organisations have suggested placing a shallow dish in started to die back. gardens for the bees, insects and birds. In addition, maintaining some damp habitats in your garden will assist Take the opportunity to increase your stock of plants by amphibians (frogs, toads and newts) that are suffering from takings cuttings of tender perennials. You will then have a lack of food and provide them with cool, damp places to back up for next season, not to mention supplies for any hide in during hot weather. plant sales that may come up! Also be on the look out for any seeds and collect them ready for sowing in late autumn. You can prune wisteria, climbing shrubs and rambling Friends Of Letcombe Valley Community roses now. If any shrubs are showing drought stress then Nature Reserve give them a thorough soak but try and use grey water if possible. Thanks to careful preparation and organisation by Sheila This month is a good time to apply biological controls for Bailey, the Wildlife Discovery event in July gave many that dreaded vine weevil. Containerised plants are visitors the opportunity to enjoy an afternoon of activities particularly vulnerable. manned by volunteers on the Reserve. If you would like to join the volunteers helping with the important management As far as veg. are concerned then you can still sow oriental work to encourage wildlife in the Community Reserve, do veg and quick maturing salad crops. consider participating in one of the regular work parties that take place on the third Saturday each month. You will Remember to keep your tomatoes well watered to prevent find a warm welcome and delicious refreshments provided blossom end rot and your root veg to prevent splitting. during the break at the next work party on Saturday, 18th Lack of water can also cause flower abortion in runner August, 1:30 – 4:30 pm. Meet by the lake on the Reserve beans. in Letcombe Regis. Please arrive in time for the safety and task guidance at the start of the session. Your own On the fruit front you can still prune restricted varieties of gardening\work gloves would be useful though BBOWT fruit trees to three or four leaves to encourage fruiting provides most of the tools for tasks to suit everyone carried spurs. out at your own pace. The school holiday is an ideal period for youngsters to be involved (under 18s accompanied by That’s all for now. Do make the most of the wonderful an adult please). For further details, or in case of uncertain weather but take care with the heat. Enjoy! weather conditions, contact 769194 or 763827.

The school holidays are also a great time to encourage observation and capturing scenes involving wildlife with a Letcombes Conservation Group camera. The 2018 Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust photography competition has five categories, including one th for young photographers under 18 years, for photographs The Big Butterfly Count continues until 12 August this taken on one of their reserves including the Community year (see https://www.bigbutterflycount.org/ for details) and Nature Reserve. There are prizes for each category with a the sunshine has brought out many species to count. top range Lumix camera plus training from an expert for Butterflies are very active in the current high temperatures the overall winner. The competition closes on Monday 3 and don’t stay long in any one place, but are abundant on September; the BBOWT website (http://www.bbowt.org.uk/ the Chalk grassland flowers including the wild herbs photo -comp-2018) gives full details and an entry form. marjoram, basil and thyme, as well as other aromatic wildflowers such as wild clary which returned to the

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Letter from Ed Vaizey, MP

I have received many emails from constituents across the Letcombe Regis Recreation Ground and constituency complaining about people parking in their Village Hall Trust streets illegally. Parking enforcement in our area currently lies with the police, which means they have responsibility The playground consultation was successful with many for patrolling and issuing tickets to those parking illegally. ideas and suggestions from villagers and we thank you for As you can imagine this could take up a considerable taking time to complete the survey. The results have been amount of time for the police, and I suspect many of us collated and a final plan is being drawn up. Due to the would rather they spent their time dealing with serious large number of requests, the idea of a zip wire is being crimes such as theft and burglary. investigated but it may prove too difficult to implement due to safety and inspections. The comments will also prove In many other areas of the country, responsibility for useful in the grant applications which will be submitted in parking lies with the local council, and this should be the the autumn. We are still looking at starting the work early case in Oxfordshire. A majority of local authorities across next spring. the country manage parking enforcement successfully and it has the ability to bring in considerable extra revenue. I If you are looking for something to do to get more involved will be pushing the local authority to accept responsibility in the community, the Trust has 2 village representative for parking enforcement in the future, and free up the vacancies so if you are interested, please do contact me. police to deal with more serious issues. The Trust accounts are being transferred to an accounting package which will significantly reduce the bookkeeping involved. We are pleased to announce Claire Youldon will Oxfordshire County Council have announced plans to st spend on extra £120m on road repairs and maintenance be starting as Hall Coordinator on 1 August. If you need over the next decade, including an extra £10m this year to to book the hall, all contact details remain the same so tackle the winter backlog of potholes. Currently 47% of please use the numbers/email on the back of the Register. Oxfordshire’s roads are rated good, 43% fair and 10% poor, and the budget, if it is accepted will go towards vital You have probably noticed the advert in the Register for road improvements. You can report potholes on the the party to celebrate the 2nd birthday of the new hall so th council’s website at fixmystreet.oxfordshire.gov.uk. please put Saturday 6 October in your diaries. There will be two parts to the day – an afternoon with a magician/ entertainer where villagers are invited to come to see the The National Farmers Union have partnered with clubs who use the hall promoting their activities. There will Crimestoppers to launch a new rural crime reporting be refreshments and entry will be free. In the evening there hotline. Responding to a rise in rural crime, this will be a will be a barn dance, hog roast and bar. Tickets for this will new service for farmers, rural businesses and the public to go on sale in September and details will be in next month’s anonymously report rural crime. If you have a crime to Register. report you can call 0800 783 0137. In an emergency you should still call 999. A taster session for a new pilates class is scheduled in the hall on 5th September from 7.15 - 8.15 pm To reserve your According to figures released earlier this month, 944 place please contact White Horse Pilates on 07794294668 households in Wantage and Didcot have benefitted from or email [email protected]. the help to buy scheme. Designed to help first time buyers, the scheme offers equity loans from the government to Last month we warned of tree work taking place on the help young people get on the housing ladder. Considering horse chestnuts around the recreation ground. This has we live in one of the most expensive areas for housing in been postponed due to SSE not producing shrouding for Britain, I am very pleased that people are taking advantage the cables and will now take place on 30th/31st August. of this scheme. The Trust next meet on 25th September at 7.30 on the Please feel free to contact me if you have any pressing village hall. Meanwhile we hope you make the most of the issues that you would like help with. You can contact me lovely weather and enjoy the recreation ground, on any matter at the House of Commons, SW1A playground and village hall. 0AA, [email protected] or 01235 768 888. Email is the quickest and most reliable way to get in touch, as I Sue Hannon keep a very close eye on my emails and can reply very Chairman quickly. Details of my activities in Parliament can be read Letcombe Regis Recreation Ground and Village Hall on my website, https://www.vaizey.com. I also send out Trust occasional general interest emails about developments in the Wantage and Didcot Constituency. You can sign up here:http://bit.ly/EdVaizeyMP.

7 The Letcombe Register August 2018 Singing Day: Song Connections Lisa Doscher, from VOTV Choir

Sunday 12th August 10am-4pm MacMillan Cancer Support Letcombe Regis Village Hall

Date for your Diary: Great intro day if you are curious about Voices of the Vale Community Choir! Friday 21st September 2pm - 4pm

Singing in community is part of our collective heritage as Tea in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support in the Village Hall. human beings. Ancient cultures sang as part of everyday More details in next month's Register.' activities in work and leisure and this carried on until very recent history. The voice flows naturally and with ease when connected to the breath and the body. We will begin with fun and easy warm-ups to help us reconnect with the voice. This is especially helpful to beginners as well as anyone looking to develop the voice and get more enjoyment from singing. We will use songs from the British Isles as an anchor but explore also songs that crossed over to America and blended with other traditions. The day will conclude with a sing-through of all songs learned which all are welcomed to record and bring home to sing with.

Cost: £25 including drinks and light refreshment. Lunch: byo picnic

Registration: [email protected] More info at www.lisadoscher.com

Compiled by Francesca Engelmann, 2, The Old Stables, Warborough Road, OX12 9LD Tel: 01235 769310

Email: [email protected]

The views expressed in the Register do not necessarily reflect the views of Letcombe Regis Parish Council.

Deadline for inclusion is always the 27th of each month.