How Has It Been So Far? LOCKDOWN (And on P 3)

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ISSUE 57 SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSUE 57 SEPTEMBER 2020 The Flying Goose Issue 57 September 2020 HEDGEHOGS IN LOCKDOWN - Alison McDonald

Hedgehogs are omnivores but, because of the long-lasting drought, I felt that the amount of their normal food, such as slugs and insects, might be scarce, and fruit was not yet ripe. I had seen hedgehog droppings on my front terrace so decided to put out some food. As I stepped out of the door, there within a metre of my foot was a hedgehog! I put the bowl down and watched as he quietly scoffed his food and then sipped the birds’ water. He went away and I was gratified. The next evening Tweedledee arrived with Tweedledum, who is just a fraction smaller, and together they polished off the food from the same bowl. A couple of days later Alice came. She is half the size of the twins. When she saw me she flattened herself against the paving and closed her eyes. I think she must be too young to roll herself into a ball. I threw out a handful of food just below my window. Her eyes opened, her nose twitched and she was soon foraging successfully. In due course, Patch (named for the pale bristles on her right flank) put in an appearance and ate the scattered titbits. The twins (or are they mates?) come frequently and Alice keeps to herself most evenings. Some evenings I hear them coming. On others I can only suspect that the hedgehogs have been. The opposition are a pair of fox cubs, pigeons and collared doves. Dr McDonald also drew the picture

WOLVERCOTE COMMONERS “Summertime, and the living is easy” as George Gershwin’s famous song goes. We may all have problems to deal with, but at least the weather means we can all get outside and enjoy meeting each other, despite all the current restrictions. Every time I go for a walk on any of the Commons, I feel my mood improving. I hope it’s the same for you. Lately, Wolvercote Common had a visit from Natural England to check on the condition of the Common to see if it is being kept in line with the rules governing its SSSI Status. It passed with flying colours, the report showing that there is an abundance of flowers which have blossomed and set seed. This has helped pollinators, and will help invertebrates too. The plants include meadow barley, lady’s bedstraw, red clover, red fescue and small catstail, as well as birdsfoot trefoil (sometimes known as 'egg and bacon'). Regular walkers will have noticed that the thistles have been “topped” to stop their seeds spreading and dominating. This does mean that some grass gets cut too, but it’s not collected for hay. Wolvercote Green has been cut for hay, and once new grass has grown, a few cattle will be put on there until the autumn. This is to care for that part of the common land, which is also a SSSI. Nearby, the canal towpath has now been properly renewed, and is a lovely walk, thanks to the City Council and the Canal and River Trust.

Mary Brown, Chair

2 .   

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 ..

 

 

 ..

. .

 

 

....  .



.. ..

 .  

 .  .  . .  .  .. . . .    ...  .. . . . .. . . ... . . . . .. .. .  .. . ..  .   .. . . .  ... .. .   .. .. .  ... ... ... . . ..  .       . .   .     . .  . . .  . .. . . ..  . .    .. .... .  ...

 .   

.. ..   .  .  . . .. ... ..  ..  .. . .. . ... .     

   .  . .. .          . .  .  .. .  ..   .  .  .. .  .        

 .  

.. . ... .

 .  

. .

 .. .   .   ...  .   .  . . ..       .     .        . . ...    .. .. .   . .  ..  .  ..  .  .  .. .  .. . . . . . ..  .  ... .   . .. .          .   .    . ... .   .. .   . ..  . . .  .  . .. . ..   . ..    .      . .  . .  .  .. . . .   ..    . .  .. .   ..   .     .. .  .   .  .. .     .   .         .     . ..   . ..   ..   .  . .  .   .   .  ..  .  ..   . .   .  

.. . . .      

     .   .  . .  .   . .      .      .       .          . ..      ..   ...       

..  . . 

. .. .. . .. .    ..   . .  

 .    .

 . . .  .... . ..   . .... ..  .  . ... .   . 

.



.. 

... ....  .  .. .  .  .   . . . . . . .

 

.  .    .  

 .   .

... . ..   ..  . .. ... . . .   ...  . ... ... . ... ... .. ..  .. .  . . . . 

  ..  ..   . .. .  .  ..  . . .   ..  . .  . .  ..  . ... . .. . ...... .... . .   .  ... ...  . .  ....   

 The Flying Goose Issue 57 September 2020

A TALE OF LOCKDOWN LOVE Wolvercote resident Allyson Bradley tells us about Winston, her rescue dog, and the book she has written about him.

I have wanted a dog since I was seven years old and would leave a book entitled How to Care for your Dog lying around the house as a hint to my parents. It didn’t work. Life took over and the idea of having a dog was forgotten. Whilst working at home during the COVID pandemic, I began imagining again the possibility of getting a dog. For me it was always going to be a rescue dog so that I could provide a stable home for a dog that, for whatever reason, didn’t currently have one. I found Winston on the Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary website and his smiley face and wonky tooth got me straight away! He has been a wonderful lockdown companion and got me out of the house and exercising on days when I felt as if I was stuck to the sofa. At first all the new sights, smells and (particularly) noises would set Winston off barking anxiously. Thankfully he is much more settled, but he does still bark at the postman! I began writing stories about Winston for children and the illustrator, Jasmine Elphea Henderson, brought my ideas to life. The first book Little Doggy Winston is now available to buy on Amazon. We are also part of a ‘Pets as Therapy’ campaign to support young readers, and will be appearing in a video where I read Little Doggy Winston to the real Winston. You can find out more on our website https://littledoggywinston.wordpress.com

TACKLING FOOD WASTE AND HUNGER

The Wolvercote Community Larder – a partnership between St Peter’s EcoChurch group and the Wolvercote Young People's Club (WYPC) – tackles waste by making good quality, surplus food available to anyone irrespective of their means. We open our doors every Wednesday between 2:00 and 4:00pm in the Wolvercote Young People's Club on St Peter’s Road. Over a quarter of a million tonnes of edible food is wasted by the food industry every year in the UK. That’s enough for 650 million meals! Food becomes surplus all along the supply chain, from farmers and growers to manufacturers and processors to wholesalers, retailers and food service companies. We operate as a club. During the COVID-19 crisis, membership has been free. As lockdown eases, members will pay weekly £3.50 or more, depending on the type of membership, for which they can chose ten food items valued £15.00 - £20.00. Sometimes more items are available such as fruit, vegetables, cleaning or sanitary products. The Community Larder is built on a model developed by Abingdon-based SOFEA, a charitable organisation serving the Thames Valley. Their mission is to ensure that vulnerable individuals and communities receive their basic human rights for quality food and education. SOFEA was initially set up to deliver educational programmes to upskill local, mostly young, people who find themselves to be disadvantaged in the labour market. With new life skills, the young people SOFEA works with have been able to move from a position of need to one of being able to contribute to their own communities. During this process, SOFEA noticed that many of the young people were living in food poverty. They formed a partnership with FairShare, an organisation which redistributes surplus food from manufacturers and suppliers, to offer a regular supply of good quality, nutritious items to local not-for-profit organisations like Wolvercote Community Larder. Volunteers are always welcome to help. For more information, visit our Facebook page @wolvercote-community- larder or email [email protected]. Val Tate

11 TheThe Flying Flying Goose Goose Issue Issue 57 57 SeptemberSeptember 2020 2020 PORTPORT MEADOWMEADOW ANDAND THETHE COMMONS OurOur beautiful beautiful environmentenvironment needsneeds constantconstant vigilance.

The photograph of wildwild

grasses and flowers waswas supplied by the Wolvercote Commoners.

Other photographs werewere sent by Julian Cooper (who(who also supplied the stunning photograph on page 1)1)

This,This, on on the the right, right, is is a a ‘selfie’ ‘selfie’ tatakenken withwith Julian Julian Cooper. Cooper. It It must must bebe aa veryvery clever clever horse. horse.

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