Issue No 506 September 2020 A new term Girls from Stonesfield Pre-School It’s an exciting time as we welcome our We have been very busy during the school children and their families back to pre-school. holidays giving the pre-school a complete It will be a new start in more ways than one makeover, long overdue. All the work has for the younger generation who live in our been completed to a high standard on a low community. From early years to primary and budget by a team of volunteers. The new secondary age, we wish the children a very environment we have created for the children enjoyable term back at school with their and staff is now a soft, light-filled space and is friends and teachers. aesthetically pleasing with its new orange and grey colour scheme throughout. The picture, taken in July on one of our transition visits to Stonesfield Primary School, We now proudly look forward to organising a embodies all we set out to achieve at pre- pre-school Cream Tea Open Day for our school. Happy, confident children who learn community in the not too distant future. to be independent and form their first Continued on page 18 friendships that may even turn out to be lifelong! September 2020 Stonesfield Slate 1 Some phone numbers to call for help West Oxfordshire District Council: 01993 861000 Oxfordshire County Council: 01865 792422 Citizens Advice West Oxfordshire: 03444 111 444 Age UK Oxon Free Telephone Support: 01865 411288 Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank: 01993 890000 Volunteer Link-Up: 01993 776277 Samaritans: 116 123 Talking Space: 01865 901222 Mind UK: 01865 247788 Shelter: 0808 800 4444 Debt Advice (Stepchange): 0800 138 1111 Crime Stoppers: 0800 555 111 Action Fraud: 0300 123 2040 Mental health line (24hr) 01865 904 997 (adults) 01865 904 998 (children and young people) Find more information at www.stonesfield.online/covid-19-information/ STONESFIELD VOLUNTARY TRANSPORT SCHEME Publishers Editor for Oct issue Copy: Diane & Paul Bates, Lynda Parkinson Deadline for next issue 15 Sept Waterloo Barn, Laughton Hill, (898418) Please email copy to Stonesfield, OX29 8DY [email protected] [email protected] (898841) or contact the Editor. [email protected] Editor Printer Advertising: Lynda Parkinson Windrush Press, Witney Deadline for next issue 10 Sept (898418) Advertisements to [email protected] ©TheStonesfieldSlate 2020 slate-ads@stonesfield.online Current and past copies of the Slate available at www.stonesfield.online/slate 2 September 2020 Stonesfield Slate Coronavirus updates Stonesfield Voluntary NHS test and trace service Transport Scheme The NHS test and trace service is now live. You may have been wondering what is Everyone over the age of five presenting happening in relation to the Voluntary symptoms should have a test. The new Transport Scheme now many of the NHS test and trace service works as lockdown provisions have been lifted. We follows: have kept the situation under constant • You request a test online or by calling review, taken account of the safety and 119 hygiene requirements now in place and • If the test comes back negative, you and consulted with our umbrella organisation, everyone in your household can go back Community First Oxfordshire, and other to normal local voluntary schemes. • If the test comes back positive, the NHS Because almost all of our drivers are either test and trace team will get in touch with classed as vulnerable or are needing to you via text, email, or phone call to shield either themselves or those close to discuss whom you have come into them, we have reluctantly concluded that contact with we are unable to reinstate a viable • The NHS test and trace team will then voluntary transport scheme at present. We alert those contacts, where necessary, will continue to monitor changes to and notify them if they need to self- government requirements and will work isolate to stop the spread of the virus towards re-starting whenever that is • You and members of your household possible; any progress will be reported need to follow the usual guidelines about here in the Slate. self-isolating. Viv Kendall (891803) Important reminder to NHS guidelines contributors The lockdown restrictions have been eased, Please note that contributions for inclusion but it is important that we do not become in the Slate should be emailed to complacent. [email protected]. This replaces the old website address, WHICH HAS Do not leave home if you or someone you CLOSED. live with has any of the following: Deadlines for articles and 1. a high temperature advertisements are shown on the 2. a new, continuous cough opposite page. Any items received 3. a loss of, or change to, your sense of after due date will not be included. smell or taste The Editor September 2020 Stonesfield Slate 3 Notices & news Paul Fletcher With increasing effects of Parkinson’s Mike and all the family would like to thank disease and dementia, Hazel moved into everyone for all the cards and kindness Beech Haven Care Home in Chipping received after the loss of Paul. Norton, and we thank the staff there for her care through this difficult period for Thank you all. He will be greatly missed. all. Mike and Family Mike, Matthew, and Hannah Estelle Eddy Stockey Woods Many village residents, and especially The response from residents pledging Lunch Club members, will remember money to help fight our right to roam in Estelle Eddy, who lived in Russett Cottage Stockey Woods – the result of our article in at the foot of Laughton Hill. She is now in last month’s Slate – has been tremendous. Goodson Lodge Care Centre, Trowbridge, Thanks are also due to the Parish Council Wiltshire, and is as well as can be expected. who has agreed to pay for a day’s expert Jill Prickett advice before the pre-inquiry. We will email everybody as and when we need to redeem those pledges. Hazel Smith Our family wish to thank all our friends Mr Roy Cox, the Blenheim Estate manager, who expressed condolences and shared contacted Sustainable Stonesfield as a happy memories after Hazel’s recent death. result of our campaign, requesting a meeting to see if there was an amicable As a family, we moved to Stonesfield in late resolution to the issue. Two representatives 1970 where Hazel entered into various from SUSTO and David Brown and Wendy village activities. She helped at the youth Gould from the PC met Mr Cox via a Zoom club, became Brown Owl to the 2nd meeting on the 11th and had a constructive Stonesfield Brownie Company, taught part- discussion. There is a chance that this can time at the village school for a number of be resolved without going to the full years, and then served as a school inquiry and, of course, we will explore the governor. possibilities to the full. However, if Later her interests turned to the elderly. necessary we will continue with our With Hillary Eaton and others, Hazel set campaign at the Public Inquiry in the up the Stonesfield Lunch Club, following interests of Stonesfield residents. this with regular cooking duties, helping, Mr Cox is going to return at the end of the and then more recently as a member. month with answers to a couple of important questions we posed to him, and 4 September 2020 Stonesfield Slate will supply more information about the Cows with calves on the Community Woodland which has been set Common up in Woodstock. This will be in advance of the pre-inquiry meeting which has been A small herd of cattle, four cows and their put back until mid-September at the calves, will be grazing the Common from request of Blenheim, so there will be time the beginning of September until January. to consider Mr Cox’s responses. Grazing by cattle is an essential means of managing the Common. Here are some Richard Morris, Chair of SUSTO basic rules from the National Farmers’ Union for walkers: Churchill’s White House is • Cows are nosey and may come to saved by Bladon Community investigate, especially if you have a dog The 17th century White House, and last with you remaining pub in Bladon, has been saved • Don’t panic or run if cattle follow you – by the community. Reputed to be the pub stay calm and walk quickly and quietly where Winston Churchill ‘learnt to drink’ around the herd during his time at Blenheim Palace, this • Remember cows can be protective of historic pub is set to become the heart of their young. Never get between cows and the community once again. their calves – go around the herd and re- After 6 months of relentless campaigning, join the path as soon as possible Bladon Community Benefit Society had • Keep your dogs close, under control, in over 450 shareholders and had raised more sight, and on a short lead around cattle than £330,000 in shares. Although 90% of • If you are threatened by cattle release shareholders come from Bladon and the your dog so you can both get to safety surrounding villages, press coverage also separately sent the pub’s cause around the globe and shares were purchased from as far away as • Dog poo can spread disease to cattle. Bag Australia, New Zealand, USA, and South it and bin it – there’s a waste bin by the Africa. road gate REMEMBER: If you aren’t comfortable The team put their best offer into Greene walking where there are cattle, there are King just as lockdown was put into place. A many other footpaths nearby. nail-biting wait until May brought Bladon the good news it had been waiting for, the Why we need cattle on the Common community offer to purchase the White Cattle are one of the best ways of House had been accepted and the maintaining the grassland and improving community were handed the keys to their the Common.