MAY 2012 www.barfordnews.co.uk Price 30p where sold

matter was to be discussed in full and any decisions made at the open Parish Council meeting on 7th Parish Council Notes March. He further stated that Parish Council The meeting took place at 7.32pm on 4th April at meetings would be exceptionally long if Barford Village Hall and was attended by Cllr R correspondence and planning applications could not Hobbs, Cllr S Best, Cllr T Bullard, Cllr P Eden, be circulated beforehand and extra meetings would Cllr L Styles , Cllr S Turner and Cllr R Woolgrove. be necessary to discuss planning applications on Also attending Mrs R Watts (Clerk), County Cllr R occasions. One Councillor said they found having Jelf and District Cllr P O’Sullivan the information in the email in question in advance Parish Matters of the Parish Council meeting helpful. Under Any Mr C Cox had applied to be on the Parish Council’s Other Business Cllr Woolgrove asked for Register of Local Tradesmen. ‘Electronic Communications’ to be put on the nd Village Furniture - The Clerk reported that Mr C Agenda for the next meeting on May 2 . Cox from Barford St Michael had submitted a Woodworms Hilton - Cllr Hobbs reported that the quote for repairing the seat by the bridge and Highway Authority had refused Mr Jones’ revised stripping down and re-painting all village seats in application for a Stopping-up Order because there the sum of £745. He was not prepared to repair the were utilities on part of the site. Mr Jones was broken seat by the village hall. SRG Builders from going to submit another application leaving out the Epwell had submitted a quotation for the same land in question. The plans were then shown to the work in the sum of £770. They were prepared to Parish Council who had no objection to the revised repair the VE/VJ Day seat by the village hall for plan. The Clerk was asked to write to the £220. Councillors unanimously agreed to accept Department for Transport confirming this fact. Mr Cox’s quotation and to remove and dispose of VE/VJ Day Seat – Councillors viewed the VE/VJ Day seat. Clerk will write to SRG photographs and descriptions of benches to replace Builders thanking them for their interest. the VE/VJ Day seat. Councillors unanimously Grass Cutting - Thomas Fox Contractors had agreed to purchase the new Alexander Rose seat, carried out their first cut of the season and the full cost of which £539.10 (inc VAT), and Councillors were pleased with the standard of gratefully accept a donation of £200 from a work. generous parishioner towards the cost. It was Electronic Communications - Cllr Eden made a agreed that a plaque commemorating VE/VJ Day formal complaint about the email Cllr Hobbs had and the Diamond Jubilee would eventually be sent to six Councillors and the Clerk before the placed on the new seat. Please note:- the Parish March meeting about proposed Jubilee Council can reclaim the VAT on this seat. celebrations. In his opinion it was too detailed and Jubilee Beacon The national date and time for contained Cllr Hobbs' own views on the subject lighting a beacon will clash with the VHMC matters. It is his view that correspondence should Ceilidh. However, lighting a beacon could still go not be circulated or discussed before a meeting as ahead if an organiser could be found and costs this is not open to the public. He pointed out that could be agreed. Cllr Woolgrove will speak to Mr Cllr Woolgrove did not receive Cllr Hobbs’ email A Collier again to see if the matter can be because he is not on the internet. Cllr Woolgrove progressed in any way. said that he felt discriminated against because he Handrail at top of Murrays Lane - Cllr Hobbs did not receive the correspondence. reported that a villager had complained about the Cllr Hobbs said that he did not accept Cllr Eden’s lack of a handrail by the shallow steps at the top of criticism. He then read his email out to the Murrays Lane. Councillors agreed to make a site meeting, saying that it had been sent out before the visit to assess the risk. March meeting only to allow Councillors time to Planning Matters think about the various subject matters and the Details of planning applications can be found on potential costs involved. It made it clear that the the Cherwell District Council website 1

BARFORD OPEN GARDENS http://cherweb.cherwell- With Scarecrows too!!! th dc.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/applic On Sunday 20 May ation_searchform.aspx This site does not include ‘Notice of Intent’ for tree 2pm till 6pm works in a Conservation Area (TCA) Seven lovely gardens will be open

Applications:

None Scarecrow Approved: 11/01710/F & 11/01711/LB Hindle, Turnstile competitions for House, The Rock, Barford St Michael, demolition of outbuilding and garden wall, replacing with one Children and Adults and a half storey extension with glazed link to original house; re-opening of existing blocked up Summer bedding plus a internal doorway. range of Notice of Intent TCA: 12/00080/TCA – Dodwell, 2 Rock Close, Barford Vegetable and perennial St Michael; T1 Fell Ash; T2 fell unidentified plants for sale at bargain species. One Councillor objected to the ash tree prices at Stonehaven. being felled, 6 Councillors had no objections.

Any Other Business Scrumptious Teas Cllr Best asked why the grass verge in Church Contributions of cakes and/or plants Lane, Barford St John was not included in the grass Gratefully received cutting schedule. This was historic but the Clerk was asked to obtain a quotation from Thomas Fox All proceeds to village charities for carrying out work in this area. Cllr Styles reported that recently there had been a Contact : Gunilla 01295 720 521 constant stream of tankers emptying waste into the Or Annie Radford 01869 338 338 Thames Water tank by the stream. There had been a sewage problem in another village and waste was being transported to Barford St Michael for disposal. The Clerk was asked to write to Thames Water to ascertain exactly what the site is designated for and whether or not this situation was just a one-off. Cllr Hobbs reported that a number of heavy th vehicles are coming down Fernhill into the village. Sunday, 20 May Councillors need to consider whether or not Highways should be asked to put a weight restriction on this road. The Annual Parish Meeting will be held at 7.30pm on 10th April in the Village Hall. The next Parish Council meeting is on 2nd May 2012. There being no other business, the meeting closed at 8.48pm.

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it’s The Jubilee Meets The Olympics

THE BARFORDS JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS

RD SUNDAY 3 JUNE. 11.30am special JUBILEE SERVICE AT ST MICHAEL’S CHURCH 1pm in WEST CLOSE - THE BIG LUNCH. Prepare yourselves a lovely Jubilee Picnic and get yourselves over to WEST CLOSE AT 1PM for an afternoon of community, friendship and fun including the official planting of the JUBILEE OAK TREE.

The THAMES RIVER PAGEANT starts at 2pm on TV.

MONDAY 4TH JUNE 10.30am - NATURE WALK (of approx 1 hour)led by Basil Butler starting from the Village Hall. Children and Dogs welcome. HOME FOR LUNCH

1.30pm till 4pm FUN & GAMES FOR ALL AGES In The Field Behind The George Pub (courtesy of Dave & Sue Jelfs) DUCK RACE DECORATED WHEELBARROW COMPETITION on the theme “Jubilee Meets The Olympics”

CROWN COMPETITION organised by Rainbows So get yourselves ready for Rounders, the Duck Race, 3 Legged-Race, Sack Race, Egg ‘n’ Spoon, and more….

A film of The Coronation will be showing all afternoon in the Hall,

The George will be open for drinks and two bouncy castles will add to the fun.

4pm CHILDREN’S JUBILEE TEA PARTY and presentation of JUBILEE MUGS for children aged 16 and under.

6.30pm JUBILEE BBQ with BAR at the Village Hall.

7.30pm CEILIDH, with music from ‘The Old Mettle Dance Band’.

TUESDAY 5TH JUNE …a relaxing day for villagers to enjoy as they wish…..

Organised by Villagers for Villagers

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THE FUTURE OF OUR CHURCHES Congratulations ! FTER ALL THE WONDERFUL support the village residents gave when we had to

A repair the Barford St Michael church tower,

the parish finances remained fairly stable until this year. However, we are now

dealing with various major repairs which will cost us nearly £10,000 even after receiving a grant. As a result our two Barford churches are facing an imminent financial crisis. Our resources are so depleted that at the current rate of income and routine expenditure we will not be able to function beyond the next 18 months. The running costs of the churches have to be

raised within the villages. There are no central funds and grants are only

given as a contribution to projects.

We are therefore holding a meeting in the To village hall on Tuesday 29th May at 7.30 pm George and Freda Parker to explain the situation more fully and to explore of High Street ways of improving it. Please put the date in your who celebrate their diary and come along to listen and to give us your DIAMOND WEDDING thoughts and ideas. ANNIVERSARY The future of the churches is very much in your on 10th May hands and we would like to hear your views. Cubby Brett, Churchwarden 01869 338300

Diamond Wedding Congratulations Market Profits

also go to From 2009-2011

Alan and Gillian Maddison Donated to village causes of High Street

Who received the following message from Her Profits from the markets held Majesty The Queen during the above years have been

donated as follows:

£100 for Jubilee Celebrations £200 to Hall Windows Appeal

and

I am so pleased to know that you are celebrating £636.56 to the Shepherds and th your Diamond Wedding anniversary on 19 Bakehouse Trust April, 2012. I send my congratulations and best

wishes to you on such a special occasion Profits from future markets are

being given to Village Hall funds, so please support your

village market and help to maintain our hall.

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The Warriner School Newsletter Fernhill Club News HAVE WRITTEN BEFORE about N 11TH APRIL 15 MEMBERS had a how incredibly lucky we are to cookery demonstration by I have a farm within our school and O Kathryn Wheeler, followed by this term the arrival of lambing has tasting all the items – spicy rice, reinforced this in spades We will also be opening pinwheel pizzas, apple charlotte and our newly completed farm shop in May. Opening orange upsidedown cake. We can’t wait till she hours will be 3-5pm every Wednesday and 11-1 comes again! The 25th was our AGM. every Saturday commencing on Wednesday 2nd On May 9th we are looking forward to hearing May so please come along to buy beef, pork, lamb from Alan Brewer, an air steward, who says he and eggs. started work in Downing Street, Farnham and As ever, the students have been up to all sorts of finished at No. 10 Downing Street, London. amazing things this term. Highlights include two of On May 16th we are hoping to go to Banbury our students being shortlisted for the Saachi art College for a meal. prize in February and, although they did not win On 23rd May ladies from Woodstock Museum are they both went to the exhibition and received coming over to tell us about ‘The Country Village’, wonderful comments about their work. Our Year 9 they usually bring lots of artifacts to talk about and Youth Speak team under the guidance of Mrs to show us. Hopkins have won both the local and county finals. Coming up we are expecting Mr. Paul Cann from They go on to represent us at the regional finals and Age UK, a strawberry tea, and Tim Williams giving we all wish them very good luck. A large number us a talk about wills entitled ‘where there’s a will of our students take part in Young Enterprise there’s a way’. (usually aimed at post 16 students) and they have We hope that our new programme will be ready been touring Oxfordshire and Warwickshire before then. New members welcome to join us on making vast amounts of money on the way. Wednesdays at 2.30pm in the village hall. The news about our sixth form continues to be Mary Ashbridge 01295 252298 good. The County Council cabinet meeting on Valentine’s Day debated whether to allow us to proceed to formal consultation and the vote was unanimous in our favour. Formal consultation is a four week process and will commence in May. Once again, I will be asking for your support nearer th the time. The plans for our two-storey 6 form "Creating Change". building are gathering pace and will be available to A talk view very soon. The building will include 5 at the Adderbury Quaker Meeting house classrooms, a large common room, a study area & on Sunday 17th June at 3pm. ICT suite and a kitchen area. Those Year 11 Banbury and Evesham Quakers invite you to the students who have chosen to stay on to study a Adderbury Gathering, our annual public talk at the combination of A level Biology, Chemistry, Adderbury Quaker Meeting House at 3pm on Physics, Maths, Further Maths or a diploma in Sunday 17th June, followed by afternoon tea. All Animal Management or Agriculture will take a lead welcome - no charge. in choosing the furnishings and colour scheme for What is it about some times, places and company the building. which help us to change? We hear from a speaker We have the opportunity to offer teacher training from Woodbrooke (a Quaker Study Centre in places on School Direct in conjunction with Birmingham), exploring how to create an Warwick University. School Direct is a new 12 environment where people can change. month training route into teaching which allows This Quaker Meeting House is one of the oldest in you to choose the group of schools in which you the country - built in 1675 - and a very special train, with an expectation of employment at the place. It's off Horn Hill Road in West Adderbury - end. If you or anyone you know is considering a on the path to the Adderbury Cemetery. career in teaching Design Technology, English, For further information please phone Maria 01869 Geography or History then please let me know. 347179 (evenings). There has been so much going on this term and I hope this gives you a flavour of how we continue to go from strength to strength. Dr Annabel Kay - Headteacher

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Deddington & District History Society Muriel Pilkington on the Mitfords in the Cotswolds David, the girls’ father, inherited the title and the expense of Batsford. They started a chicken farm, HEIR ORIGINS were not of our parish, but selling the eggs to Harrods, but sold the house as from the village of Mitford [= middle of the soon as possible after the war and moved to Astall ford] near Morpeth in the eighth century and T manor where the children grew up, Debbo being built on a mound in a loop of rivers. Had a knack of born there. There was a combination of home getting land and marrying well—the two not education and boarding school: Unity, perhaps always unconnected, but they were not always good showing early signs of being tricky was sent away. at being on the right side politically. Its unusual Their church was the lovely Swinbrook Church pentangle stone ruins still stand and were there where ‘Farve’ controlled everything, down to the before the arrival of William the Conqueror. They length of the sermon and the collection. were twice evicted from the castle, in 1216 by King David built the new Swinbrook House, now John for their part in the Magna Carta, and 60 years called South Lawn. The design was almost later for once again being on the wrong side. The exclusively his, and the family hated it, marking the Mitford shield, oddly, includes four moles, a play start of the end of the parental relationship. They on the neighbouring township of Molesden. sold Swinbook in 1936 [David was not a money In the eighteenth century they moved to Mitford maker and gold prospecting in Canada had not been Hall where they stayed until the twentieth century a success] and moved to High Wycombe, to a and some of the Redesdales still live in that area. house belonging to Muv, his wife Sydney. They They were benefactors of the church and endowed also owned Inckenneth House on an island off Mull a local priory, which finally fell into disuse and and another in Rutland Square near Hyde Park and now belongs to English Heritage. it was from here the girls ‘came out’. In 1667 John Mitford came to London to help Nancy was better at earning money than her rebuild the City after the Great fire and was husband Peter Rodd and turned to writing with responsible for the new Royal Exchange [not the great success and is still a funny read. She current building] and on the proceeds built a decamped to Paris and had an ill-fated affair. Paladian mansion at Exbury where the family lived Pamela had a career managing estates and married until the early nineteenth century when they sold it Derek Jackson [it was not mentioned, but they lived to the Rothschilds. His eldest son, John Mitford at Rignell, where the Mosely’s stayed briefly when became Speaker and was made First Lord released under regulation 18b]. Brother Tom Redesdale in 1800 while his wife brought Batsford wanted to be a concert pianist, but became a House into the family and they moved there in barrister. He admired Hitler, so would not fight in 1808. His son, also John, Disraeli upped him to an Europe, but volunteered to fight in the Far East and Earl and he founded the Heythrop. died of war wounds in Burma. Diana had been the He died childless, and the title with him and the first to marry, to a Guinness, but she fell for estate moved sideways to Algernon ‘Barty’ Oswald Mosley, whose mistress she became and Mitford, also ennobled as 1st Lord Redesdale ‘of when his wife died married, at Goebbel’s House. It the second creation’. He was much involved in was Unity, besotted with Hitler, who attempted public works, but also married well and had nine suicide, and was brought back to England on a children. He hated Batsford, pulled it down and special train for her mother to nurse her at rebuilt it as an Elizabethan mansion with all the Swinbrook. Jessica, the communist, eloped with accoutrements. Esmond Romily. Later Esmond, from the USA, His children [and one illegitimate one by his crossed into Canada and volunteered for the RCAF sister-in-law] included Clement who was a less and was killed. Debbo, the sporty one, married profligate manager of the estate. The second of four Andrew Cavendish, who in 1950 inherited the sons, David, was in the Boer War, where he lost his Duke of Devonshire’s title and Chatsworth, as his lung, but still lived to be 80. Three of the sons in brother had been killed, and pioneered the opening turn inherited the title. The Mitford girls’ father of stately homes. was invalided out and got a job as accountant at Our next meeting is at 7.30 on 9th May at the The Lady and married the boss’ daughter. Windmills Centre when Matt Armitage will talk Nancy, the first of the gels, was born at Batsford about Tooley’s boatyard. as were the next three. They continued as benefactors of the church, largely restoring Batsford church. Of three brothers, who went to the First World War Clement was killed and as a result

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Deddington PTA News HE ANNUAL QUIZ was a great May 26th 2012 success. Quiz masters Al T Collins and Peter Hogben did Harold and Maude 15 a wonderful job and kept us Coming to a cinema near you!!! scratching our heads for most of the night! Sam and Ed Sinclair made a Barford Picture House fantastic chilli for us all and the PTA Doors Open at 7.15, Film starts at 7.45 committee ladies treated us to some mouthwatering £4 and £3 for under 16’s. desserts. Stella O’Neill and her team ran the bar Missed it on the Big Screen, or want to see it and Mark Swadling kept us in sound and vision. again? Made in 1971 this is a dark, comedy Huge thanks go to all involved. We are still waiting film directed by Hal Ashby. Ranked 45 on for final figures, but we hope to have raised in American Film Institutes list of 100 Funniest excess of £1,000, so well done everyone! Movies of all time. Starring Ruth Gordon and The bake sale held at school was incredibly well Bud Cort it tells the story of a rich, young man supported and we were genuinely touched by the obsessed with all aspects of death. His life is huge amount of beautiful cakes and biscuits that changed forever when he meets lively were donated. The children had a fantastic feast septuagenarian Maude at a stranger’s funeral. during the afternoon, meaning parents didn’t have This was to have been shown last November but much left to buy after school! Still, everything went had to be postponed. and we raised a truly tremendous £225. Our sincere This will be the LAST film of our Season. thanks go to everyone who donated a ‘bake’ and to Hope you enjoy it. the Year 5 and 6 girls who helped out on the day. Sadly, the Deddington Walk is taking a year off this year, but the committee promises it will be back next year as usual. st The next date to ensure you have in your calendar 1 Deddington Scout Group is our annual fete, which will be held on the school Cubs field on Saturday June 16. We are continuing with UR VICTORIOUS TEAM from the last year’s timings –12.30pm till 3.30pm – so make district Scrapheap Challenge competed in the county event coming a sure you don’t miss it! O rd This promises to be an exciting event with sheep very creditable 3 , well done to all of them. racing, the ever-popular quad bikes, ‘Lane Change We have tackled the Scientist badge over the past Digital Scalextric Racing’, face painting and much, weeks, the Cubs made volcanoes out of paper much more. Amazing Animals are coming along plates & glass jars (geology) before mixing bicarb, again too – what will they bring this year? paint & vinegar for the eruption ( chemistry), they Each class will be organising and running a stall dissected a daffodil (botany) & grew cress on as usual so do come and support our children and cotton wool. have a great time with lots of fun! The PTA is also We are fast entering camping season & are dreaming up some great new side stalls. The making plans for the District Camp at Horley in barbecue will be ready and sizzling – just in time May based on athletics & Olympics. for lunch – and then why not try one of our Jo Churchyard C.S.L. 338071 delicious cream teas later in the afternoon, while [email protected] watching one of the events in the arena? Of course, Scouts we will have our usual licensed bar (including T THE END OF LAST TERM, some of the Pimms!) Scouts made a number of fire beaters from We look forward to welcoming you to the fete A broomsticks & carpet, useful to take when and thank you all for your continued support. cooking outdoors & at camp. We also took on the Melissa Chadderton, Chair job of delivering the leaflets for the low cost 01869 349936 housing survey, the boys counted, folded & [email protected] delivered around 900 leaflets, which will count towards their community award. We took advantage of the free swimming at Spiceball as an Easter treat, a bit of messing about combined with testing for the 1st & 2nd swimmer badge. Pete Churchyard S.L. 338071 [email protected]

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Barford Village Show Schedule Barford Green Garden Club vegetables grown from seed. Admission is £2 and Saturday 11 August 2012 Notes From Our Potting Shed the grounds are open from 4 to 8 p.m. N A BEAUTIFUL MARCH morning, nine We are planning a visit to Rousham on the members visited Janet Cropley’s garden, afternoon on Thursday 16th August – look for O Hill Grounds, near Evenley. Janet visited more details in the next newsletter – and have also us in the autumn to talk about winter interest, and booked Timothy Walker of Oxford Botanic now we explored her lovely garden and admired the Gardens to give a talk on Tuesday November 6th. yew walks and hellebores, flowering shrubs and a We hope to see you at some or all of our events! productive vegetable plot, while Janet served coffee Tip of the month: Don’t be in too much of a and answered our questions. She also dug up pieces hurry to put your tender plants outside – of plants on request, in return for a donation to her remember last year’s hard frost at the favourite charity, Herefordshire Association for the beginning of May! Blind, so several of us came away with roots and Phone numbers for our events: Gunilla Treen, shoots to plant in our own gardens. 01295 720521, and Annie Radford, 01869 338338 That same day, a Willow Garden Structures For scarecrow entries: Maggie Eden, 01869 338835 workshop was held at Gunilla's house. Our tutor Sue Benenson, a sculptor, was excellent. Thirteen people spent a very sunny afternoon in the garden, Spade and Fork building obelisks, arches and other plant structures. There was much fun, a lot of laughter and great technical skills were learned. Such skills came to good use when everyone tried to take their structures home in the backs of their cars and Welcome! trucks! Another workshop could be organised next To year if enough people were interested. Helen Taylor Sarah Best will be hosting our annual Plant Swap on Thursday May 17th who has just moved in at Street Farm, Barford St John to Church Street at 7 p.m. We hope Helen will enjoy All members are welcome – bring a plant, or Our village life plants, and take others away. It’s a great chance to try out new species and to swap vegetable seedlings at this early stage of the season. Please bring a bottle with you (alcoholic or otherwise). This will be closely followed by the Open Gardens and the Scarecrow Competition th on Sunday May 20 . We hope to have a range of gardens open to th view, including some new ones, and if last year’s Saturday, 19 May very varied and enterprising scarecrows are anything to go by, there will be a lot to see and admire. Teas will be served at the Manor, there will be a plant stall at Stonehaven, and we’re hoping for a repeat of last year’s lovely weather. If you’re willing to open your garden, please contact Gunilla or Annie; to enter a scarecrow, please let Maggie know by Friday May 18th, for judging on Saturday; and if you can help by making tea, washing up or contributing a cake, or by donating plants to the stall, we’d be very grateful. On Wednesday 25th July, we are invited to Ball Colegrave Trial Grounds, in West Adderbury, to see their spectacular displays of fruit and

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1st Deddington Brownies AST TERM WE JOINED other youth groups L from the village for the . Mother's Day service in Deddington Church, and at Brownies we made cards and presents for our

Mums. Following the Easter break, in May we are looking forward to taking our bikes to Brownies and to doing our Cyclists Badges. Brownies meets on Monday evenings at the Windmill Centre and is open to girls aged 7-10 The Mitford Sisters years old. If you would like to put a name on the waiting list or to find out more please contact A Talk by Brown Owl (Anne Kent) on Gillian Cane [email protected]

7.30pm Wednesday 9th May Lucy Squires In The Village Hall

Visitors welcome to join us £3.00 At our WI Meeting The Chicken Chronicles (A Memoir)

By Alice walker

“What do Chickens like to do?”

HERE MUST BE almost as many chickens as there are humans resident in Barford. And at this time of year, probably more eggs than st T 1 Deddington Guides the sum of both on any one day! So, this collection BIG THANK YOU to of short reminiscences – reflections – excerpts, those who supported our puppet show from the life of Alice Walker, (author of The Color A entertainment. Those who came or made Purple - to use the correct American spelling) donations .... £100 was raised ... for our chosen should find a warm reception in our community. charities – Cancer Research, Katharine House These 37 brief anecdotes combine information Hospice and Great Ormond St Childrens Hospital. about compassionate chicken rearing, with Alice Many guides made thoughtful and mature mini- Walker’s reflections and memories of her rural presentations about the charities of their choice, life. before voting. Well done guides. “...I was astounded when a chicken strolled over Our village quiz kept us on our toes and we loved and hopped up into my lap.” the Easter Egg hunt in Mr & Mrs Bouveries Although there is no evidence from their style, beautiful garden setting. these approachable and characteristically warm The guides were busy during the Mothering Sunday pieces are taken from the author’s blog. Each entry service providing colour parties helping with the has a title, which despite the broadly chronological collection, giving out posies and taking some to nature of the collection, tempts the reader to pick Featherton House. and mix – an added pleasure. The patrols continue to work well together – In conclusion, to answer the opening question, planning their own activities and having great fun turn to the fourth anecdote ... together. Preparations are underway for our hectic outdoor term we are planning cookouts, shelter building, bat walks, hikes, camps, stream walking (will the stream be there?) and taking part in District patrol overnight competitions and Jubilee celebrations! Maggie Rampley 01295 810069 Marian Trinder 01869 340806 Catherine Blackburn 01295 258008 Trevor Arrowsmith (The Chicken Chronicles is published by Weiden & Nicolson, London: 2011)

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Classic Car and Bike Show Monday 7th May 2012 10.00 to 15.00 At Fritwell Village Hall post code OX27 7QA

There is also an Auto Jumble, Craft Stalls, Book Stall, Tombola and refreshments available all day, including an ice cream van. Entry is free, to book a stall which is £5, contact Bill Boyce on 01869 346837. Bill would also like to hear from you. if you are intending to bring your car or motorbike to display

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Banbury Rural Neighbourhood Team Deddington PFSU and Village Nursery Team News E MADE THE MOST PC Craig O’LEARY is of the warm coming to the end of his W weather before the 5 month attachment on the Banbury Rural Easter holiday. The PFSU Neighbourhood Team and is due to leave at the end children planted the garden with flowers and of April. He will be moving to the proactive cycle vegetables, and the Nursery held an Easter bonnet team still based at Banbury Police Station and we parade. Thank you to Kate Oldroyd who cleared the wish him well in his new role. PFSU vegetable garden ready for planting, and to Auto Crime - YOU SAID....WE DID all the Nursery parents for some amazingly On Friday 2nd March, Officers from the imaginative hats! Holiday Club ran during the Neighbourhood team worked with volunteers from Easter holiday and was much enjoyed by the the Warriner School and our NAG Chairman to children who attended. Looking ahead, our Sports conduct a crime reduction operation in Bodicote. Day will be held on Friday 15th June, the PFSU During the operation, approximately 14 vehicles will be leading the '1st Sunday' service in were found to be vulnerable to being targeted by Deddington Church on July 1st, and our major criminals, the owners were identified and advice fund-raising party is on Saturday 7th July. given. Lucy Squires, 337484 Rural Thefts - YOU SAID....WE DID On Wednesday 28th March Officers from the rural team and roads policing department conducted a PIT STOP CATERING high visibility Automatic Number Plate @ Recognition Operation on the Milton Road in The Barford Village Shop Bloxham. This operation was set up to target cross boarder criminals stealing metal from our rural communities. During the operation 1 vehicle was seized for having no insurance and two motorists were given fixed penalty notices for using mobile phones. No scrap metal dealers were seen or stop checked during the operation. Crime News Thames Valley police has just produced its annual performance figures. Once again this Local Police Area has achieved outstanding success and we have Fresh Fish & Chips delivered all the performance objectives we were asked to achieve. Burgers, Pies & Specials HAVE YOUR SAY

This month we conducted 2 Have Your Say meetings at Deddington Library & Hook Norton Every Saturday Font Cafe. 5.30pm till 8.00pm The following dates have been arranged for Have Your Say meetings: 20:15 – 21:15hrs – Thursday 26th April, Bloxham Bridge Club, Parish Rooms, Bloxham Bloxfest Contact Us The 2012 Bloxfest takes place on 12 May. This Should you have any problems or concerns please year there will be four stages around Bloxham with phone the Thames Valley Police non-emergency live music from local bands starting at 11am and number on 101 or email going through until about 11pm. Added to that will [email protected] . be craft and food stalls, Morris teams and loads In an emergency please dial 999. For more team more. Highlights this year include Linda Watkins information visit our website at: on the Randall's Acoustic Stage, Stone Cold Mary www.thamesvalley.police.uk on the Elephant Stage and the Paperback Writers on the Red Lion Stage. And it's all free. More details at www.bloxfest.org.uk Tony Ecclestone, Communications officer Cherwell District Council, 01295 227942 [email protected] www.cherwell.gov.uk

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Deddington CE Primary School marshmallows; went coasteering over and under URING MAY the big focus rocks (and got very wet); climbed cliffs on the tends to be SATs, Year 2 and beach and went rock pooling. On the final day we D Year 6 are working very hard did the Lyn Valley River walk which was at the moment and hopefully their beautiful.Every evening was full of activities too hard work will be rewarded. In Year 6 we are also such as orienteering- in the dark! We learned so still remembering our very special residential trip to much and enjoyed it at the same time; the Yenworthy Lodge in Exmoor, it was a glorious instructors were brilliant and really encouraged us week and such good fun. to do our best and the food was always mouth- Alex Clarke and Alice Collins in Year 6 would like watering and scrumptious- some of us even had 5 to share their thoughts on the week: helpings in the evenings!’ ‘Yenworthy was one of the most memorable and Here are some more thoughts about Yenworthy challenging weeks in Year 6- both mentally and from Year 6- physically. After an eventful 4 hour journey to get “An experience of a lifetime” Alfie there we went straight onto the ropes course, “Why did it have to end?” Emily followed by an evening walk across the moors to “I wish I could go back there” Victoria do some star gazing- in fact we were the last class “I would recommend it to everyone” Fynn to be able to get a glimpse of Venus from Exmoor, “It was fantastic and I wish it never ended” it will not be seen again for another 200 years! We Jorgie even jumped borders, from Somerset to Devon! I think the class will remember their Yenworthy The following day was business day which focused experience for a long time, they were absolutely on being a good team player and when needed a fabulous, they met challenges head on, they good leader too. The following 2 days we went laughed a lot and they were incredibly supportive outside the centre- we went on a moorland of each other. I felt very honoured to be their expedition, where we made fires and toasted teacher. Now let’s just get SATs out of the way… Mrs Jane Cross, Deputy Head

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Katharine House News Open Gardens The Story Museum Katharine House Hospice’s own celebrates and grounds and gardens will be th demonstrate the open to the public on Sunday 27 May from 2pm- power of stories to inspire learning, especially for 5pm. Teas and delicious home-made refreshments will be available as well as the hospice stall, plant the young. Since 2005 it has been working with sale and raffle. more than 10,000 children, parents and teachers Annual Spring Fair and Plant Sale each year, many in disadvantaged areas. In 2014 it This year, our 20th Annual Spring Fair and Plant will open a new world centre of children's literature sale will be held on Tuesday 15th May, between and storytelling in the heart of Oxford. The 9am - 3pm at The Great Barn, Aynho (OX17 3AY). Museum's patrons are Philip Pullman, Michael As well as fantastic plants, there will be home Morpurgo, Michael Rosen and Jacqueline Wilson. accessories, furniture, leather goods, gifts, The Story Museum is a pioneering charity and not- jewellery, craft items, clothing, food items and for-profit company. much more! Entry is £3 and light refreshments will The Story Museum, Rochester House, 42 Pembroke be available for a small charge. Dates for your Diary! Street, Oxford OX1 1BP www.storymuseum.org.uk Midnight Walk Dark Angels Our sixth Midnight Walk will take place on Dark Angels brings together business writers keen Saturday 23 June at Banbury Cricket Club, to keep their creativity sharp. Set up by John Bodicote. Application forms are now available- Simmons, Stuart Delves and Jamie Jauncey, Dark these will be included in our spring newsletterforms Angels runs workshops, courses and master classes can be obtained by calling Fundraising on (01295) which look at how to use words more engagingly 812161 or download a form from our website at and imaginatively within the business environment. www.khh.org.uk www.dark-angels.org.uk Supermarket Collection Days OTHER WORLDS Do you have 1½ hours to hold a tin at our annual supermarket collection days in June? We will be Making room for stories collecting at Sainsburys on 15th June and at Tesco Exhibition of intriguing collaborations between on 21st June. If you can help Please contact more than 20 pairs of writers and artists, turning an Wendy in Fundraising on (01295) 812161 or email atmospheric, dilapidated building - home of the [email protected] future Story Museum – into a giant storytelling Hospice patrons Lord and Lady Heseltine will be compendium, with a surprise around every corner. opening their gardens and arboretum in aid of the In the heart of literary and historic Oxford. th Hospice on Saturday 6 October May 1 - 27th (inclusive) 2012. For all ages. £3 Tickets are £10 each and must be purchased in entry for adults and children. On the door. Under 2s advance from the Fundraising Office (01295) free. Special May Day opening. 812161 and application forms are available to download from our website at www.khh.org.uk The Story Museum, Rochester House, 42 Pembroke St, Oxford OX1 1BP We’re on Facebook! www.storymuseum.org.uk/otherworlds Our new Facebook page is now up and running May 1 - 27th (inclusive) 2012: Thurs 1-7pm; Fri 1- and has regular updates about fundraising events, 7pm, Sat 10am - 5pm, Sun 10am - 4pm. lottery results and general Hospice news! You can Special May Day opening 9am – 3pm. find us at www.facebook.com/katharinehouse. Admission: Lottery £3 entry for adults and children. Under 2s free. Why not join our Hospice lottery, for only £1 per Tickets on the door. week with a weekly top prize of £1,000! With Visit our website - to enjoy books and stories at nearly 4,300 members, we would love to boost our membership to 5,000. An extra 500 members home, at school, everywhere could raise £26,000 per year for nursing care. If http://www.storymuseum.org.uk you are already a member, we thank you for your We are now also on Twitter and Facebook support and ask that you might consider letting The Story Museum is part of the Happy Museum your friends know about our lottery. For the person project, reimagining museums for a changing who has everything why not consider a lottery gift world. card for birthdays. To join, download a form from Cath Nightingale our website www.khh.org.uk or ring Wendy in www.storymuseum.org.uk/otherworlds Fundraising on 01295 812161. The Story Museum, Rochester House, 42 Pembroke Sarah Brennan St, Oxford OX1 1BP Community Fundraiser

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NATURE NOTES 105 Afternoon showers followed as the wind veered AWN OF MARCH 1ST ROSE on a dense N bringing a cold (0°) night, drifting cloud and fog with visibility down to around a moderate wind. D 100m. Overnight temperature had The next three days were characterised by a dropped to –2° so early morning was NW wind, high and cold on the 5th, negligible somewhat ‘nippy’. The fog slowly burned on the 6th and mild on the 7th with light rain. off to produce a mild, still day of 11.5° that This turned to bright sun by 11am quickly had the Green Woodpeckers in various succeeded by high blustery storms delivering places laughing with pleasure. Another frosty night heavy showers from banks of cloud. Day of –1.5° preceded another foggy dawn followed by temperatures rose from 8° to 10° but nights were day-long hazy sunshine and more Green variable, –4°, 4° and –1°. Woodpecker laughter, accompanied by occasional Prime Merlin spotters Steve Cox and Pip Rogers ‘keck’ing from a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Mist notified a female dashing along the Bloxham road started to form pre-sunset with a quick fall in by the airfield on the 5th, otherwise all was quiet temperature, but not below 2.5° overnight. At and Nature seemed to be holding back. 5.45am on the 3rd, the Rooks were just waking up On the 8th the wind backed to W (with slight on Steepness and cawing complainingly at the early variations) and stayed there until the 22nd. Day morning murk and rain. A sunny day of 13.5° temperatures ranged mainly from 10° to 15° with a followed with a negligible SW breeze, but it turned high of 15.5° on the 11th and a night-time low of 8° showery again in late afternoon. The highlight of on the 13th. my day, unfortunately not in the Barfords, was to Bas Butler reported a Red Kite drifting around encounter THREE now very uncommon, small the allotments area on the 8th and on the 9th I farmland birds singing in a short stretch of roadside picked up a Kestrel over Spring Hill farm drive. As hedgerow near Chipping Norton. Corn Buntings! I drove slowly down the Park I became aware of Their last Barfords locality was amongst the scrub something running through the dead leaves on the and long grass of the old runways on St. John verge under the Chestnut trees. When I got to airfield and also nearby hedgerows. Now rarely within a few metres I realised it was a pair of Grey seen, they are, in my opinion, the victims of many Partridges. They were the same colour as the dead modern cutting and tidying-up practices and leaves, and as I drew level with them (now only two implements, both agricultural and civic, the latter metres away) they slipped through the hedgebottom suburbanising rural roads by intensive, full-width, and into the growing cereal. So tame, they must verge mowing. Birds of similar habitat, such as have been ‘put down’ for shooting purposes; let’s many finches, buntings and warblers are also fast hope they survive to nest and increase our so scarce declining because of:– native population! a) the fertilising of old grazing meadows On the11th, our warmest day of the year so far, I b) overgrazing by sheep in all pastures recorded a Peacock butterfly, three Buff-tailed c) the mass trimming of hedgerows by rotary flail Bumblebees and even a few Eristalis Hoverflies in (often at inappropriate times) my garden (the ‘wild patch’, naturally!). d) the cutting of headlands, right into the hedge By now, a large, active high pressure area was bases, particularly by rotary bladed cutters which above the U.K. It coincided with a peak of the obliterates early stages of much wildlife. Sun’s 11-year ‘weather’ cycle, huge solar flares e) the wholesale full-width cutting of roadside erupting toward the Earth. Extensive displays of the verges and hedges. Mowing a single swathe – full Northern Lights were expected; they didn’t occur, verge width where drivers’ vision demands it – is at least not for us in the South Midlands, as there necessary, but otherwise for the sake of wayside was persistent night-time cloud cover). wildflowers, and creatures from tiny invertebrates The 12th dawned on a dense fog which thinned to top predators, please stop trying to suburbanise moderately, but remained thick on the hills. This our country verges into lawns! was the third heavy fog of the month and I was Well, that’s my moan over for today, so lets go minded by the ancient saying ‘Fogs in March is back to early March, which saw the return of the Frosts in May’. In other words, we a supposed to Swans, with last year’s cygnet, to the fishing moats get the same number and intensity of frosts in May (and the yard for free dinners) at Manor Farm. as we got in March – so, beware your tender garden Meanwhile, the Canada Geese are there and they plants come May! are aggressively territorial, so we shall have to wait Mrs. Sam Harding watched two Great Spotted and see if the Swans can hold sway. The 4th Woodpeckers in her garden. Very likely a pair, dawned with rain on a very cold NW wind, these may be the same birds that nest around the followed by a period of wet snow in late morning. allotments area. Also that day, I noticed that 15

immature jumping Zebra Spiders, and some Crab many prefer to make and provision tunnels in Spiders were starting to appear on warm surfaces, lighter soils and rough places. Others use old nail the Crab Spiders being too immature to identify. holes – or hollow canes – as some of you know The next three mornings were again foggy, the from providing proprietory ‘bee-houses‘. 13th with day-long mist and drizzle, but that didn’t Back with the birds, I was surprised by a male stop a Tawny Owl from calling before dawn on Sparrowhawk that flew in front of me, only 150mm Hempton Hills. above the Barford road, for some distance through In the clear night air, the planets Jupiter and Bloxham. He diverted at the Milton turn! especially Venus, were brilliant against the Brian Rogers’s Goldfinch flock was now up to darkening afterglow of sunset, climaxing in a 50-plus individuals, and there was a small, conjunction of the two on the 12th/13th, but the welcome increase in House Sparrow numbers. Aurorae remained elusive. Buzzard and Green Woodpecker were also noisy in The 13th and 14th had such slight air movement their usual haunts across the parish. Finally, early that the eight weather vanes on Deddington Church on the 21st, Ian Hobday enjoyed the results of an were all pointing in different directions! Despite a incoming migration of Chiffchaffs, with the birds little sun and a raw cold wind, the heavy fog of the singing from every shrub, tree and hedgerow in the 15th was rising and falling all day, but it didn’t area, prior to dispersal. Marvellous! deter a frequently seen pair of Muntjac deer from By now a large high pressure area centred on the making an appearance at St. John, whilst at St. U.K. had become slow moving under the northward Michael one of the Green Woodpecker pairs were loop of the Jetstream. This result was several days noisy at the Old Vicarage. of SE airflow which produced unseasonally warm The next five days were quite variable – some day temperatures. The nights were cold with some sunshine, some showers, and predawn frosts down early fog. One such was the 22nd; a hazy sunrise to –3.5°. However, the lengthening daylight hours gave way to heat-haze on the meadows lifting and rising temperatures brought more wildlife out slowly to the hill tops. A Sparrowhawk in Bloxham from its lethargy and slumbers. (Including me!). dashed over Courtington Lane, Buzzards called The Cherry Plum (some say Bullace) was now in around Steepness, the Chiffchaffs were numerous full bloom. Larger, pure white flowers spread more but more widespread and I was relieved to find a sparsely on the twigs, open markedly earlier than few Yellow Hammers along Barley Lane. Next Blackthorn. The latter displays an extremely dense morning, very thick fog slowly burned off to give a mass of blossom, before any leaves, and is (usually) day of 18°. The warmth brought out the first Small sullied by a pinkish-brown caste from the calyces. White and Brimstone butterflies. The 24th Also starting to show its silky, silver blooms was produced a misty sunrise, 18° again, and my first the Pussy Willow. These male blossoms, as they ginger Bumblebee of the year B. pascuorum. Light mature, become covered with a mass of golden frost and a heavy dew greeted next day’s dawn. pollen. This of course is highly attractive to early The sun was hazy, the day was warm and three bees and flies, but for me, the excitement lies in the Buzzards soared over St. Michael as a Great- number and variety of medium sized moths they spotted Woodpecker drummed below Steepness. A attract at night. Most are quite common but rarely clear, starry night gave frost (–2.5°) with 18° by seen. Two examples are the Hebrew Character and day on the 26th. Night produced another visual Twin-spotted Quaker, (there are many ‘Quakers’ feast as the new moon, Jupiter and Venus were all named so because of their subdued colours). A in very close proximity. The 27th was a similar Twin-spotted flew to my bedroom light on the 19th. day. By now the High was moving slowly away After inspection in the morning, I put him outside westward and the day temperatures rose to 20°. where he flew straight down, burying himself low Green Woodpeckers replaced the Great-spotted under a Sage bush! He was a beautiful, soft below Steepness and Chiffchaffs continued their pinkish-brown, quite uniform all-over, with twin oh, so welcome little song. But the magic was black spots near the outer edge of each forewing – passing. On the 30th, the day only reached 13.5° hence the name! Sadly, large numbers of moth and a flock of 120 Fieldfare on the airfield sent out species like these are in steep decline for reasons I an uncomfortable reminder of winter. As March have given earlier. dwindled to a memory, the day was overcast, with a Other interesting, often endearing, insects cold wind; it only achieved 11.5°, and the month coming on the wing are the Solitary Bees. They are disappeared in a frost of –4.5°. Meanwhile a thin small, often of the Andrena or Osmia genera and green mist was covering most hedgerows! Ron Knight

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