Village of the year 2008-10, 2012-2013, 2015 and 2017 Village of the year 2008-10, 2012-2013, 2015 and 2017 50p (where sold) February 2020 50p (where sold) February 2020 What’s in this issue? 3 Postie Mike Syresham Talent Gems The brook at Bell Lane and Wappenham Road 4 Card recycling group Mums and Tots 5 St James Church Interregnum From the Editor’s Desk Letter from America –memories of 6 Syresham What a bumpy ride, as the Queen said about her past year! More like a 7 American Memories Brownies wet and windy one in recent weeks. And certainly a very bumpy Brexit 8/9 Community Speedwatch processes, with the country and 9 Parish Council Elections Arthur Vidler politicians so divided and bitter between the political parties. Such a 10 Syresham CE School Unitary Authorities lot of new faces on the green benches 11 Syresham Sports and Social Club of Westminster. 12 Parish Council Sulgrave Volunteers So what has happened in February over the years? 13 Just Dance 2019 Friendship Club Feb 8th, 1587 Mary Queen of Scots 14 Gardening Club Cinderella in February was beheaded 15 History Society Syresham Chapel Feb 16th, 1659, first ever 16 Sudoku Puzzles—from Keith Friday handwritten cheque used to settle a debt 17 Diary of Village Events and activities Feb 6th, 1783 The death of Lancelot ADVERTISING ‘Capability’ Brown the greatest Russell Woolley English landscape gardener [email protected] 07772-028422 Feb 1st 1901 Queen Victoria, aged 82, died on Jan 22nd, at Osborne Please send articles and pictures to Ian Draper at 9 Bell Lane, SYRESHAM House on the Isle of Wight, - her [email protected] body was brought to Portsmouth Tel: 01280-850388 OR 07966-196033 Feb 15th 1971 Britain moves to Photographs in this edition are provided by — decimal currency Katy Cole, Shirley Davis Kathy Festin, Cover Photograph:- Feb 11th 1975, Margaret Thatcher, Pimlico Snowdrops, Ian Draper elected the first female leader of the Conservative Party COPY DEADLINE FOR THE Ian Draper, January 2020 NEXT ISSUE:- MONDAY APRIL 27TH 2020 2 Grateful Thanks! people from a society or group you belong to (GEMS? Bowls, Church? Cricket Club?) … I would just like to say a the sky’s the limit! huge thank you for my We have to say ‘NO’ to animal acts due to amazing 50th Birthday insurance purposes. present back in Money raised will go to a charity to be December. announced soon and also to help run the I was so overwhelmed at new Village Hall. the huge generosity If you are interested, email me Keith Watts shown by everyone, and it is very much on [email protected] or text appreciated! 07831 537717 I really enjoy delivering in Syresham Go on! … You know you want to! Contact and having a good natter with everyone me now! each morning, so long may it continue! Keith Watts, Show Director Thanks again and all the best for 2020! Syresham Gems Best wishes, Bridget Simms, a dog first aider who is Postie Mike passionate about the physical and mental wellbeing of dogs joined us in November to give us some pointers in looking after our pets. She concentrated on emergency situations This is a heads up for all budding performers telling us what to look out for in emergency in and around Syresham! situations showing us how to quickly find an animal’s pulse points and to assess Take Your S.E.A.T. in conjunction with the situations including when CPR is needed Village Hall Committee, are putting on and how to carry out the procedure. Syresham’s Got Talent … because we know Syresham HAS GOT talent! In December we went to The Kings Head for our Christmas Meal. Thank you to everyone Take Your S.E.A.T. will build a stage, provide who attended for a very enjoyable evening lighting, sound and an audience, but we and I would also like to extend our thanks need about 20 acts to provide the to everyone at the Kings Head for the entertainment. splendid food presented to us. So, if you have ever thought, “I fancy We joined with The Syresham & District performing in front of an audience”, this is History Society for our January meeting your chance! when we watched the film Stan and Ollie, a There will be two shows on a Friday and film based on the later years of the lives of Saturday evening in early Autumn (Dates to the comedy double act Laurel and Hardy as be confirmed – watch out for posters). they toured the UK. Although some of the You can do anything! Form a band, do stand audience were surprised by the genre of the up comedy, sing us a song, play an film the feed back was very good. instrument, perform a dance routine, a Judith 01280-850613 funny poem, perform a short sketch using Maggie - 07734-080073 3 Card Recycling have been visiting Syresham Mums & Tots for 8 years! Wednesday Thank you to everyone mornings with other parents, who donated and bought grandparents and carers has been a recycled cards last year. firm fixture for me and firstly our son We raised over £120 - quite a lot of and now our daughter. Great friends cards at 5 for £1! have been made by all of us, even All the money goes directly through though we are not from the village! Friends of Bulgaria to disadvantaged As well as a chance to meet other children. parents, children from new-born to If anyone would like to help we meet pre-schoolers have the opportunity on Monday afternoons during winter to play with new toys, scoot around and autumn, at Vine Cottage. Sue the hall on cars and have a go at a Palmer 850252 crafty activity. Over our time we have made space Mums and Toddlers Group rockets, very hungry caterpillars, As a new parent nearly 8 years ago, I was looking for somewhere I could go with my son so that I could meet other local parents and he could meet other children. With the encouragement of a friend I took the daunting steps into Syresham village hall to the weekly Mums and Tots gathering. I say daunting, looking back although I was nervous not really knowing anyone, it was one of the best decisions I rainbow rice shakers, Easter baskets, made as a new mother! fruit kebabs and decorated biscuits to At the end of this school year I will name but a few. 4 In the Christmas term we made the post will have to be re-advertised, Christmas cards, had a visit from the although the Archdeacon did say that Spotted Chicken to paint pottery, had he had two curates, who were about a taster session from Cha Cha Chimps, to complete their curacies, one or planted bulbs, made key rings and had other of whom might be interested in a trip out to visit Father Christmas! our Benefice. This parent run group, runs during In the meantime we have been blessed term time on with a number of excellent visiting Wednesday clergy, not least the former Suffragan mornings from Bishop of Ramsbury, the Very 10 a.m. to 12 Reverend Edward Condry, who took p.m. at the our Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. village hall with We are very grateful to Alice and a snack and a Wiggy Smith who have led services and drink for the we enjoyed a talk on The Camino (the children. Pilgrims’ Path to All are Santiago de Compostela welcome, please come along and join in Spain) from Martin in the play whilst taking the chance to Brown, who had have a hot cup of tea or coffee! Katy recently completed the Coles pilgrimage. We had a successful Autumn Concert with the St James Interregnum Update th Brackley Wind Ensemble in November On 8 January we interviewed the th applicant who had come forward to be and our St Nicholas Fair on 7 Rector of the Astwell Benefice December raised over £800 for church (Syresham, Helmdon, Lois Weedon, funds. Our thanks to Brenda Faragher Wappenham, Whitfield and Radstone). for chairing the Fair committee. Going The interview panel comprised two forward we have the Benefice quiz in Helmdon Reading Room on Saturday representatives from each parish, the st patrons (from Oxford colleges), the Lay 21 March and the Church Fete will be held this year at the Priory on Saturday Chair of the Brackley Deanery, the th newly appointed Rural Dean, and the May 30 . day was chaired by the Archdeacon of A Food Challenge Contest is due to Northampton, the Venerable Richard be held at Helmdon on Friday 22nd Ormston. May at which William Sitwell, the well The venue was Wappenham Village known food writer, will talk and judge Hall. The candidate and his wife were the Best Starters and the Best Desserts very pleasant, but unfortunately we submitted by members of the did not feel quite confident enough to Benefice. be able to offer him the position. Thus Malcolm Orr-Ewing. Churchwarden 5 Letter from America:- Syresham Memories Kathy Festin I became a Syresham resident in February 1967. My husband at the time was in the United States Air Force, stationed at RAF Upper Heyford. We rented a flat in The Gate House for two years. At the time it was divided into nine flats and all but two were occupied by American GIs. Beatrice Hulme, who I understood had once owned the House, lived in the flat below us. It didn’t take long to fall in love with the village and its people.