The Fulbrook News Our Quarterly Newsletter December 2017 Number 71 In this issue: • The latest news on our clubs and activities • Report from the FaB WI • Fulbrook News and Views with your views, comments & articles from within Fulbrook • What’s going on at the FMP & the Diary • News and forthcoming events from Fulbrook Church • News from Burford School • A new recipe from our Semi-naked Chef • Do read on . The bonfire at Bob Warner’s fireworks party WANTED for publication! Please send us your articles, comments, ideas, letters, poems, whatever. This is your Newsletter – please send contributions to our new email address: [email protected] Next Issue: March 2018, Copy Date - Monday 12 th February 2018 The Fulbrook Newsletter is distributed free to every household in the village. Subscription copies are available by post at £5.00 per annum from the distribution office at Dolphin House, Westhall Hill, OX18 4BJ 1 Dear Readers, Since the last newsletter we have been enjoying some glorious autumn days with lovely golden hues from the characteristic beech trees shedding their leaves to make a golden carpet beneath, and cloudless blue skies. All the more to be relished, as these days have been punctuated by some less romantic wet and dreary days, where all we have wanted to do is stay safely inside. However, Fulbrook people are not to be put off so easily from venturing out to come together to enjoy themselves and we have had a number of celebrations in all parts of the village. November 4th was a wet and windy day, but this did not stop the sterling work of all the people buckling down to the village clean up, and gathering together many many bags of leaves and debris – some to be collected by the council but others to contribute to the bonfire which was lit in the evening as part of the celebrations for fireworks night. The clean up was followed by wonderful refreshments in the church and our thanks go to the Amenities Committee for organising everything, and to everyone who gave their time and energy and braved the weather to help. The fireworks celebrations were generously hosted by Bob and Pauline Warner in their field and barn and many thanks go to them. Fortunately, by the evening the wind and rain had stopped, and although it was cold, a large number of children and adults came together to enjoy a magnificent and very lengthy display of fireworks that could be seen throughout the village. Those who came also brought food and drink to share which made for a jolly and sociable evening and an excellent end to the day. The photo on the front cover is of the guy on top of the bonfire. Other occasions brought various people together in the village to celebrate too – Jean and Bill Nelson are to be congratulated on their Golden Wedding on 8th October which they marked with a family party at the Upton Smokery; Oliver and Robyn Sharpley are celebrating the safe arrival of their little granddaughter Nancy Bluebell, and Jane and Keith George celebrated their 50th birthdays at the Warwick Hall – with an ‘Oompah Band’! The article on the Church news celebrates the coming together of many people in some excellent services in October and November. Don’t forget to put the Christmas Eve carol service at 4pm in your diaries – but get to the church a little early as this is always a wonderful occasion when the church will be full. We have some new people to welcome in the village – Mark Harrison and his family have bought Minstrel Cottage and have moved into Beech Grove, and there are two Australians, Jeff and Murray, who have rented Footstool Cottage in Meadow Lane for the winter for the second or third time. A hearty welcome to them – please do join in with the village activities and events, which make living here quite special. We need to say a big ‘Get Well’ to two members of the Weir family – Anne who is having surgery (and especially good wishes from the Thursday fitness group who have missed her) and David who has been injured in two recent accidents. We hope that you will both be completely recovered by Christmas and able to fully enjoy the season. We also have to say a very fond farewell to Maurice and Jo Robinson but hope very much we shall be continuing to welcome them back to the lunch club and the coffee mornings held regularly in the Fulbrook Meeting Place (see the FMP news for dates). Another farewell too, to Marta, Santi and Kenya Morena who have moved from Westhall Hill to Ascott-under-Wychwood. In December we have more to look forward to – the Fitness Group and other groups will be having their Christmas lunches, there will be carol singing around the village on December 19th – always fun to join in - everyone is welcome, just come and join in at the start at The Carpenters Arms at 6.30pm, and the carol service on 24th December at 4pm and service on Christmas morning at 9.30am. There is a full Christmas lunch being offered at the Warwick Hall for anyone who would like to go – please call in at the Warwick Hall if you would like to book for this. The weather forecasters have been making rather gloomy predictions about cold and snowy weather – let’s hope they are wrong (although just a sprinkling of snow can be very beautiful and get us in the Christmas spirit). But if they are right please remember your neighbours and anyone who may need help or shopping and call the Churchwardens if you know of anyone who especially needs friendship at this time of year. We wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas and hopeful New Year. Lyn Bibbings Burns Editorial Team: Hon. Secretary & Distributor: Jenny Jones, Meadow House, Meadow Lane, 823492 Hon. Treasurer & Compiler: Laurence Balbes, Meadow Way Cottage, Meadow Lane, 823990 Advertising: Lesley Beveridge, Meadow View, Arkel Close, 824352 Local Correspondent & Distributor: Diana Brown, Dolphin House, Westhall Hill, 822147 Lyn Bibbings Burns, Garden House, Dolphin Lane, 823640 (Editorial this issue) 2 2 FULBROOK, OXFORDSHIRE numbers and the Parish council will then PARISH COUNCIL pass them to Police. They will follow up Chairman: with a warning letter; any constant offenders Wally Ingleby 822192 will be pursued for prosecution. These are Councillors: outline details but volunteers will be required Peter Burns 823640 (VC) for the work. If anyone is interested could Tricia Picking 822287 you please contact Jo Glyde, on the usual Bob Warner 822761 Lyn Newland 07810 088374 number. Parish Clerk: • Please let the Parish Council know what you Jo Glyde think about any of the above or other issues. ([email protected]) Meetings of FPC are held at the Meeting Pipkin, Beech Grove, Fulbrook, OX18 Place at the back of the church and the 4DF Telephone 823023 following date has been set for the next www.fulbrookvillage.net meeting:- th 15 January 2018, 7.30pm All are welcome at these meetings. FULBROOK PARISH COUNCIL Don’t forget the website www.fulbrookvillage.net There has been one Parish Council meeting held since the last Newsletter, the date of which was 25th Wally Ingleby September 2017. Chairman Points to Note are:- • Amenities Committee Chairperson, I’m From the Parish Clerk: pleased to report that Malcolm Taylor has Our MP Robert Courts has recently written to the accepted the role of chairperson and we look Parish Clerk advising of a scheme run by Witney forward to his leadership of the committee. Lions Club. It is called the Message in a Bottle Malcolm and Catherine Taylor came to the scheme. The club provides small plastic bottles, free village recently to run the Cotlands Guest of charge, inside which the user places their House. Malcolm held previous roles in emergency information, including medical details finance and accounting. and contact information. This is then kept in the • Robert Courts, the local Conservative MP for fridge and can be readily accessed by Emergency Witney, visited the Parish and met with 4 Services if they are called to the home in an members from the Parish council. General emergency. discussions were held on roads, The user places the green stickers provided on the developments, weight restrictions, access to outside of the fridge and on the inside of their front Burford, speeding, and not least of all traffic door. All the Emergency Staff are aware of the congestion. We were pleased to note he scheme and are trained to look for these stickers. shared many of the same views; we hope to be working more closely with him in the near More information can be found on the Witney Lions future. Club website: witneylions.org.uk/messageinabottle.html. • The War Memorial Trust has now made The Witney Lions are keen to point out that this payment of the grant and the War memorial scheme is free. looked splendid for Remembrance Sunday. I hope everyone will thank the Wyatt’s and The Parish Clerk e-mails fortnightly details of Bob Tivey who have offered to provide a planning applications, events and other new cherry tree to replace the old one. communications from West Oxfordshire District • Speeding through the village is a constant Council. If you would like to be added to the list source of concern for all, so we are please let me know, [email protected]. investigating the Community Speedwatch Jo Glyde, Parish Clerk scheme. Basically volunteers are required to 01993 823023 use a speed gun, log offenders’ registration 3 BURFORD AND DISTRICT For more information contact HORTICULTURAL ASSOCIATION [email protected].