U From the editor
Spring – it’s official! We have all those Bank Holidays
to look forward to in the next two months.
I chose 28 January (see
Weather Statistics on page 8) to collect the last Newsletter from the printers
and deliver to my distributors. Collecting early in the day was OK but later I
started off in Milton Common in rain. By the other end of Sandy
Lane in Tiddington
I was in thick snow! Needless to say the remaining deliveries were delayed for
a day or two!
A
very Happy Easter to everyone.
Zena Knight
Car Service for appointments at hospitals and with doctors
We
are hoping to start a car service for anyone in the village who has difficulty
in arranging transport to get to appointments with their doctor or at the local
hospitals.
As
soon as you have details of your appointment, please get in touch with
Thelma Blake on 01844 279567
so
that suitable transport arrangements may be made
Fleur Hughes
01844 338254
Don’t Miss Out
on Council Tax or Housing Benefit
|
|
Did you know?
·
More than 1.4 million
pensioners are losing out on Council Tax Benefit
·
Up to 860,000 households are
failing to claim £960 million in Housing Benefit.
·
Up to 2 million households
are failing to claim £860 million in Council Tax Benefit.
For
further information please contact Benefits on 01491 823579
or e-mail benefitssodcuk@liberata.com Alternatively write to:
South Oxfordshire District
Council, Benefits Service
Benson Lane, Crowmarsh
Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8NX
www.southoxon.gov.uk
Yvonne Cartwright’s
Fitness and Yoga Classes
This
class runs on a regular basis every
Thursday
at 10.30am
in
Tiddington Village
Hall
Parish Council News
North Close
parking – further reports of inconsiderate parking had been received and it
was agreed that the Police would be informed if the situation did not improve.
Milton Common notice board – erection has
been delayed due to a query which has now been resolved. Notices allowed in the
locked cabinet will mirror those on the notice board in Tiddington
and include Parish Council information, items of local interest from the
District and County Councils and selected local community events.
Concessionary fares tokens – the Parish
Council agreed to leave the parish contribution at £13.00 per person for the
year 2004/05.
Street lighting on A418 – consideration is
being given to the installation of a street light in the vicinity of the bus
stops on the A418. On the recommendation of the County Council, it is proposed
to erect a lamp standard on the north side of the A418 to throw light down on
to both bus shelters. Light would be shielded from the properties on the north
side of the A418. OCC has been asked to give a quote for
Tiddington with Albury Parish Council Members
Chairman John Nowell-Smith 339650
Econ.development,
businesses
Vice Chairman William Tremayne 279797
Public transport,
planning, highways,
footpaths,
street furniture
Councillor Roy Boughton 339497
Health and safety
Councillor Ken Field 339671
Housing, planning,
building & controls
Councillor Alan Stratton 339430
Sport, recreation, arts,
tourism, grants,
awards,
lottery
Councillor Janet Willis 339415
Environment,
conservation, recycling,
waste
Clerk Zena Knight 339340
24 Albury
View, Tiddington
the work with a view to
acceptance, but if there are any objections to the installation from residents,
please let the Clerk or a Councillor know.
BT Phone Books –
the recent changes to format and coverage of the local phone book have led to
complaints from residents because the parish is on the border with Oxford
but only receives the Aylesbury book. Following a letter to BT, one of many
apparently received, residents may request the phone book covering the Oxford
area to be delivered free of charge by calling the freephone
customer services number on 0800 833 400, selecting option 1.
Village website –
the website has been up and running for a while now and ideas would be welcome
from residents for its continued improvement and development. Please let Alan
Stratton know (Tel: 339430) if you can help.
Community waste
service – from 1 April, the skip service implemented last year will be
continued but there will be no skip lorries for garden
waste provided to the local villages. Please see separate notice for details of
locations and times.
Thame Area Forum – the next forum will be
held on 18 May at 7.00pm in Chinnor Village Centre. Subjects for discussion will be put
on the notice boards, but all residents are welcome to attend and raise any
issues about the services that the County and District Councils provide.
Payments – a
donation has been made to the Oxfordshire Association for the Blind.
Reusable shopping bags from OCC
Request
a Waste Reduction Pack and receive a voucher for a free calico shopping bag.
Telephone:
01865 816070 or
Email: waste.management@oxfordshire.gov.uk
From a Parish Councillor
My first year on the Parish Council. . .
“Me, become
a Parish Councillor – no way!”
Well, that
was my first reaction and that was after trying to chat
husband, John, into taking it on. I do also feel that Wendy next door should take
some of the blame. She also thought it was a good idea and didn’t think for one
minute I wouldn’t be any good at it!
I have to be
honest and say I probably joined because of the flooding at New Year 2003 and
thought, possibly, that was all the Parish Council did – sort out people’s
complaints and arrange to cut the grass each summer. How wrong I was! The
agenda each month is full of various topics ranging from Planning, Highways,
Rights of Way, Trees, Telephone Directories, Bus Fares, Parking, Street Lights,
Bus Shelters, etc.
We meet on
the first Monday of each month at 8.00pm and the meeting finishes
between 10.15 and 10.30. Anne Purse, our County Councillor joins us most months. As you can imagine with six of us (Roy Boughton was co-opted a few months after the May election)
we are not always in agreement and some things take a while to resolve!
I attended
my first meeting armed with agenda, pen and notebook, not knowing quite what to
expect. My fellow Councillors, Chairman John and Zena, our Parish Clerk were
sat at the ready. Alan and Ken I knew already (who doesn’t?). It just remained
for me to meet William, so first hurdle over already.
The meeting
consisted of a wide range of topics, but the things that puzzled me most were
all the abbreviations – SODC, CPRE, OALC, DEFRA, CAG (what?) and people’s first
names were used (so who was head or in charge of what?) Everyone else seemed to
know “who’s who”. Still, this would come in the fullness of time (estimate the
next 5-10 years or so!)
My prime
responsibility was to be for recycling, which I do feel passionately about. OCC
seems to be very well organised in this area. They do have special projects
which I hope to be able to inform you about from time to time via this
Newsletter.
I was
recently asked to be a “stand-in” for Gerry, who regularly empties the rubbish
bins in the children’s play area. I was most surprised to see syringes! Whilst
I appreciate that we do not provide bins for the exclusive use of dog fouling,
these items were placed in the rubbish bins (given that this was wrapped in
plastic bags and although it was only February, the smell was extremely
offensive). The cost of providing a bin for dogs is nearly £200 plus a weekly
charge for collection, all of which the Parish Council feels is a high cost to
be taken from the parish funding. Please remember this is a children’s playing area for the use of
our children and grandchildren. It is up to us to keep it a healthy
environment.
I am very
pleased to be able to be part of the Parish Council. My only regret is we do
not have many members of the public attending our meetings. As an “outsider” I
find it difficult to understand why. You have such a lively village, which
remains alive and vibrant, but it can only remain so with your help. Do try and
come along and support us. We would be pleased to hear your comments – whether
they are good or bad! I know you have been at work all day and it is a big
effort to come out again – I felt exactly the same – but your village needs
your input to go on into the future with the same sparkle as it has now.
Janet
Willis
Parish
Councillor
Refuse skips
Skips are available every Saturday at:
Wheatley Primary School, Littleworth Rd
8.00 – 12.00
1st
& 3rd Saturday for garden waste
2nd
& 4th Saturday for non-recyclables
Thame Cattlemarket
8.00 – 12.00 or until full
From your County Councillor
There are a number of
reasons to be concerned about the transport system in Oxfordshire. Many of us
get held up at Green Road
roundabout; we frequently hear of slow moving traffic on the A34. There are
more and heavier vehicles on the smaller roads, and everything seems to go
increasingly fast and furious.
Are there any solutions?
Some people advocate building new roads to accommodate the traffic, but very
few people want those roads near them, or near the countryside they love. Also,
there is a well-known effect that extra traffic soon appears to fill up the new
roads, so the benefit is not long lasting. In addition, there are always knock
on effects. The bypass that eased traffic around Newbury encouraged extra
traffic through the “two lane only” bottleneck at Botley,
where widening is unlikely because of the closeness of houses to the road.
A newer idea is road
pricing. This has been effective in Central London,
and might be applicable elsewhere, but it would not necessarily be right for
Oxfordshire. Some places can achieve extra capacity by using less used routes,
but there is no point in pricing cars off major roads in Oxfordshire on to
village routes that are already heavily used.
Various ideas are
already being considered at different levels. First, at a local level I am
still working with the Parish Council to press for something more than just
signing for Sandy Lane.
I had only one response to my request in this newsletter for more information
on accidents or injuries on this road, and would again appeal for any more
information that could strengthen our case.
On a higher level, the
County Council has come forward with a set of measures that will help the Green
Road roundabout. You may
have heard of the “hamburger” solution, that would
give an extra two lanes of traffic going between the A40 from the Wheatley
direction to the north of Oxford
via the Ring Road. Some minor work will take place before that, but the main
work is not scheduled until 2006/07 – something that I am really concerned
about, as I think we need a solution as soon as possible. This roundabout has
only become the County’s responsibility in the last couple of years. Previously
the Green Road
roundabout at Headington was a Central Government
responsibility, and they repeatedly turned down the County’s requests to
improve the situation. Oxfordshire County Council has recognised the need to
act, but I believe that we need to see action as soon as possible at this
trouble spot.
Lastly, a new approach
to the whole issue of transport in the County is being developed in the
Transport Networks Review. That is a piece of work set up to identify the
problems that will be facing us up to 2011, and seek solutions. Parish Councils
and others have been invited to take part in this work, so that the County
Council has a wide spread of information from local people throughout the
county.
Although there are no
magic solutions, the County Council is working to recognise the problems and to
provide appropriate measures where possible. I would be pleased to hear your
views on this matter.
Anne Purse, County
Councillor
Tel: 01865 351404
Email: anne.purse@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Wood Recycling
OCC
has introduced a Wood Recycling Scheme. Take your new or used wood to a local
Waste Recycling Centres at
Redbridge (Oxford)
or Oakley Wood (Wallingford)
Other
recycling schemes include garden tools, carpentry tools, tins of paint and
second-hand furniture.
For further information ring 01865 815796
From your District Councillor
First, the bad news. We are not,
under present plans, to get our skip back (see details elsewhere)
Now,
the chink of light. The Leader of the District Council is not
getting hers either and she does not like it. Representations have been made,
particularly criticising the survey methodology on which the decision was
based. As a result, the District Council is considering appointing a surveyor
of surveys and a review of the skip position is possible.
A great deal of time has
been taken up at the Council in connection with its Comprehensive Performance
Assessment, which gives it a grade and forms a basis for comparison with other
Councils. There are high hopes of moving from Fair to Good, although it is
acknowledged that Excellent is probably more than can be expected this time
round.
You should all by now
have received your Council Tax demands. These are higher than SODC would have
liked particularly as it has managed to keep its own rise to 2.7%. It has no
control over the County Council or the Police Authority, for which it acts as
collecting agent. Similarly it does not control Parish precepts. Tiddington’s remains broadly in line with similar councils.
A new Council year
begins in May and will hopefully bring improvements in services which affect
this Parish
John Nowell-Smith
Tel: 01844 339650
Broadband
BT
has a trigger level set to 200 for the Ickford
exchange.
The
current figure registered is 171. We only require 29 more people to register.
Register
now at http://www.bt.com/btbroadband/register
Mark
Stoker
From the Vicar
This is the first time I have written for this newsletter
and I would like to express a warm thank you on behalf of my whole family for
the warm welcome we have received from everybody. We are very pleased to be amongst you and
look forward to getting to know you better over the coming weeks and months.
Please feel free
to get in touch when you need to. My number is 01865 873451 and my e-mail is caroline.king@virgin.net. I work part time but I will always return a
message as soon as I can. I am usually
available at the Vicarage on Monday mornings. You are especially welcome to
call or visit then.
This year Easter
is on 11 April. Easter Day is the church’s major feast day and there will be a
service at 9.30am
in St Helen’s Albury.
I shall be sharing the leading of that service with John Nowell-Smith and I hope to meet a number of you there.
Easter is a
wonderful time, and nature echoes the theme of new life as the blossom comes
out, the trees become green and the spring flowers continue to bloom. It is the good news of Easter that gives life
depth and meaning; it shows to us that suffering and evil can never have the
final word.
As I write this
letter, I am only too aware of the evil things that happen in this world. The Madrid
bombings were only last week and the Spanish people are struggling to uphold
democracy amidst the carnage that was unleashed upon them. How do we respond to such atrocities?
I firmly believe
that for Christians we must hold on to the message of Easter. Jesus died a real and mortal death on the
cross, the victim of human cruelty. But
the story did not end there. If it had Jesus would have been a good man who
died on a cross, the victim of a gross miscarriage of justice.
Yet three days
after his death a strange thing happened - people claimed to have met
Jesus. Mary Magdalene in the garden
of Gethsemane
was the first person to meet Jesus. At
first she didn’t recognise him, but her grief was
transformed and she took the news of the risen Christ to the disciples who met
Jesus first in the upper room and then on the road to Emmaus. They believed because they met the risen
Christ and he transformed their lives; where there was despair there was hope
once again.
For Christians
the message of Easter is not only history. The risen Christ is present in this
world today and
seeks to transform our lives with his message of love and hope, an assurance
that God’s final word will not be the victory of evil, but that evil will be
conquered by the gentle transforming love of the risen Jesus. The message of Easter is really a message
of hope and joy. This Easter I pray that
we may experience and know something of God’s risen power in our own lives.
With best wishes
for a very happy Easter
Caroline
Catherine Bibikoff - 1935 to 2003
Catherine was born in
Wallasey, Cheshire
in 1935, to parents who came from a Russian aristocratic family, whose
documented family tree goes back to the year AD 536. Catherine’s generation
were the first in line since that date not to use their titles.
Catherine’s father,
Captain Liakhoff was a cavalry officer and ADC to
General Wrangel in the white army, and having worked
with guide dog training in Switzerland
was recommended to join the fledgling organisation in the UK.
He arrived in England
in October 1933 and was to serve the Association as trainer, director of
training, and finally as consultant until his death in 1962.
Her mother was Princess Ourousoff, who was a nurse during the Russian Revolution
and later worked for the British Government in Salonika.
Both she and Captain Liakhoff had escaped Russia
during the revolution and met in Odessa.
Catherine and her sister
were brought up in Wallasey and Leamington Spa Guide Dog Centres and were the
first fundraisers and puppy walkers, later working closely with their father
who was assistant director of training. In the early 1950’s Catherine and her
husband, a biologist and entomologist took the Guide Dog movement to South
Africa, where they set up the
country’s first Guide Dog Centre.
Catherine spoke English,
French and Russian fluently and wrote three books but never tried to have them
published. She attended the University in Lausanne,
Switzerland
and lived with her aunt Countess Susanett, a great
friend of Coco Chanel. She was often invited to
dinner parties, where she met the rich and famous of that time.
While in South
Africa her marriage broke up
and she returned to England
with her 2-year old daughter Olga. She struggled to make ends meet and sadly
was never able to make a home of her own, something she desperately wanted for
her daughter and herself.
Catherine ended up after
many moves in a rented cottage in Tiddington, where
she lived for nearly 20 years. Catherine was very lonely and unhappy. She was
looking forward to being taken to her daughter’s on Christmas Eve for a couple
of weeks away from the cottage. However on Christmas Eve she was taken to the John
Radcliffe
Hospital
instead.
Everyone that knew her well will remember her
sense of humour, her ability to talk and enjoy conversations on current
affairs, her love and compassion for animals, her friends and family, the
Russian Orthodox Church and at times her outspokenness.
Olga
United
Neighbours In Tiddington
At our January meeting
we were given a very humorous talk and shown some slides on “three weeks in
China” by a lady who, despite the food and some aspects of the life there which
are so alien to our own, obviously has very fond memories of this country.
This was followed by our
AGM and election of the committee members, that this
year resulted in little change (full committee list on notice board in the
Village Hall).
Our February meeting
began with a talk on the statues and interesting sculptures of London,
including a little history of each one.
On 20 April we have a
talk entitled “Leather Carving” and in May on the 18th we hear about
“Oxford:
a bus top view”.
Several of us are going
to the latest Chinnor Players musical in April, as we
have for many years now, and later in the year we are planning a trip to the
dogs, a Christmas shopping trip to Cheltenham,
a barbecue in August and our usual Dinner Dance on 4 December, amongst other
things.
For any other
information about our club, please contact Josie Adams, Julie Smith or any
committee member.
Pat Wise
Weather statistics
January
Will
be remembered for the snow on the 28th, which arrived in Tiddington at 16.00 hours, and brought chaos on the roads.
Most unusual was that it was accompanied by lightning. This was followed by the
electricity going off between 17.15 and 23.15 hours. I have not heard the
reason why; while the surrounding areas were fine.
We had 16 wet days and
13 days of frost.
February
Rather a mixed month for
weather. The temperature in Gravesend
was the highest for the first week of February at 64.2degF (17.9degC). The rain
for the western part of the country was exceptional. Snowdonia had 6.48ins of
rain in 24 hours and 10.75ins in 3 days. This equals Essex
rainfall for the whole of February.
We had 1.35ins for the
month, with 17 rain-free days, and 14 days of frost. Our coldest night was on
the 25th, when the temperature fell to 19degF (-7degC).
In the last 100 years,
30 February’s were warmer and 70 colder, while 39 have been drier and 61 were
wetter.
March up to 18th
So far we have had 6
days of frost with snow on the 12th.
Total rainfall so far is
1.1ins.
Let us hope that we
shall be seeing more beautiful Spring days as we had
on the 16th.
Glen Evans
Waterstock & Tiddington
W.I.
At our Annual Meeting in March, Sue Cox was re-elected
President and members were told of the interesting programme of speakers that
has been arranged for the new year. We shall also be
celebrating the 80th anniversary of the WI, which was formed in
October 1924 and at that time included Waterperry.
Plans for the year ahead include a
sales table at most monthly meetings. Members will have a chance to sell
goods, which might include surplus garden produce, home-made cakes, hand-made items, to name a few. The WI will take 10%
commission on the sales. Notice of the sales tables will be shown in the new
printed programme, available at the April meeting.
On 8 April, Mary Daniel of Age Concern will give a talk
entitled “Add life to years” and there will be a bring
and buy stall.
The Resolutions for the National AGM will be discussed on
13 May. There are three subjects - trafficking of women and children, growing
of GM crops in the UK
and Air Ambulance Service funding. The first of the sales tables will be
organised.
On 21 April, the Group Meeting will be held in Thame
Town Hall and men and women from
Sulgrave Manor will be dressed in costume depicting Tudor times. A group outing
to Sulgrave Manor will follow on 2 July, when a guided tour will be arranged
and a buffet lunch provided on a day when the house is not normally open to the
public.
Holton WI
is organising a bluebell walk on 15 May at 2.00pm
from the Village Hall and tea will be provided afterwards.
Members and friends will be taking the coach to the
Playhouse to see "Kiss Me Kate” performed by the Oxford Operatic Society
on 19 May. This is always enjoyed as the special coach provides a door-to-door
service.
Our monthly meetings are held in Tiddington
Village Hall on the second Thursday in the month at 7.30pm. Visitors and new members will be made very
welcome.
Zena Knight
Remember
Refuse collection days will be Tuesdays
following the three Bank Holidays coming in April and May
See Dates for your Diary
Tiddington Cricket Club
April is always an
exciting time of year as it signifies the start of a new playing season. In
preparation for this, pre-season fitness sessions and nets continue on the
following dates:
Fitness: Thursday 1
April Ickford Village Hall 7.15
– 8.30pm
Thursday 8 April Ickford Village Hall 7.15 – 8.30pm
Nets final session: 4
April Lower School Thame
1- 2pm
We have arranged two
work parties on Saturday 3 April and Friday 9 April at 10.00am to prepare for
the new season. The pre-season players’ meeting is on 3 April starting at 7.30pm in the
Clubhouse. A supper is included at approx £3.
Outdoor nets and coaching
for senior players and all players over 13 years old will start on Thursday 15
April. Junior coaching for all children under 13 years
(minimum age 7 years) will now take place on Wednesday evenings from 6.30 to 8.00pm starting on 5
May and continuing to the last Wednesday in July.
We will almost certainly
have the service of an Australian coach to oversee the above sessions.
Early season fixtures:
Saturday 17 April Home
vs. Thame
Sunday 18 April Away vs.
Middleton Stoney
The National
Village
competition for us starts on Sunday 2 May Away vs. Moreton/Baldons
followed the day after (Monday Bank Holiday) with the annual match against our
President’s eleven.
The winter Aunt Sally
League has now finished, with our team doing well to finish in the top three. The
outdoor season starts in May with both teams looking forward to the new season.
Hopefully we will know
whether we have been awarded a grant towards a new pavilion very soon. A
positive result will mean that work starts in the autumn.
As ever we welcome new
members and players. Please contact myself or at the Clubhouse bar should you
require further information.
Ray Manning
Tiddington Village Hall
The Village Hall was the
venue for two more entertaining events. In February we had a group called “Band
of Two” perform to an enthusiastic crowd. The evening raised nearly £200 and
was well attended. Then last month we had the return of “Instant Wit”, a trio
of actors who put on a brilliant performance considering the very poor
attendance. Unfortunately, we think the weather was a contributing factor to
the small turnout and those who were thinking of coming and didn’t, missed out
on a wonderfully funny night.
Please help by
supporting the Village Hall events. We are fortunate enough to have a superb
facility, which is well maintained and looked after, but we always need help in
keeping it going. This year we hope to re-develop the toilets to add disabled
facilities and increase the size of the kitchen. This of course will take time
and money, so please help in any way you can. After all, it’s your Village
Hall!
Alan Stratton
Chairman
CCLRC
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
Open afternoons 1.30-4.30pm (free)
26 May Instrumentation
Detectors for imaging X-ray emissions from the Sun, capturing
spectrum of ultraviolet light, etc
21 July Isis and Particle Physics
World’s most powerful pulsed neutron spallation
source
To reserve a place contact Emma Gilgunn-Jones
Tel: 01235 445553
WHEATLEY LIBRARY
There
will unfortunately be no storytime during
the Easter holidays, but the next one will be on 1 June for 4 – 8 year olds.
FREE tickets must be collected in
advance.
Junior Book Sale on 25 May
Half Term – Half Price
Starts
28 May – Junior videos (U, PG, 12).
Exciting
news! Wheatley Library is going to be linked to a fully computerised
Oxfordshire Library System later this year. So watch this space or pop in to
see us. Do not forget, we already have public use terminals for you to e-mail,
etc. Free of charge!
Our
opening times are as follows:-
Tuesday 2.00 – 7.00
Wednesday 9.30 – 1.00 2.00
– 5.00
Thursday 2.00 – 5.00
Friday 9.30 – 1.00 2.00 – 6.00
Saturday 9.30 – 1.00
Tel:
01865 875267
Carole
Underwood
Library
Manager
BENSON 10K
ROAD RACE
The Benson Hot Cross Bun Run
Benson’s first ever 10K Road Race
Sunday 11 April,
10.30am
The race will start and finish in Benson and take in Rokemarsh, Roke and Berrick Salome
For further information contact
Les Bond on 01491 838585
www.bensonbulletin.com
PRESENTS
MIDSUMMER MUSIC
IN A
COUNTRY GARDEN
Oxford Touring Opera at Rofford
Manor, Little Milton
Bring a picnic Enjoy the
glorious garden Inside
if wet
Friday 18th June at 7.30 pm
(gardens open from 6 pm)
Ticket price: £17.50 Tickets on sale from April 1st
Contact:
CPRE Branch Office Tel: 01865 874780
Email: oxoncpre@globalnet.co.uk
Website: www.cpreoxon.org.uk
Mobile phones or similar
hand-held
devices
Under new regulations which
came into force on 1 December 2003,
it is a specific offence to use a hand-held phone or similar device, when
driving. The penalty is a £30 fixed penalty or up to £1,000 on conviction in
court (£2,500 for drivers of goods vehicles, buses or coaches). Drivers still
risk prosecution (for failure to have proper control) if they use hands-free phones when driving. If
there is an incident and the driver is using any phone (hand-held or
hands-free) then there is a risk of prosecution for careless or dangerous
driving.
The regulations also apply to
anyone supervising a learner driver and those held up in traffic jams unless
the engine is switched off for any length of time.
Great Haseley and District Horticultural
Society
Visits arranged for 2004:
Wednesday, 5 May at 6.30pm
Turn End, Haddenham. This one acre garden
has been cleverly designed by its owner Peter Aldington
as a series of interconnected and enclosed gardens, to give the impression of a
much larger garden. There should be a wonderful display of late bulbs and
blossom. Mr Aldington will introduce the garden and
describe how it has evolved.
Members £3.50 Non-members £4.50
Wednesday, 23 June at 3.00pm
The Manor House, Bledlow, Bucks. This
lovely garden has been designed and recreated over a period of 50 years by Lord
and Lady Carrington. It is a large garden and, amongst other things, there is a
walled herbaceous and kitchen garden, topiary and sculpture gardens, and a
water garden through which runs the River Lyde, a
tributary of the River Thame. The Head Gardener will
introduce the garden.
Members £4.50 Non-members £5.50
Further information and
tickets in advance from: Mary Isaac, Brooks Cottage, Great Haseley.
Tel: 01844 279606
What’s on for kids over the Easter holidays with SOLL Leisure
Thame Leisure Centre (01844 215607) Book up
for 2 weeks of fun sporting and arty activities including drama workshops,
fencing, kite making, swimming lessons and much more.
The Park Sports Centre,
Holton (01865 872128). Camp SOLL Easter themed day
camps including Easter egg hunts, biscuit designing and arts and crafts.
For the more sporty book up for trampoline coaching,
gymnastics, dance workshops and SAS Keiser Spin.
Something Unusual from Newington Nurseries
If
the spring days are encouraging you to plan a new look for your garden this
year, why not go for a Mediterranean feel?
It’s straightforward to achieve in the smallest of spaces, easy to care
for, and perfect for our hotter, drier summers.
The
Mediterranean look is simple, stunning and ideal in a courtyard setting. The key feature is a tree for shade, more
than one if you have space, and the older and more gnarled the better. Fig trees are perfect, or you could choose an
olive (hardy in our climate), or an oleander.
All these can be grown in pots and kept small if space is tight. If it isn’t, try the fast growing eucalyptus,
or for something different, the evergreen loquat (Eriobotrya
japonica) is drought tolerant and very unusual.
It has furry clumps of fragrant white flowers in winter and spring,
followed by tasty orange fruit and large brown seeds in summer. Surround your tree with drought-proof grasses
and perennials like low growing rock roses (Cistus)
and cape daisies (Osteospermums), alongside colourful
cannas, spiky cardoons (Cynara cardunculus)
and phormiums.
Place lots of large flat pebbles in between the plants. These will contrast beautifully with the
leaves and flower shapes and provide a mulch. For more permanent landscaping, you could set
the pebbles in concrete.
There
is no grass in a Mediterranean garden.
Paving (often terracotta) and gravel is used instead, punctuated with
some well chosen plants in pots. Citrus
trees are an obvious choice, or you could try yuccas and palms like the
European fan palm (Chamaerops Humilis),
or chusan palm (Trachycarpus
Fortunei).
Smaller pots can be filled with lavender, rosemary, aloe vera, agaves or even a selection of cacti. For something a little bit different, why not
try a prickly pear (Opuntia).
Finally,
what about those finishing touches? If
you have the room, a couple of huge terracotta pots tipped on to their side
would complete the look. If not, a
collection of brightly coloured geraniums in pots, ideally fixed to wrought
iron wall hangers would do the job just as well. And don’t forget grapevine, passion flowers
or clematis (Montana or Armandii are ideal) to scramble up trellis pagodas for
added effect.
Newington Nurseries is on the
A329 just outside Stadhampton
Tel: 01865 400 533
Ickford
Pre-school
offers education and care for children below school age. We offer children the opportunity to learn
through play in a stimulating and nurturing environment.
Ickford
Pre-school
also offers the following:
ó
Qualified and enthusiastic staff.
ó
8 allocated places for 2 ½ year olds.
ó
Government funded places for 3-year and
4-year olds.
ó
Termly
pre-school sessions five mornings
per week.
ó
Pre-school sessions held at Ickford Village Hall, Mondays to Thursdays, 9.15-11.45 am.
ó
Thursday sessions incorporate one hour of
Gym Club.
ó
Friday pre-school session held at Ickford
School,
9.00-11.45 am,
which helps children integrate into school life in
readiness for their Reception year.
ó
Registered with OFSTED, Charity Commission and
Members of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.
ó
Ickford
Pre-school
promotes Equal Opportunities at all times.
Baby/Toddler Sessions
«
Our Baby & Toddler sessions are held
every Tuesday and Wednesdays during term time at Ickford
Village Hall, commencing at 9.15
am and finishing at 10.30 am. There is a specific craft area for the Babies
and Toddlers to enjoy at both sessions.
«
Toddlers may also use, with parental
supervision, the climbing frame/slide, table activities, dressing-up, messy activities, the book corner, or join in with any
pre-school activity. Soft mats and toys
are also provided for babies.
Easter Coffee
Morning/Raffle
We are holding our Easter Coffee
Fundraising Morning on Wednesday 31st March, 10.30-11.45 am
at Ickford Village Hall.
* WIN AN EASTER HAMPER
*
HUNT
THE EASTER EGG TREASURE
MAP
*
USBORNE
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
*
TEA,
COFFEE, HOT CROSS BUNS & CAKES
We
look forward to seeing you!
If you wish to find out more about our Pre-School, Baby &
Toddler Group, funded place availability, or to put your child's name dawn on
our waiting list, please contact
Meryl Munson, Supervisor, on
01844 339608.
Myths and Magic
Recent research by local independent fostering
agency, familyplacement.com has revealed that the public still believes many of
the negative myths and misconceptions about foster care.
According
to the research, a significant proportion of people think that most foster
children have extreme behaviour problems, that all of the children come from
broken homes, that you have to jump through hoops to be approved to foster and
that most foster carers are unpaid work, untrained “mother earth” type
volunteers.
The
reality is more complex. Although some of the children can be very trying, and
applicants do have to complete a robust vetting process, in practice, providing
a safe and nurturing home for a child can be a magical experience. There is
nothing quite like seeing a child relax, become happier and begin to thrive in
your care and knowing you have made a real difference to them.
To
help people realise this level of achievement, the agency pays all of its
foster carers a significant weekly fee in addition to a maintenance allowance
for the child and all carers have access to around the clock support.
If
you think you could make a difference for a local child, or would like further
information, please telephone
Andy
Clipson on 01993 201514 or
Email:
info@familyplacement.com
CAPOLD
Citizen
Advocacy for People of Oxfordshire with Learning Disabilities
Could
you help someone with a learning disability to speak up about what they want?
We
need volunteers to work with people who need help to make their voice heard.
Volunteers
receive free training, expenses, support and advice
For
more information contact Helen on 01865 741293
