# From
the Editor
By the time you read this,
Easter will be over and I hope all have had a restful holiday.
Two Bank Holidays to come
in May but before that the cricketing season will be upon us again and matches
to look forward to, including the first round of the Village KO (see page 6).
There will be regular dances in the Village Hall but otherwise quiet there
except for the volunteers hard at work making the Hall kitchen a place to be
proud of. We are promised a special summer event to come (see page 6)
Zena Knight
Milton Common NHW (West Side)
From
Thames Valley Police
Community
Safety
All residents have the ability to
have an impact on improving their local community.
Poorly lit footpaths, broken fences,
smashed windows, graffiti, and littering, can all have a detrimental effect on
community safety.
If buildings or structures are
allowed to fall into decline it may be a trigger for crime and anti-social
behaviour to increase. This is known as "Broken Windows Syndrome".
We would welcome your feedback in
identifying any areas of concern within your neighbourhood. Your local
knowledge could have a very positive effect in reducing crimes and anti-social
behaviour in the future, by simply carrying out what is known as an
Environmental Visual Audit and reporting any areas of concern to your local
Crime Reduction Adviser at Thames Valley Police on 08458 505 505.
There has also been a rise in the
number of outhouse and storage container burglaries since the end of January
this year in our area. Items stolen have
included a caravan, garden and power tools, quad bikes, trailers and horse
tack. The offences are happening
throughout the day and overnight.
Please mark all your items with your
postcode and house number or first two initials of your house name.
Shackle items like quad bikes, lawn
mowers and bikes to the fabric of the building or to ground anchors.
As we have extended our NHW to the
whole of Sandy Lane now, I need to recruit some more dog walkers that walk from
Tiddington up to Sandy Lane Farm for Dog Watch –
please ring if you walk this far.
Still
looking for the MOST WANTED NHW Co-Ordinator for Tiddington.
Elaine Horne
NHW Co-ordinator M/C
01844 279520
Parish Council News
Affordable
housing - the planning application for the building of eleven
mixed dwellings on Station Yard was considered by the District Council Planning
Committee on 12 March. Five Parish councillors attended and on behalf of the
Council, Elaine Horne presented the case for refusal of the application on the
grounds that:
¨ The total of eleven dwellings no longer meets the needs of local people
¨ The high cost of contamination removal has made the homes unaffordable
¨ Highway access on to the A418 is too dangerous
¨ The houses are overbearing to the neighbouring bungalow because of differences
in ground levels
The
Planning Committee was unanimous in its decision to support the planning
officers and approve the planning application. The only proviso given was that
the County Council should give serious consideration to highway safety
improvements. The Parish Council hopes this might mean we gain our pedestrian
crossing!
The
majority of the Parish Council are unhappy at the
outcome, especially as the Councillors feel that their views were
misrepresented and misunderstood. Subject to the strength of feeling and
representations from Tiddington village residents,
they will seriously consider an appeal against the decision. The timescale for appeal is tight so please
make your feelings known in writing so that it can be produced in evidence to
strengthen the Parish Council’s case. Please send your letters to the Clerk,
Ken Poyser at Rosewood, Ickford Road or
give to a Parish Councillor.
Tiddington with Albury Parish Council Members
Chair John Nowell-Smith 339650
Econ.development,
businesses
Vice
Chair Zena Knight 339340
Planning; recreation,
arts, grants
Councillor Ken Field 339671
Housing, planning,
building & controls
Councillor Elaine Horne 279520
Planning, highways and
Milton Common
Councillor Brian Price 339977
Health & safety
Councillor Janet Willis 339415
Environment,
conservation, recycling,
waste
Clerk Ken Poyser 339216
Rosewood, Ickford Road,
Tiddington
From
your new Clerk
I have recently taken over
from Jenny Stoker as Clerk, to whom many thanks for her kindness.
A retired Chartered
Accountant (I try to keep quiet about that!), having previously lived and
worked in Worcestershire for many years, I moved to Tiddington
at the beginning of 2007.
My wife, Sylvia Devereaux, (we married in June 2005) has lived in Tiddington for 15 years or so, having previously lived in Thame. She teaches mathematics at Lord Williams’s School.
Between us we have four
children, all married, and seven grandchildren, two of whom live in America with
Sylvia’s son Daniel and his wife Kayla.
I keep myself relatively
busy with part-time jobs, gardening and odd jobs and the all too occasional
round of golf. I also sing tenor with the choral society run by my son Richard,
who is head of music at New College School
in Oxford.
I am finding my way as the
new clerk and hope that you will bear with me as I settle in!
Having
said this, please do contact me if there is anything with which you feel I may
be able to be of assistance.
Ken
Poyser
Phone
01844 339216
Email
ken@kenpoyser.plus.com
From
your Council Chairman
We have welcomed on board
Brian Price as our newly co-opted Parish Councillor and Ken Poyser
as Clerk. Ken has indicated that he might also have a go at editing the
newsletter once he has settled in as Clerk. We are very sad to see Jenny Stoker
go and give her a big thank you for the great job she has done for us.
The big news has obviously
been the decision of SODC to grant planning permission for affordable housing
in the Station Yard. The scheme is not what we wanted but it may not be too
late to get some improvements and the arguments for a pelican crossing are
strengthened.
Ken Field, Brian Price,
Elaine Horne and Zena Knight met with a highways official from Oxfordshire
County Council and David Turner, our County
Councillor, and did their
best to explain the drainage and flooding problems that have bugged us over the
years. Hopefully there will now be a better understanding and things may
improve.
Negotiations are
continuing with the County Council with regard to the replacement memorial
tree. Any suggestions for a ceremonial planter are most welcome.
John Nowell-Smith
339650
Refuse collections
May Bank Holidays
Collections
will be on the Tuesdays following the two Bank Holidays
Green
Bins for recycling
Remember these may be collected free from Tiddington Garage
Refuse skips
Skips for non-recyclable
waste are available on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays at:
Wheatley Primary School, Littleworth Road
8.00 – 12.00 or until full
Skips for non-recyclable
waste are available every Saturday at:
Thame Cattlemarket
8.00 – 12.00 or until full
There are no longer skips
for garden waste
!MOST WANTED!
A
Co-ordinator
for Tiddington
Neighbourhood
Watch
If you would like to volunteer to help
support this valuable service,
please contact the Parish Council or
Milton Common NHW Co-ordinator
Elaine Horne 01844 279520
This is even more vital
following recent thefts and vandalism in Tiddington
Freedom of Information Act
Publication Scheme
Residents
of the Parish can see the records of the Council held by the Parish Clerk or
learn where they may be accessed. Records include minutes, financial
information and responses to planning consultations.
Application
can be made to the Clerk (Tel: 339709) and documents viewed by appointment. Any
copies required will be charged at 10p per page.
From
the Vicar
Easter
was unusually early this year. However the liturgical season of Easter lasts
until Pentecost (11th May) and so it is with this in mind that my
April letter is about the Easter story. One of the mysteries and glories of the
Easter story is that it begins with an empty space. In Mark 16 there is an
empty tomb guarded by angels but no sign of Jesus. He is not here…. he is going
before you to Galilee.
He
is not here; absence is a poignant feeling; certain places can evoke in us
powerful memories that can make us aware of absence as presence. On the rare
occasions I visit the place I grew up in I am often aware of the absence of my
parents in a way that is not the case the rest of the time. On that first
Easter morning Jesus was not where anyone expected to find him.
Yet
it is this unexpected absence, this empty space is at the centre of our Easter
Joy. Mark gives us the shortest and most enigmatic account of the resurrection
but it is an account which highlights the absence of Christ. He is gone they
are told; he is ahead of you; he is risen and on his way to Galilee.
The account is retold almost breathlessly and captures the bewilderment
perfectly.
Here
the mystery of Easter is presented tersely and seems incomplete. He is not
here; he is gone. The absence, the empty space speaks more than any words ever
can of the mystery of the living Christ. We will not find him amongst the dead
in the graveyard. He is not there, he has gone on ahead.
He is not here in the tomb, he is to be found
amongst the living, breaking bread with the disciples in Emmaus or welcoming
the fishermen back with a cooked breakfast. His presence though surprising is
very real and very physical.
And
this I would suggest is the real miracle and mystery of Easter. That is to say
that in the absence, in the empty places there is a presence that leads us and
urges us on a journey of discovery. The empty tomb awakens the early morning
visitors to the nature of Christ’s promise. I believe that the Christian story
through history reveals to us that the risen Christ breaks out whenever we seek
to contain him or tie him down. He is not here, he is risen.
If
we always seek for Christ in our familiar places through familiar rituals we
may discover an empty place, but if we seek and journey further we may well
discover that the very empty space reveals the unexpected presence of the risen
Christ inviting us to journey with him in his love.
With best wishes
Caroline
COMING UP
Tuesday 15th April 7.30pm
St Helen’s PCC APCM
This
is our annual meeting, where we look at the accounts and elect members of the
PCC. The meeting is an open meeting and
you are welcome to attend. It is also an
opportunity to say thank you to everybody who works hard and contributes to the
life of our village church.
Waterstock & Tiddington W.I.
Our February meeting on St Valentine’s
Day saw Christine Bloxham show some lovely examples
of valentine cards, love spoons and other artefacts relating to the day, not
only on slides but also in items brought for members to examine closely.
At the annual meeting in March, our
treasurer was able to report a healthy bank balance, due in many ways to the
generosity of competitors at our quiz evening in February. From that event we
have kept just sufficient to enable us to provide our annual bursary for 75% towards
the fees of a week-end course at Denman
College and a working
balance. We are donating £300 to Helen and Douglas House and keeping £100 in
readiness for the Village Hall when the kitchen refurbishment is complete.
Thank you to everyone who contributed so generously on the quiz evening.
On 10 April, David Smith will give us a
talk entitled “Country life remembered, 1850-1950” and we have invited visitors
from Holton and Thame
WI’s to join us. There will be a bring
and buy stall and the competition is for a flower arrangement no larger than
18in in diameter and with the theme “welcome to spring”. The winning entry will
go forward to represent the Institute at the Group Meeting.
On 24 April the Group Meeting, a get
together of several institutes in the area, will be hosted by Holton and Waterperry WI
in Holton Village
Hall. The speaker will be Edwin Rye talking about “making a garden for
the BBC Gardener of the Year competition.” All members are welcome.
On 8 May we shall discuss the two
resolutions being presented at the National AGM – “to ask the Government to
urge the EU to ban bottom trawling which causes catastrophic loss of marine
life” and “in view of the adverse effect on families of the imprisonment of
people with severe mental health problems to urge the Government to provide
treatment and therapy in a more appropriate and secure residential
environment”. The first resolution was put forward by an institute not too many
miles from here – Chearsley in Buckinghamshire. As
well as the resolutions we will have a talk by John McLaren on the local Donkey
Sanctuary.
The Oxford Operatic Society will be
providing a coach for travel to see their performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s
“Pirates of Penzance” on Wednesday, 21 May. The cost is £16.50 for coach and
ticket and the offer is open to non-members. Please let me know before 20 April
if you would like me to book you a seat.
We look forward to seeing you on the
second Thursday of the month for our regular meetings at 7.30pm in Tiddington Village Hall.
Zena
Knight
Tel:
339340
Tiddington Village Hall
As soon as the weather improves we hope
to start work on the Kitchen extension, which will allow us the space to have a
larger and more practical kitchen with a full size range cooker, dishwasher,
etc. We also plan to have a proper cloakroom and additional storage space.
We’ve done so well so far and kept to budget, mainly due to the massive
voluntary work. If you still fancy coming along and giving a hand, please please please give me a call as
you will be most welcome, especially when it comes to adding the final touches,
such as painting or simply re-filling the kitchen cupboards with the crockery.
In the next newsletter we hope to be
able to announce a very special Summer fundraising
event. It’s in the early planning stages at the moment so please WATCH THIS
SPACE!
Alan Stratton, Chairman
01844 339430/278534
Tiddington
Cricket Club
As
a new cricket season rapidly approaches winter activities are coming to a
close.
The
men’s darts “A” team have certainly found their feet to find themselves
currently mid-table in singles and challenging for pairs honours. The “B” team
continue in their role as draw specialists in the singles and finding winning
pairs matches difficult.
The
Wednesday indoor Aunt Sally side have completed another successful season, only
just missing out on honours.
Both
crib teams are still challenging in the pairs league, coming to the season’s
climax, plus both teams still have interest in the knock out competition.
On
the cricket front indoor nets continue on Sundays 6th & 13th
April (7-9pm) at Watlington School.
This
year due to increased demand junior coaching will be split into two groups as
follows:
Under
11’s on Tuesday evenings 6.30-8pm
starting 22nd April
until 22nd July
Under
15’s on Wednesday evenings 6.30-8pm
starting 23rd April
until 16th July
Junior
competitions entered for under 11’s, under 13’s (+ cup) and under 15’s. We are
also hoping to have friendly matches for boys and girls at under
10 level.
NB. Junior season
starts with a registration night on Wednesday 16th April at 7.30pm
in the clubhouse. Please attend or send an apology to ensure participation.
There
will be a presentation outlining the clubs commitment to coaching and our
objectives.
Please
be aware that club clothing is available this year and that orders for this
will be taken at the presentation evening.
Contacts
for juniors:
Lesley Pykett 01844
339571
Phil Manning 01844 338814
Clubhouse
01844 338373
The
Men’s Season begins on Saturday 19th April:
1st Team away to Thame
2nd Team home to Oxford
Sunday
20th April Village KO away to Aston Rowant.
Cherwell
League cricket starts on Saturday 10th May with teams entered in
Divisions 2, 7 and 9A.
New
members and players are always welcome.
Ray Manning Tel: 338911
0845 8 505 505
The single number for non-emergency calls
Newington Nurseries
Herbal
Presence
Herbs have
played an important role in human societies for centuries – in romance,
religion, health and food. So why not grow your own herbs and enjoy the
delicious taste and fragrance of your own plants? Your produce will be so much
fresher and tastier than that bought in the supermarket. Herb growing is also
an ideal way to introduce children to the world of gardening. They’ll delight
in watching their own special plants growing into edible leaves ready for their
home-made pizzas!
Creating a herb bed just outside the kitchen window or back door will
make it easily accessible to the kitchen as well as being a wonderfully sensory
area. Herbs can be planted directly into the ground or grown in a selection of
terracotta pots. The ideal plan is to do both. You can even recycle old and
chunky hardwood timbers by constructing a raised bed; the edges will be perfect
for relaxing on at the end of a gardening day (and drinking a Pimms with some home-picked borage!).
There are some ‘must
have’ culinary plants for the herb garden. Fresh bay (Laurus nobilis) leaves give a casserole a
wonderful flavour. Bay likes to be in a sunny and protected position but
otherwise is hardy throughout the winter months. Lower growing and equally
essential hardy herbs include oregano (Oreganum vulgare) and sweet marjoram (Oreganum marjorana) as well as a selection of
thymes such as Thymus Silver Posie and Thymus Doone Valley.
Chives, French
tarragon, garlic, parsley, rosemary (try Mrs
Jessopps Upright in the bed and Prostratus in
a pot) and sage (green and purple varieties) are other
hardy musts. One of the most flavoursome herbs is basil which can be planted
out in the summer but must be dug up and over-wintered in a pot in the
conservatory or on the kitchen window sill. All are perennial except for basil
which is an annual and parsley which is a biennial.
And don’t forget
mint, another necessity but a rampant one so is best planted in a large pot, at
least 30cm across, and partially plunged into the ground to help retain the
moisture. Keep cutting the mint during the summer to ensure it remains lush.
Try growing Mentha spicata (garden
mint, ideal for cooking with new potatoes) and Mentha spicata var. crispa 'Moroccan' (perfect for mint
sauce or mint jelly).
For fragrance, plant chamomile, chocolate mint, curry plant, lavender, lemon balm
and pineapple sage. Brushing against these plants will produce a heady aroma
which is at its most pungent during early summer evenings.
Herbs really require
very little maintenance. They’re easy to grow and rarely suffer from pests and
diseases. They like to be in a sunny position and planted in very well drained
soil that isn’t too fertile. Some fertiliser can be added to the new bed during
preparation but after that, all your herbs will need is watering when the
ground becomes too dry.
Make sure you keep
them healthy and bushy by regular trimming and of course those fresh leaves can
be used straightaway either in cooking or around the house for bursts of summer
fragrance. Of course it isn’t going to be possible to use all of the leaves
during the summer so once picked, simply rinse them, dry with some kitchen roll
and freeze in bags or plastic containers. They can be used straight from the
freezer during the winter months to flavour warming soups and casseroles – and
to remind you that summer is just around the corner!
Newington
Nurseries, Newington,
Nr Stadhampton, Oxon
Wheatley Library
Spring
has arrived and lots of activities are planned for Wheatley Library
Following
the success of her visit last year, Jude Barrett from the Ashmolean
Museum, is returning on Friday 11th April, to run a session for
children aged between eight and eleven years. Last year she ran a session on
the Ancient Egyptians and this time the title is going to be “Knots, Labyrinths
and Spirals”. The library will be open
when the session is running, so we are asking our other customers to please be
patient as there will be a large number of children and quite a lot of mess
that morning.
The
following week on Tuesday 15th April, we are planning to hold a
“Story Time” for the younger children aged 4 to 8.
Our
Spring Book Sale starts on Wednesday 16th April. There will be a
varied assortment of books for sale including fiction, non-fiction, books for
children and adults etc.
By
the time this is in print we hope to have new computers for our customers to
use. The ones we currently have are already very popular but these will
hopefully be even better. There is no charge for using the computers, although
it is advisable to book in advance. You can book up to an hour on the days we
are open. There is a charge of 20p a sheet for printing from the computers.
Only one of the computers is available for children to use, as access, to some
sites, is restricted on this computer.
We
are thinking of offering some short training sessions of about half an
hour. These would be for adults, on a one-to-one
basis, offering just the basics in using the Internet. We are looking for a
volunteer to run these sessions. Is there anyone out there who is confident and
competent to run some short training sessions, on a voluntary basis? Please let
us know either by calling in, e-mailing or telephoning.
If
you have any ideas of other events or things you would like to see in the
library I would be very pleased to hear from you. The telephone number is 01865 875267, the
e-mail address is wheatley.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk
and we are based upstairs in the Merry Bells building. Access is up the ramp from the Merry Bells
Car Park.
Anne
Spruce
Library
Manager
Wheatley Library
Opening Hours
Monday Closed
Tuesday 2.00pm – 7.00pm
Wednesday 9.30am – 1.00pm 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Thursday 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Friday 9.30am – 1.00pm
2.00pm – 6.00pm
Saturday 9.30am – 1.00pm
The Merry
Bells, High Street, Wheatley
Tel: 01865
875267
Email: wheatley.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Thame
and District
Citizens
Advice Bureau
We are looking for a Social Policy Volunteer.
Every
day, ordinary people come to Citizens Advice for help with their problems. We
provide information, advice and support that helps
them understand their options and find solutions. Their stories provide a
valuable insight into some of the real issues faced by the public in Britain
today. Citizens Advice collects statistical information from clients and uses
it to campaign for change. Thame & District CAB
is looking for someone to help us with this work.
Recent
campaigns have included:
- Using clients’
complaints about unscrupulous bailiffs to force the government to
introduce plans for bailiff regulation
- Highlighting the
need for financial help with school uniform costs and for uniform policies
to be more affordable for families on low incomes
- Putting pressure
on electricity suppliers because low income households are being charged
more for using pre-paid meters.
If you would like to campaign on real local and national issues, then
contact Tom Fox on 01844 217186.
You will join a group of over 30 volunteers who are helping individuals and
entire communities. You can work from home or you can come to the bureau in the
centre of Thame. We will train you and provide all
the day to day support that you need to make a difference.
Thame and District
Citizens Advice Bureau
Opening Hours
Monday,
Tuesday, Friday
9.30 – 4.00 Open door
Wednesday 9.30 – 1.00 Specialist
debt
clinic (appointment)
Thursday 9.30 – 1.00 Telephone advice
Advice line: 01844 214827
Appointments line: 01844 217186
A Drop-in session is held at the offices of
the United Reformed Church, Crown
Square, Wheatley on
Monday mornings from 10.00am
To book an appointment ring 01844 217186
Farmers Market
Tetsworth Village Hall
3rd Saturday in the month
South and Vale Carers Centre
Have you time to spare to meet someone new
and help them?
South and Vale Carers Centre in Didcot are starting a new project and are looking for
volunteers. Would you be interested in helping out someone caring for a
relative in their own home? You would be introduced to a household where the
carer and the cared-for person are living, and asked to stay in the home while
the carer took some time off; perhaps an hour a month, perhaps an afternoon a
week.
This would all start off with an
interview for you, and references sought, and then a short training course to
equip you for any situation and send you free from anxiety into your future as
a volunteer! We will take care in matching volunteers and cared-for people, and
you would have constant support by phone when you need it as well as ongoing
face-to-face meetings with colleagues and with Chris Elliott, the co-ordinator
of the scheme.
Chris is waiting to hear from anyone
interested, and has much more information to give. Please email her at the
Carers Centre on chris@svcarers.org.uk
or phone her there on 01235 510212. She will be delighted you’ve called!
Great Haseley
& District
Horticultural Society
Garden Visits 2008
BROUGHTON CASTLE AND BROUGHTON GRANGE,
NEAR BANBURY, 12 JUNE
A double bill of visits to two wonderful
and very different gardens
Broughton Castle 10.30 am
Walled gardens surround the castle within
the moat.
Lovely herbaceous borders, knot garden and roses Beautiful parkland
We will be given coffee and biscuits on
arrival.
Broughton
Grange 2pm
Formal gardens of terrace, borders, wildflower garden and arboretum. Also an amazing six acre perennial flower garden designed by Tom
Stuart-Smith, in a contemporary style of many grasses, herbaceous and prairie
flowers, with wonderful use of colour. Frequently featured in
magazines. In a beautiful setting.
We will be shown
round by Andrew Woodall, the Head Gardener
Members £9 for the 2 gardens- includes
coffee and biscuits
Guests
£12
There is a nice pub in the village of Broughton, which would be a good place
to stop for lunch between the two.
GHHS
SUMMER PARTY
Tuesday
8 July 6pm at Rofford Manor, Little Milton
Join us at
beautiful Rofford Manor for a glass of sparkling wine
and strawberries. Mrs Hilary Mogford will welcome us
and introduce the garden. A lovely garden of vegetable, herb
and rose gardens, box garden with raised pool, herbaceous borders, parkland.
Members £3 Guests £5 to
include wine and strawberries
Why not join the society as well- only £5
per family and this would cover the difference in cost of entrance!
For further information or to book, contact
Mary
Isaac
Brooks Cottage
Latchford Lane
Great Haseley
OX44 7LA Maryisaac606@hotmail.com 01844 279606
LASSCO Three Pigeons
Calendar of Events
Thames
Valley
Antiques Dealers Association
Antiques
Trail
Friday, 25 April, 10.00am-6.00pm
Saturday, 26 April, 10.00am-6.00pm
Sunday, 27 April, 10.00am-5.00pm
Oxfordshire Artweeks, 3-24 May
2 May – Private View and First
Anniversary Party
3 local artists will be exhibiting,
including Elisabeth Balkwill from Great Milton, Kate
Daunt from Little Milton and Tom Stogdon married to
Rebecca Nowell-Smith from Tiddington
(they are exhibiting together)
Great Milton Neighbours’ Club
Outings Programme 2008
16 April Wiltshire’s Golden Triangle and Titanic
Exhibition: City & Village guided tour. Meet
in Biddestone for coffee and drive to Lacock. Lunch at Bradford-on-Avon, then American
Museum at Claverton Manor. Large display of American patchwork
quilts. Titanic exhibition showing fate of wealthy Americans
.
Cost:
£14.50 + coach
21 May Morning
and lunch in Bedford. John Bunyan museum and church. Afternoon
at Shuttleworth Collection of historical aircraft, cars, motorcycles and
carriages; or next door at the Swiss
Garden, a picturesque Regency and Victorian garden.
Cost:
Shuttleworth Collection £7 Swiss Garden
£3.50 + coach
18 June Cotswold River Cruise: City & Village guided tour. Morning tour and lunch
at Cirencester. To Bibury
and Lechlade for 2-hour Cream Tea Cruise included in
price.
Cost:
£18.50 + coach.
To
book Tel: Celia Cope, 01844 279459
