TIDDINGTON WITH ALBURY & MILTON COMMON

www.tiddingtonoxon.co.uk DECEMBER 2004/JANUARY 2005

Parish Council News

Annual audit 2003/04 – this has been concluded satisfactorily.

Street light – a new light has now been installed, just in time for the darker nights and early mornings, near the bus stop on the north side of the A418.

Pelican crossing – the census of pedestrians crossing the A418 on 5 October revealed only a slight increase in numbers over the previous survey done by OCC, giving us only two extra points when assessing the costs of the project and priorities over other County-wide sites. The Council has written again to OCC at the time when budgets for the next financial year are being considered.

Christmas tree – it has been agreed that the Council should provide for the cost of lights for a village Christmas tree, which this time is being kindly donated by the Manning family and will be erected on the green near Tudor Cottage. It is hoped to continue this in future years.

Weekly recycling collections – the Council has reported the complaints received from

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

residents about the damage to green boxes carelessly thrown down by the contractors. Please let the Clerk know if the situation does not improve soon.

Planning – an application has been made by Centre Caravans to store 50-75 caravans on land leased from OCC at Old Station Yard, Tiddington.

Flood alleviation – SODC’s Outlook newsletter has reported that money has been allocated for some flood alleviation work on the A418 – construction of a manhole and culvert work.

From your District Councillor

May I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

John Nowell-Smith

Tel: 01844 339650

Christmas and New Year

Rubbish and Recycling Collections

Please note there will be no collections on Monday, 27 December or 3 January

Over the holiday period please use the clear sack provided for Christmas recycling materials and leave out for collection with other rubbish on

Tuesday, 4 January

Christmas Tree Recycling

Trees can be taken to the following sites on the dates indicated

Thame Cattle Market 8 and 15 January

Wheatley Primary School 15 January

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: 339340) and documents viewed by appointment. Any copies required will be charged at 10p per page.

Refuse skips

Skips are available every Saturday at:

Wheatley Primary School, Littleworth Rd

8.00 – 12.00

1^st & 3^rd Saturday for garden waste

2^nd & 4^th Saturday for non-recyclables

There is no skip on 5^th Saturday or the Saturday after Bank Holidays

Thame Cattlemarket

8.00 – 12.00 or until full

Me?

A County Councillor?

Do you want to make a difference in your local area?

Your community may be looking for someone to represent them

Could it be you?

For further information contact 01865 815270

County Council elections will be held in May 2005

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE

DIAL-A-RIDE

A new bus service specifically aimed at those who find it difficult to use conventional public transport, such as the elderly or disabled. The service day is based on the market day in Thame

Full details including a membership leaflet available from local libraries, health centres, etc or phone 01869 327048

Started 15 November 2004

St Helen’s Church

Christmas Bazaar

A total of £513.30 was made at the Bazaar held on 13 November.

Very many thanks to all who helped at and supported the event.

Anne Edwards

From the Vicar

I’m not sure whether I am just getting old and grumpy or whether Christmas really does seem to begin earlier each year. It is much more likely to be the former although my 5 year old son did come home from school during the first week of November singing “Away in a manger”, and I must confess its delights are starting to wear a little thin. I suspect I am getting old and grumpy because there is so much to be done, organising even a small family Christmas seems to require military precision.

I strongly suspect that we put so much effort into Christmas because we know that it matters a great deal. Christmas is often an important time for people who profess no Christian faith; this is because Christmas communicates to us at a number of different levels. Each year we send cards to people and each year we promise that this year we really will try and meet (or am I the only one?). We buy presents for people as tokens of love and gratitude we might otherwise find hard to express. The lights and decorations bring fun and laughter at the darkest, coldest time of year. Even the excesses of food and drink we enjoy enable us to put aside our worries and concerns and celebrate with people we love and care about.

These are important elements of Christmas and we are right within reason to enjoy our celebrations, but they are not the end of the story. By themselves they will never get us to the true Christian meaning of Christmas. For shops, schools and many businesses Christmas marks the end of a hectic busy time. In the life of the church Christmas is very much the beginning of a story, not the end. And it is a story that takes us through Lent, Holy Week, the joy of Easter and beyond.

At Christmas we celebrate the fact that God is with us. Emmanuel God is present on earth as a tiny human baby. The light that has come into the world is the Christ child, and this is a light that will carry on shining long after the Christmas tree lights have been taken down. I very much hope that you will have a happy and blessed Christmas and that in the midst of all the busyness you will find time to come to one of our special Christmas services. All four churches have something special and distinctive to offer. When you are there I urge you to look into the crib and ponder the true meaning of Christmas: God with us. It is a message that stays with us not just for the twelve days of Christmas but for eternity.

A very happy Christmas to you all.

Caroline

Carol Evening

Monday, 20 December, 7.30pm

Tiddington Village Hall

In aid of Cancer Research UK

Tickets: £2.00 for adults

£1.00 for children

Available from: Anne Edwards, Tel: 339794

or: Pauline Field, Tel: 339671

Sobell House Hospice

Volunteers are required in various areas

§ Work in the shops

§ Drive patients and families

§ Help in the Day Hospice

§ Gardening

§ Sell raffle tickets or shake a collecting tin

§ Work on reception

§ Help in the ward

§ Support bereaved people

Please phone Trisha Adams, Voluntary Services Manager on 01865 225868 if you would like to know more

Great Milton CE Primary School

Remember, remember the 5^th of November – I guess a lot of people who went to the school’s firework display this year will. The display, organised by the Friends’ Committee, was opened by Sue Lewis from Countax. Once again Johnny Alden’s Fantastic Fireworks were truly spectacular and the grand finale of the 150^th Birthday ended with a special Birthday “candle”. The children’s voices and synchronised music, courtesy of Simon Hale added to the atmosphere, making the event extra special.

On 17 December the children will be treated to a performance of Jack and the Beanstalk in Newbury. The event has been made possible by kind donations from Countax and the Friends’ Committee.

The After School Club started this term and has been a great success. The club is now looking for additional staff. If you enjoy working with children and have a few hours to spare after school each day please contact the school for an application form.

The Annual Governors’ Report 2003/04 is now available on the school web site. The web site can be viewed at www.great-milton.oxon.sch.uk.

Mark Stoker (Governor)

United Neighbours In Tiddington

It is with sadness and regret that the UNIT members have decided that it is time that our club should be wound up.

Dwindling membership, increasing costs, changes to social habits, plus lack of time for committee commitment have all contributed to this decision, so after twenty-seven years the December meeting will be our final one.

Many of our current paid-up members of 2004 are original members and were at the inaugural meeting in Sylvia Wilson’s house when UNIT was formed, and where we decided on the format of our club and how it has remained ever since.

As young Mums then, with many of us who did not drive, UNIT provided a social life for us as individuals, as well as family outings, and brought together a band of ladies, which resulted in many lasting friendships.

The Christmas Dinner/Dance has been held annually and will be on 4 December this year. This has been the start of the holiday celebrations for many of us and I’m glad to say that the Village Hall Committee is hoping to carry this tradition on.

Over the years we have raised much money for local charities and we can all look back with pride at the different ways in which this was done and also the number of local charities we have helped.

Thanks must go to all the committee members who have served over the years - some long term and some for only a short while, all non-committee members who also contributed to our success and all who always worked hard to keep things going. However, we have reached the stage where the enthusiasm has gone, so it is time to disband.

Our last contribution to the village will be the local (only) Christmas card delivery available in the Village Hall, Post Office days & Bingo nights - dates as follows:

7 December / 8 December / 14 December / 15 December.

We hope to be able to provide the village with a permanent memento of the UNIT years and this will be reviewed when the financial situation is clear.

Happy Christmas and New Year to all and goodbye from United Neighbours In Tiddington.

Pat Wise

Waterstock & Tiddington W.I.

Our 80^th anniversary celebrations are now over, but I think all members agreed that it was a fun time. All the committee worked hard – making fools of themselves (speaking for myself!) at the Thursday evening entertainment and ensuring that the formal dinner went smoothly on the Saturday night. Forty five members and friends sat down to a delicious meal provided by outside caterers and were entertained afterwards by “Short, back and sides”, a male-voice quartet from Wheatley.

The Group Meeting saw over sixty members from neighbouring institutes, as well as own, enjoy a flower arranging demonstration given by Anna Steven. Some lucky raffle winners were able to take the beautiful arrangements home afterwards.

At our November meeting, it was fascinating to learn of the young women who took over the working narrow boats on the canals during the Second World War, when the regular boatmen had gone to war. Very much like the Land Army girls, but in much fewer numbers, the “idle women” as they were nicknamed, had a very hard time transporting goods. Runnalls Davis showed fascinating photographs of the period and identified some of the girls by name.

In December, as we do every other year, members will enjoy Christmas dinner at an outside venue, this time the Clifden Arms at Worminghall. We shall all meet there at 7.00pm for 7.30 and bring a wrapped Christmas present to exchange.

On 13 January Amanda Brown will talk about Antarctica: penguins, ice and fire, and there will be a sales table. Members are also reminded that it will be time to pay subscriptions - £21.00 for 2005, preferably by cheque.

Some members will be enjoying a programme of Christmas Songs and Readings at Oxford Town Hall on 6 December, arranged by a sub-committee of the County Federation, two members of which belong to our WI.

Our monthly meetings are held in Tiddington Village Hall on the second Thursday in the month at 7.30pm. With a membership of 30, we are a friendly group and new members or visitors would be made very welcome.

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Zena Knight

Weather Statistics

“I like the weather when it is not rainy.

That is I like two months of the year”

Lord Byron

Most of us would probably agree with this quotation, but here are the facts.

September

8 wet days, 1.1 inches of rain.

There were two days with temperatures over 80degF 27degC

October

This year was a wet one, but there were five others wetter in the past 20 years.

We had 23 wet days in Tiddington, with 6.5 inches of rain. The average for the country was 13.2 inches, while some places on the East Coast were below average, especially Sheringham and Clacton.

November up to 18^th

So far 11 days of rain have been recorded. The wettest was on the 19^th with .7 inches of rain.

So far we have had five nights of frost.

When we start moaning, spare a thought for the families of the soldiers risking their lives in Iraq.

Glen Evans

Thames Valley

Crimestoppers

0800 555 111

Tiddington Cricket Club

With the build up to Christmas now well under way, preparations for next year’s cricket go quietly on. The players’ meeting voted in new captains for the 1^st & 2^nd XI’s as both Nick Edmondson and Mike Fisher stepped down from captaincy. We thank them both for their unstinting efforts on and off the field during their respective reigns. We wish new captains John Talbot (1^st XI) and Rob McKinney every success next season.

We have also secured the use of a pitch at Lewknor and have re-entered our Third Team into the Cherwell League Division 9 for next season.

On the Darts front the “A” team is currently second in the singles and tops the pairs League tables whilst the “B” team sits comfortably mid-table in both singles and pairs.

The Wednesday night Aunt Sally team has had a good start to the season, whilst the cribbage team also sit comfortably mid-table in both singles and pairs.

Regarding the new pavilion, we intend to re-apply to SODC for funds early next year, whilst we reappraise the whole scheme. We may well be able to make savings on a managed self-build project.

In the meantime fundraising continues. The new pavilion fund currently stands at £45,000 with almost £10,000 being added during the last 12 months. Sincere thanks to all who have and continue to support the club and its events.

The Race Night will now take place on Saturday, 11 December in the Village Hall, with the first race at 8pm. Experience all the thrills of racing, with filmed races and a tote betting system in operation. There will also be the opportunity to own and ride horses! Entrance only £2 per person.

This year’s Christmas Draw will take place on Sunday, 19 December in the Clubhouse at approximately 9.00pm.

The Village Hall has been booked for a New Year’s Eve Party.

Proposed events in the New Year include a Pub Games Competition and a murder mystery evening.

With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year

Ray Manning

Tiddington Village Hall

The Village Hall will be hosting a number of events over the Christmas period, many of which are highlighted in this edition of the Tiddington Newsletter.

The committee has organised two events, one of which is the ever popular Christmas Bingo, which will take place on Tuesday, 21 December at 8.00pm. All donations of suitable prizes are very welcome and a committee member should call sometime during the previous week to collect. If for any reason you don't get a visit, then please call me on 339430 and I will drop round and collect.

Then, for the children (and adults!), instead of a Christmas Party we’ve organised for a special performance of the Hans Christian Anderson musical play The Snow Queen on Sunday, 19 December at 3.00pm. The production is staged using masks and puppets to tell the story of Little Kay and his friend Gerda. The show has had brilliant reviews and I urge you not to miss this special opportunity to see some live theatre in our own Village Hall. Tickets are priced at £5.00 for adults and £4.00 for children. Refreshments will be served at the end and you never know, Father Christmas might even take time out of his busy schedule to attend as well! Please call me to book your tickets as we only have limited space available.

Although plans had not been finalised when this newsletter went to press, we very much hope to have our own village Christmas tree this year, which has been very kindly donated by the Manning family. The lights have been paid for through donations from the Parish Council and T.I.M.E. (remember that?). So, please keep an eye out for it – hopefully you won’t miss it!

And finally, may I take this opportunity on behalf of the Village Hall Committee to thank you for your support in 2004 and to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Alan Stratton

Chairman

Tiddington Village Hall Committee

Thame and District

Citizens Advice Bureau

Opening Hours

Monday 10.00am-1.00pm Open door

1.30pm-4.00pm Appointments Phone advice

Tuesday 10.00am-1.00pm Appointments

Phone advice

Wednesday Closed

Thursday Closed

Friday 10.00am-1.00pm Appointments

Phone advice

Advice line: 01844 214827

Appointments line: 01844 217186

NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING

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Published six times a year

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The above charges are to help cover the costs of printing

Please make cheques payable to Tiddington with Albury Parish Council and forward to

24 Albury View, Tiddington, Thame OX9 2LY

Something Unusual from

Newington Nurseries

Plant lovers looking for attractive seasonal houseplants to give as gifts or decorate the home can have difficulty finding an alternative to the host of traditional poinsettias and cyclamen which adorn every garden centre at this time of year. They can be lovely, but if you are looking for something just a little bit different, here are some of our favourites.

Orchids always top our list, not least because they bloom far longer than a bouquet of cut Christmas flowers or a seasonal plant selection in a basket. For something a little different from the normal Cymbidium or Phalaenopsis, try one of the most delicate and exotic looking orchids, the Ludisia or Jewel orchid. This is ideal because it tends to flower in winter. Alternatively, the Zygopetalum (Ladybird orchid) and Brassia (Spider Orchid) will thrive in the centrally heated atmosphere of the winter home because they will drink more water than most orchids in winter and are deliciously scented.

Also fuss-free and good in centrally heated homes are exotic bromeliads. Natives to the rain forests of Mexico, Central and South America, these shiny-leaved plants offer a welcome splash of bright colour for up to three months, so long as you don’t over water and expose them to direct sunlight. Or if you want to go really exotic, try a Strelitzia reginae or Bird of Paradise plant. There’s a yellow variety called Clivia miniata.

Exotic blooms always look good combined with feathery ferns. The Rabbit’s Foot Fern is a particular favourite with children because it has furry roots. Stag’s Horn Fern too has similarly furry properties!

If it’s berries or fruit you are looking for, you could always transport yourself to a warm sun-baked terrace with a couple of lemon or orange trees. Alternatively, an olive tree would make a perfect present – particularly as a peace offering! This would be perfectly at home in a cool conservatory, although it would survive outside as well. Other ideas for plants for inside or out are baskets of bulbs which can bloom on an indoor windowsill before being planted in the garden for the following year, or pots of evergreen herbs such as thyme, rosemary, sage and bay for just outside the back door.

And one final plant which could be invaluable at Christmas time is the spiky Aloe vera. The cooling sap from its fleshy leaves is ideal for soothing burns!

For more inspiration and advice visit us at Newington Nurseries on the A329 near Stadhampton.

Tel: 01865 400533

12 December	9.30am Morning Prayer with Albert Eastham
19 December	9.30am Morning Prayer with John Nowell-Smith
Christmas Eve	6.00pm Carols and Communion with Caroline King
Christmas Day	9.30am Family Communion at Waterstock with Caroline King
26 December	11.00am Holy Communion at Holton with Angela Butler
2 January	9.30am Holy Communion
9 January	9.30am Morning Prayer
16 January	9.30am Morning Prayer
30 January	9.30am 5^th Sunday Service with Caroline King