The Hook Norton Village Newsletter
December 2006 Series 31 No 6

Village Affairs


  

NEWSLETTER TEAM

Directory: Diana Barber
Advertising: Judi Leader
Distribution:  
Proof reading: Nigel Lehmann
IT/Web Support: Martin Baxter


FROM THE EDITORS
The Newsletter Box contained £23.96 this month.
Thank you.
Sadly we record the deaths of Silvia Walters aged 76 years and Geoff Walton, late of Hook Norton and former handicraft teacher at Hook Norton Primary School. On behalf of the village we send our condolences to their families and friends.


Andy Horne Helen Foster
hookynews@totalise.co.uk helen@broadedged.co.uk

The views expressed in the Newsletter are not necessarily those of the Editorial Team.

RATES – CHEQUES PAYABLE TO 'HOOK NORTON NEWSLETTER'
Text & advertising copy deadline 15th JANUARY 2006
Text for Village activities Free (a small donation is welcome)
Inserts for Village Activities On request from Judi Leader
Commercial Advertising £22 per page & pro rata per issue
Commercial Inserts £20 per issue
Donations can be put in the Newsletter Box in the Post Office or posted to; Newsletter, c/o Hook Norton Post Office, Chapel Street, Hook Norton, Oxon.

  

DON'T FORGET!!
If you have a business in the village or
If you run a village organisation:
THIS IS IMPORTANT!
The last date for receiving your entry for the Hook Norton Directory of Services 2007 is the 31st December. If you don't want to be filling in your form on New Years Eve ...
follow this link to the Directory of Services and then the Application form.

It is a wonderful way to reach all villagers as the directory is delivered (free of charge) with the February Newsletter to all households in the village. Plus it is on the web for easy reference and for a wider audience.
DO IT NOW!

  

DID YOU KNOW THAT :

  

LOST
on SATURDAY 4th NOVEMBER
GOLD CROSS EMBEDDED WITH DIAMONDS
If found, please contact MANDY WATKINS


  

HOOK NORTON BAPTIST CHURCH.
Giving gifts at Christmas originated as a way of commemorating God's gift to us, His Son, Jesus, in the form of a baby. But for many, Christmas has become a time of excess; too much food, too much drink, and too many expensive gifts. It's no wonder that Christmas leaves many people in serious debt. It was never meant to be like this.
We have come a long way from that simple stable; too far, in fact, and I think it would do us no harm to curb the excesses and some of the expense, reverting to a simpler celebration of our Lord's birth.
When I was working with abandoned children in the Philippines it was amazing to see how much joy a second-hand T shirt and a bag of peanuts could bring to a child who had nothing, yet we shower our children with expensive toys which, in a very short time, may be discarded or broken, and the more they have, it seems, the more they want!
Recently, some of us have been filling shoe boxes with small gifts destined for poor children in other countries via "Operation Christmas Child".
Various Aid Agencies now publish catalogues of 'Alternative' Christmas gifts which enable the giver to purchase a useful commodity (the most popular being a goat!) for those in extreme need, in the name of a friend or relative, who then receives a card from the agency with details of 'their' gift.
I welcome these initiatives, and hope that many people will stop and consider, before bankrupting themselves on their own celebrations, that maybe there is something else they could do this year! Also, don't let us forget whose birthday we are celebrating, and make time to join in some of the special services to be held at our two churches.
The Christmas services at Hooky Baptist Church will be as follows .....
Sun Dec 17th 10 30am Carol Service
Sun Dec 24th 10.30am Family Service, 11.15pm Christmas Eve Communion
Mon Dec 25th 10 am, Family Service.

The "Just Desserts" events got off to a good start in October with a "Call my Bluff' competition between teams from St. Peters and HNBC, with St. Peters emerging as the (marginal) winners. Some of the far-fetched explanations for obscure words were very hard to believe! The variety and quantity of desserts which followed added to the enjoyment of this very informal evening.
The Nov. musical evening will have taken place by the time this goes into print, and then the next"Just Desserts" event will be on January 27th at 6pm. This will be a Family Film. I am not allowed to divulge the title due to some official rule governing the public showing of films, but I am daring to hint that the original author was an Oxford Don of the early 20th century! Bring the children, enjoy the film and the desserts, and meet with friends.
In February the "Just Desserts" event will be entitled "Dessert Island Discs", when record requests will be played, and the participants will be invited to say why they have chosen them. If you would like to take part, please leave a message with John at the church office, or with me on the phone no. below. That will be on the 18th, but a further notice will appear in the January news letter.
Parents please note that next years Holiday Club dates are August 13th to 17th, and not the first week of August, as previously anticipated.
We at the Baptist church would like to take this opportunity of wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas!
Dorothy Smith; Church Office 737315

  

HOOK NORTON GARDEN CLUB
What a wonderful Autumn we are having to bring to a close a very different gardening year - sad roses in July and beautiful ones still in bloom in November and what will happen to all those shrubs flowering again as though it were Spring already?
Gardening is full of surprises and perhaps that is why more an more people of all ages are becoming interested. Certainly this is evident in our Club as the Chairman Dave Coates reported at the AGM on 18 October: lots of new members, especially children entering the shows and a successful vegetable growing project at the School; good attendance at all events and finances in a healthy state.
The existing Officers were all re-elected and the Committee remained virtually unchanged. Following the AGM, Mick West gave another wonderful slide show - this time it was Moths, arguably even more beautiful than butterflies. The last meeting of the year will be a Quiz night on 15 November including the now traditional wine and mince pies.
The Committee are already planning the 2007 programme which will be published in the February Newsletter. In the meantime Seasons Greetings to you all from the Officers and Committee of the Club and thank you for your support throughout the year.
Verity Calderan

  

SALON2 NEWS
We are very sorry to say that lovely Mel has now left us to have twins, (rather her than us), those of you that have met Mel know how much we will miss her.
Another piece of news; our Macmillan coffee morning, or should I say cake morning with the lack of electricity raised £91.91, plus extra of just over £50.00 in card and gift sales. So a big thank you to everyone who came in. Plus a special thanks goes to our special cake makers Val Stratford and Janice Quartermaine, their cakes were really scrummy. Also thank you to Jill and Mel for coping on such a difficult day. Well done all!
Sandra Fathers

  

HOOK NORTON WI
At our last meeting, on Tuesday the 17th of October, we were delighted to welcome Mrs. Helen Bowen to talk to us about nutrition. It was a very interesting afternoon. She told us how she became interested in the subject while she was in Australia, and after returning to England she pursued her interest and made it her career.
There were many questions from our members on this very topical subject.
Our next meeting will be on the 21st of November at 2pm at the Baptist Hall. It will be a talk and slide show by Mrs. Teresa Forest on "My return journey" from Australia by ship.
Alrys Morris

  

HOOK NORTON CLOCK APPEAL

Thank you to all who have supported this appeal ... more details here.

  

DOGS IN THE CEMETERY
I would like to ask all fellow dog owners not to exercise their dogs off the lead in the Cemetery.
I was recently rebuked by a resident of the village for being in there with my dog on his lead when, in fact, I was visiting my son's grave.
We are surrounded by fields where you can safely run your dogs, so there is no need to let them run riot over our loved one's final resting place.
Please be a bit more considerate or we may get to the situation where dogs will be banned from the Cemetery and that will spoil it for those of us who wish to take our pets to tend family graves.
Val Stratford and Blaze the Pointer

  

ST PETER'S CHURCH
With Advent now upon us, and Mary and Joseph well on their historical journey to that little Bethlehem stable, the shops are truly heaving with the glitz, glitter, and garish packaging of the latest children's toys that signal the approach of Christmas. It's a period that perhaps generates most excitement among our younger children, and we can only pray that with the help of their families, friends and our J.A.M. club and Sunday Gang teaching, they will understand the true relevance of this time of year and what one humble birth, 2000-odd years ago, means for us all today. It's more difficult for our 'older' young people who, with their hectic, 21st-century lifestyles, are probably less likely to want to sit and think about the relevance of Jesus' birth when the possible acquisition of the latest gadgetry is uppermost in their minds. Hooky is therefore particularly blessed to have Chris and Laura Cooke as leaders of two youth groups dedicated to our secondary school children. The main group caters for all secondary school-age children, and the second group, 'Outlook', is specifically geared to those in school year 10 and above. Each group meets about once a month, generally on a Friday night, unless other, ad hoc outings or activities have been organised. The next get-togethers for the main youth group are on December 1st and January 12th, 7.45 pm. at Hook Norton Baptist church, and dates for the Outlook group are being arranged. Anyone interested in joining can phone Chris or Laura for more information, on 737617.

December is obviously a particularly busy time at St. Peter's. Advent marks the run-up to Christmas, and will be celebrated with a special Advent Breakfast and Holy Communion on Advent Sunday (December 3rd), at 9 am. If the uplifting service enjoyed by the 100-strong congregation at last year's Advent Sunday breakfast is anything to go by, then everyone attending this year will again surely be very well fed, both nutritionally and spiritually.

Special dates for the diary:

Regular diary dates:

Moving forward, to next year, January 2007 will see the start of the Benefice's involvement in a global campaign known as STOP THE TRAFFIK (www.stopthetraffik.org), established as a coalition of organisations working together to fight against people trafficking; essentially the buying and selling of human beings, including children, for profit, and/or forcing them into activities such as prostitution, begging, forced labour and servitude, illegal adoption or marriage. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, human trafficking is the third largest source of income for organised crime, exceeded only by arms and drugs trafficking. It is also the fastest growing form of international crime, already generating 7 billion dollars every year in criminal proceeds. Reports suggest that some trafficking groups are even switching their cargo from drugs to human beings, in the search for high profits at lower risk. 
The scale is horrifying: an estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked each year (both across borders and within their own countries), and 600,000-800,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders, approximately 80 per cent are whom are women and girls, and up to 50 per cent are minors. St. Peter's will mark the start of its involvement in STOP THE TRAFFIK at its Benefice service on January 14th 2007, when speaker, Marylynn Rousse, director of the John Newton Project, will give a presentation on the eighteenth century pioneer of the abolition of slavery. The Freedom theme will be carried on through our 2007 lent course, and St. Peter's also aims to celebrate next year's designated Freedom Day (March 27th 2007). Please have a look at the STOP THE TRAFFIK website to see how to get involved.
Some very important 'thank-you's are also due this issue. Firstly, many, many thanks to Jan Hughes, along with the organisers of the Grand Draw (including all those who donated prizes and bought tickets !), and everyone who was involved in St. Peter's Craft Fair on November 4th. Nigh-on £4,000 was raised this year, a fantastic achievement made possible only by months of hard work that went into its organisation and operation on the day. Another thank-you to everyone who donated to this year's Harvest Project, in support of Tearfund's Glorious Food campaign, (www.tearfund.org). Together with the money raised by Hook Norton and Great Rollright Primary Schools, we have been able to send nearly £2,000 to Tearfund to help them continue their valuable work with some of the poorest people in the Bolivian Andes. And a special thanks also to international soloist, Jolanta Kowalska, and Helen Rogers (accompanying) for their wonderful performance of the Bach aria 'Der Seele ruht', (from Cantata, Her Jesu Christ', BWV 127), at the Remembrance Sunday service on November12th. The service, which followed a slightly different format this year, was very well attended and received, with representatives from the benefice leading our prayers. Approximately £250 from the collection will be sent to the Earl Haig poppy fund.
Wishing one and all a peaceful and joyful Christmas and New Year.
Sophia Fox, Churchwarden. sophiafox1@aol.com

  

HOOK NORTON FIREFIGHTERS
Summer is now officially over, the clocks have gone back and the cold weather is drawing in as we enter the winter months, we all like to be warm and cosy at home we at your local fire station want you to be safe this winter!!
So take a minute to read our safety advice to ensure you have an enjoyable winter
Fairy lights, Christmas tree lights and so on don't get used often and so need more care.
Enjoy you Christmas & New Year - Be Safe – Push The Button Not Your Luck
Community Safety Helpline 0800 0 325 999
E-mail:- community.safety@oxfordshire.gov.uk

It's been a quiet in terms of calls but long hours over the past 2 months, we have answered 8 Standbys for Banbury & 1 for Chippy, 3 False Alarms, 1 Road Traffic Accident, a light fitting burning at Horton Hospital, a severe roof fire at Adderbury, and as some may know an Acetylene cylinder at Kraft Foods in a disused part of the factory which accounted for a 24 hour cooling operation for which we had 2 x 7 hour shifts.
Bonfire night came & went with no calls, our display at the Brewery went extremely well, we estimate we have raised over £2,000 for the Benevolent Fund & local charities, our thanks go to all who helped us to stage the event it was a great success.
Finally all the crew at Hook Norton Station would like to say a big thank to everyone who has supported us during 2006, to our employers who release us to respond to an emergency – it is with your assistance & understanding that we are always available to respond, but we especially want to say thank you to our families & loved ones who are most understanding when the bleepers go off, and we leave them holding the baby as it were, particularly at 3am in the morning. Thank you!!
Joe Williams

  

COMMUNITY MORNING
A fun session for babies and pre-schoolers
accompanied by a parent or carer.
Play, 'making' projects, singing,
stories and refreshments.

Wednesdays 9.10am to 11.15am, term time only
at the Field Study Centre, Hook Norton School

**Christmas Party: 13th December **
then recommences 10th January 2007

For information, contact 01608 730875 or 01295 721752

  

NEWS FROM HOOK NORTON PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP
  Hook Norton
Pre-School
Playgroup

Website

Just a short note pre – Christmas to say a big thank you for all of the help, support and donations for this years Christmas Fayre which took place on the 19th of November. There are far too many people to thank individually but you all helped a great deal with the organisation of this which makes running it much easier.
The Fashion Show was a well attended event as well and thanks again to everyone who helped with the event. As usual a good time was had by all in another successful evening. All the events that we run make a big contribution towards the continued running of the playgroup.
For more information on either of these events or for more information about the Playgroup in general, please contact Mrs Julie Riley.


HOOK NORTON GUIDES
The guides spent the first three weeks in September out of doors, which they very much enjoy. We took them canoeing at Cropredy, had a cook out at Wigginton and went for a night hike up Crouch Hill, in Banbury and finished off with a plate of chips at Queensway Fish and Chip Shop which went down extremely well!
Leading up to half-term, we were rehearsing for the Cherwell Spectacular show that the Girl guiding Cherwell organised at Banbury School, in half-term. The guides decided to perform 3 songs from Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat. It was an excellent show and the girls thoroughly enjoyed taking part.
They performed on the Thursday and Friday night, in front of a packed hall on both evenings.
We are now concentrating on finishing two badges that they have started - the Anglia Walking Challenge and also First Response, which has many fun activities that the girls can enjoy.
Ten of the guides marched with the two flags at Remembrance Parade on the 12th November.
We now have 22 guides, which includes 6 brownies who joined us in September.
Julie Wood Guide Guider

  

KATIE WOOD – WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE
Hello, here is an update on my fund raising for World Scout Jamboree.
On Friday 3rd November I held a coffee morning at the school, where I had a bring and buy stall, cakes and coffee. Altogether it raised a total of £141.75. I was really pleased and that now takes me to a total of £532.70.
At my coffee morning I started my Grand Raffle Squares, I have a grid of 368 squares which I am selling for a £1 each. For the prizes I have contacted a number of companies in the surrounding area. I have 20 prizes for the winners – thank you to all those who have donated prizes. If you would like to buy a square then please look out for me selling them or contact me on 01608 737998.
Sorry I had to cancel the fete on 25th November but the date clashed with another event – please look out for details in the new year.
Thank you for all the support everyone is giving me. I am very grateful.
Katie Wood

  

GEOFF WALTON
Former Hook Norton Teacher Geoff Walton died in York on 11 October 2006 aged 84.
Geoff Walton was born and brought up in Bodicote near Banbury. His father was a builder and keen crop and fruit grower, which gave Geoff a lifelong interest in crafts and horticulture. After completing school at Bodicote, Geoff studied woodwork, metalwork, silversmithing and technical drawing at Banbury College of Art. He also trained to be a teacher.
During the Second World War he joined the RAF at Benson and trained as an electrician. Whilst serving in India he studied the activities of local craftsmen and learned leatherwork and basket weaving skills.
In 1947 he took a teaching job at Hook Norton School and moved to Hook Norton with his wife Barbara, they lived in Crooked House, East End. Later they lived in the Glebe and then in 1957 moved to the Nook in Scotland End. At Hook Norton School, he taught handicrafts to pupils by day and adults in the evening classes. During his time in Hook Norton he held the positions of Clerk to the Parish Council and Secretary to the Horticultural Society. He also worked on: the Census, Christmas Mail and many of Colonel Kennard's projects. His Son Graham and Daughter Mandi were brought up in Hook Norton.
In 1961 Geoff took a similar teaching post at Easington Modern Boys School in Banbury and the family moved to Bodicote in 1962.
In 1967 he became an Oxfordshire Course Organiser and supply teacher.
In 1972 he relocated to Yorkshire and took up a special teaching post at Grimethorpe where he taught until his retirement in 1986.
1973 he married his second wife Gillian and daughter Kate was born in 1979.
In 1993 Geoff attended a School reunion to mark the close of the old Hook Norton Secondary School building and the relocation to Sibford Road site. He was thrilled to meet many former colleagues and pupils.
A few years ago he wrote a series of articles for the Hook Norton Magazine called “Hook Norton Remembered”. He had many memories and a strong affection for Hook Norton village.
Over 39 years in teaching he taught hundreds of pupils: woodwork, metalwork, blacksmithing, technical drawing, electrical installation, bricklaying, concreting, gardening, leatherwork, basket-weaving and vehicle electrics. Many of these pupils have gone on to become skilled tradesmen, farmers or engineers.
Geoff Walton died at St Leonards Hospice in York on 11 October 2006.
Graham Walton

  

A PIONEER CHRISTMAS, 1914, New Ontario, Canada
In the October issue, Ron Gibbins of Englehart, Canada submitted the story of his family's life against its Hook Norton background. In 1911 his grandfather and grandmother, John and Edith Gibbins together with their four children emigrated to Canada. Within two years Edith had lost both her husband John and her eldest daughter Winifred.
As a widow in 1914, she married Ted Smith, a widower with a grown-up son. These are the family bereavements to which she refers in the first paragraph. She was to lose another son John (Jackie) in 1915. Edith wrote the following during the Second World War.
A Pioneer Christmas
It was in 1912 that we arrived in Englehart intending to make our home there, but family bereavements changed our plans, so that it was not till the early spring of 1914 that we – three young children, my husband and myself started out to make a home some 17 or 18 miles north of the town.
Never will I forget that journey! The roads were in such condition that we had to unload our wagon three times, carry its contents over the bad places, load up and away once more.
Finally we came to the one roomed log shack in a tiny clearing that was to be our abode for some months and my chief thought was that I was there to stay – that never would I return to go back over that road again. But I did – many times!
That summer we cleared land and built a larger log house among other things, and oh, the black flies and mosquitoes. August came and with it the declaration of the first World War.
The winter following was a hard one for the settlers. Employment was scarce, money hard to get. The little crop we had been able to put in was a complete failure. Even the necessities of life had to be carefully eked out. Certainly there were no luxuries.
December came, and the fact had to be faced that there would be no cash forthcoming to buy Christmas cheer, and always before we had kept Christmas, for the children's sake. Three eager eyed children expecting 'Santa' did not make the situation any easier. 'Something must be done' said the mother heart and the mother head started to plan.
Like a flash came the memory of a small debt, till then almost forgotten. It was only five dollars but if I could collect it, the situation would be saved. To wait for it would mean delay, so I decided to walk down to Englehart. I felt quite sure that there would be no difficulty in getting it, once the circumstances were known.
On a bright wintry morning I started off. By taking short cuts and bush trails the distance was considerably shortened and once or twice I got a short 'lift' on a passing sleigh but it was nearly dark when I reached Englehart only to find that my party had left town and were living in the Heaslip district some five miles further on.
It was too late to do anything that night, but the next day, after spending the night with friends, I started off once more on the chase of that elusive five-dollar bill!
Arrived at my destination it was to find that there was no money available, but as they had wages coming to them from a businessman in Englehart, they would give me an order – I think that was the term – so that I could collect my money. Back once more over roads better imagined than described. There was little snow but the deep ruts were frozen and made hard walking. Again it was night and I stayed once more with friends.

Next morning I went to the office of the aforementioned merchant and found that he had just left to go away on the train!
To say that I sprinted down Englehart's main street would be to put the case mildly! Breathless, I managed to catch my quarry just getting on the train. He read my 'order' scribbled a few words on the back of it and told me to go back to the office for my money.
At last I had it and now to spend it. Five dollars in those days went much further than it does today and it was surprising what it bought. Not only were there ingredients for Christmas pudding and cake, but there were also oranges, apples, nuts and sugar to make candy. Then came a visit to J Fennell for some needed clothing for the family, which included brand new stockings to put up for Santa.
All told it made a considerable sized bundle. In fact it filled an empty flour bag. Its weight may be guessed.
I boarded the train to Charlton with my load and began to have some misgivings as to how I was to carry it the eleven miles from Charlton station to home. However, by means of a scarf tied across my shoulders sling wise, I managed when I got off the train to hoist it on to my hips and started out.
Part of my journey lay along the old north road from Charlton, then turning off, a good part of the way lay through bush trails. The short winter afternoon was already closing in and I still had 9 miles to go. The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak, so at the first settlers' house I came to I decided to leave my bundle till the following Sunday, when the horses would not be working in the bush and my husband could fetch it.
In those days there was always a cup of tea and a warm welcome for anyone who 'dropped in' and after that refreshment and a chat with the settler's wife who was as glad to see another woman as I was of the rest, once more I was on my way.
It was long after dark when I arrived home and when we counted up we discovered that in three days I had walked about 35 miles - all for a five-dollar bill.
But that was not all. 'Santa' kept faith with the kiddies, which means a lot.
Would you like to hear about the Christmas feast. We had no potatoes of our own. They were a luxury in those days, but I exchanged a precious jar of preserved wild strawberries with a neighbour, two miles away, for six potatoes. These were carefully wrapped in newspaper to keep from freezing, but on Christmas morning were as hard as stones. However thawed out in cold water they made a brave dish. Then we had rabbit pie, and of course the pudding, and even mince pies made in small pans, English fashion. There was a box of home made candy for every member of the family. Of course, we had a tree; they at least were plentiful. The decorations were carefully saved scraps of coloured paper made into various ornaments by the children themselves. The supplies by careful stretching had even made an iced cake. Talk of rationing, shortages and substitutes, we pioneers knew all about them!
Still we had our Christmas and we ended by singing carols and going to bed tired but happy, at least on the kiddies' part.
Looking back, we often wonder to ourselves. 'How did we ever come through our pioneer experiences'. I think it was because we were full of hope and we had unbounded faith in the future of the North Country. Life can never be really hard if we have hope and faith and there is no gainsaying the fact that the North has an indescribable fascination – so much so that if we go away even for a short time we come back with the feeling that we are coming home – it is here we belong.
  

HOW TO HELP HIBERNATING WILDLIFE
With autumn drawing in and winter lurking round the corner, curling up in a snug, warm bed is all some of us really want to do. Although a bit impractical for us (unfortunately!), many of our animals and insects find this a good strategy for survival through the harsh winter months.
Hibernating wildlife includes hedgehogs, dormice, frogs, toads, slow worms, adders, bats, newts and many insects. These animals become dormant or 'torpid' over winter in order to conserve their energy. Their body temperatures fall to match the surrounding environment (but not below 1°C otherwise they'll become ice blocks) and metabolism slows right down. Fat stores built up from pigging-out on their favourite foods provide vital energy for many animals during the big sleep, keeping them alive.
Mammals, including humans maintain a constant high body temperature of around 37°C which allows them to be active whatever the weather. Keeping this temperature through the cold British winter can be extremely difficult, however, if food supplies run out-whether it's insects that die off or plants that disappear. So, some mammals go into hibernation to keep themselves alive until spring arrives.
Snakes, such as adders, are cold-blooded reptiles, so their body temperature depends on that of the surrounding air. They cannot regulate their own body heat, so the colder it gets, the less active they become. The only way they can survive the winter is by going into hibernation.
Most hibernating animals build themselves a cosy nest or 'hibernaculum'. Hedgehogs curl up inside piles of dead leaves, newts crawl under stones, frog and toads look for damp hideouts, bats roost in old buildings, insects huddle together in rotten logs, dormice build nests at the bottom of tree trunks, and adders find deserted burrows in the ground where they can group together. Hibernating has its problems, though. It takes a lot of energy to gather the food you need to make it through the winter, fluctuating temperatures can be fatal if you get out of bed too early, and finding a spot to settle down can be difficult, especially as we develop more and more of the countryside. Our wildlife is in need of a helping hand, therefore, to make it through the coming months.

Follow the easy steps below to provide homes for hibernators…

Don't clear away autumn leaves as they can make perfect hedgehog nests. You can also build a hedgehog house in a safe area, by covering an upturned wooden crate with earth, stones and leaves, leaving a suitable entrance. If you buy a ready-made hedgehog box, don't forget to check the wood is from a sustainable source.

Leave a rock or log pile in your garden for slow worms, snakes and newts to shelter under. Frogs and toads often swim to the bottom of the pond; however, so make sure their oxygen supply isn't blocked when the pond freezes over, by floating a ball on the surface, or carefully breaking the ice on those frosty winter mornings.

Most people know that putting up bat boxes on trees or in old building can be helpful, but did you know you can also buy or make boxes for insect such as bumblebees and lacewings? Cut up some bamboo cane and place it in a wooden frame or length of drainpipe to attract these insects. When they emerge in spring they will be very beneficial for your garden too.

Some creatures, such as bats and hedgehogs, will move nest during the winter period, but if you spot any animals taking a nap in your garden, try not to disturb them as waking up can take an awful lot of their vital energy.

Join BBOWT in helping hibernating wildlife by volunteering your time and skills to put up nest boxes and survey dormice. Contact the Volunteering Development Team to find out how on 01865 775476 for volunteering@bbowt.org.uk

Some animals such as the diminutive harvest mouse or the slightly more sizeable badger, do not hibernate. Birds do not hibernate either, so all these species need to keep feeding through the winter. Provide nuts, seeds and fat in hanging feeders for garden birds. If you are lucky enough to have badgers visit your garden, provide water (not milk) and cat food, or peanuts which can be strewn on the grass.
Original article published by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, written by Helen Taylor

  

WILDLIFE NOTEBOOK - MID SEPTEMBER TO MID NOVEMBER
About half a dozen times during the summer Gwen Whitehead in The Shearings saw 4 Hummingbird Hawk moths at the same time in her garden and they particularly liked the blue and pink verbena. Butterflies that have been seen around recently flying in the warm sunshine, looking very bright and colourful are Red Admiral, Peacock and Painted Lady. A Dragonfly was seen on 10th October.
I received a really interesting email from Amanda Curtin who lives in The Bourne, saying that in the middle of October her son Harry, aged 12, woke her up at 5.00am to say there was a Hedgehog under his bed! She told him to go back to bed as he was obviously dreaming, but he insisted she went and looked, which she did and lo and behold there WAS a large Hedgehog under his bed snuffling around in some papers. They picked it up and put it outside. It had, they assume come in via the cat flap, walked through the house and up the stairs! They could not believe it!! Their cats had apparently ignored it, but they found traces of it on the stairs and by the cat food in the kitchen!! A Fox was seen in an East End field on 29th October.
Around 2.00pm on 16th September there were 2 Coal Tits, Great Tits, at least 6 Blue Tits, Goldfinch and two young, Sparrow and Robin on the feeders for quite a while - it was an wonderful sight and then we were amazed to see the first Nuthatch in our garden. which we were really pleased about. David Randall emailed me on 8th October to say that a pair of Buzzards successfully raised one offspring at a nest site just outside the village. He has had to move his bird feeders at his yard as a Sparrow hawk has been making regular visits and he has seen it take a couple of birds. He has also had a really interesting sighting on the Milcombe Road as he recently saw a Kestrel swoop on a young rat. A car narrowly missed them as they struggled, then two more cars passed over the top of the bird as it dragged its prize to the verge - the Kestrel emerged unscathed, but not the rat! All in the Randall household have enjoyed watching Rooks feeding on the walnuts on the large tree at the bottom of Sibford Road opposite The Glebe. In a garden in East End on 12th October a flock of Blue Tits, Coal Tits and Long-tailed Tits were seen. At the beginning of November Cedric Brain had Coal Tits, Great Tits and Blue Tits in his garden. He had a Song Thrush in his garden that had a bad right leg, which looked as if it had broken half way down and now it sticks out, and it was in their garden all the time whilst it was feeding young. They had not seen it since it had spent so much time gathering food for its young with just one leg, then to their joy it returned on 4th November. David Shirt who lives in Sibford Road heard quite a lot of noise from both Tawny and Little Owls in September and October, but they are quieter now. Single Herons were seen in the East End on 21st, 22nd September, 7th, 18th, 23rd, 25th and 29th October. There has been a sighting of a Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpecker and Kestrel and glimpses of a Sparrow hawk - you really have to be lucky to see one of these in your garden as they fly through so quickly.
David Shirt has been hearing Redwings for several weeks, but saw his first flock of Fieldfares on 5th November. We saw several quite large flocks for the first time on 25th October. Both birds migrate from the N Europe and Scandinavia. The Fieldfare has a grey head, cold reddish-brown back and arrowhead spots below and in flight shows white under wings. The Mistle Thrush also shows a white under wing, but the Redwing, true to its name, shows a red under wing and the line which runs over the the top of the eye, which is called a "supercilium" is a white to rusty-buff colour. The under wing of the Song Thrush is a rusty-buff colour. Maybe this might help you tell them apart in flight!
I hope you all have a great Christmas and every best wishes for 2007. Thank you very much to those of you who have been in touch with me. Please let me know about your sightings - this is your newsletter and I really do like to hear from you.
Geraldine Moore email: geraldine.moore1@btinternet.com


ANNOUNCEMENTS


Oliver Louis, son of Jane (nee Fowler) and Spencer Soloman
was baptised at St Peter's Church on 29th October 2006


Catherine Grace, daughter of Richard and Susannah Monelle (nee Rust)
was baptised at St Peter's Church on 19th November 2006


Edward Peter, son of Steven and Lisa Rust was baptised at
St Peter's Church on 19th November 2006


Congratulations to Stephen Hiatt and Lucy Warner on the birth of
your new baby daughter Imogen,a lovely new sister for Millie. With love and best wishes from all your friends and family.


Tina Marie Hickling and Richard John Middleton were married at
St Peter's Church on 23rd September 2006


Rachael Louise Jackson and David Andrew Smith were married
at St Peter's Church on 7th October 2006