The Hook Norton Village Newsletter
June 2006 Series 31 No 3

Village Affairs



NEWSLETTER TEAM


Directory: Diana Barber
Advertising: Judi Leader
Distribution: Bunty Reid
Postal Services: Mrs M Padbury
Proof reading: Nigel Lehmann
IT/Web Support: Martin Baxter


FROM THE EDITORS
The Newsletter Box contained £29.73 this month. Thank you.
Sadly we record the death of John Jones, aged 71, of Hollybush Road and Reginald Stockford and on behalf of the village 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 SATURDAY, 15th JULY 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.



HOOK NORTON GARDEN CLUB
In spite of Spring being slow to arrive the Club has been busy. The Spring Show was a great success with daffodils coming into flower just in time to give a wonderful fresh display in the Memorial Hall. All classes were well represented - especially the children's and photography groups.
The winners were:
  • Pargeter Cup - most points by a gentleman-Peter Arnold
  • Clark Cup-most points by a lady - Nicola McHugh
  • Willis Cup-most points by a child - Eleanor Hiatt
  • Floral Arts Cup-most points in Floral Art Section - Nicola McHugh
  • Redlands Cup-most points in Homecraft Section-shared by Kate Hopkins and Sally Wood
  • Bishop Cup-most points in Photography section - John Blackham
  • Diploma for Excellence in Horticulture - Peter Arnold
  • Novice Certificate of Merit in Floral Art - Pauline Goldsmith
  • Certificate of Merit in Floral Art - Sheila Lilley
Also in April members enjoyed a talk by nurseryman Bob Brown entitled a Bucketful of Stuff and still to look forward to is Ernie Bingham's talk on Pests and Diseases as well as the day visit to Wisley on 18 June and the evening visit to the Old Glebe at Brackley on 19 July. Watch the Village Notice Boards for time and place of meeting.
Verity Calderan


LIBRARY NEWS
Although only half way through May, there has already been feverish activity in the Library.
The Plant and Book sale on 6th May was blessed with beautiful sunshine. Attendance was excellent and many people enjoyed coffee and biscuits sitting outside, listening to Jo Davies and Dave Mortlock playing their warm and lively music. Very many thanks to them both.
Thanks also to Tom and Gloria Williams from the Village Shop who donated the most exquisite bouquet of flowers for the raffle. This was won by Rita Wheatley, who along with other 'Friends' of the Library organised and ran this event. I shall be heading for the book shop with the proceeds, very soon!
On Friday the 12th May the Library hosted a History Day. A select team of experts, based at the Central Library in Oxford, joined Barbara Hicks and the Summerells, from Hook Norton Museum, to put on a magnificent display of artefacts and archive material. Again the sun shone and 239 people visited the Library and the exhibition during the day. Surprisingly there didn't seem to be many residents around but people travelled from much further afield to attend. Many thanks to all who helped out but particularly to Alrys Morris and the WI for providing the usual stunning cakes and manning the refreshments throughout the day.

Click here for a slideshow from the History Day

A special mention and big thanks must also go to Jack Pearson. Jack has been helping in the Library for about 6 months now, as part of his Duke of Edinburgh community service and he has been quite simply, superb. Whatever the task, however unusual or challenging, Jack's enthusiasm and willingness to tackle everything has been outstanding. Very well done!
Preparations are underway for the Summer Reading Challenge and hopefully some story times and activities too. So watch this space.
Sue Sinclair.


HOOK NORTON WI
Our April meeting was a slide show by Mr. David Smith called ' Country life remembered'. It was a very nostalgic afternoon. Mr. Smith showed us black and white slides of yesteryear. Some of these slides showed families working on their farms. Even the little children had to do their bit during certain times of the year. Most of the members remembered some of the scenes and commented on them. The competition was a 'country object' and was won by Gwen Whitehead,
Our May meeting discussed this years' resolutions.
The meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 2pm in the Baptist Hall and visitors are very welcome.
Alyris Morris


VILLAGE MUSEUM
The Museum's Family Friendly occasion at the Brewery on May 1st turned out to be a very successful affair. Families turned out in force to don Victorian style costumes and have their photographs taken. There was also much interest in the Old Games and Activities section where youngsters learnt the art of French knitting, pom-pom making and ' moving tank' production. They played shove halfpenny and bagatelle with gusto. Adults were quite keen as well. The Village Museum also supported the Hook Norton Library for the county's 'Hook Norton History day', the second one in Oxfordshire. Our displays created much interest and generated many queries that we will research from the Museum Archives.
Barbara Summerell, Archivist, Pat Summerell and Barbara Hicks, Joint Curators


MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING
Once again, I shall be holding the annual Macmillan Coffee Morning on Friday 29th September, in the Study Centre, attached to Hook Norton Primary School, 9am - 11.30am. Please make a note of this event in your diary. We shall be selling the Christmas cards as normal and will also have a raffle. If anyone would like to make donations of raffle prizes or cakes, please let me know nearer the time. If you are able to give up a couple of hours of your time to help me on the day, I would also be very grateful. Please let me know by telephoning or e-mailing me.
julie@hookiewood.freeserve.co.uk


BAPTIST CHURCH
At our recent AGM Rosemary Searle took over from Julie Warren as Church secretary. Nigel Whitehead, having completed another six-year period as a leader, is 'resting ' for the compulsory year before being eligible for re-election. Other officers are Roger Gooding,(Treasurer) and Ken Conrad and Dorothy Smith (Leaders). Our thanks go to Julie and Nigel for all the work they have put in over the years.
The church floor has been greatly improved by a new, blue carpet which will be nice for the Holiday Club children to sit on, but, hopefully, not to paint on. Holiday Club is July 31st to August 4th, in case you missed my note in last month's Hooky News. We are not yet sure what this year's theme is to be, but with Ian and Elaine Coules in charge as usual, it is bound to be a lot of fun. The next JAM CLUB Sunday is June 18th, which will be at St Peter's, starting at 10.am The Cornerstone Churches away week-end at Cleobury Mortimer is June 16th to 18th.
If you missed Dan Pulham's lecture on the 'Da Vinci Code' on 13th May and are interested to learn more, there are booklets available which explain the myths and facts concerning this popular novel. John Taylor would be happy to supply you. Telephone the Church Office on 737315.
Dorothy Smith


ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Last issue there was kind of a theme going, reminding us that St. Peter's is an integral part of village life for all sorts of events as well as our regular worship. Well, thinking about things from a different perspective it is, of course also true that worship should not be confined just to our own church. Jesus certainly did not want us to limit ourselves to knowledge of Him through learnt liturgy, but invites us into a loving relationship with Him, every day, at home, at work or in church. One way of expanding our appreciation of different forms of worship and prayer is through Spring Harvest, a two-week extravaganza which takes place all over Europe for two weeks every year. In the UK the venues are in Minehead (at Butlins, which gives itself over solely to the Spring Harvest conference) and Skegness. Attendance can be for just one day, or for the whole two weeks. Tailored to provide worship events, workshops, reflective time and special children's activities throughout the day and evening, there's really something for ALL ages – combined with the benefits of all the Butlins facilities and the beautiful coastline. Thousands of people attend Spring Harvest in the UK every year, and Hook Norton has always had a strong contingent, with many families returning year after year. This year 59 people travelled to Minehead to attend, and bookings for next year (for the week starting April 10th 2007) must be made within the next week (April 7th) if we are to stand any chance of getting our places. If you find an opportunity to talk to anyone who has previously been to Spring Harvest, please do so. Anyone interested in going next year should talk to Sheila Acreman or Jan Hughes. Please note that although we have to book numbers very soon, payment will NOT be required yet!
By the time this newsletter hits your doormats we will also have enjoyed our Rogation Sunday service, at Tom's Barn, just outside the village. Coming just before Ascension Day, Rogation Sunday has traditionally been the time when prayers are made for God's blessing on the land, farm animals and crops, in the hope of a good harvest. Many thanks to Mary Powell for allowing us to use Tom's barn as such a wonderful setting for this service (which includes afternoon tea and nature walk!). The collection from the Rogation Sunday service is being donated to the Katharine House Hospice.
Ascension Day is, of course, a particularly important day, commemorating Jesus ascending back up to Heaven. This year St. Peter's celebrated Ascension Day (May 25th) with an early communion service and shared breakfast.
And continuing with a food and fellowship theme, the Font Café initiative, every Saturday and Tuesday mornings at St. Peters, is going from strength to strength. Please come along for a cup of fresh coffee or tea, biscuits (there is no charge) and a chat. All ages welcome, and dog-walkers, too.
St. Peter's and Hook Norton Baptist Church are now alternately hosting a special JAM (Jesus and Me) service, every third Sunday of the month, which is tailored particularly for families and children,. June's JAM service is on the 18th at St. Peter's (10 am). Please note July's JAM service is being put forward a week, and will be on July 9th at the Baptist church (10.30 am).
Other news? Well, the latest Alpha Course started on May 2nd, and is proving very lively, as it always is! Please contact Janet Collins for more details on this fascinating and thought-provoking programme, as a new Alpha course will hopefully be starting in the Autumn.
On Sunday June 11th, there will be a concert: If Musick be the Food of Love, by Philippa Hyde (Soprano) and Helen Rogers (Harpsichord). Music by JS Bach, Purcell, Handel, Scarlatti and Vivaldi. St. Peter's Church, 7.30 pm. Tickets £7.50 to include a glass of wine and canapés, are available from 730818, or on the door. All proceeds in aid of St. Peter's.
The church family at St. Peter's also likes to help out with the annual Holiday Club for our village children, which is hosted by the Baptist church and run by Elaine and Ian Coules. This year, the dates will be Monday 31st July to Friday 4th August, from 10 am-noon, each day. There will be a planning meeting on Sunday 4th June at 12.45 pm, at Hook Norton Baptist Hall. Further information from John Taylor.
Special Services:
Regular dates for the diary:
Sophia Fox sophiafox1@aol.com


HOOK NORTON GUIDES

We are now coming up to our outdoor term, getting ready for the camping season, so lots of outdoor activities, to include walking, picnics, fire lighting, outdoor cooking, tracking, gadget making to mention just a few. The last term has been very full with the girls doing lots of activities, including map reading in preparation for their walking, lots of fun crafts and pretty flowered Easter cards. Click for large imageAt the last meeting before Easter, we had a special celebration. Two of our guides, Kim Appleton and Megan Wood were presented with the Baden-Powell Challenge Award, which is the highest Award you can receive in Guides. Click for large image
We hired the back room of the Sun so that the guides could play skittles. They had a great evening playing skittles and had a plate of sausage and chips to eat as well! A great evening was had by all.
Julie Wood Guide Guider 1st Hook Norton Guides julie@hookiewood.freeserve.co.uk


21ST WORLD JAMBOREE 2007
I have just found out that I have been selected to attend the 21st World Jamboree 2007 in Essex, representing the Anglia Region. I was expected to go through selection at county and region, before actually being offered a place. I am very excited about attending the camp and look forward to meeting lots of new people. There are only 3 girls attending from Oxfordshire, the other two are from Didcot and Witney. The theme of the camp is One World, One Promise. "40,000 young people will camp, live and work alongside each other: They will come from a variety of different cultures, backgrounds and religions. Together they will celebrate what unites them and learn what they can do together to help build a better world." I have to do quite lot of fundraising for the event, so please look out for posters around the village over the next 6 months or so.
My first bit of fundraising is to be held at Music@Crossroads on Saturday 1st July. I will be holding a blue/yellow tombola stall to promote guiding and will also have bowling going on. If you are unable to attend the event, but would like to donate anything blue/yellow, please either give me a ring or email and we can pick the items up. Many thanks in anticipation.
Katie Wood Hook Norton Rangers julie@hookiewood.freeserve.co.uk


NEWS FROM HOOK NORTON PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP
The New Year has brought a lot of excitement to Hook Norton Playgroup, with the completion of our new outdoor play area! Our previously bare playground has been transformed with a new wooden sand pit, a wooden log train, a suspension bridge, a balance beam and even some toadstools!
This fantastic play area has been funded through an Awards For All Lottery grant of £5,000 and fundraising events.
Our Preen and Pamper evening raised £350, the Family Bingo £150 and the Fashion show raised £130. All this hard work has meant that we have now placed the order for the final piece of the playground, our Pirate Ship.
Grand Summer Draw.
Christine Lovatt and Jeanette Esson are currently beavering away collecting some amazing prizes for our grand summer draw. The raffle tickets for this event will be on sale soon and the draw is to take place at our sports day during the summer.
For more information on this event or for more information about the Playgroup in general, please contact Mrs Julie Riley.
Sessions:
Morning 9am - 12am
Lunch 12pm - 12-30pm
Afternoon 12-30pm - 3-30pm
After School 3-30pm - 6-00pm

We cater for children from 2 years to 11 years old and offer a walking to and from School service. We open during term time and school holidays.

Prices:
£5-75 per session
£1-25 lunch
£1-25 walk to/from school

For more information, to book sessions or to arrange a visit, please phone 01608 730560 and ask to speak to the Playgroup Manager.

LEE STRATFORD COMMUNITY TRUST
Thanks to everyone who has supported us in the first few months with donations of phones, craft materials and the buying of finished crafts. Special thanks to Mr. Vernon McKinnon, a past resident of Hook Norton for sending us £20 of Sainsbury vouchers to use for the Trust.

  Summer Dance & Pig Roast
Tickets are now on sale for this event, which is at the Sports & Social Club, 24th June 8 Midnight. Dance music will be provided by Simon Lea - Mastersound and the Pig Roast by Ramthome Farm. You can get your tickets either from myself, or Dot Stratford at the shop counter in The Post Office. The cost of the ticket includes the pig roast and costs £ 10 each (adults only) sorry kids, but we are doing things for you as well!

Spirit Award - Football
We have decided to honour our youngsters achievements in village football (a thing close to Lee's heart), by providing an award for the young person (seniors) and child (Juniors) who in the opinion of the management has shown the most dedication, camaraderie and pure sprit during the season. The winner of the Senior Award was 17year old Bill Johnson; he travels miles to take part in games & practices and is well liked by the team members. Not only that, he is a lovely polite young man, and it was a pleasure to give him the award. The Junior Award has yet to be announced.

 
  Mobile Phones
We have sent the first batch of phones off and will be receiving the first payment soon. This should be in the region of £100. We are still collecting, so have a look through those forgotten cupboards and drawers! The Youth Club has kindly offered to help with the collection and to make it more interesting we have offered HMV vouchers to the one who collects the most.

The Great Hooky Duck Race
A family fun day is being organised at the Peartree Inn on Bank Holiday Monday 28th August. The ducks will be racing down the brook (not real ones, yellow plastic ones!) There will be a BBQ and plenty of other things to do. We will need some volunteers for this to act as Duck Marshals and to help prepare the brook for racing and generally helping out on the day so if you think you could help out please give me a ring.


  
  Village Children's Christmas Parties
Sorry to mention Christmas in June, but this will be a huge thing to organise and needs to be started now. The parties will be free to all Hook Norton Children (funded by the Trust) and will be arranged as three parties to cover the different age groups. The date in mind at the moment is Saturday 16th December, venue still to be arranged. This again will need volunteers in order for them to take place, so if you can help with this one, please let me know.
Crafts
A Big thank you to Sandra & Gill at Salon 2 for selling a selection of my cards. Anyone wanting to buy some, I can bring the HUGE box to you.
  

Valerie Stratford valerie@stratford4496.fsnet.co.uk


FIREFIGHTING
We apologise for our absence from the past 2 issues, but we have been busy….
Already during 2006 we have seen an increase in calls, answering over 65 from January to April. Out of these we have had 8 false alarms, 30 standbys for Banbury, Chipping Norton & the M40, 5 chimney fires, along with over 25 calls for fires, road traffic accidents & special services. These include a thatch roof at Great Tew, a barn fire at Milcombe, Hook Norton, a barn & haystack at Churchill, a garage at Kingham, a shed at Nether Worton, a bonfire at South Newington, a beam caused by a chimney fire in Brailes, a fuse box in Chipping Norton, and a house fire in Milcombe; also we have come to the aid of village residents when a boiler burst its pipes, a flooding and assisted the paramedics when a builder became injured whilst working on a site in Hook Norton.
Your local Fire Crew :
Back Row (l –r): Crew Manager Nigel Matthews, FF Gary Brown, FF Sean Daly, FF Ben Stowe, FF Richard Thornton, FF Joe Williams, FF Dave Page, FF Fran King, Crew Manager Tim Rudd
Front Row: FF Adrian Barrett, Watch Manager Ivor Matthews, FF Richard Smart
Apart from answering 999 calls in April we made a presentation of a cheque to Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust for £1,700, raised from last years bonfire night @ the brewery. This followed by an interesting presentation on the work of the Air Ambulance at the Sun Inn. The money that has been raised will ensure that 3 casualties will receive vital assistance. The air ambulance is based at White Waltham in Berkshire which covers Berks, Bucks & Oxon. It is called by the ambulance service for serious injuries and road traffic accidents, where a normal land ambulance cannot reach in time or due to problems with access, or for transport from hospitals to specialist treatment centres at another hospital. Within 2 minutes of the call the air ambulance is in the air, it can reach anywhere within the 3 counties in under 15 minutes and from Hook Norton can be at the helipad @ the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in under 10 minutes. The crew consists of a pilot & 2 paramedics who provide most of their services voluntarily. The equipment on board is the same as any ambulance. The service is funded entirely from public funding and costs over £1.2m to operate per year. The trust is currently looking to lease a new helicopter costing over £110,000 which will improve not only vital minutes, carry better equipment but also will be able to transport a relative or friend of the patient. So far this year we have utilised this service at 2 road traffic accidents and also the Police helicopter to assist.
If you would like more information or to support the air ambulance in any way visit www.airambulancetvac.org call 01628 822711 or speak to any Hooky firefighter.
Thanks to Stuart, Joyce & Staff at The Sun Inn for their continued support & use of the function room.
For Fire Safety Information or to book a free fire safety check from your local fire station call 0800 0 325 999 or visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk and click on Fire & Rescue.

WILDLIFE NOTEBOOK - MID MARCH TO MID MAY
On 15th March four year old Tom Skelton spotted a Muntjac in his garden in Beanacre. Martin Madge saw a large deer, probably a Roe Deer at about 6.00am on 17th April, which slowly crossed Station Road just this side of the kissing trees. In Sibford Road opposite the school in the honeysuckle, a male Blackcap was seen by Phyl Barton on the morning of 9th March. Warren Morris had a male Siskin in his garden on the morning of 19th March and we had a male Siskin in our garden on 15th April. A Brambling was seen in East End on 21st and 22nd March and on 6th April. A single Heron was seen in a tree behind St Peters Church on 9th April and others seen in East End on 31st March, 12th and 17th April. A White Wagtail was seen by David Shirt in his garden in Sibford Road on 26th March, and we had 12 Pied Wagtails in our garden on 17th March and interestingly enough on the same day at about 7.00pm Linda Wong was in the car park at The Masons Arms and the ground was literally covered with Pied Wagtails and she and her son counted at least 60. David Shirt has seen several Buzzards in the area; Linda Wong saw one fly over her home in Hollybush Road heading towards Sibford Road on 25 April. Other sightings of Buzzards in East End have been on 19th, 22nd, 31st March, 3rd, 11th, 28th April and 1st May. Tim Burchell has seen a Green Woodpecker in The Butts a great deal and has had a female Blackcap in his garden on the Mahonia on and off all winter. A green tinged, red cheeked Parakeet with a comb on its head was seen by Eve Wynn in Sibford Road at the beginning of April. On 5th April in a tree in Scotland End there was a Goldcrest singing, another Goldcrest was also seen by Peter Smart at the beginning of April. The first Swallow was seen in East End in the afternoon of 4th April. There were then two sightings on 9th April, one by Margaret Bloomfield at 8.15am on the wires behind Scotland House and Clay Bank and the other by Peter Smart at 11.00am in Brymbo. On 10th April a male Redstart feeding with a Pied Wagtail was seen by Bob Wyatt, who was on holiday in the village, in a paddock along the road between Hook Norton and Great Rollright.
The first Chiffchaff was heard by David Randall on 10th April on the old railway line just outside the village, where he also saw a pair of Goldcrests and heard at least two Woodpeckers drumming. The first Cuckoo calling has been heard by Patrick Fox by the viaducts at about 6.45pm on 19th April. It is disappointing that no-one else has heard one calling, or better still seen one, but I don't suppose our resident birds who host the Cuckoo chick will mind! The first Swifts I saw were three on 29th April. If you hear a piercing scream in the sky, look up and you will see Swifts perform 'formation flights' at dizzy speeds, which is quite a sight.
Linda Wong has had Blackbirds in her garden which have been feeding young and we have too and you know how old the chicks are when you look at the size of the worms which the parents take back to the nest as when they first hatch the worms are really tiny. Long tailed Tits are usually seen in flocks, but when it comes to spring they are found in twos and this spring, for the first year I can remember, a pair must have built a nest nearby as they keep coming into our garden or flying through to find nest material and food - they have been so entertaining. It is very good to know that quite a few Song Thrushes have been heard throughout the village.
Gwenneth Edgington of Burycroft Road saw a Brimstone butterfly in the afternoon of 5th April. These are quite large, the male being easily recognisable as it is sulphur yellow but the female, although she is white, can be recognised by her pointed wing tips. Other butterflies around now are the Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Holly Blue and Orange Tips. Thank you for your calls and please phone or email me with any sightings.
Geraldine Moore email: geraldine.moore1@btinternet.com


HEDGEHOGS: UNDER THREAT
Hedgehogs appear to be in decline but scientists need to know by how much. Many people think they are not as common as they used to be - when was the last time you saw a hedgehog? It is estimated that numbers have dropped by 20 per cent in four years.
The People's Trust for Endangered Species and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society need you to help us find out if hedgehogs are becoming more scarce. They are launching a survey at www.HogWatch.org.uk to build a map of where they are found in the UK. It is as important to them to know if you haven't seen hedgehogs as it is to know that you have!

WARBURTON'S WALKS
24 circular walks in and around South Oxfordshire
Paul Warburton was a well known local farmer, conservationist, naturalist writer and churchman.  He died tragically in a farming accident in 2004.  This book of walks, many devised by Paul himself, has been produced in his memory and is being sold in aid of the Thames Valley and Chilterns Air Ambulance Trust.
All the walks are about 6 miles long, and many begin and end near or at a pub!!  Happy walking!
Tim Huins and Brian Harding.  Kissing Gate 2006  £5.95
ISBN 0 9552247-0-5


UNIQUE
I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who put money in the Unique box – it came to £9.50.
Unique is a charity which helps to give information on Chromosomes.
My son was born with a Chromosome Disorder which is called Deletion 8. This makes him two years younger than his normal age, so he is like a 12 year old instead of 14. He is a normal boy but can't do a lot of things a 14 year old can.
Tina Boss


DAVID HEALEY
Mary and Bill Healey & family would like to thank family friends and neighbours for their cards and messages of sympathy following the sudden loss of their son David,
Thank you also to all who attended David's funeral.
We also wish to thank Hook Norton Fire Service who went to the scene of the accident and Janet Collins for the lovely church service.
Thank you all.
The Healey family


ANNOUNCEMENTS



Gabriel, son of Robert & Jennifer Lanham
of Sibford Road was baptised at St Peter's Hook Norton on 14th May 2006