EDITORIAL

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It’s good to know some things don't change. On 14`h August I spend a pleasant hour talking to the campers outside Alvescot church, and the world-peacers are as idealistic and committed as when, 30 years ago, we marched happily yelling `Hey, hey, LBJ, how many boys did you kill today?' And as complacently woolly-headed. And as addicted to conspiracy theory. And as able to pluck dubious `facts' from a very soupy sense of history.

And just like then, the more they say no one is in charge, the more it is obvious that it is the one with the intense stare and the ability to talk in paragraphs: Anna Linnea from the Aland Islands. (Between Sweden and Finland, if you must know.) Ask her `what time is it?', and she will at once explain how clocks work, how to make one, and that the Swiss clock-makers are in league with the Americans to take over the world.

Ah yes, America. `The devils are at the gate' (or some such thing) is emblazoned on one of the banners. Jamie from Scotland insists that they do not particularly hate Americans, well, not more than any other 'arms-dealing assassins'. But there are only two graffitied flags strung along the bushes, and they are both American. Everyone needs a bogeyman, and the Americans certainly get it in the neck. On the one hand they are crazy children who need educating, and on the other they are crazy Svengalis who need locking up.

Alvescot Peace Camp is already advertised on www.indymedia.org.uk

`The camp is in a very pleasant area of green next to the church at Alvescot... There are about 10 people staying at the camp at the moment, who have located a standpipe for water and are fairly well set up and very welcoming.'

It sounds delightful, and so it is. Sitting about in the sun, stirring the bonfire and a large pot of stew, and rapping about the iniquities of governments everywhere. Sarah from Oxford (older, pin neat and concerned) even provides cooking lessons for camouflage-coated Kara from Lancashire: `No dear, make the tea with the boiling water before topping up the kettle.'

Of course they are also Doing Something Important. A plane goes over, and they jump up and enter the details into a big red book. `We are monitoring the planes, and we know which ones are carrying bombs for Israel' they say.

Ah yes, Israel. Most of them think Israel should not exist, and Kate from Evesham says American foreign policy is controlled by `fanatical Jews'. She believes the Jews declared `economic war on Germany in 1932', and for good measure that `the Bishop of Hereford & Worcester is as bad as Adolf Hitler.' Sarah from Oxford looks a bit uncomfortable at this, but says that one accepts all allies in the battle for world peace. I make my excuses and leave.

Richard Martin

 

PARISH & BENEFICE SERVICES

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3rd September - Trinity X11

10.30am Westwell        Benefice Eucharist Service        HM, NUW, EJ

6.00pm Broadwell        Evensong          NUW

loth September - Trinity XIII

9.00am B Bourton        Holy Communion          NUW

9.00am Broadwell        Holy Communion (BCP)           HM

9.00am Westwell/Holwell Combined Holy Communion EJ

10.30am Filkins            Parish Communion        HM

10.30am Shilton           Parish Communion &

Children's Church         EJ

11.00am L Faringdon   Matins NUW

6.00pm Alvescot          Songs of Praise EJ

6.00pm Kencot            Evensong          HM

17th September - Trinity XIV

9.00am Holwell Holy Communion NUW

10.30am Broadwell Matins NUW

10.30am Kelmscott Family Communion HM

10.30am Langford Morning Prayer AP

6.00pm B Bourton/Alvescot Combined Evensong HM

6.00pm B Poggs Evensong NUW

6.00pm Westwell         Evensong          AP

24th September - Trinity XV

9.00am Kencot            Holy Communion (BCP, no sermon) NUW

9.00am Shilton Holy Communion          HM

10.30am Alvescot/B Bourton Combined Parish Communion     NUW

10.30am Filkins            Family Communion       EJ

11.00am L Faringdon   Parish Communion        HM

6.00pm Holwell/Westwell Combined Evensong EJ

6.00pm Langford          Evensong          HM

 

There is also a Communion Service at Black Bourton every Wednesday at 10.00am

 

CELEBRANTS

AP       Arthur Pont      EJ        Liz Johnson

HM Harry MacInnes    NUW Neville Usher-Wilson

 

BENEFICE SERVICES

All services are at 10.30am unless otherwise stated

5th November Kelmscott

3rd December Langford

 

THE LECTIONARY

3rd September - Trinity XII (G)

Song of Solomon 2.8-13          Psalm 45.1-2, 6-9 [or 45.1-7]

James 1.17-end            Mark 7.1-8, 14-15, 21-23

10th September - Trinity XIII (G)

Proverbs 22.1-2, 8-9, 22-23    Psalm 125

James 2.1-10 [11-13] 14-17    Mark 7.24-end

14th September - Holy Cross Day (R)

Numbers 21.4-9           Psalm 22.23-28

Philippians 2.6-11         John 3.13-17

17th September - Trinity XIV (G)

Proverbs 1.20-33         Psalm 19 [or 19.1-6] or Canticle: Wisdom of Solomon 7.26 - 8.1

James 3.1-12   Mark 8.27-end

20th September - Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist ( R)

Proverbs 3.13-18 Psalm 119.65-72 2 Corinthians 4.1-6           Matthew 9.9-13

24th September - Trinity XV (G)

Proverbs 31.10-end     Psalm 1

James 3.13 - 4.3, 7-8a Mark 9.30-37

 

 

CHILDREN'S CHURCH

Children's Church dates for remainder of 2006

All activities start at 10.15 in Shilton Old School. Some of these dates might be subject to change. Watch this space.

10th September            I          

12th November

October (No service)  

10th December (Christingle)

 

Thank you for supporting our Children's Church and we hope that many more of you would like to join. For more information or any queries please contact Harry McInnes (01993 845954) or me on 01993 847039.

Debs Price

 

 

HO HO!

A chap came out of church after the service. The vicar grabbed him by the hand, pulled him aside and said:

`You need to join the Army of the Lord!' `I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Vicar.'

`How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?' 'Shhh! I'm in the secret service.'

 

THE RECTOR'S LETTER

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Dear Friends

Tracing your ancestry has become one of the fascinations of this generation, and the internet has opened up the possibility of exploring a genealogy in a way that was not open to past generations; although it is said that the cheapest way to have your ancestors researched still, is to run for leadership of the opposition!

I had the chance in July of looking into my family history. We had a weekend gathering of a large number of the descendants of my great great grandfather Miles MacInnes (right) who used to live in Carlisle. There were cousins galore including some from Canada, USA, and Australia. We had a wonderful weekend that took in lunch and supper parties, picnics in the grounds of Rickerby house the home of Miles MacInnes and a MacInnes family thanksgiving service at Stanwix parish church where Miles used to worship. But apart from the excuse for a party, it made me aware of how important family life is.

The man we were celebrating was a man of unquestionable integrity and shining faith. One of his

contemporaries had said `simplicity and humility were wonderful to see in a man of his business capacities and

intellectual power.' Another made the comment `whenever I have thought of him, I have felt I was seeing what it meant to walk with Christ. No one has impressed me so much with what God's nearness means in the daily life of a man of action.'

It raised the question of what had been the formative influence in his life. The answer was not difficult to find. His father and mother had been people of faith and prayer. His father had been a general, who amongst other things had quelled a mutiny in India by his calm and gentle authority. But when it came to his home life, as a friend said of him, `his one desire was for the spiritual health and well-being of his children, and he set this before any worldly position or social advantage.'

It is an interesting kind of Will for his descendants to inherit, and very difficult to better. A home which is not only loving, and with Christian values, but which also sees the nurturing of a the inner life of children as being vital for their growth, that is a purpose that I think we still so need. So many of the problems we face in society today stem from the fact that we have become increasingly materially rich but spiritually poor.

The other thing that stood out  in my ancestors was that they lived lives of service. They had a deep sense of responsibility for others, and a desire to deal with injustice and inequity. It was born out of a sense of gratitude for what God had done in their lives, and a longing to share the benefits they had received. So as we move into the autumn months, the words of the Apostle Peter are worth remembering `the promise of God' he said `is for you and your children and your children's children.' It's a challenge to make sure that we don't deprive future generations of the knowledge of the inheritance which they can have.

Harry MacInnes

ps: The photograph above is of three of Miles' descendants, all also called Miles: his great grandson, his great great grandson and his great great great grandson (our son).

 

MILES' RECOLLECTIONS OF THE HIGHLANDS

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In 1911, at the request of his children, Miles MacInnes set down his recollections of his own family history. In this extract he records the story of his grandparents marriage in 1828, and his own memories of life in the Scottish highlands later in the 19th century.

After (for those days) the prolonged wedding journey, your grandfather took your grandmother to the Highlands to introduce her to his mother, and his Scotch relations and friends. They used to tell us that when some of the Highlanders came in to see the bride they asked, `Where is the leddy?' exclaiming, when she was pointed out, `Without a mutch!' (a cap); for though only twenty-six, a cap was the distinctive mark of the married lady.

I remember long after that in the Highlands the `wives' (married women) always wore pretty white caps, with a high crown, sometimes lined with pink, and a frill round the face. This, with a good plaid shawl, was the universal costume for Church; not a bonnet was to be seen.

The `lasses' (every girl was a`lass,' till she married, even if she was seventy : I remember hearing it said of a quite old lady, `There's a lass can take her porridge as well as a bairn!') wore their coils of hair tied with a ribbon. I have seen them carrying their shoes and stockings in their hand, till they got near the town, and there stopping to put them on. The children were always barefoot. The change to fashionable hats and flowers, and bonnets for the `wives,' is not nearly so picturesque.

Old ladies, at least after the age of sixty, to my recollection seldom wore their own hair, but wore brown or reddish fronts of false hair with curls at the side. I remember a lady calling at our house being remarked on as `so pretty' because she wore her own white hair.

The Presbyterian services were long. My impression is they lasted at least two hours and a half; this was a moderate allowance-the sermon about an hour and a half. How would those who think half-an-hour long for a sermon, endure them? I remember nothing about the sermons, except the interest of seeing the snuff-box go round the precentor's pew, where he sat with his choir, and finally being handed up to the minister!

Almost every Highland family had relations in India; brothers, uncles or cousins. Though it was about a hundred years after `the '45,' and my grandmother was not born till after that date, I remember it being said, 'Suchand-such a family had relations out in the '45,' and a dirk was given to your father, said to have been used at the battle of Culloden; the handles of the dirk and knife and fork in one sheath being made of heather roots. The field of Culloden looks small indeed to have been the scene of a great decisive battle, the last between Scotch and English. There were Six brothers, said to be the descendants of Prince Charlie, who lived in Ross-shire, and were objects of romantic interest in my early days.

We had some faithful and attached servants. They firmly believed in witches, and there were some beggars, who were never turned away for fear they should look with the `evil eye.' It was a belief that a witch could only be shot with a crooked sixpence, and a story was told of some one shooting at a hare, and on going to pick it up found an old woman under the hedge.

The beautiful river Ness flowed past our grandmother's house, so full of salmon that in early days servants made a stipulation, they should not have salmon more than a certain number of times in the week.

Porridge was the staple food of all the poorer classes, for which, I fear, the teapot, with its leaves stewing on the hearth, ready to be used at any time, is becoming a vicious substitute.

Shootings were never let. Grouse were never sold.

The `Sabbath' was much more strictly observed. I remember my mother stopping my governess and me, from playing hymns on the piano on Sunday, for fear it should bring a mob round the house. Later still, I remember a very nice Highland servant declining on a week-day to come to family prayers, because we had a hymn to the piano, which she said seemed like `dance music'

Another prejudice was against placing flowers near a corpse. Father Ignatius (the Rev. H. L. Lyne) began his career in Inverness and Glen Urquhart, and nearly raised an uproar by, in his kindness, bringing white flowers to place near the body of a child. The widow of a Presbyterian minister, a friend of our family, spoke very warmly of him, and said how she valued his influence for her sons; it was so pure and true. He used to call her his `Presbyterian Mother.'

Ladies never attended funerals in Scotland. The chief mourner, or mourners, walked behind the hearse, with deep muslin bands attached to the neckcloth, and white muslin cuffs on their coat-sleeves, and it was the custom to appear in church with them the following Sunday.

 

 

HARRY TAKES UP THE STORY

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My great great grandfather, Miles, and his wife Euphemia had eight children of whom four, Harry, Neil, John and Rennie are shown (left to right) in this photograph which was taken about 1879.

`I am descended from Rennie who became Bishop of Jerusalem. His son also became (by this time) Archbishop of Jerusalem, and his son is David, my father.'

Harry Macinnes

 

CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

Our monthly meeting this month will be in Filkins Methodist Church Schoolroom on Wednesday 6`h September at 2.45pm. The speaker will be Bishop Bill Down of Witney, who retired to this area after a full and interesting life. As usual, all are welcome.

Marjorie Barstow

 

SHILTON BAPTIST CHAPEL

I remember in the April edition of "Parish Pump" enthusing about the summer season ahead after the pleasant spring days and cheerful garden signs. But I didn't foresee the hot days in July producing desperate measures to try and keep cool, and the steamy nights finding it difficult to go off to sleep.

We look forward so much to the summer days but sometimes get more `summer' than we like. However, it really is a better time of year - holidays to enjoy, long hours of daylight, and not being shut-in so much. A lot to thank our God for (compared to the winter months).

We will surely be able to look back and be more grateful - despite our days in the `tropics'. And we can remember, whatever the weather, God's love is unchanging and steadfast.

Ray Honeyford

Preachers for September

3rd September Informal

l0th September Graham Sparrowhawk (Communion service)

17th' September Barry Shepherd

24th September David Earl.

This will be our Harvest Festival and we would be very happy to welcome visitors to share our thanksgiving to God for all his goodness to us for another year.

Elizabeth Harfield

 

FILKINS & DISTRICT ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

The next Branch Committee Meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Tuesday 5`' September at The 5 Alls, Filkins.

 Jeremy Taylor

 

HAPPY BABY AND CHILD FAYRE

WIntel's first Baby and Child Fayre is on Saturday 30``' September from 10.00am to 4.00pm. Free entry. Celebrities `Big Jo' from Jo jingles and local author, Meg Harper will be there. See exciting advertisement on page 51.

 

FROM THE REGISTERS

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HOLY BAPTISM

16th July           Langford          Elliott Andrew Todd

13th August L.Faringdon          Jacob Ian Lee Griffiths

Joseph Albert George Griffiths

Annie Marie Rose Griffiths

HOLY MARRIAGE

22nd July          B Bourton Nicholas William Hills to Sarah Louise Flynn

29th July           Holwell Benjamin Hugh George Gibson to Lucinda Jane Butler

5th August        Filkins  David Allison to Stephani Havard

 

HOLY BURIAL

14th July Alvescot        Cremation at Kingsdown followed by Burial of Ashes

Ernest George Oakey aged 79 years

31st July Filkins Florence Amy Hicks aged 83 years

11th August Kencot      Elvira Teresina Partridge aged 87 years

 

ROUND OUR VILLAGES

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The 15 villages that make up the 11 parishes in the Shill & Broadshire Benefice are lively places! Every month there are dozens of events organized by the many local organizations that flourish here. We are pleased to report on every event that has happened, and to publicise all those that are to come. We try to incorporate all the many contributions we receive, but please accept that we can not always advertise your particular event in the way you would like.

But do keep sending us all your Village News.

 

ALVESCOT

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St Peter's

 

DON'T FORGET THE QUIZ

There will be a quiz night at the Village Hall on Saturday 7th October. Ring me for further information, and ticket. 01993 842135.

Terry Morris

 

DOGS IN THE CHURCHYARD

Previously the PCC and church wardens have had a relaxed view to dogs being walked through the churchyard, hoping that owners would continue to behave responsibly and thoughtfully in such a special and spiritual place.

Unfortunately, recently we have become aware that this privilege is being abused, possibly by a few less respectful people who allow their pets to run around the churchyard off the lead, foul paths and graves and even interrupt a Sunday morning service.

There is no doubt that dog mess anywhere in the churchyard but especially on graves is extremely offensive and completely unnecessary. The church wardens and PCC have therefore agreed that all dogs must be kept on leads whilst walking through St Peter's churchyard. They must not be allowed to foul anywhere within the grounds.

Our churchyard is a beautiful place of rest for the departed; thoughtfully cared for by volunteers with the help of a professional. Generations of

Alvescot folk have been buried here and their families continue to visit their graves. We have a conservation plan in place to ensure that it will always be a natural, living place of remembrance where the memory of loved ones is held and honoured. For visitors it should always be peaceful, a place of good remembrance.

Jayne Lewin & Sue Cave

St Peter's Church Wardens

 

ST PETER'S INFANT SCHOOL

The school year ended once more with all the customary celebrations at St Peter's.

The family barbecue was once again a great success and thanks go to all the past, present and future families and friends as well as many others from the local community who supported the event . It was a perfect summers evening with wonderful food, thanks to Patrick Strainge's lamb roast and the fabulous contributions from governors, staff and parents. The children enjoyed the entertainment and a very enjoyable evening was had by all.

At last our building work is completed and the children in the Foundation Stage Class have enjoyed having their own cloakroom and access to the new outside covered play area. The new building was formally opened by the Bishop of Dorchester, the Right Reverend Colin Fletcher in July. Bishop Colin took an assembly for the whole school and then led a procession out onto the playground where many representatives from the local community joined us for the official cutting of the ribbon. Parents had the opportunity to meet the Bishop as they collected their children from school and then the Bishop joined governors, staff, and all our visitors for afternoon cream tea in the school grounds.

The Leaver's Service in St Peter's Church is always a moving event and once again the children filled the church with their beautiful singing and made parents, staff, governors and friends of the school very proud in the way that they read their memories of the year. The weather was glorious for the family picnic after the service and everyone was able to enjoy the sunshine.

Many thanks to the staff, governors and past pupils who ran the three activity days after term had ended to raise money for the school. All three days were well supported and many children enjoyed the wide range of activities provided.

We now look forward to the new term and welcoming many new families to St Peter's. As always Mrs Morris and Mrs Potts have worked extremely hard over the holiday to clean and tidy the school in preparation for the new term as has our new cleaner, Lyndsy Wood. Our thanks go to them for the time and work that they put in to ensure that we can provide the best possible environment for the children who attend the school.

Term begins again on Wednesday 6th September for children in Classes 1 and 2 and the new children starting in the Foundation Stage Class will start, mornings only, the week beginning Monday 11th September, and full-time thereafter. We look forward to everything that the new term holds and wish all our Leavers every success as they start their new schools.

Sam King

 

IN THE PINK COFFEE MORNING

Please Join Sandi Morris and Doreen Hart for coffee to raise money for Breast Cancer Research in the village hall from 10.00am to 12noon. There will be various stalls including a raffle, cake stall, silk flowers, jewellery, greeting cards, bring and buy and a bran tub.

Pink clothing optional!

Doreen Hart

 

SHILL VALLEY WI

Shill Valley WI will be hosting its Autumn Show as usual this year in the Village Hall on 2°d September. Please come in the morning and enter your produce etc or visit in the afternoon to admire everyone else's. There will be tea and cakes a bring and buy table plus a raffle in aid of Witney Community Hospital. It would be lovely to see you. If you would like further details please contact Wendy Phipps or myself for a schedule.

Shill Valley WI meets on the first Wednesday of each month in the Village Hall at 7.30pm. Visitors are always very welcome (£L50 includes refreshments, raffle 20p). If you would like more details about any of our activities, please feel free to contact me on 01993 214107.

Melanie Bryant

 

BLACK BOURTON

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St Mary's

 

PARISH COUNCIL

There will be no Parish Council meeting in August. The next meeting will be held on September 27th at 7.30pm in St Mary's Church. Anne Sherriff

 

IN THE PINK COFFEE MORNING See entry under Alvescot

 

ALLIUMS FOR ALL

If you like growing alliums I have some' Allium Siculum' available for the asking. They grow about 3 feet tall, flower in June/July, and are are eyecatching and beautiful, almost unusual.

The head is a collection of bells in shades of dusky pink, cream and grey/green, and, when they have finished flowering, the bells turn upwards and dry a lovely parchment colour. Ideal for dried arrangements.

Do ring me if you're interested or even intrigued! 01993 841731 Liz Welch

 

BROADWELL

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St Peter & St Paul's

 

ALTAR FLOWERS

3rd September                         Pamela Molyneaux

10th & 17th September            Anna Coull

24th September                        Jocelyn Humfrey

[An apology: Lest anyone who saw this in August's Parish Pump...

ALTER FLOWERS

27`h August                              Paul Molyneaux

... thought that retired colonels can turn their hand to anything it should have read

'Pamela Molyneaux: Although Paul tells me that he was once i/c flowers in the officers' mess. Ed/

 

NEWS FROM BROADSHIRES PRE-SCHOOL

The Pre-School Fete is on Sunday 24`h September from 10.00am to 12noon Lots of fun to be had by all! Raffle with 1st prize of £100, Bouncy Castle, Tombola, Face Painting, Cake Stall, Children's Painting Workshop, Wine or Water Stall, Table Top Sale, Refreshments And Hot Bacon Rolls! Everyone Welcome - please come along and support our Pre-School.

Nearly new clothing. The Pre-School invites you to come along to our 50/50     Sale at St John the Evangelist Church, Burford Road, Carterton on Saturday, 14`h October 10.00am to 12noon. Nearly new children's clothes (age 0-11 yrs.), second-hand toys and equipment. There will also be a cake stall and refreshments.

Anyone with items for sale, please telephone 01993 842312 for a seller's pack.

All sellers will be treated on a first come first served basis. We look forward to seeing you.

Vicky Taylor

 

VILLAGE LUNCH

The Village Lunch will be held, with the kind permission of Paul and Annabel Molyneaux, in their barn on Sunday lst October following the harvest festival service.

Tickets are £5 for adults, and free for children. For further information, please telephone me on 01367 860498

Vivien Godfrey

 

FILKINS & BROUGHTON POGGS

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St Peter's

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EILEEN WISE 1924 - 2005

We were all shocked to learn of Eileen's unexpected death just before Christmas, she is sadly missed my many. We will remember her for being a discreet stalwart member of Filkins who resided here for over sixty years.

Eileen was born in Kilburn, London on 30 November 1924 and began her association with Filkins by visiting her grandmother in school holidays who lived in Bimbury Lodge. In 1938 she did not return to London after the summer holidays as she won a place at Burford Grammar School. She left a year later and went to work with Miss Holloway in the Post Office where she helped man the telephone exchange, she had a good memory and could still list the telephone numbers of the various residents of the village.

Aged 17 she joined the National Fire Service in Banbury and after two years she received a letter asking her to `come back as Miss Holloway was poorly!" Thus

returning to Filkins. In 1945 the Post Office relocated to The Bull where she worked with Mrs Isaacs until she married Dennis Wise in 1947. Kenny, Judith, Graham and Elizabeth were born and she ran the Post Office in Broadwell leaving in 1968.

She began work as a classroom assistant at Filkins School and stayed until it was closed in July 1981. She kept in touch with all the Head-teachers with whom she worked most of whom joined her for her 80`h birthday party.

Eileen was well known for her lovely baking and catered for many local weddings with the help of her sister Jean. She was always ready to lend a hand

and belonged to many organisations in the village such as WI, Theatre Club, Courtly dancers, the Day Centre; she was a willing and reliable team player.

Eileen was an asset to the Museum as she could answer the many questions raised by visitors concerning life in Filkins and its inhabitants. She took an active part in the church and was thrilled when her granddaughter Nicky decided to get married at St Peters, Filkins making it the third generation to get married in this church. She was so looking forward to this occasion and was glad that her wish came true.

Eileen was a keen poet and was able to write a poem for many occasions all written in her beautiful calligraphy. We all have our own memories of Eileen and she will be well remembered. The family are sorry that it is belated but they would like to thank everyone who sent cards and letters and attended the funeral service. It was lovely to know that she had so many friends who cared. Donations of £560 were sent to the Heart Foundation. It is still hard to believe that she isn't here with us but we still think of her everyday.

Diane Blackett

 

THE CANTERBURY TALES

Chaucer's pilgrims are coming through the village in September. See page 30

FILKINS THEATRE PRESENTS...

... Our 20th anniversary production of `The Queen Must Die' by David Farr has been postponed again. Sorry about this. It will now be next Spring.

Sue Ashforth-Smith

 

THE CHANGING FACE OF FARMING

Swinford Museum (in the middle of the village) have published a booklet `The Changing face of Farming' to complement this year's exhibition which brings together

stories, photographs and implements from farmers past and present. The museum is open on 3" September, and admission is free.

Diane Blackett (01367 860504)

 

WI NEWS

July brought us a very hot and busy month for the WI. Our first outing on the 7`h was a visit to Eastleach House gardens on a perfect summer's day. The gardens were stunning, we were amazed at the size and variety of different areas - ponds, rose garden, arboretum something different in every corner. It is only open on a Friday in June and July but well worth a visit for any gardens lovers. We finished our afternoon with cream teas at the Victoria Inn.

On the 12`h, ten members went `Owl Flying' near Gloucester. It was a fascinating visit to a rescue centre where we heard distressing stories of these and other game birds that are bought for a few pounds by people who are unable to look after them. The centre rescues and looks after abandoned birds and provides rehabilitation into the wild if possible. It also provides

education to visiting parties like ourselves and is very popular with children, the birds are taken out to visit schools and groups who often then sponsor one of the birds or a new nesting box in the countryside. We first flew Gizmo, a beautiful white barn owl who loved to show off his tricks to us. We then went outside to meet Khan, a magnificent Eagle owl who swooped down from the roof to take food from our gloved hand. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience and we thank Pat for organising a very unusual outing.

At our meeting we welcomed Felicity Wood who gave an insight into her fascination for all aspects of basket weaving over the centuries. She collected basket ware whilst living in Asia, which she donated to the Pitt River Museum, and has organised various exhibitions in museums all over Oxfordshire covering every use of basketry - from carts and implements to ladies bonnets.

Members please note a change in September's calendar. The talk will now be by John and Pam Gee who will tell us about their life supporting charity in Malawi.

On 28`h our intrepid walkers set off again to walk to Alvescot for supper. It was a lovely warm evening and much enjoyed by all - our numbers are growing and we now have a group of about 12 who don their boots regularly. We are hoping the weather keeps fine for our next planned walk on 22nd August.

If any potential members would like to join us, please come along to any of our monthly meetings and give us a try. As you can see from the above we have a range of different outings and would be delighted to welcome new members.

Hilary Ward

 

ROSTER FOR VOLUNTARY CAR SERVICE TO SURGERIES

Covering Filkins, Broughton Poggs, Broadwell Kencot, Langford and L Faringdon

5th September Mrs K Morley 860420                          21st September Lady Cripps    860209

7th September Mrs C Lauzier 860644                          26th September Mrs J Higham 860197

12th September Mrs P Clark    860500                        28`h September Miss H Squire 860337

14th September Mrs B Bristow 860195

19't' September Lt Col J Barstow 860312                    (All codes 01367)

For hospital runs, or with any problems, contact me on 01367 860319.

The charges are: Local surgery runs       £2.00

Hospitals: Fairford & Witney                £6.00

Swindon & Cirencester                         £8.00

Oxford                                                 £10.00

At the JR, additional parking charges may have to be paid.

New volunteers are always welcome, particularly for hospital runs.

Tony Woodford

 

CINEMA

The next Monthly Film will be `Memoirs of a Geisha' on 12`h September at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. Tickets £2.50 on the door.

`I wasn't born and raised to be a Kyoto geisha... I'm a fisherman's daughter from a little town called Yoroido on the Sea of Japan.' So says the famous Sayuri as she remembers how she set out in 1929 as a frightened nine year-old named Chiyo from an impoverished fishing village to become a famous Kyoto geisha and courtesan.

You read the book, now see the film. 145 minutes, Certificate 12a.

 John Hayes

 

PARISH COUNCIL

The agenda of forthcoming meetings and minutes of the previous meeting are available in Filkins Bus shelter, Broughton Poggs notice board, Filkins Shop and Filkins Post Office. The main information file is located in the Coffee shop at the Cotswold Woollen Weavers but if you have any questions please contact me (the Parish Clerk) on 01367 860388.

Cris Hoad

 

HOLWELL

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St Mary's

 

RIDE & STRIDE

Paul Hadaway and Amanda Cayzer are leading the charge for St Mary's Church, to bicycle on behalf of the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust on Saturday 9`h September.

Hopefully everyone has been making plans to take part or sponsor riders in the Oxford Historic Churches Preservation Trust Fundraising effort. It's not too late to become involved.

Corrine Rock

 

KELMSCOTT

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St George's

CHURCH BRASS & FLOWERS Juliet Rose

1

HARVEST FESTIVAL...

... this year will be on Sunday 8`" October at 3.30 pm.

 

JUMBLE SALE

There will be a jumble Sale in aid of local hospices at 1, Council House on Saturday 2nd September at 2.00 pm. As well as jumble, there will be Books, Bric-a-Brac, White Elephant etc.

Contact Mrs Hatton (01367 252803) if you would like to donate any items.

 

KENCOT

.

St George's

 

ROUNDABOUT WELLS

The Barstow family would like to thank all the friends who came to support us at our fund-raising tea party in the garden, and to all those who could not be there but kindly sent donations. We were overwhelmed by your generosity and as a result were able to add just over £1400 to the Trust Fund for Roundabout Wells in Africa in memory of our little grandson, Lawrence who died last year. Many, many thanks!

John & Marjorie Barstow

 

CHURCH FLOWERS

2nd September                         Karen Harvey

9th,16th & 23rd September      Marjorie Barstow

30th September                        HARVEST - all are welcome

7th October                              Marjorie Barstow

 

RIDE OR STRIDE

Last call to come and join the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust `Ride or Stride' on Saturday 9`" September. This is a sponsored event to raise money for our own church and Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust (Donations are split equally). If you are unable to rid or stride, please sponsor those who are participating. St George's Church

received £300 in 2004, £617 in 2005, can we double it in 2006. Further details from me on 01367 860250

Bill Gasson

 

RIGHTS OF WAY

I have now received the 2006 edition of the definitive map of Rights of Way in Kencot Parish. Should anyone wish to see it, they can do so at my house

John Barstow

 

LANGFORD

.

St Matthew's

 

CHURCH FLOWERS

3rd September                         Mrs D Lowden

10th & 17th September            Mrs D Lowden

24th September & 1" October Mrs S Kirby

CHURCH CLEANING

15th September                        Autumn clean at 6.30pm

16th September                        Autumn clean at 10.30am

All volunteers and their friends, very welcome.

 

ST. MATTHEWS CHURCH

Any visit to our historic Saxon church is a pleasure, but come during the weekend of 23rd and 24`" September (10.00am to 5.00pm both days), and you will have the extra treat of seeing a fascinating exhibition of wedding dresses and photographs from past and present.

Refreshments will be available, and donations will be invited towards the upkeep of St Matthew's Church.

If anyone has a dress, together with photographs if possible that they are prepared to exhibit please contact Sandra. And do please telephone us for more information on 01367 860205

Richard & Sandra Kirby

 

RIDE & STRIDE

The annual cycle ride will take place on Saturday 9th Please support this. I can supply sponsor forms.

Richard Kirby

 

QUIZ AND AUCTION

There will be a quiz and auction on Friday 10`" November in the Village Hall.

 

LANGFORD LADIES

What a fantastic trip we had to Faringdon Folly. We were met by Andrew Bushell who escorted us up the tower - I am not sure he knew what he was letting himself in for! The evening was wonderful, a little haze for looking out towards Langford: everyone was trying to point out all the landmarks and their houses. We eventually came back down to the room at the top to have our picnic then with renewed vigour we went back to the top of the open tower and watched the sun go down - a wonderful sight. What a great evening we had.

Faringdon Folly was the last major folly built in England in 1935; it is 104 foot high and was built for fun by Gerald, 14th Lord Berners to the design of Lord Gerald Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington. For the Millennium it was a special lighthouse that could be seen for many miles between the New Year and Easter. The tower is open the first Sunday in every moth. If you wish to get an idea of the view go to the virtual tour on www.faringdon.org, although this is not a patch on the real views.

September's meeting will be on Thursday 14`h September at 7.30pm and will be a hands on demonstration given by our very own Jean Austin. Jean will be showing us how to make gift bags from flannels and soaps, an ideal present for birthdays and for friends who may have to go to hospital. Jean makes these for charity, there will be a few items that you can use on the night if you do not wish to take your bag away and there will be given to charity.

If you would like to make one and take it away please bring along a face flannel (or a small towel) and a bar of soap (optional decorations of ribbon and bows). The meeting will be held in Langford Village Hall. Visitors most welcome £1.50. Raffle and refreshments available. Enquiries, please, to me on 01367 860514.

Chrissy Tinson

 

LITTLE FARINGDON

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St Margaret's

 

CHURCH FLOWERS

September Pip Cantwell

 

SPARKLING SOIREE

On Saturday 30`h September a mixture of music, song and humour will be performed in the church by both local and far-ranging talents, followed by a little bubbly to top off the evening! A bar with wine and champagne will be available.

Flyers, advertising the event (in aid of repairs and redecoration of the Church) have been widely circulated. Seating will be limited, so please get your requirements to me as soon as possible. It will be a

fun evening, so don't miss out!

Jeremy Taylor

 

RIDE & STRIDE

The annual Cycle Ride or Walk in support of the Historic Churches in Oxfordshire will take place on Saturday 9`'' September. Sponsorship forms have been given to those hardy souls that have supported this good cause in previous years.

If anyone else would like a form, or to sponsor someone, do please contact me. Remember: we directly benefit from this sponsorship as half the total raised by us is given back to St Margaret's Church.

Jeremy Taylor

 

SHILTON

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Holy Rood

 

PIG ROAST BY THE POND

We were blessed with another balmy summer evening for our gathering by the pond on 15th July. More than 160 people turned up and chomped their way through a whole succulent Foxbury Farm pig and 150 sausages, dozens of bread rolls, a stuffed marrow, several assorted quiches, countless varied and delicious salads, crisps, and more than 20 scrumptious puddings. There certainly wasn't a lot left and a good time was had by all (I hope!).

And the added bonus was that we made £479 for the Old School coffers.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the success of the evening and the splendid profit.

 

HARVEST FESTIVAL SERVICE & SUPPER

Our Harvest Festival Service is on Sunday lst October at 6.00pm and any gifts of fruit and vegetables would be much appreciated for decorating the church. If you do have any produce please either leave it in the church porch on Friday 29`h September or give me a ring on 01993 841194 as I would be happy to collect.

Following the Service we are having a Supper in the Old School - as soon as you receive details about this event do please apply for your tickets as space is limited in the Old School and sadly in previous years we have had to disappoint some people. Please do support the Service and the Supper.

Jean Roberts

 

DIARY EVENTS

Other events planned for 2006, and for which details will follow later, include:

•           9th September Ride & Stride

•           1st October Harvest Supper

•           31st October Halloween: organised trick & treating for the children at 6.00pm, followed by party/race night/supper

•           November Quiz night (date to be confirmed)

•           22nd  December Carol singing around the village followed by a soup & sandwich supper in the Old School for the carol singers

Shirley Cuthbertson (Tel: 01993 842404)

 

KEEP FIT

Sandie holds classes every Thursday at 7.00pm in the Old School. It's only £3.00 per session, and all ages and abilities welcome.

 

PARISH COUNCIL

The Council meeting dates for 2006 are as follows:

Wednesday 11`h October Bradwell Village Wednesday 13`h December Shilton

 

HISTORY GROUP

We are now taking our summer break until our next meeting on Friday 8th September.

Lorna Walker

 

BRADWELL VILLAGE (part of Shilton Parish)

.

 

NEW RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE

At the AGM in July the following residents were elected to the committee: David Brooks, Marion Ellis, Sue Hayman, Paul Heane, Sharon Howat, Valerie Kent, Jane Price and Kate Wakely.

 

MOVIES ON THE MOVE

Our next film show will be on Thursday 14`h September at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. We will be showing 'The Constant Gardener'. Entrance is £4. The doors open 7.00pm. The bar will be open and refreshments available. Telephone me (01993 824137) for further information.

Alan Lewis

 

VILLAGE COFFEE SHOP

The Coffee Shop re-opens on Friday 15`h September and thereafter every Friday in term time from 10.30am to 12.30pm in the Village Hall selling hot and cold drinks and home-made cakes and savouries. This is a splendid social focus for anyone with an hour or so to spare. For further details contact me on 01993 824801.

Sharon Howat

 

VILLAGE STITCHERS

We meet on the Second Tuesday of each month from 10.30am until 2.30pm in the village hall and welcome members from the surrounding area. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 12`'' September. If you are interested in needlecraft of any kind - embroidery, applique, lacemaking, beadwork, crochet, knitting, tatting, patchwork, quilting, needlepoint, Goldwork then you will be most welcome. If you don't know what some of those things are, then come along and find out. You are encouraged to bring along your latest project to work on.

Drinks and biscuits are provided, but please bring a packed lunch. There is normally no formal teaching but plenty of enthusiasts to encourage beginners or help out with a problem. The half-annual subscription is £10. Visitors are most welcome -£2 for the day.

We are planning to hold a Bead Workshop in October to make a spiral necklace. For further information please contact me on 01993 824475.

Marion Ellis

 

VILLAGE WEBSITE

Work is ongoing on our new website - take a look at www.bradwellvillage.net

 

THE FIREBIRD FLIES IN

We are delighted to present the Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company in 'The Firebird' by Jane Buckler on Friday 5`h January 2007 at 7.00pm in the Village Hall. The OTTC production last January was a complete sell-out, so reserve your tickets in advance by calling me on 01993 824475

Marion Ellis

 

WESTWELL

St Mary's

 

No news this month

 

NEWS FROM OUR DISTRICT COUNCILLOR

.

As recycling rates rise across the district I am often asked what happens to the contents of our recycling boxes.

Glass:   70% is recycled for bottle and fibre glass manufacture in the UK and 30% goes into the European glass market for making darker green bottles.

Cans:    Steel is recovered and sold globally whilst aluminium is made into new drinks cans - a process which can see the new drinks can back on the supermarket shelf within six weeks!

Paper: This is made into newsprint except for higher grade office paper from our offices which goes into tissue paper products.

Plastics: These are recycled into a wide range of products such as drain pipes, insulation materials, flower pots, watering cans and fleece material.

More next month....

If you would like to discuss these or any other West Oxfordshire District Council matters, do telephone me on 01993 846033

Mary Neale

 

FILKINS VILLAGE SHOP

.

Opening Hours

Monday                                   3.00 to 5.00pm

Tuesday                                   10.00am to 12noon & 3.00 to 5.00pm

Wednesday                              Closed

Thursday                                  10.00am to 12.00noon & 3.00 to 6.00pm

Friday                                      3.00 to 6.00pm

Saturday                                   9.00am to 1.OOpm & 3.00 to 6.00pm

Sunday                                     3.00 to 5.00pm

 

July - The best month so far!

We would like to thank everyone who supported the shop in July. We had our best month of trading to date - a wonderful 1st Birthday present and a testament to all the hard work that has gone into this exciting project in the last 16 months.

Hopefully all those ice creams are not sitting too heavily on anyone's hips!

 

The new customers brought in by the swimming pool will hopefully keep coming back to us now they know we are here, even during the winter months. We have had a large number of people come in for a cold drink or an ice cream and marvel at the wide range of products we have in stock. A

large proportion of these swimmers did not seem to know we were here before this summer.

 

Don't forget...

... You can get a wide range of items in the shop including:

•           Swimming pool day membership (season tickets sold out)

•           Ice creams and ice-lollies - from as little as 15p!

•           Cold drinks, sweets and crisps

•           A wide range of chilled and frozen food

•           Local pork, beef and trout

•           Locally sourced cheese and butter

•           Local honey

•           Wine and Beer

•           Handmade greetings cards

•           Dry cleaning service (collection and delivery to and from the shop each Tuesday)

•           General groceries

•           And fresh bread and pastries every Saturday morning

Helen Holden

 

CALLING ALL CAT LOVERS!

.

West Oxfordshire Cats Protection, your local branch of the national Cats Protection charity, was established in 1997 and is run entirely by volunteers. We help cats find happy homes, and stray, abandoned and sick cats all come within our remit. We also help people with their cat problems,

including rehoming, neutering, vets' bills, and dealing with feral (i.e. wild) cats. We never put down any healthy cats.

We have some lovely cats for rehoming at present, including Woodstock (left), a beautiful black cat who came to us after a road traffic accident but was never claimed; Blackie (right), a very pretty semilonghaired black cat who has limited vision but enjoys walks around the garden with his fosterer; and Tom. Tom is actually a female cat, who belonged to an old lady who died. Her three daughters came over from the United States to clear out their mother's house, and to find a home for Tom.

They tried a cats' home in Banbury, but were told that, at nine years, Tom w; too old to be accepted.

In desperation they called WOCP, but at that time there were no spare place with any of our fosterers. However, by a stroke of luck, a place become available when we rehomed a cat the very next day, and we

were able to offer it to Tom, much to the relief of the (by now tearful) daughters, who had to return to the US in a very few days. Tom is now settling into her temporary home, and waiting hopefully for a new owner. If you can offer a home to Tom or another of our cats, either on a short-term or a permanent basis, please contact the Homing Officer on 01993 703810.

We are always looking for new helpers and fosterers. If you are not able to foster cats, you can help with fundraising, making cakes, jams and marmalade, making craft goods to sell, donating cat food, cat litter, cat toys and bric-a-brac. You can subscribe to our quarterly newsletter (Cats Tails) or set up a standing order to our branch funds.

We also welcome sponsorship from private individuals and businesses to hell buy cat and kitten pens and equipment and goods for re-sale. Don't miss our fabulous Christmas Bazaar at the Langdale Hall in Witney on 2 December-a great opportunity to buy Christmas cards and presents for your cat-loving friends and relatives!

Next year we will be celebrating our tenth anniversary, and we are planning to mark this milestone with a number of events around the West Oxfordshire region. Keep an eye out for details in local publications like the Parish Pump If you think you can help us in any way, please visit our website at http://www.westoxoncats.org.uk/ or contact the Branch Co-ordinator on 01993 831350.

Alison Felstead

 

POTTERING IN THE POTTING SHED

.

Forget that gardener's perennial preoccupation 'Is there enough sunshine?; and read about Anne getting to grips with How's the moon doing?'.. Despite the fact that I have been writing about gardening in `Parish Pump' for two years and I tended my first nasturtium seeds when I was seven, I am ashamed to say that, until this week, I had never heard of moon gardening. In the hope that at least some of you may need enlightening (ho ho) let me offer a brief description. According to R .J. Harris, the head gardener at a private estate near Cornwall and author of a book on the subject, lunar gardening is the oldest form of gardening known to man.

Harris himself started moon gardening in the 1950's, a practice he learned from his father and grandfather. Generally it is considered to have increased in popularity since the 1960's. As I write there is a huge, full moon rising in the southeast corner of the sky, casting shadows across the lawns from the trees and giving an eerie light to the croquet pitches.

Happily though I don't need to abandon my pen (well keyboard actually) in favour of my secateurs, because moon gardening - is done during the day! Not at night. Allow me to elaborate. The gravitational pull of the moon is felt by planet Earth. That's the bit we all know.

However, Harris tells us that the moon not only controls ocean tides but also influences the groundwater tables beneath our feet. He suggests that during the first half of the lunar month, when the moon grows from new to full, that its gravitational pull upon the ground beneath the gardener's feet increases.

Put another way, new moon to full moon means the moisture in the Earth's crust moves upwards under pressure from the rising water table.

This upward pressure encourages enhanced moisture absorption by seed and plant. The chances of germination and plant survival are increased. Conversely, during the lunar month's second half, the moon dies and its gravitational pull decreases. Or-from full moon to the next new moon, the water table falls. The latter is the ideal time to prune, because the reduced pressure means reduced bleeding of cut branches.

Harris also gives the example that the best time to turn over a garden is during the last quarter of the moon because that is when the water table has dropped to its lowest point. He suggests it means less moisture is within the soil and that it is far easier to turn soil over when there is less moisture in it. His book also covers topics such as organic gardening, horticulture's technical language, lunar-phase feeding, lunar-phase planting, lunar-phase harvesting, lunar-phase garden management and compatible planting.

I've ordered my copy and intend to read in more detail what sounds like the basis for a very sound approach to making the best of the soil. I am also delighted to discover that maximising the potential in my borders, lawns, fruit cages and vegetable plots doesn't mean having to stay up and work the night shift.

Anne Greenwood

 

`CANTERBURY TALES' IN FILKINS

.

The Pilgrims are coming book your tickets now! he Abingdon Touring

Theatre Company, will be performing `Canterbury Tales' at Filkins Village Hall on Wednesday 6`'' September. This is a

modern, deliberatcly  non-academic production, and will appeal to Chaucer experts and novices alike.

Tickets cost £7.50 (£6.50 concessions), and are available from Filkins Post Office or the Oxford Playhouse (01865 305305). Curtain up is at 8.OOpm, with doors opening at 7.15pm. More details about us and our

tour can be found on our website (www.attc.org.uk)

Simon Coates

 

WEST OX ARTS

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'West Ox Arts Gallery is on the first floor of Bampton Town Hall. The Gallery opening hours are: Tuesday - Saturday: 10.30am - 12.30pm and 2.00pm - 4.00pm & Sunday: 2.00pm - 4.00pm. Tel: 01993 850137 or email: westoxartsc@yahoo.co.uk.

Great Impressions

3rd to 24th September

An impressive exhibition by six very different printmakers. Morna Rhys's etchings are mostly on copper plate, using line, colour, texture and a tone base on land and seascapes and on plant forms. Heather Power works on etching and screenprinting techniques on stained glass panels. She is also well known for her books which were a natural progression from printmaking.

Jane Peart's speciality is drawing and etching (left), using various media to suit the picture. Toni Clarke works mostly in collagraph and some of her work has an animal theme. Gill Salway works with collagraph prints which suit the bold shapes and compositions she draws from the landscape. Esther Hepworth produces prints and drypoints using family photographs.

 

ART EXHIBITION IN FILKINS

See back cover for details of the exhibition of traditional oil and watercolour paintings at Cotswold Woollen Weavers.

 

FILKINS WEBSITE

.

A year ago we wrote about David Oakey's excellent internet sites for various of our benefice villages at http://www.ox18.com . Somewhat belatedly, we draw everyone's attention to the equally excellent Filkins village website maintained by the St Filica Society at http://www.filkins.org.uk which has all the news, views and gossip from Filkins & Broughton Poggs.

 

THE SECOND WORLD WAR EXPERIENCE CENTRE

.

Would you like to share your memories of the war for inclusion in The Second World War Experience Centre's archive? We're looking for stories from all walks of life, not only servicemen and women, but also from civilians, children, factory workers, or anyone who has memories from that time.

We make the recording in an

informal setting and send it to the Centre to transcribe and put in thc

archive. If you wish, you can have a copy of the tape to share with your family.

Who uses the archive? Authors working on Second World War books, TV researchers, Post-Graduate and Undergraduate researchers, veterans groups and historical societies.

The Centre is a registered museum and charity, and exists to document the lives of men and women who lived through 1939-1945. More than 7,000 people have their younger years covered in the Centre by original documents, memorabilia and recorded memories. Have a look at www.war-experience.org.

If you're interested in being recorded, or would like further information, please contact me at 4 St Edmunds Lane, Abingdon, OX14 5BU, phone 01235 526734 (please leave a message if there is no answer) or email me at matthew.smaldon@googlemail.com.

Matthew Smaldon

 

NATURE NOTES

.

What a brilliant year it has been so far for butterflies. The buddleias in bloom in our gardens now are acting as a homing beacon for many different sorts. In fact they are known as the butterfly bush and of course have very fragrant flowers smelling like honey.

We have about sixty species of butterfly in Britain and most of these live here. A few, however, are migrants. The Red Admiral (right) relies on migrants from the continent in May and then a resident generation is produced from eggs later in the summer. The Painted Lady migrates to us from the

Atlas Mountains and desert fringes of North Africa, a distance of more than 800 miles, amazing that something so fragile can fly such a distance at between eight and ten m.p.h. They then lay eggs resulting in a second generation in the autumn.

A large group of bright yellow bird's foot trefoil in a corner of the field over the church stile is attracting the beautiful little Common Blue butterfly now.

A recent trip to the Bernwood Forest on the other side of Oxford produced three different sorts of Skipper, the small skipper which is orange brown on the tops of the wings with a black edge, the Essex Skipper which is similar but looks as if its

antennae have been dipped in soot and the large skipper with upper side dark brown with russet orange spots and a black strip of scent scales in the middle of the forewing. A first for me was the White Admiral (left), a large dark woodland butterfly with a very distinct white band running across the tops of the wings and attractively patterned on the underside feeding on bramble flowers. We did have

fleeting views in the tops of the oak trees of the rare Purple Emperor but apparently in the morning they were down drinking moisture from animal droppings on the ground!

Butterflies can taste through their feet and it is one of the ways they find the correct food plant to lay their eggs.

David Roberts

 

COOKING WITH KATE

.

These are two of my mother's recipes for biscuits. She was born in Nottinghamshire, and the first recipe is for Grantham Gingerbread. These are not like sticky gingerbread , they are crisp biscuits.

Grantham Gingerbread 1/4 lb self raising flour

 1/4 lb caster sugar

1/4 lb butter

2 tsp ground ginger

ldsp beaten egg

pinch salt

Cream the sugar and fat together, and add the egg. Sieve the flour and ginger into the mixture and combine ingredients. Divide the mixture into pieces that can be rolled into balls the size of walnuts. Place on a greased and floured baking sheet or silicon paper leaving room to spread. Flatten the balls slightly

bake for 3/a of an hour below the middle of the oven at 220F, 110C or Gas'/2 to 1. When cool keep in an airtight tin.

Peanut Biscuits

5 ox butter or margarine

4oz salted peanuts

loz corn flakes

2oz rolled oats

5oz sugar

3oz self raising flour

legg

Cream together the fat and sugar and add egg and flour. Mix in all the other ingredients, put small teaspoonfuls on a greased and floured baking sheet and flatten slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 mins at 350F, 180C or Gas4. Allow to cool before removing from tray and store in an airtight tin

Kate Morley

 

LETTERS

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Letters are welcome on any subject. Just email them, post them or drop them in to Parish Pump: all contact details are on the inside front cover of Parish Pump. Ed

 

The `Grey Squirrel Problem'

Suzanne Dore 's splendid article in August Parish Pump received praise from readers for its affectionate look at the wildlife in her fields, but her suggestion that she traps grey squirrels to release them elsewhere raised few eyebrows...

Sir: Woods near the Cotswold Wildlife Park are hoping not to receive any more illegal immigrants. So please don't follow the example given on p35 of the August Pump for finding new homes for trapped grey squirrels by turning them loose in the woods!

To do so is of dubious legality and likely to result in considerable damage to young trees. It may also cause harm to small birds whose eggs and fledglings will be at risk. Perhaps it helps to remember that grey squirrels are not natives of this country, and are more closely related to rats than to Squirrel Nutkin.

Corrine Rock

 

Holwell

Sir: I was sad to read in the August's Parish Pump that Suzanne Dore recommends catching her local grey squirrels and then releasing them in the woods by the Wildlife Park. She overlooks the fact that grey squirrels are vermin and an alien species. They strip the bark off young trees and are particularly fond of nestlings. They have of driverx away our red squirrels.

John Heyworth Bradwell Grove

 

Sir: I must take issue with Suzanne Dore. Grey squirrels are pests, and I respectfully suggest she seeks another solution.

J Torrace

Bradwell Village

[Apologies if the signature is mis-transcribed. Ed/

 

SQUIRREL RULES

.

Red squirrels are native to the UK, grey squirrels were introduced from North America to many different sites between 1876 and the 1930's. The grey squirrel is bigger and bolder than the red, and although the species do not ever actually fight, it has driven out the red which is now largely restricted to Scotland and the north of England.

The species compete for the same food, mostly nuts, berries and flowers, although an interesting difference in behaviour is that while the red makes food stores for the winter, the grey buries food indiscriminately, and relies on a keen sense of smell to find it again. Both species will strip the bark from young trees, and both will occasionally take birds eggs.

Grey squirrels (right), because of their larger size (c. 450/650g against the red's 250/300g), will also very occasionally take nestling birds. Greys establish larger populations (up to 18 per hectare of broadleaf woodland against 2 for red squirrels below), and it is this coupled with their larger size (and therefore appetite) rather than any particular behavioural differences which make grey squirrels such a menace. Grey squirrels also carry a virus causing the squirrelpox desease which is fatal to reds.

For many years there was a tacit policy to eradicate      . grey squirrels in order to encourage reds, and for some years a bounty was paid for grey tails. However, in January 2006 Defra, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, published a completely new policy for grey squirrel control.

Official policy now accepts:

`Although grey squirrels are introductions, they are now an established component of our English wildlife and are here to stay... Despite a growing awareness by the public

of the problems they may cause, [grey squirrels] are engaging creatures and viewing them contributes to public enjoyment of the outdoors. This attraction is sometimes reflected in TV programmes and advertising. Public bodies, including the Forestry Commission, have no powers to prevent the public from feeding grey squirrels, especially in private gardens, but we hope that this policy and action will inform the public about the need for control of grey squirrels.'

However:

`As exotics, [grey squirrel] populations are not regulated by natural predators and do present threats to our native woodlands and priority species. These threats can only be contained by active management and humane control operations.'

Defra also admit that insufficient research has been done to establish the exact mechanism by which grey squirrels drive out reds, and also the exact extent of the damage that greys do in woodlands.

The new policy will therefore concentrate on:

1 Research to establish squirrel behaviour, and the most efficient targeting of control methods.

2 Humane control by warfarin poisoning, trapping and the use of vaccines to limit reproduction in those areas where red squirrels are under particular threat from grey squirrels, or where woodland is under critical threat from grey squirrel activity.

Henceforth any grant aid to woodland owners will be targeted to those who agree to `take steps to sustainably manage their woodlands and contribute to other policy targets, such as biodiversity and access.'

It remains an offence under the 1981 Wildlife Act (as amended) to transport grey squirrels, and to release trapped squirrels in woodland, but there is no longer a general policy to eradicate grey squirrels. If householders want to nurture their grey squirrels and enjoy their antics in the garden, that's fine. If woodland owners under threat from grey squirrels want to get rid of them, that's fine too. A splendid British compromise!

More information can be found on the internet at: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6L4D37

 

SQUIRREL QUOTE

`You can't be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet.'        ,

Hal Borland

(New York Times journalist)

 

DISASTERS & OTHER UNWELCOME NEWS

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'Disaster is a grave word do not use it lightly. No more than tragedy is it to be made a synonym of a mere misfortune' said Eric Partridge. Mike Clark looks on anything but the bright side...

Once the clutter of modern hyperbole has been cleared, at the back of many people's minds is the association of the word disaster with dire and epic happenings of biblical proportions if not biblical origin. The commonest response to requests for examples of historical Disasters with a capital `D' is, `Ah, the Flood'. Those of a more philosophical turn of mind often hark back further, to the Garden of Eden episode.

It is therefore curious that the words `disaster', `catastrophe' and `tragedy' do not even occur in the King James Bible. Actually, the words `misfortune', `mishap' and `mistake' do not appear either, but there may be a sound philological reason for this. However, the Bible does mention `calamity', `adversity' and `misery' fairly frequently, especially in the Old Testament. (For instance the plague of poisonous quails in Numbers 11, right) Without doubt, though, the whole history of Christianity is liberally sprinkled with events that the modern mind "would unhesitatingly call either disastrous or catastrophic.

These days, however, what the media call a`disaster' in their constant search for superlatives and emotional bells to

ring may be something less. But the devaluation of the word can leave even hard-bitten headline writers floundering when confronted with something like the horrific events of 1994 in Rwanda. This suggests that there ought to be some way of objectively assessing tragic or disastrous events in order to develop a definitive classification of them.

Dictionary definitions of `disaster' all have, to some extent, the same problem variously described as semantically incestuous or circular. It is one of those words which can only be explained by reference to a very limited number of others, the

definitions of which then loop back to the original. Thus, a disaster is related to a catastrophe, which is related to a grievous misfortune, which is related to a disaster.

The most important key word is misfortune, but clearly a disaster should be defined also by its being essentially destructive in terms of the nature and impact of its consequences or ramifications. Our favourite dictionary definition of a catastrophe is `an event producing a subversion of the order of things'.

Sometimes whether an actual disaster has in fact occurred at all may be contentious, or, at any rate, historians' views on the issue may differ. For example, a particular event might be regarded as disastrous by one group of people but not by another, as in the outcome of a battle, where the losers and the winners have quite different perspectives. The only point of agreement between them is that something significant has definitely happened.

A simple win-lose situation is not necessarily a disaster scenario in everybody's version of history. Waterloo may have been a pretty bad result for Napoleon, but it was a triumph for Wellington. But three years earlier, Napoleon did make a number of political, strategic, tactical and logistical mistakes in invading Russia which resulted in the unquestionably disastrous Retreat from Moscow.

In the case of the Charge of the Light Brigade (c'est magnifique mais ce n'est pas la guerre) half a century later, we have a situation where all concerned, winners and losers, participants and spectators, agreed that the event was assuredly a disaster.

Here, the point is that for an event to qualify as a disaster, there must be a victim or subject of some sort, the misfortune for whom or which is not in question.

An examination of both the circumstances and the effects of events which have been labelled, more or less subjectively, as `disasters' over time helps us to consider what defining characteristics they all have in common. The last hundred years or so does seem to have been particularly rich in disasters, but this may partly be an illusion engendered by the Age of Communication.

Interestingly, a disaster does not necessarily involve loss of life, although one undoubted common denominator is its implied destructiveness. Historically, two causal macro-factors seem to have been at work: people and technology.

There may somewhere be a Law of Disasters waiting to be articulated which states that there will always be a fixed number of disasters or catastrophes in relation to the number of people on the planet. This idea would almost certainly catch the interest of the world's climate change doomsayers: Man's ingenuity and inventiveness has simply magnified things.

There are clearly many different types of disaster. It sometimes seems that there is a disaster category corresponding to almost every field of human endeavour as well as every aspect of the natural world.

It is tempting to embrace the traditional classification offered by the biblical Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: war, pestilence, famine and death. But, dramatically mesmerizing though it may be, this taxonomy is actually too flawed to be the basis for objective, logical analysis. There are disasters which seem to occur randomly and without apparent cause or reason, such as certain kinds of natural or environmental accident (a volcanic eruption or a freak weather incident, for example), which tend to be categorized both by fundamentalist believers and by insurance companies as Acts of God.

Nature is the easiest category to define and identify: a study of natural events involving the greatest loss of life over the last hundred years puts earthquakes in first place by the number of occurrences, followed by drought, epidemics, hurricanes, and floods. If, however, the effect, rather than the frequency, is taken as the measure, top of the list is epidemics, headed by the great European influenza disaster of 1918, in which 20 million people died.

But there are disasters which are deliberate, contrived or engineered, such as those attributable to war or terrorist activity. They include political, social, economic and technological misfortunes of all kinds. The Battle of the Somme, ninety years ago this year, is remembered by many as one of a series of tragedies within one huge one, the War to End All Wars which didn't. That was the disaster.

A third type, conceptual or philosophical disasters, is more contentious. We may be entering an intellectual danger area here, because we are in a sense defining a group of disasters by the very fact that they are, like the outcome of wars and battles, perceived by some as basic truths and by others as illinformed prejudices. This category includes political concepts like fascism, economic ideas like monetarism, and fundamental issues like Darwinism and ' Intelligent Design.

There is a fourth group, a special classification of pseudo-disaster reserved for incidents which do not conform with any strictly objective rules for defining a disaster, but are perceived by a significant section of the public as disastrous - people reach for the word in order to describe the scale of their horror at the event. There is a widespread emotional response to the `subversion of the order of things' caused by the death of a much-loved celebrity or the defeat of a favoured football team in an important competition. The most vivid example in the past decade is the British public's reaction to the death of Princess Diana.

As we have noted earlier in the context of war, although different perceptions and points of view can define one-sided disasters; there could also be a subgroup of delayed-action disasters: some events do not achieve disaster status until some time after they have occurred.

The story of U571, the German U-boat that was caught on the surface in the North Atlantic and boarded by the Navy before its crew could destroy the Enigma machine and the vessel's code and log books, is a good example of a complex delayed action disaster. The elements of the event include personal tragedy, but on the face of it U571 was just one minor incident in a huge tragic catalogue of Second World War incidents. What raised this one to the status of a disaster (from the German point of view, although they did not realize it at the time) was not the engagement itself but

the importance of the capture of the Enigma machine to Allied codebreakers at Bletchley Park.

Conversely, it is possible to identify instances in which what appears to be a disaster at the time later turns out to be otherwise. So, while most disasters and tragedies are easy to recognise, others may be less obvious, making classification difficult.

How big does a tragedy have to be before it can be called a disaster? As we know, the term disaster has often been applied to what is actually only either a serious misjudgment or the outcome of an intention which fails to achieve its objective, such as the list of government IT system and project failures which the Press report with unattractive relish as either disastrous or catastrophic or both. And when does a disaster count as a catastrophe? If there is a difference between a disaster and a catastrophe, it is probably just one of degree, although one might concede, without suggesting that disasters are always predictable, that there may be a greater sense of suddenness or unexpectedness about a catastrophe, although there are some who believe that God has recently made a catastrophic, but nevertheless foreseeable, exit from the Levant.

Finally, we note that people as well as places are sometimes called disaster areas. History is sadly peopled by characters whom hindsight has determined were evil. High on the list of everybody's most damnable villains would be Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot. There are many other disastrous characters scattered throughout history, though, who might be thought of as pretty evil, but it is doubtful whether they would make it into the disaster finals quite as confidently as the three we have mentioned.

But we use the expression `disaster area' to refer to someone who tends to cause or be prone to accidents or misfortunes. Pontius Pilate, not the greatest of all Rome's provincial governors, but not the worst either, for instance, is not usually thought of as a disaster area: he was more a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Judas Iscariot comes closer, but even he is treated more kindly by modern revisionist historians than one might expect.

So how does the Crucifixion fit into our scheme of things? There were undoubtedly numbers of people at the time who, convinced that a promising career had been cut short, must have been extremely distressed about it. But was it a misfortune? Was it destructive? It certainly turned out to be subversive of the order of things.

It seems, however, that, if we must classify such an extraordinary happening, this one by definition is in a category of its own on anybody's scale of significance. The nearest we can get to objectivity is to describe it as a contemporaneously perceived minor local tragedy having a subsequent beneficial effect with global implications. If it doesn't sound too prosaic we have here the ultimate silver lining. Christians perceive it as a triumph.

Mile Clark

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