The Hook Norton Village Newsletter
June 2005 Series 30 No 3

Village Affairs



NEWSLETTER TEAM

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


FROM THE EDITORS
The Newsletter Box contained £14.60 this month. Thank you.
Sadly we report the deaths of Freda Adcock, Felicity Blacker, Violet Beatrice Gilchrist aged 89, Ivor Frank Myers aged 49 and Thomas James Powell.
On behalf of the village, we send our condolences to their families and friends.


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

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

RATES – CHEQUES PAYABLE TO 'HOOK NORTON NEWSLETTER'
Text & advertising copy deadline FRIDAY, 15th JULY 2005
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.


TRANSPORT - NEW BUS TIMETABLE.
A completely new timetable comes into force from Monday 5th June on the 488 service from Banbury to Chipping Norton via Hooky. A great improvement as a result of subsidy from the County Council gives us a bus every hour for most of the day. The Browning Road diversion in Banbury has been cut out, and some buses will take the direct road between Hooky and Milcombe instead of going via Wigginton and South Newington. This will reduce journey times to and from Banbury by about 10 minutes. As a result, the times of buses are not always at the same minute past the hour. Times are as follows:

From Hooky to Banbury at 7.23* (M-F), 7.48, 9.23*, 10.23, 11.23*, 12.23, 13.23*, 14.23, 15.23* (SO), 16.23 (SO), 16.38* (M-F), 17.28*, 18.28*.
From Banbury at 9.05, 10.05*, 11.05*, 12.05*, 13.05, 14.05*, 15.05 (SO), 15.30, 16.10*, 17.10*, 18.10.
From Hooky to Chipping Norton at 8.33 (SO), 9.42, 10.33, 11.33, 12.33, 13.42, 14.33, 15.42 (SO), 16.07, 16.38, 17.38, 18.42.
From Chipping Norton at 10.05, 11.05, 12.05, 13.05, 14.05, 15.05 (SO), 16.05 (SO), 16.20 (M-F), 17.10, 18.10.
M-F - Mondays to Fridays; SO - Saturdays only; * “fast” bus direct to Milcombe

Note the variation in the afternoon when a bus is missing during the week because it is in use for a school journey. I hope to get copies of the pocket timetable to put in the Post Office and library. Any of the morning buses up to and including the 12.33 will now give a connection in Chipping Norton onto a bus to Oxford. The last bus back giving a connection is at 16.40 from Gloucester Green (16.55 Sats).
Peter Fry, Parish Transport Representative


ST. PETER'S CHURCH
Most of our village newsletters seem to be published either at or around some of our 'favourite' times of celebration, including Christmas, Easter and Harvest. This newsletter comes just after Pentecost, which marks an important event at the very beginnings of Christianity, and has historically been celebrated by a feast. The date for Pentecost is 50 days after Easter (May 15th this year), and its significance is best understood with a brief step back into biblical times. Jesus was resurrected from the grave on Easter day, and for the next few weeks kept 'popping up' unannounced in front of his disciples, reassuring them that he really was alive and continuing his teachings, before 'popping off' again. He was essentially preparing his disciples for the time when they would truly have to 'go it alone'. Jesus continued his sporadic appearances for 40 days after the resurrection, until Ascension Day, when he finally made his way back to heaven to join his Father. (Ascension Day fell on 5th May this year, and was remembered at St. Peter's by communion and a hearty shared breakfast, by the way.) Ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven, a group of his original disciples and other believers were gathered together and were empowered by the Holy Spirit to go out and spread God's word. It was an event that essentially represented the beginning of 'The Christian Church' as we know it today and is remembered as Pentecost, celebrated at St. Peter's this year by a special service, including a rather jaunty little 'drama in rhyme', which was great fun for all involved.

On to forward dates for the diary:

The Sunday Gang continues to meet each Sunday morning at Church, and will do so even through August this year, although in a less formal manner during the summer holidays. We have a thriving and ever-expanding group of youngsters who enjoy the weekly Sunday Gang activities, and the enthusiasm of our young people is also evident by the success of the Wednesday afternoon JAM (Jesus and Me) club, held at the Primary School (3.15 -4.15 pm). More details about the JAM club from Janet Collins or John Taylor.

Other news: - We have been very fortunate to receive a donation specifically to purchase new screens and book/magazine racks for inside the church. This has enabled us to set up a 'quiet corner' at the back of the church, along with space for displays, and there is also a selection of books available on free loan. Please remember to return any borrowed books after they have been read, so others may benefit from them.
And finally, the latest appointments following the recent DCC AGM and Benefice Annual Parochial Church meetings are as follows: Church Wardens, Keith Fowler and Sophia Fox; Deputy Church Warden, Pam Horne; DCC Chairman, Keith Fowler; DCC Secretary, John Wheatley; DCC Treasurer, Sue Wood. The DCC representatives to the PCC are Jan Hughes, John Wheatley, Angus Irvine and Pam Horne.
Sophia Fox; sophiafox1@aol.com


CHURCH BELLS-NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE


Sunday 10th July is the designated National Day of Remembrance to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War 2.
At 5pm on that day the St Peter's Church Bells will be rung together with Church Bells all over the United Kingdom


HOOK NORTON BAPTIST CHURCH
Spring time in England is one of the things I missed most when living in the Far East, and May must be the crowning month of the year for its profusion of blossoms and flowering trees. One cannot help but marvel at the handiwork of God. Talking of flowers, some people have asked when we are going to restore the small flower bed by the church gate now that building work is finished. This may yet happen, but has been delayed because of the pressing need for off-road parking in that area, and we don't want to restore the flower bed until this has been investigated. To create a car park would be very costly for our small congregation, and we are still paying for the hall extension. But it is felt that we should at least consider it. Do you have any views on the matter?
The Baptist church here is part of a group of churches called 'Cornerstone', and once a year they share a weekend away at a conference centre for a programme of devotional and leisure activities. This year's venue was the Pioneer Centre at Cleobury Mortimer in Shropshire, from thel3th to the l5th of May; a great place for youngsters in particular, but also very suitable for conferences and seminars, and alll1 0 adults and 70 young people are keen to go again next year. We heard how the place had come into being as the result of much prayer and the visionary insight of the couple who were leading the devotional sessions, Rob and Marion White, when Rob was the Director of the 'Youth for Christ' movement. It's encouraging to hear stories of how God answers prayer.
By the way, we now have a box for your prayer requests in the church hall, or they could be put in the post box on the hall door when the place is locked.
Finally, a reminder that Holiday club is August 1st to 5th, booking forms will be given out in July, and the family Barbecue will be on the Thursday night as usual.
Dorothy Smith


HOOK NORTON LIBRARY
The Library continues to thrive and the newly opened Reading Room has added considerably to the facilities. The Reference, Local History and Council Information Point have been moved into the new area, where there is plenty of room for readers to sit and browse. Local Newspapers and selected magazines will be added shortly.
The Reading Room is available for meetings and already hosts the WEA and Carry on Learning fixtures. Ask in the Library for further details.
The Friends of Hook Norton Library held their annual Plant and Book sale on 7th May. Blessed with sunshine and thankfully only one shower, it was a cheerful if somewhat blustery event. The new flower tubs at the front of the Library, donated by the 'Friends,' make the entrance much more welcoming and colourful.
An ICT taster session is being run on 25th May and if successful, we will run more. Let us know if you are interested.
Storytelling for children will run once a week in August, probably on Wednesday afternoons. Contact the Library nearer the time for more information. There will also be a Children's Reader Promotion in the summer, as usual.
If you have any ideas or suggestions, for either the Reading Room or the main Library, come and have a chat with Sue or Penny, the Library staff.


FRIENDS OF HOOK NORTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY
Friends of Hook Norton Community Library held their now annual Book and Plant Sale on 7th May in the Library forecourt. The event was a great success thanks to the generosity of givers of books and plants and a good attendance.
There was help from all sorts of people but special mention should be made of Val Bourne, nationally known author and journalist, who not only donated plants, but donated her expertise during the whole of the event.
The Library was open during the Sale enabling all attending to see the new Reading room, whose fitted carpet, tables and chairs were provided by a donation from the Friends, added to by the Hook Norton Charitable Association.
It was a good village event and the proceeds - nearly £350, will go towards further improvements to Library facilities.


FRIENDS OF HOOK NORTON SCHOOL (FOHNS)
Summer arrives with the Hooky Ball – Friday 17th June
In case the Siberian winds of mid-May cooled your spirits, have no fear: summer is officially kicking off with the event of the year - The Hook Norton Summer Ball on Friday 17th June. Why not bring together a team of friends and book a table for 10, giving yourselves the whole evening – and an early breakfast – to catch up with each other? It's a great deal: for just £45 a head, there's romance, fun, a sunset, a pre-dinner drink, a three course meal and the chance to dance to 'The Blue Meanies' until a Survivors' Breakfast. So don't be square, play Hooky for the night. And don't worry if you can't make up a table for 10 – just buy your ticket at the School Office, where Ye Olde Hook Norton Matchmaker will ensure you're on a fun table.
Meanwhile, we're well aware that the next generation also needs its bit of midsummer fun, so book a date in your diary on the day before the ball for your children. They are invited on Thursday June 16 for a Children's Disco in the marquee at the school. The ever generous Bop-a-lots have kindly agreed to DJ the event for free. So a big “thank you” to Kerrie and Collette. More details to follow, but there will probably be two sessions – the first for Key Stage One children and the second for the older ones.
And finally, it's not too late to be thinking of spring cleaning because FOHNS will be hosting a Car Boot Sale in September. So start rooting out those antiques in the attic, start re-stuffing those old teddy bears and make it an extravaganza of eccentric wares. Details to follow.
Sally Scullion FOHNS chair Sally.scullion1@btinternet.com


HOOK NORTON GARDEN CLUB The Spring Show on 2nd April was a success although entries (especially in the children's sections) and attendance were down on previous years. Nevertheless it was a colourful and happy event. The prize-winners were: Harry Pargeter Cup-Dave Coates; Bill Clarke Cup-Janet Randall; Willis Cup-Eleanor Hiatt; Floral Art Cup-Nicola Mc Hugh; Redlands Cup-Alice Dudfield; Joe Bishop Cup-Ann Faulkner; Diploma of Excellence in Horticulture- Janet Randall; Certificate of Merit for Floral Art-Nicola McHugh.
The April open meeting was a talk on the Kitchen Garden by Hilary Twigg of Pershore College. Lots of tips on growing vegetables were shared by this very entertaining speaker. It is hoped she will return next season; if you have any suggestions for a topic please let us know.
June and July are the months for visiting gardens. On 15th June there will be an evening visit to May Gleed's garden at Edge Hill. Meet at the Sun at 7pm for car sharing. On 20th July the visit will be to Woodchippings meeting at 6.45pm at the Sun.
On both occasions there will be a charge of £2 per person to be donated to the charity of the garden owner's choice.
This year's Autumn show on 10th September will be held in St Peter's Church.
Verity Calderan


WILDLIFE NOTEBOOK - MID MARCH TO MID MAY
Usually one of the first migrants to arrive is the Chiffchaff, one of which was seen by Tim Burchell in Brewery Lane on 17th March. On 16th March a female Reed Bunting was seen on a bird table in East End. David Shirt saw at least 6 Goldfinches on their feeders over many days with a maximum of 11 birds on 11th March. On 18th March two Tree Sparrows were also on their feeders and there was a huge flock of about 600 Fieldfares wheeling over White Hills Farm on 27th March. In the middle of March 3 Buzzards were seen over Duck Pool Farm, 2 near Manor Farm on 23rd March, 5 over East End on 28th March, one on 1st, 22nd, and 23rd April and 5 on 30th April. There have been three sightings in East End of Herons on 23rd March, 12th April and 3rd May. Towards the end of March John Peck saw a female and male Stonechat on different fences in fields in East End. A male and female Bullfinch have been seen at a bird table in East End on several occasions towards the end of April. As far as I know we saw the first Swallow on 1st April on a wire in the field next to the Wildlife Pond. The other early sightings are Peter Smart who saw two Swallows on electric wires at Crushill Farm on the morning of 9th April, Doug Marshall saw one on a wire on 10th April, and Richard and Anne Chalmers saw one over The Green on 13th April. Margaret Freeman saw a Treecreeper again in her garden on 14th April and her next door neighbour was amazed to see a Sparrowhawk take a Wood Pigeon in her garden. Other female Sparrowhawks have been seen and Tim Burchell has seen one on a few occasions flying through his garden.
In the afternoon of the 4th April Tim Burchell and Tom Pickering saw a Red Kite over the centre of the village. Val Bourne in Queens Street has seen Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits and lots of Greenfinches in her garden. On 19th April she had a close up view of a Garden Warbler feeding on colonies of aphids in the Euphorbia Characias by her window.
The first Cuckoo was heard by Patrick Fox at 9.15am on 23rd April at the viaducts. Penny Smith heard one south of the village at 7.30am on 29th April and Ann Jennings and her neighbour heard a cuckoo near Milcombe at 7.00am on 30th April. Elly Schierbeek also heard one on 6th May below Lessor Farm just above the railway embankment near the bridleway. Patrick Fox also saw a Yellowhammer on the road from Chipping Norton. On several occasions in the last week of April a male and female Bullfinch were seen at a bird table in East End. During the early morning of 30th April in fields near East End, John Peck saw a Whitethroat and a Wheatear. The first Swift was seen by Paul Pickering in the afternoon of 1st May over Hollybush Road. If anyone has seen an earlier migrant than mentioned can you please let me know. There were 15 of us who had a most enjoyable walk in the morning of 30th April. The weather was not as good as we would have liked so not ideal for seeing a lot of birds, but we did see and hear quite a few and fortunately it did not rain. Tim Burchell saw a Brimstone butterfly on 17th March; another one was seen in East End on 21st March. On 24th April Christopher Barry saw an Orange-tip, a Brimstone and Holly Blue Butterflies in his garden. Several Deer have been seen, a Roe Deer by Patrick Fox in a gateway at Park Farm, another one by David Shirt at Thistley Lea Farm and at 7.00am on 14th April near Firs Garage. Ann Jennings saw a beautiful large deer stroll across the road as she was walking by the crossroads near Tadmarton Golf Club. Tim Burchell phoned to say that on 1st May there was a large male Polecat dead beside the road near Wigginton Heath. On the previous evening he had seen a Bat in his garden.
It was great to hear from so many people, thank you and please keep getting in touch with me.
Geraldine Moore email: geraldine.moore1@btinternet.com


LUCY PICKERING – CUBAN TREK
In November I am planning to walk across the mountains in the centre of Cuba to raise money in aid of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture (http://www.torturecare.org.uk/).
The Medical Foundation is the only human rights charity in the UK which works exclusively with adult and child survivors of torture and organised violence. Using a holistic approach it provides psychological and physical therapy, counselling and medical treatment to engage torture survivors in a process to assert their human dignity. I have pledged to raise £2,500 in aid of the work of this vital and inspiring organisation.
So far, I have managed nearly £1000 and really raised the profile of the Medical Foundation's activities in the process. However, I still have a long way to go yet and a lot more awareness raising to do - this is where I hope you – the residents of my home village Hook Norton come in!!!
I came across the crucial work of the Medical Foundation following a two year stint as a VSO volunteer in the conflict zone of Sri Lanka where I set up a peace project aimed at building bridges between the three highly segregated ethnic groups - Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims. It was very successful and brought together over 300 young people through a programme of English classes, residential courses, self access centres and teacher training courses.
In Sri Lanka, I did not meet a person who either directly themselves or indirectly through a member of their family had not been affected by torture and organised violence. It was truly appalling. On my return from Sri Lanka I began to work with newly arrived 16 -19 year old people - mostly asylum seekers and refugees - in Oxfordshire and looked after their educational needs and my contact with the Medical Foundation began.
Please come along to this exciting open house event and support the Medical Foundation's fantastic work. If you would like to make a donation and cannot make it to the sale you can sponsor Lucy online at www.justgiving.com/lucytrek or contact the Medical Foundation directly quoting Lucy Pickering's trek.
For more information please contact Lucy Pickering (Email: lucyap13@yahoo.co.uk) or Helen Nickols at the Medical Foundation (E-mail- sponsored@torturecare.org.uk)

JO YOUNG – EXPEDITION TO BASE CAMP AT EVEREST
On 27th May 2005, 20 RFU volunteers embarked upon an expedition to the base camp of Mount Everest; where they will attempt to break the world record for holding the highest ever game of tag rugby. All the money raised from the expedition will go towards two important and worthwhile charities: SPIRE and 'Show Racism the Red Card'.
SPIRE is the official RFU charity that assists players who have suffered permanent total disability through rugby and is currently supporting the needs of around 115 disabled ex-players.
'Show Racism the Red Card' (SRTRC) is a charity which aims to combat racism through education and the use of professional sportsmen as role models. Footballers have shown the way by making a stand against racism and now the RFU and players at all levels within the game of rugby are actively involved in the campaign – vigorously supporting the aims of SRTRC.
Jo Young, (wife of Bill Young U13 coach at Chipping Norton Rugby Club and Hook Norton Parish Councillor) is one of the volunteers who have gone to Everest base Camp. Jo has paid £520 towards the cost of the expedition and has agreed to raise a further £2,750.
Jo is reliant on your financial support to make this challenge happen.
Jo would really appreciate sponsorship for this challenge to help her achieve the fundraising goal. Please send a donation to:
Mrs Jo Young
(Contact webmaster for address)


MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING – FRIDAY 30th SEPTEMBER
Advance notice that the Macmillan Coffee Morning this year will be held on Friday 30th September, 9am - 11.30am, in the Study Centre, Hook Norton Primary School.
Everyone is welcome - more details will be sent out nearer the time. Please make a note in your diaries.
Julie Wood


LOST
Gold Wedding Band inscribed “God Bless Bex”
If anyone finds it, please contact the webmaster.


THANK YOU
Thanks to all sponsors of Lee Stratford's head shave and Neville Pearce's beard shave in aid of Katharine House Hospice.
A total of £1,220 was handed over at the end of April.
A big THANK YOU to all who attended the family evening on 19th February and to Colette and Kerrie for organising the event.
Valerie Stratford


CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to my Grandson, Paul Jenkins, on receiving a 'first' in Maths from St. Edmunds Hall, University of Oxford – and Good Luck with your Phd.
Love from Dolly Pickering and family


ANNOUNCEMENTS




Alexander Lewis son of John and Helen Myer was baptised
at St Peter's Church, Hook Norton on 3rd April 2005


Congratulations to Julian and Nikki on the birth of Edward Leo Knowles



Holly Fear and Christopher Clegg were married
at St Peter's Church, Hook Norton on 7th May 2005