FROM THE EDITOR
Welcome to a new year, and a new era at the Parish Pump. After working tirelessly for 5
years, Richard Martin has finally hung up his beard and handed over the reins of the
Pump. During that time, he has built it up from a few sheets of paper into a substantial
publication that is surely one of the best parish magazines around. He has developed a
hugely successful formula for running the magazine, and in bringing his own unique
perspective to things, has provided us with an entertaining read into the bargain. I would
like to take this opportunity to thank Richard for all he has done over the years, for
unifying the villages of the Benefice in a hugely successful way, and being an all round
thoroughly good chap.
Happily, due to huge amounts of public pressure, and not a little blackmail, Richard has
agreed to continue writing for us,( well, we couldn’t let him go completely, could we?)
This month, however, he will be taking a well earned break from all things pump-wise,
but do look out for his cameo appearances in future publications.
As always, contributions, both of a fiscal and literary nature, are most welcome. Whether
it be a village event that needs publicising, something to share of historical interest, or
even just the chance to vent your spleen about a local issue — it all has its place amongst
the pages of the Pump.
Ros
FROM THE RECTOR ON BEHALF OF THE BENEFICE
I would like to thank Richard Martin for all the time he has put into The Parish Pump, and
to welcome Ros to her new role as editor. Richard has done an outstanding job of
establishing this magazine, and I am very grateful for all the time he has given over the
last five years.
Harry Maclnnes
THE RECTOR’S LETTER
Dear Friends
I remember someone recently who made the facetious comment ‘The
tragedy of today is that you meet so many nice people who have such a
bright future behind them’ That comment is now rather near the bone. Aftcr the tornadoes
of bad news that have been swirling around the globe for months, and the prospect of
worse to come, there are not many people who feel their future is at all secure. As one
newspaper graphically put it ‘You’ve had a miserable day at work, your employment
prospects are in jeopardy, the mortgage payments are scary, you’ve juggled your credit
cards already. What’s next? You don’t know, but you don’t like the look of it. So you
come home, drink a bottle of wine, shout at your partner, and watch your children soak up
your anxiety.’
In the light of this situation, I still find the poem by Minnie Louise Harkins moving. It was
memorably used by King George the VI for his Christmas speech in 1939:
I said to the Man who stood at the gate of the year
‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown’
And he replied’ Go out into the darkness And put your hand into the hand of God. That
will be to you better than light
And safer than a known way.’
So I went forth and finding the hand of God Trod gladly into the night
And the breaking of the day in the lone East.
It is likely that the inspiration for the poem came from some words of the prophet Isaiah,
penned almost 3 millennia before. He had written ‘Let him who walks in the dark, and has
no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.’ And he said this at a time of
acute national crisis for the people of Jerusalem. So this is intensely relevant to us today.
Nothing is so inspiring as to see those who have found the hand of God and grasped it.
They have learned to rely on him in the face of loss and trauma and difficulty. The
problems have not gone away, but they are finding a way forward through them all.
The prophet Isaiah offers another promise... i will give you the treasures of darkness, and
riches in the secret places, so that you may know that it is I the Lord who calls you by
name’ There are things that God can show us, which we only discover when we allow the
difficulties of life to lead us into a deeper
encounter with him. It is then that we are able to say with glorious confidence ‘I know
that nothing – not tribulation, distress, persecution, sword, death, or whatever else you
may name - can separate me from the love God in Christ Jesus.’
Harry Machines
PARISH & BENEFICE SERVICES
Sunday 1st February- Epiphany IV
10.30am Little Faringdon
Benefice Communion HM, EJ, NUW
6pm Holwell
Benefice Evensong HM
Sunday 8th February-III Before Lent
9am Alvescot
Holy Communion
NUW
9am Broadwell
Holy Communion
HM
9am Westwell/Holwell Holy Communion AM
10.30am Filkins
Parish Communion HM
10.30am Shilton
Parish Communion &’ Childrens Church EJ
11am Little FaringdonMatins AM
6pm B Bourton
Evensong
NUW
6pm Kencot Evensong
EJ
Sunday 15th February- II Before Lent
9am B Bourton/Alvescot Holy Communion
9am Holwell
Holy Communion
EJ
10.30am Broadwell/Kencot Matins AP
NUW
10.30am Kelmscott Family Communion NUW
10.30am Langford
Family Service & Baptism EJ
6pm Filkins Evensong
EJ
6pm Westwell Evensong
HM
Sunday 22” February- 1 Before Lent
9am Kencot/Broadwell Holy Communion AM
9am Shilton Holy Communion
EJ
10.30am Alvescot
Parish Communion AM
10.30am Filkins
Family Communion HM
11am Little FaringdonParish Communion NUW
6pm Holwell/Westwell Evensong
NUW
6pm Langford
Evensong
JIM
Wednesday 25th February Ash Wednesday
7.30pm Shilton
Benefice Communion HM/NUW
Sunday Ist March Lent I
10.30am Filkins
Benefice Communion HM,EJ,NUW
6pm Langford Benefice Evensong EJ
Combined services are held in the first-named church
There is a Communion Service at Black Bourton every Wednesday at 10.00am
CELEBRANTS & SERVICE LEADERS
AM Alister McGrath HM Harry MacInnes
EJ Liz Johnson
NUW Neville Usher-Wilson AP Arthur Pont
LECTIONARY
Sunday 1st February - Epiphany IV (White)
Deuteronomy 18.15-20
Psalm 111
Revelation 12.1-5a Mark 1.21-28
Sunday 8th February - III Before Lent (Green)
Isaiah 40.21-end
Psalm 147.1-12
1 Corinthians 9.16-23 Mark 1.29-39
Sunday 15th February II Before Lent (Green)
Proverbs 8.1, 22-31 Psalm 104.26-end
Colossians 1.15-20 John 1.1-14
Sunday 22nd February Sunday Before Lent (Green)
2 Kings 2.1-12 Psalm 50.1-6
2 Corinthians 4.3-6 Mark 9.2-9
Wednesday 25th February Ash Wednesday (Purple)
Isaiah 58.1-12 Psalm 51.1-18
2 Corinthians 5.20b-6.10
John 8.1-11
CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
Unfortunately, we had to cancel our January meeting due to bad weather. This means that
the next meeting will now be the member business meeting. This will be on February 4th
in the Methodist School room, as usual.
Barbara Edwards
SHILTON BAPTIST CHAPEL
Is it really all over for another year? Afterall the anticipation, preparation and expectation;
the chance of hearing from friends and family, people calling in,
preparing the food, decorating the house, queuing in Waitrose just to get to a checkout,
watching the children perform their Nativity plays, visiting Santa’s Grotto and not
forgetting the Christmas Panto! But the one thing that will stay in my mind this year were
the carols round the pond when we joined with the Anglicans. It was a really good time;
the weather was kind to us and the pond looked delightful with the reflections of the
lanterns glistening on the water. Mince pies and punch were served which kept us all in
good voice. If possible it would be good to make this an annual event, so if you missed it
you missed a treat, but do join us next year all being well. So from all of us at Chapel we
wish you a happy, peaceful and joyous New Year despite all the doom and gloom.
Paul Plan
Preachers for February: 1st February Informal
8th February Graham Sparrowhawk followed by communion 15th February David Earl
22nd February Mike & Chris Barrett
Visitors are always very welcome at all our services.
Elisabeth Hatfield
WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
Please put the date for the WOMENS’ DAY OF PRAYER in your 2009 diaries: Friday 6th
March. This year the service has been prepared by the Christian women of Papua New
Guinea and will be hosted by Kencot Church at 2.30. If you have never attended please do
come along, everyone will be made welcome. On Wednesday 4th March there will be a
showing of slides of Papua New Guinea at the fellowship meeting in Filkins Chapel to
give the background to the country and how women live in New Guinea. For more
information please contact either me on 01367 860504 or Helen Squire 01367 860337
Diane Blackett
ST VALENTINE
(MARTYR D.269)
Greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for his friends John 15:13
The association of St. Valentine with pink hearts, boxes of chocolates, and the exchange
of romantic fancies has no intrinsic source in the character or life of the saint. The origin
of ‘St. Valentine’s Day’ — a day beloved of greeting card companies — is not entirely
clear, but it seems to have taken root in England, where the signs of spring are eagerly
anticipated. As far back as Chaucer it was commonly observed that birds began to pair
and mate around the feast of St. Valentine, that is, from the beginning of February.
In any case, the Valentine whose name is oddly commemorated was apparently a
Christian priest in Rome who assisted martyrs during the persecution under Emperor
Claudius II. He was eventually arrested and sent before the prefect of Rome. When he
refused to renounce his faith he was beaten and beheaded.
Thus, by offering his heart, he proved himself a true devotee of the God of Love.
From:
All Saints by Robert Ellsberg
FILKINS & DISTRICT ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
A Happy New Year to all Branch Members and to the many helpers and supporters to the
Poppy Appeal in the Broadshire villages. Branch Committee Meeting The next
Committee Meeting will take place on Tuesday 3rd February at the 5 Alls.
Jeremy TaylorCHILDREN’S CHURCH
Dear Parents
We meet every second Sunday of the month at the Shilton Old School/Village Hall at
10.15 a.m. This give parents a chance to drop the children in and then, if they want to, join
the Family Communion Service in the church just across the way. We join the main
service about 40 minutes later. If you have any queries, do please contact me on 01993
847039.
Our next Children’s Church will be on 8th February.
Debs Price
BENEFICE CHOIR
J t has been several months now since I wrote in The Pump about the Choir, with a lot
having been going on since. We finished last year by leading a Festival of 9 Readings and
Carols at Black Bourton, just before Christmas. I felt that the choir surpassed themselves
for the service, it was just a pity that with all the other carol services happening the next
day — which I understand were packed out, we did not seem to see the same attendance; I
hope that those who did join us enjoyed the music and atmosphere as much as we did.
Other activities we were involved with in December, were to sing at a wedding in
Langford, which was a very festive occasion, and also to join the residents at Bradwell
Grove for an evening of Carols, finished off by Mulled Wine and Mince Pies. This is the
second year that we have made this visit, and it now seems to be becoming part of our
calendar; I hope the residents enjoyed it as much as we did.
Going back a little further into the year, we very sadly lost one of our long standing
members — Judy Hurd, to leukaemia; she is sorely missed. We were asked to join another
choir and sing at her funeral at St Mary’s, Witney, which we were honoured to do. The
church was packed out, as befitted a lady of Judy’s nature, and the service I think
celebrated her life very well. We are also missing Debs Price through illness at the
moment; our thoughts are with her during her treatment and we look forwards to her
speedy recovery and to seeing her again as soon as she feels well enough to rejoin us.
This brings me neatly around to the vexing question of always seeming to be looking for
new members. We have just welcomed one new member into the Alto section, but yes,
you guessed it, we need more — and not just Alto’s. With a small group like the Choir, it
is always very difficult to maintain a viable quorum, as everyone leads busy lives; I would
be the first to admit that being a member of a choir does involve a certain amount of
commitment. However, as a number of the choir members demonstrate, it needn’t be
every single week (although from my point of view this would be nice). All that I can ask
of any of the choir members, is that they do the best they can — both musically and
with attendance, and this everyone manages; we just need a few more to swell the
numbers.
Musically, as ever, I am introducing some more new music to add to our repertoire, some
simple, and some slightly more challenging. For those who find it difficult to read music
(and it is not a pre-requisite to do so, although always useful), we do spend some time
learning the notes of these new pieces, often amidst a certain amount of hilarity. During
practice at least, there always seem to be a certain number of ribald comments flying
around, and everyone does seem to enjoy it because we are not always too serious.
We will be singing at most of the morning Benefice Services as normal this year, as well
as putting together several Choral Evensongs — one in May (venue to be announced) and
one in October (again to be announced). As normal, we ‘break-up’ after the July Benefice
Service, and don’t reconvene until September. Socially, we also normally have a ‘gettogether’ around May/June time for a BBQ type event, where everyone brings some food
or drink, along with their partners; it is always an enjoyable event.
If any of the above interests you, please contact either myself on 01993 841807, 07850
064775 or email david@glebourton.fsnet.co.uk, or Barbara Bristow on 01367 860195 or
email barbara@cdbassociates.co.uk. and we will see what we can do to get you to come
along.
David New
FROM THE REGISTERS
WEDDINGS
13th December 2008 Langford
Ian Lafford and Sarah Williams
CHRISTENINGS
23rd November 2008 Filkins Finley Andrew Keating
horn on 11th September 2007
30th November 2008 Black Bourton Freddie Peter Driver born on 2nd August 2007
FUNERALS
21st November 2008 Holwell Mrs Joyce (Queenie) Sturch who died on 27th October aged
81
1st December 2008 Westwell Lady Judy Hurd who died on 23rd’ November aged 59
22nd December 2008 Holwell Mrs Margaret Nicholls who died on 6th December aged 88
5th January
Westwell
Mr Edward Coleman who died on 19th December aged 61
th
5 January
Black Bourton Mrs Phyliss Harper who died on 22nd December aged 74
th
8 January
Kelmscott
Dr Richard (Bob) Corfield who died on 18” December aged
79
14th/ 15th January
Shilton Mr (John)
Michael Barry who died on 24th December
aged 84
23rd January Oxford Mrs Barbara
Dunipace who died on 30th December
aged 88
I asked the man at the gate of the year,
give me a light, that I may walk
safely into the unknown; but he said to me
stretch out your hand and place it into the
hand of God, and it will be to you better
than the light and safer than the known.
King George VI
ALVESCOT
St Peter’s
ALVESCOT VILLAGE FETE
Saturday 20th June 2009
Writing this in sub-zero temperatures it seems almost unbelievable that Winter will soon
turn to Spring and then to Summer, and so our minds turn to Alvescot Village Fete — to
be held this year on Saturday 20th June, in the playing field.
If you would like to be involved in this year’s Fete, please come along to our first ‘Open’
meeting, to be held at St. Peter’s School on Monday 9th February at 8pm. We will be
running through old and new ideas, and forming the Committee to arrange another
successful Village event, raising money for local organisations.
If you’re having a clear out after Christmas, please think of us, and put aside any
unwanted toys, gifts, bottles or bric-a-brac for our stalls, and when planting seeds for
summer — don’t forget to do a few extra for the plant stall
If you are unable to come along to the meeting, but would like to help, please call me on
01993 841522
Ann Cadogan
VILLAGE HALL EVENTS
Concert night with Gordon Giltrap Friday 6th March 2009 Tickets £8-50
Phone Liz 01993 842832
Terry Morris
ALVESCOT CHARITIES
The Alvescot Charities Trustees administer funds from small Charitable Bequests and
Charitable Allotments made in the last three centuries, and which are designated for the
relief of hardship. The Trustees make modest monetary grants to those who qualify,
usually at Christmas but, given the current economic crisis, at other times if the need is
pressing.
The Trustees of Alvescot Charities would welcome confidential approaches from
Alvescot residents to apply for a grant provided that they meet the following conditions
which meet the requirements the original bequests/allotments and the requirements of the
Charities Act:
 That they are resident in Alvescot
 That they are 65 years of age or older
 That they are in receipt of one or more of the following means tested State benefits:
o Council Tax Benefit, o Housing Benefit, o Pension Credit.
If you feel you may be eligible for a grant from the Alvescot Charities, please approach
one of the Trustees or write to or phone the Clerk to the Trustees.
All correspondence and information will be treated in the strictest confidence unless the
Trustees are required to do otherwise by Law.
Alvescot Charities - Charity no. 214730
Trustees: Pain Barling, Rev Harry McInnes, Ralph Mawle, Sandy Morris, Roger Trafford.
Clerk: Nigel Williams, Rose Cottage, Lower End, Alvescot 01993 842857
ST PETER’S INFANTS SCHOOL
On behalf of the children, staff and governors of St Peter’s I would like to wish you all a
very happy new year.
The Christmas celebrations began in November with our Gift Evening. Once again we
welcomed many traders and there was a great festive
atmosphere as everyone
enjoyed the mulled wine and
mince pies, courtesy of Pat Scott and Liz Savage. Many thanks, once again to Sharon
Waters and Sandie Morris for organizing this event and to everyone who came along to do
their Christmas shopping.
After the gift evening came the Christmas Bazaar. This year we raised the incredible
amount of £1600 and we would like to thank you all once again for supporting this event
so well by helping man stalls, selling raffle tickets and coming along, which all
contributed to such a great total.
Our nativity, ‘A present for the Baby’ was truly wonderful. The children were marvelous
and the confidence with which they spoke and sang was quite remarkable for children so
young. Thanks go to all the staff who worked so hard and to Colin Newlands once again,
who accompanied the children’s singing on the piano.
Reverend MacInnes led the Christingle service this year. This was extremely well
supported, and money was raised in aid of The Children’s Society. Thank you to all those
who attended and for your donations, as well as to the Cotswold Wildlife Park who
donated the oranges.
This year the children of St Peter’s were very proud to send over twenty boxes to
‘Operation Christmas Child’. Many thanks to Mrs Witt for delivering the boxes on behalf
of the school.
The whole school visited the Oxford Playhouse to watch the pantomime of ‘Sleeping
Beauty’. The children, and staff thoroughly enjoyed the performance and were delighted
to have the opportunity to experience this traditional Christmas panto.
Many thanks to everyone who has supported the school during 2008. We look forward to
what the year ahead holds and hope that we can count on your support in order that we
continue to thrive in 2009.
Sam King Headteacher
BLACK BOURTON
St Mary’s
ST MARY’S NEWS
We were privileged to have the Benefice Carol Service on Saturday 20th December,
complete with the Choir who sang beautifully. This coincided with our Christmas Tree
Festival so the Church looked delightful. A good start to the Festive Season. This was
followed on Sunday 21st with Carol Singing, Mulled Wine and Mincepies. The Church
was packed and Jeremy Lane led the singing, it was fantastic, we almost raised the roof.
All the children came forward to sing ‘Away in a Manger’, unrehearsed, this completed a
magical evening. Thank you Pete Miles for the delicious mulled wine and many thanks to
all those who cooked mincepies and other goodies. It is so lovely for the village to get
together. We then had Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve which was also well attended.
Can I take this opportunity to thank everyone who sponsored a tree and all those behind
the scenes who set up the trees, decorated them and cleaned the Church. There were some
lovely interpretations of Carols and both Alvescot School and Clanfield School made a
contribution. Children of the village made wooden spoon people and angels for ‘O Come
All Ye Faithful’, there were different nationalities, homeless, punks, all sorts to show that
everyone is welcome to the Church. We hope to see you during 2009. Happy New Year to
you all.
Doreen Hart
BROADWELL
St Peter & St Paul’s
ALTAR FLOWERS
(If any) June Goodenough
VILLAGE UPDATE
We were all so sad to hear that Pat Caldwell had been taken to the John Radcliffe just
before Christmas, having had a bit of a fall in the garden. Pat does not now live in the
village, as she did all those ages ago, when her father
This term the children have been talking about Winter and had an exciting week learning
about Chinese New Year, eating Chinese food and exploring Chinese culture.
Our half-term Holiday Club is running from Monday 16th February-Friday 20th February.
We welcome children aged 2-11 years. Please ring to find out our planned activities
during the week. For more information, please contact me on 01367 860594 or visit
tivww.theoldstationnurserv.co.uk.
Louise Jenkins
ROSTER FOR VOLUNTARY CAR SERVICE TO SURGERIES
Covering Filkins, Broughton Poggs, Kencot, Broadwell, Langford and L Faringdon
Tuesdays
3rd February Mr A Heath
860129
th
10 February Lady Allison 860787
17th February Mrs J Geake 860534
24th February Mr A Woodford 860319
3rd March
Mr J Moir
860031
th
10 March
Mr A Heath 860129
17th March
Mrs M Cover 860302
24th March
Mr P Coleman 860571
st
31 March
Mr A Woodford 860319
was Vicar here, but she is still very much a member of our community. This left us with a
great gap to fill: we have been so lucky to have such a musical and gifted person to play
the organ for Broadwell churchgoers for over 70 years.
Pat is now in a care home in Witney, and longing to get back into her life, and we all hope
that she will be better soon. In the meantime Bronwen Mills has nobly stepped into the
breach, so we are still singing away, although we do miss her wonderful voice among us.
CAROL SINGING
Luckily a clear evening on December 22nd and the choir was in fine voice. See Kencot for
a full report on the two nights.
June Goodenough
FILKINS & BROUGHTON POGGS
St Peter’s
ST FILICA SOCIETY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting of the St Filica Society will be held in the Five Alls in
Filkins at 8.00pm on Tuesday 24th February. As is customary, light refreshments will be
provided.
At this meeting Members will be invited to decide what proportion of the monies raised
during the past year should be allocated to the various ‘good causes’ which have
submitted bids. The sum to be distributed will be announced shortly in the St Filica
Newsletter and bids then requested.
The meeting will also be called upon to consider the future of St Filica as, at the moment,
no new volunteer Chairman has come forward to direct and coordinate future activities of
the Society.
Tony Woodford
NURSERY UPDATE
We have now returned to our ‘normal’ nurser v life after a very busy Christmas term. Our
Nativity play was a great success
and was followed by mulled wine and
mince pies for parents. We had a Christmas
party on the last day of term with
traditional games and a visit from Father
Christmas.Thursdays
5th February Mrs V Godfrey 860498
12th February Mrs B Bristow 860195
19th February Mrs J Higham 860197
26th February Miss H Squire 860337
5th March
Mrs C Lauzier 860644
th
12 March
Mrs P Clark 860500
19th March
Lady Allison 860787
th
26 March
Mrs J Higham 860197 (All codes 01367)
Copies of the 6-month roster are posted in the bus shelters at Filkins and Langford
Charges: Surgery Runs: Carterton, Lechlade and Burford - £2.00; Fairford and Witney £5.00. Hospital Runs: Cirencester and Swindon - £8.00, Cheltenham and Oxford - £10.00
(plus parking charge if applicable)
Patients should notify the nominated driver at least 24 hours in advance of their
appointment. The Surgery Service only covers appointments up to 4pm on Tuesdays and
Thursdays. All users of the service must be able to make their way to and from the car
unaided. For hospital runs contact me on 01367 860319.
Tony Woodford
PARISH COUNCIL
Do please remember that minutes and notices of meetings are displayed on the notice
boards in the bus shelter, in Broughton Poggs in the Village Shop, and in the Post Office.
There is a more comprehensive file of Parish Council bumph in the Cotswold Woollen
Weavers Coffee Shop.
Cris Hoad
FILKINS VILLAGE SHOP
Opening Hours
Monday
3.00 to 5.00pm
Tuesday
10.00am to 12noon & 3.00 to 5.00pm Wednesday 3pm to 5pm
Thursday
9.00am to 12.00noon & 2.00 to 5.00pm
Friday 2.00 to 5.00pm
Saturday
9.00am to 1.00pm & 3.00 to 5.00pm
Sunday
3.00 to 5.00pm
HOLWELL
St Mary’s
WHO’S WHO IN HOLWELL
If you don’t subscribe to the weighty Redtome, go to the library (or internet) and read the
very impressive new entry for 2009 about our very own Professor Antony Guiseppe
Galione. The village recognise their eminent scientist in his tracksuit-bottoms, walking his
faithful friends – a world a part form his academic seat at Oxford. Well done, Antony –
we’re all very proud of you.
Antony is also a warden at St Mary’s, Holwell and sometimes gives us a rendering of
“Three Blind Mice” on our somewhat limited bell system.
Gwyneth Gibbons
KELMSCOTT
St Georges
CHURCH BRASS AND FLOWERS
Ellie Maughan
CAROL SERVICE
The Carol Service held on Monday 22nd December 2008 raised just over £150 for Douglas
I louse in Oxford. Thank you to all those who came, who sang and donated.
Ellie Maughan
LIVE THEATRE IN KELMSCOTT: RIVER’S UP
Once again, the Morris Memorial Hall in Kelmscott is pleased to welcome Oxfordshire
Touring Theatre Company with their production of River’s Up on Saturday, 14th March at
7.30pm.
When the river’s up and the chips are down do_ you drift apart or pull together? With
their house about to be flooded, again, Sally and Tom are in deep water. Before long
they’re adrift in an open boat with little more than a bottle of water and a tin of beans and
whichever way you look at it, its sink or swim.
Join them on their sometimes funny, sometimes poignant journey in this domestic
tragicomedy of epic proportions.
The show is suitable for adults and young people over 14. Tickets cost £8.50 for an adult
and £6.00 for concessions. Please call me on 01367 253103 or Jake on 01367 252607 to
book your places now!
Laura Roberts
KENCOT
St George’s
CHURCH FLOWERS
February
Susan Portergill.
The new roster will be in the Church Porch shortly. May I take this opportunity to thank
all our flower arrangers, who have provided lovely flowers, to keep the Church looking so
beautiful throughout the past year. It is wonderful to have such a dedicated and reliable
team and especial thanks to those ladies who have joined the team this year. Thank you all
most sincerely. Thanks must also go to our regular donors too, who so kindly ensure that
there is enough in the flower fund to provide some flowers, oasis and other needs.
Marjorie Barstow
CAROL SINGING
Our Carol Singing Nights, 22nd December around Broadwell and 23rd December around
Kencot were blessed with warm, dry weather and many new singers were welcomed by
the ‘old faithfuls.’ Thank you, Andrew, for keeping us together again with your melodica
and to those who gave so generously. Our thanks also for the very welcome refreshments
received en route and the generous ‘spreads’ at Broadwell Manor and Kencot Village Hall
and to those who waited on us. The splendid sum of £490 has been sent to Cancer
Research.
Helen Squire
CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Our joint Carol Service with Broadwell on 21”t December was a great success. The
Church was full and the singing was enthusiastic, with readers, young and old from both
parishes. We were able to send £282 from the collection to Helen and Douglas Houses in
Oxford.
The Christmas Morning Service was also well attended and we were pleased to welcome
the Reverend Martin Pearce. The offertory, for Barnardos, amounted to £190.
John Barstow
ARRIVALS
A somewhat belated welcome to the following fairly recent arrivals:
John and Andrea Moss with family to Hillview
Paul Thompson and partner, Jenny, to No 1 Kencott Cottages We hope they will all have
a long and happy stay with us. John Barstow
THE BRIDGE
Thames Water have now stated that they have changed their plans again. They will now
continue working down through Broadwell and when they have completed that stretch of
the sewerage, they will come up into Kencot. They have agreed with Oxfordshire County
Council that they will replace, with a box culvert, the bridge between Kencot and
Broadwell, which has long held up the flow of water in the stream and been a cause of
flooding. In the meantime, the culverts are to be stored by the roadside until required. The
sewerage pipes will go beneath the bed of the stream.
John Barstow
LANGFORD
St Matthew s
WHIST
Join us for an evening of whist at Langford Village Hall on Tuesday 3rd February. We
start at 7.30pm; however if you would like some tuition please arrive a little earlier than
this. The entrance fee of £1 includes tea and biscuits at half timewith all the profits going
to Langford Village Hall. We play for the enjoyment of the game and the company with
small prizes. Everyone is
welcome, you do not need to be an expert card player to come and join us, if you would
like to know more, or even a lift please call me on 01993 852378 Jo Hutchings.
LANGFORD LADIES
In November we welcomed Mrs Sandra Kirby who gave a very interesting talk about
alpacas, Mrs Kirby owns her very own herd in South Devon. The talk was accompanied
with lovely slides of her herd, but we also learnt that alpacas originally came from high in
the Andie mountains and are part of the camel family. There are two types of alpacas and
the gestation period is between 11 and 12 months. They are sheared once a year, their
wool is much stronger than sheepts wool and is good for arthritis. January’s meeting was
our welcome committee with nibbles and drinks to welcome everyone for the new year.
Our next meeting is on Thursday 12th February at 7.30pm. This will start with a bring and
buy in aid of the TVAC Air Ambulance. If you do not wish to come to Langford Ladies
but would like to make a donation of goods or money please contact any member or
myself for more details. This will be followed by a fun quiz.
We meet every 2nd Thursday in the month in the Village Hall, Langford. Membership for
the year is £10.00, guests are most welcome at £1.50.
Happy New Year To You. For more information, call me on 01367 860514 Christine
Tinson
ST CHRISTOPHER’S NEWS
Despite the snow and ice we all returned to school safely after the Christmas break. The
end of the Christmas terms went in a flash as we shared our usual Christmas Nativity from
Foundation Stage and Key Stage One and held our Christmas Carol Service, this year
here’ at St Christopher’s. We also held a Christingle Service for our children, families and
friends of
the school at St Matthew’s Church in Langford, which was packed. With just about
enough Christingles to go around we all sang our favourite children’s Carols and lit the
candles in the darkened Church. This is always a really special service and heralds the
start of Christmas. Thank you to Liz Johnson who led the service for us and to all our
children for making the Christingles.
Sadly, when we returned to school we had suffered a burst pipe in Oak Classroom. Poor
Mr Cornish had to move into the hall with his class for the second time as last term we
had rotten pipes causing a leak. Luckily the builders responded quickly and the children in
Oak Class once again dealt with the situation calmly and sensibly.
Our whole school topic this term is Buildings. Our ‘Stimulus Day’ this time was a
Buildings day where the children were set the challenge of recreating a famous building
from everyday classroom resources. This really got them thinking about structure, shape
and materials. It was a fantastic day with the children working in teams during the
morning planning their buildings and ‘shopping’ for their materials. The afternoon was
spent using the materials and working together to recreate the Taj Mahal, Sydney opera
House and St Basil’s in Moscow amongst others. The buildings the children created were
absolutely amazing; from the Foundation children to year 6 there was imagination,
creativity and an amazing understanding of structure and form. Many of the buildings are
featured our website at www.st-christophers.oxon.sch.uk so please do have a look.
Of course, the main building event this term is the start of our new playground in
February. By the time Spring arrives the children should have more space to play and
learn. Not only that but parents will have somewhere to shelter when dropping off and
collecting children and our PE curriculum will be enhanced
by a zoned playground including a skills zone, match zone and new storage sheds.
Playtimes will be improved not only by the space but also with the addition of a Quiet
area where children can play board games, read books and chat quietly. This area will also
include two giant chess/drafts boards and plenty of seating. We are still finalising plans
for the sensory trail and sound garden which will support the curriculum and enhance
playtimes.
School Council and the Eco Warriors are as active as always and this term are focusing on
revalidating Healthy Schools’ Status and becoming a Green Flag Eco School respectively.
This takes a great deal of dedication and commitment from our teams, auditing our status
and writing an action plan to ensure that we continue to move the school forward in these
areas.
With another busy year ahead we are always grateful for any support and expertise so
please do contact the school on 01367 860318 or through our website at www.stchristophers.oxon.sch.uk if you would like to help.
Sarah Nisbett Headteacher
LITTLE FARINGDON
St Margaret’s
CHURCH FLOWERS
FebruaryJacqueline Millington
March Lent — no flowers
800TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Sunday 10th May
Discussions are now well underway for the arrangement of events to celebrate our
church’s 800th anniversary, clearly a significant day in the history of the village and St
Margaret’s Church. Details will be published in the March issue of the Parish Pump. It is
hoped that many village residents (past and present) and others with close connections to
Little Faringdon will attend both the social events and the church service to be led by the
Bishop of Oxford.
MEMORABLE CAROL SERVICE
The Carol Service on 21st December was a truly memorable occasion. The new
floodlights enhanced the exterior of the church, whilst the candles and lighting ensured a
wonderful ambience inside. The service was led by the Reverend David MacInnes (father
of our own Reverend Harry MacInnes). His presence was much appreciated by the many
present. Our thanks go to those who added so much to the service: to Wanda Adams,
Gerry Shields and our organist Geoff Holmes for bringing their creativity and musicality
to the carols; to the many readers and singers of all ages; and to Barbara Browne for all
her arrangements. Many in the congregation commented that it was the best Carol Service
for many years.
A361 ROAD SAFETY
It is pleasing that the County Council has, at last, completed another raft of measures in an
effort to reduce the number of serious accidents on the main road passing through our
parish. The new warning lights, coupled with the speed restriction and new road
markings, have been long awaited. We hope that these measures will reduce the speed of
vehicles and motorcycles and therefore increase safety for all.
Barbara Johnson-Browne
SHILTON
Holy Rood
Another new year and another set of plans for the Old School, hopefully some of which
will be achieved during 2009. Having completed double-glazing the windows last year,
this year we are aiming to redecorate the hall and get some new curtains. Both these
projects will be costly, but they need to be done and the committee is in the process of
obtaining quotes.
There will be the usual round of village events throughout the year, but at the time of
writing dates haven’t been finalised for all of them. Those that have been decided are:
Egg rolling Saturday April 11th Open Gardens Sunday 21st June
Shirley Cuthbertson
PARISH COUNCIL
Shilton Parish Council meetings will be held on the following dates. All meetings start at
7.30 unless otherwise stated. Meetings in Shilton take place in the Old School, those at
Bradwell Village in the village hall Hobbies Room.
28th January in Shilton
25th March (to be confirmed)
13th May in Shilton (Statutory Annual meeting at 6.30, Annual Parish meeting at 7.30)
24th June in Shilton
5th August in Bradwell Village 7th October in Shilton
2nd December in Shilton
Katherine Robertson
CAROL SERVICE
I would like to thank all the ladies who spent so much time putting together beautiful
arrangements in the church for Christmas. The church inside looked very lovely with all
the flowers, candles, the crib and Christmas tree and outside the lighting made the
building look very attractive. Very many thanks to everyone who helped.
Our Carol Service, on the evening of 21st December, was a wonderful occasion with a full
church. Thanks go to all the readers, to Donald for playing our fantastic new organ, John
Hampton (organist of Burford Methodist Church) our guest organist for playing at the
beginning of the service and of course to Reverend Harry MacInnes for leading the
service.
Afterwards the congregation was invited to the Old School for supper. A big thank you
goes to the Old School committee and several ladies in the village for putting on such a
huge and delicious spread. So all in all our carol service and supper made an excellent
start to everyone’s Christmas.
Jean Roberts
HISTORY GROUP
We had a most enjoyable festive meeting in December, being entertained to carols by a
choir of boys and girls from Burford school, including some excellent soloists and
instrumentalists, before singing our own carols after the mulled wine and mince pies. I’ve
never known the village hall to be so full - we even ran out of seating!
By the time you read this we will have heard all about the Burford Mutiny from our own
Muriel Pilkington: and our February meeting on Friday 13th (absit omen) will welcome
Carol Anderson from Woodstock who will talk about the glove-making industry in West
Oxfordshire.
Fred Robertson
KEEP FIT
Keep-fit every Thursday in Shilton Old School, 7-8pm, £3.50 per session.
Sandie Hunter 01993 706265
BRADWELL VILLAGE
(part of Shilton Parish) BRADWELL VILLAGE COFFEE SHOP
The Coffee Shop is open on Fridays in term time from 10.30am-2.30pm 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
UP, 1, 2, 3. DOWN, 1, 2, 3...
There is a new 50+ Exercise Class every Tuesday at 9.30am in Bradwell Village Hall.
Give me a ring on 01993 822781.
Sue Hayman
BRADWELL VILLAGE STITCHERS
The next meeting is on Tuesday 10th February from 10am until 2.30pm. Visitors are most
welcome, at £2 for the day. The half-annual subscription is £10. Please bring along your
latest project to work on. Drinks and biscuits are provided, but please bring a packed
lunch. Please contact me on 01993 824475.
Marion Ellis
BIRDS AT BRADWELL VILLAGE
The cold weather has been unpleasant for our feathered
friends but one compensation is that they have
increased in numbers, giving us hours of pleasure and
amusement. They cost us a fortune and if the credit
crunch
continues, it will be the birds who are eating and not us!
We were amazed to see our first Brambling appear on 29th October. Unfortunately, we
have only seen three together since, a female and two males. Last year we had this
wonderful flock of about 30. Every day we look for more but for some reason I think they
have taken their custom elsewhere.
The Red Legged Partridge brightened our days for really only a short time. We just hope
they pay us a visit later this year. They produced two small delightful balls of fluff which
we did not see for long. One disappeared and then the second. We expect the Buzzard,
Kestrel or Sparrow Hawk had something to do with that.
Our robins eventually produced a second brood. We have two wall baskets either side of
our patio doors. We could not believe it when we realised that the female was building a
nest on top. Obviously this was not going to work as we had to water the plants. I gritted
my teeth and as fast as she brought nesting materials. I took it out, hoping she would go
somewhere else. After two failed attempts to change her mind I gave up and let her build
the nest. I then used plastic flower pots to raise it off the compost and put a pot saucer on
top of that. I managed to scoop the nest onto the top. She accepted this and laid three eggs.
Two hatched and eventually they fledged.
We have Briar Roses in the shrub bed near us which now have lots of lovely hips. We
were delighted to see a Fieldfare having a good feast. We are hoping to see more and
perhaps some Redwings.
We are seeing a lot of Long Tailed Tits. We have a small window feeder which we fill
with ground peanuts and five of them get on there at a time. The feeder
as not expensive and worth every penny. It is surprising that the Chaffinches,
Greenfinches, Brambling, Blue, Great and Coal tits and Robins all make use of it (even a
Squirrel). Our neighbour rang us to say they had put a “treat” on the grass and they had
twelve Long Tailed Tits feeding. What a sight that must have been.
Hoping for a happy and healthy New Year for us all!
Pam Perfect
THE COTSWOLD ANTIQUES STUDY GROUP
On Wednesday 11th February at 2.00 pm in Bradwell Village Hall (coffee 1.15-1.45 pm),
The Cotswold Antiques Study Group will host a talk entitled Houses and Gardens of the
Bordeaux Region, showing a wide range of architecture reflecting the culture of
Aquitaine, a region of France whose medieval past is inextricably linked with our own,
from 16th Century castles to 17th Century chateaux and 18th Century townhouses built by
wealthy wine merchants and ship owners.
The speaker will be Helen McCabe, writer and lecturer, who read French at university and
studied history of art in Paris, where she lived for three years.
Bradwell Village is two miles south of Burford on the A361 Lechlade road. Non-members
are welcome. Anyone interested in future programmes or in joining should contact the
Membership Secretary on 01869 345332
The Cotswold Antique Study Group is a Member of NADFAS, the National Association
of Decorative & Fine Arts Societies
Kay Murray
BRADWELL BABES
Baby and Toddler Group at Bradwell Village Hall. Open Term-Time Mondays 9.30am 11.30am .0 - 5years - Babies, Toddlers & Pre-Schoolers.£1.50 per session per family
includes playtime,
songtime, and refreshments.
Welcome to our friendly group. Our activities & equipment include: Craft activity, Rideons, Small slide & trampoline, Soft play, Baby and toddler toys, Role play and lovely new
wooden kitchen. We also offer a reading corner, dressing up clothes and music time with
instruments.
Angela 01993 823623 forresterangel@aol.com
or Miranda 01993 822777 mirrymowbray@live.com
WESTWELL
St Mary’s
LADY JUDY HURD: 1949 - 2008
Judy came to Westwell when she married Douglas and they moved into 5 Mitford Cottage
where Chris and Georgie Fox live today. It had not then been enlarged and beautified.
They had been attracted by Freelands, lived in then by Cecily Whitworth, and they
managed to buy it in 1987. Judy was tireless in transforming the house and garden over
the next twenty one years.
Today at Freelands the tall hornbeam hedge by the stream, the Everest Crab apple trees in
the front of the garden, the Ha-ha at the back look as if they have been there forever; they
were all in fact Judy’s work. At the beginning the police who were protecting Douglas
occupied a post at the end of the barn and stables but once the security had been
withdrawn, in time, Judy transformed the whole block, creating a cottage at one end, and a
library at the other, with an additional study.
Nevertheless she always kept a close eye on her children, Philip and Jessica, and took an
interest in everything that happened in Westwell, whether it was decorating the church or
preparing for a communal village event . At the church fete in 2007, she broke new
ground, by organising a book stall by the village duck pond which helped bring in a
sizeable amount of money for the church.
In the summer of 1998 Judy was struck with leukaemia just as she was finishing her
degree at Birbeck College in London. She was dangerously ill for several months but
shook off the disease. In the late summer of 2008, however, the disease returned and she
had to choose between another risky bone marrow transplant and managing the leukaemia
which might have given her two or three more years. Judy took the brave option of the
transplant but unfortunately this did not work a second time as she suffered difficulties
post transplant and she died in the John Radcliffe hospital on the 22 November.
Her funeral service was held in St Mary’s Witney, in the church where she had
worshipped as a young girl, and was attended by more then five hundred friends and
family. She lies in the churchyard at Westwell overlooking the house and garden which
she made.
The Hurd Family
The following is an article I came across in an issue of the pump from June 2006 (Ed)
WESTWELL LAMBING: A MIDDLE EASTERN VIEW
Lambing at Freelands is over for another year. 14 this year with nine ewe and five ram
lambs. Just what this amateur shepherdess wished for in order to build up her flock of
Castlemilk Moorit breeding ewes. But, as in life, the process of caring for a flock of sheep
does not always go according to plan. We all ask ourselves from time to time why we are
doing something
I found myself answering this question at a recent
dinner in Amman with a gaggle of affable
politicians and their elegant wives. At first the talk
was as you would expect. Arab/Israel,
Iraq/America, Bush/Blair. More listening on my
part than talking, and Middle Eastern politics are
certainly not boring.
It was when the talk turned to domestic things that
the differences between us became sharper.
‘What do you do Lady Hurd?’ was the cry.
Hesitation. ‘I am surviving’ is my usual stonewall answer to this question, but somehow it
didn’t seem appropriate in the cavernous ballroom in the Regent Hotel in Amman
amongst this group of Jordanian worthies.
So I launched into a colourful description of my 11 Castlemilk ewes, my curly horned
ram, and the highlight of the year in April at lambing time. Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall
couldn’t have done it better. But I sensed that my new friends did not understand the
pleasure of this rather eccentric peasant activity. An Englishwoman’s return to her roots –
perhaps after a period of high life with her peripatetic husband – is not unusual. There are
many examples. But it did not ring any familiar bells with the ladies of Amman, who
would find far greater pleasure in the boutiques of Beirut of Paris.
They of course see their less educated countrymen sitting on the barren slopes above Petra
tending their flocks. It is very far away from an aspirational activity in that part of the
world, so why on earth would dotty English ladies want to do it? Well some of us do. Not
sitting on the bare earth for days on end – but rising early to be greeted by expectant ewes
bleating for their morning nuts – or so in this last month looking anxiously each morning
to see if one ewe had separated herself from the group to find a private place for birthing.
There is nothing like it. No alarm clock needed. An amateur shepherdess, as if by
osmosis, wakes early in anticipation. Indeed she has probably been awake half the night
wondering whether anything is afoot. She ventures out in her nightdress, accessorized
with Wellington boots and scruffy padded jacket, and in my case rings her friend Donald,
the professional, to lend a hand if a hand is required. It often is. Ringing a wriggling ram
lamb is not a job for the faint-hearted.
At the risk of sounding like one of the more sentimental characters from the Archers, I
could have told my Jordanian friends about last year’s orphan Tallulah (exotic and
horribly willful) or this year’s difficult feeder Tara (very skinny and a bit slow on the
uptake). I could have described the headless corpse found by Arthur Hemming one
morning last week – a three week old lamb which the day before had been larking about
with the others. I could have questioned them about the ethics of dealing with a lamb born
without the ability to pee or poo. What, in their terms, would have been the right course of
action in this case?
In days gone by a shepherd would probably have put the animal out of its misery very
quickly; now I suspect we are prevented from doing that by some Defra dictat. I of course
set off on an expensive visit to the vet in Lechlade to see if the poor thing could be saved.
On the slopes above Petra I guess there is no choice. The lamb died anyway – so what
price well-meaning intervention?
But all this would have sounded very trivial to a Jordanian living as they do in a part of
the world that is beset by all sorts of terrible human tragedies. Middle Eastern politics
make the dilemmas of a Westwell shepherdess very small indeed.
Judy Hurd
BARBARA DUNIPACE: 1920 - 2008
Barbara died on 30th December, 2008, aged 88, gently and peacefully at The Langston
Priory residential home at Kingham. The funeral cremation will be held at the Oxford
Crematorium on 23rd January.
Barbara lived very happily at No 3, Mitford Cottages, Westwell, which she shared with
her friend, Valerie Worthington for over 16 years. She was for a time Editor of Signpost,
the precursor to the Parish Pump, and in many ways active in the village and church
communities.
Barbara greatly enjoyed her growing family of two sons, five grand-children, three stepgrandchildren, and three great-grandsons. She loved being able to go to the Christenings
of two of her grandsons during the year before she died.
Anyone who kindly wishes to make a donation in memory of Barbara should please make
their cheque out to the “Treloar Trust”, c/o Robin Dunipace, Church Cottage, Lawrence
Lane, Burford, OX18 4RP. Barbara’s
granddaughter Flavia, who is now 25, went to ‘Treloar College’ in Hampshire, the
wonderful college for disabled young people founded in 1908 by the then Lord Mayor of
the City of London, Sir William Purdie Treloar. Since then, Treloar’s has steadily grown
and developed, becoming one of the country’s leading providers of education, care,
therapy, medical support and independence training for disabled young people.
Robin Dunipace
CAROL SERVICE
Westwell’s Carol service and Christmas Communion were well supported and our
collections have enabled us to send £170 towards work for children at the Mulberry Bush
School and another £170 to Oxford Nightshelter for those of all ages in need of shelter at
Christmas and all year round.
As we start the New Year it is time to thank all who have made this village a pleasant
place to live. Did you help your neighbours and share time with them? Did you keep your
garden attractive or help at the village open day? The open space within the village has
been mown; thank you all. There are so many ways all can help the community to thrive.
Particular thanks are due to our Clergy team, who keep us interested and at times
challenged in their teaching. Thanks also to the others who may have cleaned the Church,
arranged flowers to give a welcome to our visitors, and kept the Churchyard tidy.
Having said “thank-you”, with the New Year we start all over again.
Very sadly we had to bury Judy Hurd in December, and she is already much missed in the
village and in our Church life; I was just looking through the records on my computer, and
I came across an account of a memorable Carol Service that she had inspired, one
imaginative idea amongst many that she gave us.
We have just heard that Barbara Dunipace died just after Christmas. Barbara had lived in
Westwell for about 14 years from 1990 till she moved to Kingham two years ago. She was
most public spirited and helped in many ways within the village; she was also editor of
Signpost (one of the precursors of Parish Pump) for several years, I think she often typed
it all out herself in the days before universal e-mail. At 3 Mitford Cottages she created a
lovely flower garden from nothing.
Our dear friend Ted Coleman also died just before Christmas. Ted had lived in Westwell
for 59 of his 61 years, a real countryman. He had worked locally mostly on farms and
stone-walling all his life, and for 16 years had mown the Churchyard. Always seen with a
long black grizzled beard cycling around the local lanes, he always had time for a chat to
anyone. Ted was in an accident on the Shilton road from which he never recovered
consciousness, lesson to us all
‘wear your helmet when cycling’. He too is much missed by his many local friends, and
there was standing room only at his funeral.
Thanks make the world a happier place, and great thanks to the three above for their
examples; they were generous to the world during their lives.
Chris Fox.
AROUND THE REGION
A look at events and news from a little further afield.
A VIEW FROM COUNTY HALL
COPING WITH THE RECESSION
This recession is going to affect a lot of people in our area Much of the South East,
including Oxfordshire, will experience rising unemployment and a slow recovery.
Although we must not talk ourselves into a worse economic condition, it is important that
we must be realistic about what may face many of us. It is possible that some will suffer
unemployment, many of these may have no previous experience of claiming benefits or of
the consequences of being out of work.
The County Council is working closely with Tony Baldry MP for Banbury to launch a
Banbury Job Club to provide support and advice to all affected by the recession. This has
been launched at The Mill early in January and the first full Job Club will be held on
Friday 30th January at The Mill on this and succeeding Fridays.
The County Council is also looking at setting up similar advice agencies across the
County. It is already clear that debt and benefit advice services will be under pressure and
we hope we can make a modest increase in our funding of them.
The County Council is working closely with District Councils and local businesses to
identify trends and to be able to respond promptly and effectively so as to help people
through challenging times.
Councillor Don Seale
BURFORD SCHOOL NEWS
Fashion show organised by Y12 & Y13 Burford School students, raises over £4,500 for
SCCWID
Over 40 Y12 & Y13 Burford School
students took to the catwalk on the
evening of Thursday 28th
November to
model clothes for
SCCWID (‘Sophie’s
Campaign for the
Children’s Ward for
Interesting Things to Do’)
a charity set
up in 1997, by Sophie
Watson, aged 14
(a Burford School
student), who was being
treated for cancer in the
John Radcliffe
Hospital.The SCCWID
catwalk show was a sell
out and raised a spectacular £3,900 on the night, and with more orders for clothes flooding
in, the total raised is £4,506.45. All the funds raised will go towards buying items to raise
the ‘Quality of Life’ in the teenage unit at the JR Hospital.
Ms Denny, Head of Burford School Sixth Form said, ‘All the credit must go to the
students, as they did all the organising, selling, modelling and collecting
money for SCCWID, with little input from staff. We all enjoyed coming to see the
students be models for a night.’ Emily Buck said, ‘Sophie’s story really touched me, and I
wanted to be able to make a difference, just like her.’
The whole evening was organised by the students and credit must go to all the models,
those working hard backstage and to Emily Buck, Rhian Stephens, Abbi Tipping, Emily
Downes and Sophie Parry-Billings for organising and putting on such a spectacular show.
Library News
Award-winning Author visits Burford School
Although originally born in London, Alice Kuipers has lived in Sasketoon, Canada since
2003 and on being shortlisted for the West Oxfordshire Book Award last year, promised
that she would visit students at Burford the next time she travelled to the UK. Recently,
Alice kindly kept her promise and students from Years 8 & 9 were given the unique
opportuniy to meet her and listen to a talk about writing her award-winning novel ‘Life on
the Refrigerator Door’ following which, Alice ran a truly inspirational creative writing
workshop and was very impressed by the number of budding writers amongst Burford
students.
Independent Bookseller of the Year, Jaffe and Neale were also in attendance, selling
copies of Alice’s book, which students had the opportunity of having personally signed.
Alice has had a varied career and following completion of her MA in Creative Writing at
Manchester Metropolitan University, worked in a bookshop, at literature festivals, as a
journalist and as a teacher in Hong Kong, as well as writing fiction and poetry which has
been published in various literary journals and anthologies. Alice’s partner is Booker
Prize Winner, Canadian writer Yann Martel, Author of ‘The Life of Pi’.
Reading Week 2009
Reading Week will take place during 2nd - 6th March 2009, the aim of which is to get all
students reading and to broaden reading tastes. Events will include a Poetry Slam; book
quizzes; a Mystery Book Lucky Dip, a writing competition; Readathon (Sponsored Read);
announcement of the Oxfordshire Book Award shortlist for 2009; a visit from bestselling
author Marcus Sedgwick and a trip to Oxford for some lucky students to meet top
American author Rick Riordan, (writer of the Percy Jackson novels). We are all looking
forward to a great week
Science & Technology Club
The club members had a competition to name their club and Scott
Evans was the winner with ‘Burford
Bright Snarks’. The club meets every
Thursday after school and so far this term they have completed the following projects:
After learning about the weather with Mrs Mitchell, pupils went on to design and make
their own weather vane.
Pupils learnt about Newton’s third law of motion by making a
racing car powered by stored energy in the form of an inflated balloon.After enjoying pop
and cake, pupils recycled their drinks cans to make a resonating
robot that buzzed as it moved across the table.
The Bright Sparks made electricity to light up a small torch and
attempted to charge up Mr McDermott’s Weza’ generator and
understood just how much effort is need to produce 40w of energy.
Over the next few weeks, our Bright Sparks will be finding out about
fractals in nature.
Music Department
The audition process for the musical We Will Rock You’ has finally been completed with
over 120 students auditioning for a part in the show. On Tuesday 18th November 6 girls
and 6 boys performed songs from the show with a live band in front of an audience of
over 300 people to secure a principal role in the show, this took great courage and the
standard was extremely high. Congratulations must go to all those students who took part
and if you would like to see the show then tickets will be available from the school office
in January. Show dates are: Tuesday 31st March - Saturday 4th April 2009 with a matinee
performance on the Saturday afternoon.
Mary Alcock
WEST OX ARTS
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: westoxarts@yahoo.co.uk.
THE SCULPTURE SHOW
7th February – 1st March 2009
Sixteen sculptors showing work in stone, bronze, resin, wood, recycled materials, clay and
plaster. Large works to sculptural ceramics. Exhibitors include Dawn Benson, Annie
Wootton, Pat Elmore, Christine Burgess, Val Hunt, Richard Morbey, Juliet Dyer and
Anna Lever.
Rosie Tomlinson
THE LENTHALL CONCERTS
ON Wednesday 4th February at 7.30pm., in Burford School and Community College, we
welcome Gabriel Woolf with John Bacon (tenor) and Sholto Kynoch (biano).
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of A. E. Housman’s birth Gabiel Woolf presents
his selection of Housman’s letters and poetry. John Bacon and Sholto Kynoch perform
some of the many settings of his works.
Tickets £10, in advance, available from The Red Lion Bookshop 122 High Street Burford
OX18 4QJ (01993 822539), Music Stand 62 High Street Witney (01993 774890) or The
Lenthall Concerts (01993 822412) Concessions. At the door £12.
THE BURFORD SINGERS
AT 7.30pm on 5th April, the Burford Singers (conductor: Brian Kay) will perform
Handel’s Messiah in Burford Parish Church. Soloists: Lucy Crowe (soprano) Diana
Moore (mezzo) Ben Johnson (tenor) Derek Welton (bass) with Sir Philip Ledger
(harpsichord) and The Cotswold Chamber Orchestra (leader Kate Bailey)
All tickets now reserved at £17.00, £14.00 and £10 (students half price)
Postal bookings available 24 January 2009. General booking available 7 February 2009
from The Burford Singers Box Office. The Red Lion Bookshop 122 High Street Burford
OX18 4QJ 01993 822539
Jan Campbell
NATURE NOTES
With the wind in predominately northerly quarter for some weeks now and sub zero
temperatures since 27th December we are having a more prolonged cold spell than we
have seen for the last few years. This is bringing more birds into the garden to make use
of the bird feeders and at times they are queuing up to take their turn. As usual my
commonest bird is the goldfinch and they love the sunflower hearts which I put out,
preferring them to the niger seed as I expect there is more nutrition in them during this
cold spell. Any seeds’that fall to the ground get snapped up by the many blackbirds that
are around, mainly males. Blackbirds do not go on to the hanging feeders. At this time of
year I put mixed seed on the ground and apples which the blackbirds also love. Today (-5
degrees) I have had my first winter thrush in thegarden, attracted by the apples, and this
was a fieldfare, the second largest of the thrush family, being just a little smaller than the
rnistle thrush. This is a handsome bird when seen at close quarters with a yellowy buff
breast speckled with black, rusty brown back, grey crown and nape. Both sexes are alike
and they are restless feeders, leading a nomadic lifestyle, coming here for the autumn
berries going on to fallen apples and fruit and when all these have gone living on
invertebrates in the fields until departing for Scandinavia by the end of April. Redwings
are doing a similar thing and the two thrushes can often be seen feeding together.
I have a small bird table on my kitchen windowsill and as well as blackbirds, blue tits,
great tits, coal tits, robins and chaffinches, I get a family of long tailed tits which come
several times a day and stay briefly eating the minutest of morsels before flying on
somewhere else. This is a real treat to see these little birds so close. It is a wonder that
they survive this very cold weather but as with other birds they puff out their feathers to
insulate themselves with a layer of air. Not a true tit, it is 14 cm long of which the tail is
9cm, and it feeds on minute invertebrates. In the last fifteen years long tailed tits are
coming increasingly to hanging feeders stocked with peanuts and sunflower seeds. At first
it was thought that they were seeking small insects attracted to the surface of the feeders
but no, the birds are taking fragments of nut in a departure from their normal winter fare.
Other visitors to my garden include a single female black cap which takes food from
under my feeders and a single female yellow hammer taking seed from the ground. Great
spotted woodpeckers have already started to drum on hollow, resonating dead trunks and
branches. The machine-gun like rattle carries far announcing to female woodpeckers that
a mate is around and the other males that the territory is occupied. It is performed until
early June and it is incredible that this sound is made by rapid blows of the beak, up to
eight to ten strikes per second against the timber. The females also make this sound and it
is the equivalent in woodpeckers to a song in other birds.
My neighbour, however, has had a visit from the most colourful of all birds, a kingfisher.
Not usually given to visiting gardens without running water it visited their pond in mid
December and stayed fishing minnows from it for twenty minutes. Having found a good
supply of food it came on several successive days until all the fish were gone. What a rare
treat!
David Roberts
WHAT SHALL WE HAVE FOR DINNER
This month, the goddess with the grater gets to grips with our girths
LOW FAT FOOD FOR FEBRUARY
With Christmas finally over with, and the rich food eaten up we need not eat another
mince pie for 11 months. Thank goodness. In fact, the prospect of some plain, simple food
is positively something to be enjoyed – even in the Galione household where, as you may
have gathered, we don’t really go for low-fat, “healthy” food. This becomes a problem
however when, as now, we both need to go on a serious diet. Diet food just isn’t as tasty
as
our regular fat-laden fare and it is difficult to get excited about cottage cheese and lettuce.
So, I have been looking for low-fat, low- cholesterol recipes which are flavoursome
enough to deceive us into eating them without noticing the lack of butter, cream, cheese,
sauces etc etc. The obvious answer is to replace the forbidden elements with herbs and
spices and to look to the East where flavour comes from ginger, lemongrass, coriander,
for example, rather than from animal fats. My recipe this month has only 162 calories per
portion and 73mgs of cholesterol. It is easy peasy and can be eaten cold in a packed lunch
as well as hot with salad or vegetables. It’s also cheap to make and so delicious no-one
would guess it is from a diet book. Success!
STICKY GINGER CHICKEN
2 tbs lemon juice (ie the juice of one lemon)
2 tbs light muscovado sugar
1 tsp grated fresh ginger root
2 tsp soy sauce
8 chicken drumsticks, skinned black pepper
Mix together in a bowl the lemon juice, sugar, ginger, soy sauce and black pepper. With a
sharp knife, slash the chicken pieces about three times, through the thickest part, then toss
them in the glaze. If you have time, leave to marinate for an hour or so, but it does not
matter if you cannot do this. Cook the chicken under a hot grill, on a barbecue, or bake in
the oven, turning occasionally and brushing with the glaze, until the chicken is golden and
the juices run clear. Serves 4.
Angela Galione
CONFESSIONS OF A GRUMPY OLD WOMAN
I t is official. I have become a Grumpy Old
Woman (GOW). Quite when this
transformation took place I don’t know but
last year I felt young on the inside (29ish!)
and just a little bit decrepit on the outside
(40-something on a good day) but was still
the same person I always was. Now,
however, I am not only turning into my
mother (which is not a good thing) but
becoming increasingly irritated by –
absolutely everything! I could go on –and
on – about the daily trials of being a GOW
but one relatively new phenomenon has
really made me see red. Dog poo. In a plastic bag. Left on a bridle path on the edge of a
field. In the country. What annoys me is that the dog-owners (for I have come across these
bags several times) have, commendably, scooped their poop into the ubiquitous plastic
bag but then, unaccountably, just left it t here, either lying on the ground, hanging from a
branch, or carefully placed or a stone wall or gate post. Who on earth do they think is
going to remove it? And how is it possibly going to rot away when it is so carefully
preserved in plastic? The wretched things sit there for months and months. Obviously,
being the country and not a public park or playing field, there are no poop bins
conveniently placed at regular intervals for the disposal of plastic bags so, if you must bag
it up then take it back home with you. But frankly, the English weather will soon put paid
to the poo and it will rot away, along with all the rest, (for wild animals and birds don’t
actually bag theirs up either). Obviously pavements, village greens and other people’s
front gardens are another matter entirely. And, equally obviously, I am sure no reader of
the Pump would be so crass as to be guilty of leaving their bags of poo behind. But I feel
better for having a moan about it. Even GOWs need humouring from time to time!
Grumpy Old Woman
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