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EDITORIALJam at the moment engaged with Derek Cotterill in compiling a guide book to the benefice churches, and have been thinking a little about what sort of history it should contain, and, I suppose, what History is anyway.

‘History’, someone or other rather pithily observed, ‘is the mechanism which stops everything from happening at once.’ Yes indeed, and the mechanism is generally a finely turned one put together to a blueprint supplied by the toffs and thinkers: Kings, lawyers, priests and professors... History with a capital ‘H’ is about the exploits of famous men and about one thing carefully leading to another. There is nothing higgledy-piggledy about Official History.

Now it might be just me, but when I consider my own life, my own history, it seems jolly inconsequential. When things have gone right, luck seems usually to have trumped judgment, and there have been the isolated Interesting Events among the prevailing humdrummeries. I suspect this is the same for most of us. So, as with individuals, why not with places? Here, therefore, I present a potted, personal and entirely discontinuous History of Filkins in the 20‘” Century:

In the early 1890s Old George Swinford and his mates would close the gate across the road outside the village so that William Morris would give them a halfpenny for opening it again.

In 1935, Young George Swinford was given a lift from RAF Cranwell back to Oxford by Lawrence of Arabia on the back of his motorcycle.

In 1942 Stafford Cripps went to India with a draft plan for Indian Independence. It was known as ‘The Filkins Plan.’

In the summer of 1946 Mrs Moulding of Bridge Cottage invited a hot and bothered uniformed hitch-hiker, who was passing by, into her house for tea, to find that her guest was Prince Phillip then engaged to Princess Elizabeth.

In 1963 Peter King’s seven year old daughter Jennifer presented the flowers to Princess Alexandra at the Royal Film Performance in Leicester Square.

One day in the early 1980’s as Sheila Gould was walking her dog at the long disused Broadwell Airfield a light plane landed beside her. The pilot leaned out and asked Sheila if it was RAF Benson. When told it was not, the pilot said ‘Bother’ (or similar) and took off again.

About 1998 Julien Hofer went to Bombay to attend a wedding, and sat next to a chap at the reception to find that he also lived in Filkins.

Richard Martisa

PARISH & BENEFICE SERVICES2nd September - Trinity XIII

10.30am Filkins Benefice Eucharist Service HM, EJ, NUW6.00pm B Bourton Benefice Evensong EJ9th September - Trinity XIV9.00am Alvescot Holy Communion EJ9.00am Broadwell Holy Communion (BCP) NUW9.00am Westwell/Holwell Combined Holy Communion HM10.30am Filkins Parish Communion NUW10.30am Shilton . Parish Communion HM

(Children’s Church Harvest)11.00am L Faringdon Martins EJ6.00pm Kencot Evensong HM16‘h September - Trinity XV

9.00am B Bourton/Alvescot Combined Holy Communion NUW9.00am Holwell Holy Communion HM10.30am Broadwell Matins CR10.30am Kelmscott Family Communion NUW10.30am Langford Family Communion & Baptism HM6.00pm Alvescot Songs of Praise The Wardens6.00pm B Poggs Evensong HM6.00pm Westwell Harvest Festival NUW23rd September - Trinity XVI9.00am Shilton Holy Communion NUW10.30am Alvescot Family Communion & Baptism HM10.30am B Bourton Family Service& Baptism PJ10.30am Filkins Celebration of Baptism Service EJ11.00am L Faringdon Parish Communion NUW6.00pm Holwell/Westwell Combined Evensong NUW6.00pm Langford Evensong HM6.00pm Kencot Harvest Festival EJ30th September - Trinity XVII

9.00am Langford Holy Communion HM 10.30am Kencot Parish Communion HM 10.30am Shilton Parish Communion EJ 6.00pm B Bourton Harvest Choral Evensong

HM, EJ.

Combined services are in the first-named churchThere is also a Communion Service at Black Bourton every Wednesday at 10.00am

CELEBRANTS

CR Cedric Reavley EJ Liz Johnson HM Harry MacInnesNUW Neville Usher-Wilson PJ Penny JoyceBENEFICE SERVICES

During the remainder of 2007Date Benefice service at 10.30am Evensong at 6.00pm4‘th November Kelmscott Westwell2nd December Langford Kencot

THE LECTIONARY2nd September - Trinity XIII (G)Jeremiah 2. 4-13 Psalm 81. 1, 10-endHebrews 13. 1-8, 15-16 Luke 14. 1, 7-14 9‘h September - Trinity XIV (G)Jeremiah 18. 1-11 Psalm 139. 1-5, 12-18Philemon 1-21Luke 14.25-33 14‘h September - Holy Cross Day ®Numbers 21. 4-9 Psalm 22. 23-28Philippians 2. 6-11 John 3. 13-1716‘h September - Trinity XV (G)Jeremiah 4.11-12, 22-28 Psalm 141 Timothy 1. 12-17 Luke 15. 1-1021” September - St Matthew ®Proverbs 3. 13-18 Psalm 119. 65-722 Corinthians 4. 1-6 Matthew 9. 9-1323‘d September - Trinity XVI (G)Jeremiah 8. 18-9.1 Psalm 79. 1-91 Timothy 2. 1-7 Luke 16.1-1330‘h September - Trinity XVII (G)Jeremiah 32. 1-3a, 6-15 Psalm 91. 1-6, 14-end1 Timothy 6. 6-19 Luke 16. 19-end

HOLY CROSS DAYAll Christians venerate the cross on which Jesus was crucified, and there are many ‘True Cross’ feast days. Holy Cross Day commemorates the dedication in 334AD of the church built in Jerusalem to mark the discovery there of the cross by St Helena, the mother of the emperor Constantine.

CHILDREN’S CHURCHC Children’s Church restarts this month on Sunday 9th September. We hope to see you all again then and any new comers please do come and see what we are all about. If you would like any more information please contact either Harry MacInnes (01993 845954) or me (01993 947039).

Debs Price

THE RECTOR’S LETTERDear FriendsI t has been an eventful summer. The failed bombs in London and Glasgow, the foot and mouth disease scare (which at the time of writing I hope remains just a scare), and then,

particularly memorable for us, the floods. They caused extraordinary havoc for many people across our benefice. One person I spoke to standing thigh deep in water spoke of a‘Dunkirk Spirit’ amongst their neighbours; and that was certainly apparent across our the villages in our benefice. It was not just the fact that there were ‘.little ships’ sailing down the lanes to the rescue, but the delightful sense of fun and laughter and care and kindness in the face of real disaster in many homes. It was a reminder of how a crisis can bring people together in a way that they might otherwise not have known. Suffering has a way of bringing out the best - and sometimes the worst - in human nature. When it is a shared experience, it highlights our humanity, and humbles us to recognise that we are vulnerable dependent creatures. It is one of the ways that we discover God’s presence, as many a person can testify.

There is the temptation to whinge and to get into the blame game. It didn’t take the media long to start the inevitable search for who might be at fault. Why did the flood defences get stuck on the motorway? Who on earth was so stupid as to site the water pumping station in that position? What steps had the government taken to prevent such a catastrophe? Important questions they were for the insurance companies too. Could the damage be blamed on an Act of God (interesting how we blame God for these things.), or was it the responsibility of some other agent? In one such case that I heard of, the local Diocesan Bishop was called on for his comments, to which he replied: ‘I can assure you there have been no Acts of God in that parish during my time.’

The truth is we live in a dangerous world, and yet it is also in suffering that our lives are developed and deepened. That is the message of the Cross. We don’t find easy answers to why things can be so difficult at times, but we do find the assurance that ‘neither life nor death, nor things present nor things to come, nor anything else in all Creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.’ The call of the risen Christ to us perhaps is to demonstrate a Christian version of the Dunkirk Spirit, not whingeing or complaining or blaming in the face of difficulties and disasters, but trusting in the power of God to bring good out the bad, and joy out of sorrow.

Harry MacInnes

SHILTON BAPTIST CHAPELPromises from the Bible

A promise when we are afraid: James 4. 8. ‘Come near to God and he will come near to you.’

A promise when we make decisions:

Psalm 32. 8. ‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.’

A promise when we have done wrong:

1 John 1. 9. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.’

A promise when we have a bad day:

Matthew 11. 28. ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’

A promise when we are tempted:

2 Thessalonians 3. 3. ‘But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.’

We are all afraid at sometime and we have to make decisions, also we are tempted or have a bad day or do wrong - but the bible helps us to keep on the straight and narrow. I write this as a member of Shilton Baptist Chapel and as a church one of our aims is to commit ourselves to each other by prayer and caring in practical ways so that we can grow together and fulfil God’s purpose in our church.

joy Ralph2°a September Informal9‘h September Graham Sparrowhawk followed by communion 16‘” September Barry Shepherd Harvest Festival 23rd September Tony Gibson 30‘h September David EarlYou are always welcome at any of our services but especially our Harvest Festival on 16‘” September which will be followed by light refreshments in the Old School.

Elizabetb Harfield

CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIPWe look forward to welcoming Liz Duffy of Faringdon, who is a newcomer to our Speakers’ List, and is the wife of the Superintendent Minister of the Methodist Circuit. Please do join us for our meeting at 2.45pm on Wednesday 5”’ September in Filkins Methodist Chapel Schoolroom.

Marjorie Barstow

PRAYER AND BIBLE STUDY GROUPDuring the autumn- we shall continue our studies in St. Mark’s Gospel. We are reading through the Gospel in large chunks, looking at the whole sweep of the narrative and the intensity and urgency of the three years of Jesus’ ministry. The dates for the autumn are Mondays as follows:

3‘d September 8‘” October 12‘h November 10”’ December

We are a very informal group, and you are most welcome to join us. For more details, please phone me on 01367 860846.

Liz Johnson

PS: I now have a new email address: liz.johnsonQtalktalk.net

THE BENEFICE CHOIR

tiAs I sit and contemplate flooded farms, harvest, haymaking, calving, moving the pigs and now Foot and Mouth - all of which we seem to be involved with in some way, whether directly or indirectly, I am reminded by an email that it is time to put fingers to

keyboard (not the Organ, but the Computer) as we are very shortly to begin our Autumn and Winter ‘Term’.

The Choir returns to start singing for the Benefice again at the September Benefice Service. There will be a Choral Evensong (I think in October - but don’t quote me on this as I don’t have my diary to hand) and some kind of Advent or Christmas Carol service - to be announced. As always we are looking for new members. There have been several ‘nibbles’ and enquires, but nothing substantial to date. So, with the summer drawing on, and the longer nights now beginning to approach, how about something different to do? Something sociable - and it doesn’t cost. It gives everybody a sense of enjoyment (I hope) and seems to give everyone directly involved a sense of achievement. Yes, I’m talking about becoming a member of the Choir.

I fully appreciate that everyone leads busy lives, but I always reckon that if I can manage it, most others should - even if they don’t come every week

(which not everybody manages to.) So give me a ring. We meet at Kencot Village Hall for a practice on Tuesday nights (almost every week except high summer) at 7.30pm to 9.00pm (occasionally later if we have a big do coming up). We normally sing one Sunday service a month with the occasional interspersed wedding or concert. We even have several ‘social’ do’s during the year (which don’t involve singing.)

My numbers as always 07850 064775 or 01993 841807 or my email for a general enquiry david@glebourton.fsnet.co.uk.

David New

THE BENEFICE CALENDAR 2008As promised, here is an update on how to get your copy (or copies). Many villages are planning to have some available to sell at events such as Harvest Festivals, and they can also be found at the Village shop and Cotswold Woollen Weavers in Filkins. And possibly the odd petrol station further afield. And copies will always be available from Ian Moore at Long Cottage, Church Lane, Shilton. (01993 842962.)

The calendar retails at about £4. Marilyn Cox

FILKINS & DISTRICT ROYAL BRITISH LEGIONBranch Dinner

Members will have received the recent newsletter with information about the proposed Branch Dinner in early October. We are not yet sure where the dinner will take place, but expect it to be on either the 4‘” or 5‘” October. Full information will be circulated to members in a flyer as soon as details are firm.

Jeremy Taylor

FROM THE REGISTERS

HOLY BAPTISM15”’ July Holwell Samuel Dennis Thomas Douglass

HOLY MARRIAGE14‘” July Westwell Toby George Dixon to Elisabeth Kate Gurnett

21s‘ July Holwell -Stuart Alexander Raybould to Carolyn Frances White28”’ July Alvescot Matthew Philip Morris to Eve Michelle Edwards.

HOLY BURIALIs’ August Filkins Burial of ashes, Katherine Sarah Higham aged 74

ALVESCOTSt Peter’s

ST PETER’S INFANT SCHOOL The school year ended once more with all the customary celebrations at St Peter’s.

Despite the weather, 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 communiry who supported

the event. It was a lovely evening with wonderful food, thanks to Patrick

Strainge’s lamb roast and the fabulous contributions from governors, staff

and parents.

The children and staff enjoyed a wonderful day out at Bracknell Forest and the Look Out Discovery Centre, exploring the forest and learning all about minibeasts. The children all made us very proud as their behaviour was exemplary. They were a credit to our school and their parents.

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. Sadly we said farewell to Mrs Hatton who would like to take this opportunity to say the following words:

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

Term begins again on Wednesday 5th 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 10‘” September, and full-time thereafter. We look forward to welcoming Mrs Jenny Jura to our staff in September and everything that the new year holds. We wish all our Leavers every success as they start their new schools.

Sam King

THE VILLAGE SHOWAlvescot Village show will take place as usual on Saturday lst‘ September 2007 featuring all the usual classes plus afternoon teas, a sales table and raffle etc. The show schedule will be available from July onwards but advance notice is given as to the photograph subjects. there will be three classes as follows...

1 Summer 2 Shadows 3 Transport ... so get snapping!

We look forward to accepting your many entries on the day. Look out for the schedule in July, or ring me on 01993 214107.

Melanie Bryant

VILLAGE HALL QUIZ NIGHTThere will be a village quiz on Saturday 6‘” October in the Village Hall. Call me on 01993 842135 to reserve your tickets.

Terrv Morris

BLACK BOURTONSt Mary’s

CAKES GALOREOn 15”’ July while planes were flying overhead for the Fairford Airshow, people in the village were walking the length and width of the village solving clues which eventually led them to Mill Race Farm for cream teas and mountains of cake. Fun was had by all and the odd shower did not deter anyone, up went the brollies. Many thanks to Christine and Terry Pope for

hosting the occasion, the garden looked lovely, and to Dave Hart who spent evenings walking the village with me sorting out the clues. Christine and I would like to say a great big thank you for all the scone and cake makers, it was delicious, and for the hard workers who made the tea, served and washed up. It was a good village get together, thank you for all the support and donations which will go to the fabric fund of St Mary’s Church. Winners of the Treasure Hunt were Jane Jones with Liz Welch and the children’s winner was Edward Wightman, Well done!

Doreen Hart

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCHThere will be a Neighbourhood Watch session on Wednesday 19th September. The Neighbourhood Watch Administrator and a Crime Reduction Advisor from Thames Valley Police will attend. Leaflets will be available on crime reduction.

The session will be held in St Mary’s Church starting at 7.00pm and lasting about an hour. Everyone is welcome.

David Hart

PARISH COUNCILOur next meeting will be on 26‘” September at 7.30pm in the Church.Anne Sherriff

CHRISTMAS TREESSorry to mention the word Christmas so early but by popular demand the Christmas Tree Festival will take place again in St Mary’s Church this year. Anyone wishing to sponsor or decorate a tree please contact Doreen Hart on 01993 844124 or me on 01993 845998.

If you only want to sponsor a tree we will arrange to have it decorated. The Church looked beautiful last year, let’s see what we can do this year.

Christine Pope

BROADWELLSt Peter & St Paul’s

ALTAR FLOWERS2nd September Georgina Lewis 9th & 16th September Jocelyn Humphrey 23rd & 30th September Vivien Godfrey

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE5.25’ inches of rain in half a day... whoever heard of that here in nontropical Oxfordshire? Great drama everywhere in the benefice, and Tales Will Be Told to future generations (unless it becomes the normal thing.) We had our share of flooded houses and resigned coping with the chaos. But we would like to register a unique first, in that one resident was actually rescued through a torrent running down the village street... by boat!

June GoodenoughThat’s 13.3cm to those with email. Ed]

FILKINS & BROUGHTON POGGSSt Peter’s

CHURCH FLOWERS2nd September Gil Allison9th & 16th September Mary Cover23rd‘a & 30th September Portia Masosonori

THE POWER IN THE LANDSome weeks ago a small party of villagers visited Didcot Power Station. This was at the request of my 91 year old father in law and I thought it would be impossible to arrange, but in fact it was very easy and it was a most interesting and enjoyable experience.

We were greeted with tea and coffee and a brief introductory talk on power generation at Didcot. Then we watched a short video ‘Welcome to Didcot’, followed by a tour of the site including a visit to the coal plant, boiler house, turbine hall and control room. The tour lasted about two hours, and in view of the age of my father in law, we were transported in their minibus, although this would normally be done on foot.

Tours of any size from 5-35 people can be arranged, as well as junior tours for children aged 8-14 years. For more details or to arrange a tour, call Emma East, Community Relations Co-ordinator on 01235 516079 or email emma.east@rwenpower.com.

Barbara Bristow

[Damned interesting, for I had hitherto thought that Didcot was a) a place to catch a train, b) a place to steer around using its cooling towers as a siting mark and c) a sinecure for the nether regions of the county. As so often, how wrong I am. Ed]

WHERE ARE WE NOW?

As readers of Parish Pump will know, since 2000 the youngsters of the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s who used to live in the village have gathered together for a reunion, and last week we celebrated our 7” get-together, this year in the Carter Institute in the village.

Over these years we have met old school friends and colleagues to reminisce about our wonderful childhood in Filkins and Broughton Poggs. Lots of us had lost contact and everyone has been anxious to know where their friends are now living, how life has treated them, how many children/grandchildren they have, etc. Some people have stayed in and around the area, but most are living away, and some in other countries. Sadly, it is inevitable that we have lost a few of our friends who gathered for the first reunion in 2000, but they are remembered so fondly. Luckily, we also seem to find a new (or rather old) face each year to join our gathering.

There is one thing we all have in common, we now acknowledge that we were lucky to live and be brought up in the village. However, I don’t think we knew exactly how lucky we were, as most children and teenagers rarely appreciate these formative years.

Here also is an extract from one of the many ‘thank you’ letters we received after the first

reunion:

‘Obviously Filkins is a very attractive village, but I now realize that it is the people that I grew up with in Filkins that made it so special.

Seeing everyone on Saturday made me realize just how lucky I am.’

We must also mention our dear friend Ann Cripps, who started the reunions, but is now leaving the village. We presented Ann with an aerial view of Fox House in remembrance, but of course we all hope she can join us for our reunion in 2008 and beyond.

Fran Clack

After the first reunion May Ernst (nee Tinson, who lived where Peter and Diane Blackett live now), now of New England, USA, wrote a wonderful tribute that will be of interest to all villagers. May makes the trip each year to the reunion, as do her three brothers from Debyshire and Gloucestershire.

F’ Fifties, full of fun, fellowship, Faringdon Pictures, Friday night hair washing football games

I’ Institute - dances, socials, films on Tuesdays, Plays and Variety ShowsZ’ Living life laced with laughter and love, Lamb Inn, long walks, Laura’s Girls ClubK’Kindness, first kisses, kiddingI’ Indecision, insight, American invasion, ice-cream man ‘N’New relations, nights at the tennis court, numerous memories

‘S’ Security, safety, Swindon on Saturday and Sunday nights, swimming pool, Saturday and Sunday teas at a friends house

A place like no other - our childhood home. Some of us have ventured far and some have stayed nearby, but the thread that binds us all is our memories of our young lives in Filkins.

We grew up, went to school and played together that decade of the fifties - fifty years ago, but like yesterday in our memories. We were young proud, life stretched before us like a dream. We were ready to take on the world. We played hard, everything was a challenge to be met and conquered. We laughed a lot and sometimes cried, we shared so many adventures, but each of us stored that memory in our own particular way.

Filkins was a wonderful place for young people, it had many facilities,• the swimming pool playground, playing fields, the village hall and of course, the tennis court. Our benefactor for most of these things was Sir Stafford and Lady Cripps; we owe a debt of gratitude to them for their generous gifts.

We were blessed with the privilege of being part of the young people that grew to adulthood in the fifties. We were the generation that started school as World War 11 broke out, we wore gas masks on our backs, saw our fathers and family members go off in uniform for the ‘duration” listened for air raid sirens, welcomed evacuees into our community and cheered the endless convoys that rumbled through our narrow streets. This was life as we knew it. Family cars, phones, television were things of the future, we stayed close to home, went about our daily lives, listened to the war news on the wireless and waited for the war to end.

Remember the feast we had on VE Day! Everyone brought food and we celebrated in the grounds of Filkins Hall courtesy of Sir William and Lady Goodenough. War was over, but it would be another nine years before rationing ended. The men returned to the village and life went forward.

With the advent of television and more buses to surrounding towns, we were becoming more mobile, and we were caught up in the era of mobility and change. We have since been to places, seen sights and done things that we never dreamed of in our wildest imaginations.

We have returned to Filkins to visit with family and friends from the four corners of the world, and have stayed in contact with a few of our childhood friends via mail and now e-mail The values learned from our parents, family, church and chapel have sustained us wherever we lived. This reunion, fifty years later is a testimonial to that fact. May future generations be so blessed!

May Ernst

ART IN FILKINSThe art exhibition staged in St Peter’s Church on 11‘h & 12 August in support of its 150 years’ celebration was a successful ‘first’ for Filkins and Broughton Poggs if nearly 200 visitors passing through in just over 12 hours is any indication.

Work included paintings, drawings, beadwork, sculptures, calligraphy, floral art, textiles, rugs and cushions, in both traditional and contemporary mediums. Exhibitors were Liz Ferris, Gill Baxter, Anne Griffiths, Lynne Savege, Jayne Watts, John Cambridge, Elizabeth Gidman, Jennifer Holroyd, Diane Blackett, Ian and Ronnie Bailey; everyone of them villagers.

Our thanks go especially to St Peter’s who allowed the church to be used as a venue and to many others who loaned display boards and tables and helped with the organising and of course to the exhibitors who put in considerable time and effort.

Ian c’- Ronnie Bailey

CELEBRATING 150 YEARSSt. Peter’s Church is 150 years old this year. We are marking this anniversary year with a special event for the village each month. On Sunday 23”’ September, at 10.30am, there will be a‘Celebration of Baptism’ service. Everyone, of all ages, is welcome to come, and most particularly everyone who was baptised (christened) in this church. The youngest is Jacob Holden, baptised in May this year. I would love to find out who is the oldest person baptised here who still lives in the village. Do let me know if you think you might know, and do come.

Liz Johnson

HARVEST 2007Sunday 7th October Harvest FestivalSunday 14‘th October Harvest SupperMark your diaries now, and watch for more details in October’s Parish Pump.

Barbara Bristow

ROSTER FOR VOLUNTARY CAR SERVICE TO SURGERIES Covering Filkins, Broughton Poggs, Broadwell, Kencot, Langford and L Faringdon

4‘th September Mrs C Lauzier 860644 20th September Mrs V Godfrey 860498 6‘’ September Mr A Woodford 860319 25th September Mr A Heath 860129 11‘’ September Mr M Hambidge 860381 27‘th September Mr P Coleman 860571

13th September Miss H Squire 860337 (All codes 01367)18th September Mrs J Higham 860197For hospital runs, or with any problems, contact me on 01367 860319 Local surgery runs £2.00

Hospitals: Fairford & Witney £6.00 Swindon & Cirencester £8.00 Oxford £10.00 At the JR, parking charges may have to be paid, and will be added to the bill.

The next six month rota is about to be drawn up, and new volunteers are welcome.

Tony Woodford

WI NEWSWe were very happy to welcome Ricko from the Oxfordshire Air Ambulance Trust to our July meeting. We had a very good audience of WI and were pleased to have guests to hear the interesting and enthusiastic talk followed by a video showing the work of the Helicopter Ambulance with some personal stories from people who have been rescued and survived.

We even had a visitor in the audience with personal experience of the excellent work that they do, which is all run as a charity with no funding from the Government. We were happy to give a donation to the trust on behalf of the members and donations from our guests. Thank you to all who supported us.

We were blessed with a beautiful evening for the walk on 31st July, led by Lucille and Elaine, from Crawley to Minster Lovell and back to the Lamb for supper. I am pleased to report that no-one got lost or fell into the flooded river. Our numbers on these walks is growing, why not join the WI and enjoy these and other outings with us? -such as the one below...

Finally, on the 2nd August, 16th lucky ones’ visited the Wolf trust near Reading for the evening. We were given tea and biscuits whilst listening to an informative talk and slides. We were then invited to get up close and personal with real life wolves. We were taken into the enclosure accompanied by several handlers and greeted with great enthusiasm by four lovely animals. We sat on logs and the wolves had a lovely time licking ears and having lots of cuddles and play. When it was time to leave they followed us to the gate hoping to slip through and make their escape with us. Thank you Pat for organising the evening - it was a real treat to see these lovely animals at such close quarters.

Finally, on a personal note, I would like to say thank you on behalf of my family and Broughton Poggs residents for all the offers of help, laundry and lovely meals over the last two weeks since the floods. I am sure everyone is now getting bored with ‘disaster stories’. But thank you, we are all still smiling.

Hilary Ward

EYES DOWN, EVERYONECome and play bingo in the Village Hall on Thursday 18‘h October at 7.30pm in aid of McMillan Nurses and Cancer UK. If anyone would like to donate a prize or help in anyway, do please give a ring on 01367 860381.

Mick &Margaret Hambidge

FESTIVAL OF MUSIC, FOOD & GAMESHuge thanks must go to the Five Alls for arranging the music festival. Highlights included Pierre’s driving guitar, our very own beautiful dentist and his boys strutting their stuff, Nick’s hamburgers, the late dancing in the bar, Grant’s hospitality, and getting everyone to bed afterwards.

ARCADIA: A (MARTIN) FAMILY AFFAIRBenign weather, a backdrop of the splendid Bridal Barn, and the thoughtful provision of woollen rugs on the chairs, made the Courtyard at the Cotswold Woollen Weavers a rather nice place to be to watch a strong cast from Appletree Theatre perform Tom Stoppard’s ‘Arcadia’.

This is an ambitious, complex and fairly long play, cleverly written, and on this occasion, performed with energy and aplomb. On the first night, our host mentioned that there had been little time for rehearsals, but you would not have thought so. The pace was good (it is the fault of the playwright, not the cast, that the first half is very long), the prompt had very little to do, and the professionalism of the cast was impressive.

Appletree Theatre have been visiting the village for a number of years and are consistently good. And one of the pleasures in watching the performances is recognising old friends from previous productions in the cast, and also seeing

just how well the younger members of Appletree Theatre are blossoming into very fine actors indeed. For this production, it’s well nigh impossible to single out individual performers for praise as there was strength in depth, and each contributed hugely to the success of the evening.

If you missed it you missed a treat.Pat Clark[Next year... I am told it is to be ‘The Three Musketeers’. Ed]

DO YOU HAVE THE ‘X’ FACTOR?Do you want the opportunity to perform live on stage? Would you like to try being Robbie Williams, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, The Spice Girls, Kylie Minogue, Lily Alen, Cat Stevens, Take That,

Nick Drake, Bob Marley, ‘ ‘ Marilyn Monroe, Elton John, Al Jolson, Louis Armstrong, Nick Cave, Pink Floyd, The Beach Boys, The Sex Pistols, The Beatles or anyone else (even yourself) ?

Or do you have what it takes to emulate Sharon Osbourne, Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh, Pete Waterman, Mickey Most, Brian Sewell, or Mark Kermode ?

Any participants wishing to either perform or offer their services as qualified, experienced or just plain mean and unpleasant (harsh but fair) critics - step forward! If you are interested get in touch NOW. Contact me at 5 The Gassons, Filkins or ring 01367 860730

If the winner is of sufficient standard David Seaton & Associates are giving a day at a recording studio as the prize. David Seaton has 40 years experience in the music business.

The Filkins X Factor will be on 22°d September in Filkins Village Hall from 7:30pm. Entrance £5 with Under 16s & Concessions£2.50

If you are planning to perform you must register your interest two weeks before. If you wish to be accompanied music must be supplied at that time.

Daniel Porter

HOLWELLSt Mary’s

CYCLE FOR ST MARY’SPlease put Saturday 8‘’ September in your diary, the date of the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust Bike Ride. We need volunteers to welcome sponsored bikers and walkers to Holwell Church throughout the day. Even more important, we need bikers willing to raise sponsorship by biking to as many of our beautiful local churches as possible on the day.

It is our village’s big annual fund-raiser, so I hope you will be able to join in: please contact me for more details and sponsorship forms, etc.

Reggie Heyworth

KELMSCOTTSt George’s

CHURCH BRASS AND FLOWERS Julia Rose

JUMBLE SALEA Jumble Sale will be held on Saturday 8‘” September at 2.00 pm in the garden of 1 Council Houses, Kelmscott in aid of Sobell House. There will also be a White Elephant, Bric-a-brac, Raffle as well as the jumble. Any items to sell or donations will be gratefully received. Call us on 01367 252803.

The Hatton family

THEATRE COMES TO TOWNWe have an exciting programme of theatre performances booked over the next 18 months, so to avoid disappointment, make a note in your diary now.

Friday 14 th December 2007: Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company presents ‘Princess Ruby Slippers’, a fairytale comedy for everyone over six. Tuesday 8‘” April 2008: ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Fats Waller Musical Show Saturday 3‘d May 2008: ‘The Rivals’

Saturday 30‘” August 2008: ‘The Importance of being Earnest’Saturday 19‘” December 2008: ‘The Selfish Shellfish’Further information on any of the above shows is available from me on01367 253103. Laura Roberts

KENCOTSt George’s

CHURCH FLOWERS15tth& 8th’ September Maureen Seale15‘th September Marjorie Barstow22nd’ September Harvest: all welcome to help29th September & 6‘h October Helen Squire

RIDE & STRIDEThis is your final reminder: Saturday 8‘” September. In addition to riders, volunteers are needed to book in visiting riders at the Church. Obtain more information and sponsorship forms me. Start collecting sponsors now.

Bill Gasson

HARVEST FESTIVALThis Diocese, along with many others, is planning a‘Back to Church Sunday’ on 30‘” September. Our Harvest Festival Service will be held at 6.00pm on Sunday 23‘d September, so we are combining the two occasions that day. Gift<ffi of fruit, flowers and vegetables will be very welcome. Please leave these at the

Church on Saturday morning.

Members of the Parochial Church Council are inviting parishioners to join them at the Service. After the Service, there will be a glass of wine, followed b, an auction of produce. The proceeds, together with the collection will be given to the Oxfordshire Charity, ‘Parents and Children Together.’

Helen Squire

ROUNDABOUT WELLS TEA PARTY In a repeat of last year’s experience, a rather doubtful day turned to warm sunshine as our guests began to arrive! Many, many thanks to all who came to support us on 14‘h July.

Your kindness and interest andgenerosity resulted in Virginia, our daughter, adding £883 towards the 13‘” well to be

builtin S. Africa in memory of her son, Lawrence. As a friend wrote, ‘After his brief life, he left a wonderful legacy.’ The Parent Charity, which originated there, is known as

‘Playpumps International’ and is registered there and is now also registered in the U.S.A. Altogether over 600 pumps have been installed in South African villages and it is hoped to extend them to other parts of Africa.

The afternoon was not only a success financially, but a very happy occasion for the family, as we all met and enjoyed the company of so many wonderful friends. Again our sincere thanks to you all.

John & Marjorie Barstow

[I add that the tea (especiallythe cake) was the best I have had all year, and the afternoon a delight in a delightful garden. If the event is held again next year do come everyone, for, on a serious note, while we might bemoan the recent flooding, a life without running water is a more miserable one. Ed/

LANGFORDSt Matthew’s

CHURCH FLOWERS5th August Mrs. R. Range 12th & 19th August Mrs. D. Lowden26th August Mrs. D. Lowden

LANGFORD LADIESAt our June meeting Mrs Elliott told us of her interest in sewing which started when she was asked to make fabric boxes. This has now grown into exquisite Cotswold cottages in which she makes all the beds complete with patchwork quilts and extremely tiny slippers. What attention to detail. Mrs. Elliott brought along her village within a barn, it is very similar to the Russian doll idea, inside the barn is a church, inside the church is a house, then saddle stones etc. In the items shown to us there were many different styles of sewing techniques, some extremely old and rarely seen in today’s sewing. There were a pair of swans with a reflection made from a bead fringe and a wonderful coloured chair with badges, snails, rainbows and all the animals and flowers in the countryside. There was even a sewn daisy chain.

There will be no meeting in August but members are welcome to my house on Thursday Oth August. (01367) 860514

Chissy Tinson

WHISTJoin us for an evening of whist at the village Hall on Tuesday 7‘” August. 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 time. Profits to the Village Hall. We play for fun with small prizes. Direct any enquiries to me on 01993 852378

Jo Hutchinson

CHRISTENING GOWNSThere will be a display of christening gowns in St. Matthew’s Church on Saturday 22°d and Sunday 23°d September from 10.00am to S.OOpm on both days. Refreshments will be available. Do come and view the gowns and our wonderful Saxon Church. All donations will go toward; the Roof Repair Fund. If you have links with the village and would like to display your gown or any other Christening item please contact me on 01367 860514.

Chrissy Tinson

ST CHRISTOPHER’S NEWS _The end of term was not as expected at St Christopher’s this year. The last Friday of term started peacefully

enough despite the heavy rain but by , early afternoon it was obvious that the ; rain was not going to stop and that we had to start sending children home.

Water began pouring through the corridor ceilings and Maple Class were evacuated to the hall, swiftly followed by Cherry. By this time the phone lines were down so we began contacting parents on mobiles.

Cocooned in school we didn’t realize the extent of the floods until later, when soaked and worried parents began appearing and taking their children home. Soon cars weren’t able to get through to school and we had all the remaining children in the hall playing games and singing - it was a great atmosphere and the children enjoyed the camaraderie and fun.

Several parents arrived with tractors and landrovers and were able to take groups of children home to the villages. Still we had some children and staff left from Carterton who were not able to get home. It was getting late by this stage and so we raided Julie Gibb’s kitchen to feed the children beans on toast. After a scratch tea they all settled down to watch videos and we were beginning to think that we were there for the night. Pizza arrived from Mike Bennet next door to school along with pillows and sleeping bags. There was no way home for the 14 of us remaining.

We were just beginning to try and settle the children down for the night when help arrived. The RAF sent out two large Landrovers to brave the floods and took us all up to Carterton. It was a scary journey with water up to the bonnet and the sight of so many abandoned cars along the roads was more than a bit worrying. It seemed to take ages to get to Carterton driving slowly through the water but thankfully we got there and got all the children home

safely. I would like to say a big thank you to all the people who helped get children and parents home that night and for looking after those of us left in school. It was a scary experience but the kindness and thoughtfulness of all friends of the school really shone though.

The rain carried on pouring through the roofs in the corridor and the art bay and all carpets and walls were drenched. It became clear that we were not going to be able to open again before September. Staff too were having problems getting into work because of road closures and some children were still stranded in their homes.

It was a really sad end to the term especially for the Year 6s, as we were not going to be able to go ahead with the planned Leavers’ Service on the Tuesday night. The school building was out of action and staff could not attend due to the road closures. The parents who had organized the traditional end of term rounders’ match and BBQ carried on and luckily the sun shone, the field dried out, and the majority of Year 6s could attend. I’m sure that it was a great evening and I’m sorry that none of the staff could be there. We will be holding the Leavers’ Service early on in September so that we can all say a proper Goodbye to our Year 6 children and present them with their Leaver’s dictionary. We look forward to seeing them again and hearing about the start of the next stage in their education.

We also said Goodbye to Leslie Dowding. Leslie joined us for just a term at Easter and has been a huge asset to St Christopher’s. Leslie threw herself whole-heartedly into the life of the school and will be sadly missed. Her skills as a teacher were borne out by the fantastic Year 6 SATs results - a credit to both her and to all the children who worked so hard and deserved such good results. We will be welcoming Wendy Clements to St Christopher’s in September. Wendy joins us from Buckland CE Primary and will be taking Willow Class. I’m sure Wendy will enjoy working with us and we look forward to her joining our great team.

Over the summer holidays we will be taking delivery of our new ICT equipment. We have completely updated our ICT hardware by buying a trolley of 16 wireless laptops, two interactive whiteboards for Cherry and Maple Classes and many other gadgets and gizmos for the children. Staff are really looking forward to learning to use all this to really advantage the children and bring the school completely up to date in this area of the curriculum.

With our Creative approach to learning ICT will permeate every curriculum area and become an integrated part of the children’s learning. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the St Christopher’s Parents’ Association who have worked tirelessly over the year to part fund this development. We have enjoyed a varied program of highly enjoyable fund raising events and look forward to another great year.

With very successful Ofsted and Diocesan Inspections behind us and our biggest number of children ever, and an enthusiastic and talented staff the coming year should be great. We really value the support that has been given over the last year by friends old and new. It is always valuable for the children to meet new people who share their interests and ideas and really support our children’s learning with their first hand experiences.

Our first whole school topic in September is Light - if anyone has any interesting artefacts or ideas that they would like to share, please contact the school office by phone or through our website at:

www.st-christophers.oxon.sch.uk. Sarah Nisbett

LITTLE FARINGDONSt Margaret’s

CHURCH FLOWERS September Jeanie Pollock October Barbara Browne

BENEFICE CALENDARThe Benefice Calendar will be available for sale at the Harvest Festival (14‘” October). It is an excellent initiative with superb photographs of the villages in our Benefice. Unsurprisingly, our village’s input (November) is the Firework display over the church. The calendar will make a good Christmas present as well as being of practical use to us all. If anyone would like to see a copy, please let me know.

RIDE AND STRIDEIf anyone would like to cycle or sponsor cyclists for the Ride and Stride on Saturday 8”’ September, please contact me on 01367 252205 for details and the papers for sponsorship. Half of the proceeds from this annual event will go to the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust, and half will go to St Margaret’s.

Jeremy Taylor

CLAY PIGEON SHOOTSt Margaret’s will also benefit from the proceeds of this year’s Clay Pigeon Shoot, which will be on Saturday 8”’ September (busy day!) near Southrop. Please contact me on 07970 692292 for details and to sign up teams.

George Ponsonby

OTHER DATES FOR YOUR DIARYSunday 14th October Harvest Festival Service in church Friday 2°‘’ November Village Bonfire Party Sunday 16‘” December Carol Service in church

SHILTONHoly Rood

WHAT A WASH-OUT!We finally paid, in a big way, for our previous good fortune in almost always being blessed with good weather for village events. With the unrelenting monsoon-like all-day downpour on Friday 20th July, the organisers of the pig roast and music night planned for Saturday 21S‘ began to get a little worried that they might not be able to deliver what they had promised to the 170 or so people who were due to attend. Especially as it was being held in a meadow bordering the Shillbrook, an idyllic setting in dry weather but one that was becoming soggier by the minute!

Frantic efforts to find an alternative (undercover/dry) venue were made and a barn was found late on Friday, resulting in sighs of relief all round and a worry-free nights sleep (or for those of us who live on top of the hill anyway). Unfortunately, however, on Saturday morning the centre of Shilton village was several feel under water and it was

obvious that most people would have better things to do that day than prepare for a social event.

The pig and band were hurriedly cancelled (and many thanks to Foxbury Farm and John Coghlan/The King Earl Boogie Band for not penalising us for doing so.)

This still left loads of food that had been bought and prepared in advance going begging so the village hall was opened up and everyone invited to come along anyway and help eat the food we had. In the end we had a really good party, despite the plight of the unfortunate residents who had been flooded out, but at least they were able to come and have a hot drink and something to eat if they needed it.

And such is the generosity of us villagers that even after giving everyone back their money - or trying to - enough people insisted the Old School Committee kept it that we ended the evening with a small profit, despite having given away free food and Pimms to just about the whole village. What a lovely lot you are. Better luck next year perhaps?

DIARY DATES Autumn Show Saturday 15th September Harvest Supper Sunday 7th October Quiz Night Saturday 20th October Church/Chapel coffee morning/bring & buy Saturday 3‘d November Pre-Christmas lunch followed by the carol service Sunday 16“’ DecemberShirley Cuthbertson

PARISH COUNCIL DATESThe dates for the rest of the year are:17‘th October Shilton12‘th December ShiltonAll meetings start at 7.30pm unless otherwise stated. Meetings at Bradwell Village will take place in the Hobbies Room.

Katherine Robertson

KEEP FITSandie holds classes every Thursday at 7.00pm in the Old School. £3.00 per session. All ages and abilities welcome.

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BRADWELL VILLAGE (part of’ Shilton Parish)

VILLAGE COFFEE SHOPThe Coffee Shop is open on Friday in term time from 10.30am until 12.30pm in the Village Hall selling hot and cold drinks and cakes and savouries. This is a splendid social focus for anyone with an hour or so to spare. For further details telephone me on 01993 824801 (more volunteers required).

Sharon Howat

VILLAGE STITCHERSThe next meeting is on Tuesday l lth September from l0am 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. Telephone me on 01993 824475.

Marion Ellis

WESTWELLSt Mary’s

No news this month

MINERAL EXTRACTIONWe are indebted to our County Councillor Don Seale who writes:L here is much understandable concern by people in Oxfordshire overa set of ideas which may lead to proposals for mineral extraction inthe County. Mineral extraction means in plain English, quarrying for stone and gravel. The attached is a response given to local councillors by the representative officer at the Oxfordshire County Council Environment and Economy Department handling this area of work.’

From: Day, Peter - Environment & Economy, SPEDSent: 06 August 2007 16:55To: ‘david@communiqueuk.com’Cc: Dudding, Richard - Environment & Economy; Cllr Roger Belson; Cllr

Don Seale; Walden, Shaun - Environment & Economy, SPED Subject: RE: Consultation on possible mineral extraction sites

Dear David,

Richard Dudding has asked me to reply to your email.

As part of the new Oxfordshire Minerals and Waste Development Framework, we are preparing a Minerals Sites Proposals and Policies Document. In April we published an Issues and Options Paper for consultation; the consultation period ended on 15 June. One of the numerous possible sites for mineral working shown in this consultation document is an area of some 400 hectares between Langford and Kelmscott. At this stage, these sites are possible options; they have not been assessed and the County Council has not come to a view on any of them.

We have had a good response to the consultation which means it is taking some time to record and analyse the responses. We will publish a report on the consultation responses as soon as we can. The next stage will be to consider all the comments and information we have received on these sites, and to use these together with our own technical work to assess all the options and come up with a short list of preferred site options for a second

stage of public consultation. I do not know how many sites will be on this shortlist. We have calculated that we need to plan for the release of a further 29.3 million tonnes of sand and gravel for the period to 2026, but the number of sites required to provide this will depend on site size and depth of mineral.

However, there is currently a hold-up in progressing the Development Framework. This is because the Government Office for the South East has advised that our Core Strategy Preferred Options do not give sufficient spatial direction as to where minerals and waste developments will take place; and consequently the Core Strategy is at risk of being found unsound when it is independently examined by a planning inspector. Consequently we need to make changes to the Core Strategy Preferred Options and carry

out a further round of public consultation. Until we have done that, we cannot move on to the preferred options stage of the Minerals Sites Document. We are currently reviewing the programme for the whole of the Minerals and Waste Development Framework so I do not at present know when the next stages of consultation will be. But further consultation on Core Strategy Preferred Options is unlikely to take place until 2008; and it is unlikely that we will be in a position to publish Preferred Options for Minerals Sites until well into 2008. We are putting information about this delay on the Council’s website and a letter will shortly be sent to everyone on our consultation list. We have not yet decided how we will carry out these next stages of consultation but we will be guided by the policy on consultation set out in our Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). The SCI also lists the organisations that should be consulted. The SCI can be seen on the Council’s website at:

www.oxfirdsgure.gov.uk/links/public/mineralsandwastepolicy

A planning application for mineral working could be submitted at any time. It would then have to be determined by the County Council against the relevant policies of the Development Plan at that time. The weight that would be given to the emerging Development Plan Documents of the Minerals and Waste Development Framework would depend on how far through the planpreparation process towards adoption they had progressed. In my view, no weight would be given to the Minerals Sites Issues and Options Consultation Paper.

I trust that I have answered your questions to the extent that we are currently able, but please contact me again if anything is not clear. Peter Day

Minerals & Waste Policy Team LeaderOxfordshire County CouncilEnvironment & EconomySustainable Development (SPED)Speedwell HouseSpeedwell Street Oxford, OX I I NE Tel: 01865 815544 Fax: 01865 810106Email: peter.day@oxfordshire.gov.ukwww.oxfordshire.gov.uk

... Which is a longish way of saying that there are a great many chaps in offices busy consulting each other and the public as they formulate new policies which might or might not change how and where stone and gravel is quarried in the future.

There is a long way to go before we know what the effect might be on our corner of Oxfordshire.

If you would like to take part in the consultation process, ask the clerk to your Parish Council or chairman of your Parish Meeting for details.

However, there is an aspect to this which should be of immediate interest to members and erstwhile friends of the Church of England.

Here is a letter to Parish Pump from our friend Patrick ‘Cruciverbalist’ Colman:

Sir: As you rightly remark (editorial, August 2007), the Church enjoys considerable support from non-members in raising funds to preserve the fabric of local churches. Since coming to live in Langford nine years ago, I have contributed my fair share of time, effort and cash towards the maintenance of St Matthews, a building which I regard as being of great cultural and historical significance.

I am now informed that the Church of England, through the agency of its Commissioners, has granted to Cemex U.K. Ltd. an option agreement, which, if followed by a successful planning application, will result in the extraction of six million tonnes of sand and gravel and the destruction of four hundred hectares of agricultural land surrounding the village of Langford.

The Church Commissioners maintain that they are obliged to make best use of their assets on behalf of their beneficiaries and that the local planning authority, not the Church, is the proper body to decide whether this project should proceed. Surely there must be others - among both the large majority of non-churchgoers and the small minority of the devout - who feel that the Church of England’s stance on this issue is hardly conducive to maintaining the support and goodwill it has hitherto enjoyed in the community.

Yours sincerely,Patrick Coleman Langford

I have seen the letter from The Church Commissioners to Patrick Colman, and can confirm that they apparently believe that they should take into account no ethical or other considerations beyond the financial one, and that therefore whether or not gravel is quarried on their land should be entirely a matter for the planners.

Of course we all want houses, and hospitals and schools... and it takes a lot of aggregate to make the concrete, and that aggregate has to be quarried somewhere. And maybe the land between Langford and Kelmscott is the right place. The point is that quite separately from the narrow planning process, surely a responsible landowner, particularly when it is the Church of England, should take a view based on wider ethical implications, and be willing to defend it.

The Church is certainly right to think about the money, but to wipe ones hands of all moral responsibility is to behave as Pontius Pilate. Can this be right for the Church of England? It seems a bit rum.

What does the Sbill Valley & Broadshire Benefice Council think? Ed

DISTRICT COUNCIL NEWSAlmost nobody in the Broadshires escaped the severe weather and flash floods and we all probably know someone who was flooded. For some recovery will take months not weeks, and for a few the misery of the floods is now compounded by uncertainty and the Foot and Mouth crisis. It is at times like this when you realise the strength of character of many in our community. To all those who helped a friend or neighbour, thank you.

At our recent West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) meeting the Leader of the Council, Cllr Barry Norton, made a Statement on the floods and I raised many issues on the Broadshires behalf. We are now in the recovery period and I believe many of you will have ideas and comments you wish to make and questions you want to raise.

WODC has offered to any parish council affected by the floods the opportunity to meet with Cllr David Harvey the Council’s Environment Portfolio holder and Cath James the Strategic Director (Environment) to discuss particular concerns affecting your parish.

I would encourage every parish council to meet David and Cath so that they can hear from you first hand what measures might have eased the situation faster in your parish.

Both David and Cath were personally on the frontline during the floods when WODC issued approximately 30,000 sandbags, received 632 emergency calls, 1,659 routine calls, and had 22,795 visitors to their website; in addition they provided 120 staff for emergency support and opened rest centres in Witney, Long Hanborough and Carterton. David and Cath are both very well qualified to understand our views and I urge you to use them; they are offering to listen, do not let the opportunity pass.

David McFarlane mcf@mcfkelmscott.fsnet.co.uk

LOCAL MAN SEEKS FRIENDSHIPGabriel Rossetti was joint tenant of Kelmscott Manor with William Morris in the early 1870s, painter of beautiful but rather frail-looking women, and keeper of exotic pets. Here he writes of his wombat:

Oh how the family affections combat

Within my breast! Each hour throws a bomb at My burning soul - neither from owl or from bat Can peace be gained, until I clasp my wombat.

SEESAWGrief Support For The Young In Oxfordshiree know that children suffer when someonethey love dies - they experience a turmoilof emotions which can have a significant impact on how they cope with day to day living at home and school. For many bereaved children their world has suddenly become a very frightening and unsafe place to be and their feelings and behaviours reflect this.

Support workers from SeeSaw visit children in their own homes and through understanding and creative activities strive to reduce the distress of grieving children and their families and to enable them to work together through the difficult times following the death of a loved one.

This is challenging but rewarding work and requires people who are good listeners, able to cope with other people’s distress and perhaps most importantly, enjoy the fun of being with children. If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a SeeSaw Support Worker then come along to our Taster Evening in Oxford on Wednesday 7‘” November

If you would like more details about how you can help Seesaw, do telephone me on 01865 744768.

Dianne Stafford

WEST OX ARTSWest 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.

Collage and Colour: 31st August to 23rd September

A beautiful and fascinating exhibition exploring the uses of collage and paint by four highly skilled artists. Barbara Shaw makes textile collage pictures of landscapes, still life and other subjects by layering, stitching and sticking. Jill Cooper’s detailed textile scenes have wonderful humour and depth often depicting jazz musicians and observing ordinary people.

Alan Richardson is much admired for his painterly style using paper colour supplements to depict landscapes and the world around him. Neil Drury’s work is characterised by an expressive use of brilliant colour.

ROUND THE NECK OF HISTORY0 n 12”’ September at 2.00pm (coffee from 1.15pm) in Bradwell Village Hall, the Cotswold Antiques Study Group will host a talk called ‘Pearls before Swine? A long history of a Royal necklace’, which tracks a magnificent pearl necklace given as a wedding present to Catherine de Medici.

The necklace then passed to Mary Queen of Scots, was acquired by Elizabeth I, passed through the various royal families to end in a lengthy legal battle between Queen Victoria and he uncle the King of Hanover, and is now in the possession of our present Queen.

The speaker will be Jane Kelsall, lecturer and cathedral guide at St Albans. If you would like further information, do telephone 10869 345332

Ray Murray

LETTERSLetters 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.

Beyond the call of dutySir: I’d like to thank Chris, Wendy and the two Mr Prews for their valiant efforts in delivering newspapers and milk under such severe weather conditions during the recent floods.

On Monday 23‘d July the milk was delivered by tractor and trailor, with Mr Prew senior sitting in the trailor. Did anyone capture the moment on camera? If so, could I please have a copy for posterity.

Gill Baxter Filkins

When the chips are down, how much we depend on the stalwart efforts of small private businesses. They are the salt of the earth, support them! Ed

FILKINS VILLAGE SHOPOpening HoursMonday 3.00 to S.OOpmTuesday 10.00am to 12noon & 3.00 to S.OOpm Wednesday ClosedThursday 10.00am to 12.00noon & 2.00 to S.OOpm

Friday 2.00 to S.OOpmSaturday 9.00am to 1.00pm & 3.00 to S.OOpmSunday 3.00 to S.Oopm

AN INVITATION TO OUR CELEBRATE OUR 2ND BIRTHDAY We are inviting everyone... share holders, customers and especially volunteers to a tea party on Sunday 16‘” September from 4.00 to 6.00pm at Stone House, Filkins.

Helen Holden

POTTERING IN THE POTTING SHEDThis month Ann talks not of the decorative, but of the useful plants in the garden... he plant and vegetable worlds have provided us with medicines to treat many an ailment for centuries. For instance the Ginkgo (right) is thought to be the oldest tree on the planet, first growing about 190 million years ago. It is probably native to China, although there are no wild trees remaining. It has long been used as a medicine in its native China, bu its therapeutic actions have only recently been researched. It is traditionally known to have an anti microbial and anti-tubercular action, but it has been shown that ginkgo has a profound activity on cerebral function and circulation.

Ginseng is probably the most famous plant to come from China and has an ancient history as a medicinal plant having been praised for its remarkable therapeutic benefits for 7,000 years. An Arabian physician brought ginseng back to Europe in the 9”’ c, yet its ability to improve stamina and resistance to stress only became common knowledge in the West from the 18”’ c.

Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region, but is cultivated in France, Spain and elsewhere and was used for aromatic purposes by the Romans. They used it in washing water and baths. It also has uses in culinary, cosmetics and medicine. It is effective to cure headaches, especially when related to stress. Externally, lavender oil has been used as a stimulating liniment to help ease aches and pains of rheumatism.

The St. John’s Wort is native to Europe but is widely cultivated elsewhere. St. John’s Wort flowers at the time of the summer solstice and in medieval Europe was considered to have powerful and magical properties enabling it to repel evil. The most well known action of St. John’s Wort is in repairing nerve damage and reducing

pain and inflammation. It is taken to relieve the pain of menstrual cramps, sciatica and arthritis. The oil is applied to inflammations, sprains, bruises and varicose veins. St. John’s Wort is also used to treat circulation problems, bronchitis and gout.

Turmeric (left) is native to India and southern Asia where it is extensively cultivated. Best known for its bright yellow colour and spicy taste, its medicinal value is not so well known. However, recent research has confirmed the effects traditionally associated in ancient practices in the treatment of digestive and liver problems. It has also been shown to inhibit blood clotting, relieve inflammatory conditions and help lower cholesterol levels.

White willow is native to Europe but is also found in North Africa and Asia. White willow is an excellent remedy for arthritic and rheumatic pain. Famous as the original source of salicylic acid, it was first isolated in 1838 and synthetically produced in the laboratory in 1899. White willow and closely related species have been used for thousands of years in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America to relieve joint pain and manage fevers. In the lst‘ century AD, The Greek physician Discorides suggested taking ‘willow leaves, mashed with a little pepper and drunk with wine’ to relieve lower back pain.

Anne GreenwoodMore medicinal plants next month.

WHAT SHALL WE HAVE FOR DINNER?The answer is... Tea -fabulous and fashionablel Anyone

Anyone who reads the newspapers, and especially glossy magazines, will be aware of the growing revival of tea - both the drink and the almost forgotten 4 o’clock treat of cucumber sandwiches, scones and Earl Grey. One can now buy such exotic-sounding loose teas as silver tip, single-estate and second flush as easily as PG Tips (not to mention the numerous green teas and herbal teas including my favourite, Rooibos). Recipes for cakes and macaroons appear regularly alongside photographs of silver teapots and pretty china upon antique tablecloths awaiting those impossibly beautiful families who inhabit the pages of Homes and Gardens and Country Living. Is it just escapist nonsense dreamt up by cookery writers and the marketing people at jacksons and Twinings, or is tea really becoming fashionable again?

Actually, tea is the perfect occasion for entertaining as not only is it is easy to prepare but it is a rare chance to use the pretty plates and tea service you were given as wedding presents but have not used in years and, perhaps surprisingly, the lack of alcohol is most

refreshing. There is something rather lovely about eating sandwiches with the crusts cut off followed by still-warm scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam accompanied by a refreshing cup of tea.

Perhaps it is because it is a throwback to a more elegant and less pressured age that we now can only read about in E F Benson or P G Woodhouse. Or possibly, in a time when we are constantly nagged to eat low-fat, low GI or low sugar (i.e. low taste) food, it is rather indulgent to have tea and forget about calories and cholesterol for an hour or so.

So, in the hope that readers of the Parish Pump will once more enjoy the delights of tea I have dug out my favourite biscuit recipe, a jolly good and slightly unusual plum cake (using fresh plums) and two recipes for macaroons. The latter I have not made for years, but in the interests of research I have made several different versions over the last few days in order to satisfy my own curiosity. Macaroons are now ultra fashionable, all because of the confections produced by Laduree in Paris and consumed, apparently, by visitors to Paris Fashion Week and by ‘ladies who lunch’.

These delicacies look nothing like what I think of as macaroons, being smooth, round and meringue-like and sandwiched together with buttercream and flavoured with either pistachio, coffee, strawberry or chocolate. The macaroons I remember are flatter, slightly lumpier, and are topped with a split almond or glace cherry. I have now made, and sampled, both kinds and can confirm that the French version is lighter, much sweeter and less ‘almondy’ than the British version, which is chewier and, to my mind tastier if less visually appealing. Tasting sessions by willing volunteers - friends and neighbours in Holwell - have confirmed that most people prefer the British version but both are very good. I have included the best recipes for each kind of macaroon so that you can try either or both.

Butter Whirls6 oz butter, softened2 oz sifted icing sugar ½ tsp vanilla essence 6 oz plain flour8 or 9 glace cherries, halvedPre-heat oven to 325°F (gas mark 3). Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour. Transfer mixture to a forcing bag fitted with a star-shaped meringue tube. Pipe 16 to 18 flat whirls on to a greased baking tray. Put half a cherry on each. Bake in centre of oven for about 20 minutes (or until pale gold). Leave to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Store in an airtight tin when cold.

Fresh Plum Cake12 oz self-raising flour ½ tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon6 oz butter or hard margarine 3 oz + 2 tbs soft brown sugar 3 oz sultanas1 lb fresh plums6 tbs golden syrup 3 eggsPre-heat oven to 350°F (180°C) or gas mark 4. You will need an 8” round cake tin, greased and lined. Sift the flour, salt and 1 tsp of the cinnamon into a large mixing bowl. Add the margarine and cut it into small pieces with a knife, then rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles

breadcrumbs. Then stir in 3 oz of brown sugar and the sultanas. Cut the plums in half and discard the stones. Reserve 10 halves for decoration then chop the rest finely. Beat the

eggs and golden syrup together in a bowl. Add this to the dry ingredients then fold in the chopped plums. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, level the top with the back of a spoon then arrange the halved plums on top. Finally, mix the 2 tbs brown sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 2 hours. Leave to cool completely in the tin before turning out. Wrap the cake in foil and leave it for two days to mature. Will keep for a week in an airtight tin.

Almond Macaroons (British version)Whites of 2 eggs 4 oz ground almonds8 oz caster sugar 1/z oz ground rice½ tsp almond essence ½ tsp vanilla essence 9 blanched, split almondsPre-heat oven to 325°F (gas mark 3). Line lot 2 baking trays with baking parchment. Beat egg whites until foamy but not stiff. Add the almonds, sugar, ground rice and essences and beat well. Pipe or spoon 18 mounds on to trays, well apart. Put half an almond on centre of each. Bake in centre of oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until pale gold. Leave on trays for 5 minutes then lift off and cool on a wire rack. Store in airtight tin when cold. Macaroons (French version)

4 large egg whites 300g sifted icing sugar 100g ground almonds

For buttercream:

75g unsalted butter 150g sifted icing sugar A few drops of almond essence

Pre-heat oven to 200°C (gas mark 6). Line 3 to 4 baking sheets with baking parchment. Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and add a pinch of salt. Whisk until stiff peaks form. Add a third of the icing sugar and whisk until the mixture is stiff again. Using a metal spoon, gently fold in the rest of the icing sugar, plus the almonds, until the mixture is smooth. Be careful not to overmix.

Either put the mixture in a forcing bag fitted with a plain tube and pipe on to the trays in 5 cm rounds, or use a spoon. Leave the macaroons to dry out for at least an hour before baking, then cook for 8-10 minutes until just firm. Leave on the trays for 5 minutes before cooling on a wire rack. When completely cold and ready to serve, sandwich together with the buttercream. Alternatively they can be filled with a mixture of marscapone and fresh strawberries or raspberries or with jam. The macaroons can be stored in an airtight tin, unfilled, for up to 5 days.

Angela Galione

RIVERFORD HOME DELIVERY- Advertisement feature

FRESH ORGANIC FOOD FROM FIELD TO TABLE IN 48HOURS

Cooking in season with freshm local produce seems to be the phrase on

every top chef’s lips. Making it happen in your own kitchen hasn’t always been that easy though. Not all of us have access to a convenient market or well stocked allotment. Riverford Home Delivery now offers a service which overcomes such problems.

Riverford are Oxfordshire’s most popular organic veg box scheme, delivering to the villages each Friday every week. Their award winning veg boxes are available throughout the county.

‘What we are doing seems to have really caught the imagination of the cooks of Oxfordshire’ says Graham Deakin who helps runs the scheme. ‘Getting fresh fruit and vegetables from our fields into the kitchens of the county in under 48 hours is the trick. It comes straight from our fields to your table with no middle men involved so freshness and quality is guaranteed’

Riverford is a co-operative of twelve farms each of which grows the crops that suit their soil and climate conditions; this means that they can offer a broad choice of produce through out the year at very competitive prices.

As well as familiar favourites like carrots, cauliflowers and potatoes you will always find something a little more unusual in the Riverford box. Celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, and such exotic delights as pak choi and kohl rabi make their seasonal appearances along with traditional salad items.

Boxes come in a variety of sizes to suit household size and cooking habits, they can be ordered weekly or on and off as suits your needs. The web site www.riverford.co.uk is particularly useful, not only can you see what is in the boxes and place orders; there are also loads of recipes and tips to help expand your culinary horizons.

So next time you are out and about around the county and you see a van nip by with a big red carrot on the side you’ll know someone out there is about to have something wholesome and tasty for supper.

See Riverford Home Delivery’s display advertisment on page 47 for contact details.

NATURE NOTESJust before the very bad local flooding we had a rare beautiful evening with blue skies and calm air and I took an evening walk around Greystones Farm at Bourton-on-the-Water. It is now owned and run by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and has a 6000 year heritage of farming and wildlife.

It was interesting to walk on to the farm across fields that had once been part of a Neolithic farm cleared of dense woodland to keep cattle and grow crops around 6000 years ago. Through into the late Iron Age 3000 years later the area was populated and farmed with a community close by. Around 100 BC an impressive new hillfort was built here covering 57 acres. The land then went through Roman occupation shortly after 43 AD. Since then the land has seen various owners come and go including wealthy Evesham Abbey until 1540. In recent times around 1945 the farm was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths-Davis and her herd of Salmonsbury Ayrshires won awards at agricultural shows throughout the United Kingdom. I remember Mrs. Griffiths-Davis when I lived in a cottage at the top of Cemetery Lane in the late 1960’s.

Crossing a muddy farm lane into ‘Late Roses Moors’ (the Anglo-Saxon name ‘The Moors’ implies an area of little value, too wet for good meadows) this field then led into ‘Brooks’s Moors’. So far the land had been treated with fertiliser, there were signs of agricultural improvement, occasional ‘weeds’ like docks, dense grass nettles and few wild flowers apart from buttercups.

Through the gate into the second part of Brooks’s Moors I entered SSSI meadows and the change was dramatic. Flowers such as Great Burnett, Ragged Robin, Yellow Rattle (gone over) Southern Marsh-Orchid, Meadow Sweet, Common Knapweed, Hemp Agrimony, Tufted Vetch, Self-heal and Devil’s bit scabious amongst numerous grasses such as Timothy Grass, Yorkshire Fog and Quaking Grass spread out in beautiful old hay meadows like I remember were relatively common years ago. This led across the River Eye, flowing fast and clear into Rytham, one of the richest meadows for wildflowers then into Hypesleys Meads where the biggest willow I have every seen grows. The branches left unpollarded dropped to the ground and rooted instead of breaking away from the trunk thus forming a huge veteran tree, the home of chicken of the woods fungi, woodpeckers, blue tits nests and bats and insects. I was now between two fast flowing rivers, the Eye and the Dickler which later flow into the Windrush.

A barn owl floated ghost like across the meadow close by and later reappeared flying in the opposite direction with a rodent clasped in its talons on the way to feed youngsters. Re-crossing the river and the Oxfordshire Way into Wick Moor I followed along the bank of the River Eye and could see lots of small fish swimming around in the fast current. Here stand two black poplar trees with deeply fissured bark. This species had declined with the draining of farmland leaving just 355 trees in the county of Gloucestershire including five in this hedge.

The ground is now quite boggy in places as I moved into the lower ends of Hypesleys Moors, Late Matthew’s Moors, Boswell’s Moors and headed up away from the river leaving behind damselflies, meadow brown butterflies and green veined whites, walking up into the second half of the restoration area, away from the rich habitat of the old hay meadows. This was just as dramatic as my entry earlier at Brooks’s Moor. Returning by way of Greystones Farmhouse which has now been modernised and is privately owned and the old farm buildings still much in use and awaiting restoration.

Having been away for ten days in North Cornwall I have returned to Shilton to find the large numbers of swifts which were flying over the village when I left have all departed, leaving on the first leg of their long flight to South Africa. A little bit of summer come and gone.

David Roberts

HOLWELL HOPEFUL OF OLYMPIC SUCCESSHolwell may be the smallest hamlet in Oxfordshire, but we are hoping to have our very own competitor representing Holwell in the London 2012 Olympics. My son,

John Gibbons has been selected to compete in the Modern Pentathlon Youth World Championships being held at the end of August in Pretoria and has every reason to hope that his dream of competing in the Olympics is beginning to come true.

It has been a long, hard struggle for John who began swimming in Witney for the Maxwell Club when he was nine. When that club closed he moved to City of Oxford where he became a regular

swimmer for the boys team, and went on to win the county championship in the 200 metre back stroke among other achievements. He is the current holder of every swimming record at Kingham Hill School where he went after leaving Burford Primary School.

As good a swimmer as he was, however, he has always been a well rounded athlete. He was awarded Kingham Hill School’s Robin Green’s Memorial Cup for best all round sportsman in his last year for his contributions to running, swimming, basketball and tennis. It is probably no wonder then that he found his real vocation in the pentathlon which has been described by some as the greatest test of all round athleticism amongst the Olympic events.

To succeed in the five events, you must have the strength and endurance to compete in a 3 km run and a 200 metre swim, plus have the agility to fence well, the control and precision to shoot a pistol, and the horsemanship to ride any horse you are given over 12 obstacles. The legend goes that the event began as a test of officers in Napoleon’s army and, whether true or not, the pentathlon certainly remains a grueling test both physically and mentally.

While any athlete would be pleased with reaching the level John has reached in an Olympic sport, his achievement has been even more remarkable when you consider his circumstance. John has always been a good swimmer and runner, but when he decided to give the pentathlon a go at age 15 he had never ridden a horse, much less held a pistol or epee. And he was competing against boys who had been selected by the British Modern Pentathlon’s development programme and were receiving substantial financial and training support. Given those circumstances, no one would have believed he would be able to move in the space of a year from last place to 3rd place in the British Youth Nationals. But with a lot of local help, that’s just what he did. People like Enid Butt at CCS Livery, Bradwell Grove and Brian Hutton, Talland School of Equation, Barnsley have a lot to be proud of for all the work they did which led to him winning the gold medal for the best ride at the British Nationals. And, we can’t overlook the coaching he received from the City of Oxford SC and John Sadler at Witney & District Swimming Club where he now trains. Or Colin Mitchell at Abingdon Amblers Running or Mike Norton who coached him on pistol from home in Oxford. Or Mr. Mulhulland at Kingham Hill School who dusted off his fencing kit after a 30year lay off. Its a real local success story.

Even more remarkably, in July, John won the USA Youth National Modern Pentathlon Championship, in Roswell New Mexico. Unfortunately for Britain, the Americans were faster off the mark spotting his talent and selected John (who is a dual national) to represent the US in modern pentathlon. Competing for the US was certainly an unexpected outcome, but unexpected outcomes are what we have come to expect from

John. And as far as any of us are concerned, if he does finally make it to the Olympics he will really be competing for Holwell anyway.

If you would like more information, do contact me on 01993 822726.

Ray Gibbons

OPEN DAY AT DIAMOND LIGHT SOURCEIn June’s Parish Pump we read about the Art/Science Project funded by the Wellcome Trust and organized by the Oxfordshire WI Federation, the Oxford Trust and the Diamond Light Source, the huge new science facility at Harwell (right)

Three of us from Filkins & Broughton Poggs WI (Christine Beale, Lesley White and I) were privileged to attend the Open day on 14th July.

Joining the large crowds of spcciators, WI members and their familics, we were able to see for ourselves this giant synchrotron shaped like a silver doughnut and the size of several football pitches.

Once inside there were endless things for us to do and watch: display stands, audio vision and film shows explaining the new research techniques available, as well as games and small experiments for children and the young at heart. Everywhere there were stewards, many of them scientists, all eager to answer questions and explain their particular involvement.

Christine, who understands these things adds:

We were shown the synchrotron storage ring where the process was explained to us. Electrons are accelerated in the synchrotron itself and eventually pass to tye storage ring. Here they are directed round the ring through massive magnets. As they lose energy, in the form of X rays, these rays (10,000 times brighter than those produced at present by other means) are directed down beamlines, and can be used by various molecular scientists.

At present seven beamlines have been constructed and using X-ray crystallography, the scientists are studying such things as the foot and mouth virus and the nature of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. The Diamond Project, built at a cost of over 1200m, will eventually be used by scientists from all over the world, in the fields of electronics, medicine, the environment and climatology among many others.’

Not being as scientifically minded as the others, I went straight to see the 30 embroidered panels worked by the 150 WI volunteers under the direction of Anne Griffiths, one of the chief designers and a member of our own WI. Each square panel, a work of textile art and embroidery depicted some of the viruses and diseases to be researched by the Diamond scientists (Flu virus left, HIV virus below). In designing these panels Anne worked very closely with scientists, so that all the details were correct. To achieve the unusual and

vibrant colours, all the materials were hand-dyed using vegetable dyes.

Each panel is obviously an art form in itself, but to see all 30 of them displayed in the large hall of the synchrotron brought a lump to my throat. Great tribute should be paid to Anne who is a renowned textile artist and to the many WI members who worked for almost three years to complete this inspiring and original work.

Also working with Anne was another of our members, Pat Clark, who as science co-ordinator for the Oxfordshire Federation was largely responsible for getting the project off the ground in the initial stages. Our WI is very proud of them both.

So, if anyone gets the opportunity to visit the Diamond Light Source and Design for Life, do please go. You will find it both a moving and memorable experience.

Elizabeth Gidman