The Grapevine MagazineMarch 2007 Issue No 219 |
Grapevine 21st |
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Twenty-one years ago in March 1986 the first copy of Grapevine in its present form was produced. It was in fact copy Number 9 as eight others had appeared during the previous four years - produced by Gill Bindoff. Since then we have produced ten copies a year, without a break at all. We always missed out January and August as the Grapevine was printed first at Lewknor School and later at the Icknield and we have to fit in with school opening times.
When requests for the Grapevine to be resurrected were made Gill got together a group to do so. The team was, along with Gill, Alison Ellerton, Jackie Thresh and myself.
In that first issue Rachel Mackinnon appealed for people to join a group to make new kneelers for the church which had a new red carpet and it was felt that it needed new kneelers too. My sister, who was an artist was approached to design the kneelers and we also got her to design a new logo for Grapevine. We’ve used that heading ever since – I guess it now makes ‘Grapevine’ easily recognisible.
The first issue was six sides ( the latest ones are 14/16 sides!) and included Parish News, School News as well as a few adverts and local events etc. Alison and I got out our type writers and for the adverts I laboriously used Lettraset! We then went along to Lewknor School and ran copies off on the photocopier – it was slow, and we got to know that little room quite well! We were very relieved five years later when The Icknield agreed to print for us.
Just over a year after we started, our team was reduced when Jackie Thresh had an awful road accident. She had severe leg injuries when she was hit by a motor cyclist on the A40. She was delivering Grapevines at the time!
I have a copy of all the Grapevines and (if anyone is interested) it makes interesting reading what was going on in the villages over the years. As I said, the Kneeler project was launched and for many years the ladies of the village worked hard to produce over a hundred kneelers. The last kneeler to be made was in memory of my sister who sadly died in 1991.
At that time too, we were busy planting bulbs in the village – several years running and we still reap the benefit of that project today.
Jenny Spicer, who lived in Vernon Cottages, got the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme going in the village and this remained active for many years. Another project (which started before 1986) that was frequently reported was the need for a Village Hall. For many years fundraising events were organized to raise money for this project and even after the shell of the building was built it was a number of years before the Hall was finally finished. The opening of The Jubilee Hall by Princess Anne in September 2002 was certainly a red-letter day for the village – we even printed a Grapevine in August – to give everyone the final details.
The Grapevine was a good vehicle for expressing residents’ concern over local events or proposed plans. In the very first Grapevine in 1983 the concern was over the proposed sites in our area to accommodate Gypsies – luckily they were turned down. A lot of objections were made when the London Parachute School first applied to use fields nearby and also at a later date when a Glider Club wished to operate from our parish. Then later we were shown plans for a proposed Motorway Service Station adjacent to Lewknor, but a Public Enquiry turned that down
We have had some very lively exchange of views in our ‘Letters to Grapevine’ section. The topics included Lewknor School (when attendance had fallen), the arrival of the Parachute School and of course the pros and cons of the Oxford Tube. (Six years on and we still have a ‘Park and Ride’ without a Car Park!)
For many years appeals were being made for improvements to Watlington Hospital and later the campaign was on to try and stop the closure – but that was lost. Luckily fund raising began again for a new Care Home this time, which is now up and running well.
The Grapevine is funded by the Parish Council with help from the revenue from our adverts. This is a good time to thank all the local people who do advertise with us. A particular thank you must go to Christine and Tony Smith, in the High Street, who persuaded Bates and Lambourne to advertise with us – that was exactly 20 years ago and they are still supporting us!
Alison Ellerton retired from Grapevine, after fourteen years of editing, typing, delivering etc. – a wonderful contribution. I then soldiered on alone for a while (despite the appeals for someone to join me) until four years ago when I had a knee replacement, followed by a relapse and ten days in the JR – just when Grapevine was due! This was when Louise joined the team – somehow, with a bit of help from my husband she was able to produce the monthly edition. And what is even better – she stayed and now does so much, despite the fact she is a ‘working girl’, to produce the Grapevine as it is today – thank you Louise.
It is a good time to give a few vote of thanks – to the noble group of people who deliver your Grapevine, in all winds and weather. To the folk who contribute items for us – keep them coming (on time!!!) and a final thank you to my long suffering husband, Derek, who for twenty one years has proof read each copy as well as put up with my moans.
Kay Hazlewood.
I’m sure you would all like to join with me in thanking Kay for her superb contribution to the community of Lewknor in producing Grapevine for the last 21 years. Kay has not only demonstrated great dedication, but also great dexterity and patience – deciding what to include and trying to fit everything into an even number of pages is a challenge in itself!
I have enjoyed working with Kay on Grapevine and I hope that it will continue to flourish for another 21 years. With this in mind, we would really welcome some extra help. It may be a little way off, as Kay has great commitment to the publication, but she would like to retire at some stage.
So we would be very pleased to hear from anyone in the village who would like to join the team in addition to Kay and myself. One function would be to take over the co-ordination of our advertisements. Another would be to help in the general production and editing of each edition. So if anyone out there in the Lewknor Community would like to get involved, is perhaps a budding journalist or just enjoys a challenge, please do contact us for a chat or more details.
Louise Boitoult.
Having been involved in discussions about the Chiltern Gateway Project for some while now it was a delight to attend the meeting on Friday 9th February in Lewknor Church and hear all those involved publicly present their work towards the project.
I have been in touch with the project from the beginning in different capacities. Within the church setting both as Assistant Area Dean for the area covering Lewknor Church and as the focus within the Diocese of Oxford for ‘Cutting Edge Ministries’ (ways in which the church tries to do new and differently things) I have been keen to support such innovative work on our doorstep.
As District Councillor too I have been delighted to see this initiative which we hope will encourage tourism. A project in Watlington Parish working with the DEFRA ‘Hidden Britain’ initiative links to this and I hope that together the projects will support the area.
More and more it seems that for new initiatives to be successful they depend on partnership working. The Chiltern Gateway Project is a wonderful example of working together by the Church, the Parish Council, the Chiltern Conservation Board, Natural England and Lewknor School.
I look forward to working with the project as it develops and grows.
Cllr Rev’d Angie Paterson.
The Chiltern Gateway Project, a partnership between the community, local organisations and nature conservation bodies; and managed by our team vicar Simon Brignall, is now underway. Jane Pendlenton, who recently started as assistant manager, here gives an overview of the project- its aims and hoped for benefits, details of those involved, and a welcome to others to participate and comment.
So what is the project about…?
The project is essentially aiming to support the life of Lewknor and the surrounding area of the ‘Chiltern Gateway’. The vision for the project is to promote what we have to offer to visitors and to encourage and support local business, the church and schools, whilst protecting and enjoying our natural environment. The church has a central role to play, both physically in the case of St. Margaret’s, and in providing local project management. ‘A Rocha’, a national and international charity whose vision is caring for God’s world together through practical community-led conservation projects, is providing overall management.
Elements of the project include…
A visitor centre
at St. Margaret’s, Lewknor, to serve visitors to Aston Rowant nature reserve and the area. Plans have been drawn up for the installation of a kitchen facility and toilets at the back of St. Margaret’s, to provide a welcoming space for visitors, who can also view the display boards about the reserve and the Chilterns in the South Aisle.Nature club at Lewknor C of E Primary School
This aims to involve the younger generation at Lewknor C of E Primary School, helping them to learn about, appreciate and enjoy the environment around them. An after school Nature club supported by Natural England is due to start on 23rd April for a 6 week pilot- with plans to extend this into the Autumn. Activities will include bug and creepy crawlie hunts, bird spotting, creative ways of learning about climate change and recycling, and a visit to the Aston Rowant reserve.
Environment Sunday, June 3rd
The launch of the project at the church will be on June 3rd, Environment Sunday, and is being planned with SAGE, Oxford’s Christian Environmental group- this will include open air worship and a service in the church, with tea and cakes in the churchyard.
A dedicated website
to give information to visitors and promote local businesses and concerns The website will include listings for local businesses and services and other interesting information about the area. It is hoped this will complement the existing local websites at Lewknor and elsewhere.
Other plans… to be grown organically!
We hope other initiatives will come to fruition this year and beyond. Plans for a Quiet Garden in the churchyard with space for relaxation, meditation and prayer; and for the investigation and protection of the churchyard’s flora and fauna are part of the overall vision.
Who is involved in the project, and how can I keep informed and get involved? The project steering group comprises members of the Parish Council, the PCC, South Oxfordshire District Council, Lewknor C of E Primary School, Natural England, the Chilterns Conservation Board and A Rocha. We will post regular project updates on the website when it is live, and also through Grapevine.
Any questions, comments, or offers of help, please contact us!
Simon Brignall 01844 281 827 sbrignall@psaconnect.net
Jane Pendlenton 01844 281 827/ 07974 018 482 jane.pendlenton@arocha.org
Notable dates for the project- further details to be advertised through the Grapevine
Civic launch for the project, Friday May 11th at St. Margaret’s, with the Bishop of Dorchester, Colin Fletcher. Environment Sunday, Sunday June 3rd.
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The Grand Jumble sale on Saturday 24th February raised a tremendous sum for the Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust. At a packed Jubilee Hall, over £800 was raised from all the different activities including jumble, tombola, refreshments and raffle. Shirley Moore would like to thank everyone who supported the event by coming along or donating jumble. She would also like to send a big vote of thanks to everyone who helped make the event such a success by giving their time to help.
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Do you know that Bookstart provides 3 different gifts for 3 different age ranges containing books and other goodies and it’s all free.
The Bookstart Baby pack is available for babies aged up to 12 months. Your baby will be given a pack by the health visitor at the 8 month health check
The Bookstart+ pack is available for toddlers between 18 – 30 months and can be collected from the library or the health visitor if your child has a 2 year check. So please go to the library and ask for your toddler’s Bookstart+ pack.
My Bookstart Treasure Chest is available to 3 year olds and is delivered to your child’s pre-school. If your child does not attend a pre-school collect your Treasure Chest from the library. If you run a pre-school and have not given the Bookstart co-ordinator the number of 3 year olds in your setting, please contact her as soon as possible to ensure delivery by August 2007. For more information contact the Bookstart Co-ordinator for Oxfordshire on 01865 810243.
Or visit the web site at www.bookstart.org.uk.
Zadie Smith’s second novel “On Beauty” was our reading task for February. None of us had particularly liked her first book “White Teeth” but we thought we would give her another chance. Unfortunately, ”On Beauty” set mainly on a University Campus in New England and describing the meeting and mingling of two families of Afro-Caribbean descent was liked even less with only one person, myself, giving her the benefit of the doubt. It is difficult to understand why some of the books we have read have such enthusiastic reviews from people whom you would expect to be more discerning. Is it perhaps the case when authors are concerned that” if I scratch your back, then you ……etc”?
However, we hope that the next book for March “The Accidental” by Ali Smith will revive our spirits. Then for April, we are reading “Old Filth” (“Failed in London, try Hong Kong”) by Jane Gardam, and further down on the list are “The Master “ by Colin Toibin and “Human Traces” by Sebastian Faulkes.
Elan Preston-Whyte.
| County Councillor | Roger Belson | 01491 612091 |
| District Councillors | Rodney Mann | 01844 281426 |
| Rev’d Angie Paterson | 01491 614033 |
District Council budget
South Oxfordshire District Council is looking for a 0% increase in council tax this year which will mean that we will be paying the same amount of council tax in April 2007 as in April 2005.
Detailed spending proposals have now been released which show:
The key to this has been good financial management. For example, the planning service was in the doldrums four years ago. Turning it round has brought extra government grants of over £1 million. The council also made major efficiency savings: for example, by joining up its benefits and finance team with Vale of White Horse DC. This saved over £150,000 per year. In total last year, the council made nearly £750,000 efficiency savings.
Work starts on £140,000 refurbishment of Thame Leisure Centre changing rooms South Oxfordshire District Council started work this month on a £140,000 refurbishment of the changing rooms for the sports hall at Thame Leisure Centre. The work will modernise the existing changing rooms, including new lockers, showers and benches, and ensure that the centre provides good quality facilities for its customers. The new facilities will be available for use by Lord Williams’s School during school time and by the public for the rest of the time.
During the refurbishment, all other facilities at the centre will remain open and alternative changing facilities will be available for users of the sports hall. The work should be completed by March 2007.
Green recycling box scam
South Oxfordshire District Council is warning residents to be on their guard for a scam involving green recycling boxes. The Council has received reports of a white middle-aged man offering recycling boxes for sale. The man, posing as a Council employee and operating from a white van, is approaching residents at their home with the boxes. There have also been a number of calls from residents about their new recycling boxes going missing.
The Council’s green recycling boxes are in fact free, and available from a number of outlets in the District. Residents can also phone the Council and request a recycling box, which we will deliver to their house. We do not operate a door knocking policy but will post a card through their door confirming delivery.
Residents can order a new recycling box by calling 01491 823416 or from various outlets throughout the district which can be accessed via the council web site.
Travel tokens
The District Council are changing the way travel tokens are distributed. Instead of having to collect your travel tokens, from 1st April 2007 they will be sent direct to you home. If you received travel tokens in 2006/07, you should have received a simple renewal form in February, to sign and return to the District Council. National Transport Tokens Ltd will post the travel tokens directly to your home by recorded delivery. If you are applying for travel tokens for the first time, you will need to complete an application form and supply evidence of residency and age or disability, if relevant.
You have a choice between travel tokens or a free bus pass, but not both. The age of eligibility for travel tokens remains at 70 years of age for tokens worth £20. Disabled residents and their companions are also eligible for travel tokens.
Focus on customer service
Stories in the press have made much of the district council’s plans to create a “contact centre”. The decision has been taken in principle and we are now at the details stage. The aim is for telephone callers to receive a response to their inquiry from the first person they speak too, rather than having to be put through to a potentially unanswered extension.
It might surprise people to know that nearly 60% of calls to the council (those about benefits and council tax) are already answered by a call centre and have been for some years now (previously in Sheffield, but now in Coventry).
The success of that scheme has encouraged the Council to look for similar improvements in customer service (and cost efficiencies) elsewhere in the council. The first departments to have calls handled externally will be Public Amenities (waste collection, recycling etc) and Environmental Health. If those work out, planning and other council services will follow.
Seeking your views on minerals and waste planning
Oxfordshire County Council wants to hear people’s views on its preferred strategy for deciding where minerals and waste development should take place in Oxfordshire over the next 20 years. This is an important stage of consultation in preparing a strategy for minerals and waste planning in the county. The strategy will say how new mineral workings and waste management facilities that are needed in Oxfordshire should be developed so as to avoid causing serious nuisance to people or harm to the environment.
The public consultation will last for a period of six weeks. The document and response forms are available at main council offices and public libraries throughout the county and on the website. Comments should be sent to the County Council by 23 March.
Council tax rise of 4%
Approved as part of a 'lean and green' budget. Oxfordshire County Council is leading the fight against climate change and providing value for money in its budget for 2007/8. The council has today approved a 4% council tax rise for the new financial year. A 4.25% rise had originally been planned. The council has been told by the Audit Commission that it provides value for money and manages its resources well. Later this month the authority is likely to be given the top overall rating of 'excellent' by the Audit Commission. What services does Oxfordshire County Council provide? Oxfordshire County Council provides around 80% of the county's local authority services. These include social care, education, trading standards, highways and transport, the registration service, the fire and rescue service, the countryside service and libraries and museums. As part of the budget, a total of £450,000 has been set
aside for projects that will help reduce the council's carbon footprint and, as a result, save money in future years. The council will aim to reduce carbon emissions from its own buildings and activities by 2012. This commitment has attracted a further £300,000 from the Carbon Trust, bringing the fund to a total of £750,000. All projects funded will need to demonstrate not only carbon savings but also significant financial savings for the council over the next five years.
Where else will money be spent?
Councillor Charles Shouler, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "The Audit Commission has told us that we provide value for money and we manage our finances well. However that must continue and improve yet further. There is no place for complacency. We insist on balanced budgets and we target and spend our money carefully. We try our very best to minimise risks and we work as one team across all of our different service areas. We are extremely rigorous and we will not let our standards drop in that regard."
Is what you see what you get on food labels?
Oxfordshire County Council has joined forces with trading standards services across the South East of England to call on the food industry to give consumers the true picture on food labels. A survey has revealed that consumers are cynical about the accuracy of pictures on food labels. They may not bother to complain about potentially misleading foods and this can make it difficult for trading standards services to challenge the food companies.
What did the survey reveal? Nineteen authorities took 223 samples with experts judging that just over 10% of the pictures on the labels, when compared to the product inside, could have been misleading. The worst offenders were desserts, breakfast cereals and meat pies/stews.
Six of the worst offenders were then presented to ordinary consumers. One product picture was found to be misleading by 95% of the consumers surveyed with the other five being judged to be misleading by between 77% to 37% of the consumers. However only 13% of the consumers who found the pictures misleading would complain to Trading Standards. Reasons varied from feeling that we have more important things to do to saying that the whole industry had to change its ways. Trading Standards services would like to assure consumers that their complaints about food labels they feel to be misleading are taken seriously.
Although action may not be taken on every occasion, by complaining consumers are helping build a bigger picture so that we can challenge the food companies more effectively on these issues.
Head of Trading Standards Nigel Strick said, “Pictures on food labels are important as food companies use them as a marketing tool. Consumers are entitled to expect them to be truthful. Whilst some leeway may be given for marketing it is a sad reflection that many consumers simply do not feel able to rely on the expectation created by the food industry on its packaging.”
Making roads safer in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire County Council has moved a step closer to introducing 50 mph speed limits to make seven roads in the county safer.
County Council research has shown a reduction in accidents of 30% on other routes that have had 50mph speed limits introduced. Formal public consultation on the proposed speed limits was carried out between December 15, 2006 and January 12, 2007.
Where will the new speed limits be?
Councillor David Robertson, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "We know that 50 mph speed limits reduce accidents. Last year we had a high number of accidents in Oxfordshire and the causes of many of those were down to speed. I hope that by introducing these speed limits we will make the roads safer for motorists, pedestrians and residents in the areas involved."
Highways officers have now been told to undertake detailed design work in the seven areas where 50mph limits are proposed. The speed limits will come in to force later this year provided any concerns or comments that arise from detailed design work can be resolved.
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Early spring flowers
Make February fun this year! Make it your mission to choose some fabulous flowering shrubs that will look wonderful from winter into spring and really drive away the blues. Late winter flowering daphne species and varieties should be top of your list.
Daphne mezereum won't let you down when it comes to fragrant flowers. Their purplish-pink hues contrasting with their bare branches will really tell you that spring is coming. For white flowers, choose Daphne mezereum alba. Another great option is Daphne odora, an evergreen shrub (only hardy to -5oC) which produces deep purple-pink and white flowers from the middle of winter into early spring. As the name suggests, they have an instantly recognisable scent. Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata' has leaves with creamy-yellow edges, bears red-purple flowers and is slightly hardier.
Daphnes aren't too difficult to please in terms of site and soil requirements, but soils should neither dry out nor become waterlogged nor be extremely acidic. Sun or partial shade are suitable which means that they can be grown near trees. Other possibilities would include a rock garden or shrub border. A wonderful fact of nature is that early flowers tend to be particularly fragrant because of their need to attract the few pollinators that are about at this time of year. If you can site your daphne in a sheltered position you'll get more value from the richly scented flowers.
Shrubs of this size are perfect for most gardens because they don't take up too much space. Daphne mezereum has an upright habit of growth and will normally reach no more than 1.2m in height and a spread of 1m. And as with the best garden plants, it isn't just early spring flowers that they deliver. Flowers are followed by attractive fleshy red fruit (inedible), yellow in the case of Daphne mezereum alba. Maintenance is simplicity itself: just trim back any untidy shoots after flowering. Otherwise they will look after themselves very happily.
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Elections for Parish (and District) Councillors are to be held on 3 May 2007. Lewknor Parish Council (which includes Postcombe and South Weston) has six members. Not all of the present incumbents are likely to stand for re-election, so the council is likely to need two, or possibly three, new members just to be complete. If more people were to come forward that would be good, because it would mean that we really would have to hold an election, something that has not happened here for some years because there have only ever been sufficient candidates to form the council, which means that it has not been necessary to hold an actual poll.
The commitment is far from excessive; the book-keeping and most of the correspondence is handled by the Clerk, so the minimum obligation undertaken by councillors routinely amounts to little more than one evening meeting per month and possibly representing the council at a meeting convened by some other authority or institution perhaps once or twice per year. If you are interested in finding out about local affairs, and actually participating in local government (and you really should be), you are invited, indeed encouraged, to find out more by contacting one of the current members of the council – see elsewhere in this edition of Grapevine.
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To cover the inexorable rise in overheads (heating oil, electricity, insurance, etc) the Trustees of the Jubilee Hall have been obliged to review the rates at which the Hall is hired out. With effect from 1 April 2007, the rates will be as tabulated below.
| General use. (Use of Hall only) | Rate: | |
| Mon-Sat 8.00am-10.00pm | Parishioners | £9.00 per hour |
| Non-Parishioners | £12.50 per hour | |
| Pre-School Group | Per session | £20.00 |
| Community Groups | eg Judo | £7.00 |
| Functions. (Use of Hall only) | ||
| Children's parties (approx 4 hours) | Parishioners per event | £45.00 |
| Non-Parishioners per event | £55.00 | |
| Parties | £23.00 per hour | |
| Sporting activities. (Use of Hall & field) | ||
| Cricket | Per match | £70.00 |
| Thame Footballers | Per match | £45.00 |
| 2 matches same day | £60.00 |
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| Ref No | Remarks | LPC Comment | SODC Status |
| P06/E1179 | 9 High St, Lewknor – change to roof design of approved new garage. | Object> | Refused – appeal registered |
| P06/E1229 | Hamilton Cottage, Church Lane – extension & porch. | Object | Granted |
| P06/E1231/RET | Beech Farm, Salt Lane – siting of ISO Containers. | NSV | Refused |
| P06/E1367 | Copcourt Lodge (Aston Rowant) – demolish and rebuild. | NSV | Withdrawn |