The Grapevine MagazineNovember 2009 Issue No 246 |
Simon Brignall, our Vicar for nearly 14 years, leaves us in early December. His Farewell Service will take place on 6th December at 4.00 p.m. in St.Margaret's. The Bishop of Dorchester, Rt. Rev. Colin Fletcher will lead us in thanking Simon for his long service and wishing Simon well in his new post as Vicar of the Wriggle Valley Benefice in Dorset. This will also be our annual Christingle Service, a service which has proved to be so very popular over the years with Lewknor families. As well as this, the Bishop will be consecrating the new chalice and paten, the replacements for those stolen in December. We hope to see you there!
Neil Allen & Ian Orr-Ewing – Churchwardens
Thanks are due to the residents of Postcombe for their support and superb response to the noise survey completed in June - almost 50% replied. Thanks also to those who helped knock on doors and collect replies. There were over 800 questionnaires completed from the affected communities between J4 and J7 of the M40 and a very professional report completed. To read it go the website www.m40-chilterns.org.uk
The application has now been submitted to the relevant department for the Sustainable Communities Act; if you want to hear more about the Noise Survey and 'what happens next ' this will be discussed at the M40 CEG AGM.
‘The Secret River’, an Australian epic, by Kate Grenville was an excellent read. From the review in the Observer by Geraldine Bedell, ‘Kate Grenville has turned to something quite different: historical fiction and a story about convicts transported to Sydney, eventually pardoned, encouraged to settle what seemed to be an empty continent. They didn't understand, and wouldn't have cared, that the land they were occupying was sacred to the mysterious, dark-skinned people who appeared and disappeared from the forests and seemed to them no more than naked savages.
The William Thornhill born in the opening pages is clearly marked out for poverty, suffering, degradation and criminality. And while… the costs of settlement are appalling, which makes Thornhill its villain, even while he carries its sympathetic weight. As husband, father and hard-working, decent man, he is also the book's hero’. This doesn’t sound very promising but the descriptions of the untamed Australian bush but as yet unspoiled landscape of river and land provide a vivid impression of the country as it once was and still is in some places along the coast away from urban development.
The efforts needed to tame this land to provide a living for a family amongst the indigent people, who regard the land as theirs, almost seem overwhelming but as someone in the book club mentioned, to be able to claim an ancestor as one of the original convicts is now a badge of pride of Australians. Our next two books are ‘ Somewhere towards the End’ by Diane Athill, a memoir of a long life, and “Engleby’ by Sebastian Faulks. Then in the New Year we are renewing our acquaintance with the classic novel ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’ by Thomas Hardy.
Elan Preston-Whyte.
| County Councillor | Roger Belson | 01491 612091 |
| District Councillors | Rodney Mann | 01844 281426 |
| Rev'd Angie Paterson | 01491 614033 |
| Council | Council Website | Main Switchboard | |
| Oxfordshire County Council | www.oxfordshire.gov.uk | 01865 792422 | online@oxfordshire.gov.uk |
| South Oxfordshire District Council | www.southoxon.gov.uk | 01491 823000 | info@southoxon.gov.uk |
Families on low income will benefit:
South Oxfordshire District Council is highlighting changes to the way benefits are worked out starting next month. From November 2, child benefit will no longer be counted as income when the council calculate housing or council tax benefit. The change will be good news for many families on low incomes, who may find themselves better off each month. Some people who previously did not qualify may now be eligible for help. There are also likely to be some changes for the over 60s on state pension credit, as the £6,000 lower savings limit has been raised to £10,000. In both cases, if people already receive housing and/or council tax benefit, the councils will recalculate any entitlements and notify them of any changes.
Leisure Centre Charges:
Since Nexus Leisure took over the contract to manage the leisure centres on behalf of the District Council there have been some queries over pricing of activities. Through the ‘Community Leisure Card Scheme' Nexus offer various types of membership options to encourage use. Cards include ‘pay as you go’ as well as prepaid memberships and unlike some private gyms, membership and payment can be amended as and when your needs change. There’s even a scheme for infrequent users, so they too can benefit from discounted activities by building up reward points.
Other benefits include a free or discounted first activity and the ability to book online.This may seem complex but it is likely that most users will find charges much lower than the advertised list prices if they take advantage of the schemes on offer. Details of the schemes are on the Nexus website www.nexuscommunity.org or if people go along to the local leisure centre staff will discuss specific needs and guide them to the best package. The leisure centres have not been sold to Nexus; they have been awarded a contract to manage them on behalf of the District Council. Full details about Nexus and what they aim to do is also on their website together with an offer of a 7 day free trial period at your local centre. The nearest is leisure centre is Thame Leisure Centre and the phone number is 01844 215607.
County Council applauded for care support
Oxfordshire County Council has been given a strong and positive rating for the way it delivers adult social care following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The commission concluded that the council was performing well in supporting increased choice and control for older people and in the way it supports improved health and wellbeing. It found that the authority was performing adequately when safeguarding adults. The CQC ruled that the council’s capacity to improve on the way it delivers adult social care was promising.
Trading Standards warning on bogus workmen:
Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards are warning people in South Oxfordshire of a company who are leaflet dropping then cold calling offering to do anything from small jobs to house extensions. They generally appear to be targeting elderly residents. When calling, they state they are a company from Swindon who have a number of builders looking for work, then quote a cheap price. If someone is cold calling in your area who state they are from a Swindon company offering cheap work, please contact the Doorstep Crime Team at Trading Standards on 0845 051 0845.
Cheaper home composting for all:
Oxfordshire Waste Partnership is offering compost bins to Oxfordshire residents at reduced prices. Since 1999 over 48,000 compost bins have been bought across the county through cut price council schemes and this new offer helps build on that impressive figure. Bins are from just £18.50 including delivery for a 220 litre bin and £21.50 including delivery for a 330 litre bin. Research by the Oxfordshire based Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) indicates that garden waste accounts for around 20% of household waste, with a further 17% of kitchen waste suitable for home composting. To order compost bins Oxfordshire residents can call 0845 130 60 90 or visit www.owp.getcomposting.com
Citizens Advice Bureaux:
South Oxfordshire District Council gives large grants to the CAB to help secure the service they provide to residents. There are four permanent offices in the District (the nearest to Lewknor is Thame) and 9 ‘outreach’ locations where a service is provided once a week. The nearest to this area is in Watlington. CAB have seen an increase in people seeking advice from them in the last year with the main issues being concerns over benefits, debt, employment and housing. All staff are well trained to help others. If you need advice do use the service they provide which is free to users. Contact details: Thame CAB: Market House, North Street, Thame, OX9 3HH. Telephone advice: 01844 214827. Appointments: 01844 217186 Watlington CAB (open on Thursday mornings) Community Office, Old School Place, Watlington, OX49 5QH. Contact the Parish Clerk on 01491 613867 for details or to arrange an appointment.
UNSOLICITED TELEPHONE SALES:
Be aware that there have been a number of incidents of local people receiving unsolicited telephone calls from a company using high pressure sales techniques to persuade them to purchase a home alarm system. They have claimed to be working in conjunction with the police, and may even identify police officers by name. Thames Valley Police would not divulge the details of any individual to a commercial firm and they have no connection with, and do not endorse, this campaign.
Entries in the LPC (Lewknor Parish Council) Comment column will normally be confined to one of four options: ‘Current’ (ie recommendation still pending), ‘Approve’, ‘Object’ or ‘NSV’ (No Strong Views); the latter is the most usual and is often amplified by specific observations and/or reservations. Entries in the SODC Status column will be ‘Current’, ‘Appeal’, ‘Withdrawn’, ‘Granted’ or ‘Refused’; all of which are self-explanatory. Further details of individual Planning Applications are available on-line, as follows. Open SODC’s Home Page here
In the box on the right, click on ‘Planning’. Then click on ‘view applications via the Planning Application Register’ and follow the instructions to find the specific application that you seek.
| Ref No | Remarks | LPC Comment | SODC Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| P09/E0594/RET | Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve – new goat shelter | Approve | Granted |
| P09/E0677 | Church Farm, Lewknor – renovation and remodelling of buildings and grounds. | NSV | Granted |
| P09/E0678/LB | Church Farm, Lewknor – renovation and remodelling of buildings and grounds. | NSV | Granted |
| P09/E0679/CA | Church Farm, Lewknor – removal of swimming pool. | NSV | Granted |
| P09/E0742 | Oxford Lodge, London Rd – extensions and alterations. | NSV | Refused |
| P09/E1022 | Old Vicarage, Lewknor – restore garage to accommodation. | NSV | Current |
| P09/E1023/LB | Old Vicarage, Lewknor – restore garage to accommodation. | NSV | Current |
| P09/E1059 | Mill House, S Weston – replace stables. | NSV | Current |
Planting a hedge is an investment that will bring years of benefit and autumn is one of the best times for planting shrubs and trees. Even though containers offer convenience and the possibility of year-round gardening, autumn is still nature’s time. The soil conditions tend to be right for establishing new plants and the slowed growth rates of most plants result in them being in optimum condition for being moved. It’s also a great time for starting a new project such as establishing a hedge. The glories of the summer garden are now past and you can move about without disturbing beautiful displays.
Hedges offer all the benefits of hard boundaries with a few more thrown in for good measure. Not only do they demarcate your property and provide privacy, choose the right plants and they will become prickly, intruder-proof barriers that might even result in a reduced home insurance premium! Added to this, an established hedge is a better windbreak than a solid fence as it filters and slows wind (fences can cause turbulence and even accelerate wind). Hedges also intercept dust, litter and the microscopic particulates in the air that you can’t see but which can cause a range of respiratory illnesses.
Our new ideas for hedging this autumn include using Berberis thunbergii and Ilex aquifolium (holly) to create beautiful, interesting and effective boundaries. Both offer the prickly benefits that intruders hate and insurers love. Both provide flowers in spring/summer and are berry-bearing, offering additional visual interest.
The berberis is deciduous, and will respond well to pruning into tidy shapes if that’s the kind of hedge you want. The leaves of Berberis thunbergii come in a range of colours including bronze, red-purple and yellow depending on the variety. It will do well in almost any situation or soil and its dense habit and compact growth (it will only reach a little over 1m in height) make it ideal for hedging.
Ilex aquifolium is evergreen which brings the benefits of year-round foliage. It’s very hardy and great for winter interest. Holly grows well in coastal situations, areas with atmospheric pollution and in deep shade. Again, it’s perfect for growing into a hedge of up to approximately 1.5m and can be cut back hard when needed as new growth comes from old wood.
It’s easy and fun to establish a new hedge and the rewards come quickly. Buy sufficient to place a plant every 40–60cm (depending on species/variety and size when planting) along the line of the hedge. Mark out the desired line of the hedge and cultivate the soil, improving it with organic matter as you do so. Water-in new plants as necessary (and protect from rabbits).
Birds are on the move at all times of the year but action in the autumn is particularly visible with many of our winter visitors arriving from colder climes. The swans and geese are especially conspicuous, winging their way down from Iceland, Greenland and Scandinavia.
Go and see them at wetlands near your home, at wildfowl reserves and keep your eyes and ears open when you’re out and about. Even the most ordinary day is transformed by the sight of wildfowl on the wing.
Make your garden a fast-food destination for smaller birds. The UK’s gardens are now an important part of the conservation estate. Putting out food and water regularly will help birds through the harder times as winter approaches and give you the enjoyment of them visiting every day. Put up an identification chart so that the whole family can improve their knowledge.
Newington Nurseries, Newington, Nr Stadhampton, Oxon, OX10 7AW TeI 01865 400533
www.newington-nurseries.co.uk