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The Grapevine Magazine April 2001 Issue No 158
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Icknield Community Centre - Computer Courses
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Krakatoa is hoping to raise £800 by collecting a kilometre's worth of 2p's. Each two pence is 2½ centimetres wide so we will need 40,000 coins and WE NEED YOUR HELP. We have very special plans for this long-term fund raiser. Half of this money will be shared by Krakatoa and Lewknor School. We plan to develop the back of the school into a sensory garden to be enjoyed by all the children. The other half is going to our social aid project - our "adopted" school in Arequipa, Peru. Belaunde Day Care and School started as a breakfast club in the early 90's to provide the children of this shanty town with at least one decent meal when inflation sky rocketed and Peruvians, especially those already struggling found that overnight they could not even afford bread when the price went up by 500%. While running the club, the organisers realised there was a real need for a day care facility so that the mothers who wanted to go out to work and contribute to their family income could do so without having to take the children with them (most sold small items on the streets) or leaving them at home on their own or under the care of siblings who were too young to even look after themselves. The Day Care has been running for a few years now and last year at the request of the parents and in view of the need for the children to receive an education, the school was founded. With very little funds, lack of space and limited staff this was very difficult but the need is very real. This year they have 48 students and they have set up two provisional classrooms in the Minister's own home in addition to the two classrooms that operate from the church. Eventually they are hoping to build up on top of the church to extend the school and accommodate all the children. They therefore need funds for building material and for enough staff to cover the 4 grades that they have so far: pre-school (3-5 years), Primary 1, Primary 2 and Primary 3. And they also are in desperate need of basic essentials like desks, books, teaching equipment etc. We hope that you like us believe in doing your share to make this world a fairer place and that by educating children we are giving then a chance to better themselves and improve their living conditions. If you do and want to help us, please bring your two p's to the school. There will be a box at the Library for you to put in your contribution - every little helps and every little makes a difference!!! Watch this space for updates on our target and a big thank you in advance. The first outbreak of Foot & Mouth disease in Oxfordshire was confirmed near Bicester on 3rd March. This is not the place to promulgate specific details but everyone is urged to comply with any restrictions that are imposed by the Government and/or the local authority. Further information can be obtained from the MAFF Helpline, 0845 01504141. For enquiries of a more specific local nature, contact OCC's Brian Yendole on 01865 815602. HOSPITAL FRIENDS REMAIN BUSY AND PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE Though Watlington's cherished Community Hospital closed just over a year ago, its League of Friends has continued to provide support and help to former patients and other invalids throughout the local area. The Friends' recent efforts have been concentrated on transporting patients for appointments at the GP surgeries in both Watlington and Chalgrove, as well as visits to medical clinics and the nearest hospitals, mainly those in Wallingford and Oxford. Around 14 Friends' volunteer drivers are involved in providing the service, including several who have joined within the last year. Transport is free to the patients, but all the lifts have to be requested via the doctors' surgeries. "We'd love to be able to offer lifts to any local people who need them on medical grounds, but we only have a limited number of drivers so letting the GP surgeries assess the need seems to be the fairest way," says Carol Sykes, who co-ordinates volunteers for the Friends. "If we could recruit more drivers, we would certainly like to extend the availability of the service." Some volunteers currently undertake several journeys a week, while others are only involved on an occasional basis. Local trips can take just a few minutes, but the volunteers may give up a large chunk of the day for appointments at hospitals like the John Radcliffe, which can involve several hours waiting on top of travelling time. "Fortunately, we have a few drivers able and willing to undertake the longer journeys," says Carol Sykes, "but both the League and the patients are incredibly grateful to absolutely all the volunteers involved. The difficulties of the health service are well known, and we are determined to continue doing as much as we can to make life easier for those patients in greatest need, many of whom are elderly and relatively frail. Public transport just isn't an adequate alternative, particularly for those living in more remote areas." The League of Friends offers all its volunteer drivers reasonable travel expenses to cover the costs, which add up to a total of about £2,500 a year. Though the League had not undertaken any major fundraising activity since the hospital was first threatened with closure in 1998, regular gifts from covenant holders and a recent legacy from a former resident of Pyrton have kept funds topped up. In addition to the driving, the Friends have continued to provide other services over recent months, from buying much-needed equipment for the local district nursing team, to assisting with the flu vaccination day at the old hospital last autumn. An outing at Christmas for former patients of the hospital's Monday Club was also a great success. Looking to the future, the League of Friends has followed with close interest the plans for developing new health care facilities on the Hill Road site. While not directly connected with the Watlington Hospital Charitable Trust, the League strongly supports plans that would provide 'free' care there for local patients. "The League of Friends maintains a remarkable tradition of community support for Watlington Hospital which dates back over 125 years," says Ursula Clisssold, chairman of the Friends. "We hope to be instrumental in maintaining the involvement of local people with health care services in Watlington, Chalgrove and the surrounding area for many years to come." Anyone able to assist with volunteer driving can contact Carol Sykes of the League of Friends on 01491 612510. Icknield Community Education Centre TWO NEW COMPUTER COURSES STARTING ON THURSDAY 26th APRIL - Introduction to computing and Windows 98 at 9.30am (suitable for complete beginners and those who are really terrified!) and also Advanced Word Processing at 11.15am with the chance of a Pitman examination for those who would like it. Phone 01491 613004 for details People with dementia are a disadvantaged group in our society. Dementia affects a person's ability to speak for themselves. And when they do their views are often dismissed because others think they are lacking insight and understanding. Alternatively, if they don't speak up it may be assumed that they have nothing to say! Often the needs of carers and family take priority as those are the voices, which are loud and clear. So ADAPt (All-age Dementia Advocacy Project) will offer a voice to people with dementia in Oxfordshire. ADAPt will provide trained volunteer advocates. Their role is to discover the wishes of the person they are working with in a particular matter and convey those wishes, and only those, by letter or in person to those who need to know them. So, in effect, a silent voice to be heard! The occasions when an advocate might be needed are at times of change or conflict, in accessing services or with financial, health, housing or social issues. At all time ADAPt volunteers will put the wishes of the person with dementia first and seek to protect them from abuse and exploitation in any form by giving them the necessary information to make informed choices. The ADAPt scheme is working in cooperation with Alzheimer's Society and The Clive Project which supports younger people with dementia. It has been set up by Oxfordshire Advocacy Development Group who receive financial assistance from Oxfordshire County Council Social Services Department. ADAPt is currently recruiting volunteer advocates to do this important and worthwhile work. Anyone interested should contact: Patricia Johnston ADAPt Co-ordinator Barton Neighbourhood Centre Underhill Circus Headington Oxford OX3 9LG Tel: 01865 742745 Along with Krakatoa we had one of our most successful Jumble Sales ever on the 17th March. Many, many thanks to everyone who helped and supported the playgroup and the school. We shall be using some of the money for school trips planned for the Summer Term. Please keep Saturday 28th April free on your calendar for our 'Annual Shrub Sale'. This is a very popular event in the village - so do get there early for some great shrubs, herbs, terracotta pots and bedding plants. We shall also have homemade cakes and scones for sale in the refreshment classroom. LEWKNOR SCHOOL SHRUB SALE Saturday 28th April 10am - 1pm CAKES, RAFFLE, REFRESHMENTS As we have mentioned in the February Grapevine the Northern Area Planning Committee at SODC was due to meet to discuss limitations on the operations of the London Parachute School. This meeting has been postponed again to Wednesday 11th April, so if you would like your views to be heard regarding some sort of control over when the parachute school can fly over the villages, please write to Mr T Brown, Planning Appeals and Enforcement Manager, P.O. Box 144, Council Offices, Crowmarsh, Wallingford, OX10 8PA. To clarify the position Parish Councils representing Lewknor, South Weston, Postcombe, Wheatfield, Aston Rowant and Shirburn, are asking for the dates for parachuting to be agreed with SODC in advance of the season; that effective procedures are regularly used to monitor safety and noise; and weekend flying is reduced to two weekends per month. Please do write soon. With the basketball tarmac and post in position at the recreation ground, it shouldn't be long before the lines are in place and the surrounding turf made good. The grant from SODC has now been finalised, and with help from the Parish Council and everybody's generosity at last year's Horticultural show, plus donations from residents we can soon use the court. Thank you to everyone. It's just a shame that the weather has delayed the finishing off for so long. Whilst on the subject of the recreation ground, please remember that there is an expensive and regularly emptied dog waste bin by the gate, there are also free dog 'bags' there too. All dog walkers are asked to clear up their dog's mess as the school children and many youngsters use the grounds each week. Remember it is an offence and carries a large fine! Could you spare an hour of your time, just once a month, helping to deliver Grapevine? We have a willing band of helpers but there are times when we need to get Grapevine delivered speedily and some extra help would be very much appreciated. We particularly need help in Postcombe so do please let us know if you could help out there. I know there are times when very little notice is given about forthcoming events - this is often due to a delay at the printers - but if we can ensure a speedy delivery once we have the Grapevine it would be very helpful. Kay H, Lucy P-T, Caroline H South Oxfordshire District Council's Easter Holiday Sports Programme If you would like details on how to book a place on the courses offered below please contact our Sports Development Team on 01491 823417. GOLF Hadden Hill Golf Course, Didcot 17/18/19 & 20 April 2pm - 3.30pm 7 - 14 year olds £16.00 TENNIS Wallingford Sports Park 9/10/11 & 12 April 9am - 11am (session 1) 11am - 1.00pm (session 2) 7 - 14 year olds £16.00 SPORTS CAMP Crowmarsh Recreation Ground 9/10/11 & 12 April 10am - 3pm or Woodcote Recreation Ground 17/18/19 & 20 April 10am - 3pm 7 - 13 year olds £24.00 FOOTBALL FUN WEEK Wallingford Sports Park 17/18/19 & 20 April 10am - 3pm 6 - 12 year olds £25.00 MINI SOCCER All Saints School, Didcot 18/19 & 20 April 9.30am - 10.30am (5 to 8 year olds) £6.00 10.45am - 11.45am (8 to 11 year olds) £6.00
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