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Lewknor Parish Millennium Festival
As far as we know, every household in the parish of South Weston, Postcombe and Lewknor was visited to see if the inhabitants would like tickets for the barn dance and disco...(if we didn't call on you and speak to you or leave a note, you had better let us know as we must assume you are off the beaten track!!). As a result, over a quarter of the parish was at the Recreation Ground on Saturday 24th June, dancing the night away to the live band and then to Trevor and Gary's disco...eating beefburgers and hot dogs and drinking the fine ale (etc!) for sale. During the course of the evening, Gordon House, our postman of seventeen years, was presented with his leaving gift, the collection which had been made in the village and Mrs House was given a beautiful bouquet of flowers. It was a very moving occasion for all those present. The night was a great success, with all ages enjoying the fun, from the toddlers playing with the fine selection of instruments at the barn dance, to the teenagers and teachers from the school bopping the night away at the disco.
This was followed on the bright and sunny Sunday afternoon by a fun Family Dress Parade through Lewknor to the Recreation Ground. A very fine dragon, courtesy of the Picton-Turbervill family in Lewknor won the prize of the meal for four donated by the Leathern Bottle, and the Dennis Family won the meal for four kindly given by England's Rose for their contribution of the Fat controller and Thomas the Tank Engine. Entries were wonderful and varied and thanks to all those who joined in, from the babies to the adults. A fun afternoon of games and races followed at the recreation ground, where Neil Allen shone on the microphone and the parents and children shone at the races.
The week continued with various events at school and culminated with the Flower Festival at St. Margaret's and the concert on Saturday evening, but others will tell about the success of those events. It only remains to say an ENORMOUS thank you to everyone who took part in the Festival A lot of people put in a tremendous amount of work to make the events a success. It would take up a page to thank them individually, but, as someone said on the day of the barn dance, it really was great to have so many people from the parish working together AND what a great atmosphere it had all created. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of the week.
Paula Dormer
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Flower Festival
The theme of Lewknor's Flower Festival this year was "DEKKO THRO' THE DECADES". This title was the inspiration of Mrs Brenda Lambourne who recruited 37 flower arrangers to take part in what turned out to be a most stimulating and successful display in St. Margaret's from Friday 30th June to Sunday July 2nd. The planning for flower orders and positioning of the set-pieces began over six months ago and the overall strategy called for careful thinking and imagination.
The churches of Wheatfield, Stoke Talmage, South Weston, Thame, Tetsworth, Adwell and Towersey all produced some delightful arrangements as did the Bellringers represented by Trish Smith, the Village Hall (Paula Dormer), the Parish Council (Gill Bindoff), the Cricket Club (Alison Ellerton), the Sunday School (Claire Brignall), the Choir (Sarah Hodge), Grapevine (Kay Hazlewood), Krakatoa (Lucy Picton-Turbervill), the English Rose Inn and the School. All the other arrangements by individual parishioners were of a high quality - beautiful as well as interesting.
Luckily the weather was kind to us and there was a steady stream of visitors over the weekend coming to admire our efforts. The splendid teas available in the School on Saturday and Sunday, organised by Paula Dormer, were an added attraction and much appreciated by visitors. Thanks are due to all those kind people who found time to bake cakes and who manned the rota to sit in St. Margaret's. There was a lot of work involved but everyone felt that the Festival was not only a huge success but a happy time for all who took part.
The list of visitors plus children who signed the book was 130 and rising on the last count and the donations in the bottle in the church amounted to £272. The amount from teas was £90. Particular thanks must go to Ruth Croxford who provided us with wonderful fresh flowers as well as with patient encouragement and inspiration for those of us less confident! We were most fortunate to have her support.
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Wendlebury Winds and the Close Shaves
SATURDAY 1st JULY
St. Margaret's looked stunning for this lovely concert. The flowers looked and smelt gorgeous and it was a pleasure to sit amongst them and listen to the music. The Close Shaves barber shop group sang to us all about flowers. The Rose of Tralee, Tiptoe through the Tulips and My love is like a red, red rose to name a few. We greatly enjoyed the lighthearted way in which they introduced the pieces and admired the consummate professionalism with which they sang. These weren't squeaky old men in stripy blazers accomplished musicians sounding fantastic enjoying themselves.
The Wendlebury Winds were also on great form It is fascinating to be close enough to watch the tune being tossed from one player to the next and admire the dexterity required to play these instruments. The second movement of the Gounod "Petit Symphonie" was particularly fine. Again a group of musicians who were clearly playing for their own enjoyment as well as ours.
Most generously both groups gave their time for free so the Lytch Gate Fund received a significant boost.
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FOOTBALL FUN EVENING
The Lads and Lassies fun evening was held Monday 26th June. As well as the current players it was well attended by Mums, Dads and previous players.
After the usual matches we made good use of the BBQ again (many thanks to Simon Tremlin), and ate and drank our way through vast quantities of sausages, burgers and drinks.
Then came the Mums versus Girls match, which the Mums won easily. They even scored a penalty with the goal full of opposition players. The game between the Dads and Boys was a fiercely contested match and eventually won by the boys.
After all the matches a presentation of medals was made to all the children who took part.
It was a great evening and everybody had a thoroughly good time, thanks to Jeff Martin, Soren Hjorth, Gary Bishop and David Carroll and special thanks to Debbie, Kathy, Susie and Caroline.
Lads and Lassies will be meeting on Mondays the 10th, 17th and 24th July at the Recreation Ground from 5pm - 6.30pm. Ail primary school age children are welcome. The cost is 50p per session and includes refreshments.
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KRAKATOA
I am delighted to report that Krakatoa has again passed its OFSTED inspection (with the maximum extension before re-inspection). The Inspector, Mrs. Eaten judged it to be "a very well run playgroup' which achieves in all six areas of learning. She was very complimentary about the group and commented on the real sense of friendship she saw amongst the children. She particularly enjoyed the frog which hopped around the classroom on the day she was there!
We have been very busy in the past month. We have not only been inspected by the Government assessors OFSTED, but also by Social Services as an annual requirement under the Children Act. They also passed us and commended the group.
We have had a cake sale in Thame in torrential rain raising more than £60 for playgroup funds.
We have had a music morning led by Madeline Smith (the caller from the Barn Dance). She entertained the children with songs and action rhymes, which they greatly enjoyed.
We have celebrated the Millennium week with a highly successful sponsored trike ride in which some of the children managed to bike around the playground over 30 times. This was rather exhausting for the Year 6 children who were running behind and counting! It was a lovely sunny morning and we greatly enjoyed the School coming out to support and cheer on the children. There were some familiar faces watching perhaps remembering when they were the fastest racers at Krakatoa themselves.
We have enjoyed the theme of Changes this term and still have several weeks to explore it still further before culminating in the Teddy Bear's Picnic up on the Sculpture Trail. Let's hope the weather changes before then and we have sunshine for it!
If anyone would like to see the OFSTED Report please contact Lucy P-T 354 533.
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Lewknor Primary School News
Dear Readers,
Millennium Week
We have had a great time during our Village Millennium Week and we hope you enjoyed it too. We started our celebrations on Tuesday 27th June when we had Channel 6 come to film us while we planted our tree and put our time capsule into the Leper's Squint into the side of the Church. We were extremely lucky with the weather and we invited Elanor Smith and Jonathan Murray to plant it for us. We now have to look after it and give the tree a gallon of water every day to help it grow. While we were planting our new hornbeam we talked about how important the trees are to us in our environment and about how our Yew tree is already very special to us and has a preservation order on it to protect it. We believe that it was planted by an old head master who had it planted to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee Year. Does anyone know anything about it?
Afterwards we all went into the church and the infant children performed the songs that they had learnt for the Infant Music Festival which they had attended the previous week. We had an assembly and we talked about our hopes and prayers for the future and we read some out to share with everybody. Our prayers can be seen on the display boards in St. Margaret's Church. We then went outside to lock our time capsule into the side of the church and we have agreed to meet up again in 50 years time to open it again. (I'm not sure that I'll be able to make it! !) The children decided that they would all be around in 50 years time to look at all their- old photos, drawings and writing We even put a Pokemon card in!
On the Friday we did some maypole dancing and we sang and played the recorder. Afterwards we went into the church for an assembly and admired all the lovely flowers and thanked Sue Bishop and Mrs Collins for helping our children do the lunar module display on the font. I'm sure that you'll agree with us that it looked absolutely stunning. Afterwards everybody had tea and cakes in our new classroom and we showed the video of the programme "Learning Curve" that had filmed us earlier in the week.
Sutton Courtenay
Our Year 2 children have been camping at Sutton Courtenay and doing field studies based on the Science National Curriculum. They really enjoyed it and didn't mind getting wet too much! Romeo and Juliet As part of our topic on Shakespeare Years 3, 4, 5 & 6 went up to Birmingham to watch an adapted play of Romeo and Juliet by the English Shakespeare Company. They really enjoyed it and the workshop that they came and organised during the previous week. The infants had Jill Whittern from the Wantage Museum come and dress up as an Elizabethan and she taught us some Elizabethan dances and got the children to perform part of a Midsummer Nights Dream complete with costumes of the time.
Sports Day
If the weather is fine we are hoping to hold our Sports Day on Friday 14' July at 1.30pm. We will be up on the Rec. outside the village hall competing for the school cup. It's always a fun event to come and watch so please join us if you can. We will be selling programmes and drinks and ice creams.
Claire Hague
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OBITUARY - Michael Joseph Mullins
Michael Mullins, who died suddenly on June 10th 2000, came to England in the late 1940's. He worked at Pressed Steel for 40 years.
He met and married Barbara, who then lived in the Police House on the A40. They married in 1954 and had three boys, Paddy, Micky and Chris. They lived in Lewknor in 'The Cabin' while the boys were young and then, after a short time in Watlington, they moved back to 21 Weston Road.
Michael had had a heart attack in 1989 but was on medication and kept active with his gardening jobs. When the Lewknor Festivals were organised every year in the 1970's he was involved with the dances held in the old village hall (then in Bishop Hall's garden - now part of Home Farm). Of those festivals only the Horticultural Show now remains.
Barbara and family would like to thank everyone for their kindness and support at this very sad time.
Eileen Swell writes, "Michael was a true friend to Len and me. He was always there to help us both. We shall both miss him terribly."
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PARISH COUNCIL NEWS
Cesspool/Septic Tank Emptying
For economic reasons, SODC passed responsibility for the emptying of local cesspools and septic tanks to the Vale of the White Horse District Council with effect from 5th June 2000. Details of all previous SODC customers have already been based to the Vale DC. If you have had your tank pumped out recently, please pay particular attention to the invoice to ensure that payment is made to the appropriate agency.
For service in future, your point of contact is John Waite on 01235 540362. For out of hours emergencies, ca1101235 524886.
Bucks County Show
The Bucks County Show will be held at Weedon Park, Aylesbury on 31st August. Additional details have been posted on the village notice boards.
Sale of Compost Bins
As last year, SODC is participating in a scheme to provide compost bins at subsidised prices. They will be dispensed at SODC's offices at Crowmarsh and the Cattle Market Car Park in Thame between 10am and 3pm on Sunday 16th July. Costs will be £10 for a 220 ltr bin and £15 for a 330 ltr bin.
Garden Refuse Sacks
Green garden refuse sacks are available from SODC at Crowmarsh at 65p each. These sacks will be routinely collected with your domestic rubbish on refuse collection day. Note, however, that, because this is a subsidised service that is largely paid for by the sale of the approved sacks, garden waste in other styles of sack will not be collected.
Thame CAB
The CAB office in Thame has revised its opening hours. They are now: l0am-4pm on Mon & Tues and 1pm-4pm on Thurs & Fri. The office is also open 10am-4pm on Weds but only by appointment for established clients with ongoing cases. The telephone advice line (01844 214827) is available 1pm-4pm Mon-Thurs and 10am-4pm on Fri.
BUS TOKENS
The pensioners Bus Tokens are now ready for collection. This year they remain at £ 20. Please collect from either Alison Ellerton, 3 Lewknor Close, Lewknor or Jean Houseman, Newlands, Boxtree Lane, Postcombe.
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LETTERS
To: Everyone in LEWKNOR
From: Gordon House, our ex-postman
'I would like to thank everyone in Lewknor for their very generous retirement gift. I felt quite guilty receiving it as being your Postman was a job I enjoyed very much, it was a pleasure for me as you were all so friendly.
As you know I was born and went to school in Lewknor so to start retirement from there was very pleasing.
I hope I shall see you all from time to time and keep in touch.
Thanking you all once again.
Your ex-postie, Gordon
From: Simon Brignall, The Vicarage, Tetsworth
"I have heard so many complimentary comments about this year's Flower Festival at St Margaret's. The creativity, the beauty, the variety, and the hours of preparation put into the wonderful displays. May I add my own words of congratulation and express the thanks of all those who enjoyed the 'Dekko through the Decades'.
Especial thanks are, of course, due to Brenda Lambourne, who inspired and organized the week-end. Without her enthusiasm I'm sure it would not have happened. But there are many others who made this week-end possible. Those who welcomed visitors to the Flower Festival, those who designed and printed programmes, and indeed those who bought the flowers, cleaned the church and cleared the churchyard.
Thank you to everyone. We look forward to another festival soon.
Yours sincerely"
From: Ivan Nelson-Piercy, 3 The Glebe, Lewknor
"Oxford Tube - Junction 6
I applaud the content of the three letters in last Grapevine issue. The annual Parish Meeting on this subject was a travesty of the declared intention to have a 'discussion'. The chairperson and two local councillors chose to dominate the seemingly limited time by endlessly trailing their prejudices. It was, I suggest, arrogant and irresponsible scare- mongering.
It is clear that a significant number of parishioners use a valued service and wish it to be retained as is. The P.C. should accept this and work to that end.
We do not require the patronising, nannying displayed by the trio of councillor cohorts. We are quite capable of crossing roads. The P.C. should direct their energies to:
i) ensuring that adequate shelters are provided at both stops.
ii) establish a short path from the west bound stop to the steps into Lewknor.
iii) ensure that the B4009 traffic is effectively calmed between the road entry to Lewknor and the exit from M40 going east.
iv) establish a more suitable parking area for non-Lewknor cars. It merely requires a small rubbled service on the east side of the B4009.
If the P.C. are impotent on this count then ban the traffic as has been done elsewhere. The non- Lewknor passengers will find alternative means of accessing the valued coach service.
The priority for the PC should be to retain the present excellent service for the benefit of its parishioners. A concluding word, if I may - Please, let us not be dictated to by the three who so cavalierly hectored us at the last meeting. Their views and opinions are no more important than the recipients of this Grapevine. Those elected persons are there to represent us and pursue the good of the Parish.
We cannot make Stagecoach continue to stop at Lewknor. We can, however, make the PC desist from their objectionable efforts to remove this beneficial facility from us Parishioners. if you wish to retain the Oxford Tube stopping at Lewknor then please write or 'phone and make clear to the PC that view."
From: Peter MacKinnon,
Somewhere in OX49 5TL
"This week all Lewknor residents received a letter from Royal Mail advising changes to our Postal Addresses.
First we are told of a new Postcode - OX49. No surprise here for the powers-that-be are now forever tinkering with postcodes or telephone numbers or both. Next, we have confirmed the sad news that Lewknor has lost its independence and is henceforth to be merely a satellite suburb of Watlington.
Finally, and perhaps saddest of all, house names have obviously become politically incorrect and are therefore to be dispensed with. Thus "The Old Fox", a name that has served this building for generations, is now to become the utterly charmless "18 High Street".
Is not this all reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984? In the light of this, perhaps the most surprising part of this letter comes at the end. The signature was not that of George Orwell but of Acting Customer Service Manager - Lorraine Billett. How appropriate!"
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