The Grapevine MagazineNovember 2005 Issue No 206 |
Bring & Buy |
St Margaret’s Parish Church, Lewknor
The Christmas coffee morning will be held on 1st December 2005 and once again we have been invited to Home Farm by kind permission of Mrs Andrew Gordon.
Do come along and bring your friends with you. The event will start at 8.45am, so that any mothers dropping their children off at school will be able to join us.
Apart from the usual produce and cakes, there will be stalls where you can buy Christmas gifts and decorations.
Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust
I would like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone who took part in the ‘Ride and Stride’ on 10th September and also those who helped by signing the Sponsorship Forms in the school playground.
Ernestine raised £65.00, Nathan Martin and Jack Gordon chipped in with £110.00. Stephen Denham and Matthew Nunn boosted the total by a further £40.00. This resulted in a grand total of £215.00 of which our church will receive 50%.
This was much better than last year, even despite the dreadful weather!
My grateful thanks to you all!
Elizabeth Orr-EwingParents of children born between 1st September 2001 and 31st August 2002 should have already received a letter from the Oxfordshire County Council Admissions Team to remind them of the need to apply for school places for their children for the September 2006 school year.
‘Starting School’ booklets are available at all Primary Schools that will give essential information to parents about the admissions process, and also contain the CAF application form for admittance to Oxfordshire Primary Schools.
The cut-off date for this application is 21st November, all forms need to be returned to the School or direct to the Admission Team by this date.
The children have really enjoyed our topic ‘learning through the Senses’ during this half term. We have focussed on a different sense each week enjoying lots or related activities and stories plus we have learnt some new songs. Highlights have included listening walks through the village, painting to music, eating stir fried vegetables and noodles with chopsticks, the smelly socks washing day and creating a large tactile flower – it’s on the wall in the village hall – have a feel!
After half term we will be looking at various festivals and special events and this will lead us into our Christmas activities.
We are still in need of a carpet to help us with indoor activities at the hall and we would be extremely grateful for any donations.
It is a criminal offence to dispose of household waste outside the curtilage of a private property. This includes the waste generated by mowing lawns, hedge trimmings and accumulations of fallen leaves, none of which may be disposed of by dumping it on the verge or in hedgerows. Should such an offence result in a formal prosecution, the consequences could be very serious (fly tipping is now an arrestable offence carrying with it, depending upon the severity of the case, of course, a potential fine of up to £50,000 and/or a prison sentence of up to five years). Action can only be taken, however, if the time and place of an incident is known, along with the identity of the offender. Members of the public who observe specific cases of fly-tipping (of this or any other nature) may wish report such incidents to SODC. This may be done anonymously, if necessary, by calling 01491 823416.
There are four acceptable means of disposing of garden waste. It can be deposited at a site at Oakley Wood (off the A4130 Nettlebed road, 1½ miles east of Wallingford; Tel 08450 504550). It can be deposited in a vehicle provided for the purpose in Thame’s Cattlemarket Car Park on Saturdays between 8am and 12 noon. It can be collected from your property in SODC-supplied green plastic or (the preferred option) heavy duty paper bags (both of which may be purchased from, for instance, the Town Hall in Thame). Or it can be composted on-site.
Thame CAB is seeking volunteers to act as advisers. Free training is provided. For further details: telephone 01844 217186; email thamecab@cabnet.org.uk or write to, or visit, Market House, North St, Thame, OX9 3HH (Office hours Mon, Tues & Fri, 10am-4pm).
Some people who have information about crime don’t want to speak to the police and certainly don’t want anyone to know who they are. So how do they pass on what they know? The answer is to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. So how does that information actually help to fight crime? This short article aims to answer these and other questions.
Because the callers are anonymous, there is no way of knowing who they are. The calls are not traced or recorded and don’t show up on phone bills, unless made from some mobile phones. There can be many reasons why somebody does not want to speak directly to the police. They may not want to give a formal statement or appear in court as a witness; they may have information about a relative, neighbour or work colleague; they may be afraid of what will happen if someone finds out they have spoken to the police. Crimestoppers removes any fear of reprisal, retribution or revenge. The critical point is that the information does get through and certainly makes a difference. This is because the police cannot solve crime on their own but need help from everyone. Sometimes the police know who the criminals are, but don’t have enough evidence to make an arrest. When information – often like the final piece in a jigsaw – is given through Crimestoppers, the criminals are caught.
The Freephone number: 0800 555 111 should only be used to give information about people who are involved in crime or who may be planning crime. The emergency 999 number should always be used if, for example, a crime is actually being committed. If anyone is not bothered about anonymity, then they can call the general police enquiry number: 08458 505505.
When someone calls Crimestoppers, they speak to a specially trained person. All the information that can be given is taken down and passed on for investigation. Very often, the information helps an enquiry already taking place. Sometimes, though, it tells the police something completely new. This is why, without the help of the Crimestoppers caller, some crimes might never be solved.
Since it was set up in April 1999, calls to Thames Valley Crimestoppers have led to almost 10,000 investigations. As a result, nearly 1,200 people have been arrested and charged with all sorts of offences. The crimes solved with the help of information given by callers to Crimestoppers include: drugs dealing; traffic offences; driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs; theft; assault; theft from vehicles; robbery; handling stolen goods; theft of vehicles; arson; murder and attempted murder; criminal damage; fraud; and burglary.
A national charity, Crimestoppers Trust, is the body behind Thames Valley Crimestoppers and the other 30 regions that cover the United Kingdom. Formed in 1988, the Trust helps to publicise the scheme and works with government departments and other organisations to improve the scheme and make it grow. It is very successful with over 57,000 people arrested and charged in 15 years. This includes one murderer every week.
The three counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire are broken down into 16 police areas. This is also the way Thames Valley Crimestoppers is organised. There is a Regional Board of volunteer members drawn from the areas. They represent the community and, because they work closely with local crime reduction partnerships, they also know the problems that are of most concern locally. The job of the Board is to publicise Crimestoppers throughout the Thames Valley so that people living in the region are aware of the 0800 555 111 number and understand how it works. The Board also raises money to pay for publicity and for rewards, although very few of these are claimed.
Thames Valley Crimestoppers can work quickly when there is a local problem because publicity material already prepared for use in one place can often be used somewhere else too. Examples include campaigns that are aimed at:
As well as these campaigns, Thames Valley Crimestoppers has also made a big effort to take the message to young people. The next generation must understand the threat of crime to them and know that they, also, can give any information they have to Crimestoppers without anybody finding out.
Basically, Crimestoppers is a partnership between the community (local councils and businesses); the media (newspapers, radio, and television); and the police. The community provides funding, the media provides publicity, and the police take action on the calls. But unless people know about the number these calls will not be made. Local councils, shops, offices, community groups and many others can help by:
These are just a few ways of spreading the message about Crimestoppers.
If you would Like to know how you can get involved with Crimestoppers, please contact: Thames Valley Crimestoppers, P0 Box 4818, Earley, Berks RG1O OFT email: TVCS@ehotspot.co.uk
If, for whatever reason, you had the misfortune to be obliged to spend some time under lock and key in a police station, wouldn’t you want someone to check on your welfare? The Thames Valley Police Authority has a statutory duty to manage an independent custody visiting scheme which, by making unannounced visits provides a vital check on the way that detainees are held while in police custody. More volunteers are needed. If you are interested, more details may be found at www.tvpa.police.uk.
Entries in the LPC (Lewknor Parish Council) Comment column will be confined to one of three options: ‘Approve’, ‘Object’ or ‘NSV’ (No Strong Views), the latter being the most usual. 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 at www.southoxon.gov.uk. In the left hand column of the Home page, click on ‘On-Line Services’. On the window that opens, scroll down to ‘On-Line Planning’ and click on the highlighted ‘Planning Register’. When the next window opens, click on ‘Search by Reference Number’ (on the left) and then find the specific application that you seek.
| Ref No | Remarks | LPC Comment | SODC Status |
| P05/E0840 | 3 Weston Cres, Lewknor – 2-storey extension. | NSV | Current |
| P05/E0850 | Adwell Farm Cottage, Box Tree Lane, Postcombe – extension to provide disabled access/facilities. | NSV | Withdrawn |
| P05/E0976 | 8 High St, Lewknor – 2-storey extension & conservatory. | NSV | Current |
| P05/E1036 | Salisbury Lodge, S Weston – reprovide conservatory. | NSV | Current |
| P05/E1086 | Adwell Farm Cottage, Box Tree Lane, Postcombe – extension to provide disabled access/facilities. | NSV | Current |
Winter structure in the garden
Plants are the building blocks of a beautiful garden. Put great plants together to gain even more value from each plus successful planting combinations can enhance the overall effect of the garden. Both garden Bonsai and ground covering conifers provide instant impact and offer a great way of smartening up a border before winter.
Bonsai allows you to create a miniature forest, even if your space is limited. Combine with ground covering conifers such as Juniperus horizontalis (Creeping juniper) to set off colour and form, as well as to establish a truly low maintenance area. The most successful species in bonsai form are trees with naturally small leaves that are hardy to our climate. Larch, beech, spruce, hawthorn and juniper are all good choices.
Great results can be achieved by growing in pots (something that the Chinese and Japanese have been doing for many centuries) as bonsai trees grow best with small amounts of soil around the roots. Bring fabulous autumn colours to the smallest plot, even a balcony or tiny patio, by growing bonsai forms of Japanese maples. Put them in understated grey pots so that the brilliant leaves stand out.
The conifer has excellent weed-smothering effect as they form dense mats which exclude light from the ground and prevent weed getting a foothold. Look out for the following varieties of Juniperus horizontalis, each of which is perfect for ground cover alongside bonsai: ‘Wiltonii’ which has bright blue leaves, ‘Emerald Spreader’ which is very flat and has emerald green leaves (juvenile) and ‘Bar Harbor’ which has grey green leaves that turn purple-mauve in winter.
Finally, remember that this is great time for planting and establishing new areas in the garden. Moisture levels are generally suitable (although avoid working heavy soils when wet). Relatively warm soils help new plants to settle in and their own growth rates are slow making this a less stressful time for them to be moved. Structure and form are essential in the winter garden when the seasonal stars from the rest of the year are enjoying a well-earned rest.
St Margaret’s Church, Lewknor
IN AID OF CHURCH FUNDS
Do come along
Wallingford handbell ringers are offering everyone the chance to do a spot of festive ringing. This is a short course of five Monday evenings at 7.30pm starting on Monday 14th November at the Bullcroft Recreation room in Wallingford High Street. All are welcome, young and old. No previous experience of music making is required to enjoy ringing carols on handbells.
The first session is free and the cost for the whole course is £20. For more details contact Alan Cooper, 01491 822406, ajc@hrwallingford.co.uk.
As most of you will know, Joy Elkins was taken to the John Radcliffe on Sunday September 18th, the day before her 87th birthday. She has asked us to say that she would like to thank everyone in the village for their kindness and for all the fantastic cards sent to the hospital. She particularly wanted to thank Les for the motorbiking magazine that he sent in for her.
She is improving and hopefully by the time this goes to press she will be back home.
(She is home and we apologise, this should have appeared in the October Grapevine.)