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Gaydon Parish Magazine March 2006

This Month's Diary

Millennium Group           Weds 1st 8pmVillage Hall
Parish Council             Tues 7th 8pmVillage Hall
Coffee & Market            Sat 11th 11amVillage Hall
Village Hall Committee     Tues 14th 8pm   Village Hall
Friendship Club            Tues 21st 2.30pmWindy Ridge
Men's Group                Thurs 23 7.30pmVillage Hall
Mothering Sunday Service   Sun 26th 11.15amSt Giles' Church
Mobile Library             Thurs 9th & 23rd 

Gaydon Neighbourhood Watch

Gaydon Report

Apart from a theft of a mobile phone from a locker it was a relatively quiet month for Gaydon.

Surrounding Villages

Two burglaries and theft of parts from a Land Rover in Lighthorne Heath; an attempt to remove the entire cash machine from HSBC Kineton; theft from a vehicle in Little Kineton; a burglary and three attempted burglaries in Kineton; a Jeep Cherokee vehicle was stolen from a house in Pillerton Priors: there may be a common thread to a number of these events. Police have requested an immediate 999 phone call from anyone seeing a Black Audi A3 bearing registration plates S13 COJ or V153 LKG.

Police Volunteers

Warwickshire Police are seeking the views of the public about volunteering within the Force and would be grateful if you could share your views by either completing the questionnaire on the Warwickshire Police website at www.warwickshire.police.uk or, if you do not have access to a computer, you can request a form to complete by ringing 01926 415000, extension 5182. Please leave your name and address including your postcode and a form will be sent to you in due course.

Smoke Detectors

All smoke detector batteries should now be replaced. If you need assistance in doing this or you need a free new detector to be installed, please contact your Street Co-ordinator as soon as possible.

Letters to the Editor

Thank you for your informative article about dog fouling. When I'm out with my dog I always worry that people seeing us may be thinking that it's us who leave it behind: on behalf of all the responsible dog owners "It's not us!"

I have often thought about clearing up some of the messes that I see lying around but I too am selfish and think why should I or anybody else have to?

If you have a dog, then please clean up after it - it only takes a couple of minutes and there are plenty of bins around the village. VC

Continuing the saga of the prowling poopers......

I recently cleared half a bucket of dog waste from my premises. The next day I found, thrown under one of the trees in the front garden, a pink striped plastic bag neatly tied at the top, containing more dog waste. Apparently, these people are not only thoughtless of others but vindictive as well. How can we comprehend such behaviour?

GT

Mobile Library

The van will call at Gaydon during March on Thursdays 9th and 23rd.

Friendship Club

On Tuesday 21 March we shall meet at Windy Ridge, Warwick Road, at 2.30pm. A warm welcome awaits anyone who would like to join us. For further details please ring 640549.

Village Hall News

The next meeting of the committee will be held on Tuesday 14 March at 8pm. The rest of the committee are grateful to Anna Perry who has been cleaning the Hall during the absence of our regular cleaner. We hope to be welcoming Heather Lewis back to work this month.

Coffee Morning & Market

The Village Hall will be open on Saturday 11 March at 11am for the sale of cakes and produce. Coffee or tea and biscuits will be available.

At the February market we raised £43 for the Church Fabric Fund. Please help to match or better that!

Enormous sums are going to be required soon for essential repairs to the church - every little helps, as they say......

Parish Council

The Parish Council will meet on Tuesday 7 March at 8pm in the Village Hall.

Gaydon Millennium Group

The Millennium Group was established to organise events for the village and to act as a forum for new ideas about village activities. Its main focus will now be on the Village Fête, and any ideas for events around that or supporting it would be welcome. As previously agreed, donations will be made to the Toddler Group, Barnfield's Garden project, the Churchyard, and Gaydon Village Field.

A working fund is to be retained for the Fête and other related activities.

This group remains a village-wide forum for ideas and activities and the next meeting will take place on Wednesday March 1st in the Village Hall at 8pm.

If you have any thoughts or ideas contact Madeleine Hill on 640636.


*Mothering Sunday*

Just a reminder that it is Mothering Sunday on 26 March so that you can make a note in your diaries to give your Mums a treat that day. There will be a special service at St Giles' Church with bunches of flowers for all mothers.

Flag

The flag was flown in February for the Birthdays of Josiah & Henny Rickman.

The Village Flag Officer is George Hayward at The Old School, Kineton Road, 642963. Please contact him if you would like the flag flown for a special occasion. A donation of at least £1 to the Church Fabric Fund is required in return for this service.

Thanks

The Children's Society would like to thank all of Gaydon's box-holders for their generous donations collected during 2005. A total sum of £234.26 was raised for the society. JG

Parking

The Parish Council would again like to remind people that it is illegal to park on pavements. As well as being illegal, it is inconvenient and dangerous if pedestrians have to walk in the road to avoid a parked car. It is especially difficult for people with pushchairs and wheelchairs to avoid such obstruction of the footways.

Nature Notes

February is traditionally one of the bleakest months of the year: however, clear skies and crisp sunny weather make it an excellent time to view the countryside around Gaydon.

Many species are high profile on the stubble fields. Green Plover frequent our fields, often seen in large flocks with distinctive flapping flight or settled on fields with glosssy green plumage and long crest. Even late at night plaintive "Pee-wit" calls are heard. Barn Owls, Kestrels and Buzzards all seem to prefer dusk-time hunting, when they are less visible to rodents. Rooks are already occupying traditional nesting sites. Pheasants that have survived the shooting season become vocal and search for mates. This is the time when young badgers and foxes disperse to find new dens; often experimental diggings are seen on banks along with Mole hills.

The drifts of snowdrops at Chadshunt are sensational at present and many plant species begin to "poke through"; Bluebells and violets are some of the first. Hazel catkins, heavy with golden pollen, attract early and hardy insect life. Often, these are hibernating queen Wasps starting new colonies or Thorn and Angle shades moths; we may even hear bees on a mild day.

Several Red kites have been seen along Pimple and Watery Lanes and Roe deer are often feeding close to the village around dawn. This is a good time to check nesting boxes - I've noticed Bluetits doing this already. Food and water are still important to our garden birds and once started should continue.

Now I must mention one of my horticultural successes!

Last year I smeared Mistletoe berries into the crevices of an old apple tree (in the manner of a Mistle thrush wiping its bill) and last week I noticed several sprouting shoots. It's not common in this area so I shall persist again this year with a new batch.

I read with interest in last month's magazine about the problems of inconsiderate parking in Church Road.

Let's hope that the Government's new no smoking policy will extend to the far more harmful emissions of the numerous SUVs that arrive here from local businesses with only a single person on board: the policy of lift sharing seems to be ignored by many. Often, it's impossible to park near your own house!

We would all benefit from a more logical approach to car use in the face of the threat of Global Warming.

Bernard Price

Gaydon Church Services for March 2006 AD

1       11.00     Ash Wednesday Eucharist           Gaydon
5       11.15     Matins                            Gaydon
12      11.15     Family Service                    Gaydon
19       9.00     Eucharist                         Gaydon
26      11.15     Mothering Sunday Family Eucharist Gaydon

Weekday Services in Gaydon: There will be a Wednesday Eucharist on 15 March at 11am.

St Giles Gaydon Men's Group

A supper and talk has been organised for the men of the parish and any guests on Thursday 23 March at 7.30pm

in the Village Hall.

Our guest speaker is Mr David Hunter Clerk of the Course at Fakenham Races Chef d'Equipe of the British Paralympic dressage team and a trustee of Retraining of Racehorses. Mr Hunter's talk will include all these aspects of his work.

Supper to include: Bangers and Mash, wine and Apple Pud. Cost £4.00. RSVP the Vicar on 01295 770400

or philip.francis@regents.ox.ac.uk to help with numbers for catering purposes.

Please bring your own knife, fork, spoon, plate and bowl.

Bishop's Visit

The Bishop of Coventry will be visiting the Fosse Deanery on the evening of Sunday 12 March. He and the Bishop of Warwick will be at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford upon Avon between 6 and 9pm to expound their vision for the work of the church in the Coventry diocese. All are welcome to attend.

The Vicar's Letter

Over the last couple of years the Diocese has been asking parishes to think about new patterns of ministry with a view to reducing clergy numbers and joining parishes together. We have addressed this issue in Gaydon over the last year with a process of consultation and the development of a Parish Strategy.

With the announcement of the retirement of two colleagues, who will not be replaced, the situation we have planned for in the future has been brought nearer.

Canon Christopher Lamb, at Warmington, Shotteswell, Radway and Ratley, will retire in October of this year; and The Revd David Pym, of Fenny Compton and Avon Dassett and Farnborough, will retire in March 2007.

It is probable that I shall take pastoral charge of the Fenny Compton, Avon Dassett and Farnborough parishes and with this in mind we had a joint meeting of the four Parochial Church Councils at the end of February. Given a number of possible amalgamation options, this proposal is the one which both my parishes and David's prefer and which I believe would be the best pastorally.

I am positive about the proposal and keen to see it work, even though it will mean a larger area of ministry and both a change of ministry and a change in the style or pattern of ministry. Please pray for all involved in the process of change and please continue to support your local church as we rise to meet various challenges in the future.

More information about the changes in ministry will be given at the open Parish Meeting in the Village Hall on

Thursday May 4th.

Transform your Garden with a Compost Bin

Spring is a great time to start composting at home. As you clear up the garden ready for the sunnier weather, you will undoubtedly have lots of things that can be composted.

Warwickshire County Council and WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme) are still supplying home compost bins at sub-sidised prices. Starting from £6, including delivery, they certainly are a good deal.

If you would like to order a compost bin please call the orderline:

0845 073 2001. The offer is limited to 3 bins per address.

There are two models of bin available, the Compost Converter 330 litres - £6 and the Soil Saver 600 litres - £15.

Delivery is free!

Penny Holmes is the Home Composting Advisor for Warwickshire and Coventry. She is working closely with Warwickshire County Council, and is available to attend events, give talks or help schools with composting.

If you have an event you would like her to attend, please call her on 07985 953184. Local residents can also call 0845 600 0323 or visit www.recyclenow.com/compost

Don't Hide, Go out for a Ride!

Back and 4th Transport

We offer transport to the elderly, disabled, rurally isolated and those unable to afford normal commercial transport. We have three fully accessible minibuses driven by volunteers and our charges are very reasonable:

£3 per hour plus mileage at 42p per mile for individuals, or £6 per hour plus mileage at 42p per mile for groups.

There is an annual charge of £2.50 to register and bookings are subject to driver availability. Call Back and 4th Transport today on 01789 471595!

Volunteer Drivers Urgently Needed

Do you have any spare time and enjoy driving?

We have two sixteen-seater and one seven-seater minibuses and we provide full training under the Minibus Driver Awareness Scheme.

Do you enjoy working with people of all ages?

Our customers need help getting to medical appointments, social and educational activities.

If you are aged between 25 and 70 and would like to join a team of volunteers providing accessible transport for those who need it most, please contact Ariadne Uslu at Back and 4th Transport 01789 471595