A very eventful month around Gaydon!
Perhaps the most exciting event was the appearance of Wild Boar. They were first seen by a local farmer and followed up by sightings by several villagers who were out dog-walking or using the Kineton Road which was closed to traffic at the time. Two have also been seen on the Army Camp.
There are no local escapees reported but this animal used to be endemic to Britain until it was hunted or bred out (mating with domestic pigs which were by tradition turned loose as "Pannage", a mediaeval practice, to feed on fallen acorns). They are, of course,still common in continental Europe though they are seldom seen and tend to be nocturnal.
Some years ago, I used to go to a friend's place in rural Poland and took part in a few hunts, as they are an agricultural pest with a particular liking for Sugar beet and Maize. In small numbers they do little harm and they are now established in some parts of Britain. The road signs warning of the Sanglier... seen on French highways may not be needed yet!
The warm June winds have brought some early continental migrants, the pink Valerian attracting some humming-bird hawk moths and also some Painted Lady butterflies; and a Hobby falcon chasing the Swifts around the village.
Orchids are flowering now in some wild areas like the grassland near the graveyard but they are not so common this season. There are also fewer house Martins and Swallows. The rippling song of Goldfinches is heard all round the village and young rabbits are on almost every field verge. You can often see the odd stoat and weasel too, crossing the roads, a dart of pencil-shaped red fur!
Some interesting species are establishing themselves in the church-yard which has a great variety of old fashioned grasses...Fox tail, Cocksfoot, Yorkshire Fog and Sweet Vernal. Most notable, the Salad Burnet, Corn Cockle and Greater Hawksbeard. A green woodpecker is often seen there pecking for ants around the graves! With its mown paths it is developing into a nature reserve in the heart of the village. Bernard Price
The Parish Council asks villagers whose gardens abut onto paths and footways to keep plants and bushes cut back to allow at least 2'6" for passers-by to walk on. Please consider the difficulties of pram pushers and wheelchair users and people holding hands with small children.
Parish Council Tues 4th 8pm Village Hall Fete Sat 8th 2pm Village Field Village Hall Committee Tues 11th 8pm Village Hall Garage Sale Sat 15th 10am Windy Ridge Meal at the Malt Sat 15th 7.30pm Malt Shovel Inn Mobile Library Thurs 7th & 21st Toddler Group Thursdays 10-11.30am Village Hall
The van will call at Gaydon during July on Thursdays 7th and 21st.
There will be no Saturday Market in July as all our energies will be directed towards helping with the Fete. We hope to meet again in September and meanwhile express our thanks to our regular supporters for all their help.
The flag was raised in June for the 3rd birthday of Gemma Hotchkiss. There are no official dates in July.
The Toddler Group meets every Thursday in Gaydon Village Hall from 10am to 11.30am and anyone looking after a baby or toddler is very welcome to join in. We shall continue to meet throughout the school holidays i.e. from mid-July till the end of August, so don't forget to come along and enjoy the fun! Anna Perry
Over the next month we should be seeing temporary repairs being made to the roundabout, graffiti being removed from all of the road signs around Gaydon (both on the front and back of the signs), replacement reflector posts along Pimple Lane and the water leak in Kineton Road (outside Cherry Trees) being repaired.
The Parish Council are actively working with the District and County Councils on a number of projects: reducing speeding along the Kineton Road, improving visibility when crossing the Kineton Road by the roundabout, reducing the risk of flooding along the Banbury Road and arranging for BIFFA lorries not to drive along the narrow part of Church Lane, to name just a few.
Our next meeting is on Tuesday, 4th July at 8pm in the Village Hall. All villagers are welcome to come along.
A meeting will be held in July but owing to holiday commitments, date and venue are not yet known.
The next meeting of the Village Hall Committee will take place on Tuesday 11 July at 8pm in the Village Hall.
The recent survey carried out by Warwickshire Rural Housing Association in partnership with Warwickshire Rural Community Council sent out approximately 170 survey forms and received 36 of these in return. This is a response rate of 21%, and the 36 replies represent 87 inhabitants in total.
The purpose of the survey was to identify whether there is any housing need in Gaydon. Of the survey replies, only one identified a specific housing need for that household. The rest of the replies were from people who would be considered adequately housed and who have no identified need for alternative accommodation within the next five years. The report also takes into account needs identified in the housing waiting list managed by Stratford District Council, which identifies the need for a further 7 properties for rent.
The survey also covered people's thoughts on village facilities or lack of them, and their views on housing development in general. The full results can be viewed in the Parish Office on Saturday morning between 10.00 and 11.00, or by arrangement with a Parish Councillor.
The Parish Council is urgently seeking to appoint a Flag Officer and would like to hear from anyone who feels able
to help.
The flagstaff was erected in 1977 to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The funds were raised by public donation and on June 2nd 1977 the flagstaff was formally handed over to the Parish Council.
Since then the Union Flag and, on occasion, the Cross of St George, has been flown on all official dates in accordance with the Rules for Hoisting flags on Government and Other Public Buildings, amounting to some fifteen times a year.
In 1989, with the agreement of the Parish Council, a scheme was started to raise the flag, for a small donation, for villagers' private celebrations. To date, close on £2000 has been collected for St Giles' Church Fabric Fund.
Flags are normally flown from 8am to sunset but it is recognised that some leeway must be given to allow for work and personal commit-ments on the part of the person appointed.
The Parish Council is anxious that the tradition of 30 years is preserved by continuing to raise the flag on official dates; but it would be up to the Council and the Flag Officer to decide whether to continue the local scheme and to decide which village charity should receive the proceeds.
If you are interested, please contact Jonathan Crowe, Parish Council Chairman, telephone 640636.
Borrowdale Tea Bread Ingredients 275ml (½pt) hot tea 125g (4oz) raisins 225g (8oz) muscovado sugar 2 eggs 450g (1lb) wholemeal flour
Method
Pour the hot tea over the fruit and leave overnight.
The next day, beat sugar and eggs together then add flour.
Add soaked fruit, along with any tea that has not been absorbed.
Pour the mixture into two greased and floured 450g (1lb) loaf tins and bake for 45 minutes at gas mark 4/180°C/350°F.
Allow to cool on a rack and serve sliced and spread with butter.
Meal at the Malt on Saturday 15 July 2006
menu Roasted Summer Vegetable Soup ****** Pan-fried Scallops with Rocket and Parmesan ***** Magret of Duck with Pancetta and Sauteed Potatoes served with Salad ***** Selection of cheeses ***** Strawberry Crunch Cream
£18 per person by reservation only; £8 deposit per person required to secure your place Richard and Debi Morisot 01926 641221 malt.shovel@btconnect.com
The results of this survey will be factored into the ongoing Parish Plan process. This has ground to a bit of a halt but it will be revived now and fuller questionnaires on all aspects of Gaydon life will be circulated. If anyone is interested in helping out please contact Jonathan Crowe in 640394.
We are still gathering donations to help us to buy this village amenity and looking into the possibilities of grants or funding. If you would like more information or would like to make suggestions or a donation please contact Jonathan Crowe on 640394.
St Giles' Church Services for July AD MMVI
2
11.15 Joint Eucharist Burton Dassett followed by a picnic lunch
9
10.00 Eucharist Northend
11.15 Family Service Gaydon
6.00 Evening Prayer Northend
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9.00 Eucharist Gaydon
10.30 Village Service Northend
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10.00 Eucharist Gaydon
30 11.00 Communion Knightcote
6.00 Evensong Gaydon
The Eucharist will be celebrated at St Giles' on Wednesday 19th at 11am
God be in my head and in my understanding; God be in mine eyes, and in my looking; God be in my mouth, and in my speaking; God be in my heart, and in my thinking; God be at mine end, and at my departing.
Pynson's Horae, 1514
As we move into a situation of pastoral reorganisation, it seems to me that the more we can do together and the better we can get to know each other, the easier and smoother the process will be.
With this in mind, one service for the parishes will be held on Sunday July 2 at Burton Dassett at 11.15 am. A group of singers is preparing to lead the music and introduce a new setting for the Gloria. People are also encouraged to bring a picnic lunch with them and have a picnic around the church, following some coffee after the Eucharist.
The idea behind the service is to worship together and get to know each other better and with a critical mass of people, do something together which it would be harder to do in our individual congregations. Rather than rushing from one service to the next, I look forward to having the opportunity to stop and chat with people at the July 2nd service.
Please remember to offer a lift to someone without transport and bring a friend or a relative to the service!