This month's diary
Parish Council Tues 6th 8pm Village Hall Village Hall Committee Mon 12th 8pm Village Hall Friendship Club Tues 20th 2.30pm Quiz Night Weds 28th 7.30pm Malt Shovel Men's Group Thurs 29th 7pm Village Hall Pilates Tuesdays 8pm Village Hall Toddler Group Thursdays10-11.30am Village Hall Mobile Library Thursday 15th
We have experienced a lot of damp, rather mild weather in December, though frosts have returned in the last few days. The leaden skies were in stark contrast to the most recent birds to arrive from Scandanavia this week: I am referring to the large flock of Waxwings stripping berries from local gardens at present.
The bright, almost tropical, colours of these small starling-sized birds is quite distinctive; their wings seem to have been painted in red, yellow and white stripes. They are quite noisy and have a crest which is well-defined when they settle. I saw another flock on a traffic island on the M40 so I imagine we are being invaded in some numbers! These birds are from the boreal forests near the arctic circle.
Large flocks of Goldfinches and Siskins are also roosting in hedges in some local fields and appear on nut feeders in the garden in smaller numbers. This is a good time to see mammals who tend to be more conspicuous on the open fields; Roe deer and the odd fox often appear around Watery Lane. Several Woodcock and Snipe have found refuge in the village sewage unit which has dense reeds and standing water which does not freeze. They are shy waders and are rather scarce these days.
Numerous Pheasants seem to be living in the village. I see them sometimes in my garden and hear them roosting in several places nearby. Although they were reared in some woodland pen and were intended to be shot, they seem to enjoy the protection of houses and fences and if left to their own devices they will breed in the wild; but they are poor parents and often forget about their nest sites. Male birds also become very territorial and are often infertile.
Badger activity round the cemetery again with a lot of digging around the old set. I wish all readers a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Bernard Price
We are delighted to report that Sammy the little lost dog was found safe and well after several cold nights away from home. Heather is very grateful to everyone who helped with the search.
Parish Council News
Flood Defence Plan
The Parish Council has been out three times in recent months when we have experienced heavy rain - checking the drains and clearing debris from the gullies - particularly above the roundabout on the B4100 and down the Kineton Road; at the junction with Pimple Lane and the B4100, and down the B4100 Banbury Road. We have also met villagers on all three occasions doing the same thing. It is extraordinary what a difference it makes to the drainage if someone spends half an hour keeping leaves and other debris out of the drain covers. Please be aware of this in times of heavy rain. If you have the time to put on a waterproof and carry a stout stick and yard broom - you can help as well. This is not the only solution - we are still pursuing more permanent flood defences - but it can help at crucial times to keep the water running down the drains, not down the road.
The Parish Council is to meet Highways in January.
Highways
We have asked Highways to arrange for repairs to be carried out on the Banbury Road lay-by.
Refuse and Recycling Service
31st December will be collected 2nd January; 7th January will be collected 8th January. Full list on Village Hall noticeboard.
Next Meeting
Tuesday, 6th January 2009 at 8pm in the Village Hall. Happy New Year to you all!
The Mobile Library will visit Gaydon on Thursday 15 January 2009.
The Editor would like to thank everyone who helps with producing this magazine: the editorial team; the Parish Council; the technician; the collators and staplers; the distributors; the advertisers; and, not least, the contributors.
Keep up the good work! A very happy New Year to you all!
4 8.00 Eucharist Burton Dassett
10.00 Family Eucharist Fenny Compton
11.15 Morning Service Gaydon
11.30 Eucharist Farnborough
11 9.00 Eucharist Fenny Compton
10.00 Morning Service Farnborough
10.00 Eucharist Northend
11.15 Growing Together Gaydon
6.00pm Evening Prayer Northend
18 8.00 Eucharist Farnborough
9.00 Eucharist Gaydon
10.30 Morning Service Fenny Compton
10.30 Eucharist Northend
25 9.30 Eucharist Northend
10.30 Family Service Fenny Compton
11.30 Family Eucharist Gaydon
The next meeting of the Gaydon Men's Group will take place on Thursday 29th January at 7pm for 7.30pm. The speaker will be Mr Toby Vintcent who will discuss The Landscape of Politics.
The evening includes supper of sausages, mash and onion sauce followed by apfelstrudel with custard. Those attending are asked to make a donation towards costs of £6.
If you wish to come please contact Rev Philip Francis 01295 770400 or John Goldsmith 01926 642571.
Further talks are planned for 19 February and 26 March.
The new year meeting will be held on Tuesday 20 January at 2.30pm. Members will be contacted when a venue has been decided upon.
Fundraising continues and there is a Quiz Night to be held at the Malt Shovel on Wednesday 28th January at 7.30pm. Tickets are £15 each and the price includes a two course meal. The quiz itself will start at 8.30pm.
Tickets are available from behind the bar at the Malt Shovel and you are advised to book them early as there is a limited number available.
Shares for the shop are selling well: please contact me if you would like to purchase a share for £10 and own a part of the village shop. Thank you to all those who have helped with the project in 2008 and here's
to 2009, the year in which our village store will open for everyone!
Claire Hamm 647854 or claire.hamm@btconnect.com
For over forty years a band of helpers has provided a Christmas lunch for the Over-60s. Liz Thomas and her team continued the tradition on Sunday 7th December when about thirty-five of us enjoyed their hospitality in the Village Hall. We sat down to a lunch of roast turkey, trifle and mince pies, all accompanied by excellent wine. It was a very happy occasion and we appreciate the hard work that made it such a success. Thank you all very much! RD
The village of Gaydon used to be supplied with water from its own spring which was in the field called Little Busson Hill. This is the field behind the houses on the north side of Kineton Road and all that remains is a concrete well.
The water was distributed around the village with taps at various places: one was in front of the bakehouse which stood in what is now the garden of Laurel Bank; the next one was outside Church View; the next was in the garden of Corner Cottage (in those days the back of Jack Page's shed); the next outlet was a well in front of No. 2 Council Houses, where there was a hand-pump to get it out - it was not unknown for other things such as newts to drop into the bucket as well as water! The next tap was in what was then Fred Boffin's lawn, now Hill View; it was three steps down in the ground and covered by a trap door when not in use.
For supplying this water, the owner of Little Busson Hill spring was paid £1per year by Southam District Council. Manor Farm had its own system which consisted of a pump in a small shed in the paddock at the bottom of Busson Hill; this pumped the water from the spring to a brick tank at the top of the hill, on land behind Windy Ridge, where it still remains. It used to supply the dairy at Manor Farm. WF Liddington (formerly of Windy Ridge)