Mon 13th 10.30am 2 Anson Close Carol Singing Mon 20th 7pm Village Hall Crib Service Fri 24th 6pm St Giles' Church Christmas Day Service Sat 25th 10.30am St Giles' Church Pilates Tuesdays 6.30pm Village Hall Mobile Library Thurs 16th Toddler Group Alternate Thursdays 10-11.30am Village Hall
5 8.00 Eucharist Burton Dassett
10.00 Eucharist Fenny Compton
11.15 Morning Service Gaydon (MP)
11.30 Eucharist Farnborough
12 9.00 BCP Eucharist Fenny Compton
10.00 Morning Service Farnborough
11.15 Family Service Gaydon (JD)
10.00 Eucharist Northend
6.00pm Evening Service Burton Dassett
19 8.00 Eucharist Farnborough
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Gaydon (NH)
10.30 Crib Service Fenny Compton
3.30pm Carols by Candlelight Burton Dassett
Christmas Eve
24 6.00pm Crib Service Gaydon (MP)
11.30pm Midnight Mass Burton Dassett
Christmas Day
25 9.00 Eucharist Farnborough
10.30 Family Service Fenny Compton
10.30 Family Eucharist Gaydon (NH)
26 10.30 Group Eucharist Northend
Thank you to all those who took part in this year's Bonfire Night at The Gaydon Inn. We raised £889.69 for Cancer Research UK.
Flooding
The County Council have employed a Flood Risk Manager. Parish Councillors met him at the end of November to highlight Gaydon's flood areas. We are hoping that he will be able to move our flood prevention scheme forward. Still chasing the Banbury Road pipe.
The broken drainage pipe along Warwick Road by Claylands has been finally located and replaced. Severn Trent found a water leak near the Banbury Road lay-by and have fixed it.
Lights
The lights that are out along the Banbury Road have been reported.
The County Council are considering whether to turn street lights off between 1am and 5am to save money. This will affect the lights on the roundabout and along the Banbury Road (opposite the houses).
Litter
The County Council has been monitoring the litter situation in the Banbury Road lay-by and has decided that there is no need for a bin.
Cemetery
The corner near the car park is to be cleared of brambles and the tree offshoots are to be removed. A plain sign will be placed over the gap in the fence to deter people from cutting the wire fence and climbing through it. Weeds along the path and in the car park will be cleared.
Parish Plan
Volunteers for the Steering Group will be contacted shortly.
Community Forum Meeting
2nd December at Ratley Village Hall. See notice board for details.
Police
Mobile speed cameras have been seen in Gaydon. Let's hope it slows the cars down.
Number plates are being stolen. There is a free service whereby you are sent screws to ensure that your number plate is not taken. Call 684355 for free screws for your number plates.
Firework Display
The Heritage Centre is having a firework display on 16th December at 9.45pm for approximately 9 minutes.
Snow Warden
The County Council are looking to launch a network of voluntary snow wardens. Please contact Bryn Patefield:
email brynpatefield@warwickshire.gov.uk for more information.
Our winter gritting routes will remain the same as last year: Banbury Road, Warwick Road, Bishops Itchington Road and Kineton Road. When the grit boxes are empty please tell the County Council.
Parking
Please do not park on grass verges or the village green. Visibility exiting from St Giles Road is very poor when cars are parked on the verge. We will be placing a notice on the village green requesting 'no parking'.
Next Meeting: Thursday 6 January 2011.
The Parish Council would like to thank residents for their support and wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Warwickshire County Council has launched an online web application so that residents can suggest how savings should be made locally.
The YouChoose budget simulator runs until Friday 17 December 2010 and is available through www.warwickshire.gov.uk/budgetsimulator The software allows users to adjust the budget and also shows the direct impact their spending decisions would have on local services, from road maintenance to looking after the vulnerable. The link will also direct you to 'Facing the Challenge', a document which outlines in more detail the scale of the financial challenges ahead and how we plan to achieve the savings required.
The responses we receive will be summarised in a publicly available report which will be given to councillors before they make final budget decisions on 15 February 2011.
Warwickshire is one of around 20 councils across the country to use the YouChoose software which has been made available for free by the Local Government Group and the online polling company YouGov. The budget simulator was first used by Redbridge Council and has gained widespread national recognition.
is approaching its first Christmas and this will be
an exciting time for all those involved with the shop. You are reminded that you can avoid the queues at the supermarkets and order your fresh fruit and vegetables from the shop. Just pop in and ask for a veg box order form.
We are also pleased to announce that you can order your Christmas turkey and other meats from the shop. The shop only sells meat from Becks of Kenilworth which is a traditional butcher's specialising in locally reared products. Price lists are available in the store.
Don't forget we also stock those last minute food essentials; also stamps, cards and wrapping paper.
Our Christmas and New Year opening times will be as follows:
Christmas Eve 24th - 9am - 1pm Christmas Day 25th - Closed Boxing Day 26th - Closed 27th - 9am - 1pm 28th - 9am - 1pm 29th - 9am - 2pm and 4pm - 6pm 30th - 9am - 2pm and 4pm - 6pm New Year's Eve 31st - 9am - 1pm New Year's Day 1st Jan - Closed Sunday 2nd Jan - Closed 3rd Jan - 9am - 1pm
As ever, new volunteers are always welcome and you are asked to support your local shop as much as possible. Remember: this is your shop - use it or lose it! Thanks to all our existing volunteers and to the management committee for their support throughout 2010.
I wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a prosperous 2011! Claire Hamm
Members of the public are advised that a change is planned to the opening hours of the front desk enquiry office at Stratford Police Station in Rother Street.
From 6 December 2010, Stratford front desk enquiry office will be open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.
Outside of these hours, a yellow help point phone is located outside the station for the public to gain assistance, to call 999 in an emergency or to report non-urgent matters.
For advice and assistance on policing issues call 01926 415000.
The " Missing" Milestone
A few months ago, accompanied Clive Dorney from Land Rover, we visited the site of one of the old Iron Milestones that once stood by all the highways around Gaydon Parish.
These forerunners of modern signs are now protected as ancient monuments. Clive has always been keen to help with environmental matters and helped re-establish the Oxslip colonies around the traffic island. We agreed to restore the stone and repaint it. This has now been done, much to the approval of the Milestone society.
Sadly, the legal protection was not so clear in the 1980s. When a villager was tractor-driving on Gaydon Farm, he spotted a person removing our other Milestone from Chadshunt coppice. The police arrived and arrested this person. Ironically, it had recently been repainted and restored by a local scout troop and this is probably the reason it was seen! However, soon afterwards the large Iron Post with historic inscriptions disappeared without trace.
The vigilance of the Parish Clerk led to the discovery of its fate. It had been uprooted and taken by a "collector" for his" museum", a private house in Bromsgrove. It was proudly displayed in an article in the Sunday Times colour supplement. It transpired that a "verbal " permission had been given by the County Engineer and that it was
"on loan".
Needless to say, villagers and the Parish Council were furious as we had not been informed and assumed it had been stolen! It is incredible that the taker is now an officer in the Milestones Society and promised to return it to the village. That was twelve years ago. Surely that is long enough! The historic milestone should be re-instated without further delay, perhaps on the village green, where it can be appreciated by future generations.
I intend to pursue this matter further.
Another even older stone was stolen from the Banbury Road a few years ago and another, further down the road, is in a bad state. The nearest survivor is at Deppers bridge. Watch this space! Bernard Price
The Union Flag on the Village Green was raised on 20 November for the anniversary of the Wedding of HM The Queen.
The Library will visit Gaydon on Thursday 16th December.
Our meeting this month will be on Monday 13th at 10.30am at the home of Mrs Josie Liddington, 2 Anson Close, Wellesbourne.
Warriner Choral Society at St Mary's Church Bloxham on Saturday 11 December at 7.30pm. Interval Refreshments; Tickets £10 (£8 concessions) from 01295 721224 or on the door.
Sunday 5th December in the Village Hall at 12.45 for 1pm. If you would like to come but have not yet received an invitation please contact Liz Thomas on 641144.
Carol-singing in the Village Hall: Monday 20th at 7pm with Mince Pies and Mulled Wine.
Christmas Eve Crib Service at 6pm at Church. The children help to set up the Nativity scene at the altar
as carols are sung. Collection for the Children's Society - please give generously!
Christmas Day: Family Eucharist at 10.30am with Carols.
Visit Father Christmas on 11 & 12 and 18 to 23 December:
Ho Ho Ho! Come and see Father Christmas in his Garage Grotto! Escape from the hustle and bustle of over-crowded shopping centres for a more serene Father Christmas experience.
Enjoy a calm, traditional atmosphere with no frazzled shoppers plus free parking and the Museum's collection of over 200 historic British cars. For that extra special experience why not enjoy a family lunch or afternoon tea with Father Christmas?
Children £6 to see Father Christmas (Museum entry fee applies for all accompanying adults, discounted if pre-booked) and £35 per family for lunch or afternoon tea (includes Museum entrance, party games, visit to Father Christmas and seasonal food).
For more information and to book your Father Christmas visit, see www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk
or call 01926 287728.
The Gaydon Inn, Banbury Road, Gaydon, Warwickshire. CV35 0HA Tel. 640388
Book now for your Christmas Party - Just pop in and ask for a copy of our Menu.
Saturday 18th December - Live Music - Inside Out playing live from 8.30pm.
CHRISTMAS EVE
Once you have wrapped the presents and left out the sherry for Santa why not have a Christmas Eve drink or meal with us! Open as usual with live accoustic music from 8.30pm by 'Stand-in Sam.
CHRISTMAS DAY
This year we're open for Lunch on Christmas Day - - reservation only - so book early to avoid disappointment. We are also open as usual for Christmas Drinks 12-3pm subject to manager''s discretion.
BOXING DAY
Open all day for food and drinks! Live music from 8.30pm by Holly Perkins.
NEW YEAR'S EVE
Come to our house! Cheesy house party with 70's, 80's and 90's Fancy Dress from 7pm till late.
NEW YEAR'S DAY
The Gaydon Inn will be open from 12 noon and food will be served till 8pm!
Conducted by the Reverend Canon Norman Howes at St Giles Church:
Joan Hare
1932-2010
A service of thanksgiving for the life of Joan Hare was held on Monday 1st November. It was followed by a ceremony of committal at Oakley Wood Crematorium. Refreshments were provided at the Malt Shovel.
Wilfrid Hotchkiss
1924-2010
A Memorial Service for Wilfrid Hotchkiss took place on 12th November after a private ceremony at Oakley Wood. Lunch was provided in the village hall for all those attending the service.
A few weeks ago I went to a Harvest Festival service in a half-hidden twelfth century church in Warwickshire. It was one of those sensational autumn days: warm sun, corps de ballet of beech trees flickering in the graveyard, pumpkins and stooks of corn jostling by the font.
No electricity, no heating but dozens of candles, their flames almost blanched in the spears of sun that slanted through the windows.
The visiting preacher - the rarely-used church does not have a vicar of its own - was won in an auction at a fundraising event. He came from Holy Trinity Church in Stratford, where Shakespeare is buried.
'I never imagagined anyone would have a reason to put in a bid for me,' he told us.
But the Lord Lieutenant's wife, who had spent days organising this glorious annual event, had seen her chance of marvellous sermon. Which it was. The vicar spoke movingly of love in simple, powerful language.
From an article by novelist Angela Huth who also writes for a national newspaper.
Great fun was had at the evening of songs and sketches from WW2 that was put on in the village hall by Gaydon Voices on 13 November.
A substantial but economical supper of shepherd's pie was enjoyed in the interval. Many thanks to all the entertainers for a good night out!