Gift Day Saturday 1st 2pm St Giles' Church Over 60s Lunch Sunday 9th 12.45pm Village Hall Carols Weds 19th 6.30pm St Giles' Church Crib Service Mon 24th 6pm St Giles' Church Christmas Day Service Tues 25th 10.30am St Giles' Church Midnight Mass Tues 25th 11.30pm Burton Dassett Pilates Tuesdays 6.30pm Village Hall Mobile Library Thursday 13th
2nd 9.00 Holy Communion BCP Burton Dassett
10.30 Holy Communion Gaydon
10.30 Morning Prayer Fenny Compton
9th 9.00 Holy Communion BCP Farnborough
10.30 Holy Communion Fenny Compton
9.00 Holy Communion Gaydon
10.30 Communion by extension at Northend
6.00pm Evening Service Burton Dassett
16th 9.00 Holy Communion Farnborough
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Gaydon
10.30 Family Service Fenny Compton
6.00pm Songs of Praise Fenny Compton
23rd 9.00 Holy Communion BCP Fenny Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Farnborough
10.30 Prayer and Praise Gaydon
10.30 Morning Prayer Northend
Christmas Eve
24th 6.00pm Crib Service Gaydon
11.30pm Midnight Mass Burton Dassett
Christmas Day
25th 9.00 Communion with Carols Farnborough
9.00 Holy Communion Fenny Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Gaydon
10.30 Carol Service Northend
30th 10.30am Group Communion at Northend
Wednesday 19 December
Meet at the Church at 6.30pm to go carol singing round the village. At 7pm repair to the Village Hall for refreshments and more carols. Please come!
This term has been a very busy one with lots of exciting activities!
We are currently taking part in a project with a school in Gambia. The children in all of the classes are learning about Africa. They have been working on a huge range of activities comparing the lives, culture and environment in Gambia with our own. As part of the project we applied for funding from the British Council to allow teachers from our partner school in Gambia to visit us. They came to stay in November and the children and staff were really excited to receive letters from the Gambian children and ask the teachers lots of questions! Amongst other activities, the children learned to do African dancing, singing and drumming which they performed to parents. We will be continuing the project over the next few months sending letters and sharing work between the two schools and two of our teachers are going to visit Gambia very soon. The project has been a fantastic way for children to learn about life in Africa, compare cultures and develop tolerance. In addition to this, it really made us think about and appreciate some of the wonderful things about our own lives and how lucky we are.
The teachers from Gambia accompanied the children on this term's exciting trips. The first was to London, where the older children went on a boat trip down the River Thames and visited the Tate Modern art gallery. The second was to Warwick castle with the younger children who have been doing a project on knights and medieval times and so were thrilled at the chance to witness first hand all of the things they had been learning about.
May we take this opportunity to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!
Juliette Westwood (Exec. Headteacher) and Michelle Cragg (Associate Headteacher)
Ann Rosemary Caine died on 16 October aged 69. The funeral was conducted by the Reverend M Cadwallader at St Giles' Church on 30th October, followed by burial at Gaydon Cemetery.
In Loving Memory
Chris Wrighton: 26 January 1947-14 October 2012
The funeral of Chris Wrighton was held at St Giles' Church on Friday 2nd November. The committal was at Oakley Wood Crematorium.
The Library will be here on Thursday 13 December. The van will be at the Telephone Box 1.50-2.10pm and St Marks Close 2.15-2.35pm.
Saturday 1st December 2pm - 4pm
CHANGE OF VENUE
Please note that this event will now take place in St Giles' Church, *not* the village hall as previously advertised.
Stalls will include raffle, refreshments, cakes, children's activities, gifts and books.
As in previous years, there will also be a gift tree upon which further financial gifts can be placed to support the work of our local church.
Father Christmas will also be making an appearance!
If you have anything suitable for any of the above stalls please bring it along to the church during Saturday morning from 10.30 onwards.
Please do come and join us during the afternoon for fun and fellowship as well as supporting our church.
There was meeting on Wednesday 21 November at which members of the public were able to make corrections and additions the the draft plan published on the web site. These changes, along with the Comments from Stratford District Council, have been incorporated into the Parish Plan. It can be inspected in the Gaydon Parish Plan section on the village website (www.gaydon.org.uk).
The next step in the process is to have the plan adopted by the Parish Council. JR
The Guide Dogs National Breeding Centre has places available on a number of its tours during December on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and Friday mornings. We will be closed for tours after Friday 21st December 2012 until Wednesday 3rd January 2013 but can still offer places on many tours. If you are an individual, small family, social group or company planning a Christmas outing or team- building get-together, please do consider booking a tour.
As well as learning about the work carried out at the National Breeding Centre - who supply all of the guide dog pups throughout the UK - and seeing pups, you can experience our sensory tunnel and purchase your Christmas gifts and cards. We look forward to welcoming you!
Simply call 0845 3727432 or email nbcvisitors@guidedogs.org.uk
The Committee are planning to renovate the hall Kitchen and Toilets over the coming year. We would like to employ local workmen for the jobs involved. If you can recommend anyone, or would like to quote for the work yourself, please contact the secretary on 640349.
I would like to thank all my friends who sent cards, good wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery after my recent hip operation. Ron Richards
The Union Flag on the Village Green was raised on 20 November to celebrate the Wedding Anniversary of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Caponata, the Sicilian vegetarian Christmas Treat
This is a typical Sicilian dish based on aubergines.
The vegetables are fried and then simmered in a sweet-and-sour sauce. It can be eaten warm as a main dish; or as an accompaniment to meat and poultry; or served cold as a starter.
Serves 6 1 large onion, chopped 3-4 celery stalks, including leaves, chopped 5 tbsp olive oil 1kg (2¼ lb) aubergines, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) dice 1 tbsp salted capers, soaked in water for 10 minutes, then drained 20 green olives, stoned 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 55g (1¾ oz) concentrated tomato paste Salt and pepper
Blanch the onion and celery in lightly salted boiling water for a few minutes, then drain.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the diced aubergine and fry until brown and tender (don't over crowd the pan; you will probably have to cook them in batches). Add the onion, celery and all the remaining ingredients. Stir well, then cover and cook for about 15 minutes, removing the lid of the pan towards the end of cooking. Should the sauce require extra moisture, add a tablespoon or two of water during cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Free Car Parking on Christmas Shopping Nights in Stratford Town Centre car parks will be free from 6pm to midnight on: Thursdays December 6th, 13th and 20th.
NB Not all town centre car parks are owned by the Council, so check; and this does not apply to Bridgefoot and Unicorn Meadow. Contact number: 01789 267575
A non-profit-making community shop Seeks a part-time shop assistant, must be 18 or over Minimum 19 hours per week, between 1pm and 4 or 5 pm £7.50 per hour following successful probationary period This post is suitable for a job share Application packs available from the shop between 9-1 and 4-6.30 or via email: gaydonvillagestore@gmail.com
Closing date 18 January 2013
Migrations under way
A few days ago I noticed a small flock of Jays feeding on the Rose hips that border the allotments. I have never seen that number so close to the village before and I'm sure they are a tiny part of the large migration from Europe caused by the failure of the acorn crop in the forests there.
The better-known migrants, Redwings and Fieldfares, are now a regular feature if you walk the fields around dusk. Large flocks gather to roost after questing for berries in the hedgerows. It's of some concern that these are in short supply on the bushes this season and will not take long to use up. A number of the hardy Pied Wagtails, with their distinctive long tails and loud "snip-snap" calls, have taken up residence in the village too.
The shooting season is in full swing now. As Pheasants stray away from the release pens, some will become "roadkill' whilst questing a main source of grit along the edges of roads; unwary and still tame, they have no traffic sense. Odd Grey Partridges skim quickly over the lower meadows by the church. These are probably, in contrast, true game wild birds (shy and wary) sadly in very small numbers now.
A good time for our local Buzzards, often seen as a large dark shape in a roadside tree watching for anything that may be hit by traffic; though they also often feed around dawn when the highway is empty. Woodcock and snipe have been feeding around the sewage farm: the reeds planted around are good cover for them and only an inquisitive dog will rouse them to flight. Both these species are mystical creatures and their courtship displays or "Roding" is an amazing spectacle in the spring. It is a grim legacy of history that these birds can still be legally shot in season. In my own experience, very few people know how to cook them or wish to eat their tiny bodies, or use their pin feathers for paintbrushes. But the tradition lives on, particularly in France where the "Becasse" is such a delicacy. I would never raise a gun to one now, though in my native Ireland they are more common on
rough shoots.
We have been spared severe frosts so far in Gaydon; even a few blackberries hang on and the Autumn colours are exceptional this year. I favour the bright yellow Field Maple beside flame red Spindle Trees. There are three species of Deer around the village now, I can tell, from the small delicate Muntjak tracks to the large Fallow and Roe deer "Schlots". Although seldom seen, the very muddy conditions show ample evidence of their night time activity. Bernard Price
Vintage 2nd Hand Clothes Sale Saturday 8 December 9.30am-12.30pm - Free Entry Sheldon Bosley Hub, Shipston on Stour Bring-your-own Clothes to Sell with a rail: £20, table provided. 10% to go to SHN Or Purchase SHN's donated Clothes, all good condition or new. More details from Rebecca on01608 674 929.
volunteers would like to wish all their customers A Very Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for the New Year.
Order your Christmas meat provided by Barry the Butcher of Stratford. Have a Christmas Hamper made up with your choice of local produce. Enjoy more-ish mince pies made by Boo of Kineton, available on Saturdays.
As part of our Advent preparations for Christmas across the Dassett
Magna Group of Parishes there will be short said Communion Service at 8.30 a.m. on the following Thursday mornings: 6 December - St Giles, Gaydon; 13 December - St Peter & St Clare, Fenny Compton; 20 December - All Saints, Burton Dassett.
On Sunday 9 December Messy Church will be held in Temple Heredwyke Community Centre at 3.30pm.
Play Area
The Parish Council thanks Ellis Machinery for kindly donating £200 towards the repainting of the roundabout. It is currently in pieces ready for shot-blasting to be followed by re-painting and then the Play Area Working Party will reassemble it.
Cemetery
An ex-resident has cleared the weeds from the path in the cemetery and also from underneath the bench on Pimple Lane. The Parish Council thanks him for his help.
Bridleway
County Footpaths are addressing the issue regarding access to the bridleway along Pimple Lane.
Windfarm (between Bishops Itchington, Gaydon and Knightcote) amended Planning Application No. 12/00330/FUL
An amended application has recently been submitted to Stratford District Council. If you would like to comment then please either write to Neil Hempstead at Stratford District Council or access the District planning website on-line. If you submitted comments to the previous application and you would like those comments to be taken into account on this new amended application you MUST either email or write to the Planning Department stating that you would like them considered on this amended application.
Next Meeting
Thursday, 3rd January at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
The Parish Council wishes all residents a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
NIFTY NIK NAKS GIFT SHOP
FOR ALL YOUR UNUSUAL PRESENTS 1 BANBURY STREET, KINETON, NEXT TO CAFE Open Tues-Fri 9-5 Sat 9-2.30 Closed Sunday and Monday