APCM Weds 2nd 7.30pm St Giles' Church
Parish Assembly & AM Thurs 8th 8pm Village Hall
Coffee Morning Sat 12th 11am Village Hall
Easter Day Service Sunday 20th 9am St Giles' Church
Friendship Club Tues 22nd 2.30pm 2 Anson Close
Pilates Tuesdays 6.30pm Village Hall
GAYDON CALENDAR
BIG LUNCH 20 JULY VILLAGE HALL
CHURCH CHRISTMAS FAIR 29 NOVEMBER VILLAGE HALL
CHRISTMAS LUNCH 7 DECEMBER VILLAGE HALL
Sunday 6th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Burton Dassett
10.30 Morning Prayer Fenny Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Gaydon
6.00pm Evensong Farnborough
Sunday 13th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Farnborough
9.00 Holy Communion Gaydon
10.30 Holy Communion Fenny Compton
10.30 Communion by extension at Northend
6.00pm Evening Service Burton Dassett
Holy Week
Monday 14th 7.30pm Evening Prayer Gaydon
Tuesday 15th 7.30pm Holy Communion Farnborough
Wednesday 16th 7.30pm Evening Prayer Gaydon
Maundy Thursday 7.30pm Passover Service Northend
Good Friday 6.00pm Quiet Service Fenny Compton
Holy Saturday 7.00pm Vigil at Burton Dassett
Easter Day
8.00 Holy Communion BCP Burton Dassett
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Gaydon
9.00 Holy Communion Farnborough
10.30 Family Service Northend
10.30 Holy Communion Fenny Compton
Sunday 27th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Fenny Compton
10.30 Family Service Farnborough
10.30 Prayer and Praise Gaydon
10.30 Morning Prayer Northend
Stratford Focused Consultation Housing
Requirement and Strategic Site Options
At our last meeting concerns were expressed that if question 3 was not completed listing 5 options, then it would be discarded by the District Council. This is not the case. The District Council have confirmed that all forms will be taken into account.
New Dual Carriageway
At the County Council Regulatory Committee it was agreed that the lighting scheme on this road would be turned off at 12 midnight. The County Council has been instructed to liaise with the Parish Council regarding the lighting scheme.
The District Enforcement Officer is looking at whether the hedging which has been removed for the dual carriageway is the same amount as specified on the planning application.
The County Ecology Officer has confirmed that the pond, which has recently been unearthed, does not contain any protected wildlife.
Access to Church Clock
A ladder was donated to the Parish Council by Mr Andy Corner to be erected in the Church tower to allow the clock to be serviced safely. We would like to thank Mr Corner for this.
Banbury Road lay-by
Following complaints from residents the Parish Council asked County Highways if they could conduct a safety audit on the lay-by. They have said that they do not think this is appropriate. The Highways Maintenance Officer has said that the lay-by is not suitable for HGVs. This officer has been tasked with finding a cost-effective way of resolving this issue.
Street Lights
The County Lighting Maintenance Team has said that the light outside Last Cottage on the Banbury Road can not be repaired. The Clerk will be asking other clerks if they have been able to find a company that fixes these types of lights.
Village Green
Councillors are meeting Western Power to discuss the work that is needed on the Village Green.
Next Meeting
Thursday, 8th May 2014, at 8pm in the Village Hall. This will start with the Parish Assembly and continue with the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.
Come and try our Friday Night Supper Club at The Malt Shovel
Menu Aubergine stuffed with tomatoes, pine kernels and garlic topped with Grilled Goats Cheese or Fresh and Smoked Salmon Terrine with Chives xxxxxx Braised, spiced Moroccan Lamb Shank with dates, cumin and coriander served on Fragrant Couscous or Pan-Fried Cod with minted Broad Beans served with New Potatoes xxxxxx Hazelnut and Chocolate Daquoise served with Cream or Ice Cream or Selection of English Cheese and Biscuits 3 courses for £20 or 2 courses for £15 Bookings now being taken for our first evening on Friday 25th April Reservations only: email: malt.shovel@btconnect.com phone : 01926 641221 Dates for your Diary Friday 27th June, Friday 29th August, Friday 31st October
Make your own butter for Easter!
Ingredients: 1.2 litres double cream, salt
Makes 600g butter
Blend the cream and salt in a food processor until it thickens and separates into butter and buttermilk. Strain.
Place the lumps of butter in a colander and, under cold running water, gently squeeze and knead until the liquid runs clear. This prevents the butter from going rancid.
Using your butter pats, shape the butter into 2 or 3 blocks. Wrap them in greaseproof paper and chill. Alternatively, the butter can be pressed into ramekins. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Messy Church will be at Fenny Compton on Sunday 13 April at 3.30pm in the village hall and on Sunday 27th at Temple Herdewyke. Contact Lesley on 01295 771177 for more information.
March
Such mild weather of the past few weeks is a startling contrast to last year. It seems we may enjoy an early Spring and hope that there will be no unexpected cold snap. It was gratifying to hear the hum of bees on the early blossoms of Blackthorn and Lonicera; and see bright Yellow male Brimstone butterflies, always the first to emerge from hibernation, pursue the whitish Green females. It is a high speed courtship! Violets and yellow Coltsfoot seem to attract them; later, eggs will be laid on their food plant, the red-stemmed Alder buckthorn found in many local hedgerows.
Rooks carry unbalanced branches to repair their old structures, whilst Collared Doves and Woodpigeons are collecting twigs from my lawn. The large Bumble Bees, so important as pollinators, collect bright orange pollen on their legs, gathered from Crocuses. I even found an early emerging Queen in the centre of one of my Tree ferns. Queens will now be able to found new colonies, so are very important as the sole survivors from last year. Rabbits are still uncommon at present, with the exception of the environs of the Motor Museum site. Listen out for the call of Tawny Owls and Barn Owls around the village should the wind from the M40 be in the right direction!
In spite of austerity plus cuts, we are still to have an illuminated road from Bishops Itchington when the new junction is completed for so-called "safety" reasons. We live with light pollution on all sides now for little reason. It's great that the finance-motivated planners have at last realised that Lighthorne Rough is an important reserve and that Chesterton is an ancient woodland: hence, no hideous "Country Park".
I hope that the plan for housing in the heavily polluted noisy area next to the motorway will be thrown out, thanks to the help of "Forse"
(The local community Action group), though their perception that Otters and Goshawks inhabit this area is perhaps optimistic though well-intentioned! Rare butterflies, amphibians and plants do exist, however, and would be under threat.
Our garden birds have had a good winter but it's important to keep feeders topped up as they will probably be nesting soon. The clear blue skies often encourage Buzzards to soar over the village, their discordant calls often heard before you see them, mere dots, very high up on the thermals. One has a regular tree on the Kineton Road, often shared with a Kestrel. A hundred years ago, that hedge was popular with local boys for "Batfowling", an archaic pastime of beating hedges and netting birds, as mentioned by Mr Lovesey in 'A Postman's Tale', written many years ago when he lived at 'The Nest' in Church Road. Bernard Price
The Library will not be coming to Gaydon in April owing to the Easter Monday bank holiday. Its next visit will be on 12 May from 1.30-2pm. The van now calls at the Telephone Box only, no longer visiting St Marks Close.
The date of the next meeting is Tuesday 22 April. It will be held at Mrs Josie Liddington's house at 2 Anson Close, Wellesbourne.
Saturday 12 April at 11am in the Village Hall. Contributions of cakes, produce and bric-à-brac are welcome
and there will be a raffle. Please come along! Proceeds go to St Giles' Fabric Fund.
The village shop to be closed Sunday 27 and Monday 28 April
We apologise to customers for any inconvenience that the forthcoming closure will cause. We need to carry out cleaning, decorating and reflooring of the shop and closing for two days was the most efficient way to do the work.
For those of you who order newspapers, they will still be available for you to collect from the box outside the shop.
We look forward to resuming normal service on Tuesday 29th with our new look shop.
If anyone would like to volunteer some time to help over the weekend please leave a message at the shop for one of the committee. SR
Wednesday 2nd April at 7.30pm
Are you on the Church Electoral Roll?
If so, you should be aware that you are entitled to elect churchwardens and other officers serving on the Parochial Church Council for the coming year at St Giles'. The meeting will be held in the church.
Hourly Rate
At the March meeting the committee discussed charges for hiring the hall. It was decided to increase the hourly rate for villagers from £5.50 per hour to £6 and from £11.50 to £12 for outsiders. These changes will take effect on 1 January 2015. Hire of tables and chairs will remain at £1 and 50p respectively.
Decorating the Hall
The committee cannot allow hirers to stick or pin anything to the walls of the hall. The wooden walls of the hall are now very brittle with age and are easily damaged if pins, sellotape, staples, blutack and so on are used to fix things to them. The painted surface is also spoilt - blutack is particularly bad.
Hooks and bamboo poles have been provided for displaying banners and decorations. Please ask a member of the village hall committee for help if you have any problem using these.
Thank you for your co-operation in trying to preserve our historic hall.
Debbie Price, Eirwen Hughes, Sue Middleditch, Julie and John Rickman.
Hospice at Home
Spring Run, Jog or Walk 6 miles on Sunday April 6th at 10am in the wonderful grounds of Walton Hall, Wellesbourne.
£5 per adult and £3 per child; dogs welcome on leads! Hot dogs at the finish line. Bring a team!
To book your place call Gilda 01789 740083 or 07970 177951 or Rebecca 01608 674929 or just come along on the day.
Meet Pru Leith, Famous Cookery Writer on Saturday April 12th 10am. Marmalade-making competition, with talk and coffee. Entry £5.
Whichford's Marmalade Festival, St Michael's Church, Whichford.
Contact Julia 01608 684019 or Sophia 01608 684369 for more details.
Call My Wine Bluff
An evening with the BBC & QVC on Saturday April 26th at 7.30pm. At Sheldon Bosley Hub: Entrance Fee £15; Raffle; 5-lot Auction. Bring your own picnic, bar available.
For more details and booking form contact winebluff@hotmail.co.uk Call Rebecca 01608 674929 if any queries.
Sunday 29th June
There will be a group communion service at All Saints' Church, Burton Dassett, at 10.30am. The Archdeacon Pastor, The Venerable John Green, will preside and preach at this service. He will celebrate and give thanks for the provision of our new nave roof covering, along with the ongoing witness of All Saints' across many centuries, and many more - we hope and pray - to come.
Work on the roof commences on the 1st April and is due to be completed on the 17th June: a tight schedule but if all goes well we should be finished in time for the service!
Sunday 13th July
Warmington Heritage Society has once again asked us if we would like to take part in their exhibition which is taking place at the Herb Centre.
We had a display there on behalf of All Saints' Church last year when the interest was very encouraging and so we have accepted their offer for this year. Just another way of spreading the word!
Pauline Carr, Burton Dassett Restoration Committee
There has been no flooding in the village so far in 2014. Further work will be considered after Easter now that the land is drying out. JR
Yet another number plate has been stolen over the last month, so do remain vigilant. If you have any information, contact Martin Sanford PCSO 6060 Wellesbourne Safer Neighbourhood Team at Stratford on Avon Police Station, Rother Street, CV37 6RD Tel 01789 444600.