This Month's Diary
Parish Council Meeting Thurs 8th 8pm Village Hall Burns' Night Dinner Sat 24th 7pm Village Hall Library Monday 9th Telephone Box Pilates Tuesdays 6.30pm Village Hall GAYDON CALENDAR BURNS' NIGHT SAT 24th JAN VILLAGE HALL VILLAGE BARBECUE SAT 7th JUNE VENUE TBA BIG LUNCH SUN 19th JULY VILLAGE HALL
I am very honoured to be co-opted as a Parish Councillor for our village following the resignation of Mary Fox. My appointment is expected to last until May when it becomes open to election.
I moved to our house on the Kineton Road in March 2002 with my wifeTracey and we have been lucky enough to have a beautiful daughter. I was later appointed head teacher of the primary school in Napton. I am a member of Kineton Art Group, play the guitar at St Francis Church in Kineton and have recently assisted Gaydon Parish Council with its response to the proposed new town development in our area.
The proposals rekindled my passion for geography (as studied in Plymouth), town planning and architecture and inspired me to see how this is handled by our Parish Council. My love of geography has taken me to Venezuela
and Dubai and with these experiences and interests, I do hope that I will be able to bring a fresh perspective and positive contribution to local affairs. Gaydon is special: I will make every effort to ensure that Gaydon has a voice in these times of change and challenge.
Sunday 4th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Burton Dassett
10.30 Morning Prayer Fenny Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Gaydon
6.00pm Evensong Farnborough
Sunday 11th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Farnborough
9.00 Holy Communion Gaydon
10.30 Holy Communion Fenny Compton
10.30 Communion by ext. Northend
6.00pm Evening Prayer Burton Dassett
Sunday 18th
9.00 Holy Communion Farnborough
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Gaydon
10.30 Morning Worship Fenny Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Northend
6.00pm Songs of Praise Gaydon
Sunday 25th
9.00 Holy Communion Fenny Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Farnborough
10.30 Prayer and Praise Gaydon
10.30 Morning Prayer Northend
Messy Church will take place at Fenny Compton Village Hall on Sunday 11 January at 3.30pm; and at Temple Herdewyke community centre on Sunday 25th at 3.30pm. Contact Lesley on 01295 771171 for details.
December 2014
Although we have experienced a few cold nights, the weather continues to be fairly mild around Gaydon. I tend to judge this by the Bluebottles who continue to sun themselves on my back door and the swarms of Midges that appear in woodland clearings. The winter insects often go unobserved; but they have adapted to the cold conditions whilst most of their genus are hibernating as larvae or adults.
Old-fashioned orchard keepers were well aware of the Winter Moth, a frail Geometrid that you may catch in the car headlights as it flutters along the verges. The"Sticky bands" around the trunks of trees were placed to prevent the wingless females from climbing up to the trees branches to lay her eggs. Only the Males can fly and will often carry the female over this obstacle! The red-tinged Early Thorn moth will often come to light even on frosty nights.
Owls can be heard around the village when the M40 is quiet. They have had a good year owing to plagues of Mice which may still be raiding our larders and feed sacks. We have three species of owl and two of them like to start nesting in early January; hence, the calls of Barn and Tawny Owls are a feature of winter nights. The spine-tingling screams of Foxes, much misused by television sound effect engineers, are in fact only heard in winter. I saw a couple of immaculate country foxes whilst out shooting: these opportunist hunters probably do more good than harm, by putting paid to many rats and squirrels. They are glossy, sleek creatures compared to their urban compatriots! Although they will always kill your hens and tame rabbits, a rat or wild rabbit are the easier option.
Deer also gather in small herds at this time of year. There are probably more in Britain now than in medieval times and around the local area are numerous well-defined tracks along field edges. The larger Fallow and Roe Deer will only appear at night or around dawn, so are seldom seen.
If you want to see one of my favourite birds, just put a feeder of black Niger seed in your garden and you will be rewarded by flocks of Goldfinches whose exotic colours match any tropical bird.,,They seem to have adopted our village in large groups and their tinkling song is an added bonus. If things get colder, expect a return of the equally colourful Waxwings!
The seasonal old Turkey skeleton is great for the bird table; or if left in a remote field it will be much appreciated by Buzzards - if a passing Fox does not crunch it first! I wish all our readers a great New Year. Bernard Price
We say a fond goodbye to Beryl and Paul Barnett who have lived at the top of New Road - as we used to call Kineton Road in those days - since 1979. Fortunately, they have only moved to Butlers Marston and so we hope to keep in touch from time to time. Good luck in your New Home, Paul and Beryl!
We are delighted to announce the birth of yet another grandchild for John and Julie Rickman. Bella was born in Warwick Hospital on Friday 19 December to Jemma (née Rickman) and Jon Roud who live in Leamington. All doing well!
The Library will visit Gaydon on Monday 19 January from 1.30pm-2pm at the Telephone Box.
The Over Sixties' Christmas Lunch, held in the Village Hall on Sunday 7 December, was very much enjoyed by all who attended. Grateful thanks to Julie's magnificent team of helpers who cooked and served the meal. It was good to see old friends, especially Lady Dunne who always makes the time to come along and help.
New Charges
The new charges for the hire of the hall come into effect on 1st January 2015. Villagers will now pay £6 per hour and outsiders £12. Tables may be borrowed for £1 but a deposit of £25 will be required. Green plastic chairs will cost £1 each to hire. The committee are very pleased that residents have used the hall so much in 2014 for their meetings and parties. We try to maintain it as an attractive and affordable amenity for the village.
Arabella Holly Stowell Talbot was christened at St Giles' Church on Sunday 7 December. We welcome her to the family of Christ's Church in Gaydon.
Saturday 24 January at 7pm at Gaydon Village Hall. Three-course traditional Scottish dinner with entertainment. Raffle. Licensed bar. Telephone (01926) 647854 in advance for Tickets £15 each to include a glass of wine. Fancy dress optional!
Joyce Hammond
We record with sadness the death of Joyce Louise Hammond of The Leys, Gaydon, on 9 November 2014. Her funeral service was held at the Church of St Giles and the committal was at Oakley Wood Crematorium. Both services were conducted by the Reverend Mike Cadwallader. Our condolences are offered to Dr Rosemary Davies, her family and friends.
Ruby Wright
It is with sorrow that we record the the death of Mrs Ruby Wright of Gemini House, Gaydon. Her funeral took place at Banbury Crematorium on Friday,
19 December. We send our sympathy to her family and friends.
Joyce Hammond first came to Gaydon as Rosemary Davies' guest in 1957. She was born and brought up in Folkestone and ever after retained a great affection for the county of Kent. She lived there until 1934 when she began her training as a nurse at Bart's Hospital in London. Joyce joined the Territorial Army Nursing Service and went to France in February 1940 with The British Expeditionary Force, only to return a few months later from Dunkirk. Then she worked at the Westminster Children's Hospital. There followed a horrifying time in Norway at the end of the war, nursing Russians who had been captured by the Germans and transported to Norway to work as forced labour on the roads and railways there. She was sent to Palestine during the bitter emergency of 46-48 and at sometime she served in Malta. In 1955 Joyce was appointed Matron of The Violet Melchett Nursing Training College. It had been set up to train young nurses in the care of mothers, babies and the very young, particularly those with special problems. In 1966 Joyce retired through ill-health and joined Dr Davies at The Leys when Rosemary was still working as a doctor in Warwick. Joyce and Rosemary were active in the life of the village, always amongst the first to welcome newcomers, and ever available with help for those most in need. Joyce was a great supporter of the Church and she helped with Meals on Wheels; she was a member of the WI and the Horticultural Society. Joyce held an unshakeable Christian faith and there is no doubt that it helped to sustain her during the time she spent being so well cared for in The Manor Nursing Home at Kineton, where she died last month, aged 102. (Extract from eulogy by Sir Martin Dunne)
Grateful thanks to those who donated flowers, or money to buy flowers, for St Giles' Church last year. Please sign up on the rota just inside the church door if you would like to give flowers in 2015. You can dedicate flowers to the memory of someone you loved; or to celebrate a special occasion such as an anniversary. Please contact Julie Rickman on 640349 for information.
Is there a public-spirited resident of Kineton Road who would kindly take on the job of delivering the Parish Magazine to his or her neighbours, please? Contact the Editor for details.