Parish Council Meeting Tues 5th 7.45pm Village Hall
Coffee Morning Sat 9th 11am Village Hall
Village Hall Committee Mon 11th 8pm Village Hall
Friendship Club Tues 12th 2.30pm No 2 Cottages
Harvest Evensong Sun 17th 3pm Chadshunt
Library Monday 18th Telephone Box
Pilates Tuesdays 6.15pm Village Hall
GAYDON CALENDAR DATES
HARVEST FESTIVAL SUN 1 OCTOBER ST GILES' GAYDON
CHRISTMAS FAIR SAT 25 NOVEMBER VILLAGE HALL
CHRISTMAS LUNCH SUN 3 DECEMBER VILLAGE HALL
Sunday 3rd
*9.00 Holy Communion Gaydon
10.30 Holy Communion Burton Dassett
10.30 Morning Prayer Fenny Compton
6.00pm Evensong Farnborough
Sunday 10th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Farnborough
10.30 Holy Communion Fenny Compton
10.30 Morning Prayer Gaydon
10.30 Morning Prayer Northend
6.00pm Evening Prayer B Dassett
Sunday 17th
9.00 Morning Prayer Farnborough
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Gaydon
11.30 Harvest Festival Northend
3.00pm Harvest Festival Chadshunt
6.00pm Evening Prayer Fenny Compton
Sunday 24th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP F Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Farnborough
10.30 Morning Prayer Northend
10.30 Prayer & Praise Gaydon
3.30pm Pets' Service Burton Dassett
6.00pm Harvest Festival Fenny Compton
*NB Service at Gaydon on Sunday 3rd will be at 9am.
Banbury Road signage
The removal of the 30mph countdown markers on the Banbury Road was relayed to County Cllr Williams very strongly at our last meeting by residents and councillors. It is our belief that the speed of traffic entering Gaydon from Banbury has increased substantially as a result of the installing of the 50mph signage and the removal of the 30mph countdown markers. County Cllr Williams tells us that the 50mph signage was necessary as a result of 2 fatalities costing the County Council £1 million each. He also said that the 50mph speed limit will be enforced; the County Council is requesting that certain roads be enforced. County Cllr Williams was asked to arrange for the markers to be reinstated and has liaised with County Highways who say that they have been removed as a result of highways legislation. Our Chairman is following up on this.
Warwick Road footway/cycleway
This footway/cycleway was closed by County Highways on safety grounds. We hope that it will be open by Christmas. The diversion directs cyclists and pedestrians to use the same footway and safety concerns have been expressed by residents. County Cllr Williams has been alerted to these concerns and we hope that he will bring them to the attention of the Road Safety Team at the County Council.
New Scheme Road Markings
These are wrong. Directing traffic down a 'frontages only' road
does not seem appropriate and is causing problems. County Cllr Williams is on the case.
Fire Hydrants
Yet again we have an issue with water containers/road sweepers accessing fire hydrants in our village. This time they are blocking the footway and forcing residents on to the B4100. They are also causing visibility issues for drivers. After a significant amount of investigation we have found out that the containers are part of the JLR construction team. JLR have taken our concerns seriously and have asked a sub-contractor to find alternative hydrants (hopefully not in our village). We thank JLR for this. The Parish Council has been told that the fire hydrant at the reservoir is no longer able to be used for these tankers. The fire service has apparently advised that it can't be used due to low pressure. We have taken this matter up with Severn Trent in the hope that they will sort it out.
Orbit
District Cllr Kettle has done some sterling work on the District's
Overview and Scrutiny Committee working with Orbit Housing. Orbit now has a robust programme in place for logging repairs and ensuring that they happen. They are also turning empty homes around more quickly. District Cllr Kettle is also working with Orbit to ensure that 5 year tenancy contracts are renewed quickly. If any tenant is experiencing any problems please do contact District Cllr Kettle.
Banbury Road layby
Thanks to a resident the County Council has started to realise that this
layby really is a health hazard and needs tidying. The Police are being
very supportive with trying to stop the anti-social behaviour issues. Let's hope that the necessary work reduces the litter, flooding and
bad behaviour.
Consultation on Children's Centres
Our nearest children's centre is at Lighthorne Heath. With 3000 houses being built shortly we think that the children's centre should stay. However, the County Council is proposing to close it so that the nearest one will be at Alcester. If you wish to comment on this proposal you can access it via Warwickshire County Council's website.
Next meeting
Tuesday, 5th September at 7.45pm
Harvest Evensong will be celebrated at All Saints' Church, Chadshunt, at 3.30pm on Sunday 17 September.
Blackberry and Limoncello Granita
Preparation time: 5 mins + 4 hours freezing. No cooking; serves 6.
Ingredients
450g blackberries
60g caster sugar
1 tbsp limoncello
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
1. Put all the ingredients in a blender with 150ml water and blend until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a large container.
2. Freeze the mixture until the edges begin to set - about 30 minutes. Use a fork to break up the frozen parts. Freeze again, repeating the breaking-up process every 30 minutes, for about 3-4 hours, until the mixture resembles fluffy crystals. Serve the granita straight away or freeze until needed.
The Library will visit the Telephone Box at Gaydon from 1.35-2.05pm on Monday 18th September.
This month's Coffee Morning will be at 11am on Saturday 9th. Books, bring-and-buy and raffle. Proceeds for St Giles' Church.
The next committee meeting will be held on Monday 11 September at 8pm in the hall.
Last month's meeting was a picnic in Wellesbourne. It was very popular with members and a tasty spread was enjoyed in the delightful garden of Mr and Mrs Liddington. We appreciate their hospitality.
This month, Mrs Jan Ewers has invited us to her cottage at Gaydon Hill Farm. The meeting will start at 2.30pm.
The latest Membership Prize Draw took place at the committee meeting at the end of August. The lucky winner, Barbara White, receives a family ticket for a visit to Compton Verney.
It is not too late to join the Gaydon Village Store Membership Scheme, which helps to support the shop and keep it open for you. Forms are available in the shop.
For those honey lovers out there we have had a new delivery and so we now have some honeycomb available.
Keep using us - don't lose us! SR
August is ending with another warm spell in Gaydon. At the beginning of the month, the large group of Swifts that have dominated the village skies since May departed South towards Africa. They are always the first to arrive and and the first to leave, in their new family groups. It is now far easier to see the much smaller group of Swallows and Martins which will remain with us until September, sometimes October. You will usually be alerted to their presence by the shrill twittering; and looking skyward you will see them high on the thermals. It is remarkable that this genus fly with beaks permanently open. Many invertebrates, even spiders, are found at these altitudes and are sucked up in thousands.
I made my annual trip to the British Birdwatching Fair on Rutland water last week. I have many friends there from all over the world and it's a great place to meet up and discuss ornithological matters.
A subject pertinent to the UK is to examine your windscreen. A few years ago this was always certain to be smeared with the impacted bodies of flies and other flying insects: often it needed cleaning multiple times during a trip. This occurs far less frequently now because of a drastic fall in insect numbers and consequently birds like Swallows are in decline. If you cross to France, the situation is reversed on rural roads. Could this perhaps be owing to our denser population, speculative building, use of chemical sprays, and an increased 'tidiness' in gardens and field margins? I reckon so: and although we tend to ignore small insects, they are a vital indicator
of trends.
Far more people nowadays have an interest in the natural world. TV series are numerous and garden centres sell an array of 'Bug Hotels' and hedgehog houses but in previous times the expected denizens were far more numerous. I can still remember hearing House crickets singing by the fireplace in rural Ireland and collecting jars full of Glow-worms in rural Warwickshire. Few people were bothered by Silverfish, ants or spiders around the house and all were beneficial, in fact. In the sixties, aerosols killed them off and today there is an array of poisons and anti-bacteriological wipes to create a sterile world of food allergies.
Recently published, even the junior English dictionary is not free from such actions: words like acorn, beechnut, Primrose, buttercup, Heron and Otter have been removed: to be replaced by vague short-lived computer jargon because in the opinion of the publishers 'children no longer use these words'. This did not seem to be in the minds of the kids I saw exploring the woodland at Compton Verney last week!
I beg to differ: profit and marketing are not everything and as fears about Brexit emerge as reality, it will be to our detriment as a society to accept such outrages against the natural world.
It has been a great year for some species, probably due to the increasing variations in our climate. The stunning black and scarlet Red Admiral - named after a distant naval uniform - continues to soar around our gardens and may even hibernate this autumn.
Itchington Holt, on Centenary Way, has continued to be a walk where Silver Washed Fritilleries glide along bramble patches; whilst an array of Skippers and Blues cling to the stems of unimproved grassland on the woodland boundary.
The Gaydon graveyard is another pleasant walk from the village, where there are colonies of iridescent Burnet Moths and Marbled White Butterflies, an intricately-marked favourite of mine. Buzzards have adopted the new junction lamps as viewing posts and the spoil along the Bishops road is being colonised by wild flowers. When will building contractors realise that poor soil is best for wild species?
l'm hoping for perhaps a 'sightings board' in our recently acquired red phone box, like the one I saw lately in Oakham. The most exciting visitor to the Banbury Road has been a Red Kite seen being mobbed by Crows last week - just beyond the lay-by. Bernard Price
Our cover shows the last village fête to be held on the Gaydon Inn Field. Now that Gaydon has its own field in Church Lane, all we need is someone to run our next fête in 2018. Any volunteers? Contact the Editor.
At 3.30pm on Sunday, September 24th, at All Saints Burton Dassett.
Come to our annual pet service with your pet and join a special afternoon full of fun, faith and fellowship for all ages and animals! We even had a horse last year!
Sing hymns; hear about God's care for all creatures; say prayers thanking God for the love we share with our animals past and present; and finish with a blessing for the animals and congregation.
Although no one said it to my face I knew that many thought I was a bit crazy suggesting we have a Sunday service as well as a BBQ in the vicarage garden on 6th August!
However, although the weather before and after that day was cold, wet and miserable, it was sunny, quite warm and both the informal service and BBQ were a great success.
Sixty-five of us had a very enjoyable time, but there was plenty of room for more! If you missed the BBQ then why not join us for some of our September services and events? Every blessing, Nicki
Ride+Stride Saturday, 9th September
Have a great day out walking with friends and family or simply join the rest of us as we stride (or casually walk!) from church to church.
Come for all, or part of the day; or for the short words of prayer we will share at each church.
The day will start with a short service at 10am at St Giles, Gaydon; followed by the walk from the Chapel of Ease, Northend at 10.30am; and ending at All Saints' Burton Dassett with prayers, tea and cake at 4.15pm. See posters or contact me for the route and times. Nicki
On Sunday 17 September there will be a Messy Church session for children at Fenny Compton village hall. It starts at 3.30pm and includes refreshments. A parent or carer must accompany children. Telephone Lesley Bosman on 01295 771177 for more information.
Warwickshire Trading Standards Service is providing, free of charge, safety testing of electric blankets at venues in all five districts and boroughs this coming October.
The service will also be testing kettles, irons, toasters and Christmas
lights, again free of charge. This service is available to anyone aged 50 or over and resident in Warwickshire.
Book an appointment by calling the Trading Standards Service on 01926 414080 or email: ebtesting@warwickshire.gov.uk
Bookings are taken on a first come first served basis so book now!
Monday 2nd October: Rugby Library
Tuesday 3rd October: Nuneaton Fire Station: Rugby Library
Wednesday 4th October: Leamington Town Hall
Thursday 5th October: Atherstone Library (9 am to 12pm) and
Coleshill Library (1 pm to 4 pm)
Friday 6th October: Briars Croft Stratford upon Avon
Simon Cripwell, Trading Standards Officer, Warwickshire County Council, Old Budbrooke Road Warwick CV35 7DP Tel: 01926 738987; email: simoncripwell@warwickshire.gov.uk
Please note that our correct email address is: gaydonnw@gmail.com. Ian Miller, your Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, can be contacted by telephone on 641006. IM
British Military Weekend Family Event: 30 September - 1 October
Discover Britain in wartime as the British Motor Museum hosts an impressive collection of British Military vehicles, living history re-enactments and a special WW1 history display.
Come and explore the replica Mark IV tank used in the movie War Horse and the B2737 - the Battle Bus.
Sign up for Soldier School or take on 'Kitchener's Mission' a fun family trail with activities along the way including decoding secret messages, bandaging wounds in the Casualty Clearing Station, Zeppelin spotting and making a Princess Mary Christmas Gift Tin to take home.
Normal Admission applies to the British Military Weekend.
Adult tickets cost £14, child tickets cost £9 and a family ticket is £39. Children under 5 are free.
If you buy 1 day you get an annual pass at no additional cost. Gift Aid season tickets are valid for this event.
I held a Marie Curie Cancer Coffee Morning at my house in Chadshunt on 28 June and we had 18 Chadshunt villagers come along. In total, with some other donations I received, we made £174.36 which was great. It was also a good way to meet fellow Chadshunt residents.
Many thanks to all who supported the event. Louise Jelley
Starting on 1st October: 1st Sunday of each month at 4.15pm Tea and Hospitality at the Community Centre, Temple Herdewyke, followed by a short, informal service of worship. All are welcome: children and their families; single people; couples; the young and the elderly. The church is one family!
For more details, see www.dassettmagna.org.uk or contact the Reverend Nicki Chatterton 07769 871237 or chat2rev.nicki@gmail.com