Parish Council Tues 3rd 7.30pm Village Hall
Vision Support Fri 6th 10am Village Hall
Friendship Club Tues 10th 2.30pm 2 Anson Close
Coffee Morning cancelled Sat 14th 11am Village Hall
Pop-up Coffee Tues 17th 11am Village Hall
Quiz Night Weds 18th 8.30pm Malt Shovel
Mothering Sunday Service Sun 22nd 10.30am St Giles Church
Library Mondays 9th & 30th Telephone Box
Pilates Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs Village Hall
Tai Chi Weds 7.30pm & Suns 1.30pm Village Hall
Cake & Crafting Circle 2nd & 4th Suns 5pm The Malt Shovel
Gaydon Calendar
Table Sale Sat 13th June Village Hall
Big Lunch Sun 19th July Village Hall
Apple Day October Village Hall
Christmas Lunch Sun 6th December Village Hall
Carols & Refreshments Mon 21st December Village Hall
Councillor Vacancy: Following the resignation of Cllr Leadbetter in December, the Parish Council are now able to co-opt a resident to the Parish Council. If you are interested in becoming a councillor please contact Cllr John Davies via email at john.daviesgpc@gmail.com or if you do not have access to email please call the clerk.
Encampments: The Parish Council has written to Cllr Mrs Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, to ask if the County Council is able to arrange for a civil enforcement injunction. We understand that this would give greater powers to the Police to handle illegal encampments.
Precept: Councillors have agreed to raise the precept to £14,085 which should amount to no increase in parish council precept on a Band D property.
Visibility: We are aware that some residents are experiencing visibility issues when exiting Gaydon Barns or the Edgehill Development because of the signage that has been erected. Cllr Davies has spoken to the County Council who will be reviewing the situation in a couple of months' time. The County Council are responsible for highways safety and we have alerted them to your concerns.
Thanks:
Thank you to The Millennium Group for yet another community event. The soups were all very good!
Thanks to Cllr Claxton and another resident for improvements to the path between St. Mark's Close and Edgehill. This is really appreciated. We must also thank Cllr Claxton for the Gaydon Book Exchange. Please use it!
Thanks, too, to the resident who cleared vegetation from the Banbury Road footpath and to another who mowed the verges on St Giles Road and by the old play area on the Kineton Road. This work is really valued and it keeps our parish looking nice and tidy.
Lastly, our next meeting is on Tuesday, 3rd March, at 7.30pm. If you think becoming a councillor might be for you, do come along and see.
Sunday 1st
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Northend
10.30 Morning Prayer Farnborough
10.30 Holy Communion Gaydon
5.00pm Songs of Praise Fenny Compton
Sunday 8th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Farnborough
10.30 Joint Methodist Service Fenny Compton
10.30 Morning Prayer Gaydon
10.30 Morning Prayer Northend
6.00pm Evening Prayer Northend
Sunday 15th
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Gaydon
10.30 Morning Prayer Fenny Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Northend
6.00pm Evensong Farnborough
Mothering Sunday 22nd
9.00 Holy Communion BCP Fenny Compton
10.30 Holy Communion Farnborough
10.30 Mothering Sunday Service Gaydon
10.30 Morning Prayer Northend
Sunday 29th
10.30 Stratford Civic Service Burton Dassett
Every Sunday 11.00 Mass at St Francis of Assissi Kineton
St Francis of Assisi, Catholic Church, Kineton. Parish Priest: Fr David Tams
Phone 01608 685259 email: father.david@stfrancis-kineton.co.uk
www.stfrancis-kineton.co.uk
This year Mothering Sunday falls on the 22nd of March and we are hoping that there will still be some spring flowers in gardens for decorating the Church. We shall be doing that on the Saturday morning and welcome any help or donations of flowers - please do come along. Better still, come at 10.30 on Sunday morning and give thanks for your mother!
Millennium Group’s Souper Saturday
Thanks to everyone who supported the latest community event on 22nd February; there were eleven homemade soups on offer. The committee had worked hard to ensure there was a good choice to suit all tastes but other villagers turned up with delicious donations of both soup and homemade bread, which were gratefully consumed by all who attended. The hall was full of villagers, friends and families and it was especially pleasing to see children and teenagers tucking in.
Daniela F suggested we produce a village soup recipe book and others suggested having a Ploughman’s Lunch. The committee will certainly discuss these ideas.
The money raised will be used for the village and there is growing interest in adult outdoor gym equipment. At present, the next event planned will be Apple Day in October. I am very grateful to the hardworking committee for their enthusiasm and can-do attitude.
A special mention must go to Mary Fox who died this week. She was a founding member of the original Millennium Group and was the Honorary Chair of the current one. She worked hard for the village throughout her time here and will be remembered with affection by all who knew her. Debbie Price
The Children's Society is very grateful to the people in Gaydon who put their small change into charity boxes throughout the year. This year's total came to £153.55 when paid into the bank. Similar collections all over the country enable the Society to help thousands of children who have no-one else to turn to.
I took over the Gaydon box collection about ten years ago and would like to find someone to take over from me.
After Christmas I collect the boxes, count the money and take it to the bank. There is a little paper work to send to the Society headquarters but nothing too complicated. I'd be delighted to hear from you if you would consider taking it on. I'd also be pleased to hear from anyone who would like to have a box and start collecting money for the coming year. Julie Rickman 640349
Calling all village chickens! Jane Faulconbridge wants to hear from you if you would like the occasional stale loaf to supplement your diet. Contact her via the village shop. Local chickens already receiving this complimentary treat highly recommend it and are grateful to the shop for its generosity.
Supporting people with sight loss in Warwickshire. Gaydon Pop-up Vision Support Session for all your sight needs: Equipment, Information, Advice and Guidance, Access to Warwickshire Vision Support Services at Gaydon Village Hall Friday 6 March 10am-12pm. Contact us for more details: phone 411331 email: enquiries@warwickshire.vision
It is with deep sorrow that we record the death of Mrs Mary Fox on 20th February at Homewood nursing home in Leamington Spa. She came to live in Gaydon in the 1980s and served as Parish Clerk, Parish Councillor, PCC member and Churchwarden. Last year, in spite of all that her neighbours, friends and carers could do to help, her increasing incapacity forced her to move into a nursing home. She missed Gaydon so much that she never felt at ease there and could not come to terms with being entirely dependent on others. We shall miss her greatly and remember her many contributions to the life of the village.
Mary will be cremated at Oakley Wood at 11am on Wednesday 18 March. The funeral service is to be at 12 noon in St Giles's Church, followed by the wake at Gaydon Village Hall.
Daily actions for Lent: a Bible reading, a reflection; and an activity to protect the Environment on each page. Find a leaflet in Church or go to www.churchofengland.org/livelent
On Monday 2nd March you can find out how Stratford is working to become Dementia Friendly and how you can support people living with dementia. The event will be from 10.30am-1.30pm at the Town Hall.
Unlocking memories sessions at 11am and 1pm; Becoming a Dementia Friend session at 11.30am-12.30pm; Managing Behaviours session at 12.45pm. Music played by the Orchestra of the Swan; Refreshments provided. For more information contact Marie Darwen on 01789 260108 or email marie.darwen@stratford-dc.gov.uk
“Blow winds and crack your cheeks…”
What a contrast! This time 12 months ago the February weather allowed allotmenteers an unusual weather window which enabled us to create and/or develop our plots. Sunny, warm and dry conditions with unseasonal temperatures of up to 20 degrees meant that the preparation of the ground was unrestricted by claggy, cold soil or rain-heavy compost and manure. Now, storms Ciara and Dennis have thwarted such easy living… The stubbornly resistant Gaydon clay has held on to the torrential rainfall and rendered some beds temporarily unworkable and future forecasts are not encouraging. This and last February have one unusual thing in common: a relatively complete absence of frost.
The persistence of what might be thought to be ‘freakish’ weather and the devastation and chaos it causes - including the flooding of whole communities - continues to demand attention. Governments and their appointed agencies, for all our sakes, should avert their gaze from vanity and gravy-train projects and focus on less ‘sexy’ more mundane but crucial environmental concerns.
“…O Wind / If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”
Wind and Wuthering The wind is sanding the windows There’s a gale pawing at the door Cathy is calling for her lover Out on the wuthering moor But a storm is flooding the landscape The rivers have expanded sea-wide The sheep have all got trench foot And wildlife would prefer inside Cathy can’t walk on water Her voice lost in turbulent air But are the powers-that-be listening? It’s drowning more than her affair T.H.
Villagers are grateful to the Millennium Group for laying on such a banquet of soups one wet and windy Saturday last month. It was a heart-warming occasion with a real community feeling as everyone helped provide the food and then took turns to do the the washing up!
The Library will visit the Telephone Box at Gaydon from 1.35-2.05pm on Mondays 9th and 30th March.
Our monthly coffee morning will be on Saturday 14 March at 11am in the Village Hall. There is a bring and buy stall, a book stall and a raffle; coffee and biscuits 50p. Money raised is in aid of St Giles's Church. Please come along - everyone is welcome!
Tuesday 17 March 11am-12.30pm in the Village Hall Coffee and Cakes by Round Oak School Wear the Shamrock for St Patrick's Day!
Wednesday 18 March at 8.30pm
The Malt Shovel has kindly offered to run its March Quiz Night to raise money for St Giles's Church. The quiz will be on Wednesday 18th and we hope to have plenty of teams taking part. Entry is £2 per person and teams are 4 - 6 per table. Please sign up in the village shop to give us an idea of numbers. Raffle and snacks!
The March meeting will be held on Tuesday the 10th at 2.30pm at the home of Josie Liddington, 2 Anson Close, Wellesbourne. The Friendship Club took the place of the Women's Institute in Gaydon many moons ago, when lack of numbers made meetings no longer viable. Meetings are usually held in the village and if you are interested in tea and talk, do ring the Editor on 640349 for information on joining this informal group.
Kineton Juniors Football Club are looking for players and volunteers to expand the number of teams for the next season. Players/trainees aged 5 to12 would be more than welcome, as would any volunteers who could help.
Ours is a friendly club environment with the aims of learning footballing skills, teamwork and, of course, having fun...
Our training sessions are on a Thursday evening from 6.15pm to 7.15pm at Kineton Sports and Social Club.
Please contact: Graham Steer on 0749 365 6935 or e-mail steer99@btinternet.com for further information.
Georgina Diston would like to say a very big Thank You to everyone who sent cards and flowers; but most of all for the many good wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery during my recent illness. I still have a long way to go before I am 100% fit again. I'm sorry you missed your mince pies at Christmas!
Where's this place called Chadshunt?
We often hear people say.
We know where Kineton and Gaydon are,
When we're over in that way.
There isn't a sign on the side of the road
Or people around to ask,
When you're trying to deliver a parcel or load,
Or carry out function or task.
Your Sat-Nav may struggle to show you the way
And send you off down a long lane.
You'll be in a muddle for most of the day
Or finish up down in a drain.
But don't give up hope, just try hard to cope,
And go back to where you began.
Then make a new start with cycle or cart,
Or simply drive off in your van!
John Seville of Chadshunt
Gaydon is lashed by severe gales, accompanied by exceptional rains this month. There’s hardly a road that does not have trees fallen and a litter of broken branches. The roots of older trees point up despairingly at the sky, unexpectedly wrenched from the sodden earth; whilst ancient lichen-covered branches are broken like the masts of a stricken Galleon. The Warwickshire soil does not need much rain to turn the field paths into puddles and swampy mire.
I’m wondering if this scenario is not an opportunity to re-design the cleated sole of the many rubber boots we will be pulling on, to walk the dog or collect fuel for our woodburners. None of the Wellington boots I know do the job well. The Iron Duke may have created them at Waterloo but he’s not alone amongst many great British inventors to combat mud and rain. The Mackintosh riding coats, Belstaff's motorcycle jackets, Barbour waxproofs and the more recent Musto Girex Shooting garb: but only the Redwing boots, in the USA, shed mud correctly!
Some years ago, passers-by were often drawn to the window of an old company called Cordings which still survives in Piccadilly, though now owned by Eric Clapton. However, back then a large aquarium stood there with a boot submerged partially in water. A glass viewing section showed the dry interior of the boot whilst the leather outer was covered with mould and damp staining. This was the famous Lotus Veltshoven boot in Antelope hide, worn by troops in the Boer War in South Africa. My grandfather had a pair and we all wore them in turn! In the First World War the equally famous Desert Boot was invented, though this time by a German, General Lettowe von Vorbek. In German East Africa, the Courtney company still make all these by hand at a huge cost to buy.
All these ideas came from the natural World: the furs of animals like Otters and Seals, or the Eider duck down in Moncler puffa jackets. You may well see a sparrow preening its feathers on your bird table using the same principle to waterproof its feathers.
There has been the usual spectacular display of Snowdrops on nearby Chadshunt Churchyard, a magical place. Some we have transferred to Gaydon church as well are spreading widely in area. I’m sure the pair of Robins in my garden collecting twigs must know, like the Jackdaw carrying a branch, that Spring cannot be far away now - so care is needed with dense hedges this month as nesting seems to take place earlier every year. The local Barn Owls already have eggs but maybe the Rooks are holding off until the storms are well and truly over.
Bernard Price