Gaydon Parish Magazine May 2023
index of magazines
God Bless our Gracious King and Queen!
The Glorious Gaydon King Charles III Coronation Big Lunch!
Sunday 7 May 2023 from 1pm
in Gaydon Village Hall and Garden
Lots of fun for all the Family
Bring food to share with friends and family
Free Tea, Coffee and Soft Drinks
*Competitions for Best Victoria Sponge Cake,
Fancy Dress, Table Centre-piece and Best Crown fit for a King!
Street Decorations
Thursday 4 May at 6.30pm - please come and help decorate Church Road in front of the Hall with Bunting and Flags.
Competitions
Any Classic Victoria Sponge recipe eg: www.bbcgoodfood.com
Paper Crown: www.redtedart.com/diy-royal-crown/
Fancy Dress: Red, White and Blue Royal styles, design your own!
Table Decoration: Red, White and Blue Floral theme.
*Entry forms available in the Village Shop.
Tombola
Please donate Bottles and other Prizes for the Tombola Stall that will be running during the Big Lunch Afternoon. Leave them at the shop.
May Church Services
7th 11am Coronation Service Burton Dassett
14th 9.30am Holy Communion Gaydon
21st 11am Farewell Service & Picnic Burton Dassett
28th 9.30am Songs of Praise Gaydon
St Giles' Annual Parish Council Meeting
Thursday May 4 at 8pm in Church to elect Church Wardens, Open to all Villagers. Please come!
All Saints' Church Burton Dassett
Coronation Service on Sunday 7 May at 11am. The bells will be rung from 2-2.30pm, followed by live music performances. High Teas will be on sale from 3.30pm at £12.50 per person. Free Entry to the Church.
(On Monday 29 May, usual Bank Holiday Teas will be on sale)
Gaydon Gazette for May
Local Elections Thurs 4th 7am-10pm Village Hall
Church APCM Thurs 4th 8pm Church
Coronation Lunch Sun 7th from 12 noon Village Hall
Parish Council Thurs 11th at 7.30pm Village Hall
Coffee Morning Sat 13th at 11am Village Hall
Village Hall AGM Mon 15th at 8pm Village Hall
Friendship Club Tues 16th at 2.30pm Almeley Chase
Parish Council AGM Tues 23rd at 7.30pm Village Hall
Tai Chi Weds at 7pm Village Hall
Mobile Library Fri 5th & 26th at 2.40pm Phone Box
Something to Look Forward to!
Gaydon Village Store AGM Mon 5th June at 7.30pm in the Hall
British Motor Museum Events in May
Gaydon Land Rover Show - Sunday and Monday 7 and 8 May
Vaux ALL Show - Saturday 13 May
UK Slot Car Festival - Saturday and Sunday 20 and 21 May
MG Centenary - Saturday 27 May
Book tickets online at britishmotormuseum.co.uk
Coffee Morning
Saturday 13 May at 11am in the Village Hall: Bring & Buy, Books and Puzzles, Raffle, Tea & Coffee and Biscuits.
Friendship Club
The next meeting will be on Tuesday 16 May at 2.30pm at the home of Olive Richards, Almeley Chase.
Mobile Library
The Mobile Library will call at the Telephone Box at 2.40pm for half an hour on Fridays 5th and 26th May.
Parish Council News
Over 30 people attended the Annual Assembly of Electors for the Parish of Gaydon held on 18 April at Gaydon Village Hall. The Chairman thanked fellow Parish Councillors for all the work done in the year to make the village safe and secure by fixing items such as pavements and drainage which are not always seen. The chairman recalled key events of the past year, notably the Jubilee, the death of HRH Queen Elizabeth II; and the Accession of King Charles III.
Parish Councillors' Reports:
Cllr A. Claxton: Street Scene. The maintenance of drains and ditches is currently up to date but requires constant monitoring.
Cllr J. Davies: Planning and Cemetery. The reduction in the number of grass cuts at the cemetery has seen an increase in the wild flower and wildlife populations. The Parish Council wish to replace the footpath and repair the turning circle; quotes are being obtained for both.
Cllr D. Price: Neighbourhood Plan. The Plan is being developed. This will include the history of the village and look at the best ways to protect and maintain the village, e.g. an extension to the green belt areas.
County Councillor's Report:
County Councillor Chris Mills said that the impact of Covid has increased financial challenge on the Council. The greatest expenditure is on adult social care. The council tax was not increased by the full amount and support is available for anyone who is struggling with the cost of living.
Parish Organisations' Reports
Gaydon Motor Museum reps described the variety of activities they run and undertook to publish future events in the Parish Magazine.
The Village Shop, not-for-profit, and run by volunteers and a committee, is doing fabulously and has a secure financial future. However, more volunteers will be asked to come forward to replace those leaving the management team at the AGM in June.
The Village Hall is back to normal after Covid. Please use it!
The Parish Magazine is a resource to publicise events and air your views: not everyone uses social media. Every household receives a free monthly copy.
Gaydon Allotments are a micro community who share their produce.
St Giles' Church, from 21st May, will be without a vicar (interregnum). Following a survey, the church has been deemed unsafe and without the ability to be maintained. It will close at some point but the date is unknown; the church will be fenced round.
The Speed Watch Group meets regularly each month and anyone wishing to join is advised to contact Cllr Claxton.
The Millennium Group organises social events in the village, typically three or four per year, for everyone to join in: Apple day in October, Souper Saturdays in spring,with soup and games; the Over-65s Christmas Lunch and the upcoming Coronation Big Lunch.
Next Parish Council meeting is Thursday 11th May at 7.30pm.
Parish Council AGM: Tuesday, 23 May, at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
Local Elections: Thursday 4 May, 7am-10pm. Don't forget your ID card!
Gaydon Village Store and Its Future
Well done and Thank You to everyone who has contributed to ensuring that the shop has greater financial prospects for the future! The shop is now at least breaking even, rather than losing money each week. Fabulous news!!
We have the Annual General Meeting on Monday 5th June (pop the date in your diary). Three of the long-standing members of the management committee intend to step down and so we need enthusiastic, new committee members to develop and take the shop into the future. The committee needs at least four members and preferably six, to share the responsibilities of running the shop (you don't have to work in the shop to be on the management committee).
If you think you could contribute and make a difference, and would like to know more about the work of the committee please talk to one of us: Sue Roberts, Gerry Jones, Siobhan Hannan, Bev Pirie, Adrian Claxton and Michele Gill; or leave your contact details at the shop.
The shop is a great asset for the village and helps to maintain house prices. Let's make sure it continues to serve the local community: get involved!
Roman Catholic Church of St Francis, Kineton: Sunday Mass 11am
May Memorial Book
2016 4th Alfred Diston
2001 11th Violet Simmonds
2002 15th Jack Talbot
2003 23rd Mabel Middleditch
1999 26th Joyce Povey
If there is a special entry that you would like to see, let me know and I will try to make sure that the Book is open on that day. Julie Rickman
Obituary
Colin Thomas Betts 1941-2023
We record with sorrow the death on 3rd April of Colin Betts, aged 81. His funeral was held at Oakley Wood Crematorium on Friday, 21 April. We offer our condolences and deepest sympathy to Wendy and her family.
Tribute to Colin
We would like to thank all the wonderful people who came to celebrate and remember Colin Betts at his funeral on 21st April 2023.
Wendy, his wife, appreciated seeing so many friends from Gaydon and also the Domino Teams from Kineton Sports and Social and Top Of The Hill.
He owned the Esso Petrol Station and CB Motors in Gaydon since 1976 and continued with CB Motors until his retirement in 2016 at the age of 75.
Colin really enjoyed living and working in Gaydon, helping the local community with their car repairs and MOTs. It was a colourful life socialising and working in the heart of the village.
Dearly loved husband of Wendy, much loved Dad of Jacqui, Des and Adie, father-in-law of Anthony, Gael and Sam, and adored grandad of Lauren and Thomas, Colin will be sadly missed.
Wendy and his children are very grateful for all the happy memories and good times in Colin's life. Anthony Griffith
Shipwrecked Mariners' Society
Serving and former seafarers and their dependants are a neglected group of people, as the maritime trade becomes of less importance to the nation. They can turn for help to this benevolent Society in times of hardship for practical and financial support when state aid is not available. Please see the website: www.shipwreckedmariners.org.uk
Nature Notes for April
At last we are having warmer days in the village! There's early blossom and green buds in profusion and, of course, Bumble bees of several species. There are also some smaller solitary species that are less high profile. Primroses sometimes attract even the scarce Bee-flies, a parasite of Bees' nests and a perfect mimic in appearance to their hosts, other than a conspicuous straight tongue.
This seems to be a year for the usually rare Morel mushroom. Unlike most fungi, they appear in April, looking very distinctive with a triangular-shaped cone head, covered with irregular hollow indentations; a delicious tasting and usually expensive species which have emerged in profusion this year, (findings are over the internet). Early arrivals from Southern Europe, like Sand Martins, are now nesting and there is a small group of White Egrets on a flooded meadow near Bishops Itchington. Once again, some recently hibernating young Grass Snakes have been found in Church Road.
We are still waiting to hear a Cuckoo, though two have been seen near Gaydon; and there is hope of Swifts returning once again to the Village Hall. Young Rabbits have appeared in several gardens.
Sadly, there were few Swallows or House martins last year, so let's hope that they too will return. I keep bird-feeders topped up as food is still scarce. The wildflower meadow in my garden - replacement for a formal lawn - is now flowering with Oxlips, Primroses and Fritilleries, replacing early crocuses... Bernard Price
Stop Press! Calocyde Gambosa discovered at the Old Bakehouse on 28 April: large, edible mushroom with white gills and bulbous stipe - residents still alive! An EU member, it is known in Italy as the March Mushroom and in Germany as the May Mushroom. In England we call it St Georges Mushroom owing to its appearance around 23 April; its Latin name means pretty head, big foot. Ed.
Flag
The Union Flag was raised on 19 April to celebrate the 101st Birthday of Beryl, Ray Carr's Auntie. Congratulations!
On 23 April the Flag of St George was flown for St Georges Day and for the 5th Birthday of Prince Louis.
The Birth and Death of William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon, are also commemorated on that date.
If you have something to celebrate, contact Siobhan Hannan on 07780 689582, and she will raise the Flag for you for a fiver.
Proposed Development South of J12 M40 Banbury Road Gaydon
Following our recent meeting, residents requested some information regarding this application which is imminent:
96000 sqm industrial development
Minimum 128 Lorry parking spaces, unit 4 5 and 6
Minimum 79 Lorry bays, units 4 5 and 6
Plus numerous car park spaces
Height of buildings up to 20m
Areas for consideration:
Design appearance and layout
Noise pollution 24hours per day 7 days per week
Light pollution 24 hours per day 7 days per week
Traffic generation and access, hundreds of HGVs and cars
Flooding
If you have concerns please ensure you comment on either the Stratford DC planning website when the application is validated; or write to Stratford DC directly at Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford upon Avon, CV37 6HX.
https://www.stratford.gov.uk/council-democracy/contact-the-council.cfm
Some Thoughts on the Proposed Gaydon Commercial Development
Did we, the residents of Gaydon, request this proposed development in the way that communities request a beneficial facility e.g. a health, educational or leisure facility? No, the impetus for this was a remote, corporate development group who see this as an investment opportunity. They will make their money and take their money and we will be left with another part of the green surroundings of Gaydon blighted by another carpet of concrete.
The continuing ecological and health values of the remaining green areas cannot be stressed enough. Why? In the early 1990s, following the building of the M.40, over half the village properties were granted compensation by the Environment Agency in acknowledgement of the respiratory and neurological pollution caused by excess tyre, brake and diesel carcinogenic particulates and the noise pollution caused by our close proximity to the motorway. To interpose a large commercial development with a potential for hundreds of vehicle movements per week will add to the existing cocktail of pollutants and remove what might be termed a green ‘lung’ between ourselves and the motorway. We can recognise, in the modern world, that there will be trade-offs as we realise, for example, the handy convenience of the motorway has brought advantages when it replaced the lethal A41 trunk road with its history of accidents in and around the village. However, we have a duty of care and responsibility both to ourselves and future generations of Gaydon residents to work for balance in the quality of our lives, health and the environment versus further polluting developments at a time when - we are told - zero carbon targets are an urgent priority.
This proposed development will add a hugely significant load to the existing network of pipes, drains, culverts and barely adequate sewage system. Of course promises will be made about uprating and improving the infrastructure, but ask any of our overstretched UK planning departments about developers modifying their promises and plans by citing ‘cost overruns’ or ‘topographical constraints’ to drastically reduce or even eliminate promised improvements. Once a development project is under way, it tends to create its own momentum for it to be completed overruling objections and concerns about the inadequacies of token - or totally absent - infrastructure improvements. Gaydon residents do not need any lessons about the calamities of an overwhelmed drainage and sewage network: some suffering residents could run tutorials on this topic! An environmental point on this: If you remove these elevated fields which act as natural ‘soakaways’ to the east of the village and replace them with concrete and tarmac, where will the thousands of litres of run-off water from - even modest - rainfall end up?
We will be accused (usually the loudest accusers are those who are most remote and/or stand to benefit financially…) of being NIMBYS or luddites because we object to yet another development in our (very immediate) surroundings. Our area of South Warwickshire has experienced some of the most extensive commercial, housing and road development in the whole of the UK in the past 30 years. The commercial development (principally JLR/Aston Martin) was an enhancement of existing structures and land which could be said to be already blighted and unsuitable for farming. The housing developments – mainly GLH to our north and Temple Herdewyke marching from our south threaten to merge into one giant conglomeration. Yes, people need housing, jobs and good transport links, but we also need a balance in the general environment and a balance in relation to existing communities. To box in a place that has been inundated with multiple developments is unjust and unfair. (Unless we accept the arrogant ‘Catch 22’ opinion, ‘You’re already blighted, so have some more!’)
Commercial developments should ideally be in – or in the close vicinity - of towns and cities using ‘brownfield’ sites and an available, local workforce and infrastructure. Unfortunately, around the UK, many developers prefer ‘greenfield’ sites because it improves the profit margin by a few percentage points. The frightening picture that David Attenborough paints of the degradation of the ecology of Britain should be warning enough: losing a single field or even larger tracts of countryside leads to irreparable permanent damage to our countryside and environment.
The aggregation of all the existing and proposed development in this part of Warwickshire is out of balance. Let’s not forget the proposed solar farm: we will have its dominating presence without any proposal for Gaydon to receive any of the generated electricity! It is only fair and just that other sites are considered before Gaydon is further blighted.
On a more positive note: when the M.40 was being constructed, it was proposed that a large motorway service station would be built at J.12. Gaydon residents voiced their concerns and objections and made representations to the planning enquiry and we successfully defeated this proposal and it was re-sited 3 miles north. Warwick Services, with all of its 24/7 traffic movements, noise and nuisance situated in an open area of countryside is better able to absorb the accompanying pollution and our opposition was therefore justified. Similarly, we can oppose this proposed development and win: if not, the developers will leave with their money and we will be left with the problems. Tony Hughes