Gaydon Parish Magazine July 2026
index of magazines
Gaydon Gazette for July
Book Club Tues 7th at 7pm Malt Shovel
Parish Council Tues 7th at 7.30pm Village Hall
Coffee Morning Sat 11th at 11am Village Hall
Mobile Library Friday 17th Phone Box
Tai Chi Mons & Weds at 7pm Village Hall
Parish Council News
Next meeting Tuesday 7 July at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.
July Church Services
5th 9.30am Morning Service Gaydon
10.30am Holy Communion Burton Dassett
12th 9.30am Agape Service Gaydon
10.30am Morning Worship Northend
19th 3.00pm Holy Communion Gaydon
10.30am Holy Communion Northend
26th 9.30am Songs of Praise Gaydon
10.30am Morning Worship Northend
Roman Catholic Mass
St Peter & St Paul 5.00pm Saturday Brailes
Our Lady & the Apostles 9.15am Sunday Shipston-on-Stour
St Francis of Assisi 11.00am Sunday Kineton
July Memorial Book
1985 12th Osmond Hill
2020 12th Lesley James Welch
2008 18th Betty Davies
2016 21st Ronald Richards
1958 29th Mark Lush
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
It is with much sadness that we record the sudden death of Maria Carr. She will be greatly missed in the village and we offer our condolences to her family and friends.
Gaydon Village Hall News
Handyman Wanted
The Village Hall Committee would welcome another member to help with the day-to-day management of the Hall. There are often practical jobs that are too small to call in a tradesman but require skill and inventiveness. There are always light-bulbs to be replaced and screws to fix - we do this caretaking ourselves. For bigger tasks, we form a work team and spend a couple of hours carrying out a specific job, e.g., cleaning out a shed or planting a hedge. Our committee meetings are held every other month in the early evening; we keep in touch by email and whatsapp. Please tell any committee member if you are interested in joining us; or email jr@riscos.org to contact Julie, the secretary.
Coffee Morning
Saturday 11th at 11am in the Village Hall. Coffee and Biscuits 50p; Books and Jigsaws; White Elephant, Raffle and Chat. Proceeds go to Church funds.
Gaydon Book Club
Tuesday 7th July at 7pm at the Malt Shovel. New members welcome!
Tai Chi
Gaydon Village Hall at 7pm Mondays and Wednesdays. Please text 07514 011406 so that we can look out for you.
After a month, please donate a coin for the hire of the hall.
Flag Days
17 June - Official Birthday of HM The King. Long may he reign!
21st - Birthday of the Prince of Wales. God bless him!
We are grateful to Siobhan for flying the flag so faithfully for us.
Mobile Library
This month the Mobile Library will call at the Telephone Box at 2.25pm for half an hour on Friday 17th.
What's On in July at the British Motor Museum?
Saturday 4th Busfest@Gaydon
Sunday 5th National Metro & Mini Show
Monday 6th Mellow Mondays
Sunday 12th BMC & Leyland Show
Tuesday 14th Gaydon Gathering
Sunday 19th Rootes Heritage Day & Old Ford Rally
Sunday 26th Petrol & Pride
Information and tickets at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
Carers4Carers
Friday 24 July at Kineton Village Hall. We are your local support group for family carers. We usually meet on the fourth Friday of the month (except December when it's the second Friday) from 10:30am to 12 noon at Kineton Village Hall. Loved ones are welcome too; they can join our Companionship Group during the meeting.
On Friday 24 July, Caroline Graham, South Warwickshire's Engagement Officer at Healthwatch, will be with us to explain what she knows about the future of Healthwatch and to listen to some of your health and care experiences.
For further details please contact Gillian on 07947 893504; or send an email to kcarers4carers@gmail.com
Our website can be found at www.carers4carersonthefosse.org.uk
Swan Singers
Stage & Screen Concert at Kineton Village Hall. On Saturday 18 July at 7.30pm in Kineton Village Hall, Swan Singers will present their Stage & Screen concert, a selection of favourite pieces from stage musicals and film and TV soundtracks. Directed by Gary Beman and accompanied by Gustavo Schafascek, there will be something for everyone to enjoy, with drinks from the bar and a raffle.
Free Entry with a Retiring Collection. Proceeds to be shared with TWAM (Tools With A Mission).
Swan Singers Reg. Charity No: 1214364 Contact: Denise Hart-Dobbie (hartdobbie@btinternet.com)
Nature Notes for June
The intense hot spell continues and is exceptional by UK standards. In my garden, there are once again many day-flying Scarlet Tiger moths that are so exotic in colour, they match the Tropical conditions. At dusk, too, they appear in large numbers against the fading skies. Hummingbird hawk moths are visiting the many clumps of pink Valerian around the village, along with another long-range migrant, the Painted Lady butterflies.
Jackdaws and Valerian share a quality of mixed blessing. I noticed that Jackdaws are once again pulling thatch from the roof of my neighbour and then lying there, full-length, sunning themselves with outstretched wings. Last week, they attacked my bird feeders and drinkers, often knocking them to the ground. Valerian has spread all over the village now and will, I assume, become a permanent feature. Great for insects but invading our flower beds!
Several Honey Buzzards seen over the village. They are quite distinct from our Common Buzzards, with a short neck and bulky plumage with a straight tail. They feed a lot on bees' and ants' nests. There was a black ant flight-day last week with large swarms of winged queens and a nest featured on Springwatch.
A single Cuckoo was heard near the Army camp - not a good year sadly. Any one else heard one this year?
Climate change is evident once again but a least we can still keep watering our plants; many are already well advanced this year. I have even managed to preserve tropical species like Lantana this year, as frosts were so few last winter. A real pleasure to see. Hordes of pale blue Damsel flies in my garden thanks to a nearby pond. A shallow tray of water in your garden will help the birds. Bernard Price
Compton Verney Sprint Triathlon
Sunday 19 July. This will be our 6th year of running our triathlons, which take place on Sunday 19th July at Park Farm, Compton Verney. There are two different race distances, as follows:
On The Edge Middle Distance Triathlon: www.do3.co.uk/on-the-edge-middle-distance-triathlon [1]
150 participants:
A middle distance race starting at 7am and finishing around 4pm, featuring a 1.9km swim in the lake at Park Farm, a 90km bike ride around the Warwickshire countryside and a 21km run around Compton Verney/Combrook, on the trails and local roads.
Compton Verney Sprint Triathlon: https://www.do3.co.uk/compton-verney-sprint-triathlon [2]
200 participants:
A sprint distance race starting at 8.30am and finishing around 11am, featuring a 750m swim in the lake at Park Farm, a 21km bike ride around the Warwickshire countryside and a 5km run around Compton Verney/Combrook on the trails and local roads.
We have sought permission from the local authority, informed emergency services and landowners, where we will be using the public and permissive footpaths. We also inform local stables and riding groups where we have contact details.
There will be marshals on key junctions on the routes to assist, we have a private first aid company with an ambulance, and a bike breakdown vehicle. There will be directional signage for where a marshal is not required. The race is being overseen by the sport's governing body, British Triathlon, and we will have a technical official present at the event and motorcycle officials on the bike routes.
We will be putting up signage in the week running up to the event and aim to take this down within two days of the event. If we miss one, please do let us know and we will remove it asap.
We don't expect the volume of participants to create any significant issues, and we hope drivers will be patient and pass cyclists and runners safely. It would be great if people came out to cheer the athletes on - it'll be a big (and tough) day for many of them!
We would also very much welcome anyone who would like to volunteer as a marshal.
Helen Harrison, Do3 Coaching and Events, helen@do3.co.uk and Tel. 07400 212344 for more information.
Development Update for July
The Final Match…?
No, not the World Cup, but what we hope will be the final match of Gaydon Residents v. CEG F.C. (Financial Corporate) took place starting on Tuesday 9 June, at Stratford Town Hall. Gaydon Residents, having won the semi-final in December by a resounding 12-0 (SDC decision), were resolute that CEG’s monstrous development had to be finally defeated. Confident in their cause, but naturally apprehensive at public speaking, a number of residents ‘spoke truth to corporate power’ and set out their objections to the proposed development.
It was clear that - however nervous they might be - those who spoke had done their research thoroughly and managed to set out to the Inspector, SDC and CEG with a blend of reason and emotion why the development shouldn’t go ahead. It’s only right to name the team (modest as they are) in no particular order: Chris, Martin, Wendy, Jeff, Adrian, Heather, Andy and Tom (apologies if I have omitted anyone!). Whatever the result, on behalf of the village - particularly all those people who submitted 180 written objections to the Inspector - thanks for putting yourselves out there.
At the 22nd/23rd June online meeting, SDC and GEC discussed ‘conditions’ to be put in place if the Appeal was to be agreed. It was then over to the Barristers to put their final closing statements to the Inspector as to why the Appeal should be dismissed: e.g. Damage to landscape and scale of development would not be outweighed by the benefits. CEG (naturally!) stated why their appeal should be approved: e.g. Immediate need for employment; ideal site next to M40 J12.
The Inspector closed the inquiry by stating that the ‘conditions’ had to be agreed as part of the process, but it did not mean she had made any decision. She now had all the information and a decision would be made in approximately 3 to 4 weeks’ time. This will be sent to SDC and CEG and would then be available to view on the website. (Thanks to Wendy for this helpful summary of the online meeting.)
I do feel wary about the word ‘conditions’. We shall see how much substance there is to this. Generally speaking, across the UK, developers (commercial and housing) have a very patchy record on delivery of mitigation of negative features or so-called ‘improvements’ that their development provides. Backtracking on promises made is frequent. (‘Affordable’ housing, anyone?) It’s a bit like the hope we invest in our football teams:
They promise you the moon and give you a pebble. Tony Hughes
Shipston Home Nursing
Dates for your Diaries:
Friday 10th July - Golf Day at Feldon Valley, Lower Brailes
Saturday 25th July - Dog Walk at The Bell, Alderminster
Tuesday 22nd & Weds 23rd September - Pop Up Shop, Ilmington
Sunday 18th October - Walton Hall 10k
Thursday 5th and Friday 6th November - Designer Sale, Darlingscott
Tues 17th and Weds 18th November - Christmas Gift Fair, Ettington
Saturday 19th December - Carol Concert, Ilmington
If you would like to get in touch, please email the fundraising team at fundraising@shipstonhomenursing.co.uk
Something to Think about
The Wrong Side of the Bed
Recently, I woke up in the morning feeling quite grumpy. That wasn’t usual for me. It wasn’t the weather: it was a beautiful Spring day. I wasn’t cross with anyone. I just felt negative about everything. I tried fighting it off, but the feeling didn’t go away all day. When someone asked how I was, I told them that I had woken up on the wrong side of the bed that morning. I even felt irritated at being asked!
In the past, I’ve done a CBT course (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), and I regularly use some of the techniques to ground me when depressing thoughts enter my mind. But this feeling wasn’t me spiralling into depression: I just couldn’t work out why I felt so grumpy. So, I decided I just had to accept it, live with it, and hope that the next day would be different. Thankfully, it was.
What do we do with negative emotions? Do we always try and live in a world of positivity, sticking a smile on our faces even when we feel dreadful, or attempting to think ‘happy thoughts’ when we feel frustrated, or down?
Perhaps if you have days like this, someone will try to encourage you or even tell you to “lighten up!” or say something that shows that they don’t really accept your shadow side, the part of you that isn’t always charming and cheerful. What we really need at those moments is someone to show us empathy and accept the whole of us, rather than attempting to change us into a perfect person.
Perhaps we need to treat ourselves gently too, and even face reality sometimes, and let our inner being handle whatever comes, even if we’re a little bit more difficult to live with now and then.
Are we always expected to be patient, polite, and passive, with a side helping of optimism?
Some people think that Jesus was always sweet-tempered and equable. But he wasn’t! He got frustrated, even angry sometimes, and on one occasion, tipped over the money-changing tables in the temple in Jerusalem because they had turned a ‘house of prayer into a den of thieves.’ He grieved deeply when one of his friends died.
Those of us who work in the caring professions are sometimes advised to give ourselves ‘grieving times’ when we can consciously and deliberately let go of negative emotions in a safe place. Some people find that keeping a journal can help them work such feelings out. I find that it helps to chat with a trusted friend or family member - someone who can really listen.
And if we realise we are getting cross or low all the time, maybe we need to ask for help, and contact a minister, a doctor, or a counsellor. Rev. Dr Beren Hartless
Seasonally Cool Recipe
Raspberry and Limoncello Granita
Preparation time: 5 minutes + 3-4 hours freezing; serves 6
Ingredients
450g raspberries 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.