Brize Norton Parish Council Newsletter

The Communities of Brize Norton and Carterton

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Here is the text from the June 2007 Newsletter
Published here with permission of the Parish Council.

CHAIRS REPORT

The Brize Norton Parish Council Annual Assembly was held on the 9th of May. It was pleasing to see the meeting was so well attended this year. With a full cast of "guests" giving reports to a well represented audience of Parishioners. I feel sure that the majority of Parishioner found something of interest at this meeting and also welcomed the opportunity to present their own feelings and views on the developments that are occurring in the village and in wider Oxfordshire; be they activities by Oxfordshire County Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, Brize Norton Parish Council, the Royal Air Force, Thames Valley Police, the School Governors and Mr Tim Gush representing the Sports and Social Club.

It appears the major concern in the village is still traffic related either the volume of traffic or the speed in which traffic transits the village. Brize Norton Parish Council will continue to strive for traffic calming measures and seek ways to reduce the volume of traffic. Unfortunately Brize Norton is the main route for traffic from Carterton to Bampton and the A420, while Carterton Road, Manor Road is still the preferred route for many South Carterton residents heading for Witney or the A40.

Finally on the subject of the Annual Assembly I would like to thank, on your behalf, those very patient ladies from the Woman's Institute who provided the very welcome refreshments at the end of what was a long meeting. Thank you.

Congratulations to Miles Jacobs who has become the under 18s British Judo Champion 2007, congratulations also to the two coaches who have played such an important role in this achievement. Please see full details included in this magazine.

They say bad news travels fast, and one of the fastest pieces of news was that Andrea Moss has announced her retirement. Andrea has been associated with the Brize Norton Primary School for some twenty five years and Headmistress for the past ten years. The esteem in which Brize Norton Primary School is held can without doubt be attributed to her hard work and dedication. Our best wishes to you for a long and happy retirement.

STOP PRESS

Changes to X1 Bus Service

The following information has been received from Mr Martin Sutton, Managing Director, Stagecoach in Oxfordshire. Horspath Road, Cowley, Oxford 0X4 2RY

With effect Monday 4th June 2007 the X1 morning journeys shown as starting from Carterton, Stanmore Crescent, at 0605, 0635, 0710, 0725, 0745 and 0810 will now start from Brize Norton Post Office 3 minutes earlier.

The bus stop referred to is on Manor Road. Passengers for Oxford may catch the bus in Brize Norton and travel via Carterton to Oxford. 

         
ST BRITIUS CHURCH

The church will be open and full of flowers arranged by ladies who are opening their gardens for the NGS Gardens Open Day on Sunday 17 June from 1pm to 6pm. Everyone is most welcome at our "Songs of Praise" service which closes the day's events at 7.30pm. The hymns and readings have been chosen by members of the congregation and those in the village opening their gardens.

Do come to the Concert to be given by the Faringdon Singers in the Elderbank Hall on Saturday July 14th at 7.30 pm.  The programme includes Hiawatha's Wedding Feast, Negro Spirituals, music by Elgar, a violin & cello duet, and trumpet solo. There will be refreshments.  Proceeds will go to St Britius Church.  Tickets cost £5 and are available from Phil Holmes (843856), Chris Morgan (842663) and Joy Douglas (842373).

The Friends of St Britius Tower Project is awaiting approval of the plans to bring water and toilet facilities into the Church and we hope to start work later this summer.

We give advance notice that tickets will be available from 27 August for our popular "Swing into Autumn" Dance and Supper on Saturday 29 September. They will be on sale at the Horticultural Show and Cricket Festival on August Bank Holiday Monday when members of the church will be providing cream teas and refreshments, and a tombola stall. To reserve tickets in advance or purchase tickets after the show please phone Phil Holmes on 843856.

BRITISH JUDO CHAMPION

On 6th May, Miles Jacobs of South Mere became BJC under 18s British Judo Champion at the 2007 National Championships held at Hereford.

Milo has competed many times in the National Championships and has won several bronze and silver medals in previous years, however in this, his final year before moving up from espoir class to senior judo, and against a strong class of contenders, he finally secured the gold medal.

Special thanks go to Milo's two longstanding coaches Mr Jonathan Gerrans and Mr Simon Goddard.

Anyone interested in taking up Judo either as a junior or senior please contact:
Mr Jonathan Gerrans on 07967 349864
Classes for Juniors (5 years and over) are held in the Elderbank Hall on Saturday mornings.

BRIZE NORTON OPEN GARDENS
SUNDAY 17TH JUNE, 2007 from 1.00 - 6.00p.m.

Once again Brize Norton Gardens are open on behalf of the National Gardens Scheme.  We have got 9 Gardens open this year, along with the Church which is hosting a flower festival. The WI are serving teas and refreshments in the Elder Bank Hall.  Watch out again this year for the Ice Cream sellers on their bikes. Stop them and buy one. All profits from the day go to the National Gardens Scheme and also local village charities.

The National Gardens Scheme is a nationwide charity which raises funds to help various charities like Macmillan Cancer Relief, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Nurses Welfare Service, The Queen's Nursing Institute, to name a few. 

Also if you are interested in opening your garden in 2008 as part of the village scheme please let Judy Gush know, 01993 846730.  We have to let the NGS know by late August of our 2008 entrants.

This is a very enjoyable afternoon to be able to wander around the village, have a chat to people you haven't seen for a while, catch up on news and have a cup of tea or ice cream.

So why not come along on Sunday 17th June.  We look forward to seeing you then.

FOXBURY FARM
COME AND MEET YOUR LOCAL FARMER - OPEN FARM SUNDAY

On Sunday June 10th 2007 Colin Dawes is hosting a Farm Open Day and Pig Roast.  The gates at Foxbury Farm will be thrown open between 10am and 4pm to welcome the public for an amazing experience on a real working farm in the beautiful Cotswold countryside.  Admission to the farm is FREE so bring the entire family.  There will be something for everyone including farm walks, rural crafts exhibitions & demonstrations, sheep shearing & activities for the children.  Any money raised from the day will be donated to The Thames and Chiltern Air Ambulance.  

Colin is concerned by the small of amount of interaction people have with the farming community.  The Farm Open Day is an opportunity for the entire family to learn more about the farming process and see where your local food comes from.  The day will be based around Foxbury Farm's own individual story and Colin will be encouraging his guests to interact with the animals and ask questions.

Summer is the perfect time to meet the animals and tour the farm.  The children will be able to feed the pet goats, ducks, lambs and chickens or stroll through Dawes Plantation a mixture of broadleaf trees and an abundance of wildlife planted in 1993 by Colin Dawes as a legacy to future generations, or visit "Pig Village" where detached huts accommodate the farms Gloucestershire Old Spots Pig families.  Weather permitting; there will be sheep shearing demonstrations, which is definitely something you won't want to miss!

There will be a genuine Gloucestershire Old Spots Pig Roast together with hot and cold drinks and plenty of delicious food available to purchase throughout the day.  So come and join the farm fun; spend a leisurely summer afternoon on the farm, meet the animals, stroll through rural crafts and demonstrations and most importantly enjoy the food!

BRIZE NORTON OVER 60's CLUB

We enjoyed our coach holiday in Bournemouth in March.  The weather was very good.  We also had good weather for our White Horse Hill and Wantage trip and the train trip to Worcester.

Our coffee morning raised £92 towards our funds.

Our future programme includes:

June 5th Coach trip to Black Country Museum
June 19th Meal out
July 3rd Picnic in the Savernake Forest
July 17th COFFEE MORNING 10.30 AT JOYS EVERYONE WELCOME

Our coach holiday is October 19th-22nd and we are going to Weymouth.  Included in our future programme for the Autumn is a visit to the show Annie and a sing song of wartime songs.

We are a club for village people who meet twice a month on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.  New members welcome.

Thank you to Edna, Carol, Benita and June for providing a lovely tea with home made cakes.

Joy Douglas
842373

YOUR VILLAGE POST OFFICE (AT YOUR SERVICE)

Did you know that your village Post Office provides all of the services listed below and lots more?

* Traditional letter and parcel posting including next day deliveries and eBay services.

* Banking - (Cash/Cheque deposits and withdrawal) if you bank with the following banks: Alliance & Leicester (Girobank), Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Cahoot, Clydesdale, Co-op, Lloyds TSB, Nationwide Building Society and Smile.

* National Savings & Investment including Premium bonds, Pension bonds and Children Bonus Bonds.

* Bill Payment - Most household bills including BT phone bills can be paid free of fees.

* Foreign currency - generally commission free with 4 days notice.

* Travel Insurance - Inland and overseas (provided on the spot).

* Home Phone - Incentive to transfer your current home telephone service.

* Household Home Insurance - Competitive.

* Car Insurance - There is a £50 cash back on take up.

* Mobile phone Top-up.

* Groceries - limited quantity of snacks and groceries too.

We have an ageing cliental at present and would very much welcome young parents to use our facilities.  At a time when the post office network is under considerable threat, we need all the support that we can get.  We need everybody using the post office in order to survive.

Michael your postmaster attends the Sports Pavilion on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9.30am and 12.30pm.

Thank you for your continued support.
Michael

FLOWER SHOW - AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY
 

Schedules for this years show will be available shortly. 

If you would like to enter (and new exhibitors are always welcome) Schedules can be obtained from either: 
Judy Gush (Painswick House, Carterton Road. Tel: 846730 or myself (107 Station Road, Tel; 842013).

People who have entered the show in the last 2 years will receive a schedule automatically.
If you have not entered before and are a bit uncertain as to what's involved but think you might like to have a go, please give either Judy or myself a call for a chat.
 

Chris Thorne

BRIZE NORTON DANCE CLUB

We finish term with a Tea Dance and cream tea for club members only on Sunday June 24th.

The Tea Dances start again in September.  Future dates are:

Sunday September 30th "Mark"
Sunday October 28th "Mark"
Sunday November 25th "Arthur Tipper"
Sunday December 9th Wine and Mince Pies
Come along to dance or just to listen.

We have given £135 to the Sue Ryder Charity and £200 for a school for autistic children.

It is only our intention to cover costs at tea dances but even at £2 each we have made a profit due to the support we have.  Thank you.
Thank you to Jean and Mabel for the refreshments.

Contact Joy on 842373

BRIZE NORTON VILLAGE PRE SCHOOL

Brize Norton Village pre-school runs Monday to Friday in the Elderbank Hall. We cater for 2 1/2 to 5 year olds. This term we have more than 20 children filling both full and part time places. The children are enjoying our out of doors activities this term.  They have made several visits to our allotment where they are growing an assortment of vegetables and sunflowers.  With the assistance of a grant from Oxfordshire County Council we have purchased a shed which we have erected in our fenced off area and we use it not only as a store for some of the outdoor equipment but also as a play house.  

If you would like to register your child on our waiting list, or you would like any other information about pre-school, or you think you may be able to help in some way, then please contact our chairman Carolyn Peach 844102 or we can be contacted on
E-mail: brizenortonpreschool@hotmail.co.uk

We also hire out the pre-school chairs and tables - ideal for birthday parties and events with several children in attendance....only £5 for as many as you need. Contact Carolyn for further details.

BRIZE NORTON VILLAGE TODDLER GROUP

Have you got a baby/toddler/child between 0-5 years?

We are a small, friendly, parent run toddler group offering a wide range of toys and activities.  Held in the Elderbank hall with additional outside space, there is a lot of room for toddlers to let off steam get creative or simply have fun with other children.  There is also a suitable area for less mobile babies.

We are trying to provide what you want and need from the group, by encouraging group singing, story time and a regular craft activity table.  Children are free to participate in any activity.

We would love to see new faces, or the return of old ones, and hope you and your child will come along and see what toddler group has to offer.

Brize Norton Toddlers
Elderbank Hall
Tuesday (during term time) 1.15pm - 3.00pm
£1.50 per family
Call Carolyn Peach - 01993 844102 for more details or please just come along.

BRIZE NORTON RUNNERS
GET FIT, LOOSE WEIGHT - GO RUNNING

We are a small group of runners who meet on two nights a week at the Elderbank Hall car park for a run and are interested to hear from others in Brize Norton who may be interested in or thinking of trying running.  You may be a total beginner who has never run before (we all have to start somewhere) or a seasoned pro (maybe you can teach us something), all levels and capabilities are welcome.  Running with others is fun, motivational and works so would you like to join us?  We have been running as a group now for a couple of months and many of us started off walking.  If there is sufficient interest we may form a Brize Norton running club.  If you would like to give it a try either turn up at the Elderbank Hall car park on Wednesday or Thursday evenings.  We meet at 6pm and the Wednesday group is for run walkers and those that prefer to go slower or do a shorter distance; if you want to run the route then turn up on Thursday.  If you prefer contact Sam Conlan at Stephen@stoneleighhouse.eclipse.co.uk or call 843583 or Matt Webb at mathewwebb74@hotmail.co.uk or call 840890 for a chat first.  Go on, give it a go, it is fun!

NEW SCIENCE FACILITY IN OXFORDSHIRE OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC

Diamond Light Source is a prestigious new synchrotron in South Oxfordshire on the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. This new science facility could be described as a 'super microscope', housed in a striking doughnut-shaped building over half a kilometre in circumference, covering the size of five football pitches. 
Diamond will produce infrared, ultraviolet and X-ray beams of exceptional quality and brightness, a thousand billion times brighter than from a hospital X-ray tube. These beams will enable scientists and engineers to delve deep into the basic structure of matter and materials, leading to scientific breakthroughs in the fields of biotechnology, medicine, environmental and materials science.

Diamond is holding a Public Open Day on Saturday 14 July. To celebrate the fact that it is the largest scientific facility to be built in the UK for over 40 years, it is offering access to the synchrotron building that is usually closed to the public. It is a chance to learn about the scientific applications of Diamond, discover how the machine works and the technology behind it, and experience a self-guided tour inside the synchrotron machine. In addition to the tour there will be a range of exciting activities such as films, demonstrations, exhibitions and hands-on activities which bring to life the capabilities and applications of the facility. This is an event for everyone, whatever their background, age and ability. 

If you would like to attend the Diamond Public Open Day please visit www.diamond.ac.uk/openday2007 for more information and to register for tickets. Entry is free but by ticket only. 

Diamond Light Source Ltd
Diamond House
Chilton, Didcot
Oxfordshire
OX11 0DE
www.diamond.ac.uk/openday2007
Tel. 01235 778639
Email. diamondopenday@diamond.ac.uk 

THE NATIONAL BLOOD SERVICE

Forthcoming blood donations sessions at the Elderbank Hall:

Tuesday 28th August 2007
Tuesday 27th November 2007

All entries for inclusion in the September issue should be received by the 14th August.