The Communities of Brize Norton and Carterton

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Here is the text from the March 2006 Newsletter
Published here with permission of the Parish Council.

CHAlR’S REPORT

The Parish Magazine:
Welcome to the first Parish magazine of 2006. The magazine is published quarterly and provides a means of passing information to the parishioners and for the parishioners to publish information about village activities. If you are actively involved in the running of any activity that are "open to all", space can be found in the magazine to publicise your particular club or activity. Please pass items for inclusion to either the Parish Clerk or any of the councillors.

RAF Brize Norton:
RAF Brize Norton aircraft returned to the base on the 3rd February after four months working out of RAF Fairford While work on the re-surfacing of the runway is complete there is still a considerable amount of construction work taking place on the base. This high level of construction work will continue for a few years yet as RAP Brize Norton builds up to an era of new aircraft and the eventual influx of aircraft which will move to Brize Noxton as and when RAP Lyneham closes. Flying activity will certainly be high as the build up for the development of 4000 troops and airmen deploy to Afghanistan for peace keeping duties.

Gardeners:
As spring rapidly approaches many keen gardeners will be keen to be outside in the fresh air tending to their gardens. For the allotment holders there will be a meeting on Tuesday 4 April at 7pm in the Sports Pavilion. Fees will be payable at this meeting. Allotments are in short supply with all plots taken last year. If you are considering giving up your plot please notify the Parish Clerk, this will enable the plot to be re-allocated in time for the start of the season.

Vandalism:
There has been instances of broken beer bottles left outside the Sports Pavilion and broken glass on the sports field. It is suspected that under age drinking has been taking place on the sports field. The local police have been informed. Unfortunately a few people have been exercising their dogs on the sports field and dog fouling has occurred. If you are a dog owner please note that dogs ARE NOT permitted on the sports field.

ST BRITIUS CHURCH

St Britius Church is hosting a Japanese Theatre Play in English, "The Cowardly Samurai", at the Elderbank Hall on Saturday 18 March at 7pm. Refreshments will be available and tickets are Ł5 adults, Ł2.50 children, obtainable from Lucy Artus, Jackie Bellenger, Ken Gillians or Roy Turner. Everyone is welcome and the proceeds are in aid of the Church Tower Project.

The Tower Project is to provide water and toilet facilities in the church. With a growing congregation, particularly at our family services, we have a real need for water for refreshments, flowers, Sunday Club activities etc, as well as for a disabled toilet.

The Friends of St Britius are a group of villagers who are going to make the Tower Project (and other long-term aims of replacing the heating system and roof) a reality with fund raising and self-help, providing the labour and skills to do the job. We already have several donations towards the Tower Project, including a generous donation of materials from A K Timms & Sons. If you would like to become a Friend, make a donation, or find out more, please phone Phil Holmes on 843856.

Our Easter services will start on Palm Sunday, 9'th Aprit, with a procession led by Mickey the Donkey (courtesy of Foxbury Farm) starting from the Elderbank Hall at 9am. Everyone, particularly children, is welcome to join the procession.

Maundy Thursday - 13 April -	Holy Communion at 7pm
Good Friday - 14 April -	Service of Reflection & Prayer - The Stations of the Cross - at 2pm
Easter Day - 16 April -	Family Communion at 9.15am

SOUTHERN SHOTOKAN KARATE ASSOCIATION

Brize Norton Club

Our club is just over a year old now. We have 15 regular members who train with us every Sunday between 5:30 and 7:00 pm in the Elderbank Hall. My aim is to teach traditional Karate in a small friendly club environment and blend both Martial Arts techniques as well as fitness training. Many of my students have successfully passed a number of gradings over the course of the last 12 months. Some of our newer members will be doing their first grading very soon. If you are interested, come along for a couple of free lessons to see if you enjoy it For more information call Matt Webb on 840890.

BRIZE NORTON PRIMARY SCHOOL:
LICENSING ACT 2003
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE OR CLUB PREMISES CERTIFICATE

Notice is hereby given that Brize Norton Primary School Applied
to West Oxfordshire District Council on 1st February 2006

To use premises at Brize Norton Primary School to perform concerts, plays, indoor sports, show films, dancing, fetes, bazaar and discos.

Any person wishing to object to this application must give notice in writing stating the nature of the objection by 28 March 2006.

Please write to the address below:

Head of Community Safety and Licensing
West Oxfordshire District Council
Woodgreen
Witney
Oxfordshire OX28 1NB
Full details of the application may be inspected by appointment at the address above. Please phone (01993) 861636 if you wish to view the complete application.

It is an offence, liable on summary conviction to a fine up to Ł5,000, under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003 knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement on or in connection with this application.

BRIZE NORTON OVER 60’S CLUB

We have enjoyed our Christmas Party, an afternoon playing indoor games like darts and shove halfpenny and a visit to "Aladdin", the pantomime.

Tuesday 21st February	- "Tom Smith" on the Journey of the River Windrush
13th March	- Bournemouth holiday
Tuesday 21st March	- Local History by local people
Tuesday 4th April	- Meal out

BRIZE NORTON POST OFFICE

Please support the village Post Office held in the Sports Pavilion on Tuesday and Thursdays from 9.30 till 12.30. If we don't use it, we shall loose it

BRIZE NORTON DANCE CLUB

We meet on Thursday evenings and cover beginners to advanced dancers in Ballroom, Latin American and Sequence. Classes are well attended but it would be nice to welcome more village residents.

We also run tea dances in the Elderbank Hall on the last Sunday of the month, 2.30 till 4.30pm. We don't set out to make a profit, just to enjoy ourselves but the January dance was so well attended we were able to give Ł138 to Spring Field School.

Sunday 26 February	- Arthur Tipper to play (2.30 till 4.30pm)
Sunday 26 March	- "Just Mark"
Sunday 30 April	- Extra tea dance to raise money for the Tower Project. Live music in the Elderbank Hall. Admission Ł2.50 to include tea and homemade cakes. (2.30 till 4.30 pm).

Do come along to dance or just listen. It only costs Ł2 and you get a cup of tea and a biscuit too.

ELDERBANK HALL

Brize Norton Parish Council is lookng for anyone who was involved with the building of The Elderbank Hall. We will be interested to hear from anyone who was a member of the hall committee or who knows of someone who was on the committee at that time. We are most interested in the whereabouts of the plans and paperwork and committee minutes from around the time the hall was built. Can you help7 If so, please contact Christine Naus on 844010.

BRIZE NORTON WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

The WI celebrated Christmas with the rest of the village by taking part in the traditional Carol Service. We also had our own festive meal, at which members contributed memories of childhood family gatherings. There was a treasured doll, still kept in its original dress, a trip in a horse drawn cart, Uncle Percy's special turkey carving knife and, incongruous but moving, a party arranged for some homecoming prisoners of war from Japanese POW camps.

Since then we have had two excellent talks, one a historical trawl through the history of wool in the Cotswolds and the other the story of the Mitford sisters, two of whom are buried just outside the church of Swinbrook

Our programme for the summer has taken shape, and apart from the usual monthly meetings we are going on outings and hoping to enjoy fine weather at a garden party. As well as our village activities, there are a host of opportunities offered in Oxfordshire - visits, talks and activities - and did I say in my previous report that three of out members (Peggy, Isabel and Helen) had won the cup at the County Bowls competition?

We offer a special welcome to newcomers to Brize Norton - The WI is a painless way to get to know some of your neighbours, and enjoy yourself at the same time.

BRIZE NORTON VILLAGE PRE SCHOOL

Easter Fayre
Brize Norton Pre-school Easter Fayre will be held on Wednesday 29 March. All are welcome to come and join us. There will be stalls, a raffle and refreshments. Doors open at 10.30am.

If you have any donations of Chocolate, Easter eggs, bottles or raffle items please phone Christine Naus on 844010 for collection.

SAINSBURY'S ACTIVE KIDS VOUCHERS

Brize Norton Pre-school and Toddler group are collecting the Sainsbury's active kid vouchers. These vouchers are available at the checkout with your shopping and we are collecting than to purchase free sports equipment for the Pre-school and toddler group. If you have any vouchers to donate please contact Christine Naus on 8440l0 and I will collect them or post to Montrose, Manor Road or 18 Chichester Place.

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
Ł1.50 per family

WARNING - NPOWER

DO NOT ALLOW UNKNOWN CALLERS INTO YOUR HOME AND DO NOT GIVE OUT 1NFORMATION TO ANYONE WHO KNOCKS AT YOUR DOOR

Sales staff has visited several people in the village from the Npower electricity company. Two ladies are working together to try and con you to switch to Npower electricity without your permission. They te11 you that they need a copy of an old electric bill so they can check if your number matches theirs so they can see if you qualify for a lower rate. What they really want is your account number so they can switch your account. Npower has been informed of what its agents are doing and have promised they will put a stop to it. Ofgem (The energy watchdog) has also been informed and has promised action, but please be very careful if you get any callers from Npower.

If you have had any similar dealings with Npower, please call me or get in touch with Ofgem on 0845 906 0708. The more complaints the easier it is to stop these people.

BRIZE NORTON PARISH COUNCIL

Meetings held in the Pavilion, first Tuesday every month at 7.30 pm, all welcome to attend.

USEFUL CONTACT NAMES

ELDERBANK HALL ACTIVITIES

Is there anything that really annoys you about Brize Norton Village?

Maybe its dogs mess on the pavement, maybe its speeding cars, maybe its cars parking on the pavements/outside the school/over drive ways, maybe it's the state of the playgrounds, maybe it's flooding issues you have, or maybe it's the lack of information available, MAYBE YOU COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Is there anything you love about Brize Norton Village?

Maybe it's the sense of community, maybe it's the low crime rate, maybe it's the facilities - the Elderbank Hall, the sports field, and the playgrounds, maybe you want to improve things even more, and MAYBE YOU COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

HOW?

BY JOINING THE BRIZE NORTON PARISH COUNCIL

The parish council is a group of people who are elected to look after the different issues that effect Brize Norton village. These issues vary from month to month, but include planning decisions, highways, rubbish collections, flooding, the sports field and pavilion as well as the village finances. The council take on board any issues that are affecting the village and then we contact the relevant outside agencies responsible for that issue and try and get things done.

This year we need at least 5 new members. Without new people coming forward to join the parish council we are at risk of handing control of our village over to outsiders, such as the district council, this will have a direct impact on village life, as we will have little or no say in decisions affecting our village.

What it involves?

The parish council meets once a month, (every 1st Tuesday) and holds one Annual general meeting every year. All that is asked of you is that you attend as many meetings as you can, and come along with your thoughts and ideas and complaints.

So that's it, just 12 meetings a year and you can really make a difference to Brize Norton Village.

For more information or to come forward as a member please call Sam Goodwin (Clerk) or Keith Glazier (Chairman) 01993 843640 or Christine Naus (Councillor).

Nominations to be received by Parish Clerk Sam Goodwin Tel 01993 846827 By 30 March 2006

Brize Norton Parish Council Newsletter

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The
NEWSLETTER
BRlZE NORTON PARISH COUNCIL

March 2006

Issue no. 108