Brize Norton Parish Council Newsletter

The Communities of Brize Norton and Carterton

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Here is the text from the March 2008 Newsletter Published here with permission of the Parish Council.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

It would appear we have been spared in the latest round of closure of a considerable number of Post Offices. The village will still benefit from the twice weekly visit by Michael and very comprehensive Postal and Banking services will be available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in the Sports pavilion. I would urge you all to use this facility to ensure we keep the Post Office in Brize Norton. A list of the services offered appears later in this news letter.

Meetings.

There are three important village meetings coming up in the near future. In each case I feel sure that many parishioners would like to “air their views” and make representations. Some of you may even wish to volunteer your services as committee members.

• The first meeting will be on Tuesday 18th March and on the agenda will be the ambitious formation of the Brize Norton Sports and Social Club. This was discussed at the Annual Assembly of the Parish 2007 and generally found favour with all present.
  This will be a community based project and requires the support of you all.
• The second meeting is the Annual General Meeting of the Elderbank Hall Committee on Wednesday 23rd April. The Elderbank hall is undoubtedly the most used village facility with people of all ages and interests catered for. It is run by a small but dedicated team who deserve the support of all parishioners.
• Finally the Brize Norton Parish Council Annual Village Assembly will be held on Wednesday 14th May in the Elderbank hall at 8PM. It is hoped that reports and representatives will be as last year with Oxford County Council and West Oxford District Council councillors, the Thames Valley Police, School Governors report and a briefing by representatives from RAF Brize Norton. Last years Assembly provided some lively debate on a variety of subjects and I feel sure that this years meeting will raise further debating points!

K A GLAZIER

ST BRITIUS CHURCH

All our Christmas services were very well attended. It was good to see so many people making the time to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. Thank you to everyone, especially the children, who read lessons at the Candlelit Carol Service and to the children who took part in the nativity tableau and their parents for dressing them up appropriately.

The plans for the Tower Project to provide water and toilet facilities in the church have been submitted to the Diocesan Advisory Committee, who have suggested some changes. However, we hope to have the alterations to the tower under way by the summer.

Our Easter services will start on Palm Sunday, 16th March with a procession led hopefully by Mickey the Donkey (courtesy of Foxbury Farm) starting from the Elderbank Hall at 9 am. Everyone (particularly children) is welcome to join the procession.

Easter services include:

• Maundy Thursday – 20th March - Holy Communion at 7 pm
   
• Good Friday – 21 st March - Service of Reflection & Prayer at 6 pm
   
• Easter Day – 23 rd March - Family Communion at 9.15 am when the children will be making an Easter Garden during the service.

Please watch the notice board or visit the web site at www.brizenorton.org.uk/community

BRIZE NORTON SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB – OPEN VILLAGE MEETING

All villagers and members of any Brize Norton sports club are welcome to attend an Open Meeting to see the new pavilion plans and discuss this new venture – The Brize Norton Sports and Social Club.

TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2008 7.30pm for 8.00pm start. At the ELDERBANK HALL.

We are looking for people who like sport, like to socialise, like a drink and are willing to help with this communal project.

This new venture was born out of a meeting between the Parish Council and the village sport clubs. The basic idea is for the Club to take over the general running and the expenses of the Brize Norton pavilion and recreation ground.

To make this a viable proposition the BNS&SC steering committee decided that a new pavilion was needed – which would included a smart new social area as well as modern changing facilities. We knew it had to cater for the Post Office and be able to have a separate meeting room – these have been included.

Come and see the plans on Tuesday 18 March and the Elderbank Hall.

The aims are two fold, one to reduce the financial burden of the Parish Council and secondly to provide both an excellent sporting facility for all, (and we do mean all!) plus a thriving social side, where villagers can relax in comfortable surroundings with good beer and pleasant company.

The opportunities for this project are almost endless and we would very much like your input. Please do try and make the meeting. This project is for the village and this meeting is a chance to put your views forward.

Look forward to seeing you on the 18 March.

Tim Gush
Chairman BNS&SC

BRIZE NORTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

Since September the staff and governors, with the children, have been reviewing the school aims and shared values. This term we have agreed our school mission statement: belonging, learning and succeeding. This statement encapsulates the vision for our school: a place where children feel safe, cared for and valued; where the curriculum ensures that each child reaches their full potential and where every child experiences success.

This term has seen the development of our creative curriculum in school. We have been busy creating new topics with the help of the children, including topics on: toys, dinosaurs, the Second World War and natural disasters. These topics have been greatly enhanced by a range of visits to museums in Bristol, Banbury, Swindon and Oxford, and by visitors in school.

The School Council, made up of children from each class, have been busy planning a fundraising event to take place on March 14th. This is Sports Relief day and we are planning an active day to include a sponsored run and active workshops throughout the day.

In March, we are holding a Book and Drama week. During this week the children will work with a range of authors and poets including Nicholas Allan and John Foster. They will also experience live theatre in school. This should be an inspiring week for all children and adults involved.

The Brize Norton School Association, continues to offer a huge support to the school community. This term they have held a successful Quiz night and a children’s disco. The next planned event is a Race Night on the 1st March in the Elderbank Hall. Money raised by the School Association is used to enhance the education of all children at the school. This term the School Association are raising money for visiting authors and theatre groups for our Book and Drama week; the purchase of curtains for the school hall; benches for the playground and a new ICT network.

Our school website continues to develop. The website celebrates the work and achievements of the children and provides information about forthcoming events. You can visit our website at http://www.bnschool.org.

Mark Smith
Headteacher
 

FOXBURY FARM, FOOD FUN AND FARM OPEN DAY

Put the date in your diary now! Come and find out where your local food is produced.

Chat to the farmers, take a vintage tractor and trailer ride around the animals or take part in the cookery demonstrations.

On Sunday 1st June between 10am and 4pm Farmer Colin Dawes of Foxbury Farm, Burford Road, Brize Norton, Oxfordshire OX18 3NX, is opening his gates wide to encourage everyone to come and see how their locally produced meat is reared. Foxbury is the only farm in this area which retails 100% of the meat reared on its own farm.

Over 16 years Foxbury Farm has held many successful Farm Open Days, raising thousands of pounds for local charities. This is your local community event and we would like everyone to be a part of it. Admission for children under 16 and OAP’s is free, adults are £2.00 and the money will be donated to the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust.

Any charities or country crafts wishing to take a stall at this event please contact Foxbury Farm office on: 01993 844141 or e-mail us at: shop@foxburyfarm.co.uk

BRIZE NORTON OVER 60's CLUB

Our meetings now take place in Elderbank Hall as Joy is not back into her bungalow yet. Our Christmas party was fun.

Future events include:

Tuesday March 4th Coach to Moreton market

Tuesday March 10th – 14th Coach holiday to Bournemouth

Tuesday March 18th Sing-a-long with Cliff at the piano

Tuesday April 1st Open meeting – everyone welcome. Tea and cakes in the hall / or coffee morning. Bring & buy raffle

Future programme includes a river trip and a coach trip to Bath.

It is sad to lose Betty Sollis who died in January. Betty was a loyal and regular member of the club and she will be missed.

Thank you to Edna, Benita, Carol and June for providing home made teas at each meeting.

Contact Joy Douglas 842373

ELDERBANK HALL

The Hall Committee is holding its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 23rd April at 8pm in the Hall.
Everyone welcome, come and support your village hall.

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

KEN HADLAND 1929-2007

In early December we heard that Ken Hadland had died. Ken was Parish Clerk for many years during the 60s, 70s and 80s and was instrumental in obtaining finances and overseeing the many projects undertaken by the Parish Council in those times, including the purchase of the Recreation Ground, the Sports Pavilion, Car Park and many others but mainly the building of the Elderbank Hall which stands as a fitting monument for a man who did so much for the Village.

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

I have just been enthused by our February speaker, Linda Kerswell of The Cotton Club in Bampton. Linda has a passion for patchwork and quilting, and with the help of lots of examples of her work, which she brought with her, she had a roomful of fascinated WI members fingering her wall hangings and cot covers and feeling that they too could produce such beautiful objects.

It is always good to be able to share in the enthusiasms of a speaker. We try to find subjects that will cover members’ interest, from talks on the BBC or life as an aromatherapist to hands-on subjects like Linda’s quilts or Celia Crook’s posh hats which we could try on for our next visit to Ascot, maybe.

In the WI we also have opportunities to join other Institutes and go to concerts in Birmingham, or get shown round Rutherford Appleton Laboratories or enjoy a chance to try a taster of Tai Chai – no, I am not quite sure what that is either but apparently your muscles know when you have had a go!

All these – and many others during the year – are open to all members, so why not come along to the April meeting when we shall have our next year’s programme for you to sample.

Hazel Goldman
843349

BRIZE NORTON DANCE CLUB

We continue with our classes alternate Thursdays 7pm until 9pm. We dance ballroom, Latin American and Sequence. New members welcome. We also hold Tea Dances on Sunday afternoons 2.30 – 4.30pm.

Future dates:

March 30th Dance to Mark on the keyboard.
Do come to dance or just to listen.

At Christmas we gave £300 to St Britius for the Tower Fund. This term’s profit will go to the transplant unit at the renal unit at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford.

Thank you to Jean and Mabel for providing refreshments at all of our events.

We are sad to announce the death, in December of Mike Wallace, one of our regular members. Mike and Benita have been dancing with us for several years. They have passed many exams with high grades during that time. Our thoughts are with Benita.

Joy Douglas
842373

JOYCE ROWLINSON

Colin, Jan, John, Joy and Jill would like to thank everyone for their kindness shown at this difficult time, especially all those who have sent cards and messages, those who attended Joyce’s Memorial Service and those who have donated to the Bampton District Nurses Fund. With special thanks to Alison and Lucy B at Bampton Surgery for their support and care.

BRIZE NORTON VILLAGE PRE SCHOOL

The children in the pre-school have been busy this term learning about people who help them. We would like to thank the local community police officers and firemen from Witney who each came and spent a morning with the children letting them try on uniforms, use equipment and sit in cars and engines. They all got a bit wet having fun with the water hoses! Also planned for this term is a visit by a dentist, together with ‘Smiley the crocodile,’ for the children to learn about looking after their teeth. With the better weather there will be trips to the allotment, as well as Mothering Sunday and Easter art projects to complete. The children will also be celebrating World Book Day by coming to school in their pyjamas with their favourite bed time story book.

We would like to invite parents, family, friends and supporters from the village to join with us at The Elderbank Hall on Thursday 20 March for the Easter fayre, our annual fundraiser event. Doors open 10.45am, please come and share refreshments with us, watch the children in their Easter bonnet parade, hear their short concert, enter in our raffle, Easter egg tombola, Easter themed games, guess the weight of the simnel cake and cake stall.

Further fundraising events for your diaries are Dave’s sponsored parachute jump Tuesday 25 March, Spring Bingo on Friday 25 April - come and join us for a ‘fish and chip supper’ and bingo and a Summer quiz evening Saturday 19 July. For more information if you would like to sponsor Dave or tickets to the events please contact Dave or Rachael 846275 or Carolyn 844102.

As last year we are registered for the Sainsbury’s (Active8) and Tesco (computers for schools) voucher schemes. We can use the vouchers to claim a variety of new equipment for the pre-school and would be pleased if you could collect them for us and either ‘post’ them in our collecting boxes in the hall foyer or to Carolyn at 52a Station Road.

We would like to thank everyone who supported us at our Christmas fayre on
14 December when we raised a fantastic £325 for our funds.

Brize Norton Village pre-school runs Monday to Friday in the Elderbank Hall. We cater for 2 ½ to 5 year olds. This term we have 18 children filling both full and part time places and we will be welcoming more in the term after Easter. 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 01993 844102 or e-mail: brizenortonpreschool@hotmail.co.uk or visit our new website www.brizenortonpreschool.info.

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.

CYCLING CLUB

If anyone is interested in cycling to get or keep fit, then maybe you’d like to join the two of us on Sunday mornings in Brize.

We have just started and wondered if there were others who’d like to go but just needed a ‘push’. It maybe that some people are slow and some are quick, but I’m sure that if we have a few responses everyone can be catered for…..especially with the nice weather coming.!

We are also planning to cycle a couple of evenings a week, when lighter evenings appear.

You can telephone me or email for more info’. 

Paul and Kev’
01993 844055  paul@ppagett.f2s.com

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 for 1 adult and two children, additional adults are 50p each
Call Carolyn Peach – 01993 844102 for more details or please just come along.

BLOOD DONATION SESSIONS FOR 2008

Tuesday 22nd April - 2.30pm to 4.25pm and 5.15pm to 7.15pm

Wednesday 26th August - 1.30pm to 3.25pm and 4.15pm to 7.15pm 

Tuesday 23rd December - 1.30pm to 3.25pm and 4.15pm to 7.15pm 

All sessions are held in the Elderbank Hall. For further information please contact the National Blood Service on 0845 7 711 711 or visit their website www.blood.co.uk.

THE MASS DIAL OF ST BRITIUS

There is always something new to discover about our village church. I have now found traces of a medieval clock cut into the outer wall! Between 1100-1600, before churches had exterior mechanical clocks, the only indication that priests had as to the time for holding services was by use of a sundial carved on the south wall of the church; hence the name given to them of ‘mass dial’. These sundials generally took the form of a hole, about the thickness of a pencil, bored into the stone into which would be inserted a rod which would cast a shadow. About 8-9 inches across and roughly cut the dials came in a variety of designs from complete circles with radii lines to semi circle of dots and was regarded as an event marker rather than a time piece. St Britius has one of these ‘mass dials’ by the Chancel door, in fact there is one above the other, they are at head height and quite faint with being weathered over the centuries. You would not know they were there unless you knew where to look. The church was built in the 12th century which may have been when this ‘mass dial’ was carefully carved by the stone mason.

WENDY MORGAN.

CARPENTERS B & B

Under new management

Comfortable rooms in delightful 17th century property. All rooms en-suite with TV, tea/coffee making facilities and complimentary water. Off-street parking. Local ingredients used where possible

www.carpentersbandb.co.uk

01993 844222 carpentersbandb@hotmail.com

 All entries for inclusion in the June issue should be received by the 14th May.