In this edition there is information on a wide range of subjects. West Oxford District Council is currently carrying a review of housing and industrial buildings required up to the year 2026. If you share the concerns of the Brize Norton Parish Council please see the item "West Oxfordshire Planning Consultations" contained in this newsletter. Also enclosed for your convenience is a questionnaire for you to complete and send to WODC.

There are several village meetings in the near future to note in your diary:

Sports and Social Club

Will be holding their AGM on Tuesday 24th March at 7.30pm in the Sports Pavilion.  Open to all villagers and BN sports clubs and organisations. Your help, support and comments are most welcome. Come and see the new plans for the pavilion. Be part of the committee.

Allotment Holders Meeting

Will be held on Tuesday 7th April at 7pm in the Sports Pavilion.

Elderbank Hall

The AGM will be held in the Elderbank Hall on Wednesday 28th April at 8pm. Everyone welcome, come and support your village hall.

Brize Norton Parish Council

The Annual Assembly will be held in the Elderbank Hall on the 13th May 2009 commencing at 8pm.

The AGM's present an opportunity for all parishioners to represent their views and hear what current officers of the organisations are planning for the future.

The Brize Norton Parish Council Annual Assembly hopes again that representatives of Oxfordshire County Council, West Oxford District Council, Thames Valley Police, Brize Norton Primary School and RAF Brize Norton will be present.

These representatives will be able to answer questions and possibly dispel rumour and conjecture on a wide range of topics. Please don't be a "why doesn't someone do something about it" or "I never knew about that" come along support the meetings which are also a great opportunity to make "Your Views" known.

Keith Glazier

R A PRINT 1922 – 2009

With sadness we heard of the recent death of Dick Print.

Dick served on the Parish Council for many years and was Chairman from 1976 to 1986. He was very pro Brize Norton, ensuring that Brize's corner was always well fought when the situation demanded. He also made sure things were in order when patrolling the village on his regular bicycle sorties.

Beside enjoying dancing locally, Dick was also a very keen and able sportsman, still playing golf until he had his unfortunate stoke. He is also well remembered in the village for playing football and cricket for the village teams and his support for the football club in latter years.

Dick was very much a 'Brize Norton man' and will be sadly missed.

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.

We were very sad to say goodbye to Roy after five years as our Vicar. Everyone was able to show their appreciation of Roy and Bev's gifts to us at the farewell service on Sunday 15th February, when there were many tributes and remembrances of all that they have achieved in growing our congregation and caring for the village. At the end of the service we invited Roy to cut the ribbon to open the new kitchen and toilet facilities in the tower, to which so many have contributed in time and money. Please do come and use them!

Our Easter services will start on Palm Sunday, 5th April with a procession led hopefully by Mickey the Donkey (courtesy of Foxbury Farm) starting from the Elderbank Hall at 9 am. Everyone is welcome to join the procession, particularly the children.

Easter services include:

• Maundy Thursday – 9th April - Holy Communion at 7 pm.
• Good Friday – 10th April – Tenebrae (darkness) Service of Reflection & Prayer at 6 pm. This will include readings and be lit by candles representing the seven last words of Christ. It is a very moving service reflecting the meaning of Good Friday.
• Easter Day – 12th April - 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

DOGS

There are a few irresponsible and inconsiderate dog owners in the village who allow their dogs to foul the pavements and open spaces. It is requested that all dog owners take responsibility and clear up after their dogs.

It has also been noticed that occasionally dogs are being walked on the rec and the pathway to the play park. May we remind you that there are no dogs allowed in this area? Thank you.

BRIZE NORTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

This term Brize Norton Primary School has been busy developing our international links. In February half term myself and Helen Gerrard (Year 5/6 teacher) visited our partner school in Uganda. Kibanga Primary School is situated on the Ssese Islands of Lake Victoria, 3 hours from the mainland port in Entebbe. It is a school with 550 children in seven classes. In July, David the headteacher visited Brize Norton and shared my enthusiasm for developing a school partnership.

Our visit funded by The British Council was an interesting one with much learnt. The island community is very disadvantaged in many ways, with much employment provided by the fishing industry. The island communities have been devastated by HIV with many children orphaned or living with extended family. At the same time they are advantaged by their sense of community spirit shown by everyone we met and the determination to make the most of what they have and do the best they can for themselves, family and friends.

As we approached the school by car at 6.30pm on the first evening we were met by the sound of singing and cheering as the entire community had lined the streets to greet us. Over the course of the week we had the opportunity to visit 6 schools as well as having the opportunity to teach in our partner school. Each class had up to 70 pupils with one teacher. The classrooms were very bare with only wooden benches and a blackboard for teaching and the odd teaching poster on the walls. Most learning from the age of 7 is taught in English, although the children are also taught in their regional language, Lugandan. The children were fascinated by the seasons we experience and the fact that we had had snow in England, something they have obviously never seen!

Over the coming year we plan to develop a joint project in both schools. This has begun in Year 5 and 6 with the sending of letters, maps, leaflets about our village and the giving of a friendship banner to our partner school. We now plan to promote the link through all school topics to allow the children to identify the similarities and differences in the lives of children in the two schools. We also plan to develop a partnership garden where we can grow each other's seeds to compare which soils and climates different foods grow best in.

We would like to thank Judy Gush and Burford School and Community College for helping us to initiate this partnership.

This term we have also received good news that an application for a lottery funded grant of £5100 through the Awards for All programme has been successful. This is to allow us to provide a range of alternative sports after school such as archery, fencing and team building games as well as providing cookery lessons for children. More about Awards for All can be found at www.awardsforall.org.uk

This term the School Association continue to plan events for the school and village community. Our next event is a Quiz Night in March. Please visit our school website or telephone the school on 01993842488 for more details.

PARKING

Complaints have been received that pavements are being obstructed by cars illegally parked. This is, in particular occurring in Manor Road and Station Road by the churchyard. It would be appreciated if the Elderbank Hall car park could be used instead as there is ample room for parking.

ALLOTMENTS

There will be a meeting for allotment holders on Tuesday 7th April at 7pm in the Sports Pavilion. Fees will be payable at this meeting. Allotments are in short supply so if you are considering giving up your allotment, please notify the Parish Clerk so that you plot can be re-allocated in time for the start of the season.

WEST OXFORDSHIRE PLANNING POLICY CONSULTATIONS

You are invited to participate in the Core Strategy Interim Position Statement February 2009 consultation by the consultation manager, West Oxfordshire Planning Policy Manager. There are many proposals, especially sited around Carterton, which could have a major effect on our village and therefore, we are sure you will wish to be informed.

Progress is being made on the West Oxfordshire Local Development Framework (LDF) which will replace the current West Oxfordshire Local Plan (2011). The Core Strategy for the Local Development Framework will provide the overall spatial strategy for guiding future development in West Oxfordshire to 2026.

An 'Interim Statement' on the Core Strategy named 'Core Strategy So Far' presents West Oxfordshire District Council's thoughts and ideas for the final document, and provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to have an input at this early stage of writing the document. You are a stakeholder.

Please view the document and answer the accompanying questionnaire. If you prefer to view the 'Core Strategy So Far' consultation document in hardcopy there are copies available at the Council's Elmfield Office, Witney and Chipping Norton Town Centre Shops and public libraries. Please let West Oxfordshire District Council have you comments by 6th April 2009.

If you have any questions regarding the consultation please contact the Planning Policy team on 01993 861420. If you wish to respond electronically you can go to http://planningconsultation.westoxon.gov.uk or use the enclosed questionnaire and return it to the address shown.

BRIZE NORTON OVER 60's CLUB

We meet every 1st and 3rd Tuesday. We have a meeting 2.30 until 4.30 at 4 Squires Close and a trip every month. We held a party at Christmas with entertainment. Since Christmas, we have had Roy the vicar sing and play to us and an amusing talk by Tom Smith. We have been to the pantomime and enjoyed a meal at Lyneham Golf Club.

Our future events include:

• February 7th                                Richard Waller to talk on The Church Army
• March 4th                                     Visit to the bus museum
• March 9th – 13th                         Coach  holiday to Bournemouth
• March 17th                                  Coffee Morning. Every welcome 10.30am at 4 Squires Close

A trip to Worcester is arranged for April 7th. Summer events include visit to Queens College, coach to Windsor, cream tea, picnic, meal and coffee morning. Thanks to Edna, Carol, Benita and June for the lovely teas.

Any village person interested contact Joy on 842373.

BRIZE NORTON DANCE CLUB

We meet on Thursday evenings 7pm – 9pm for social dancing and practice. We have tea dances on Sundays in Elderbank Hall. Next is:

February 22nd 2pm – 4pm                Live Music

March 29th 2pm – 4pm                     CDs

In the summer we shall have a tea dance and cream tea. Thank you to Mabel and Jean for providing tea and biscuits each week. If interested in the tea dances – to dance or just to listen do come along.

Joy 842373

BRIZE NORTON VILLAGE PRE SCHOOL

The children in the pre-school have been busy this term learning about growing plants and have set up a Garden Centre. 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 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 2nd April for the Easter fayre, our annual fundraiser event. Doors open 10.45am, please come and share refreshments with us, watch the children in their 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 our Easter Evening of Las Vegas Style Entertainment including Rat Pack Entertainer, Elvis Tribute Act, Buffet and Disco at the Witney Lakes Golf Club on the 25th April. Tickets are £25.00 each. We could love to see you. Contact Lisa on 07791675162. We are also having a summer quiz on the 4th July.

As last year we are registered for the Sainsbury's (Active8) and Tesco 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 £375 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 Jo White, 01993 847548 or 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 Jo for further details.

REFUSE & RECYCLING COLLECTION

The refuse and recycling service along with the green waste collection service in West Oxfordshire is provided by Veolia Environmental Services, who are Europe's largest private waste management company.

To try and dispel a few myths, the refuse collected in West Oxfordshire is land filled at the County Council's waste disposal site at Stanton Harcourt, whereas the recycling that is collected is taken to two different areas. For those who live in Curbridge Road and Burford Road, your recycling is taken back to Veolia's depot in Abingdon where it is tipped, buked up and sent on to various UK reproccessors. The vehicle used to collect your recycling is called a kerbsider. This vehicle looks like a normal box body large goods vehicle but has a side loading trough running along the passenger side, into which all your recycling is sorted. When this is tipped, it is stored in individual compartments and not all mixed together as some people may think.

For the rest of the villagers & those who live in Minster Road and Station Road, your recycling is collected in a vehicle called a twin pack. This is similar to a normal dust-cart bin lorry but has two compartments; one is for paper and the other is for glass, plastic, cardboard, cans etc. When this vehicle is full it is taken to Wellsbourne in Warwickshire where it is emptied at a materials reclamation facility (MRF) where all the recycling is sorted out by conveyor belts, stored and finally sold on to UK reprocessors.

Refuse and recycling collections take place on a Friday in Brize Norton and the earliest collection will be about 05.30- 0600 am (depending on how motorists have left their cars). Therefore, refuse bins and recycling boxes should be placed out on the kerbside before this time. Thursday evening is the ideal time to place your receptacles out for collection. There is no need to put your bin out on a Monday or Wednesday; not only does it look unsightly but could also lead to petty crime i.e. somebody knocking your bin over or setting it on fire. There is also a more serious note to observe if your bin is out midweek, does that mean you are not at home and possibly you are letting people know this?

For those of us who subscribe to the Council's green waste service, I can assure you that it is not land filled but taken to one of two sites in Oxfordshire. One site is near Chipping Norton, and the other is near Pusey near Abingdon. Both these site are run by Agrivert who turn green waste into compost.

Please remember that after a bank holiday Monday collections in Brize Norton will be a day late and will be collected on Saturday.

One last point to explain, during the recent bad weather people have asked me why wasn't my bin emptied or when will the bin men be here? Why do the bin men not come down this road when the postman, milkman, paperman, all managed to get here? Bin lorries are large vehicles and are quite difficult to drive. On average a bin lorry weighs over 20,000kg or 20 tons; if they were to come down snow covered roads there is a chance they will slide over the road and possibly bump into other cars or perhaps even worse, injury a pedestrian. I believe the council do take the right decision not to allow these vehicles on the roads in such conditions.

WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

We went into choppy seas at our February meeting when our speaker told us of the recovery of the 16th century Mary Rose near Portsmouth. This was a fascinating combination of adventure and archaeology which may yet get us down to the museum which is being constructed there on an outing sometime this summer.

As it is we have had to contend with winter. We were supposed to join all the other WI's in Oxfordshire and parade our banner at a service in Christchurch Cathedral to mark the 90th anniversary of the movement. But the snow on February 6th decreed otherwise and we have had to leave our banner at its usual place – and hands up all those who know where this is! If you do not, look to your left as you go into the Elderbank Hall and you will find it beautifully embroidered and protected by its sheet of glass just next to the door.

More talks and events on the second Tuesday every month at 7.30pm at Elderbank Hall – and surely the snow must be over for this year!

Hazel Goldman

BRIZE NORTON (POORS PLOT) CHARITY

60 Villagers received a gift of money from the charity at Christmas. The money comes from rent from a field left to the village. Every pensioner and widow is entitled to a gift at Christmas but if you don't let me know, I have no way of finding out. Please let me know if you qualify and I can add you to the list for next year.

Joy Douglas

842373

If you would like to advertise in the Parish Newsletter for a small fee, please contact Jo Webb on 840890 or e-mail jowebb_2@hotmail.com.