January 2006 50p - the Lower Windrush ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
February 2021
January
����� 2006 50p
CHRISTMAS TREES • ROSES BICYCLES
Quality home grown Christmas Trees in December.
Wreaths & Seasoned Logs.
THE PARISH OF BAMPTON WITH CLANFIELD
St James, Aston; St Mary The Virgin, Bampton
St Stephen, Clanfield; St Mary, Shifford; Holy Trinity, Lew
Vicar – Rev. Janice Collier
Tel. 01993 851 222 mobile 07494 278 068
email – vicar@bamptonchurch.org.uk
Website: http://www.bamptonchurch.org.uk
Church administrator Camilla Gordon-Finlayson - administrator@bamptonchurch.org.uk
Tel 07586 939 545
Churchwardens Aston & Cote - John Ordish 01993 850 923
john.ordish@btinternet.com; Chris Holt 07905 217 070
chris.holt@holtnet.org.uk
Bampton – Fiona Farmer bamptonphysio@btconnect.com
07785 340 999. Debbie and Darrell Jacobs 01993 850 388
Jakeyanddebs@gmail.com
Clanfield – Liz Stevens 01367 810 255 liz.stevens@talktalk.net; Bryn
Torrington 01367 810 510 bryn@torringtons.org.uk
Lew – Julia Wells 07551 009 002 juliar-t@hotmail.com
SERVICES IN FEBRUARY
On the assumption that we are still required to have COVID-19 measures in place meaning
limited numbers in the church building
7th February Second Sunday before Lent
10.30am Zoom
14th February Transfiguration
10.30am Zoom
21st February Lent 1
10.30am Zoom
28th February Lent 2
10.30am Zoom
Should you wish to join via Zoom and are not currently on our weekly mailing list, please do
contact either Janice or her administrator, Camilla directly.
From the registers
Funerals Aston December 3rd Elise Mary Bishop
Bampton January 11th Jane Elizabeth Curtis
January 14th Peter Rowland Lewis
LOWER WINDRUSH BENEFICE
St. Denys, Northmoor; St Giles, Standlake;
St. Michael, Stanton Harcourt; St. Nicholas & St Swithun, Yelford
Rector: Revd Jo Hurst
The Rectory, Main Road, Stanton Harcourt OX29 5RP
Tel: Rectory: 01865 655 692 Mobile: 07494 278 068
email – lowerwindrushbenefice@gmail.com
Website: lowerwindrushbenefice.org
Rest Day-usually a Saturday. Emails dealt with on Mondays and Thursdays
Churchwardens & PCC Team Contacts
Standlake Sue Miles 01865 300 765
Carol Collinge 01865 300 849
Northmoor Michael Druce 01865 300 480
Henry Herford 01865 300 884
Stanton Harcourt PCC Team contact
Gill Salway salwaypg@btinternet.com
Jane Watts jane.saddleback@talktalk.net
Yelford Philip Rogers 01865 300 674
Shirley Warren 01865 300 977
FEBRUARY SERVICES
All the services will be on line. Please see the website for links to join
www.lowerwindrushbenefice.org
February 7th
10am Morning Praise
6pm BCP Evening Prayer
February 14th
8am BCP Morning Prayer
10am Morning Praise
February 21st
10 Morning Praise
6pm BCP Evening Prayer
February 28th
8am BCP Morning Prayer
10am Morning Praise
From the registers
Weddings Stanton Harcourt September 19th Tobias Mathew and Valerie Gilquin
Dear Friends,
I don’t know about you, but this last year has felt very
much like winter. Not because I’ve needed to wear a
bobble hat through the summer months – but because of
the ongoing pandemic situation we still find ourselves in.
It has been heart-breaking to see families unable to have
the funeral they would have wanted for their loved one; or
invite all their family and friends to their wedding – even
cancelling their wedding. Restrictions on going out,
seeing our families and friends, closed church buildings,
closed theatres, cinemas, pubs, restaurants and shops. The
list goes on. The ‘closed’ sign on the door of our social
lives has remained firmly in place for almost a year at the
time of writing. We have been in social hibernation.
In winter we are used to, indeed some look forward to, hunkering down. In a ‘normal’ year
the summer drifts gently and hazily into the background
as autumn makes her glorious appearance – delighting us
with a theatre of reds, crimsons, oranges and yellows. As
the show comes to an end, we are left with more dreary
hues around us – the brazen beauty of autumn fading
quietly and steadily away to leave a bareness in the
branches. As we step outside there is a cold nip in the air
mingled with wood smoke, and conversations turn to
whether or not we’ve put the heating on.
In ‘normal’
circumstances,
some people choose
to travel to warmer climes for the winter months, with the
knowledge that the aching in their joints will be somewhat
eased by the warmer climate. Even in the natural world
we see some species doing the same – the birds in our
gardens are evidence of this. Has anyone spotted a
Brambling, Fieldfare or a Redwing this winter?
There are those who don’t escape, in fact they like to brave
it out. Consider the animals in the northern tundra whose
fur changes colour to be camouflaged - the arctic hare or
fox perhaps. They adapt to the ever-growing chill to the extent that their feet grow extra hair
on the bottoms as insulation to protect them! It is said that the white fur, lacking pigment, has
more space in its hair shafts, meaning that when cold air is trapped in the empty space, it can
trap the animal’s body heat and provide insulation. Does this mean the whiter our hair, the
warmer we are?!
And then there are those who hibernate during the cold season. They tuck themselves away
having gorged on food whilst it was plentiful, and then squeeze their ample bodies snugly into
a hole or a burrow until the ground begins to thaw and the birds awaken them with their
morning song once again.
I wonder if you can identify with any of the above during
the course of the pandemic. Were you longing to escape
to a place in the sun? I wonder if you feel robbed of the
opportunity to bathe yourself in the warm glow of the
winter sun. Maybe you have been a hibernator this year
and have gladly burrowed yourself away, content in the
knowledge that when this time is over, the clean spring
air and joyful shouts of your friends and family will draw
you out of your cosy burrow. Or perhaps you have
relished the opportunity to adapt and stay put.
Determined to weather the Covid storm, gamely putting
your best foot forward and all that.
Perhaps like me you can identify a little with each. I have
certainly found myself at times content to be burrowed
away knowing it was the safest thing to do for my family
and parishioners, the NHS and also myself. I have also
longed to see family, friends and parishioners – the
distance is at times so very painful. It is a first for me
and almost all clergy to have to hold services online.
Thank the Lord for modern technology and for a new
word in my vocabulary – ‘Zoom’.
This week I have intentionally walked through the
Rectory garden to look for signs of new life. This is one
of the things I love to do at this time of year. It is
particularly exciting when you haven’t known the garden in a season before. What bulbs have
been planted? What can I expect to see peeking its pretty and persistent head through the cold,
hard ground? As you can see from the photographs, I am heartened to have found primroses,
snowdrops, hellebores, numerous berries and a circle of what appear to be daffodil greens.
There is beauty to be found if we go and look for it.
We do not know what lies ahead; but this I believe – God is faithful. Here are some words
from Psalm 34 which I have found to be such a comfort –
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
Taste and see that the Lord is good…
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the broken hearted;
he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
Wherever and however you find yourself, I have prayed for you – perhaps not by name, but
certainly geographically. You have been held in prayer, and will continue to be so. If you
haven’t ever asked God for help, may I encourage you to do so? If it is something you would
like to talk about – perhaps you have questions - please feel free to phone or email me to find
out more. Or perhaps join in one of our online services – they are open to all. Our website has
all the details. Jesus is someone who stops for everyone. He is good and his heart is kind. If
your soul is heavy and weary, come to him and he will give you rest.
With every blessing, Jo. Rector of the Lower Windrush Benefice.
___________________________________________________________________________
Canon Roger Humphreys has sent me the following for Contact. “I’ve just finished reading
Captain Tom’s autobiography, “Tomorrow will be a Good Day”. Here is a prayer to help us
make it one for us too.”
Lord Jesus Christ, you are the name above every other name.
Your name is like a fortified tower in which I can find safety and security.
When I am troubled, I can find peace in your name.
When I feel weak, I can find strength in your name.
When I feel overwhelmed, I can find rest in your name.
When I feel surrounded by pressures on every side, I can find stability in your name.
Your name is beautiful, Lord, help me to rely on you. Amen.
Editor: Janet Rouse janet528@talktalk.net 01993 850 162
Your village correspondents have to send in their copy by the 18th of each month; please get
your copy to them by the 16th if at all possible to give them two days to collate all the entries
before sending them to the editor.
Aston: Ann-Marie Pilling 01993850 930 ann_marie_pilling@hotmail.com
Bampton: Janet Rouse 01993 850 162 janet528@talktalk.net
Clanfield: Liz Stevens 01367 810 255 (evenings) liz.stevens@talktalk.net
Lew: Don Rouse 01993 850 297 donlewcroft@gmail.com
Northmoor: Henry Herford 01865 300 884 herfords@gmail.com
Standlake: Heather Hickman 01865 300 564 heather.hickman58@gmail.com
Stanton Harcourt: Gill Salway 01865 881 934 salwaypg@btinternet.com
Yelford: Eva Rogers 01865 300674 progers@globalnet.co.uk
Advertising Manager: Eva Rogers, Broadleas House, Yelford OX29 7QX 01865 300674
progers@globalnet.co.uk
Treasurer: Nicola Saward, 01993 852 171 nicola.saward@btinternet.com
ASTON & COTE
ST JAMES CHURCH ASTON
Keeping in touch.
The Wardens are:-
• John Ordish 01993 850 923 john.ordish@btinternet.com
• Chris Holt 07905 217 070 chris.holt@holtnet.org.ukOnline • St James Zoom – Please contact Roger Crossley • St James WhatsApp Group – Pleaser contact Tom Jequier The Parish Virtual On Line Services Thank goodness for modern technology! Despite the lockdown and restrictions, many of us are still able to worship together on-line. It is not the same as being in the church building: worshipping and singing together nor in sharing a cup of tea and a chat but being able to keep in contact and worship on-line is still a very great blessing. The Zoom services are continuing every Sunday. If you are not yet joining in and would like to do so, again please contact one of the wardens, or the Vicar. St James, Aston and St Mary’s, Shifford services. As with the rest of the parish, services in the church have stopped again for the time being Christmas The season’s services were different this year and required much re-organisation. But we still had candlelight, music, readings and prayers and all safely socially distanced. Thank you to the wardens and their volunteers who all helped to make the services happen. Then on Christmas Day a delightful service shared with The Aston & Cote Community Church led by Reverend Janice Collier and Alastair Barnett. Thank you also to the flower arrangers and the bellringers for all doing what they could, when the rules allowed the churches to be open and also to Mary Wade for organising socially distanced carol singing in the church grounds before Christmas. Besom Food Bank collections now also at the village shop With the church buildings being closed you can still leave donations at the Aston Community Shop or with Roger Crossley in the porch of 16 Southlands, Aston. The Witney Besom Team sent a thank you letter for the invaluable donations received. Dear Friends ‘This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.’ Many people have certainly shown their love to others in these challenging months since March as we have seen through Besom. Without the generosity of individuals, churches, a community shop, schools, and other organisations, we would not have had the resources to give so many food parcels and supermarket vouchers this year. West Oxfordshire District Council has held regular Zoom meetings to coordinate the work of food banks and other charities donating food across West Oxfordshire. Other initiatives have started this year to serve the Carterton and Chipping Norton areas which have been a great help to us. Nevertheless, requests to Besom for food parcels have increased. We have also helped people with ‘tops ups’ for gas and electricity thanks to donations through our website. A number of homeless people have been rehoused in Witney this year, so Besom has been privileged to provide household furniture and house-packs. We were unsure how many Christmas hampers we would be able to give this Christmas but, again due to the amazing generosity of people, we have given 72 hampers (and counting!), many with vouchers included. These are being delivered by a committed team of volunteers to clients of Oxfordshire MIND, CAB, DWP, Oxfordshire Youth (formerly St Mungos) as well as individuals and families referred by WODC, health visitors, schools and other organisations. We were also able to give toys for another 17 children in families supported by Connection Support.
This year, people appreciated the hampers even more as shown by the feedback we have
received. One lady said: ‘It was heavenly, an answer from God'. Some were quite emotional
and overwhelmed that people were thinking of them. We, at Besom, are so thankful to God
for his faithfulness to us as a charity and wish to express our appreciation to you all as we work
together in serving God at this time. We wish you a very happy Christmas and 2021.
Every blessing from The Besom Team in Witney
ASTON AND COTE PRIMARY SCHOOL
2020 has been a year like no other and that is certainly true in school. None of us could have
anticipated how things would turn out this year as we celebrated the beginning of a new decade
on 1st January 2020. I’m not quite sure if the term “remote learning” had even been coined at
that point and we could never have imagined that school would be closed for the majority of
pupils for several months. Staggered drop off and pickup times, children sitting in rows,
separate playtimes and lunchtimes, bubbles … all of these things would have been
inconceivable twelve months ago.
Despite the challenges that a global pandemic has presented us with, I am thankful that so many
things have stayed the same for us. Excellent teaching and learning have taken place on a daily
basis and we still enjoyed lots of extra activities such as our recent Medieval Day in KS1,
Bikeability for the children in Year 5 and the Year 6 trip to Hill End. Many activities have
needed to be modified to make them safe but every time, the staff have risen to the challenge.
This is a real testament to their dedication to ensuring things stay as normal as possible for the
children in school, in a world that is very different to the one we are all used to. It is a real
privilege to work with such an amazing team!
I would like to take this opportunity to thank FACS for all their efforts in raising funds for the
school. Undaunted by the fact that we were unable to hold many of our traditional fundraising
events; they pulled out all the stops to raise the money in different ways. It has been lovely to
see the children enjoying activities such as the Firework Trail during half term and the
Christmas trail. Thank you so much for all your support – all the money raised will go towards
projects that will enhance the children’s school experience.
I would also like to thank the governors for all their hard work this year - they have been
incredibly diligent in making sure that the school has been able to function safely and
effectively.
I would also like to thank all of you for your help in keeping the whole school community as
safe as possible. We have been very fortunate to have got through this without a positive case
in school.
Mrs Taylor.
Lock Down 2
Many thanks to all parents and carers with home schooling, we know that it can be challenging
at times, especially when the technology doesn't work. We currently have children of critical
care workers attending the school in discrete learning bubbles supported by our staff. I would
also like to thank the amazing team of people that I work with who managed to get everything
organised so well with no notice at all. As always, they have risen to the challenge and have
worked incredibly hard all week at providing excellent learning opportunities for the children
in their care.
Mrs Taylor.
New Team Member
Mrs Chadwick, deputy head, has recently got our newest Team member; a 12 week old
Cavapoo puppy who is going to be our school nurture dog. We are hoping to integrate her
during this academic year. We would train our school dog to become a certified therapy dog,
which will be regularly tested for health, obedience and temperament. We have also conducteda full risk assessment which is available on request and includes a designated member of staff being present during any interactions with pupils. Thank You We are very grateful to Claudia Harris and Sarah Nash for organising for a beautiful real Christmas tree to be delivered to the school as well as to Yarnton Home & Garden Centre for donating it to us - it looked truly resplendent when bedecked with the lovely decorations that the children in each class made. Prayer Spaces for Schools We were delighted to be able to run a Prayer Spaces event in school at the beginning of the month. After an introduction to prayer by Rev. Janice, each class took it in turns to complete activities which helped them to reflect on different types of prayer and how prayer can help us in all sorts of different situations. Prayer and Reflection Morning in Windmill 2. We were thinking about what prayer and reflection is and the different ways we talk to God. We took some time to stop and be still, using the stilling jars to calm us. We gave them a gentle shake and watched the glitter settle, listening to calm music. We made identity zebras. Every zebra us unique, just like us, we talked about the things that make us unique and special. Then we decorated a zebra to represent ourselves. We talked about the world being such a wonderful place because we are all different. We all have worries; we made our worries into a worry knot and talked about how it can feel like a knot in our tummies when we worry. Sometimes talking to other people about our worries helps. We told each other our worries and undid our knots to let them go. Bikeability We are very proud of the children in Year 5 who took part in Bikeability training this month. The trainers commented on the children’s excellent behaviour and lovely manners. Every child who took part passed Level 1 and many also passed Level 2 which is a great achievement. Year 6 visit to Hill End Due to COVID-19 restrictions, our annual residential visit to Yenworthy Lodge in Devon with the Year 6s was unable to take place. Fortunately, we were able to organise a three day non- residential trip to Hill End instead. The children enjoyed a range of activities such as den building, rock climbing and orienteering. Great fun was had by all and once again our children were complimented on their excellent behaviour. Nativity Plays Pandemic or no pandemic, we were determined that the nativity plays would still take place this year. Staff had to be a little creative and a few sleepless nights were experienced, but the end results were brilliant. Thank you to all the EYFS and KS1 staff for making this possible and to the children for being such stars and brightening up Christmas for all of us! FACS News What a fantastic term of fundraising we have had - thank you so much to all the families, the school and the local community for the support, we couldn't have done it without you. We had our last event of the year running during the Christmas holidays - the Great Christmas Trail around Aston. Like the Firework Trail, maps were available at the Aston Community Shop; entrants took a walk around Aston to see all the great pieces of artwork produced by the children. On each artwork, there was a letter, work out the words and email it to facsaston@gmail.com to be in for a chance of winning a prize which was kindly donated by
Aston Garage. We shall also put the map up on our Facebook group - "Friends of Aston and
Cote School" and you are able to donate online as well at https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/14459
As I mentioned above, we have raised an ASTONishing amount this term and I thought you
would all like to know how much each activity raised:
1. Smarties - £646.70 -
2. Firework Trail - £116.76 -
3. Rags2Riches4Schools - £242.84 -
4. Christmas Cards/Mugs etc - £441.29 -
5. Pottery Painting - £75.00 -
6. Christmas Raffle - £913.35 -
7. Amazon Smile with 43 supporters £13.26 -
8. Easy Fundraising since July with 16 supporters - £103.26 -
9. Jolly Pots - to be confirmed
This brings a grand total for the term so far to £2,552.46 so, a big THANK YOU. The iPads
have now been bought and the school is taking delivery of them this term and our next project
to raise money for is new playground markings for the children to enjoy. So, if you are doing
any online shopping don't forget to use Amazon Smile and Easy Fundraising :)
https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/friendsofastonandcoteschool
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1032385-0
Best wishes, FACS facsaston@gmail.com
Reading Ambassador’s recommended Reads
Upper key Stage Two:
The Polar Bear explorer’s club is an adventurous fiction story. It is about Stella and her friends
who go on an adventure to the North and they battle snow pirates and yetis along the way. First
Stella had to get into the club because the club is only for boys. Felix adopted Stella because
he found her in the snow when he was at the North. Stella finds the place where she was born
and the mirror tries to force her to come back…
Lower Key Stage Two:
James and the Giant Peach is a fantasy story about a little boy who finds some unusual friends.
A colossal peach grows in James’s garden and inside he finds lots of giant, talking insects!
Key Stage One and EYFS:
The evil peas are on the rampage again, but who can save the fruit and vegetables? Supertato
is the only one who can save the day!
BAMPTON
NEWS FROM BAMPTON CE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY
This term started in a very different way to anticipated. After months of being told primary
schools would not be closed again, we came back to start a new term and were told, along with
the rest of the nation, that due to the pandemic crisis, we would have to close to most pupils.
The amazing team here at Bampton spent the following day welcoming Key Worker and
Vulnerable children into school and met in teams to plan with me what our provision would be
for the rest of this term. Teachers worked hard to revise planning they had done over the
holidays to ensure it was adapted for remote learning.
This lock down is very different to the one we experienced last March. We have far more
children in school, approximately 30% of pupils attending through the week. This means I
have more staff working in school while teachers are working from home planning, delivering
and reviewing home learning. All families have their individual situations and many arejuggling working from home, supporting children with home learning (often with limited
devices) and managing the anxiety which surrounds us with the infection numbers high.
As I write this, we are awaiting the nine laptops the D of E has allocated for our school to loan
to families to support access to home learning. The local community charity groups have
increased our number of available laptops by providing a further set of laptops which we can
loan out. This has increased our children’s capacity to fully engage in online lessons and
learning, meaning they will be less disadvantaged during this partial school closure. This is yet
another amazing expression of Bampton’s community spirit and demonstrates how
communities can pull together to support one another in this pandemic.
Our support for each other, the kindness and compassion we show, will help us all draw on our
resilience and get through this crisis.
Keep yourselves safe and stay well.
Carol Phillips: Headteacher
THE CHILDREN'S SOCIETY
Back in the Autumn I said I was unwilling to collect money, house-to-house, because of Covid.
I hoped that some people might send a cheque to the Society and, happily, some kind folk have
done just that. Thank you to them. Perhaps others might like to do the same, gift aided if
possible. The address is
The Children's Society
Bumpers Way
Bumpers Farm
Chippenham, SN14 6NG.
£6 gives a sanitary kit containing basic toiletries, £15 buys phone credit so that a vulnerable
person can keep in touch with their project worker and £40 could allow a project worker an
hour on line with a vulnerable person to talk through their experiences.
Please help if you can. Many young people feel isolated, alone, frightened and unable to access
help. The Society, with your help, can give valuable support.
Thank you.
Pauline Hawkins 851066
BAMPTON METHODIST CHURCH
The re-opening of our Church in December was short-lived, due to the re-introduction of more
stringent COVID-19 restrictions when a more virulent type of the coronavirus became
apparent.
Services were held on 6th and 13th December, the second one being our Carol Service. This
was attended by Church members and, to avoid having to turn people away at the door, invited
friends from Bampton and other local Methodist Churches. It was not, as it usually is,
advertised in the village. The Service was led by Owen Carney and included a condensed Nine
Lessons and Carols presentation (to fit in with Zoom). The carols were sung by Sarah Ader
and three members of the congregation gave a rendering of We Three Kings.
We regret that our Minister, the Rev Fred Ireland, has tested positive for COVID-19 and, at the
time of writing, is laid aside. Fortunately, we do not expect that he will need hospital treatment,
and we hope that he will soon recover and be back with us. He works very hard for all the
churches under his care, and we need his guiding hand at these difficult times.
The prospects for the re-introduction of church services in the near future are not good. Our
Annual Covenant Service is usually held as near to the New Year as possible, but this will not
happen this year. It could be that it will take place on Easter Sunday, which is permissible and
may well be very appropriate in the circumstances.
Robert Jones.CLANFIELD
ST. STEPHEN
Just when services were back being held on the 1st and 3rd Sundays at 5pm another lockdown
started. Although religious worship was still permitted, the Church Council decided that for
safety reasons, it wouldn’t encourage people to leave their homes more than absolutely
necessary. Zoom services at 10.30am take place each Sunday – to join please contact the Vicar.
Christmas services took place after risk assessment had been carried out. The congregation
was suitably spaced around the building wearing masks. For the Carols by Candlelight service
everywhere was beautifully decorated with white flowers with silver accessories. We had a
small choir who sang the carols although for the final one – Hark the Herald everyone went out
to the carpark which was decorated with fairy lights. Each family stood in their own ‘bubble’.
Hearty and joyous singing took place.
At the Midnight Mass we were joined by members of the Bampton choir who added a very
special atmosphere to the service.
Collections at the two Christmas services went to The Children’s Society and Oxford Pathway
(homeless charity).
A long-standing member of our congregation – church warden for many years – Miss Ruby
Riches will be 100 years old in February. A collection is being made towards some presents
for her. Money will be gratefully received by either church warden or direct into the church
bank account – HSBC – Sort code 40-47-07, Account no. 50232149 account name: Clanfield
CCC. Please use reference ‘Ruby’. Cards can be sent direct to Ruby at Rosebank Residential
Home, High Street, Bampton, OX18 2JR.
Check the church and village noticeboards for announcements about future services. If you
wish to get hold of our vicar, Reverend Janice Collier – 01993 851 222.
Church wardens: Liz Stevens – 01367 810 255 Cavarige House, Bourton Road or
Bryn Torrington – 01367 810 510 Isengard, Bakery Lane
CLANFIELD WI
This is still happening during lockdown although the walking group, craft and upholstery
sessions have stopped, but book club is continuing via Zoom.
Members (and non-members) are able to join the national talks and demonstrations online via
Denman at Home - www.denman.org.uk. Take a quick look and see the amazing variety of
topics on offer – anything by Simon Gregor is brilliant.
Special offer – if you wish to give WI a try – membership between October 2020 and March
2011 is only £10.75. Visit www.thewi.org.uk for further information about the country’s
largest women’s organisation, or call our president Heather Clarke on 01367 810 655.
Liz Stevens
LEW
HOLY TRINITY
I know that it is extremely hard to look for the positive and be forward thinking at a time like
this but I will do my best.
As I write this Mary and I are looking forward to having our Covid vaccinations. We realise
that Bampton, Carterton, Burford and Charlbury are amongst the last ones on the list to get
them in West Oxfordshire; my information is that the vaccine has not been available for them
to use, yet the System for the inoculations has been set up and ready for action for over a weeknow and at long last our invitations have come through for Sunday 17th January. So now we
all can look forward with some positivity to a brighter future.
I understand that there is an army of volunteer helpers raring to go in assisting the smooth
running of an operation that is going to benefit us all. For some it might be a bit traumatic, and
I understand their concern. But after a lifetime of being cared for by the Bampton Medical
Centre (well it wasn’t called that in 1943) I can assure all those who are in doubt that we have
the best Service in West Oxfordshire. How do I know that? Well for five years I worked for
‘Doctors on Call’ who operated from Witney Hospital at the turn of the century. So take my
word ‘Bampton is Best’!
When we do get some protection, life will be much better and safer for us to start planning
things for our future and doing things together. Zoom meetings are alright as a ‘stopgap’ for
meetings and services but you cannot beat person to person gatherings.
We were so looking forward to our Carol and Christmas Service just when we thought that
things were getting better, so disappointed that we had to cancel at the last minute. Being
Positive, we shall have a bigger one this year.
I know that as village scribes, we are not allowed to get political, but come on Boris, get these
vaccinations out to our ‘neck of the woods’ so that we can start living again. Now that is
Positive thinking.
Don Rouse
LOWER WINDRUSH BENEFICE
At the time of writing, all public worship in the Benefice is online only and details of Services
are given on the Benefice website: lowerwindrushbenefice.org. As the pandemic eases and the
risk of infection reduces, the situation will be reviewed and we shall recommence services in
our churches as soon as it’s considered safe to do so. Our 4 churches remain open for personal
prayer on certain days each week during lockdown, details of opening for prayer in each parish
are on the website. Please follow the safety advice given in church.
Our Rector Jo is available for pastoral help and advice; don’t hesitate to contact her via
telephone or email. Your Churchwardens and PCC Team Contacts (Stanton Harcourt) would
also be pleased to answer any queries you may have, or simply to have a chat!
LOWER WINDRUSH BENEFICE GARDEN CLUB
Happy New Year to you all! We hope that you all had a very peaceful and Happy Christmas.
Let's hope that this year will eventually be a better year and that our garden club meetings will
soon return to normal. But sadly, at present we are now in our third national lockdown.
However, as you are aware, we are still very active and have been having online ZOOM
meetings throughout 2020 which were successful with our members who have access to a
computer. The committee has already arranged some dates for you to put in your diaries. The
first event will be our annual spring bulb show on Tuesday 23rd March 2021. Schedules and
entry forms can be obtained from our show secretary, Emma Welch. Don't forget to enter your
free "Jetfire" bulbs which should, hopefully, be flowering in time for the show! For more
details please visit our garden club website - see below.
We do hope that we shall be able to repeat our annual club plant sale on the Standlake Village
green which was so successful last year during the 2020 first lockdown. Date in May to be
confirmed later. Please visit our website at https://lowerwindrushgardenclub.weebly.com
This shows our current plans for meetings and events and we shall update it as regularly as we
can.NORTHMOOR
ST DENYS
Christmas at St Denys’s
It was a very different Christmas from what we’ve been used to in recent years - no Nativity
Play, no carol singing round the village (or at the Thursday Club), no candle-lit Carol Services
cramming the church twice over on Christmas Eve. It looked a bleak prospect. But not a bit
of it, Northmoor’s imagination, originality and generosity made it just as memorable. First
came the Advent Windows initiative, organised and coordinated by Fi Florey and brought to
life by villagers as one by one 24 windows were decorated and illuminated during December.
The beautiful map of the scheme was drawn by Amy Prior, and the sale of the maps raised £47
for the church. Next, our choirmaster Tim Vellacott came over from St Albans to make a
recording of carols with the (socially distanced) choir. Just to sing again as a choir was a
tonic after 10 months of silence. The recording was issued on YouTube and Facebook.
Then Michael Druce’s vision of a Festival of Light in the week before Christmas transformed
the church into a glowing jewel shining in the dark. Reg Berry brought his theatrical lighting
and installed it so as to shine out though the windows, bringing the church out to the people.
Never have the fine Victorian stained glass windows looked so glorious! Also, in the
churchyard, uplighters picked out trees slung with glittering stars and astrolabes concocted by
Michael Druce from old barrel hoops. At the back of the church, local artists Michael Druce,
Jenny Metcalf and Alex Heffernan had made paintings of the stable, the shepherds and the
three kings to hang in the windows of the South Transept. Nearby in the South Porch - a
forgotten corner - Lindsay Herford had created a life-size Nativity Scene, including an 84-year-
old baby Jesus ‘asleep on the hay’! This scene was the backdrop for the Crib service (complete
with fire pit), which Rector Jo led on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, it was a beautiful afternoon
and lots of families were there. Finally, on Christmas morning we led our own service, because
Jo couldn’t be in two places at once (she’s working on that ...), and organist John Rotherham
played us out with the exuberant Hallelujah Chorus.
The Festival and Crib service raised a combined total of £389, half of which was donated to
the Children’s Society. Many thanks to everyone who helped set up the Festival (especially to
Reg Berry and Michael Druce) and all those who came to take part.
Services during lockdown No3
Like most churches the four churches of our Benefice have regretfully decided to hold all
services on Zoom for the duration of the lockdown. The new pattern looks like this: on
alternate Sundays there is a
Morning Prayer at 8am (Book of Common Prayer) followed by a
Service of the Word at 10am (31st January);
The following week there’s a
10am Service of the Word, followed by a
6pm BCP Evening Prayer (7th February), and so on.
On Wednesday evenings each week there’s a
service of Compline.
All of the services will take place via Zoom, the link for which is on the website.
Please note that St Denys’ will remain open on Wednesdays and Sundays until further notice.
Churchyard Fence - When the collapsed stone wall on the southern edge of the churchyard
was rebuilt last year, there was only enough stone to stretch two-thirds of the length. Justbefore Christmas the gap was filled with a post-and-rail fence. Many thanks again to Matthew
Ellett for the gift of his time and skill.
Gravestones - Julie Thorne has been compiling an illustrated catalogue of the gravestones,
including those rediscovered when the bushes and undergrowth were cleared for the rebuilding
of the wall, some of which date back to the mid-17th century. Julie has kindly presented her
findings to the church, including a volume of transcripts of wills dating back to the mid-16th
century.
Gift of logs - Thanks also to Graeme Ogilvie for the gift of willow logs to be sold for firewood
in aid of church funds.
STANDLAKE
ST GILES
Advent Windows Trail: Standlake was lit up for the Advent season and the Twelve Days of
Christmas! Many people had their windows decorated and illuminated (including the stained
glass windows at St. Giles’ Church) and people were able to use the maps provided to guide
them around the village to admire the lovely results of people’s hard work. Thank you to
Wendy Foster for having the idea and putting it splendidly into action, and to all the people
who decorated their windows or followed the trail. Church funds benefited by £81 and many
people kindly donated goods to The Besom food bank.
Christmas Services (yes, we did hold them in church!) We were delighted to welcome
congregations of village residents and their families to our Services at St. Giles' Church over
the Christmas period. At a time of pandemic restrictions, it was wonderful to be together (at a
distance and with due regard to risk assessments!) in our beautiful candlelit church. Thank you
to our Rector Jo and Revd Margaret Dixon, Assistant Area Dean, for all the thought they put
into leading our Services so successfully, and to our organist John Rotherham for his uplifting
music and singing. We are very grateful to all those who cleaned the church, arranged flowers,
decorated the tree, prepared for Services and generally ensured a warm ‘covid-secure’ welcome
for everyone who came to our beautiful church at such a special time.
The Christingle Service - took place online this year and ‘Christingle kits’ were distributed to
many families whose children attend Standlake and Stanton Harcourt Schools, so that the
children could make their own Christingles at home. Thank you to the Rector and Anne Carter
for organising this Service, it was as lovely as it always is and the children who attended online
were as enthusiastic as ever! Donations were invited for The Children’s Society.
Collections for charity at Services
Carol Service - The Children’s Society £191
Christmas Luxury Hamper Raffle - this successful online event in December resulted in £1,059
being raised for Church funds and £350 for the charity
‘Mind’. We are very grateful to Brenda Edwards, Anne Carter and the fundraising team for
this venture, and to all who supported us by buying ‘tickets’. Brian Parnham won the hamper
and Rachel Harris won the subsidiary raffle for bottles of wine.
Services in February - currently, in January, all Services in the Benefice are ONLINE only
and it is very likely that this will continue to be the situation in February. We have two Services
each Sunday, either Morning (8am) or Evening Prayer BCP at 6pm, plus Sunday Praise at
10am. Every Wednesday evening there is Compline Night Prayer at 8.30pm. Please look at
our website, lowerwindrushbenefice.org for regular updates on Services and times, togetherwith the Zoom link to access worship. Ash Wednesday, marking the start of Lent, is on
February 17th
Personal prayer in church - St Giles’ Church is open on Sundays and Thursdays, 9am-4pm
each week during lockdown for personal prayer. Safety advice in church should be followed
carefully please. Goods for The Besom food bank can be left in church on these days and will
be taken to Besom by our Verger.
Monday Chat - if you are feeling in need of company on Monday afternoons and have a
computer, please do join us from your sofa for a cuppa and chat, at any time between 3pm and
4.30pm. The Zoom link you need is given on the LWB website and your host will be Anne
Carter.
STANTON HARCOURT
ST MICHAEL
Christmas morning saw the last service held in church for the moment. Sadly face to face
services have had to be suspended again until further notice, though the church will be open to
individuals on Wednesdays and Sundays during daylight hours. Though this is designated
“private prayer” you may just want a quiet place to sit and think for a minute or two, or even
just as a place to call in on your daily exercise. Please feel welcome and just observe the usual
precautions- sanitise your hands, wear a mask and avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily.
Meanwhile there are services every Sunday online conducted by our Rector, Jo Hurst. You
will find details of times and the Zoom link on the Benefice website
www.lowerwindrushbenefice.org
We may be in isolation here but don’t let’s forget that there is a wider world out there. St
Michael’s supports World Vision, a charity which “adopts” children who need support in
various parts of the world and usually we take up a collection especially for this on the first
Sunday of each month. With no services we obviously face a shortfall. If you would like to
contribute please drop your money off at Jane Watts’ house - Saddleback Croft, Sutton Lane.
View from the Pew
Last summer and over Christmas St Denys at Northmoor put their churchyard to good use,
holding open air services and staging a son et lumière with a life size Nativity scene. They
have made recent improvements too, opening up the area at the back of the church and
providing a pleasant place to sit. Here in Stanton Harcourt I have been very struck over the
last few months by how many more visitors we are getting to our churchyard. Since it is at the
heart of the village it lies on the itinerary of many routes for daily exercise, and being opposite
The Harcourt Arms with its take-away coffees and on the designated Oxfordshire Cycle Route,
many casual walkers and cyclists cross the road and have a quick look at the church and
churchyard. The excellent village and church guide leaflets, recently produced by the Festival
Committee, should encourage even more people to pay us a visit.
The churchyard is now closed for burials, apart from the interment of ashes, and most of the
area is left relatively wild, though the Parish Council ensures that the grass is mown in the
summer. The earliest headstones seem to date from the late C17th and most of the old ones are
no longer legible, but many from the late 18th and through the C19th can still be deciphered and
reveal a lot of our village history. The Oxfordshire Family History Society recorded all the
identifiable plots in 2013 so it would be possible to produce a “churchyard safari” taking in the
most interesting or visually striking memorials and making a walk round the churchyard a more
rewarding experience. And as you walk round you realise that it provides some of the best
views in the village - of the church itself, the Manor next door and the lake in the Manor gardensover the hedge to the east. All in all, it should be one of the most prized assets in the village
and we should be finding ways to make the most of it - a few more seats maybe and a clearer
route for people to walk round? Another good thing which might come out of this dreadful
pandemic.
Gill Salway
YELFORD
ST NICHOLAS & ST SWITHUN
We held our Carol Service on Sunday 20th December using social distancing and managing a
couple of carols by going outside and singing in the open air.
We also held a Communion Service on Christmas Day and again sang a carol at the end of the
service outside leaving the door open so that we could hear the organ playing.
Our future services can be heard on Zoom. See the Benefice Website as to when they will be
held and we look forward to normal services resuming as soon as possible.
Shirley Warren had organised a litter picking effort along the verges and ditches of the upper
part of the Yelford road. She has a terrific response from the village when she asked for help
as there was far more rubbish than had been anticipated. The Council removed the black bags
a few days later. Shortly after this event someone dumped a caravan in a lay by. It was taken
away a couple of days later.
We said goodbye to Debbi and Kevin from College Farm who have moved to Dorset and we
look forward to the arrival of Patrick Hook and his family.
Eva Rogers
Gardening in February 2021
With our unpredictable weather we often have to guess whether a plant will survive a cold
winter in this area. About 25 years ago I bought a climber Clematis cirrhosa balearica (Fern-
leaved Clematis) sold to me as being of dubious hardiness. I planted it on a south facing wall
and it has grown steadily ever since and now covers almost half of the front of the house. In
most winters it flowers quite happily from October to March. It has prettily divided leaves that
turn bronze in winter. The flowers are 4-5 cms across and pale yellow in colour and spotted
reddish–purple within. Although not outstanding in colour, it never fails to attract attention
because of its long flowering time. The only care needed is to cut back shoots when they
encroach into the space of neighbouring plants.
February is the main month for snowdrops to flower and they remind us that spring is just
round the corner. But there are literally dozens of different varieties and it is possible to find
earlier and later varieties to extend the season by several weeks. I have a fine variety called
Galanthus ‘Collosus’ that pops up in early December and the flowers are well out before
Christmas. As the name indicates the blooms are large and if the weather is cold they last for
several weeks. It is quite a vigorous grower so I have been able to divide the clumps as soon
as the flowers have faded and they now make quite an impressive group. Snowdrops grow
well under tall trees and in the shade of deciduous shrubs. As they are so early they make a
good start of early interest in the garden.
In my November article I wrote about my Yucca recurvifolia that decided to send up one of its
massive flower spikes in that month. In spite of the autumn chill it continued to grow at a
slower rate and by early December all the flower buds had developed. Unfortunately, with thesudden and continuous drop in temperature all the buds turned brown and failed to open. I
shall have to remove the flower spike. I do wish the plant would work out that summer is a
better time to flower!
The bright yellow winter flowering jasmine (Jasminum Nudiflorum) never fails to give a
cheerful display of flowers throughout the colder months starting in late September and
continuing until early March. The blooms appear on naked green shoots and it is an excellent
plant to grow up walls. It is not fussy about aspect but the flowers are damaged if the weather
is very cold and the plant is on an east or north facing wall. However, it soon recovers and new
buds open once the temperature rises. It is very tolerant of different soil types as long as there
is no is water logging. It is easily propagated as any pliable shoot that touches the soil grows
roots and the young plant can later be detached from the parent plant and moved elsewhere.
April is the best time to prune, when you can clip over the plant back to the frame work. Strong
new shoots will grow throughout the summer months and provide a good display in time for
next winter.
Garrya elliptica is a popular evergreen winter flowering shrub which bears magnificent grey–
green catkins throughout January and February. The variety ‘James Roof’ is a vigorous male
with extra long catkins. Garrya is a quick growing shrub of bushy habit and in a cold area
benefits if given the protection of a wall. These plants do not transplant easily and must be
purchased in a pot and planted out in April. They may need to have some protection during
their first winter using bracken or bubble wrap. As the bush grows larger it becomes hardier.
In time it may reach 10–15 ft tall. It will thrive in both sun and shade but the soil should drain
well. The large, leathery leaves may get purple blotching or blackening and this is caused by
frost. They should be cut out in the spring.
These are just a few of the plants that are worth growing in the winter to provide interest in our
garden.
Eva RogersPlants Landscape Café
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
MON - SAT 9AM - 5PM & SUN 10AM - 4PM
Tel: 01993 852 233
BAMPTON GARDEN PLANTS, BUCKLAND ROAD
BAMPTON, OXON, OX18 2AA
sales@bamptongardenplants.co.uk . www.bamptongardenplants.co.uk
OC AL
L
LY
CE
GR
IN
O
WN SLooking for a Home or
Looking for a Great Managing Agent
call
David Jessica,
David, Sonia oror
LizLiz
today
today
Independent Residential Letting & Property Management
Tel. 01993779545
Tel. 01993779545 10 Corn Street, Witney OX28 6BL
info@davidmoorelettings.co.uk www.davidmoorelettings.co.uk
STANDLAKE VILLAGE
STANDLAKE VILLAGE HALL
HALL
For Regular Bookings or one off Special Events
For Regular Bookings or one off Special Events
Quality Work
from Art Club to Zumba
From Art Club to Zumba
Using Quality Paints,
Main Hall, Stage, Kitchen, Large Patio Area
Main Hall, Stage, Kitchen, Large Patio Area
Easy access to Village Playing Fields and Children’s Play Area
Easy access to Village Playing Fields
and Children’s
Ample Parking
Play Area
Ample Parking
For Bookings Tel: 01865 300916
Guaranteed Work
www.standlakevillagehall.co.uk By Clean Friendly Workers
For Bookings Tel: 01865 30 0916
www.standlakevillagehall.co.uk Phone: 01993 772078
or
07437 358587 • 07826 011560
Digitally printed by Parchments Print of Oxford
Printworks, Crescent Road, Cowley, Oxford, England OX4 2PB
email: print@parchmentUK.com www.ParchmentUK.comYou can also read
