December 2007/January 2008

Our Village Shop

Progress
Yes, progress it is. Thanks to the co-operation and help of the new owners, Matt and Sarah Allen, we now have the possibility of restoring a shop to our village.

After a visit to the old shop by an architect, we were dismayed to realise how much needed to be done, in today’s environment, to rebuild it to allow us to use it as a shop. Over the years many alterations have been made and we would have virtually to pull it all down and start again. The architect estimated that the total cost could run to £200,000. So we had to think again.

We then looked at the site of the garage between the shop and the footpath. If we are allowed to pull this down, we could put a purpose built shop on an uncluttered site - and it would cost us much less. If built in timber, about £100,000, we are told. Matt and Sarah then kindly offered the village a lease on the land of at least twenty years, if it all works out, at a small initial ground rent.

So that is the current plan and at long last we are co-operating to see if we can achieve it. All this and much more was discussed at the village meeting held on 26 September in the village hall.

Village meeting
More than a hundred villagers came to this meeting which heard Jane Barker, ORCC (Oxfordshire Rural Community Council) Village Shop Development Worker, tell us about the practicalities of starting and running village shops. Graham Steinsberg, the chairman of the Radley Community Village Shop, then gave us an upbeat blow by blow account of their experiences. Celia Collett detailed the amazingly supportive feedback we had received from the village questionnaire and outlined the current planning situation. David Dobbin explained the location and the design of the currently proposed shop and Jim Sanger outlined the costs, trading projections and funding needs.

A show of hands indicated unanimous support to proceed to the next stage of restoring a shop to the village and so we now move on to the investigation and planning stages.

What are the next steps?
The Parish Council agreed at their meeting in October that a small Steering Group should be set up to oversee the next steps. This will concentrate on four areas, each of which will be represented by a member of the Steering Group : planning applications (Celia Collett - 01491 835988), funding and finance (David Dobbin - 01491 835890), the organisation of volunteers to work in the shop and its running (Corinne Jones - 01491 836686) and, lastly but importantly, the building itself (Phil Jones - 01491 836686). Jim Sanger (01491 833655) has agreed to chair the Steering Group and has said that he would also help with the funding and finance.

A number of eager volunteers have already come forward to join these working groups and we are looking out for more; so, if any reader would like to join the merry band they would be extremely welcome. Do please contact the individuals mentioned. We will be spending the next three to five months developing the plans and costing the details in each of these areas and we can promise good debate, good company and the occasional glass of wine to speed the brain!

We need to know that you agree
We will be reporting back on our progress, both by further village meetings and through the pages of The Villager. You will also be contacted by the working groups - not least on fundraising and volunteers to work in the shop. We need to know that we are on the right track so do let us know of any opportunities or if you think that we are going awry. This is a first step in a longish march but at least, after all the hard effort of five years, we are moving at last!

Jim Sanger

Community Association

We had a good turn out at the Community Association Annual General Meeting. The Chairman reported another very successful year, with the Carol Evening, Quiz Evening, FÍte and October’s Singalaonga Sound of Music proving popular with villagers.

He thanked the Dobbins and the Sangers for the regular use of their gardens for the Fete, and Andy Lewis for masterminding so many happy evenings.

The Chairman also stressed the Community Association’s gratitude to the Scouts for purchasing, packing and distributing Christmas hampers - which are funded by profits made from the Carol Evening. Jim Sanger was also thanked for his work as Honorary Auditor for this and the coming year, along with all Committee members for their hard work, notably Caroline Oakley who regularly leads the food team.

The Treasurer, James Davys, reported a continued healthy bank surplus - money that is retained for long-term funding requirements, such as maintenance of the Kings Meadow hard standing. The reserves stood at £6,372 compared to £6,829 last year. £3,000 of this is tentatively allocated to repairs, maintenance and future re-surfacing of the tennis courts. £5,464 had been distributed as grants to village activities and clubs and £482 had gone towards Christmas hampers.

The Chairman, Secretary (Madeline Sanger) and Treasurer were re-elected, with all other current Committee members: Joan Brewer, Dariel Burdass, Frank Farquharson, David Fox, Bill Horsfield, Penny Kane, Andy Lewis, Angela Lewis, Sue Myatt, Caroline Oakley, Amanda Potter, Tony Stapleton and Maureen Tarry.

Hugh Roderick

Preventing Heat Loss from Homes

The cost of electricity, gas and heating oil is bound to continue rising. One unwelcome sign is that petrol has reached £1 per litre, while according to the Today Programme crude oil is at an unprecedented $100 a barrel. Consequently heating our homes will take a bigger proportion of household budgets. Loft insulation, double glazing, cavity wall insulation and similar measures aim to keep the heat in and save money. However they may not be as effective as they can be, sometimes because of installation faults, sometimes because they have not been employed by the householder.

A thermal imaging camera can be used to take pictures of houses and, through the different colours displayed, to show where heat is leaking. The Environment Group is to be loaned such a camera by SODC and after training and a pilot study, villagers will be offered the opportunity to have pictures taken of their homes. It will be interesting to see if the thatched cottages are more energy efficient than the newer houses and whether simple measures like drawing curtains make a considerable difference. It is intended that the imaging will take place during the winter months and that the pictures will be available free to anyone who wishes to take part. Depending on what is revealed, householders may wish to improve their insulation and then at a later date to have a second set of pictures to see what the effect is on heat leaks. If you are interested please contact me or any member of the Environment Group Committee.

John Rodda

Brightwell School

Taking a departure from a musical interpretation of the Nativity, our younger pupils (5 to 7 year olds) will be performing a traditional version of the Christmas story this year. If you are a Senior Citizen in the village, there is an open invitation to attend the dress rehearsal in school at 2 p.m. on Wednesday 12th December. Seasonal refreshments will be served to you by our older pupils.

Since our last article our Netball Team and Year 3-4 Tag Rugby Team have taken part in tournaments at Wallingford School and acquitted themselves very well. Our Eco Group provided a presentation of their work in Wallingford town centre recently, as part of the successful Family Gardening Day organised through Extended Schools. The same Eco Group organised a Saturday morning when some staff and parents replaced and extended the school pond as part of our ground improvements.

The school has finally managed, through the help and support of several parents, to establish our Walking Bus (a photograph and short article featured on the front of the Wallingford Herald). The bus, which departs from the High Road each morning, is aimed at protecting the environment, keeping children healthy and reducing congestion around the school entrance. Thank you to all the families who are supporting this initiative. Mr Ron Wood continues his fantastic support for the school, helping out with the pond renovation and the Walking Bus.

We celebrated Harvest Festival at St Agatha’s Church with the new vicar, Jeremy Goulston. The children performed songs and presented various activities around harvest themes. An opportunity was taken by our School Council to raise funds for the charity, Seeds for Africa. As we are currently seeking to form links with a school in South Africa, the children saw this as a very worthwhile activity.

Mrs Carol Higgs, who is in charge of our Lunchtime Supervisors, celebrated 25 years of service at the school recently. The occasion was marked by a presentation of flowers and a gift, courtesy of the pupils, parents and staff. We thank her whole heartedly for her long standing service and commitment to the care of the children at Brightwell School.

Roger Grant

Family History on the Village Website

The nationwide interest in genealogy - echoed in the popular BBC series, “Who do you think you are?” - has had a spin-off on the Brightwell website. Having received more enquiries about family history than almost any other subject, we have now set up a special section on our Village History Pages.

Thanks to the efforts of Lindy Seago in putting the Parish Records on CD, these can now be accessed online. We also have a page where people can ask for help in tracing relatives. At present, we have entries for Wilkins, Foster, Sawyer and Messenger, George Woronzow Warner Allen, Sheard (twice), Orchard-Davis, Hearmon and Strange. Denise Foster, who now lives and works in the south of France, has sent us pictures of the forge which her family used to run at the top of Bell Lane. Her father, Bill Foster, took the forge over from his dad before the family moved to Belgium in 1962.

Whenever we get a new enquiry, we put it on the news pages and people can follow the links from there. The latest is from Pam Vowles, who would like any memories of Harriet and John Wilkins and their family. She writes: “In 1925 I know they were living in Mackney Lane. Their son Alfred lived with them and continued living in the house until his death aged 85 in January 1972.” “I would dearly love to make contact with anyone who knew the family. My Dad only met Alfred once but he certainly made an impression on him. He said he was an amateur inventor and had gadgets all over the house. He also said the house was haunted! That may have just been a jovial uncle playing tricks!” Pam can be contacted on pam.vowles@tesco.net .

Sally Dugan

Allsorts Pre-School

It is hard to believe that a whole year has passed in our "new" building. Whilst the novelty may have worn off, we all remain thrilled with how the space is working. At our recent AGM both staff and parents commented on how calm and settled the atmosphere is. This is to the great credit of the staff and committee who have worked so hard to ensure a happy and welcoming environment at all times.

With the support of the village we have continued to offer a varied and exciting range of experiences to the children. Many thanks as ever to those in the village who volunteer their time to the children.

Highlights over this year have been the visit to Mackney Farm, the visit of the bell ringers and the visit from a baby owl. The children thoroughly enjoy these new experiences; please do give us a call if you would like to be involved.

Staff news: As the New Year arrives we welcome new faces to our staff team and committee. Karen Newsome is now Karen Stevens! (Showing typical dedication she was back to work the week after the wedding! - we wish her every happiness). Stephanie Busher has now joined our staff team and is working towards her childcare qualifications.

Committee news: The committee has seen a lot of change. To everyone who is taking on a new role, we look forward to working with you and appreciate your commitment. To those who have moved on, just a huge thank you for the past year. Details of the team are available at the pre-school, I am thrilled to say that we finally have a dedicated team of fundraisers. It is worth mentioning that they have already raised over£400 from one event! And plan to sell an Allsorts cookbook in time for Christmas - full of time saving delicious recipes. Tania Bevis has volunteered to remain in the role of Chairwoman. We are thrilled and could not ask for a more friendly, organised and enthusiastic person. 2008 will see her continue to guide the pre-school towards level 3 accreditation and the completion of our sensory garden (with the generous help of the WI).

Natasha Fuller

Junior Cricket Comes to Brightwell

With Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Cricket Club just about to embark upon it’s 150th Anniversary celebrations in 2008, there perhaps couldn’t be a more apt time to bring youth cricket to the village. Starting next season a brand new Junior Section of the club is being established, with the formation of Under 11 and Under 9 age groups. The aim of the junior section is really quite simple, to provide an opportunity for children to have their first taste of cricket, and to develop them to their full potential, at whatever level that might be. All of the coaching sessions will be organised and delivered by an ECB qualified coach. At this age youth sport is not all about winning and the junior section will set out to ensure that the children obtain the maximum amount of enjoyment and fun out of the game of cricket.

For the Under 11 age group (11yrs and under as of 31.08.08) the club has organised indoor winter nets which will be held every Friday evening between 7pm - 8pm at the Castle Leisure Centre in Wallingford. The nets commence on Friday the 11th January 2008. The winter nets are absolutely vital in ensuring that the children get an excellent grounding in the core skills required for the season ahead. Then in April, outdoor practice will switch to the Rec. in Brightwell Friday evenings between 6.30pm - 8.00pm.

For the Under 9 age group (9yrs and under as of 31.08.08) the coaching sessions will last 1 hour and will take place at the Recreation Field in Brightwell every Saturday morning. The sessions will begin on Saturday the 12th May 2008. The children will be introduced to ‘Kwik Cricket’, which is played with plastic bats, stumps and soft rubber cricket balls. The emphasis for these children is on fun and an early opportunity to grasp the core skills needed for all sports as well as cricket i.e. hand eye co-ordination, running, catching, etc. All of the equipment will be provided, and the only thing your child needs to bring with them is a willingness to learn and sense of fun.

For more information on how to join the newly formed junior section contact:-Jerry Walters, B-c-S Junior Cricket Manager on 833194, Mobile:- 07765 091359 e-mail:- jerrywalters@btopenworld.com

Jerry Walters

Free Church

I was shocked to discover that it is a year since I wrote something for The Villager. I am told that it is a feature of getting older that time seems to get shorter, For me it has been a year of feeling old and young at the same time and a year in which a lot has happened. The “young” experience was getting married on Easter Saturday to Jean Rowlands. Jean is a friend from way back. Last year, a year or so after my first wife, Jennie, died of cancer we re-established the friendship and things developed from there. We decided that rather than move into one of our houses it would be better to make a new start in a new house and were absolutely delighted to discover that Tree Tops in Church Lane was for sale. We moved in in June.

The other major event, the “old” bit, was retiring from HR Wallingford (as it is now known) after 43 years there. I came as a school leaver aged 18 and retired in September as a Technical Director. All I would say is that for me it has been a wonderful adventure, contributing to several major projects.

So here I am, at 61, much to my surprise, putting the past behind me and launching out into a new life with a new wife, new home and this relatively new occupation as Pastor of Brightwell Free Church, having a feeling of optimism and expectancy.

On 8 September we opened the doors again to the dedicated cyclists who were raising money for various church funds and about 70 of them called in. We also did our afternoon tea thing like we did last year. It was nice to see the place buzzing with conversation and activity, but it was mainly friends of the church. We delivered leaflets to virtually every house in the village, inviting you to come along, and there was very little response. I am always a bit reluctant to do things like door knocking and mail drops because it seems like we are desperate for your support. We are not at all desperate. The point is that we have some really really good news that we want to share with you. I suspect that you know what is coming, so I won’t try to spell it out here. Why not come along and ask us if you would like to know more?

As we look out at our lovely garden and see all the plant and wildlife and as Jean and I were listening to Grieg’s Piano Concerto I was hit with the thought that some people really do believe that this all happened by some cosmic chance meeting of some chemicals. As David says (Psalm 19) “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” So, come on, get real!

Neville Burt

Kings Meadow Tennis Club - a Crisis

Are you, or a member of your family, a member of Kings Meadow Tennis Club, and would you like the tennis court facilities in Brightwell-cum-Sotwell to continue to exist? If so, this article is of interest to you. This impassioned plea comes from the current Tennis club committee, who we are afraid to say, are all about to resign. Many of us on the current committee have served for up to nine years, and feel that it is time others took over the running of the club. We have appealed unsuccessfully before, both directly to members, and more generally through the Villager for new committee members, but have gained just one volunteer over the past years.

If you feel that maintaining the tennis club is worthwhile, then please consider volunteering to form a new committee. The main posts and tasks required are (i) a Chair, to provide overall guidance,(ii) a Membership secretary, to send out membership forms, collect subscriptions and distribute keys for the court, (iii) a Treasurer and (iv) a ‘handyman’ who will take responsibility for weed-killing, repairing holes in the outer wire netting etc.

We’re afraid to say that unless some new committee members step forward Kings Meadow Tennis Club will fold early next year, with any remaining funds left in the accounts being transferred to the Community Association to go towards re-surfacing the courts in the fullness of time. Should the club cease to exist, the tennis nets will be removed and the hard standing left for whoever wishes to play football, ride bikes, roller skate on, or whatever, and such activities will inevitably hasten the deterioration of the surface.

If like us you feel this would be a waste of a valuable village facility then please contact either Frank Farquharson ( 834219) or Paul Gibbon ( 835008) and tell us that you’d like to be part of a new committee. If you think it is worth Brightwell-cum-Sotwell continuing to have a tennis club then please step forward. If insufficient people do not do so before mid-December, then we are afraid to announce that the tennis facilities will cease to exist.

Frank Farquharson