June/July 2012

Brightwell School

It is truly unbelievable that the end of the school year is fast approaching! What a year it has been. This year the children have had opportunities galore, for example, taking part in singing at the O2 Arena, new chickens arriving at school, the Queen’s Jubilee, our own Olympic torch relay across Wallingford, maths challenges with local schools, photography workshops, trips to The Tower of London, The River and Rowing Museum, the Hexagon Theatre, Pitt Rivers, The British Museum, Didcot Railway Centre and more, winning the first Bridge Tournament we’ve ever entered, extreme reading challenges and meeting author John Kitchen….. to name but a few!

We are currently looking forward to adding to that list the opportunity to watch the real Olympic torch as it makes its journey through Wallingford.

Well summer is here at last bringing promise of our summer themes, athletic events and matches around the partnership schools. We are looking forward to our own sport’s day and family picnic when the children will take part in Olympic events and put themselves through their paces collecting points for their house. Who will win the cup this year I wonder….?

We leave behind the month of SATs testing and prepare to say goodbye to our year 6 pupils as they move on to Wallingford school. Each and every one of them has been a true star and will be fondly remembered here at Brightwell. They are, however, ready for their next adventure and we wish them all the very best for their future – what ever it may hold.

Liz Hunt

Allsorts Pre-School

A sunny March saw the pre-schoolers out and about. PE sessions were held outside, the children went out to Kings Meadow and as Easter approached there was an Allsorts Egg Hunt in the village. With Mothers Day, Easter, and St Georges Day there was more than ever to celebrate and the children were kept busy making things. They made vases with daffodils inside, cards for their Mums, and their own shields for St George’s Day.

But it was not sunny every day, and by the time April came around, it was not sunny any day. The canopy kept them dry in the decking area where they enjoyed getting messy for their sensory skills session. This involved squishing and mixing such things as jelly and spaghetti. Indoors, the fun continued with Show-and-Tell, which is now very popular. Brightwell School is delighted that the pre-schoolers already feel so confident giving speeches. As April became wetter and wetter, things just got better and better. New waterproof clothes meant the kids could be out in all weathers and they were, making the school children laugh as they jumped in puddle after puddle (for photos see http://www.allsorts.org/). In fact perhaps water was the unofficial theme for April as they also visited Henley River and Rowing Museum. It had rained so much by then that they could have almost gone there by boat from the pre-school, especially as rowing was practised during PE in preparation for this summer’s Olympic Games. The theme of the Olympics was picked up at another PE session where the children dressed in their favourite sports outfits to jump around and imagine future glories.

We are sad to say that Lisa McIntyre has resigned from her role of play assistant because of family commitments. We welcome two new members of staff, Karen O'Hanlon and Sarah Stephenson, who are making a wonderful addition to a fantastic team. Please note that Pre-School is now full but places will be available from September with children aged 2+ welcome.

Are you a villager keen to help the development of the next generation ? The pre-school can offer you the opportunity to contribute to play sessions on a regular basis. If you can hold, for example, a cookery or book reading session, or even share a skill with the children, please call 01491 826387.

Community Orchard

The Environment Group survey, “Apples and Orchards in Brightwell cum Sotwell” highlighted the historical importance of orchards and fruit growing in the parish. Many of the orchards have disappeared but there is enthusiasm for preserving the fruit trees that remain and the recent “Apple Days” have been extremely popular. Since 1992 several hundred Community Orchards have been established throughout the country and it seems fitting that Brightwell-cum-Sotwell should have its own Community Orchard where local and older varieties of apples and top fruit are grown by and for local people. Community Orchards provide fruit to share and places for the community to enjoy and to work in if they wish.

The Village Hall Trustees have kindly agreed that the land between the recreation ground and the cultivated allotments can be given over to a Community Orchard. The boundary of existing trees and hedgerow plants will remain and an area of about half an acre will be cleared and planted with fruit trees. This project has the support of the Environment Group and the Parish Council.

WI

In April Gillian Cane talked about what life was like being one of the first women to go to Sandhurst and the first woman to serve with the Royal Greenjackets. She seemed to be a cross between Joyce Grenfell and Sue Perkins and we couldn’t quite imagine her going through the grueling training and being on manoeuvres on Salisbury Plain with limited toilet facilities!

In May we had Jane Robinson who has written a book on the history of the WI. She specialises in intrepid women in history so it was very entertaining. In June, Simon Jones from Jones and Jacobs auctioneers, will running our very own Antiques Roadshow. We’re also going to Manor Farm, Fringford ( aka Candleford ) for a talk, demonstration and tour on all aspects of herb growing. After a walk around the village it’s on to Bicester Village for lunch and shopping. In July we have “Fine Cell Work”. Marjorie Coles talks about her work using quilting in prisons.

If any of this appeals to you and you’d like to join us, do contact our President Nicki Cox on 837488.

Mais Appleton

Parish Council

New Parish Plan On 26 April around 70 residents from across the parish came together in the village hall for the Annual Parish Meeting. As chairman of the Parish Council, David Fox welcomed everyone and said that the key focus for the evening was to kick-start the process to develop the successor to our 2004 Parish Plan. Our current Parish Plan has served us well but all present agreed that now is the time to think about updating it as many of the actions have been completed. The purpose of such a plan is to help define what makes Brightwell-cum-Sotwell the place it is and how residents would like to see our community develop.

During the meeting Anton Nath of Oxfordshire Rural Community Council outlined the recommended process to follow. A number of parishioners volunteered to set up a steering group to guide the development of our Community Led Plan (the current jargon for a Parish Plan). We all wrote on multicoloured post-it notes our likes, dislikes and ideas for change in relation to all aspects of life in the parish. Nick Spencer gamely stepped forward to write these up and so begin the flow of ideas.

The Parish Council will work with the Steering Group to ensure a new plan is produced and is representative of our community. We hope as many people as possible will share their ideas and aspirations for Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Parish over the coming months. Please contact the clerk, Lucy Dalby, if you would like to know more.

Wallingfordhousing examination At the time of writing we are preparing to attend the public examination on 22 May. Following the examination the inspector is due to announce his final decision over the summer and the District Council to ratify the core strategy in the autumn.

Gravel extraction between Wallingford and Cholsey Unfortunately the County Council selected the Wallingford/Cholsey site as their preferred option. However, there will be a public consultation during June/July and a public examination in the autumn. There is a very strong case as to why the Wallingford/Cholsey site is inappropriate.

Flower and Produce Show 2012

If you enter this year’s show – held, as usual, as part of the Village Fete – you have an even better chance than usual of walking off with a piece of silverware. Last year, we added the Win Glendenning Memorial Salver for flower arranging to our list of trophies – and now we also have the Chilton Cup. This will be awarded for the best exhibit in the traditional flower, fruit and vegetable classes.

Following feedback from show entrants, we are changing the way we work out points for the Talbot Cup. We inherited a system where everyone got a point simply for entering; now, points will be awarded only for prizes and Highly Commended cards, with an extra point for every first prize. This is in line with other shows across the country.

We really like to encourage novices to enter – especially in the produce classes. One of my favourite gardening websites, run by allotment enthusiast John Harrison, has a good section on growing and showing fruit and vegetables. The site is at http://www.allotment.org.uk.

This year’s popular vote class is for a Jubilee crown made of flowers, fruit and/or vegetables – and the Jubilee theme extends throughout the schedule.

Environment Group

Drought

Well! The rain I asked for in the last Villager fell in torrents in April, not just at night as some wanted, but on what seemed to be most days. Both Angus Dart and Rosemary Greasby recorded totals of about 120mm, more than they had ever recorded for the month since 1998. Across England and Wales April was the wettest month in the Met Office archive going back to 1910 and possibly the wettest since raingauges were first used consistently in the UK since 1776. Floods in the Thames and other rivers resulted but quite a lot more rain is needed to satisfy the drought.

Moths

This summer, with the help of the County Moth Recorder, we are starting a project on moths. A moth trap will be set up overnight and the number and species counted the next morning.

Annual Meeting of Members

Steve Head, who many of us have known at the Northmoor Trust and at Pond Action, came to talk to us on 22 March on “Has conservation failed?” He presented a number of examples of what was happening to different species, addressing population growth and climate change to sum up the prospects for humanity. It was an interesting but sobering talk.

The Officers and Committee was elected as follows:

Alison Bloomfield, Paul Chilton, Daryl Dixon, Josie McCarthy, Betty Price (Secretary), David Evans Roberts Annabel and John Rodda (Chairman), Peter Varley and Trevor Wintle (Treasurer).

John Rodda

The Red Lion

Hopefully you will get this in time to remind you of our village celebrations for the Queens Diamond Jubilee 2 and 3 June. BrightFest on the Rec is happening (on the recreation ground funnily enough!) on Saturday June 2 from 12 midday till late. There is loads going on, hopefully you have seen posters and heard about it around the village. (otherwise my marketing skills have gone seriously awry) . Then on Sunday 3 June we are having a street party outside the pub with a barbecue and accoustic live music, Come along, wear red, white and blue and party. On Monday we are providing a bar for the Earth Trust Beacon Lighting event on the Festival Field in Little Wittenham.

Just in case anyone doesn’t know yet, (!) we were awarded CAMRA’s Pub of the Year for South Oxfordshire in 2012. This was an amazing and lovely surprise. To be considered the best of 170+ pubs is praise indeed. CAMRA stands for The Campaign For Real Ale and looks for a good selection of well kept beers, good food and atmosphere. It seems we ticked all the boxes and for that I must thank all the staff as we are very much a team effort here.

A few months ago I said that we were intending to sell the pub as our planned five year tenure was coming to an end. Although we have had quite a bit of interest, the banks continued reluctance to lend to small businesses has curtailed any further progress. We haven’t yet approached any formal selling agents. In the meantime Ellie, our daughter, is going to manage the business after she graduates in June with Angus, our son, and me in supporting roles. Ellie has been very involved in the pub since we started, during her gap year and all university holidays and has already looked after the pub while we have been on holiday so it will just be an extension of that!! I hope you will give her the same support you have given me.

Remember to check our web site for information on events and happenings in the pub – I do quite well at keeping it up to date, and the photos are fun to look at http://www.redlion.biz/

Message from Ellie

Our Village 80 Years Ago

It would be interesting to see what our village was like some 80 years ago, when the population was about half of what it is today. In the street would be horse riders, horses and carts, bicycle riders, people and children, but no cars or lorries. In the Mackney Lane recreation ground two small boys would be playing cricket. The ball had gone into some stinging nettles. They would both sit down. Presently, one would say – it’s your turn to get it. No it isn’t said the other. You hit it, you get it. In the end both would go looking for it, and having found it, would resume their game. Then disaster struck. Three older boys were coming across to join them. No big ones, no big ones the young ones would wail, but with no effect. But soon they would be playing reasonably well together. Later, when both small boys were in possession of the bat and ball, they would say that it was their dinner time and would hurry away taking both bat and ball with them.

The older boys, now at a loss as to know what to do, would either climb the willows around, try catching frogs in the ditches, or go bird nesting to collect eggs. This last choice was very popular. Fathers made shallow wooden trays lined with sawdust and with glass tops in which to display the egg shells. There were so many birds to be seen in the village long ago, but today, sadly, many are no longer with us.

With no children’s bicycles, everything was on foot.. Boys would make kites with nut sticks, paper, glue and string and fly them on the recreation ground when there was enough wind. Football and cricket would be played of course. Fist fights between two boys did occur, but were rare. They were much more likely to back off and throw stones at one another. This paid dividends later when young men playing cricket, would throw the ball in from the boundary line with commendable speed and accuracy.

Very cold winters, and there were some were dreaded. Not all children were adequately clothed to combat the cold. Boys would search the hedgerows for dead sticks and so make little camp fires on waste ground. Both boys and girls would visit the blacksmith’s forge at the top of bell lane and he would allow them to come as close to the furnace as he dared to give them some welcome warmth.

All in all Brightwell was a nice village to live in and still is today.

Next time The Girls and School.

Ron Wood

The Bach Centre

Back in the 1990s we got a phone call from a quietly-spoken gentleman who turned out to be one of the medical support staff working with the England football team. One of the players (he wouldn't say who) was taking a mix of Bach remedies. What exactly was in them, he wanted to know, and did they contain any banned substances?

More and more people in sport are becoming interested in Bach remedies. This is reflected in the online health shops aimed at athletes that offer flower remedies as an aid to performance in the same way they offer energy drinks and vitamin supplements. It's easy to see why: remedies for lack of focus, lack of confidence and stress can all have an obvious role in helping people compete. They can also help athletes recovering from injury: taking things easy can be a trial to people used to a high level of fitness and activity.

It's not just human competitors who benefit. Many riders give remedies to their horses to help them focus and relax. One competitor we came across even listed her essential pieces of kit for an event as "duct tape, scissors, plaiting bands, baler twine, and Rescue Remedy."