text:
News Update no 108, January 20th, 2023
January 21, 2023 by John
Tree Down on Stoke Lyne Road.
A few days ago a tree came down on the Stoke Lyne Road near the junction with the A4421.Village resident Zoe Timmers was close by at the time and alerted yours-truly, who together with Stewart Hopkins were on the scene quickly to remove outer branches and allow traffic to pass by. Fortunately David Taylor also happened to be passing the site and within 15 minutes was on site with a tractor to remove the whole of the tree. The Districted Council, who had been alerted, were grateful for the immediate response of the Parish Council and no emergency response services were required.
Apart form the usual news updates, I draw your attention to the altered date for the Parish Council meeting which is being held this coming Wednesday in the Red Lion.
News From the Red Lion
The Following is from Dillie:
"Apologies to all who have been disappointed at the lack of Sunday roast last Sunday – our lovely Lorraine has been very unwell. Many thanks to Chris Torley for riding to the rescue this coming Sunday, he does an excellent roast.
Fish and chips will be as usual Friday nights!
Burns Night on 25th (next Wednesday) is getting booked up, I'm delighted to say. Please call us on 01869 277225 to book. £27.50 for three courses – Home made Cockaleekie soup, Haggis Neeps and Tatties followed by Cranachan. Plus a tot of whisky, of course.
Quiz Night Thursday 26th with the new quizmaster who proved very popular last time. Wednesday coffee morning as usual followed by lunch.
Roll on February and the first stirrings of spring – it's been an awfully long winter".
Stratton Audley Church
The Following is from Beckie Adams:
The next service in Stratton Audley Church will be a service of Holy Communion at 9.15am this coming Sunday 22nd January – all are welcome, as ever.
Please check the Shelswell website for details of services on other Sundays and in other parishes in the benefice http://www.shelswellparishes.info/services.php
'Little Lambs' baby and toddler group continues on Wednesdays in term time in Stratton Audley Church, starting at 9.30am and finishing at 11am. Just turn up or for more information contact Alice at rector@shelswellparishes.info
Stratton Audley Barn
The following is from Richard, Sara and the team:
"Beat those January blues here at the barn! Pop in and enjoy a bowl of warming soup and browse some beautiful new pieces in the shop while you catch up with your nearest and dearest!
Open Tuesday to Saturday 10am – 4pm serving lunches 12-2pm, booking is recommended for the lunch time period. We hope to see you soon".
Postponed PC meeting – this coming Wednesday
The postponed January 4th Parish Council meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday 25th January, at 7pm. It is being held in the Red Lion in the large room at the bottom of the corridor in the annex. This is a normal Parish Council meeting but amongst matters for discussion will be the formal planning application for the Padbury Brook Solar Farm. The meeting is open to all residents and anyone interested is asked to come along at the beginning of the meeting to express their views.
Padbury Brook Solar Farm Planning Application
The formal application has now been submitted to CDC and can be accessed by clicking on this link:
https://planningregister.cherwell.gov.uk/planning/Display/22/03873/F?cuuid=B12BB8BE-D34C-4A1E-88D5-CED0AA868DF2
It is now important that everyone over the next few weeks make their views known to Cherwell District Council as it will be the last opportunity to do so.
Viewing the site today it is interesting to see that there are only five public comments so far. All are supportive and all from people outside the parish of Stratton Audley. The first two use the same copy as do the following three. Rather obvious and will surely get noticed!
In addition, for those of you who have not yet responded to Ronan Goss' independent questionnaire on the subject, the link is still active until the end of the month and only takes a few minutes to complete:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_KFX2A2QoxwSK63xv_A6L3Zg5ITTvlOWmaI6eXhjd3EZbEA/viewform?usp=sf_link
The Parish Council will be making a decision as to whether to support or oppose the development but as previously reported, has been in discussion with the developer over the proposed Community Fund of £150,000 which would be set up regardless of the final position of the Parish Council. We feel this figure is low in comparison to the figure of £50,000 offered to Godington and have asked the developer to reconsider. It is felt that JBM are failing to recognise the impact the development will have on the lives of residents in the village and throughout the parish, not just during the construction period but for years to come through loss of amenity and the effect on the local landscape. There is also the concern that such a development will make it a less desirable area for future generations.
JBM may be confident that they will gain approval, but the Parish Council position is that most people in the community whether they are in favour, opposed or neutral will wish to see a fair and equitable financial settlement for Stratton Audley to mitigate the effects of such a large development.
As a result all residents are encouraged to take this on board when responding to the plans, regardless of whether it is to support, opposed or take a neutral position. So please do take the time to respond to the planning application and Ronan's survey.
Foodbank Donation in Church Porch!
"Thank you very much to all those who have dropped donations into the box in the church porch to support 'Help For the Hunry' – Please keep them coming! Urgently needed are tinned tomatoes, tinned fish, rice pudding, tinned meat, tinned fruit, and juice/squash. Additionally dried goods & plus toiletries (They have plenty of cereal and pasta). Likewise if you are in need please help yourself to any of the goods and note that the Rector, Alice Goodall is now a 'Local Referrer' and can refer refer anyone who in need to the Bicester Foodbank. Contact: Alice Goodall, The Rectory, Finmere 01280 848192 alicegoodall313@gmail.com ".
Walking in Oxfordshire
Time to get walking again?
With Spring on its way we start to think about getting out to walk in the beautiful English Countryside again, but where to find new and interesting walks?
Walking in Oxfordshire https://www.walkinginengland.co.uk/oxfordshire has loads of walks to download and print, free, it also has books of walks, details of all the walking groups in the county and much more. Whether you want to walk on your own or with a group all the information is there in one place.
John Harris (who maintains the website) said 'There is so much walking information on the web but it is difficult to find. Walking in Oxfordshire (part of the Walking in England website) has brought it together in one place so whether you are walking from home, or away on holiday, you will be able to find a walk suitable for you'.
With walks from half a mile to twelve miles plus long, and a note of suitability for pushchairs and wheelchairs, everyone can find a walk to enjoy.
So home or away, check out the websites and get walking!
New Vehicle Speed Awareness Signs
The new speed signs on Mill Road and Launton Road have been removed due to a fault in the panels and will be replaced in the near future.
Bicester Heritage April Scramble
Sale of tickets for the April 8th Scramble are now live and once again, local residents can buy discounted tickets at 50% off. The promo code is: BristolBoxkite
And a few previous items that are still relevant:
Thames Water Pumping Station
You may have observed a tanker recently situated from time to time at the sewage pumping station in Launton Road and wondered if there had been some local flooding. Thames Water have advised that they did this as a precautionary measure due to the high volumes of rainfall over the Christmas period, which continue to infiltrate into the sewers. We have asked for a report on the improvements and repairs that have been carried out in the village over the last 18 months since the last serious problem in 2020/21.
20 mph Consultation
As previously mentioned, Stratton Audley has been selected to be amongst the first group of villages to be converted to a 20mph zone.
In December the County started a consultation process and are asking for your views on the proposal to replace the existing 30mph speed limit in its entirety.
Details of the proposed plans can be viewed on the Councils consultation portal at the address below:
https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/strattonaudley_20mph2022
Any objections or other representations on the proposal should be submitted by Friday 20th January 2023.
With regard to the speed limit on the approach roads to the village, for the timing being there are no plans to reduce these from the national speed limit of 60mph, but this is something that has been raised on number of occasions and will be pursued given sufficient interest.
Children's Safety Posters
The children's road safety posters were taken down before Christmas and any that were still intact have be placed in the bus shelter on the Stoke Lyne Road. Original artists are welcome to collect their own work-of-art before they are disposed of.
Fish & Chips Van in the village on Saturdays
For those new in the community, a Howe's Fish and Chip van comes to the village every Saturday lunchtime from 1.30pm to 2pm. You will hear a bell (like a school bell) and his first stop is in Cherry Street. He then drives along Cavendish Place and stops again at the junction with Mill Road.
Garden Waste Subscription
I have received the following communication from Cherwell District Council and I daresay other have received similar letters:
"The subscription to this service is due to expire on 28th February 2023. Please renew before 28th February 2023 to continue your garden waste collections. If you renew after this date we will be unable to collect your garden waste until you have a valid subscription.
The charge for each garden waste subscription for 1st March 2023 to 29th February 2024 is shown below:
Subscribe between 1st December 2022 and 28th February 2023 and the first subscription costs £39, and additional subscriptions cost £33 each
Subscribe after 1st March 2023 and the first subscription costs £43, and additional subscriptions cost £33 each.
The easiest way to renew your garden waste subscription is by visiting our website: https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/payable-garden-waste-collection
Alternatively, if you can't renew online, please call our Customer Service Team on 01295 227003. If you are calling us to renew your subscription, please ensure that you have read our Terms and Conditions before calling us".
Village Improvement Ideas
An enquiry was made recently as to whether there was anything left in the village improvement fund that was created out of the Street Festivals in 2016 and 2018. When the last analysis was made available in 2019 there was some £1600 remaining, although this figure was depleted further and as a result the Parish Council agreed to allocate a further £5000 to this fund. Please see the latest PC Minutes for further information.
At every Annual Meeting of the Parish, people are reminded to come forward with ideas, hopefully ones that they can help implement, whether it is for something physical to improve the look of the village, organising an event or the setting up of a service for residents. All you have to do is attend a Parish Council meeting and put forward your idea.
Historical Village Information on Display in the Church
The following information has been kindly provided by Dorothy Howarth:
"The Shelswell History Festival in July took as its theme Trade and Transport and, although this seemed to have little to do with this village, the Local History Group produced information about the blacksmiths which were in Cherry Street (named after the blacksmith's family) the start of the postal service in this area (which was down to the Stevens family) and the existence of 33 lacemakers in the village in 1851, at a time when there were "12 Paupers receiving Parish Relief" – which is probably not unrelated.
In terms of "Transport", Stratton Audley is somewhat unique in being shown on a map of England of around 1690, amidst mainly large towns and cities, and it is believed that this may have been due to the existence of the Manor House where there could have been accommodation. This map is the first of the whole country and is based on the strip-maps of John Ogilby and, without a map such as this, it would be difficult to think in terms of "transport", hence a tenuous link to the festival's theme.
More information on these topics and the amazing life of John Ogilby are to be seen on the display boards which were used for the Festival and are still on display in the Church. It had been intended to take them down and put them into storage but the Church Warden is of the opinion that many people have taken an interest in them and suggested that they should be left on display for a little longer. If you know of someone who would be interested please let them know before they are put back into storage."
Local Police Bicester and Kidlington Rural Team News
To report a crime or contact the police there are now three options:
· Call 999 if you see a crime being committed or in an emergency
· Call 101 to report anything else to the police – or go online to do so
· And now police are partnering with CrimeStoppers to remind everyone of 'The 3rd Number – 0800 555 111' that enables you to report your information totally anonymously if you prefer.
Finally for the latest crime statistics there is a useful national site into which you can put your post code. Click on this link Bicester Rural | Police.uk (www.police.uk)
Categories Featured Stories, News, Parish News, Slider
News Update no 107, January 6th 2023
January 7, 2023 by John
There's plenty of new information in this New Year newsletter so please do read on. But first a lost watch has been found in the last two days on the low wall outside the Manor and is now behind the bar in the Red Lion, hopefully for its owner to collect.
"The next service in Stratton Audley Church will be a Morning Service at 10.45am this coming Sunday 8th January – all are welcome, as ever.
"Just a reminder that we re-open on Tuesday 10th January with a spring in our step for 2023! Lots of new spring stock coming in daily! We will also be going back to out pre-Covid days of opening Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-4pm daily with lunches served 12-2pm bookings recommended!
Happy New year and look forward to seeing you all soon".
Postponed PC Meeting
The postponed January 4th Parish Council meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday 25th January, at 7pm in the Red Lion. Amongst matters for discussion will be the formal application for the Padbury Solar Farm. The meeting is open to all residents and anyone interested is asked to come along at the beginning of the meeting.
The formal application has now been submitted to CDC and will shortly be available on the CDC planning portal.
It is now important that everyone over the next few weeks make their views known to Cherwell District Council as it will be the last opportunity to do so. In addition, for those of you who have not yet responded to Ronan Goss' independent questionnaire on the subject, the link is still active:
The Parish Council has yet to make a decision as to whether to support or oppose the development but as previously reported, has been in discussion with the developer over the proposed Community Fund of £150,000 which would be set up regardless of the final position of the Parish Council. It is felt that JBM are failing to recognise the impact the development will have on residents, and the lives of residents in the village and throughout the parish, not just during the construction period but for years to come through loss of amenity and the effect on the local landscape.
Whilst the sum may appear generous it is not equitable when compared to the sum being offered separately to Godington, which is £50,000. Whilst we are fully in support of the compensation being offered to our close neighbour, Godington consists of some 14 dwellings whilst the Parish of Stratton Audley is made up of 190 dwellings (170 of which are within the village), so on a per dwelling basis the sum is very much lower.
Whilst Godington is closer to the site they will not really be any more affected by it and arguably they will be much less disrupted without lorries passing their houses on the Park Road and they will not have their roads dug up for cabling, unlike Stratton Audley.
The Fund could have enormous benefits for the community and we have suggested to JBM that assuming the development were to gain approval, they should be keen to have the community fully engaged in a positive manner going forward. As examples, a substantial community fund could help pay for fibre broadband and better telecom connections to all homes, potentially a shop or indeed the re-establishment of a bus service, amongst other ideas.
As a result all residents are encouraged to take this on board when responding to the plans, regardless of whether you are in support, opposed or neutral. Please do take the time to respond to the planning application and Ronan's survey, irrespective of whether you are in favour or not.
You may have noticed that the new speed signs on Mill Road and Launton Road are not operational yet. It is unclear as to whether this is to do with a lack of sunshine to generate the solar power or faulty equipment but it is being investigated and hopefully will be sorted out in the next week or so.
Sale of tickets for the April 8th Scramble will go live this coming Monday, 9th January at 10am. Once again, local residents can buy discounted tickets at 50% off. The promo code is:BristolBoxkite
News Update no 106, December 20th 2022
December 20, 2022 by John
In this newsletter there is a good deal of new information that is well worth reading.
Apart from the Christmas festivity announcements I draw your attention to the consultation taking place as part of the process to move the village to a 20mph speed zone.
Additionally, please read the separate email regarding the community fund that is being offered by JBM, the developer of the proposed Padbury Brook Solar Farm.
Christmas Eve Trail around the Village
Please join in the fun and take the trail of the properties in the village who have Christmas Advent windows or displays in their gardens. In order to make this flexible, a map for you to follow will be placed in the bus shelter on the Stoke Lyne Road for collection from 5pm on Christmas Eve. This is the starting point. The end of the trail is the Red Lion where from 6.30pm you will be able to enjoy a mulled wine and mince pies (light refreshments for the kiddies) courtesy of the Parish Council. As mentioned elsewhere, Dillie has volunteered to bring her keyboard so we can have a sing along to some carols and Christmas songs.
What's on at The Red Lion
"Come along to our Christmas Quiz on 22nd followed by Play Your Cards Right. We have a new quizmaster… he's apparently brilliant.
It's Christmas and our staff need a break. So we are not doing food on Christmas Eve or on 30th January.
On Christmas Eve, however, the parish council are kindly providing mince pies and mulled wine at 6.30, followed by a singalong of carols and Christmas songs at 7pm.
On Christmas morning, we are offering a free drink to our lovely village friends from 12-2. However, as I hinted in the last parish newsletter, if the last time you came for a drink was Christmas morning 2021, we'll still be delighted to see you but do bring some method of payment.
Finally, there's a large green pig on the counter in the pub. It says STAFF XMAS TIPS. Our staff are FANTASTIC and if you were minded to put something in there this week, it will be greatly appreciated. (None of it comes to me, btw.)
And we will be open Boxing Day from 12-9pm".
"We do hope you can join us in church to celebrate the Christmas season. Our services will be:
Friday 23rd December (7pm) Carol Service in Godington
Christmas Eve (4pm) Crib Service – bringing the Christmas story to life for young children and providing a magical start to Christmas for all ages. Your children are invited to come in costume if they would like to. The collection taken at the service will be shared between the local church and the Children's Society to help children and young people in distress.
Christmas Morning (10.45am) Holy Communion – All welcome, of any denomination or none.
Perhaps you might like to donate some items to the Foodbank Collection Point in the church porch as one way of thinking of others at this time of year.
Please check the Shelswell Benefice website for details of Midnight Communion and other services in the various parishes within our the benefice http://www.shelswellparishes.info/services.php
A Very Happy Christmas!"
"there are still a few hours left to pop on down and enjoy a warming hot choccie, tasty light lunch, grab a Christmas tree & maybe a chance to add a few festive treats to your basket too! We have a 30% off sale on selected Christmas item.
We are open 10am-4pm daily with lunches served 12-2pm (give us a call to book for lunch, it's been a busy few weeks).
We close our doors for the Christmas break at 4pm this Thursday 22nd December and will re-open on Tuesday 10th January with a spring in our step for 2023! We'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support this year and wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and very good wishes for 2023!"
Two New Vehicle Speed Signs for the Village
As previously reported two new Vehicle Activated Signs have been purchased for the village, one near the Mill Road entrance and the other on the Launton Road.
I am delighted to report that they are being installed on Wednesday in time for the Christmas craziness.
When we carried out the village survey earlier in the year, 55% of respondents said they were in favour of these devices and evidence increasingly suggests that they do help to reduce speed by reminding everyone to slow down.
Cancelled Road Sweep
Apologies for being unable to tell you that the scheduled road sweep for last Thursday was cancelled at the last minute but I was away. This was due to the vehicle breaking down and the excessive ice and snow on the roads. It is being re-scheduled for sometime in January and you will be informed in advance.
Christmas Garden Waste collections
There will be no changes to our general waste, recycling and food caddy collections over the festive period, however our brown bin collection scheduled for Tuesday January 3rd is being skipped and there will be no collection.
Christmas Tree Collections will take place on Tuesday 17th January. The good news is that you do not need a Garden Waste subscription in order for your Christmas tree to be collected. Residents leaving large trees out for composting are asked to cut them into pieces that are four feet tall or smaller. This makes it safe to load them into the recycling trucks. The pieces of Christmas tree should then be left next to the blue recycling bin on collection day.
All this information is available on the Cherwell District Council website in case you want to double-check for yourself.
As previously mentioned, one of the points emerging from the village survey earlier in the year, was that 70% of respondents were in favour of reducing the speed limit in the village to 20mph. At the time, the cost of such a programme was prohibitive but upon further investigation we discovered that Oxfordshire County Council was setting up a scheme for towns and villages to offer free conversion to those that qualified. The Parish Council went through an application process and Stratton Audley was selected to be amongst the first to be adopted.
They have now started a consultation process and are asking for your views on the proposal to replace the existing 30mph speed limit in its entirety.
Details of the proposed Traffic Regulation Order can be viewed on the Councils consultation portal at the address below:
As stated on the notice, any objections or other representations on the proposal should be submitted by Friday 20th January 2023.
It has been decided that the children's road safety posters around the village should be taken down. Any that are still intact will be placed in the bus shelter on the Stoke Lyne Road. Original artists are welcome to come and collect their own work of art before they are disposed of.
Bicester Heritage January Scramble
Tickets are still available for the Scramble on 8th January (9am to 2pm) The special local residents discount code, which gets you 50% off is: BristolBoxKite
I have also just been told that tickets will go live for the 8th April Scramble event, on the 9th January at 10am.
The Coffee morning Christmas Lunch
The Red Lion coffee morning regulars participated in a Xmas Lunch at the Red Lion this week and had a scrumptious roast turkey lunch followed by Xmas pud and trifle. All agreed it was a truly lovely meal prepared and cooked by the staff and Dilly who made the trifle. The coffee morning gang would like to thank Dilly and staff for a lovely festive meal, and to Maggie Woodward who organises the coffee mornings.
Annie organised a raffle the proceeds of which (£48) is to be given to the village church, hopefully to pay for the brown bin yearly fee.
Thanks to all that took part in raffle and helped on the day
Coffee mornings are Weds mornings at 11.00 join us everyone welcome.
Village Improvement
The winners in the 100 club draw for the month of December 2022 were:
£60 Hook Family (110)
£40 Michael McCabe (156)
£20 Zoe Timmers (55)
£20 Maxine Ling (9)
Digital Connectivity Survey
Our local MP, Victoria Prentis has recently launched a Digital Connectivity Survey to help her build a comprehensive picture of where mobile and broadband coverage is weak in North Oxfordshire.
Broadband signal is still an issue for many of us and mobile signals are non existent in some locations. So this is very relevant for us and only takes a few minutes to complete on-line.
She hopes as many people as possible will respond to the survey, the results of which will then be shared with service providers so that they can all work together to improve connectivity across this area. You can access the survey here.
Don't Forget – Fresh Fish every Thursday
Jack from Grimsby continues to come to the village on Thursday's between 6.30-7pm and parks his van outside the Red Lion. He has a wide selection of fresh fish and shellfish. You can just turn up or place orders in advance by text and his mobile number is 07535 935119.
Howe & Co was established in 1930 and now has over 100 vans serving villages. You can track each van by going to their website and you need to look for van no 4:
https://howeandcofishandchips.co.uk/#findvan
They also have a general number you can call 07809 901761.
Advanced News of likely Boundary Changes
You may be aware that the geography of parliamentary constituencies is currently under review. The Boundary Commission for England launched a nationwide review in January 2021 which is now nearing its completion.
One of the aims of this review is to equalise the number of voters in each constituency. At the 2019 General Election the Banbury constituency was the 16th largest constituency in the country in respect of its population. The publication of the Boundary Commission's revised proposals a few weeks ago has all but confirmed the new geography.
A new constituency is set to be created around Bicester – the Bicester and Woodstock constituency.This new constituency will comprise the District Council Wards of Bicester East, Bicester North & Caversfield, Bicester South & Ambrosden, Bicester West and Fringford & Heyfords from the current constituency, the Wards of Kidlington East and Kidlington West which will transfer from the Oxford West and Abingdon constituency and the Wards of Eynsham and Cassington, Freeland and Hanborough, North Leigh, Stonesfield and Tackley and Woodstock and Bladon which will transfer from Witney constituency. All of the Launton and Otmoor Ward will also move into the new constituency including those villages currently in the Henley constituency.
A map of the Bicester and Woodstock constituency can be accessed here.
The Banbury constituency will remain as Banbury town plus the Wards of Adderbury, Bloxham and Bodicote, Cropredy, Sibfords and Wroxton and Deddington. It will also take in the Wards of Chadlington and Churchill, Charlbury and Finstock, Chipping Norton, Kingham, Rollright and Enstone and the Bartons from the Witney constituency.
These changes are expected to be introduced in time for the next General Election, provided it is called after July 2023.
News Update 105, 9th December
This is a bumper issue with quite a number of new items of information to digest in the lead up to Christmas, which I hope will be a good one for all concerned.
Do take care in this very cold snap and if you are out and walking in the village why not pop into the pub to warm yourself up without obligation to buy anything. Dillie asked me to let you know that you will be most welcome and since the pub has been registered as a community asset, it seems appropriate to mention it.
Also please take extra care when driving out of the village on the Bicester Road as there have already been two accidents this week with cars skidding off the road by the bend, due to icy conditions.
Christmas Advent Windows
The Christmas trail around the village is being organised to take place on Christmas Eve circa 5pm. If you want to create a display it is not too late, just contact Sophie: sophiejnelson@hotmail.com . The trail will end at the Red Lion where the Parish Council has made arrangements for everyone to share in some (gratis) mulled wine and mince pies. Dillie has volunteered to bring her keyboard so we can have a sing along to some carols
Sunday 18th December (6pm) Carol Service in Stratton Audley
Craft & Christingle Sunday 4th December
Some of the village children had a creative and reflective time at the "Craft and Christingle" session at the church on Sunday (see photos below). There were a number of stations for card and ornament making as well as a Christmas prayer tree. The session ended with Christingles and a reading. A huge thank you to Becky Adams for setting up and providing a feast and to Alice for bringing us together.
"The December days are ticking by with now just a little over two weeks until the big day! Pop on down and enjoy a warming hot choccie, tasty light lunch, grab a Christmas tree & maybe a chance to add a few festive treats to your basket too! We are open 10am-4pm daily with lunches served 12-2pm (give us a call to book for lunch, it's been a busy few weeks).
We close our doors for the Christmas break at 4pm on Thursday 22nd December and will re-open on Tuesday 10th January with a spring in our step for 2023! We'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support this year and wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and very good wishes for 2023!"
"Come to our Christmas Party on 17th! Free buffet from 8pm.
And there's a Christmas Quiz on 22nd with a new Quizmaster who has defected from another establishment… should be very entertaining.
We will be open for two hours on Christmas morning at 12, closing sharply at 2pm. We'd like to offer our regulars a free drink. Though I have to add that if the last time you came for a drink was Christmas Day 2021, we might be minded to name and shame you…
On Boxing Day the pub will be open from 12 noon until 9pm and it will be the same opening times on 2nd January.
Otherwise, opening times are as usual…, no change. Fish as usual on Friday evenings, Saturday and Sunday lunches as usual. If you're hungry on a weekday lunch and Sapphire is around, she'll make sure you get something nice to assuage your hunger!
Meanwhile, please do feel free to come in and keep warm, our fire is blazing away and you might as well use it. Bring your laptops and work here, if you like. And during this very cold weather, we are offering a mug of tea or coffee and biscuits for £1. Sadly, our margins are so tight we can't offer it free, but we don't think you'll get better value anywhere else in the area".
Road Closure Stoke Lyne Road/Cherry Street
Many people have been inconvenienced by the closure of the Stoke Lyne Road for the fitting of a water supply to Mattingley Barn, despite there being no permitted development at this site. No notification was given by Thames Water and to date no answer has been forthcoming as to why this happened.
Cherry Street was also closed yesterday for emergency work but this is justified as a significant underground leak was discovered earlier in the week. This has now been patched but looks as if the road will remain closed for the weekend until the tarmac contractor completes the work.
Village Road Sweep Next Thursday, 15th December
Cherwell District Council will be sweeping the roads in the village this coming Thursday 15th December from 8am. This is the big one of the year when all the leaves have fallen, so please make a note of it in your diary and keep the roads clear. It is the one exception to the rule, where we encourage residents to park on the verges where necessary or alternatively just to move cars when you hear the road sweeping vehicle, which usually makes several passes down each road during the morning.
Please help by sweeping any leaves outside your property into the gutter.
Thanks for your continued co-operation.
The winners in the 100 club draw for the month of December 2022 are:
Padbury Brook Solar Farm Proposal – UPDATE
The Parish Council have been contacted by
All residents should have received a letter by post from the developer highlighting the changes they have made as a result of engagement with the community.
Additionally a link to the letter and new outline plan has been created: https://padburybrooksolarfarm.co.uk/update/
JBM have advised that they have finalised their planning application and this will be submitted to the Cherwell planning office in the coming weeks.
Separately, shortly you will receive a request to complete a survey on the Solar Farm development that has been created by local resident Ronan Goss, which is part of a dissertation he is writing for his studies. He is a third-year student at the University of Cambridge studying Land Economy. Whilst this is not a Parish Council survey, it is endorsed by the PC and will help to inform opinion within the community, so please respond if you are able.
As previously reported two new Vehicle Activated Signs have been acquired for the village, one for the Mill Road entrance and the other for Launton Road. The further good news is that these are both due to be installed on 19th December.
This means that each of the approach roads to the village will now have a permanent speed warning sign which will act as a reminder to reduce speed in the village.
The next scramble takes place on 8th January, 9am to 2pm. The special local residents discount code is BristolBoxKite, but these are limited so may no longer be available.
Help for the Hungry!
"A Foodbank Donation Point can be found in the church porch. If you can, please support this with your donations of tinned and dried goods, toiletries, and so on. Urgently needed are tinned tomatoes, tinned fish, rice pudding, tinned meat, tinned fruit, and juice / squash. (They have plenty of cereal and pasta) Thank you very much to all those who have dropped donations into the box in the church porch – Please keep them coming!
If you need to, you are very welcome to take whatever you need from the box, and any leftovers will be taken to the Bicester Foodbank on a regular basis.
The Rector, Alice Goodall is now a 'Local Referrer' and can refer you to the Bicester Foodbank. She would need a few basic details from you, and then will be able to give you a referral number. You can then go into the Beacon in Bicester and collect a bag of food to keep you going for a few days, or you can phone them and they will be able to drop off a bag to you. Contact:
Alice Goodall, The Rectory, Finmere 01280 848192 alicegoodall313@gmail.com
The Beacon is situated in Wesley Lane, Bicester OX26 6JU (off Sheep Street – not the Market Square end but the other end!). As well as the bag of dried goods, you may be able to collect some fruit and vegetables and a meat voucher. Someone from Citizen's Advice is there on a Tuesday from 10 – 12 am, and there is a wellbeing café on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, 1 – 4 pm".
Bird Bath Water
Recently a resident found a baby owl on a lawn in Cavendish Place and sadly, despite valiant efforts by a local vet the bird died a few days later – some unpronounceable disease passed between birds sharing water. The vet suggested it is a timely reminder for people to give their bird baths a clean in an effort to try to decrease the chance of our beautiful birds contracting the infection.
Bad Parking in Church Street
We have previously reported on parking issues concerning the entrance to The Manor and their grounds which are private, but recently a number of vehicles have partially blocked the entrance gates for the cottages to the left hand side of the pub. There are clear signs indicating that this entrance is in constant use and it would be much appreciated if more care is taken when parking on the road.
Parking on Grass Verges
A number of comments have been relayed to the Parish Council about cars being parked on more than one occasion, on the grass verges in the village in particular in the Bicester Road. This is sometimes unavoidable, however it can be a danger for pedestrians especially where the verges are used by pedestrians in the absence of footpaths. It is also a problem when the grass is to be cut which is done on a frequent basis.
The verges are an attractive part of the village and we are lucky to have such greenery, especially in the absence of a proper village green and not only is it unsightly, some verges are slowly being eroded.
It has long been the convention to keep the verges free of vehicles and the Parish Council respectfully wishes to take this opportunity to bring this matter to the attention of everyone especially those new in the community.
Access to The Manor Grounds in Church Street
From time-to-time residents of the Manor have legitimate cause to remind everyone, especially visitors to the village and those who are new in the village, that the grounds of the Manor are private. This is not necessarily obvious as the gates are kept permanently open for ease of access by residents. Situated next to the pub, it means vehicles of people visiting the pub are frequently identified as parking in the Manor grounds. Likewise a few Manor residents have recently seen an increase in dog walking, pushing prams and generally using the grounds as either a recreational area or as a cut through to Mill Road.
The Management Committee of the Manor are looking at new signage to install at the entrance, but have asked for it to be pointed out that the grounds are private for the use of the residents and invited visitors.
News Update no 103, November 24th
November 28, 2022 by John
Christmas Advent Windows starting December 1st
Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered to host an advent window. The theme is "A Christmas Song" and you can interpret it as a song or a carol and as traditionally or as up-to-date as you wish! We've had some excellent ideas but we still have a few more slots to fill, so as a matter of urgency, if you want to participate please get in touch with Sophie over the weekend: sophiejnelson@hotmail.com
Once all of the days are filled (just over a dozen so far), there will be a map and trail available for families to follow on Christmas Eve. And of course in the meantime keep watching for new windows in the village as they appear (one for each day) leading up to Christmas.
Children's Christmas Craft & Christingle Event – 4th December
There will be a children's Christmas Craft event in the Stratton Audley Church on the afternoon of Sunday 4th December from 2.00pm – 3.30pm. Lots of things to make and seasonal refreshments. Suitable for preschool and primary school age children.
Christingles to help us think about the true meaning of Christmas amidst all the excitement. To book a place just contact:
Sophie sophiejnelson@hotmail.com or Becky beckyandjeremy@aol.comHalloween Village Trail Review
Just for those who have not had time to view the halloween photos, here, once again is the link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10Pir5bzrDkSdAwUC4wdVGRmfqYUnMIeF?usp=sharing
Phantom Road Closure
A number of residents reported this week a very confusing 'Road Closed" sign situated on the Launton Road approximately 300 meters outside the village. There was and has been no road closure so a mystery has been unfolding. The Parish Council initially took photos and sent them to OCC Highways, who were equally baffled and confirmed that there had been no scheduled closures that they were aware of. They suggested it might have something to do with East West Rail, however they in turn confirmed it had nothing to do with them but suggested that an identifying feature of the offending sign might have something to d o with BT Open Reach. The sign has now gone but the mystery continues….
Whilst on the subject of signage, Highways have been asked to collect the no-parking cones left in Church Street together with the signage around the Chestnut tree outside the church. Additionally, East West Rail have also been asked to remove a number of 'No EWR Traffic' signs in and around the village which are now unnecessary and unsightly.
A Flasher in the Woods!
Reports of a Flasher in a cape on the edge of the woods in Mill Road beyond Pool Farm, have caused some alarm. If you saw him or have heard about this third hand, there is no need for further concern as there individual, who has learning difficulties is now back safely where he belongs.
"The next service in Stratton Audley Church will be a service of Holy Communion at 9.15am this coming Sunday 27th November – It will be Advent Sunday and all are welcome, as ever.
'Little Lambs' baby and toddler group continues on Wednesdays in term time in Stratton Audley Church, starting at 9.30am and finishing at 11am. Just turn up or for more information contact Alice at rector@shelswellparishes.info".
"31 Sleeps til Christmas, it is most definitely coming!!
It's been a busy week here at the barn, Christmas Trees arrive this week & will be on sale from Saturday 26th November. Our popular spinning carousel lights have also arrived this week adding more festive cheer to our shop. Times are tough for us all but we bring some cheerful festive news; we've worked extra hard to hold our prices both across both our Cafe and on our Fresh Christmas Trees for this season, order this years tree at last years prices! Pop down from Saturday to take yours home or if you want something a little bigger, the order book is still open. For any tree requirements over 9ft, get in touch via info@strattonaudleybarn.co.uk and we can provide a quote to supply & deliver to your door.
Over in the Cafe our hearty daily soups and winter warmers are proving popular, pop on in for a catch up over lunch with your friends & family or enjoy a coffee and cake after a brisk winters walk!
"What's on at the pub…
24th November Quiz Night and Play Your Cards right.
17th December Christmas Party with music.
22nd December Christmas Quiz and Raffle
Otherwise Opening hours, no change. Fish as usual on Friday evenings, Saturday and Sunday lunches as usual. If you're hungry on a weekday lunch and Sapphire is around, she'll make sure you get something nice to assuage your hunger!"
The next scramble takes place on 8th January, 9am to 2pm. The special local residents discount code is BristolBoxKite
Porsche Christmas at Bicester Heritage Sunday 11th December
Kick-off the festive celebrations with a car show that includes 3000 cars of all makes and models on display, several hundred vendors in the indoor Christmas market and other entertainment including a visit from Santa with his real Reindeer. It will be one of the the biggest Christmas event in the area. For tickets click this link: https://www.porscheclubgb.com/shop/tickets/all-tickets/ticket-cars-christmas-%e2%80%93-local-residents
Carols by Candlelight December Friday 9th, 7.30pm
Another delightful Christmas concert is planned in Newton Purcell this year. The venue is St Michael's and All Angels Church with the Phoenix Singers directed by Peter McMullen.
Tickets are £10 each, payable on the door but please contact ann_maltzahn@yahoo.com to reserve as places are limited.
Next Village Road Sweep 15th December
Arrangments have been made with Cherwell District Council to sweep the roads in the village on Thursday 15th December from 8am. This is the big one of the year when all the leaves have fallen, so please make a note of it in your diary and keep the roads clear. It is the one exception to the rule, where we encourage residents to park on the verges where necessary or alternatively just to move cars when you hear the road sweeping vehicle, which usually makes several passes down each road during the morning. Thanks for your continued co-operation.
Padbury Brook Solar Farm Academic Study and Questionnaire
Ronan Goss, a resident of the village who lives at Elm Farm met with the Parish Council on 2nd November to request help with a dissertation he is writing, as part of his studies. He is a third-year student at the University of Cambridge studying Land Economy, where he studies planning and development, among other modules. The following is from Ronan and outlines his plan:
"As you may be aware, JBM are expecting to submit a planning application for the Padbury Brook Solar Farm scheme in the next couple of months. I understand this has caused a lot of interest within the community, with both negative and positive outcomes of the project being voiced. For me this has been really interesting, and I am intending to write my undergraduate dissertation on these exact local attitudes to the development.
For context, I have received permission to prepare a short questionnaire for the community, asking about attitudes towards the development. This will be distributed door to door throughout the parish, hopefully sometime in late November/early December. These results will help myself and the parish council understand the views of the community (both positive, negative and everything in between) which will ultimately help the Council in deciding the best course of action that reflects everyone's views. The questionnaire will be anonymous and will follow the strictest rigour in regard to data ethics, so please be assured your responses will not be used inappropriately. I am also going to be conducting some short interviews afterwards, so if you would like to be considered for this please let me know on the initial questionnaire. These interviews which will be conducted face to face will be entirely confidential and anonymous when published.
If you have any worries or questions regarding this project, please reach out to me via my email or my number. I would love to hear any thoughts you had that may help my research. Please also keep an eye out for the questionnaires in the coming weeks.
Ronan Goss
Email: rg641@cam.ac.uk Phone: 07521518686
100 Club Winners
The Winners in the 100 club draw for the month of November 2022 are:
£30 Jeff Wakefield (117)
£20 Good Family (68)
£10 Flack Family (154)
£10 John James (126)
Great News -Two New Vehicle Speed Signs for the Village
With the support of OCC Highways, the Parish Council put forward an application for HS2 funding to purchase two vehicle activated signs, one for the Launton Road and the other for Mill Road. Despite only a slender chance of success as we are not directly affected by the construction, it has been approved and the new solar powered signs should be installed prior to Christmas. The actual cost including installation and service contracts is in the region of £10,000 but thanks to the grant will cost the Parish Council and local residents absolutely nothing.
Collection Point for Disposal of Ink Jet Cartridges
The collection service in the Glen Close bus shelter is no longer in operation. Thank you to those who regularly deposited cartridges.
News Update no 103
News update no 102, Nov 10th 2022
November 11, 2022 November 11, 2022 by John
To begin this information packed newsletter, here are just a few of the great photos (50 in total and a short video) from the village Halloween event, all of which can be viewed by clicking on this link:
Village Halloween Event
Halloween Village Trail Review
This report is from Sophie Nelson who is to be congratulated for organising the trail and the party in the pub afterwards:
"A huge thank you (and a few scary dreams) to everyone that took part in the pumpkin walk just over a week ago. We counted over 60 children participating which was a great turn-out. It was wonderful to see so many families out and about in the village and just as many carving pumpkins and making displays for villagers to enjoy. The children's party at the pub was also a fantastic success with a number of children creating jack o-lanterns and dancing to graveyard hits!
The winner for best house is Jonathan (and Theo) at 12 Glen Close for their terrifying display. Jonathan and family win an Autumn-themed goodie bag. A special mention also has to go to John and Chris who turned their lobby into a Goul's Den which was so frightening that some children – and their parents! – didn't dare to enter.
There were also a number of winners from our prize draw. The following children have won a spooky tin of sensory dough: Bella, Dottie, Myka, Noah and Jess. These children have won a handmade bag and Halloween accessory: Ellie, Scarlett, Martha and Edie. And finally, Jonny's fantastic Dino Skeleton Costume has won a fantastic spider play set! Sophie will be in touch to get your prizes out". Christmas Advent Windows Trail Coming Up
Due to the popularity of the Halloween trail the next village event that people can participate in is the Advent Windows. We are looking for 24 volunteers around the village to decorate a front window, one for each day in December leading up to Christmas Day. The theme is "A Christmas Song". You can interpret it as a song or a carol and as traditionally or as up-to-date as you wish! If you would like to take part, please contact Sophie on sophiejnelson@hotmail.com with your address and song/carol title.
There will then be a map for a Christmas Eve walk that people can do once all the windows are up.
Looking forward to seeing the next wave of creativity in the village!
This means that each of the approach roads to the village will now have a permanent speed warning sign which will act as a reminder to reduce speed in the village.Stratton Audley ChurchThe following is from Becky Adams:
"The Remembrance Day service will be held in St Mary and St Edburga, Stratton Audley this Sunday,13th November at 10.50pm. All are welcome.
Please check the Shelswell website for details of services on other Sundays and in other parishes in the benefice http://www.shelswellparishes.info/services.phpHelp for the Hungry!
As the economic crisis continues to bite, more people are finding that they are really struggling to make ends meet. The parish church are doing what they can to help.
A Foodbank Donation Point can be found in the church porch. If you can, please support this with your donations of tinned and dried goods, toiletries, and so on. Urgently needed are tinned tomatoes, tinned fish, rice pudding, tinned meat, tinned fruit, and juice / squash. (They have plenty of cereal and pasta)If you need to, you are very welcome to take whatever you need from the box, and any leftovers will be taken to the Bicester Foodbank on a regular basis.
"The clock seems to be ticking extra fast this year, Christmas is most definitely coming!! The shop has taken an extra festive feel this week, a real Christmas grotto, we'd love to welcome you in to explore. Times are tough for us all this year but we bring some cheerful festive news; we've worked extra hard to hold our prices both across our Cafe and on our Fresh Christmas Trees for this festive season, order this years tree at last years prices! All our stock Christmas trees will be on sale from 25th November and are also available to preorder online at www.strattonaudleybarn.co.uk. The order book is still open for the larger trees, for anything over 9ft, get in touch via info@strattonaudleybarn.co.uk and we can provide a quote to supply & deliver to your door.
Over in the Cafe our hearty daily soups and winter warmers are proving popular, pop on in for a catch up over lunch with your friends or a coffee and cake or cheeky milkshake with the family, back by popular demand are our classic homemade Ice cream flavours, why not treat the kiddies (or big kiddies!) and turn that Ice Cream treat into a delicious milkshake this weekend. Hope to see you soon".
23rd November, Hunt Supporters Pub of the Month – thanks for choosing us!
Arrangments have been made with Cherwell District Council to sweeps the roads in the village on Thursday 15th December from 8am. This is the big one of the year when all the leaves have fallen, so please make a note of it in your diary and keep the roads clear. It is the one exception to the rule, where we encourage residents to park on the verges where necessary or alternatively just to move cars when you hear the road sweeping vehicle, who usually makes several passes during the morning. Thanks for your continued co-operation.
A week ago a resident found a baby owl on a lawn in Cavendish Place and sadly, despite valiant efforts by a local vet the bird died a few days later – some unpronounceable disease passed between birds sharing water. The vet suggested it is a timely reminder for people to give their bird baths a clean in an effort to try to decrease the chance of our beautiful birds contracting the infection.
The Red Lion – Formation of a Community Bid Team?
Is anyone interested in leading a community bid for the Red Lion if the owners decide to sell? Ideally it will be a few people who are prepared to form a team which will be supported by The Paris Council and other outside organisations.
As previously reported The Parish Council has been successful in registering The Red Lion as a community asset which means that the owners need to give notice of a sale to the village and allow up to six months for a bid to be put together.
The PC has been in touch with The Plunkett Foundation which provides professional services and advice free of charge for community projects such as this and Government grants are also available to potentially match funds raised.
Those agreeing to help will need to be prepared to invest time in the project and work in a team with others.
At this stage the owners, Stonegate, have just confirmed that there are currently no plans to market either the lease or sale of the freehold. However, having a plan in place is a sensible approach and those interested should contact either myself or Dillie (who is in agreement with this approach).
News update no 101, October 28th, 2022
October 28, 2022 by John
Halloween Village Trail – This Saturday 29th October
The big day is approaching for the Halloween Pumpkin Trail in the village.
The trail will start from the Stoke Lyne Road/Glen Close Bus Stop from 5pm where you will be able to pick up your MAP and follow the trail visiting participating homes along the way and ending up at the Red Lion for a children's party in the Red Room, between 6-7pm (There are prizes for best decorated house and best costume!)
Additionally for all those making pumpkins please bring them to the Red Lion when the trail is over and enter them into the competition being judged circa 7pm. Following this please join the evening party in the pub dressing up is optional.
If you need any more information on the plan just email Sophie sophiejnelson@hotmail.com
This is going to be a frighteningly scary evening for all of us, but there is strength in numbers, so the more the better!
"Opening hours, no change. Fish as usual on Friday evenings, Saturday and Sunday lunches as usual. If you're hungry on a weekday lunch and Sapphire is around, she'll make sure you get something nice to assuage your hunger!
Come to our Halloween party on Saturday night! (29th). Do please get your kids to bring in their pumpkins – there will be a substantial little hamper of yummy chocolates for the best pumpkin, judging will be done at 7pm. Plus some delicious little sweeties for all the others. Entries will be given cards to write their names on, these need to be placed upside down underneath each pumpkin to make quite certain that the judge doesn't know who carved which.
All sorts of games are planned.
We are thinking of changing the way the Quiz Night operates. At the moment, it's £5 a team, but the teams are all of variable sizes, so we thought £2 per head is slightly fairer. The winning team gets a round of drinks, and the pot will be played for in Play Your Cards Right. That way it's random – and if no team wins that week, it rolls over till the next week. We'll be taking soundings to see if this appeals to people so do let us know".
The following is from Becky Adams:
"All Souls Day – A Time to Remember.
This Sunday (30th October) we will be holding our annual service to commemorate the departed. This will be in Fringford Church at 4pm. All are welcome to come and join the service to remember those who have passed on, either recently or longer ago. If you would like us to add the name of a loved one to the list of those remembered in the service, then please contact Becky on 01869 277471 or admin@shelswellparishes.info
Remembrance Day Service.
The remembrance day service will be held in St Mary and St Edburga, Stratton Audley on Sunday 13th November at 10.50pm. All are welcome.
"With the first frost landed and the days getting chillier, our fabulous cook is working hard to return some winter warmers to our menu in the Cafe; alongside our paninis, we now have a selection of Jacket Potatoes, Quiche Lorraine and new to the menu next week will be a hearty soup of the day! With all the home baked cakes to indulge in too, there's a little something sweet for afters!
Our Christmas Shop has new stock arriving steadily, is looking very festive & proving very popular already! Pop down for some ideas to brighten your home this Christmas and grab a selfie with our resident nutcracker, he's sure to make you smile!
Richard has been out on location with our supplier this week to view & inspect our Christmas tree crop! They are looking like our best yet! Don't delay, get your pre-order in today, especially if you're looking for a special Christmas Tree. We are currently putting together our supplier pre orders for larger trees, get in touch at info@strattonaudleybarn.co.uk with the size and type of tree you require and we can add your order to the list! We can supply trees from 4-25ft, whether it's for school, business or your beautiful home, we can source and deliver direct to your door. Hope to see you soon!"
The Winners in the 100 club draw for the month of October 2022 are:
£30 Julia Manley (89)
£20 Glyn McKenna (132)
£10 Shirtcliff Family (101)
£10 Stallden Family (42)
Please continue to pop your ink jet cartridges into the basket in the Glen Close bus shelter. Please don't drop larger toner cartridges off as these are not recycled by the RSPB. If you are not sure if your cartridges are suitable for recycling, you can contact Rachel Dewhurst by email at treehouse0@sky.com
Padbury Brook Solar Farm Proposal
Following the public meeting with the developer JBM on 20th September, the Parish Council wrote to them with a couple of supplementary questions and it was felt that it would be useful to share these with everyone. JBM has agreed to this. The questions and the responses are available to view in the 'News' sub section of the village website: www.strattonaudley.org
There is no further information on when a formal application will be made but we understand that pre-ap conversations are continuing with a CDC planning officer.
EWR Reparation works to Park Road
A meeting was held with OCC Highways and a representative from Godington, to confirm and agree reparations to the road that runs form the A4421 to Pound. These had more or less been previously agreed and supported by the community wide survey carried out earlier in the year. The new junction layout with the A4421 will remain although a grass triangular piece of ground will be considered, and the improvement to visibility at the Mill Road intersection will remain. The majority of passing bays will be removed as well as all unnecessary signage that was put in place. The verges, along the entire road up to Godington and beyond are to be repaired, and this is a matter for OCC to agree with EWR, but one that will require careful monitoring. It is thought that likely works will begin next Spring.
Stoke Lyne Road Waste Land- Improvement Put on Hold
The plan to improve the land where the Stoke Lyne Road meets the T junction with the A4421has received a set-back. The development of a new parking area in Fringford from which we were to receive top soil has been put on hold for the time being.
Village Questionnaire Top Line Results
A PowerPoint presentation of the findings has been created and placed on the website. 106 questionnaires were received which is a very good response taking everything into account. It represents a 55% return rate, which coincidentally, is similar to the last survey carried out in 2015.
A significant majority of residents are concerned about speeding and large vehicle numbers in the village and there is overwhelming support for progressing the idea of introducing a 20mph zone within the village. A majority are in favour of electronic speed signs at the entrances to both the Launton and Mill Road. Most people are against any other forms of physical traffic calming solutions although chicanes are approved of by some 40% of respondents. Finally, a massive 84% indicated they would be in favour of reducing the speed limit on the roads in and out of the village to 50mph.
The 100th Newsletter. A real howler!
Welcome to the 100th issue of the newsletter, started when Covid first hit as an alternative to the bi-monthly door drops. The database currently holds 239 email addresses and each newsletter is opened by 75% to 80% of recipients.
Some people have mentioned that they have registered their email but do not always receive a newsletter and the most likely reason is that it has been identified as junk on your server and needs to be marked as 'not junk'.
If you know anyone in the Parish who currently does not receive it please ask them to supply their email and they can be added.
Halloween Village Trail – Help Needed
On Saturday 29th October, there will be a Halloween Trail in the village culminating in an activity session from 6-7 at the pub. But to make it really successful we need village volunteers to participate and be part of the trail. You could either have a display out front or have your garden open to tiny ghouls! This will encourage some community activity on route and discourage any unwanted guests.
If you would like to take part, please contact Sophie on sophiejnelson@hotmail.com . There will be a prize for the best display!
Information for the children wanting to take the trail will be sent out soon.P.S. The Stratton Audley Facebook page is in operation and designed for the community to use for news and village updates, Sadly it seems that it is seldom used at present.
Church Street Closure this coming Monday
The advance warning signs have been in place for the past week, but if you haven't seen them please remember that Church Street will be closed this coming Monday evening 17th October from 19:00-06:00hrs, when Highways will carry out some wholesale resurfacing.
There are subsequent overnight closures of Church Street & Launton Road on Tuesday 18 & Wednesday 19 October from 19:00-06:00hrs, for additional patching up to the turning with the Bradburys.
Residents are asked not to park on the carriageway for the duration of the works as this will impede the resurfacing and delay the works. The contractors will endeavour to maintain vehicular access to those properties affected by the works, however there may be occasions when this is not possible due to cool down times of the new surface.
"Do you work from home? If so, why not bring your laptop in and avail yourselves of our warmth instead of paying to heat your house. Obviously, it would help our finances if you were to order something. Sapphire is very resourceful and can rustle up lunch for people most days. Tea and biscuits is just £2, we have wifi, come in and try it.
The quiz night was well attended and a great success. The next quiz night is 27th October – so for a fun night out, put it in your diary now.
Friday night is fish night! Our takeaway service is proving popular.
Saturday lunches are now being served.
Sunday roasts from 12 noon to 3 pm.
Sapphire, our indefatigable bar manager, would like as many people to come along to celebrate her birthday this Friday (TOMORROW). Please make it a good one for her, she works like a Trojan to keep that pub going.
Come to our Halloween party on Saturday 29th October, there will be a PRIZE FOR THE BEST FANCY DRESS. There will be food, we plan to serve mini monster burgers.
Best of all – PUMPKIN CARVING COMPETITION! The best pumpkin wins a box of chocolates!
New feature – MONTHLY RAFFLE in aid of the work that needs to be done on the tiled roof (the brewery won't pay). This will be drawn during the Halloween party. October's prize – A bottle of fine Canadian Crown Royal Rye Whisky. £1 per ticket. Apply to any of the bar staff – you must be in it to win it!"
"Thanks again to everyone who contributed towards our Harvest collection for the Bicester Food Bank – We delivered over 50kgs of much-needed supplies. The store manager told me that they are really struggling to keep up with demand for their services at present, so if you can drop a few items into the supermarket collection points when you're getting your shopping then this will really help them to help others.
The next service in Stratton Audley Church will be a service of Holy Communion at 9.15am on Sunday 23rd October – all are welcome, as ever.
Richard has been out on location with our supplier this week to view & inspect our Christmas tree crop! They are looking like our best yet! Don't delay, get your pre-order in today, especially if you're looking for a special Christmas Tree. We are currently putting together our supplier pre orders for larger trees, get in touch at info@strattonaudleybarn.co.uk with the size and type of tree you require and we can add your order to the list! We can supply trees from 4-25ft, whether it's for school, business or your beautiful home, we can source and deliver direct to your door.
Keeping Dogs under control in open fields
There is currently a foal in the field immediately adjacent to The Pound at the start of the Cross Bucks Way and this week a dog was seen off the lead, harassing the animal and its mother. Signs have been placed in the field by the owner, to ask those with dogs to keep them on their lead when walking through on the footpath for the time being. Whilst most people know it is not illegal to have a dog off the lead providing you have it under control, it can present a danger so to be on the safe side your co-operation is appreciated.Defibrillator Training – View this short video
As you know we have been planning to run some defibrillator training in the church for some time and this has not happened for a variety of reasons. Over a dozen people put their names down for it and it is not being abandoned.
However a new Parish councillor, John Edwards came across an excellent short St John's Ambulance video on YouTube which is authoritative, short, and clear and really worth viewing for everyone. This is the link:
https://youtu.be/
A significant majority of residents are concerned about speeding and large vehicle numbers in the village and there is overwhelming support for progressing the idea of introducing a 20mph zone within the village. A majority are in favour of electronic speed signs at the entrances to both the Launton and Mill Road. Most people are against any other forms of physical traffic calming solutions although chicanes are approved of by some 40% of respondents. Finally, a massive 84% indicated they would be in favour of reducing the speed limit on the roads in and out of the village to 50mph.Local Police Bicester and Kidlington Rural Team News
Newsletter no 99, September 30th 2022
September 30, 2022 by John
The next meeting of the Parish Council takes place in The Red Lion, at 7pm next Wednesday 5th October. All are welcome and time is allocated at the start of the meeting for residents to raise any matter that may become the subject of agenda items for future meetings.
The quiz night on Thursday was well attended and a great success. Another quiz night is scheduled for 27th October starting at 7.30pm, so for a fun night out put it in your diary now.
Opening times remain the same which are Tuesday to Saturday, 12 noon to 11pm, Sunday from 12 noon to 10pm. Closed Monday.
Food is currently being served on Friday night, Saturday lunchtime (including breakfast baps), and Sunday lunch from 12 noon to 4pm.
A Halloween party is being planned for Saturday 29th October, with optional fancy dress.
Registration of The Red Lion as a Community Asset
The Parish Council has been successful in registering The Red Lion as a community asset which means that the owners need to give notice of a sale and the PC has six weeks to decide whether a community bid group can be brought together. If so, then the six week period is extended to 6 months, for a bid to be raised. The Parish Council will be discussing this at the next meeting, though our involvement is likely to be limited to that of a facilitator.
"Thank you to everyone for their contributions to our Harvest collection for the Bicester Food Bank which has been really well supported. Non-perishable food items can still be left in church until Sunday evening and will be delivered early next week. Your generous gifts will be much appreciated by those who find themselves struggling to afford the basics at this very uncertain time.
The next service in Stratton Audley Church will be a service of Compline (a quiet, reflective evening service) at 6pm this Sunday (2nd October) – all are welcome, as ever.
Please check the Shelswell website for details of services elsewhere in the benefice http://www.shelswellparishes.info/services.php
'Little Lambs' baby and toddler group continues on Wednesdays in term time in Stratton Audley Church, starting at 9.30am and finishing at 11am. Just turn up or for more information contact Alice at rector@shelswellparishes.info ".
"Chillier days can only mean one thing……….Christmas is coming to the barn! The elves have been working super hard this week with our Christmas Shop opening THIS COMING SATURDAY1ST OCTOBER! We have some stunning new one off pieces, and more new stock than ever before, not to be missed is our 6ft Nutcracker, pop on down for a selfie!
If you're looking for a special Christmas Tree we are currently putting together our supplier pre orders for larger trees, get in touch at info@strattonaudleybarn.co.ukwith the size and type of tree you require and we can add your order to the list! We can supply trees from 4-25ft, whether it's for school, business or your beautiful home, we can source and deliver direct to your door.
Don't worry if Christmas isn't for you just yet, check out our gorgeous Italian cashmere blend range of ponchos, snoods, gloves and scarves, perfect for these chilly autumn days!
Community Solar Farm Meeting 20th September
This meeting was convened by the Parish Council on behalf of the community in order to hear more from the developer and allow those who had questions and concerns to raise them in an open forum.It was well attended with over 60 residents present.
As Chairman of the PC it was my intention to chair the meeting, but due to a family emergency I was in London. Unfortunately those who were late to the meeting assumed that I might no longer be involved and this is to set the record straight on this and a number of other points that were raised.
In my absence fellow Parish Councillor John Edwards did an excellent job in the hot seat, backed up by another councillor Karhyn Walker who took notes, which are purely for the purpose of informing other Parish Councillors and not for general distribution.
To clarify, I am still involved and not going anywhere for the time being. The PC has no intention of abandoning residents located outside the village near the proposed development, as was suggested. Nor are we persuaded to support the scheme because of the money on offer (which incidentally was always muted as £150k and has not been increased). It is premature to consider what could be done with such a sum and we certainly do not have any plans for it, being in surplus currently as a Parish Council. We also made sure that Barry Wood and Ian Corkin attended to hear for themselves how the meeting went. We remain unbiased and will take our cue from the community in due course.
I understand that a number of conversations are taking place with individual residents and those from Goddington, but for now the Parish Council will briefly discuss the matter at the next PC meeting and await the formal planning application.
The Winners in the 100 club draw for the month of October 2022 will be drawn next week and as usual placed on the notice board.
Children's Halloween Trail & Event
Apart from the party being organised in The Red Lion, there will be a children's trail around the village possibly culminating in an event in the red room of the pub afterwards. Date and more details to follow shortly.
Stoke Lyne Road Waste Land
The land at the top of the Stoke Lyne Road at the T junction with the A4421will soon have a new lease of life with tonnes of top soil being added to the site, which will be levelled out and allow for new wild flower growth over the entire area.
Bicester Heritage October Scramble
Just a reminder that tickets for the next Scramble meeting on the 9th of October are available to local residents at 50% off, accessible via the sales agents – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/
Promocode: BristolBoxkite
Church Street and Launton Road Closure
By now all residents should have received a letter confirming that there will be a full road closure of Church Street and Launton Road on Monday 17th October from 19:00-06:00hrs, where Highways will carry out some wholesale resurfacing.This includes inlay areas between the Red Lion and the Church, the junction with Launton Rd/Mill Rd/Church St and a narrow section further down the Launton Road which is suitable for overlay.
There will subsequent be full road closures of Church Street & Launton Road on Tuesday 18 & Wednesday 19 October from 19:00-06:00hrs, for additional patching including overlay works up to the turning with the Bradburys.
This work has been under discussion for several years but was delayed due to Covid and other priorities and the good news is that there are no planned day time works, so disruption around the village should be minimal.
In summary all works (inlay/overlay & patching) will be overnight and via the full road closure over the 3 nights.
A number of comments have been relayed to the Parish Council about cars being parked on more than one occasion, on the grass verges in the village. This is sometimes unavoidable, however it can be a danger for pedestrians especially where the verges are used by pedestrians in the absence of footpaths. It is also a problem when the grass is to be cut which is done on a frequent basis.
National Moment of Reflection, Sunday 18th, Church Street, Stratton Audley.
The Government Cabinet Office has invited the public to take part in a National Moment of Reflection to mourn the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and reflect on her life and legacy. The National Moment of Reflection will take place at 8pm on Sunday 18 September, the night before the State Funeral, and be marked by a one-minute silence.
Stratton Audley Parish Council has decided to hold a short vigil outside the Church commencing at 7.45pm. Everyone is invited to attend by gathering in front of the War Memorial. Please spread the word as this email newsletter is not read by everyone in the community.
Jeremy Adams has very kindly agreed to ring a sole bell and will do this
70 times in the lead up to the hour. A short official script will be read out just prior to 8pm, then a whistle will be blown and a minute's silence will be observed followed by the singing of the National Anthem.
For those who are unable to attend, the suggestion is to stand by your doorstep and observe the one minute's silence.
The Running order for the proceedings will be as follows:
By 19.45 members of the community will gather outside the entrance to the church.
70 bells will toll.
At approximate 19.57 the following words will be spoken:
Thank you all for gathering here this evening for this brief vigil on the eve of the funeral of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In a few moments we will join with people across the United Kingdom in a Moment of Silent Reflection. The start and end of the Minute here will be marked by a whistle.
During the Minute we will have an opportunity, in silence, to reflect on the lifetime of service which Her late Majesty devoted to the United Kingdom, the Realms and Territories and to the Commonwealth.
The Queen was sure in her faith and steadfast in her duty, bringing constancy through 70 years of change. We will remember Her late Majesty with affection and gratitude and silently give thanks in our hearts for her unswerving devotion to us and to our Country.
May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is now approaching 8.00 p.m.
At 20.00 a whistle sounds
Silence will be kept
At 20.01 the whistle marks the end of the Silence
The vigil concludes with all present saying:
God Save The King
and the singing of the National Anthem.


How is your Christmas shopping going? Feeling stuck? I promised you more Christmas gift inspiration, so here it is! How about a subscription or gift box?
We have two fabulous subscription and gift boxes in our Directory – A Year Of Dates and mamaME Box. Both have been created with lots of love by two inspirational women, and are perfect for gifting to others, or to yourself!
What I love about these two brilliant businesses is that they both share our Mums Off Duty values.
They remind us that we mustn't forget about taking time out for ourselves, just because we are busy mums. It isn't always easy, but we must try!
A Year of Dates, owned by Kate, is a great idea and encourages you to spend quality time with your partner. It's so easy to neglect your relationship when you have a kiddie. I love this concept, especially if you struggle for interesting date ideas like we do!
A Box of Dates contains 52 envelopes, each containing a fun idea for a date. Choose an envelope to open each week and follow the instructions. Easy! They can even be colour-coded in case you like to keep a little control over your dates. One week, you may prefer a 'stay-in' date, or another week you may be waiting for pay-day and need a cheap date!
There is even a family-friendly version called A Year of Play, in case you need some inspiration for fun activities to do together as a family.
The Christmas order deadline is Thursday, 14 December.
mamaME Box encourages mums to enjoy a little me-time and is right up our alley. Helen, the owner of mamaME Box, features in our Magnificent Mamas series.
A box full of lovely goodies is delivered to your door each month. Where possible, Helen sources the treats from mama and family-run small businesses.
Goodies are different each month, but past boxes include treats like candles, books and pamper items. You can buy a subscription, or a one-off box – you may even just want to treat yourself!
The January box (pictured above) is available to order until the end of the year. If you are gifting the box for Christmas, the recipient will receive a gift email and their box will be delivered in January.
For more information on A Year of Dates and mamaME Box, please head to the Retail Therapy page in our Directory.
It's such an original idea, I love it.
Yes, do it! You definitely deserve it!
Oh wow good luck! How exciting! It is so easy to forget about you as a couple. I think it's so important though to remember why you are together in the first place, and to try and find a bit of quality time together if you can!


Joe Vitti's Saturday Night Live clinic series is starting up again this season. All clinics will begin around 5pm in the Uberfall at the Trapps. These clinics are geared towards intermediate level recreational climbers, but anyone who attends will probably learn something new or make a few connections with other climbers.
I'll be giving one of these clinics on June 8th. My clinic will cover knots for climbing, and how to choose the appropriate knot for specific applications. Most clinics run about 1 hour. Come by if you're in the Gunks on June 8th!


text:
Ali Landry (Breaux Bridge, 21 juli 1973) is een Amerikaans model en actrice. Ze werd in 1996 Miss USA.

Biografie
Ali Landry werd in 1973 geboren in Breaux Bridge in de Amerikaanse staat Louisiana en is van Frans-Spaanse afkomst. In 1991 voltooide ze haar middelbare school. Ze studeerde massacommunicatie aan de University of Southwestern Louisiana. Eerder, in 1990, won Landry de Miss Louisiana Teen USA-verkiezing. In juli van datzelfde jaar werd ze zevende in de Miss Teen USA-verkiezing. In 1995 won ze wel de Miss Louisiana USA 1996-verkiezing. In februari 1996 won ze nationale Miss USA-verkiezing in Los Angeles. in mei dat jaar nam ze deel aan de Miss Universe-verkiezing die in Las Vegas werd gehouden waar ze als zesde eindigde.

Na de missverkiezingen werd Landry model. Ze werd het gezicht van chipsmerk Doritos en werd in 1998 tot de vijftig mooiste mensen van de wereld gerekend door het magazine People. Ook haar film- en televisiecarrière ging van start met een gastoptreden in de televisieserie Clueless in 1997. In 2002 had ze een hoofdrol in de komedie Repli-Kate en in 2006 in de film Bella.

Op 24 april 2004 huwde Landry met acteur Mario Lopez die ze op de Miss Teen USA 1998-verkiezing had ontmoet. Twee weken later werd het huwelijk geannuleerd wegens vermeende ontrouw van Lopez. Op 8 april 2006 trouwde ze met de Mexicaanse filmregisseur Alejandro Gomez Monteverde die de film Bella regisseerde. Ze hebben samen een dochter en twee zoons.

Filmografie

|-
| 2006 || Bella || Celia
|-
| 2003–2006 || Eve || Rita Lefleur || televisieserie; 18 afleveringen
|-
| 2003 || Fastlane || Hillary || televisieserie; 2 afleveringen
|-
| 2003 || Who's Your Daddy? || Elissa
|-
| 2002 || Spy TV || presentatrice || televisieserie; 8 afleveringen
|-
| 2002 || Outta Time || Bella
|-
| 2002 || Repli-Kate || (Repli-)Kate Carson
|-
| 2001 || Inside Schwartz || Anne || televisieserie; 1 aflevering
|-
| 2001 || Soulkeeper || roodharige vrouw
|-
| 2001 || Farmclub.com || presentatrice || televisieserie
|-
| 2000 || Felicity || Natalie || televisieserie; 4 afleveringen
|-
| 2000 || Beautiful || Belindy Lindbrook
|-
| 2000 || Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place || meisje in wasserette || komische serie; 1 aflevering
|-
| 1999 || Malcolm & Eddie || Kellie Bradford || televisieserie; 1 aflevering
|-
| 1998–1999 || Pensacola: Wings of Gold || Teri || televisieserie; 7 afleveringen
|-
| 1999 || Popular || Heather || televisieserie; 1 aflevering
|-
| 1998 || Significant Others || mooie vrouw || televisieserie; pilotaflevering
|-
| 1998 || The Bold and the Beautiful || Amur || televisieserie; 1 aflevering
|-
| 1998 || Prime Time Comedy || presentatrice || televisiefilm
|-
| 1998 || America's Greatest Pets || presentatrice || televisieserie
|-
| 1997 || Conan || Raina || televisieserie; 1 aflevering
|-
| 1997 || Sunset Beach || Kenzie || televisieserie; 3 afleveringen
|-
| 1997 || Clueless || Tiffany || televisieserie; 1 aflevering
|}

Amerikaans acteur
Amerikaans model

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


So the day started off cloudy and cool again. No rain in the forecast for awhile, we could use some more before it stops for the summer. My image today was taken on a rainy day in Missouri at my in-laws house. I was taking images of their Weeping Cherry tree through the window and thought it was very much living up to it's name.


Here we go again. It all starts right here — my winter forced exercise program: show shoveling.
The view from my open garage door tells me I'm gonna stay trim this winter if this snow keeps up. The drift is thigh deep, and I will shovel in shifts if I'm gonna get out of the garage. My North Dakota 365 project may slide a bit if I can't hit the highways and byways because there's too much snow in my driveway.
At the halfway point I know it's just the start of a canyon pass I'm digging. By mid-winter the piles on either side of the driveway will dwarf my truck. And to think, I do it all with a plastic snow shovel! I try to do as much as possible before breakfast. That way I'm burning fat stores instead of food stores. Then, when I do have breakfast, it is truly nourishing and not just filling the pit.
It takes about 45 minutes to dig out. I do it in 15 or 20 minute "bursts" of energy. I stop for a break only after I pass out and wake up laying in the driveway. I assume that at that point I need a break.
When I'm done shoveling, I realize that those snowflakes that make the first covering will still be there a few months from now. It's that old rule of resource management: first on, last off.
Finally. After several days of black and white imagery and shades of grey there is some sun. Scenes like that of just a couple days ago, back on the 20th are very depressing. Check out the difference between today and my images on November 19 or 20th.
Today, the sun is shining, but man is it cold! 10 degrees or so. Still, people are taking advantage of the day by moving snow. In this case, Harris in Wilton is moving snow from the mailbox so the mail can be delivered.
Color is back and that's good. But along with it comes more white than green. Oh well, it won't be long until we see green again.
How do winter's colors or lack of them affect you?
Winter has set in. It's a time of year when color is washed from the horizon. It's an annual event handled much more easily now than 75 years ago. Yet for some reason, we tend to romanticize "yesteryear." At least I do.
I spotted this abandoned farmstead between Wilton and Mercer. I was specifically looking for images that would lend themselves to a bit of post-processing. I was looking for a scene that resembled photos from another era — a more "romantic" era.
The fact is, it's much more "romantic" in photo than in real life. That's the work of our minds to fill in the gaps of the story laid before us. In real life, it can be cold, depressing and non-thrilling.
Do you ever take time to look at old photos and reminisce?
Election day voting for most Americans is a down home neighbor-to-neighbor activity conducted in the nearest public shelter such as this county shop. The machine shop is cleared out, the tools packed away, and a couple tables are set up for Americans to do what make them free and strong — vote.
There's nothing sophisticated about voting in Wilton. You take your printed ballot in to a booth and with a black pen, you fill in the circles for the person or position for whom you are voting.
I see photos of candidates and famous people going to fancy places to cast an electronic vote, but it seems to me that is more the exception than the rule. It's the hard-working rank and file of Americans who take time from their jobs to head down to some grease-stained cold metal building to have their say in how they are to be governed.