Jul07Newsletter

The Council meeting held on Wednesday 13th June was attended by five Parish Councillors, the Clerk, the County Councillor , the District Councillor, Leslie Nesbitt Crime Prevention Advisor, Judith Johnson OCC Trading Standards and two members of the public.

The Chairman welcomed Leslie Nesbit, the Crime Prevention Advisor and Judith Johnson from OCC Trading Standards to the Parish Council meeting. Leslie Nesbitt detailed the crime statistics for the village from March 2007 to April 2007 and it highlighted that the village has had a material level of crime. It was against this background that she explained the concept of No Cold Calling. Judith Johnson explained the process of setting up a scheme within the village. The Parish Council agreed that it was a worthwhile scheme. The timetable of events is as follows:

· An article will appear in the July/August Newsletters detailing the sequence of events to set up a Cold Calling Scheme.

· Trading Standards will deliver a letter to each household inviting them to participate in the scheme.

· An analysis of the response from householders will determine whether there is enough support.

· A provisional launch date of mid September has been agreed at which villagers will be invited to visit a mobile display unit that will show the scheme in operation.

The Chairman invited Leslie Nesbitt to comment upon the recent survey that had taken place in respect of the Youth Shelter. She highlighted that a youth shelter would be a focus for youth activity and that may attract youths from outside the village. She commented upon the value of CCTV and stated that the Council needed to be clear on what it wanted to achieve from it. She highlighted three possible reasons:

She stated that CCTV was not the sole answer in tackling anti-social behaviour. She advised the Council to think through its requirements before approaching any CCTV companies for a quotation but she stressed the need for the Council to set up the proper processes to administer any scheme and to register any agreed CCTV set up.

The Council members considered how they wished to take the matter forward. The discussion that took place was not conclusive as to whether to progress the youth shelter but there was a desire to explore other options to engage the youth of the village. Mr David Turner suggested that the OCC Youth Officer should be approached for advice. The Council agreed that this was a sensible way forward.

The Chairman read out a report from Mr Mark Willis. The report highlighted the recent vandalism that had taken place in the MUGA and expressed the concern that unless the perpetrators of the damage are stopped then there is a real risk that the excellent facility will be destroyed. The Council did not agree on any action but felt that it was part of the wider issue that was discussed under the youth shelter.

The Council passed a resolution approving the Annual accounts for 2006-07 as well as the Annual governance statement for the year ended 31st March 2007.

P07/W 0073 - Revelmead: Amendment to original application to create a family room within existing barn and conservatory

This planning application was recommended for approval by South Oxfordshire District Council.

Mr Stuart McGill informed the meeting that he had received an e-mail from Street Eite Associates who are the agents for Punch Taverns in connection with the planning application for The Lamb. The e-mail afforded the Parish Council the opportunity to specify the materials that they would prefer Punch Taverns to use. In terms of the roof the Council would ideally like reclaimed red clay tiles to match the roofs of the adjacent High Street properties of Old Belchers, the Thatched House and the Doctors House It was reassuring that the rendering was not a pebble-dash rendering and suggested that it matched the existing rendering. The colour would need to complement the overall design. The Council felt that their concerns had been addressed and that they would be in a position to support a re-submitted application.

The Council resolved to adopt the Revised Code of Conduct issued by the Standards Board for England .

Mr Stuart McGill briefed the meeting on the visit by the South Oxfordshire District Council Grants Committee (SODC) to inspect the proposed site on Friday 8th June 2007. He then informed the meeting that he had made a presentation to the SODC supporting the grant application on behalf of the Village Hall Management Committee on Tuesday 12th June. A question was raised by SODC as to whether the Parish Council would be making any financial contribution to the project. Mr Stuart McGill explained that the Parish Council had no specific powers to make a financial contribution to a village shop/post office as had been advised by OALC following a meeting in December 2006. The Clerk clarified that it could make a financial contribution within its Section 137 powers. The Council agreed that it would support the project within its legal powers without determining a specific amount.

The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday 11th July 2007 at 8.00 p.m. in The Pine Lodge Little Milton unless there is a need to convene any planning or other meetings. This meeting will preceded by the Annual Parish Meeting.

Please note that the complete minutes of the Council are now included on the Council website www.littlemilton.org.uk after they have been approved by the Council.

Residents can see the records of the policies and practices of the Parish Council

consultations, on request from the Parish Clerk (Raymond Fergusson –279150). Current Council member are:

As reported under the Parish Council Leslie Nesbitt attended the June meeting. I detail below the crime statistics that she reported at the meeting.

“Since 19 April 2006 and 15 March 2007, 8 house burglaries have occurred in the village of Little Milton . 4 of these burglaries have happened in Old Field and 2 of these have been distraction burglaries.

In the same time period there have been 14 non dwelling burglaries (sheds, commercial premises, detached garages)

In the last 9 years there have been 14 burglaries in Old Field, 37 burglaries in total within the village. 40 non dwelling burglaries.

*All figures are raw figures from our computer database and are liable to some fluctuations.

Little Milton has been referred to Trading Standards by Thame s Valley Police as a suitable area for a no cold calling zone.”

The Parish Council has agreed that the village should be consulted on their support to designate the village as a “NO COLD CALLING ZONE”. The plan is to deliver a letter to each household in late July/early August. It is very important that you respond to the questionnaire as Trading Standards will only implement a scheme that is supported by the residents. If there is sufficient support Trading Standards would be available in mid September with their mobile information stand to illustrate the practical working of the scheme.

If you want to know more about the scheme please contact me at 27 Chiltern View or telephone 01844 279150.

For a charge of £35 residents can arrange for their unwanted vehicle to be collected from within the District and a charge of £7.50 per bulky item e.g. fridge furniture etc. To arrange this service residents can call the Public Amenities Team on 01491 823416 or print a copy of the form from the Council’s website www.southoxon.gov.uk .

Your bin will be collected on the same day as your normal refuse and recycling. Please ensure however that your bin is placed in a safe place that does not obstruct the pavement or highway. The dates for July are as follows:-Tuesday 3rd; Tuesday 17th & Tuesday 31st

If you are interested in this service please contact SODC Public Amenities on 01491 823416 or email: public.amenities@southoxon.gov.uk or visit www.southoxon.gov.uk

The Oxfordshire County Council Waste Recycling Centres at Redbridge and Oakley Wood are open Monday to Saturday 8.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. and Sunday 9.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.

Just to let Villagers know that the Bell Ringers will be ringing in St. James’ Church, Little Milton on

At this time of the year, a number of friends delight in calling on me, and it’s good to catch up on their news and what is happening in their lives. One such visitor had just returned from their holiday in Cornwall , and they couldn’t contain their enthusiasm about what they discovered on a visit to the Eden Project near St. Mawes. They found it an inspiring place, a living temple to nature built out of a discarded clay pit. I was shown some photographs of the visit and I listened intently as the impressions of the whole time spent there by my friends were eagerly reported. I saw pictures of the two great bio-domes which formed the centrepiece, housing the plants and trees of the temperate zones of the world and of the rain forest.

The temperate zone was familiar to me, for over the years I have spent some little time in the Mediterranean world. I remembered from not so long ago, seeing fruit trees and pampas grass, vines, olives and figs.

I have some recollection of the intense, sticky heat of the tropical zone, and I remember how unprepared I was for it. My visiting friends had never been in a real rain forest, but to them the indoor one in Cornwall was both oppressive and magical. They said, “It’s like being in a steam oven where everything is growing and decaying at the same time.” They realised why the rain forests matter. For to them, there came a new realisation that all the tremendous variety of plants, leaves, roots and fruits, suggest that life uses this natural pressure cooker to try out all the different possible ways of being a tree or a bush or a herb or a flower. The result is what we call bio-diversity. Some of the plants are edible, some poisonous, some have healing properties.

Might I suggest that each one of us wander, if only in our minds and imagination, through the different regions. Recall the story of Adam brought to life by God in the enchanted garden and how he was commissioned by God to tend and care for the earth. I believe it quite amazing that this commission is being renewed in our time. We do have a chance to make a difference to the world we live in, to learn to tread more lightly upon the earth of God’s creation.

We congratulate Gary Mark West and Rebecca Anne Kaylor who were married in our Church on the 2^nd June. Please do remember in your prayers Gary and Rebecca as they embark on their new adventure of married life.

We welcome into the Lord’s family Brooklyn Colin Roy West who was baptised on the 2^nd Jun. We surround with our prayers Brooklyn as he begins his Christian journey through this world. Whilst we think of Brooklyn , and his mother and father, we must not let our prayers for little Holly be silent.

Our Church Fete was held on the 16th June in the grounds of the Manor by very kind permission of Simon and Sarah Oddie’. It was a marvellous occasion, full of warmth, laughter and joy, and with all of the necessary ingredients of a traditional Village Fete. I understand that the total amount raised was about £2800 which was quite amazing despite the weather which at times was so threatening. Well done, everyone!

Making the fete so successful meant that a good number of people put in an extraordinary amount of hard dedicated work before hand, as well as on the day itself. To all these people we extend our heartfelt thanks, but I think we all ought to thank especially Sarah Jones who went about organising us and co-ordinating things diligently and cheerfully over many months. Thank you indeed, Sarah.

Christian Aid Week is the week in the year when we deliberately focus our minds on those in the Third World who are so very much worse off than ourselves, and struggle to help themselves out of poverty. Whilst they do all they can for themselves, through our giving we help to make a real difference to their efforts.

This year around our Benefice the house to house collections totalled £1657.50, which is quite frankly, an amazing amount, and the total for Little Milton was an astounding £831.11. How ever can we thank you all enough for your incredible generosity? Thank you all so very much. Not only do we need to thank you all, but we do need to express our gratitude to those admirable collectors who went around our parishes house to house.

This year, when we add in all that was donated through the medium of the Lent Lunches, and taking into account Gift Aided donations we have been able to send to Christian Aid over £2406 from our benefice, which is a very remarkable amount for three parishes of our size.

We do need to thank Sally Ann for co-ordinating all of our efforts across our Benefice, for she worked so very hard to make such a result possible.

On the 26th August we shall be holding our Benefice Sung Communion Service in Rycote Chapel at 10.00 a.m. Rycote Chapel is a magical historical Building, and we are so grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Taylor for inviting us for this special Service. Do, please put this date in your diary now and we look forward to seeing you all on this day.

On the second Monday of each month there is a service of prayer, readings and hymns in Fullers Field Community Room, Great Milton. The service is shared with our Methodist friends. The service starts at 6.00pm and lasts about 30 minutes. The next service is scheduled on Monday 9th July 2007. If you would like to attend the service but require transport please contact Raymond

Fergusson of 27 Chiltern View; telephone number 01844 279150 who will ensure that you are taken to the service and collected after it is finished.

WOW!! What a week and what a total….Thank you to everyone who delivered and/or collected envelopes, who hosted Lent lunches, who gave School Assemblies, who led and/or took part in the special Christian Aid week service and most of all to all of you in each of the villages who gave so generously this year. The grand total for the Benefice is £2,406.14; an increase of £568.04. This included a total of £243 gift aided contributions and so to those of you who gift aided your contribution an extra Thank you! The total amount of money raised in Little Milton from the Lent lunch, the Special Christian Aid week service and the Sunday School collection and the house to house collections is £1,065.81 plus a gift aid total of £150.34, making £1,216.15 altogether. Thank you everyone!

This is an excellent opportunity to support the work done by the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust. If you would like more information please contact me at 27 Chiltern View or telephone 01844 279150

Sunday 15^th July 2007 at 11.00am Summer Worship – The Life of Jesus. We shall be coming together at Watlington Methodist Church to celebrate our Lord in singing, reading and praise.

July 1^st – 11.00 in Church when we will be joined by Cathy from Seesaw and her dog “Do Good”. We have recently given our collection money to Seesaw and so Cathy is coming to share their work and tell us how they plan to spend our collection money. NB We’re meeting in Church and not in someone’s home because of Do Good!!

July 15^th – 11.00 our annual summer outing and picnic to Ewelme when we plan to explore the Church and have a picnic and games etc. Meet at 11.00 in the Village Hall car park, unless you hear otherwise.

We then break in August but will be back on Sunday 2^nd September at 11.00 when we hope to see as many of you as possible after the summer holidays.

LITTLE MILTON CHURCH FETE: SATURDAY 16th JUNE

It was a bit of an anxious build up to the fete this year, the weather forecast was a mixed bag, but ‘hey-ho’ they can always get it wrong. This time unfortunately it was just as they said: mixed! It rained, the sun shone, the wind gusted and then to end the day it poured. Still we did not quite lose Mabel and Phyllis as their teas gazebo took flight and all the raffle prizes stayed on the table throughout.

It did not bode well when Raymond Blanc was guided under a brolly to open proceedings, but the moment he spoke the sun shone and the fete began……………

We debated whether to have t-shirts printed for the day with ‘There’s NO scandal here!’ after the Daily Telegraphs report that morning. I suspect that it might have had a positive effect on attendance, as despite the weather the turnout was good. We did not however spot any strangers talking into dictaphones or bushes with binoculars sticking out of them; all was relaxed as our village normally is.

The day went well without any major problems and everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time. Every stall did well and amazingly we made an approximate figure of £2800, which is equivalent to last year when we had a Hot Air Balloon and the sun shone brightly!

Thank you, therefore goes out to all those who donated items, baked, made, or gave bottles, cakes, pickles, books, plants, or tombola items. Those who trudged the streets selling raffle tickets or giving out reminder slips, thank you for your time. We really appreciated the amazing Orchard Pre School who ran the children’s activities that kept the children happy. Dave our postman’s Watlington Concert Band kept us musically entertained and Little Milton School showed us their lovely Country Dancing, which put a smile on everyone’s face. Stan used his smooth charisma on the microphone to keep proceedings flowing and Chris Jones demonstrated his magical skills to keep the kids entertained. Warren West and best mate Adam worked so hard and were soaked and exhausted at the end of the day. The fantastic stallholders were great organising beforehand, setting up and selling. A huge thanks to you all, especially those that come along on the day as without you the fete would not be the success it is.

Most of all our thanks go out to Simon and Sarah Oddie for allowing us to use the wonderful grounds of their home, which each year just gets better and better. Our fete would not have the charm and truly traditional feel of a village fete if it were not for their generosity.

Who says we are the Village from Hell? There certainly is no sign of it here, I know we have a fantastic village; the Fete just proves it!

Sarah Jones on behalf of St James Church PCC

P.S. A brown fur waistcoat and blue umbrella was left, so please contact me for their safe return.

The winner was: Chris Post c/o Little Milton School . Drawn from 21 correctly completed forms!

12 S of the Z	12 signs of the zodiac
4 Q in a G	4 quarts in a gallon
200 P for PG in M	200 pounds for passing go in Monopoly
64 S on a CB	64 squares on a chess board
9 P in the SS	9 planets on the solar system
7 C of the R	7 colours of the rainbow
21 S on a D	21 spots on a dice
26 L in the A	26 letters in the alphabet
54 C in a D (including J)	54 cards in the deck (including jokers)
88 PK	88 piano keys
29 D in F in a LY	29 days in February in a leap year
6 P for a TD in AF	6 points for a touch down in American football
3 BM (SHTR)	3 blind mice (see how they run)
1 W on a U	1 wheel on a unicycle
24 H in a D	24 hours in a day
7 W of the W	7 wonders of the world
12 D of C	12 days of Christmas
32 DF at which WF	32 degrees Fahrenheit at which water freezes
11 P in a FT	11 players in a football team
18 H on a GC	18 holes on a golf course
52 W in a Y	52 weeks in a year
14 P in a S	14 pounds in a stone
12 I in a F	12 inches in a foot
90 D in a RA	90 degrees in a right angle
9 L of a C	9 lives of a cat
10 GB (H on the W)	10 green bottles (hanging on the wall)
2468 WDWA	2, 4, 6, 8, who do we appreciate?
8 SR of SF	8, square root of sixty four
180 MS in D	180 maximum score in darts
13 U for S	13 unlucky for some
1812 O(T)	1812 Overture (Tchaikovsky)
1760 Y in a M	1760 yards in a mile

Guess the amount of Smarties in a Jar amount = 756 and the winner was J Harvey with a guess of 733

Whisky Bottle up a Tree (guess the height) =360cm and the winner was Coates with 357cm!!

Sarah Jones 01844 278120

There were a considerable number of items unsold on the bric a brac stall. Items of quality will be taken to Sobell House Charity Shop in Thame, and the remaining will go to: - Swap Shop at The Merry Bells car park at Wheatley on Saturday the 14th of July (operating from 9.30 - 12.0). It is organised by Wheatley Community Action Group, and the items are free, but a donation is welcomed

The prize wining numbers were drawn by the Little Milton School Children at their Good Work Assembly and were as follows:

Sue Marriott 279124

This month, our Junior class have been working with students from Wheatley Park School to produce a school newsletter. They wrote up reports and attached photographs in our new computer suite. Huw Arnold and Jayde Madle were appointed Editors, and went for a morning to Wheatley Park to produce the first edition. Everyone learnt a great deal about the journalistic process!

We all enjoyed dancing at the St James Church Village Fete – and the maypole ribbons are now flying around on a regular basis as we practise for our annual maypole evening. We hope to welcome lots of you to the event – please see our advert.

Our first Tea Concert was well attended. This was an opportunity for our budding musicians to show off their talents! We have a number of pupils who are learning piano and guitar, and two thriving recorder groups. Violin lessons will be on offer from September. We hope to make the tea concerts a regular feature of our school calendar.

During July, we look forward to Sports Day – and hope for good weather – and to the area sports day which this year will be held at Sandhills School . Looking ahead to the autumn, we are pleased to welcome coaches from Wheatley Rugby Club, who will be doing a Rugby session with our Juniors.

We plan to meet on Sunday 1st July, when we will undertake a Butterfly Survey, weather permitting. Last month we identified 10 different types of Butterfly, the Brown Argus being the most unusual to the Farm.

There is one Allotment still available, if anyone is interested, or it can be split in half if a whole one is too daunting. There is now a large water butt installed & hopefully collecting some water from the deluge we still seem to be getting on a regular basis; still the weeds are growing well.

BBOWT have been cutting the paths of late, which is improving access around the Farm.

We welcome anyone who would like to come along and get some fresh air. We meet in Wells Farmyard at approximately 10.30 am.

BBOWT, The Local Wildlife Trust has made a really positive start in the restoration of the allotment site at Wells Farm. Clearance work started in April and already there are twelve working allotments on site, and most of these are now in cultivation.

An all weather access ‘road’, water supply, community cabin, compost toilet, community orchard and composting area are just some of the improvements and facilities planned for the site. In the winter months, we will be undertaking further clearance work to create a further eight to nine plots which will then be available to let on a yearly tenancy for local people, who live within the Parish.

The development of the site as a community resource will be ongoing in the months to come but if you would like to get involved or would like to join this growing Allotment community please contact Helen d’Ayala, Community Wildlife Officer (Oxon) at BBOWT on 01865 775476.

I feel that I must apologise for missing last month, I have to say it was all written but somehow then communications broke down, this means that this month may be a little longer and incorporate what I wrote last time.

I commented on the fact that we were worrying if it would ever rain again, now, we wonder, will it ever stop? It continued to rain right up to the end of May and we were surprised when we returned from the North that the river was in flood. Then June has been fairly dry up to now for us at least. Those who predicted that it would be a long hot & dry summer could yet be proved wrong, just shows it is better to keep your mouth shut. And say much for the old saying “The oak before the ash we’re in for a splash and the ash before the oak, we’re in for a soak”. The oak was out first this year.

My how the rain has saved the day, everything has burst into life and by the end of the month I had recorded over 100inches. So far this month we have escaped the worst having just been up to the North again where they have had just a fair drop as there are many crops underwater. I doubt this flooding will hurt the cereal crops but any uncut grass like ours will be practically useless, as it is all stained now with smelly mud, and I doubt it will wash off now.

I also asked if anyone had heard the Cuckoo yet? I heard one once on the 17^thand one around the end of the month, but that’s all. Such a wonderful sound heralding the coming summer in spite of the fact that it is such a wicked bird.

Those of you walking the footpath will have noticed we have been cutting bits off what appears to be a perfectly healthy Oak tree. This is because it started life as hedgerow tree and had at least 3 main trunks, these now are not allowing the tree to mature properly so we have decided to help it along and cut out the limbs that we thought were not doing it any favours. This management of this tree will be carried out over a 2 year period so as not to “startle” it too much. We hope that this seemingly drastic action will enhance the tree’s future, and let it grow into a handsome specimen.

Crops now after this rain are all looking well. Unfortunately, like many other fields of wheat, ours seem to be infested with Barley. We call this infestation “volunteers”, as they are in a crop we grow but were not planted this year. I think that this is actually caused by contaminated seed. Some of the reason for this contamination is that the legal limit for admixture in seed corn has been relaxed by the EU These volunteers in the crop however will not present too much problem as Barley ripens 3 to 4 weeks before Wheat, meaning the majority of the grain will have fallen on the ground by the time we harvest.

The barleys have started to turn (ripen) so before long the combines will be rolling again, I actually thought it would have been earlier than this, this year as the ears were showing I think in mid April, and as it is reckoned to be ripe 8 weeks after coming into ear then that should have been mid June I is I think at least 2 weeks away.

When we were away we stayed with some friends who farm just north of Clitheroe in the “ Forest of Bowland ”, a wonderful bit of country, giving me a chance to look at some other farms and experience their different birdlife. This consisted of Curlew, and Peewit, that we rarely see nowadays, and we were very surprised to see Oystercatchers so far inland. What I did notice was an abundance of Crows, Rooks and other common carrion on the moors. Enquiring as to why there were so many, I was told now that we are not allowed to leave the dead animals that have always been on the moors. These carrion are now in Little Milton village feeding on Peewit eggs. This is a typical example of where we humans by sanitising the countryside are upsetting the balance of nature, and suddenly saying why are there no more of this or that.

As most will know the result of the Governments trials on Bovine TB and the connection with Badgers has concluded that a Badger cull would not have any effect on the level of TB in herds. This is a bitter blow to those who think that a cull is essential if we are to clear our herds of this scourge. I have yet to be convinced either way, except that something has caused this explosion of a disease that we thought by the 50’s we had all but eradicated. The reason for blaming Badgers is that TB started to increase once the badger became protected. I fear that Government will once again hide behind this report and just use it as an excuse to do nothing, and try and shift the blame rightly or wrongly on to the Farmer. This is all very well but the price for Bovine produce, be it meat or dairy products, being allowed to be as low as it is will not leave many options for the producer, other than give up.

On the 13th July at about 11.30am our local MP Boris Johnson will be performing an opening ceremony on our new Bio-diesel pump if anyone is interested come on up and see.

I have been tasked to arrange a 20 / 20 evening match against Great Milton. It will take place on either Thursday July 12th or 19th, 5.30 pm – 8.30 pm. Anybody wishing to play please give me a ring on 01844 279468.

Over 30 families in the village have responded to a Neighbourhood Watch questionnaire. Therefore we will be going ahead with instigating this scheme. Any body who wishes to join please ring me on 279468

Next Meeting: At Music for a Summer Evening we will be entertained again by Christine Whild who previously talked and showed us the music of Elgar. Visitors are very welcome to join us at 7:45 pm on Thursday, 12^th July at The Pine Lodge, Little Milton.

President: Pam Assiter, 278228; Secretary: Heather Peers 279352; Press Correspondent: Lyndell Dixon, 279275

Chloe, Josh and Jodie would like to thank all the villagers who generously gave to the Rosy Charity (Respite Nurses for Oxfordshire Sick Youngsters). We collected £46.00 in total. Thanks again.

I detail below an extract from a letter received from WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental)

You will recall that WREN was a funding partner in the successful delivery of the above project.

This year WREN is celebrating its 10^th year as a Funding Distributor under the Landfill Communities Fund and is reflecting on its considerable achievements. WREN is proud to declare that over the past 10 years it has now supported 4,000 community projects across the UK with grants totalling over £100m.

To mark this anniversary, WREN is holding a 10 year celebration in London on 26th September at the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) building, 8 John Adam Street , London WC2N 6EZ between 5 and 8pm.

I am delighted to inform you that your project has been selected to receive a special award under the ‘Communities Buildings’ Category and we would like to invite 2 representatives from your project/community to attend this event in order to receive the award.”

I am delighted to tell you that in the last week, funds for building the new Community Shop and Post Office have hit £100,000!, well over half our target!

We completed our bid for South Oxfordshire District Council funding in March, and decided to ask for 50% of the required amount from their Community Investment Fund (the maximum they allow). Lesley McCaig and I met with the Councillors who form the Grants Panel on Friday 8th of June at the Pine Lodge, and answered their questions, and then I appeared again before them on Tuesday 12th June at the Council Offices in Crowmarsh.

We received a letter on Wednesday, 20th June telling us that the Grants Panel had decided to recommend our bid to Cabinet, with an award of £90,000!

The Promises Evening held on Saturday 23rd June was an amazing evening, with 65 people enjoying Champagne , a Jazz Band, and fine food before the real business got under way.

Nearly 70 lots were auctioned, and the total raised (including ticket and bar sales) was over £8,500!, the highest figure ever achieved for a Promises Evening in Little Milton

Huge thanks go to everyone who offered a Promise, and to all those who bid, to all members of the Shop Committee, including Paula Cameron , Alison Shelton , Chris Coward, Doug Arnold and Janet Betts for all their hard work, plus Henry Hallward for his excellent work as auctioneer, and Catherine Leonidou for the fabulous flower arrangements on every table, but the biggest thanks must go to Leslie McCaig, who organized all the Promises, and produced the catalogue and the advertising.

These two events give us a very strong position with which to achieve other grants to complete the project, and give us a very good chance of success in securing all the necessary funding. Now for the Lottery………..

Stuart McGill

Thank you, Mary for the chat, laughs, a little bit of sewing and lunch last month. This month, on Thursday the 12th of July, we will be meeting at the home of Gill Taylor, 40 Chiltern View, from 11.0 onward. Please let Gill know several days in advance (tel. 278617) if you are hoping to attend.

We have been running a few weeks now and have girls from the Haseley’s and Milton’s and surrounding area. We hope to open Rainbows in September.

Rainbows are aged 5 to 7 years, Brownies 7 to 10 years, Guides 10 to 14 years. Both units are well attended. There are so many Brownies, that there is now a waiting list, we are asking for names for the new Rainbow unit. The girls are settling down to working in teams, and will soon be joining other members for District and Division events. May be County in time.

“There’s a wealth of things to do and see. Make this the year to discover Oxfordshire: its treasures, its beauty, its history and its exciting future. The county’s special character will be highlighted throughout the coming months.”

Victim Support is an independent voluntary organisation for crime victims, witnesses, their families and friends. Together with Victim Support areas across the country we provide services and promote the rights of people affected by crime. The bulk of our service is delivered by trained volunteers who help us in a variety of ways. Some volunteers work for the community side of the service while others support victims and witnesses in the crown and magistrates’ courts. In addition we are also looking for people who might want to help us with fund-raising or administration. If you think you might be interested and would like to know more about our work, please contact us for an information pack: Area Office, 45 the Slade, Headington, Oxford OX3 7HL.

There is a list of events that can be viewed on www.oxtrust.org.uk or you can ring 01865 728953.

I am delighted to say that I have received one volunteer to help with the car service scheme. Maybe others are just waiting to see!! The level of demand for the service is relatively low in Little Milton but to those who need support it is vital and very much appreciated. Please give it some thought and ring me to find out more information if you are interested in helping.

Are you A Crafter, Local Food Producer or Trader etc? Would you like to have a stand in our Marvellous Marquee or bring your own Gazebo?

I would welcome all enquires even Trade stands. Please contact me for a chat and details.

The Sands Theatre School production of COPACANA includes some local children who attend Wheatley Park School . Ed

12 FILMS PER YEAR +12 CHILDREN’S FILMS PER YEAR

Jean Marc was waiting impatiently at the street corner, in the quiet of an early Sunday morning in a Paris suburb. When he saw Georges and me approaching, he relaxed a little. He led us quickly to the nearby Metro, and on to the Gare de Lyon. Normally he cycles there.

He led us confidently across the concourse and through a very French metal and glass door into the control room. This morning, everything was running smoothly. How disappointing. Young graduate trainees worked purposefully in their designer uniforms. So different from the fish & chips ambience at the Waterloo Control Centre.

The lengthy farewell handshakes were made and then we set off on the long, long walk down the platform, the length of two long TGV high speed trains, coupled together. Finally, we stood beneath the cab door. Jean Marc gave a casual look round and then quickly pushed us up the metal footholds into the cabine.

For a full 20 minutes, Jean Marc checked, adjusted and set the controls. Then at 9.20 precisely, he eased the Marseilles train out of the platform. The train crawled and snaked over the joints and points until we reached the high speed line and accelerated to the maximum line speed.

The schedule allowed only fifteen minutes of running below line speed for the journey to Marseilles . Control rang occasionally with a message about the running of the train in front. Jean Marc phoned Control when we spotted a deer beside the track, within the fencing. A marksman would be sent to hit it with an anaesthetic bullet and remove it to safety.

The gradients were steep. The power with which trains passing on the opposite track were able to accelerate up the hills was so apparent. Jean Marc could not hide his pride in the architecture of the new stations.

Then, after Macon , there was the unexpected offer of the chance to drive the train myself. Settling into the driver's seat and pressing the dead man's handle was easy. So was the rest. A look at the indicator to see the permitted line speed, and then setting the cruise control to the line speed, to maintain schedule. Mile after mile at 200 mph.

After passing through Aix-en-Provence , Jean Marc politely indicated that he should take the controls again. Shortly afterwards, he drew us into Marseille station and a stand. We jumped down from the cabine, profuse in our thanks, and eager for a beer and a bouillabaisse

As Eurostar raced across the flat countryside of Northern France the next day, I could not help but think that, though this would never be allowed or even possible in England , a complete novice can get to drive a train that is even faster than Eurostar in France . Thank you, Georges and Jean Marc for a totally unforgettable surprise.

We are still looking for people to enter their gardens in the garden competition, why not give yours a chance to be a winner. Open to all members, there are three areas to enter:

Further details on rules, etc are available from Pauline Fincham and if you would like to enter contact Mary Isaac 01844 279606

It is not too late to join and enter your exhibits in the show, there is a children’s schedule too. Even if you are not an exhibitor come to the show for a wonderful afternoon.

Time to reap the rewards of your earlier labours in the garden and allotment, harvesting early fruit and vegetables but save some for the show. Currants, strawberries, raspberries all make good jam for the show.

Herbaceous Borders -Keep dead heading all the plants for continuous flowering or leave if you want to collect the seed.

Containers - Check containers regularly, they dry out very quickly at this time of year. If you are away this month and ask friends to keep an eye on the pots it will help if they can be put together in a cool shady place. Use ‘grey’ water wherever possible, this is ‘eco’ washing up water or even bath water, then mulch the top with gravel to help prevent evaporation.

Herbs - Cut herbs now, the non flowering shoots with stems, tie in bunches and hang upside down in a warm, airy place to dry, then crumble and store in airtight containers. Lavender can be dried like this too. Many herbs, like basil and oregano, can be frozen. Cut chives hard back and you will quickly get new fresh growth.

New Trees and Shrubs - These are easily lost in their first summer as their roots will not yet be well established and they suffer from a shortage of water. Water round the roots in the evening and mulch.

All donations for tombola prizes gratefully received. Prizes can be delivered to Mary Isaac, Latchford Lane , Great Haseley or Bridget Duncan, Little Haseley.

This year the show will be held on the village green in Little Haseley on Saturday 25^th August at 2pm and we need lots of entries so get growing!

Learn more about flower and vegetable growing, join your local gardening society, membership only £3 a year.

Contact Membership Secretary Sally Orriss at: The Old Stores, Great Milton OX44 7NL or on 0184427323

The CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory carries out world leading research ranging from the vastness of space to the invisibly small world of nanotechnology. All the lectures are free and many are suitable for families – age guidelines are shown for each lecture. If you are interested in what might be available please contact 01235 445959 or Email talkingscience@rl.ac.uk

The surgeries are very popular and it advisable that if you wish to make an appointment that you do so sometime before the surgery you would like to attend. Please contact 01491 612852

Oxfordshire 2007 is a celebration of 1000 years of Oxfordshire through special events, anniversaries, festivals and cultural highlights. Oxfordshire 2007 showcases the remarkable array of talent that exists in every corner of the county and represents collaboration between hundreds of cultural organisations, individuals and communities. The year is an endorsement of Oxford ’s status as a European Centre of Culture and Oxfordshire’s reputation as one of the county’s most prized visitor destinations.

OXFORD INSPIRES

Oxford Inspires is the county’s cultural development agency and is providing coordination and practical help to put on the celebration. It receives financial support from Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, the University of Oxford , Oxford Brookes University and Arts Council England. It is also supported by a number of corporate members.

(1 AUGUST – 8 SEPTEMBER)

Following a strikingly modern Hamlet and its first production of The Taming of the Shrew, Creation Theatre Company presents a brand new play, The Oxford Passion (1 August – 8 September) in the former prison exercise yard at Oxford Castle. Based on the traditional street theatre of the medieval Mystery or Miracle Plays, The Oxford Passion is a contemporary re-telling of the Gospels, directed by Charlotte Conquest.

Famous for its exciting adaptations of Shakespeare, this will be a first for Creation Theatre Company as well as the first play of its kind to be performed in Oxford . The production features a brand new script by Lizzie Hopley, based on a fresh translation of the New Testament by Nicholas King. .It will form part of Oxfordshire 2007, Oxfordshire’s 1000^th birthday celebrations, and stars Tom Peters, who has performed in several Creation Theatre Company shows, as Jesus. Charlotte Conquest has previously directed The Snow Queen (2005), As You Like it (2001 and 2005), Much Ado about Nothing (2005) and Twelfth Night (2005) for Creation Theatre Company. The production will also feature large Community Chorus, giving local talent an opportunity to work alongside the professional cast.

David Parrish, Producer and Artistic Director of Creation, said: “The story of the Passion is one of the most powerful and compelling in our culture, and we aim to bring it to life with Creation’s brand of vibrant and visual theatre. If it proves successful we hope it will become a regular event in Oxfordshire’s rich cultural calendar. If York , Coventry and Chester can do it with the Mystery Plays, why not the Oxford Passion Play?”

If you want advice or general information call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47. This is a 24 hour service staffed by nurses who can give confidential advice and information on what to do if you are unwell, have any health concerns and give contact details or self help or support organisations. You can also visit their website at www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

If you need to visit a GP or health professional outside of normal working hours you can call our service on 0845 345 8995. We will then arrange for you to see the right health professional in the right place. This service runs from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 a.m. weekdays and 24 hours over weekends and bank holidays.

For more information and advice on consumer rights go to www.adviceguide.org.uk or contact your local CAB.

DEADLINE REMINDER – Please note that unless articles are in the hands of the Editor by the 20^th of the month (unless otherwise stated), such articles will miss the scheduled Newsletter. The views expressed in this Newsletter are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Parish Council. All material for inclusion in the August 2007 Newsletter should be with the Editor at 27 Chiltern View, Little Milton, by 8.00 p.m. on 20th July 2007. The Editor reserves the right not

to print items submitted for publication and to edit those items, which are published.

Friday 6th July	Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 11.00 am
Friday 13th July	Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 12.00 pm
Saturday 14th July	Wheatley Primary School	8.00 – 11.00 am
Friday 20th July	Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 11.00 am
Friday 27th July	Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 11.00 am
Sat 28th July	Wheatley Primary School Chalgrove Village Car park	8.00 – 12.00 pm 8.00 – 12.00 pm

1st	9.30 a.m.	All Age Worship led by Rev Charlotte Collins
8th	11.00 a.m.	Morning Service led by Rev Charlotte Collins
15th	11.00 a.m.	Service will be held at Watlington
22nd	11.00 a.m.	Morning Service led by Rev Angela Singleton
29th	11.00 a.m.	Morning Service led by Rev Derick Chambers

Prize No	Prize	Ticket No	Name
1	Magnolia Park Round for 4	0078	S.Oddie
2	Studley Wood Round for 2	0488	Stan
3	Hadden Hill 9 hole round for 2	0396	Carol & Picking
4	Small Golf Hamper	0024	Lucy
5	Putter	0455	Annie (Post Office)

No	Prize	Sponsor	Ticket No.	Name
1	Luncheon for two at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons	Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons	5771	R Chapman
2	£100 Voucher for Gees Restaurant	Mogford Ltd	5057	Alf Popper
3	£50 Voucher for Quod Restaurant	Mogford Ltd	5196	Annabel Oddie
4	Luxury Hamper	Sarah Oddie	1166	J Knowles
5	Tea for Two	Hartwell House	3432	Perrings
6	Bottle of Gin		3645	Johns
7	Bottle of Sherry		1207	Watts
8	£15 Voucher	Waitrose	1154	C. Gilding
9	£10 Voucher	Tesco	2382	Framers Court
10	Visitors Pass for 2	Waterperry Gardens	4811	Samina
11	Bodyshop Gift Box		3762	Dennis
12	Secateurs	Countax	2164	P. Vinden
13	Folding Saw	Countax	5923	M.Hall
14	Pruning Saw	Countax	4007	S. Bennett
15	Folding Pruner	Countax	5923	R. Fergusson
16	Bottle of Merlot	The Lamb	3374	T & R May
17	Bottle of White Wine	The Lamb	5626	Sharp
18	Bottle of Rose ¢	The Lamb	2249	Nightingale
19	Next Gift Box		3612	M.Willis
20	Wooden storage chest		0576	P Vogt
21	Lavender Gift Box		1074	Gee
22	Toblerone		3089	K. Warren-Price
23	A days leisure pass for 2	Oxford Belfry	3294	Sarah Day
24	Chopping Board		3024	Phil Busby

Monday Morning Monday Afternoon	10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. 1.30 p.m. – 4.00 p.m.	Open Door No appointment needed Appointments and phone advice
Tuesday Morning	10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.	Appointments and phone advice
Wednesday & Thursday	Closed
Friday	10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m.	Appointments and phone advice

LITTLE MILTON

GREAT HASELEY

LITTLE MILTON CHURCH FETE: SATURDAY 16th JUNE

Who says we are the Village from Hell? There certainly is no sign of it here, I know we have a fantastic village; the Fete just proves it!

Sarah Jones on behalf of St James Church PCC

Prize

Luncheon for two at

Mogford Ltd

Mogford Ltd

Luxury Hamper

Sarah Oddie

Hartwell House

Visitors Pass for 2

Sarah Jones 01844 278120

Sue Marriott 279124

Stuart McGill

12 FILMS PER YEAR +12 CHILDREN’S FILMS PER YEAR

OXFORD INSPIRES

(1 AUGUST – 8 SEPTEMBER)