The Council meeting held on Wednesday14th January was attended by five Councillors, the District Councillor, the County Councillor and one member of the public. The following are extracts from the minutes that the Council need to approve at the February meeting.

Mr Mark Willis reported that there was an intermittent problem with the MUGA lights and that the matter had been referred to the electrician. The other outstanding matter in respect of the MUGA related to the fitting of a new token box as a result of vandalism. The box had been purchased and was waiting to be fitted. There was a discussion on the possible alternatives to the maintenance of the MUGA surface and the Council RESOLVED that the Clerk should make some enquiries and report back to the Council.

Mr Willis highlighted the mole activity and the Clerk reported that he had spoken with Mr Peter Ilbury who had indicated that he would address the problem.

Mr Willis requested that the Council replace the existing brick meter building with something suitable for purpose when the new extension is built by the IPS. The current unit is inadequate. The Council RESOLVED that this would be addressed.

The Clerk presented a budget for 2009-10 and after due consideration by members the Council RESOLVED to set the precept at £10,500. The Council set the precept after taking into account the known levels of income and expenditure and the likely levels of future expenditure. The Council anticipate that the current levels of reserves will reduce quite considerably in 2009-10.

The Council RESOLVED that these applications should be recommended for approval by South Oxfordshire District Council.

These applications were revised plans as a result of the applicant withdrawing the original plans and the Council RESOLVED that the District Councillor reserve the position that the applications could be considered by the SODC Planning Committee if the officers recommend a refusal.

The Chairman read out a letter from Stadhampton Parish Council in which they were seeking support in working together with other adjacent parishes to see if anything further could be done to reduce the number of HGV’s travelling through the area. The Council RESOLVED to ask County Councillor David Turner to set up a HGV traffic count to establish some hard data and if necessary seek the re-instatement of the Five Village action group that was disbanded towards the back end of 2008.

At this point in the meeting Cllr Stuart McGill and Cllr Alison Shelton declared a prejudicial interest and vacated their place at the Council table.

The Chairman reported that agreement had been reached with the IPS over the Heads of Agreement but there was an outstanding issue over the restrictive covenant. The Clerk reported that he had spoken further with Mr Emmett and that on the advice of his solicitor he had no objection to the proposed development on the site. The Clerk stated that this matter had been communicated to Morgan Cole. The Clerk also advised the Council that land registry plans had been drawn up by Brown & Co. The Council reviewed the plans and RESOLVED not to allocate specific parking to the lessees of the site as they considered that such an arrangement was not practical and could prove difficult to enforce. The Chairman asked Cllr. Stuart McGill if the IPS had any points to make. Cllr. McGill stated that there was nothing to report on the Heads of Agreement but he pointed out that any drawdown of the grants was dependant upon a signed copy of the lease. The Chairman reported that he hoped the Lease would be finalised by mid February at the latest and hopefully sooner.

County Councillor David Turner stated the level of Road accidents had reduced and that a revised set of accident statistics was being issued. Cllr. David Turner also reported that increased funding by Oxfordshire County Council meant that from January 2009, all children are entitled to a full-time school place for the whole academic year in which they turn five.

The Parish Council will meet on Wednesday 11th February 2009 at 8.00 p.m. in The Pine Lodge Little Milton unless there is a need to convene any planning or other meetings.

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.

The Freedom on Information Act 2000 (FOIA) provides rights of public access to information held by Public Authorities. The Parish Council adopted a new publication scheme on 1st January 2009. A version of the Publication Scheme will be available on the Council Website www.littlemilton.org.uk

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

The Parish Council met on Wednesday, 14th January 2009 to decide the precept for the coming year. For the last 3 years we have kept the precept at £10,000, below the average for South Oxfordshire .We have also managed to generate substantial reserves.

However, it is clear that our forecasts for the coming few years show significantly increased expenditure looming on the horizon.

We have to re-instate Wall Street Cottage to its former glory when the Post Office moves to its new location on the Village Hall site. We also need to maintain the Multi Use Games Area, which has given the Council £2000 per annum in rental income since it was built in 2004, to ensure it continues to provide the village an excellent facility for years to come. Next is the Recreation Ground car park, which must be properly marked out and improved to allow for the increase in traffic generated by the new Village Shop & Post Office. Finally, we also have allocated a sum of money to pay for a loan to complete the extension to the Village Hall (Post Office & Shop) if needed.

As a result of these forecasts, we decided to raise the precept to £10,500, or by 5% above its current level. To put this rise in perspective, this will mean an increase to an average Band D house in the village of about £2.50 per annum, or 5 pence per week.

Obviously, any rise is regrettable, but we believe that the new facilities, and maintenance of the Multi Use Games Area, will give us a better village going forward.

For a charge of £68 residents can arrange for their unwanted vehicle to be collected from within the District and a charge of £20 for up to three bulky item e.g. fridge furniture etc. and a further £6.35 for each additional item. 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 February are as follows:-Tuesdays 10th, 24th

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.

Please note the new schedule for Community Waste Collection has been greatly reduced in line with the reduced demand.

Oxfordshire County Council has targets to reduce accidents on its roads over the period from 2000 to 2010 by 50% for all fatal and serious injuries, 60% for fatal and serious injuries involving children between 0 and 15 and 20% for all slight injuries. Because there can be variations from year to year the targets are based on the average annual injuries for 1994 to 1998. The latest figures available up to and including 2007 show that good progress has been made as the following statistics show:

The nature of road accidents is that there can be large variations from year to year. However the downward trend towards the 2010 targets is very encouraging although there is no room for complacency and efforts are continually being made to reduce accidents on our roads.

If you can cover any of the Sunday’s in February please contact me Teresa Quested

This always takes place on the second Monday in the month in the Common Room at Fullers Field, Great Milton at 6.00 p.m. and lasts about 35 minutes. The service is a simple one of hymns, readings and prayers. If you are available then do come along and a warm welcome will always await you. There will be a service on Monday 9th February in the Common Room at Fullers Field at 6.00 p.m.

I was once invited to attend an unveiling of a statue in a garden. It was of a man seven feet high, with a shaved head, wrapped only in a shroud. He has no possessions, no clothes, no shoes. His eyes are shut, concentrating on God. H’s moving slowly forward, struggling with the human journey, yet somehow serene. He could be a monk, or Lazarus emerging from his grave, but he’s called ‘Pilgrim’. The unveiling of the statue coincided with a period when I had struggled in my own small way to get fit again after illness. That experience was very testing, for I had a taste of the wilderness which many people have to suffer through years of pain and loss. It can isolate you and make you feel helpless and go through a dark tunnel in your spirit.

But there were positive sides as well.-the love and prayer received, and time to think, which as often as not was an uncomfortable place, but perhaps a necessary one. The questions were mostly to myself. Who am I becoming? What sort of person-Christian, friend, pastor and colleague? To whom and to what have I given my inner self? As the years go by, our habits, our scars, our disappointments and setbacks as well as desires mould the person we are becoming. Almost without noticing we stray off course and lose our way. The enforced time gave me a space, and I was given some sharp reminders.-but, thank God, there was a rediscovery that even though I know my own failings, I am loved by God.

In Lent we remember Jesus’ testing as he fasted in the wilderness exploring his destiny. Who was he, what was he to do? His way was to love and obey God, not to dominate people, nor glorify himself. To serve and not to be served. In Lent every Christian may make a space to ask themselves, ‘Who am I becoming? How can I get in touch with my soul, stifled by the relentless preoccupation with the material world and the consumerism which in itself consumes? Who am I becoming in God’s eyes? What’s happening to my integrity, my values, my relationships, my prayers? What am I going to do about these things.

In a way we are all pilgrims moving towards our destiny, exploring who we are becoming, who we could be. Lent gives us a space in our lives, under God, to consider these things.

Ash Wednesday falls on Wednesday 25^th February. It marks the beginning of Lent. The name Ash Wednesday comes from the tradition of Christians making the sign of the Cross on their forehead, using ashes kept from the burning of last year’s Palm Crosses. It’s an act which reminds us both of the Cross and our own mortality.

Lent is the forty days before Easter, commemorating Jesus’ time of thinking and preparation in the wilderness for what he was to do and how he was to do it. Lent, I like to think, it is a kind of parenthesis in the Christian Year, when we are called to think about what is amiss with our own lives and the world around us, and to seek ways, under God, to begin to put things aright. We have to begin with ourselves, of course. If we wish to change the world, who else do we start with than yourself? On Ash Wednesday itself, there will be a Service of Holy Communion in St. Mary’s Great Milton at 7.30 p.m., and on each successive Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. there will be a short reflective and meditative Service called Compline rotating around our parishes which I hope will be an aid to set us thinking. The first Service will be on the 4^th March at Great Milton. Every Friday morning at 9.00 a.m., there will also be held a Service of Holy Communion, again rotating around the Benefice, beginning on the 6^th March in Great Milton. Do come along if you can to these services. You will be most welcome.

Lent Lunches. Over the years these have been wonderful occasions when we meet around the Benefice at different venues on a Monday for a simple Lunch from 12 noon till 1.30. There’s no need to book, simply arrive. We meet old friends and we make new friends. The first of these Lunches will be on 2^nd March at the Old Vicarage, Great Milton, by kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Hood, and the second will be on Monday 9^th March at the home of Mrs. Helena Lawrence at Simeons, Gold Street , Little Milton. The dates and venues for the other March Lent Lunches will be in the March Newsletter. Donations may be placed in a ‘decent basin’ as the Book of Common Prayer would put it, to be given to Christian Aid.

Following our meeting to discuss ‘The Way Forwards’ we are delighted that Sunday School is to continue into 2009 – happily with more support and involvement from some wonderful individual folk. We needed both teaching and day to day running help and we have received offers of help for both. Thank you to these people. The meeting was combined with a great teaching session on the Fruits of the Spirit led by Christine and Sarah and very able supported by several of our teenager graduates (see January Newsletter) and Ian. Thank you to all of these too!! Several of our graduates begin Confirmation classes with Victor this month and hope to be confirmed at the end of March in Dorchester Abbey. For anyone new to Sunday School we meet on the first and third Sunday of each month between 11.00 and 12.30. On the first Sunday we have a Brunch meeting in one of the children’s homes and on the 3^rd Sunday we meet in Saint James Church. On the 2^nd Sunday all children and their families are welcome to join in with the monthly Family Service and there is a rota for sharing prayers and the reading, kindly drawn up by Raymond. This month we are meeting on the 1^st at 1 Chiltern View and on the 15^th in Church and the Arnold family are helping with the Family Service! These times are also always included at the front of the Newsletter each month under ‘Dates for Your Diary’ for quick reference. If you are new to the village, or indeed the area, do come along and join us at either of the above sessions or phone me on 278029 for a chat.

At the end of last term, we welcomed Joshua Staples to our Year 3 class – Joshua’s parents having relocated to this area. This term, we welcome three new children to our Reception Class – Katie Connolly, Maryam Lyden and Molly Walton. They appear to be very happy with, and coped very well in our cold school on their first day - the radiators having frozen completely in one room!

We have introduced a new Multi Sports After School Club, run by Oxford Active. So far, the twenty children who have gone along are having a wonderful time. Many of them also attend Jason Carbon’s After School Football Club, and our lunchtime Netball and Cross Country Clubs. Looks as though we may have contenders for the 2012 Olympics!

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone in the village who gave so generously when the carol singers visited their homes. Along with our Classroom Christmas Hamper Raffles, and various fund raising events, we are delighted to tell you that we have raised £500 for our South African partner school, Caesar Mlumbi, which will used towards the funding of their next building project.

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

In January, BBOWT held a hedge laying course at Wells Farm to continue the work along the hedge at the back of the allotments. This leaves two small patches and one slightly longer patch left to complete the hedge. The approach BBOWT take to hedge-laying is to use the " Midland " or Bullock method, which is typical of this area. Additionally, the method is adapted to be more sympathetic to wildlife instead of having everything look very neat and tidy. Hedge-laying is done by thinning the hedge to stems about eight inches apart then cutting them at the base until they will lean over at about 40 degrees. Stakes are used to provide support and any branches cut off are fed back in. Once complete, "heathers" are used to bind the top of the hedge. The wood used for stakes and heathers is usually hazel.

The next work party is planned for Sunday 1st February at 10.30am and we plan to meet on the allotments. Jobs planned include:

We welcome anyone with a couple of hours free and a will do get out in the fresh air.

Well, good people of Little Milton, at long last you may begin to see the start of the new Post Office and Village Shop in the months of February and March as the foundations are laid!

We are, as I write this, in the final stages of concluding a lease with the Parish Council, and as all grant monies are frozen until a signed copy of the new lease is received, that is the critical timeline. However, we believe that we are sufficiently close that we could start to place orders for the building and groundwork in the next few days.

If you were kind enough to offer a donation, or a loan, or an offer to buy shares, you should be receiving a letter from us in the very near future. If you missed the chance, you can still make a contribution by writing to or phoning me. As you will know, the shares cannot generate dividends (prohibited by the grant donors) but you will still feel part of a vitally important village amenity run for the benefit of the community, not as a private commercial venture.

We are delighted to have been asked by Cumnor Singers to join forces for two performances of Haydn’s inspiring and uplifting work “The Creation”. The first performance will be at Cumnor on Saturday 21st March and the second here in Great Milton on Saturday May 9th

Great Milton Singers is a friendly medium-sized choir and we welcome new singers! If you think you would be interested in joining us to perform in this, and future concerts please contact Kate Pattinson ( 279204) or Alex Kirkman (279090). We rehearse on Thursdays at 7.30pm at The Bell House, Great Milton.

Next Meeting: Looking forward to the spring, Christine Whild returns to talk about the Traditions of Easter (easter egg decoration) at 7:45 pm on Thursday, 12th February at The Pine Lodge, Little Milton. Visitors are very welcome to join us.

2009 sees the start of a new and vigorous campaigning year for the WI nationally and locally. Whether it be promoting the cooking and eating of healthy food, reducing waste packaging, improving the care of mentally ill people, supporting moves to stop violence against women or taking action to improve aspects of the local environment, the WI cares about its communities.

Commenting on the WI’s on-going campaign to promote good, home-cooked food using simple, healthy recipes, Jamie Oliver said, ‘ The WI and me – we care about the same things.’ He also commented, ‘The WI has a trust that ensures people listen and the members are a bit sassy …. You have to respect that ability to cause a bit of strife for a good cause.’ He should know! His own food campaigns have rattled enough people and produced lots of positive changes, including The School Food Trust.

Now he is pushing for the re-establishment of a Ministry of Food because ‘….we’re facing a war against obesity. Even five years of teaching people how to cook and feeding kids decent food at school would make a radical difference to their health and their family’s health, help them shop more efficiently and give them real life skills.’

(For the full interview with Jamie Oliver, see pp40 – 41 of WI Life February, 2009.)

As well as campaigns, we will be involved in a wide range of social, cultural, educational and other activities throughout the year as well as meeting up with other WIs – being part of the WI can be challenging, but it is very enjoyable.

At last we seem to have had some real winter weather! I am sure this will have done some good when we consider that virtually from the middle of November to the middle of January we have had night time temperatures of zero or below. This, of course, is apart from the day or two of warmer temperatures over the Christmas period. Interesting to note that the recent warmer weather started on the full moon of 11^th January, folk say the weather often changes on the moon, well it certainly did this time. How long the milder temps will continue or what sort of weather we shall have for the rest of the winter is any ones guess, I have a sneaking feeling that it is going to get colder again, and that we may well still be in for a long winter.

The wildlife frequenting the wet area I mentioned last month seem to have moved to pastures new, leaving only a strong contingent of Fieldfares. On a recent walk around the farm we actually counted eleven Roe deer, more than I could believe. This means several things, one; that although they are a wonderful site to behold, we need to control them somehow as they can do quite a lot of damage and two; how my insistence that the wildlife on our farm is left alone. Being so pedantic and sometimes being considered unreasonable about not allowing people to roam wherever they like and also being adamant that dogs should be kept on leads is paying off by this increase in the wildlife.

Shortly the farming press will be publishing the current position of the “T 100” a very important marker at this time of year, as it is an indicator of soil temperature. To explain, nothing will grow until the soil gets to a required temperature, in the case of most plants that concern us in Agriculture this is 42 degrees (F). The “T 100” or “T sum” works as follows; all average daily temperatures above 32 deg (F) or 0 deg (C), are added together and when this figure reaches 100 then the soil should be at this magic temperature of 42 degrees. The “T sum” for every area is published weekly and when an area hits “T 100” it is the optimum time to start applying fertiliser. There is no point in applying fertiliser before “T 100” because, if plants are not growing they cannot take up nutrients, so, in the case of nitrogen it is in danger of being washed out of the ground, polluting the waterways and wasting our money. Therefore this is a keenly monitored benchmark.

I find it ironic how within 24 hours two conflicting decisions are made by our rulers. One is that for the safety of human life certain agrochemicals must be banned, and then the second decision was that the third runway at Heathrow should go ahead. These on their own are perfectly good decisions, however, one seeks to protect the public health, where as the other will destroy lives of some. What is bizarre is that there appears to be no scientific reason for the chemical ban. It applies to the very products that on the whole give most crops the greatest protection from a wide variety of pests and disease. It is said that this ban will seriously compromise food production in the EU at a time when the supply demand balance is so close, all the “Jonas” are saying that the price of food will go up and there will be shortages. I say lets wait and see. Then on the other hand with complete disregard to the quality of human life we are told that the third runway at Heathrow is to go ahead without any thought for those who live in the flight path or will have to be re housed. Not to mention the pollution caused and its effect on the environment. Whereas I realise the economic benefits to the country etc etc, if we in agriculture (maybe rightly so) have to give up a valuable tool at our cost so should other industries, why not increase airfares a little and as our ex MP says, build a new airport in the Thames estuary. At least now they are talking about linking Heathrow into the rail network, this must be a good scheme.

In the last month it has been music to my ears to hear of the support that farmers seem to be getting from various corners. Firstly from our well known local restaurateur Raymond Blanc, who says far better to use good local food than follow the dictates in diet books. This said, Mr Blanc has always been a supporter of good, local food as, in fact, has most of the other celebrity chefs. Then, secondly at the recent “Oxford Farming Conference” our DEFRA Minister Hillary Benn, in his “no ifs and no buts” speech reiterated the fact that we need to produce more of our own food to ensure “food security” and that in doing so we must look after the environment (I assume he is opposed to the third runway).

I thought that it would be interesting to publish extracts from our newsletter from twenty five years ago. I trust that you will find the extracts interesting. Many of the articles have a familiar ring about them

Last October the “Times” published a letter from me about the possible closure of sub-post offices owing to the centralisation of many of the services carried out by them. In early January I was rung up by a journalist from the “Observer” talking to me about my letter and saying that he was preparing an article on the use of sub-post offices. Very soon afterwards a very readable article appeared in the “Observer”. This article led to an interview on Radio Oxford.

Let us hope that the ripples from this stone cast into a small pool in the “Times” four months ago will eventually result in the local Post Office being saved from extinction. Use these services as much as possible. (Editor Dr. Vickers)

Unfortunately we still seem to have a number of unthinking members of the community who derive a particular pleasure from senseless destruction and deliberate wickedness. One such act – letting pigs out of their pens – could have quite easily have caused the death of Jack Kean when he was rounding a pig on the main road. HAVE MORE SENSE

Estimates for the provision of supplementary signs to endeavour to stop the excessive speeding through the village are to be maintained.

After a lengthy discussion on the subject of the precept it was decided to ask for the sum of £1500 for the year 1984/85.

The first major event in the Youth Club’s calendar of 1984 was the return football match against the Thame Youth Club. The first match ended in a draw, six goals each. Therefore, it was an occasion that conjured up a great deal of excitement amongst the members. The weather threatened to be a problem but our team was not deterred. Little Milton were soon in trouble against a skilful Thame team and soon found themselves 3- 1 down. However we battled back to lead 4-4 at half-time. In the second half we consolidated our position and ended up winners 7-3. The day ended with both teams enjoying a cup of hot coffee and looking forward to another match.

If you would like to receive the alerts from Neighbourhood Watch by having your e-mail address added to the those currently in receipt of the information, please contact Mr Mark Willis on 01844 279468.

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 or require transport to the surgery or hospital.

Sunday 1st. Meet in Stokenchurch (public car park at the Kings Hotel) at 10:00am for a 7 mile walk via Bennet End and Radnage Church . Sorry, no dogs allowed. 01865 358905.

Saturday 14th. Meet in Piddington (layby by the Dashwood Arms PH) at 10:00am for a leisurely 5 mile walk to Wheeler End and Studley Green. Café available midway and optional pub stop at the end. 01844 339352.

Thursday 19^th. Meet in Stokenchurch (public car park at the Kings Hotel) at 10:00am for a 6½ mile walk in the Chilterns. Sorry, no dogs allowed. 01844 215624.

Saturday 7th. Meet at Thornhill Park & Ride ( Oxford ) at 09:30am for a 12 mile walk through Shotover House grounds, Horspath, Garsington and Brasenose Wood. Pub stop. 01865 874300.

Thursday 12th. Meet in Tetsworth (west end of the village green) at 10:00am for a 7 mile circular walk via Adwell and Stoke Talmage. Optional pub stop at the end. 01844 213608.

Saturday 21st^t. Meet in Horton cum Studley (park at the Millennium Hall) at 10:00am for a 10 mile walk to Otmoor and its seven towns. Pub stop. Sorry, no dogs allowed. 01865 358905

Saturday 28th. Meet at Hambledon (car park at the rear of the Stag and Huntsman PH) at 09:30am for a 13 mile walk via Henley . Hills and woods. Pub stop. 01844 339969.

Tasks for February in the garden include pruning of Wisteria, and other garden shrubs, cut autumn fruiting raspberries to the ground, and tip back summer fruiting raspberries, in mild areas, towards the end of the month prune roses. For hybrid T roses, cut back the strongest growth to about 23cms, and less vigorous stems to about 15cms. Take out any very old or diseased wood or stems that cross. For floribunda roses, prune vigorous 1 year old shoots between a third and a half and cut back older growth to 15-23cms, and as the plant becomes crowded with stems, cut out 1 or 2 of the older stems. Established shrub roses, cut out about a third of the oldest and woodier stems, to encourage new shoots, and for repeat flowering ramblers, cut out long and over grown branches whilst they are free of leaves and you can see the stems. Do not prune non-repeat flowering climbers and ramblers.

In the vegetable garden, continue sowing broad beans, and shallots towards the end of the month. Carrots, celeriac, lettuces, beetroot and spinach seeds can be sown if milder weather is forecast, or cover with fleece or cloches, and start to chit early potatoes.

Have you Time to Spare to Meet Someone New and Help them?

Our scheme to train and place volunteers is gathering speed, and we already have a terrific team in the field. But here at the South & Vale Carers Centre in Didcot we would like to recruit more: would you be interested in helping out someone caring for a relative in their own home? You would be introduced to a household where the carer and the cared-for person are living, and asked to stay in the home while the carer took some time off: perhaps an hour a month, perhaps an afternoon a week.

This would all start off with an interview for you, and references sought, and then a short training course to equip you for any situation and send you free from anxiety into your future as a volunteer! We will take care in matching volunteers and cared-for people, and you would have constant support by phone when you need it as well as ongoing face-to-face meetings with colleagues and with Chris Elliott, the co-ordinator of the scheme.

Chris is waiting to hear from anyone interested, and has much more information to give. Please email her at the Carers Centre on chris@svcarers.org.uk, or phone her there on 01235 510212. She will be delighted you’ve called!

FARMER’S MARKETY

GREAT HASELEY VILLAGE HALL

Sunday, 8th February 10am -12noon

(2nd Sunday of every month)

Many different tables selling; eggs, fruit, vegetables, meat, cakes, wine, cheese, bread, flowers, plants etc.

Why not have a FREE bacon butty with a cup of tea or coffee whilst reading a Sunday newspaper!

Deirdre Mann 279334; Will Meadon 0771621619

AT THE PINE LODGE

Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company

In this action-comedy a pampered action superstar is cast in the biggest, most expensive war movie ever produced. Soon after the production begins the actors are thrown into a real-life situation and are forced to become the fighting unit they’re portraying.

THE OXFORDSHIRE BEFRIENDING NETWORK

Volunteers supporting people with life threatening and terminal illness

Would you like to make a difference in 2009?

Being diagnosed with a serious illness can be one of the most overwhelming experiences anyone can face, as it involves not only coping with the symptoms of the illness, but a huge adjustment in lifestyle and often social isolation.

Having a regular visitor, someone outside the immediate family, who will listen, can offer emotional support and be willing to accompany the ill person on their ‘journey’ can be invaluable.

We are currently looking for new befriending volunteers and we offer free training, expenses and on-going support.

Our next Befriending training starts in Oxford on 17^th Feb (closing date 6^th Feb) and there will be further Befriending trainings starting in May/June and October 2009.

If you can offer 2-3 hours a week to befriend someone living in your area, are warm, compassionate and emotionally mature please contact us on 01865 791781 or email: enquiries@oxonbefriending.net for a Befriending information pack and application form.

We also run an Advocacy service and will be running training for Volunteer Advocates in April. For Advocacy enquiries, please ask for Jan Penrose or email: jan.penrose@oxonbefriending.net

Why use them?
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use 80% less electricity, save you about £3 a year each, and last up to 12 times longer than old fashioned tungsten bulbs.

What are they?
Think of them as compact versions of the strip lights in work places since the 1950s.

Have they improved?
You can now get all shapes and sizes, fittings and levels of brightness, including 150W equivalent and dimmable options. A recent blind test of 761 shoppers, found that 64% preferred the light from them.

Is it better to leave them running?
No, switching them on uses the equivalent electricity as leaving them on for a few minutes. Most now light instantaneously.

How should I dispose of them?

Use the service your municipal tip provides for the safe disposal of fluorescent tubes.

Is mercury an issue?
Ironically, installing CFLs ought to help reduce the need for coal-fired electricity production - a major cause of global mercury emissions. CFLs contain mercury - about 5mg. Locked into its tube, this is harmless.

What should I do if I smash one?
Ventilate the room for 15 minutes. Put on your rubber gloves, brush the bits into a bag, seal it and drop it at the tip next time you go.

Are tungsten bulbs banned?
No. Manufacturers have agreed to withdraw them for sale, starting with 100W this year, 60W in 2010 and 40W in 2011.

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

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.

The next meeting will be on Monday 2nd February at 11.30 a.m. at the home of Sarah Mclean. Everyone welcome, with or without sewing, just ring Sarah on 279996 to confirm your attendance and for more information.

Dr A Harnden and Partners

Morland House Surgery, London Road , Wheatley , OX33 1YJ

Telephone: 01865 872448

The Surgery and Dispensary is open

Monday to Friday 8am – 6.30pm and Saturday mornings

Surgery appointments times:

Monday to Friday: 8.30am – 11.00am and 3.30pm – 5.50pm

Saturday: 8.30am – 11.20am

On Saturday mornings we have a limited number of pre-bookable appointments and emergency ‘walk-ins’ until 11.00am on the day.

Please telephone 01865 872448, call at the reception if you wish to book an appointment, make an enquiry or register with the practice. Alternatively, visit our website www.morland-house.co.uk for further information on appointments and the full range of facilities and services that we offer.

The surgery is situated on London Road (just off the roundabout at the top of Holloway Road ). Car parking available.

The surgery is currently accepting new patients from the local area.

Advice line 01844 214827 Appointment Line 01844 217186 thamecab@cabnet.org.uk for more information and advice on consumer rights go to www.adviceguide.org.uk or contact your local CAB

5 a-side football continues on Wednesday, 8.00 – 9.30 pm. £2.00 per session. All welcome, aged 16 or over.

If you want to lose that Christmas flab, please come along. All levels of skill are on show(!). There is a very friendly, non competitive atmosphere. Give it a try.

Moles continue to be a problem on the rec, but we are trying to keep on top of them

DEADLINE REMINDER – Please note that unless articles are in the hands of the Editor by the 20th 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 March 2009 Newsletter should be with the Editor at 27 Chiltern View, Little Milton, by 8.00 p.m. on 18th February 2008. The Editor reserves the right not to print items submitted for publication and to edit those items, which are published.

Councillor Stuart McGill ( Chairman)	01844 279092
Councillor Barry Coward (Vice Chair)	01844 278970
Councillor Mabel Wood	01844 279670
Councillor Alison Shelton	01844 278144
Councillor David Wakeling	01844 278014
Councillor Tim Robinson	01844 278343
Parish Clerk Raymond Fergusson	01844 279150 fergie.milton1@btinternet.com

Friday 27th February	Chalgrove	08.00 – 11.00
Sat 28th February	Wheatley Primary School	08.00 – 12.00

1st	11.00 a.m.	Morning Service led by Mr. David Lawton
8th	11.00 a.m.	Morning Service led by Mr. Colin Watts
15th	11.00 a.m.	Morning Service led by Dr Richard Bainbridge
22nd	11.00 a.m.	Morning Service led by Mr. Andrew Maisey

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

AT THE PINE LODGE

Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company

Volunteers supporting people with life threatening and terminal illness