BLETCHINGTON VILLAGE NEWS
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BLETCHINGTON
VILLAGE NEWS
KEEPING YOU INFORMED OF EVENTS AND ORGANISATIONS IN YOUR VILLAGE
ISSUE 251 Apr – May 2021
To the Co-op: Thanks for all your support
Reports from village organisations
Quizzing with the Nomads – Battle of the Chasers
BletchNet – The power of working together!
A view from Duchy Field
A winter’s day in Bletch
A WINTER’S DAY IN BLETCH The winter we have just emerged from brought us the first significant snowfall for several years. It’s one of those things you either love or hate, but thankfully the snow did not prove too disruptive this time. These photographs were all captured around the village on a single day – 25th January.
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BLETCHINGTON
EDITORIAL
Since our last edition, we sadly lost Captain Sir Tom Moore to Covid, at the age of 100. As far as I am aware,
Captain Tom did not have any connection with Bletchington, but I make no apologies for leading with him, as
he was a true inspiration to us all during these dark Covid times. A veteran from the Second World War, his
fundraising efforts were phenomenal, raising well over £30million for the National Health Service. Quoting the
title of Captain Tom’s autobiography, “Tomorrow will be a good day” – we can all hope that is the case.
It’s now over a year since we were first placed under lockdown and ever since 23rd March last year, our lives
have been governed by varying levels of restrictions. The vaccination programme is well under way and we
have a clear roadmap out of lockdown. If everything goes well there is a good chance that all restrictions may
end by 21st June, the date of the Summer Solstice, giving us all the chance to enjoy the summer. In the
meantime, please follow the rules in order to give us the best chance of a speedy return to normal.
I would like to say a big thank you to all our advertisers. Unlike some of the other local village magazines, our
Village News remains completely free to readers. Without the fantastic support of our advertisers this would
not be possible so, once again, THANK YOU!
Thank you for the kind comments received following the publication of the last Village News – they were
greatly appreciated. This is your Village News and we are reliant upon your articles, news stories and
photographs, so please keep them coming – and do let us know about things going on in the village that you
think we should be covering. If anyone is interested in nature and willing to turn their hand to writing about it,
we would love to be able to feature some local wildlife articles. And, of course, we always love to hear from
any new contributors. Please e-mail your contributions to bletchington@aol.com. The deadline for articles is
always the 20th of the month prior to publication – so articles for inclusion in the June/July magazine must be
with us by 20th May, 2021.
petebaker99@gmail.com Pete Baker
Tony steps down from Parish Council
It could almost be considered the end of an era at the Parish Council as long-serving Chairman, Tony
Saunders, is stepping down from the role. Tony has served 23 years in total on the Parish Council, the last 12
as Chairman. During this time he was heavily involved in establishing the Community Project which led to the
village gaining a new school, village hall and Co-op shop, as well as the Duchy Field housing development.
A big thank you to Tony for his massive contribution to the village over so many years.
School Governor needed
Have you got what it takes to be a School Governor? Bletchingdon School needs a new Governor who would
keep an eye on Local Council Authority matters, forge links with the community and carry out general
governance matters. Training is available and you don’t need previous experience. It is a wonderful way to
contribute to the village. If you are interested and would like to find out more please contact Barbara Oster
at boster@bletchingdon.oxon.sch.uk.
Dog thefts
Dog ownership has increased significantly during lockdown and, with demand for dogs outstripping supply,
this has unfortunately led to an increase in dog thefts nationally. Dogs have been snatched from gardens,
parked cars and outside shops. If you have a dog, please be vigilant and, if possible, don’t leave your pet
unattended and avoid posting details of the whereabouts of dogs on social media. Thames Valley Police
recently warned of a gang of dog thieves operating not far away, in the Wychwood area, marking properties
where dogs live with different coloured rubber bands placed around gateposts or wheelie bins. If you spot any
suspicious activities, please report them to Thames Valley Police via their website or call 101.
-2-
ST. GILES’ CHURCH NEWS AND SERVICES
We are part of the AKEMAN BENEFICE (Bletchington, Kirtlington, Weston-on-the-Green, Chesterton,
Middleton Stoney, Wendlebury and Hampton Gay). The benefice is named after Akeman Street, the Roman
road which runs through it.
Ministry Team
Rector: The Rev’d Gareth Miller 01869 350224 akemanbenefice@gmail.com
Associate Priest: The Rev’d Nick Ktorides 01869 324191 nickktorides.akeman@gmail.com
Assistant Priest: The Very Rev’d Robert Wilkes 01869 350159 bobwilkes.akeman@gmail.com
Licensed Lay Minister: Paul Clifford 01869 351652 paulclifford.akeman@gmail.com
Children and Families’ Co-Ordinator: Joanna Clifford 01869 351652
joannaclifford.akeman@gmail.com
Safeguarding Officer: Nicky Donne 01869 351748 safeguarding.akeman@gmail.com
Benefice Website www.akemanbenefice.org.uk
Churchwarden: Judith Ledger Treasurer: Post Vacant
Assistant Churchwarden: Fiona Teddy Member of the PCC: Natasha Pitts
Secretary: Patricia Hampson
If you or anyone you know would like to talk to a member of the Ministry Team please do not hesitate to
phone or email.
A small prayer group meets remotely each Wednesday morning. If you would like to join or if you have a
request for prayer please phone 351542.
The church remains open each day for private prayer.
Sue Macready and Sally Cross are continuing to ring a bell every Sunday morning. We are looking forward to
hearing the full peal of bells ringing over Bletchingdon again.
We are delighted that our long period without “live” church services is coming to an end. Restrictions will be
lifted gradually but the first Benefice service will be an open-air family service at Middleton Stoney at 10.30
on Palm Sunday, 28th March. The church at Middleton Stoney is inside the gates of Middleton Stoney Park. If
you drive right up to the gates they will swing open. There is plenty of parking.
On Easter Day, 4th April, there will be a Family Communion service at Bletchingdon at 9.30. The regulations
still require us to plan for social distancing so we must ask you to book if you plan to attend the service. Please
email bletchingdon.akeman@gmail.com or phone 01869 351542.
The Annual Parochial Church Meeting will take place by Zoom on Wednesday 21st April at 7.00pm. This
meeting is open to all parishioners, you do not need to be a regular churchgoer. Please email Judith or Gareth
for a link.
It is with great regret that we announce the retirement of Ian Gedling from the PCC and as Church Treasurer.
Ian has been a member of the PCC for twenty-seven years, much of that time as treasurer. He was a member of
the team which oversaw the refurbishment of the church at the millennium and has shouldered numerous other
responsibilities. We are enormously grateful to him for all his conscientious hard work and willingness to “go
the extra mile”. We are very aware that Ian will be difficult to replace but if you feel you could consider taking
on the work of treasurer please speak to any member of the PCC.
And finally - another reminder to walk around the churchyard to look at the Spring flowers. Wild daffodils
and primroses are in bloom now and the bluebells should be out before the next edition of the Village News.
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Holy Week and Easter
Please look out for updates as things might change!
28 March: Palm Sunday Service at 10.30 am at Middleton Stoney
An open-air Family Service
29, 30, 31 March: Evening Service at 8.00 pm (Zoom: 30 mins)
1 April: Maundy Thursday Service at 8.00 pm (Zoom: 1 hour)
2 April: Good Friday Service at 10.00 am (Zoom: 30 mins)
Churches open between 12.00 and 3.00 pm for guided reflection
Compline (Night Prayer) at 8.00 pm (Zoom: 30 mins)
EASTER DAY
0930
Family Communion at Bletchingdon, Middleton Stoney and Wendlebury
1100
Family Communion at Chesterton, Kirtlington and Weston
For Easter Day booking will be required via your churchwardens
(villagename.akeman@gmail.com)
EVERY SUNDAY (including Easter Day)
ZOOM SERVICE at 10.00 am
Email akemanbenefice@gmail.com for more information
News from the Benefice:
PARENTALK
About a dozen couples recently took part in Parentalk, which was run by the benefice for parents
coping with the joys and trials of family life. We also do marriage preparation sessions.
CHEER FOR MUMS
Some young folk and their mums took part in a Cheer for Mums on 13 March, which included making
a heart from twigs and giving mums a special manicure! We enjoyed hearing about this and seeing
some of the hearts at our Mothering Sunday Zoom Service.
-4-
NEW WEBSITE
Our new benefice website should have been launched by the time you read this. Do pay a visit – and
keep going back. It’s the best place to find info about what’s going on!
www.akemanbenefice.org.uk
NEW BISHOP OF DORCHESTER
Our new bishop, The Rt Rev’d Gavin Collins, will be consecrated on 14 April. He has already begun
work, and we look forward to welcoming him to the benefice in due course.
LETTER from the RECTOR
Dear friends
Did you enjoy filling in your census form? What did you put for Nationality? Religion? Nothing TOO
rude, I hope! It will be interesting to see what it turns up as a screenshot of our national identity.
I am writing this on Mothering Sunday, at the end of a week that has seen a proper focus on the
identity of women. The interview with Meghan Markle and the death of Sarah Everard forced us all to
think long and hard about the way we view and treat women. We’ve come a long way, but there’s
still a huge distance to travel. Let’s hope that these events will help to put a stop once and for all to
sexist jokes and macho posturing.
In my family history researches I have spent a good deal of time looking at census returns, and
fascinating reading it often is. It’s surprising how much you can glean from such a small amount of
data. In the Welsh censuses of the nineteenth century you had to declare whether you spoke Welsh,
or English, or Both. If you wanted to get on in the world, it served you best to speak English. Welsh
was looked down upon as an inferior language, and almost died out. Mercifully that was reversed in
the latter half of the twentieth century. But well into the last century there were columns to say
whether a member of the household was a ‘lunatic, imbecile, or idiot’!
Whether in conversation at home, at school, at church, at work, or on social media, let’s try to rid
ourselves of all our -isms, our prejudices and our unconscious bias. As Bishop Thomas Ken said:
“Let all thy converse be sincere; thy conscience as the noonday clear.”
Gareth
WATCH OUT for a special fund-raising event in the churchyard of St
Mary’s, Chesterton on Saturday 24 April at 11am,
with special home-made Rosette cookies and Plantain Fries,
in aid of a Covid19 charity.
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Cheer for Mums!
Zoom activity afternoon
What a hard year parents have had! And we are told that it is mums who have done
most of the home-schooling, while juggling jobs and other responsibilities, all with
reduced support by family and friends. So it seemed a particularly good time, with
Mother’s Day coming up, for children to thank and pamper their mums a bit. That’s
just what happened at the churches’ Cheer for Mums! afternoon on screen on Saturday 13th March.
It turned out that already that day mums present had taken
their children for exciting walks, made them a variety of
scrummy meals, and shown lots of love and kindness. And
more, no doubt… So we warmed up by giving them all a hearty
cheer. Our later aerobic game acted out the frantic activity
that all that parenting involves!
Amanda Kelly from Kirtlington, a
dab hand at all manner of
construction and creativity, taught
us how to make enormous red
hearts out of dogwood cuttings. We also
constructed tissue paper flowers, to give to
mothers the next day, Mothering Sunday. The
decorated biscuits no doubt didn’t survive
that long but the hope was that mum would
receive one of them at least! Appreciative
cards detailed the many things they were
thanking their mothers for, and were very heart-warming and
beautifully done.
The highlight of the afternoon for the mums
was an onscreen visit by Erika Biscoe from Emmanuel Church Bicester who runs the
Cherish programme encouraging women to value and care for themselves, who
showed the children how to give their mother’s hands a gentle massage with the
special cream provided in the resource packs. It was a delight to see the mothers
who have worked so hard being tenderly looked after by their lovely children.
Well done everybody!
NB In case anyone is feeling left out, at the Mothering Sunday service the next day
we thought of and honoured all carers, not just the mothers!
Joanna Clifford, Children and Families’ Coordinator, Akeman Benefice
5 Interesting Easter Facts
1. Easter Sunday (also known as Resurrection Sunday) is the most important day of the year for Christians, as
it is the celebration of Jesus being resurrected from the dead.
2. According to scholars, this Christian holiday was named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess, Eostre, who was
depicted as a Fertility Goddess and a Goddess of Dawn and Light
3. Cadbury’s make 500 million Creme Eggs every year! If you piled them on top of each other, it would be 10 x
higher than Mount Everest.
4. Pretzels are associated with Easter because the twists resemble arms crossing in prayer. From the 1950s, it
was tradition for Germans to eat a pretzel and a hard-boiled egg for dinner on Good Friday.
5. The reason Easter is a moveable feast is due to the lunar calendar and the position of the moon.
Easter in fact falls on the first Sunday after the full moon that takes place on or after March 21 st, which is
said to signal the start of spring.
-6- Sheila Alonso, 26th April 1931 – 4th January 2021. Sheila was born in 1931 in Lebanon where her English father worked for an American oil company. She always looked back on her childhood in Beirut as a golden time and was only brought back to England on the outbreak of war. She spent the war years in boarding schools with her sister, Heather. After school she trained as a Pitmans secretary and lived on a houseboat in Paddington, having a great time in 1950s London. One adventure was a holiday in St Tropez for which she and her first husband Jackie travelled down through France with her on the back of his motorbike. In the mid- 50s she went to Toronto, Canada, where she lived for five years, working as a secretary for a top tax lawyer. When she returned from Canada she remarried and lived in South London bringing up her two children Cath and Jason. Her last job before she retired in 1991 was in the payroll department of St Georges Hospital in Tooting. After her retirement she enjoyed the opportunity to visit friends and family in different parts of the world. Sheila moved to Oxfordshire to be near Cath’s family and lived first in Banbury, then with Cath in Kidlington following health problems, finally moving to Bletchingdon in 2001. She was a much-loved part of her children’s and grandchildren’s lives, helping by whizzing the grandchildren about in her little car. Sheila loved her life in Bletchingdon, tending her rose garden, watching the birds from her kitchen window and the little planes flying overhead. She loved making new friends and volunteered her secretarial skills to support the Bletchingdon Silver Band and the Village Hall. A royalist all her life, one highlight was the visit of Prince Charles to open the new housing in Bletchingdon. She loved the Silver Band concerts. She was very happy in her bungalow in Annesley Close, enjoying her books which covered an enormous range of subjects, and following current world events. Last March, 2020, following a fall at home, she moved into a local care home. The lockdown was difficult for her but in the summer many friends and her sister visited her in the garden of the home. Cards and letters from her friends in Bletchingdon were gratefully received and read out. On January 4 this year Sheila died after a short illness. Her funeral was on the 27 January at Tackley Crematorium. Her many international friends were able to join online. She has a rose planted in the garden at Tackley Memorial Park which was one she chose herself. As she wrote shortly before her death - No one who is remembered is ever truly gone. Cath Arakelian and Jason Alonso Catharak37@gmail.com Bletchington memories 1940s Brian Wing When I used to come home from school, I would go and get butter, jam and a knife from our pantry and go to Mr Bateman bakery on Weston Road with my friends. We would buy a freshly baked loaf of bread which was piping hot and sit on the green to eat it with the butter and jam. Our jam was homemade by my mum from the fruit grown in our garden- we lived at the house now known as Holly Cottage on Weston Road.
-7-
Bletchingdon Primary School News
Headteacher: We have welcomed our children back to school after, hopefully, our last lockdown. Once again, the
school is brimming with life and the sound of children playing. The staff would like to thank all the parents for their
support during lockdown we know how hard you’ve had to work - juggling many, many things under a lockdown
that felt much harder to deal with than the one before.
We are using the three weeks before Easter to really concentrate on the mental health and wellbeing of children.
They are participating in many activities to support their return to school and boost confidence and resilience.
There has been plenty of dancing, yoga, art projects, reading, gardening, music and talent shows to name but a
few.
I would also like to thank our wonderful PTA. Their impact on the school experience for our children is huge. They
are a dedicated bunch, continuing with fundraising through the pandemic. Through their commitment we are able
to move on with our projects of developing the outdoor space and new classroom. Please support them in any way
you feel you can, helping us to provide a nurturing, exciting and broad provision that our children deserve.
PTA: Thank you to all those who took part in our Christmas raffle, it was lovely to be
able to feel part of the community again and we are extremely grateful for the
support – we raised a record amount of £623! The school and PTA are currently
working on some exciting projects to develop the outdoor space within the school
grounds. The garden development is about to begin with the implementation of a
new star patio area and arch, under which a story chair will be placed. We are
extremely grateful to resident builder Derek Bickley for agreeing to undertake the
work for us and are very excited for the children and teachers who will develop the
area further over the next year.
The next proposed phase of development is a new classroom in theschool grounds to provide additional space for
1:1 and small groupwork along with aspirational activities such as
music, art and outdoor lessons to provide confidence and wellbeing
for children and enablethem to bounce back quickly following the
Covid pandemic.
The area will also be used to focus on the children’s mental health
and wellbeing providing a quiet space to reflect and talk about issues
or worries that the children may have, which is particularly crucial
following the pandemic.
Our fundraising capabilities have been hindered over the last year as is the case for so many charities and we have
therefore been applying for grant funding. However, we require around £3,000 additional funds in order to start
the outdoor classroom and are ideally hoping to get it progressed for the next academic year. We are therefore
asking the wider community and businesses for any support possible.
If you feel able to donate to the school anyway you can we would be extremely grateful (Bank Account Name:
Bletchingdon PTA, Sort Code: 20-97-48, Account Number: 93692337).
If you provide your name and address to school (office.3141@bletchingdon.oxon.sch.uk) the children would love to
be able to say thankyou with a small handmade gift and your name could be added to a plaque of support we
would erect on the building. We will keep you updated on progress in the next editions.
Thankyou for all your continued kindness, this is a time when the combined support of our community can make a
real powerful difference to the happiness, wellbeing and futures of our wonderful children.
We wish you all well and look forward to when we can hold our annual events such as the quiz and fair and also
welcome you all into the school to show you the fantastic work the children have been doing and the changes your
support have enabled.
Best wishes Caroline Walker-Headteacher Kelly Whitehead - PTA Chair
-8- Thank you to the team at Bletchingdon School The children have returned to school! What a relief! I think everyone is agreed that this lockdown has been harder than the first one with the colder and shorter days. Parents have been managing to work from home and educate their children alongside all the usual tasks. Not at all easy! Throughout this period the staff at Bletchingdon School have remained focused on enabling the children to continue to engage with learning whether they were at home or at school. It was very time consuming and exhausting preparing two sets of lessons whilst also ensuring everyone’s safety, but they remained professional, resilient, creative and caring. Supporting each other enabled them to work through some tough periods. These comments from parents illustrate how well the team provided for our families. ‘External lessons like cricket and jiu-jitsu were an added bonus that were very much appreciated and enjoyed in our house. Thanks.’ ‘Thank you for the very prompt and encouraging emails in response to our questions or sending in work. The children were really pleased with their teacher’s comments.’ ‘Phone calls from the teacher were lovely and reassuring.’ ‘I showed the response to my son from his teacher and he then got a boost of confidence.’ ‘We have taken part in everything and appreciated the individual feedback at the end of the half term.’ ‘We loved the telephone check- ins.’ ‘My daughter attended all the live assemblies, and it was a great way for her to stay connected.’ ‘We loved all the assemblies twice a week and the discos.’ ‘Trying to help support three young children with their learning was really challenging but the school was amazing with the support they gave. I think the teacher went above and beyond what us as parents expected.’ ‘Home schooling with a baby been very hard but school has been very supportive and made me feel so much more relaxed about it all.’ ‘Teaching children from two different classes/age groups at the same time with limited resources has been challenging. I think the School has done a great job under the circumstances and everyone is trying their best to support the children and meet their needs.’ ‘I feel that the home learning provision from the school has been perfect for us.’ ‘Thank you to everyone at the school for managing this situation so well. I sincerely feel blessed that my child is with you.’ I’m sure the Bletchingdon community would like to join me in saying a huge thank you to Mrs Walker in this her first term as Head Teacher, and to all the staff at the school for their commitment to our children in this extremely challenging period. We look forward to sharing lots of festivities and experiences with them in the future. Barbara Oster Chair of Governors Bletchingdon School
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The Bletchington Charity
The Bletchington Charity is a grant making body that is there to offer financial assistance to anyone in the
parish of Bletchingdon. The modern interpretation of the aims of the charity is to relieve financial hardship,
reduce social isolation and support education.
If you would like to apply for financial support for yourself, a friend, family member or neighbour then you
can do this by downloading a form from the village website, www.bletchingdon-pc.org.uk. If you do not have
access to the website, then I will happily drop a form off to you and if helpful, support people to fill it out. Ring
and leave a message on contact number 01869 350180. Preferred contact is through the email
charity.secretary@the bcf.net.
Examples of regular grants include:
Grants for travel to school, either by bus or car
Sixth form grants
University grants
Payment of over 75s television licence
Examples of items that we have funded recently:
Help towards funeral costs
Help towards heating bills
Essential home improvements e.g. flooring
Chiropody and physio treatments
We would also consider applications for support towards new school uniform or other school related
expenses.
The committee will consider any reasonable applications that will make a difference to your wellbeing, but is
not affordable or available from statutory services.
And please don’t forget that we continue to offer Co-op vouchers, again, the form is on the website. We aim
to process voucher applications within 7 days.
PLEASE DO APPLY, this charity is there for all who live in Bletchingdon.
Date of the next meeting is 15th June 2021. However if the application is urgent, we will be able to consider it
before this date.
Andrea Lambert
Secretary- 10 -
BLETCHINGTON SILVER BAND
Friday 12th February saw the Bands AGM which, due to the pandemic, was held
virtually. Due to the nature of the previous year, unfortunately there was little
to report or celebrate: our annual competition in which we spent months
rehearsing for was cancelled 4 days before we were due to go on stage, our big centenary
birthday plans had to be cancelled as well as being able to just get together and play. However,
it was also a great opportunity to be able to reflect on what we did achieve in the few months
we could be together, including being placed 3rd in the Oxfordshire and District Brass Band
Association (ODBBA) contest against 6 other local bands, and being able to play the piece which
was specifically written for the bands 100th birthday by Lucy Pankhurst. The new committee
was elected, in which all members from last year decided to remain for this. We hope 2021 is a
better year for all and that it will not be too much longer until we can come together again in
person to make music.
Unfortunately, we have not had the opportunity to say goodbye in person but on behalf of the
band, we would like to wish our E flat Bass player David all the best in his new role in Cornwall.
For Sale
Have you, or someone you know ever wanted to learn to
play the timpani? Or developed a copper based craft
during lockdown? Or just want to upcycle an item for
your garden? Well, look no further. We have a pair of
vintage timpani, 24 inch and 27 inch diameter
respectively, beaten from copper sheet for sale.
These instruments weigh around 15 to 20kg with the
asking price being £1000 for both, though willing to
accept offers. If interested, please contact Mik on secretary@bletchingtonsilverband.co.uk
A FANTASTIC WEBSITE FOR WALKERS IN OXFORDSHIRE
Are you fed-up with doing the same old walks?
Walking in Oxfordshire www.walkinginengland.co.uk/oxfordshire is the website for you!
With hundreds of walks to download and print, free, it also has books of walks, contact details for 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 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 suite of websites (www.walkinginengland.co.uk) – one for each county in
England) 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!
John Harris
www.walkinginengland.co.uk email: john@walkinginengland.co.uk
When you are out walking, please observe current Covid restrictions, regarding
social distancing and number of people in your group.- 11 -
QUIZZING WITH THE NOMADS
The village quiz team was formed in 2008 when Blacks Head licensee Jayne Evans was asked if she would like
to field a team for a local competition. Jayne paid the £90 entry fee and assembled a team including current
players Carl Davies and Vince O’Connor. After the match, the team were given details of their next fixture to
which Jayne replied “what next fixture?”. She had inadvertently signed up for a season’s quizzing with the
Oxfordshire Quiz League. “I thought £90 was a bit steep for one quiz” responded Jayne – and so the quiz team
was born, but it did not become Bletchingdon Nomads until the Blacks Head went through a long period of
closure and a new venue was needed, so the team relocated to the Sports & Social Club, their home ever
since.
Like most social activities, quizzing has been badly affected by lockdown and has had to go on-line. The
Oxfordshire Quiz League still meets every week on Zoom at its usual time, 8:30pm on Thursday evenings, but
for informal one-off fun quizzes, rather than in a league scenario. Starved of competitive quizzing, the
Nomads entered the Online Quiz League, a high standard competition which now has seven divisions of teams
from all over the country and even a few overseas teams. Unlike the Oxfordshire League, questions are
individual rather than discussed amongst the team, and therefore suit the on-line format better.
Battle of the Chasers
The newest Chaser in the popular ITV programme, Darragh ‘The Menace’ Ennis plays for a rival team in the
Oxfordshire League, but as his team did not enter for the Online Quiz League, the Nomads wasted no time in
signing up Darragh as a guest player. Also in the Nomads line-up is Chris Curtis who, with his brother and
nephew, was 2018 winner of Britain’s Brightest Family hosted by Anne ‘The Governess’ Hegerty. So on 10 th
February 2021, the stage was set for a ‘Battle of the Chasers’ when the Nomads were paired against Bob’s
Online, named after a famous Bolton hostelry, Bob’s Smithy, featuring both Anne Hegerty and Jenny ‘The
Vixen’ Ryan. Bletch residents Carl Davies and James Warton completed the Nomads line-up.
With Vince as question master, the match got
off to a slow start, both teams failing to
answer the first two questions. But when
Jenny took the bonus point on question 3
which the Nomads failed to answer, the
writing was on the wall as Bob’s Online went
on to take the first round 7-4 and then
remained in front throughout, eventually
coming out 54-39 winners, with Anne
answering seven out of eight of her own
questions correctly.
Fancy yourself as a quizzer? See how you fare with these questions from this quiz (answers on Page 19):
1. In a 2003 BBC poll, ‘which fictional character women would most like to go on a date with’, which character
from ‘Pride and Prejudice’ who ultimately marries Elizabeth Bennet was placed first in the poll?
2. The famous ending from which 1933 film sees the title character being shot by fighter planes as he climbs
the Empire State Building?
3. Home of one of the largest New Year celebrations, Copacabana Beach is in which Southern Hemisphere city?
4. Though they have never reached the final, which nation has reached the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup
three times, most recently in 2019 when they were narrowly beaten by eventual champions, South Africa?
5. Which popular toy developed by English engineer Denys Fisher and first sold in 1965 consists of circular cogs
and frames which guide a pen to produce intricate geometric patterns?
6. Black holes have often been proposed as an energy source due to black body radiation which is theorised to
be released from them over time – this radiation is named after which physicist who predicted it in 1974?- 12 -
1st Bletchington Brownies
Despite having not being able to meet for a long time now, the Brownies have been completing lots of
badges and challenges. Since lockdown began last year, we have presented 6 Bronze Awards, 15
Express myself theme awards, 4 Take Action theme awards and 1 Be Well Theme Awards. We have
completed 3 Skills builder badges and lots of interest badges. We have also help our first virtual
sleepover, travelling around the world on zoom and being joined by a Guide in Australia.
We have walked our way to the Marathon Challenge badges and learnt our numbers in Norwegian.
We hope to be back to meeting face to face after Easter, if everything goes as it should. We will be
able to offer places for more girls age 7-10 so if you are interested please register
at www.girlguiding.org.uk/joinus
We also have spaces at 1st Woodstock Rainbows for girls age 5-7 and 2nd Woodstock Guides for
girls age 10-14.
A VIEW FROM DUCHY FIELD – A MORE SUSTAINABLE BLETCHINGTON?
As a newcomer to the village, it was recently suggested to me that I contribute a short piece for the
Village News. The request made me feel very welcome so how could I refuse!
I moved here two years ago from north Oxford and I live in Duchy Field. It’s been a strange time to
settle in and get to know my new neighbours and the wider community. Over the past year we have
only been able to meet each other when out on our walks, or virtually, or with masks on, so it is still
difficult to put names to faces. Some of you I only recognise by your dogs! But once I had joined the
village Facebook page and WhatsApp group I discovered a very lively, friendly and supportive
community. I am also now the Parish Council’s public transport representative.
Over the past year I have been exploring the many paths that radiate out from the village and
surrounding villages in this beautiful part of the county, and have walked by the canal and the River
Cherwell rediscovering the pleasures of nature. What a privilege to live here, particularly in the time
of restrictions. Appreciating our glorious countryside makes me even more aware of the climate and
ecological emergency in which we are living. The threat to our survival and all the other species on
earth is very real which many of you will be aware of from watching David Attenborough’s recent
films. But there are also reasons to be hopeful as the growing awareness across society is leading to
many positive initiatives from local councils to businesses and community groups. Taking action can
make us more hopeful and in a spirit of positivity I want to start a forum to discuss ways of raising
awareness and supporting our community and individuals to become more sustainable. I have
mentioned this to our Parish Council and they have offered their support.
I don’t have all the answers, but in forming a group we can research, provide information and offer
support to anyone who would like to make their lives and their community more sustainable in ways
that contribute to the vast global task ahead of us. If you are interested in joining me, please contact
me at annemaclachlan@hotmail.com or 07967 045591.
I am looking forward to hearing from other newcomers via the Village News or even from some old-
timers keen to introduce themselves and share their views.- 13 - Pass the Duchy ‘pon the left-hand side… Or even on the right; either way you can’t miss the striking display of Natural Cotswold Stone, huge roof-top chimneys and brightly coloured doors that look like they could feature in a Lego movie. My family (Me – Diane, Mark and 5-year-old Remy) moved to Duchy Fields in October 2020. From identifying our ‘plot’ at just 6 bricks high, it took a further 18 months to get here: and we’re so glad we are. We didn’t come from far, just Woodstock, and were already familiar with the village since our little boy joined Willow Cottage Nursery in April 2017. Our reasons for moving were purely down to what lifestyle we wanted for our family. For us, a new build home was the only answer. We drove for miles, weekend after weekend around Oxfordshire: Adderbury, Chipping Norton, Witney, Northmoor, Wootton, Long Handborough, and - of course - our familiar Woodstock. Every time, we came back to Bletchingdon. Why? Besides the gorgeous countryside, peaceful village life, community spirit (I had been eyeballing the village via Facebook for 18 months before moving - tee hee hee!), proximity to Oxford, Bicester and Woodstock (which, admittedly, I was initially reluctant to leave), a pub (of course!) and a local shop, we just couldn’t find another development which struck us like this one. Bletchingdon is fortunate not to have had a new development throwing up hundreds or thousands of flimsy box houses - like so many unlucky towns and villages. With the exception of a handful of other houses being clad with Natural Cotswold Stone, our extensive searches saw no other development building with it, nor did they include fireplaces with wood-burning stoves and real chimneys, external ironmongery and the most beautiful metal windows (we are told they were chosen to replicate old lead-lined windows and create ‘new character’). All these features will, in time, make Duchy Field feel like it’s been here as long as Valentia or St Giles, and one day even ‘The Row’, and slowly become fully integrated into the village of Bletchingdon as if it had always been here. I have really loved how we all look out for each other too, even us newbies. I’ve not only been able to meet some new friends courtesy of the school gates, but have also met some lovely villagers and neighbours courtesy of the WhatsApp groups - giving away or collecting ‘treasures’ between us and having doorstep chats. And, of course, I’ve met many of my immediate neighbours. Already it is starting to feel like one village, one community. I know that new developments come with their share of debate and controversy initially, but we can be confident that Bletchingdon smashes everywhere else outta the park! Thank you Bletchingdon/ton villagers for allowing this to happen and which such thoughtful consideration, and thank you Duchy of Cornwall. You’ve made a dream come true for many of us. PS: Apologies for anyone post 1980s childhood who doesn’t ‘get’ the headline! Diane (aka Dids) Montrose Sand Furlong Alongside of us, we soon welcomed Daniel who introduces himself in a separate article, then Dennis, Sinead and baby Thomas, who all moved in shortly after us. More recently we also welcomed Caroline & Gavin with their daughters Evelyn and Sophie, and finally to complete our row Paul, Debbie and daughters Aoife and Sadhbh.
- 14 -
Previous village traffic calming methods - (all 75-100 years ago)
Slow moo-ving
traffic convoy
Human line
blockade
Stationary cyclist
in road
Photos supplied by Ian and Kathy Gedling- 15 -
The Bletchingdon Community Foundation
Thank you, Co-op
Since opening in 2019 the Co-op has become a real asset to the community. It’s now a year since the country
was first placed under lockdown and throughout this time the Co-op has been there for us, providing a
fantastic service to the village. As well as the warm welcome and friendly smiles (hidden behind the masks),
manager Mike Seaton and his team have gone the extra mile by providing a delivery service for vulnerable
residents and supporting the Charity’s voucher scheme. On behalf of the whole village we would like to
express our gratitude to Mike and his staff for all their efforts and have given a small gift to all staff at the
shop as a token of our appreciation. Thank you!
Village Hall reopening
We expect the Village Hall to be able to reopen on 12th April, in line with the Government roadmap for easing
Covid restrictions. Only certain permitted activities will be possible from that date, with social events for up to
30 people allowed from 17th May at the earliest and from 21st June at the earliest for larger gatherings.
Something to look forward to
The ‘Bletch Bakes for the NHS’ cookbook produced by the Bletch Bakers
was tremendously successful – congratulations to all the Bakers for that
great success.
Half of the proceeds have been donated to the Oxford Hospitals charity,
whilst the other half has been kindly donated to the village. The Bakers
and the BCF have agreed this should be used towards funding an event
for the village once lockdown has ended. The exact details have yet to
be decided, and a team of volunteers will be established to plan the
event. Further details will follow in these pages in due course.
The date has also yet to be determined; this will obviously be driven by
government lifting of restrictions. This gives us all something to look
forward to when lockdown is over.
Co-op vouchers scheme
The Co-op vouchers scheme is continuing, offering shopping vouchers to
anyone in the village suffering hardship as a result of the Covid-19
restrictions. If you or someone you know is need of financial assistance,
complete an application form and e-mail it to charity.secretary@thebcf.net
or deliver it to the Charity secretary at 14 Lenthal. Copies of the form can
be obtained from the village website: www.bletchingdon-pc.org.uk.
The scheme continues until further notice, with no limit to the number of
applications for vouchers that an individual can make, so you can make
further applications if your circumstances of hardship are ongoing.- 16 -
BletchNet Anniversary – the power
of working together!
BletchNet the WhatsApp group has been running now for
over a year. What started as a small group of villagers coming
together on March 18th 2020, is now a 90 strong villager
network that has been one of the key tools in offering help
and information during the Covid pandemic. The most impressive aspect in a world where social
media can often be judgemental and unkind, there have been nothing but messages of support, help
and humour- a testament to the people that are Bletch.
Looking through some of the posts, it was surprising to see just what this group of Bletch folk have
achieved. Here is a taster:
Offers and requests for help with medicine pickups, shopping runs and combatting loneliness.
Charity notices for villager grants, Coop vouchers and other help with financial hardship
Link up of new villagers into the rest of village life, plus clap for carers, Tommy tunes sharing,
chip van info, Coop stock information.
Spin-off WhatsApp groups - Bake for the NHS, Bletchswap&Sell and positive wellbeing group-
Social Correspondents
Lost & found – dogs, keys, gloves, stray post and packages, bins and many more items
Security information sharing- Coop break-in, thefts in the village
Fly-tipping intelligence, power outages, water pressure issues, alarms going off
Requests for small business recommendations, allotment info, borrowing of items
How can I join in?
If you would like to join any of the groups, please text your number to 07970618260 and we will
send you a link.
Bletch Bakes for the NHS
Cookbook
Last chance to pre-order your copy on before we decide if we
have the numbers for a 2nd print run.
A Perfect Easter present!
Pre-order via www.bletchbakes.co.uk
No payment required at this point, just register your interest- 17 -
Spring clear-out?
Village wide table-top/garage sale
Saturday 10th April – 10-12noon
Stuff to sell or give away?
Simply text 07970618260 to let us know you will be participating.
We will add your location to a village map which will be posted on BletchNet and available from the
Coop from Wednesday 7th April.
How does it work?
On the day, put a table or box outside your house and your items on it. If you are giving items away
you do not need to be present, if you wish to sell anything then we suggest either an honesty box or
be there in person.
I’m not on the map – what do I do?
No problem! Put your blue bin out so villagers can find you easily, as you won’t be on the map.
Not selling/offering goods but want to browse?
Villagers use the garage sale map and walk round the village and see what takes their fancy. Look out
for blue bins too which mark those not on the map. It’s a great way to be social safely and find a
bargain or something perfect for your home. If you are shielding or can’t make the date- check the
map on the 7th April and have a word with a participating neighbour who might be able to help out.
Once the event has finished please dispose of whatever is not taken/sold yourself.
Please follow COVID rules and ensure you are social distancing.
BLETCHINGTON SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
Please be assured that we will reopen the bar as soon as we feel it’s safe and manageable for our
volunteer bar staff and customers. This is being reviewed in April.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
Quiz League: Since the last report, the quiz team has had an enjoyable few months. We have played 8 more
games in the online quiz league, including a number against exceptionally good teams, one of which is
mentioned elsewhere in this magazine. Another was against a team that won this leagues American
counterpart. We are now 10th in the league with 2 games to go. 1 win should see us safe. In the Oxfordshire
league we continue to play friendlies every Thursday and are starting to look forward to competing in pubs and
clubs again!
Football: Mens and Youth football will resume in April.
Cricket: The 2021 outdoor season has got the green light from the Government.
This opens up the possibility of our first outdoor cricket net of the year being on early April 7th. Fingers
crossed!!
Full details can be found on the Cricket section web site.
If you use the Sportsground, we would be grateful if you could refrain from playing ball games against
the Clubhouse as we have experienced some damage to the building.
Could you also refrain from playing in the goalmouths as this wears the grass out prematurely.
PLEASE DO NOT EXERCISE YOUR DOG IN THE SPORTS GROUND- 18 -
THURSDAY CLUB
Unfortunately we are still unable to restart Thursday club but on a positive note we are all getting our
injections so hopefully things are looking up at last.
We hope all members remain safe and well and are looking forward to when we can all meet up again
in the near future.
Kirtlington and Bletchingdon Historical Society
Oxford was the common theme of the society’s talks in January and February. In January Marie-
Louise Kerr, a freelance museum curator, spoke on Oxford’s contribution to the development of
penicillin (a poignant subject given our current dependence on vaccinations). It took years from the
first discovery of the antibiotic on Sir Alexander Fleming’s petri dish in 1928 in London (left) to its
mass production, not least because of the rudimentary materials that pre-war scientists worked with,
in stark contrast to today. They were forced to scrabble
around to assemble as many ceramic bed-pans as possible
because these had the right surface area exposed to the air on
which the culture could be grown! Much of this was done in
Oxford by a team working under Howard Florey and Ernst
Chain, both of whom shared the 1945 Nobel Prize for
Medicine with Fleming. Marie-Louise’s was as much a
human as a scientific story in which she rescued from
obscurity many junior technicians, most of them women,
who played vital parts in the work, assembling equipment,
ensuring that it was properly maintained and monitoring the
essential experiments.
February’s talk was a highly illustrated, personal,
chronological survey by Alastair Lack of some of the
finest Oxford University buildings. He began with the
Castle (not, strictly, a university enterprise) and passed
through places such as the Divinity Schools, the Radcliffe
Camera, the city wall in New College gardens to much
more modern constructions such as the Blavatnik School
of Government in Walton Street and the even more
recent Beecroft Building opposite Keble College (right).
Not all contributions prove successful (and two or three
examples were discussed to make the point, one of them
the Florey Building named after Howard Florey) but the
combination of top-range architects wishing to make
their mark in such an influential city and wealthy
benefactors willing to put up the huge sums required
ensure that the built environment of Oxford will
continue to draw admiring crowds far into the future. We are fortunate to have such an eclectic range
of superb buildings assembled over almost a millennium right on our doorstep.
Paul Clifford- 19 -
WESTON ON THE GREEN WI
Due to continuing coronavirus restrictions the WI are still holding meetings via
Zoom. Our secretary Lyn keeps us updated with all the latest Denman courses
and a lot of our ladies are still enjoying these. The programme for 2021 has
been sent to all members but it remains to be seen whether these will be held
at the Village Hall or on Zoom.
At the beginning of February we joined Shelswell WI for a Zoom meeting with
Councillor Richard Mould for a talk on The Plans for Bicester Town Centre. Bicester has struggled to
attract retailers due to the high rental costs which has seen the closure of shops and Covid has
definitely accelerated this decline of the High Street. Richard said that there had to be a different
way of looking at the future of the town centre and the Council would be considering mixing retail
with residential units which could create a more dynamic area. He was open to suggestions and
Bicester Council would consider any ideas from the public via their web site.
Weston WI February meeting was another Zoom meeting held with other WI’s and Weston Society
which attracted 26 members. The speaker was Stephen Dawson the Operations and Development
Manager of Oxford Preservation Trust which was founded in 1927. The Trusts mission is to ensure
that they conserve the best of Oxford past and help create a positive future for the City. He spoke
about the Trust’s role in land management of areas such as Boars Hill, Wolvercote Lakes and many
other areas. Other Trust projects include the Covered Market and the LMS Railway swing bridge.
They also run Oxford Open Doors where they welcome visitors to a world that is usually behind
closed doors. To fully understand the work carried out by the Trust I recommend a visit to their
website. This was a very interesting meeting that everyone seemed to enjoy.
Our March meeting was our AGM held via Zoom, which was quite successful albeit a little amusing.
Our thanks go to our technical boffin Diane B who kept the meeting in an orderly fashion. The AGM
is the only meeting where Jerusalem is sung. This was attempted without the music due to a
technical difficulty, so it was sung “a cappella”. The committee will stay the same other than Kath
Atkinson who we welcome as our nominated President. Our thanks go to Ann Holt the outgoing
President. The Bye Laws and the review of the year were presented by the President and Secretary.
We said a sad farewell to another of our members this month. Gwyneth Learner had been a member
of our WI for many years as a committee member and president from 2004 to 2006. Gwyneth
marked her presidency by starting up small interest groups and these led to many visits to museums,
art galleries etc. She was also a member of the Garden club and Weston Society. Outside of the
village she joined U3A and enjoyed the music, art and French groups there. She became a Friend of
the Ashmolean, Claydon House and Woodstock Museums. Gwyneth was a Woman ahead of her time
having travelled extensively as a single woman in the 1950’s. She joined the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office and was immediately sent abroad to Paris for a brief posting and then onto
Singapore from 1957 to 1959. In 1959 she was posted to Moscow where she developed a love for
the Russian culture and ice skating. In 1960 she was posted to Cambodia where she delighted in all
the local people and many of the places she was able to see which included Ankor Wat (before they
became the perennial tourist traps of today). Gwyneth will be sorely missed by all at the WI.
SAS
Answers to Nomads quiz questions, from Page 11: 1. Mr. Darcy (in Pride and Prejudice); 2. King Kong; 3. Rio
de Janeiro; 4. Wales; 5. Spirograph; 6. Stephen Hawking- 20 -
History Corner
Fish & chips
Fish & chips can be considered Britain’s national dish, with around 300 million servings per year. Traditionally
fish was eaten on Fridays as the Christian faith advocated fasting on Fridays, but fish, being cold blooded, was
considered acceptable to eat on fasting days. In Bletchington, however, Tuesday evening means fish & chips
for many of us as Mark’s ‘Country’ fish & chips van has served the village that evening for many years. Some
villagers still fondly remember when we had a fish & chip shop in Bletchington, located in Weston Road.
As an island nation, fish has always been an important part of our diet, but for inland counties like Oxfordshire
this usually meant dried, salted or smoked fish due to the difficulty of keeping it fresh whilst in transit. The
coming of the railways changed all that and by the middle of the 19th Century it was possible to move goods
quickly over long distances. The potato was first cultivated in South America 5,000 or more years ago and Sir
Walter Raleigh is anecdotally credited with introducing it to Britain in the 16th Century, although it was
probably already here before he set sail.
The practice of frying fish in batter is thought to have been brought to Britain by Jewish refugees from Spain
and Portugal in the 16th Century, the batter enabling the fish to be eaten cold the next day. Charles Dickens, in
‘David Copperfield’ (1839), refers to a ‘fried fish warehouse’ in London and by the middle of the 19 th Century
fish fryers proliferated around London. The chip, originating in France or Belgium, arrived in Britain in the 17th
century, via Huguenots – French Protestant refugees fleeing persecution. It is not until the 1860s that we see
the pairing of fish with chips, both London and Lancashire claiming the first fish & chip shop.
Joseph Malin’s fish & chip shop opened in Cleveland Street in the East End of London around 1860 and a
hundred years later the business was still trading, sporting a plaque commemorating its centenary – although
by the 1970s the shop succumbed to developers. Meanwhile in 1863 John Lees began selling fish & chips from
a wooden hut in Mossley Market in Industrial Lancashire, also laying claim to be the world’s first such
business.
The number of fish & chip shops grew steadily through the remainder of the 19th Century, usually small family
businesses, often housed in a converted front room of the family home. By the 1930s there were over 35,000
in Britain and it was one of the few foods that was never rationed during World War II. Today around 8,500
fish & chips shops remain in the UK, outnumbering MacDonald’s outlets by eight to one.
Bletchingdon PARISH COUNCIL
Councillors:
Mr C E Lane (Chairman) Village Farm Tel: 350257
Mr M E Taylor Stoneacre, Oxford Road Tel: 350609
Mr D M Ledger 3, Islip Road Tel: 351542
Mr A Jordan The Malt House, Weston Road Tel: 226500
Ms R Pirie 12 Valentia Close Tel: 350856
Mr M Whitehead Rogers Cottage, Station Road Tel: 350991
Vacancy
Clerk: Fiona Mason Email: bletchpc@gmail.com Tel: 351967
The Clerk works on a flexible basis from the Village Hall. If you have any concerns, ideas or would
just like a chat please email or leave an answerphone message and she will get back to you.
District Councillors: Simon Holland (simon.holland@cherwell-dc.gov.uk)
David Hughes (cllr.david.hughes@cherwell-dc.gov.uk)
Tim Hallchurch (tim.hallchurch@cherwell-dc.gov.uk)
County Councillor: Carmen Griffiths (carmen.griffiths@oxfordshire.gov.uk)- 21 -
Meetings: Normally held on the last Thursday of the Month, except December when no meeting
is held, and in January we meet earlier in the month in order to discuss the precept request. Notice
of meetings are always displayed on the Parish Council Notice Board, which is on the Bus Shelter wall
facing the Green. Members of the Public are welcome at Meetings, but must seek prior permission
if they wish to join in the discussion of any matter.
Agendas and minutes of meetings can be viewed on the Parish Council website once they have
been approved.
The next meetings will take place on the 29th April 2021 followed by the 27th May
2021. All meetings will be via Virtual Zoom meeting until the Lockdown restrictions
are lifted.
Special thanks to Tony Saunders
Tony Saunders has made the decision to resign as Councillor from the Parish Council after 23 years of
service. He has been instrumental in a number of projects for the Village requiring many hours of
work and commitment, especially in his role as Chairman which is a position he held for the last 12
years.
The remaining members of the Parish Council would like to take this opportunity to express their
thanks for all of his hard work. 23 years is an incredibly long time to dedicate to the village and the
community and he will be missed on the Council.
Annual Meeting of the Parish
The date set for the Annual Meeting of the Parish is Thursday 6th May 2021 at 7:30pm.
Under the current restrictions, this will be held via Zoom.
This is your chance to find out what your Parish Council has been doing for you and also a good
opportunity for you to discuss any issues or projects you may like to implement.
If you would like to attend, please contact the clerk on 01869 351967 or email bletchpc@gmail.com
for details of how to join the virtual meeting.
Litter and fly tipping
Unfortunately there are still instances of fly tipping in and around the Village. Thank you to those of
you who have reported these cases to Cherwell District Council (CDC) or to the Parish Council. If the
waste is left for CDC to collect, they can then investigate to try and catch the person(s) responsible.
The Parish Council has recently purchased two new bins to be placed around the Village Hall to try
and help prevent the amount of litter being dropped in the area.
We have also purchased a number of litter pick kits for use by any volunteers wishing to assist with
keeping our Village tidy. We hope to host a ‘spring clean litter pick weekend’ once Covid-19
lockdown restrictions have been lifted. In the meantime, a couple of litter pick kits are available to
borrow from our Village Shop should you wish to help at any time. Thank you to Mike Seaton (Co-op
Manager) for agreeing to store these.You can also read
