Awbridge Village Newsletter August 2012 by Deon Tucker

Awbridgenews Awbridge District Village Association

Awbridge

FREE August 2012

Village

Produce Show

Awbridge Village Hall Sat 1st September 2 - 5 pm

2012

Get your exhibitors schedule now from any ADVA committee member!!!!

Awb ridge V I L L A G E

Page 1 | August 2012 awbridge.news@gmail.com | www.awbridge.info

Awb ridge

awbridge district village association

V I L L A G E

ADVA

awbridge.news@gmail.com | www.awbridge.info We’re now on Facebook - search for Awbridge Village

committee Fred Tucker - Chairman Chanwel House, Romsey Road - 340709 Laura Hailwood-Thomas - Secretary 4 Melchet View, Salisbury Road - 342020 Nigel Hemsted - Treasurer Emmbrook, Newtown Road - 340986 Paul Jameson Forest View, Kents Oak - 340118 Deon Tucker Bryn Gower, Romsey Road - 340230 Alex Hillier Forest View, Kents Oak - 340118 Lynda Tucker Chanwel House, Romsey Road - 340709

Advertising

Sally McLellan Coles Farm Cottage, Awbridge Hill - 522402 James Child 4 Cowleas Close - 341980 Kay Murrant The Old Police House, Danes Road - 340289 Paul Harvey Rowlands Barn, Dunbridge Lane - 341259 Amanda Hanson 1 Woodlands, Saunders Lane - 340899 Katy Stimson Thurston House, Danes Road - 341452 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Peter Allen, Kim Stone, Sandra Tebbett

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Page 2 | August 2012

From the Editorial Team Most British people I have met on my travels always have something to say about the weather. In the winter it’s usually a grumble about the cold, conversely the summer being too hot and sticky. Research has shown that if in doubt as to how to “break the ice” with a stranger, the weather is high on the list of conversation starters – this must have been a summer of plentiful conversation then! I remember asking my Geography teacher at school once whether there is such a thing as the “wrong type of rain” and had explained to me in great length that indeed there is. I’ll spare you the science lecture this time around, but in short rain coming and going very quickly doesn’t have chance to soak deep into the ground where it is stored. I also remember the usual doom filled reporters on various TV news programmes talking of stand pipes, queues in the street for what little water there would be, the worst droughts in living memory and so on. That was earlier this year in case we had forgotten, when at the same time we were told that to prevent disaster we needed a summer of heavy and prolonged rain. Clearly some people should be careful what they wish for… Just as we’re all getting used to being wet and not having to water our gardens, we’re told that the weather should soon take a turn for the better and the heat should return. What better in such hot conditions than an ice cream – why not try the soon to be open ice cream parlour at Poppies? From the excellent samples we had at the recent BBQ I can definitely say Ruth and I will be visiting at least once in the coming months. I like my ice cream, and it definitely ranked up there with the best I’ve tried. If you have any ideas or contributions for future editions of Awbridge News please send them in to any committee member (details inside the front cover), email them to awbridge.news@gmail.com or give me a call. I am open to suggestions, and would love to hear all the fantastic things the people of Awbridge get up to. You will read of some of those things in this edition, but I know there is even more out there we don’t know of – it’s amazing how when you start writing you can’t stop, so please don’t be afraid of giving it a go!

//*// NEWS IN BRIEF //*// The village website (www.awbridge.info) is to have a launch session and workshop in the autumn. Please look out for further details in future editions of Awbridge News. ------ • -----Has Awbridge Got Talent? We’ll soon find out, as a talent show is coming to the village later in the year. Watch this space… ------ • -----Future events for the village being considered are a Burns Night, Sarcasm Contest and (possibly in light of our recent wet weather) a Water Garden & Feature show. Ideas are always gladly received and will be considered! ------ • -----Wanted! Are you a budding writer and fancy being a roving reporter for Awbridge News? Please drop the editorial team an email on awbridge.news@gmail.com to find out more.

Produce Show – Entries & Trophies Please make sure that if you have a trophy from last year to return it in advance of this year’s event. Also, don’t forget your entries! Please see a member of the ADVA committee for further details.

James Child - Co-Editor Awbridge News

From the Chairman’s Pen We know that this year is going to be a big challenge to us all, as you prepare your fruit and vegetables for the show at the beginning of September. If only we had a water garden entry in our schedule. We hope that the weather will improve within the next few weeks. Schedules are still available from any committee members if you have not yet got yours. Why not write to the editor with your holiday stories, whether it was wet or dry, they will make interesting reading. The flowers at the war memorial area this year are red, white and blue, to follow the theme of the Jubilee. I have received good comments on how it brightens that area of the village. Let’s hope the weather does not spoil them too much. Welcome to all the new residents of Spring Field, and we hope that the move has gone well and that you soon settle into the village community. Fred Tucker - Chairman ADVA

Please remember to mention Awbridge News when responding to any adverts in the newsletter

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All Saints Awbridge - August 2012 As we look forward to some relaxation and enjoy the summer holidays many in our world have little or no food or water, but thanks to you some will enjoy better water supplies through your support of Turn on the Tap through our walk and collection of coins in water bottles. If you still have a bottle of coins to donate please give to a member of Awbridge church or hand in at Choice Plants but please let us know if it is from Awbridge. Thank you for all your generosity. Last summer we put in an appeal to support Tearfund to help them feed starving families in West Africa, nothing has changed as Tearfund is again appealing for help in West Africa, if you want to help please see www.tearfund.org/crisis Thank you to all those who came to the BBQ in July (it didn’t really rain), run jointly with Awbridge First Responders. We had a great time, great food and good fun and plenty of entertainment with water rockets! Thank you, especially to all those who helped to provide the wonderful food. Our next social event on Friday 3 August is a swim and picnic evening 6 30 pm at Chanwel House, Romsey Road, Awbridge BYO picnic and swimming stuff! We hope for good weather as this was originally planned for June. Harvest will be the next festival we celebrate in Awbridge when again we shall be supporting Southampton City Mission with non-perishable foodstuffs, more details in September. Future events for your diary:

Swim & picnic in Awbridge

at Chanwel House, Romsey Road organised by Jesus said “They do not need to go away. You All Saints Church, Awbridge give them something to eat.” Matt 14 v 16 New date 3rd August at 6.30 pm Welcome Pack Bring your own picnic & drinks Bringinto yourthe own swimming (optional) If you have recently moved Awbridge areastuff andtoo! would like ChildrenPack mustplease be supervised by anofadult a copy of our village Welcome contact one the churchwardens, see details below. For info contact Useful church contacts: James Alexander 340386 or Fred 340709 The Revd Canon Steve Pittis 01794 No 368335 need to book just turn up! Churchwardens: Fred Tucker (01794 340709) or Mary Savage (01794 367908) Young Church: Pepe Alexander (01794 340386) The Ark Toddler Group: Lynda Tucker (340709) Awbridge Neighbourcare: 0845 094 6155 Other relevant information can be found on the village website www.awbridge.info

Sunday 23 September - Harvest Festival: 9.30 am followed by Harvest Lunch at the village hall. Donations of non-perishable food items will be given to Southampton City Mission. Worship and Events in Awbridge in August: Friday 3 August 6 30 pm Swim and Picnic at Chanwel House, Romsey Rd, Awbridge contact Fred or Lynda 340709. Sunday 5 August 9 30 am Holy Communion No First service Sunday 12 August 9 30 am Morning Worship Sunday 19 August 9 30 am Holy Communion Don’t forget to hand in your water bottle, with coins in, for Turn on the Tap please give to a member of Awbridge Church or hand in at Choice Plants ASAP. Thank you. Sunday 26 August 9 30 am Family Service Sunday 2 September 9 30 am Holy Communion 6 30 pm First Other Activities for August Swim and Picnic Fri 3 August 6 30 pm Chanwel House, Romsey Road, Awbridge Tel 340709. Awbridge Lunch Club Wed 8 August, 12 noon At Poppies, Choice Plants, contact Delia 340395

Page 4 | August 2012

Swim & picnic in Awbridge

at Chanwel House, Romsey Road organised by All Saints Church, Awbridge

New date 3rd August at 6.30 pm Bring your own picnic & drinks Bring your own swimming stuff too! (optional) Children must be supervised by an adult For info contact James Alexander 340386 or Fred 340709 No need to book just turn up!

Operation Christmas Child

Church Kneelers ADVA have decided to sponsor the purchase of ten new kneelers for All Saints Church. One of these will feature the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Thank you to all of you who have donated money this year for the water project Turn on the Tap. We have had over £200 so far at Choice Plants and a collection is still to come from Awbridge Church, thank you all very much. Once again it is time to start thinking about Operation Christmas Child so don’t forget to collect that empty shoebox when buying shoes for next term! We would love to encourage all the churches to get really involved in this project this year as the benefice is hosting the annual Romsey Deanery Shoebox Service at All Saints, Braishfield on Sunday 18 November, at 3 pm, which also happens to be during the Bishop of Southampton’s visit. Resources will be available in the churches from September but please do think about how you can get involved, we hope to have a representative from each church inspiring you all to join in! Leaflets, posters and resources are now available to order from the website. If you would like to order your own and see current stories or find knitting patterns then have a look at www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk. Thank you for your support. We are always in need of empty, medium sized shoeboxes - please drop these off at Choice Plants if you have spare ones. Mary Savage rep for Samaritan’s Purse for more information please contact 01794 367908 or email: savage@ choiceplants.freeserve.co.uk.

Awbridge Neighbourcare 0845 094 6155

Awbridge Neighbourcare volunteers are available to help, as good neighbours, to provide transport for medical appointments, or shopping, or to visit you if you would enjoy a friendly chat. Our volunteers have allocated time to be available to help you, so your requests are vital to the work of this group. All you need to do is call 0845 094 6155 to speak to the co-ordinator to see if they can help you. If you would like to use Awbridge Neighbourcare, please could you try to give at least 48 hours’ notice when you need to book transport so that the duty co-ordinator has time to make the necessary arrangements. Although we will endeavour to help if shorter notice is given, we cannot guarantee the availability of our volunteers. We would very much like to hear from you if you could volunteer as a driver. The more drivers we have to call on, the more people we are able to help. Please contact the duty co-ordinator on 0845 094 6155 if you would like to join this worthwhile organisation.

We already have a number of volunteers who are willing to make some, but still need some more. The canvas of each kneeler is printed, and will then need to be worked on with cross stitch. If anybody feels that they would like to be involved with this project please contact Lynda Tucker. Their work would I know be really appreciated and certainly enjoyed by many people.

Olympic Torch

When I was told by a special friend that I had been nominated to carry the Olympic torch I was shocked. However I knew that there were many other people who deserved that honour far more than I did. So it was no surprise to hear that I has not been selected, it was a lovely thought though. However getting the Olympic fever must surely affect us all in some way or other, as it is possibly a once in a life time event. With this in mind we decided to go to Winchester to watch the torch being carried through that great city. Arriving early for an event like that was certainly essential, our effort paid off and we had a great viewing point to watch the young lady from Winchester running toward us, and then changing to the next runner. I’m sure that the memory will stay with us for some time. The day before that event I had been informed that the Boot Camp, run be ‘Fitness2U’ which I attend, had nominated me as their Top Recruit. So as you can see you can’t win everything but it’s great to win something. I may not have an Olympic Torch but I do have a trophy. Lynda Tucker

British Red Cross Romsey & District Local Office Red Cross Centre, 10 Greatwell Drive, Romsey (opposite Nightingale Surgery) 01794 513202 - 24 hour answer phone Romsey Medical Loan Open 10.30am to 12.30pm - Mon to Fri. Enquiries: 01794 513202 (24 hr answer phone). General Information 0844 871 1111. Emergency number for all of the above 07790 670840 Wool - We urgently need all types of wool, however small, (not cones) for all sorts of craft work and to knit gloves, hats, scarves, teapot cosies and many other items. Please contact Avis on 02380 328071 or the Fundraising shop on 02380 735089. Autumn Gift Fayre - There is an Autumn Gift Fayre on Saturday 13th October at North Baddesley Village Hall from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm. Tables available for £10. All goods must be new. Telephone 02380 730843 or email north.baddesley.fundraising@hotmail.com Page 5 | August 2012

Children’s heart surgery at University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone in Awbridge Village and district who signed the Southampton Echo “Have a heart” petition and to those who completed the safe and sustainable questionnaire in 2011. I would like to say a special thank you to Theresa Carey for her help with this at Awbridge Primary School. More than 75,000 people responded to the four-month public consultation in 2011, making it one of the largest in NHS history. An independent report of the consultation by Ipsos Mori found quality was the public’s top priority when shaping the future of children’s congenital heart services. Nine out of ten people supported the proposed national quality standards. There was significant support for ensuring excellent care – of those who responded 93% of individuals and 94% of organisations support these standards. On the 4th July 2012, the Joint Committee of Primary Care Trusts (JCPCT) announced the long awaited decision of re-configuration of children’s congenital heart surgery services in England. Seven children’s congenital heart networks will be established across England and Wales: the North; North West and North Wales; the Midlands; South Central; the South West and South Wales; with two networks serving London, East Anglia and the South East. In South Central network the specialist surgical centre will be at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. This is a landmark moment for the Southampton and Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust partnership, which is now able to continue to deliver a high quality service for children with heart disease in the South of England, while ensuring families in all areas have access to excellent local care.

The emphasis is being placed on those classic British dishes which are being carefully produced using English beef and venison, black pudding, a selection of cheeses and award-winning sausages as well as a number of other traditional ingredients. With lamb from Wales and salmon from Scotland along with other regional favourites, the whole of Britain is being represented. Hampshire beef features on the Sunday menu with hand-battered fish and chips on the Friday specials board. All their desserts will be homemade as usual with the British theme coming through! This fortnight at Kimbridge will be a true celebration of food with all produce being sourced from within Great Britain.

Fundraising for our Volunteering Trip to Kenya 2013 Thank you to everyone who has been supporting our fundraising so far. As well as the Awbridge Village fete, we had another successful stall at the Awbridge School Fete on 22nd June raising nearly £200, as well as a stall at Lockerley Fete the following week. We are now planning our next events for the village and invite you to join us in the autumn for a Village Barn Dance with licensed bar on Saturday October 20th, followed by a Quiz Night on November 23rd. Both evenings will include supper and all proceeds will go towards our trip to Kenya with The Romsey School, where we will be volunteering in local schools in the Rift Valley. Please make a note in your diaries – further details will be available nearer the time! Caitlen Hillier-Snell, Fergus Longman, Georgie Hanson, Grace Birch and Izzie Snowdon.

Mark Hackett, chief executive, said: “This is fantastic news for our patients and their families and we have been overwhelmed by the support we have received across the country. We would like to thank all those who supported us throughout the consultation to safeguard this service for future generations. In the future, there will no doubt be more national reviews of services and we need to keep quality at the centre of the way we shape, guide and decide location.’ For further information please visit: www.specialisedservices.nhs.uk/ safeandsustainable Katy Stimson

Awbridge Gardening Club. Our July meeting took place on July 4th when we visited another delightful garden - a new addition to the National Gardens list, at Terstan, Longstock. Mr. and Mrs. Burnfield made us very welcome on one of the only dry spells of the day, and showed the small group of us round the various “rooms” which surround the house. The garden is highly recommended for a visit by those of us who did not manage to attend the July visit. Eileen Henderson

Kimbridge Restaurant Supports British Food Fortnight The Kimbridge Restaurant and Annie’s Tearooms is showcasing the best of British food during the British Food Fortnight from 27th July until 12th August. Page 6 | August 2012

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www.knightwoodkitchens.co.uk Page 7 | August 2012

From Western Country Watch Weekly

we would be grateful for the information as we suspect he may have been taken.

Please be aware that we have seen a sudden spate of theft of brass outdoor taps being stolen in the last week. They are just snapped off from houses and the open pipe left to flood the garden. Please remain vigilant to anyone trespassing in your garden or yard.

Helen and Keith Newton. 01794 514117

Country Watch has launched a force-wide Twitter account. It is called @hantspolrural and will be used to tweet information such as crime trends, suspicious vehicles and other information that may be of interest to our rural communities. Please follow us to see what the Country Watch teams across the County are up to. We have had a number of burglaries to sheds and outbuildings over the last couple of weeks in rural locations. Please take a few moments to check your security. Padlocks are being bolt-cropped off and left on the floor. Please ensure that you fit a good quality padlock that will deter, or at least delay, potential thieves. There has also been recent signs of poaching in the Awbridge area – please report any suspicious activity as soon as it is spotted. Vehicle of interest - R430 XOM. White Ford Transit panel van seen acting suspiciously around rural premises in Romsey. Any information should be passed on to the local police by calling 101.

From our local police Can you please let us know if you are raising any poults for the coming shooting season? There were certainly problems for farmers last season with poults being stolen at different locations and in one case many were shot dead over a period of time. If you are, can you also let us know the whereabouts on your farm they are being reared? We are more than happy to patrol these areas provided there is 4X4 vehicle access. Please confirm if you would like us to via email to vernon.gook@hampshire.pnn.police.uk. We can then arrange to visit these locations with you and then carry out patrols to hopefully deter/catch these offenders. Vernon and Jo

Mottisfont Village Fete Sunday 19th August 2.00pm at The Village Hall FREE ADMISSION There will be: *a BBQ *Tombola *Make-a-plate * Garden stall *Cake stall *Bar *Bouncy castle *Pet competition *Skittles *Bee keeping *Art and Photo displays – Plus Lots More! For further information, please contact Michael Horne on 01794 340105

Babysitting Services Experienced, reliable and cheerful 17 year old babysitter looking to help any parents by babysitting weekdays over the summer and any evenings. I live in Awbridge and am always happy to help out at short notice. Contact Leeanna: 07876141181/01794 341181

------ • -----Reliable, mature and responsible 17 year old who lives locally. Experienced with children. Looking for work evenings and weekends. Also available daytime during the summer. Contact Kate on 01794 340595

Awbridge Village Lunches 2012 Would you like to join friends and neighbours from the village for Lunch?

Menu Main course e.g. Shepherd’s pie Home-made pudding Tea or coffee At 12 noon Awbridge Village Hall Wednesday 26th September - £4 per person Wednesday 5th December - £6 per person, Christmas Lunch Booking and Transport arrangements:

To let us know numbers for catering, please ring the Neighbourcare

Lost tortoise Our tortoise, Crusty, has disappeared! He is at least 35 years old so quite large. When last seen in our garden he was tethered to a large piece of wood painted red. If anyone in the village finds him we would be very grateful for his safe return. Alternatively if anyone hears of a mature tortoise for sale Page 8 | August 2012

co-ordinator on 0845 094 6155 by the Monday before the lunch. If you would like transport, at no cost to you, please ask the coordinator at the same time. (If you normally attend the All Saints lunch, arrangements for booking are the same as usual.) These lunches are being jointly organised by All Saints Church and Awbridge Neighbourcare with catering provided by a team of cooks and volunteers. We hope that you will come and enjoy these events.

Breaking News - Dawn of the Neurolympics This may be the last Olympic Games to rely on muscle power to be held in Britain. Mental state is a crucial factor in sporting success and purely ‘Mental rehearsal’ of an exercise not only activates many of the same neurones in the brain as doing the exercise itself, but improves subsequent physical performance. Recent advances in technology enable the patterns of activity in an athlete’s brain to be captured electronically. A joint research initiative, funded by the Treasury, between the Neurolympics Laboratory at the University of Cambridge and the Greyhound Racetrack at Walthamstow has succeeded in training volunteers who are lying on a couch in the Brain Recording Suite in Cambridge to imagine running as fast as possible in a treadmill. This generates electrical activity in their brains that is picked up and immediately transmitted to Walthamstow, where it is used to race a pack of electric hares around the track. In this era of austerity, the implications for future Olympic Games are enormous. For the first time, the Olympics could be truly democratic, since (to use current terminology) physically disabled and nondisabled competitors would be able to compete in the same events. The overwight and those underweight would no longer be excluded. Moreover athletes wouldn’t need to travel, but could enter from their own home environment in any part of the world and relay their performance by satellite to the racetrack without the handicap of having to re-acclimatise. The massive cost of infrastructure, the need for the Army to ensure security, and the Olympic world surge in greenhouse gas production would vanish overnight. Dr. Ant Goodbody, head of the Neurolympics Laboratory, sparkled with repressed excitement. “This glimpse of new Olympic possibilities is intensely invigorating. We must remember that the athletes of the future will have spent their youth poring over tiny screens and wiggling their thumbs, not slogging round a racetrack” he said. ”The Games will need to encourage them as adults to excel in the kind of prowess that will be valued in the 22nd century. Science can help us all reach for the stars”. Decimus Phostle

Outdoor BBQ beats the weather

In the spotlight – Kay Murrant I was born in Southampton, grew up in Netley and moved to Awbridge when my brother, who lived in Romsey, found the perfect house for us. My father taught me traditional signwriting and I formed my own sign company specialising in Marine Graphics. The most successful contract I completed was producing all the branding for 60 inflatable dinghies used for the Camel Trophy Race of 2000 in the Pacific. However when our second son was born in 2001 I was fortunate in being able to sell my company and concentrate on raising our sons. We moved to Awbridge in August 2004 and in September 2004 our youngest son was born in Romsey hospital. I then spent the next few years creating our home and developing the garden, as well as making firm friends with neighbours and other Awbridge School and Hopgarden Nursery Mums. I helped set up Awbridge First Responders and was the co-ordinator for the group for 4 years before handing the position over. However I am still an active Responder and would encourage everyone to look at helping our community in this very positive way. I enjoy helping out at various village events, especially the Forest Forge Theatre Productions and am always supported by my sons and husband, albeit in the background. I also attended the very first sessions of The Ark toddler group with my son and although my boys are now too old I still occasionally attend on a Friday morning and help to make the coffees. It is really satisfying to see how the group has grown and still gives the same support and respite for weary first time mums, carers, grandparents and bemused dads.

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Free Quota ons On the evening of Friday 13th July the sun came out at Awbridge village hall and about forty people enjoyed the culinary delights of the annual Awbridge Church and First Responders BBQ. A good time was had by all with the highlights of the evening being a first taste of Roger Savage’s homemade ice cream - soon to be available from Poppies new ice cream parlour and the launching of several water bottle rockets into the atmosphere above the playing field.

Tel: 01794 514988 Mob: 07860166536 Email: david@hillberryfarm.com Hillberry Farm, Awbridge.

James Alexander Page 9 | August 2012

Awbridge Evening W I - July The July meeting was planned as a Summer Garden Party in a member’s garden, however as seems to be the norm this summer, the evening proved both chilly and wet. Undeterred, the members made it a ‘getting to know you’ event and everyone sat cosily together in her house and indulged in a good chat whilst enjoying a delicious American supper and a glass of Pimms! The ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ event had been very successful and well supported by members from visiting institutes. The money raised is to be used as bursaries for members attending courses at Denman College and a donation will be given to Denman itself. The new committee have plenty of plans for trips in the months ahead, starting with a visit in August to Chichester Theatre to see ‘Kiss Me Kate’ and in September to Buckingham Palace to see the exhibition of Royal Jewellery. The annual trip to Bath will take place in November, followed by a trip to Matlock in Derbyshire to see The Winter Carnival and Firework display and the Christmas Market. Plans are also in the pipeline to visit the Keukenhoff Gardens in the Spring. Several members plan to attend the Speaker’s selection evening to be held at Ampfield, and the Autumn Council Meeting. Interest was also shown in Bramshaw’s Big Breakfast event and for the Art in Hampshire trail in August. Next month we will be back in Awbridge Village Hall on August 9th to hear Valerie Norman speak about Traditional American Rug Hooking, which promises to be an entertaining evening. New members and visitors are always welcome and there is a ‘bring and buy’ stall. Yvonne Goodridge

Not the best welcome to the village One of many plans for this edition of Awbridge News was to do a welcome piece to the new residents in the houses recently completed in Spring Field on Romsey Road, as well as an article detailing the ups and downs of the moves. However over the past couple of weeks there have been two attempted break-ins at the new houses which has been an unwelcome distraction for the residents just after they were finally able to move in.

The bird most associated with acorns is the jay, which buries large numbers of acorns to store as winter food. Some of these acorns eventually germinate and survive to become large trees. Whilst many country folk attribute the actions of the jay as the main reason for oak seedlings appearing where there were none before, from my own observations it is the rook that plays a far greater role in distributing acorns across the Hampshire countryside. These birds congregate in huge noisy flocks called “parliaments” or “buildings”. In autumn, parliaments of rook assemble in number to collect acorns from the

canopy of oak trees. Rooks are able to carry off several acorns at a time, which are often taken further a field to pastures where cattle are kept. Here the rooks hide the acorns in cow pats, these are eaten by the rooks on their return, a few weeks later. A flock of several hundred rooks are potentially capable of distributing a thousand acorns in just a few minutes. For those involved in countryside management, the rook has a very useful role to play in the spread of oak seedlings. The rook, like the acorn, is edible. The rhyme “four and twenty blackbirds” relates to a medieval country dwellers crow pie served as a banquet to feed a parliament, rather than a dish of the smaller garden blackbird that is barely enough to feed a large family. Whist some may be repulsed at the thought of eating crow, rook pie is still savoured by some older adults in the vicinity of Awbridge, whom thrived as children through the hardship of post war rationing, on the meat of this farmland bird. Like the rook, historically, acorns represented a very important staple ingredient in the diet of the woodland dwellers of ancient Britain. It was used as a nutritious substitute for corn flour. An acorn was in this sense “a corn” and a hand full of shelled acorns equates to the nutritional value of a large beef burger. Boiled to release poisonous toxins, then dried, pulverised and processed, acorn flour can be stored to use as an ingredient in cooking bread, cake biscuits, nut roasts or added to make the pastry of rook pie. Today the tradition of cooking with acorns has been forgotten, despite the clue in its name.

The first one tried to force a door lock without success, and the second one was seen in the back garden, and when challenged climbed the back fence and made off across the field. The police dog followed his trail down to Romsey Reclamation. If anyone is aware of anything relating to this, please can you contact the police on 101 as soon as possible. We all would like to welcome the new arrivals to the village and express our wishes that this issue is resolved swiftly for them in order that they enjoy living in Awbridge for many years to come.

Awbridge Hill Wildlife Sanctuary For visitors to the nature sanctuary, the ripening of acorns on the oak tree is a sign that August and Autumn have arrived. Acorns whilst poisonous are a valuable source of food. In the New Forest, the rights of pannage are still exercised by commoners who turn out their herds of pigs to fatten on this autumn harvest and clear fallen acorns which are poisonous to ponies and cattle. The harvest of acorns varies from year to year, however every two or three years, oak trees are heavily laden. These are known as ‘oakmast’ years, they occur sporadically and are difficult to predict. Page 10 | August 2012

As far as the history of place names are concerned, Roke Manor and Squabb Wood, appears to derives their names from the presence of a rookery, which may have existed in a wood of squab, which are unfledged pigeon. The earliest records of Roke Manor date back to the 13th C, however the original manor house, was apparently destroyed by Cromwell’s Parliamentary troops. This implies that Roke Manor was a royalist stronghold” and may have had a “rook”, a tower or crow’s nest, commanding a bird’s eye view over the surrounding terrain and control over the old highway that connected Romsey with Salisbury via Old Salisbury Lane. Bryan Raines tel. 01794 368435, email thegreenman@raines.plus.com

Brook

BUILDING SERVICES A local family run business covering all aspects of building work Call Lewis or Paul for a FREE no obligation quote on:

07799 664308 07798 566424 Brookbuildingservices@yahoo.co.uk Lower Brook - King's Somborne - Stockbridge - Hants

The Studio Gallery at

Danesmede, Danes Road, Awbridge, Romsey.

ART EXHIBITION

open daily 18th to 26thAugust, from 12 to 6pm

I will be showing around forty paintings, some of local scenes, in a variety of styles and media. Also prints, cards and items of pottery and jewellery, stained glass and needle work by guest artists. for further information please call me on 0789 654 7973 or email me at vivienlaura@aol.com

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Page 12 | August 2012

Awb ridge

Diary

If you would like your event in the diary, send the details to bertanddoris@btinternet.com

V I L L A G E

Date

Event

Venue

Time

Friday 03 August

Picnic and Swim

Chanwel House, Romsey Rd

6.30pm

Tuesday 07 August

ADVA Meeting

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Sunday 19 August

Mottisfont Village Fete

Mottisfont Village Hall

2pm

Sunday 19 August

Mottisfont Village Fete

Mottisfont Village Hall

2pm

Saturday 01 September

Village Produce Show

Awbridge Village Hall

2pm

Tuesday 04 September

ADVA Meeting

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Wednesday 26 September

Village Lunch

Awbridge Village Hall

12 noon

Tuesday 02 October

ADVA Meeting

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Saturday 13 October

ADVA Curry & Quiz

Awbridge Village Hall

TBC

Saturday 20 October

Barn Dance - Kenya Trip Fundraising

Awbridge Village Hall

TBC

Wednesday 05 December

Village Christmas Lunch

Awbridge Village Hall

12 Noon

Friday 07 December

Forest Forge Christmas Production

Awbridge Village Hall

TBC

Friday 21 December

ADVA Children's Disco

Awbridge Village Hall

6pm

Awbridge Parish Council

Ingredients with Ian

Chair: Mark Caplen - 342315, mcaplen@googlemail.com

Ian Wooldridge, Head Chef at Kimbridge Farm, with your Seasonal & Local Produce Recipe

Councillors: Peter Allen 342040 allen609@btinternet.com

Redcurrant & Citrus Glazed Ham

David Coleman 340618 davidjcoleman@madasafish.com Peter Milani 523066 peter.r.milani@googlemail.com Pam Harvey 341259 pam.harveyp@virgin.net Paul Legon 340539 legon@btinternet.com Clerk – Vacant Parish Council website: http://communities.hants.gov.uk/awbridge-index

Qualified and experienced clerk required for busy Parish Council Part-time working 5 hours per week to provide basic services to Councillors. Council meetings held once a month but not during the Summer or at Christmas. For more details please contact the Chairman of the Parish Council: Mark Caplen - mcaplen@gmail.com

These tart berries, ripe for the picking mid-summer, are an attractive addition to any dish. The best way to strip the berries from their woody stalks is to use the prongs of a fork. Shopping List: 175 grams of runny honey 100 grams of soft dark sugar Zest of 1 lemon Juice and zest of 1 orange Half a teaspoonful of English mustard Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme 150 grams of redcurrants, stalks removed 1.8 – 2Kg bone-less joint of cooked gammon How to make it: Firstly, mix together the honey, sugar and lemon zest with the juice and zest of the orange. Next mix in the mustard, thyme leaves and redcurrant berries. Place the ham joint on a baking tray. Now slash the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern and rub in the glaze mixture with your hands, crushing some of the redcurrant berries as you go. Roast in a moderately hot oven at 190˚C (170˚C fan)/Gas Mark 5 for 30 minutes, basting the ham after 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Cut the ham into slices and serve with salad and buttered new potatoes. Simple, but delicious! Page 13 | August 2012

Awb ridge

If you would like your organisation/amenity in the directory, send your details to bertanddoris@btinternet.com

V I L L A G E