CotswoldLink
FREE
West Oxfordshire
Your
www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
|
Bi-Monthly Royal Mail distribution: 17,300 homes & businesses
November / December 2014
2
Your CotswoldLink
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
3
inside
Your CotswoldLink
18
21
Christmas 2014
We look at a number of festive events going on this Christmas across our local towns
Christmas Recipe How to make a fabulous Winter Bombe Pudding
18
16
08 New Businesses & Services book review 10 4 Legs & A Tale out & about 12 Seasonal events across our area local news: 15 New way-marker designs garden view: 16 Hedging Your Bets christmas: 16 Christmas Wreath Design astronomy 18 The Cotswold Sky new businesses
FEATURED
FEATURED
FEATURED
15
Winning Designs!
Elderly residents design waymarkers
16
18 We look at the moon christmas 20 Enjoy our family Christmas Quiz 20 events: Christmas 2014 events 21 recipe: Winter Pudding Bombe recipe link 22 cotswold Index 23 events Chipping Norton Theatre 23 events Charlbury Cinema astronomy: FEATURED
FEATURED
FEATURED
Welcome to the November - December issue Christmas has almost arrived and we look forward to the festive season with a number of exciting Christmas features for you. Pages 12, 16, 20 and 21 all feature Christmas events or Christmas themed activities. There really is so much to see and do this festive season. Don’t forget, if you have any local news or a story of interest then please submit them to editorial@jkanorth.com. 01609 777401 01609 779097 I’ll see you again in the New Year! cotswoldlink.co.uk Merry Christmas, Christine Campbell | Editor
4
Your CotswoldLink
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
5
The latest Cotswold News & Events: cotswoldlink.co.uk Don’t forget to visit our Facebook page too and Like Us for news and events! facebook.com/YourCotswoldLink
1/8 Page
1/4 Page
1/2 Page
£65.00!
£105.00!
£180.00!
from only
from only
More details: www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
6
Your CotswoldLink
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
from only
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
7
W E N businesses
s e c i v r e s & in & around our area
“New To The Area” is a new business feature specifically designed to help new businesses and those that are offering new businesses and services to promote themselves cost effectively. Businesses are invited to submit their adverts to this feature at the regular price (Advert sizes available:
Foot Health Business Expands! Based in Witney, Ramona has enjoyed great local support for her business and she is now looking to expand her practice to include the Cotswold towns and villages. Ramona is fully trained and is a member of the British Association of Foot Health Professionals, as well as being a member of the Accredited Register of Foot Health Practitioners. All aspects of foot care are dealt with in a courteous and prompt manner.
Prior to qualifying as a foot health professional, Ramona previously worked in healthcare so she is greatly experienced in working with the elderly. This has proved vital in establishing and building her business in and around Witney. Ramona’s advice is: Always attend to foot problems quickly, this will save you discomfort in the future! For more details call: 07884 318091 or email: ramona.gogolos@yahoo.co.uk
1/8 and ¼) and they will receive the equivalent space in complimentary editorial*. This editorial provides excellent business exposure to 17,300 homes and businesses and allows further explanation of the new business or services available. * Editorial must be supplied completed.
To feature within this section of the magazine please contact us on: 01609 777401 / 01609 779097 | christine@jkanorth.com
Residents asked to recycle more plastics this Christmas West Oxfordshire District Council is calling on residents to support a new national campaign to boost plastics recycling. Pledge 4 Plastics is a governmentbacked initiative that launched in October to get recycling back on the household agenda and, in particular, encourage people to recycle more of their waste plastics. Last year, 5bn plastic bottles alone were sent to UK landfill sites and the campaign is urging people to make a pledge to recycle at least one extra plastic bottle a week. Of around 12,000 tonnes of waste recycled in 2013-14, more than 10% was plastics. The weight of plastics recycled was just under 1,290 tonnes, although the amount would be much higher if measured in volume. Cllr Harvey said: “Although it can be bulky, plastic is lightweight so it takes a lot of it to create a tonne (which is around the weight of three compressed bales). We already re-
8
Your CotswoldLink
cycle huge amounts and have a very good overall recycling rate, but we continue to strive to push up recycling rates and are pleased to support the Pledge 4 Plastics campaign. The Pledge 4 Plastics campaign is giving away mobile phone covers, designed by interior designer Abigail Ahern of Channel 4’s ‘Get Your House in Order’ and made from 80 per cent recycled plastic bottles, to the first 1,000 people who make a pledge to recycle more plastics online throughout September at pledge4plastics. co.uk or tweet @pledge4plastics. Residents are reminded that plastics recycling is not just about recycling water and drinks bottles, it includes all types of plastic bottles, from every room in the house, ranging from shampoo bottles and shower gels to domestic bleach bottles and cooking oil. See www.westoxon.gov.uk/waste for details of recycling services. More information about the campaign is available at Pledge4Plastics.co.uk
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
NEW
Timber Teeth solve problems! All great ideas are simple answers to problems. Timber Teeth was born when Alan Morton was trying to cut logs of varying lengths and size for his wood burner. He tried various things to help him cut the logs, and considered going to the expense of a saw-horse. Then he had an idea. Alan drew up plans for what we now know as ‘Timber Teeth MK1’ – a quite chunky, bolted, toothed ‘V’ type set-up that would slip between the top timbers, or vice jaws as they’re called, of a Black and Decker Workmate® and offer a platform for cutting logs and timbers. This first attempt was quite unwieldy and not really a commercial proposition. So, a rethink was in order. Alan’s an engineer (this isn’t his first nifty idea), and when the design for Timber Teeth MK2 was finished, it was a bolt-free, strong, slender, 2-piece bracket set that instantly converts a Workmate into a sturdy saw-horse – offering a much safer cutting platform for a variety of logs, timbers and even plastic piping. Timber Teeth bites slightly into the timbers, securing them in place, the two point
design means the material being cut will never fidget or rock. Timber Teeth is made from 2.5mm steel and is very strong – offering a weight loading of over 40kg, and is available in green painted or galvanised finish. We’re still finding new uses for Timber Teeth and you’ll find it handy for all sorts of things, it really is a perfect DIY tool. Each year there are hundreds of serious cutting accidents through kneeling on workbenches to saw things up, Timber Teeth makes this process that much safer. Timber Teeth retails for just £20. With it being such a handy item to have around, can you afford not to have one?! To order yours visit: www.homelogging.co.uk or call 01993 701 016.
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
9
Four Legs & A Tale The story of equine Vet Alan Walker and an extraordinary family tradition going back more than 300 years. I have lived and worked in Hook Norton as a Veterinary Surgeon since 1981, and retired from full time Veterinary practice in 2006. In August 2010, my wife Diana and I moved to Chipping Norton and have found it to be a most warm, welcoming and active town. We have settled in and love the place. Working now as a consultant with my old practice in Hook Norton, I have been asked many times – what do you do to keep yourself occupied - you must be bored. Many people have also said to me – you should write a book. Well now it has been written, and it is Four Legs and a Tale that has been my main task and focus over the last few years. I do hope you may enjoy reading about the historical aspects of the veterinary world, the stories and characters who contribute so fully to life’s rich pageant. Horse racing has been very kind to me, and I have been fortunate enough to have worked with some magnificent horses and some talented top class trainers. But through it all the unsung heroes of racing are the jockeys. They put themselves at risk on a daily basis, and without them none of us involved would have a job. So it gives me great pleasure to donate part of the proceeds of this book to the Injured Jockeys Fund which helps the jockeys receive the best of treatment and rehabilitation in times of need, and can also provide valuable assistance in helping them pursue other careers when their racing days are over.
Four Legs & A Tale n Alan Walker The autobiography of equine vet Alan Walker For nine successive generations, father to son, the Walkers have served the same rural North Oxfordshire community as farriers and then vets since as long ago as the late 17th century. Sadly, Alan Walker is the last in this long, unbroken line. Neither of his two children will be continuing the 300-year-old family tradition started by John Walker (1674-1737), who lived and worked in Long Compton as a farrier, shoeing the coach horses that stopped off there at one or other of the four coaching inns located just north of the village, which had established itself as a major staging post on what was the main route from Oxford to the Midlands and the North of England. John’s son, grandson and great-grandson all became farriers while his greatgreat-grandson Joseph – Alan’s great-great-grandfather – was the first to call himself a vet. Continuing to be based in and around Long Compton, the Walkers all worked mainly with horses. Alan, the first to gain full formal RCVS qualification as a veterinary surgeon, went on to specialise in the treatment of racehorses, making his name with trainers such as Jenny and Mark Pitman, John and Paul Webber, John and Martin Bosley, John Upson, Peter Hiatt and Peter Pritchard. In Four Legs And A Tale Alan recalls the many great and often very colourful characters, both human and equine, that he has worked with over the years. He also traces the development of the family practice he inherited from his father, from its humble origins in a small, white, tin-roofed shed in the back yard of the old manor house in which he grew up into a modern veterinary hospital. In writing about the Walker family history, he also provides a fascinating insight into country life in rural England in the days when his grandfather and even his father still did their rounds of outlying farms in a pony and trap and mixed all their own potions, using herbs and plants they either grew themselves or collected from the fields and hedgerows. It is, in so many different ways, a uniquely enthralling story.
10
Your CotswoldLink
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
11
Out & About Community 12th November
n Charlbury Art Society’s November Meeting Professor Anthony Slinn will give an illustrated talk on Van Gogh. Visitors are very welcome at a fee of £3. There will be no Wednesday meeting in December because of the Christmas break, but watch out for January’s talk on Wednesday, January 14th. Meeting House, Market Street, Charlbury, at 7:30pm sharp www.charlburyarts.co.uk ........................................................
15th November
n The Chipping Norton Vintage Fair The Chipping Norton Vintage Fair is here! We used to be The Flea Market, but other than the name, nothing has changed! There will be the usual fabulous selection of stalls including Bric-a-brac, Vintage, Collectables & Antiques suitable for all tastes and pockets. The Chipping Norton Tea Set will be running the pop up tea room serving tea, coffee, homemade cakes and warming soup! For any other information please get in touch on email, chippingnortontease@ gmail.com or call 07967 833 979 www.facebook.com/thechippingnortonfleamarket ........................................................
15th November
n Live Cuban Salsa Music & Dance In association with the Charlbury Community Centre Appeal, Ran Kan Kan, the Oxford based Cuban Style Big Band, present an evening of live music & dance at The Memorial Hall. We start with a dance workshop at 6.30 to sharpen up your moves, led by an experienced teacher, and then the evening is yours to perfect your technique and enjoy the music. We also have a bar to slake the inevitable thirst. 6pm workshop followed by supper & dancing till 11.00pm.
12
Your CotswoldLink
Tickets £10 including light supper. To reserve tickets or for more details email: jimholah50@yahoo.co.uk ........................................................
22nd-23rd November
n Artweeks Christmas Open Studios in Charlbury 12-6pm. Ten Artists in Charlbury invite you into their Open Studios for some inspired Christmas Shopping. www.artweeks.org ........................................................
22nd November
n Christmas Craft Fayre A wonderful Christmas event, including Artisan Stalls, Hog Roast, Treasure Hunt, Face painting, Tombola, an amazing Secret Present room (Where you choose a gift for a loved one, from an amazing array, then have it wrapped for the big day by a team of helpers! There is also a fabulous Raffle and some lovely refreshments, and much more! 50 pence entry price, under 5 free The Kings School, New Yatt Road, Witney , OX29 6TA Contact telephone: 01993 77846 during school hours. Call to check latest times ........................................................
27th - 29th November
n CADS presents A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM ‘An enchanting (in every sense of the word) comedy. In the wood fairies rule but they themselves are quarrelling. Lovers flee there to escape from the restrictions of Athens and workmen come to get some peace to rehearse their play. When the fairy king tries to help sort out the lovers’ emotional problems everything goes horribly and hilariously wrong. In the end harmony is restored. This will be a fast moving physical comedy is suitable for everyone. Tickets: £9 Full price and £7 concessions Box Office: 01608 811 805 www.charlbury-drama.com The Memorial Hall, Browns Lane, Charlbury: 7.45pm ........................................................
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
Having an event?
Email us your event details to: events@jkanorth.com and we’ll publish it for you. Magazine distribution dates are on p22.
29th November
n Christmas Craft & Gift Fair Over 30 stalls selling beautiful and unique handcrafted items & other great Christmas gift ideas. Free admission & the café will be open. Perfect opportunity to pick up some great presents in time for Christmas then relax in the café with a hot drink & something to eat. Please come along and support our event. We look forward to seeing you there!! Carterton Community Centre www.cartertoncommunitycentre.com ........................................................
29th November
n Christmas Fair 10-4pm. Enjoy mulled wine, festive treats and some special Christmas shopping stalls showcasing handcrafted Christmas gift ideas by local artisans. Wychwood Wrought Iron 4 London Lane, Ascott-under-Wychwood www.wychwoodwroughtiron.com ........................................................
29th November
n Finstock Arts and Crafts Christmas Market & Fair Want that special gift or present? Just want to browse? Come and see the exhibition, display and sales at Finstock Arts and Crafts Christmas Fair with only local artists and crafts-people. Fabulous oil paintings of rural scenes and more; beautiful botanical paintings; cards; knitwear; sea crystals; weaving and dyeing (including demonstrations); seasonal cushions; bags and other items; jewellery; cakes; woodwork; local books and much more. Entrance fee just £2 per head. Tea, coffee and cakes all day. Finstock Village Hall: 10am - 4pm ........................................................
5th - 7th December
n Witney Christmas Market 3 days in the busy and vibrant setting of the award winning Woolgate Shopping Centre car park, the perfect spot for drawing in Christmas shoppers prepar-
ing for the big day. Based on last years’ experience there is certainly an appetite for a Christmas Market in Witney and we expect this event to be every bit as successful. Our Christmas market will include festive foods, mulled wine, jewellery, craft stalls, accessories and original Christmas gifts. Woolgate Shopping Centre Parking Area, Market Square, Witney OX28 6AP, Oxfordshire OX28 6AP ........................................................
13th December
n Shipton Charity Ball The charity we shall be supporting this year is the Lawrence Home Nursing Team which cares for terminally ill patients in their homes and is available to those living in Chipping Norton and the surrounding villages including the Wychwoods. The format remains as always: a bubbly reception, three-course meal, live music, and attractive raffle and auction prizes all for £40 per head. Please contact Sue Fitzpatrick: email:sueislost@aol.com, phone: 01993 830530 to reserve your places. We are keen to generate some interesting auction prizes for this very worthy and very local charity. Please contact me: peterhilling@fsmail.net, phone: 01993 830656 or Chris Fitzpatrick fitzp999@aol.com, phone: 01993 830530 if you can help. New Beaconsfield Hall, Church Path, Station Rd, Chipping Norton OX7 6BQ 01993 832216 ........................................................
14th December
n Advent Carol Service St Teresa’s Church, Fisher’s Lane: 3pm A service of Advent carols and readings followed by Mulled wine and mince pies and the Christmas Hamper Raffle Draw For more details: contact Madeleine Wheare 01608 810092 ........................................................
Please check all events before travelling, events correct at time of going to press and published in good faith.
Please note: the editors cannot be held responsible for any changes to events listed. Please contact event organisers directly. All events correct at time of going to press.
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
13
14
Your CotswoldLink
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
Winning designs mark the way for Eynsham Art Trail Designs by a group of older people are among those to be carved into way-markers for a new Art Trail celebrating Eynsham’s centuries-old Wharf Stream. Artists, schools and community groups from the Eynsham area were invited to submit designs to feature on the oak posts, which will be fitted at intervals along the newly-developed Wharf Stream Way trail. The winning designs have been chosen and come from members of Eynsham Day Centre along with artist Jane Tomlinson. Both the day centre and Jane, who lives in Eynsham, will each receive a ‘prize’ of £250. Work is now under way by Oxfordshire carver Rodas Irving to bring the images to life on the 5ft tall way-markers ready for them to be installed during autumn. The markers are part of a joint art project between West Oxfordshire District Council and Eynsham Parish Council to create a mile-long Art Trail linking east Eynsham to the River Thames and highlighting the history of the Wharf Stream, which was used for more than 600 years for freight carrying. Eynsham Day Centre produced drawings during their weekly meetings. They worked with local artist Alice Walker to develop their ideas, incorporating local wildlife and allotment inspired artwork, into simplified line drawings which could easily be carved into the wooden posts.
Bryan Duffield, 79, from the Day Centre said “I’ve always been a keen wildlife enthusiast and remember wading in ponds as a child. As I’ve grown older I’ve taken to visiting local nature reserves instead so I took my inspiration from local woodland animals.” Brightly painted A1-size information panels designed by Jane and another local artist, Lorna Marrison, have also been created and will soon be put in place at the start of the trail, in Swinford Green, and end, near the Wharf Stream. The panels depict not only the route and its fascinating history, but also some of the flora and fauna that can be seen along the way. The project has been funded by money secured by the District Council under planning rules from the developer of the 100-home Swinford Green development on the eastern edge of Eynsham, along with a grant from the Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE) It complements work by volunteers since 2006 to open up the Wharf Stream and has included gaining permissive rights for footpaths, installation of new entrance gates and new bridge installed by Oxfordshire County Council, seating along the trail and owl boxes as part of work to support and encourage wildlife. Cllr Warwick Robinson, the District Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for public art, said: “It is pleasing to see the community involvement and the designs for the way-markers are very fitting. This
Pictured from L-R: Standing: June Middleton (day centre helper), Joyce Hicks, Bryan Duffield and Alice Walker (artist) Seated: Len Ceril and Ken Hicks
project not only helps to recognise the heritage of Eynsham and its surrounding area, but also provides a route to be used by local residents and walkers for many years to come.” The way-markers will be carved from oak sourced from Eynsham Saw Mill. · It is hoped that the way-markers and information panels will be installed later this month, weather permitting. For more information about the project, call 01993 861562 or email heather.mcculloch@westoxon.gov. uk
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
15
Garden View Hedging Your Bets Ok, so it’s a terrible heading, but November is the perfect time for planting new hedges, and at this time of year it’s a very safe bet. Prior to the use of containerised plants (which can be planted at almost any time of the year) planting between November and March was a gardeners only option, and as far as the plants are concerned it’s still the best by far. When plants are dormant (asleep) they will hardly even notice being moved, and by spring when their new leaves emerge their roots will have already pushed through the surrounding soil in their new home. Hedges are often thought of as hard work, time consuming and have been at the centre of heated neighbourly debates (whether it’s cutting them too low or letting them grow too high). They are great for blocking out unsightly views, adding privacy, and also make a wonderful place for wildlife to live, rest and nest. For the past 3 years we’ve had a variety of birds nesting in our Yew hedge and the
addition of extra life in the garden always pleases me. If you’re looking for a quick solution to a green screen, then you have two options, either instant (such as a 2m high instant hedge, pre grown, trained and clipped, perfect for the impatient gardener), or Leylandii conifers. As I write this I can hear the screams, but it really is the best option for speed and it’s cost-effective. Do be aware that legally, as of a couple of years ago, you have to keep its growth contained to 2m high if on a boundary (this does not apply to any other species). For the more patient gardener, try the classic evergreen Yew hedging. Like most beautiful things in life, it’s more expensive to buy. It’s also slower growing (15-30cm per year), but does only require cutting once per year in September, and will provide you with the most beautiful hedge. I also favour the evergreen Portuguese laurel, which has a smaller leaf than the more common cherry laurel, or Beech if it doesn’t need to be evergreen.
For a smaller hedge it has to be Box, but alternatives include Lavender, Berberis, Lonicera, and for the perfect no-cut low hedge go for a small Hebe, (simply choose a variety which only grows to the height you actually want the hedge to grow to). Whichever hedge you choose, the ground preparation should be the same. For containerised, bare-root or root-balled hedges, dig out a trench which follows the line of the proposed hedge, this should be at least one and a half times wider and deeper than the rootball. Fork over the base of the trench and return some of the soil, so that when you plant the hedge it sits at the same level as previously planted (i.e. not too deep). Backfill with the removed soil, add a handful of bonemeal per plant, and dig in. Firm with your boot then water well before mulching with 5cm of compost, manure or bark clippings. Happy winter gardening Lee Bestall
A Festive Wreath Long before the introduction of central heating and other luxuries of the 21st century, people required greater faith that they would safely survive the harsh upcoming winter. One such symbolic display of this hope was the beautiful Christmas wreath. Now creeping back in fashion and available in a number of guises, they can be found hanging on doorways, both inside and out, as a centrepiece on a table, and even hung on walls as decorations. Although we may have lost the traditional reasoning behind displaying such garlands, I’m on a mission to bring them back … in whatever style suits your home. The word ‘wreath’ is linked to the word ‘wrist’, both words describing the form of a continuous circular shape. Fuse this with ‘wrethe’ from middle English (meaning a twisted band or ring of leaves) and you have the wreath as we know it today.
16
Your CotswoldLink
The circular shape is symbolic of eternity, or everlasting life because it has no beginning or end. In ancient Rome the symbol became a popular display of victory. From a Christian perspective it represents the unending circle of life, with the traditional Holly as the thorns on Jesus’ crown and the red berries as his blood. At this bleak time of year, it’s wonderful to use evergreens and other brightly coloured flowers, foliage, or fruits to adorn your wreath. The addition of expensive and rare fruits such as pomegranates, indicated wealth, but wreaths also included the display of pinecones, seashells and even imported products. Once the decorations had been taken down, the edible decorations would be eaten and the bounty of summer enjoyed in the depth of winter. Making your own wreath is fun and easy, and can vary from a simple and cheap evergreen circle to an elaborate bauble ring. For those who like a quick and easy option, simply buy a circle of oasis and soak it in tepid water, before sticking in sprigs of
evergreen foliage from the garden, flowers, berries, dried fruits, nuts, and bows. If you have more time why not make your own base by taking a ring of string wire and covering it in moss or hay, holding it in place using thinner gauge wire, then wiring in the foliage and decorations. Be aware though that holly wreaths are tricky and gloves should be worn! Merry Christmas. Lee Bestall
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
17
The
Cotswold Sky
Who said a comet is a ‘Dirty Snowball?’ Along with many other teachers I always taught my students to imagine a comet as a “Dirty Snow Ball”. During the next few months we will find out just how close to this description we were. On August 6th this year the spacecraft Rosetta, which was launched in March 2004, became the first manmade object to orbit a comet. On November 11th it will release its landing craft called Philae down to the surface of Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko (referred to as 67P). I do not know the reason why Remembrance Day has been selected for the landing but it may be because Rosetta is a European Space Agency (ESA) mission and the Nations of Europe are now at peace in comparison to 100 years ago.
The Shape
The first surprise of 67P is its unique shape and uneven surface. It could be that 2 comets have drifted together, in which case they will be referred to in astronomy circles as a “contact binary”. Should it be one singular comet then research will be needed to solve why the body of 67P is so badly eroded. Incredibly the uneven surface has produced jagged cliffs of 150 metres in height and all this is compacted into a mean diameter of 2.5 miles (4km). 67P spins at a rate of 12.3 hours; this is possibly caused by the jets of material originating from the comet. From this and other observations it is believed that 67P is active because a large outburst of material has been observed by camera equipment fitted to Rosetta. In addition its temperature some 550 million kms from the Sun was around 220 kelvin (-53 de-
Sky Diary
Mercury - looks good in the south east about 40 minutes before sunrise during the first week of November. Jupiter – very good for observing during the early mornings of November. However; by December Jupiter will be rising at around 20.30hours. Venus – Becomes visible in the evening sky towards the end of the year, but sets one hour after the Sun has set. Mars – Now fading but still observable with a good pair of binoculars. Will be setting by 19.20hours in December.
18
Your CotswoldLink
grees Celsius), although this is awfully cold to us on Earth it is 20/30 degrees higher than expected. At this point its speed was 55,000 kms per hour.
The Landing Area
Choosing a safe landing site has not been an easy task due to the surface being far from smooth. However; a prospective site has been chosen. Philae will take several hours to touch down and its batteries should last for 64 hours after which its solar cells will do the recharging.
The Mission
ESA believe that the mission will provide evidence into how comets change as they approach the Sun. There are 13 individual experiments from the results it is hoped to give us a better understanding of the early evolution of our planetary system. Some of these experiments include: - Analysis of the comet’s composition and atmosphere. - How the dust content, chemistry and plasma structure of the cometary coma changes as it orbits the Sun. - Details of mass loss. References: Professor Alan Fitzsimmons, Queens University Belfast Astronomy Now - www.esa.int/ESA Wishing All Readers A Happy and Joyous 2015 - John Harris Taurid meteor showers during the period 3rd to 13th November Leonid meteor showers occurs November 17th/18th Geminid meteor showers reach maximum on 13th December. A must view before midnight. Ursid meteor showers are very favourable for viewing on Christmas Eve. Winter Solstice occurs at 23.03hrs on December 21st. This is the shortest day when the Sun reaches its furthest point south and slowly but surely the nights will now become lighter. John Harris
I Give You the Moon It’s inspired songs, controls our tides and is Earth’s nearest neighbour, but how often do you actually look up at moon? Dark, clear, frosty winter nights might be the perfect time to start. Binoculars are a better place to start than telescopes because they are easier to handle for beginners. An ordinary pair of binoculars – available very cheaply – will do just fine initially. Astronomy at its most basic is about magnification and light-gathering power. Even a moderate form of power, like those provided by a pair of 7×50 binoculars, reveals 7 times as much information as the unaided eye can see. The moon is a great place to start for budding astronomers. If ultimately you want to see deep-sky objects inside our own Milky Way galaxy – or even outside the galaxy – you’ll want to avoid the full moon because its brightness interferes with our view of fainter objects. So you’ll need to watch the phases of the moon carefully. But the moon itself is a terrifically interesting target in its own right, and well worth studying properly before moving on. The best time to observe the moon is in twilight, when the glare of the moon is not so great and more detail is visible. It’s best to start moon-gazing when the moon is just past new (waxing), and visible as a slender crescent in the western sky after sunset. At such times you’ll have a beautiful view of earthshine on the moon. This eerie glow on the moon’s darkened portion is really light reflected from Earth on to the moon’s surface. Each month, as the moon goes through its regular phases, you can see the line of sunrise and sunset on the moon as it progresses across the moon’s face. This is the line between the day and night sides of the moon and is called the terminator line. The best place to study the moon from Earth is along this terminator line. The sun angle is very low in this twilight zone and this means the lunar features cast long shadows in sharp relief. You will also see grey areas on the moon. These are called maria, so named because early astronomers thought they were seas. In fact they are now thought to have formed 3.5 billion years ago when asteroid-sized rocks hit the moon so hard that lava percolated up through cracks in the lunar crust and flooded the impact basins. These lava plains cooled and eventually formed the grey areas we see today. The white highlands, nestled between the maria, are older and they are pockmarked by thousands of craters that have formed over millions of years. Some of the larger craters are visible through binoculars. One of them, Tycho, at the six o’clock position on the moon, emanates long swatches of white rays for hundreds of miles over the adjacent highlands. This is material kicked out during the Tycho impact 2.5 million years ago. So this winter, why not wrap up warm, get out and gaze up at the moon. It’s well worth the effort. By Tom Hancock
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
19
Family Christmas Quiz Relax and chill out, these assortment of questions are for the young and not so young. You may not even agree with all the answers but the quiz is for all of the family to take part and enjoy. Good Luck, Wishing All a Happy and Joyous Festive Season – John Harris
1. What song was the UK Christmas
21. What in the UK was traditionally
No. 1 in both 1975 and 1991? 2. What name is given to the 4 week period leading up to Christmas? 3. Who wrote the song White Christmas? 4. What colour is Father Christmas’ belt? 5. In which 2 Oceans can you find a Christmas Island? 6. Which English leader banned Christmas in 1647? 7. When do Christmas and New Year’s Day fall in the same year? 8. Where did turkeys originate from? 9. In the 17th Century Christmas cake was made to be eaten by what day? 10. The Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, London is an annual gift from which nation? 11. Who is said to have introduced the Christmas tree into the UK? 12. Born on Christmas Day in 1954, she had hits with such songs as “Walking on Broken Glass” and “No More I Love You”, what is her name? 13. In which year in The Queen’s Speech did the Queen refer to the past 12 months as “Annus Horribilus”? 14. What did Santa Claus win in 1964? 15. Which rock singer starred in the film “Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence”? 16. Which Welsh singer made her acting debut in the 2010 Doctor Who Christmas Special? 17. In which year was the Queen’s first TV Christmas message? 18. Which “Happy Days” actor starred in the 1979 movie “An American Christmas Carol”? 19. What alcoholic sauce is usually served with Christmas pudding? 20. Who created a Christmas pudding for Waitrose in 2010 with a whole orange inside?
mixed into the Christmas pudding to bring good luck to the recipient? 22. In what pantomime do Robin Hood and Maid Marion appear? 23. What phrase does the Giant in “Jack and the Beanstalk” use when he can smell Jack? 24. Who first recorded “Jingle Bell Rock” in 1957? 25. The following letters represent each of the words in the title of which carol “OIRDC” 26. Who was Mummy seen kissing in the famous Christmas song? 27. “O tidings of comfort and joy” are lyrics taken from which carol? 28. “Nadolig Hapus” means Happy Christmas in which language? 29. Good King Wenceslas was not actually a king but a duke, over which country was he duke? 30. Which country is the largest exporter of Christmas trees? 31. What was the name of Tiny Tim’s father in “A Christmas Carol”? 32. Which Nobel Prize winning author wrote King George V’s Christmas broadcast in 1932? 33. In Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” what is Scrooge’s first name? 34. One may have an “Aperitif” before the Christmas dinner, what does this mean in the original Latin? 35. Which English Victorian cook wrote the definitive Christmas cookbook? 36. Which Disney animation, based on a T.H.White book was first released on Christmas Day in 1963,telling the story of a young King Arthur. 37. What famous event took place on Christmas Day 1914? 38. Who was crowned King of England on December 25th 1066? 39. Who composed “The Christmas Oratorio”? 40. Which present did Harry Potter receive from Hagrid in his first Christmas at Hogwarts? Answers p22
Christmas
There’s so much to see and do around our Market towns this Christmas!
Moreton-in-Marsh
29th November - Christmas Market and Light Switch On Over 60 stalls from 9.00am Live entertainment from 10.00am Charity Stalls in Redesdale Hall Santas Grotto (after switch on) Carol Service 3.40pm Light Switch On 4.00pm Grand Draw - 1st prize £100 FREE PARKING in the Old Market Way car park
Stow-on-the-Wold 4th - 7th December - Festival Of Lights St Edwards Church Christmas Tree lit 5.30pm on 3rd December Children’s choir, entire square lit that evening See local press for future details
Bourton-on-the-Water
5th December - Late Night Christmas Shopping & Christmas Lights Switch On With the village ablaze with fairy lights, shoppers can meander through the streets absorbing the festive atmosphere. There is a plethora of gifts from which to choose and an excellent choice of cafes, pubs, and restaurants for food and refreshments. Lights Switch on: 6pm More details: www.bourtoninfo.com
Northleach
15th November - Christmas Shopping Event
Cotswold Hall, High Street, Northleach 10am - 4pm A local Christmas shopping event with a twist, to offer a selection of affordable, stylish gifts and products. Benefitting local children’s charities More details to follow, but please contact Kathryn Allison, kathryn@iprcommunications.co.uk with any queries.
Burford
30th November - Christmas Lights Switch On We have a whole afternoon of festivities planned!
Starting from 12 noon, we are collaborating with the Primary School to provide activities for the children, there will also be street entertainment, mulled wine and singing. Father Christmas will also be arriving in his sleigh in Burford and the children will be able to visit him in his grotto - the day will culminate with the lights going on at around 4.30pm. People can get further details from Gemma Finch (Burford Chamber of Trade) on 01993 822714
Charlbury
12th December - Late Night Christmas Shopping
Charlbury late night Christmas shopping is on Friday 12th December 6-8pm, why not come on down to the town centre and buy your Christmas gifts locally and enjoy the seasonal atmosphere, hope to see you all there.
20
Your CotswoldLink
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
2014
Winter Pudding Bombe Recipe
Ingredients Method 1 litre good-quality vanilla ice cream At Christmas, I think it's 1 kg panettone important to have some clever 125 ml vin santo cheats up your sleeve. Pud3 heaped tablespoons raspberry jam dings you can make ahead of 25 g shelled pistachios time then leave in the freezer 75 g tinned sour cherries, drained until needed are great. If you 40 g glacé clementines (or other glacé try and do everything on the fruit), thinly sliced day, you'll be dead on your feet 2 clementines, 1 peeled and sliced into come January and it won't rounds have felt like much of a holiday 200 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% at all. I see this dessert as a cocoa solids), bashed up sort of cross between a summer pudding and an arctic roll, so it hits a lot of those retro buttons. Because it's an assembly job, anybody at all can make this – so if you've got someone at your house that won't muck in because they say they can't cook, put them to work on this!
Chipping Norton
14th November - Christmas Shopping Evening In aid of the Chipping Norton Pre-School Chipping Norton Town Hall: 7.30 - 9.30pm For more details: 01608 643376
MASH and other retailers are extending their opening hours for late night Christmas Shopping.
Thursday 4th December - Late Night Shopping Evening Chipping Norton Singers, Hog Roast, Mulled Wine and various attractions. Shops hoping to extend opening hours every Thursday and Sunday in December.
Witney
15th November - The Cotswold Christmas Fair The Langdale Hall: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm | Free
29th November - Childrens Advent Fair
The Langdale Hall: 11 - 3pm Lots of activities for children, all free. Reindeer will be present!
Get your ice cream out of the freezer so it can soften a little while you get things ready. Line a 2 litre pudding bowl with 3 layers of cling film. Use a serrated knife to slice four 2cm thick rounds off of your panettone then cut them in half. You'll have some panettone left over, so keep this for another time. Arrange six of the slices in a single layer around the bowl and push them down if they overlap. Drizzle some Vin Santo around the sponge so it soaks in, then use the back of a spoon to smear the jam over the sponge. Add 1 tub of ice cream to the bowl and use the spoon to spread it around in a thick layer. Sprinkle in the pistachios, cherries and glacé fruit then layer the clementine slices on top. Add the other tub of ice cream. Spread it out, working quickly so the ice cream doesn't completely melt. Put the rest of the panettone slices on top of the ice cream, drizzle over some more Vin Santo then cover the bowl tightly with cling film. Press a plate down on top to press everything down, then freeze overnight, or longer. When you're ready to serve it, put the bashed-up chocolate in a bowl and get that over a pan of simmering water on a really low heat. Leave the chocolate to melt while you unwrap your amazing winter bombe and carefully turn it onto a beautiful serving dish. Add a few gratings of clementine zest to the chocolate and when it's nicely melted, pour it over the top so it oozes down the sides and looks delicious.
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
21
COTSW
FREE
You r
www.c otswo ldlink .co.uk
SHIRE XFORD WEST O
|
OLDL IN
Bi-Mo nthly Royal Mail distrib ution: 15,200 homes &
INK L D L O COTSW SWOLDLINK COT July /
Your
co.uk ldlink. otswo
|
August
2014
July /
K
Augu
st 20
There are
thousands
14
E WEST OXFORDSHIR
s inesse es & bus 300 hom n: 17, tributio Mail dis Royal nthly Bi-Mo
FREE
WNES ORT T OHXF COTS RDW SHOIR LDES
busine sses
Your
k.co.uk www.cotswoldlin
|
Mail Bi-Monthly Royal
homes distribution: 17,300
& businesses
r 2014 September / Octobe
North Cotswolds
of reasons to advertise with us...
15,200 homes & businesses
£65.00!
Blockley
Moretonin-Marsh
Little Compton Evenlode
Longborough Condicote
Oddington Broadwell
Winchcombe
Stow-onthe-Wold
Great Rollright Little Rollright Over Norton
Chipping Norton Cornwell
Christine
Lidstone
Icomb
Bourton-onthe-Water
Dwight
1/4 Page from only
£105.00!
Heythrop
KinghamChurchill Dean Sarsden Naunton Chadlington Wyck Bledington Taston Lower Slaughter Whittington Rissington Church Greenend Spelsbury Westcote Shorthampton Nether Westcote Notgrove 01609 777401 Shipton-underIdbury Little Dowdeswell Andoversford Wychwood Chilson Rissington 07742 595747 Fifield Shipton Milton-under- Ascott-underClapton-on-the-Hill Great Fawler Wychwood christine@jkanorth.com Wychwood Turkdean Rissington Compton Finstock Abdale Langley Ramsden Great Withington Leafield Barrington Fulbrook Taynton Hailey Asthall Windrush Little Leigh Eastington Swinbrook 01609 779097 Barrington Crawley Chedworth Asthall dwight@jkanorth.com Minster Lovell Coln St Dennis www.jkanorth.com Witney Bradwell Village Aldsworth Upper Slaughter
West Oxfordshire January / February 2015
from only
Aston Magna
Bourton-on-the-Hill
Next issues
1/8 Page
Charlbury
1/2 Page from only
£180.00!
Northleach
Burford
Elspeth
Nicola
01904 709462 elspeth@jkanorth.com
01423 500818 nicola@jkanorth.com
Index
Builders & Contractors CN Glass: p7 Cotswold Stoves & Chimneys: p6 Eynsham Park Sawmill: p15 Hilltop Joinery: p7 JA Shirley Building Services: p6 Prior Products: p3 The 50 Plus: p11 Children’s Services Cotswold Tutor: p10 Chimney Services Cotswold Stoves & Chimneys: p6 Mr Sweep Chimney Services: p17 Cleaning Services The Laundry: p19 Dentist Cirencester Dental Practice: p3 Education Burford School: p1 Cotswold Tutor: p10 Elderly Services Guideposts Trust: p9 The Langston Care Home: p19 Electrical Services Cotswold Aerials: p19 Mayday Aerials: p7 Entertainment Cotswold Falconry: p13
Shilton
Brize Norton
Carterton
Ramona Gogolos Foot Health Professional: p8 Heating Cotswold Oil & Gas Services: p17 Cotswold Stoves & Chimneys: p6 Fosse Fires: p1 Gas & Oil Heating Services: p6 Heat Store: p24 Wayne Sealey Plumbing: p17 Hire Cotswold Tool & Plant Hire: p17 Fosseway Tool Hire: p17 Home & Interiors Cotswold Stoves & Chimneys: p6 Cotswold Frames: p7 Cottonwood Interiors: p3 Fosse Fires: p1 Heat Store: p24 Phil Dadge: p6 Sewing Tuition: p10 West End Sewing Centre: p10 Laundry The Laundry: p19 Pets & Animals Dial A Dog Wash: p4 Property Maintenance CN Glass: p7 Cotswold Oil & Gas Services: p17
...............................................................
North Cotswolds January / February 2015
Distribution: w/c 5th & 12th Jan ‘15 Copy: 12th Dec ‘14
Full Colour, High Quality Publications
Royal Mail delivered FREE Index Service Free Advert Design
West Oxfordshire
17,300 homes & businesses
Stow Scottish Dance Group: p12 Events Hilltop Garden Centre: p14 ROSY Christmas Fair: p12 Swan at Ascott: p5 Wychwood Wrought Iron Christmas Fair: p13 Food & Drink Chipping Norton Tea Set: p13 FWP Matthews: p24 Lamb Inn: p11 Tatty Bunting: p2 Wiltshire Farm Foods: p11 Furniture Cottonwood Interiors: p3 Phil Dadge: p6 Gardening & Hard Landscaping Beechdale Ltd: p9 Cotswold Tool & Plant Hire: p17 Gifts Cotswold Falconry: p13 Cotswold Frames: p7 FWP Matthews: p24 Hilltop Garden Centre: p14 Yellow Hat Tribe: p1 Hair & Beauty Sinead Doyle Beauty Therapist: p4 Healthcare & Wellbeing Breakspeare Clinic: p24 Cirencester Dental Practice: p3
Distribution: w/c 5th & 12th Jan ‘15 Copy: 12th Dec ‘14
Cotswold Stoves & Chimneys: p6 Gas & Oil Heating Services: p6 Hilltop Joinery: p7 JA Shirley Building Services: p6 Mr Sweep Chimney Services: p17 Prior Products: p3 The 50 Plus: p11 Wayne Sealey Plumbing: p17 Recruitment Nurse Plus: p11 Sewing Sewing Tuition: p10 West End Sewing Centre: p10 Sound & Vision Cotswold Aerials: p19 Mayday Aerials: p7 Sports & Leisure Cotswold Riding: p4 Stow Scottish Dance Group: p12 TY Cycles: p12 Tree Surgery Russell Nicholls Tree Services: p17 Tuition Cotswold Tutor: p10 Sewing Tuition: p10 Windows CN Glass: p7 Prior Products: p3
Christmas Quiz Answers 1. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen 2. Advent 3. Irving Berlin 4. Black 5. Indian and Pacific Oceans 6. Oliver Cromwell 7. Every Year 8. North America 9. Twelfth Night 10. Norway 11. Prince Albert 12. Annie Lennox 13. 1992 14. The Epsom Derby 15. David Bowie 16. Katherine Jenkins 17. 1957 18. Henry Winkler 19. Brandy Sauce 20. Heston Blumenthal 21. A coin, normally a sixpenny piece 22. Babes in the Wood 23. Fe Fi Fo Fum, I Smell the Blood of an Englishman 24. Chuck Berry 25. Once In Royal David’s City 26. Santa Claus 27. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 28. Welsh 29. Bohemia 30. Canada 31. Bob Cratchitt 32. Rudyard Kipling 33. Ebenezer 34. To start 35. Mrs Beeton 36. The Sword and the Stone 37. British Soldiers played German Soldiers in a football match in “No Man’s Land” 38. William the Conqueror 39. J S Bach 40. A rough cut wooden flute
The Index is a free service offered to our customers. No responsibility can be held for errors or omissions. Multiple entries included on a space available basis
22
Your CotswoldLink
Please mention Your CotswoldLink when contacting any of our advertisers
What’s On @ Box Office: 01608 642350
Many more events at
chippingnortontheatre.com
www.chippingnortontheatre.com
Friday 28th November, 7.30pm
THE RIOT CLUB
Lone Scherfig Adapted from the hit West-end Play Posh, and set amongst the privileged elite of Oxford University, The Riot Club follows Miles (Max Irons) and Alistair (Sam Claflin), two first year students determined to join the infamous Riot Club. In this elite group, where reputations can be made or destroyed over the course of a single evening, drama, politics and the follies of youth are played out. From the director of An Education. Adults £8 Under 16s £6A £1 booking fee is included in all ticket prices, unless otherwise stated.
Monday 1st December, 7.45pm
MARCUS BRIGSTOCKE: JE M’ACCUSE – I Am Marcus
Podium dancer, oil rig worker, food addict, musical theatre enthusiast, posh, eco-hypocrite, x-Goth, muppet fan, award winning comedian and chief beverages operator at the Little Chef – screw politics! Let’s talk about me. All Tickets £16 A £1 booking fee is included in all ticket prices, unless otherwise stated. Suitable for ages 14+
Monday 8th December - Monday 29th December
PETE COLLINS
The Owen Mumford Gallery - Pete Collins is a painter, printmaker & mixed media artist. His works are inspired by the landscape (the coast and local areas) and cultural iconography. The works on show are a collective of new works and some produced over the past 3 years. Pete has exhibited in London, Brighton, Bristol as well as various other venues in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire. Pete is also qualified as a lecturer and teaches drawing, printing and art history to students. FREE - No need to book, just turn up. A £1 booking fee is included in all ticket prices, unless otherwise stated.
Monday 15th December, 7.30pm
GONE GIRL
David Fincher With his wife’s disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it’s suspected that he may not be innocent. Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike star in this gripping drama from the master of the dark thriller, David Fincher (The Social Network, Fight Club) and based on the international bestseller. Suspense, surprise and great cinematography. Adults £8 Under 16s £6. A £1 booking fee is included in all ticket prices, unless otherwise stated.
Fantastic Films & Music in Charlbury All our films and live performances are held in the Memorial Hall, Browns Lane, Charlbury. Refreshments: please be aware that the bar is an essential part of the financial viability of many of our events. These are not BYOB occasions, and we ask our audience to respect this. Our bar opens 45 minutes before the film. Many people come early to meet with friends and have a drink together. ChOC is a sociable occasion as well as an entertainment -and sometimes a cultural event.
Live entertainments are booked further ahead. For information about our films, or about ChOC generally, email the secretary, Jon Carpenter, at secretary@chocfilms. info For information about ChOClive email the coordinator, Jackie Hague, at: jackie@chocfilms.info Full details: www.chocfilms.info
Sunday November 9th Philomena (2013)
(Cert 12A, 1hr 35min) This controversial film set in Southern Ireland in the 1950s is based on a true story, recounted in Martin Sixsmith’s novel. Philomena, an unwed mother (played by Judi Dench) is sent to work in a convent and forced to endure the non-consensual adoption of her baby son who is sold to an American couple. This profoundly moving film (starring Steve Coogan as the journalist Sixsmith) takes you on an emotional journey of unexpected twists and turns with glimpses of the American political system, homosexual relationships and AIDS. The New York Observer gave the film a glowing review and named it the Best Film of 2013. MORE FILMS ONLINE: chocfilms.info
Advertising - contact Christine: 01609 777401 or Dwight: 01609 779097 | www.cotswoldlink.co.uk
Your CotswoldLink
23
www.cotswoldlink.co.uk