Grapevine December/January 2014/15 by sara-jane morley

GR A PEV INE THE

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014/15 EDITION 289

Church Fete in Lewknor in about 1920. Martin Thurburn was the Vicar at the time and his wife, Elsie and daughters are in the photo.

NEWS FROM THE PARISH It’s Christmas! Yes, I know I’m writing this in November but I don’t care. The Tree Barn is open so that’s good enough for me! Last Saturday was the quiz up at Jubilee Hall with our resident compere, Ray Nicholson. A total of £500 was raised for Krakatoa and the school, the winning team being Seven Deadly Sins. Well done! There are plenty of things coming up in December and January, including the Carol Concert at St. Margaret’s on 12th December (see page 7), carols at Town Farm on 19th December (both events are with the Festival Choir), and a Winter Wonderland Disco for the youngsters in January on 31st (see page 6).

So, the end of another eventful year in Lewknor. I’d just like to wish all Lewknorians a Happy Christmas and a hale and hearty 2015. And, as usual, I’ve not followed my own advice and haven’t got my spring bulbs in yet... SCHOOL ADMISSIONS for 3-4 year olds If your child was born between 1st September 2010 and 31st August 2011, you need to apply for a primary school place now. You must still apply even if your child already attends a nursery attached to a school. Closing date is 15th January 2015. www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/admissions

FROM THE EDITOR

If you have any suggestions, or would like to write a regular column, submit a piece to be included in the next edition or have a local photograph new or old, please contact Sara-Jane on the new Grapevine email address: grapevinemagazine@hotmail.com.

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

DEFIBRILLATOR NEWS Exciting news is that the Leathern Bottle cabinet is in place, and has been registered with the South Central Ambulance Service. This means that when someone nearby calls 999 they are able to tell them where their nearest cabinet is, and the code to open the it. As Martin Fagan from the Community Heartbeat Trust explained at the awareness session many of you attended, resuscitation should not be stopped at any time. The defibrillator is there to help, not to replace CPR or the ambulance. ALWAYS call 999 first. There is lots of information on the Community Heartbeat Trust’s website, so do take a moment to look, it really does answer a lot of questions. We shall also try to schedule another awareness session, hopefully with Martin again. England’s Rose in Postcombe, will have the other cabinet positioned in the next two weeks, and will be registered with the ambulance service as well. Everyone who has helped fund raise, and all the residents who have donated should feel immensely proud. The website for the Trust is; www.communityheartbeat.org.uk

NEWS FROM ST. MARGARETS Having collected the questionnaires that were put round the village about the future of St Margaret’s, there appears to be some confusion about the proposed use of the church and the village hall. The church is first and foremost a place of worship, and whatever changes are made in the future, it will remain as such. The proposed changes will be to add a kitchen in the bottom of the belfry, and a WC in the space on the left hand side as you go through the door. A mezzanine floor will be put in so that the bells can still be rung. The pews will be replaced by stackable upholstered chairs to make it more comfortable. The kneelers will be hung on the back of the chairs.

The school proposes to use the space for some teaching and a place for the children to sit comfortably to eat their dinner, and is a government requirement for the school to provide. Should there be a need for the church to be used for a funeral, or a midweek wedding, the school will make way to allow the church to be used. Secondly, the hall is being used on a very regular basis. Krakatoa use the hall every morning, and have indicated that they would like to use it in the afternoons as well. Currently, this is not an option because the school needs to use it in the afternoons. There is a yoga class every Tuesday evening, a dog/puppy training class every Wednesday evening, and newly started, a martial arts class every Thursday evening. Weekends are usually also busy with dog shows, parties, cricket and various other activities. This will remain the case for the foreseeable future. Therefore the church and the hall will not be in competition for bookings. It is not the intention of the PCC to advertise the space for outside hire. However, the space will be available for use by the local community, be that for coffee mornings, breakfast clubs for school, or other after school activities. It is not too late to fill in the questionnaire and put it through my door, but time is of the essence. Make sure your voice is heard. The church has to move forward from its current position otherwise IT WILL CLOSE. The PCC would rather that did not happen.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY QUALIFIED FEMALE GARDENER KNOWLEDGEABLE GARDENING SERVICE INCLUDING PLANT CARE ADVICE, PLANTING PLANS, SEASONAL PRUNING, GARDEN MAINTENANCE PHONE: 01844 354097 / 07977 853522 EMAIL: BESGARDENING@TALKTALK.NET

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

Raise free donations for   Lewknor C of E Primary School when  you shop online this Christmas. Please join us at: easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/friendsoflewknorschoolfols  It’s so simple and won’t cost you a penny.

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

BOOK CLUB AT LEWKNOR

individuals in his story, the British Ambassador, Sir Samuel Hoare, who was known as ‘the pink rat’ or’ Slippery Sam’. Sir Samuel would certainly not have enjoyed Sansom’s depiction of him.

WINTER IN MADRID C. J. SANSOM

Our second book was The Lie by Helen Dunmore set after another war, the First World War, which we seem to have heard (and seen) so much about this year. The story follows a very young man who is still suffering from the effects of his war time experience of trench fighting on the Somme. Unemployed, he has ended up squatting in the garden of an isolated cottage of an elderly woman who is in poor health. Daniel looks after her tending her small holding, doing her shopping and cooking. Because she is adamant she doesn’t want either the doctor or to go to hospital, Daniel accedes to her wishes and when she dies he buries her on the hillside above the cottage. He tells noone even though he has the opportunity to do so to the sister of his childhood friend, Frederick, who would have been sympathetic and supportive. This is the basis of ‘the lie’ and everything that subsequently happens is a consequence of this.

The book we read in October was Winter in Madrid by C. J. Sansom set in Southern Europe in the early years of the Second World War in neutral Spain. It proved to be a complete contrast to Sansom’s previous novels of Tudor England and concerns three men who meet initially as boarders at public school in the 1920s whose subsequent careers follow very different paths. It begins with Barrie Piper at the Battle of Jarama during the Spanish Civil War but immediately switches to Harry Brett invalided out of the army after Dunkirk in1940. It is Harry the reader then follows as he is recruited by British Intelligence to go to the Embassy in Madrid, ostensibly as an interpreter but in reality to spy on the third friend, Sandy Forsyth, whose entrepreneurial activities are causing concern to the Allies who desperately need to keep Spain out of the war. The woman who links all three men is Barbara Clare who met Barrie in Madrid during the Civil War when they become lovers. After Barrie is reported missing presumed dead, Barbara stays on in Spain working for the Red Cross. She meets Sandy and goes with him to Madrid where he introduces her as his wife to his friends and acquaintances in the Spanish Government. The plot develops into two main strands; Harry’s efforts to discover precisely whether Sandy’s gold –mining enterprise will provide Spain with valuable financial reserves which might lead to Franco abandoning his neutral stand and joining the Axis Powers in the War, and Barbara’s efforts to discover if Barrie is alive and to help him escape if he is a prisoner of war. Sansom tells the story well but we disagreed with the view of some reviewers that his writing can be compared with Hemingway and Graham Greene. Winter in Madrid is more like the earlier John le Carré or Len Deighton novels. Like these, the final chapters come as a complete surprise and the book is worth reading for them alone. What the book did provoke was the knowledge that no one in our group had any real knowledge of either the Spanish Civil War or Spain’s role in the Second World War. Sansom includes real

The story is much more than this and Dunmore very skillfully takes us back in to the past of Daniel’s and Frederick’s boyhood, their differing schooling and social circumstances, and their experiences in the war where they meet as Tommy and officer, and weaves the present events with this experience. Her descriptions of life and death of men in the war are among the best we have read, harrowing, frightening and tragic images which stay will stay in the mind when, perhaps, that of the Poppies at the Tower will have faded. Our next book is David Lodge’s novel, A Man Of Parts. Elan Preston-Whyte. Tel. 01844 350 382.

JACK GORDON DECORATING ALL TYPES OF DECORATING UNDERTAKEN INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR LARGE OR SMALL Ring or email for a free quote: jackgordon44@aol.com 07590 517 444

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

NEW PARISH COUNCILLOR As detailed in last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grapevine, there is a vacancy on the Parish Council at the moment. It would be great to welcome someone from either South Weston or Postcombe, as we have only one Councillor from Postcombe at the present. However do feel free to come along to the next meeting on Monday 8th December, or please do get in touch with Caroline Hjorth on 352720 or Barbara, Clerk to the Council at lewknorparish@hotmail.co.uk for more information

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

FOOD AND DRINK

WITH CATHERINE GALLACHER

A CLASSY CLASSIC.

on a plate on a couple of sheets of folded kitchen paper. Put them uncovered in the fridge until you are ready to use them - the cold air helps to dry them out. The next thing you need to worry about is spuds for your frites, also best bought ahead of time since, as potatoes age, they lose water which is the ideal condition for perfect chips. The best by far for chips are Maris Piper, for flavour and firmness, and you should keep them in a cool, dark place for up to a week before using them.

I am pretty sure that if we took a straw poll, many of us would rate steak and chips in our top ten favourite meals (sorry Ed and other veggies). It has the twofold appeal of being both really, really tasty and pretty straightforward to cook. After years of experimenting, this is the method we favour in our house and it really works! This recipe starts before you even get near the kitchen with the choosing of the meat. Although you could use veal or venison steaks, we tend to stick to good old beef. It is important to use the right cut of steak for you. Fillet is the most expensive at around £40 a kilo (more for dry-aged or speciality breeds, organic etc.) but that’s still pretty good value once you take into account the fact that there is no waste at all. Fillet is the cut for you if you like your meat soft, tender and free of any kind of fat or gristle. The mediumrange cuts are sirloin and rib-eye, coming in at £25-£30 a kilo. Rib-eye is not a favourite of mine due to the big lump of fat in the middle; I already have one of those on the sofa...! Sirloin is lovely and lean with plenty of flavour as it is a much harder-working muscle than the fillet but should have a good marbling of fat for extra flavour. Rump is the butchers’ choice as it is full of flavour and, treated correctly, lovely and tender. It is also very well priced at around £20 a kilo. In this country, we are finally cottoning on to the cheaper cuts that the French have always used - bavette is now even sold in Waitrose and I have seen Onglet on local restaurant menus, as well as flat-iron steak. These are bursting with flavour but need to be either flash-fried and served very rare or braised for hours so they can be tricky to get right, but well worth the effort! Whether you choose to buy from the butcher or a supermarket, it is best to look for meat that has been aged as the flavour gets fuller over time. As soon as you get them home, remove the steaks from all packaging and put them

OK, it’s steak-frites day. The first thing to do is remove your steaks from the fridge, preferably a good hour before starting to cook. This prevents the muscle from “tensing” with the shock of going from cold fridge to hot pan, which makes meat tough. Leave it in a warm room away from badlybehaved dogs and sneaky cats. Meanwhile, peel and chip your spuds. Thickness of chips is a very personal thing so go with whatever you like best! have a large bowl or sink of water handy to plop them in once they are cut as this prevents discolouration and also washes off the starch. When you are ready to cook them, give them a good old rinse then dry them with an old towel. When you think they are bone dry, dry them again. And then again! You now need to put your chip pan on the heat until the oil is medium-hot and a chip sizzles when it is placed into it. The aim of this first frying is to soften and cook the chips without colouring them so if they start to go brown, or if the oil starts to smoke, your oil is too hot! The Greeks have the highest rate of chip-eating of any European country yet one of the lowest rates of heart disease. This is almost certainly down to the fact that they only ever fry them in olive oil so I highly recommend you do the same. Olive oil frying has the added benefit of not leaving your house reeking like a chipper! As well as making the tastiest chips... Your chips will bubble along nicely for about 15 minutes so you can use this time to prep your steak. Take your cooking vessel (I use a cast-iron griddle but up to you) and place it on maximum heat. It needs to be properly, properly hot to get your steak all crusty and brown. At this point, you should probably lift out the chip-basket and leave it out of the way whilst you see to the steak. Drizzle a little olive oil over the exposed side of the steak, rub it in then season generously with plenty of salt and freshly-milled black pepper. When your pan is hotter than the surface of the sun (well, almost) you can lay the steak, oiled and seasoned side down, gently in. CONTINUED PAGE 12

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15 THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

NEEDLES AND PINS

WITH ALISON SWAIN

So Christmas is almost upon us again and I have been looking back to see what I wrote in this column last year – just to be sure I don’t start repeating myself! Home-made gifts for Christmas or any occasion are always much appreciated, showing someone that you have really put some thought and effort into their present. However we all seem to have so little free time nowadays so it’s not easy to find the right project. One craft that I have been doing recently is making some small items in crochet. The emphasis here is on the ‘small’ as this is a craft technique I have only recently mastered. Having always done all sorts of other needlecrafts, this was one that I just could never get the hang of. However thanks to today’s online technology my problem has been solved – more of that in a minute! I also bought a book that I can firmly recommend called ‘Crochet for the absolute beginner’ by Pauline Turner. She is a real expert who I happened by chance to hear being interviewed on the radio about crochet – she evens runs an international Diploma course in it! I won’t begin to try and explain how to do crochet here, but I can tell you more about the joys of doing it. Firstly it requires very few materials – literally just a hook and some yarn. The range of wools and threads you can use are extensive allowing you to make all sorts of clothes, and household items in anything through from chunky wools to fine lacy work. Once you get the hang of it crochet is also very quick to grow. This is great for those who like to see fast results. So, how to do it? Well I just bought a single ball of yarn and a hook and sat down to follow some great videos on YouTube. With this method you can really take your time in following the lesson and pause or replay whenever you like. One video that I found particularly good and easy to follow was this link which shows you how to make a granny square: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npIsh-o9AM0 The so called granny square is a really good place to start and of course, as you make more of them you can then join them together to make perhaps a cushion cover or more ambitiously a blanket! The square one in

the photo is about 3” in size. I have made 16 of them which I am joining together, before stitching onto a piece of backing fabric to make a cushion cover. The round one is almost the same pattern and was made with the help of the book I mentioned. This could be a decorative mat for a table or dressing table, perhaps make a set of three. In addition to all the above it is said that crochet is a wonderful way of relieving stress because of its’ simple repetitive actions and the focus on colours and designs, allowing the mind to be freed up from all the pressure and demands of a busy lifestyle. Plus you can take it anywhere – a hook and thread can be easily kept in a bag or a pocket to whip out and do the odd square when you’re kept waiting somewhere. Crochet is a growing trend and sociable too – people will always comment if they see someone making something by hand, so why not join in.

NEED HELP WITH YOUR COMPUTER? • • • • •

Using the internet Setting up email Buying and selling on Ebay Downloading your digital photos Word-processing, spreadsheets, etc For affordable, one-to-one tuition in your home, call Sharene on 08711 296 454

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

Results from village survey on the future of St Margaret’s Church

In September this year questionnaires regarding the future of the village church were distributed to all households in Lewknor, seeking people’s views and ideas on the way forward for the church during the next 10 years. This report details the results of that survey only and does not confirm what changes / developments may or may not take place. This will be the subject of ongoing/future discussions by the PCC. The PCC would like to thank everyone for their time in completing this and for all the suggestions made and ideas. These will all be carefully considered in the forthcoming discussions over the next few months. Any new ideas or comments can be made at any time so if you think of anything please just let a member of the PCC know. A total of 35 questionnaires were returned from the approximate 180 that were delivered. This is just less than 20% returned. The responses were representative of a total of 93 people, being 41 males and 52 females. However the results for the questions do not always add up to 93 as some sections were sometimes left blank The graph below shows the distribution of age groups of those who responded, with the biggest group of responders being in the age range of 31 to 59 years.

Males Females

! Just over half of the responders were of working age with the remainder being split between young people and the retired.

! Questionnaires returned were from across 13 different postcodes. More were returned from 2 postcodes in particular – these were OX49 5TP – 5 returned and OX49 5TS – 6 returned. Views were sought regarding various groups using the church in the event that the interior was upgraded (e.g. heating and lighting) and new facilities installed such as a kitchen, wc etc. The graph below displays those results, with the majority of replies being in favour of such groups using the church. The most popular ideas were the proposals for village tea/coffee mornings and for concerts.

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

I like my steak still mooing but it is a personal choice so do it to your liking. It is best to not keep flipping, just let the first side get lovely and crusty for a couple of minutes. Take your oil and oil and season the uppermost side of steak then flip her over and cook the other side to your liking. Meanwhile, put a plate in a very low oven, about 60ish, ready to receive the meaty delights. As soon as they are cooked, place them on the plate in your low oven for a minimum of ten minutes. Whilst the steak rests, make your dressed salad, get out the mayonnaise, mustard and whatever else you love with steak and chips. I like to heat some garlicky butter to pour

onto my steak but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell the quack! Once everything is absolutely ready, put your chip oil back on the heat and turn up the heat. once piping hot lower the basket of chips back in until they are crispy and golden. Plate up, pour a glass of red and tuck in. Yummers! Wine recommendations for steak and chips are easy... Champagne (the best you can stretch to) whilst cooking is a must. Then a good red for your steak; new world fans will be delighted by the Argentinian Finca Flichman reserve Shiraz now on offer in Waitrose at ÂŁ5.99. Ripe and packing a real punch, it is a real winner. Cheers!

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

LEWKNOR PARISH COUNCIL www.lewknor-pc.org.uk

RECENT LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS BELOW ARE THE PLANNING APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL AND THEIR CURRENT STATUS:

P14/S3187/O FIELD FARM, SHIRBURN ROAD, LEWKNOR ERECTION OF 3 AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS P14/S3439/HH ADWELL FARM COTTAGE, BOX TREET LANE, POSTCOMBE CONSTRUCTION OF DORMER WINDOW ON REAR ELEVATION P14/S3573/FUL MEYNELL (FORMERLY FIELD FARM BUNGALOW), SHIRBURN ROAD, LEWKNOR RENOVATION AND RESTORATION OF UNSOUND WALLS AND ENLARGEMENT OF DWELLING TO CREATE A FOUR BEDROOM HOUSE WITH TRIPLE GARAGE AND ACCESS.

TO VIEW THE FULL PLANNING REGISTER GO TO: www.southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/planning-and-building/find-application/planning-application-register

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

INTERIOR

AND EXTERIOR DECORATOR

Providing exceptional customer service since 1974

MOTs : TYRES : SERVICES : REPAIRS LOAN CARS : LIFTS & COLLECTIONS

01844 278177 Camp Industrial , Rycote Lane, Milton Common, Oxon, OX9 2NP

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

SPOT THE 12 DIFFERENCES AND COLOUR THE TREE!

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

Visit us at: The High Street Lewknor Oxfordshire OX49 5TN 01844 350350 fabricfields@aol.com Opening hours: Tuesday - Friday 9.30am - 4.30pm Saturday 9.30am - 1.30pm

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

St. Mary Magdalen Church, Stoke Talmage

Carols by Candlelight Monday, 22nd December at 7.30 p.m. EVERYONE WELCOME Christmas wreaths for sale in the porch from 1st December

Latest Recommended Posting Dates for Christmas 2014 International Economy (formerly known as Surface Mail)

BANK HOLIDAY REFUSE COLLECTION CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR 2014/15

Date

Destination

Monday 29 September

Africa, Asia, Australia, Caribbean, Central & South America, New Zealand

Tuesday 30 September

Far and Middle East (except Hong Kong and Singapore)

Tuesday 14 October

Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, USA

Tuesday 4 November

Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Turkey

Tuesday 18 November

Western Europe

NORMAL DAY

TUES 30 DECEMBER WEDS 31 DECEMBER TUES 6 JANUARY

International Standard (formerly Airmail) and all International Tracking and Signature services

REVISED DAY

WEDS 7 JANUARY

(formerly Airsure® and International Signed For®) Date

Destination

Wednesday 3 December

Asia, Far East (including Japan), New Zealand

Thursday 4 December

Australia

Friday 5 December

Africa, Caribbean, Central & South America, Middle East

Monday 8 December

Cyprus, Eastern Europe, Greece

Tuesday 9 December

Canada, Poland

Friday 12 December

USA

Saturday 13 December

Western Europe (excluding Greece, Poland)

Divorce • Conveyancing • Probate • Wills

International Standard HM Forces Mail - British Forces Post Office® (BFPO) Date

Destination

Friday 28 November

Operational BFPOs

Friday 12 December

Static BFPOs

Service ®

Thursday 18 December

2nd Class and Royal Mail Signed For

Saturday 20 December

1st Class and Royal Mail Signed For®

Tuesday 23 December

Contact your local solicitor for a friendly and efficient service Telephone: 01491 614 700 20 Shirburn Street Watlington, OX49 5BT Email: SOBfamlaw@hotmail.com

UK Inland Services Date

STEFANIE O’BRYEN FAMILY SOLICITOR

Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed

HOME APPOINTMENTS BY ARRANGEMENT

19 Royal Mail is a trading name of Royal Mail Group Ltd. Registered number 4138203. Registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 100 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0HQ. © Royal Mail Group Ltd 2014.

THE GRAPEVINE DEC/JAN 2014/15

LEWKNOR PARISH DIARY DECEMBER 2014 7TH DECEMBER HOLY COMMUNION 9.00AM ST. LAWRENCE 8TH DECEMBER PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 7.30PM JUBILEE HALL 12TH DECEMBER CAROL CONCERT 7.30PM ST. MARGARET’S 14TH DECEMBER CHILDREN’S CHURCH 10.30AM ST. MARGARET’S 14TH DECEMBER CAROL SERVICE 5.00PM ST. MARGARET’S 21ST DECEMBER HOLY COMMUNION 9.00AM ST. MARGARET’S 24TH DECEMBER CRIB SERVICE 4.00PM ST. MARGARET’S

JANUARY 2015 4TH JANUARY HOLY COMMUNION 9.00AM ST. LAWRENCE 11TH JANUARY CHILDREN’S CHURCH 10.30AM ST. MARGARET’S 12TH JANUARY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING 7.30PM JUBILEE HALL 18TH JANUARY HOLY COMMUNION 9.00AM ST. MARGARET’S IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INCLUDE ANY EVENTS OR MEETINGS IN THE DIARY, PLEASE LET THE EDITOR KNOW VIA THE GRAPEVINE EMAIL ADDRESS: GRAPEVINEMAGAZINE@HOTMAIL.COM

M40 CEG ANNUAL MEETING, HELD AT JUBILLEE HALL 13TH NOVEMBER Thank you to all the local residents who came to the meeting on 13th, it was very well attended, and people were there from a huge area along the M40. If you are interested full details of the minutes can be found atwww.m40-chilterns.ork.uk or on the from the link on the Parish website www.lewknor-pc.org.uk Here is a brief summary.Our MP, John Howell was present during Chairman, Ken Edwards’ report and Ken thanked him for trying to put the case for re-surfacing ALL the lanes between J6 & J8. John had visited the Minister for Transport, John Hayes MP to put the case. We had a presentation from two noise consultants, and also Mr Owen, the Director of Swindon Commercial Services, who gave an insight into how the M40 could benefit from what they are trying to do with solar noise barriers alongside the M4 near Swindon, where they are having to plan for hundreds of new houses. We will see in the next few months what happens, but as it shows it really helps to keep letters and emails going to John Howell to make sure his office knows that it is a ongoing problem in his Constituancy.

PLEASE WRITE A LETTER TO: John Howell MP House of Commons LONDON SW1A 0AA OR SEND AN EMAIL TO: howelljm@parliament.uk