Thursday 8 August 2013

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Final Draft of the Village Plan – any comments on this must be submitted by Friday August 16 to Gerry Wiles at GrapeVine House, Bottom Orchard, Chearsley HP18 0DF or by email to plan@chearsley.com

Ruby anniversary congratulations – Peter and Sue Crook of Dark Lane have recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them.

Chearsley Show - It is not that long until our annual fruit and veg, baking, and art and craft show will be held in the village hall on Saturday September 7. Schedules with entry forms were delivered to every house in the village and the entry forms must be returned by Tuesday September 3 to Joy Payne at 1 Bernard's Close, Anne Lewis, at Orchard House, Bottom Orchard, Church Lane, or Alicia Howard at Great Barn, School Lane. Additional schedules can be obtained from the shop or The Bell or by getting in touch with one of the committee. To make this event a success, it needs as many villagers as possible to put in an entry, and as each entry is only 20p, it isn’t an expensive occasion. Have a look round your flower or vegetable garden – there must be a rose, or sweet peas that could be entered, a flowering pot plant, herbs, beetroot, tomatoes. There seem to be plenty of apples on the trees this year. So a dish of 4 cookers or eaters could be an entry. There is a new category in the domestic this year – lemon drizzle cake or plate of 6 small cakes both to your own recipe, and a category for cheese scones and Victoria sponge with recipe given. Men need not feel left out, as there is the usual plate of jam tarts they can enter. It is a fun show, with just a little friendly competition. Come on all you allotment holders, you must have some big onions and potatoes up there! Don’t be shy to show off. Please enter something and take part and help make this year’s Show the best yet. There is a request from the committee for prize winners from last year to return their cups or trophies to Joy as soon as possible.

Classic Car and Fun Day – this will be held on Sunday September 8 (a busy weekend for Chearsley after the Show on Saturday). If you are thinking of booking a car boot pitch at the bargain price of £5 a pitch, now is the time to do so. If you have a classic car to be part of the display, this must be pre-booked, by emailing classicfun@chearsley.com

Donations towards the cost of Church flowers – the flowers in St Nicholas Church always look wonderful, but this comes at a considerable cost. If you would like to contribute by sponsoring the flowers in the church for a week to commemorate a special occasion - the anniversary of the death of a loved one, birth of a grandchild, wedding anniversary, a milestone birthday – please speak to Joy Payne on 208513.

Operation Pied Piper by Jean Daish – it is very good news that Jean of School Lane has finally had her first book for children published.
“Operation Pied Piper” is about 6 young evacuees who are separated from their families in Leeds at the start of World War II and sent to Padstow in Cornwall to escape the bombing. Their homesickness is soon replaced by adventure in a land of legend and gossip, of singing mermaids, haunted clifftop houses, dark caves, dangerous tides and long stretches of golden sands. The children form close friendships and the war seems far away until they see a mysterious light in a clifftop window .... Jean was born in Leeds and is the wife of a former RAF Officer. Along with son Andrew and daughter Susannah, the family became used to moving home throughout Great Britain and overseas. Cornwall was home for several years. Inspired by the birth of her first of 4 grandchildren 16 years ago, Jean attended a writing course and began writing short stories, articles and poetry for children. The children in the story are fictional, but “Operation Pied Piper” was a real event - the evacuation of children in Great Britain, which began on Friday. September 1 in 1939. This first book written and also illustrated by Jean is available from The Book House, Thame. Price £6.99. Congratulations to Jean and we look forward to your next one.

Proposed Housing and Village Community Initiative - Rose, Francis and Laura Heybrook invite all residents of Chearsley to this Presentation of their proposed housing and village community initiative in the village hall on Monday September 2. The hall will be open from 10am until 7pm for an informal drop in to see draft proposals, ask questions and offer feedback. At 7pm there will be a Formal Presentation with questions afterwards. The formal Presentation will be repeated on Thursday September 12 from 7 to 9pm with questions afterwards.

Chearsley Cricket Club Christmas Ball - advance notice of this event which will be held at Studley Wood Golf Club, the same venue as last year on Saturday December 7. There will be more details available nearer the date.

Cleaner for the Village Hall – a local opportunity for a bit of pin-money. A cleaner is needed for about 2 hours per week to clean the hall at weekends to fit around any bookings there may be. Rates £7.50 per hour. Please contact Ruth Holland on 01844 208343 for more information.