http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php en jon.twinn@gmail.com Copyright 2012 2012-03-19T12:06:50+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/sunningwell_pond_radio_interview/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/sunningwell_pond_radio_interview/#When:12:06:50Z Bob Evans and Mike Woodward talk to Stuart Mabbutt about the pond’s history and how it is used today. To listen to this radio interview, click on the link below and the audio file will begin downloading. As it is a large file (11mb), please be patient as it may not start straight away. Listen to the interview. People of Sunningwell Village 2012-03-19T12:06:50+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/sunningwell_market/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/sunningwell_market/#When:20:47:21Z The Sunningwell Market takes place on the last Sunday of the month. The next Markets will be on… Sunday 26th February & Sunday 25th March 10am - 4pm, Sunningwell Village Hall, Nr. Abingdon, Oxford, OX13 6RD Includes: Art and Craft Local Artists' original work Textiles Jewellery Stained Glass Woodwork & more… Secondhand Books Antiques & Vintage Clothing Café Open all day serving homemade soups, cakes and refreshments Enquires 01865 327016 / Please come and support this local market. If you have somewhere to put up our poster, we'd greatly appreciate your help in promoting the market. Dates for Diaries 2012-02-09T20:47:21+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/sunningwell_and_district_gardening_club/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/sunningwell_and_district_gardening_club/#When:14:01:54Z In January 2000 a few gardening enthusiasts, mostly from Sunningwell, formed the Sunningwell Gardening Club.  Since then, it has grown rapidly and last year we had nearly 50 members from all around the local area. We meet once a month, usually on the second Thursday, in the Village Hall in Sunningwell, starting at 7.30 pm and finishing at 9.30. We have talks from speakers on a variety of garden or plant-related matters and arrange outings to places of interest to our members. Last year we went to Mottisfont Abbey in Hampshire and later to the Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury. This year we are hoping to go to Coughton Court near Warwick and to Woburn Abbey. We also have a couple of social events and a major fund-raising effort in the form of our annual Plant Sale in May. You don’t have to be a fantastic gardener or even to live in Sunningwell to be a member or to come to our meetings – but it does help if you like plants and gardens. If you would like to know more about us, visit our website www.sdgc.org.uk or come along to one of our meetings. We are a friendly crowd and you will be sure of a welcome. Dates for 2012 Thursday 9th February “A Blaze of Glory” - a talk by Timothy Walker Thursday 8th March “The History of the Apple” - a talk by Gillian Franklin Thursday 12th April "Interesting and unusual plants for a summer display” - a talk by Brian Fisher Thursday 10th May Members’ meeting and single bloom competition Saturday 26th May Plant Sale in Sunningwell Village Hall 10 – 12 noon Wednesday 13th June Visit to Coughton Court 2012-01-28T14:01:54+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/a_poem_about_sunningwell_pond/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/a_poem_about_sunningwell_pond/#When:13:58:46Z Enjoy a quiet moment reading a local resident’s poem about Sunningwell pond. Sunningwell Pond In the middle of the water Erect bulrushes strike away from the bending leaves. Their reflections shiver on the water surface, Seeming to reach into the deep. Leaves float on the pond surface. Long, orange, pointed, Like fish, But they glide Without purpose. Greening stones below the waterline Catch the slanting light. The willow branches Sway and whisper up above. On the elephant crusted skin of the trunk A lost branch leaves an Oval scar split with cracked circles. Cloud images flicker on the water Between Dreams of blue sky. The reflection of a fence post scribbles black across the water And a bus stop sign stretches to where a bus can never stop. by Margaret Gallop People of Sunningwell Village 2011-12-16T13:58:46+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/sunningwell_and_bayworth_womens_institute/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/sunningwell_and_bayworth_womens_institute/#When:10:20:59Z The WI was founded in 1915, with the aim of revitalising rural communities and encouraging women to produce food during WW1… Nearly a century later, we are still trying to improve the life of women, be it in their local communities, in the home, or even in prison. We also try to influence government policy on important issues, like keeping local libraries open or protecting the honeybee. These days, women are interested in all sorts of things, like running businesses, as well as the traditional crafts, and nearby Denman College, in Marcham, offers both day and residential courses in a huge range of topics, such as digital photography, IT, belly dancing and local history. But our continuing aims are friendship and fellowship with other women, regardless of age, race or religion. Sunningwell and Bayworth WI was founded in 1921, and is one of the oldest in Oxfordshire. Our WI is one of very few which meet in the afternoon. This is usually in the Village Hall in Sunningwell on the second Thursday of the month. We start at 2 pm and aim to finish in time to collect children from school. There is usually a speaker or demonstrator of some interesting topic, followed by refreshments. If you are interested in finding out more, please ring our secretary, Mrs Chris McMichael (01865-739606), or come along to one of our meetings to see for yourself what goes on. Forthcoming meetings: 12th January 2012 Dinner with the Queen – talk by Mrs Evans 9th February Delia Potter and the Aga of Doom – Dr A Borrowdale 8th March Annual meeting and report on visit to the Congo for Oxfam – Mrs Jestico 12th April The incredible world of the honey bee – Mr Moll General Community News 2011-12-15T10:20:59+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/dates_for_diaries/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/dates_for_diaries/#When:15:11:41Z Most recent dates for your diary COMING SOON: Café Church – Harvest Festival – with Auction Bayworth Chapel Hall - Sunday 16th October 11am Do come along to our Café Church this Sunday; we will be celebrating Harvest and also auctioning off all the produce and sending any money to help poor farmers in developing countries. Our Cafe Church is very informal, all ages are welcome, as well as a few traditional harvest hymns there are activities, games and quizzes to enjoy and as always, cakes and coffee. I do hope to see you Sunday! - Vanessa Woodward 01865 735910 Harvest Celebration Meal Sunningwell Village Hall – Saturday 22nd October 6.40pm for 7pm Sunningwell Lunch Club present a Harvest Celebration Meal with starter, main and dessert (bring your own drink). Tickets £15 from Eileen Cross on 01865 736203 Glyndebourne on Tour! Bayworth Chapel Hall – Friday 11th November 7pm Opera Anywhere presents Glyndebourne Films on tour! Glyndebourne’s recent innovative production of ‘Hansel & Gretel’ will be shown on the ‘big screen’ at the Chapel Hall. Come and bring your own supper and wine to enjoy during the interval in true Glyndebourne style, evening dress optional. To book call Mike or Vanessa on 01865 735910 recommended donations £10 The Jungle Book Sunningwell Village Hall – Sunday 11th December 4pm Oxfordshire Theatre Company presents Neil Duffield’s adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s ‘The Jungle Book’. This inventively staged & performed production features a dazzling blend of drama, songs & movement to make a very special play for children & the young at heart. To book online click here or call Mike or Vanessa on 01865 735910 recommended donations £10 (£5 for under 14’s), all proceeds to the Sunningwell Festival, interval refreshments available. EVERY WEEK: Tuesdays 7-9pm in term time: Line dancing (Village Hall) 2nd Thursday: 2-4pm Women’s Institute (Village Hall) 7.30 - 9.30pm Gardening Club (Village Hall) Fridays: 11.30am-1pm Luncheon Club (Village Hall) Sundays: 9.30am Church Service (St Leonard's Church) 11.00am Church Service (Bayworth Chapel) 2nd Sunday: 11.00am Cafe Church (Bayworth Chapel) Dates for Diaries 2011-06-20T15:11:41+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/village_hall_kitchen_refurbishment/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/village_hall_kitchen_refurbishment/#When:10:28:23Z Users of the Village Hall cannot fail to notice that the refurbishment of the kitchen is now complete and how bright and clean this all looks. Reports from those that have used the new facilities are that they cannot believe how old and decrepit the old kitchen had become. Users of the Village Hall cannot fail to notice that the refurbishment of the kitchen is now complete and how bright and clean this all looks. Reports from those that have used the new facilities are that they cannot believe how old and decrepit the old kitchen had become. As is the case with these sorts of projects, it was important to enlist the engagement of those most likely to make significant use of the facilities. To achieve this, for the planning and overall design stage, we enlisted the services of Eileen Cross and her band of helpers who work very hard and give their time to running the very successful Luncheon Club in the Hall. And what a good job they did. I know from personal experience how much time and effort needs to be devoted to this part of the work and getting it right - a job made more difficult by the fact that they had to consider that there were other people who were to use this facility as well as themselves. The Committee applaud the group most heartily for their time and commitment to this phase of the work. Having got the planning and provider bit resolved it was then necessary to get competitive quotations from kitchen fitters, to choose a contractor and organise a work date. This had to be far enough in advance to give notice to the users of the hall because we needed to close it for the week that it would take to do the work. As many of you will know, it is not until you start to pull old thing apart and uncover hidden bits that you can resolve anticipated problems, like connecting old cast iron waste to modern plastic plumbing or deciding exactly where you want the new electrical sockets. And I bet we are not the only people to suffer a leak when testing the plumbing, in the most inaccessible place! The most significant change to the plan was the total remodelling of the serving hatch area. It was clear as we finished the rest of the kitchen and started modifying this area that nothing other than a complete rebuild to match the rest would be acceptable. Unfortunately this did cause some delay in completion as we had to wait for the additional worktops, which until then, we did not realise were not stock items but special delivery! Ho Hum. One of the most immediate and significant benefits of the refurbishment is that the Luncheon Club have now been able to remove all their plates and cooking equipment from various cupboards in the back kitchen and keep them directly to hand in the new areas. This will now enable us to progress to the next and, I think, final significant area of work which is to set about demolishing the old cupboards and the refurbishment of the old back kitchen and to install a new floor that will be easier to keep clean and provide some more appropriate storage structures. The committee hopes that this can be tackled in the near future. General Community News 2011-02-07T10:28:23+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/news_from_parish_council/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/news_from_parish_council/#When:10:25:04Z News from Parish Council - February 2011 Playground We are very pleased to announce that our bid for funding from Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN - the landfill trust) has been successful and they have decided, subject to contract, to allocate to the parish council a grant of up to £27,434 to Sunningwell Parish Council for the refurbishment of the playground. In addition to this, local fundraising has raised over £1,000 after a very successful gig and a quiz night just before Christmas, which is a huge amount after just two events. The parish council has already allocated £10,000 plus 1% of the grant amount to this project. The playground committee would like to thank all those people who gave their time to support this project and all those who attended the events, donated prizes and provided venues. Without the local support the funding bid could not have been successful as this was a key requirement of the grant. The next step will be to implement the project by using the ideas and designs voted for by those who attended the consultation event last summer. A contractor will be appointed in the next couple of months and work is hoped to start later on this year at the end of the cricket season. If you have any questions or comments please contact the parish clerk on sunningwellpc@btinternet.com The Glebe/Village Green Together with representatives of the PCC, SPADE and the local conservation group the council is looking into ways of managing the Glebe field. The basic aim will be to bring it into use for sporting and recreational purposes, whilst maintaining as far as possible its natural characteristics and wildlife. The group would welcome views from anyone who would be interested in participating in this exciting project to rescue the Glebe from its current neglected state. Flood Alleviation Scheme We have been advised by the Vale of White Horse District Council that work on the scheme to reduce the flow of water from the quarry basin into the stream during times of heavy rainfall is due to start in the first week of February. The aim of the scheme is to reduce the risk of flooding of properties downstream from the quarry. Contractors should be on site when this issue is published. Flood Emergency Plan The flood alleviation scheme will not guarantee that properties will never be flooded. The increasing frequency of extremes in the weather patterns affecting the UK and the rest of the world means that the alleviation scheme at the quarry needs to be supplemented by other measures. These have been addressed by the recently formed Sunningwell Community Flood Group, chaired by Bob Nichol. This group has taken over from the PC flood group formed in 2002. The group has prepared a draft flood emergency plan for the parish. Basically the plan provides for the urgent dissemination of information and warnings about pending flooding events, and establishes a store of materials and equipment that would be available immediately to affected residents in such emergencies. The parish council has already made a grant of £985 to the group to enable it to implement key aspects of the plan. Copies of the plan when it has been finalised will be widely circulated in the parish. We are most grateful to Bob and the other members of the Community Flood Group for all their efforts in producing the plan. Former Warnborough College Site We have been informed that the owners of this site have received planning permission to build four individually designed detached family homes on this site. The parish council considered the plans at its meeting in June last year, and received a presentation by the applicants. The council had objected to plans submitted in 2009 for the development of the site by the owners of the Beaumont Nursing Home, but on this occasion Councillors took the view that the proposed development of a small number of luxury family homes was appropriate for this site and commented accordingly. The planning consent is subject to many conditions including visibility splays, tree protection and landscaping; details of these can be found on the Vale of White Horse DC’s planning website under reference SUN/2963/15. Royal Wedding 29 April 2011 Councillors agreed in principle to promote a village event to celebrate the forthcoming royal wedding. The event would be organised jointly by local organisations and could be on the Glebe or cricket ground. The council will be very happy to hear from anyone who has ideas as to the form that the event could take, or who would like to join the organising committee. We would also like to invite owners of gazebos to offer to create a gazebo village for use during the celebrations. Precept At its January meeting the council approved the budget for the year ending 31 March 2012. The council also resolved to maintain the annual precept at £16,565, the same level as in 2010/11. Although the Government has determined that there should be no increase in council tax in the forthcoming year this does not apply to parish councils; however councillors took the view that in the present financial circumstances it would be wrong to increase the parish precept this year. The precept is the amount that is collected with council tax bills on behalf of the parish council, and is the council’s main source of income. Council Meetings Meetings of the parish council usually take place on the last Wednesday of each month except August and December. They start at 7.30pm, in Sunningwell Village Hall unless otherwise stated. All residents are most welcome to attend parish council meetings; there is an opportunity at the start of each meeting for members of the public to make statements or ask questions of the council. The dates for the 2011 meetings are: 26 January, 23 February, 30 March (at Bayworth Chapel Hall), 27 April, 25 May, 29 June, 27 July, 28 September (at Bayworth Chapel Hall), 26 October, and 30 November Parish Council Elections All the current members of the parish council have to retire in May. They will however be eligible for re-election at the forthcoming elections in early May. Over the years many residents of the parish have served as parish councillors and though its powers and budget are limited it does enable some public money to be spent on local projects and services to the benefit of the whole community. In addition to the planned refurbishment of the playground and the management of the Glebe, a recent example of where the Parish Council’s powers benefit the community is the refurbishment of the Village Hall. Alongside the commitment and dedication of the Village Hall Committee the Parish Council took out a long term loan to fund some of the cost of bringing it up to specification necessary for a building used by the public. However at least one of our existing councillors is stepping down from the council in May, and willing volunteers are encouraged to consider being nominated for one of the seven places. If there are more than seven nominations then an election will be necessary. Nomination forms will be available from the Vale of White Horse DC but further information will be published in due course. Parish Council Website The council website is currently being redesigned; it carries much information about the parish council including copies of agendas and minutes of meetings. Hilary Lynam-Smith Chair of Parish Council News From Parish Council 2011-02-07T10:25:04+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/village_history_project/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/village_history_project/#When:10:23:01Z An update on the Village History Project by Bob Evans I haven’t reported on our project for some months now. Progress has been steady, but a bit slow, given our film-director, John Tolson’s worldwide commitments. We’ve been busy of late mostly on the recent record. John has done some interviewing, especially with the wonderfully rich memories of Anneliese Dee, from Lincombe lane. However, it’s extremely sad that we shan’t now be able to talk to Lottie Miller, who was very willing to share her experiences of running the village shop etc, but died before we could arrange a meeting. Our other expert photographer, Ron Moss, has been active in capturing moments in the current life of the village. He has begun a record of activities at the primary school, and we have also received footage of some earlier school events. Earlier Ron had several sessions at Sunningwell School of Art, observing the teachers and students there, and that marries well with John’s interview of Roger Wiggins about the early history of the place in the 1970s when – thanks particularly to Roger – it could be saved from a sell-off and preserved as a village amenity. Since the building of the School of Art is, of course, the old location of the primary school, we have here the makings of a really good and joined-up episode in our DVD. Other episodes remain to be set up in this way. But we have been preparing. When the better weather comes, we are ready to record the extraordinary history of the Sunningwell canal enterprise, with the help of Robert Sephton from Kennington, who has brought together evidence that the landowner, Sir George Bowyer, really did start works for a navigation from Bayworth to Kennington (via Long Furlong!) in the belief that he had found coal on his estate there. Bowyer was based at Radley Hall – and indeed the origins of Radley College are linked indirectly with the disastrous failure of his canal. Other elements in our project also tie us to Radley, a good example being the experience of both villages during the Civil War of the 1640s. Though it seems we may have been on opposite sides then, there is all the more reason for co-operation today. Evidently the church – as structure and as institution plays a major part in our project. We have made a start on recovering the stories of some of those buried in our graveyard and commemorated inside the church. It has been particularly exciting to piece together the military career of Sidney John Heath-Smith, whose family lived on the Lincombe lane spur, and who served valiantly in the invasion of northern France and Belgium in 1944-5 before being killed across the German border just before the war’s end. We owe the detail of this information to Adam Asher, who teaches at Cothill school. Adam plans to find out more about the soldiers from the village whose deaths are recorded on the war memorial inside the church. Of course, I’d be very pleased to hear from anyone else who might like to help the project in any way. Finally, one further related source for Sunningwell history: the church visitors’ book. There are regular comments in it from those who once lived here, married here, know of ancestors here, and the like. The other day I found an enquiry (and an email to contact) from a descendant of Joseph Lawrence, who was apparently born in the village around 1850, married a woman from Littleworth (presumably the one near Faringdon) called Welthen James, and settled in Reading where he became a labourer at the gasworks. A far cry from his great-great-grandson Adam, who began as a psychologist, but now operates in Germany as a stand-up comedian where – as his website reveals – he wows large audiences in both English and German. How do we weave that into the village story …? General Community News 2011-02-07T10:23:01+00:00 http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/brain_teasers/ http://www.sunningwell.com/index.php/Scene/brain_teasers/#When:10:02:59Z Test your knowledge of Sunningwell trivia • Which Bayworth resident was known as ‘Cheng Ling Foo’ (pictured above) and was one of Ghandi’s gaolers? • Where is the other Sunningwell? • Which former Rector rode a tricycle (into the pond it is said!)? • What was Lord Nuffield’s connection with Sunningwell? • Where in the parish were the local children taught to swim? • How did the parish celebrate the Queen’s coronation? • Why couldn’t a young Sunningwell evacuee eat her pigeon pie? • Which resident called his wife “ooman”? • Which of the ‘native’ folk still carried a club? • Why were the barrels always smoking in the village hall? The answer to these and many other questions about our parish and its people will be found in ‘Sunningwell and Bayworth - A 20th century portrait’ when published - hand-in -hand with a wealth of other intriguing facts and photos about the past community. However, there is still some room in the forthcoming publication for other stories and old photos that you may wish to have included. All such material, if suitable, will be copied and returned promptly. The project is an entirely non-profit-making venture to record the local memories of the last century before they are lost, and, put together with the kindness and assistance of many local people who will be duly acknowledged. Funding for the project is at our own expense. Photos courtesy of Mrs Viv Oakley Just For Fun 2011-02-07T10:02:59+00:00