Author: Jez Wilson

Community Wildlife Area – September 2019

View from The Wildlife Patch

As Summer draws to a close we are beginning to evaluate our first two season’s activities, What has gone well? What have we learned? Do we need to modify plans? etc. Whilst there are no disappointments so far, lessons are being learned all of the time.

A real success has been the sowing of a mixture of “Cornfield Annuals” on the only bare patch available to plant. Some are still in flower as I write this in late August. They have been nothing short of magnificent. Looking absolutely wonderful, attracting a whole host of pollinating insects day and night, as well as suppressing all other plants which some may term as “weeds”. We will certainly plant this mixture this Autumn on the patches that have been cleared of vegetation during Summer. We will still plant original patch with a “Flowering Meadow Mixture” as planned.

Cornfield Annuals are ultra easy to establish and being natural wild plants need minimal after care. They are inexpensive to buy as seed, ultra easy to establish, only last for one season, look gorgeous, attract insects and suppress weeds. Why would you not want some? They include Corn Chamomile, Wild Cornflower, Corncockle and Corn Marigold.

I will be ordering soon and will buy ready mixed, loose seed in quantity. I can order extra for anyone who needs them. Plant at 4/5 gm per square metre, just scrape the soil and sprinkle them in – so simple -. Contact me on 01327 344461 or davemusson073@gmail.com if you would like to give some Cornfields Annual a try.

The other success was the decision to leave a large proportion of the site unmown for the whole season. I admit that before I was involved in this, I was only vaguely aware of the value of this habitat.. A number of our butterflies and moths live on grass and spend 8-10 months as caterpillars and another month or so as a chrysalis so depend on uncut grass, as do most of our Small Mammals, and a host of creatures too numerous to list. In the light of this, our original plan to have the area very largely as “ Flowering Meadow” type habitat is now under review. We will be mowing and removing long grass soon and have yet to discuss which we will treat thus. We may end up with more permanent long grass habitat than was originally planned, however this is likely to be modified with the introduction plants such as Hogweed, Knapweed, Teasels etc. to further increase the species that this will support.

Dave Musson

Flower Society – September 2019

Bugbrooke and District Flower Society

We invite you to join us at our monthly meetings to relax and watch demonstrations by a fully qualified NAFAS Area or National Demonstrator. This is followed by refreshments and the opportunity to win one of the arrangements in our raffle. Learn how to arrange and enjoy flowers.

Meetings are held on the fourth Monday of the month at 7.45pm in Nether Heyford village hall.

Our next meeting is on 23rd September when Jo Davis will give a demonstration entitled “Women Who Changed The World”.

Our October meeting will be for members only as we are celebrating our 45th Anniversary.

For more information please follow us on Facebook or contact Dianne on 01604
830063 or Simone on 01327 342167.

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The Bugbrooke and District Flower Society meet every fourth Monday in the month in the Village Hall. Our meetings start at 7.45pm and usually take the form of a Demonstration when a qualified demonstrator will create several floral designs which are raffled at the end of the evening and lucky members take home the beautiful flowers.

Flower Society affiliated to the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) promoting Floral Art. www.nafas.org.uk

Letters: The Village Fete (Heyford Moped Club) – September 2019

The Village Fete

What a narrow escape we had! Everyone I spoke to was convinced that the heavens would open, and it would be another wash-out. The bouncy castle had already pulled out by mid-morning, though that may have been down to the wind. I met Alwyne, the fete organiser. She told me it was her first as chief, and the paper on her clipboard being so rain sodden it couldn’t be written on. She was breezily cheerful despite impending doom. Well done her for keeping her nerve.

For those who made it, is was the usual mix of fun. The bar was run with quiet efficiency as always by Faye from the Foresters Arms, and the burger bar next door took the concept of slow food very much to heart. Great burgers – worth the wait.

Off to the side nearest the swings, a less than menacing collection of mopeds lined up (owners ditto). We ended up with no less 4 Honda Expresses, in blue, yellow and orange (the only colour missing was the startling acid green variety). These little bikes date from 1978-1979 and were designed to look as much like bicycles and as little like motorbikes as possible, in order to attract the then largely-untapped women’s market. Also present and correct was a very similar Yamaha QT, and the granddaddy of them all – a 1974 Honda C90, apparently found hidden and abandoned in a pile of nettles, and coaxed lovingly back to life. And so Heyford Moped Club was born. We should by now have had our first ride out, to mix it with the big boys at Jack’s Hill Café. What will they make of us?

HeyfordMopedClub2019

James Reed
The Old Chapel, 2a Church St

Letters: Holiday at Home – September 2019

Holiday at Home!

Although my family had organised a lovely holiday in the Norfolk area, unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances we were unable to go, although the rest of the family “carried on regardless” (with our blessings). Whilst disappointed, health comes first, and as the Holiday at Home had been planned for the week we were originally going to be away, I had not requested a place. However, imagine my surprise and delight when I was asked if I would like to be included, as another person had been unable to attend.

To say that the two days were brilliant is an understatement. Participants were
greeted at the door with the question “tea or coffee” and find yourself a seat. The theme of the Holiday was a “cruise” starting in England, “sailing” to France on Thursday and on to Italy on Friday.

Thursday – France
Once all passengers had assembled, we were greeted by “the captain” (Stephen
Burrow); who gave a quick run-down of the days activities, including a short prayer. Next came the Captain’s Challenge. Having been given a sheet with a list of “tools” we were allowed to “buy” with our allowance of 30p, instructions were to make a contraption that you could put a fresh egg in to be dropped from approximately 5 feet without it breaking! The table I was involved with quickly got to work with different ideas and a summary of the tools we might need. Our idea (and as it turned out the other teams idea too) was to make a hot air balloon structure. Needless to say, all eggs broke! – but because our team had spent the least amount, we won the round and the prize of a box of chocolates.

Next on the agenda was a craft activity. Deborah Burrow had organised coasters
with glue and mosaic tiles, that all had to decorate. Once finished these were put to one side to dry, to be grouted the following day. We also had intricate pictures to colour at our leisure – this was to allow time for the “catering staff” to put the finishing touches to our dinner. Wow! What a lovely dinner too – Coq au vin, followed by Apple pie & custard.

After dinner activities included Quoits, Jenga, table top curling, along with various table top games, dominoes etc.

Time seemed to pass so quickly, and in a wink of a eye it was time for afternoon tea – cakes, scones, tea & coffee.

First day’s sailing came to a close around 3.30. – Can’t wait for tomorrow!

Friday – Italy
Once again passengers were greeted with tea or coffee and biscuits, on the tables were Crossword puzzles and word search to keep you busy whilst waiting for the ships passengers to arrive.

Again Stephen greeted us with a run down of the days activities, followed by a short prayer.

Captain’s Challenge – each team had information cards with various facts. The idea was to work out the earliest time and day you could get from England to
Transylvanian to “kill” Count Dracula. Again the team I was involved with seemed
very organised, and started by spreading out all the cards, and then gradually
working through the different times and days we had been given for various parts of the journey. It became apparent that we had found the right day and time and again, we were the first team to call. Again, our team won a box of chocolates!

Next came the craft session. More colouring in the shape of a Postcard, designed
by participants, with a sea as the theme, with the view to sending to someone who we thought would like to join the Holiday from Home next year. Whilst busy with this, each of us took turns to finish our mosaic coasters with the grouting, and then they were left to dry.

Lunch today was Lasagne, Garlic bread, Salad and Tiramisu.

Today’s entertainment was courtesy of the Heyford Singers, who entertained us with a medley of songs taking us from London to Italy. Many of us joining in, and I’m sure thinking of times gone by. Whilst listening to the wonderful sounds, and joining in where I could, the “crew” where busy getting afternoon tea ready. This consisted of cream and jam scones, with a choice of cheese scones, tea & coffee – again the time between lunch and afternoon tea just seemed to fly by.

Then, in a blink of an eye, we were back in England – time to go home. What an
absolutely fabulous, enjoyable two days – one I would highly recommend to anyone who isn’t able to go on holiday.

I just would like to say a huge big THANK YOU to everyone involved in the two days of wonderful company and activities, as well as fantastic food – not forgetting the person who unfortunately couldn’t make it and gave me my place on the Heyford Cruise.

Wonder what next year will hold, and will I be able to join in again – I hope so.

Christine Phillips

 

Heyford Gardening Club – September 2019

Heyford-Gardening-Cluband-allotments
After the summer break our annual programme will commence on the 9th September
with our autumn flower and produce show.

What a year-so far!

I commented on the weather earlier in the year, but since then we have had the
hottest July ever recorded, followed by monsoon like rain and now gale force winds. So how have our gardens fared in this year of extremes? Amazingly our own patch has hardly been affected at all. I have had to do no more watering than usual and there have been no losses to speak of. Our soft fruit crops have been good in quantity and quality, and we have a bumper crop of damsons on our trees. I have noticed that plum and pear trees around the village seem to have little fruit on though. The roses have been good and so were our lilies. Our beetroot were poor but the lettuces were prolific. Some greens plants withered away, but the kale grew better than usual. How difficult it is to predict what will happen from one year to the next.

Serendipity

When weeding our gardens it pays to keep an eye out for the unusual, as all sorts of plants can appear amongst the weeds. Garden compost is a fertile source of tomato plants, chard and even parsley. Poppies and nigella are notorious for self seeding, as are evening primroses. Birds can drop seeds such as cherry stones and elder pips, so maybe that’s where the sunflower came from on our vegetable plot. Rather more mysterious was the beautiful pink nicotiana and the orange coreopsis, neither of which are plants that I have ever grown and the angelica by our pond. A couple of years ago a salsify plant arrived from somewhere, and has spread around with it’s dandelion-like fluffy seeds; a beautiful and edible weed. These interlopers often seem to grow better than the plants that I have carefully planted and nurtured, presumably they have grown so well because the seeds have landed where the conditions are just right for them.

Some Things to do in September

1 Sow some salad plants in pots for the autumn and winter
2 Buy and plant narcissi and daffodils
3 Reduce watering of cacti, succulents and other houseplants

Mark Newstead

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www.heyfordgardenclub.com

For more information visit the Heyford Gardening Club & Allotments page

Heyford-Gardening-Cluband-allotments

 

Christian Aid – September 2019

Thank you to everyone in the village who contributed to this year’s Christian Aid Collection. We collected a total of £930.90. Of that £302.65 was gift aided, adding another £45.40 in reclaimed tax, so the final total to Christian Aid was £976.30. An excellent amount once again.

Flood Watch – September 2019

George Clarke’s recent Channel 4 documentary “Council House Scandal” celebrated 100 years since the Addison Act of 1919 kick started Council Estate building. Sadly since the Right to Buy was introduced properties have not been replaced, hence the current shortage of Council properties for rent. GC has launched a National campaign to encourage Government to build more Council homes and has secured land in Manchester to demonstrate how to build good standard homes at reasonable cost. The programme highlighted a problem with commercial properties being converted to rentable homes under “permitted development” which fail to meet minimum acceptable standards for room sizes. Unfortunately this type of development introduced by Government reduced the power of local Planning Offices to enforce standards and bypass the formal planning processes.

The growth in permitted development could potentially lead to problems during conveyancing on house sale/purchase when the status of each building on site is investigated whether these are new build or change of use. Ideally a Lawful Development Certificate should be produced. To avoid risk to the seller/purchaser the seller can purchase an Indemnity Policy in the name of the purchaser. Not until permitted development is scrapped and the planning process returned to conventional planning application/building control will standards return to normal.

June/July/ August weather has continued to be untypical for this time of the year with short periods of high temperature near 37 centigrade and prolonged periods of heavy rainfall. Surprisingly total annual rainfall to the end of August is only 82% of average resulting from the extremely low rainfall earlier in the year.

Anyone interested in participating in discussions with the E/A over future flood defence requirements and contributing with their own local knowledge of flooding are again invited to contact me directly.

J.Arnold

Letters: Village Hall – 60 Years in 2020 – Request for memories

Nether Heyford Village Hall celebrates its 60th Anniversary next year

“It is the 60th anniversary of our village hall in 2020 and we would like to commemorate it by publishing memories of its existence in our village, particularly if you have resided here for 60 years plus. ”    
The Prattler is helping the Village Hall compile personal accounts, list volunteers who have worked on the hall, gather some photographs, memories and stories; ahead of celebrating their 60th anniversary next year.
  • Do you have a story to tell about its history ?
  • Were you a volunteer who helped out with any of the work ? Perhaps you had a relative who did ?
  • What are your memories of events at the village hall ?
  • Do you have any old photographs of the village hall or events there ?

The Prattler would love to hear from you via email heyford_prattler@yahoo.co.uk or comment on this article below.

If you know any residents who would like to participate but are not online, please send us their contact details via email and once we have a list of participants we may visit for personal interviews during the Autumn.

The story so far…. 

Nether Heyford Village Hall was built with the help of volunteer labour and completed in May 1960 as a prefabricated cedar-wood building.

1991 – Brick extensions were added to provide new toilets and kitchen at one end, a storage room and committee room with toilet and kitchenette at the other and an access ramp to the front door.

2003 – New UPVC double glazed windows, new insulation and cladding to the front and rear of the wooden section was fitted together with new front and kitchen doors. Again all the work was done by villagers giving their time and expertise voluntarily.

2006 – A new insulated roof was added.

2008 – Nether Heyford Pre-School transformed the area at the rear of the hall with an outdoor play surface to make a secure outdoor area for the young children.

Since then the remaining doors and windows have been replaced, new gas boilers fitted and decoration carried out annually whilst maintenance continues by our volunteer team. Other improvement projects have included:

  • Sound System & Induction Loop (hearing) system (2002)

  • Replacement Fire Doors (2008)

  • New energy efficient boilers for heat and hot water.

  • Replacement of rest of external doors & windows (2009)

  • Finger guards on doors (2010)

  • In the summer of 2011 the kitchen was completely refurbished

  • Ceiling fans were installed in April 2013

  • In 2014 the ladies toilets were completely refurbished

  • Also in 2014 new chairs were purchased for the main hall and lockable storage cupboards for all the regular users

  • 2 thermostats were installed in the main hall in 2014

  • Lighting in main areas of the hall upgraded to LED during 2016-17

Over the years, it has been used for all manner of events, from pre-school to pantomimes and dances to dinner parties. It is conservatively decorated and can offer seating for up to 120 people. 

Village Hall Committee 2019

(Last update 12/9/2019)

Nether Heyford W.I. – September 2019

WI-Logo

At our July Meeting (which seems a long time ago!) we had an interesting and informative evening with Denise Cowling. She brought a large number of antique items and proceeded to test our knowledge with quiz questions as diverse as which gems were real diamonds to picking the oldest of three plates. I have to say that there were some ladies who would do quite well on a certain TV show.

In August we were very lucky that our outing down the canal with Crusader’s Community Boating took place on a sunny day! It was a very peaceful and happy trip with a stop for lunch at The Wharf in Bugbrooke. We all enjoyed ourselves and, which made it even better, we were supporting a charity which means that disabled people and those in care can take the same trips.

In September the speaker for the evening will be Debby Horsman. She is a Friend of the Scott Polar Institute in Cambridge and a distant relative of a member of the ill-fated support team to the Antarctic expedition. In her talk, “Shackleton’s Forgotten Men”, she gives an intimate account of this little known aspect of an otherwise heroic British story. We thought this might appeal to the Gentlemen as well so are opening the evening to anyone who would like to come. The meeting is in the Village Hall on Thursday September 5th at 7.30, the cost will be £5 to non-members and refreshments are included.

A reminder to all our WI Ladies that our October 3rd meeting is the AGM – usual
time, usual place!

On Saturday October 5th we will be holding a Quiz in the Village Hall. The tables will be for 6 people, the cost is £7.50 per person and will include a hot supper – but please bring your own drinks. The WI quizzes are a fun evening so please come along and join us – we look forward to seeing you!

Mary Rice – Heyford Lodge – 01327 340101