Author: Jez Wilson

Revitalising the Allotments – May 2019

Community Orchard
What a lovely day we had on 6th April. The official opening of Heyford Community
Orchard took place and we were joined by almost one hundred people, many of
whom had sponsored the trees or contributed to the creation of this village
amenity. It was lovely to say ‘Thank you’. As promised, the sun shone and the
conversation flowed – much of it orchard and allotment related. For those good folk who were visiting the orchard for the first time there was a genuine sense of surprise at just how extensive the planting has been and the scale of the allotment ‘make-over’. I guess that is something that those who have been involved from the start, have come to take for granted.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those allotmenteers who
continue to tend their plots and make the site such a productive and well managed space. Not everyone can spare the time to join a working party or attend a meeting, but their vital contribution, caring for the plots, is just as important. Visitors who have not been to the allotments for a year or two are quick to comment on the improvements made.

If you haven’t seen what has been achieved so far then do come and take a first
look at the orchard and the allotments. You might even feel inspired to take on a plot yourself.

Jam Patch
Like the orchard, this rapidly developing area will be clearly signposted so that villagers who wish to take advantage of what is growing, are quite clear about what is a community space and what are individual allotmenteer’s plots.

Part of the development grant that we have been able to access, to further develop the allotments, has been spent on purchasing a large storage shed. This will be sited on the jam patch and a good slab base has already been laid, ready for construction later in the month.

Tester Plots and Renting an Allotment
It is very encouraging to note that more and more plots are being rented or ‘tested out’ by villagers to cultivate. If you are interested contact either Sue Corner on 01327 342124 or Lynda Eales on 01327 341707. We can offer a range of allotment sizes, to suit every need. Help is also on hand to offer advice and encouragement.

Food for Thought
What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter?
Pumpkin pi.

Mike Langrish

Fashion Show – Friday 7th June 2019

FASHION SHOW
by
ROCK THOSE FROCKS

Friday 7th June 2019

Nether Heyford Village Hall

7 pm for 7:30 pm

Tickets £5, including refreshments, from
Maria 01327 341783

~/~

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

Heyford Singers – May 2019

nether_heyford_heyford_singers_mayl_2019

Heyford Singers’ spring concert, Friday 10th May and Saturday 11th May, is entitled “THIS IS MUSIC”. Three simple words, a strong title, but nevertheless open to different meanings or interpretations. If you say it by stressing the “This is..” it becomes emphatic, celebratory, rather like a joyous claim on a beautiful October day of “This is autumn!” If you dwell on the last word, “music” it takes on a more personal tone, evoking individual enjoyment, preferences, memories, etc. For music is both a universal, and a personal and private medium. It can include small groups, whole nations or just a single person in their own musical world.

We all have our favourite types of music – anthems, blues, classical, drum and bass, electronic, folk, gospel, hymns, Irish, jazz, etc, etc. We may listen or participate, we may sing or dance, we may compose or improvise, we may share or prefer to be solo – whichever way, music has the power to embrace everything. It bookends our lives, from early songs and nursery rhymes to the hymns and favourite tunes that accompany our departure from this world.

At the recent Heyford Singers AGM Mary Rice (our Musical Director) wrote of her
hopes and thoughts as she planned the songs and content of the forthcoming spring
concert …….

“Our coming spring concert is about music in many of its different forms and emotional moods and, to some extent, its history and the things it can help to achieve. It is a powerful force and can influence many aspects of life if we let it. We need to be able to make that force such a tangible thing that the audience can feel it. Hopefully, in that way they will also understand it. Earlier I referred to the choir as a singing family. This isn’t something that many choirs can claim to be – it doesn’t just happen, it has to be worked at. Harmony is a precious commodity in every aspect, which we must continue to nurture as we go on. The more we make it obvious that we actually know and like one another the better we will sing and the more people will want to join us. I am very proud that I belong to such a family and want to thank you all for making the Heyford Singers what it is. Keep up the smiles, the caring, the friendship and the good work and the world, as they say, is our oyster!

“People all over the world, join hands, start a love train, love train…….”

From “Put a little Love in your Heart”

A beautiful sentiment and one to which we can all aspire!

So what music might you be entertained by at the concert, THIS IS MUSIC ? I have already written about “Amazing Grace” (February issue) and “Look at the World” (March issue) but there are others to tempt you with! Gospel songs and spirituals feature in the form of “Were You There?” and “Rivers of Babylon”, the exciting and much loved “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showmen, and protest songs of “We Shall Overcome” and “Lean on Me”. Words from traditional Irish blessings set to music by Jay Althouse becomes a beautiful lyrical song, “A Blessing” ending with, “May love and laughter light your days and warm your heart and home”.

The song featured at the top of this article has been written and composed by Heyford Singers’ very own talented piano accompanist, Graham Kinnersly, and it will have it’s special premiere at our concert. “Our Love Will Last Forever” is a love song, with words and sentiments that are beautiful and simple. Whether you listen to, or sing this song, it can bring a lump to your throat, a tear to your eye, and make your heart skip a beat.

Such is the power of music!

____________________________________________________________________________________

If you would like to find out more, visit the Heyford Singers page or our website:

www.heyfordsingers.org

 alternatively come along to one of our rehearsals in Nether Heyford Village Hall.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Jill Langrish

Friends of Danetre Hospital Fête Stall – WANTED Letter – May 2019

WANTED for the Friends of Danetre Hospital Fête Stall.

If you have any of the following items:

DVDs .:|:. CDs .:|:. BOOKS .:|:. BRIC-a-BRAC

and you would like to donate for the stall they can be taken to:

Jane at 22 South View, Nether Heyford

or

Angela at 16 The Green, Nether Heyford

THANK YOU.

Heyford Picturedrome – “Widows” (2018) – Thursday 16th May 2019

The next film to be screened will be Widows. This is a 2018 American film directed by Steve McQueen starring Liam Neeson and Elizabeth Debicki set in Chicago where an armed robbery goes wrong and leaves the four thieves dead after a police shoot-out. It is the story of the four widows, Veronica, Linda, Alice and Belle who have nothing in common except a debt left behind by their spouses’ criminal activities. Hoping to forge a future on their own terms, Veronica joins forces with the other three women to pull off a heist that her husband was planning.

The film is to be shown in the Village Hall on Thursday 16th May and is the last of the current season.

Doors open at 7:15 pm for free coffee or tea with a film start at 7:45 pm.

The admission price remains at £4.00 per person and there is no joining fee.

As a thank you to our loyal supporters during the year there will be free wine and soft drinks both before the film and during the interval.

Tony Clewett – Phone: 01327 341533

Widows

Heyford Gardening Club – May 2019

Heyford-Gardening-Cluband-allotments

At our April meeting we expected to welcome the return of Patsy Rayner, but unfortunately due to a family illness she was unable to attend so Mike Langrish and Tom Dodd put together a presentation on the Community Orchard and the improvements that have been made (and are still being made) to Heyford’s allotments.

The evening also featured our annual tulip bench show. For once the weather has been good for us and there were plenty of entries with some impressive blooms on show.

The large flowered section was won by Pauline Guglielmi, John Dunkley came second and John Wilson came third.

The Small flowered section was won jointly by John Dunkley and Val Jackson, and Jill Langrish got third place.

Our next meeting will be on 13th May when someone from Branch Out MK will talk to us about “Helping People to Grow Through Gardening”.

April is the cruellest month…
At time of writing we’ve just experienced an odd week of weather. After the unseasonable warmth in February the last few days have featured nightly frosts and sunny periods with cold air. These sort of conditions can be very challenging for gardeners damaging fruit blossom and early flowers; it has even pinched shoots of ivy and box. If you like me are growing plants in an unheated greenhouse it is important to keep one eye on the weather all the time as failing to close the house up at night can risk losing tender plants to cold while not opening them during sunny spells can cause the temperature inside to soar to damaging levels despite the chilliness outside. Apparently next week will be much warmer; perhaps I will be able to start sowing the tender crops for the summer after all.

Some Things to do in May
1 Repot cacti, succulents and house plants.
2 Divide and replant spring flowering bulbs
3 Keep a watch for lily beetles and viburnum beetles

Mark Newstead

www.heyfordgardenclub.com

For more information visit the Heyford Gardening Club & Allotments page

Heyford-Gardening-Cluband-allotments

Village Signs – May 2019

Village Signs

This project has got off to a good start with volunteers and ideas coming forward. We have made a Facebook page where we are discussing ideas and the plants we think would be good to use.

The next stage will be putting these ideas into action.

If you are interested in joining us, please either speak to Jill Garratt or check in at our Facebook page:  Heyford Entry-preneurs  

 

Spring Clean – May 2019

Spring Clean 2019

Many thanks to everyone who took part in this years Spring Clean. Due to their efforts, an amazing total of 59 black sacks of litter were collected plus 2 sacks of cans for recycling.

Added to this were tyres, number plates, car parts, oil cans and even a carpet
which had been dumped into the ditches along the road to Upper Heyford.

The village is looking a lot cleaner and hopefully it will stay that way for the
foreseeable future.