Tackley Newsletter
April & May 2018

Parish Council

Members

• June Collier (chair)
• Paul Joslin (vice chair)
• Robin Gibbons
• Les Summers
• Katy Layton-Jones
• John Cook
• Liz Marshall

The clerk is Janette Read.

Meetings

The next formal meeting of the council is on 9 April and will be an ordinary council meeting. On 14 May the combined annual parish meeting and the annual meeting of the parish council will be held. There will be surgeries on 23 April and 28 May. All meetings commence at 7 pm. Should there be matters of concern between these dates, please contact the parish clerk or councillors.

Minutes of all meetings appear on tackleyvillage.co.uk two weeks after the date of the meeting.

Copies of this report are also circulated via Tackley Notices emails (subscribe on the same website).

The Late Richard Banbury

It is with great sadness that we note the loss of Richard Banbury, a former councillor and chairman of the council, a most valued member of Tackley Parish Council for many years. This newsletter carries a full tribute by the current chairman.

Parish Clerk and Councillor John Cook

We are delighted to announce officially that Mrs Janette Read has been appointed our new clerk. Contact her on [phone and email removed from archive version].

Councillor John Cook has announced his wish to leave the council with effect from the end of March. We would like to thank him publicly for the work that he has done, particularly in the area of planning and finance.

New Councillor

If there is a resident interested in being co-opted on to the council, they should contact the chairman or clerk for further details without delay.

Road Names for the Balliol Farm Development

A survey of the village through a notice in the coffee shop and online via Tackley Notices resulted in a very reasonable response. Having regard to the views expressed and to representations made additionally by a number of residents, the old field names have been chosen, and we await a decision about these by West Oxfordshire District Council.

44b St John’s Road (Land North of 44a)

Residents will know that the latest appeal against refusal of planning consent for this land has been rejected by the planning inspector. We are currently investigating options for its more appropriate use.

Airport

At our last meeting on 12 March, a representative from Kidlington Airport reassured the council about their intentions. Currently aircraft movements are around 25% of what they were in 1998, and there are no plans for runway extensions or changes in airspace movements (ACP) except as dictated, for safety reasons, by changes in ACP at RAF Brize Norton. It is not anticipated that this will result in any increase in flights over Tackley. New engineering hangars are being built and the facility to build more, at some distance of time was being sought. Full details of the information provided to the council can be obtained in PDF form by application to Councillor Les Summers via his email address.

Traffic Calming Measures

Consultation and discussion on this matter is ongoing.

Bus Shelters

We have been informed that the proposal to move the bus stop currently at the junction of Medcroft and Nethercote roads has been vetoed by the police. However, consideration of the proposal for a bus shelter at the village hall stop is continuing.

S4 Bus Service on Sunday

Stagecoach has refused to amend its S4 timetable to restore the service through the village on Sundays. However, they have held out the possibility of it being restored when the current housing developments have been completed and the population of the village will have increased.

Public Meeting

With the expected increase in housing in the village, we have been discussing whether there are developments we could consider now to prepare for these changes. One of the options discussed has been ways in which we might increase the space and layout of the village shop in order to support more demand.

We would really like to share these thoughts with as wide an audience as possible and hopefully identify people who might be willing to help. To this end we have arranged to hold a public meeting in the village hall on Thursday, 19 April at 7 pm. We look forward to seeing you there.

Shop AGM

Tackley Village Shop will hold its annual general meeting on Tuesday, 12 June at 7 pm in the village hall coffee shop. All members are invited. New members are very welcome — you can attend the AGM, and have a say in the running of the shop. Please ask in the shop for further information and an application form, or telephone Gill or Andrew. Applications must be received by 4 May.

Remembrance Day

Last year someone asked me why we didn’t have a war memorial and whether it would be possible to build one. I thought it unusual for us not to have one, as most villages do, and Tackley has never been one to hold back. On doing some research – talking to some of the older members of the parish – I discovered that the original village hall was built as a memorial for those who died during the First World War, and was our war memorial. Therefore when the new hall was built, it carried forward that role and is in fact the Tackley Memorial Hall too. There is a roll of honour plaque inside with all the names from both wars inscribed on it, and hopefully in time the sign on the outside wall will be renamed accordingly.

Historically we have always had a Remembrance Day service in St Nicholas’ Church on the Sunday nearest to 11 November. This year is the centenary of the end of the First World War, and 11 November falls on a Sunday.

How would you, our villagers, feel about us having that service in the Memorial Village Hall on the morning of the 11th, and the two minute silence at 11 am? Followed, as is the tradition, with refreshments after the service.

If anyone has any thoughts, either way, about changing the time and place of this Remembrance Day service please do let me know.

Gardiner Arms

The pub has had a successful two months since our last report, with open mic nights including poetry, and other live music events including Mandolirium with John Somerscales. They were all super evenings.

We are planning at short notice (for good weather) an Aunt Sally Tackley Open competition for anyone in the village to enter, to be announced via Tackley Notices (sign up at tackleyvillage.co.uk) and leaflets.

Sausage and mash is now on the menu, along with our lovely Eagles pies and delicious chips, etc.

We have the licences and insurance in place for the Beer Festival on 23–24 June, which will feature approximately 20 beers and live music both days from noon to 10:30 pm.

Pop-Up Pub will be returning in conjunction with Tackley Village Hall. Please support this — it is lovely on sunny summer Friday evenings.

Upcoming Events

• Saturday, 7 April: Hellcats, a rock-n-roll band with Tackley’s Mark Wragg
• Saturday, 5 May: The Band Next Door with Tackley’s Richard Boulton, Claire Bowerman and Mary McIntyre

Pop-Up Pub

A joint venture between the village hall and the Gardiner Arms, Pop-Up Pub will be back again with an opening night ‘taster’ on Friday, 11 May. We will not be there on the weekend of the royal wedding (other fun things happening in the hall) but will be back on a weekly basis from Friday, 25 May.

As ever we are hoping for help in running the pub. We would be really grateful if you could let us know if you may be able to help again this year or get a taster of what it is all about for newcomers. If so, please confirm your contact details to either of the two addresses above [removed from archive version].

Hope to see you there!

Pre-School

We would like to thank everyone who has been involved with and supported Tackley Pre-school over the years. From past and present staff, to committee members, parents, grandparents and villagers — without you it would never have made it this far.

It is very sad that our doors are now closed, but we hope that the not-too-distant future holds something equally exciting for our pre-schoolers.

Thank you for all the support and help.

Primary School PTA

The academic year is flying by, and we are already two thirds of the way through it now that the Easter break is upon us. We have a very busy few months up to the end of the school year in July, with lots of fundraising opportunities. These start with Tackley Horse Show, where we have the important job of helping out in the jumping rings, in exchange for a very welcome donation from the Horse Show Committee.

On Saturday, 19 May we present ‘A Right Royal Spring Fling’ — what a night this promises to be! We will make sure that the royal couple begin their married life with a wonderful Tackley send-off! There are a handful of tickets left, so email [address removed from archive version] or call [number removed from archive version] to reserve yours now.

It’s then time for the St Nicholas’ Church and Tackley School Village Fete, which is going to be an even bigger and better event than last year. It will be on Saturday, 7 July, so please save the date.

Our most recent Bag2School collection raised £68, but this could easily be increased if members of the community added to the pile. Please consider saving any unwanted clothes, soft toys etc. for our next date. Collection bags are available from the school if you would like one (or two!).

The project to create a new library is now well underway. It will be a wonderful resource for the children.

If you are a local business and would like to help us in any way, with either goods or services, then please get in touch via the school office.

St Nicholas’ Church

Christ is risen! From all at St Nicholas’, may I wish everyone in the village a very happy Easter indeed!

After a cold and dark winter, which started with snow in early December and seemed determined to keep us in scarves and hats as long as possible, Easter is a time of great joy. We remember Christ dying for us, we feel the full force of forgiveness, and we sing Easter songs of rising praise. It’s a great time of year. The flowers have been slow to bloom this spring, with snowdrops still out in force well into March, but the colours are returning — and with them we see the yearly reminder of how Jesus brings life and hope back to our lives, even when life and hope seem furthest away.

The process of developing Bob’s house has felt like a very long winter too, but spring is here. Work proper begins as soon as Easter is on us. We are all grateful to everyone who has helped us get here. Thanks too to those who have expressed a general interest in the cottages — we will be putting specific details together soon so that anyone who would like to consider buying one might see what they will be like. Do contact me if you’d like to know more.

And talking of preparing for a long time, we also look forward to the new display from the local history group opening in the church on 21 April. They have put a terrific amount of time and thought into this, and we are very excited as we look towards this new venture. Do come and visit!

Just after Mothering Sunday I was with some of the schoolchildren one afternoon. I asked them — which is more important: the children or the buildings at school? They told me very definitely: the children. I agreed. And I said — the same is true at church: God loves people. As amazing as our building is, everything here is to help people worship God and love others. Everything we are doing is working toward these goals. We work hard on our buildings and projects, but people always matter more.

There are moments when (as a human being, never mind as Rector) I hear people’s fears that the church’s life is in the past. I hear folk talk of all sorts of aspects of village life, of their work, of their family, of their dreams in the same way. But Easter says loudly: trust God. The winter may feel long and dark and cold, and yet Jesus is rising. In a world that needs the winter to end, Christians aren’t Christians ‘because it helps’, but because it changes everything. Because Jesus changes everything. I’m a Christian because the Jesus who rose at Easter lifts me up when I fall, and pushes me to hope when I despair, and more than hope — to love, when I’m just about done.

Jesus rose to declare that time is up on fear, loss, despair and all those wintry things, and to bring his glorious light of love to you; to me; to all of us.

Finally, notices: our Annual Church Meeting is on the evening of Sunday, 15 April, following our evening service. Only Church Electoral Roll members can vote on issues, but everyone is welcome to attend.

And wonderfully, the choir of Summer Fields School will be singing in church on the evening of Friday, 18 May. Watch out for further info — it looks like it will be a terrific evening.

Methodist Church

Richard Banbury

It was with great sorrow and regret that we saw the passing of Richard Banbury, who did an immense amount for the community in his work with the parish council, Methodist Church and so many other village activities. Always busy and on the go, his energy and enthusiasm made so many things happen, not least of which, together with Vi, was keeping the Methodist Church going when it nearly closed — and then organising the anniversary of 200 years of worship in the chapel in Lower Hades.

A celebration of his life was held with the church full to overflowing. As we listened to reminiscences from close friends and family, we were full of admiration for the range of activities and fullness of his life, both in public and with his family. He will be sadly missed, and our thoughts are with Vi and family at this time.

Crafternoon

Instead of Messy Church, on Tuesday, 10 April we will hold a ‘crafternoon’ from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. All materials and refreshments will be provided. Adults are welcome to take part as well as children, so come along. Entrance is £4 per head to cover costs. Come and make crystal slime, polybead clay-covered picture frames and more.

Threads of Love

It’s been a sad time for our Methodist Church community, with the death of our friend and long-time church member Richard Banbury on 26 February following a long illness. A service of thanksgiving was held on 12 March in the chapel, which was packed to capacity. It was a beautiful tribute to Richard and to the part he played in so many lives, and brought back memories for all of us; memories we later continued to share over food.

Any death reminds us of the fragility of life and the twists and turns that life can take — many planned, others unexpected, some joyful, others sad. It also reminds us that life is for living in all its fullness. Holding that life together are threads of love: love for one another, and also for ourselves, as the people we are, with all our faults and frailties. Love that holds us in the good times, and sustains us when we struggle. God’s love; threads of love that cannot be destroyed, even if at times that love may seem to be absent.

As Jesus’ footsteps led him towards the cross and death, it was God’s love that sustained him through the darkening days and what lay ahead. Deserted by his friends; denied, scorned and betrayed; and in those final moments on the cross – as Jesus cried out to his Father, questioning his presence – still those threads of God’s love held him.

This year, as we decorated the Easter cross ready to be placed on the village green, we remembered Richard, especially when we used the ‘bodgers’ to coax the flowers into place. He introduced us to this very essential piece of equipment many years ago; it ranged from a strong, thick twiggy piece of wood to a small screwdriver!

Then, early on Easter Sunday morning, a group of friends from both churches gathered together on The Green to put the decorated cross in place, and to share a reading, prayer and hymn. The plain cross, erected on Palm Sunday, no longer stands as a cross of defeat, suffering and death, but the triumph of Resurrection life over that darkness.

What happened that first Easter sent shockwaves across the world as the realisation and truth of Jesus’ resurrection were made known. The shock and disbelief of discovering an empty tomb where Jesus’ body had been laid, and a disciple’s dawning faith; a meeting between the risen Jesus and a woman in a quiet garden; an explosion of joy at the moment of recognition; wings on her heels as she ran off to share the good news of what she’d just witnessed. For Christians this Easter story is at the heart of our faith, and through it we see God’s threads of love holding it all together. We celebrate the good news of the crucified, risen and living Jesus who brings us life in all its fullness. Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Christ is alive! Let Christians sing;
His cross stands empty to the sky;

Let streets and homes with praises ring;
His love in death shall never die.

(Words: Brian Wren)

Oscar Season at Features

Last year we were all talking about the wrong envelope, not thinking that a year later, the film industry would be embroiled in a much darker controversy resulting in the Me Too and Time’s Up campaigns. Given the circumstances, it came as no surprise that the grittier films picked up the awards; even the winning animation features Mexico’s Day of the Dead. That is not to say that the winners weren’t worthy of that accolade — just that creating a programme of monthly films from the winners would mean a fairly dour few months.

That said, our Oscar season starts with Dunkirk, winner of three Oscars. It portrays the evacuation from three perspectives and timelines, with the suspense created from the cinematography and music. Last year, Hacksaw Ridge gave a brutal account of a real event in war; director Christopher Nolan has approached Dunkirk differently, making it accessible to a wider audience and making it a survival story and first and foremost a suspense film. Our screening that evening will support Blind Veterans UK, formally St Dunstan’s.

After that we will be screening Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, a story of a real-life odd couple, Peter Turner and Oscar-winning actress Gloria Grahame, but it is a credit to all concerned that the validity of the relationship is never in doubt.

The programme for the following months is, as yet, fluid, as movies jostle with the pick of the animations from a very strong year. So keep your eyes on the noticeboards, sign up to our mailouts via our website, and come along to the films themselves.

Tackley Players’ ‘Dracula’

A strange manuscript was left at my house, handed in by an American gentleman, studying at the university and staying at number 54b Nethercote Road. He told me it was a series of entries in a diary concerning a recent play put on by the Tackley Players. I thought it best to simply reproduce it as found and let it speak for itself! — RPPG, Feb 2018

Extracts from the Journal of Dr B. Stoker

Feb 1st, 2018: A long journey from Whitby, but eventually I found myself on the local train to Banbury and stepped off it in the darkening afternoon at the Station called Tackley. I was met on the platform by my friend Quincey Harker, a great grandson of Jonathan and Mina Harker, who is over in the UK from the USA doing some ethnographic studies on Vampires at All Souls!

Quincey told me I was very fortunate in that I had come when some of the thespians in the village were presenting ‘Dracula’, a work I am entirely familiar with as it was written by my Great-Grandfather, and I might add, had some truth to it! The Village looked peaceful enough in the gloaming; a few curls of wood smoke could be seen, and lights here and there showed that the community was busy preparing for the evening.

After a meal, washed down with what I learnt was Tackley Ale (a curious but not unpleasant mix) I went with Quincey to attend the first night.

What can I say? When Dracula was first published reviewers called it: ‘the sensation of the season’ and ‘the most blood-curdling novel of the paralysed century’. What would this production be, a sensation? Blood curdling? Gloomily horrible? Or as the Daily Mail of June 1, 1897 put it: a ‘weird, powerful, and horrorful story’!

To my mind it exceeded all these expectations and added a dash of biting humour in characters that did not seem to appear in the original story.

I enjoyed the décor of the Hall, the bats and the enormous cat; the stage setting with its curiously gypsy like curtain-material. All the actors, the young people’s chorus (much commended for tunes and enjoyment), narrator, even the Great Marco himself, combined to make a light touch of a ‘gothic horror’ and a particularly ‘Tackley’ event. I went back to rest and sleep but dreamt of those horrible brides and of Dracula stalking Nethercote Road.

Feb 2nd, 2018: I slept well. After a breakfast of Black Pudding and other delicacies (but not crab meat!) Quincey told me he wants to go to see Dracula again! I surprised myself not for asking ‘why?’, but for suggesting I come to see it again as well.

He asked how I found the second night. I answered in words from the novel itself; ‘I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt; I fear; I think strange things, which I dare not confess to my own soul’. I much enjoyed the Tackley take on the story. The two Acts helped remind me of the horror of the original whilst making Dracula that little bit sympathetic especially when he comes to live in Tackley. As Dracula said to Harker, ‘Transylvania is not England. Our ways are not your ways. And to you there shall be many strange things’. I might add there are none stranger I think than what goes on in Tackley with their plays and pantomimes!

The audience seemed to really engage with the story, joining in when they felt it necessary. The actors enjoyed themselves too and Dracula and his Nanny felt as though they somehow belonged in Tackley. Are they still here somewhere? There were compelling vignettes such as the Whitby Reporter, the little newspaper seller, the Lord Bishop in his various guises, unannounced guests, peasants, the terrifying brides, sailors and captains, heroes and heroines and the voice of the narrator keeping it all together. I left full of thoughtfulness.

Feb 3rd, 2018: After a night where I kept waking, disturbed by strange animal noises that I didn’t enjoy, and a horrible dream of ‘a great bat, coming and going in great, whirling circles’, I felt that the play had made a great impact on me, but unlike Dracula I could not say: ‘The children of the night. What sweet music they make’.

I washed and dressed and went down to breakfast to find Quincey under some sort of spell, wanting yet again to attend the last performance of Dracula. The day passed in gloomy silence, until in the Evening we walked to the Village Memorial hall, passing shadowy figures in the dark.

Inside it was the same as before but the atmosphere was; how can I put it? Exuberant! A full hall, a cast far from tired out by their previous performances, but confident and energised. The audience entered into the whole spirit of the performance, although I felt sorry for the prompter who seemed to wonder at the amazing ad-libs that wove their way more or less seamlessly into the narrative. I was entranced! Of course it was not like my dear Great Grandfather’s reminiscences, but there was something of the underlying mystery and gentle horror in it all.

As I think of that set of four performances, it would be invidious to single out anybody for preferential treatment — all made a whole, all were good. But I have a sneaking admiration for Dracula and his ‘Nanny’. Mrs Gladys Harker balanced the gloom and mounting doom by a virtuoso performance (based on comic opera?). Van Helsing was, as I remember, solid, competent, a foil to the wiles and machinations of those under Dracula’s spell, whilst Mina, Lucy and Arthur kept the ancient storyline going. Even Councillor Albert Collier added a typical Tackley touch. What an evening! And the flying bat, a gem!

However two of my favourite parts were the black-and-white cinematograph showing Dracula patrolling the village featuring such delectable luminaries as Professor Vaughan and her travelling Terrier Tuppence, mine host Martin at the Gardiners with that Tackley Ale I drank (how potent that seems to be!), Dame Sylvia and Madame Daphne who all appeared immune to Dracula’s charms. I made a promise to myself, not to go wandering around at night, for you just never know what you might meet! Then the Tackley train! It reminded me how punctual they are here compared to Whitby travel and family holidays by train in Transylvania. As Dr Harker once said: ‘It seems to me that the further East you go the more unpunctual are the trains. What ought they to be in China?’ How true!

Quincey said it was one of the most enjoyable plays he had been to. As for me I can only commend everybody for all their efforts: all those involved with lights, backstage, costumes, writers, producer, technicians, sound, refreshments including the lovelier Brides of Dracula with the Ice Creams.

Thank you Tackley Players! It has left me, Dr B. Stoker, with that desire of Count Dracula to return again: ‘I long to go through the crowded streets of your mighty Tackley, to be in the midst of the whirl and rush of humanity, to share its life, its change, its death, and all that makes it what it is’.

I return to Whitby tomorrow and thence to the Carpathians for a holiday. I must remember to get that box of earth from the attic before I do!

Comment: He seems to have enjoyed the performances immensely, I just wonder what he is doing with that box of earth? — Robin Gibbons

PALs Litter Pick

What an excellent turnout we had for our first litter pick of 2018 in February — the best response yet, and on a cold and wet Saturday morning, too. Next time we will have more picking routes planned so that everyone can be involved.

Everyone worked very hard and cleared a large amount of litter from the roads into the village and within the village itself, although we had an instance of fly tipping along White Hill that contributed to size of the pile this time. It’s a great pity that there is still so much to collect. There was a considerable amount collected from within the village this time, and we are hoping that villagers will support us by making every effort to put theirs in the bin instead.

We would like to say well done and thank you very much to all our helpers, and look forward to seeing you again at our next litter pick on Saturday, 7 April, 10:30 am at the village hall, with hopefully even more potential new members coming to join us.

Golf Society

Fixtures for the coming year:

• 17 April: Adderbury (Mike Willemite)
• 17 May: Burford (Jim Kavanagh)
• 13 June: Studley (Tony Nelson)
• 25 July: Chipping Norton (Martin Hickman)
• 30 August: Kirtlington (Geoff Chambers)
• September TBC (Malcolm Hills)
• October trip away TBC (Geoff Chambers/Malcolm Hills)
• 17 October: Kirtlington (Mike Willemite)

Members will be emailed nearer the dates with further information. Anybody not on the mailing list who might like to join us should email [address removed from archive version].

Woodstock Natural History Society

On Tuesday, 10 April, Lawrence Bee will give an illustrated talk entitled Spiders.

On Tuesday, 8 May, Barry Oxley will give an illustrated talk entitled Romania – The Carpathians and Danube Delta.

Meetings start at 7:30 pm in the Community Centre, New Road, Woodstock OX20 1PB.

Visitors £2. All welcome.

Why Are the Bells Ringing?

Most people like to hear church bells ringing — a joyous sound that helps to lift the soul. There are some who hate them, but then the world would be a dull place if we all liked the same things!

In Tackley we are fortunate to have a sufficient number of dedicated people to ring the bells for most occasions. It is not very often that the bells are silent on a Sunday evening for a service. We ring for half an hour before church services, or longer if it is a special service. But there are a few other occasions when we ring as well:

On New Year’s Eve we ring twice. First is in the early evening with the bells half muffled. This means that each bell sounds a ‘ding’ but not a ‘dong’, giving a mournful sound, because we are ringing the old year out. At midnight of course we ring without the muffles, carefully watching the time counting down, to manually ring 12 strikes followed immediately by a joyful ringing session.

Some of us have been known to ring at 6 am on 1 May, but that all depends on how many are willing to leave our beds at the crack of dawn!

Remembrance Sunday is another time when we ring the bells half muffled, to pay our respects to those who gave their lives in the wars. It is a great feeling to ring the bells like this — it gives a special clarity and timelessness to the occasion.

There are other times that we might ring, too: St George’s Day and any special occasion of the Queen’s, including the recent anniversaries. We also rang half muffled when the Queen Mother died.

Weddings are very special in Tackley. Because we have to stay up in the bell tower during the service, we have to find something else to do as well as ring before and after the wedding! We carefully watch the progress of the service through the small round hole in the floor, and then, as the newly-married couple emerge from the vestry, after signing the register, we send down a festoon of rose petals on them!

Then there are the ‘nine tailors’ and ‘six tailors’ that are occasionally rung at a funeral. This was originally known as the ‘passing bell’, in order to protect the soul from evil spirits on its journey. It then changed to tolling, the ‘tailors’ probably being originally ‘tellers’ or ‘tollers’. The tenor bell is tolled nine times in three groups of three for a man, or six times in two groups of three for a woman, followed by further tolls that total the age of the deceased.

If anyone would like to have the tailors rung at a funeral, please contact the vicar or myself, as this is only carried out if specifically requested.

We always need new ringers. Anyone who is interested, even if you would just like to come and see us in action, would be most welcome. We will be ringing Tuesdays 7:30 to 9 pm.

Local History Group

We have enjoyed some excellent speakers with very well-attended meetings and increased membership throughout the winter, and will resume meetings with speakers again in September.

Meanwhile we have a very exciting time ahead.

By the time this is printed, we will have had a tour of the Street Farm excavations, which have produced some very interesting finds. A full report will be available when the excavation is complete, with hopefully an opportunity for people to view some of the objects found.

On 21 April our exhibition in St Nicholas Church, Tackley Through Time, will be officially opened. Many of our members have been involved in this project — researching and writing, drawing maps, collating finds, and producing the display panels. The display will be open when the church is open, so I do hope everyone will take the opportunity to visit the exhibition and discover more about our village’s history.

With the weather improving we will be resuming our dig at Gibraltar Point and continuing to walk some of the local fields very soon.

If you would like more information about joining in any of the activities, visit our website or Facebook page, or contact Sue Ashton.

Gardening Club

Spring is here, we hope!

In March, Tony Clear came to speak to us about planters and containers.

On 17 April we have been invited to go to Steeple Aston where Adam Pascoe from the BBC will be talking to both gardening clubs. Meet in the Tackley Village Hall car park by 7:15 pm for a lift. Guests are very welcome; the cost is £2.

Please also join us on the evening of 15 May when we are going to visit a garden in Botley, belonging to Ann Dawson who was here in November to show us Christmas decorations. Look out for posters nearer the date, which will announce the meeting time.

If you have any questions, please email me.

New Group for People Who Have Been Bereaved

Late Spring is a network of support groups run by Age UK Oxfordshire across the county for anyone aged 60+ who has been bereaved. Meetings provide an opportunity to get together with others who understand, and to remember that, in the midst of the pain, there is still life left to live. The groups aim to meet twice a month in a relaxed and friendly setting, over coffee, tea and cake.

We are looking forward to starting a Late Spring group in Tackley in May. Please check the village and shop noticeboards for details.

For more information please visit the website or contact Helen Sollis on [phone number removed from archive version].

Workshops for Rights-of-Way Enthusiasts

Experts Phil Wadey and Sarah Bucks will be presenting two workshops based on their book Rights of Way: Restoring the Record. The aim of these training events is to enthuse, enable and empower rights-of-way researchers to make definitive map modification order applications to ensure that rights that would otherwise be extinguished in 2026 are saved for future generations to use.

The day will concentrate on identifying routes, the key sources of evidence of historic ways, where that information is located, what it can tell us, and how a systematic research method can be employed to undertake this work.

• 12 May: Glyme Hall, Burford Rd, Chipping Norton OX7 5DZ
• 13 May: Newlands Park Sports & Social Centre, Southam Lane, Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham GL52 3PE

Both workshops are free of charge, but places are limited so must be booked in advance. Arrival 9 am for 9:30 am start; finish 4:30 pm.

Tea and coffee is provided on arrival, but not lunch. Delegates should bring a laptop (Wi-Fi is provided) and OS maps of their area.

To book, contact Hannah Marsh on [phone number and email address removed from archive version].

Richard Banbury

What a gentleman, in every sense of the word. A very kind person who had a positive for every negative.

Richard ran his family’s business, Banbury’s in Woodstock, an amazing store that sold a vast array of goods, advised and provided all in clothing and haberdashery. He was active in Woodstock life but to us in Tackley he was – in his quiet, unassuming way – one of our most valued parishioners.

Richard and Vi, with their daughters Susan and Claire, lived for most of their married life in Rose Cottage — that picturesque thatched cottage at the start of Nethercote Road, with the lovely garden. Do you remember that delightful window scene at Christmas, with its decorated village and working model train? A vivid memory of mine is of Richard standing outside on the pavement on bonfire night watching for the landings of the rockets, hoping and praying it wouldn’t be on his thatch.

Richard and Vi were great gardeners and vegetable-growers. One of Richard’s many roles in the village was to help organise and set up our flower and produce show, often winning some of the prizes too. He was also the provider of sound equipment for Gala Day, Fete on The Green, Christmas carols and other outdoor events that needed it.

He had many roles in the village, being a school governor for a period, and a very active member of our Methodist Church for all of his adult life. I quote from a message sent by his friends from the church:

“Richard was a much loved and valued member and friend of Tackley Methodist Church for almost 50 years. Not just servicing the church as treasurer and steward but as property repairer, handyman, problem solver, and ‘wise advice’ giver. Nothing was too much trouble for him.

“Along with Vi and the late Ray Peacock he was instrumental in researching archives, collecting information and producing a history book to commemorate the bicentenary of the church in 2008. Putting together a spectacular exhibition of photographic memories and newspaper articles, and a vast collection of objects associated with the church’s history. There was no limit to his enthusiasm, sense of fun and loyalty. Combined with his unwavering faith he will always be remembered by the Methodist community.”

Many of us will have our own memories of Richard before he became ill, but to me he was ‘our rock’ on the parish council, and at one point chair — our Chancellor of the Exchequer; a font of all knowledge. How often did I (and still do, on occasions) hear myself saying “if we ask Richard, he will know” and as often as not he did? Sensible, but brave and forward thinking, full of good ideas, but not frivolous, always fair but generous, just quietly ‘getting things done’.

Back in the 70s when the time came for the village hall to be replaced, he was there in the team, supervising the sale of the old building and the planning of the new hall on the playing field. When our shop closed he was determined to see a new shop in the village, and was one of the team instrumental in setting it up, helping to find the money, and acting for the parish council as one of the go-betweens with planners, builders and fundraisers.

The parish council miss his knowledge and good sense. It would be invaluable with the ‘challenges’ we have today.

Richard’s health had deteriorated over the last few years, and we must pay tribute to Vi for her selfless care for him — taking him out every day and including him in village life.

Richard Banbury was most definitely a village elder, whose energy and enthusiasm enhanced our village life, and whose legacy will continue into the future.

Iris Harrison

We would like to say a big thank-you to everyone who came to mum’s funeral, and for all the kind messages and cards we received. With over 300 people attending, it was good to know how well thought of she was.

Thank you for all the donations in aid of her three charities. We raised £1,072 which is fantastic.