Tackley Newsletter
August & September 2019

Parish Council

Members

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

The clerk is Janette Read.

Parish Clerk

Jan Read, who has served the council brilliantly in her short time as our clerk has decided, regretfully, that she has to leave the position. This means a vacancy which will need to be filled by the end of September. Residents interested in applying for the post are referred to the advertisement.

Meetings

Our August meeting has been cancelled, and there are no surgeries in August.

Draft minutes of all parish council meetings appear on the website two weeks after the date of the meeting. See there, also, some personal details of your councillors.

Copies of this report are also circulated via Tackley Notices.

Communications With Barwood Homes

The parish council continues to urge West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) to challenge Barwood Homes regarding concerns pertaining to site levels, greenspace, and wheel washing. We understand that WODC have arranged a meeting with Barwood but we are not privy to any further details.

Railway

Residents will know that several meetings concerning the railway crossing have been held in recent weeks. The council has been told, definitively, that whatever decisions are taken in respect of the crossing, the future of Tackley station is assured: there is no intention to close it, whatever is decided regarding the crossing. Network Rail held an open consultation session in the village hall on 16 July to present various options for the location of the proposed bridge, and to hear views of villagers. We understand that they will come back to the parish council in September to present their initial conclusions from the consultation.

Lighting Along Jubilee Garden

A contractor has been asked to provide solar lighting at this point, before the onset of winter.

Overhanging Hedges

In recent parish council reports, reference has been made, multiple times, to a problem evident in a very small number of cases of hedges growing across or overhanging the public pathway. By presenting the matter in this impersonal manner, it was hoped that those residents with such a hedge would ‘take the hint’ and do something about it. Following an unnecessary dispute over just such a problem, the PC must now formally request that residents examine the border of their property where a hedge exists and determine if it allows ease of passage, especially for children and those in mobility vehicles. If in any way it fails this test, the necessary action should be undertaken as soon as possible.

Footpath to St Nicholas’ Church

The need for remedial work on this footpath has now been generally agreed. However, consultations on exactly what action to take, bearing in mind the fragility of the adjacent stone wall, are continuing.

Rousham Road

Your council is aware that Rousham Road has been damaged as a result of the water repair work undertaken there, and is pursuing the contractor about effective repair.

Village Shop

Tackley Village Shop opened in February 2004 and is a community-owned shop. It is run by a small group of paid staff supported by a large group of volunteers who give anything from two hours of their time monthly to a few hours each week.

Its aim is to provide groceries and household products as well as a range of other items such as haberdashery, stationery and a small range of gifts to meet the needs of our versatile community. Goods range from economical lunch box fillers to more specialised goods like smoked fish and meat and a wide range of wines. Wherever possible, supplies are sourced from local producers and currently these include eggs, beers, honey and bread.

In mid-June this year, the shop held its AGM and was able to report a great improvement over the last two years where the shop had reported trading losses – the previous year of more than £2,000 – which this year had been transformed into a trading profit of over £12,000. This is due to the hard work of manager Debby Norton and her team of Wendy Threadgold, Steph Radda and Sue Moss, plus increased custom from the workers on the local building sites.

Normally when a profit is made this is passed on to the village hall to provide facilities for villagers to use and enjoy, but this year we are using the money to restore the reserves that have been depleted over previous years and to take the opportunity to refurbish the shop as it is looking very tired after fifteen years of trading and much of the equipment is coming to the end of its useful life. As such a project requires significant investment we will also be applying for grants towards the costs involved.

So we have some exciting times to come as we look at plans for improved layout of the shop, replacement fridges and freezers, refreshing the paintwork, a new counter and much more. This is likely to happen early autumn and there will be some disruption to business but we will keep you all informed.

If you have any suggestions that you think would help to improve the shop or the products it sells, please talk to any member of staff and they will pass your comments on to the management committee. Don’t forget, this is your shop and it is here to serve you and the community in the best way that it can.

As always we would welcome anyone who could volunteer to help in the shop in any way, so if you could spare an hour (or two) at any time please do talk to any of the team.

Level Crossing Caution

At 10:24 on 14 June the driver of the 09:37 service from Banbury to Didcot reported that as it was pulling away from Tackley station, two people ran across the level crossing in front of the train, gesturing for it to stop. The driver has declared the incident a near miss and British Transport Police have been advised.

Drivers Wanted for Car Scheme

We would warmly welcome some more volunteer drivers. If you would like to help please contact our secretary, Diana Whitehead on [phone number removed from archive version] who will be glad to explain how the scheme works and how we contribute to your vehicle running costs. Whatever time you can spare, either regularly or only occasionally, will make a big difference.

New Football Season

Tackley United FC are about to make an exciting return to Sunday League football, playing in the Upper Thames Valley Sunday League against other Oxfordshire teams, kicking off at 10:30 every Sunday.

The season starts in September, and there will be training sessions and friendly matches in the weeks beforehand.

We are a welcoming team who are always looking for new local players of any age, who would enjoy a game of football on a Sunday morning.

If you, or anyone you know, would like to join then please contact us.

We are organising a race night at the Gardiner Arms on Saturday, 10 August at 7 pm. Let us know if you’d like to buy a horse and/or ticket.

Calling Tackley’s Photographers!

It’s that time of year again when I begin to collect submissions for the Tackley Photographic Calendar. For the 2020 calendar I’m revisiting a very popular theme from a few years ago: Tackley in Bloom. I’m looking for photos of gardens, flowers, trees in blossom, etc. Photos must have been taken in Tackley by people who live and work in the village. If your photo also showcases some of the village architecture as a backdrop then even better. As always, all money raised from sales of the calendar will go to Tackley Village Memorial Hall.

Please send photos via email to [email address removed from archive version]. Alternatively you can email a link to images on Dropbox or another file-sharing site, or call me on [phone number removed from archive version] to arrange a time for you to call round with them on a memory stick or CD.

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, 25 August. Thanks in advance for your continued support of the calendar.

Christian Aid

This year’s house-to-house collection for Christian Aid raised £575.56 and with Gift Aid this will rise to £628.69. Thank you to all those who contributed — you have helped to give the poor of this world some hope for a better life.

My apologies to all the villagers who received envelopes which were not collected and to any who did not receive an envelope at all. You can still make a contribution online or by phone.

Thanks to all my collectors, who are members of St Nicholas’ and the Methodist churches.

Primary School

It has been another successful year and we are proud of the achievements of all our children. We say a fond farewell to our Year 6s, and wish them every success in their new schools.

This term has been really busy. Our Medcroft class enjoyed a visit to the Oxford Museum of Natural History, while Harborne class were proud to visit Dorchester Abbey to take part in the Festival of Voices. Rousham class took part in a Tudor Day — dressing up in period clothing of the time, acting out battle scenes, and learning about food, Tudor exploration and diseases and cures.

The whole school took part in a dance day, now an annual feature of our calendar, and I know the parents always really look forward to the performances.

Early Years had their very own sports day this year, which was really well attended and enjoyed by all, and all children competed in our whole-school sports day. As ever our parents race was fiercely competitive!

We look forward to welcoming six Reception children in September, and eleven nursery-aged children to our Early Years. I hope you all have a lovely summer holiday — I know the children (and staff!) are really looking forward to it.

A Trilogy of True Stories

Our last screening was a powerful animation called The Breadwinner, and it showed how animation isn’t just for children. Towards the end of the year, Features is likely to screen three summer blockbusters loved by all ages: Toy Story 4, and two live-action movies which started their screen life as animations — Aladdin and The Lion King.

Until then, we return with a trio of comedy dramas based on true stories, starting with a black classical pianist’s growing friendship with his minder/driver during his concert tour around the racist South in the 1960s. Green Book is a warm-hearted comedy drama that won three Oscars.

A month later, we go back a further decade and screen another movie based on a theatrical tour. In 1953 Laurel and Hardy are facing an uncertain future with their films a distant memory, and so, though diminished by age, the duo set out to reconnect with their adoring fans by touring the UK’s variety halls. Stan and Ollie is a gentle, delightful, sweet story of two of cinema’s most legendary comics — a warm hug of a movie with superb, spot-on performances, some big laughs, and genuinely touching moments.

The last in our trilogy is Fisherman’s Friends. Nine years ago a group of Cornish fishermen were singing sea shanties in their village pub when a holidaying music executive came in for a pint. Though the result was a million-pound record deal and chart-topping success, the fishermen did not give up their day jobs. So unusually they are working the boats, singing and coaching actors in this UK feel-good hit based on their remarkable story.

See you soon at Features — second Sundays at seven.

Methodist Church

Dorine Peacock, one of our Methodist church friends sadly died on 19 June. Her funeral service on 13 July was taken by Rev Dr Martin Wellings. Dorine was a regular worshipper and, for many years, had been very active in different aspects of church life. She was blessed with a beautiful singing voice, and the music as we left after her service was a recording of the Leicester Philharmonic Choir, including Dorine, at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 1981. We will miss her friendship, her singing and her company.

Messy Church continues to meet every month, usually on the first Saturday, between 2:30 and 4:30 pm. Do come and join us and see what we get up to. We follow a familiar pattern of games, craft activities and informal worship all based on a chosen theme, after which we have tea together. Keep your eyes open for posters around the village and also on Tackley Notices emails. All ages are very welcome, though children should be accompanied by a responsible adult. There will be no Messy Church in August; the next one will be 8 September.

St Nicholas’ Church

And so the holidays settle in.

Every year as I watch the leavers’ service for Tackley school, I think of the summer after I left primary school. It was – well, let’s not get into too much detail about the exact year – but the weather was glorious, and I spent a very happy few weeks enjoying the innocent euphoria of leaving one school and anticipating the next.

I’d managed to pass the exams into the local grammar school, as had two of my closest friends. We prepared together for whatever was coming at us next — walking our dogs on the moors, going to the fleapit cinema in town, waiting for endless days to merge into more endless days, meeting other friends on the hoof, swimming in ponds and running down lanes, laughing, talking, having no idea.

They were truly holy days.

Sometimes we lose the connection between a vacation and a holiday — between a rest and something that bit more precious, a gift. The word ‘holiday’ comes from a time when the only rest most people received was because of a religious celebration. A ‘holy day’ meant respite from labour. For us, we’re usually more focussed on a destination or family or friends or achieving something new. But the sense of wonder and gift and value that comes from seeing even an ordinary thing as ‘holy’ can be… transformative. Laughter between friends. Silence before sleep. Time to enjoy a good book. Music never heard before.

And so the holy days settle in when we look with the eyes of our hearts and find that God loves even you and me and grants us all kinds of kindness. Holy days don’t happen only when school is out. They can happen any time. But perhaps at this time of year many of us get a chance to take a moment, breathe, see freshly the wonders around us — and be thankful again.

Speaking of gratitude and of holy days both past and yet to come — many thanks to all our wonderful PCC and PTA fete team for a terrific event back at the beginning of July. We raised over £2,000 on what was a fantastic day. Brilliant! Well done to all, and thank you for coming, for giving, for taking part, for working hard and for making such a terrific village occasion.

Then coming up fast: We have our third annual benefice summer holiday club, Pirate Adventure, getting ready to set sail on 13 and 14 August over in Steeple Aston. Thank you to Jeanette and all our helpers for organising this. I am delighted we are offering this very practical way of helping families again this summer. Two great days for children, packed with lovely touches of faith and fun. Something for everyone. Details are available in church.

Finally, the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust annual Ride & Stride Day is on 14 September this year. Every September folk walk or cycle around churches to help raise funds for our parishes, and if you’d like to support us this way and find all kinds of wonders along the way, why not participate! Visit the website where there are more details of how you can take part.

By mid-September school will be back for most: but the holy days can keep going…

New Women’s Institute Group

Are you a woman aged between 18 and 138 who would like to meet new friends, learn new skills, have fun and be part of an organisation that campaigns nationally for good? If yes, then read on…

Our initial meeting is on Tuesday, 3 September at 7:30 pm in Tackley Village Hall.

Your new Women’s Institute will create its own programme of events and activities, and have its own president and committee selected by you from members of your group.

Your WI is what you want it to be and what you make of it, and the programme you create will reflect this — from relaxing with friends to informative speakers, creative sessions or perhaps lap dancing! The sky’s the limit!

The WI is a democratic social and educational charity. Help and support is offered to all WIs through both the national and Oxfordshire levels of the organisation. Our county (federation) office is at 5 Court Farm Barns, Tackley OX5 3AL.

Your WI will provide many other benefits including eleven free meetings a year, eight copies of our national publication WI Life, communication and support from Oxfordshire Federation of WIs, special rates at our Denman College with multifarious and exciting courses, plus access to wide information on My WI online.

Please don’t hesitate — come along and have a chat with cake and coffee or tea. Or contact me for further help.

We will meet again on 1 October.

Local History Group

Roman Mosaic

On behalf of the village the parish council has agreed to accept the donation of the mosaic that was found in the Roman villa under the housing development at Street Farm, now, appropriately, called Roman Close. It will be displayed in a new specially-designed building on the triangle of land between the back of the village hall and the school which now has the table tennis table and teenagers’ shelter. These will be moved to more appropriate locations nearby. The ‘mosaic house’ will also have displays about the villa and life in Roman Tackley as well as artefacts that have been found in and around the village.

The Tackley Roman Mosaic Project is being coordinated by a subcommittee of the parish council, and work on designing the building and fundraising begins in earnest in September. We will be launching the project at the Tackley Local History Group Open Day on Saturday, 21 September. For further information please contact the chair of the subcommittee, John Perkins.

Programme of Talks

• 30 September: David Sanchez, archaeologist, Thames Valley Archaeological Services: The Roman Villa at Street Farm.
• 21 October: Keith Westcott, metal detectorist: Discovering the Broughton Roman Palace.
• 25 November: Mary McIntyre, Tackley: Women in Astronomy.
• 27 January: Paul Booth, Director of the Excavations at Roman Dorchester: Roman Oxfordshire.
• 24 February: Mark Davies, Oxford local historian: Oxford Castle: 17th and 18th Century Crimes, Escapes and Punishments.
• 23 March: Liz Woolley, Oxford local historian: 66 Men of Grandpont, 1914–18.

All meetings are on Monday evenings in the village hall and start at 8 pm. Tea and coffee from 7:45 pm. Wine afterwards.

Membership is £10 per year, running from September to September, and includes all the talks.

Non-members are welcome to attend at £5 per talk.

Walking Group

Meet at the village hall at 10 am to arrange car sharing. Please contact the walk leader if you would rather meet at the start of the walk.

Some walks conclude with lunch at a local pub or café. Please contact the walk leader if you will be joining the group for lunch.

• 10 August: Bodicote area, led by Allen. Around 5 miles.
• 14 September: Walk from Tackley along the canal to Lower Heyford, led by Jan with optional lunch at the Red Lion. Return by bus. 5 miles.

All walking is at your own risk.

Gardening Club

17 August is our flower show. Please put anything you can in to be judged — you should all have schedules now and there is a wide range of classes. It’s the last show and an awful lot of effort and work goes into it. Let’s go out on a high!

On 17 September we have Hugh Warwick, a hedgehog-loving ecologist coming to talk to us about hedgehogs, a very important part of our English countryside.

Late Spring

The Late Spring (bereavement) group is facilitated by Age UK Oxfordshire and meets in Tackley Methodist Church on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month from 1:30 to 3 pm. We are a small group of both men and women aged 55+ and encourage you to come along and meet us and see what you think in September (we don’t meet in August).

You don’t have to live in Tackley to attend; some come from the Astons, and people from other villages and towns are most welcome.

In a relaxed environment, over coffee and cake, we meet with others who have lost a loved one and therefore understand and can offer valuable comfort and support to each other. People come along at different times: some may come two months post-bereavement, while others may come two years later. There is no right or wrong — it’s about how life is for you as an individual.

We look to the future without forgetting, while remembering good times and memories and laughter. Sessions aim to be restorative and informative.

Walk for Parkinson’s

Join Parkinson’s UK on Sunday, 22 September for our ninth sponsored Walk for Parkinson’s – Oxford. We have three exciting new routes, all giving you the opportunity to see some of the city’s beautiful, historic buildings and wonderful green spaces. Choose from 1½, 4½ or 8 miles. Entry is £12 for adults and £5 for under-16s. All walkers will receive a Parkinson’s UK t-shirt, plus a medal on completing the walk.

The sponsorship raised will help fund the research project Investigating the Waste Disposal System in Parkinson’s, taking place in the Pharmacology Department at the University of Oxford. This research project will be looking at fatty molecules called lipids, which play an important role in keeping the brain working properly, to try to identify what type of lipids are involved in Parkinson’s.