Tackley Newsletter
October & November 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.

Meetings

The next formal meeting of the council is on 7 October, and the next surgery on 21 October, when matters of concern can be brought to the council’s attention. Outside of these dates, please contact the parish clerk or councillors.

Draft minutes of all parish council meetings appear on the village 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.

Parish Clerk

As previously announced, our clerk Jan Read is stepping down from her role, after being a wonderful support to the parish council. We are still actively recruiting to fill this position, and welcome applicants from all sorts of backgrounds. If you are interested in this paid position, which requires a commitment of approximately 10–15 hours per week, please contact Councillor Andrew Lines.

Jan Read currently remains clerk while interviews are being conducted.

Railway

Representatives of Network Rail will be attending the meeting on 7 October and making a presentation about their proposed options for replacing the crossing at the station.

Communications With Barwood Homes

Over the summer, residents and councillors have continued to raise concerns about the Barwood development. At a meeting between West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) and Barwood, it was agreed that the levels of the footpath at part of the site were not to plan and Barwood have been instructed to lower that area. Also, they have undertaken to repave some areas where they had used tarmac, contrary to the approved plan.

On 22 August our MP Robert Courts visited the village and viewed the development from gardens on Balliol Close and Nethercote Road. He was alarmed by what has taken place. He has undertaken to pursue the issue of the greenspace transfer and associated funds so that in the future the parish council might mitigate some of the worst impacts on our residents. The powers of the MP are limited in terms of planning, but we urge you to convey concerns you have to the MP as, ultimately, planning law is defined by parliament and it’s important that lessons are learned from our experiences.

More positively, the parish council has made a formal complaint to WODC regarding the failure of Barwood to adhere to their own landscape statement and, even more importantly, the absence of the deep swale behind one half of Nethercote Road. The attenuation basin has been dug, but not the associated swale. The swale is designed to prevent flooding of the houses below the development. Both those matters have been taken up by the WODC enforcement team. We urge concerned residents to direct their concerns to WODC’s planning department and to our WODC councillor, Nathalie Chapple.

Remembrance Service

The remembrance service held at the village hall last year was well supported and very successful. Consequently we will hold such a service at the memorial village hall again this year, at 11 am on Sunday, 10 November. The Scout group will lead the parade from the village green at approximately 10:45; detailed arrangements will be circulated nearer the time.

Train Report to Tackley Parish Council

First Great Western will be introducing some major changes to their general timetables in December, but as far as I can see all the current services to Tackley are preserved.

Robin Gibbons and I have been discussing changes with First Great Western, and they are sympathetic to longer-term improvements, and have even talked of an hourly service. But that in part is likely to depend on the outcome of the crossing proposals, and whether that leads to increased use.

Turning to the crossing, Network Rail as I understand it are planning to come to the October parish meeting with refined options in the light of the consultations they have held in the village. I have no idea what they will say — although a recent email to the Tackley Railway Residents Action Committee (TRAC) group suggests they may be moving away from the original idea of a bridge at the station itself. In our previous meetings with Network Rail, I should stress that Robin and I as the parish council train representatives have never advocated any particular option — simply that in the light of the near misses we have had (Network Rail reported eleven over the last two years) something must be done. And we have also emphasised the need for extensive consultation with the village.

June Collier and I were first told by Network Rail in the summer of 2018 that they now had the funding for a safe crossing, and were thinking of a disabled-compliant bridge on the platform (see my report to the parish council, 9 September 2018). Robin and I insisted in our next meeting with Network Rail that once they had worked up their preferred option they not only must have wide village consultation but also specifically talk to the homeowners nearest the station. And this is what has happened.

At some point, Network Rail will have to put in a planning application for their final proposal. The parish council will then have to decide whether to support it, oppose it, or remain neutral. Ditto any associated bridleway diversion orders. All the options have various benefits and disadvantages but I hope a solution will be found that just about manages to satisfy the various interests involved — the village generally, those living near the station, bridleway users, and not forgetting those who actually use the trains. And I also hope that there will be a resolution before too long, and we are not still discussing options this time next year.

I want to say something about the tone of the discussions. It’s not been pleasant at times for Robin and me. Robin has had it worse — he has been called to his face a bully and other terms not fit for print. Whatever the strong views involved, that really isn’t worthy of Tackley. I’ve been shouted at, and a rumour was spread that I own shares in Network Rail and will make money out of a bridge. Completely untrue of course, especially as Network Rail doesn’t have shares. I think that the TRAC group will agree that in the discussions with the homeowners nearest the station Lynn and her team from Network Rail have been very open and treated them with great respect.

So I hope that this attitude will continue when they come to the next meeting, even if some still disagree with their preferred options. I don’t see Network Rail as some private developer but as genuinely trying to work with the village to find an acceptable solution. The important thing at the next meeting is to find out the likely timescale of any planning application proposals and if Network Rail come up with, say, two preferred options how best to consult further with the village. I would suggest something like a week’s display in the coffee shop. The parish council will also have to decide whether at that stage they should provide some guidance to the village of what option they feel is preferable.

Finally, this is going to be my last report as parish council train rep. I have been working for almost ten years to persuade Network Rail to come up with the funding for a safe crossing and avoid another death. And that’s now been achieved, and it is time to step back. It has been exasperating at times over the years, but I thank the parish council for the opportunity.

Flu Clinic

The Tackley flu clinic will be on Friday, 18 October from 2 to 2:30 pm in the village hall coffee shop.

This year’s vaccines are age-specific, so please telephone the surgery for an appointment in order that we can provide the appropriate number of vaccines.

Those eligible are:

• Anyone aged over 65 on 31 March 2020.
• Anyone with a chronic condition e.g. diabetes, COPD, or heart, liver, neurological or kidney disease.
• Asthmatics who are on steroids.
• Anyone who is immunosuppressed e.g. has had an organ transplant or is on chemotherapy.
• Pregnant women.
• Carers in receipt of a carer’s allowance.
• People in residential homes.

Photographic Calendar

At the time of writing, the artwork and design of the 2020 photographic calendar are almost complete, so I am hoping that the first batch will be available from Tackley Village Shop by mid-October and will continue to be sold until Christmas. As soon as they’re available, I’ll alert people via Tackley Notices. This year’s theme is ‘Tackley in Bloom’ which is a very appealing subject matter, so they will make a great Christmas gift. They are sold in biodegradable corn starch bags (donated by me at no cost to the calendar). The calendar will be £6.50, and every penny of profit will go to Tackley Village Memorial Hall. Thanks in advance for your continued support of the calendar.

Primary School

What a lovely start to term we have had. The classes have all been really busy settling in to their new routines, and have come back with lots of new ideas and enthusiasm. Our Nursery is growing rapidly and we are delighted that so many parents are choosing to start their child’s early education with us. We look forward to seeing the progress these children make on their journey through Tackley.

We welcome six Reception children to our school, all enthusiastic and excited to be with us. Our Year 1 and 2 children are looking at history within living memory and this term will be looking at how transport and toys have changed over time. Our Year 3 and 4 children are studying the Stone Age with their topic Solid as a Rock. Finally our Year 5 and 6 children are Going the Extra Nile with their topic of ancient civilisation in Egypt.

Our library continues to grow, and parents have been very generously donating new books. We look forward this year to being able to open up our library after school for pupils and parents to choose books together, and hope that we can extend this to the wider community over time.

We are looking forward to another term of learning at Tackley.

Pirate Adventure!

On 13 and 14 August, twenty children from Steeple Aston, North Aston, Tackley and surrounding villages came together for a holiday club in Steeple Aston organised by members of the benefice churches. They sailed the four ‘C’s of choice, call, change and commitment, with Bible stories from Luke’s Gospel. They had fun with challenges, games, songs and puppet shows, and made colourful pirate crafts — treasure chests, parrots and telescopes. Children aged 4 to 11 joined together in games on the field and made new friends. There was a lovely atmosphere with older children helping the younger ones.

Marcus Green visited on the Wednesday to judge a drawing competition to design the best pirate ship, won by Hector Nunneley and Islay Langton-Paxton.

A huge thank-you to everyone who devoted their time and energy to making this year’s holiday club a success.

Methodist Church

At Messy Church – monthly on a Saturday, 2:30 to 4:30 pm – we follow a familiar pattern of games, craft activities and informal worship all based on a chosen theme. We welcome all ages, though children should be accompanied by a responsible adult. The next Messy will be in October so do keep an eye out for details about the date on Tackley Notices emails, or on the village noticeboards. If you’ve not been before, come along and meet us — we’re a friendly, welcoming group.

St Nicholas’ Church

The current trend for Halloween to be a time of parties and treats and dressing up hides the deeper traditions of this time of year.

All Hallows (All Saints) on 1 November, and All Souls the day after, is traditionally a time to remember those who have gone before us. Whether the great heroes of faith, or just the ordinary faithful (saints or souls — take your pick!) our lives have been shaped by all kinds of people. As the nights draw in and the dark begins to bite, these festivals shine a little light into our hearts.

Because that’s what we are all supposed to do: shine as lights to the world, says Jesus. And I think all of us can point to people who have done that for us — parents, friends, teachers, colleagues, role models of all sorts. I am often told stories of previous rectors; and though these often focus on our common failings, sometimes quietly come the tales of moments when my predecessors brought hope and kindness and comfort and a little touch of Jesus in the night.

All Hallows Eve, 31 October, the night before the remembering, sharpens the darkness: but only as that moment before the dawn seems darkest, just before the day’s new light first begins to break through. Because light always breaks through.

This year this date carries all kinds of feelings with it. Whether Brexit does or doesn’t happen at the end of October, the mess around what has been going on will carry on for ages to come. The way we feel, the way we feel democracy is being handled or mishandled, the way public discourse has become harsh and difficult. Our leaders set the tone for our common life.

Perhaps all we can do is pray that light will indeed break through at this yearly time of remembering, in more than one way. The saints and the souls, the heroes of faith and the ordinary faithful who have gone before us will come to mind and inspire us to be our better selves. Their words, their lives, their love will lift us all up. Join us on 3 November at 5:30 pm to celebrate our loved ones.

And it is not just a day — it is a season of remembering, for a week later we will gather together and recall that saints and souls laid down their lives for us – and still do – that we might be free to argue in darkness or choose to shed light wherever we walk. Join us for our remembrance service on 10 November at 5:30 pm.

Christians come together through all seasons to celebrate by remembering the light that Jesus brings every day, whether darkness threatens to overwhelm or the sun shines brightly. We do what we do together to remember him; these are words in our Holy Communion. In remembering him, we remember that when we forget our better selves, life grows dimmer. So we kneel, we pray, we reach out our hands and we say thank you.

Thank you for those who have gone before. For shining examples. For those we have loved. For saints and souls. For each other. For lives laid down. For Jesus. And in this season of remembering we celebrate; but not just with treats and fancy dress — with determination to bring that light to our world, here, today.

Bible Study happens most Mondays at 2 pm in the Rectory, Steeple Aston. Morning Prayer is in St Nicholas’ church on Tuesdays at 10 am.

Gardening Club

Well, autumn is on its way, despite the beautiful weather we’re having at the moment.

We had a very informative and humorous talk in September about hedgehogs. Please check under piles of leaves etc. before you light bonfires, and if possible have a hole in your garden fence 13 cm across and become part of a hedgehog highway. They are important to us.

On Tuesday, 15 October we have Chris Day returning to speak to us about planting wildlife borders and gardens, again an important part of keeping our bees and other wildlife. We hope to see you there — guests welcome for £2 for the evening. We are very friendly and love to see newcomers.

Walking Group

Meet at Tackley Village Hall at 10 am on the second Saturday of the month 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.

Most walks are circular. All walking is at your own risk.

• 12 October: Lidstone, Glyme valley, led by Penny, with optional lunch in Enstone. About 5 miles.
• 9 November: Walk in Blenheim, starting at the Green Gate and via Park Farm, led by Jan, with optional lunch at the King’s Arms. 5 miles.

Ride for Hope

On a cold winter’s night when nothing was stirring outside in the village, inside the Gardiner Arms a few people were drinking pints… just to keep out the cold of course, then someone came up with the idea of cycling to Paris!

Ideas of athletic-looking individuals cruising down the Champs-Élysées came to mind and finishing the ride at a little bistro. One would be able to order a café au lait et un pain au chocolat, s’il vous plaît while a gorgeous waitress picked up a mouchoir to wipe a bead of sweat from Huw’s brow!

Then came BREXIT!

Panic! Will the French really want to see us, having upset the European apple cart? Will we not be hailed with popping corks of champagne, but battered to death by week-old baguette sticks?

Okay… change of plan. Let’s turn the map upside down and cycle as far away as possible from the European problem! Hey presto — we are now going to cycle to York! We’ll be safe there; walled city and all that.

So an organising committee was set up. Or was it that a chosen few were told where to be every other Tuesday evening till the ride was over? Oh boy, were they the lucky few!

A date was set, cycle jerseys were made, the route was planned, the route was driven, hotel rooms were booked, donation bottles were strategically placed around the village… it didn’t matter if you had cash or not; we could take cards! No one was getting away lightly — if you didn’t volunteer to cycle, we were going to have your money!

What was all this for? To raise funds for two very worthy charities and ones that were close to many hearts: Hope for Children and Cancer Research UK.

26 May arrived, our Sunday departure date. Villagers and paparazzi were there to wave us off and finally be able to close their wallets and have the photos as proof of us leaving.

We had a support van which came with two careful drivers and in it enough water to drown the Sahara desert, a mountain of cake and enough flapjacks to block the M25! We had a first aid kit that could have coped with the M25 pile-up, should we jackknife our load but sadly no defibrillator to cope with cardiac arrest due to cake overdose.

Over the three days we had warm sunshine… sometimes, torrential rain… sometimes, cloud and boring flat roads… sometimes, sore necks, achy hips and sore – well, you know what – most of the time BUT we all had a lot of laughs, a lot of alcohol — and a shared sense of purpose of doing something good for someone else.

We managed to raise over £12,000 with Gift Aid. The final amount will be divided between the two charities. Hope for Children have given us the honour of fundraisers of the month and have told us that to put things in perspective, five thousand pounds will allow 125 children in Sri Lanka to get a place at pre-school, making them eligible to enter mainstream education.

A big thank-you goes out to all for your support and help. Well done Tackley and its friends.

Things You Should Know About The Gardiner Arms

• On 25 October we are celebrating three years since opening as a free house with the brilliant local band The Hellcats.
• Planning for the next Tackley Beer & Music Festival is already underway for 19 and 20 June 2020.
• We have a (very often) thriving quiz night every Thursday starting at 8 pm. Our great fun quiz master, Don, has been quiz master at the pub for six years!
• Thursday night is also pizza night at the pub. Take-away pizzas are available too.
• We have an environmental health five-star rated kitchen. It is open from Thursday to Sunday lunchtime. Our simple, traditional menu includes pies, pizzas, burgers and freshly-made omelettes. You can ring and book meals in advance for a quick service.
• We serve lovely chips!
• We are dog friendly.
• We host wakes and parties, and provide the catering for these. Our back room can be booked for parties or meetings. We open for local groups and clubs on request.
• We organise the Pop-Up Pub in partnership with Tackley Village Hall Committee.
• We make donations to the PTA, church fete and Tackley Horse Show, and sponsor Tackley United football team.
• There is a charity fun run from the pub at 10:30 am on Boxing Day.
• We have a pool table.
• We are proud to have our own real ales — Tackley Bitter and Tackley Gold.
• We are one of only a few pubs in the local area open on Sunday evenings.

Strength & Balance Classes

This is an evidence-based exercise class focusing on developing strength, balance, flexibility and mobility. It uses a chair for support as well as a range of equipment, and is ideal for people who are worried about their balance. It is medium intensity and low impact. Teaching is by a level four tutor. Your first class is free, and £4 thereafter. Classes are running now, weekly on a Tuesday from 2 to 3 pm at Tackley Village Memorial Hall. To book your place or for further information, please contact Generation Games, part of Age UK Oxfordshire.

Sharing a Life Can Change a Life

The Shared Lives scheme matches people who need additional support to be independent, with carers and their families. Sharing a family’s life means that people who need support can choose to become part of an ordinary household, instead of staying in residential care or being looked after by a team of support workers. Could you give someone the chance to learn and grow, develop new skills and gain the confidence to become as independent as possible in a family environment? Become a Shared Lives carer in a home-based, paid role. See the website.

Nigel

Sadly Nigel said his final farewell on 18 August. He was well known around the St Nicholas Road area where he had a couple of extra homes and families that loved him as much as we all did. Please be careful when trying to control unwelcome visitors.