After the summer break, the September meeting is always a long one,
catching up on two months of village matters.
Firstly, I’d like to welcome our new councillor, Steve Hill. We look
forward to his contributions to our discussions and work on the council.
Trees
Boward Trees will be conducting a survey of all the main trees in the
village as well as along the core paths in the woods on
Tackley Heath. If any work needs to be done on
their advice, we will do it over winter.
There are currently some branches down over some of the paths on the heath.
These will be cleared by Mark Blake over the next few weeks.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks will also be clearing vegetation
and trees this autumn near the power lines that cross the heath.
Please note that all wood felled on the heath should stay there. Fallen and
standing dead wood is a vital part of the ecosystem of a woodland, and no
one has the right to remove wood or cut down trees on the heath except with
the explicit permission of Tackley Parish Council. If you think there is a
tree that needs attention, please contact us.
It has also been brought to our attention that people are chopping down
wood to burn on a large fire in the centre. Having fires, particularly
through the summer, is a major danger to the whole woodland; and we would
like to strongly point out that fires are not allowed on the heath.
Nicholsons have agreed that the rowan tree at the top of Chaundy Road died
within their grace period. They will be inspecting the tree to make a
decision on whether they will replace it. Either way, the tree will be
replaced this winter. Two new, small trees will also be planted at the
bottom of Chaundy Road to replace the ash, which had to be removed due to
rot.
After concern was raised about the dead trees on the Barwood development,
we have been in touch with the management team. They have let us know that a
tree inspection will be conducted and all dead trees will be replaced this
winter.
Speed Limit
A consultation questionnaire from Oxfordshire County Council on a
20 mph speed limit for Tackley is now open for the public to respond
to. We will have a link to this on the parish council section of the village
website.
Amenities
The dog poo bin in the Jubilee Garden has finally been installed! The
number of emails this required was quite extraordinary, but we prevailed.
Sadly the black bin mistakenly used as a poo bin is still there, but we will
keep trying to have it removed.
The playground has had its yearly RoSPA inspection, and any points raised
will be dealt with. The hedge will also be trimmed on the allotment side and
the top.
We had a request from Gabriel of Select Flame to bring his pizza van to the
village on Thursdays. We thought this would be an excellent complement to
the fish-and-chip van which stops at various points in the village on
Tuesdays. Look out for his leaflets on the noticeboards and Facebook
page.
For more information on what the parish council does, please visit our
section on the village website or come along to our meetings on the third
Monday of each month except August.
We have many elderly people in the community, a lot of whom have lived in
Tackley for many years and with family support near and far.
Dementia has had a significant effect on our family, which is why we are
proposing this initiative.
As a disease, dementia influences people in individual ways. Key impacts
can include changes in behaviour, memory, cognitive decline, anxiety,
aggression and communication challenges. It worsens with time, and on
noticing these changes – perhaps just a one-off instance – it can be
difficult to know what to do.
The three main dementia conditions that affect the older generation are
Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia.
The NHS and social services are struggling with the increase of this
disability, and the knock-on effect is starting to impact our wider
healthcare system.
We have had experience advocating for individuals who are entitled to these
services, including the difficulties and complex processes involved with
appointments and assessments.
At our last parish council meeting it was agreed it would be worth
exploring the idea of a Tackley support group so that, if needed, we as a
village could pull together to help put a network in place.
I would like to invite volunteers to support us in forming Tackley
Vulnerable Adult Hub. The hub would provide a central, confidential service
where anyone could get in touch with information requests or register their
concerns big or small. The group would make every effort to ensure that the
individual gets access to all the services available, and regular support
within the community. Examples include referrals for home assessments by
social services, informing registered doctors, liaising with Age UK,
hospital appointments, and general day-to-day functions.
With a hub in place, if there are concerns raised by someone already
registered, we can update the information — and take action needed to inform
friends and family who are registered as contacts.
Tackley would be the first village to have this community initiative. It
would not be about providing care, but rather supporting people to stay in
their own homes as long as they can — keeping an eye out and keeping people
safe.
If you feel you might be interested in helping set this up – along with
Tackley Parish Council’s support – or you have ideas about how this network
could work, please get in touch. We owe it to our elders who have supported
Tackley through the decades.
A flu and Covid clinic will be held in Tackley Village Hall on Tuesday,
24 October from 10:30 am to 12:15 pm. Please telephone
Woodstock Surgery to book an appointment.
The following people are eligible for an autumn Covid and flu booster:
People aged 65 and over.
People aged six months to 64 years who are in a clinical risk
group.
Frontline health and social care workers.
People aged 12 to 64 who are household contacts of people with
immunosuppression.
People aged 16 to 64 who are carers, and staff working in care homes for
older adults.
If you have any Covid symptoms, please do not attend your appointment. Call
the surgery and a new appointment will be arranged for you.
Breakfast on the Heath
Breakfast on the Heath Committee
The following letter of thanks was received by the Breakfast on the Heath
Committee from Dementia UK:
Thank you so much for your kind donation of £150.
Dementia is a huge and growing health crisis. By 2025, it’s predicted
that over one million people in the UK will be living with the condition.
But while there is currently no cure for dementia, there is care — and
care can change lives. That’s why we’re so grateful for your support.
Your donation will help us grow the number of specialist Admiral Nurses
so they can provide a lifeline to more families facing dementia — like
Steve, whose wife Julie was diagnosed with young onset dementia:
“Meeting my Admiral Nurse, Amy, was a breath of fresh air. She’s a great
listener and I can bounce my ideas for caring for Julie off her. She has
empowered me to be the best carer I can for my wife. Without Amy, coping
would be a much greater challenge.”
Once again, thank you for your generosity. Because of you, our nurses can
help more families face the future with confidence.
I’d like to say a huge thank-you to all the Tackley Shop staff, volunteers,
directors and committee members for the really kind words and generous gifts
at the recent shop volunteers’ party. I’m very touched.
For those of you who don’t know, I have now stood down as a director and
committee member at Tackley Shop after almost 20 years — although
you’ll still see me volunteering behind the till, usually early on Tuesday
mornings.
It’s been a great privilege to be part of such a fantastic, successful
community venture, working with a large number of lovely hard-working people
– mostly unpaid, and far too numerous to mention here – all of whom have
‘done their bit’. What a wonderful village Tackley is!
A new generation has now joined the existing team. I wish them every
success and hope that Tackley Shop continues to thrive far into the
future.
How good it would have been if the headline to this article could have
read ‘Tackley Celebrates Reopening of its Pub’.
More than six months after Martin and Jackie Perrin announced that they
were closing the Gardiner Arms and would sell it to the village, it should
have been possible to have bought it, refurbished it, and reopened it as a
true community pub. My two previous articles described how hard –
impossible is a better word – it was to make any progress with the
Perrins or Jackie’s father-in-law, Ray Foulk.
Sadly, that has continued to be the case. However, it’s important to keep
the village informed about what has happened and how we see the future, hard
though that is to predict.
The first thing to say is that the plan remains to purchase and reopen the
pub as a community asset, owned by and for the village. That’s what the
Gardiner Arms Community Interest Group is about. The half dozen of us in the
group aren’t acting on our own behalf and none of us has ever had any
intention to buy the pub, whether individually or as a group. We’re simply
representatives of the village, and we have continued to be in contact with
the parish council and with Councillor Angus Paxton who has been delegated
to liaise with us. I hope that reassurance dispels any misapprehension which
may have crept in recently.
While we remain focused on the aim of buying the pub for the village, the
plain fact is that the moratorium period as an Asset of Community Value
under the Localism Act 2011 will end in mid October. The pub could then be
sold to a third party and we as a village could not stop that. Whether that
happens is impossible to predict.
If a ‘white knight’ were to come along and buy the pub, it could be a good
thing. Anything – well, almost anything – would be better than the
current situation. If such a buyer comes along, we’re sure they would liaise
with the village and be sensitive to what Tackley needs and wants. It
wouldn’t be the same as the village owning the pub, but it could be just as
good or even better. The condition of the pub and the need for repairs and
improvements could perhaps be tackled better – and with deeper pockets – if
a white knight was to buy it.
Despite the lack of progress in the last six months, we have continued to
do what we can to do a deal with the Perrins, Mr Foulk, and their companies.
To that end, and despite a total lack of engagement by the other parties,
on 15 September we made an offer to buy the pub. It was a joint one to
all of them and their companies, and was for the entire site: pub, car park,
function room etc. We offered £360,000, subject to contract and subject to
survey. The letter said:
“The intention is that ownership of the whole site will be vested in the
community. … We shall not justify our figure, but we do tell you that it
is higher than the value advised by our specialist valuer. … How the
contract and transaction will be structured are a matter for discussion
between our respective legal advisors when/if the offer is accepted.”
At the time of writing this, we have not received a reply from Martin and
Jackie Perrin. But we did receive one from Heston Holdings, the company
which owns the function room and access to the car park. Our offer was not
accepted, which was no surprise given the history. Indeed, the letter ended
“…we have no plans to dispose of our property. We are presently working on a
new planning application.”
On another front, we have been in contact with West Oxfordshire District
Council in relation to a number of issues with which it should be concerned.
For example, the condition of the pub, a Grade II listed building, and its
current use and non-use. Although our expectations were not great, their
reply was surprising and disappointing. We have made a robust and reasoned
response.
Finally, a bright spot! The Pop-Up Pub has been operating throughout the
summer and has been a huge success. Every Friday, large numbers of villagers
have come and enjoyed themselves. It’s been great to see so many people —
most weeks more than 150. The bar has been well stocked and well priced.
There has been delicious food: pizzas, barbecues, tachos, fish and chips,
and more. So good has it been that several times the food has sold out.
Special thanks to Matt Ollman, Tim Chapple, Graham Agutter, Simon Gough and
their many helpers for making it such a success. Thanks also to Julie Farren
and others who have provided such good food.
While the Gardiner Arms remains closed, Pop-Up Pub will continue. There may
be no more summer weather to enjoy outside, but the warmth and welcome will
be the same inside the village hall.
In 2004, Tackley Heath was designated one of Oxfordshire’s County Wildlife
Sites because of its rare habitats which are of national and international
importance. Traditionally the bracken would have been kept under control by
grazing animals, but it is now out of control and threatening to destroy
these habitats. The committee have begun work on a management plan, and we
would love your help.
Village Consultation
We will be holding a consultation in Tackley Village Hall on Friday,
13 October from 6 pm to coincide with Pop-Up Pub. Please come
along to hear about our ideas and have your say in the future management of
the heath. We would be very grateful if you could also complete the enclosed
questionnaire and either bring it along or drop it off at the parish council
postbox outside the main entrance to the village hall.
Tree Work
This autumn and winter there will be tree work on the heath. Firstly, to
deal with fallen and unsound overhanging branches along the main paths; this
is being organised by the parish council.
Separately, on behalf of Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks,
contractor Ground Control will be trimming trees and clearing vegetation
close to the power lines. This is a routine preventative measure to avoid
power cuts that can be caused when vegetation comes into contact with the
wires. The work will include using a machine to mulch the scrub under the
power lines, to allow access for the tree surgeons.
Any cut branches will be left on site to provide deadwood which is an
important part of the woodland ecosystem. Fallen branches, rotting stumps
and dead trees are the lifeblood of any woodland. Decaying wood recycles
nutrients back into the soil, provides food and nurseries for a wide range
of minibeasts and animals, and can become host to spectacular collections of
fungi. Please leave felled and fallen wood undisturbed.
Fires & Firewood
There is a widespread misunderstanding that villagers can take firewood
from the heath. This is not the case. No commoner rights were specified when
Tackley Heath was registered as a charity in 1965; so any prior parishioner
rights then ceased, including cutting and collecting firewood.
The heath became ‘open access’ land in 2000, which means it can be used for
walking, running and watching wildlife — without having to stick to paths.
But it can’t be used for horse riding, cycling, camping, taking animals
other than dogs onto the land, or driving a vehicle — unless specifically
authorised by the parish council.
There is also no right to remove anything from the area – including stones,
fallen wood or plants – nor to use a metal detector, or to take part in
organised games or commercial activities.
Nature Spaces
After a busy few months we are delighted to welcome Dan Levinge and David
Kennerley to the Tackley Heath Committee.
The heath also has a new page on the village website with some beautiful
photographs by John Reynolds.
The remit of the Tackley Heath Committee is being widened to include other
nature spaces in and around the village, like Crecy Hill and the Jubilee
Garden, and we now have our very own email address –
naturespaces@tackleyvillage.co.uk – for anyone who’d like to get in
touch.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the
heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
As we begin October, with our local harvest celebrations and others around
the world, we say thank you to God for the harvest.
The seasons around us are changing, in more ways than one — as we see
climate change apparent in the weather. The disruption to the Gulf Stream,
not coming as far north as usual, can be seen in our poor summer and the
heatwaves and wildfires followed by torrential rain and floods in
Europe.
Part of being thankful for God’s gifts to us is good stewardship of them,
which means caring for our environment. Our efforts in working towards net
zero carbon will ensure that future generations will also be able to be
thankful for creation.
The changing of the seasons is clearly visibly by the beginning of October.
The days are shorter and the nights longer, and the temperature drops in the
evenings as they struggle to hold the warmth of the days.
The countryside around us is also changing with ripening apples and
blackberries, shiny conkers, and leaves turning from green to a colourful
range of red, orange and brown hues before falling to the ground.
Wildlife is busy preparing. We have begun to see the arrival of starlings
from northern Europe in search of warmer weather, while other animals are
fattening up and burying food ready for the winter.
There are different seasons in the life of our local communities, too. In
Steeple Aston this term we welcome Rob O’Malley as the new headteacher at Dr
Radcliffe’s primary school. Everyone is excited about how he, together with
the staff, will shape the next season of the school’s life and the positive
impact it will have for the children and wider community.
There are also seasons within our own lives; stages through which we grow
before moving on to the next. This summer saw our youngest take part in his
graduation service — a wonderful celebration of his and his fellow students’
achievements. Equally it was the closing of one season – student life – and
the threshold of a new season of work and a career.
The musical Salad Days begins with Jane and Timothy meeting as
they leave the University of Oxford, promising not to look back; recognising
that the fun they shared with friends is to be remembered and celebrated,
but that they must go forward into a new season of life. The rest of the
musical is about that transition; about looking forward and embracing the
new opportunities that lie ahead.
Sometimes the road ahead is clear, and we know where we are going and have
a clear plan of how to get there. In the middle of October, I’m going on
retreat in North Wales, travelling by train. I have my ticket and know how
I’m going to get there.
Sometimes, though, the path isn’t as clearly defined and we have to feel
our way, pushing forward — perhaps cautiously as through mist and fog,
trusting that the sun will burn through and that new doors will open up for
us. At these moments we can take comfort that God is walking with us, and
that he “knows the plans he has for us; plans to prosper and not to harm;
plans to give us hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Churchyard Car Park
Julian Whitehead, Church Warden
For several months, St Nicholas’ churchyard car park has been made
available to contractor vehicles working at Little Manor. It is regretted
that the presence of contractors in the churchyard has been an inconvenience
and an unfortunate distraction for those wanting a peaceful time to visit
the graves of loved ones.
The land is owned by the Tackley Estate who very generously make it
available to the church for parking. The only problem is that after a rainy
period it becomes waterlogged, making it unusable by vehicles.
The project manager for Little Manor made a request to put down tracking to
use the churchyard for contractor parking. This was agreed on condition that
at the end of the project the tracking would be removed and replaced by
mesh, and the area re-seeded so that the car park would remain grassy but
would become usable in all weathers.
The Little Manor project has now been completed and the tracking removed.
The mesh and grass seed will be put down soon.
The parochial church council sends its apologies to those who have been
adversely affected by the contractor parking, but hopes they will appreciate
that the inconvenience will result in an all-weather car park for the
church.
By the time you read this, we’ll have celebrated at our harvest festival
service and enjoyed our harvest supper. All the fruit and vegetables from
our harvest table will have been delivered to Spencer Court care home in
Woodstock.
Though the nights are drawing in, various activities will still be taking
place at Tackley Methodist Church.
Coffee mornings take place in the church on Thursdays between 10:30 am
and noon. You’re very welcome to come and join us for a cuppa, biscuits,
laughter and a chat. Sometimes we have cake!
Watch this space for details of Messy Church, and keep your eyes open for
more information.
In addition to our regular evening sessions, Tackley Craft Club is pleased
to announce two sewing workshops – free for Tackley residents – where we
will be lucky enough to have Liz Clarke helping us.
Sunday, 19 November from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm with a
break for lunch for an hour: beginners getting to know your sewing
machine. This will be an opportunity for a complete beginner to learn the
basics of sewing with a sewing machine. Maybe you have inherited a sewing
machine but don’t know where to start. Bring it along and we will see if
we can help you. Maybe bring along a pair of jeans to transform into a
simple tote bag or cushion cover.
Sunday, 10 December from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm with a
break for lunch for an hour: sew something Christmas-related, like a
Christmas stocking, from an old pair of trousers or jeans or an old
skirt.
Both workshops will be free for Tackley residents. A donation will be
requested for the refreshments. Bring along your own packed lunch.
If you fancy coming along to either of these workshops and learning more
about recycling old clothes into other things or building confidence with
your sewing machine then please email me to book a place.
Tackley Craft Club is a social group that meets once a fortnight on a
Monday evening from 7 to 9 pm in the village hall. Lessons in knitting
and crocheting are available on request. The cost is £3 per session to cover
the cost of hall hire and refreshments.
Autumn seems to have arrived, with the wind and rain, but in September we
had a very interesting and entertaining talk about spring planting from Tim
Walker. It was very well attended, and we were joined by some of Steeple
Aston Garden Club. Everyone was delighted.
October’s talk is by Hugh Warwick, the hedgehog man, and will be a week
later than scheduled — it will be on Tuesday, 24 October. Please come
and join us.
November is going to be a Christmas surprise. I look forward to seeing you
all.
We are sorry that we had to cancel our open afternoon in September. We hope
to rearrange it for the spring.
Our new programme of monthly speaker meetings began with Bob Hessian
telling us about the Christmas Eve 1874 rail disaster at Shipton-on-Cherwell
and a visit to the church at Hampton Gay.
We meet on the fourth Monday of each month in Tackley Village Memorial Hall
at 7:45 for 8 pm.
Membership is £12 for the year or £5 as a visitor to a meeting.
Fore more information, visit our website and find us on Facebook.
Programme of Talks
23 October – Paul Booth: Roman Oxfordshire
27 November – Stephen Barker: Six Warrior Women of the
English Civil Wars, 1642–51
22 January – Sue Ashton: A Tackley House Through
Time
26 February – Byron Russell: A Visit to Trier, a Capital City
to Rival in Splendour and Importance Byzantium and Rome Itself
25 March – Richard O Smith: Oxford Examined: Town &
Clown – based on his book of the same name
Tackley WI has had a good summer, making flower arrangements with Jennifer
in August and ice cream with Mariella in September.
We won a bursary from the Oxfordshire Federation of WIs and spent it on a
lovely outing to Sezincote House and garden near Moreton-in-Marsh. Highly
recommended!
Visitors and new members are most welcome at our autumn meetings in the
village hall, 7:45 for 8 pm. Entry for visitors is £5, or a half-year
membership – including the WI Life monthly magazine – is
£23.
Tuesday, 3 October is our fourth birthday bring-and-share supper.
Please let us know you are coming at the email above.
Tuesday, 7 November will see Rachel Bell from Nuclear Waste Services
speaking on Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste — a very
important subject for the environment.
We meet at Tackley Village Hall at the times given to arrange transport to
the start of each walk. Walking is at each participant’s own risk.
Saturday, 14 October at 9:30 am: Abingdon, Sutton Courtenay
and Culham, 5 miles. A walk along the Thames, over the multiple river
crossings and through these delightful villages. Find famous graves and
the cutting for the original Thames Lock, and finish in time for lunch at
the Nag’s Head on the island in the river. Wear boots rather than wellies
if it has rained recently. No stiles, and the only hill is a tractor
bridge over the canal.
Wednesday, 25 October at 2 pm: Heyford and Steeple Aston,
4 miles. A loop across the fields between these two villages.
Saturday, 11 November at 9:30 am: Cassington and Oxford Canal,
7½ miles. A flat walk through the residential area of Yarnton and
pleasant countryside on the way to Cassington. The return journey takes us
near to the River Thames and joins the Oxford Canal near Wolvercote for an
easy stroll along the towpath back to the start.
Wednesday, 22 November at 2 pm: Stoke Lyne and Hardwick,
3½ miles. This walk takes well-marked footpaths from Stoke Lyne out
towards the village of Hardwick. We then make our way towards Tusmore Park
before returning to Stoke Lyne on footpaths and quiet lanes.
Saturday, 9 December at 9:30 am: Glympton and Kiddington,
6 miles. Stiles and livestock. Dogs on leads.
Launched on 19 July 2022 by a group of local people in Witney on the
hottest day ever recorded in Britain at that time, Robert Courts Watch has
been seeking to hold our local MP to account on the climate change issue.
Comprising ordinary people worried about our climate and the future, the
group maintains that it is only through Westminster that real change is
possible.
Robert Courts Watch is active across the constituency, holding vigils
outside the constituency office and Saturday stalls and giving presentations
to community groups.
To learn more, visit our website or find us on social media.
