Tackley’s new rail user group now has a few members and is due to meet for
the first time soon. If you are interested in joining, please contact
Richard Macrory at richard.macrory@gmail.com.
Vulnerable Adult Hub
A few people have shown an interest in being involved in the proposed
vulnerable adult hub to provide a central, confidential service where anyone
could get in touch with information requests or register their concerns big
or small. If you are interested or need help, please contact Richard
Holland-Oakes on 07595 040826 or
richard.holland-oakes@tackleyvillage.co.uk.
S106 Money
Since our request in the last newsletter, we have had no further comments
or suggestions on what the village would like the available Section 106
money to be spent on.
There are some stipulations on how it can be used: a ‘leisure and community
services contribution’ of £72,664 can go towards sports and recreation
facilities, and an ‘offsite sports contribution’ of £107,919 can contribute
to the enhancement of community facilities within the parish.
Please email the clerk at parishclerk@tackleyvillage.co.uk with your ideas, particularly if you
did not take part in the initial consultation in 2022.
Dog Waste
The black bin in the Jubilee Garden, mistakenly used as a dog poo bin since
the official one was removed, has now finally been taken away. Please
continue to use the official West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) bin by
the bridge.
Thank you to the many dog owners who bag up their dogs’ mess and dispose of
it carefully in the village and surrounding areas. Please make sure only the
black WODC bins are used – or your own grey bin at home – not the
wooden bins in the playground and by the hardcourt and teen shelter.
Rail Crossing
Many will have seen the application for the Network Rail (Tackley Level
Crossing) Order which has been put up along the footpaths and bridleways
around the railway line. All documents can be found on the
Network Rail website.
In summary, taken from page 3 of document NR04:
The level crossing will be permanently closed, and a new bridleway will
be diverted along a new route to the west of its current position, running
adjacent to the railway to the south.
The existing route of the bridleway will remain open as a cul-de-sac,
with only the portion over the railway being stopped up. This will be
accessible by using the new bridleway and existing public right of way
network.
The new bridleway route will run to the south, adjacent to Network
Rail’s existing boundary, before joining up with the existing byway.
The permanent solution to re-provide the ‘barrow crossing’ functionality
of the level crossing at the station itself will be a stepped footbridge
with lifts. Permissive access can be provided to non-railway users,
including pedestrians and cyclists on foot, along the platforms and over
the footbridge unless and until ticket barriers are installed at the
station or Network Rail otherwise determines that access to non-railway
users should cease.
The deadline for objecting to the application was 26 January. Your
parish council is objecting to the plans, particularly to the new route of
the bridleway which has been deemed unsafe by local riders as well as the
British Horse Society.
Apart from the beautiful heath, Tackley is lucky enough to have another
County Wildlife Site and Local Nature Reserve.
Crecy Hill is a steep sunny limestone bank of about three acres that was
created in 1850 when the Great Western Railway cut into the side of the
Cherwell valley to lay the Oxford to Banbury line. It was made a nature
reserve in 1997.
Over 100 wild flower varieties and more than 15 types of grasses have been
recorded on the site. These include pyramidal orchids, bee orchids, fairy
flax, dwarf thistle, salad burnet, bird’s foot trefoil and wild basil. Over
100 insect species have also been seen, including marbled white and blue
butterflies.
Cattle graze on the site in winter and early spring to control invasive
coarse grasses and encourage the growth of wild flowers. This means that
ragwort and woolly thistle have to be removed to ensure it is safe for the
cattle.
Scrub comprising hawthorn and blackthorn is retained for 10–20% of the
reserve to protect birds, lizards, slow worms and toads. This needs to be
cut on rotation, and this work is undertaken by Oxford Conservation
Volunteers. They will be running a scrub control event on Crecy Hill on
Sunday, 17 March when the primroses and violets should have made their
spring appearance. See their website
ocv.org.uk for more information.
To learn about how Crecy Hill got its name, see Tackley History Mysteries
No. 10 written by John Perkins for Tackley Local History Group at
tackleyhistory.org.uk.
To find Crecy Hill, take the track (bridleway) straight up the hill to the
left of Ashwell Bank Lane.
Brushcutters
On Sunday, 4 February an in-depth brushcutter training session will be
taking place. Please get in touch if you would like to volunteer to become a
village brushcutter!
It’s all change in the supermarket seasonal aisle, with the Christmas
confectionary put away. This month the aisle is festooned with red and pink
hearts, chocolates and cards.
Watching the news I think the world could do with more love in it. Not the
fickle love of here today and gone tomorrow, but the lasting deep love that
God calls us to have for one another.
When asked “Which is the greatest commandment?” Jesus replied with the
summary of the Law:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the
second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the
prophets hang on these two commandments.”
This year Ash Wednesday, which signals the beginning of Lent, falls on
14 February, Valentine’s Day. Lent is the season when Christians think
about preparing our hearts, minds and souls for celebrating Easter. This
isn’t about organising the Sunday roast or buying the chocolate Easter eggs,
but rather thinking about aligning our hearts and minds with God’s will.
During Advent, the season of preparation for Christmas, the Archbishop of
York Stephen Cottrell invited us to read Stick with Love by
Arun Arora. Each day we thought about different saints (Christians) who had
chosen, along with Martin Luther King, to “stick with love… hate is too
great a burden to bear.”
As I listen on the radio to the war between Israel and Hamas, and its
spiralling widening consequences – the Houthis attacking ships in the Red
Sea, resulting in retaliatory fire from American and British war ships
attempting to guard the shipping lanes; the missile attacks between Iran and
Pakistan; our government’s attempts to ship illegal migrants off to another
country – I think the world could do with more love in it.
This Lent we are going to be thinking about ‘The Way of Love’, using the
‘Come and See’ material from the Diocese of Oxford. Through daily readings
we will be taking a closer look at the Ten Commandments and what they mean
in the context of God’s love for us. God invites us to walk the way of love
with him, in a deep relationship with him, while also showing his love to
our neighbours – those who are like us and those who are not – to live a
life of love.
Everyone is welcome to join us as we meet to explore ‘The Way of Love’
together, details for which can be found on our website. Alternatively,
individuals and families can
sign up
for daily emails from the diocese or perhaps reflect on how you can
share love with our local, national and international neighbours using a
different love language (words of affirmation, touch, time, gifts and jobs)
each week.
Light Refreshments
Julian Whitehead
Tackley Parochial Church Council would like to give many thanks to the
Pop-Up Pub for its generous donation to the cost of floodlighting St
Nicholas’ Church the during Christmas and New Year.
Poppy Appeal
Sue Pitts
I’m sorry this missed the December issue, but I had not received the final
figures before the deadline.
A total of £703.43 was raised in the village for last year’s Poppy Appeal.
This includes the collections from the Remembrance Day service and the
memorial service in the village hall.
Thank you to the shop and Sturdy’s Castle for having collection boxes; and
also to the school, where children gave their time to sell items from an
activity box.
My thanks to everyone who gave so generously, and a special thank-you to
the volunteers who gave their time to help me at the village hall on the two
Saturday mornings.
Our first meeting of 2024 is on Tuesday, 6 February at 7:45 for
8 pm in the village hall when our speaker will be Chrissie with her
owls. Chrissie’s Owls is a small non-profit organisation, based in
Oxfordshire, committed to the care and conservation of owls. They also
provide owl rescue services for Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.
Tuesday, 5 March is our AGM. After the short business meeting, we’re
going to be talking about items that mean something special to us — a kind
of ‘show and tell’. It will be a chance to learn new things about each
other.
On Tuesday, 2 April we will have a talk on Japan from Roy
Carrington.
We look forward to welcoming new members this year. Visitors are also
welcome at our meetings for £5 including refreshments. We are a friendly
group of women of all ages – 30s to 90s – so do come along and try out
Tackley WI!
A friendly way to get to know your local countryside better, we organise
two leisurely walks each month, led by members. Everybody is welcome.
Walks on second Saturdays meet at 9:30 am and are typically
5–8 miles; walks on fourth Wednesdays meet at 2 pm and are
3–5 miles.
We meet by the village hall before each walk to arrange car sharing, bus or
train to the start of the walk. Most walks are in North Oxfordshire. Some
walks conclude with an optional lunch or refreshments at a local pub or
cafe. Routes are often suitable for dogs kept under close control.
Our programme, presented here, can also be found on the village
website.
Please note that walks may be subject to change, and that walkers take
responsibility for their own safety.
Saturday, 10 February at 9:30 am: A circular walk from
Begbroke to Bladon. Starting at St Michael’s Church in Begbroke, the walk
takes us up towards Bladon Church and back again to Begbroke through
Bladon Heath. About 5 miles, led by Sue Lygo.
Wednesday, 28 February at 2 pm: A loop from St Mary’s Church
in Kidlington out to Thrupp and back, with the option of a cuppa at
Annie’s Tea Room at Thrupp. About 3½ miles, led by Alison
Matthews.
Saturday, 9 March at 9:30 am: A walk along the canal into
Oxford. We will take the 09:43 bus to Langford Lane and join the towpath
just outside Kidlington. The route then follows the canal all the way to
Oxford Station. The majority of the route is bordered by trees and
hedgerows, with the roads and industrial sites generally out of view. As
we make our way through Oxford, there are multiple opportunities to peel
off early and join the Banbury Road from Summertown onwards if necessary.
Travel back by bus or train. About 6¼ miles, led by Robert
Maybank.
Wednesday, 27 March at 2 pm: A walk to Bletchingdon taking in
Greenhill Farm where there is the opportunity to stop for refreshments.
About 3 miles, led by Gordon.
There’s not a great deal we can do at this time of year, so this is a
reminder that our AGM is on Tuesday, 20 February at 7:45 for 8 pm.
I look forward to seeing you all, and anyone else who would like to join us.
The annual fee is still £10 and is payable at the AGM. This is also a cheese
and wine evening.
Tackley Craft Club would like to say a big thank-you to Pop-Up Pub for
sponsoring us by paying the last three months’ village hall hire costs. We
are a small social group and sometimes struggle to pay the fees, so it was
great that another community venture stepped in to help us.
The club has now been established for 10 years. We have recently had to
change evenings, and now meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each
month. Join us at the village hall at 7 pm for two hours. Refreshments
are provided.
Sometimes we work on charity projects. At the moment we are producing baby
hats for South Central Ambulance Service.
We are also doing a series of sewing machine lessons so people can get to
know their sewing machine.
Tackley Local History Group meets on the fourth Monday at 7:45 for
8 pm in Tackley Village Memorial Hall.
On Monday, 26 February Byron Russell, a member of the North Leigh
Roman Villa volunteer group, will give an illustrated talk on Trier:
Unknown Capital of the Roman Empire. Everyone has heard of Rome, and
many know of Constantinople, but there was a period in Roman history when
there were four Emperors — and as many capital seats of power. Least known
yet nearest to Britain is Trier in northern Germany, a city that boasts some
of the most complete and best-preserved Imperial buildings outside of Rome
itself.
On Monday, 25 March Richard O Smith will present Oxford
Examined: Town & Clown. Richard is a comedy writer who contributes
material to the likes of Radio 4’s The Now Show and The
News Quiz, and is the author of several books.
Dr Tony Martin
Anne Martin
Anne and family would like to thank everyone for their support over the
recent months and, in particular, the kind messages received following
Tony’s death from Lewy body disease.
Special thanks to the bell ringers who rang for Tony’s final journey
through Tackley, and to the friends who prepared the village hall ready for
us to share the delicious food and drink together (thank you Eloise, of EP
Catering, and the Pop-Up Pub team). Meeting up with friends and family to
reminisce and catch up made it a lovely send-off.
Tackley is a truly special village.
Finally, thank you to those who attended the funeral, and for the kind
donations to Katharine House Hospice and the Lewy Body Society via Jerrams
Brothers Funeral Directors.
