Gaydon Parish Magazine February 2006

index of magazines

This Month's Diary

Coffee & Market    Sat 11th 11am      Village Hall
Parish Plan           Mon 20th 8pm      Village Hall
Friendship Club     Tues 21st 2.30pm   Corner Cottage
Village Field        Mon 27th 8pm      Village Hall
Millennium Group     Weds 1st March 8pm   Village Hall
Mobile Library        Thurs 9th & 23rd

Flag

The flag was flown in January for the Birthday of Jane Farrar and the Wedding Anniversary of John and Betty Davies.

The Village Flag Officer is George Hayward at The Old School, Kineton Road, 642963.

Please contact him if you would like the flag flown for a special occasion.

A donation of at least £1 to the Church Fabric Fund is required in return for this service.

Last year a total of over £70 was raised by the flag.

The Malt Shovel Gaydon

Many villagers spent an enjoyable evening at the pub last month as guests of landlords Debi and Richard Morisot.

The occasion being celebrated was the re-opening of the Malt Shovel as a Non-smoking Public House, one of the first in the country to take this bold and healthy step.

The furnishings in the bar and dining area had been thoroughly cleaned and the floors re-polished to dispose of any lingering smokiness so that the free wine and canapés could be consumed in bright, fresh surroundings.

Let's wish our hosts good luck with their new venture and hope that it brings them even more success!

Parish Council

Dog Fouling

This winter there has been a marked increase in dog fouling in the village - on pathways, grass verges and in the Cemetery.

The Law

Introduction

The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 and the Stratford-on-Avon Dogs (Fouling of Land) Order 1997 brought in new rules which mean that you must clear up after your dog in most public places.

Land covered by the poop-scoop law:

1 Any carriageway where the driving of motor vehicles is subject, otherwise than temporarily, to a speed limit of 40 miles per hour or less.

2 Any footway which is adjacent to a carriageway specified in no. 1.

3 Any grass verge maintained by a local authority which is adjacent to: a) a carriageway specified in no.1 or

b) a footway specified in no.2.

4 Any pleasure ground, public open space and public recreational area.

5 Any playing field (including a school playing field) to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access (with or without payment).

The Offence

Where you are in charge of a dog and you do not clear up any mess (faeces) that dog makes, you then become liable to a fine of up to £1000 if you are prosecuted; or you may receive a Fixed Penalty notice of £25.00 which must be paid within 28 days.

No excuses. Under the Act it is not a defence to say 'I didn't know that the dog had fouled' or 'I didn't have anything with me at the time to clear up the dog's mess'. Note: Registered blind people are exempt under this Law.

What you must do

Always clear up after your dog

Always bag your dog's mess

Put your bagged dog's waste in a dog waste bin

Where there are no dog waste bins, use any other Council waste bin

Where there are no bins at all, take your dog's waste home with you and dispose of it down your toilet or with your domestic refuse.

Dog walkers should be aware that the Parish Council, through the District Council, will not hesitate to prosecute anyone not clearing up after his/her dog.

Please remember that all dogs are to be kept on the lead within the confines of the village including the Cemetery.

Gaydon Neighbourhood Watch

Gaydon Report

Two vehicle-related incidents for the month; these may well be opportunistic incursions which are difficult to prevent. A car was stolen from the driveway of a house in Kineton Road, Gaydon, after offender/s entered the house and took a handbag and keys. The incident happened between 19.30hrs and 22.00hrs on 10 January.

The missing car is a silver Fiat Toledo registration number BN52CUC. The handbag, credit cards and house keys were found abandoned in the front garden.

PC Joseph Poland would like to hear from anyone with information about the incident and can be contacted on 01926 415000; or call CRIMESTOPPERS anonymously on 0800 555111.

A vehicle was broken into in Church Road and a wallet taken.

PC Chris Cuthbertson would like to hear from anyone with information about the incident.

Jewellery

Message from Watch Coordinator, Police H.Q.Warwick.

As part of a police review of crime patterns, residents are encouraged to ensure that they maintain adequate records of security for items such as silver and jewellery. In particular the police advise that items be photographed, alongside a ruler so as to gauge size, and any distinguishing marks noted. All such records should be kept safely.

Also check that items have been security marked with Smartwater or UV pen.

For more information about protecting property contact the Community Safety Team at Stratford Police Station on 01789 414111.

Gaydon Parish Plan

The next meeting will take place on Monday 20th February in the Village Hall at 8.00pm. If you are unable to attend but would like to comment or add thoughts, please contact Jonathan Crowe on 640394.

Parking

The Parish Council would like to remind people that it is illegal to park on pavements. As well as being illegal, it is very inconvenient and even dangerous for pedestrians if they have to walk in the road to avoid a parked car. It is especially difficult for people with pushchairs and wheelchairs to avoid such obstruction of the footways.

Mobile Library

The van will call at Gaydon during February on Thursdays 9th and 23rd.

Friendship Club

The first meeting of 2006 will be held on Tuesday 21st at 2.30pm at Corner Cottage in Church Lane.

Village Hall News

At their first meeting of the new year the Committee made plans for the continuing refurbishment of the hall, including the repair and redecoration of the Parish Office.

Coffee Morning & Market

The first Saturday Market of 2006 will be on 11 February at 11am in the Village Hall.

Coffee or tea and biscuits will be on sale and a variety of goods and produce, including the St Giles' Tea Towel - £4 each or £15 for 4.

Gaydon Village Field

A further meeting was held on the 16th January to discuss the use of this field - in the event that the village is able to buy it. The situation with regard to this is still the same - we need to raise in the order of £40,000 to keep this area as a recreation area for the village in perpetuity. Significant donations have already been offered, but we need a lot more.

A list of suggestions for how it could be used has been published and will be available in the Parish Office on Saturdays between 10 and 11am. Any other suggestions should be directed to the Parish Council.

If you want to make a donation please contact them also.

The next meeting will be held on Monday February 27th in the Village Hall at 8.00pm to discuss this further. If you are unable to attend or have any comments or thoughts, please contact Jonathan Crowe on 640394.

Gaydon Millennium Group

The Millennium Group was established to organise events for the village and to act as a forum for new ideas about village activities.

Its main focus will now be on the Village Fête, and any ideas for events around that or supporting it would be welcome.

As previously agreed, donations will be made to the Toddler Group, Barnfield's Garden project, the Churchyard, and Gaydon Village Field.

A working fund is to be retained for the Fête and other related activities.

This group remains a village-wide forum for ideas and activities and the next meeting will take place on Wednesday March 1st in the Village Hall at 8pm.

If you have any thoughts or ideas contact Madeleine Hill on 640636.

Do Dogs Like Walking in Dogs' Mess?

Where is it safe to walk our dogs? Or anything else for that matter?

On that last walk before bedtime, do you find yourself stepping into dog's mess - or do you know where to avoid it because it is your dog which has put it there and you have been too lazy to pick it up?

For goodness' sake have some pride in your village and pick up what your dog leaves behind!

Do you think he likes having to avoid it any more than the rest of us? MP

Cruelty to Husbands

At least one dog-owner thought my front lawn such a convenient dog's lavatory that after a week or so there was hardly any grass to be seen between the piles of excrement.

Having waited in vain for the dog or its owner to come and clear it up, I had to send my husband out with his garden spade to clear it and bin it.

Selfishly, he refused to go round the rest of the village and do the same, so that many piles of poo still remain to trap the unwary.

Dog owners: please be more considerate of other people, husbands in particular, and clear up your own dogs' vile messes! JR

If you wish to comment on the above articles you may write to the Editor.

NB There is a dog-waste bin near the red phone box.

Services for February 2006 AD

5      11.15   Matins             Gaydon
12      11.15   All Age Service    Gaydon
19       9.00   Eucharist         Gaydon
26      11.15   Family Eucharist Gaydon

Weekday Services in Gaydon

Until further notice there will be no Tuesday morning Eucharist. There will be a Wednesday Eucharist on 22 February at 11am.

The Vicar's Letter

As part of our outreach and ministry to children in the parish, we have changed our style of worship on the second Sunday of the month.

The 'Family Service' at St Giles is now more children-focused with suitable activities, music and content.

We also want to rename this service, rather than call it the Family Service or the more accurate but uninspiring description of an All Age Service.

Do you have a suggestion? A prize will be offered for the most inspiring name! Suggestions to the Church wardens or the Vicar please.

With this change in mind, our February service on the 12th will be formed around a Christingle Service, where we shall pray for our children. Children are asked to bring to church on that day a favourite teddy bear, doll or toy.

Thanks

Corinne Hill would like to thank the Vicar and Churchwardens for organising such an interesting Family Service on 8 January. The children thoroughly enjoyed helping to make bird boxes for the churchyard. Being allowed to hit nails with hammers was great fun!

Thanks

A big THANK YOU to you all for my Christmas boxes and a Happy New Year to everyone! Toby the Paperboy

Obituary

James Rex White

Rex was born at Church Cottage, Gaydon, on 29 March 1929.

He lived all his life in Gaydon, attending the village school until the age of fourteen and working for a baker at weekends. After leaving school he worked for Mr Gardner, farming; then the WRAG, Stratford Blue buses, refuelling the V-bombers on the aerodrome and the cement works at Harbury.

He then bought a milk delivery business (which he had always wanted) serving Gaydon, the Army Camp, Mollington, Warmington, Fenny Compton, Knightcote and Northend. He was also on the Parish Council.

Rex retired in March 1989 and enjoyed tractor ploughing and old cars. He died suddenly on 3 December 2005 aged 76.

Maurice Edmund Newbold

Maurice was born in Leamington in 1918 and moved to Gaydon with his parents when he was two years old. He had a younger sister, Joyce. Maurice's mother ran the local shop and Post Office and his father was the first to start selling petrol, installing the first ever petrol pump on the site of the present-day garage.

Maurice went to Warwick school and became a mechanical engineer. He went away with the Army and maintained wartime vehicles. Whilst visiting his digs in Leamington he met and fell in love with a girl called Rita. Later, they married and settled down at Cherill in Banbury Road. They had three children, a boy Edmund and two girls, Teresa and Sandra. Maurice was then employed at Massey Ferguson as a test engineer.

A book about Massey Ferguson is about to be published, for which he provided a lot of information and in which he will be mentioned.

Rita and Maurice remained in Gaydon until moving to Harbury in 1990. Sadly, Rita died in 1995 and Maurice continued with his hobbies, including model boats, gardening and socialising with great gusto.

In the last four or five years, illness took its toll and in the past few months he had moved into sheltered housing where he thoroughly enjoyed himself until he suddenly passed away on 7 January 2006 at the age of 87 years.

Such a lovely Dad, who will be sadly missed.