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Gaydon with Chadshunt Parish Magazine October 2006

This Month's Diary

Christmas Mkt Meeting Thurs 12th 8pm Corner Cottage

Village Coffee Sat 14th 11am Village Hall

Concert Sat 14th 7.30pm St Giles' Church

Friendship Club Tues 17th 2.30pm Offchurch Cottage

Mobile Library Thurs 5th & 19th

Toddler Group Thursdays 10-11.30am Village Hall

Neighbourhood Watch

Another quiet month for Gaydon.

A stolen vehicle, pursued by Police cars and the Police helicopter, was abandoned in Banbury Road last month. The vehicle was stolen elsewhere.

PC Cuthbertson our Community Beat Officer has been "attached to another department" for three months. We have been told that during this time his area will be covered by Sgt Darren Fretwell and his team.

Police Alerts in the County

Rogues currently touring South Warwickshire this month were offering guttering and fascias at rock bottom prices (which increase later when they are half way completed) and new sofas and chairs which are potential fire hazards.

Local Crime Reports

Generally quiet in the immediate surrounding villages save for some minor vandalism in Lighthorne Heath and Kineton. A burglary in Kineton has also been reported.

Christmas Market

on Saturday 25 November at 2pm

Christmas is coming and the Christmas Market is beckoning again! We would love any ideas and offers of help on how we can improve this annual precursor to Christmas.

There will be an informal meeting at Corner Cottage, Church Lane, on Thursday 12 October at 8pm. Do please come along, or call Chris on 640523 or Mary on 641834 with any ideas or offers of help. Thank you!

Mobile Library

The van will call at Gaydon this month on Thursdays 5th and 19th and on 2nd November.

A Warwickshire County Library ticket is valid for use and there is a wide selection of books, including a children's section, along with access to other useful information.

Come to the Library that comes to you and save the trip into town!

The usual times for visits are Church Road at 1.10pm by the Telephone Box and St Marks Close at 1.30pm.

St Giles' Parent, Baby & Toddler Group

The Toddler Group meets every Thursday in Gaydon Village Hall from 10am to 11.30am and anyone looking after a baby or toddler is very welcome to join in.

Village Coffee Morning

On Saturday 14 October the Village Hall will be open at 11am for coffee, tea and biscuits.

As always, gifts of produce will be very welcome - please bring them to the hall any time after 10.30am. Our September morning raised £44 for the Church Fabric Fund: many thanks to all who contributed and attended.

Over 60s Christmas Lunch

Newcomers to the village may be interested to know that we hold a Christmas Lunch for the older inhabitants of Gaydon and Chadshunt, which is cooked and served for them by younger people in the village.

The organisers invite everyone who is over 60 (and partner) to come to the lunch; anyone who would like to help with the preparations is asked to get in touch.

The Lunch will be held this year on Sunday 10 December at 12.45pm in the Village Hall.

Invitations will be sent out next month and cooks and helpers will be contacted shortly.

If you would like to be invited or would like to join the team of cooks and helpers, please contact Julie Rickman on 640349 at the Old Bakehouse.

Parish Clerk

Corinne Hill will be continuing her work as Parish Clerk for the time being. She can be contacted on parish business on Wednesday afternoons only on 641220.

Welcome

Lots of newcomers have moved into the village over the past few weeks and we would like to welcome them to Gaydon.

Richard and June have moved into Kineton Road as have Viv and Steve, with Jamie and Leanne. Martin and Philippa Young have settled in Church Lane; and Mark and Sharon Pettit, with Laura and Luke, are living in Church Road. We hope you will all be happy living in Gaydon.

Friendship Club

This month's meeting will be on 17 October at Offchurch, Banbury Road at 2.30pm.

Nature Notes

The exceptional mild spell continued until recently. Walking around Gaydon one could not help but notice that the House Martins are beginning to gather in flocks containing family groups. Around Chadshunt the Swallows are settling on the power lines in like manner. Both these activities are preludes to the long journey that will be taken next month to warmer climes!

Some exceptional butterfly sightings, including the very unusual appearance of a flock of no less than 15 Clouded Yellow Butterflies in the set-aside adjoining the plantation at Watery Lane. The land has many wild flowers which must have been an attraction; whilst the small number of females (two) is indicative of the fact that they are a southern species which have been blown here from the Mediterranean area and would be unable to survive our winter temperatures to breed successfully. Other species seen are the Small Copper in the same location and White Admirals and Hairstreaks in Itchington Holt. We have, of course, seen a profusion of Red Admirals, Commas and Painted Ladies in our gardens, not to mention the many appearances of the exotic Humming Bird Hawk Moth.

It is now a frequent event to hear Buzzards over our homes using the Thermals to glide effortlessly in the skies. As many as six individuals seem to meet up for a spectacular aerial display which is too high to be interrupted by the local Crows.

It is very heartening to notice that grasshoppers can be heard again in some numbers this year in the verges and wild patches of grassland.

Young pheasants are now being released as poults into the country-side by shooting syndicates. They are the most vulnerable creatures:

I met a fox carrying one in his mouth and there have been a few hit by cars on the Kineton road. Ironically, I shepherded a flock back into the hedge last week that would have been sure to have been run down.

A percentage by then will be able to fly and face the more obvious hazard of guns in November. If they decide to use their feet and walk, they may survive this too!

Collecting blackberries and early Sloes is an easy job this year, they are everywhere and ripening early. Trees like Oak and Ash are very stressed by the dry spell and we may find some die back this winter. Acorns are very profuse in spite of this.

Sadly, there is no Harvest Supper this year as the main organisers are all away. This is one of our last seasonal countryside traditions and I hope it will return next year.

Bernard Price

Gaydon Street Lamps

Essex County Council is experimenting with turning off some street lamps at midnight in rural areas in order to reduce energy costs and hence the rates.

Gaydon Parish Council asked the County Council to comment upon the feasibility of doing this in Gaydon.

It has been informed that WCC is in the process of investigating options for cutting down on energy costs in the county.

These costings include the consideration of turning off some street lamps between the hours of midnight and 5am.

The Parish Council will be discussing the findings.

Wellesbourne Badminton Club

Kineton High School

Tuesdays & Fridays 7.30-10pm

Seeks New Members.

To arrange 2 nights' Free Trial please ring

Carol Johnson on 01926 641564

or email carol@kineton.org.uk

We have teams in the Leamington and Banbury Leagues as well as

club competitions and there is an active social programme.

Flag

The flag on the village green was raised in September on the following occasions:

1st St Giles' Day

15th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain

On 21 October the flag will commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar.