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Ramsbury & Axford Community
Village Diary - May 2006 |
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| Please may we have items for the June Diary by 18 May. They can be left with Sylvia Judge, 55 High Street; Ben Tottenham, Vicarage Cottage, Back Lane; at the Post Office; or by email to diary@pccare.ltd.uk | |||||||||
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Easter has been and gone, the sun is shining and the variety of flowers is increasing by the day, so we can feel Spring has arrived at last. By the time you receive the Diary will the barbecue be out I wonder? Whatever the weather I am sure the native plants, we often call weeds, will be hiding the bare soil, already the leaves of hedge parsley (Queen Anne’s Lace) and wild arum are growing fast. Only a few days ago in the lower part of Love’s Lane I noticed many small white flowers, and a closer look revealed a patch of barren strawberry plants. Both leaves and plants were much smaller than the wild strawberry, the latter will not be flowering for a while yet. You may have seen both purple and white violets in flower, these are two varieties of the dog violet. With a bit of sunshine hedge banks will soon be ablaze with the yellow of dandelions, a grand sight in the wild but not so welcome in the garden. I have some and I must try to dig them out before they start to seed. With the slow start to spring the hazel catkins seem to be having a longer flowering season than usual. These or pussy willow make an attractive show when place in a vase with daffodils. When walking locally last week we came upon a herd of fallow deer that included, to our surprise, one or two white ones. I had heard of white ones but it was the first time I had seen one for myself. On another occasion as I approached Axford a hare was moving along the bank. During March they can sometimes be seen jumping about on open ground – the mad March hares. As usual passing cars are killing the poor old badger. Spring brings out the bumble-bees, buff and orange tailed ones, also butterflies. This morning I saw my first tortoiseshell and I have seen several yellow brimstones, the males. The female of the species being nearly white tends to pass unnoticed, the wings are a different shape from the cabbage white and are without the black markings. What others will be seen in the coming months I wonder? Rosie Pauline Well I have it on good authority that the first Cuckoo was heard calling from the water meadows near Littlecote on 16 April. Other summer migrants of note have been a small number of Sand Martins that have been seen stalking insects with Swallows and House Martins over Ramsbury Lake. The Sand Martin is the same size as the House Martin, but is brown as opposed to blue. It has also got a brown collar on its white chest. There is also a Green Sandpiper on the slurry pit near Park Farm. Every hedge seems to reverberate to the calls of the Willow Warbler, Chiff-Chaff and Blackcap. As always a dawn or dusk visit to Seven Bridges could well reward you with the likes of Woodcock, Cetti's Warbler. Grasshopper, Reed and Sedge Warblers and Nightingale. So that's the Summer visitors, but as I write on 18 April there are still the odd couple of Siskin which will be heading North soon. I was up at Membury Service area recently and there were no less than 65 Pied Wagtails feeding on the verge among all that traffic! There have been a good number of Red Kite sightings, and these range from Ewens Hill to Knowledge Hill. John Marshall Rainfall for the month to 18 April was 1.77 inches, average 2.85 inches. For the 6 months September to March the rainfall was 12.75 inches, average 20.8 inches. This is the second winter well below average. |
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Police Report for March April Ramsbury/Chilton Foliat During the period of the report, nine crimes were reported. There were a small number of vehicle break-ins overnight using tools to force the locks. Car owners should avoid leaving anything valuable on show or attached to the fascia and visible. There has been an increase in the number of reports of antisocial behaviour. These have all involved younger members of the community and particularly those in their teens. It is only a few who are causing problems for the rest. One incident led to criminal damage being caused to a number of tiles on the roof of the Memorial Hall. PC Kuklinski is currently making enquiries and would like to hear from anyone with information as to the identity of three youths seen on the roof on the evening of Thursday 23 March. Not only were they trespassing but they were also risking their own health and safety. In the meantime, PCs Smith and Kuklinksi are stepping up their patrols in the area during the evenings. Anyone with any information, or who knows the perpetrators should call Marlborough Police Station PC 1617 Mark Kuklinski on 0845 408 7000. Black Box, Wheelie Bin and Skip Collection The Black Boxes and Green Wheelie Bins will be emptied on Tuesdays 2, 16 and 30 May. The skips for plastic bottles and cardboard will be at Ramsbury Surgery from 8 am to 10.30 am on Wednesday 17 May. |
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Community Bus transport from 7.45 am at The Tree to the start. Totla distance 26.5 miles. Finish at Littlecote 6.30 pm approx. Certificates awarded to those who complete the whole wlak. Transport to/from refreshment stops from the Tree throughout the day. Bring packed lunch and suitable footwear. Ramsbury WI The Ramsbury WI will meet at 7.45 pm on Thursday 4 May in the Memorial Hall - please note the change of venue. There will be a discussion of the NFWI Resolutions for 2006. After that, Mr Bob Kitchen will give a demonstration of cheese making and cheese cookery. Visitors are welcome to come to the demonstration, which is planned to start at 8.30 pm. Wildlife in Wiltshire Churchyards Wiltshire Wildlife trust will host a Seminar " A Living Churchyard and Cemetery Project", in the Church Room from 9.45 am to 4 pm on Saturday 6 May. If you are interested in attending, please call Georgie Brooks on 520135. Would relations, who have family members buried in the Churchyard, please ensure that there are fresh flowers on their graves and that debris and artificial flowers are removed. Ramsbury Horticultural Society The Plant Sale and Coffee Morning will take place at 'Millstream', High Street at 10 am on Saturday 6 May. The Society will be grateful for any surplus potted up plants to sell. Open to all interested in Gardening. Womens' "Race for Life" in aid of Cancer Research UK Ramsbury & Wanborough Surgery has entered a team in this fund raising event at Marlborough College on Sunday 7 May. To sponsor the team, go to www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/ramsburysurgery or leave donations at the surgery reception. Memorial Hall AGM The AGM of the Memorial Hall will take place at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 10 May. Axford Bingo There will be Bingo in Axford Village Hall on Wednesdays 10 & 24 May at 7.30 pm. Ramsbury Flyer The next visit to Newbury will be on Thursday 11 May, leaving the Tree at 11.30 am and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm. Book with Muriel Lye on 520555. The Annual General Meeting of the Community Bus will be held at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 16 May in the Royal British Legion Club. All are welcome. Please come and support your Community Bus. The Community Bus also has its own page - just follow the link. Ramsbury Roxy
Tickets £3.50 from the Post Office, £4 on the door. Doors open 7.30 pm, films start at 8 pm. Ramsbury Amenity Group Guided Walks There will be guided walks on Sunday 14 May to Westwood to see the bluebells (postponed from April), and on Sunday 28 May to Liddington Hill. Meet at the Tree at 2 pm to share cars with dogs under control. Ramsbury Parish Council The Parish Council will meet at 7.45 pm on Monday 15 May in the Memorial Hall. Christian Aid Coffee Morning There will be a Coffee Morning on Thursday 18 May from 10 - noon at the Methodist Church. Cakes, books and Fair Trade goods will be on sale. The Pre-school children will sing at 11.30 am. All are welcome. Ramsbury Horticultural Society Outing The Coach Outing to Kew Gardens on Saturday 20 May will leave the Square at 9.15 am and return to Ramsbury approx 5.30 pm.Tickets will cost £15 (which includes admission) from Rosalie Winter on 520561. Ramsbury Circuit 7km Run & Walk On Sunday 21 May at the Recreation Centre. Annual Parish Meeting The Annual Parish Meeting will be held at 7.45 pm on Monday 22 May in the Memorial Hall. This is your opportunity to comment on village matters, and to hear reports on Parish Council and village organisations' activities during the past year. Please come. Ramsbury & Axford Parish Council
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Many thanks to all who have contributed used stamps. An appreciative letter has been received from the British Eye Research Foundation. A volunteer obtains funds from the stamps for their current research projects, so please keep them coming. Evelyn Smith 3 Townfield, Ramsbury. The Coffee Centre raised £519 in 2005. £100 donations have been sent to Ramsbury Surgery, The Bruce Trust, Prospect Hospice, the Douglas Arter Centre and East Kennet District Community Transport. April 200 Club Draw winners |
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Action for the River Kennet’s Spring River Walk will be held on Sunday 4 June. Starting from Elcot Lane by the Marlborough Tile Factory, it will continue through Minal and Stitchcombe, ending at the Stone Bridge Lane and then up to the Axford Road. More details in the June diary. Ramsbury Amenity Group will be visiting Stonor Park on 7 June, and Buscot Park on 9 or 16 August. Transport will leave from the Square at 1 pm. Please let Ben Tottenham or any member of the committee know if you wish to come, if you did not put your name down at the Annual General Meeting. The Ravensbury Players invite you to experience Theatre in the Round and in the fresh air. ‘Shakespeare and Others’, an evening of play readings, will be held on Saturday 10 June. For more information or to book tickets call Jessie Gunton on 521055. The Methodist Church will be open from 4 - 5 pm for prayer on Friday 16 June For details see June Diary. ‘Flowers in a Church Setting’. Mrs Elizabeth Bacon NAFAS Area Flower Demonstrator and Chelsea Gold Medallist will be at Holy Cross at 7.30 pm on Friday 16 June. For ticket details see June Diary. A final Coffee Centre Party is planned for Saturday morning 17 June in the Red Cross Room. The Coffee Centre will reopen at the Methodist Church on 6 July. Marlborough’s New Cycling Club - for more information contact Nick Stedman on 861658 and for membership call Deborah Husk 851233. The Ramsbury Ball this year will be held on 16 September. Phone Ian Smith 520871 or Peter Appleyard 520623. The ARC Coffee Morning will be held on Saturday 24 June this year - more details in June Diary. The Diary is published in paper form, and is incorporated here by
kind permission of the Ramsbury Amenity Group. |
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