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Ramsbury & Axford Community
Village Diary - November 2007 |
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| Please may we have items for the December Diary by 18 November. 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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Even on the mild sunny days one cannot but feel autumn is with us as the days get shorter. Whatever the conditions, wet or fine, surprises occur when least expected as on 3 October when I saw a mother duck with five small babies. Will they be big enough to withstand the winter I wonder? Last spring I never saw any on the Kennet. Another surprise was in late September when one morning near The Bell there was a cream toad with brown flecks on its skin: was it an albino? But by next day a car rounding the corner had crushed it. It was not the only road casualty as a few days ago, I came upon a large, dead badger near Marlborough Common. As the days get shorter, twilight and the evening build up of traffic coincide, so wildlife casualties increase. I have not seen any hedgehogs for some time: are their numbers declining? I hope not as they help to keep slugs and other pests in check: more thrushes are also desirable to eat the many snails that can be found lurking at the base of walls when cutting down some of summer’s rank growth. This is also the time of year when last spring’s birds’ nests are found when autumn pruning is in progress. At the end of September in the Surgery car park, I noticed many brown stems of the parasitic common broomrape. It was growing on a senecio but it can occur on other plants with daisy like flowers and members of the pea family. The flowering stems would have been pale yellow earlier in the year with no green leaves: it was unusual to see so many of the dried stems together. Although the willows are shedding their leaves, some of the best autumn colours are still to be seen on sunny days in November. Beeches can look grand under the right lighting conditions, as can the spiders’ webs when coated with dew in the early morning. Rosie Pauline My sighting of the month was a Merlin which is Britain's smallest bird of prey. During the summer it lives on moors and heaths where it feeds on Meadow Pipits and Skylarks. But during the winter months it visits farmland and estuaries. I recently visited High Down nature reserve near Aldbourne where eight Stonechat were seen as well as a single Corn Bunting. But in the midst of a flock of Chaffinchs was a single male Brambling. This is a winter visitor, as is the Siskin that has been seen in Axford, Hens Wood and a flock of seventeen at Stitchcombe. I have been told that the Golden Plover have returned to Spring Hill. I was delighted recently when I came upon a flock of one hundred and fifty Lapwing near Froxfield. John Marshall The rainfall for the month to 18 October was 3.85 inches, average 4.04 inches. |
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The Ramsbury Branch of the Royal British Legion hope that the village will respond to the Poppy Appeal as generously as they have in past years. The Legion is currently engaged in a national campaign to ensure that those wounded in body or mind receive the care they deserve on their return home from Iraq or Afghanistan. Ramsbury Memorial Hall The Hall urgently requires a supervisor and cleaner. These two interesting and rewarding vacancies can be organised jointly or separately by one or two people. Both positions are paid and have generally flexible working time to suit the person(s) involved. There is probably no better way of getting to know the many activities and organisations in the village. For further details, contact Robert Osmond on 01672 520568. Waste Black boxes and Green Wheelie Bins will be emptied on Tuesdays 13 & 27 November. Skips for plastic and cardboard will be at the Surgery 8 - 10.30 am on Tuesday 27, and at Aldbourne on Tuesday 13 November. Black Wheelie bins will be emptied and orange sacks will be collected on Tuesdays 6 & 20 November. |
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Ramsbury WI meets on Thursday 1 November in the Methodist Schoolroom, Oxford Street when Mrs Maureen Hinton will give a flower arranging demonstration plus tips on choosing and caring for cut flowers. Doors open at 7.15 pm and the meeting starts at 7.45 pm. Visitors are welcome. Holy Cross News There will be an All Souls Service at Holy Cross on Sunday 4 November at 6 pm. If you would like someone to be remembered at this service, please add their name to the list that will be at the back of the church from the last week in October. Everyone is very welcome to come. Hope and Homes for Children There will be a Cocktail Hour in aid of Hope and Homes for Children in the Memorial Hall on Sunday 4 November. There will be readings by Chris de Souza and Phyllida Nash, music, canapés and wine from 6 pm. For tickets price £10, call Louise Andrew on 521210 or email peterpage@ramsbury.wiltshire.gb.com. Events at the Bell There will be ‘Jazz at the Bell’on Wednesday 7 November, Pewsey Vale Wines Tasting 6.30-8.30 pm Thursday 15 November, and a Beer Evening on Thursday 22 November. For reservations call 520230. Ramsbury Flyer The next visit to Newbury will be on Thursday 8 November, leaving the Tree at 11.30 am, and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm. Book with Muriel Lye on 520555. New drivers are needed again to cover the regular services offered to Hungerford and to the Ramsbury Surgery from the other villages. The voluntary drivers’ commitment is up to three hours once a month. If you are interested in finding out more, contact Carena Dennis on 520566. The Community Bus also has its own page - just follow the link. ARC Christmas Card Sale The annual ARC Christmas Card Sale will be held on Friday 9 November between 10 am and noon at Evelyn House, High Street. Contact Marion Young 521126 for information. Ramsbury Amenity Group Information Lectern The visitor Information Lectern donated by Anthony Vernon and Marlborough Area Development Trust will be unveiled at noon on Saturday 10 November in front of The Bell. Ramsbury’s County Councillor, Chris Humphries, will be present. Remembrance Sunday The Parade for Remembrance Sunday 11 November will take place as usual at 10.30 am in the Square led by Ramsbury Silver Band. Those who wish to go straight to Holy Cross are invited to leave the Church and join the Parade for the sounding of the Last Post and the Two Minutes Silence at the War Memorial. Ramsbury Amenity Group Guided Walks Sunday 11 November, Park Farm (no. 13). Sunday 25 November, Little Bedwyn (4 miles). Meet at 2 pm at the Tree to share cars, with dogs on leads. Ramsbury Horticultural Society There will be a talk on Monday 12 November at 7.45 pm in the Methodist Schoolroom given by Dave Shorten on 'Fungi & Folklore'. A damp year will see the emergence of a few unrecognisable mushrooms in gardens. This talk will help identify them! We are arranging for a "practical" visit to a local garden to see, first hand, how and what is done to have a successful produce garden. Details will be given shortly. Axford Bingo There will be Bingo in Axford Village Hall at 7.30 pm on Wednesdays 14 and 28 November. Ramsbury Roxy Friday 16 November - 'United 93' (15) Drama based on fact about the passengers on the fourth terrorist attack plane on 11 September 2001. Friday 30 November - 'The Shipping News' (15) A romantic comedy with Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench, Kate Blanchett, Julianne Moore and Pete Postlethwaite. From the book by Annie Prouix. Doors open at 7.30 pm with licensed bar; film starts at 8 pm. Tickets £3.50 from Post Office, £4 on the door. Parish Council The next meeting of the Parish Council is on Monday 19 November at 7.45 pm in the Memorial Hall. Ravensbury Players present ‘Allo ‘Allo The Ravensbury Players are presenting the comedy 'Allo 'Allo by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft from Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 November at 7.45 pm in The Memorial Hall. Tickets price £7 are available from Ramsbury Post Office or Midway Stores or call 520515. Due to previous demand, the performances have been increased to five, but please book early as Saturday is sold out. Churchyard Working Party We would like to thank all those who have been so supportive and helpful over the theft of the lead from Holy Cross roof. There will be a churchyard working party to clear up the old churchyard and fallen leaves etc. on Saturday 24 November at 10 am. We need all the help we can get so please bring your brooms and cutters and come and join us. Hungerford Farmer’s Market The Thames Valley Farmer’s Market Cooperative holds a market outside Hungerford Town Hall every fourth Sunday in the month. Next one is on Sunday 25 November from 9 am. They aim to promote fresh local foods; vegetables from Ogg Valley Organics, meat from Dews Meadow and Challow Hill near Wantage, cakes, watercress, cheese, bread, pickles, jams, preserves, fresh fish and shell-fish, lobster and crab from Selsey. Ramsbury Meals on Wheels The AGM of the Ramsbury Meals on Wheels is on Friday 30 November in the Church Room at 10.30 am. Membership of the charity is open to anyone over the age of 18 as volunteers for cooking and delivering. The rota is flexible with most members cooking or delivering about six days a year. Meals are simple, help with recipes is available and expenses are reimbursed. If you feel that you might be interested and would like to know more please do join us at our meeting. Jane Handford. |
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General Dennis Redman is most grateful for all the expressions of sympathy that he has received on the death of his wife Penny. He regrets that he will be unable to reply. The Funeral is private. Thanks to Ramsbury School Choir who joined us at our Family Harvest Festival and to the flower arrangers, brass cleaners and those who helped make it such an enjoyable day. Thanks also to Maureen Palmer and her team for their hard work in organising the Supper that followed our Harvest Songs Of Praise. |
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There is an informal meeting in the church on Saturday 1 December at 11.45 am for all church flower arrangers. If you would like to join us and find out what is involved, do come along. The Tennis Club Christmas Party is on Saturday 1 December from 7.30 pm - midnight in the Memorial Hall. Tickets £15 include dinner, dancing and a half-bottle of wine. Call 520841 or any club member. The Ramsbury Link AGM will be held at 7.45 pm in the Memorial Hall on Monday 3 December. Bella Voce will be giving a concert at 7.30 pm in the Memorial Hall on Friday 7 December. The choir have been invited to sing Carols by Candlelight in Holy Cross at 5 pm on Sunday 16 December. Carols at the Crown and Anchor will follow later that evening. The Horticultural Society will hold a Christmas Party on Saturday 8 December at 7 pm, and the format will be as has been popular in recent years. Please keep the date free. We hope that all who came enjoyed the visit of the ‘Gardener’s Question Time’ team. The recordings will be broadcast as two programmes on After transmission, CD recordings will be available at a price of £11.75. If you would like copies, please call Yvonne Allan, on 01608 646444 or e-mail yallan@tmtv.co.uk. The Diary is published in paper form, and is incorporated here by
kind permission of the Ramsbury Amenity Group. |
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