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Ramsbury & Axford Community
Village Diary - June 2010 |
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| Please may we have items
for the July Diary by 17 June. They can be left at the Post Office; or sent by email to diary@ramsbury.org |
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Hopefully, this month will bring some real summer weather and not just long days, with just enough rain to help the crops catch up after the cool weather which gave a slow start to the growing season. You may have noticed that some of the shrubs have produced especially good flowers this spring. My berberis has been laden with blossom, and as I write in mid May, the wisteria looks set to flower particularly well. You have no doubt noticed what a grand show the dandelions put on this spring. It is a pity they seed in our gardens so readily. Lady's Smock or cuckoo flower also gave a grand display by the side of the A4 not far from Savernake hospital and also at Cricklade, which I noticed when I had the opportunity to see the fritillaries when they were in full bloom in the large meadow by the infant Thames. Today I saw my first cabbage white butterfly. I hope it is not a sign of a plague to come. As to wasps, the queens seem to be more numerous than usual. Is it wise to kill any that come into the kitchen and shed or not? Their sting in late summer is most undesirable but, until they have built up a large colony by August, they are a beneficial insect, as the workers destroy a large number of insect pests. Last year I saw one attack a white butterfly, so they are not just a nasty pest in themselves. The queen starts by building a tiny paper nest in which she lays a few eggs which become workers. They later take over the nest-building, which can get to the size of a small football. When temperatures fall in autumn, the workers and drones die, only the queen finding a sheltered place for the winter. Like bees there are many types of wasps, but few build large nests. During a warm spell in mid-April a type of mining bee was very active on a patch of grass near me. They are of a solitary nature, just laying a few eggs into deep holes in the ground. Fortunately, they are not strong enough to sting the human population. They are black and not much larger then a flying ant which do not appear until later in the summer, usually during sultry weather. Rosie Pauline With the arrival of the swifts, house martins and the cuckoo, the migrants are all here and very busy nest- building and in some cases already rearing young. This is a time of very hard work as the parents use every hour of the lengthening days for incubating or feeding young. As we relax in the hoped for June sunshine, a pair of blue tits, with up to fourteen young in the nest, will have to make over five hundred food-finding forays every day, for at least nineteen days! I have seen, or had reports of raven at Hilldrop, cetti’s warbler and nightingale at Seven Bridges, grasshopper warbler towards Froxfield, meadow pipit and garden warbler on Springs Hill, sedge warbler and reed warbler on the banks of the river and whitethroat at Love’s Copse. But not a single kingfisher spotted so far this year! The river at the Kennet Triangle has produced two of the special sightings of the month, which have not been in the air at all. We had our first ever sighting of a muntjac deer swimming there, and a couple of days later watched a water vole leisurely nibbling on young Willow leaves. I have even had a reliable report of a polecat near Leverton. Paul Swan Rainfall for the month to 18 May was 1.35 inches, average 2.05 inches. |
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Black wheelie-bins and orange sacks collection will be on Tuesdays 1, 15 & 29 June. Green wheelie-bins and black boxes collection will be on Tuesdays 8 & 22 June. The cardboard and plastic waste collection by skip has changed to compression lorry which will be at Aldbourne Square on Tuesday 8 June from 8.30 to 10.30 am and Ramsbury Surgery on Tuesday 22 June from 8.30 to 10.30 am. NB later start times at 8.30 am. The cardboard and plastic waste taken in the compression lorry is subsequently sorted and recycled. Clubs and Organisation Contacts List Ramsbury Amenity Group Contacts List for Clubs and Organisations is issued with the Village Diary this month. The Contacts List may be viewed here and is updated throughout the year. Send changes to webmaster@ramsbury.org Firefighters Wanted Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service is recruiting retained firefighters for Ramsbury Fire Station. Contact Chris Martin on 520673, visit the fire station any Monday from 7-9 pm, or see www.wfb.org.uk for more information. Charity Shop The shop is continuing to do well. In June, July & August the Lunch Club will take over Thursday mornings from the PTA/Pre-school. Call Sheila Glass 520409 for collection of donations for the shop. Recreation Centre 200 Club May draw result - £100 to G. Curtis, £50 each to I. Walker, T. Haigh & M. Graham, £25 each to P. Willetts, L. & T Madden, M. Reed & A. Tuttle. To join contact Ian Smith on 07977 473975 or email oldtiff@hotmail.co.uk Bowls Club The new six-lane bowling green and pavilion is complete thanks to hard work, donations and fundraising by members. “Introduction to Bowls” day on 1 May was a great success, with 80 visitors to the new green. Three matches have been played at home and newcomer interest has continued with open evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Experienced and new players are welcome. Contact Chris or Linda Martin on 520673 (email linda.d.martin@btinternet.com) for further information. Ramsbury & Axford Golf Society The Knock-out Competition will run throughout the summer. Contact Bob Osmond for details on 520568. |
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Ramsbury WI meet on Thursday 3 June in the Methodist Schoolroom, Oxford Street. Revd. Mary Reed will talk on “Here we go a-Vicaring”. Doors open 7.15 pm and the meeting starts at 7.45 pm. New members and visitors are welcome. The Dining Club will take names for the June lunch. The Walking Group meets on the 2nd Monday of each month at the Tree at 2 pm. Busy Bees needlework group meet on Thursday 17 June at 7.30 pm in the Lychgate Room. Contact Mary Holdsworth 520908 or email wi@ramsbury.org Village Clean-Up On Saturday 5 June at 10 am the Parish Council, Cubs and Scouts are leading a village clean-up starting in the Square. Please come and help, bringing gloves, brushes, tools, including hoes and bags etc. Let's see if we can win Best Kept Village this year. Flowers outside of houses would also be most welcome. Ramsbury Flyer The next visit to Newbury will be on Thursday 10 June, leaving the tree at 11.30 am and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm. Fare £3. Book with Muriel Lye on 520555. The Community Bus also has its own page - just follow the link Ramsbury Horticultural Society Friday 11 June - coach to Mottisfont departs the Square at 12.45 pm and arrives back at 8 pm. Tickets £11 for NT members, £18.50 for non-NT members. Contact Sheila Glass on 520409. Saturday 19 June - Rose and Iris Evening with Members’ Supper in the Memorial Hall. Entries from 6 to 6.45 pm. Show opens at 7.30 pm. Entry forms in Show Schedule. Sunday 27 June - Ramsbury Gardens Open from 2-5.30 pm. Details in ‘Summer Newsletter’. If you are not on the list for this please contact us at hortsoc@ramsbury.org Any members who owe subscriptions please contact Michael Handford on 520545. Holy Cross and St. Michael’s Holy Cross Church will be holding a Pet Service on 13 June at 9.30 am. All pets and their owners welcome. Ramsbury Amenity Group Guided Walks Sunday 13 June Martinsell (s/c) bring a picnic. Walk numbers are from the Ramsbury Amenity Group Short Walks pack available from the Post Office. Depart the Tree 2pm shared cars (s/c) and dogs on leads. Everyone is welcome. For further details call Sheila Morgan on 520501. Riding for the Disabled The Kennet Valley Driving Group is offering people with disabilities an opportunity to drive a horse and carriage. To promote the project an open day is being held on Sunday 13 June at Manor Farm, West Overton. Contact Maggie Lewis on 0845 241 5396 or email kennetvalleydrivinggroup@googlemail.com Bedwyn Music Society Summer Concert Friday 18 June at 7.30 pm in St. Mary’s Church, Great Bedwyn with Kings Chamber Ensemble. Enquiries to Andrew Hutchison tel 870970. Tickets – members £8 or £10 on the door and children free. Conservative Luncheon Claire Perry MP will be guest of honour at the Conservative Luncheon at Baydon Manor, Marridge Hill, Ramsbury on Sunday 20 June. Contact Simon Blunt 520358 for tickets. Parish Council The Ramsbury and Axford Parish Council will meet on Monday 21 June at 7.45 pm in the Memorial Hall. All Parish Council meetings are open to the public, who are welcome to attend. Bella Voce Summer Concert Bella Voce Choir presents a Summer Concert on Saturday 26 June at 7.30 pm in the Memorial Hall. Tickets £8 adults and £3 children include supper. Bar available. Tickets from Midway Stores and the Post Office. Methodist Church Methodist Church services – see church notice board for details. Methodist Church Summer Fete with the Ramsbury Silver Band at 36 Oxford Street (Methodist Church if wet) at 2 pm on Saturday 26 June. Coffee Centre open every Thursday at 9.30 am. The Coffee Centre made donations of £130 each to 5 charities and £230 to the Methodist church. Church and Church Hall available to hire. Call 520558. Royal British Legion Those who served in the armed forces are invited to the Armed Forces Day event at 7.30 pm, Saturday 26 June at the Royal British Legion club, High Street, Ramsbury. Former members of the armed forces should receive an invitation. An RSVP would be appreciated. Contact the Branch Secretary Denise Edwards 07867 921878 or email minutememories@aol.com National Garden Scheme Open Day Mrs Kate Staples will be opening her garden at the Old Farm House, Oxford Street, Ramsbury on Sunday 27 June from 2 to 6 pm. Adults £3.50, children free. Teas and cakes. Plants for sale. All proceeds go to charity. |
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The April Coffee Morning in aid of TRELOAR raised £3000. The organisers thank everyone for their support, particularly the stallholders who so willingly gave their time. Thanks to the contributors and supporters of the Horticultural Society Spring Plant Sale which raised £654. Nick Jackson Ramsbury RBL Club Chairman thanks the people of Ramsbury, the re-enactors, and the Route to Victory event organisers for helping put Ramsbury British Legion Branch and Club firmly on the map. Most of all thanks to the County Committee, who helped make the parade such a success. |
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The Arthritis Research UK Coffee Morning will be held on Saturday 10 July from 10 am to 12 noon in the Memorial Hall. Please bring contributions to the Hall on Friday 9 July from 4 pm onwards or call Marion Young on 521126 to arrange collection. Ramsbury and Axford Golf Society - the President’s Trophy will be held at Carswell on Monday 19 July. The Crown and Anchor Team Golf Trophy will be held at West Berks on Fri 6 August. Contact Bob Osmond on 520568. Axford Fête will be on Saturday 21 August. Quiz leaflet will be delivered round the village, and an open meeting held very soon. Please phone Bridget and Geoffrey Treherne on 512406 with any ideas, queries, suggestions, offers of help etc The Diary is published in paper form, and is incorporated here by
kind permission of the Ramsbury Amenity Group. |
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