Ramsbury Village Diary -August 2010

Ramsbury & Axford Community

Village Diary - August 2010

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Nature Notes Bird Notes Rainfall Editorial Items Diary Items Thanks Advance Notices Calendar (current) Past Issues	Please may we have items for the September Diary by 17 August. They can be left at the Post Office; or sent by email to diary@ramsbury.org
	Nature Notes It is July 16 and time to write my August piece after one of the shortest thunder storms I have ever known; two claps of thunder and a 3-minute deluge of rain. Another unusual event during the past month occurred in the Wilcot area when I was walking near a stream. A mass of minute frogs were crossing a dusty track to enter the shade of woodland close by. This was on a sunny morning during the dry period. It must be over forty years ago since I saw such a sight and that was by an Essex brook at dusk one evening. The hot, dry spell, while grand for holiday makers and butterflies, has not been so good for the gardens, with brown grass and slow growing vegetables unless well watered. On the bright side many butterflies were on the wing when I was walking in the Silbury hill area on a sunny morning. There were many of the dark brown ringlets and gatekeepers, also called hedge browns. The pale brown small heaths were numerous in the long grass. On two occasions we nearly trod on small tortoise shells fluttering close to the ground. Were they suffering from the disease which I read recently is causing their decline? I have hardly seen any in the garden this summer. Will we get an influx of painted ladies from the continent this year I wonder? Many red admirals also migrate to us each year. As the buddleia is starting to flower, it will be interesting to see what visitors we get. As yet there are few cabbage whites around so may it stay that way. Have you noticed how, after the solomon’s seal has flowered, the leaves become shredded? This is due to small, grey caterpillars. I don’t know if they turn into moths later. I have had reports of broad bean flowers not setting which they blamed on a lack of bees, but I have seen quite a lot of bumble bees in my garden so is dryness the main problem? Some plants, including the weeds, seem to be putting their roots down extra deep to get moisture. Most years some crops do well and others give poor yields according to our variable weather. Which will be the best ones this season? Rosie Pauline Bird Notes August can often seem a very quiet time for birds. Many adult birds go through their annual moult, while most juvenile birds start to put on their adult ‘uniform’. They also experience a phenomenon called ‘post juvenile dispersal’, when the young are evicted from their parents’ territory. They gather in roving flocks of juveniles from different species, and it is not unusual to see a flock of blue tits, great tits and warblers chasing through your garden together. The continuing warm weather, as I write, has also meant that many birds are still producing young. The Kennet Triangle has newly born coot, moorhen and dabchick offspring, while one of the sights of the month was a proud mallard female marching ten chicks down Crowood Lane and then crossing over to Union Street and heading down to the river. In the garden a green woodpecker spent ages on a dead branch of a cherry tree, feeding two noisy young that were almost as big. The trials of parenthood! An hour long sunny walk along the canal at Little Bedwyn gave us young swifts hurtling around noisily just above our heads, young swallows feeding inches above the canal, while reed warblers, terns and herons all added to the scene, completed by a brilliant bullfinch. Paul Swan Rainfall Rainfall for the month to 18 July was 0.9 inches, average 1.97 inches.
	Bella Voce Choir Bella Voce Choir will continue singing during August. Regular practice will be held at the Ramsbury Memorial Hall on Tuesday evenings at 8pm. – see Advance Notices. Recreation Centre 200 Club Recreation Centre 200 Club Draw result for July was - £100 to Margaret Swan. £50 each to Norman Leslie, Steve Hawes and John Lewis. £25 each to Pete Osmond, Janet Hierons, Sarah Louise Wickham and Ian Walker. The club costs £60 per year to join. Funds are split 50/50 between prizes and the Recreation Centre. To join please contact Ian Smith on 07977 473975 or email oldtiff@hotmail.co.uk Charity Shop The third quarter distribution was £500 to each of six organisations which gives a total of £8,000 so far. If you are willing to help in the shop either regularly, or from time to time, please contact Sheila Glass on 520409. Donations can be left during opening hours or call 520409. Methodist Church Services Sunday 1 August 10.30 am. Joint service at Aldbourne. Local Preacher Mr Andrew Trowbridge Sunday 8 August 10.30 am. Service at Ramsbury. Local Preacher Mr Phillip Allen. Sunday 15 August 10.30 am. Service at Ramsbury. Sunday 22 August 10.30 am. Service at Ramsbury. Rev David Gray Sunday 29 August 10.30 am. Joint Service at Aldbourne. Local Preacher Mr Alex Scott. Coffee morning every Thursday from 9.30 am. For details, please contact Julie Coe 521085. Waste Tuesday 3, 17 & 31 August. Green wheelie-bins and black boxes collection. Tuesday 10 & 24 August. Black wheelie-bins and orange sacks collection. Tuesday 3 & 31 August. Plastics and cardboard recycling lorry at Ramsbury Surgery 8.30 am until 10.30 am. Tuesday 17 August. Plastics and cardboard recycling lorry at Aldbourne Square 8.30 am until 10.30 am.
	Ramsbury & Axford Golf Society Friday 6 August. The Crown & Anchor Team Golf Trophy will be played at West Berks, Chaddleworth. Please enter teams of four representing village organisations, clubs, friends or colleagues. Followed by an evening hog roast and bar at the Recreation Centre. For details, please contact Bob Osmond 520568. Ramsbury WI There will be no WI meeting on Thursday 5 August or Busy Bees this month. Saturday 7 August at 3 pm Ramsbury WI 90th birthday party. All members, past and present are warmly welcomed. For further information, please contact Mary Holdsworth 520908 or email wi@ramsbury.org Ramsbury Amenity Group Guided Walks Sunday 8 August Loves Copse (9) and Sunday 22 August Standon Manor (s/c). Walk numbers are from the Ramsbury Amenity Group Short Walks pack available from the Post Office. Depart the Tree 2 pm shared cars (s/c) and dogs on leads. Everyone is welcome. For further details call Sheila Morgan on 520501. Ramsbury Flyer The next visit to Newbury will be on Thursday 12 August, leaving the Tree at 11.30 am and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm. Book with Muriel Lye on 520555. The Community Bus also has its own page - just follow the link. Library Thursday 12 August. The library is running an activity based upon “Aliens Love Underpants” for children aged 5-10, 10.30 am until 11.30 am, in the Church Room. Free tickets are available from Ramsbury library. Younger siblings are welcome to join in. Parent/carer must remain with any child under age 8 or under. Check the website www.wiltshire.gov.uk/events for more information. Adults - please visit your library too! Ramsbury Horticultural Society Summer Show Saturday 14 August from 2 to 4.30 pm in the Memorial Hall. There are 23 trophies and two medals to win which are listed in the show schedule – available free from the Post Office or Allan Davison on 520591. Entries must made at our desk in the ‘Crown & Anchor’ on Friday 13 August, from 6 to 9 pm or by email to hortsoc@ramsbury.org (Literature entries must be made to the entry steward by 7 August). Parish Council Monday 16 August. The Parish Council meeting will take place in the Memorial Hall at 7.45 pm. All members of the public are welcome to attend. Axford Fête Saturday 21 August. The fête will be in the Jubilee Field from 2 pm until 5 pm. Attractions will include the Ramsbury Silver Band, traditional stalls & sideshows, Dog Show, Classic Cars display, Morris Dancing, refreshments, Car Boot sale (details from Rosie Henderson 520038) and a Duck Race on the River Kennet. Prizes will be presented at 4.30 pm. Grand Draw tickets, £2.50 per book of 5 tickets and Sporting Draw tickets, £5 per book of 5 tickets, are on sale now from Michelle Beckingham 520719 or Bridget Treherne 512406. Entrance: adults £1, under 18s 50p and under 12s free. For further information please contact Bridget Treherne 512406 or e-mail fete@axford-online.co.uk
	THANKS Many thanks to everybody who has donated spectacles over the years. If you have any old, unused spectacles please give them to Priscilla at 15 Union Street. Since April 2008, the total donated by the Crown and Anchor to the Prospect Hospice from the swear box, Sunday pub quiz and sale of candles is £5449.92. Many thanks to those who have contributed to Peter Page, who has raised £10,500 for the Prospect Hospice on his Austin 101 trip to Istanbul. Thank you to everyone who attended the Methodist’s fête in the Hunter’s garden. A grand total of £328.20 was raised. Thanks also to the Ramsbury Silver band and everyone who helped. Many thanks to those who helped with, and contributed to, the Arthritis Research UK Coffee Morning on Saturday 10 July which raised £1000.29. Thanks to all who helped prepare the village for the Best Kept Village Competition. Ramsbury came second to Rowde in the Large Village District round. Owing to an unfortunate oversight, Ashley Court's name was left off the list of thanks for those helping with the Village Clean Up last month. Sorry Ashley.
	ADVANCE NOTICES Monday 6 September. Pilates in the Memorial Hall 9.15 am until 10.15 am. For further information please contact Caroline McCord 511360, 07817 503546 or caroline@backinbalancepilates.com Friday 10 September. Ramsbury Roxy season opens with 'Julie and Julia'. 'Sherlock Holmes' follows on 24 September. Tickets will be available during August from Post Office. See the Roxy page for details and future programmes. Saturday 11 September. The Ramsbury Street Fair will be on between 11 am and 3 pm in the High Street. All village organisations are invited to run a stall and any member of the public wanting a pitch should please contact Ian Smith on 07977 473975. Saturday 11 September. Bella Voce will sing a variety of songs from their summer programme at the Third Beer Festival at the Crown and Anchor Pub. Tuesday 14 September. Bella Voce will begin to learn the choral work Fauré's Requiem and will welcome the return of people who sang the Vivaldi Gloria in 2009. For more information please contact Margaret Swan 521233 or email meggiemckay@aol.com Saturday 25 September. There will be a Jumble Sale at the Methodist Church from 10 am until noon. Saturday 25 September. “Swish and Shop” in the Memorial Hall, 7 pm until 10 pm. A chance to buy, sell or swap unwanted ladies and children’s clothes. 17 - 20 November. The Ravensbury Players Autumn production will be 'Hobson's Choice'. The Diary is published in paper form, and is incorporated here by kind permission of the Ramsbury Amenity Group.