GR A PEV INE THE
sEpt/oCt 2013 Edition 282
The Forge, Lewknor
nEws From thE parish I seemed to just put the last edition to bed, closed my eyes for a second and woke up in September... where did that summer go? There’s already a slight cold touch to the mornings, but I’m holding out for a glorious Indian summer...we deserve it! So, what do we have to look forward to? Well the main event in September is the Horticultural show on 15th Sept at Knapp Farm from 2pm. It’s a great afternoon and good luck to all those entering classes this year, and I apologise in advance for my family who will be gathered, sniggering around the amusing vegetable table. A full list of classes are included in the magazine. Please see page 6 for further details. Although this Grapevine may be delivered after the cut off point for bidding, the new houses by Barley Close are on track for completion in October. Please see the back of this edition for further details on how to access the bidding process.
On the 8th September, Adwell will be holding it’s annual Rare plants Fair from 11am to 4pm. It costs £5.00 per adult (includes the Gardens) and children under 16 Free. A proportion of gate proceeds will be donated to the Amber Foundation, which helps homeless unemployed young people, whose lives are going nowhere to gain the motivation, confidence and skills they need to get a job and accommodation and to be able to keep them. Good luck to all who are starting at Lewknor Primary School this month, I’m sure there will be some tears shed as they look way too small in their new, rather large, uniforms! It’s a big step for children and parents alike but the start of a whole new chapter. (I’ll be the one walking swiftly down the road on the first day in dark glasses with her head down). And finally, a massive thanks to Julie and Les at The Leathern Bottle for hosting the ferret racing event in aid of Krakatoa Pre School.
From thE Editor
If you have any suggestions, or would like to write a regular column, submit a piece to be included in the next edition or have a local photograph new or old, please contact Sara-Jane on the new Grapevine email address: grapevinemagazine@hotmail.com.
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
what’s on in Oxon Caro Emerald + special guests 17th sept, New Theatre Oxford Having sold out her March dates, including London’s Royal Albert Hall (‘a finger-clicker of the highest order’ - Evening Standard), Caro is set to dazzle and delight with her sassy blend of big band jazz, swing and pop. In addition to favourites from her debut hit album, the award-winning The Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor, Caro will be performing songs from her sophomore record The Shocking Miss Emerald. Tickets: From £24.00
Mark Thomas 12th sept, North Wall Arts Centre Mark Thomas is well versed in the art of creative mayhem and over the years his troublemaking has changed laws, cost companies millions and annoyed those who most deserved to be. Now he returns to what he does best, mischief- joyously bad behaviour with a purpose. Tickets: From £10.00
Feather Catcher 28th sept, burton taylor studio Freda loves feathers but there’s one special feather that she just can’t catch on her own. Can Greta help her on her quest and teach her about friendship at the same time? This non-verbal show playfully uses live music and beautiful projection to tell this delightful tale of teamwork. For ages 3+ Tickets: From £5.50
comedy club 4 kids 25th oct, oxford playhouse Cracking entertainment which promises an hour of fun for all the family. Comedy Club 4 Kids presents the best comedians from the UK and world circuit doing what they do best … just without the rude bits! A highlight for children...giving them a taste of some of the biggest names in comedy with the fun, rowdy feel of a real comedy club. Guardian Tickets: From £5.
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babyshambles 13th sept, o2 academy, oxford Currently putting the finishing touches to their third album, British indie-rock band Babyshambles, formed and fronted by the infamous Peter Doherty, embark on an Autumn UK live tour for the first time since November 2010. Tickets: From £25.00
NOise barrier for m40 update A feasibility study into the new barriers which combine traffic noise mitigation with the production of green energy has been completed. The study was the result of a partnership between local campaign group M40 Chilterns Environmental Group (M40CEG), Wycombe District Council and the Highways Agency. The Highways Agency will now start work to develop a performance specification for how the so-called photovoltaic enabled noise barrier should perform and seeking ideas from industry on the possible product. Ginny Clarke, Chief Highway Engineer at the Highways Agency, added: “We’ve been impressed by the professionalism, energy and organisation this partnership has put in to drive the work to this point. We are committed to our environmental responsibilities and now we’re going to take the idea to the next step by looking in real detail how we could use these barriers, which, if constructed, would be a first on roads managed by the Highways Agency.” People living alongside parts of the M40 in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire have been affected by traffic noise for many years. M40CEG has been campaigning locally and working closely with neighbouring parish councils and local district councils (Wycombe District Council and South Oxfordshire District Council) for many years. M40CEG formed the partnership to look at finding an innovative and environmentally friendly way to mitigate the road noise. The work was further boosted by an injection of funding fro environmentally focused organisation. The Agency has noise barriers on its network and solar powered signs but to combine the two in the way
THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013 proposed by the feasibility study would be a first in England. The Agency will now lead the next stage in consultation with the local community and are aiming to complete more detailed technical and site studies on the suitability of possible products by Spring 2014. The following stage would involve a detailed appraisal for implementing a pilot scheme on the M40.
terms. Tax avoidance and evasion will continue to be tackled. However security remains key and our defence capability, Intelligence services and counter terrorism work will be protected. More detail on the Spending review and investment programme can be found on the Government website at www.gov.uk/government/ topical-events/spending-round-2013
A copy of the feasibility study is available to download on the Wycombe District Council website at www. wycombe.gov.uk.
MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS
JOHN HOWELL MP WRITES TREASURY SPENDING REVIEW
One of the important announcements since my last newsletter has been the Treasury spending review. Inevitably this elicits a range of views but whatever your view the good news is that the economy is moving from rescue to recovery. The recent spending round sets how that recovery will be secured. Behind the announcements is a strategy which seeks to ensure fairness for hardworking people, to prioritise growth, and to deliver reform. Among the measures to ensure fairness the NHS is protected, social care prioritised and council tax bills will be kept down. There will be a new welfare cap to control costs from April 2015 and further measures to encourage job seekers to focus on their search. In order to prioritise growth there will be investment in infrastructure. There will be the largest programme of road investment for 50 years. In business there will be investment in science and apprenticeships will be boosted. Education funding will be protected with a fairer new national funding formula and protection of the pupil premium. Under the reform agenda Whitehall is targeted for efficiency savings with many government departments seeing their budgets cut in real
The first week of July saw some important Ministerial Statements and debate in Westminster. I was in the Chamber on 2nd July to hear the statement from the Home Secretary on the use of stop and search powers. She told the Commons that around one million stop-and-searches take place each year - but with only 9% leading to an arrest. It takes an average of 16 minutes to conduct a stop and search process, amounting to 312,000 hours each year or the equivalent of 145 full-time police officers. It is certainly alarming to realise that the equivalent of 145 full time police officers is being spent on unproductive stop and searches. The purpose of the statement was to launch a consultation on changes as to how police use stop and search. People can join in the consultation by visiting the Home Office website or by emailing their comments to Stopandsearch@homeoffice. gsi.gov.uk by 13 August 2013. On 3rd July the Statement Secretary of State for Defence made a Statement on our Reserve Forces. He recognised that our Reserve Forces make an essential contribution to delivering the nation’s security, a contribution which is growing proportionately as we restructure our Armed Forces to meet the security challenges of the future. He announced the plan to sustain and grow our Reserve Forces which he said will require a shift in the way we think of Reserve Forces. A copy of the paper ‘Reserves in the Future Force 2020: Valuable and Valued’ can be found on the Gov.uk website or if you would like to contact my office we can forward you an electronic copy.
DEBATE
Also on 3rd July I was pleased to support Rory Stewart MP in a Westminster Hall debate on disabled access to train stations. I was able to speak to draw attention once again to the current concerns in Goring where we are trying to secure disabled access. The House sat on Friday 5th July for the second reading of the European Union (referendum) Bill. This is a private members bill which seeks to
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THE GRAPEVINE sEpt/oCt 2013 make provision for the holding of a referendum in the United Kingdom on our membership of the European Union. This paves the way for an important opportunity for everyone to have their say on whether or not we stay in Europe in the future. Further details of the proposed legislation and the work of Parliament is available on the parliament website at www.parliament.uk. As always I am interested to hear views on the proposals before the House. For more information my website is regularly updated and offers information on my work both in Westminster and in the constituency. The address is www.johnhowellmp.com In addition, if you would like to subscribe to my free e-newsletter please e mail me at: john.howell@ oxfordshireconservatives.com You can also follow me on twitter @johnhowellmp
when their owners can’t afford private fees. We’ve also got welfare clinics at some of our rehoming centres and a mobile clinic in London. We treat around 30,000 poorly pets every year. Find out more about the veterinary services we offer at Blue Cross. We help pets that arrive at Blue Cross with behavioural issues and offer ongoing support to anyone who rehomes an animal from us. We’re a leading charity in the pet behaviour field and our team regularly give training courses and lectures. Find out more about our animal behaviour services. Our vision is that every pet will enjoy a healthy life in a happy home. We promote animal welfare to the pet owners of the future by giving talks at schools and youth groups. We help current pet owners with through a range of free pet advice leaflets. The Pet Bereavement Support Service is available 365 days a year to help people who are struggling to cope with the loss of a pet. Trained volunteers are at the end of a phone line, ready to help. All calls are confidential and free from a landline. Lewknor Rehoming Centre was opened by Boris Johnson in 2005, and can accommodate 50 cats and 28 dogs we are open every day 11am – 4pm except Tuesdays. We are located just off jct 6 of M40.
nEws From thE bluE Cross
We have many Cats and Dogs looking for new homes – especially kittens – please see our website for more information: www.bluecross.org.uk
We’ve been dedicated to the health and happiness of pets since 1897. Abandoned or unwanted, ill or injured – we do what’s needed to give every pet a healthy life in a happy home. We’re a charity, so the more help you give us, the more help we can give pets.
royal hortiCultural soCiEty QualiFiEd FEmalE gardEnEr
We find homes for unwanted cats, dogs, small pets and horses across the UK and our tailor made service means we help each pet find the right person for them. Find out more about our rehoming process and why you should adopt a pet from Blue Cross. Have a look at the pets currently waiting for new homes.
phonE: 01844 354097 / 07977 853522 Email: bEsgardEning@talktalk.nEt
Our four animal hospitals treat sick and injured pets
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knowlEdgEablE gardEning sErViCE inCluding plant CarE adViCE, planting plans, sEasonal pruning, gardEn maintEnanCE
THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
Lewknor Parish Fete and horticuLturaL show 2013 Sunday 15th September From 2pm Knapp Farm, WeSton road, LeWKnor attractionS incLude: horticuLturaL diSpLay & auction bouncy caStLe bbQ, reFreShmentS SKittLeS, & LotS oF FamiLy activitieS
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
LEWKNOR FETE & SHOW
nearly that time year againwhere whereyou youcan canallallshowcase showcaseyour yourwonderful wonderful It’sIt’s nearly that time of of year again homegrown produce, othersenjoy enjoythe thedelights delightsofofyour yourdelicious delicioushome home homegrown produce, letlet others baking, wow village with yourphotographic photographicskills skillsororsimply simplyenjoy enjoya agreat great baking, wow thethe village with your family afternoon out joining thisyear’s year’sever everpopular popularfête fêteand andshow. show. family afternoon out byby joining ususatatthis
Our annual fete and show are coming up shortly, on Sunday 15th September, starting at 2.00pm, in the This year would like many peopleasaspossible possibletotoenter enterthe theexhibits. exhibits. The The This year wewe would like asas many people gardens and lovely old barn at Knapp Lewknor, classes for standards gardeners, cooksetc etcFarm, andthere thereare arespecial special classes areare for allall standards ofofgardeners, cooks and classes children too,sososomething somethingfor forallallthe thefamily. family. classes forfor children too, by kind permission of Mrs. Susan Watt. We’d like lots All proceeds from the show will be shared between Lewknor EPrimary Primary All proceeds from the show will be between Lewknor ofof Primary of you, our from local residents, tobetween enterLewknor the Cclasses and AllAllproceeds between Lewknor CCC proceeds fromthe theshow showwill will be be shared ofof EEEPrimary School, Krakatoa Pre-School andthe theJubilee Jubilee Hall. School, St. Margaret’s Church, KrakatoaPre-school Pre-school andthe the JubileeHall. Hall. School, Krakatoa Pre-School and Hall. School, St. Margaret’s Church, Krakatoa and Jubilee make this year’s show the best ever. We know there you have any items to donate for prizes or would like tolend lend hand onthe the If you have any items donate for prizes would like tolend ahand hand the day, are lots of talented people in the 3would villages, you have any items donate for prizes or like tolend a ahand on If you have any items tototo donate for prizes oror would like to aPostcombe, ononthe day, day, please contact Christine on 01844 353283 28301844 352 729. please contact either Christine on 01844353 353 283 orKathy Kathy on day, please contact Christine on 01844 353 please contact either Christine on 01844 283 or on 01844 352 729. South Weston and Lewknor. This is your chance to WEHOPE HOPEYOU YOUENJOY ENJOYTHE THEDAY! DAY! be noticed! WE We have some new classes this year - in the vegetable section, class 17 for 2 Sweetcorn, class 18 for 5 French Beans, and class 19 for 5 Cherry Tomatoes. The fruit section includes class 24 for AutumnRULES RULES fruiting Raspberries. The flower arrangements this 1. All entries must have been grown or made by those who entered them. All entries must have been grown or made by those who entered them. year 1.are - class 37 : Miniature arrangement and 2. Exhibitors must reside in the parish. 2. Exhibitors must reside in the parish. class 3.38Pupils: ofan arrangement using only green and eligible to Lewknor School who do not live in the parish are elligible to enter. enter. 3. Pupils of Lewknor who do not live in the parish are elligible to enter. white flowers andSchool foliage. 4. Exhibits are to be brought in between 9am and 11am on the day. 4. Exhibits are to be brought in between 9am and 11am on the day. 5. Entry is 50p per exhibit. 5. Entry is 50p per exhibit. 6. Judges decisions are final, they may withold prizes if they see fit. 6. Judges decisions are final, they may withold prizes if they see fit. 7. No responsibility is accepted for items left after the show. 7. No responsibility is accepted for items left after the show. 8. Exhibits not for sale must be clearly marked. 8. Exhibits not for sale must be clearly marked. 9. Children under 15 are welcome to enter the adult classes but they must grown or made the entries themselves. 9. Children underhave 15 are welcome to enter the adult classes but they must have grown or made the entries themselves.
The cookery section adds class 40 for 6 Cupcakes and we have a new handicrafts section, classes 50 and 51, for Sewing and Knitting, to reflect the resurgence of these crafts in our community. The children’s classes are not forgotten – please encourage your children to bake, sculpt and paint (the painting subject this year is “Faces”). Visitors to the show always especially like to see the children’s entries and this year we have an added incentive - Mrs. Morgan, the Headteacher at Lewknor Primary School, has kindly agreed to judge the whole children’s section. Please don’t think that the standard of entries is to high for you to participate – this is a small village show, just for fun and there is scope for everyone to enter something. You never know – you might just scoop the top prize in your chosen class! Alongside the show there are lots of stalls and games to play, tea and cakes to enjoy and the ever popular barbecue – Many thanks to the Ashby and Hargrove families for their unstinting help! If you have some time and energy to spare on the 15th Sept, or a really good idea for a new stall, the organisers would be delighted to hear from you. We always need more helpers. The profits from this event go to local good causes, the church, the primary school, the preschool and the village hall, organizations that we all use or might one day need to use, so please support this community effort if you can. Just phone Kathy on KB 352729 or Christine on KB 353283. Thank you.
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Classes: No. Classes: Vegetable Section Classes: Classes:
Classes:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
No. No. No. No. 1
1 112 2 2233 3344 44 55
55
66
6677 7788 9 889 10 9910 11 10 11 10 12 11 12 11 13 12 13 12 14 13 14 13 15 14 15 1416 15 16 17 15 16 17 16 17 18 17 18 19
19 18 20 18 20 19 21 19 21 20 22 20 22 21 21 22 2223
21 22 23 24 25 23 24 24 25 23 25 26 23 24 26 26 24 27 25 27 28 27 25 26 28 29 28 26 27 30 29 29 27 28 31 30 30 28 29 31 30 31 29 31 32 30 33 31 34
No.
Vegetable Section Section No. Vegetable Vegetable Section No. No. Vegetable Section No. 2 Cabbages 35 Cabbages 32 222Cabbages 32 3 Beetroot 36 Cabbages 32 23Cabbages 32 Beetroot 33 3 Beetroot 33 5 Potatoes (white) Beetroot 33 3535Beetroot 33 Potatoes(white) (white) Potatoes 5 Potatoes (coloured) 3734 Potatoes (white) 5555Potatoes (white) Potatoes (coloured) Potatoes (coloured) 34 Potatoes (coloured) 3834 34 5 Runner Beans (coloured) 55Potatoes 3 Carrots RunnerBeans Beans 35 55Runner 35 Runner Beans Beans 35 4 Tomatoes 3935 55Runner 3Carrots Carrots 4 Flat 3Onions 40 3 Carrots 4 Tomatoes 36 34 Carrots Tomatoes 36 4 Globe Onions 41 FlatOnions Onions 37 Tomatoes 36 Flat 37 4444Tomatoes 36 10 Shallots 42 4 Globe Onions 38 4 Flat Onions 37 Globe Onions 38 44 Flat Onions 37 3 Courgettes 43 Shallots 39 410Globe Onions 38 Shallots 39 410 Globe Onions 38 2 Marrows 44 3 Courgettes 40 Shallots 39 310Courgettes 40 10 Shallots 39 6 Mixed Vegetables 45 2 Courgettes Marrows 41 3 40 Marrows 41 326Courgettes 40 Mixed Vegetables 3 Leeks 4642 2 Marrows 41 6 Marrows Mixed Vegetables 42 2 41 3 Leeks 43 Longest RunnerVegetables Bean 47 Mixed 42 36Mixed Leeks 43 6 Vegetables 42 Longest Runner Bean 44 3 Parsnips 3 Leeks Runner Bean 48 Longest 4443 3 Parsnips 45 3 Leeks 43 2 Sweetcorn Runner Bean 49 44 3Longest Parsnips 45 Funky Vegetables * 46 Longest Runner Bean 44 5 French Beans 3Fruit Parsnips Funky Vegetables 4645 Section * 3Fruit Parsnips 45 Funky Vegetables * 46 Section 5 Cherry Tomatoes 5047 3 Pears Funky Vegetables * 46 47 Section Funky 3Fruit Vegetables * 51 3Pears Dessert Apples 48 Fruit Section 3 Dessert Apples 48 3 Pears 47 Fruit 3Section Cooking Apples 49 3 Pears 47 49 Dessert Apples 48 Plums Apples 50 3 Pears335Cooking 52 353Basket Dessert Apples 48 Plums 5049 Cooking Apples of home grown 53 3 Dessert Apples 3Basket Cooking Apples 49 of home grown 5fruit Plums 3 Cooking Apples 5450 5fruit Plums Flower Basket of Section home grown 50 Autumn Raspberries Flower Basket of Section home grown 5551 8 Cut mixed flowers fruit Basketfruit home grown 8Flower Cut mixed flowers 51 4of Roses 52 Section fruit Flower 481Roses Specimen Rose 53 Section Cut mixed flowers 52 51 Flower Section 1 Specimen Rose 53 Stems Floribunda 54 843Cut mixed flowers 51 Roses 52 Stems Floribunda 54 8 Cut43mixed flowers 56 5 Dahlias 55 52 1Roses Specimen Rose 53 5 Dahlias 55 1 Specimen Dahlia 56 4 Roses 57 13Specimen Rose 53 Stems Floribunda 54 Specimen Dahlia 56 Chrysanthemums 57 1 Specimen Rose 58 3154Stems Floribunda 54 Dahlias 55 1Chrysanthemums Specimen Gladioli 57 3 Stems Floribunda 59 541Dahlias 55 Specimen Dahlia 56 Stems Michaelmas 13Specimen Gladioli 5 Dahlias 6056 14Daisies Specimen Dahlia Chrysanthemums 57 3 Stems Michaelmas 1Chrysanthemums Specimen 1 Specimen Dahlia Gladioli 6157 4Daisies Stems Michaelmas 13Specimen Gladioli 4 Chrysanthemums 62 3Daisies Stems Michaelmas 1 Specimen Gladioli Daisies 3 Stems Michaelmas Daisies
Flower section cont… Flower section cont… Flower Flower section cont…
1 Pot Plant (flower)
Pot 11 1 Pot (flower) Pot Plant (foliage) PotPlant Plant (flower) 11Pot Plant (foliage) (foliage) 11 1 Pot Arrangement PotPlant Plant (foliage) 1Flower Pot Plant (foliage) Flower Arrangement Flower Arrangement Miniature arrangement up to 6”x6” Flower Arrangement Flower Arrangement Basket arrangement of Basket arrangement of foliage foliage Green white arrangement flowers and of foliage Basket arrangement of Green & white foliage Basket arrangement of foliage foliage and flowers and flowers and flowers Domestic Sectionup Miniature arrangement and flowers Miniature arrangement up to to Miniature arrangement up 6”x6” Fruitcake arrangement Miniature up to to 6”x6” 6”x6” Domestic Section 6 CupcakesSection 6”x6” Domestic Domestic Section Fruitcake Domestic Section Fruitcake Victoria Sponge Flapjacks Fruitcake 66Fruitcake Flapjacks Fruit Pie Decorated Victoria 6 Flapjacks Decorated Victoria Sponge Sponge 6Quiche Flapjacks Fruit Pie Decorated Victoria Sponge Fruit Pie Decorated Victoria Sponge Marmalade Quiche Fruit Pie Quiche Fruit Pie Jam or Jelly Marmalade Quiche Marmalade Quiche Jam or Jelly Chutney Marmalade Jam or Jelly Marmalade Chutney 6 Eggs Jam or Jelly Chutney or Jelly 6Jam Eggs 5Eggs Named Herbs 6 Chutney 5Chutney Named Herbs Chilli Eggs Peppers 56 6Named Herbs Chilli Peppers 65Sewing Eggs & Knitting Section Named Herbs 6Photographic Chilli Peppers Section 56 Named HerbsSection Chilli item Peppers Photographic 1 sewn Metropolis 6Photographic Chilli Peppers Section Metropolis 1 knitted item Wildlife Photographic Section Wildlife Metropolis Photographic Section Reflection Metropolis Reflection Wildlife Landscape Metropolis Wildlife Landscape Reflection Wildlife Reflection Landscape Reflection Landscape Junior Section Landscape Junior Section 5 Small Cakes 5Arrangements Small Cakes of garden flowers Junior Section Arrangements of garden flowers Novelty Junior Section 5 SmallCake Cakes Junior Section Novelty Cake Vegetable Sculpture 5Arrangements Small Cakes of garden flowers Vegetable Sculpture 5 Sweets Small Cakes 10 Arrangements Novelty Cake of garden flowers 10 Sweets Miniature Garden Arrangements of garden flowers Novelty VegetableCake Sculpture Miniature Painting – Garden events of 2012 Novelty Cake Vegetable Sculpture 10 Sweets Painting – events of 2012 Vegetable Sculpture 10 Sweets Miniature Garden *Funky vegetables could 10 Sweets Miniature Painting – Garden events ofcould 2012 include silliest carrot, *Funky vegetables
Miniature Painting – Garden events funniest beans etc.of 2012 include silliest carrot, *Funky Painting beans –vegetables Facesetc. could funniest include silliest carrot, *Funky vegetables could funniestsilliest beans carrot, etc. include
*Funky vegetables could include silliest carrot, funniest beans etc.
funniest beans etc.
Stefanie O’Bryen Family Solicitor Divorce • Conveyancing Probate • Wills Contact your local solicitor for a friendly and efficient service Telephone: 01491 614 700 20 Shirburn Street Watlington, OX49 5BT Email: SOBfamlaw@hotmail.com Home appointments by arrangement
THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
FOOD AND DRINK
with Catherine Gallacher
starter if you like. Make sure the butcher scores the skin of the belly for you to make life easier.
Chinese-style slow cooked belly pork An unnamed Lewknor resident berated me in the street for “always using slow-cooked recipes in the Grapevine column” so I thought I’d do another, just to be irritating! A ll I really try to do is share recipes which are easy to cook, require very little last minute attention and are not time critical as we are all so busy these days.
Ingredients (to feed 6)
• One whole piece of belly pork, rice and pak choi For the spice rub:
• 1 tablespoon of sichuan peppercorns • 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns • 2 tablespoons of sea salt • 2 teaspoons of five spice • 2 teaspoons of caster sugar
method
For this one, you will need to pay a visit to your butcher. I highly recommend Calnan Brothers, Watlington; their pork is really superb. You will need to ask for a whole piece of belly pork, not strips and not rolled. Get as big a piece as you’ll need and ask one of the lovely chaps to remove the bones (I always ask for the nipples to be removed too as they give me the creeps a bit!) but do take them with you - the rib bones, not the nips! You can throw some barbeque sauce on them and roast them in the oven as a little
When you get the pork home boil the kettle and put the belly in the sink. Use a skewer or tines of a carving fork to stab the skin several times in between the score-lines then pour over the boiling water. This lifts the skin away from the f lesh, making for guaranteed crackling. Now put the belly on a plate in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 2 hours to dry it out. Meanwhile, prepare the spice rub. I tend to double or treble the quantities and fill a small tin to save making the rub every time, it keeps very well. Heat the black and sichuan peppecorns in a very hot, dry frying pan until you can smell them then grind them. If you have a little coffee grinder, that’s the ideal tool for the job. Otherwise, it’s a good old-fashioned pestle and mortar and some elbow grease! Stir in the salt. five spice and sugar then rub the mixture all over the f lesh of the pork, not the skin, which should be rubbed with sea-salt - make sure you get down all the score lines! Leave it in the fridge, skin side uppermost for a couple of hours at least. When you’re ready, heat the oven to 230 and place the pork skin side up directly onto the oven shelf. On the shelf below, place a roasting tin full of water. This may need topping up from time to time. After ten minutes, turn the oven down to 180 and cook for a minimum of 2 hours depending on the size. As a rough guide, if you’re feeding 6 it will take around 4 hours at least. For the final 15 minutes of cooking, whack it back up to 230 and give it a blast to crisp up the crackling. To serve, cut it into strips or squares (I find scissors very helpful!) and serve with plain rice and some oriental veg. We make a dressing for pak choi with sesame oil, oyster sauce and dark soy but you could use some different veg if you like. Tastes like a million dollars and is so easy to do! Apologies for the lack of veggie options with this. Winewise, the best option is a lovely aromatic white. Try an Argentinian Torrontes or something slightly spicy from Alsace, Pinot Blanc works well. Cheers!
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
BOOK CLUB at lewknor private peaceful Michael Marpurgo Someone in our group must have put Private Peaceful by Michael Mapurgo on the list of requested books because this turned out to be our choice to read in July. At first it seemed to be a companion piece to Mapurgo’s Warhorse (which is better known from its stage and film version although we learnt that Peaceful had also appeared in the same media) and was in the author’s typical style as a simple straightforward story. However, it turned out to be a rather more complex narrative in which the eponymous hero, Thomas “Tommo” Peaceful spends a long night in France, towards the end of the First World war, looking back over the 18 years of his life. In the novel’s revealing flashbacks we learn of his early life in Derbyshire (echoes of the recent BBC1 TV serial ‘The Village’!) and the struggles of his mother to bring up three boys after the early death of her woodsman husband. The relationship of Tommo and his elder brother Charlie is pivotal to the plot and told with sympathy, humour and love by Tommo as the narrator. Our only criticism was the unexpected twist at the end – some of us felt we had been deliberately misled to anticipate one particular ending but others thought it was the author’s prerogative to (cheekily) do so! Discussion focussed on whether we would recommend this as a suitable read for youngsters. It was probably Mapurgo’s intention to aim it at such an audience and, on balance, we felt it was a portrayal of the realities of the war from the perspective of the ordinary soldier without jingoism, which would inform and perhaps encourage younger readers to progress to the more complex novels of Pat Barker and the seminal Robert Graves novel, Good-bye to all that, on the same theme. We have also read A.S. Byatt’s, The Children’s Book, all 600 pages of it, which is very much in the author’s style, ‘alluding to and building upon themes from Romantic and Victorian literature’. Her mentor was Iris Murdoch so it is not surprising to find Murdoch’s influences in the work also. The book concerns the lives of a host of characters, the key ones belonging to one of four families, whom we follow from the late 19th century into the early 20th. The book ends just after the First World War, which the author uses to eliminate a goodly number of the males and thus helps to resolve their destinies. The families belong to the Arts and Crafts loving middle-class with houses in rural Kent and/or London. The themes Byatt uses are of magical parties, fairy
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stories and meetings between the characters, where their loves and hates are played out against the background of a changing world, particularly as the Edwardian age metamorphoses into the modern one where women’s rights and socialist views replace the elegance of the previous era. One suspects that Dame Antonia Duffy’s (her present married name) reputation is such that her editor hesitates to take a red pencil to her work but we felt that if he or she were to pluck up the courage to do so the book might be an even better one. Next month we are reading The Thread by Victoria Hislop However, one of the founder members of the Bookclub, Jackie Graham, will not be with us as she is leaving for a new life in France. We shall be very sad to see her go after ten years of her friendship but we wish her well for the future. As usual, if you are interested in joining us for a glass of wine and an interesting evening’s discussion of the book, then I can be contacted on the number below. Elan Preston-Whyte. Tel. 01844 350 382.
Garsington opera Garsington Opera, better known for dazzling Vivaldi, Rossini or Mozart, has just produced its first Community Opera. It was a knock-out hit. Road Rage has a sparkling story line by Sir Richard Stilgoe, and singable music by an equally sparky composer, Orlando Gough. Get together hundreds of performers, from local groups and schools, then what do you do for an opera? Stilgoe’s wonderful saga features the famous red kites that are such a feature of Wormsley . Three inquisitive kites, brilliantly performed by (Oliver Winter, Sophie Haxworth and Juliette Dudley, hover above the action like gods surveying the action (all very opera-like). Then enter Roman surveyors measuring up the land, gruff centurions, starving slaves, and the action gains a political and historical flavour.
THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013 But it’s a rural tale– squirrels, rabbits, dormice, a tasty meal for a kite, are superbly marshalled by director Karen Gillingham, whose eagle (or kitelike) eye seemed to miss no detail. A feisty girl (Clare Presland) and an Activist (Peter Willcock) stir up the populace with a green agenda. Their song, ‘There’s a green and pleasant land I love’, casts a magical spell. Roads and development are the real pest. A Minister (tenor Daniel Norman, a spectacularly funny performer), who plots to build a motorway across a Chiltern village green, and gets his comeuppance, is as accident-prone as Peter Sellers. But it’s the community performers, in vibrant costumes, who made this show a triumph. Star turns included the minister’s advisors, be suited with clipboards, whose rhythmic singing was easily the best. Except that the tiny newts, whose discovery under a huge stone sent the building project pear-shaped, stole the show.
burns, scalds or stings. A cold infusion can be used to help conjunctivitis.
sweet marigold buns • • • • • •
100g softened butter 100g caster sugar 2 eggs 100g SF flour 1tsp baking powder 2tbsp fresh marigold petals
Put the butter, sugar, eggs, sifted flour and baking powder into a bowl and mix together until smooth and glossy. Fold in 1 1/2tbsp mariglod petals. Turn the mixture into greased bun tins or individual cake cases and sprinkle a few petals on each cake. Bake in a pre-heated oven (160C/325F/gas mark 3 for approx 25-30 mins.
www.garsingtonopera.org/
an a to z of herbs
Chamaemelum nobile (chamomile)
CALENDULA OFFICINALIS (MARIGOLD) The garden marigold is a native of southern Europe, but grows well in northern climates, being tolerant of most types of soil. It flowers from early summer to late autumn and self-seeds easily. The leaves are edible, but are strong and bitter, so not that nice! The petals, however, have distinctive piquant taste, which works well with salads, cheeses, stews or soups. They can be used like saffron and steeped in water or milk and added to rice, cakes or puddings to give them a yellow colour. Marigold flowers contain antiseptic, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that can help promote healing. A compress can be made of the flowers for
Chamomile grows wild in Europe, North America, and many other places. The generic name, Chamaemelum is derived from the Greek khamaimelon, meaning ‘earth apple’ or ‘apple on the ground’. German chamomile’s highly scented dried flowers contain up to 1% of an aromatic oil that possesses powerful antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Taken as a tea, it promotes gastric secretions and improves the appetite, while an infusion of the same strength can be used as an internal antiseptic. It can also be used as a gargle for mouth ulcers.
Chamomile tea • 1 heaped tsp chamomile flowers (dried or fresh) • 1tsp honey • 1 slice of lemon (optional) Pour boiling water onto flowers, cover and leave to infuse for 3-5 mins. Strain and add honey and lemon to taste.
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
Needles and pins
with Sara morley (standing in for alison swain)
hand-painted tote bags
baby bird bean bags
This quick project has big results! It would be the perfect craft project for a birthday party.
If you would like to make these little birds, please email me at the grapevine, and I will email you back the templates.
• • • •
masking tape acrylic craft paint brushes blank tote bag (from Amazon or craft shops)
Lay tape in stripes across the front of your bag. Laying tape at angles will add to your design. With your hand smooth and press tape firmly onto fabric for best adhesion. Paint your stripes in the spaces between the masking tape alternating colors. Try not to apply any more paint than necessary. Allow to dry for a few minutes and then carefully peel off your masking tape, Craft projects courtesy of captaincrafty.com
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Zoe M. Johnson of
• • • •
shrunken old jumper scraps of felt dried beans or dried peas thread and needle
Cut the body pieces out of the old jumper, and the beak, eyes and tummy from the craft felt. Place felt belly piece along bottom edge of one right side body piece and stitch together. Place beak according to pattern template and stitch. Stack felt eye pieces and satin stitch into place. With right sides facing in, stitch 2 body pieces around upper curved edge. Pin & stitch bottom circle (right side facing in to botom opening of body) leaving 1” opening. Turn right side out and fill with beans (using a funnel) and stitch close opening.
THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
LEWKNOR PARISH COUNCIL www.lewknor-pc.org.uk
Recent Local Planning Applications Below are the planning applications that have been considered by the Council and their current status:
P13/S1993/HH Mill House, South Weston Alterations and extension to existing dwelling and relocation of stable block (Amendments to planning permission:P09/E1059) approved P13/S2594/LB & P13/S2463/HH Lower Vicar’s Barn, Wormsley Estate External alterations to barn for use as an Artist’s Studio (Amendments to listed building consent P13/S0241/LB) These applications will be considered at the parish council meeting on 9th September 2013 To view the full planning register go to: www.southoxon.gov.uk/services-and-advice/planning-and-building/find-application/planning-application-register
MARTYN OTTERY
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
LAMPS & LED’S TO LIGHT INDUSTRY NO CALL OUT FEE, NO FUSS 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE SMALL JOBS A SPECIALITY PLEASE CALL MARTYN ON tel: 07792 697 608 OR 01844 281 758 email: martynottery758@btinternet.com2 WHEATFIELD COTTAGES, STOKE TALMAGE ROAD, WHEATFIELD, THAME, OXON, OX9 7EP
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THE GRAPEVINE sEpt/oCt 2013
Need a venue? Having a party? Why not book The Jubilee Hall, Lewknor? Available for hire for a variety of social events and functions. Including Children’s parties, wedding and anniversary parties, meeting and fund raising events. For details of rates, or to book the hall for your events or parties, please contact Jean on 01844 354875
WHAT’S ON AT JUBILEE HALL, LEWKNOR
MONDAY NIGHTS Chinnor Kettlebells at 6.30pm (Contact Daren on 07801 553 019)
TUESDAY NIGHTS Yoga at 6.45pm (Contact Vicki on 07947 149675 or on 01844 3471620)
For details of rates, or to book the hall for your events or parties, please contact Jean on: 01844 354875
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Little Red Duck Co.
"Wish you had an extra pair of hands, a few more hours in the day......Well now you can!" Little Red Duck Company offers a friendly, fully insured, professional cleaning service to take away some of the stress of your day! Feel free to call or email with any questions about the services we can offer. Zoe: 01844 351333 or 07976 503075 Web: www.littleredduck.co.uk Email:
littleredduck@hotmail.co.uk Reg No. 07560762
FOR A BEAUTIFUL GARDEN Choose from our wide range of quality garden services: design and landscaping, plants and maintenance. We tailor-make our service for you. For a free, noobligation visit and written estimate from RHS qualified staff, call 01844 279430 or email info@brannfordsgardens.co.uk Full details at www.brannfordsgardens.co.uk
THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
Martyn Ottery Electrical
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
• • • • • • • • • • •
Effective treatment for all ages
Osteopathy
General foot care Bunions Cracked heels Corns, callus and verrucae Problem nails In-growing toenails Foot and heel pain Athlete’s foot and fungal infections Diabetic assessments and footcare Biomechanics and gait analysis Sports injuries
Also: Cranial Osteopathy Paediatrics & Post-natal Osteopathy
Podiatry
Saturday appointments Ian Luxton D.O Victoria Inglis-Smith B.Ost, MSc Roger Whalley M.Ost
Appointments Monday – Saturday
Registered Osteopaths
The Luxton Clinic Stonor House 57 Lower Road Chinnor . OX39 4DU
Back Pain Frozen Shoulder Headaches Hip Pain Knee Pain Migraine Muscle Strain Neck Pain Sciatica Sports Injuries Tendonitis Tennis Elbow
Tel: 01844 352200
also at Thame Road, Longwick. If you would like to make an appointment please phone
01844 352200 Debby Luxton BSc (Hons), MChS
HPC Registered Podiatrist
Stonor House 57 Lower Road Chinnor OX39 4DU
Cross Keys Practice High Street Princes Risborough HP27 0AX
www.theluxtonclinic.co.uk
Newington nr stadhampton oxon ox10 7aw www.newington-nurseries.co.uk tel: 01865 400533 closed on Mondays except Bank Holidays
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
REGLER & COMPANY _____ SOLICITORS _____ 51 High Street, Chinnor, Oxon OX39 4DJ We specialise in Conveyancing, Wills and Probate, Matrimonial and Family Law. Please telephone us for a quote. Home visits can be arranged for Wills and Lasting Power of Attorney Fixed fee interview (ÂŁ50.00 for half an hour)
01844 354555 email:info@reglerandcompany.co.uk www.reglerandcompany.co.uk
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
SUDOKU
Please see page 19 for the answers It’s easy to play Sudoku! Simply fill every column, row and 3x3 boxPrintFreeSudokuPuzzles.com so they contain every SudokuPuzzles.com number between 1 and 9. Puzzle Set #D7668 Level: Difficult Level: Easy
DIFFICULT
EASY
9 4 2 6
8 6 9 5
6 4 1 8
6 3 5 5 3 7 2 1
5 4 8
7 8 1 4
2
5 8 7 2 4 5
2
7
5
5
4 4 9
9 1
2 4 6
9 7
5 5
8
9
6 3
6 3 4
6 7 1
2 A
A
1
3 2
5
17
4
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
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SudokuPuzzles.com Level: Easy [Key]
Solutions
THE GRAPEVINE PrintFreeSudokuPuzzles.com
Sept/Oct 2013
Puzzle Set #D7668 Level: Difficult [Key]
easy
DIFFICULT
9 2 8 6 7 5 3 1 4 7 3 6 4 1 2 8 5 9 1 5 4 9 3 8 6 2 7
2 4 7 3 5 9 8 1 6 9 5 6 1 8 2 4 7 3 8 1 3 7 6 4 2 9 5
4 6 9 5 8 3 1 7 2 2 8 1 7 4 9 5 3 6 5 7 3 2 6 1 9 4 8
6 3 5 4 9 8 7 2 1 7 9 8 2 1 5 6 3 4 1 2 4 6 7 3 9 5 8
3 4 2 1 9 6 7 8 5 8 9 7 3 5 4 2 6 1 6 1 5 8 2 7 4 9 3
5 7 1 8 2 6 3 4 9 3 8 2 9 4 1 5 6 7 4 6 9 5 3 7 1 8 2
A
8 9 7 1 6 3 2 4 5 5 1 2 8 9 4 6 7 3 6 4 3 5 2 7 1 8 9 2 7 8 3 4 1 9 5 4 6 1 9 7 5 3 2 9 3broadband 5 2 8 6 for 4 1 7 2 6lewknor! 4 5 9 8 3
A
After the completion of the programme (December 2015), access to ‘superfast broadband’ (speeds exceeding 24Mbps) will have increased from 70% to over 90% across all Oxfordshire homes and businesses. For those in the final 10%, there is an additional provision that guarantees that they will achieves speeds between 2-24Mbps with no property less than 2Mbps.
3 4 5 2 9 6 1 8 7 7 9 2 8 1 3 6 5 4 1 6 8 5 4 7 3 9 2
6 8 7
From now through December 2013, BT will deploy crews across Oxfordshire to assess the situation on the ground. It may be the case that where conditions differ from contract assumptions, the coverage areas may change.
1 3 5 4 6 1 8 7 9 2 1 8 9 7 3 2 5 6 4
9 7 1 3 6 4 8 2 5 4 2 3 1 8 5 9 7 6 5 6 7you can 2 find 9 more 4 information 3 1 In8the meanwhile,
Oxfordshire County Council are delighted to let you know that we have secured the contract to deliver broadband investment in Oxfordshire a full two years earlier than the national schemes estimates. This was made possible because the County Council were able B to include the corporate network in this procurement.
6 3 4 9 5 2 7 1 8 5 1 9 6 7 8 2 4 3 2 8 7 4 3 1 5 6 9
Furthermore, Government has announced additional broadband investment funding availability to take the national coverage above 90%. We expect the detail of how to draw down that funding and increase coverage in Oxfordshire to be released in the autumn. about the programme and the contract with BT B on the Better Broadband for Oxfordshire pages of the public website.
On Monday 5 August, we announced that BT will be the provider for a multi-million pound investment in If you have any questions, you can contact Lisa the county’s broadband network and infrastructure. Michelson – Broadband Community Engagement Instructions, Answers,isReprints More Sudokueconomy Puzzles Instructions, Online!Tips, Answers, Reprints & More Sudoku Puzzles Online! FasterTips, broadband vital to &Oxfordshire’s and the aim of the Better Broadband for Oxfordshire programme is to extend the reach of superfast broadband Nick Carter to an additional 65,000 homes and businesses by the Cabinet Member for Business & Communications end of 2015. The £25 million programme is made up Oxfordshire County Council of £10 million from the council, £4 million from the government and £11 million from BT. www.oxfordshire.gov.uk
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THE GRAPEVINE Sept/Oct 2013
LEWKNOR PARISH DIARY september 2013 9th september parish council meeting 7.30pm jubilee hall 15th september holy communion 9.00am st. margaret’s 15th september family service 10.30Am St. Lawrence 21st july FAMILY SERVICE 10.30Am St. Lawrence
october 2013 6th october holy communion 9.00Am St. Lawrence 14th october parish council meeting 7.30pm jubilee hall 20th october holy communion 9.00am st. margaret’s 20th october songs of praise 10.30Am St. Lawrence If you would like to include any events or meetings in the diary, please let the editor know via the grapevine email address: grapevinemagazine@hotmail.com an online version of the grapevine is available at http://issuu.com/grapevinezine/doc
parish council news A vacancy has arisen at Lewknor Parish Council. Anyone wishing to apply or find out more information, please contact Caroline Hjorth on 352 720 or at scklhjorth@aol.com. We welcome interest from anyone living in Lewknor, Postcombe os South Weston.
SOHA: New homes at Barley Close By the time you are reading this the bidding will have closed for the new houses on Weston Road.
District Council have informed us that all interested applicants were informed and they are hoping to house families ahead of schedule.
Anyone can look at the houses available by going to www.oxfordshirehomechhoice.org.uk and clicking on the SODC logo. From there, you can view all local Housing Association houses for rent or shared ownership. . For the future anyone who would like to put their name on the housing list in the first instance, please contact Helen Nouvelle’s office on 01491 823 3456. Caroline Hjorth, Chair, LPC
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