Newsletter october 2013 by Deon Tucker

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Awbridgenews

Awbridge District Village Association

October 2013

Awb ridge V I L L A G E

Awbridge

Village

Produce Show

2013

Don’t forget the annual Curry & Quiz Night on 19th October - 7.30pm at Awbridge Village Hall awbridge.news@gmail.com | www.awbridge.info

Awb ridge

awbridge district village association

V I L L A G E

awbridge.news@gmail.com | www.awbridge.info We’re now on Facebook - search for Awbridge Village

ADVA

committee Fred Tucker - Chairman Chanwel House, Romsey Road - 340709 Laura Hailwood-Thomas - Secretary 1 Spring Field, Romsey Road - 342020 Nigel Hemsted - Treasurer Emmbrook, Newtown Road - 340986 Paul Jameson Forest View, Kents Oak - 340118 Deon Tucker Bryn Gower, Romsey Road - 340230 Alex Hillier Forest View, Kents Oak - 340118 Lynda Tucker Chanwel House, Romsey Road - 340709

Advertising

Sally McLellan Coles Farm Cottage, Awbridge Hill - 522402 James Child 4 Cowleas Close - 341980 Kay Murrant The Old Police House, Danes Road - 340289 Paul Harvey Rowlands Barn, Dunbridge Lane - 341259 Amanda Hanson 1 Woodlands, Saunders Lane - 340899 Katy Stimson Thurston House, Danes Road - 341452 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Peter Allen, Sandra Tebbett

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subscriptions Awbridge News is now available by annual subscription. Send your details and a cheque for £15.00 made payable to

ADVA to cover costs and postage to Nigel Hemsted, Treasurer, Emmbrook, Newtown Road, Awbridge, SO51 0GJ.

The deadline for the next edition will be 15th October

Page 2 | Oct 2013

From the Editorial Team Working in the construction industry has been a trying time over the past few years, and while I welcome the news of a recovery of sorts it’s still a testing period at work. Needless to say that translates into long hours on the odd occasion, coupled with doing the work of multiple people during the day too. Isaac as well is becoming more adventurous and independent by the day, so he is needing much more of Daddy’s time in the evenings too. No wonder it is late at night after he (and indeed Ruth) has gone to bed that I am putting the finishing touches to the words for this edition of Awbridge News!!! It’s great to see new contributions this month, in addition to our stalwart contributors. I will always publish items that people send in so long as it isn’t going to break the law or offend anyone’s sensibilities in any way! All I ask is that items reach me by the 15th of every month, and I will be a happy guy indeed. When will this warm weather end? As noted elsewhere in these pages already we are feeling the initial effects of the Autumn but Summer is desperately trying to stick around as well. A question for all those weather watchers out there; what type of Winter does this mean is on it’s way? I know from talking to my neighbours that the hot weather has maybe been around a bit too long for their liking this year (and in many ways I agree!), but I don’t want to wish a snowed-in Awbridge on anyone either! As 2013 approaches its last quarter, the annual Autumn and Winter activities will soon be upon us. Please note the diary and various articles for further information this month and in future issues. I’ll end with my regular request for help with articles and even to call out anyone who fancies being Editor (be it on your own or as part of a wider team). It’s not a difficult job, just one that takes a few hours once a month to collate and send on for further formatting. Please drop me a line if you are interested; I promise you it is enjoyable and rewarding work!

Awbridge Village Christmas Lunch 2013 Would you like to join friends and neighbours from the village for Christmas Lunch?

Christmas Lunch 12 noon at Awbridge Village Hall

Wednesday 11th December £6 per person

Booking and Transport arrangements:

To let us know numbers for catering, please ring the Neighbourcare coordinator on 0845 094 6155 by Thursday 29th November. If you would like transport, at no cost to you, please ask the co-ordinator at the same time. (If you normally attend the All Saints lunch, arrangements for booking are the same as usual). This lunch is being organised jointly by All Saints Church and Awbridge Neighbourcare with catering provided by a team of cooks and volunteers. We hope that you will come and enjoy this event.

James Child - Co-Editor Awbridge News

From the Chairman’s Pen Well it all worked out in the end, the village show was another great success after all the watering, weeding and encouraging of the plants and produce to provide a great turn out. A big thank you to all who took part and also helped to make the day a winning formula. We look forward to seeing you at our next events, the Curry and Quiz night and our Shoebox coffee morning. Fredr - Chairman ADVA

100 Club Draw Results 1st Prize (£25) Barbara Weedon 2nd Prize (£20) Awbridge Evening WI 3rd Prize (£15) Geoff Gibbs

Oil Tank for Sale 1,000 litre bunded plastic oil tank for sale, about 6 years old, excellent condition. Buyer collects from Newtown. £350 o.n.o.

Please call Hilary Cross 01794 340083 for further details.

ADVA invite you to the annual Curry & Quiz Night on

19th October - 7.30pm at Awbridge Village Hall Enjoy a two course meal including a choice of three different curries plus all the usual extras! Tickets priced at £12.50 each are available now from Amanda Tel 340899. The quiz will be organised in tables and will take place during the meal. Please bring your own drinks!

W I N A LU X U RY H A M P E R ! ! Page 3 | Oct 2013

Musings From Maurice… My wife and I felt quite privileged a few weeks ago when we were asked to take part in a survey. It appears there are certain age categories into which we fitted. I seem to remember that it was a criminology survey and it sounded fun. We were told it involved watching a very short video followed by a tea break for about half an hour so that our minds were distracted from what we had seen. We would then go into another room, individually, where we would be questioned on what we had observed. Easy, I thought, as I already knew what some of the questions would be. My wife and I sat next to each other and a young lady asked if we were ready to watch the video. My wife said yes and a three minute film was on the screen and over before I had finished talking. I had been watching the screen and the film was fairly obvious. I am sure it was a lot shorter than some of the advertisements shown at the cinema and less involved than many shown on commercial television. We all had a very pleasant break talking about the weather, holidays, grandchildren etc for approximately forty minutes. I was then taken to another room where I was told I was going to be questioned for about forty five minutes on the three minute film and my answers were being recorded. I admit it was at this point I may have doubted my ability. How could anyone drag out a forty five minute question and answer session from a three minute film? “Please speak clearly and just give one answer to each question as I read them out to you” I was told. The first question was “what is your name?”; that was easy, I’ve known that for years! After one asking for my date of birth, the questions started to become more devious. No more questions about me just what I had seen and heard on the film. Part of that question was easy to answer. I had heard nothing on the film because I had been talking. I had been told it was a short video “to watch” . Nobody had said anything about listening and if the film had been a decent length I might have caught a few words and I could have made a guess at the rest. The next forty minutes were all about the film, the questions were cleverly phrased and one question was often linked to an even more obscure part of the action which I had probably not even noticed. I had the question and my mind went into space “ er, um, I think, no it might have been, no it was, or was it?” After the event my wife and I met up and compared notes over a strong brandy. Were we watching the same film? Margaret said what was your answer to, and she would mention a question I could not even remember being asked. Then she would say something like “you know in the video when so and so did or said something?” but my answer was always the same; “I don’t remember that bit at all”. If this survey is to help the authorities try and evaluate the accuracy of possible evidence should my age group be a witness to any accident or crime then my sympathy is with the experts who are trying to get an accurate picture of events. It easy easy to think yourself intelligent, clever and so on when actually we are closer to being arrogant and stupid. It was not, and never intended to be easy. It is a serious survey which I suspect will be formulated to help and advise future investigators into the credibility of the more senior witness. Based on my answers they might even decide a female witness may be more reliable than the male ones, but that is probably stretching things too far!

Maurice Hibbard

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NO JOB TOO SMALL !!! Page 4 | Oct 2013

D.A.WHEELER LTD. Awbridge Village Produce Show 2013 Awbridge Produce Show – 7th Sept After the long hot summer, the temperature this morning was decidedly cooler. Thus it was that autumn officially began in Awbridge with the village Produce Show. Hardly had the tables been set out and the Display Board erected (a challenge at the best of times) than the first competitors arrived, Lyn Ward and Sally Taylor. I figured they must be serious! Soon there was a steady flow, and the hall began to look very attractive as the various entries were displayed under their respective categories. It was particularly nice to see all the youngsters taking part: I would have been delighted to lend a hand clearing up those chocolate crispies! My rather minor role was to check people in and take any money owed. This went well until the cake ladies came past me: seeing the sponge cakes and knowing that they cannot be touched is a form of torture no man should have to endure. Still, I made do with digestive chocolate biscuits and Lynda was a star with the coffees. Gradually the full complement of entries was reached, with the last entry arriving just five minutes before the deadline of 11.30 am. Perusing the classes, I noticed that there had been no entries for Junior Class 5, a “craving of a vegetable”. This it turned out was a typo for CARVING, an error which doubtless deprived us of a few amusing Mr Potato Heads. The judges then went into action and the doors reopened at 2pm by which time the award certificates had been meticulously prepared by Alex and some computations were in progress to decide overall winners. Congratulations go to all those who won awards, and to William Hillier who won the overall show with most points and the Choice Plants Cup. William also won the Scats cup for fruit and Foods for Friends cup for home craft. Lyn Ward won the Portman cup for vegetables and the Pomp and Petals cup for flowers. The photograph competition was won by Roger Shovel with the following children winning varies classes, Jim Hillier, Roxy Tucker, Jack Jones, Katie Peckham and Charlotte Precept. The real winner though was the community of Awbridge which once again got together for a bit of communal fun and socialising.

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Page 5 | Oct 2013

All Saints Awbridge - October 2013 We have just celebrated Harvest so thank you for all your generous donations which have been given to Southampton City Mission and to Turn on the Tap, for decorating the church so beautifully at harvest time and for the wonderful harvest lunch provided by our social committee in the village hall. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. Sunday 13 October: Messy Church; Moses: God’s rescue plan. Come and find out more at Messy Church, held at Awbridge Village Hall, 2.30 – 5pm. Families are welcome, with fun, messy activities, celebration and feast. Please contact Pepe Alexander 340386 for further information. The next Messy Church will be on Sunday 24 November at the Jubilee Hall, Timsbury, 2.30pm – 5pm on the theme of preparing for Christmas New housegroup programmes: our current Open Housegroup is studying a new course called “God is nearer than you think”, the next session being on 3 October using a dvd series by Tim Ortken. For further information contact Sue Franklin 322185. In addition, Fred and Lynda Tucker will be leading a new group as a follow-up from our Alpha course last year. Please contact Fred or Lynda 340709 if you would like to join. Craft & Chat: a new craft group is starting on Friday 4 October, meeting every fortnight, in the church rooms, 10-12 noon. Bring your own craft or come and learn some new skills. Please contact Sue Franklin 322185 for more information. We are still looking at how to continue Young Church in Awbridge, and we are currently praying for a way forward for this important work. If you would like your family to be involved please contact Mary Savage 01794 367908 email:savage@choiceplants.freeserve.co.uk. Advance dates: Remembrance Sunday 10 November: A service will be held in Awbridge School hall at 10.15 am (not at church) which is then followed by the wreath laying ceremony at the village war memorial at 11am. Nativity in the Barn will be held on Saturday 21 December, at 6pm, at Butlers Wood Farm by kind permission of the Hillier family. Worship and Events in Awbridge in October Sunday 6 October 9.30 am Holy Communion 6.30 pm First Service Sunday 13 October 9.30 am Morning Worship & Young Church Sunday 20 October 9.30 am Holy Communion Sunday 27 October 9.30 am Family worship Sunday 3 November 9.30 am Holy Communion 6.30 pm First Service Other Activities for October Five Alive Fellowship Monday 7 October Women’s Ordained Ministry with Fiona Gibbs 7.30 pm Braishfield Church rooms Prayer Group Meets twice a month in Romsey. Prayer requests to John Twigg 521966 or via prayer request box in church. Page 6 | Oct 2013

“God is our refuge and strength and an everpresent help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea....” Psalm 46 v1-2 Housegroup Tuesday 15 October 7.45 pm Rosemary Croft; please contact J Twigg 521966 Open Housegroup “God is nearer than you think” Thursday 3 & 17 October 7.45 pm (3rd Oct The Byre, Romsey Rd, Awbridge) Sue Franklin 322185 Awbridge Lunch Club Wednesday 9 & 23 October 12 noon at Awbridge Church rooms contact Delia Dutton 340395 The Ark Toddler Group Meets in the village hall on Fridays in term-time 9.30 – 11 am. For fun, craft, refreshments contact Lynda Tucker 340709 for more information. Welcome Pack If you have recently moved into the Awbridge area and would like a copy of our village Welcome Pack please contact one of the churchwardens, see details below. Useful church contacts: Rector: Revd Canon Steve Pittis 01794 368335 email:pittisinc@gmail. com or Benefice Office 01794 878020 email: braishfieldbenefice@ gmail.com Churchwardens: Fred Tucker (01794 340709) or Mary Savage (01794 367908) Young Church: contact one of the wardens The Ark Toddler Group: Lynda Tucker (01794 340709) Awbridge Neighbourcare: 0845 094 6155 Other relevant information can be found on the village website www.awbridge.info

Operation Christmas Child

“Operation Christmas Child: the power of a simple gift” www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk

Come and help us celebrate Operation Christmas Child by making your own shoebox gift and bringing it to our special coffee morning

on Saturday 9 November 10 am – 12 noon at Awbridge Village Hall. Last year nearly 1 million shoeboxes were sent from the UK and internationally the 100 millionth shoebox was delivered since the project started in 1990. If you have never made a box before, or haven’t done one for a while, make this a special year when you can give hope to children like this, so take part and join in and bring joy and laughter to children and their families with the simple gift of a fun packed shoebox. As part of our local celebrations there will be our annual Romsey Deanery Service for Operation Christmas Child which will be held on Sunday 17 November, at 3 pm at St John’s Church, Lockerley. The collection dates for dropping off boxes are 1-18 November. Leaflets are available from churches in the benefice and at Choice Plants, Timsbury, and can be downloaded from the website www. operationchristmaschild.org.uk. Resources such as knitting patterns and videos are available on the website too. If you make your donation on-line your shoebox can be tracked to its destination and in the new year, you will receive an email telling you where your shoebox has actually gone! Thank you for your support. Mary Savage rep for Samaritan’s Purse 01794 367908. If you would like further information please contact: savage@ choiceplants.freeserve.co.uk

0845 094 6155

Although we will endeavour to help if shorter notice is given, we cannot guarantee the availability of our volunteers. We would very much like to hear from you if you could volunteer as a driver. The more drivers we have to call on, the more people we are able to help. Please contact the duty co-ordinator on 0845 094 6155 if you would like to join this worthwhile organisation.

Upside Down Apple Cake Ingredients For the toffee apple topping Butter, for greasing 200g/7oz caster sugar 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced in 1cm/½in wedges 1 large orange, zest only 75g/2½oz dried cranberries For the cake 225g/8oz salted butter, softened 225g/8oz golden caster sugar 225g/8oz self-raising flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 4 free-range eggs, at room temperature 60ml/4 tbsp whole milk ½ tsp vanilla extract For the caramel crown 200g/7oz caster sugar Method

Awbridge Neighbourcare

Grease 23cm/9in square baking tin with butter and line it with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

The village lunch held on Wednesday 25th September at the village hall was very well attended and everyone enjoyed a friendly chat over a delicious meal. The last village lunch of the year will be the Christmas lunch on Wednesday 11th December. This is always a special event with a full Christmas dinner and all the trimmings for a cost of only £6 per person. Why not put the date in your diary now?

For the topping, put a pan over a high heat. Add the sugar and three tablespoons of water and cook until it the sugar melts and turns amber – do not stir at any point. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the toffee into the lined baking tin, taking care to cover the base completely. Place the apple wedges in three rows on top of the toffee and sprinkle with a third of the orange zest. Add the cranberries in any gaps between the rows of apple.

Volunteering is very worthwhile and as well as fulfilling a need in society it also promotes personal well-being. Awbridge Neighbourcare relies on volunteers to provide transport for villagers who would otherwise find it difficult to attend appointments. A friendly face and a chat can be very reassuring for someone waiting in a doctor’s surgery or hospital clinic. Please consider becoming a volunteer for Awbridge Neighbourcare. More information is available by calling the duty coordinator on 0845 094 6155. NEIGHBOURCARE ARRANGEMENTS 0845 094 6155 Awbridge Neighbourcare volunteers are available to help, as good neighbours, to provide transport for medical appointments, or shopping, or to visit you if you would enjoy a friendly chat. Our volunteers have allocated time to be available to help you, so your requests are vital to the work of this group. All you need to do is call 0845 094 6155 to speak to the co-ordinator to see if they can help you.

For the cake, beat the butter, the remaining orange zest and sugar until pale and fluffy. Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda and add a tablespoon of this to the butter mix along with one egg. Mix until combined and repeat the process until all the flour and eggs have been used. Stir in the milk and a few drops of vanilla. Pour into cake tin and gently smooth with a spatula. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Using oven gloves, place a cooling rack over the tin and quickly flip over, taking care not to burn yourself on any hot caramel that may leak from the tin. Remove from the tin and set aside to cool completely. For the caramel crown, in a pan set over a high heat add the sugar and two tablespoons of water and cook until a caramel forms, never stirring. Place the base of a clean cake tin on a heatproof mat. Drizzle over spoonfuls of the caramel to make a pattern. Allow to dry, and then gently remove and place on top of the cake.

Katy Stimson

If you would like to use Awbridge Neighbourcare, please could you try to give at least 48 hours’ notice when you need to book transport so that the duty co-ordinator has time to make the necessary arrangements. Page 7 | Oct 2013

Thank you from the Kenyan Fundraising Team! Thank you so much to everyone in the village who helped us to raise the funds for our volunteering trip this summer. We have had an amazing time, helping to make a difference on some remarkable projects. As you may have read in the Romsey Advertiser, we went with the Romsey School who had partnered with African Adventures. African Adventures is an organisation which works with local Kenyan schools in particularly deprived parts of a low income area outside Nakuru, where many families struggle to feed their children on a daily basis. Despite the government’s pledge to provide free primary education, schools still require payment for uniform, books and a desk, which very many families can’t afford. The projects we visited allow local children to receive a free education, support and food, as well as offering future opportunities they would not otherwise have. Of the specific projects where we worked, Georgie Hanson and Izi Snowdon were at Luchema, which was founded only last year to accommodate 100 children aged 3-16 in 6 very basic classrooms. As Izi explained, it was hard work, but hugely rewarding: “After a day of building a fence I was teaching class 4 children, which was incredible! They all try so hard and love it but they had exams the next week which we marked and invigilated. Another day I did cooking which was actually the hardest thing as they don’t have a proper kitchen like some of the other projects, just a fire, and the smoke was so thick and painful in your eyes.” Meanwhile Fergus Longman was at the Ungana project, which has 160 children aged 3-12 in just 5 classrooms made of mud and tin. While primarily teaching in a class of 4-6 year olds, he also helped to build a much-needed new classroom and painted chairs to furnish it, cheered on by the children. Caitlen Hillier was at the smallest of the projects where 72 children aged just 3-6 are taught in 3 classrooms, with very little outdoor space and no equipment, just pit toilets and a small area for the kitchen with an open fire. Grace Birch helped at the Walk Centre, one of the more longstanding projects, where 140 children share 4 classrooms. This is a good example of how much can be achieved, as the school now has a proper tiled kitchen and playground with equipment including goal posts and swings. Nonetheless, a great many of the children are orphans and the majority live on the city dump amongst the rubbish and scavenging animals, experiencing almost unimaginable difficulties every day. For these children Page 8 | Oct 2013

perhaps more than any of the others, the Centre is a place which represents the purpose of the projects, a safe place where they can receive an education, a good meal and, perhaps most importantly, somewhere they can relax and have fun.

Thank you – we couldn’t have done it without you.

Open Morning And Macmillan Coffee Morning Thursday 17th October 9.30am To 12 Noon At Lockerley Primary School we are ambitious for all our pupils. We have restructured to deliver an unusually high teacher to pupil ratio and over the past few years have made substantial changes including investment in iPads, iPods, individual laptops and mobile interactive touchscreens. We would like to invite the local community and all current and prospective parents to visit our school on Thursday 17th October. This will be an opportunity to meet the staff, tour the school and see the children in their learning environment. You will also be able to see our new Early Years outdoor area which includes a race track, extensive covered area and pirates and islands adventure area. We are supporting the MacMillan Coffee Morning on this day and refreshments will be served in the main hall adjacent to our new kitchen. Please come and see what Lockerley School offers. We look forward to welcoming you.

Operation Christmas Child You are invited to join us on

Saturday 9 November at Awbridge Village Hall, 10am - 12noon Supported by ADVA and Awbridge Church Please bring with you completed shoeboxes and/ or shoebox gifts. Details for shoeboxes enclosed in the leaflets available at Awbridge Church, Awbridge Village Hall, and Choice Plants, Timsbury Refreshments and activities provided. Thank you for your support. Advance Notice: Romsey Deanery Shoebox Service, at St John’s Rownhams, on Sun 17 Nov at 3pm For info contact: Mary Savage 367908 or e-mail savage@choiceplants.freeserve.co.uk or see www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk UK charity no 1001349

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CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS DISCO PARTY!! Featuring

‘FLASH LIGHTS ENTERTAINMENT’

Fri 20th Dec - 6.30pm to 8pm Awbridge Village Hall ENTRY IS £1 ON THE DOOR (subsidised by ADVA)

SPOT PRIZES - TUCK SHOP(bring your money) Contact Alex on bertanddoris@btinternet.com or 340118 for more info! Please supply child’s name, address and emergency contact number on the door. Organised by ADVA for all Awbridge village and Awbridge School children aged 5 to 11 years only.

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Notes from 1 Alliance Cottages, Awbridge Hill

diners as well those wishing to eat later to sample the latest menus. A discount of up to 10% on your taxi fare to and from Kimbridge; please enquire direct to the team for details.

Firstly, to introduce myself. I am Sue (Susan) Halliwell and my husband Michael and I have lived in this cottage for nine years, since we bought it from the Hollidays who were moving to Church Lane.

The buffet theme is maintained on Wednesday evenings with an ‘as much as you like’ hot buffet. Some weeks will feature entertainment such as quizzes, new and upcoming acts as well as their popular jazz saxophonist.

We are very happy here, but we could do without quite a lot of the heavy passing traffic; huge lorries that come from all over Europe and must have come this way on satnav. Anyhow, we do get some interesting people come to our door, mostly asking their way. They tend to come to no1 as no2 are hard of hearing and no3 are often out. Last Hallowe’en we were just saying, “Oh we haven’t got anything to give any Trick or Treaters if they come. Oh well, they never come here”. Suddenly the door bell rang and I started rushing round to see if I could find even the odd biscuit! However, it was a lady trying to find her way to a house up Romsey Road as she had an appointment. Of course she couldn’t get a signal on her mobile, so we invited her in to use our phone while we tried to work out where she was going. Eventually she did get an incoming call from her clients and so she went on her way, and all was well. Then, more recently, I came in from the back garden at about 5 o’clock to find a German couple in the dining room and Michael on the phone to a hire car company. They had burst a tyre on the hill coming up to our house, pulling over to avoid cars coming towards them and hitting a projecting stone. Europcar were saying that it would take 3 hours plus to get someone to come with the correct tyre, and it did! So we entertained them and gave them “Abendbrot” (German supper with soup and bread, cold meats and cheese). We lived in Bonn for 5 years and Michael, especially, is fluent in German so it was interesting to listen to them. The man is a retired doctor and they came from Konstanz and we have a warm invitation to visit them there. A large white van pulled up outside at 8.30pm and the driver did an amazing job with the special gear in the van, taking the tyre off the wheel and replacing it all in about 10 minutes. Then, surprise, surprise, two days later in the early afternoon a young Danish couple stopped outside in their car. I went out to ask if they were alright, and they had done exactly the same thing with a car from the same hire car firm! In the Rule of St Benedict, which Michael tries to follow, it says, “Treat every guest as if they were Jesus”. So I went upstairs to Michael who was having a rest and said, “There are two more Jesus’s downstairs!” However all they wanted was a cup of tea and we left them to wait for the repair people to come as we had to go out. Being during working hours it was all done much more quickly and they had gone when we came back. I said to Michael, I think we ought to put a notice outside saying, “Welcome to all travellers”. “Yes”, he replied, “but in how many languages?”

Sue Halliwell

Kimbridge Restaurant Evening Opening & Anniversary Party The Kimbridge Restaurant and Annie’s Tearooms is pleased to announce that from October 2013 it will be opening on three evenings every week. This is an important part of the development and future of the restaurant. Whist many catering businesses are still on the back foot, the team at Kimbridge are continuously moving forward. On Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings the restaurant will be staying open until 10pm. This gives the opportunity for early evening

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Every Friday is the night to enjoy juicy 28-day aged steaks, lamb cutlets and pork loin, all sourced from local farms. Along with their fresh Kimbridge trout and other dishes makes this an evening not to be missed! Kimbridge is great for families on Saturday evenings with a menu of homemade pizzas, a selection of pasta dishes, fajitas as well as all the kids other favourites Children go free on these family nights, so please book early to avoid disappointment! The staff at Kimbridge are keen to demonstrate their skills in using quality locally-sourced ingredients and to continuously provide high levels of customer service in order to make these evenings a success. On 25th September, the restaurant held their 5th Anniversary Party with a free sample Christmas buffet and music to reward its loyal customers. There was a raffle with prizes from the gift shop where the proceeds went to the wildlife trust. Booking is required for all these events and for more information please telephone 01794-340556 / 340777 (or email: kimbridgerestaurant@ gmail.com) or visit their website at www.kimbridgerestaurant.co.uk

Moses: God’s rescue plan Sunday 13 October 2013 Awbridge Village Hall 2.30 pm - 5pm

Messy Activities Celebration - Feast Messy Church is organised by the churches in our group of five parishes, for all families to attend. Children to be accompanied by parent/carer. For further information contact: Pepe Alexander on 340386, P.alexander386@btinternet.com or Mary Savage on 367908, savage@choiceplants.freeserve.co.uk

EVENT IS FREE BUT DONATIONS ARE WELCOME

Awbridge Hill Wildlife Sanctuary The vanishing Wild Flower Meadow In the modern era of agriculture, there is little room for wild flower meadows. Increasingly old turf is ploughed under, treated with chemicals and re seeded. Those meadows that survive, frequently do so because they are too wet to plough and too small or difficult to manage. Hence it is that most ancient meadows once rich with buttercups and daises have now been transformed into monocultures of perennial Italian rye grass, lacking the bewildering mixture of natural grasses and wild flowers, or the abundant insect life associated with this fast disappearing habitat.

of birds foot trefoil sustains species such as the common blue, small copper and dingy skipper. Caterpillar of the large skipper feed on cocksfoot and false broom grass, whereas the small skipper caterpillar feeds on grasses such as Yorkshire fog and timothy. Other habitat management includes coppice woodland management which allows light onto the woodland floor and encourages flowers such as the violet to thrive. The dog violet is the food plant of the caterpillar of the silver washed fritillary. This spectacular orange butterfly is unique in that it lays its eggs on the fissured trunks of mature trees such as alder which the caterpillar hibernates on over winter, descending to feed in spring. Silver washed fritillary favour the nectar of marsh thistle and bramble as it comes into flower.

Whilst ploughing up a wild flower meadow can take a few hours, its creation may have taken hundreds of years and is a very slow process. Since the Millennium, at Awbridge Hill this theory has been put to the test, with the slow t ransformation of improved pasture to that of a meadow that is in places, now flush with flowers such as birds foot trefoil, wild carrot, knapweed, yellow rattle, red bartsia, marsh woundwort, alexanders, madder and ladys bedstraw.

Some visitors to the conservation area have expressed concern over the presence of ragwort, a plant that is poisonous to livestock. Ragwort is the food plant of the day flying Cinnabar moth, the caterpillar of which are brightly coloured with orange and black bands, the moth being black and red. Ragwort is always left until it has flowered or been completely eaten back by caterpillar, then pulled before it goes to seed.

Although still in its early stage of creation, the wild flower meadow at Awbridge Hill, is situated in a field that up to the early 1980’s was used for growing cereal before being put to permanent pasture for the production of hay and grazing by sheep. Today the meadow has over thirty species of wild grasses and provides an important habitat for bees, butterfly, moths, grasshoppers and other insects.

Old English Partridge release scheme.

Wild flower meadows require nutrient poor soil that has been free from the application of fertilisers for at least twelve years. They are best managed in a medieval manner, such as the periodic cutting and harvesting of hay in a strip system throughout the summer, or alternatively, the cutting of hay after wild flowers have gone to seed in autumn. . Modern farming methods dictate the use of fertilisers to encourage lush growth of grasses that can be harvested in early summer when whole fields of hay are cut in hours, just as wildflowers are about to bloom and before they have had time to set seed. These fields having been cropped, become a hostile habitat for insects such as beetles, aphids, grasshoppers, bees and butterfly as well as the chicks of birds such as lapwing and grey partridge, which either perish in the harvest or get picked off by carrion crows, lesser black backed gulls and other predators, when cover has been removed. Whilst many country folk scorn crows for their habit of predating on chicks and fledgling birds, it is modern agricultural practices that are the cause, of which the crows and gulls are a visual symptom.

Mid September saw the release of a small number of old English partridge at Awbridge Hill nature sanctuary, in an attempt to re introduce this “red listed” endangered species of bird to the area of the Test Valley. Sadly the native old English or Grey Partridge population is now in serious decline. This is due to modern agricultural practises such as the use of insecticides and herbicides, as well as for instance the loss of ground cover provided by hedgerows and scrubby field margins, exposing partridges and their young to predators. Whilst critically endangered, our apathy towards the old English partridge, is reflected by outdated legislation allowing the start of the partridge shooting season to begin on September 1st. This is a legacy of a Victorian era when partridge were so common that they were afforded minimal protection, in stark comparison to the non native pheasant which could not be shot until it has fully matured, at the beginning of November. Partridge chicks take three months to gain their adult plumage, as is the case with pheasant chicks. This year due to the cold spring, grey partridge did not begin laying eggs until the last week in May, with the first chicks hatching around mid

summers day. The last clutch hatched around the 25th July. Pheasants in comparison, had begun and completed nesting a month earlier. Clouded Yellow Summer At Awbridge Hill, butterfly species have benefited substantially from habitat improvements with over 30 species recorded annually. This year was a clouded yellow summer, with a number of these migratory southern European butterfly sighted during the months of July and August. Clouded yellow favour nectar of wild flowers such as clover, thistle, marjoram and knapweed. Marbled white butterfly have established a stable breeding population since 2006, the caterpillar feeds on grasses such as cocksfoot, whereas the butterfly favours the nectar of plants such as knapweed and scabious. The cultivation

On September 1st as the Partridge open season began I had coveys of partridge, the youngest of which were just five weeks old. Unfortunately the old English partridge takes to the wing vertically, making it an easy shot, whereas the red legged or French partridge tends to run away along the ground. The French Partridge is also larger and stronger than the old English partridge and when released, will move in to displace our native partridges from their territories. Bryan Raines - Tel 01794 368435

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If you would like your event in the diary, send the details to bertanddoris@btinternet.com

V I L L A G E

Diary

Date

Event

Venue

Time

Tuesday 01 October

ADVA Meeting

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Sunday 13 October

Messy Church

Awbridge Village Hall

2.30pm

Saturday 19 October

Curry and Quiz night

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Thursday 31 October

Parish Council Meeting

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Tuesday 05 November

ADVA Meeting

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Saturday 09 November

Shoe box Coffee Morning

Awbridge Village Hall

10am

Sunday 10 November

Rememberance Service

Awbridge School

10.15am

Sunday 24 November

Messy Church

Jubilee Hall, Timsbury

2.30pm

Thursday 28 November

Parish Council Meeting

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Tuesday 03 December

ADVA Meeting

Awbridge Village Hall

7.30pm

Friday 06 December

Forest Forge

Awbridge Village Hall

6.pm

Wednesday 11 December

Christmas Village Lunch

Awbridge Village Hall

12 noon

Friday 20 December

ADVA Disco

Awbridge Village Hall

6.30pm

Saturday 21 December

Navitity in the Barn

Butlers Wood Farm

6pm

Sunday 22 December

Christingale Service

Awbridge Church

4pm

Monday 23 December

ADVA Carol Singing

War Memorial

6.30pm

Kooking with Kate

Makes six 500ml jars

then add the paste to the onion mix. Pour in the remaining vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes. Add all the sugar and mix until dissolved. Then simmer for a further 15 minutes. Sterilise the jars and place the pickle into the pots and seal. Once cold label the jars and keep for one month before eating.

Shopping List: 900g runner beans (weight after trimmed)

British Red Cross

Kate Buchan, Sous Chef at Kimbridge Restaurant. Gives you your Seasonal Recipe

Spiced pickled runner beans

700g chopped onion 850ml malt vinegar 40g cornflour 1 heaped tablespoon mustard powder 1 dessertspoon of turmeric 1 dessertspoon of cumin 1 dessertspoon of coriander 225g soft brown sugar 450g demerera sugar How to make it: Chop the onions and place in a large saucepan with 275ml of the vinegar and bring up to simmering point. Then simmer gently for 20 minutes. Whilst that’s cooking, top, tail and slice the green beans and then place into boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Strain the beans and add them to the onions. In a small bowl mix the cornflour, cumin, coriander, mustard powder and the turmeric together with a little vinegar to make a smooth paste

Romsey & District Local Office: For All Enquires Red Cross Centre, 10 Greatwell Drive, Romsey (opposite Nightingale Surgery) 01794 513202 - 24 hour answer phone Romsey Medical Loan Open 10.30am to 12.30pm - Mon to Fri. Enquiries: 01794 513202 (24 hr answer phone). General Information 0844 871 1111. Emergency number for all of the above 07790 670840 Autumn Fayre Saturday October 19th 2013 in North Baddesley Village Hall, 10.30 am to 2.30 pm. For enquiries please contact 02380 730843 or email north. baddesley.fundraising@hotmail.com

Please remember to mention Awbridge News when responding to any adverts in the newsletter Page 13 | Oct 2013

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If you would like your organisation/amenity in the directory, send your details to bertanddoris@btinternet.com

V I L L A G E