Launton Lines Issue 255 January 2022

January 2022

Issue 255

Christmas in St Mary’s

Photos from Celia Manderson

"We were pleased to celebrate Christmas in St Mary's with our traditional Services - including the Christingle Service (on behalf of the Children’s Society) the Crib Family Service, our Lessons and Carols and the Midnight Communion Service. Life felt almost back to normal!"

The front cover shows the socially distanced Carol Singers outside the Parish Hall on 12 December 2021 as part of the Deck the Hall! event. For more photos and a report on the event, see pages 28-29. Photo from Jackie Webber

The Editor writes …

I’m writing this looking out on the north end of Table Mountain - not the famous view overlooking Cape Town but an impressive 1,000 metre rocky crag called Devils Peak. It changes colour throughout the day, from a rosy pink at sunrise to a dark shadowed mass at the end of the day as the sun sinks behind.

Enough geography and geology: just to say today has been in the high 20sC with a gentle breeze. Delightful.

I’ve produced this issue on my laptop using the normal software: it has made me appreciate the big screen I have at home! We hope that the February issue will be produced by our new Editor, Matt Hill... bear with us as we experiment.

Our cover is from the PHIP event Deck the Hall! in mid December. It shows the challenges of outdoor events in midwinter, with photos and a report on pages 28 and 29. Page 19 has a report on the FIPW photo competition, and pages 22-23 have the winning photos. As Charbridge Lane reopens, page 34 has photos and a report on the next stage and page 32-33 reports on the Plotters planting up their new hedgerow, with photos. And the ExLaunton Boy Tony Jeacock is on his 99th contribution on pages 38-41.

Please also support our advertisers who need you as much as we need them.

Robert Cornford Launton Village Support: Contact Details A Support Group for Launton.

Group email: village.help@launton-pc.gov.uk PHONE Numbers: 9:30am to 5:00pm

07522 231 100 - Janice | 01869 247171 - Jane Olds (Launton Parish Council) 01869 241755 - Lesley | 01869 242685 - Nick Cherry Pharmacy Runner

Launton Lines

A monthly newsletter for Launton. Published around the first of each month by the Launton Community Communications Group © 2022 Launton Lines email: launtonlines@launton.org website: https://launton.org/launton-lines/ The Launton Lines Committee 2022 Chair: Jon Spinage | Editors: Robert Cornford, Matt Hill | Treasurer: Michael Stack Associate Editor: Kathy Gilbert | Distribution: Shirley Johnson | Advertising: Jenni Walker Contact the Parish Council Council Clerk | Mrs Jane Olds Address | 13 Oak Close, Bicester, OX26 3XD email | clerk@launton-pc.gov.uk Phone | 01869 247171

To book the Parish Hall Contact: Joan Packer Phone: 07922 042 133 Parish Hall Committee: Christine Massey; Audrey Deeley; Lynne Harper; Joan Packer; Simon Turner; Robert Cornford

LIGHT UP A LIFE

Would you like to sponsor an evening’s floodlighting at St. Mary’s Church in memory of a loved one, to give thanks for the birth of a child, or to celebrate a baptism, birthday, or wedding?

A minimum donation of £10 is suggested which can be Gift Aided.

Please contact Joan Packer on 01869 241694 by 20 December for entry in the January 2022 issue of Launton Lines.

December 19, 2021 | Remembering my Granny Hearn [Annie] who loved this time of year in Launton Village.

Happy lasting memories, from Wendy Foster My sincere apologies for inadvertently misplacing the above entry which should have been included in the December issue - Joan January 2, 2022 | Sponsored by Helen Beard.

Missed, and remembering Martyn Beard Elvis still making music and singing.

January 4, 2022 | Happy memories of my mum, Joan Foster who always shines a light in my life.

Love every day from Wendy Foster xxx

Launton Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 2 December 2021 at 7:30pm in the Parish Hall Councillors present Mrs Abigail Dowman, Mr Kyle Michael, Mr Ed Sanders, Mrs Lesley Thompson, Mr Simon Turner (Chairman), Mrs Jaqueline Webber Apologies Mr Andrew Briant In attendance The Clerk, Mrs Jane Olds; 12 members of the public; two representatives from Richborough Estates Richborough Estates Representatives from Richborough Estates came to give a presentation Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 4

about their proposals to build 68 dwellings, which would include 35% of affordable homes and eight live/work dwellings to allow home working, on the land off Station Road, just past Grange Mews. The company anticipates submitting the outline plans in the new year.

They assured the meeting that, as well as the houses, a proportion of the land would remain set aside for biodiversity net gain and would include the wooded area close to Station Road. It was also confirmed that they saw it as an expansion of the village, not to Bicester.

Concerns were raised by members of the public about the foul drainage and the clean water provision together with the traffic issues and the Station Road crossroads.

East / West Rail Unfortunately, Ms Sa’id was unable to attend. However, she was pleased to report that a solution had been found to the issues with Grange Farm footbridge which was in line with Network Rail standards/guidelines and the team will be working hard to open the bridge either before Christmas or in early January.

Regarding the Charbridge Lane Closure, the traffic ambassadors were monitoring the performance of the works traffic travelling through the village and the EWR Team had received some positive feedback about the pedestrian crossing. Unfortunately, it was not possible for the team to govern non-EWR traffic.

It was also confirmed that the alignment of the Charbridge Lane bridge was correct and the construction team were on schedule to open on 17 December ready for the next phase of the traffic diversion.

Advance warning has also been given that the Bicester Road is scheduled to be closed between 11 April and 27 May in 2022, once Station Road has re-opened.

Report from District and County Councillors Neither the District nor County Councillors had sent reports.

Traffic Issues Members of the public attended the meeting to express their concern about the traffic situation. The Council acknowledges the issues which have been exacerbated by the Charbridge Lane closure, which, of course, is Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 5

out of the Parish Council’s control.

The Council considered a suggestion that the Parish applies to Oxfordshire County Council’s 20’s Plenty for Oxfordshire Campaign and has agreed to submit an application.

The Council also received the suggestion about looking into setting up a Community Speedwatch programme. We hope that we will be able to invite one of the Police team to the January meeting to give a presentation about the project, but this will be dependent on the current COVID restrictions.

Finance The Finance Report is available on the Parish Council website.

Planning All planning applications, which include the links to Cherwell’s Planning Portal, are put on the Parish Council website when they are received (www.launton-pc.gov.uk - in the Agenda and Minutes section). If a villager has concerns or comments about a planning application, they are welcome to come along to Parish Council meetings to bring them to the attention of the meeting. Villagers are also welcome to contact Councillors or the Clerk to make comments.

CDC Community Governance Review Cherwell had asked the Parish for views on moving part of the southern boundary near Wretchwick Way out of Launton and on moving Bicester Heritage and the Airfield into the Bicester Parish. The Council has objected to both proposals.

Parish Hall Thank you to all who have responded to the consultation on the suggested plan options. The consultation closed on 15 December and we are now collating the responses.

Village Matters Yew Tree Field The handrails have now been installed by the OCC Footpaths team on either side where the footpath crosses the ditch from Yew Tree into the Playing Field.

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Agenda items and dates of the next meetings We hope that the 6 January meeting will be in the Parish Hall, at 7.30pm, but this will be dependent on the Government restrictions that may be in force.

In order to mitigate the COVID effects, we will do our best to make sure that the hall is as safe as possible. If you’d like to chat with a Councillor, do come along after 7.15pm. Unfortunately, we are not able to hold hybrid meetings at present - please arrive in time to use the hand sanitiser and find your seats!

We are trying to reduce our printing and paper use, so if you would like hard copies of the agenda or any of the meeting papers, please let the Clerk know well before the meeting.

Suggestions for agenda items for the 3 February meeting need to be with the Clerk by 20 January and items for the 3 March meeting by 17 February.

If you’re not signed up to our mailing list to receive news from the Parish Council, you can find a signup form at the bottom left hand menu of the Parish Council website at www.launton-pc.gov.uk/

Road Closures Report correct as at 17 December 2021 Until 25 March 2022: Station Road, Launton will be CLOSED from beyond Grange Farm for the construction of the new overbridge and road alignment (EWR). 28 March 2022 - 17 June 2022: Bicester Road, Marsh Gibbon will be CLOSED for rebuilding the bridge. 11 April 2022 - 27 May 2022: Bicester Road, Launton will be CLOSED for finishing the rebuilding of the bridge These closures are correct as at 17 December 2021. See the Parish Council website at www.launton-pc.gov.uk/road-closures/ for any further or interim updates.

Please don’t shoot the messenger!

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News from Launton Village Players Happy New Year everyone!

Carol Singing

We were aiming to go carol singing around the village on 19 December but sadly felt it was wise to cancel this as we were within 10 days of Christmas and wanted to keep everyone safe and well for the Christmas festivities. However we have still managed to raise £135.00 for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Thank you if you listened to our recorded carols and gave to this cause.

Dick Whittington

As I write we are still hoping to perform Dick Whittinton in Cooper School Performance Hall during the February half term, but we are monitoring the situation very closely to make sure we comply with Government guidance and keep our cast, team and audiences safe.

We have decided to delay putting tickets on sale in case the government introduce new restrictions, so follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheLauntonVillagePlayers) for regular updates on preparations, rehearsals and when tickets will go on sale. www.launtonvillageplayers.org.uk is our website where there will also be updated information, and where you will be able to order tickets as soon as they go on sale (there will be a booking fee for tickets when they do go on sale).

Turn again, Whittington! Watch out for news on tickets!

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2022 from the LVP team.

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Irene Tompkins Passed away peacefully at home on Thursday 9 December, a much loved sister, aunt, and great aunt.

She will be sadly missed by her family, friends and the many people who knew her.

The funeral service will take place at St Mary’s Church, Launton on Thursday 6 January 2022 at 11.00 am

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Launton Historical Society We were pleased to welcome Dr Christopher Young to our November meeting. Dr Young used to be head of World Heritage at English Heritage and that was his topic for us.

UNESCO adopted the World Heritage Convention in 1972. We learnt that there are differing kinds of World Heritage site. Natural sites feature, such as the Aeolian islands and the Galapagos; cultural sites are included, for example the Sphinx, Florence and the Banks of the Seine. Sites of industry and trade are recognised - such as nitrate mines in Chile, and religious sites such as Ajanta cave temples in Maharashtra state in India. Hiroshima’s ground zero is recognised as a site of conflict, as is Auschwitz Birkenau where much of the Nazi genocide took place. Le Havre is recognised for its modernism. Scientific sites feature too - Jodrell Bank is a World Heritage site.

All sites must have universal value to all humanity, and national governments make nominations. There’s a great deal of competition for listings. Gothic cathedrals in Europe do well. The UK has 33 World Heritage sites, including Blenheim Palace, Stonehenge, four castles in Wales, Fountains Abbey, the Royal Botanic Garden in Kew, the Palace of Westminster, The Tower of London, and Greenwich. Ironbridge and its industrial remains is recognised, as is Saltaire - both the factory and the village, and the Cornish mining industry. The Jurassic coast in Dorset and Devon features as a natural site.

Climate change is a major issue for the conservation of sites. The World Heritage Committee looks at several hundred sites a year to see their state of conservation. Dr Young had carried out three missions to Pompeii when there were fears for its preservation.

World Heritage is not without its bureaucracy and politics, we learnt.

Delegations to the Committee have become politicised which can be an obstacle. However, the World Heritage Convention is still a force for conservation.

On present plans the 30 December meeting is a lighthearted quiz prepared by Pat Tucker - should be a challenge, but unfortunately now cancelled. On 27 January our speaker is Liz Woolley on From Axtell to Zacharias – the men who built Oxford. Meetings start at 7.30pm in the Parish Hall and all are welcome.

Gwen Skinner Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 10

The first snow of the winter, Sunday 28 November 2021.

Photo by Staff Photographer Ella Rayner

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News from St Mary’s Church for January 2022 Up-date on proposed Songs of Praise Service in the New Year We are sad to have to announce that we are postponing our Songs of Praise service until the springtime, due to the current Covid situation.

We wish you all a very happy and healthy 2022 and offer these thoughtful words from the Bible: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15: 13 Our planned Services for January are as follows You are warmly invited to our Services that are going ahead as we enter 2022: the details are listed below.

All Services will be in held in St Mary’s.

2 January 8.00am BCP Holy Communion In St Mary’s 11.00am Family Epiphany Service In St Mary’s When the children will welcome the Three Wise Men 9 January 6.00pm BCP Evensong In St Mary’s 16 January 11.00am Morning Prayer In St Mary’s 23 January 11.00am Holy Communion In St Mary’s 30 January 6.00pm BCP Evensong - Team Service In St Mary’s It is always advisable to refer to the Launton Church Facebook Page for the most up-to-date information in case any last minute changes have been necessary, or please contact Revd Peter revpeterwright@gmail.com 01869 573177 or 07966 531 921 or one of the Churchwardens at St Mary’s Joan Packer j.packer779@btinternet.com 01869 241694 Celia Manderson celiamanderson@aol.com 01869 571735 Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 13

Bicester Good Neighbour Scheme is looking for volunteers Bicester Good Neighbour Scheme offers free support and friendship to older people in Launton, local villages, and Bicester. Our volunteers give a little of their time and help in many ways. Just visiting regularly for a friendly chat over coffee often makes the biggest difference to our BGNS friends (clients). We aim to match up people who may have something in common or shared interests, and we have seen some great friendships develop through the Scheme.

Our volunteers say: “I have made some lovely connections, it is a pleasure for me”, and “I have made a friend for life out of volunteering”; and the friends say: “I look forward to his visits and he never disappoints” and “She is always friendly, reliable, and particularly thoughtful”.

From befriending, shopping, and small DIY tasks, to assisting with hobbies, paperwork, or gardening, there is always a need for our services.

We would like to help even more older people in 2022, so if you are a friendly, positive person, aged 18+ who is interested in volunteering, please contact our Coordinator to apply or ask any questions. There is no upper age limit - we have many volunteers who are themselves retired, and currently there is one volunteer in their 80s. It only takes a couple of hours each week to make a big difference to an older person’s life, especially when they live alone.

To get some help or find out more please contact Kat on 07849 799530 or email bgns@live.com For details visit www.goodneighbourscheme.com Libby Griffin , Chair, Bicester Good Neighbour Scheme PS: While events, including the annual BGNS Coffee Morning at Clock Court in Launton are on hold because of Covid-19 restrictions, we welcome any donations at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bgns2020 Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 14

A Royal Scarecrow Trail for the Jubilee We’re happy to announce that we are hoping to organise another Scarecrow Trail this summer. The name of the trail is yet to be finally decided, but it will have a royal flavour to contribute to the celebrations of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The Trail would run from the end of May until about 12 June. The aim would be to have the scarecrows up before the Jubilee weekend so we are free to join in all the other events in the village! We are about to have an initial planning meeting and so this is just advance notice and we do hope you will join in the fun and merriment by making a “scarecrow”. It can be anything or anyone in any way connected to being “royal.”

Happy New Year everyone!

The Trail Team

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Launton Women’s Institute Report for December 2021 Friday 17 December saw Launton WI members gathered in festive mood for our Christmas Dinner. We met, although in diminished numbers, in the safe environment of Launton Sports and Social Club, mindful of all Covid-19 advice.

A jolly evening ensued: our excellent dinner of chicken, vegetables etc., lemon meringue pie and chocolate mousse tart with lashings of cream, was ably served by Neil our chef. What a pleasure and no washing up!!

Great entertainment followed with a surprise visit from Santa popping in to distribute gifts and humourous good cheer (see photo opposite).

The Christmas raffle then took place and December birthday cards will be sent to Elaine, Katherine and Win.

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For our Christmas Appeal we collected toiletries and these items were donated to Oxford Homeless and Crisis.

The first meeting of 2022 will be on Thursday 13 January in the Parish Hall at 7.30pm and our speaker will be a representative from the Thames Valley Air Ambulance Service. In the current circumstances we hope that this meeting will go ahead.

We wish all members of WI who were not present at our Christmas celebration, and all the residents of Launton - Merry Christmas and Happy Healthy 2022.

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by Santa , at the Christmas party

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Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 17

A New Year Message from the Launton Village Players

See the report from the Players, and news of the money raised from the virtual Carol Singing and advance notice of ticket availability for Dick Whittington, on pages 8-9 of this issue. Photos supplied by Celia Evans

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IPW photographic competition

Thank you to everyone who entered our photography competition. Unfortunately, we had fewer entries than anticipated and as such are unable to use the photographs on the new interpretation board as originally planned. We shall however be finding a way to display the photos elsewhere, so watch this space.

Congratulations to winner of the adult category, Ben Smith, with his wonderful image of reflection. In joint second place we have Sarah Bryson with her photo of the twilight sedge and Judith Taylor with her photo of a frosty day.

And congratulations to winner of the child’s category, Henry Spinage, with his great photo of a feeding mallard.

It’s been great seeing everyone’s entries, and so many different perspectives of the wood. The winning photos are on pages 22-23.

Chloe and Ian on behalf of Friends of Island Pond Wood

Further update on the search for a second Editor

As we noted in the November issue, the current Editor planned to be out of the country from early December, and Launton Lines needed someone to take over some (or all) of the job. The current editor now reports: “Fortunately, the November appeal had a quick response from Matt Hill, who lives in Chestnut Close. Unfortunately, the combination of my going down with Covid-19 and having to isolate, and Matt having an overseas work trip, a bad cold, and then a burst of work, we weren’t able to meet up before the December issue went to print, and I left the country.

“Thanks to the magic of Zoom, Matt and I talked before Christmas, and he has sourced a copy of Greenstreet Publisher, the program I have produced Launton Lines on since 2015. We have managed to exchange files for this issue (thankyou Dropbox), and although I have edited this issue, the plan is that Matt will handle most - if not all - of February. Continue to send your contributions to launtonlines@launton.org and they will go on to Matt.

“The rest of the team will be in place - Jenni Walker as Advertising Manager, Michael Stack as treasurer, Shirley Johnson handling distribution, and Kathy Gilbert and Danny Cunningham sourcing content, along with all the regular

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contributors. I will be particularly sorry to miss handling the 100th piece from The Ex-Launton Boy, Tony Jeacock.

“Below is a photo I’ve just taken across the harbour: isn’t the sky blue, and isn’t the cloud a wonderful white in the sunshine? See you later in 2022!”

Grange Mews News January 2022

Commercial Offices, Industrial Units and Storage for Lease

From Russia with love

Best wishes for the New Year

On Christmas Eve a truck with Russian markings and plates pulled into the yard at Grange Mews.

It wasn’t from Santa at the North Pole, or from Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost to the Russians), but it was loaded to its sleigh tops with timber for one of our tenants.

We helped unload with the Grange Farm JCB forklift.

We let offices and industrial space and can be found at pacox@grangemews.co.uk and our website www.grangemews.co.uk Phone 01869 252846 or 07711 778 230

Island Pond Wood Photo Competition Clockwise from right: Winner, adults: Reflections in the pond, Ben Smith Winner, children: A mallard feeding, Henry Spinage Joint runner-up: Sedge at twilight, Sarah Bryson Joint runner-up: A frosty day in the woodland, Judith Taylor See report on page 19.

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The Community Cafe reopens on 11 January 2022  “What's missing from this image?

Our Cafe guests! We’re all ready to welcome you back when we start up (9-11am and 2.30-4.30pm) on 11 January 2022. Hope to see you there!”

 “The Christmas feast ready for our last afternoon session before the holiday break - the children enjoyed joining in with various exciting craft activities.”

Photos from Celia Manderson

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PHIP to FoLPH makes progress

Members of the PHIP charity working group have now started the application to The Charity Commission for registration as a charity and to change its name to Friends of Launton Parish Hall (FoLPH).

One of the group explains progress so far. “We’ve spent quite a lot of time on working out a Grants and Donations Policy. Any money that FoLPH raises and hands over must be used for the benefit of the Hall and of its users, and grants are made at the discretion of the Trustees, so it should be very simple. Well, our current Grants document runs to 1,116 words as there are all sorts of “best practice” items that have to be included. We have another meeting later in the week and we hope we’ll be able to finalise this then. Following this, if the Charity Commission website is up after the break, we can upload all the documents and details of our new bank account for FoLPH, and hope we’ll be registered and active by the end of February this year. Watch out for our report next month.”

Robert Cornford | Information Officer, PHIP/FoLPH

The Grumpy Old Men stirring for the New Year

We have had very restricted contact over the last 21 months, and it doesn’t look as though we’ll be able to return to old habits soon. Zoom doesn’t do it for us as a way of having the sort of rambling discussions that jump from topic to topic depending on who is speaking.

We did manage to have quite an organised session about traffic calming, and the fact that we are probably at least two years away from any solution as we’ll have to wait until East West Rail have finished their road closure works before we can begin to do any counting of traffic flow that will stand up to questions. So that’ll take us into autumn of this year at the earliest: then allow 6 months for traffic to revert to “normal” patterns before any counts can begin - so that’s spring 2023. Then try to make sure we don’t do the count during school holidays or over weekends, so that's over 5 months out of the picture. Then of course we’ll have to wait until the new houses to be built in the village are completed and then occupied...

Then try to make sure that the count happens over 24 hour periods, to catch all the early-morning rat-runners. We decided that we'll probably be back meeting in the pubs before any progress is made.

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Launton Mews – a report from Dee O’Dell

We asked Dee in the marketing office at Launton Mews for an update on progress as the year closes. Here is her news – some not so good and some better.

“In brief, at the end of 2021 we have 14 buyers moved into their properties. We anticipate that in the first quarter of 2022 another 15 buyers will have moved in.

As with most house builders, Mulberry Homes are continuing to experience delays in supply of materials without any advance notice.

We have also had an increase in the number of skilled tradespeople isolating because of Covid-19, which has resulted in further delays too. Mulberry Homes are using all its resources to reduce these delays and complete our buyers’ houses as soon as possible, despite the challenges.

We go into 2022 with plot 50, Sandringham, the last 4-bed house for sale on Launton Mews. The only other properties left and available to buy are 3-bed, Beacon houses – there are three left. Once we have completed the sale of these 4 properties the sale homes on Launton Mews will be sold out. The 3 bed Beacons are perfect for young professionals who would like to move back into the village.”

Dee O’Dell

Launton Over 60s Club Report: December 2021 Our October and November meetings were enjoyable and well attended with numbers increasing all the time.

At the last meeting in November, 30 members were able to attend which is just about everyone. We had our Christmas party in the Playing Field Hall on 8 December when the bar was opened for us and we had sausage and chips delivered at 1pm from Bicester followed by a mince pie each.

We all had a Christmas present of a box of chocolate biscuits as we were unable to do our Grand Xmas Raffle this year. Our normal Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 26

raffle then took place and then Bingo with the jackpot now standing at £18 which, as nobody won it, will roll over to our first meeting of 2022 which, all being well, will be on 5 January.

Our Christmas lunch at The Littlebury was on 15 December with a choice of menu, mince pies and crackers. The meal was probably one of the best we have had there, and we could all get a drink from the bar. Our raffle included chocolates, crackers, biscuits, wine, a plant and a lovely ceramic bird feeder. We all had a very good time.

We would like to thank John at Siddalls, Nixson at Costcutter and the Sports and Social Committee for their help and support. We could not do all this without them.

We hope everyone had a good Christmas and we wish you all a Happy New Year.

Pat Court 01869 244900

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Deck the Hall! on 12 December 2021  Singing outside the Hall on a murky afternoon

 Father Christmas visited the Hall Photos from PHIP

 Future options for Hall layouts were on display, with response forms for comments

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Deck the Hall! The pleasure of a December event PHIP, soon to be known as the Friends of Launton Parish Hall (FoLPH) were pleased to organise the “Deck the Hall!” event on 12 December.

On the afternoon we had a little drizzle but we still sang carols at two venues, St Mary’s Church and Launton Parish Hall (see the cover of this issue). We “Decked the Hall” with Christmas decorations and served mince pies and mulled wine. Thank you to the Community Café for the lovely paper chains which almost stretched all the way around the Hall!

Later in the afternoon Father Christmas paid us a visit and gave out reindeer food and colour-in Christmas cards to any children there. There are more photos of the event on page 28, opposite, On a more practical note we also had the options for the future layout of the Hall on display, and comment sheets for people to contribute their thoughts on. Thank you if you have sent in your comments to the Parish Council clerk.

Also a big thank you to all who came and donated: we raised £80 to be shared between PHIP/FoLPH and St Mary’s Church.

Let’s hope that 2022 is a year in which we are all able to enjoy many of these events and the health of the world is an improving one.

Happy New Year everyone.

East West Rail Report

It is with great regret we have to advise that due to manufacturing delays from our supplier, the opening of the Grange Farm footbridge is being postponed to late January/early February 2022.

Without the delivery of the required component, there is no way in which we can safely open the bridge to the public. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused as we recognise that this comes after the previous extension of the opening target.

We are working to ensure that the bridge is opened as quickly as possible and will keep the community informed of its opening.

Thaina Sa’id: Community Liaison Officer, East West Rail Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 29

Launton Historical Society AGM report The November meeting of Launton Historical Society consisted of two parts, Christopher Young on the subject of World Heritage, which is reported elsewhere in this issue, (page 10) and the AGM. Covid-19 had interrupted the smooth running of the Society in both 2020 and 2021 and it is only in the last couple of months that meetings have been possible although a move to the Parish Hall has been necessary to preserve social distancing at meetings. This is an appropriate moment to thank Peter Cox for the use of the Grange Mews conference room for many years, which was our meeting place in pre-pandemic times.

Several new committee members were elected; or rather their volunteering was accepted by the meeting. Thanks to Gwen Skinner and Cathy Procopiou there is a programme of speakers for our monthly meetings in 2022 each of which will be advertised in Launton Lines and Facebook.

A practical dilemma facing the Society is the storage of a significant archive of LauntonWE ARE NOW BICESTER’S LONGEST ESTABLISHED related material collected by Pat INDEPENDENT FAMILY-OWNED & RUN FUNERAL DIRECTORS Tucker and Mary Brydon.

BICESTER’S ONLY INDEPENDENT FAMILY FUNERAL DIRECTOR Some of this has been A caring traditional 24 hour service Provided by Mr Hancock and his team personally published in Launton Lines and  some in Pat’s excellent books.

Private Chapel Of Rest  We now face the challenge of Jaguar Fleet of Funeral Cars  storing many hundreds of pages Perfect Choice of text, maps and photographs.

Funeral Plans There is a general shortage of storage space in Launton other than in individual’s houses and any possibility of using the enhanced Parish Hall is some time in the future.

Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 30

The alternative we are considering is to transfer the material to digital media by scanning or reformatting. This approach has the merit of requiring much less space and the possibility of making all the material available online. Many businesses have already been through this kind of process and I wonder if there is anybody in Launton who has been involved in such a project and would be able to give us some advice. Please get in touch if you can help. A problem we will certainly face is that some of these documents are larger than A4 and therefore they are too big for the typical domestic printer/scanner.

Once again please get in touch if you know of an A3 scanner which we could use or indeed if you know of one in the back of a cupboard that we could buy.

If you can help then please contact me on bobroberts.lhs@gmail.com Bob Roberts

Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 31

Launton Plotters gain a successful Woodland Trust application and plant a hedgerow legacy In December a working party from Launton Plotters (see photos on page 33, opposite) planted the Woodland Trust Hedges and Trees pack received earlier in the autumn. - and there are about 300 saplings now in place.

We can all look forward to seeing the growth of Hawthorn, Crab Apple, Hazel, Goat Willow, Downy Birch, Wild Cherry, Dogwood, Dogrose, Rowan, Silver Birch, Pedunculate Oak, and Blackthorn. I think we can say we have been impressed with our successful application for these free hedges and trees along with cane sticks and covers which would have cost us fortune to buy!! The approved application I wrote had to show how our Launton allotment community would value and benefit from the hedgerow saplings and we were very happy we met their criteria.

We will be adding these to the OCC, Countryfile TV programme and Woodland Trust apps so that we are registered as being part of the national big climate fightback.

As well as the Launton Plotters working in the allotment, people walking over the old bridge will also be able to watch the growth, and enjoy the colours and smells of these beautiful saplings.

Happy New Year for 2022.

Wendy Foster for the Launton Plotters

From all of us at Launton Lines to all our readers in print and online and to all our advertisers and to all our contributors.

We wish you all the best for the year ahead.

Peace, Happiness, Good Health and the chance to return to a life of friendship and meeting Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 32

Launton Plotters plant their heritage hedge

Photos from Launton Plotters

On a dank, dark day in December, Plotters committee members gathered to plant over 300 slips and saplings in their new hedge (see story on page 32).

Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 33

Charbridge Lane bridge reopens December 2021

East West Rail has announce that Charbridge Lane has been re-opened four days early, following the bridge works and eight-week road closure.

The Launton (northern) side of the bridge work is now complete, but there are still some modifications needed to the current alignment towards the southern side. However, this work will be done predominantly using traffic light controls rather than long road closures.

The reason for the three-stage highway construction (the temporary roadway to the side of the bridge, the temporary section on the southern elevation of the bridge and the final bridge construction) is that the East West Rail project was unable to acquire land under the Transport and Works Act Order to divert the road around the bridge structure just once.

The final phase of the construction is to complete the permanent southern approach. For this, it is likely that traffic management measures will consist of lane closures, traffic lights and possibly some night closures (for the completion of the ‘tie ins’). These works, to allow the road to open on the permanent alignment, are planned to be completed by June 2022. After this, the temporary southern approach will be removed but this won’t require any traffic management.

Any enquiries should be emailed to: publicinformation@ewralliance.co.uk

Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 34

The times they are a-changin’ As we launch ourselves into 2022, I’d like to look back with you - to compare my teenage years in the 1960s with life for 2020s teenagers.

Honestly, I think I had it better. There was far less stress. I had more career options, better financial prospects, and generally a brighter future ahead. I’ll explain why by summarising some of the significant features of the 1960s. In the next issue (February’s), I’ll look at the teenage experience today.

One voice of the 1960s, the singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, declared that The times they are a-changin’. But how?

Unlike the depression years before WW2, there was ‘full employment’. In the early 1960s, you could get sacked on Friday and have another job by Monday. There were so many job vacancies that mass immigration from former colonies was actively encouraged by UK government ministers, including Enoch Powell. People came to Britain from newly independent countries like India and Pakistan, and various parts of the Caribbean. They often filled jobs that the locals wouldn’t do, like bus drivers, nurses, foundry workers ALL ROOFS, GUTTERS & CHIMNEYS or in the textile industries.

HOUSE MAINTENANCE | REPOINTING During those times, when INTERNAL & EXTERNAL DECORATING immigrants were looking for accommodation, they would see PATIOS | DECKINGS | FENCING signs in boarding house windows: ‘No Blacks. No Irish.

No Dogs’. House building was FOR A PERSONAL SERVICE CALL booming. About 400,000 new PETER N. SOUTHAM houses were built every year through the 60s. That figure has 01869 278333 never been equalled since. The OR average price of a home in 1970 07721 633 220 was £5,000. peteroofer@aol.com The pull of Europe grew ever stronger. The UK government INSURANCE APPROVED applied to join the EU (then Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 35

called the EEC) twice, in 1961 and 1967, but was refused. Individuals had better luck. People had enough money to start taking holidays to Europe, especially package tours to dictator General Franco’s Spain.

The British seaside resort was doomed, compared with exotic sounding places like Torremolinos, Marbella, and Mallorca.

For teenagers, it was a great time. Most homes had televisions, compared to only 25,000 just after WW2. The BBC launched Doctor Who in 1963 and Top of the Pops in 1964. England won the World Cup in 1966. By 1967, the BBC had launched Radio 1, with some DJs recruited from the former pirate radios. For those people with enough money, they could buy a TV that could get colour on BBC2. How fancy, compared to the black and white pictures that poorer people settled for? Also in 1967, the Beatles changed the world of music by releasing the St. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Fashion changes meant that Levi’s and Wranglers were essential kit. Marijuana, although illegal, became more widely available. When leaving school, you could take an apprenticeship, which was often thorough and challenging enough to last five years. The small number, maybe 10%, who opted for higher education, had maintenance grants and no tuition fees to pay. By the end of the 1960s the number of universities in the UK more than doubled, from just 22 to 45. University was free, as it still is today in countries like Denmark and Norway.

By the late 1960s, things kept changing. The immigrant-seeking Enoch Powell had changed tack. In 1968, he delivered his famous ‘rivers of blood’? speech, condemning mass immigration and warning about conflicts ahead. By then, we’d seen the devastating mess the US was making of their war in Vietnam. Fortunately for the young people of the UK, Prime Minister Harold Wilson refused to get involved.

The 1960s produced ‘The Greatest’, boxer Mohammed Ali. He refused to fight in Vietnam, giving up the best years of his sporting life with the comment, “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong”.

The 1960s was a decade of protests including, in 1968 alone, the antiVietnam War protest in London’s Grosvenor Square; street riots in France; a rising in Czechoslovakia against Soviet rule; the raised fists of Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the podium at the Mexico City Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 36

Olympics. In America Martin Luther King had led equal rights marches, until he was assassinated in Memphis also in 1968. Earlier in 1963 - US President Kennedy (JFK) was assassinated in Dallas, and his brother Bobby was killed in San Francisco in 1968 while campaigning for President. The times were changing for the worse..

By 1969, the JFK-inspired space mission to get a human on the moon was complete. Neil Armstrong, the first person to set foot on the moon, uttered those legendary words: “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. And all of that was achieved with computer power less powerful than a modern mobile phone.

In 1969, the first UK test flight took off for Concorde, a supersonic plane the like of which the world had never seen. In Britain much progressive social legislation was passed, covering race relations, abortion, homosexuality, family planning, divorce, capital punishment, equal pay for women. So much social progress was made that some say the 1960s introduced ‘The Permissive Society’.

Sexual stereotypes, however, still dominated career choices.

Certified Company 36547

Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 37

Careers teacher to Sam: “What do you want to do when you grow up?”

Sam: “I want to be a fireman/train driver/steelworker/miner/doctor” Samantha: “I want to be a wife/typist/hairdresser/shop assistant/nurse”

What characterised the 1960s was a sense of promise, of better times ahead. Memories of WW2 had been replaced by the availability of steady jobs, the growth of a generous welfare state as a safety net for those in need, increased home ownership, high quality council housing with fair rents, rising car ownership, a fair taxation system. Foodbanks hadn’t been invented. There was a greater choice of goods in the shops, a sense of affluence among a growing section of the working population. All this propelled the teenage population confidently towards adulthood.

Next time, in the February issue of Launton Lines, I’ll compare this 1960s ‘golden age’ with what 2020s teenagers might grow up to find.

Danny Cunningham

Memories of an ex-Launton Boy

This month the Ex-Launton Boy remembers being in the tower of St Mary’s church on New Year’s Eves in the late 1950s and early 60s when he was ringing in the New Year, then tells us about the intricacies of change ringing, He is also distressed to see that it looks as though the Launton Mews development has been built over the Launton Grasshoppers’ bike track, then wishes us all best wishes for the year ahead.

Here’s hoping that everyone in Launton had a fabulously Merry Christmas and with this I wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

I’ve just been reading The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L Sayers, loaned to me by the churchwarden of our Garrison Church, and was reminded many times of how, back in the late 50’s and early 60’s on cold, frosty and often snowy New Year’s Eves I would be up in the tower of St. Mary’s in Launton, ringing out the old year leading up to midnight with bells half-muffled, then scrambling around the upturned bells taking off the muffles, and back into the ringing gallery to ring the New Year in with a peal of seven hundred and twenty changes of Bob Minor. If we couldn’t muster a full team of six but only five, we would ring a peal of Grandsire Doubles. This is like a foreign language to most, but anyone who has ever been involved in campanology will know what I mean. And it is these and others mentioned in the aforementioned book.

Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 38

There are terminologies for several different methods of what is commonly referred to as ‘change ringing’, although some call it ‘method-ringing’, all of which is peculiar to the UK. Oh they have bells aplenty throughout the continent, most of which tend to be chimed as opposed to being ‘rung’.

Chiming is just tugging on the bell rope where the mouth of the bell is always pointing downwards, other than its’ slight swing to and fro to enable the clapper to engage with the inner rim of the bell in order to make it ring.

The UK system of bell ringing is to cause the bell, by a series of pulleys through which the rope runs, to travel through 360 degrees one way (until the ‘stay’ engages with a slide bar thus preventing it from travelling further and creating absolute mayhem) via what we call the ‘fore stroke’, and then pulling the rope on the ‘back stroke’, causing the bell to travel through 360 degrees in the opposite direction, until again the stay just engages with the slide bar, and then simply repeating the operation over and over again. The simplest form of ringing the peal of bells as a team is to ring what are known as ‘rounds’, where starting with the Treble, the smallest of the ring and thus carries the highest note and finishing with the Tenor, the heaviest bell and has the lower note, so that you get: forestroke 1-2-3-4-5-6 backstroke 1-2-3-4-5-6 forestroke 1-2-3-45-6 backstroke 1-2-3-4-5-6 which is all very well but can get a bit boring to ring and probably almost as boring to listen to. So ‘change ringing’ was invented where, for example, a simple run of ‘Plain Hunting’ would be like this: 1-2-3-4-5-6 1-2-3-4-5-6 2-1-4-3-6-5 2-4-1-6-3-5 4-2-6-1-5-3 4-6-2-5-1-3 64-5-2-3-1 6-5-4-3-2-1 5-6-3-4-1-2 5-3-6-1-4-2 3-5-1-6-2-4 3-1-5-2-6-4 1-3-2-54-6 1-2-3-4-5-6. That constitutes what we call ‘twelve changes on six bells’ which gets new ringers used to following certain bells in a straightforward manner as opposed to following the same bell all the time in ringing ‘rounds’.

Once this has been established, then we can venture into the realms of slightly more complicated ‘methods’, which I will not go into here, other than to say that the Tower Captain who is usually also the conductor will at certain stages call out a command, such as in plain Bob Minor (which is one hundred and twenty changes on six bells) he would call out ‘BOB’ at the last but one of the changes shown above, which breaks the pattern by one of the bells ‘dodging’ with another which, if my memory serves me means 4 and 5 swapping places, thus creating another sequence, the idea being that all these changes can be rung without once repeating a sequence.

That brings me back to those memorable occasions such as those New Year’s Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 39

Eves, when we would ring a peal of seven hundred and twenty changes of Bob Minor, without repeating the sequence once. It takes a lot of mental concentration and surprisingly, if reasonably fit, is not physically hard work.

If you have never tried bell ringing, you really ought to give it a go. Once Covid-19 is out of the way (if ever), why not ask to go and witness the bells being rung on a practice night, which I believe is usually Wednesdays? It really is a fascinating art and yet another way of making new friends. My sister Elaine is part of the Launton bell ringing team. I dare say the last time I rang the bells at Launton would be around 1964, which means I must have begun in around 1959. Launton is part of the Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, as are all the ringing towers around Oxfordshire.

Each year there would be a meeting of the Guild where all the churches within a given area would open up their towers for the day, usually a Saturday, and all the teams from various towers would spend the day going from tower to tower to ring their bells. There were two such churches in which I always felt extremely uncomfortable. These were Stratton Audley and Ambroseden, only because they each had extremely long draughts of rope which I found difficult to control and was in fear of hanging myself. Of course, it’s all about technique rather than strength, but those two I found hard to master. The Launton belfry has a relatively low ceiling and so a relatively short draught of rope which is much easier to control.

Sadly, last Christmas and New Year we were not able to hear the bells due to Covid-19 and I suspect the situation in many places will have been much the same this year, with the new strain going completely rampant.

The reason my Churchwarden loaned me the Dorothy Sayers book was that he knew I had a history of having been a campanologist. Sadly our Garrison Church has just a solitary Sanctus Bell which, when rung, reminds me of my childhood when the similarly sized bell at Launton School used to be rung to try to ensure we all got to school on time.

I would have loved a peal of bells at our wedding, held at the Garrison Church on Easter Saturday 2013. If I came up with the really big win on the Lottery, I would seek permission from the Local Authority and the MoD to have a bell tower built onto the Garrison church with a peal of say, six bells, and then I would be in my element. You can bet your bottom dollar that Santa will not have included the winning numbers in my Christmas stocking.

Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 40

On a somewhat sad note, I was sorry to hear that Mrs. Cannon recently passed away. I think I may have only spoken to her a couple of times in my whole life, but nonetheless, I came to think of her as being another permanent fixture in the village. I enjoyed reading Shirley’s tribute to her mum and through this medium I would like to convey my sincerest condolences to her and the whole family.

And on a distressed note, looking at the plans in last month’s edition, if I have got my bearings right, it looks like an estate is going up in what we always knew as The Green, at the back of what was our house at number 2, Green View, Station Road. I used to love looking out of my bedroom window across the fields behind us which revealed the evidence of strip farming from the Medieval age, as well as the remains of the old cycle speedway track where the Launton Grasshoppers used to hold their speedway meetings, and where the very first cuckoo of the year could be heard down the bottom left hand corner of the field.

There is a local book published some years ago called Bicester wuz a little town.

There ought to be a book published entitled Launton was once a village. With all the building that has gone on over recent decades and continuing today, it looks less and less like a village (as I knew it) and more and more like some suburbia that has been picked up and planted there. With a place the size that Launton has become, I find it difficult to believe it can have the same very close-knit community it had when I was a child and a youth living there, when everybody knew everybody and everybody looked out for everybody.

Oh well, such is progress I suppose, although I do have to wonder. It would be nice to sugar the pill though and perhaps name some of the roads taking up The Green something like Grasshopper Way to commemorate the old Launton boys who used to ride their hearts out there on Sunday mornings.

Wishing you a very Happy New Year, everybody.

Keep healthy and stay SAFE! Tony Jeacock | the Ex-Launton Boy | January 2022 P.S: I believe that this is number 99 of these articles. I've enjoyed reminiscing, and hope you have enjoyed sharing my memories with me.

Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 41

Diary Dates: January 2022

In the current Covid-19 situation, it is difficult to be specific about events in the village. Listed below are those that we know are planned - but it would be good to check with organisers nearer the date if you plan to attend.

Saturday Sunday

1 New Year's Day, Public Holiday 2 St Mary's Church, Holy Communion (BCP), 8am; Family Service for Epiphany, 11am | The Bull Weekly Quiz, 8pm Monday 3 Public Holiday Tuesday 4 School term begins | Launton Health Walk, starts at The Bull, 2pm | Rock Chorus, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Wednesday 5 Home Guard Living History Group, Parish Hall, 8pm Thursday 6 Parish Council. Public Session 7.15pm, Council Meeting 7.30pm, Launton Parish Hall Sunday 9 St Mary's Church, Evensong (BCP), 6pm | The Bull Weekly Quiz, 8pm Monday 10 Watercolour Painting Group, Parish Hall, 2pm-4pm Tuesday 11 Community Café, Parish Hall: 9am-11am; 2.30-4.30pm | Launton Health Walk, starts at The Bull, 2pm | Rock Chorus, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Thursday 13 WI Monthly Meeting. Speaker - Thames Valley Air Ambulance, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Friday 14 SCOTS Night at The Bull, from 5.30pm Sunday 16 St Mary's Church, Morning Prayer, 11am | Bicester Motion First Scramble of 2022, 9am-2pm | The Bull Weekly Quiz, 8pm Monday 17 Watercolour Painting Group, Parish Hall, 2pm-4pm Tuesday 18 Community Café, Parish Hall: 9am-11am; 2.30-4.30pm | Launton Health Walk, starts at The Bull, 2pm | Rock Chorus, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Wednesday 19 Home Guard Living History Group, Parish Hall, 8pm Thursday 20 FINAL DATE FOR COPY FOR THE FEBRUARY 2022 ISSUE OF LAUNTON LINES: SUBMIT TO launtonlines@launton.org Sunday 23 St Mary's Church, Holy Communion, 11am | The Bull Weekly Quiz, 8pm Tuesday 25 Community Café, Parish Hall: 9am-11am; 2.30-4.30pm | Launton Health Walk, starts at The Bull, 2pm | Rock Chorus, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Thursday 27 Launton Historical Society monthly meeting: Speaker Liz Woolley on From Axtell to Zacharias - the men who built Oxford, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Sunday 30 St Mary's Church, Evensong (BCP), Team Service, 6pm | The Bull Weekly Quiz 8pm Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 42

Launton Dog of the Month

As we’ve been outside and walking a lot more we’ve got to see and know many of the dogs of the village. Over the last year Launton Lines has featured twelve of the village’s canine stars. Will there be any more? It’s up to you!

Dog’s Name: Oscar Age: 5½ years old Gender: Male Breed: Labrador How long in Launton: Almost all my life, so 5½ years One interesting fact: I have an odd shaped

tail as my mum stepped on it when I was a puppy

I came from: Leamington Spa Habits: Turning round in circles before I

settle down to go to sleep

Favourite food: A lamb bone Favourite game or toy: Playing ‘catch’ with

my Chuck-It ball or any squeaky toy or teddy Favourite walk: The fields around Launton, Kirtlington Quarry, and sometimes the parks and the river in Richmond upon Thames If you would like your dog to feature in this column please email Kathy Gilbert, kathleengilbert533@googlemail.com or phone DoTM on 07812 604 032.

Christmas lights in Forest Close

Photo by Nick Cherry Launton Lines January 2022 | Page 43

A leaf in the Island Pond Woodland, suspended on a thread of spider’s silk, captures the essence of autumn. Photo by staff photographer Ella Rayner Launton Lines is the newsletter for Launton It is published monthly by the Launton Community Communications Group which also manages the Launton website www.launton.org and the Launton Village Facebook Page and Group www.facebook.com/launtonvillage Launton Lines is delivered free to every address in the village. It is funded by its advertisers and Launton Parish Council.

Further print copies are available at £1.00 per copy from Shirley Johnson (01869 369269) Launton Lines is also available online from January 2020 on www.issuu.com © MMXXII Launton Lines. We reserve the right to edit articles submitted for inclusion.

Neither the Committee nor the Editor is responsible for views expressed in readers’ contributions.