Launton Lines Issue 273 July 2023

6.375!? ...

Sheep find shade on a very hot June afternoon

Photo by Ella Rayner The front cover shows the Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight that flew over Launton for the Family Fun Day at the Playing Field on 3 June. Cover designed by Matt Hill. Photo from Dave Gilbert

The Editor writes …

I must apologise to contributors, advertisers and readers for the delay in getting this issue out. It was 95% complete on Tuesday 27 June, with only four pieces and a few photos to be finished. I started to feel very unwell on the Wednesday morning and was taken by ambulance to The Horton in Banbury, with a very high temperature and feeling very shivery. A CAT scan and blood tests later I was transferred to the JR in Oxford with a diagnosis of probable gallstones blocking my bile duct. This was confirmed with a MRI scan - all within 24 hours. Then heavy antibiotics and six days waiting for a slot for the procedure (ERCP) to “flip out the gallstone”. This happened on Wednesday 5 July, then 24 hours rest before I was allowed home for the weekend. Only then could I complete work on this issue. But back to the JR next Tuesday for (I hope) removal of the Gall Bladder. Thank you, NHS! Some information in this issue will be a bit out of date as you will be reading it around 14 July. There is an obituary for Daphne Bellman (pages 30-34), John Stephens writes about his memories of wartime London (pages 1416), there is a report and photos of Launton’s Under 12s winning the Easington Tournament (pages 40-41). The centre pages (24-25) has a report and photos from Years 5 and 6 pupils about their lino printing.

The cover shows the Spitfire visiting on 3 June for the Family Fun Day. Robert Cornford

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

07522 231 100 - Janice | 07305 303 889 - Jane Olds (Launton Parish Council) 01869 241755 - Lesley | 07921 392 201 - Abi Dowman 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 © 2023 Launton Lines email: launtonlines@launton.org website: https://launton.org/launton-lines/ The Launton Lines Committee 2023-24 Chair: Jon Spinage | Secretary: Toby Aspel | Editors: Robert Cornford, Matt Hill | Treasurer: Carina Collins 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 | 07305 303 889

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 July 2023 for entry in the August 2023 issue of Launton Lines.

July 26 | Sponsored by Michelle McIlrath and family in loving memory of Michelle’s brother Geoff Barker, on what would have been his 51st birthday.

Launton Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 1 June 2023 at 7:30pm in Launton School Hall

Councillors present Mr Andrew Briant, Mr Ed Sanders (Vice Chairman), Mrs Lesley Thompson, Mr Simon Turner (Chairman), Mrs Jaqueline Webber Apologies Mrs Abigail Dowman In attendance The Clerk, Mrs Jane Olds; District Councillors Gemma Coton and Julian Nedelcu; 2 representatives from East West Rail (until 7.53pm); 5 members of the public East West Rail Thaina Sa’id made a brief presentation to the meeting about the state of the project. A PDF of the presentation is available on the Parish Council website at https://www.launton-pc.gov.uk/east-west-railinformation/east-west-rail-updates/ Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 4

79% of the track has been installed and agreement has been made between HS2 and EWR about the ‘crossing area’ near Steeple Claydon.

There will be some additional road closures in the autumn which will affect Marsh Gibbon Station Road and the Poundon to Godington roads.

If anyone has any queries, please contact East West Rail directly at publicinformation@ewralliance.co.uk or call the 24 hour helpline at 03457 11 41 41.

Reports from District and County Councillors Councillor Coton introduced the newly-elected CDC Councillor Julian Nedelcu to the Council. Councillor Coton reported that following numerous discussions, it has been agreed that Cherwell would be managed by a Conservative minority administration.

There was no report received from Councillor Corkin (OCC).

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

Anyone wishing to see the unaudited accounts (they are unaudited until the External Auditor - Moore - has completed their inspection) should contact the Clerk to make an appointment. More information about the rights of electors and the dates during which the electorate may see the accounts is available on the Parish Council website at https://www.launton-pc.gov.uk/financial-information/accounts2022-23/. However, much of the information is already available electronically on the website. The ‘Electors’ Rights’ dates are from 5 June to 14 July.

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 any 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 Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 5

also welcome to contact Councillors or the Clerk to make comments.

Guidance on how the Parish Council is able to respond is available on the Parish Council website: www.launton-pc.gov.uk/planningapplications Parish Hall The Council received four ‘blind’ quotations from the architects and agreed to approve the Working Group’s recommendation to appoint Contractor Tender A. Together with contingency sums and the appointment of a project manager, the project is likely to cost in the region of £525,000.

Traffic Issues The Council has regularly acknowledged the state of the roads in the village. As the roads are adopted and maintained by Oxfordshire County Council, it is not possible to deter anyone from using the public road. However, over the last four years, the Parish Council has:  arranged for a 20mph Zone outside the school and funded half (other half funded through OCC Councillor Localities grant provided by Ian Corkin);  applied for the 20mph village area (in December 2021) - the consultation was scheduled to be presented the public shortly;  set up the Speedwatch group - but noted that the group needed volunteers for it to run;  discussed the options with the Highways Officer about the relocation of the HGV weight limit from the Bull crossroads to the Charbridge Lane roundabout;  discussed the options with the Highways Officer about improvements to The Bull crossroads including implementation of yellow lines to assist with visibility for vehicles exiting Station Road;  discussed the options with the Highways Officer about whether it would be possible to install traffic calming on the Blackthorn Road;  informally asked the County Councillor (Ian Corkin) for assistance with funding for more monitoring, traffic calming and new speed indicator devices;  asked the EWR team for the mobile speed indicator device which Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 6

had been in place on Bicester Road since February and had had a positive impact on the speed of vehicles coming into the village from Bicester;  asked the OCC Highways / Footpaths team to improve the pavement outside the church (scheduled for July).

Speedwatch Our Speedwatch Co-ordinator would love to hear from you if you are able to help join the team - with the weather warming up, now is the perfect time to get out and help out.

Contact speedwatch@launton-pc.gov.uk for more information.

Clerk Hours Due to a change in the Clerk’s personal circumstances, the Clerk’s normal working days will be between Monday and Wednesday. If you would like to contact the Clerk, please leave a message either by email (clerk@launton-pc.gov.uk) or on the mobile (07305 303 889) and she will respond when she is next in the office.

Agenda items and dates of the next meetings The next meeting will be on Thursday 6 July in the Parish Hall, starting at 7.30pm. If you’d like to chat with a Councillor, do come along after 7.15pm.

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. The agenda and papers will be available to view via the data projector during the meeting.

Suggestions for agenda items for the 3 August meeting need to be with the Clerk by 20 July, and items for the 7 September meeting by 24 August.

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

You can now call or text the Council on

07305 303 889

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 7

The report from our Councillors for Cherwell District Council

It has been so lovely to have such sunny weather recently and we have been using it to get out and about in Launton and Otmoor, meeting with residents. There are just a few things from us this month: Cherwell District Council Administration At our last update, we were hopefully that talks would be able to resume between the Progressive Oxfordshire Group (made up of Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and one independent) and Labour to form a majority administration on Cherwell District Council. However, as widely reported, the Labour Party were instructed not to go back into talks and so, at the last Full Council meeting on 23 May, a Conservative minority administration formed. We are saddened by this as many residents had made it clear that they wanted change at Cherwell. However, we will continue to hold the Conservative administration to account and advocate for the residents of Launton and Otmoor.

Local Plan We now have new, provisional, dates for the 2040 Local Plan. The plan is proposed to go to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1 August and the Executive on 4 September.

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Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 8

A Big Birthday In The Village

Launton Lines records significant events in the village.

We try to list births, marriages, civil partnerships, significant birthdays, and deaths as we get information.

This month, Muriel Beck is 102 on 4 July. Happy Birthday, Muriel.

The photo is one we used for Muriel’s 100th Birthday from Ed Sanders

Launton Watercolour Group

The Watercolour Classes will run on all Mondays in July (3, 10, 17, 24, and 31), in the Parish Hall from 2pm. We have space for new members at £8 per session.

Here is a painting from an earlier class.

If you would like to join the classes, please email Paul.Ebberson@gmail.com

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 9

“The ANSWER” - Saturday, 1 July ...

“We are determining whether we leave to our children and their children a planet that will continue drifting towards less and less inhabitable states” Johan Rockstrom

“The SOLUTION” - Monday, 3 July ...

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 10

Launton Village Players Outdoor Family Variety Show 2023

Come Rain or Shine

We are on the final countdown to our summer variety show Come Rain or Shine! There are performances at 2:30pm on Saturday 15 July and Sunday 16 July. The show is suitable for the whole family and will include some songs all related to the wonderful British weather - from rain, snow and wind to sunshine and rainbows! Are you curious about what a ‘lawn chair drill’ is? Or how you can dance with umbrellas? Then do come along and see the fun! It will be a real variety show and offers lots of amusing moments as well as a few surprises! Short comedy sketches include a group of hapless weather forecasters, as well as the four seasons trying to plan the year ahead! Will it be a “lazy hazy crazy day of summer” or “I love a rainy day”?

We are hoping for sunny weather so we can enjoy an afternoon of tea and entertainment in a country garden at Mayflower, Hare Leys Farm, Launton, Bicester OX26 5AB. If the weather is very wet or windy we’ll move into one of our big sheds, but still bring chairs and picnic rugs!

Doors open at 1:45pm each day and refreshments will be on offer before the show as well as in the interval, including prosecco, Pimms, fruit juice, tea and coffee, as well as homemade cakes and ice creams.

We take cash and contactless card payments.

To book tickets go to www.ticketsource.co.uk/lvp. Tickets cost £10 adult and £5 children. (booking fee applies). You can book refreshments but these will be available on the day too. If you are unable to buy online, call us on 07864 715708 for cash and cheque purchases.

As well as celebrating all kinds of British weather we are also raising money for UNICEF and the Bicester Food Bank, so there will be a raffle with some lovely hampers as prizes. We hope you will be able to support us and help raise funds for these good causes, who need our support very much at the moment.

Remember if you do come along, please bring your own chairs or rug to sit on, sun hats and sun cream (or raincoats continued on page 12 

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 11

and wellies!). There is plenty of free parking available, space for disabled parking and a few spare chairs for anyone who cannot bring one. If you have any questions please contact us on 01869 277625 or by email tickets@launtonvillageplayers.org.uk We look forward to seeing you and thank you for your support.

Panto 2024: Rapunzel We are very excited to announce that our 2024 pantomime will be Rapunzel, written and directed by Julia West, with original music by Steve Webber. There will be seven performances during February half term, from 14 to 17 February 2024 in Cooper School Performance Hall.

As usual, the story contains lots of magic, a baddie to boo and heroes to cheer, as well as all the usual traditional family pantomime elements you would expect.

Watch this space for further information about how to get involved. If you would like to find out more about LVP, or are interested in joining us, do get in touch – drop us a message on Facebook or send an email to info@launtonvillageplayers.org.uk

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Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 13

Memories of wartime. London in World War II

It is just eighty years since Hitler started sending over the first of his ‘secret weapons’, the V1 flying bomb, so it seems an appropriate time to report on my memories of the ‘Blitz’.

At that time I lived on a hill in South London. In the first few war years many bombs dropped near us and most of our windows were badly damaged but nothing worse than that. My first outstanding memory was the event of 29 December 1940 when there was a massive raid on the East End and the London docks area. We had an unforgettable view from the rear of our house, and it looked as if the whole of the East End was on fire. Our next-door neighbour Walter Adam worked on the railway. One night he was called out to help clear up at New Cross Gate when it had been bombed.

When he returned in the morning, he looked absolutely green; he had been picking up body parts, arms, legs and so on.

Although some of the family were on active service during the war and those who were at home suffered frequent raids by German bombers, we all survived the war but there were some narrow escapes; we just got lucky! The first near casualty was Uncle Frank. He had already survived World War I. He was involved in the battle of Vimy Ridge where he took a bullet right through his body which somehow missed every vital organ but was serious enough to get him sent home; a ‘Blighty’ wound. In the early part of World War II Frank, his wife Lilian and son David were living at Whyteleafe, close to Kenley aerodrome which was the base for RAF No. 46 Fighter Squadron.

German planes sometimes attacked the airfield and on one occasion when this happened Frank and David were taking shelter in a slit trench in their garden; the trench was covered by a sheet of corrugated iron and a layer of earth and rubble. Thinking that the attack was over they emerged from the slit trench to be met by a hail of bullets, one of which clipped the side of Frank’s knee. Others passed overhead and hit the nearby budgerigar cage.

When they finally emerged, they found the birds dead. The bullets came from a low flying Messerschmidt 110 (a twin engined fighter-bomber) which they believe was shot down shortly afterwards and crashed on Riddlesdown, on the other side of the Caterham valley.

Soon after that the War Office commandeered his house for use as an army billet, so they moved to Belmont, close to Cuddington golf course to stay with Lilian's sister Grace and her husband Donald. My brother, our mother Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 14

and I went to stay with them for a day or two and one night there was a bombing raid. We heard a bomber approaching and then we heard what I think was a Beaufighter firing cannon. Uncle Frank grabbed us and told us to get down into the refuge room in the basement. We got down there just in time before the bomber dropped all its bombs on the golf course at the end of the road!

There had been a lot of publicity about RAF airmen such as ‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham eating lots of carrots to improve their night vision. This was a cover story to divert German attention from airborne radar, codenamed H2S, which was the main reason for the success of the RAF. At the start of the war my grandmother Mercy had a flat in Gloucester Circus, Greenwich, near the National Maritime Museum. Her flat was badly damaged by a bomb and Mercy moved to another flat which was also bombed, and she lost a lot of family heirlooms; she remembered seeing tattered pieces of oil paintings blowing down the road.

In June 1944 the Germans started sending over their V1 flying bombs; we called them ‘Doodlebugs’. They carried a warhead of just under one tonne and were propelled by a weird sort of jet engine which sounded like a onecylinder motorcycle. They flew at several hundred feet and when the engine stopped, they came down and exploded on impact. By July over 100 were launched every day and although many failed or were shot down a large number reached London and did a lot of damage. Shooting them down could be very hazardous if the warhead exploded so the RAF developed a technique in which they flew alongside the V1, got their wing tip underneath the V1 wing, then tipped it up. This upset the gyroscopic guidance system and the V1 fell to the ground. In fact a total of about 10,000 were launched during this campaign but only fewer than 2,400 actually reached the London area but they did a lot of damage. When I was at home in the summer holidays I saw many of them. We used to wait until they had passed by and then went outside to the back of the house and watched them drop. I kept a log and the most I saw in one day was 19!

My mother had a narrow escape one morning when cycling to work. She was employed by the Ministry of Food at New Cross Gate issuing ration books. She had just passed a factory in Nunhead Lane at the corner of Peckham Rye Common when a doodlebug came over and the engine cut out. She simply fell off her bicycle and dived into a shop doorway when the Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 15

explosion occurred. The factory was demolished and many of the workers, including young girls, were killed. My mother had another narrow escape, this time from a V2 rocket bomb. These started coming over in September 1944 and carried a 1 tonne warhead. They came down at about 2,000 mph, much faster than sound, so that you could not hear them coming but after the explosion it sounded as if the rocket was going back up into the sky!

My mother was still working at the Ministry of Food office at New Cross Gate and one day she was planning to go to Woolworths, close to New Cross Gate station in her lunch hour at 12 noon. A colleague asked her to swap lunch hours and my mother agreed to go at one o'clock instead. Her colleague went to Woolworths at 12 noon and was killed when a V2 rocket came down there. This was the worst of all the V2 incidents; 168 people were killed and 122 people were injured. A young girl, aged about 13, witnessed the explosion from nearby. She was thrown into the air and when she came down again she said that she saw a pile of bricks where Woolworths had been, with bricks and dust still falling down. A nearby bus had been concertinaed and all the passengers inside were covered in dust and were all dead.

My grandmother Mercy had a very narrow escape from a V2 rocket. She was phoning from a public phone box outside Blackheath post office when a V2 came down on the other side of the road. She told me that she did not hear anything (maybe she was deafened) but she saw the church steeple swaying, then the glass of the telephone box came in and she passed out. Somebody must have rescued her, and she was treated for several cuts and loss of blood, but she was lucky because the woman in the next phone box was killed. So Hitler, having failed to get Granny earlier in the war, tried throwing a rocket at her, but failed again! Although this may sound amusing you must realise that we lived through six years of war, each day wondering whether we would still be alive the next day.

So my mother and my grandmother both survived the war; my mother lived to be 90 and my grandmother 93. All other members of our family also survived. Cousin George served in the Fleet Air Arm on the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and Cousin Bill was in the Royal Navy in submarines. Uncle Stuart was a Captain in the Indian army (17th Dogras) in India and Burma and was our only casualty; he survived but lost a leg.

John Stephens Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 16

150 Years Ago from The Bicester Herald, July 1873

18 July 1873 PETTY SESSIONS Alleged Assault at Launton Mary Botterill, single woman, Launton, was charged by Harriett Long with assaulting her at Launton on June 30. Complainant said she was helping take William Castle home, as was John Marriott, when the defendant swore at her and hit her twice on the back. She suffered very much from indigestion and she was considerably hurt. Castle’s mother asked her to help Marriott in taking her son home, who was drunk. Defendant - You were drunk, and more so than he was. William Castle said he was rather the worse for beer on the occasion referred to, and Long was helping to take him home. Defendant did not push complainant at all. She merely jumped in between them, there was nothing more. The Bench decided to dismiss the summons, and costs, 4s, to be equally divided between complainant and defendant.

DEATHS July 20, at the Railway Station, Launton, aged 37, Sarah Ann, wife of Mr Newman Robinson, an attaché to the English Department, Vienna Exhibition.

25 July 1873 Frederick Massey, of Launton, the toddling fox hunter, is suffering from the bruise on his face, caused by the cricket ball, and not from the broken jaw, which has progressed favourably.

COUNTY COURT William Henry French, ironmonger, Market Square, Buckingham, v Thomas Shouler, wheelwright, Launton Amount overdue £10 8s 5d. Plaintiff stated that defendant had only paid two instalments of 10s each, on an order made June 1870. Defendant appeared, supported by a stick, and said he had met with an accident and injured his spine on the previous Wednesday. His Honour reduced the order to 5s per month.

Wheelchair available in Launton The family of a former editor of Launton Lines has given a wheelchair to be available for short-term use by residents of the village.

If you think you could use it, contact the following: Editor@Launton.org or phone 01869 241883 Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 17

Launton WI Meeting June 2023

On a lovely evening we gathered together and opened our meeting in the traditional manner by singing about our green and pleasant land, preparing to listen to a fascinating talk by Robin Stafford Allen on Sustainable Energy. His talk was primarily based upon the work of Prof David McKay, Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air, which poses the question can we live by renewable energy alone?

By using data based upon the unit of energy kWh/d to calculate both input and output to create a level playing field, the distance between the use of fossil fuels and renewables to maintain our current average of 125 kWh per person in the EU, is well, not so much a gap, but a gulf. We all like to think we are doing our bit so to be honest this was a bit deflating.

Remember our ‘green and pleasant land’ earlier? Well, to produce a quarter of our current energy consumption by generating energy crops would require 75% of Britain to be covered by biomass crops. So that’s a no then. What about the sun shining forth on our clouded hills? Well sorry but that’s a no too, only generating 50kWh but using 5% of land.

And before you ask wave power would only provide 4% of our needs but would require 500km of our Atlantic coastline to covered in turbines.

For most of us our ‘arrows of Heating & Plumbing Services desire’ is a genuine need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. So Installation - Maintenance - Servicing what can we do? Lifestyle changes can help. Believe that every little Domestic Oil action you take to repair, recycle, and renew can make an impact.

Natural Gas Even if it’s not huge, it may stop Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) the problem getting worse. Use less, be thoughtful about your actions and the effect that it has on our poor exhausted planet. You can make a difference.

07483 864 571 It was good to see so many visitors at our meeting, and one of whom

Simon Nash

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 18

has written more about this topic and its relevance to Launton In this issue of Launton Lines. To paraphrase William Blake, with sword in hand we will not cease from mental fight.

Our next meeting, (7.30pm on 13 July in the Parish Hall) has Maretta Dowman leading a crafts evening. New members are always welcome.

Angela Stack

Churchyard Summer Clear-up on 10 June Thank you to all who braved the very warm morning to help with the clear up. One sensible helper came at 7am to clear the drains, so escaped the heat!

All others, ages ranging from under 5 to ‘elderly’, trimmed, tidied, picked up rubbish etc. as much in the shade as possible before retiring to the cool of the church for refreshments.

The photo (from Sarah Kidney) shows a well-known figure with a fork of brambles - or is it ‘Giant Haystacks!’

Thank you to all helpers - see you at the Autumn clear up?

Joan Packer

Our Call Centres are the nerve centre of the Ambulance Service and our role is getting medical help and advice to patients who have injuries or illnesses as quickly as possible.

We have 3 primary functions which are:

We deal with life and death, every call is different. We need people who can remain calm and empathic - it's not for the faint-hearted.

If this sounds like a challenge you would relish, contact us today!

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 19

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 20

News from st mary’s ChurCh serviCes aNd eveNts for July 2023 You are most welcome to join the July Services and Events listed here.

All are in St Mary’s except for 30 July Evensong in St Laurence, Caversfield

Services 2 July

8.00am 11.00am

BCP Holy Communion All welcome Family Service.

Do come along to find out about MAF 3 July 2.30pm Fellowship Group in Church 9 July 6.00pm Evensong 16 July 11.00am Morning Prayer 17 July 2.30pm Fellowship Group in Church 23 July 11.00am Holy Communion 30 July 6.00pm Team Evensong at St Laurence, Caversfield Please check on the Facebook page for St Mary’s Church Launton to see the latest information or contact one of the Churchwardens at St Mary’s Joan Packer Celia Manderson

j.packer779@btinternet.com 01869 241694 celiamanderson@aol.com 01869 571735

   imPortaNt date for your diary BaCk By PoPular demaNd!!!

We will be holding our SECOND ST MARY’S FAYRE ON SATURDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER 2023 FURTHER NEWS TO FOLLOW   

The Community Café is open on 4, 11 and 18 July. It will then close for the Summer and we hope will reopen on Tuesday 5 September.

CalliNg all would-Be voluNteers

If you have a couple of hours free each month in term-time and are looking to support your community, please contact Celia for a chat. (contact details above) Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 21

Launton Historical Society

We’re not in the Cotswolds but we’re close enough to take an easy trip there. So it was good to hear Sean Callery’s Cotswold Cornucopia at our meeting in May. Sean retrained as a tour guide - just in time for the Covid lockdowns.

Roughly bounded by Chipping Norton, Cheltenham, Stratford and Stroud, the Cotswolds are 800 square miles of sheep, stone and hills.

For many years the best wool in England came from the Cotswolds.

The Lion Sheep was used there 100 years ago - a short and stocky breed so the walls could be low.

We heard about the honey stone of Chipping Camden and its lovely market hall built in 1627 - not for sheep, but to protect produce. Some Americans wanted to buy it - but were not successful. St James Church is a wool church, one of about 12 significant wool churches across the Cotswolds, like mini cathedrals.

Broadway is very popular with tours - it has a handy carpark with loos apparently quite a feature in this area. The fabulous Lygon Arms is named after General Lygon: before the change of name it was known for centuries as The White Hart. Winchcombe was a Saxon regional capital - it has lots of jettying - where upper floors jut out above the street. In St Peter’s Church, there’s the loneliest man. He paid for his statue and left a space beside him for his wife. She married again after his death and was buried with the next husband.

Cheltenham was originally marshland. It wasn’t a significant mediaeval settlement. But it came into its own when the spa trend kicked off in the 1700s and it turned into a pleasant town. Tetbury is a classic mediaeval place with a large market hall. Its emblem is the dolphin – despite being as far from the sea as you can get.

By the time you read this we will have heard Carol Anderson talk about The Ascott Martyrs. Then in July we have our outing to Upper Heyford Heritage, a social in August, and in September we reconvene to hear Stephen Barker talk about The Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry on the Somme, 1916. In October, Tim Healey will speak about Apples!.

Gwen Skinner Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 22

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 23

Reporting from Launton School: Lino Printing We have been busy making lino cuts and prints in Years 5 and 6. We had to be careful because the cutting tools we used were very sharp.

Firstly, we went out into the grounds to find leaves or flowers which we could copy for our initial drawings and then we copied these drawings into our art books. We used the designs which we had made, making a copy of them onto tracing paper which we then transferred onto a piece of lino. Once the outline was copied onto the piece of lino, we were ready to start carving. We worked slowly and carefully. We used different coloured paints which we applied with rollers which copied the outline of the drawing. We also used different coloured paper to change the finished product. Our work was about the size of a quarter of a piece of A4 paper. The designs we made could be used to make a greeting card. Our Art Teacher, Miss Nightingale took pictures of us working and of our finished designs. We really enjoyed doing this type of printing.

Austin, Harry, Haruka and Ralph - Years 5 and 6 Launton School

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 24

Here are some more of our lino prints

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 25

St Mary’s Fayre

Saturday 2 September 2023

In The Church and the Front Garden of The Old Rectory 2pm - 4pm

Proceeds to St Mary’s Church. More details to follow, see St Mary’s facebook page or August Launton Lines

Blackcurrant saplings on offer in West End

Once again I have blackcurrant saplings to give away. I have about 20 ready for your garden or allotment. I live at 24 West End, so if you want one or two - or more - just call in and bring a pot or bag. I can provide a spade or trowel.

I have 3 large bushes which keep me in blackcurrants for the whole year. They freeze well and I have a portion on my breakfast cereal most days. The only problem is that they are fiddly to pick and need protection from birds: old net curtain is quite good for keeping blackbirds off your bushes.

Blackcurrants are high in antioxidants, including vitamin C. Along with the anthocyanins in blackcurrants, these antioxidants help boost your immune system, allowing your body to fight infection and viruses more effectively.

They also make great jam!

Pat Mitchell Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 26

Registered Charity Number 1199171

At our AGM on 18 May Ruth Ng agreed to carry on as Secretary. Martin Evans said he would like to step down, so we are in need of a new Chair.

Cathy Procopiou agreed to continue as Treasurer and Robert Cornford as Publicity Officer. Thanks to all for the time they give to FoLPH. The Parish Hall project has reached an exciting stage as a builder has been selected by the Parish Council and so it’s all go to raise the final funds required, about £500,000.

A Grants Action Group is looking into applying to major funders. We have organised a timetable of events to help raise funds and to have fun!

Events for August 2023 - March 2024 Sunday 13 August | Afternoon Tea and Launch of Sponsor a Tile Project Join us for a chat over a cuppa and enjoy home made cakes.

Sunday 24 September | What3words Treasure Hunt The return of this popular event - we hope everyone will enjoy this modern twist on the old favourite treasure hunt. Suitable for families and all ages.

Friday 20 October | Beetle Drive There may be a variation on the theme but this will surely be a family event and fun for everyone.

Wednesday 22 November | Boogie Woogie Bellas A very talented group of ladies entertaining us for the evening. Not to be missed.

Saturday 6 January 2024 | Twelfth Night event Plans are very much in the early stage for this but get the date in your 2024 diaries.

Date to be confirmed in Spring 2024 | The Sixth Tythe Barn Quiz Always a great event in the fabulous Fourteenth Century Tythe Barn.

More information on FoLPH Events will be in Launton Lines and also on Facebook.

Our next FoLPH meeting is on Thursday 20 July at 7.30pm in the Parish Hall. Do come along to find out more about this exciting stage in the plans for the Parish Hall.

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 27

A Vet’s Voice: Jasper’s Brave Brush with Cancer

There are many benefits of working at a vet practice. Of course there are the lovely clients and pets who come to see us each day, and the wonderful work environment created by a group of professionals focused on making patients better with their skill and care. There is also the benefit of cheaper pet care, though it’s a perk you hope you won’t need to use!

Sam is a veterinary nurse who joined us a couple of years ago wanting to change over to a receptionist role. When her 10 year old Border Terrier Jasper developed a rapidly growing fatty lump on his chest near his right armpit, she had understandable cause for concern. Benign fatty lumps, called lipomas, are very common but they tend to grow slowly over many months. The rapid growth of this lump alerted Vet Lauren Furey to do a fine needle aspirate to get some more information from the pathologist.

The test involves taking cells from the area with a needle, usually whilst the patient is awake. These cells are put on a slide and sent for cytological analysis under a microscope at the lab. In Jasper’s case there was a high suspicion that the fatty lump was in fact a malignant liposarcoma, which had the potential to spread elsewhere in the body as well as to invade into surrounding tissues, making complete removal more challenging but essential.

Jasper was booked in with experienced surgeon Kyra Jennings, for removal of the mass and the surrounding tissue margin. The challenge, once the lump has been removed, is that you are left with a large defect in the skin which ideally needs to be fully closed without any tension. Tension and movement increase the risk of wound breakdown and a secondary wound to deal with.

Kyra planned the wound closure in advance which was tricky due to the lack of “stretch” of skin in the area, plus the high level of movement due to the location near the front leg. She chose to use a skin flap where she grafted some skin from over the shoulder blade, an area where the skin has less tension. The graft was undermined surgically but remained attached on one side to ensure a good blood supply. The flap was then rotated down to cover the skin defect before the long task of suturing began.

I’ve saved you the shock of the intraoperative photos though I’ve included a photo of Jasper once the complex wound was complete. Jasper recovered well from his 3-hour surgery and, despite a small area of breakdown at one edge of Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 28

the wound, the site healed almost uneventfully. The good news from the pathologist was that the liposarcoma was low grade, completely excised, and unlikely to have spread elsewhere.

Jasper was a trooper throughout and was good natured throughout the process, oblivious to the concerns of his owner and the team caring for him. Without the quick action by both Sam as the owner, and the team at the practice, Jasper’s tumour would have enlarged and invaded the tissues around it; perhaps even wrapping around the large nerve bundle under the armpit.

Jasper is back to normal and enjoying country walks in this lovely summery weather. We hope he has many years ahead of him and that they are much less eventful than the last!

Enjoy your pets.

Jason Williams | Bicester Vets | July 2023

Peace of mind for pet owners...

Compassionate and Caring at all times  Long opening hours for your convenience  24 hour on-site nursing care as standard for all our hospitalised patients  24 hour Emergency service provided by our vets at our practice  A service that's second to none from North Oxfordshire's most established,  independent, speciality small animal hospital.

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 29

Daphne Bellman: 27 March 1924 - 23 April 2023 an Obituary and Appreciation Daphne was born in Willesden on 27 March 1924. Her earliest memory, at the age of four, was of being sick with the excitement and apprehension of the birth of her youngest brother, Brian, at home with a midwife in attendance. Brian watched the livestream of the funeral from his home in Maryland in the USA. Daphne attended Willesden County Grammar School. She had vivid childhood memories of the years before the war, summer holidays at her mother's family home on the lsle of Wight being a particular highlight. But those happy years took place against the background of wartime preparations. She remembered the construction of an Anderson Shelter in their garden at Kensal Rise and was then evacuated with the rest of the school to Northampton for the early part of the war.

Continued on pages 31-34 

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Keen to do her bit, aged 16, Daphne convinced her parents to let her leave school and return home to a clerical job in the “War Risks” department at the Royal London Mutual Assurance Society in Finsbury Square. She saw first-hand the devasting damage of the blitz as she commuted into the city each day. After one particularly bad night in December 1940, the radio announced that people should not go to work that day.

Daphne went anyway. Three sides of Finsbury Square had been destroyed, buildings were still ablaze, rubble was everywhere, and rescued dray horses were tethered to lampposts. Later, when asked why she went in she replied, “Because I was stubborn and bloody-minded, I suppose”. Daphne was always a very determined lady!

Aged 18, in 1942 she joined the Women’s Land Army.

Here she stands proudly in her uniform which she liked, all except the jodhpurs, “which took a lot of getting used to. It was the first time I had had a pair of trousers!” After training in Staffordshire, she was sent to what she described as a “distinctly primitive” dairy farm near Basingstoke. Regularly visited by her “boss” who checked on her welfare, after a year or so, she decided to visit her to ask for help in getting a transfer to a more modern farm. She walked the few miles to her “bosses” home which turned out to be a rather grand stately home. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, Daphne rang the huge front doorbell and was admitted by an intimidating butler to an audience with the Countess of Perth who readily and charmingly agreed to facilitate Daphne's move.

She spent the rest of the war on a farm on the Isle of Man, working 90-hour weeks on a tough hill-farm, getting into numerous scrapes with bulls and ploughs. lt was here that she acquired the first in a lifetime of dog companions - a Manchester Terrier.

Planning for the future, she learned shorthand and typing and procured a secretarial job with a family she really liked at a farm near Mapledurham in Berkshire. While there she read about the need for Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 31

teachers due to the post-war “baby boom” and joined a one year “emergency training scheme” at an isolated college in the Chilterns with all accommodation provided. She enjoyed the intensive programme and embraced the challenges and opportunity to try new things. One example was the “fencing club”. At a time of great austerity, the fencing club had very little equipment. She said that the girls were advised to use saucepan lids for breast plates. She lost interest quickly as whenever an attack hit her visor her spectacles were dislodged!

After several school postings in south-east England, Daphne applied to the British Families Education Service and was posted to Dortmund where she lived in the officer’s mess which had previously been used by the SS. She found it an alarming place to stay and “couldn’t help thinking of the dreadful happenings there a few years previously”. She applied for the headship of a small primary school at Wulfen which rapidly expanded to 60-70 children.

Travelling widely in Germany, it was in this period that Daphne emerged as a strong, confident young woman comfortable in the company of children and parents from all walks of life. When asked what it was like to live and work in Germany so soon after the war, she was quick to point out the goodness in most of the people she met, people who were struggling in the immediate aftermath of the war. She distinguished between them and the political system that was the real source of the conflict. She said it was easy to tell who had been a supporter of that system and those that had simply been swept along by events they could not control.

Having enjoyed her freedom for several years, Daphne had to return home because both her parents had become ill. She accepted the Headship of Launton Church of England School in 1966: living in the schoolhouse allowed her to continue her independence. We believe she was the last teacher to live in the house.

Daphne enjoyed the challenge of teaching two age groups at once which required a mixture of individual, group, and whole-class teaching. As the school roll increased Daphne concentrated on getting Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 32

a sympathetically-designed new extension built. She completed the building of an open-air teaching swimming pool, enlisting volunteers from the community to get the job done. Later she became a prime mover in establishing the Launton Playing Field behind the school.

She viewed all these things as a community effort and was eternally grateful for all the support she received from the parents and other villagers. It is amazing to think of the hundreds, probably thousands of lives that her efforts touched positively in her time in Launton.

During her time in Launton, Daphne invited younger members of her family to come and stay. These visits were described as “based in the village, and we would arrive in time for a Sunday roast and this was often accompanied by an experimental recipe for perhaps a new side dish or more often a dessert - Daphne would announce that she was trying something out on us. Sometimes these things worked and sometimes they didn’t. Lunch was always followed by a walk, and back then the ground conditions in and around the village were sometimes quite, shall we say, damp. We would of course have wellies and Daphne would say “l’ve found a new dry walk” - usually within a few minutes we and the dog would be covered in mud much to everyone’s amusement.”

Once in the village, Daphne made Launton her home. She spent 17 very happy years as the head teacher of the school, and must have influenced the lives of hundreds of children who passed through the school in her time, but she had more time as a retired person in the village than she did working, and her retired years had a great impact on village life: some of the facilities that are here today Daphne most certainly had a hand in. There has been an overriding observation that if Miss Bellman approached you with a clipboard you were going to have to say yes.

Daphne lived happily in the schoolhouse for 10 years but looking to the future she started to seek her own home and having viewed around 20 properties in the village she settled on 3 Sharpe’s Cottages.

She became very fond of her home despite the tiny garden that came with the property, but she managed to acquire a piece of the field Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 33

behind from her friend Elizabeth Sharpe and set upon converting this into a wildlife garden, a project that gave her great pleasure.

She experimented with new hobbies such as embroidery, knitting, oil painting and genealogy. A legacy for Daphne will be the Millennium Church Kneeler project. She was an active participant in the town twinning of Bicester with Neunkirchen-Seelscheid where she enjoyed the exchanges of hospitality and the opportunity it gave to dust off her German language skills.

Retirement gave her more time for church and charity work. Having been raised a strict Methodist, she was amused in 1979 when the Parochial Church Council appointed her to be a churchwarden. In her time she was responsible for cataloguing St Mary’s graveyard and conducting a wildlife survey. She was a bellringer and would have loved that the bells will ring out for her funeral.

Many in the village have shared memories of Daphne with the family, who are touched by the high regard and affection with which she was held in Launton. To this day, apart from a select few, it is apparent that Daphne is, and would always be, MISS BELLMAN. Daphne has been interred close to her parents in the old part of the churchyard. She was greatly respected and much loved by her family, friends and all who knew her, and she will be much missed.

Daphne put together a family genealogy with a brief note attached summarising what she considered important elements of her world view: “... The enclosed [is] about the lives of Daphne, Alan and Brian. I hope that this collection of reminiscences will interest the ... next few generations [of] the Bellman family, as we three have very vivid memories of the dreadful Second World War during our lifetime. The thought of future wars horrifies us all and we are now in 2021 faced with the appalling damage being done to our planet so I hope that all nations will learn to work together instead of fighting each other.”

This appreciation has been edited for Launton Lines from the eulogy given by Steve Bellman at the funeral in St Mary’s on 24 May 2023.

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 34

Village Grass Cutting – Who Does What?

The Parish Council is responsible for the grass cutting of the village verges (apart from unadopted areas such as Yew Tree, Launton Grange etc) which are cut at least once a month by our contractors, together with rural areas within the parish boundaries which are cut two or three times a year.

Details of all the Public Rights of Way (PRoW) are available on the Countryside Access Map at https://publicrightsofway.oxfordshire.gov.uk/standardmap.aspx Just type ‘Launton’ into the Town/Village location and it will go to the detail.

Launton is very fortunate to have two Footpath Wardens (see report on pages 36-37) who check the routes but the maintenance of the PRoWs is down to the OCC Countryside Access Team or the landowner.

However, not all the paths in use in Launton are actually Public Rights of Way and this means that no group or person has responsibility for maintenance. Any changes to footpaths requires Parliamentary approval which is both a time consuming and a costly process.

If you spot an issue, please take a note and a photograph and let us know (clerk@launton-pc.gov.uk) - if it’s not the Parish Council’s responsibility, we will try to point you in the right direction about who to report it to.

Launton FC Tournaments in July

The 6-a-side Tournaments at Launton FC originally scheduled for weekends in May had to be postponed following heavy rain and flooding.

Both Tournaments have now been rescheduled for two weekends in July.

The Boys Tournament will be on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 July, between 9am and 5pm on each day.

The Girls and Ladies Tournament will be on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July, between 9am and 5pm on each day.

Parking for both Tournaments will be in the field opposite Manor Farm, so there should be little traffic or parking impact on the village.

These Tournaments are hugely important to the teams, the players, and the Club. Come along and watch, and enjoy lots of people having a great time playing a game they love.

If local businesses want to sponsor the tournaments or teams playing, please contact Claire at 07540 013 105 or info@launtonladiesfc.co.uk

Claire Finn Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 35

Join the Launton Speedwatch Team

We can't stop vehicles driving through the village, but we can get them to slow down!

The Speedwatch Team makes regular checks on the speed of traffic and it's amazing what those hi-vis jackets together with the speed gun do to reduce the speed.

Don't complain about the speed - come and join the team!

For more information contact speedwatch@launton-pc.gov.uk or see the Parish Council website at www.launton-pc.gov.uk/villagenews/community-speedwatch/

Launton Footpath News for July We have continued to work along the footpaths over the new footbridge towards Stratton Audley.

East West Rail have now finished their work and the course of the new footpaths is much clearer.

The map is still not clear on the OCC public rights of way, but we hope this will be rectified soon.

We have requested posts for waymarker signs on footpath 272/11/20, where the concrete plinth crosses the brook as the path routes are not clear in this area, OCC footpaths are planning to address this.

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 36

The re-directed footpath from Station Road has now been opened and the entrance can be found approximately 50m from the last entrance to Grange Mews yard. There is no footpath from there to the entrance, so take care on this piece of the road. This takes you on a pleasant walk through a small woodland, through three gates and along to the footbridge over the rail line.

Our circular walk on 23 July (see page 13) will take us into Bucks, so our plan in the next couple of weeks is to make headway on the start of our walk to check and replace way marker signs and trim any hedging along that route.

Please join us on our walk. There will be tea and cake at the end of the walk (details on page 13 of this issue).

As always, please use our footpaths and enjoy your walks.

Please report any issues on https://publicrightsofway.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ OR contact us at lesley.thompson@launton-pc.gov.uk Bob Roberts and Lesley Thompson | Parish Footpath Wardens

Grange Mews News July 2023

Commercial Offices, Industrial Units and Storage for Lease Please have 15 July in your diary and support Hummingbird in their Festival day.

We do hope the weather will be kind on the day and we will all be able to enjoy ourselves and assist them in their so worthwhile endeavours.

We are expecting the first of the land taken by EWR for their works on a temporary basis to be handed back this month.

This includes the PRoW which is now on land on which Greencore will be planning their new houses.

Contributors to the last Launton Lines will be pleased to read that they are carbon neutral in construction as well as while being lived in.

We expect this to be good for local construction workers too as Greencore is based in Bicester.

They have agreed to liaise with the Parish Council on transport detailing as part of their contract.

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

Update from the Woodland

Summer is well and truly underway in the woods now. With the recent rain and heat all the vegetation has sprung to life. Our next session on 12 August will involve cutting back around the paths and the pond.

We meet by the pond at 10 with the session running to 12. Cake and hot drinks will be provided for elevenses, please bring your own mug!

In other news, our two Canada geese goslings are still doing well.

Many of the villagers have been taken with them, and almost taken by them on several occasions due to their protective hissing and chasing!

We have also welcomed some mallard ducklings, 5 are surviving and thriving so far!

Finally, we have scheduled the meadow cut for mid-August, to be carried out by Neil Hewitt. Cutting the meadow late summer allows a wider variety of species to flower and set seed. It does however make Neil’s job a little harder as by then the grass is nice and thick!

Chloe Bradford

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Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 38

Birds in the Island Pond Woodland

 Canada geese goslings with one of the adults in the background photo by Ian Jones

 The mallard family

venturing onto the pond photo by Anna Watkins

House maintenance  Repointing  Internal and external decorations   Patios Decking  Fencing  For a personal service, call Peter N Southam 01869 278333 07721 633 220 peteroofer@aol.com Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 39

Launton U12s triumph in Easington Tournament Entering the 2023 Under 12s Easington Tournament, Launton entered two teams - the first (Launton) experienced and aware of what they had to do to win, and the other (Launton Yellows) a new team composed of members of the newly formed Launton Bulls team, playing in this tournament for the first time with passion and admirable skill. The Yellows’ dedication to their craft was clearly

The victorious team celebrate on the podium

The moment the team realise that they have won the trophy

 The official team photo, with the trophy and medals Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 40

demonstrated in them being the only team to score against their fellow Launton team in the group stages of the tournament.

Launton kicked off the group stages against a host Easington team. A well-controlled game resulted in a 1-0 victory for Launton, coming from a cool finish from Aston Alexander-Smith. The team continued to impress through all group matches, knowing that a semi-final spot was guaranteed with group games remaining. With first place overall in the group stages, Launton entered their ninth game and exited victorious, with stunning goals from Rielly Stewart, Toby Marsh and Ronnie Lewis ensuring their overall spot at the top of the leader board.

The impressive performance of the Launton team through the tournament saw them into a 0-0 draw in the semi-finals, a result greatly influenced by the spectacular saves made by goalkeeper George Gould who allowed the game to remain level. A 34 penalty shoot-out then took place which drew the crowds of around 300 people, resting at a nerve-wracking 17-17 stand off before Landen Pomeroy bravely stepped up to take the crucial penalty. Ignoring the pressure, Landen secured the win successfully and celebrations bounded throughout the Launton team.

Triumph of winning the tournament loomed ever closer as Launton approached the final match. Dominating from start to finish, the team were unfortunately unable to break the firm deadlock that held the game at another 0-0 draw, leading into another round of penalties.

Responsibility again fell on the shoulders of Landen Pomeroy as he, again stepped up to take the crucial - possibly winning - penalty.

Despite the offputting jeers from many opposing teams, Landen netted a comfortable, well-practiced goal and celebrated yet another whole team victory at the overall 4-2 triumph.

Led by proud captain, Laiton Pomeroy, the Launton team paraded towards the grandstand, where they each collected their winners’ medals. Following this, Laiton grasped the winner’s trophy, ready to share in the success and celebration of the Launton team, crowning Launton as winners of the Easington Tournament for the third time since they played as Under 8s.

Ross and Keeley Pomeroy Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 41

“What’s it all about, Alfie…?”

By now, I’m sure that you have thought about that number (6.375) the one on that colourful banner. And, perhaps, even asked yourself, “What’s it all about?”. By the time you read this you may have missed out on ‘The Answer’ (July 1) and ‘The Solution’ (July 3). All is not lost; we’ll go through the maths on these pages next month. For now, here’s the short answer.

It is a very important number. It represents, arguably, the most important problem facing mankind today. It used to be called, ‘Global Warming’. Now it’s called ‘Climate Change’, and to some it’s thought of as ‘The Climate Crisis’. Actually, our worsening climate is not the problem. It is a symptom of the problem. The real problem is one of exploitation and overuse. We, as a Society, have been living beyond our means. We are living through a ‘Sustainability Crisis’.

Scientist have come up with a clever way to illustrate our overuse.

They use the concept of a ‘footprint’. Something we all leave behind and barely notice. In 2000, it was called our ‘Ecological Footprint’.

That measured the amount of natural resources we use to maintain our ‘lifestyle’. Now, it is measured by the amount of greenhouse gasses that we pump into the atmosphere. It is called our ‘Carbon Footprint’. Actually, it is like a hidden cost that is on everything we buy and do. And we are overspending…

That simple number, 6.375, is your number, it is my number, it is everyone’s number. It is the global average Carbon Footprint. And it is in metric tonnes of greenhouse gasses.

Each year, on average, each of us is adding 6.375 tonnes to the billions of tonnes that we have been putting there for decades upon decades. It cannot go on. It is not SUSTAINABLE. We have to find

6.375!? ...

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 42

ways to reduce our Carbon Footprint. It is going to be difficult. It is a long hard journey that we must take.

To help us on that journey, we have decided to restart/rejig LEG (the old Launton Environmental Group). This new environmental initiative will be known as LES. We need more than a small group of people doing their little bit. We need a lot of people, in fact, we need everyone in our society to do their bit. Therefore, our new initiative will be known as Launton Environmental Society. Our first meeting will be on 13 September in the Parish Hall. More info will follow in due course.

Think of your Carbon Footprint as a credit card. It’s a credit card with, seemingly, no upper limit. Well, we are way over our limit. We have to reduce it. And we must start reducing it now! We are paying for our ‘todays’ with our ‘tomorrows’.

It’s not just our ‘tomorrows’, but the ‘tomorrows’ of all those yet to be born, Alfies, Olivers, Olivias, and Zoes ...

Ed Hamill, Chairman, Launton Environmental Society

Memories of an ex-Launton Boy

This month the ex-Launton Boy recalls an evening in the 1950s when, following a visit to the Sterling Cinema in Kidlington, the Jeacock family are in their first car, an old Morris, driving back to Bicester in a rainstorm. The headlights were weak and the windscreen wiper had packed up. They made it home - mainly as the old road was pretty straight! What triggered this memory? Seeing a new car. It was all-electric, had no handbrake, no cable joining the accelerator pedal and the engine, self-correcting steering, and “an array of ding-dong gadgetry”. It takes all the fun out of driving.

Just a few days ago, I was attending one of our weekly veteran modelling clubs (not walking the catwalk kind nor the centrefold kind), when one of our number turned up just a little late. His reason was that he had been to pick up his new car. Well, when I say new, it is two years old with a price tag of just short of £20K. Chuffed to Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 43

NAAFI breaks he was, so at the end of our model-making session, a couple of us went for a look see.

Well, it was immaculate, looking as if it had only just left the assembly line. But it wasn’t so much its’ immaculate condition that bowled me over (impressive though it was), it was all the up-to-date gadgets and capabilities amid all the apparent luxury. Firstly I should perhaps mention that it was an all-electric car in what I would consider to be in the executive class, especially when compared to my Skoda Octavia Elegance Estate (lovely, reliable, diesel and slightly out of date).

My, my, hasn’t technology come a long way! With me not being the least bit mechanically-minded, (I was in the Corps of Royal Engineers and not our off-shoot, the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers), until recently I thought a cable still connected the accelerator to the carburettor. Don’t laugh. I used to be able to disarm live explosive booby-traps and landmines, not quite the same thing I know, but a pretty skilful job just the same.

Anyway, getting back to this car, it didn’t have a handbrake lever but just a button. The dashboard and steering wheel contained an array of modern ding dong gadgetry. The car allows the driver to take hands off the steering wheel for a while and if the car begins to drift to the left or to the right or gets too close to the vehicle in front, it automatically corrects itself. I mean, how much longer before you just tap in the details of your destination and the car takes you safely there under its’ own steam with no other input from the driver? There would be no need for driving tests, you’d be able to drink as much as you like at parties ‘cos you wouldn’t actually be in charge of the vehicle, with AI, the vehicle would be in charge of you. Does that sound all too fantastic? Well, like I said, “Look just how far technology has come” already!

When I think back to my dad’s very first car, for which he never took a driving test, having been a battle tank driver in WWII. That was good enough, it seemed.

I shall never forget that beaten-up (I don’t know how many hands Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 44

old) Morris car with just two doors which opened the opposite way to those of more modern cars, with the spare wheel mounted outside between the rear bumper and the rear window. The headlights were mounted on top of the front wings and there were running-boards to both sides to aid access to the inside of the car with its horse-hair stuffed and leather covered seats and a constant smell of engine oil.

The registration? CHT 977... never forget it!

Before my sister Elaine was born, I, along with mum and dad and my younger brother, Cliff, would often go to the Sterling Cinema at Kidlington in that old jalopy. I remember one night coming back from Kidlington along the Bicester/Oxford road (back in the 1950’s), it was chucking it down with rain. The headlights were not that brilliant and thankfully, back then, there was very little traffic on the road. Well, dad’s windscreen wipers weren’t exactly top notch as far as performance was concerned at the best of times, but on this particular night, they packed-up altogether.

So, there was dad in the pitch black of night with headlights which would have thrown out more light if they had been lighted candles, with the side window fully wound down, so rain came lashing inside the car whilst with his outstretched right arm he was trying desperately to wipe the rain from the windscreen so he could see where we were going. Mercifully the road is relatively straight all the way between Kidlington and Bicester and miraculously, we made it.

What a difference from the bang up-to-date cars of today and certainly tomorrow that can virtually do it all for you. I have to say though, all the modern technology (when it works) takes the fun out of things. That night on the Oxford/Bicester road was quite traumatic at the time, but now gives me something to look back on, remember, and have a good laugh about.

May I wish those of you who are drivers, “Happy Motoring”.

Keep well and stay SAFE! Tony Jeacock MInstRE | The ex-Launton Boy | July 2023 Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 45

Diary Dates: July 2023

In the current situation, it can still be difficult to be specific about village events. Listed are those we know are planned - but check with organisers nearer the date if you plan to attend.

Sunday

2 St Mary's Church, Holy Communion (BCP), 8am; Family Service, 11am | Weekly Quiz at The Bull, 8pm Monday 3 Watercolour Art Class, Parish Hall, 2pm-4pm | St Mary's Church Fellowship Group Meeting in the Church, 2.30pm | Launton Environmental Society, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Tuesday 4 Rubbish Collection: recycling and garden bins | Community Café, Parish Hall: 9am11am; 2.30pm-4.30pm | Rock Chorus, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Wednesday 5 Over 60s Club Meeting, Sports and Social Hall, starts at 1.30pm, ends about 3.30pm Thursday 6 Parish Council Meeting, Public Session 7.15pm, Council Meeting 7.30pm. Launton Parish Hall Saturday 8 Launton FC Boys 6-a-side Tournament, Playing Fields and Club, 9am-5pm Sunday 9 Launton FC Boys 6-a-side Tournament, Playing Fields and Club, 9am-5pm | St Mary's Church, Evensong, 6pm | Weekly Quiz at The Bull, 8pm Monday 10 Watercolour Art Class, Parish Hall, 2pm-4pm Tuesday 11 Rubbish Collection: garbage bin | Community Café, Parish Hall: 9am-11am; 2.30pm4.30pm | Rock Chorus, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Thursday 13 WI Meeting: A Craft Evening, Maretta Dowman, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Friday 14 SCOTS Meeting, The Bull, from 5.30pm Saturday 15 Hummingbird Summer Festival at The Playing Fields, 12pm - 4pm | Launton Village Players Summer Show Come Rain or Shine, Mayflower Garden Theatre at Hare Leys, 2.30pm | Queenergy Tribute Band playing at the Sports and Social Club, from 7pm Sunday 16 St Mary's Church, Morning Prayer, 11am | Launton Village Players Summer Show Come Rain or Shine, Mayflower Garden Theatre at Hare Leys, 2.30pm | Weekly Quiz at The Bull, 8pm Monday 17 Watercolour Art Class, Parish Hall, 2pm-4pm | St Mary's Church Fellowship Group Meeting in the Church, 2.30pm Tuesday 18 Rubbish Collection: recycling and garden bins | Community Café, Parish Hall: 9am11am; 2.30pm-4.30pm | Rock Chorus, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Wednesday 19 Over 60s Club Meeting, Sports and Social Hall, starts at 1.30pm, ends about 3.30pm Thursday 20 FINAL DATE FOR COPY FOR THE AUGUST 2023 ISSUE OF LAUNTON LINES: SUBMIT TO launtonlines@launton.org | FoLPH Report Back Meeting, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Saturday 22 Launton FC Girls and Women 6-a-side Tournament, Playing Fields and Club, 9am-5pm | The Space Pigs play at The Launton Arms, from 7.30pm Sunday 23 Launton FC Girls and Women 6-a-side Tournament, Playing Fields and Club, 9am-5pm | St Mary's Church, Holy Communion, 11am | Weekly Quiz at The Bull, 8pm Monday 24 Watercolour Art Class, Parish Hall, 2pm-4pm Tuesday 25 Rubbish Collection: garbage bin | Community Café closed for the Summer | Rock Chorus, Parish Hall, 7.30pm Wednesday 26 Launton Historical Society, Visit to Upper Heyford Heritage site - an RAF airfield for over 100 years, and a tour of the Battle Command Centre from the Cold War, start at the Parish Hall at 6pm Sunday 30 Team Evensong at St Laurence, Caversfield, 6pm | Weekly Quiz at The Bull, 8pm Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 46

Summer is in full bloom in Launton

Two photos from a village garden from our Staff Photographer Ella Rayner. These may be her last contribution as she is now hard at work on school exams. Good Luck, Ella.

Launton Lines July 2023 Issue 273 | Page 47

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 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 © MMXXIII Launton Lines. We reserve the right to edit articles submitted for inclusion.

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