Issue 240
October 2020
Seen around the village last month The Working Party after clearing the cut grass on the meadow area in the Island Pond Wood. See the front cover for them hard at work. Photo by Robert Cornford
The Arch under the railway from Wretchwick after a clearing working party. Photo by Ella Rayner The South Walk in the Island Pond Wood. Can you remember when it was overgrown with brambles? Autumn fruits from a greenhouse tomato
Front cover shows members of the working party clearing the meadow area in the Island Pond Wood on 15 September, after the grass had been cut a few days earlier. The grass is raked up and then piled in the woodland or around trees in the wild orchard section, leaving the meadow area clear for flower seeds to germinate next spring. Photo by Robert Cornford
The Editor writes …
It seems we have reached the end of the Indian Summer, and are officially into Autumn. The Produce and Cake Sale (page 35 has a report and news of the money raised) had a hint of the end of summer, with apple pies and turnovers, damson and plum jam, and chutneys and pickles, and packs of seeds for planting next spring. And in the first weekend of October is an Apple Pressing Session in the village (see the back cover). There is also news of a possible Hallow’een Themed Cake Stall (page 46) if the organisers can work out what the Rule of Six means in time. And Nolan Oils is back advertising for winter deliveries on page 9. The Launton Scarecrow Trail will display over 40 creations of people’s Heroes around the village. The centre four pages (23-26) are a pull-out guide with a location map, a list of all the Heroes, and information on how to vote for your favourite, and how to support St Mary’s Church through fundraising. The Trail runs 10-18 October so there are many chances to inspect the creative minds and hands of Launton. This issue continues to explore how village businesses have responded to Covid-19, through StoneLily Salon hairdressers (pages 20-21) and Launton’s FEAST (pages 28-29) which had to switch quickly from corporate catering to home delivery of quality picnic and tea boxes. Next month I hope to cover Andy Ng's Chinese takeaway The Sun Wah which seems to be as busy as ever. Danny Cunningham (pages 38-41) asks whether Launton could experience a Covid-19 lockdown (he thinks not as - among other reasons - we don't have any major league football clubs in the area), and Tony Jeacock, The Ex-Launton Boy tells us about his health issues from whooping cough in the 1950s to his prostate treatment this autumn (pages 42-44). There are also regular reports from EWRA (pages 4 and 27), The Parish Council (pages 5-9), The WI (pages 16-17 and a photo on page 27), The Vet’s Voice (pages 36-37) and a welcome back to the Over 60s (page 33). Finally, please support our advertisers. They need you as much as we need them. Robert Cornford
Launton Lines
A monthly newsletter for Launton. Published around the first of each month by the Launton Community Communications Group © 2020 Launton Lines email: launtonlines@launton.org The Launton Lines Committee 2019-2020 Jon Spinage, Chair Jenni Walker, Advertising Manager Robert Cornford, Editor | 241883 Michael Stack, Treasurer | 242600 Kathy Gilbert, Associate Editor Shirley Johnson, Distribution | 369269
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: 07903 610405 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 October for entry in the November 2020 issue of Launton Lines.
Tracey Valerie Smith Tracey passed away on 20 August. She lived in Launton for 47 years, where she loved living with her family Chris, Chloe, Jada and Poppy, and also her Mum and Dad. All the family would like to thank everybody who came and lined the street to pay their respects to her. She was very brave, and we miss her so so much. Thank you all. From all the family
EWR Update for October 2020: Road Closures
There will be some upcoming EWR works in and around Launton. From 28 September to 8 October the road through Stratton Audley Park to Poundon will be closed. Following findings from a recent survey, we need to close Station Road for further studies. This work is scheduled for 5-6 October. There will also be 2-way traffic lights in Bicester Road, Launton, on 10 November. Although this work is essential, we would like to apologise in advance for any disturbance it may cause. Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 4
Launton Parish Council Meeting held on Thursday 3 September 2020 at 7.30pm online via Zoom
Councillors present Mr James Allpress, Mrs Lizzie Chisholm, Mr Chris Fox (Vice Chair), Mr Ed Sanders, Mrs Lesley Thompson, Mr Simon Turner (Chair) Apologies Mr Mike Murphy In attendance The Clerk, Mrs Jane Olds; nine members of the public; one East West Rail representative; and two representatives from Bicester Motion. East West Rail Ms Sa’id reported that the A1 Site Compound, which was the current priority, was progressing well, and the units were being fitted out ready for occupation. The archaeology works in Mill Meadow were continuing and the Charbridge Lane re-alignment was starting. The Station Road archaeology works were also continuing. The fencing and footpath routes for the area by Grange Farm were due to be revised. The bat surveys on Station Road were to commence shortly. It was hoped that small group tours of the site, compound and rail bed would start to be arranged. Bicester Motion The meeting received an update from Sarah-Jane Curtis (Bicester Motion) and Charlie Morgan (Bicester Aerodrome Company). Ms Curtis reported that The Command Works - the newly built units nearest Skimmingdish Lane - had been finished. Seven technology and motor businesses were already in lease discussions. The next phase of the development project, which already had outline planning permission, would be The Innovation Quarter which would give 250,000 square feet of unit space with potential occupiers currently in discussions. The planning consent for the hotel had been for 340 rooms, but it was now decided that this was too big in the current economic climate. Bicester Motion was working with an operator to discuss further options. The next planning application was likely to be for The Experience Quarter which will be for cars and 4x4s, and powered and pedal cycles. However, this was still at the pre-application stage. During the lockdown, most businesses had closed, but they were running again now. The Wriggly Monkey Brewery was operating and The Heritage Skills Academy had a new cohort of apprentices. Mr Morgan reported that the Bicester Aerodrome Company took over the running of the airfield in July when the Gliding Club vacated. The airfield would remain an unlicensed airfield and it was not intended for it Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 5
to be used as a ‘transport hub’. A Safety Management Group had been established to look at the operations. Previously there were three designated runways, but this has been reduced to two specified grass runway directions; however, these were not directed at Launton and would remain on the same course as previously. Some of the driving tracks would be outside the aviation field, but some would be within the perimeter track, on part of the flying field. There were still some gliders on site and it was anticipated that another group would be joining in due course. These gliders would be launched by aircraft tug rather than by winch. Moving forward, it was hoped that the Company could promote new innovations of flying including battery-powered flight and e-tech, but that they were not intending to re-create the “Silverstone model”. There were a number of events planned over the next year and it was hoped that flying would be integrated into these, including the October Scramble. Concern was raised about the noise from cars driving round the tracks. Mr Morgan assured the meeting that there were no specific track events planned or plans for further expansion, but that the track was hired out for individual use. Concern was also raised about the preservation of the airfield as it was such an important asset. The meeting was assured that any building work would take place outside the curtilage of the airfield. Reports from District and County Councillors No reports had been received. Finance The Finance Report was 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.launtonpc.gov.uk - in the Agenda and Minutes section). If a villager has concerns about a planning application, they are welcome to come along to Parish Council meetings to raise those concerns. Cherwell District Council Local Plan Review 2040 The consultation on the Local Plan review took place over the summer and the Parish Council considered the response which is available on the Parish Council website. Changes to the Current Planning System The Council also considered the national consultation on the changes to the current planning system. Much of the consultation was for strategic discussion at District and County level, but the response is on the Parish Council website. Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 6
Two further consultations Two further consultations - the ‘MHCLG Planning for the Future’ and the ‘Transparency and Competition: a call for evidence on data on land control’ consultations will be considered at the October meeting. Village Matters Parish Hall The PCC and the Diocesan Trustees (Oxford) Ltd were still in discussions about the best way forward. Thanks to the East West Rail team, the Car Park work had been completed and a thank you note has been sent. The Working Group has been looking at new furniture and it is hoped that a small amount of S106 funding from the 2013 Woodland Close development would be able to pay for a significant proportion of the furniture. Emergency Plan The Village Emergency Plan is due for review. We are currently updating our list of volunteers so if you’re able to help in any way - whether you’re medically trained or have first aid training, are an electrician, a plumber or are willing to help by driving your 4x4 to the shops in bad weather (for example) please contact the Clerk or Lesley Thompson. Village Support Group Volunteers were still helping others around the village. Village Gates The Council agreed to a quotation to have the village white gates on Blackthorn Road and Station Road repaired and repainted. War Memorial Councillor Thompson had contacted the Air Cadets to ask if some of their Cadets may be able to help with the renovations as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award and was awaiting a response. It was also suggested that Bicester Motion should be contacted to ask if they might be able to help with the lettering if no one in the village was able to help. Village Remembrance and Silent Soldiers Whatever is happening by 11 November, the Parish Council will arrange a poppy wreath to go on the War Memorial (whether or not we have a service) and the silent soldier and airman will be installed at the War Memorial and, as a change, by the Pump on Station Road. Speedwatch Volunteers Thank you to the volunteers who have already contacted Jane to say they’d be willing to help with Speedwatch in the village or surrounding villages (sometimes, volunteers are happier checking another village’s ‘patch’). Let the Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 7
Clerk, Jane Olds, know (clerk@launton-pc.gov.uk) if you’d like to help. Parking on Pavements and West End Parking The Clerk has spoken to the Community Policing Team. Unfortunately, unless they actually see the offending parking they are not able to do anything; however they strongly recommended reporting via the 101 telephone line as this would build up a picture which could be looked into and acted on if possible. They reminded the village that cars should not park within 10 metres (32 feet) of a junction and to call 101 to report any cars that do so. Facebook and mailing lists The Parish Council has its own Facebook page. Please ‘like’ at www.facebook.com/LauntonParishCouncilPage/ We try to post useful information on there as we receive it but we also use the Parish Council website to keep everyone as up to date as possible. However, we are unable to monitor it 24 hours a day, so if you would like to contact us or have an opinion about something, email (or even a letter) is the best way to get in contact. You may also like to sign up to our mailing list which is at the bottom of the left hand menu of the website at www.launton-pc.gov.uk. This will only be used for Parish Council and essential village news - please sign up! Agenda items for the next meeting Please let the Clerk have any items for the next agenda by 17 September, with any items for the November agenda by 22 October. Dates of next meetings Thursday 1 October and Thursday 5 November, currently both on Zoom at Friendly bridge https://us02web.zoom.us/j/76605157 at Bicester Bridge Club 135 (meeting ID: 766 0515 7135). We haven’t stopped playing bridge; Both start at 7.30pm. we’ve just gone online! As with in-person meetings we will Thursdays from 10.00am to 12.30pm start at 7pm for anyone who wishes to raise anything with the Council, It’s dead easy to join us look at planning applications or at other meeting papers, and will then More details at: www.bridgewebs.com/bicesterlearning start the formal meeting at 7.30pm. Full minutes, once agreed, are Give me a ring and I’ll explain: available on the Parish Council Ken Langdon on 07850 616069
Daytime bridge
Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 8
Notice Boards in the village (by The War Memorial, and on the front wall of the Parish Hall), and on the Parish Council website at www.launtonpc.gov.uk
Advanced Warning Bicester Road Marsh Gibbon to Poundon crossroads Closure: 3 - 5 November 2020 The Bicester Road from Marsh Gibbon to the Poundon/Station Road crossroads will be closed between 3 November and 5 November 2020 for East West Rail to drill trial holes to determine the depth and location of the existing high pressure gas main. Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for those frontages within the closure area, subject to the progress of the works and liaison with the works supervisor. Road closure from April 2021 - very advanced warning On current advice, Station Road will be closed for construction work on the bridge to replace the level crossing, from April 2021 for “about a year�. This is part of East West Rail work.
Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 9
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Shirley Johnson is the coordinator of the team who distribute Launton Lines around the village. She reports that, following the appeal for some more volunteers to join the group in the last issue, she has been approached by nine people who want to help. She says, “I have been in touch with all of them - amazed by the number who came forward. I’ve explained that we are trying to build a back-up group who can fill gaps as current people move away, move on, or (in some cases) just want to take a break for a few months. All the names and contact details are in my notebook, and I'll be in touch if we need to call on you! And Thank You for coming forward.”
If you would like to join the group, please contact Shirley on 01869 369269 or the editor on 01869 241883 or editor@launton.org Launton Congregational Chapel
There will be no Sunday services at Launton Chapel because of the Coronavirus, for the foreseeable future. We will advise readers when services start again Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 10
Should I be a Soothsayer? In the Launton Village Players Summer Show in 2019 I recited a ‘Tragic Poem’, reproduced below;
Around him were his enemies, all seeking for his end. Alone he stood confronting them without a single friend. What cared they that his dearly loved were waiting far away, All hopeful that his skill would bring him safely through the fray. In front, behind, to left, to right they fairly hedged him in, In trepidation waiting for the onslaught to begin. Then from some forty yards away, to lay the hero low, A dreadful look upon his face, advanced a giant foe, A deadly missile in his hand. The hero’s cheek grew pale. Against so dread an enemy could nerve and skill prevail? Once more he firmly braced himself, once more he looked around, But not one friendly eye was there upon that battleground. A flash! A shattering as of bones! A cruel yell from all! Joe Root, the England Captain, was bowled, middle stump, first ball! At a rehearsal Martin Evans said that he hoped that this would not be prophetic, but perhaps it was, because in the week after the Show, England played a test match against Ireland, and in the first innings England were skittled out for 86 runs. Joe Root scored 2, so I was close, but not very close! Even more strangely, a week or two later, England played the third test match against the Australians, the ‘Ben Stokes’ test, and this time England’s first innings totalled sixty something runs, with Joe Root getting out for a duck, although it was not quite ‘middle stump, first ball’. Still, I reckon I was pretty close, and I wonder if I should take up a new career as a soothsayer! “Woe, Woe and thrice Woe!” John Stephens Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 11
Launton Village Support
The Launton Village Support group which was set up at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown is continuing to help and support villagers. Thank you to all our volunteers who have signed up or given their contact details to be part of this support group. If you would like more information, or would like to volunteer your help or specific skills, see contact details below, or look at the Parish Council website http://www.launton-pc.gov.uk/launton-village-support/ Or visit the Launton Village Support Facebook page If you need help from one of our volunteers, contact details are: email anytime to village.help@launton-pc.gov.uk Phone between 9:30am and 5:00pm to 07522231100 - Janice; or 01869 241755 - Lesley; or 01869 247171 - Jane Olds (Launton Parish Council) The Parish Council has also reviewed the village emergency plan to be followed by the Launton emergency planning team in case an emergency affects the village and its residents, to support the emergency services or in their absence. For more information, or if you would like to volunteer help or specific skills, please contact Jane Olds clerk@launton-pc.gov.uk
Osteopath reopened Hannah, the local Osteopath, has now reopened.
Try bridge for free Friendly bridge at Bicester Bridge Club We haven’t stopped teaching bridge; we’ve just gone online! Come online for a free taster on 6 October at 2.00 pm You may then choose to join the next course for Beginners starting in October 2020
It’s dead easy to join us
Hannah treats all ages, and all types of pain, including low back pain, neck pain, hip pain, as well as stress and injuries, and pain prevention
Call on 01869 640315 email at osteotherapies@gmail.com www.hannahosteopath.business.site Hannah Clinging Osteopath Grange Mews, Launton OX26 5EG
More details at: www.bridgewebs.com/bicesterlearning Give me a ring and I’ll explain: Ken Langdon on 07850 616069 Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 12
The Launton Lines Mini-Noticeboard Domestic Help Local Rel iable Lad y DBS chec ked Referenc es availa ble Cleaning | pe t c a r e dog walk ing help for t he elderl y Reasona ble rates Teleph
one Pame la on 074850 71837 or email to pamelaco peman@o utlook.com for more in formation
r ceste i B from coming e t a d Up orth F n o Moti Events the e d a ave m ision to h e W ec d t ing l u m c o i f c dif up e h t l cance cramble S light n i r obe rowth t c O on 4 vid-19 g ns of Co projectio be l l rate a h es and wunding ref ass p e l amb full. r c S l al s in r e d l ho
Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 13
100 Years Ago from October 1920 From The Bicester Advertiser
8 October ABUSIVE LANGUAGE ON THE HIGHWAY Henry Castle, labourer, Launton, was charged with, on September 12th, in the parish of Launton, using abusive language on the highway. Defendant pleaded guilty. PC Busby, of Launton, said on the day in question, about 10pm, he was on duty in the village of Launton when he saw defendant, who was shouting and making use of abusive language. Witness approached him and requested him to make us of better language, which he did for a few minutes. Subsequently, however, he took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves and came on to the highway and made use of more bad language. Witness again spoke to him and asked him to behave himself, but he continued his conduct for fully half an hour. By the Bench: Defendant had been drinking, but witness would not describe him as drunk. A fine of 10s was imposed. HARVEST THANKSGIVING Harvest Thanksgiving services in connection with the Launton Congregational Church were held on Sunday and Monday last. The preacher on Sunday afternoon was the Pastor (Rev T Smith), whilst Mr N Stanley, of Bicester, conducted the evening service. Suitable anthems were rendered by the choir, and the singing of the harvest hymns by the congregation was very hearty. There was the usual display of fruit, vegetables and flowers, which the ladies had shown considerable skill in arranging. On Monday evening a musical service entitled An Abundant Harvest was rendered by the choir, under the conductorship of the Rev T Smith, Mrs F Austin presiding at the organ. Mr W Malins, of Bicester, rendered the connective
Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 14
readings in a very touching manner A good congregation was again present. At the close of the service, an adjournment was made to the schoolroom, where the various goods were disposed of, Mr Smith conducting the sale, which was a great success, a round sum of £8 being realised. We understand that combined results of the weekend were over £11, the incidental funds of the Church benefitting to that extent.
From The School Logbook Friday Oct 1st Average for the week 82.0. Friday Oct 8th Several children away with bad coughs. Average attendance for the week 80.7. Friday Oct 15th Coughs still troublesome in school. Average for the week 82.3. Friday Oct 22nd Average for the week 80.7. Friday Oct 29th Attendance improved. Miss Pheasant paid her usual monthly visit this afternoon, to inspect the condition of the children. Average for the week 81.3.
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Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 15
Launton Women’s Institute Report for September 2020 Following such a productive outdoor Committee meeting in August, we decided to repeat the process in Gaye’s garden at the beginning of September. We were lucky to have chosen one of the first days of beautiful autumn sunshine with birdsong all around us. (See the photo on page 27). However, this was in stark contrast to the copious amounts of administration - received via emails beforehand from national, regional and local sources - which had to be discussed at length, before decisions could be taken. The first of these was that we are unable to resume our monthly meetings in the light of current restrictions on numbers and venue, but shall continue with phone calls and handmade birthday cards for members. This month’s birthday recipients were Pam, Jackie, Gillian, Jenny and Helen. Grange Mews News August 2020 Commercial Offices, Industrial Units and Storage for Lease
So, what is normal, it changes every day and as I write the latest Track and Trace app was announced. So keen was one tenant that they downloaded it at 11.30 last night? Is that better than counting sheep? Roxie has renamed her unit as Bicester Glow Clinic and continues to be very popular. Both Hannah in The Garden Room and Kirsty at Birchwood Therapy have reopened their doors as well. The schools are all back and the buses based here are collecting and delivering to schools around the countryside. Launton Transport are very busy and successful with their additional tyre fitting and continuing repair business, although the Travel part is still awaiting a vaccine. Shine and Glow, even with the Covid-19 difficulties, are continuing their very successful cleaning business and have expanded into using their own washing equipment rather than using outside suppliers. We continue to stay open even with myriad road closures which seem to an endemic part of the ongoing EWR works. Stay safe.
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
Many members continue to enjoy the Zoom talks and courses offered by Denman and OFWI. Unfortunately, it is not possible to hold our own meetings via Zoom right now, as our booked Speakers are unavailable. However, if members are interested in having ‘chat‘ sessions, that could be considered. Looking forward with positivity and a good pinch of optimism, we are planning two events for the near future. A pre-Christmas Quiz via Zoom in December, and then, in 2021, a special celebration meal at the Playing Field Hall / Sports and Social Club, as soon as it is advisable and safe for us all to meet again. Memories of our delicious meal last Christmas will doubtless make many mouths water in anticipation! And finally… to anyone interested in joining our WI, please watch this space for news of re-opening. Chris Marsden THE BLUE TEXEL FARMSHOP BUTCHERS & DELICATESSEN From our Farm to your Fork Fresh, local & seasonal produce
STATION ROAD, LAUNTON OX26 5DS www.thebluetexel.co.uk 01869 252619
OPENING HOURS TUESDAY - FRIDAY 8AM-5PM | SATURDAY 8AM-3PM SUNDAY 9AM-1PM | CLOSED MONDAYS Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 17
OCTOBER DIARY DATES FROM ST MARY’S CHURCH We will have the following services in October 2020 4 October 8.00am Holy Communion BCP TBC 4 October 10.00am Family Service where we will be celebrating Harvest with songs, stories and activities 11 October 18 October
9.00am 9.00am
18 October
3.00pm Service of Praise and Thanksgiving for Animals. During this Service you will be invited to write a prayer about your own special animal and then to introduce everyone to your pet. 9.00am Holy Communion
25 October
Holy Communion Our Harvest Festival Holy Communion
Please note that currently these Services are being delivered via Zoom so should not be subject to change. However, you might still wish to check for any further developments on the Launton Church Facebook page or contact Revd Peter on revpeterwright@gmail.com or phone on 01869 573177 or mobile on 07966 531921 And Not Forgetting, between 10 October and 18 October The Scarecrow Trail - a fundraiser The centre pages of this issue have more information on the displays and how to cast your vote for your favourite, and a map of the over 40 Scarecrows you can visit. Page 34 has some more information as well. You are welcome to visit the Church which is open for private prayer on Sundays between 10.30am and 5pm. Donations to support the work of St Mary’s are always warmly welcomed and our bank details, should you need them, are: Barclays Bank plc, Market Square, Bicester Account name: Launton Churchwardens Sort Code 20-06-75 Account No 30566756 If you have any queries, contact Celia Manderson at celiamanderson@aol.com or phone on 01869 571735 or mobile on 07710 224574. Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 18
The Island Pond Wood 3: The Continuing Story
Last month’s article featured planting day on 11 December 1999 and now, thanks to Pat Tucker on page 22 we have a view of the aftermath. Yes, a sea of green tubes as far as the eye could see. This picture was taken from a part of the field which was later to be occupied by two new houses, numbers 13 and 15 West End. Not much was done to the woodland for probably 5 years until the trees became large enough for the green tubes to be removed. This became an annual task for members of Launton Environmental Group. We thought after four or five sessions that they had all been removed but we are still finding stray tubes during work sessions ten years later. The green tubes were alleged to be “bio-degradable” but even now, twenty years on, they show no signs of degrading. If you’d like to know more about the wood and its story then you can do no better than to buy a copy of Pat Tucker’s excellent book available from islandpondwood.launton@gmail.com ; £3 for members of the Friends or £4.50 for non-members. Bob Roberts
Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 19
StoneLily Salon fully reopen after lockdown
We asked Louise at StoneLily to tell us about her experience of the three-month lockdown, and reopening afterwards. At StoneLily we opened after lockdown on 4 July, after having been closed completely since 23 March. We were completely unable to operate during the lockdown, and so myself and all the girls made the most of some time at home with our families. As most of us have small children to entertain, I feel it’s safe to say we all embraced this and the beautiful weather! Justin and I took the opportunity to undertake some work on the StoneLily Garden, which we will continue to add to over time. Once we had the go ahead to be able to open, we assessed the salon with a professional and took their advice on how to proceed. As the salon is quite spacious we already had a good distance between chairs. However, we removed our waiting area to make more space. With the beautiful weather and the StoneLily Garden we have managed quite well, making use of the seating outside for staff breaks, and some clients even sat outside while colours process, and enjoyed a break from masks! At the beginning all staff had to wear visors. At first there was no requirement for clients to have any face covering, but from the beginning we made this mandatory within our salon. Recently the rules changed and now all staff must wear both a visor and a surgical grade mask!! We’re very grateful for the air conditioning inside the salon: as you can imagine it gets extremely hot and claustrophobic in there, especially with the wonderful weather we’ve (generally) had over the summer! We’ve been unable to serve our lovely Tea and Coffee Trays, but a local business (Stansfield & Hoole Coffee Shop in Bicester) have been coming regularly to deliver coffee and cakes to us and the clients. We took it upon ourselves to change the way we manage our clients, so that there are fewer people inside at any time to ensure everyone’s safety and it actually makes the experience much more relaxing for everyone! We have been very busy, and have had to extend hours as we can no longer squeeze people in. However, I feel this has made for a happy and more refreshed workforce! Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 20
We have four styling chairs in the salon and every stylist only has one client at a time, so this keeps the salon feeling spacious and uncrowded which we hope makes for a relaxing and enjoyable experience at StoneLily. The future of StoneLily feels bright, happy and busy. We will continue to beautify the StoneLily Garden with the changing seasons, our lights will be back on as the nights draw in, and we have ideas up our sleeves for more features, so keep your eyes peeled! We are ever grateful for the support of all our wonderful clients, our talented staff, and the whole village of Launton. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the support that has ultimately got us all to the other side of the lockdown Louise Bucknell
A Letter to the Editor
I would like to thank the Parish Council for fighting so hard to get East West Rail to build the haul road along the railbed for their works on the line from Bicester towards Poundon. Every day I walk and drive past the East West Rail compound on Bicester Road, I see the number of aggregate lorries, tractors with trailers and other miscellaneous vehicles moving in and out. It would have been a disaster if they had travelled through the village from Compound 1 by the bridge to Compound 2 on Station Road, and then onwards to the works towards Poundon. I saw HS2 lorries at Tingewick yesterday. Other villages have not been so fortunate with railway projects. Thank You to the Parish Council for their long, and successful,
campaign for the haul road.
Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 21
Launton Past and Present
Photo from Pat Tucker
The Woodland soon after planting as a sea of green tubes: see page 19. Ian Jones’ collage of the Woodland over August Bank Holiday weekend 2020
Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 22
10am Saturday 10th to 5pm Sunday 18th October 2020
Scarecrow Trail Map
Welcome to our Scarecrow Trail celebrating heroes, in recognition of all the key workers who continue to support us as well as our favourite heroes from books and films (or anyone else who is a hero!). The locations on the map on the centre page are approximate. The list on the final page, and the map, are correct as of 16th September 2020. Please see the website www.launton.org/scarecrow for any last minute changes. Please respect people’s properties Do not enter gardens or touch scarecrows. Please follow government guidance - maintain social distancing and respect rules on households meeting or mingling as you follow the trail. If you enjoy following the Launton Scarecrow Trail, please make a donation to St Mary's Church and vote for your favourite scarecrow. Suggested donation is £5 but if you would like to vote more than once, please consider a larger donation. However, feel free to give whatever you can. Many thanks for your support. How to Donate
Just
Giving: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/st-marys-launton Drop off or post cash, or a cheque (made out to “Launton Churchwardens”) to Mayflower, Hare Leys Farm, Launton, Bicester, OX26 5AB BACS payment: Sort Code: 20-06-75, Account No: 30566756, Account Name: Launton Churchwardens. Please use reference ‘Scarecrow’
How to Vote Online at https://forms.gle/xcL2MhdkPRj1JmMk8 or Complete the box below the scarecrow list on page 4 and: Post to Mayflower, Hare Leys Farm, Launton, Bicester, OX26 5AB Or email it to scarecrow@launton.org Or pop it into the box outside St Mary’s Church (please use the hand sanitiser and make sure the lid is secure)
Voting will close at 5.00pm on Sunday 18th October. Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 23
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Map No Scarecrow Name 1 Hummingbird 2 The Grange Farmer 3 Dr Steph O’Scope 4 Captain Tom 5 Super Sam the Spider Man 6 Primrose 7 Woody 8 Not all superheroes wear their pants on the outside 9 Doc Martin 10 Double-Crow-Seven 11 Skye’s Scarecrow 12 Supercrow 13 One of the few 14 Captain Tom 15 Peter Pan 16 Ava’s Hero 17 David 18 The Doctor 19 Captain Underpants 20 Dr Straw 21 Robin Hood 22 Jenson Button 23 Broadband Bill 24 Granny 25 Robin Hood 26 The Queen 27 Bob Marley 28 Florence 29 Our Hero 30 The Jolly Postman 31 Delivering to the Community 32 Edwena Scissor Hands 33 Scareherow 34 Dr Peeka Boo 35 Cliff Carter 36 Captain Tom 37 Oak Class Hero 38 Beech Class Hero 39 Wyndham Hall Heroes 40 PE with Joe 41 India
42
Rev
Address The Hummingbird Centre, Grange Mews, Station Road Grange Farm Mews, Station Road Grange Farm House, Station Road Clock Court, Station Road 20 Blenheim Drive 12 Yew Tree Close 17 Yew Tree Close 22 Sycamore Road The Stone House, Station Road Langdale House, Station Road Langdale House, Station Road Ascot Cottage, Station Road Linden Lea, Blackthorn Road Crossways, Blackthorn Road Friends of Island Pond Wood (at the entrance to IPW) 39 West End 41 West End 7 Chestnut Close 9 Chestnut Close 10 Woodland Close 49 West End 51 West End The Oaks, 57 West End 4 West End Close 36 West End The Lodge, 8 West End 12 Bicester Road 31 Ancil Avenue 23 Ancil Avenue Bradley Cottage, Bicester Road Tenaya, Bicester Road StoneLily Hairdressing, Sherwood Close 11 Sherwood Close 32 Sherwood Close 22 The Glades 5 The Glades Launton C of E Primary School Launton C of E Primary School Wyndham Hall (outside the Parish Hall) Launton Village Players (outside the Parish Hall) The Old Rectory, Bicester Road
St Mary’s Church
If you are voting by paper, please use this form to vote for your favourite scarecrow! Your favourite scarecrow's Name and Map No.
September 2020 in Launton The Committee of Launton WI meet in a garden on a sunny afternoon to firm up plans for the future. Note social distancing with enhanced ventilation. See report on pages 16-17. Photo from Launton WI
Goldfinch Lady of the Railway This is Lisa with her beloved bird feeders. She is one of the ‘gate people’ at the EWRA A1 compound by the Railway Bridge into the village. Lisa is so proud of her feeders and her flock of Goldfinches. Lovely lady. Photo from Lesley Thompson Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 27
A New Launton Business Survives Lockdown: Introducing Feast
We had heard about the amazing Cream Teas delivered by FEAST, so went and talked to Vicky Hedger who recently started the company In 2019 I was in a job I didn’t love so I decided to take the plunge and start my own business. Being a foodie I began to think about how I could make my passion a full-time business, and began to play round with ideas for Graze Boards when a friend Jenni Walker (Magnificent Microgreens) had the marvellous idea of starting The Launton Artisan Food Market. This gave me the kick start I needed, and FEAST was launched. I had met Charlotte (a previous village resident) at catering college over 25 years ago and she was also looking to start a new chapter in her work. Our experience in Catering and Hospitality and the fact we were best friends gave us a head start! Charlotte looks after west Oxfordshire and surrounding areas as she is based in Witney, and I take care of orders locally and towards north Oxford and into Northants. We originally started out with beautiful graze boards for corporate events. Unfortunately Covid-19 happened and we had to rethink. We prioritised our Facebook and Instagram pages, and though the power of social media we suddenly had a huge demand for our grazes to become boxes that could be delivered. Our boxes were perfect for those who were isolating and couldn’t get out. People were contacting us to arrange FEAST boxes as gifts to friends and families as far afield as Liverpool, Bournemouth and Cardiff, and we had orders from America and Australia for deliveries in the UK.... That’s the power of Social Media and word of mouth! We have delivered “Thank you” boxes for over 100 colleagues at various companies and Universities while they have been working from home - just to say thank you, that really goes a long way. We’ve had really lovely feedback and all 5* recommendations. Covid-19 made sourcing ingredients challenging, but Bidfood were amazing, they set up a “click and collect” service on bulk items for the local community who were struggling to get ingredients, which was a perfect solution! I was also shopping for the vulnerable in the village during lockdown so between both supermarket deliveries (when we could get one) and Bidfood, it was a relief! The last six months have been a whirlwind. We’re so grateful that we get to do something we love. All of our produce is homemade with the Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 28
exception of Pork Pies, which are local from The Blue Texel. Over the last nine months we have delivered over 1,000 FEAST Afternoon Teas, 200 FEAST Picnic boxes, 500 FEAST Graze boxes along with various other bespoke boxes - it’s been amazing :). Feedback has been incredible and the response from people in the village has been really positive. Our Food Hygiene Inspection was postponed four times due to Covid19, but we finally had an inspection this week and I’m pleased to say we have been awarded a 5* rating! We are now in the midst of setting up our website and its hard to see what could be next for FEAST with the current restrictions, but we’ll be happy as long as we can deliver FEASTS for people. I hope that, when this crazy time ends, we will be able to see people return back to work and us back into the real world, maybe even into premises, who knows! We can be found at: FACEBOOK @feastgrazing INSTAGRAM @feast.grazing feast@feastgrazing.co.uk Vicky Hedger ALL ROOFS, GUTTERS & CHIMNEYS
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PETER N. SOUTHAM 01869 278333 OR 07721 633 220 peteroofer@aol.com INSURANCE APPROVED Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 29
The October 2020 report from Bicester Green?
Obviously in these uncertain times we are constantly having to react to the latest guidance or set of restrictions, and who knows in the gap between my writing this and going to press, what might have changed? But for now Bicester Green is very nearly back to its full operation. Our shop is open on five days out of seven, though not for the full hours just yet, more on that later, our workshops are open at all the usual times, but managing capacity (number of volunteers) carefully and we are able to take bicycle and small electrical donations again, as well as some hand tools. Bicester Green is buzzing again and it feels great. We are mindful that the weather has been great and we’ve benefitted from working safely and at distance outside, but as Autumn kicks in and the weather prevents as much outdoor working we are having to put in new systems to manage our volunteer attendance carefully. Step forward some technology, and some amazing volunteers. We are currently creating an online booking system for our volunteers to book a slot for their volunteering so that we can safely manage the number of people on site and in a particular space at any time. Thankfully we have the expertise we need in house between our staff and volunteers to do this. This is a statement I have found myself using pretty much daily since we tentatively reopened our doors in June. It is our people, our team at Bicester Green that continue to bowl me over with their ideas, commitment, effort, expertise and all round rolling up sleeves and getting on with things. And while we need to manage attendance carefully we do still have capacity to take in more volunteers, and expand the team, particularly in bikes and the shop. You don’t need to be an experienced bike mechanic to join us and you certainly don’t need retail experience to help in the shop, but be Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 30
open to learning a new skill, share experience and ideas and just enjoy being part of a team working towards a greater good. Some of our group’s highlights in the last 12 months include: Prevented about 1 tonne of waste going in to landfill every month Repaired and sold second hand bikes to NHS and other key workers during the Covid pandemic Repaired, repurposed and made from reclaimed materials in excess of 1500 items Collected and recycled over 58,000 items of otherwise nonrecyclable packaging through TerraCycle Refilled over 5,000 containers with our SESI products So, if you want to be part of our team and make this sort of difference then get in touch. www.bicestergreen.org.uk or facebook.com/BicesterGreen Celia Cornforth
C B BATHROOMS Experienced Bathroom and Shower Installer and Tiler General Plumbing and Heating Maintenance Leadwork Specialist Chris Barrett 11 Spindleside, Southwold, Bicester, Oxon OX26 3XH Home | 01869 250861 Mobile | 07773 853 640 Email | barrett.c3@sky.com
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CRIMEWATCH FOR SEPTEMBER 2020
I had a look back to 1 August and while there were a few undisclosable incidents in this period, the only one worth mentioning is St Mary’s Church where there was reported suspicious activity between 6 and 12 September. We did carry out some speed checks on 15 September on Blackthorn Road, Launton. On another note, the offender reported as acting suspiciously as a delivery driver on Station Road, Launton on 3 August has been arrested for a number of thefts from vehicles in the area. He is currently on remand in prison. Thank you to residents for their CCTV recordings, and for their diligent work in passing on information.
Thomas Bailey PCSO C9446. Bicester Neighbourhood Team, Bicester Police Station Tel: 101 Email: thomas.bailey@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk Twitter: @TVP_Bicester
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LAUNTON OVER 60s CLUB REPORT
The Launton Over 60s Club committee members who live in Launton had an informal get-together in my garden on 7 September. Our last Club meeting in the Hall on 4 March seems a long, long time ago. We have missed out on so many things this year: lunches, outings, the holiday and, of course, the cream tea! It was agreed that it would not be sensible to plan for any meetings to be held for the rest of this year. So, sadly, there will be none of our usual Christmas celebrations. Existing members who join again in 2021 will not be asked to pay the usual ÂŁ5 membership fee. The first thing we will be considering is our usual fish and chip lunch in February but we need to keep our options open and our fingers crossed! If things have vastly improved by then, we will decide on a programme for the year. We have a holiday provisionally booked with Isle of Wight Tours from 11-14 June in Saundersfoot which is near Tenby in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. The cost of this will be ÂŁ275 per person. Finally, we all wish Norah Edwards a very happy 100th birthday this month. Pat Court | 01869 244900
PODIATRY/CHIROPODY ALDRED CASEY MEDICAL LTD Nail Care | Chiropody | Diabetic Foot Check | Nail Surgery Biomechanics/Musculoskeletal Assessments | Orthotics Podiatry/Chiropody is provided by Miss Joanne Casey M.Ch.S, BSc (Hons) and Associates at our clinics in Stratton Audley and Banbury. We have over 20 years experience in both NHS and Private Practice. Patients can be sure to receive the best care and advice possible for their feet. Our podiatrists are HCPC registered and are members of The College of Podiatry. We also offer home visits on request. Visit our website at www.aldredcaseymedical.co.uk To book an appointment please contact us using the details below, or email enquiries@aldredcaseymedical.co.uk In Stratton Audley: The Old Post Office, Cherry Street, Stratton Audley OX27 9AA
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In Banbury: Marlborough Road Clinic, Suite 4 Borough House, Marlborough Road, Banbury OX16 5TH
Phone 01295 273073
The Scarecrow Trail will run from 10am Saturday 10 October until 5pm Sunday 18 October, and we have an amazing number of scarecrows - 42! Many thanks to all the people, families and businesses joining in and creating some wonderful scarecrows for us all to enjoy looking at as we go on our daily walks. The trail map is the centre page spread in this edition of Launton Lines and can be pulled out and used on your walk to identify your favourite scarecrow. The information about voting and how to donate is also on the front page of the pullout , and there is a full list of all scarecrows with their names on the final page. We decided not to include names of makers due to GDPR advice and protecting identities. Please check the website www.launton.org/scarecrow for any late changes and information. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported us both by making scarecrows and by donating. We have a beautiful church building to look after, and community support is invaluable especially during this difficult year. We all need to be Covid-19 aware so please take care on your walks on the Trail, maintain social distance, follow government guidance on households meeting and mingling, don’t touch the scarecrows, wash your hands, and of course, enjoy! Celia Evans
Health Walk Update
The Health Walks are continuing every Tuesday, starting at 2pm from The Bull at the crossroads. As these walks are part of a national scheme run with the Ramblers Association, we are limited to 30 participants, not the 6 people limit for many other group activities. This means that booking is not necessary! To take part, all that is needed is to arrive at the Bull for the 2pm start, every Tuesday
Dave Gilbert | Walk Leader Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 34
Cakes and Courgettes raise over £500 for St Mary’s
The Harvest-themed stall was held in front of the Parish Hall on 12 September. Once again the weather was lovely and Rob (with John Stephens) and Bob came up trumps with their gazebos which not only provided shade, but were colourful as well. There are some photos on page 47. The tables were soon laden with cakes, pastries, jams, pickles, vegetables, plants and seeds. It only seemed a short while before all had been sold and we had cleared everything away. I never fail to be amazed as to where all the goods appear from - what generous people there are in Launton! I would like to thank Bob and Rob as mentioned above, and all the helpers, all suppliers of goods - mostly homemade - and especially to all of you who came, (socially distanced of course) and bought the products Together with donations, the total raised was £575 - a wonderful amount! This money will go towards St. Mary’s church. Thank you all! Rumour has it that a Halloween-themed stall may be held at the end of October - watch this space, and see page 46! Joan Packer
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A Vet’s Voice: Bella’s Abdominal Crisis
The balmy September sunshine convinced us to do a walk along the Thames path south of Oxford. Naturally, Bella the dog was a key player on what was a beautiful and warm day. About halfway through our 2 hour walk to Abingdon, Bella gave a yelp from the riverside bushes. She came out chewing her leg then suddenly became ataxic (wobbly) and proceeded to be sick. We presumed she was stung by a bee or wasp but were surprised at the effect it had on her. We often see dogs at the practice who have been stung, usually on the muzzle, as they try to catch insects or just sniff around plants. Commonly this causes dramatic swelling of the affected area which will generally resolve overnight; sometimes with the help of an antihistamine injection. However, there is always the risk of a more significant and possibly lifethreatening reaction called anaphylaxis. This happens when the immune system, already primed by stings in the past, mounts a dramatic over-response. Chemicals are released from cells which cause inflammation (with pain, redness, swelling) low blood pressure (leading to shock and weakness) and sometimes constriction of airways (causing difficulty breathing). This type of reaction may require life saving treatment with adrenaline to reverse the effects of the anaphylactic reaction.
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Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 36
Bella seemed to recover from her wobbly episode and within 30 minutes she was trotting along and proceeded to sit under our pub table and hoover up any surreptitiously dropped chips! That evening Bella took a turn for the worse. She became very quiet and cried even with gentle pressure on her abdomen. We took her to the practice where blood tests and other checks proved to be normal, so gave her some pain relief and took her home to observe. We didn’t sleep well and at 1am I checked her again to find her very depressed and painful to touch. We headed back to the practice where nurse Dani was busily dealing with a critical in-patient. We sedated Bella to xray and scan her abdomen thinking that some abdominal crisis was unfolding. The scan only showed some abnormal fluid which was aspirated and found to be blood. There are a number of things that commonly cause abdominal pain and internal bleeding; and none of them are good. Having got Cliff out of bed also, we agreed that operating to find the cause of the bleeding and pain was the right course of action. Thankfully, we didn’t find a twisted gut, a ruptured bowel or a bleeding tumour. Bella’s liver was enlarged and mottled and seemed to be oozing blood, though this seemed to be stopping. I took a biopsy of the abnormal looking liver and closed her up, not knowing what had caused her pain and internal bleeding. As I finished suturing, Cliff did a literature search online and found a couple of reports of dogs who had had bee or wasp stings and then developed bleeding into the abdomen due to an unusual anaphylactic reaction. Rather than affecting her breathing, the reaction was focused in her liver where a chemical called heparin was released Heparin stops blood clotting which caused blood to ooze from her capillaries and pool in her abdomen. Thankfully Bella recovered well from her anaesthetic and after a couple of days of discomfort she returned to normal. The photo shows Bella recovering. This case, in my own dog, shows me yet again that no matter how long you practice as a vet there is always so much more to learn. I’ve also decided that for any future walks on sunny days, we will carry some adrenaline and antihistamine as any future reactions could be even worse. Thanks so much to Dani the nurse for all her superb care and attention and to Cliff for his invaluable assistance. Enjoy your pets Jason Williams | Bicester Vets Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 37
Could Launton go into Lockdown?
The government says that it’s much better now at finding local pockets of Covid 19. It can identify more quickly the locations where the virus is spreading fast and impose a local lockdown. It’s done this in ‘at risk’ places like Leicester, Bradford and Greater Manchester. They don’t always impose tight restrictions across all of that location, like the whole of the city of Leicester, just those parts where they judge the virus to be very active. If they can be that specific in Leicester, could Launton be locked down, for example, while Bicester carries on regardless, or vice versa? Let’s check the evidence for any rules that we could apply. The ‘at risk watchlist’ in England includes plenty of locations. We can find Oldham, Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Birmingham, Stoke, Rochdale, Burnley, Bolton, and Luton. On that basis, it’s very unlikely for Bicester and Launton to join that list, because there’s no professional football team. We’re safe. How do we avoid spreading the virus to this area? Don’t let some Russian, Middle Eastern or Far Eastern rich person buy land in Bicester, build a fancy football stadium, buy Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and launch Bicester All-Stars FC into the Football League. Rule 1 - Avoid Professional Football. Apart from football, what’s the other common factor among most of those places? They include some of the most deprived areas in England. Needless to say, Launton and Bicester aren’t in that list. Having high numbers of Covid-19 cases in these deprived areas isn’t a big surprise. A high population density and overcrowded housing make ideal conditions for transmitting infection. Overcrowded accommodation is much more common among lower-income households. And that’s not typical of most households in Launton and Bicester. We’re much more likely to avoid this awful virus than people in the places just mentioned. We can’t ignore the chance of catching this killer virus, but if we follow the advice on social distancing, frequent hand washing, avoiding crowded spaces, wearing masks, then we should feel more confident about avoiding it. We could also help ourselves by shopping in the village, having a socially distanced trip to the local pub, and working from home where possible - not going to work in crowded commuter trains to a city office and, at lunchtime, saving a branch of Pret A Manger. Rule 2 - Don’t Live in a Deprived Area. Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 38
If the virus is still active, what should the people in charge be doing to protect us? It’s widely accepted that test/trace/isolate (T/T/I) is the key to suppressing the virus – not least until an effective vaccine is developed. Yet this is one of the government’s biggest failings. From the start of the pandemic, the government was very poorly prepared. It didn’t even have the resources to test people with symptoms, to help stop the virus from spreading. It chose not to lock down until it was too late to stop the virus from spreading across the country. It didn’t close its borders quickly enough, which allowed the virus to be re-imported by UK holiday makers returning from half-term trips to Northern Italy, for example. It gave up on contact tracing in March, arguably because it didn’t have the capability. It let three of the main people in charge of its pandemic response catch the very virus they were meant to be tackling! The winter flu season isn’t far away. Until there’s a proper tried and tested system in place for T/T/I, we need to appreciate the risks involved in easing the lockdown too soon. It’s a bit rich that the government keeps pestering us, assuring us that it’s perfectly safe to return to work, when the House of Commons doesn’t plan to return to normal working until at least November. That’s called leadership. Rule 3 – Do as I Say, Not as I Do. What should happen when people test positive for Covid 19? They need to isolate. And their contacts need to be followed up. That’s done better locally, using the expertise of the local GP service and/or the local public health authority. It’s done less well by some centralised, distant system – like the original government one, sub-contracted to non-experts in disease control, like the outsourcing company Serco and the accountancy company Deloitte. Secondly, people who are asked to self-isolate shouldn’t be out of pocket as a result. Suppose you’re on a zero hours contract, in a poorly paid job, or you risked losing your job. Then some call centre worker, based in who knows where, contacted you and ordered you to stay at home for two weeks without any pay. How would you react? What comes first – your responsibility to not spread the virus, or your responsibility to keep your job to pay the rent and put food on the table? That’s a hard choice. Supposing the government said – “We really need your help to suppress this virus. Please stay at home and Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 39
isolate, and we’ll pay you what you normally get paid”. That might make it a bit easier for you to conform. But the government still hasn’t given those people testing positive the right financial support to keep them isolated. Not until the start of September 2020, did they pilot a financial aid package, miserably tight-fisted, (£13 a day for 10 days) as an incentive. Other, more successful, countries have offered more substantial financial support and their Covid 19 numbers are rather more ‘world beating’ than Britain’s. Rule 4 – Rely on Local Experts. We should be encouraging people to work where they and their employers think is best. If there’s no choice, then you should go to work as safely as possible. If there’s a choice, you and your employer can work that out. Many of the biggest firms in England have decided to have their staff working from home into the New Year, because they prefer not to gamble with the health and safety of their employees. We don’t need some badgering, bullying government, with its dismal record on managing this pandemic, forcing us to take added risks by returning in swarms to our workplace too early. During a pandemic, stability is important. Again, the government’s performance has been disappointing. In the middle of the pandemic they decided to scrap the body responsible for disease control – Public Health England (PHE). Who should lead its replacement organisation? Of course - the person in charge of the heavily criticised test and trace system – Baroness Dido Harding, occasional jockey and former head of Talk Talk (not known for its expertise in disease control, or allegedly, data security). What a clever trick – blame PHE for mistakes that it wasn’t responsible for; put those who were responsible for them in charge of its replacement. Health Secretary, and fellow horse racing fan, Matt Hancock, seemed delighted to have Dido in the saddle. In terms of stability, this is like reorganising a fire brigade while it’s trying to put out a fire. For more evidence of the government’s enthusiasm for stability during this pandemic, let’s note that five of the country’s top civil servants have been pushed out of their jobs, including the top civil servant Sir Mark Sedwill. Purging your top people during a pandemic could be described as brave, or alternatively, reckless and stupid. It’s hardly a great confidence booster. Nor is recruiting failed Aussie politicians. Rule 5 – Promote Loyal Incompetents Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 40
Is Launton heading for a lockdown? Nobody knows, but it won’t be at the front of any queue, especially if we can keep pace with the changing guidance coming from the blundering government. I can confidently predict that Launton will suffer much less uncertainty and chaos than what’s being manufactured, seemingly on a daily basis, by the weird Uturn gang marauding around Downing Street. Rule 6 – Make Chaos the New Normal. Dump the boring old slogans like Stay Home. Protect the NHS. Save
Lives. Get up and drink to our catchy new autumn slogan Leave Home. Forget the NHS. Save Wetherspoons. Rule 7 – Use Slogans Instead of Policy
I am still trying to carry on as “Shielded Person” but I have to say I am now quite confused. Danny Cunningham
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Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 41
MEMORIES OF AN EX-LAUNTON BOY
This month the Ex-Launton Boy tells about his lifetime’s experiences with health care, from whooping cough, BCG testers, and the benefits of fatty boiled bacon when he was young, to the treatments up to the radiotherapy he started in mid-September. And he remembers NHS Orange Juice (do any other readers have a soft spot for this childhood staple in the 1950s?). As I sit down to pen this, I look forward to tomorrow with a degree of trepidation, i.e. 16 September, for tomorrow I commence a four week course of radiotherapy. Every weekday for four weeks (weekends off) at Maidstone Hospital to treat my prostate cancer. I forget the gentleman’s name who only a few months ago penned an excellent article in Launton Lines about prostate cancer and his experience of his journey through it. I have to say that I concur with everything he wrote on the subject. I was diagnosed some ten years ago and was offered choices of treatment, including the surgeon’s knife, but because it had been diagnosed early and because at around age 63, I then considered myself to be relatively young by today’s standards and as such, I was not prepared at that time to take on the life-changing side-effects that the surgeon’s knife would entail. So, with a clear head I adopted to undergo what is referred to as “strict surveillance”, that is to say, undergoing six-monthly checks and every twelve months or so having further biopsies taken. The latter was not a particularly pleasant experience, Heating Plumbing Servicing but it did make me appreciate rather more fully the indignities women, Domestic Oil and Gas especially during childbirth, have to Servicing endure from time to time. During the course of the past ten years Installation and Maintenance my PSA readings have been up and down, but as long as they stayed Gas Safe Registered relatively low I was none too worried. Oftec Registered Funnily enough it was quite by chance that the diagnosis was made in the first “A local Business place. I remember one of my visits to Launton over ten years ago when, from Launton” visiting my mum, Julie and I popped up to the church graveyard to put Phone: 07483 864 571 some flowers on dad’s grave when, in
Simon Nash
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the church graveyard I bumped into Bill and Mrs Lapper. They didn’t recognise me at first, but then we got chatting and somehow or other Bill brought into the conversation the wisdom in getting one’s prostate checked. Needless to say, I thought nothing more of it, having not yet experienced any of the well-known symptoms. It was on my way back home in Kent from Essex one evening where, in my financial services days as a Financial Adviser I had been on an appointment when I suddenly experienced some very severe lower abdominal pains. My wife, Julie, was so concerned when I got back home she insisted on taking me along to the MEDOC walk-in surgery. Having been examined and provided a specimen, the so-called doctor was about as useful as a chocolate ashtray on a motorbike, but to cover his back he prescribed some antibiotics. However, the following morning I felt no better: if anything even worse, and so Julie took me to our own GP, where again I was asked to provide a specimen. What a difference, for upon examining it she advised me, “Hmmm! That tells a story, in fact a few stories”. She then told me I was diabetic (Type 2), which came as a shock (as far as I was aware there had been no diabetes in the family) and that I had high cholesterol and a few other indicators.These were enough for her to decide to check me out regarding my prostate, which I had not been mentally prepared for. Fortunately she had a very good sense of humour and put me at my ease and subdued my embarrassment. Anyway, as the years rolled by it was decided that we should probably bring an end to the strict surveillance and do something finally about it. The treatment I preferred the sound of was where they insert radio-active seeds or pellets into the affected area of the prostate. This system has significantly fewer negative side-effects than other methods. The only problem was that my prostate was too large for that treatment, being four times the size it should have been. So last year, well over twelve months ago now, I underwent surgery to reduce the size of my prostate, which in itself had some side-effect issues that I had to adjust to over several months. However, it would now seem that the noncancer unit that conducted that operation took more away than they needed to, so I still cannot undergo my preferred avenue for treatment anyway. What I shall be undergoing is, I believe, referred to as ‘beam radiotherapy treatment’. I have had the four inked tattoo dots very discreetly applied to my body so that with each dose of treatment, they can be sure to align all of the beams up in the same spot for maximum effect whilst minimising the chance of accidentally damaging any non-cancerous tissue. I am told that this course of Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 43
treatment tends to make one feel very tired. Well, we’ll be having none of that, for I have far too much to do and I intend to get it done. So, how do I relate all this to memories of the past, for after all, that is the purpose of my monthly musings? Well, I suppose for a start, during the past ten years I have spent more time in hospitals and GP surgeries than in the whole of the rest of my life put together. Like most of my generation, we were subjected to the little six-needle tester on the inside of the lower forearm checking us out for TB. The first time me and my brother Cliff went through this (we had to do it annually because dad had been hospitalised with TB and his elder brother had died of it in his twenties), the result was not as it should have been and as a consequence we had to go to the Radcliffe Infirmary (before the John Radcliffe was ever built), for the fullblown vaccination, administered by a Dr. English. My mum insisted that I go first, not only because I am the eldest, but because at that age I was what you might call a ‘sensitive’ child and she anticipated that I might create an almighty fuss. As it was, I gritted my teeth and made not a single murmur. Clifford on the other hand, once his flesh had been pierced by the needle, let out an almighty yell and told Dr. English in no uncertain terms, “I ’ate you, boy!” When I was two years old I had a very serious attack of whooping cough which lasted several weeks and I apparently lost a tremendous amount of weight. Up until then I was a slightly podgy and very bouncy baby, as photographs prove, but once I lost that weight, it wasn’t until my late twenties that I started to noticeably put on weight. (I was very wiry and physically strong for my build during my army service days). As a growing lad, as those who remember me from way back then will I am sure vouch, there was more fat on a greasy chip than there was on my entire body. My mum used to worry about it all the time, but whenever she took me to the doctor (btw, who remembers the NHS orange juice?) the doctor would say, “Feed him on plenty of fatty boiled bacon.”. So every time we had boiled bacon, I had all the fat... and still could not put on weight. Mind you, it perhaps explains why even to this day I love the fat on bacon, on boiled bacon, on pork chops and on freshly roasted beef. Now, just in case I am too tired to pen my next piece, as I shall still be undergoing the treatment, I have already written it. I can assure you it has absolutely nothing whatever to do with my health. In the meantime, keep healthy and stay SAFE! Tony Jeacock | The Ex-Launton Boy | October 2020 Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 44
150 Years Ago: from the School Log Book October 1870
Mon 3 Oct No School today. Master went with Choir on a trip to the Crystal Palace. Tues 4 Oct Allowed children to come at reduced rates of payment this morning in consequence of yesterday’s holiday. Thur 6 Oct Rev JC Blomfield took 1st and 2nd Classes from 9.30 to 10.30. Fri 7 Oct More absence than usual this week in consequence of the holiday at the beginning of the week, and Bicester Statute Fair today. Many children are also away helping parents gather potatoes. Av for week 76.1 Mon Oct 10 Re-admitted Edw[ar]d Hazell. Tues 11 Oct Rev JC Blomfield took 1st and 2nd Classes from 9.30 to 10.30. Wed 12 Oct Very wet this morning, very few children away. Thur 13 Oct Rev JC Blomfield took 1st and 2nd Classes from 9.30 to 10.20. Fri 14 Oct Av for week 82.4. Many children still away Acorning and Potatoing. Tues 18 Oct Rev JC Blomfield from 9.30 to 10.30 Fri 21 Oct Av for week 78.4. Absences without leave and for frivolous purposes seems to be growing more common than usual. Both parents and children require the closest vigilance and unflinching firmness to be exercised. Mon 24 Oct About 83 present this morning. Tues 25 Oct Re-admitted Alf[re]d Butler. Re-admitted Jane Long (who stayed away when pence were raised) this morning. Scarlet Fever being fatally prevalent in Bicester (and one case of death reported in Launton) and Edw[ard]d Hazell being very ill with symptoms resembling and said to be this fever, I thought it advisable to send Emily home with a note of explanation to her parents. Thur 27 Oct Rev JC Blomfield took 1st and 2nd Classes in Scripture from 9.30 to 10.30. Fri 28 Oct Av for week 79.5. Mon 31 Oct Commenced Evening School. Very wet this morning. Some Infants away. Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 45
Diary Dates: October - November 2020
With the slow revival of almost all community activity and events, we have decided to hold off including Diary Dates until we come out the other side of restrictions. The only information to carry forward are online Parish Council meetings via Zoom (see page 9). The next meetings will be on Thursday 1 October and Thursday 5 November. The Sunday services at St Mary’s Church are also on Zoom and are listed on page 18. Between 10 and 18 October there is the Launton Scarecrow Trail (see pages 23-26 and 34 for information and a map). And there may be a Hallow’een Cake and Produce Sale on 30 October (see page 46, below). The Health Walks are continuing, every Tuesday, starting at The Bull at 2pm. See page 34 for more details. Football has restarted with a programme of matches from mid September. The other date to list is the copy deadline for the November issue of Launton Lines. This will be Tuesday 20 October: send words and photos to launtonlines@launton.org
There are Plans for A Hallow’een Cake and Produce Stall on 30 October Outside the Parish Hall, in the Open Air With Social Distancing, and Optional Mask Wearing Offering Cakes and Other Baked Goods And Local Produce Items All with a Hallow’een-theme. It will be raising funds for The Parish Hall Improvement Project (PHIP). But it could all have to be Cancelled or Postponed If Rules and Regulations Change So Watch the Launton Facebook Pages And Posters around the Village. Bear with us as we wrestle with the Rule of Six. Launton Lines October 2020 | Page 46
Food, Cakes, and Baked Goods on offer in Launton The Produce and Cake Stall held on 12 September outside the Parish Hall offered produce, cakes, pies and pastries, jams, chutneys and cheeses. Below, the organisers line up before the crowds arrived. See report on page 35.
Tw o fro of th mL eb aun eaut pag ton iful e 28 ’s F and . Ph EAS del otos T c icio from om us b FE pany oxes AS . Se T e
Photos by Robert Cornford
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APPLE PRESSING DAY Clock Court, Station Road, Launton 3 October 2020: 10am until 2pm
Bring along your unwanted apples that would otherwise go to waste and they will be pressed into apple juice. The juice will be bottled and available to purchase.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, social distancing must be adhered to. 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. Launton Lines is also available online from January 2020 on the Issuu.com publishing website. © MMXX 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.