Bicester Road on 2 June 2025
On2Juneatabout8am,machines cametoBicesterRoadtofinishthe surfacedressingoftheroad,afterthe worstpotholeshadbeenrepaired.From justbeforethecrossroadstothebridge therewasanewsurface,duetobe finished(SurfaceSeal)bymidJune. Didanymoredriverskeeptothe20 limitinthechippings?
PhotosbyRobertCornford
The cover for June shows a web of caterpillars on trees on the path from West End to The Closes behind the Church. The photographer says, “I'm no entomologist, only an armchair user of GoogleLens, but I think I've identified them as being from the Yponomeutidae or Ermine Moth family (possibly a cherry ermine but I’m not sure).”
Photo from JonSpinage.Cover designed by Matt Hill
The Editor writes
I hate to be doing this again, but apologies for the late appearance: medical issues got in the way. Any offers of help in collecting, chasing, and collating contributions will be really helpful. Enufsaid!
The front cover this month shows a web of caterpillars on a tree on the path from West End to The Closes field behind the Church: see the caption on page 2 for more information, and the photographer and the editor would be glad of any more specialist information.
Page 2 features the main event in the village - the first stage of resurfacing Bicester Road. I’m sure we are all glad that this has happened. Page 21 features nine photos from round the village, many featuring events linked to the marking of VEDay80, which also features on page 8. It was interesting to see how different the Poppy Cascade looked at the War Memorial in the spring sunshine (page 21) compared to the grey November skies. There are three village events for June featured. Page 25 has information about the second Retroand Classic Car Show on 28 June. Page 39 has news and the programme for the Launton Youth FCSix-a-side Tournament. Page 20 reports with photos on the “Wetting the Roof” Event in the Parish Hall to mark the new roof. There is a report (pages 2324) of the findings from the survey on next stages of work at the Hall. A report on pages 12-13 features a fundraisingmemorial ride by two friends from the village to remember StewartWells. Children from the school record the arrival of a deer, and their experience of the Year 6 SATs, and a local vet returns on pages 26-27. Please support our advertisers: we need them to keep Launton Lines going.
RobertCornford
Launton Lines
A monthly newsletter for Launton. Published around the first of each month by the Launton Community Communications Group © 2025 Launton Lines email:launtonlines@launton.orgwebsite:https://launton.org/launton-lines/
The Launton Lines Committee 2024-2025
Chair: Vacant | Secretary: KateGreig | Editors: RobertCornford, Matt Hill
Treasurer: CarinaCollins | Distribution: ShirleyJohnson | Advertising: JenniWalker
Contact the Parish Council
WhilewearewithoutaClerk, you cancontacttheCouncilbyemailat clerk@launton-pc.gov.uk or on the Council'smobileat 07305303889
To book the Parish Hall
Contact:JoanPacker Phone:07922042133
ParishHallCommittee: The Church Parish Hall Committee has stood down, and the Parish Council is appointing a new committee.
LIGHT UP A LIFE
Would you like to sponsor an evening’sfloodlighting 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, a birthday, or a wedding? A minimum donation of £10 is suggested which can be Gift Aided. Please contact JoanPacker on 01869 241694 by 20 June 2025 for entry in the July 2025 issue of Launton Lines.
LAUNTON PARISH COUNCIL
Notes from the meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday 1 May 2025 at 7.30pm in the School Hall.
Councillors present: MrGlynAustin, MrAndrewBriant(Vice Chairman), Mrs JackieHackett, MrSimonTurner (Chairman) and Mrs JaquelineWebber.
Apologies: None.
In attendance: 5 members of the public.
Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman
Councillor Turner was elected as Chairman and Councillor Briantwas elected as Vice Chairman.
Reports from District and County Councillors
No reports were received.
Governance
and Consultations
There are still vacancies for two Councillors and the Parish Clerk, details of which may be found on the Parish Council website. Anyone interested should contact the Chairman at simon.turner@launton-pc.gov.ukor call the Parish Council’smobile number (07305 303889).
Finance
The Finance Report is available on the Parish Council website.
Planning
All planning applications, which include the links to Cherwell’sPlanning Portal, are put on the Parish Council website when they are received (www.launton-pc.gov.uk-inthe Agenda and Minutes section).
If a villager has concerns or comments about a planning application, they are welcome to come along to Parish Council meetings to bring them to the attention of the meeting. Villagers are also welcome to contact Councillors or the Clerk to make comments.
Guidance about how the Parish Council is able to respond is available on the Parish Council website at https://www.launtonpc.gov.uk/planning-applications/
Parish Hall
The completion of the roof replacement work is still elusive, but the contractors’ latest estimate at time of writing is that work should be finished by the end of the first week of June. The Hall remains available for use in the evenings and at weekends, but is currently still unavailable during the day on weekdays: we hope to be able to reopen for daytime use shortly. While the Hall remains an active building site, users should continue to take appropriate care when arriving and departing.
Highway and Traffic Issues
The long-awaited resurfacing of Bicester Road is finally here! (A year ago we reported that we had been assured that it would be happening during 2024. . .) The signs warning of the road closures initially showed the wrong dates, but this was eventually corrected, and we expect the resurfacing to take place during the week starting 2 June. [Stop press: it happened on the morning of the 2 June!]
Agenda items and dates of the next meetings
The next meeting will be on Thursday 5 June 2025 in the Parish Hall, starting at 7.30pm. If you’dlike to chat with a Councillor, do come along after 7.15pm.
Suggestions for agenda items for the 3 July meeting need to be with the Clerk by 22 June and items for the 7 August meeting by 24 July.
If you’re not signed up to our mailing list to receive news from the Parish Council, you can find a signupform at the bottom left-hand menu of the Parish Council website at www.launton-pc.gov.uk/
Update on London Road Level Crossing
On Tuesday 3 June the petition calling for the London Road to be kept open for vehicles when the current level crossing is closed as the East-West Rail line starts full operation to MiltonKeynesand (later) to Bedford and Cambridge, was presented in parliament by our MP, CalumMiller.
The final petition had 4,562 signatures, gathered by groups in Bicester and in the surrounding villages. 79 of the signatures were gathered in Launton, at copies in The Village Coffee Shop, in the Costcuttershop, at the Island Pond Wood spring event, and at the “roof wetting” event in the Parish Hall; others from Launton will have signed the petition in the town. We were told that Launton gathered more signatures than Ambrosden.
CalumMiller commented, "People in Bicester are understandably frustrated. The town has known that the level crossing would be an issue for nearly a decade, yet previous governments have failed to secure the future of London Road.”
In the next eight weeks, East West Rail will submit final proposals to the government - and ministers must recognise how crucial this is to Bicester and the villages. Traffic congestion is already a serious problem, and we saw the reality of a fully closed London Road earlier in the year when it was closed by sewage works for ten days.
RobertCornford
Launton Watercolour Art Group
The Watercolour Group normally meets on Mondays in the Parish Hall between 2pm and 4pm.In June we hope to be able to return to the Hall on these days: 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30 as the managers of the Hall have advised that work will not be taking place finishing off the new roof on these days. Many thanks to Peter Cox who made the Boardroom at Grange Farm available for our meetings while the Hall roof was being replaced.
Here is a work from our class tutor, David Weeks. If you are interested in attending, please emailPaul.Ebberson@gmail.com
VE80 at StMary’sChurch: 8 May 2025
MembersofthecommunitygatheredatStMary’stomarkthe80thanniversary ofVEDay.GratefulthanksgototheLauntonHistoricalSocietyfortheir display,theBellringersforringingandbringingalongtheirdemonstrationbell, alongwiththosewhoprovidedtherefreshmentsfortheoccasion.
Some intrepid ladieseven climbed thetower tohavea goat ringinga bell.
RevdSarah Mortimer
NEWS FROM STMARY’S CHURCH
Launton WIReporting . . .
It was a beautiful, quintessential English evening on VEDay and some of us met in the Church before our gathering to see the VEDay exhibition and listen to the bells. Some of us also got the opportunity to ring them too! I think Michael, the Bell captain is looking for recruits! Once back in the Hall it was swiftly down to business with a practical demonstration of how to give CPRby ChristineTownsend.I know the bell tower steps are steep, but why did we start our monthly meeting with this practical review? Many people think that the WIis quintessentially English, with its Jam and Jerusalem image, and it is. Not many people realise that since its beginning in 1915, it is the single biggest female lobby group, tackling issues such as poverty, hunger, equal pay, sewage in our rivers, lack of dentists. These topics or Resolutions are chosen annually, and our meeting was to discuss whetherornottosupporttheResolutionBystanderscanbelifesavers.The WIdrawsattentiontomanyinjusticesandseekstobringabout improvementwherevertheycanthroughtheirmembership.
There are over 30,000 cardiac arrests outside of hospital per year in the UK. Women have a lower chance of survival then men, as symptoms may present differently. Early cardiopulmonaryresuscitation CPRcan more than double the chances of survival. The WIwants to increase training and access to defibrillators.Thanks to Christine’smagnificent demonstration and common sense chat, the Launton members decided that lack of confidence was probably holding us back and that whilst we support the national resolution we would do more to get more refresher training going in the village.
Visit to the Houses of Parliament
Last year we had planned a visit to the Houses of Parliament but this was thwarted by the Election. However on a beautiful spring day we sallied forth to the Mother of all Parliaments and Big Ben or the Queen Elizabeth tower glittered above us in the sun. We had hoped to meet our MP, CallumMiller, but ironically he was going the other way
down the M40to Bicester. Many of us have dim recollections of previous visits when at school, so another visit was probably long overdue. Entering Westminster Hall, part of the original Palace, we were greeted by our Guide. We were taken through the Central Lobby beloved of TV interviewers and into the House of Lords Chamber where we admired the work of the architect AugustusPugin.In real life it is mighty impressive where the Lords dispute and discuss and eventually vote as Content or Not Content.
Back across the Lobby and into the more workmanlike House of Commons with their Aye and No lobbies. At 2.30 things start hotting up and the Speaker parades through to start the work of the day in the Commons.
Then we could go into the public gallery to listen to Oral Questions on Education. The atmosphere was workmanlike, calm and thoughtful, this was where the business was done by our MPsasking the Minister of State for Education pertinent questions about forthcoming legislation on behalf of their constituents. Here was the grinding daily detail. That no child’sneeds should be left behind. It was impressive. I recommend this visit to all. First of all it is completely free. The tour guide and all staff were amazing and knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Go and you won’t regret it.
You also won’tregret joining the WI.Do come along. Our next meeting is Tales from a Detectorist with Miles Penhallow on June 12. See you there!
AngelaStack
A ride in memory of StewartWells
By the time you read this, we (hopefully!) will have completed a challenging cycle ride from Kilmarnockin Scotland to Launton over the course of four days, a distance of almost four hundred miles, in memory of our friend StewartWells and to raise money for three charities, Cancer Research, Bicester Foodbankand the Corner Cupboard foodbankin Kilmarnock. Stewartwas one of life’sgood guys. He always had a smile on his face and lived life to the full. Born and raised in Kilmarnock, he spent the last twenty five years living in Launton.
Sadly, and very suddenly, Stewartpassed away in November 2024 after a brief battle against cancer, aged just 58. It was a devastingshock to everyone who knew him.
Stewartgave so much to the community, and we wanted to honour that by raising money for three charities, one of which Stewart volunteered at. You’llknow the incredible work of Cancer Research
but more about the other charities are at these links:
https://bicester.foodbank.org.uk/ https://cornercupboard.org.uk
We know things are tough for many people at the moment, but if you can spare anything at all, no matter how small, we would be so grateful and it would be a fitting tribute to be able to help these charities continue their incredible work. It’snot too late to donate by visiting our Just Giving page: go to www.justgiving.comand search Foggersor Lidders, or use the QRcode on page 12 opposite.
As at 4 June the justgivingappeal had raised £4,470.
Thank you from KellyFogden& SimonLiddicot
AllourObedienceTrainingispartof TheKennelClubGoodCitizenDogScheme Jennie,ourInstructorisanApproved Instructor (Academy of Dog Training and Behaviour), Agility Club Approved Instructor, UK Agility Instructor.
SaturdayclassesatWestfieldStables,SteepleAston
Introduction to Agilitystarts at 12 noon
Introduction to Hoopersstarts at 1.30pm
Thursday Classes in ArncottVillage Hall
Puppy Socialisation, starts 6.45pm
Basic Obedience, starts 7.30pm
Rally or Scentwork, every alternate week for each class, from 8.15pm
IntroductiontoMantrialingandIntroductiontoTracking arealsoofferedatadayandtimetosuitthetrainer, yourself,andyourdog.
LAUNTON ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIETY
A House Building Factory Tour
On Monday, 12 May 2025, nine members of LEShad the opportunity to take part in a private tour of Greencore Homes assembly facility in Bicester.
Greencore’s Mission Statement is to ‘accelerate the global transition to low carbon living’ and they are hoping to construct ‘10,000 new better-than-net-zero homes by 2035’
Greencoreis dedicated to strict sustainability standards. They surpass industry norms for whole-life-embodied carbon (made mostly of wood and other plant materials) and set a new standard of low carbon living. It was an enjoyable, interesting, and informative afternoon, with far too much information to absorb all at once. The Launton Lines editor has promised that a much more detailed article will be on these pages soon.
In the meantime, if you would like to know more about this exciting project go to https://Greencorehomes.co.uk
EdHamill, Founder of LES
We've just heard from a Launton student who is raising money to go on a school expedition to Costa Ricain Central America. She says, “We’llbe volunteering at an animal sanctuary and going on a trek through a rainforest.
I’m looking for work and can offer the following services while you are on holiday:
• Plant watering or • Pet sitting. I charge very reasonable rates!
Please contact me by emailat: costarica@spinage.uk
I am also running two events in June: a Toy Sale on Saturday morning 14 June at the Parish Hall, and a Speed Quiz on Friday evening 13 June also in the Hall.”
EmilySpinage
Launton School reporting . . .
Today we have two reports from the school children: one from Year 5 about the deer in the school grounds, and the other from Year 6, about their recent SATStests.
OnMonday12May,adeerwasseentryingtoescapetheschool grounds.Although we can’tbe certain of how it managed to get into the school forest, we suspect that it burrowed underneath the fence.
The Year 6 children were unaware of the events unfolding as they were busy completing their SATs. Meanwhile in Chestnut class, faces were pressed against the window, trying to get a glimpse of the frightened animal.
Mrs Stakeropened the gate in the hope that the deer would find its way out: it didn’t.We realised it was no use; we needed to call the experts. At around 12.15 pm, the experts arrived to help safely remove the deer from the field. After some difficulty, they finally managed to catch the deer and release it into a nearby field, just in time for the afternoon PE lessons to commence.
ThefollowingreportabouttherecentSATstestsisfromsome Year6children.
Today was the last of out SATs tests, we have had 4 days of tests which we were able to prepare for. To help us revise and be ready for the tests we had some workshops where we could practise some past papers. In the workshops we could sit next to each other, but we weren’tallowed to speak.
Mrs Terry told us that the weekend before the SATs should be spent relaxing, doing things we enjoy, getting some good sleep and NO REVISION! The night before each test, we made sure we slept well and had a good breakfast before going to school
Before the first real test we were sat on individual tables in the hall and MsPatersonopened a sealed envelope containing the test papers. One was given to each of us and when we were told to, we could start. There was an external invigilator to make sure everything was happening as it should.
We did tests in SPAG(spelling, punctuation and grammar) – we had to answer 50 questions in 45 minutes. We took a maths test, which focused on arithmetic, algebra, and reasoning. Continued on page 18
The spelling test was 20 words, those that people often misspell. We had as long as we needed for this test. In the reading test we had three texts we had to answer questions on. One was non-fiction and two were fiction. The questions asked us things like ‘Find evidence that MrX was …’ and we had to show where we had seen evidence of this in the text. We had 20 minutes for each piece of text, and Mrs Terry told us when time was running out. Some children were able to have an extra 10 minutes, if they needed to be supported in reading the text or writing their answers. Once we had finished each test our answer papers were put into a sealed envelope.
The tests went by really quickly; we did lots of preparation and can’t quite believe that they’re over. We feel happy about how the tests went, and when we heard about the deer we decided it was a good luck charm. We are relieved the tests are finished and we’re looking forward to the summer before we start secondary school.
Millie, Eli, Samuel and Jack – Year 6
MenuChangesandWeekdayDealsatTheBull
We’vehad infoon new food offers at The Bull during the week. These are in addition to the regular menu items.
Mondays - Curry Night with all the trimmings and choice of a selected drink: £19.95
Tuesdays - Pizza Night - 2 pizzas for £12.00
Wednesdays - The Burger Deal - Burger & Chips, £5.00 Add onion rings and coleslaw for £2.00. Extra burger patty £2.00
Thursdays - Steak Night - 2 steaks and a bottle of house wine - £40.00
Fridays - Fish and Chips delightFish & Chips with choice of peas
£15.00 | Fish platter: fish, battered sausage, scampi, chips, peas or beans, and curry sauce £19.95
“WettingtheRoof”attheParishHall:31May2025
Over50peoplecametotheHalltocelebratethe(almost)completionofthe newroof-awaitingdeliveryandfittingofflashingandguttering.Wemetour MP(CalumMiller)andtwoOCCCouncillors:WillBoucher-Giles(Launton andChesterton)andSeanGaul(BicesterWest)whojoinedresidentsand representativesofHalluserstoenjoyarangeofsconesandteaorcoffee.
ThenewroofwasfundedbyTheRuralEnglandProsperityFundmatchedby theFriendsofLauntonParishHall(FoLPH),fromS106developerfunds managedbyCDC,andfromtheHallbudgetoftheParishCouncil.
“Thismarksanimportantfirststageintheprojectto‘Dosomethingaboutthe ParishHall’thatstartednearlythirtyyearsago,”saidFoLPHChairRobert Cornford,“Butthereissomuchmorestilltodo!Nowtheroofisfixed,we moveontothenextstageofwork!”
PhotosfromSteveWebberfromtopleft:
Top row: Panoramas of the Hall
Middle row: Parish Council Chair SimonTurner; FoLPH Chair Robert Cornfordstruggling with his text; MP CalumMiller and SimonTurner
Bottom row: SimonTurner “wetting the Roof”; CalumMiller with Peter Cox; The new roof, still awaiting guttering.
Around the village last month
TheVE80topper on the postbox by the Costcuttershop.
The Poppy Cascade displayed to mark VE80.
TheVE80StreetParty in Sycamore Road on 10 May, and the cake .
VE80in TheVillage Coffee Shop when John Stephens (foreground) shared his wartime memories.
JohnStephensshareshis record of V1and V2damage in London.
Rosycuttingthecake with, left to right, Marina from Spain ,Johnnyfrom Romania and Dorisfrom Germany - our continental neighbours in Sycamore Road.
Iris reflections in the pond on Station Road Buttercups in the field behind Yew Tree Close
Photo credits
Top: EllaRayner
Middle: Anna Jones; Sycamore and buttercups: MaryBrydon; Irises Terry Vale
FoLPH reporting . . .
There is a lot to report this month.
The Spring Fair in May raised £426.98
FoLPH contributed £25,000 to the Parish Council to secure the new roof, matching funds from the Rural England Prosperity Fund. It was good to be funding such a significant step in “Doing Something About the Hall”.
We have worked with the Parish Council and the Development Advisory Group to analyse the village survey: a summary of the findings is below.
FoLPH co-hostedthe Saturday 31 May Coffee Morning with the Parish Council to mark the completion of the new roof (see page 20).
The next planned event will be an Afternoon Tea in the Parish Hall: fancy sandwiches, cream tea with home-made scones, cakes, and tea and coffee. It will be on 10 August, from 2.30pm.Ink in the date in your calendar.
Analysis of the February survey
There were 139 responses, which was very encouraging for a survey of this type. 76 were submitted online; 63 in the paper format.
Here are the responses to each question:
Q1. asked how important community meeting spaces are to village life? 95.7% rated them important or very important.
Q2. asked how much people value the Hall as a space for community interaction? 92% rated it important or very important.
Q3. asked how important the Hall is in supporting mental health by reducing isolation? 90.5% rated it important or very important.
Q4. asked what people currently appreciate about the Parish Hall? The top three responses were: Central location (103); On-site parking (77); and Welcoming atmosphere (52).
Q5. asked about the importance of preserving local heritage? 74.7% % rated it important or very important.
Q6. asked How often people currently use the Parish Hall? Weekly, 30%; Fortnightly, 10%; Monthly, 12%, Occasionally, 43%; Never, 5%.
Q7. asked about further improvements to make the Hall more appealing or useful, with 6 options to choose from. Responses were: Kitchen facilities (31.3%); Internet/WiFi(20.2%); Projector/ Screen (17.0%); Improved access (12.3%); PAsystem and mics(11.7%); Hearing loop (7.5%).
We then asked for other improvements people suggested. We have separated these free response answers into broad area “buckets” to help make sense of the data. Below is the information:
Insulation,heating,lighting,electrics25.2%Otherideas8.4%
Exteriorlookandimprovements25.2%Interiorlooksandimprovements7.5%
Toilets19.6%
Parkingandaccess9.3%
Storage4.7%
The *Other Ideas bucket includes ‘Kitchen’ (3 responses, low perhaps as it was the top scorer in the first part of the question) and ‘Knock it down and start again’ (2 responses, which is not something that we can do under the lease with the diocese) and 2 comments about information and an onlinebooking system, and 2 about activities offered in the Hall.
Q8. asked for the top two priorities for Hall improvement?
Insulation, heating, lighting, electrics: 52 choices, 23.1% of all responses
Kitchen: 49 choices, 21.8% of all responses
Toilets: 35 choices, 15.6% of all responses
New Roof/Structural integrity: 24 choices, 10.7% of all responses
Internal equipment : 12 choices, 5.3% of all responses
Interior look : 9 choices, 4.0% of all responses
Exterior look: 8 choices, 3.6% of all responses
Parking/Access: 6 choices, 2.7% of all responses
Energy Efficiency: 6 choices, 2.7% of all responses
It’san important centre: 6 choices, 2.7% of all responses
Other responses: 18 choices, 8.0% of all responses
The Other Responses total has 8 separate entries: the largest were: Change internal layout (5), Needs modernisation (3), Knock it down and start again (3same comment as in Q7), and Keep the wooden floor (3)
Q11. asked how important is the Hall to you as a place for group meetings?
85.7% rated it important or very important.
The final questions asked about activities people would like to see in the Hall, and for other thoughts on the improvement project. We are still working on analysing these responses. Do any readers want to offer to help?
We will turn all this data into pie and bar charts and post them on the FoLPH board in the Hall.
RobertCornford
A Bicester Vet writes . . .
Dory’sDiaphragmaticDilemma
Dory is a lovely 5 year old British short hairedcat who is normally very chatty and loving; she even follows her owners around the house just to be with them. She has a variety of meows depending on what she wants and will run to the front door like a dog to greet her owners as they arrive home.
She’dhad a cough a few years ago which had responded to ongoing medication but essentially she was a very well cat. However, Dory’sowner became very worried about her breathing recently. She was hiding under a chair and making “painful” noises so was rushed in and to see us.
Dory’ssituation was quite critical, some tests were done but there was a high risk of making her worse is she was stressed in any way. She was hospitalised with medical support and made it through the night; however, there was only minimal improvement in her situation.
The decision was made to anaesthetise her so we could control her breathing then perform a CTscan to try to get to the bottom of the breathing issue. A CTscanner uses x-rays taken 360 degrees around the body to “create slices” of x-ray images which give far more clarity than a plain x-ray image can. Once the data is captured, it can be manipulated to look at areas in all 3 dimensions which greatly enhances the interpretation of the pictures. We were able to see very quickly that Dory had some major anatomical abnormalities with her chest and abdomen. The stomach, along with the spleen and pancreas, had found their way into the chest cavity through a small defect in the diaphragm. This was made worse by the air which was being trapped in her stomach which was inflating like a balloon and squashing the lungs into a greatly restricted space. No wonder Dory was struggling to breath!
Vet SarahCameronspoke carefully with the owner and recommended emergency surgery to attempt to draw the stomach and associated organs back into the abdomen. We would then attempt to close the defect which had allowed the problem to occur in the first place. We knew there were risks but Dory’s
only chance was with surgery. Sarahand I proceeded to open the abdomen where we were able to locate the small intestine emerging through a small hole in middle of the diaphragm. Using gentle traction, slowly but surely, the stomach emerged from the chest through a 15mmhole in the diaphragm. We proceeded to suture the hole before drawing all the air out from around the lungs allowing them to reinflate.
Dory recovered uneventfully and was much more comfortable that afternoon. She could breathe easily again and proceeded to eat and purr, and her “attitude” soon returned. After two nights in hospital with overnight nursing care she was strong enough to go home. Her owner is thrilled with her treatment and recovery as she is back to her chatty ways and “sassy” personality. She will even lie flat out on her back again which is her favourite sleeping position.
A big thankyouto her owners for allowing us to share Dory’sstory and to Dory for being a great patient. Well done Dory! Enjoy your pets!
JasonWilliams | Bicester Vets
Peaceofmindforpetowners...
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Launton Village Players
Summer variety show: “Heroes and Villains” Rehearsals are now underwayand songs and routines are being learnt!
The show is suitable for all ages, including families, and will include a variety of music and songs, along with some entertaining sketches and comedy skits about Villains and Superheroes!
There will be three performances on Saturday 12 July at 1.30pmand 6pm, and Sunday 13 July at 2.30 pm. All performances will be in the “Big Shed Theatre” at Hare LeysFarm Launton, OX265AB.
The 1:30pmperformance on Saturday 12 July will be a “relaxed performance”, aimed at those who might require a more relaxed environment. The show will be exactly the same but will involve the following adaptations: Music will be turned down.
We will provide a small area to be used as a chill out space. A visual story will be made available before the show.
The cast and crew will have an open attitude towards audience noise and movement.
Tickets are available now from www.ticketsource.co.uk/lvp, with Adults costing £12 and Children £6. Refreshments are available to purchase when you buy tickets, and on the day, including Pimms, prosecco, fruit juice, teas and coffees, homemadecake and ice creams. If you are unable to buy online, call us on 07864 715708 for cash and cheque purchases. Ifyouhaveanyquestionscontactusattickets@launtonvillageplayers.org.uk orbyphoningthetelephonenumberabove.
There is plenty of parking space and we have disabled access. Please bring your own garden chair – if you are unable to carry a chair do let us know as we can help out with a few requests for chairs.
Wehopeyouwillbeabletocomeandenjoyanafternoon'sentertainment, and help us raise money for the LVP Stage Block Fund. We look forward to seeing you, and thank you for your support.
The LVP team
100YearsAgo:fromTheBicesterAdvertiser1925
Friday June 19
GARDEN FETE AT LAUNTON It is a great many years since a fete was held at Launton, and though rain was badly needed, it was everyone’sdesire that yesterday Old Sol should help the Launton people by smiling on their efforts on behalf of parochial funds . . .
Friday June 26.
The fete on Thursday in last week was a huge success thanks to the untiringwork of the various helpers and the generosity of friends. Over 800 paid for admission and the sum realised was about £120. As the expenses would not be much over £30 there is a handsome sum left for parochial purposes. The fete concluded with a display of fireworks........
At the University " congregation" held the Senate House, Cambridge, on Saturday, June 26, the BA degree was confirmed on MrW H Sansomeof “Cheshunt”, Launton.......
Historical notes: this church fete was to lead to a project to build a hall for the use of the village, complete five years later.
WilliamHenry Sansome( born 1882) was one of several lads who were born in Launton and attended the village school, and later were to go on to university. They were all members of the Congregational Church and made their careers in it. Mr Sansomewas for many years in Bolton, Lancs, and also broadcast in the religious programmes on the BBC.
Just a reminder that Launton Sports & Social is your local family and dog friendly pub/bar in the heart of the community of Launton, run by a small group of volunteers and OPENTOALL-NOMEMBERSHIPREQUIRED. We show major sporting events, and serve a wide range of drinks, including Real Ale. We have been serving Launton for over 50 years, as a Sports and Social event venue.
Our next community event is on Saturday 28 June - the second Classic and RetroCar show on the Playing Field (see page 26).
Launton Historical Society reporting . . .
John Tylergave us a talk on Reading the Countryside, showing us how to spot features on walks. When you get your eye in, he said, you can learn what’s there without seeing it directly. Hares are active at dusk, for example. After snow, you can find their footprints - but they land on their front feet, then the hind legs overtake. So if you think you’re following the steps, you’re likely to be moving away from the hare’sdirection.
A pile of feathers might well be a woodpigeon, and if the feathers are chewed at the ends, it’slikely the chewerwas a fox. If the ends aren’t chewed, it might have been a sparrowhawk.A stone with broken snail shells round it indicates that a song thrush has been around.
If you see a windblown tree, it’snot bent by the force of the prevailing wind. Rather, the wind blasts away the twigs on the windy side so the tree grows in one direction only. If there are lots of hawthorn berries, does it foretell a hard winter? No, it’stelling you about the Spring already past. To forecast the winter, you could observe the orange ladybirds. In October they gather in groups and decide where to spend the winter. If it will be harsh, they go into the leaf litter. If they decide it will be mild, they gather
on trunks and fenceposts.They never change their decision once made. There are all sorts of things you can learn about history on a walk. For example, oak trees have two basic shapes. The oak in a park is able to spread out and form a dome shape. In a wood, the oak will compete for sunlight and have a straight trunk. If there’sa sprawling oak in a wood, it probably started life on an open common. PennWood in the Chilterns started off as a common, then was enclosed and planted with beech for furniture making in Wycombe.But there’sa sprawling oak there, because it started life on the common. In its turn the beech was felled and conifers were planted.
Pollardingis a sign of common land - villagers could take wood from the top but the landowner owns the trunk.
To go back thousands of years, look at the small plants such as the goldilocksbuttercup. It’sbad at colonising new woodland. It spreads through roots rather than pollination and where you find these plants it’s likely the woodland is hundreds of years old. Bluebells are also an indicator of ancient woodland, and they persist after the woodland has gone. If you see a big carpet of wood anemones, their very slow spread of a foot every ten years means that wood is hundreds of years old.
There are also man made features in woods: GrimsDitch in the Chilterns marks the boundary between two iron age tribes. Farms which were surviving in Victorian times could well have been there since the Bronze Age, if the spot was favourable.
Hedges round fields are interesting: straight ones, mainly hawthorn and blackthorn, were laid to enclose open parish farmland. Others - called relic hedges - snake around and are better for wildlife, and they could be strips of original forest land going back to the Bronze Age. When people started farming, they would leave these strips of the original forest as boundaries. Sinuous in shape, they have a more diverse range of plants. We learnt a lot from John and we enjoyed his talk, as well as the tea, coffee, wine and Mary’sdelicious baking. By the time you read this, we will have heard Martin SirotSmith speak about daily life in Tudor times, and in June we’llhear GillianCane talk about BletchleyPark. We meet on the last Thursday of the month at 7.30 in the Parish Hall and everyone is welcome.
GwenSkinner
150 Years Ago:
fromTheBicesterHeraldJune1875
Friday June 4
CRICKET Launton v Marsh Gibbon On Monday May 31, a game of cricket between the above sides came of [sic] at Marsh Gibbon. The Launton eleven won, with four wickets to fall.......
Friday June 25
At Launton Congregational Anniversary on June 16 . . . The Chairman’saddress at the public meeting, as briefly reported in last week’s Herald, would lead to the conclusion that the former meeting house was a barn. It was not so; it was built for public worship on ground given for that purpose by MrWilliamFreeman, farmer, Launton, in 1807, and was called ZionChapel. For the present chapel and burying ground, Mr WilliamJones, of Brewers Farm, Launton, gave the ground and the present chapel opened in 1850. The materials of the former chapel were used in the building of the present day and Sunday school.
Historical notes: this cricket match report is the earliest found so far of evidence that the game was being played in Launton; however many of the players named do not seem to have lived in the village.
The ZionChapel was built on land where the entrance to West End Close now is. Brewers Farm is now known as Launton Field Farm: it had originally been land known as Brewing Furlong in the time before the open fields were enclosed in 1815.
June update from the Village Coffee Shop
Just a quick heads-up that we’llbe taking a short, well-earned break in a few weeks’ time.
After a year of pouring time, energy, and love into renovating this space, we’re taking a short, pre-plannedbreak.
This little pause was booked long before we opened the doors - but now, with the coffee shop finally up and running, it feels especially well-earned. We’llbe closed for the week beginning Monday 23 June, and back open on Tuesday 1 July.
Thank you for every visit, every kind word, and the incredible support so far - we truly couldn’task for a better community.
Do you remember Andy& Linda?
They are coming back to Launton!
Andyand LindaMurray, formerly of West End, moved to Brisbane Australia in 2022.
They will be coming back, for four days only, and they want to see as many of their friends and neighbours as possible, so we are having an
AT HOME WITH
ANDY&
LINDA 21 JUNE 2025 5pmto 9pm at 23 West End
Join me and Andyand Lindafor a chat, a cup of tea or a glass of wine. I’m sure they’dlove to see you . . . No RSVP necessary. The front door will be open - just come on in!
Their Close Friend and Former Next-Door Neighbour, EdHamill
A letter (actually an email) to the Editor
Dear Editor, after reading the report of the readership survey of Launton Lines in the May issue, we were delighted to see a significant number of respondents asking us, The Grumpy Old Men of Launton, to start contributing again with notes and comments on the day to day events of our village and our wider world. Your invitation to us to continue contributing was thus not a surprise. We are touched by this resounding vote of support for our way of looking at the world, and would like to thank all the 10 respondents who mentioned us.
We will discuss this at our next get together. I don’twant to pre-empt the outcome of our discussions, but my sense of our members is that we will agree to your readers’ request. There is certainly no shortage of topics for us to get our teeth into. I will report back after our next meeting. Again, thanks for your invitation and to your readers for their support.
The Grumpy Old Men of Launton
Memories of an ex-Launton boy
This month the ex-Launton boy is feeling his age. Following news of the death of John Austin (or was it Austin) in last month’sissue, he remembers the activities of young boys growing up in Launton in the 1950s.(What was the worst thing he recalls doing?) This take him, via his great grandson, to the VE80celebrations in May, and to a poem called “Peace” that he has written.
Having attended the funerals of six veterans during the past two months, I was saddened to read of the recent death of John Austenof Bicester Road (previously School Lane), Launton.
I remember John from the 1950’sand 60’sas being an excellent cabinetmaker, quite a step up from my early trade as a carpenter and joiner. He was an easy person to talk to as I recall, and quite a big fellow.
I certainly remember John’smother too, Mrs. AnnieAusten- quite a character with quite a loud voice I recall. And if my memory is not playing tricks on me, which it often does these days, OllieSlaymakerused to live immediately next door, whose young son Robin was often playing in the front garden.
We young lads were a bit naughty back then, or when I say back then, I mean going back to the 1950’smomentarily, for as we would be walking home from Launton school, some of the lads would stop on the way and call young Robin to the garden gate and try to teach him some everyday swear words. He was only a toddler who would innocently repeat the words he was being encouraged to speak. They were the usual ‘b’ words and nothing more, but when one thinks back on it, that was bad enough in itself. Whether he ever repeated the words indoors, we’llnever know. Funny how time distorts the memory in many ways! You forget the age difference between what you used to be and that of someone you can remember from back whenever. Until I read it in the pages of Launton Lines, I would not have thought of John as being in his early-to-mid eighties, with me currently aged seventy seven. They say that yesterday’sage is today’sage 70, so if “Life begins at 40”, then by the same token, my life only began seven years ago.
Three score years and ten is supposed to be the traditional and biblical average age expectancy, so I seem to be doing reasonably well in that case, despite all the aches and pains and the long-awaited hip-replacement operation (still waiting) and the daily cocktail of tablets, some of which are to counter the side effects of those designed to do specific jobs. Somebody said to me the other day, “Oh! Don’tget old!” to which I replied, “It’sbetter than the alternative.” He’sin his early to mid-nineties and still sings in the Garrison Church choir alongside me every Sunday. What I have found in my dotage is that whereas when I was a young husband and father to three lovely daughters, not having the adequate time to fully enjoy watching my girls during their very early childhood (working all hours), I now have the time to fully enjoy time with my great grandson who is just two years of age and an absolute little darling. Technically-speaking, he is my step-great grandson through my second marriage, but none of us take any notice of the technicalities, I’m his granddadand he is my great grandson and we have tremendous fun together.
Change ofsubject.Nodoubtlikeme,youhavehadsomefabulousVEDay 80celebrationson8May.Wewerespoiltforchoicewithalldayeventsat theRoyalEngineersMuseum,aserviceinRochesterCathedralfollowedby
amarch-pastinRochesterHighStreet,theCorpsofRoyalEngineers
havingtheFreedomoftheTown(formerlyCity)ofRochester,andthen intotheeveningatalocalvillagewheretheRochesterPipes&Drums(my greatgrandson’sdad,mygrandson,isthebigbassdrummer),playedwhile searchlightsbeamedintotheskiesabove,andabeaconwaslit.
I’dlike to share a poem I wrote for the occasion, which I have entitled “Peace” - trying to capture what it means after so many years of war.
Peace
Peace looks like white fluffy clouds in the skies of early May instead of puffs of ack-ack chasing Luftwaffebombers away.
Peace is listening to church bells having been silent for so very long, pealing out their music their ecclesiastic song.
Peace is seeing houses and street lamps lit at night. Peace is about children sleeping in beds free from fear and fright.
Peace is greeting loved ones walking wearily through the door, who’vebeen away for years it seems fighting throughout the war.
Peace is letting go of those pent-up feelings inside; Peace is walking freely not needing somewhere to hide.
Peace is making future plans for weddings and christenings too; Peace is meant for everyone, which means for both me and you.
Let peace be everlasting with no more need for war, but history yet tells us, some will cry out for more. Wegivethanksforthosewhobattled, for those who gave their all defending our rightful freedoms they answered their nation’scall.
To seek for peace, ’tisoften said, you have to plan for war; WinstonChurchillatsometimewrote, “Less war . . . and more jaw jaw”
Composed by: TonyJeacock
For VEDay 80 8 May 2025
In the words of the late great John Lennon, “Give Peace a Chance”.
Keep healthy and Stay SAFE!
TonyJeacock, MInstRE | The exLaunton Boy | June 2025
DiaryDates:June2025
WiththecomingofSpring,therearemoreevents.SendindetailsofeventsattheSportsandSocial,atthe pubs,atsportsteams,andfromvillageorganisations,tolauntonlines@launton.orgforaFREElistinghere. Sun1StMary’sChurch,HolyCommunion,8.00am.FamilyService,11am|QuizNightatTheBull8pm Mon2Schoolreopensafterhalftermholiday|WatercolourPaintingGroup,2pm-4pm.Contact Paul.Ebberson@gmail.comforvenue|StMary'sChurch,FellowshipGroupmeeting,2.30pm Tue3RubbishCollection:recycling(blue)andgarden(brown)bin|CommunityCafé,CheckStMary's Facebookpageforvenue,9am-11am|RockChorus,ParishHall,7.30pm Wed4Over60sClubMeeting,Sports&SocialHall.Doorsopenat1.30pm,meetingendsabout3.30pm Thu5ParishCouncil.PublicSession7.15pm,CouncilMeeting7.30pm,LauntonParishHall|Launton PlottersAGMattheallotments,7.30pm Sat7StrattonAudleyFestivalaroundthevillage:11am-5pm
Sun8StMary’sChurch,FamilyCommunion11am;Baptism,12.30pm;Evensong,6pm|QuizNightat TheBull8pm
Mon9WatercolourPaintingGroup,2pm-4pm,backintheParishHall.ContactPaul.Ebberson@gmail.com Tue10RubbishCollection:garbage(green)bin|CommunityCafé,probablybackintheParishHall, CheckStMary’sFacebookpage,9am-11am|FIPWMidweekworkingpartyinthewoodland, Meetatthepond,10.00am|RockChorus,ParishHall,7.30pm
Thu12WIMeeting,MilesPenhallowonTalesfromaDetectorist,ParishHall,7.30pm Fri13SCOTSatTheBullfrom5.30pm|SpeedQuizatTheParishHall,8.00pm(seepage15)
Sat14LauntonYouthFC6-a-sidetournamentatthePlayingFields,8.30am-5pm(seepage39)|Toy SaleintheParishHall,10am-12noon(seepage15)
Sun15LauntonYouthFC6-a-sidetournamentatthePlayingFields,8.30am-5pm(seepage39)|St Mary'sChurch,HolyCommunion,11am|QuizNightatTheBull8pm Mon16WatercolourPaintingGroup,2pm-4pm,backintheParishHall.ContactPaul.Ebberson@gmail.com |StMary’sChurch,FellowshipGroupmeeting,2.30pm Tue17RubbishCollection:recycling(blue)andgarden(brown)bin|CommunityCafé,probablybackin theParishHall,CheckStMary’sFacebookpage,9am-11am|RockChorus,ParishHall,7.30pm Wed18FINALDATEFORCOPYFORTHEJULY2025ISSUEOFLAUNTONLINES:SUBMITTO launtonlines@launton.org|Over60sClubMeeting,Sports&SocialHall.Doorsopenat 1.30pm,meetingendsabout3.30pm
Sat21LauntonYouthFC6-a-sidetournamentatthePlayingFields,8.30am-5pm(seepage39)|Vale BreweryOpenDaywithfoodvan,from12noon,LugershallRoad,Brill|AthomeforAndyand LindaMurray,23WestEnd,5pm-9pm
Sun22LauntonFCLadiestournamentatthePlayingFields,8.30am-5pm(seepage39)|StMary’s Church,MorningWorship,11am|MarshGibbonFarmer’sMarketattheVillageHall,10am1.00pm|QuizNightatTheBull8pm
Mon23WatercolourPaintingGroup,2pm-4pm,backintheParishHall.ContactPaul.Ebberson@gmail.com |VillageCoffeeShopclosedforholidays.Reopenson2July
Tue24RubbishCollection:garbage(green)bin|CommunityCafé,probablybackintheParishHall, CheckStMary’sFacebookpage,9am-11am|RockChorus,ParishHall,7.30pm
Thu26HistoricalSocietyMeeting,GillianKanetalkingaboutBletchleyPark,ParishHall,7.30pm
Sat28LauntonClassicandRetroCarShow,ThePlayingFieldsandSportsandSocialBarandHall, 10am-3pm(seepage25)
Mon30WatercolourPaintingGroup,2pm-4pm,backintheParishHall.ContactPaul.Ebberson@gmail.com
LauntonLinesJune2025Issue294|Page38
Launton Youth FCTournament Returns
Join Us This June!
Launton Youth FCis thrilled to welcome you back to our annual football tournament!
For three action-packed days across two weekends in June, this much-loved event brings together over 200 teams and nearly 2,000 young players for a fantastic celebration of grassroots football.
This year the Youth tournament will be over three days: 14, 15 , and 21 June. Each age group will operate on a league basis, with cup and plate competitions. Matches will be 6-a-side, with a maximum of 8 players per team. There will be parking for all taking part in the field behind the clubhouse, entrance opposite Manor Farm: many thanks to Peter Deeley.This should mean that there is not any on-street parking round the village. Then on Sunday 22 June is the Ladies Tournament - all day. Here is the programme for the Youth Tournament.
Saturday14June:Morning
Registration:8:30am|
Kick-off9am
BoysU8s|GirlsU13s|GirlsU14s
Saturday14June:Afternoon Registration:1:30pm Kick-off:2pm BoysU9s|BoysU12s|Girls U15s
Sunday15June:Afternoon
Saturday21June:Morning Registration:8:30am
Kick-off9am
BoysU13s|BoysU14s|BoysU7s
Saturday21June:Afternoon
Registration:1:30pm Kick-off:2pm
GirlsU11s|BoysU11s|BoysU16s
LauntonLinesisthenewsletterforLaunton ItispublishedmonthlybytheLauntonCommunityCommunicationsGroupwhichmanagestheLauntonwebsite www.launton.organdtheLauntonVillageFacebookGroupwww.facebook.com/launtonvillageaswellasLauntonLines LauntonLinesisdeliveredfreetoallhouseholdsinthevillage,fundedbyitsadvertisersandLauntonParishCouncil. Furtherprintcopiesareavailableat£1.00percopyfromShirleyJohnson(01869369269) LauntonLinesisalsoavailableonlinefromJanuary2020onwww.issuu.com ©MMXXVLauntonLines.Wereservetherighttoeditarticlessubmittedforinclusion. NeithertheCommitteenortheEditorisresponsibleforviewsexpressedinreaders’contributions.