Haversham & Little Linford Magazine - Oct / Nov 23 - Issue 173

Haversham & Little Linford Magazine

Delighted Jenny Burbridge wins the Overall Cup at this year’s Village Show, and the Burbridge family win the Best Family award too!

October/November 23

Issue 173

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Editorial

to the events they put on.

The last two months have flown by and the chill of Autumn is in the air. And, of course, Christmas seems to be just around the corner—only 12 weeks to go and you can already order your Christmas food and buy an advent calendar—what happened to Halloween!

The Annual Village Show was a great example of what fun a community event can be, with people of all ages compe ng for the prizes, from li le Ruby White our awardwinning toddler, to 95year old Irene Marks who scored most points for Arts and Cra s. What a super family event! New entrants were fired up by their successes so let’s hope for more entries next year—the 25th Show. You have to be in it to win it, or you can just enjoy the fruits of so many talented people at the public exhibi on.

This bumper issue reflects the ac vi es star ng again a er the summer break and you will find lots of things to entertain you in the coming months, from Wine Tas ng to Fireworks, creave workshops to Family Bingo. The events run by the Social Centre really do need your support in these difficult mes in order to keep the premises afloat. Please do come

Opinions expressed by authors, and services offered by adver sers, are not specifically endorsed by the Editor or by Haversham and Li le Linford Parish Council.

With the next issue of the magazine, I start the 30th year of edi ng and producing the magazine, and I have decided it will be my last year. Re rement beckons! But the Parish Council is keen to con nue with the magazine, so please give some thought about whether you might like to be involved. See p.

11 for more informa on.

It takes a bit of prac ce but I have found you quickly get into a rou ne.

And everyone supplies copy electronically these days, not like in the beginning when everything had to be typed up and illustra ons were hard to include, except as a pastein! How it has changed over the years alongside the evolving technology.

It’s certainly kept me on my toes and I’ve learned a lot!

A er the sudden immense downpour this morning (thankfully I was in the car, but there were quite a few drowned rats out there!), and the impending first storm of the season, let’s hope for an Indian summer this Autumn to make up for the poor summer months.

Lesley Gilbert

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Local News OPEN HOUSE LUNCH Julia and Ian Cheetham, on behalf of St Mary’s Church, are con nuing to provide an Open House Lunch at the Old Forge, on the third Monday of each month for the rest of the year. The lunches are for any member of St. Mary’s and Li le Linford Churches and residents of Haversham and Li le Linford.

The Old Forge is located on the High Street next to the Greyhound Pub. Coffee will be available from 10.30am, lunch will be available at approximately 12.30pm, with tea and cake on offer in the a ernoon un l 3.30pm.

Maureen White on 07889 654906 has kindly agreed to provide transport for those who need help ge ng to The Old Forge.

The Open House Lunches in October and November will be on: Monday 16th October and Monday 20th November from 10.30am. There is no charge for lunch and you will be warmly welcomed.

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For further informa on assistance dog that some please call 01908 914318. of you may have seen at the Village Show.

JUBILEE CLUB Our August mee ng was held on a sunny a ernoon enabling us to enjoy a ernoon tea in the garden at Woodpecker Co age. Such a relaxing me.

In September, we held our annual Chinese Aucon to raise funds for charity—this year for the Macular Society which offers support to those with diminishing sight caused by macular degenera on, a common and debilita ng complaint, par cularly in older age. Thanks to everyone who brought some fantas c prizes and generously bought lots of ckets. We raised over £50.

Next mee ngs: Wednesday, 11th October—Maggie Weston from the MK Macular Society talking about the support they can offer.

Wednesday, 8th November—Fi Jones with puppy in training for guide dogs and, hopefully, Libby an

The Jubilee Club provides an a ernoon mee ng place for older residents where they can enjoy one another’s company over a cup of tea and homemade cakes, but where we also have presenta ons from a wide range of speakers, the occasional ou ng or lunch out and some mes a bit of entertainment.

We always welcome new members, so if you fancy coming along and giving us a go, you will be made to feel very welcome.

We usually meet on the second Wednesday of the month in the Social Centre. Subs are £2 per person, and we also have a raffle to which members contribute the prizes.

Lesley Gilbert

HANSLOPE & DISTRICT CARERS GROUP Our group was set up over 10 years ago to provide support for unpaid carers in the local community of Hanslope, Haversham and Castlethorpe. We meet on the third Wednesday of

every month at 10.30am in St James Church, Hanslope.

speakers and experts at the mee ngs.

The group offers a couple of hours of respite and the opportunity to meet others in a similar situaon. The help can be a friendly shoulder or advice on facili es and services available locally.

Over me it has actually become a local self-help group with everyone contribu ng in some way. We some mes also have

people at the monthly mee ngs—talking, listening, and enjoying refreshments. If you would like to come, please give me a call.

NEIGHBOURHOOD We regularly have 10 /12 WATCH

Harvey Gilbert 01908 310113 / 07810 185889

WhatsApp groups scams Larger community groups are being targeted by scammers who infiltrate them to try and deceive their members into sending them money.

The police are urging people always to be wary when receiving contact via WhatsApp or other

INVASION OF THE BINS They didn't come by stealth at night as an invading army should, but came in rows on the back of a van and looked up to no good!

'I'm making my bins welcome' my cousin said with glee.

'I'm building them a little house to keep them dry you see'.

They stood in rows upon the street the black, the blue and red 'Just make sure you're ready' the official letter said.

'I didn't ask for this lot' said my neighbour with a glower.

'They've already filled my garden up and squashed down all my flowers.'

My sister said: 'I hate them staring at me in my drive.

I backed my car right into one I swear that they're alive!'

But we must appease this army So with collection charts in hand Just be like Mr Chamberlaine and call for peace throughout the land!

Try not to criticise your bins, or as soon as you come near, they'll open up their great big maws and make us disappear!

Jan Bell

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messaging pla orms. This is par cularly the case when being asked to provide account informa on – despite the fact that you may recognise the individual’s profile picture and / or name.

· THINK. CALL. If a family

· Never share your ac-

messages or block a sender within WhatsApp. Press and hold on the message bubble, select ‘Report’ and then follow the instruc ons.

count’s two-factor authen ca on (2FA) code (that’s the six digit code you receive via SMS).

· Set up two-step verifica-

on to give an extra layer of protec on to your account. Tap Se ngs > Account >Two-step verifica on > Enable.

member or friend makes an unusual request on WhatsApp, always call the person to confirm their iden ty.

· You can report spam

or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Always remember - To report a crime in progress, call 999. To contact the police on the nonemergency line, call 101.

As an alterna ve to phoning 101, you can report non-emergency crimes on our website at www.thamesvalley.police. uk/ro/report/

If you have been a vic m of fraud or cybercrime, report it at www.ac onfraud.police.uk

Christmas Events at the Social Cen

e

Community Christmas Brunch

Christmas Wreathmaking Workshop

Christmas Family Bingo

Come together this Christmas for a festive community brunch. Join us on Saturday 25th November and enjoy a delicious brunch with friends and family. Children can take part in Xmas crafts and write their own letter to Santa. They’ll also get to meet the big man and

Our popular wreathmaking evening is on again this year, on Thursday 29th November.

Back by popular demand, a fun evening of bingo for the whole family, with lots of festive fare to be won.

Make a note in your diary for Saturday 2nd December.

receive a small gift to take away.

Look out for more details coming soon!

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Playground Update & Pig Roast The Haversham Recreaon Ground Playground Upgrade project is well underway, and we are excited to share our plans and progress with the community.

Our primary aim is to revitalise the playground by replacing several older pieces of equipment, such as the toddler ac vity gym, see-saw, and both sets of swings. In addi on to these improvements, we are exploring the possibility of adding new and exci ng features like a big rope swing, a trampoline, and even a zip wire or a 5person carousel swing.

We are commi ed to ensuring inclusivity, with plans for repairing exis ng pathways and crea ng new ones to make all the equipment accessible to every child.

The es mated total cost for this project is approximately £100,000, with 11% of the funds needing to come from selffunding. We are ac vely seeking grant funding to cover the majority of the cost but also require con-

tribu ons from our local parishioners as part of the crucial "match" funding process.

We sincerely thank all those who took the me to complete our recent survey, as the data collected has been invaluable in understanding your needs and concerns regarding the current play area. Your input will guide our decisionmaking process.

Our next step is to submit the necessary forms for the main grant applicaon in early December.

Meanwhile, we are organising various fundraising events, maintaining a JustGiving page, and seeking smaller grants to cover the remaining 11% (£11,000).

The recent Pig Roast fundraiser at The Greyhound Pub on August 26th marked the beginning of a series of events over the coming months.

We hope you will con nue to support us and contribute to this project's success.

We extend our hear elt apprecia on to Paul and his team at The Greyhound Pub for their excellent hos ng of the Pig Roast. Their hard work was evident in the quality of the food and the seamless execu on of the event.

We would also like to express our gra tude to the local businesses and parishioners who generously contributed to the raffle.

Your support was instrumental in making the day a resounding success.

Special thanks to: · Middleton Pool · Bletchley Park · MKPA · Aqua Include · Birch Barn Therapy · Hair Host · Maddie Buckland · All Round Property Maintenance · Amanda McBride · Philip Turnbull · My Beauty Room · Harvey & Lesley Gilbert · The Online Green Grocer · Ian Poulter · Sugarsmiths Page 7

· Brahms and Liszt Cup-

cake Co. · Splinters Wood Recycling · Ben Everi MP On the event day, we successfully raised £661.25 from Pig Roast sales and raffle cket purchases.

Whilst a posi ve outcome, we acknowledge that we are s ll some way off from reaching our goal of covering the 11% self-funded contribu on. We kindly urge you to maintain your support for this project by making dona ons through our JustGiving page and

ac vely par cipa ng in our forthcoming fundraising events. Every contribu on brings us closer to achieving our target and ensuring the playground upgrade becomes a reality for our community. Your con nued involvement is greatly appreciated.

If you have any thoughts on this project or believe you can offer assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the Parish Clerk.

Check out this snapshot of the equipment we're

considering. Our plans depend on the support we get, so please pitch in to help us make the Haversham Playground the envy of the local villages.

Ceri Parkes-Brincat

JustGiving: h ps://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/havershamplayground Parish Clerk: haversham.ltlinfordclerk@gmail.com

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C. P. Locks

54 Church Street , Wolverton, MK12 5JW

Tel: 01908 225954 Your local key cutting and DIY store stocks a wide range of home decorating materials as well as a good range of gardening products, including potting compost and garden pots.

Our opening hours as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9:00am-4:00pm; Saturday 10.00am to 4.00 pm. Closed Wednesday & Sunday

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Parish Council News The View from the Chair Another magazine ar cle and another Chair to write it! As some of you may know, I was elected as the Chair of the Parish Council for the rest of this council year at our mee ng on 30th August.

Cllr Philip Turnbull had agreed to stand for Chair in the absence of any others wishing to take on the task and was duly elected Chair in May. At the me, he had reserva ons because of his hearing problems in mee ngs. A er two mee ngs he has decided that this issue cannot easily be resolved, despite using a special Bluetooth microphone, so Philip has stepped down as Chair.

More recently, Cllr Barry Cli has decided to step down from the role of Vice Chair. A key part of the role is to be able to step-in at short no ce to chair our mee ngs; due to some current health issues, Barry is concerned

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about his ability to do this.

I am pleased to say that both Philip and Barry plan to con nue as ac ve Parish Councillors. We thank them for their work as Chair and Vice Chair respec vely and also for their con nued involvement on the Parish Council. Cllr Jemma English agreed to take on the role of Vice Chair and was elected at our September mee ng.

RECENT VILLAGE EVENTS As the summer draws to a close, I must men on a couple of recent events. I thoroughly enjoyed the Pig Roast and Raffle in aid of the Playground fund on 26th August. Thanks to hosts Paul and the Greyhound team, plus to everyone who a ended despite the changeable weather. Cllr ParkesBrincat has provided an update on the Playground Project and the Pig Roast elsewhere in this magazine.

I also had a great day at the Village Show on 2nd COUNCILLOR September. I entered a VACANCY couple of the domes c At the me of wri ng the classes for the first me closing date to apply for and had the pleasure of our remaining Parish presen ng the RoseCouncillor vacancy is a S mpson cup for the Parfew days away. This mag- ish Council’s Resident of azine should reach you the Year to our former on the 30th, which is chair Pam Williams, in deadline day but, if a er recogni on of both her reading you want to put work as Chair and her yourself forward, please leading the development email the Clerk asap! Our of our Neighbourhood contact details are at the Plan. As Pam is also my end of this ar cle. partner I did not par cipate in the discussion and vote, but I know that everyone on the PC, includ-

ing me, believes she is a worthy recipient.

on this vital role for the community.

WASTE COLLECTION

Well done and thanks to the Haversham Social and Community Centre team for organising an excellent Village show!

PARISH MAGAZINE – CALL FOR HELP! In October 2024, a er 30 years at the helm, Lesley Gilbert is re ring from her role as editor of our Parish Magazine. Harvey Gilbert will also be re ring from his role as the adver sing manager. As we know this magazine is much cherished by residents, we want it to con nue, so we are star ng the process of looking for new volunteers to take over the reins. Please contact us if you would consider taking

We are well aware of the missed or late collec ons in the first couple of weeks of the new service – teething problems were inevitable. When made aware of issues, we have reported them directly to the waste team and have worked with our Ward Councillor Liam Andrews to try and ensure there are improvements. As I write this, I have heard a much more posi ve outcome in week 3, so fingers crossed we are ge ng there! If your collec on is missed, please report it on the MKCC website.

OTHER LOCAL UPDATES The HcLL Neighbourhood Plan completed its final step and was “made” at MKCC Full Council on 13th September. It was fantasc to be there in person to witness this outcome and hear the Council highly commend our Plan, commen ng on how well it was all put together.

Many will have seen that Brookfield Road and Rowan Drive have been repaired a er we managed to get MKCC Highways to accept it needed work.

We now have an ongoing dialogue with Highways on a number of issues including maintenance, safety and speeding across the Parish and hope to be able to update on addi onal measures in due course.

We con nue to organise and run regular Community Speedwatch and Li er Picking sessions. We ran five Speedwatch sessions at the permi ed loca ons in both New and Old Villages during July and August. Of about 1,200 cars logged, 7.8% were speeding. Speeders were subsequently reported to TVP and will receive warning le ers.

It is clear that the combina on of Speedwatch and the Old Village Speed Indicator Devices (SIDS) are having a posi ve impact on speeding, but more can be done. Thanks to those who responded to our survey about SIDS in the New Village and your Page 11

comments will support the PC’s applica on for funding.

FACEBOOK PAGE AND ENGAGING WITH RESIDENTS

Our most recent li er pick was on 9th September. Our regular Parish volunteers were joined by a group of 18 “geocachers” from across the local area, as well as Leighton Buzzard and Bedford, to name a couple of further flung places. Thanks to all for helping to keep the Parish dy. Our next pick will be in early November.

Over the last few months, we have been using our Facebook page HcLLParishCouncil much more. It enables us to share regular updates on the things we are doing like Speedwatch, Li er Picking and addressing other local issues. We also use it to share useful informa on on items such as upcoming roadworks, the new waste collec on service, Parish events and the Neighbourhood Plan. From talking to many of you, I understand you have found this very useful.

Both the Speedwatch and Li er Picking leads are very grateful to those volunteers who support them but are always on the lookout for more helpers – if you are interested, please get in touch.

Finally, an update on the public inquiry for the planning appeal regarding the proposed development of 584 dwellings at Linford Lakes. This has been delayed and will now start on 5th December.

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We are looking at further ways to be er engage with Parish residents and are considering arranging a Parish “Drop-in Session” in the coming months to allow you to meet some of us, our Ward Councillors and PCSO – more info will follow.

The recent Facebook surveys on the Playground and SIDS had really useful responses. We will

con nue to publish surveys from me to me and appreciate all your responses.

We know not everyone is on Facebook so we will con nue to use other communica on channels, but if you are on Facebook please follow our page so you see our posts.

CONTACTING US If you have any issues, sugges ons or ques ons for us, or are interested in helping out with our ac vi es, then please either message us via Facebook at HcLLParishCouncil or email the Parish Clerk at haversham.ltlinfordclerk@gma il.com. We will do our best to get back to you promptly.

Richard Pryor Chair

YOUR PARISH COUNCILLORS Chair—Richard Pryor 3 Mill Road Tel. 07824 483337 Vice Chair - Jemma English Tel. 07952 431390 Barry Clift 21 Wolverton Rd Tel. 01908 312365 Carol Langham 108 Wolverton Rd Tel. 01908 316450

Ceri Parkes-Brincat Tel. 07834 489258 Philip Turnbull 3 Granary Close Tel. 07710 423032

PARISH CLERK Maria Manthorpe Email: haversham.lt linfordclerk@gmail.com

NEXT PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS Parish Council mee ngs usually take place at 7.30pm on the third

Monday of each month.

The mee ngs are open to the public. The next mee ngs are: Monday, 16th October Monday, 20th November Parish Council mee ng agendas are published online and on the parish no ce boards the week before each mee ng.

Addi onal news & informa on can also be found on the Parish website at havershamltlinford.org/

Autumn is with us again, and time to think about cosy evenings at home. This month is our official 20th anniversary, so the shop will be doing various promotions on stock.

Each week of October will be great deals on different products, so come along to Olney and see what’s going on.

We are open as usual 6 days a week Tuesday to Sunday 11am to 4pm. We look forward to welcoming you, and don’t forget we can arrange delivery to your home of larger items at very reasonable cost.

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Discover the exciting taste of Antep Kitchen, offering the aromatic & traditional flavours of Turkey in our intimate & relaxing restaurant. With an open kitchen & over 75 years of experience between them, our top class Chefs will transport your taste buds to the heart of Turkey. All our dishes and authentic breads and desserts are expertly hand crafted for you.

A very warm welcome awaits you at Antep Kitchen. Our customers are our guests: just as they would be in our home. Nothing is too much trouble and everything we do is done with warmth and generosity.

Call 01908 315555 to book a table or to order your take-way meal. See our full menu at www.antepkitchen.co.uk

OPEN Mon-Sat 12:00—11:00pm Sunday 12:00—10:00pm Our team and family look forwards to welcoming you to Antep Kitchen.

1 Stratford Road, Wolverton MK12 5LJ Page 18

Social & Community Centre News The Village Show was blessed with a very sunny day which meant that, at our a ernoon session for the public viewing, we were able to have the refreshments served outside courtesy of St Mary’s Church. They did a wonderful job and we were very grateful for their help. They also laid on games for children as part of their Messy Church ini a ve and the Social Centre was able to help with this as we re-booked the Bouncy Castle that we couldn’t use at our Corona on Fes vi es owing to adverse weather condions. The assistance dog was also a great success.

There was a good display of entries for everyone to enjoy, some sectors were down on last year, mainly

Arts & Cra s, but we are slowly ge ng back to the level of entry that we enjoyed pre-Covid. Next year we will celebrate our 25thyear for the Show, we missed a year in 2020. It is good to know that it is s ll ge ng support a er all these years. First, I would like to thank everyone who entered this year’s show; without those entries there would have been no display for the public to see at the a ernoon viewing. The judges all except one agreed that they had had a difficult task, the excepon being the Wood & Metal sec on which is always short on numbers, even more so this year.

Can we put in an early request for more entries in this category next year.

The Domes c Judge was

Michele Rogers ably assisted by her steward Holly Sains & her daughter Annabelle; Photography Judge was Russell Green and his steward was Chrisne Sythes; Hor culture Judge was Frank Wykes and his steward was Gaynor Bromley; Floral Judge was Irene Paton with her steward Julia Cheetham; Sarah Webb was our Arts & Cra s Judge ably stewarded by Louise Reid; Sarah also judged most of the Children’s work as well.

The winners in the various sec ons are shown in the centre of the magazine.

Congratula ons to them all, some of whom had entered for the first me.

The Special awards were as follows: The Bill Bedford Trophy for the best photo as judged by the Photog(Continued on page 21)

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raphy Judge was Mia Eckley for her MK landmark photograph. The Pat Brightman Trophy for the best entry submi ed by a child as judged by Shula Holt was also won by Mia Eckley for her decorated biscuits.

The Haversham Village School Trophy was won by the Tigers year group.

The Best Novice Award which is sponsored & judged by the Parish Council went to Chester Crosby for his entry Buggingham Palace. (Chester is the great grandson of Ena & Gerald S mpson and Gerald was one of the people who restarted the Show 25 years ago).

Hor culture sec on this year and was won by Harvey Gilbert for his entry of 3 Aubergines (not an easy task to get them so well matched) The Haversham Community & Social Centre Award for the best exhibit, as judged by the commi ee, went to Elizabeth Wickham for her entry of an embroidered hare.

Judging by the murmurs of approval when this was announced, it had universal approval from the audience.

The Family Award, given to the family with most points, went to The Burbridge family of Jenny, David, Daniel & Lucy.

The Haversham Allotments & Garden Society Cup, which alternates between Hor culture & Flowers, was awarded to the best exhibit in the

Finally, the major award of the Show, the Overall Show Cup for the person who had accumulated most points went to Jenny Burbridge with 59

points – runners up were Ken Brown with 28 points and Daryl English with 23 points.

A er this the Chair of the Parish Council, Richard Pryor presented the RoseS mpson Cup to Pam Williams for her work for the Village & Parish. More details of this award appear on page 10.

Thank you to everyone who helped on the day, also to those who helped to set up the evening before. To the commi ee, the stewards, to Phoebe Jes ce for helping with the raffle and to the members of the Church for their sterling job serving refreshments, looking a er the Bouncy Castle and clearing up a erwards. Most of all thank you to everyone who entered, and to all those who came and supported us in the a ernoon.

We now look forward to our Autumn programme and we have been busy trying to produce a varied one. At the beginning of October, we have a wine tas ng evening and later (Continued on page 25)

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2023 VILLAGE SHOW

TOP AW

Overall Top Points Best Family Parish Council Award- Best N HSCC Award - Best Exhibit HAGS Award –Best Hor cultu Pat Brightman Trophy Bill Bedford Award

MAIN C Photography Hor culture Fruit Flowers Domes c Arts & Cra s Wood & Metalwork

CHILDREN’ Toddler under 3 Junior 3-6 yrs Middle 7-9 yrs Intermediate 10-13 yrs Senior - 14-16 yrs

Many thanks to Holly Sains for taking th Crosby and Elizabeth Wickham were u Page 22

W AWARD WINNERS

WARDS

ovice

ural

Jenny Burbridge Burbridge family Chester Crosby Elizabeth Wickham Harvey Gilbert Mia Eckley Mia Eckley

CLASSES Rob Gri on = Carol Langham = Gill Paton = Jenny Burbridge Daryl English Claire Clark Jenny Burbridge Irene Marks Ken Brown

’S CLASSES Ruby White Zac Cheetham-Joshi Rose Eckley Annabelle Sains No entries

he photographs this year. Sadly, Chester unable to be there for the prize-giving.

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that month we have a workshop for making of gree ngs cards (see p. 15 for details).

In November we will have our annual Fireworks Display on 4th November and later that month we will have a Community Christmas Brunch for all the family on 25th November, a Christmas Wreathmaking Workshop on 29th November. On 2nd December our final Christmas event will be our Christmas Family Bingo.

More details on all of these will be available nearer the me.

I hope you will con nue to support and enjoy the events that we organise and please, if you have any ideas of things that we can do to improve, let us know. We endeavour to keep pu ng on events and try not to raise our prices too much, but we are hampered by rising costs, as is everyone. Our funds are low, and we rely on your a endance at these events to keep afloat. Raffles are our help in this and if anyone would like to contribute a raffle prize to us, we would be very grateful.

Any of the commi ee would be happy to re-

ceive it and to pass on to the appropriate subcommi ee.

Jackie Brown Chair

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towering, mon- blackberries, hanging clusNature Notes high; strous stacks. In turn the ters of deep purple elderAwful August has been and gone; hardly high summer was it? A month of drab days interspersed with sunny spells and not par cularly warm either!

September seems to have rushed past; where do the days go? Quite early in the month there was the feel of autumn in the air as the daylight began to fade earlier and earlier and the evenings took on a chilly feel. There have been days of lovely sunshine and dry weather allowing the farmers to crack on in earnest with the harvest. The great growling combines crept across the fields in great clouds of dust gathering up the cereal crops. Trailers laden with corn passed by on the way to the stores, bea ng the weather to stay dry.

Quickly the straw was baled, huge tedders and the equally huge balers scurried up and down packing the straw into bales as they go. Gradually the bales increased in number to be collected and stacked eight bales Page 26

stacks were collected by the straw merchants, hoisted onto lorries and trailers of lengthy proporons to be transported away to various farms and stores. The land has not much me to rest, however, for within days the fields are ‘worked up’, power harrowed and spread with muck and, depending on the crop, sown up before the land becomes unworkable in the wet. A few fields, those which might have maize next year, will be le uncul vated offering over wintering habitat for many creatures. Foxes and badgers hunt there, searching out worms and bugs and any voles or mice which are unlucky enough to be out and about. Birds search for insects or seeds to see them though the lean mes. Everything, from the powerful badger to the niest of insect, all are inextricably linked in the fight to survive the winter. The hedgerows at the moment are full of bounty; fat glistening

berries, scarlet rose hips, sloes with their mouth puckering sourness just wai ng for a litre of gin and a generous amount of sugar! Hawthorn berries are the most extraordinary red at the moment and when the sun shines on them they posi vely glow! All this bounty is

manna to the many birds and mammals which depend on autumn berries to fa en up before the really cold weather sets in. I dread the sound of the hedge cu er. The awful flail smashes everything to bits and takes no account of anything that dares show its head above the parapet. Everything is smashed. It’s a horrible sight.

I must write, though it seems ages ago now, about Saturday 22nd July and what a day it was: it rained non-stop to the

tune of 17mm in the rain gauge. Thoroughly miserable all day and long a er dark. But there was a silver lining to the dark rain clouds, apart from the somewhat enforced indoor day just made for reading, in the shape of an extraordinary sight of a Sparrowhawk. Si ng in the garden room looking out at the falling rain, I no ced that all the li le birds had fled from the peanut feeder. Not one to be seen. Why? Well, not more than three metres away from the window perched on the back of a garden seat was a Sparrowhawk. I didn’t dare move. It stayed there for a minute or so before hopping on to a bit of branch of the old lilac tree where it preened its damp feathers a bit and shook them all back into place.

The fierce looking bird constantly looked about, glared would be more apt, with piercing eyes of bright orangey yellow.

The Sparrowhawk was a female as she had a brown back and wings and a white eye stripe which the male lacks. The female is bigger than the

male at around 40cm or 15 inches long. The Sparrowhawk has quite a long tail beau fully barred with brown on cream feathers. All this was plain to see as the bird sat there for several minutes before hopping through the branches to peer along the big hedge.

Something must have alarmed it for it suddenly took flight weaving effortlessly through the thin branches before jinking up over the top of the hedge and away. What a sight to li the spirits on such a drab day. Later, much later, si ng in the same place and reading again… there came a resounding thud on the glass and I just caught sight of a, or the same, Sparrowhawk turning away from the window and away over the shed. I

went out and there among the flower pots was a young starling, with a broken neck and quite dead. It had crashed into the glass in a fran c dash to evade the stealth hunter. All this in one day!

The Sparrowhawk is a consummate hunter relying on surprise a ack to catch its prey. It will dash along the side of a hedge to suddenly dart up on a party of small birds, snatch a vic m and dash away again. If it should miss and the birds escape it won’t return but will fly on ll it spots another chance to pounce. Small birds are the male Sparrowhawks main target whereas the female, being that much bigger, will some mes catch bigger prey such as pigeons.

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Strolling back along the lake side one a ernoon wai ng for a dawdling dog, we were looking idly at the water when I saw what I took to be a s ck poking out of the water.

Not so; the s ck was moving! It was a Grass snake swimming.

Ian was thrilled as he loves snakes, unlike me… We watched the creature weave its way through the water for thirty metres or so before it turned towards the reedy edge where it vanished. We have seen a number of Grass snakes, some very big and some smaller, over the years at various places around the lake.

Usually they have been sunning themselves in a quiet spot, but Rebecca and I did once see a very large Grass snake swimming towards the bank with all its markings visible as it swam towards the edge. Of course, Grass snakes are perfectly harmless and like most snakes very secre ve. As with so many rep les their numbers have declined due to habitat loss and disturbance. So if you should ever disturb or Page 28

happen across one, don’t be too alarmed; it will quickly slip away as soon as it senses your presence.

The lake and its environs come up with many sigh ngs of wildlife of various kinds, this one we’re about to relate, perhaps a bit more unusual. One morning, early, on the usual dog amble, I saw a muntjac tro ng towards me. Ini ally it was oblivious to my presence but in an instant, animal ins nct kicked in and it saw me. It stopped for a moment, as if deciding what to do, turned and ran back for a few metres and then popped into the reedy vegeta on at the water’s edge to hide. The dogs and I gave the spot where it went in a wide berth so as not to disturb it. Having passed by, I looked back to see if

it would emerge. To my u er amazement the muntjac was fi y yards out in the water heading for the opposite bank! It was making surprisingly good progress when one considers the skinny legs and very small hooves of the Muntjac. The reason for this behaviour became apparent as we rounded the corner; another dog walker was coming in the opposite direc on so the Muntjac had been caught in a ‘pincer’ ac on with no easy escape route.

About hundred metres from where it went in the Muntjac began to turn right-handed and swim towards the end of the lake where it got out and on to the bank, shook itself and tro ed off as though nothing unusual had happened. I would es mate that it had swum some five hundred metres. I know that deer do

swim, indeed all animals will swim if they have to, except sheep whose fleece becomes waterlogged and they invariably drown, and deer, par cularly in Scotland have been known to swim from island to island to find be er foraging or new territories.

Over the past couple of late springs and summers I’ve watched the spread of an a rac ve wild flower, Agrimony, near the old

reservoir at the top of the green lane. The plant is perennial and likes dry grassy places so this locaon suits it very well. Agrimony grows to about 60cm tall with straight stems with pinnate leaves. The flowers are small and yellow, each with five petals, and are

carried on a single stalk.

The small a rac ve flowers are said to have a faint scent not unlike apricots and because of this are very a rac ve to bees and various flies as a food source. In days long past, the flower was used widely for medicinal purposes; snake bite, liver complaints, poor sight and for memory loss (might try it…!). It seems that an infusion of the leaves makes an excellent and invigora ng herbal tea. Agrimony as a plant was, and s ll is, used as a dye, especially for wool, producing a strong yellow colour. Not far from the Agrimony another interes ng wild plant grows which, as far as I know, doesn’t grow anywhere else around here except near the old reservoir and that is Great Burnet.

A member of the Sanguisorba family which gardeners among you will know, in various forms, as a handy and a rac ve perennial, the plant is not widespread and due to modern farming prac ces, somewhat at risk.

Great Burnet is a tall plant growing to as much

as 90cm preferring meadows and dampish land generally throughout central England. The leaves grow in pairs along branched stalks and the stems are upright and topped by a dense oblong head made up of numerous ny flowers which are rich in nectar. The flowers are a dark crimson which ancient herbalists thought resembled the colour of blood. In fact the botanical name ‘Sanguisorba’ means blood absorbing and for hundreds of years the plant was used to staunch bleeding and applied to wounds. Also, it seems that the roots, which can be extensive, were dug up, peeled and used fresh to alleviate the pain of burns and to induce healing. So many of our na ve plants have healing powers but the know-how and beliefs Page 29

have faded over has much knowledge.

me as rural

Today, as we cobble together our latest ‘notes’, has been very windy and a bit unpleasant with a few squally showers thrown in for good measure; tomorrow is forecast as a very wet day indeed; oh joy.

Earlier, out with the dogs, the wind was mad, blowing everything about.

Many leaves swirled through the air and a shower of conkers rained down from a horse chestnut. A new conker is an irresis ble thing of beauty; glossy, smooth and that wonderful colour that only a conker can be!

Further on the willows whipped about in the wind. Their leaves are long, quite narrow and a lovely grey-green colour.

Watching them in the wind made me think of closely packed shoals of small fish, swimming Page 30

through water. A few Swallows, perhaps the last few, darted about in the air. Would there s ll be flies and gnats in the swirling wind? The Swallows soon will all be gone, to spend our long winter months in the sun.

Oh to be a Swallow…

This evening as the light faded, so early now, there was a weak yellowhued sunset. The sky was grey and gloomy but for just a couple of minutes the light from the se ng sun transformed the evening. The tops of the trees were lit up with a wash of yellow-gold. The grey sky was nged with the same wash and then a faint rainbow appeared.

Across this ethereal light flew a few seagulls.

Buffeted by the wind they turned in the air showing dazzling white under wings which stood out against the dark grey of the forbidding sky. It was an amazing sight but one that lasted just a few flee ng moments.

Flee ng moments of loveliness are perhaps what we need to enjoy now, as autumn seems to

have arrived early and largely unannounced.

Summer, such as it was, has gone, the evenings have drawn in fast and the nights are chilly. We will have lovely sunny autumn days for sure, and we must make the most of them to help us through the winter days.

The seasons change inexorably; we just have to go with the changes and make the most of the natural world that surrounds us. We are favoured by having gardens, allotments and woods and fields all around us to enjoy. Some mes, and for many reasons, we can’t get out and about but, as with the tale of the Sparrowhawk, or the flee ng light on trees and clouds, o en there’s something lovely to see just outside.

Gill & Ian Burgess

NEXT ISSUE OF MAGAZINE Our next issue is for December 23 /January 24.

Copy date will be Friday, 17th November and the magazine should be ready for distribu on on or around 25th November.

All contribu ons welcome.

Please pass them to: Lesley Gilbert, Woodpecker Co age, Haversham.

Tel: 01908 310113 e-mail: lesley@harveygilbert.co.uk Page 31

Get gardening!

Seasonal tips from Jemma What a typically Bri sh Summer we have had this year. As if by magic the schools broke up and the unse led weather began.

Roll onto September and as we send our children off, back to their next year of school, we have a week of scorching temperatures and a mini heatwave.

Though that was short lived and we are star ng to open our curtains each morning to those cooler, dew covered and mist filled autumnal mornings.

The first signs of Autumn with its stunning masterpiece of colours once again are spreading far and wide.

Though those regular gardening jobs become redundant, the Autumn and Winter months are the ones to make the greatest impacts in our gardens.

The gardening year never really ends. Our flower borders have certainly thrived this past growing year, with the mix of warm and wet weather combined. Some plants Page 32

are s ll holding on and showing us their glorious floral displays as long as they can. The soils this year have managed to repair some of the damage caused by last year's drought, something gardeners are rubbing their hands together, as our soils are now so enough to dig once more. If the flowers in your gardens have all faded, head to one of our local garden centres and fill your boots with some seasonal shrubs and perennial plants to add more colour for years to come.

Why not, whilst you're there, grab some of those great reliable spring

bulbs to add early Spring colour throughout your gardens. Plant them in layers in pots for con nual colourful displays, through your beds and borders, or informally through lawns. Evergreen shrubs and conifer hedges will benefit from being planted now while the soil is s ll warm and the rains increase. Though make sure to maintain a good watering scheme to help them set their roots well, encase we are faced with any more dry periods. Any deciduous shrubs that are in the wrong place, or have outgrown their current posi on, can be carefully li ed and transplanted now. Fork up perennial weeds, rather than hoeing, to ensure you remove every bit of their roots.

We have already seen the signs of early morning frosts. Plants are star ng to slow in their growth, and our lawns are star ng to turn a less luscious green. As the frosts will soon increase, it is me to start planning ahead, to protect those tender plants from frost damage.

Many gardeners experi-

enced plant loss a er last winter's severe cold snap.

Long matured plants such as cordylines, hebes, choisyas and ceanothus succumbed to the cold and were lost. Li canna and dahlia plants, once flowering has faded, dry off the tubers and store in cool, dark condi ons un l spring. Tender perennials, such as chocolate cosmos, gazanias and coleus should be li ed and po ed up to protect inside over winter. Banana plants and tree ferns will benefit from being wrapped in layers of fleece, to protect from frost, making sure the leaf joints are dry before wrapping. Remove pot saucers used this season and replace them with pot feet or bricks to prevent waterlogging to pots over Winter.

Every gardener's dream is gardening for free. It's so simple to start in our own gardens. Collect seeds from hardy perennials which have managed to flower well and set seed, sow straight away in a frost-free area. Take hardwood cu ngs from orna-

mental trees and other shrubs and plants, making sure to choose healthy growth. If you fancy some new plants and flowers, see if any local neighbours have any seeds or plants going spare. Plants and seed swaps are becoming very popular in gardening circles and local communies.

We have already seen the first of the Winter winds hi ng us, and we all know that it certainly won't be the last. Get ahead of the worst and protect your shrub roses from wind-rock over the winter by reducing the height of them, making sure to use sharp secateurs, and that you cut above a dormant bud.

Make sure to do this once they are showing signs of dormancy.

Cu ng too early can put them at risk of damage from frosts, if they try to put on any new growth.

Gardening is all about planning ahead, and Autumn me is the me to prepare for the next growing season in vegetable and fruit gardens.

Rather than leaving soil bare in vegetable beds over Winter, sow green manure, such as Winter rye. This can be dug in come Spring, adding much needed nutri on to the soil. Keep sowing batches of hardy broad beans and peas outdoors for early crops next year. Plant out Spring cabbages now, but make sure to protect them from any late bu erfly or aphid a acks, and of course those hungry slugs and snails too.

Avoid slug pellets as birds start to struggle to find food to build themselves up ready for Winter. Instead use more organic methods such as beer traps, broken up baked egg shells or simply go on regular snail/slug hunts, especially on damp evenings, to reduce overwintering popula ons. Plant garlic cloves in a sunny well-drained spot, making sure that the clove ps are at least 5cm below the surface. If you haven't already, order bare-root fruit trees and bushes now, for plan ng from late Autumn to early Spring.

Page 33

As with our plants and flowers, our vegetable gardens also need protecon from the cooling weather. Cover outdoor salad crops with cloches to prolong cropping. If you haven't already, raise any pumpkin and squashes onto bricks to keep them off the soil surface and to protect them from ro ng on the plants. Cut away leaves around fruits, exposing them to more sun to help aid their skins to ripen. If any signs of ro ng to the fruits has started to occur, harvest them now, washing off any dirt le on the skins.

Allow the fruits to lay in a frost free loca on in the sun to ripen skins for 7-10 days. Then wash in a vinegar solu on (1 part vinegar to 3 parts water) and store in a cool, dark place allowing space between each fruit. Protect your fruit trees from crawling female Winter moths by wrapping grease bands around their trunks.

Ahead of the Winter frosts, leave some pods of both runner and french beans to ripen fully and harvest them so you can Page 34

save the seeds for next year. A er harves ng onions and garlic, spread them out on greenhouse staging, or the soil surface, to dry thoroughly before storing. Store strung up in an old pair of ghts in a cool dark place, tying a knot between each one, or in long bunches, this will help to keep them fresher for longer. Clear away the growth of any old crops as soon as you have finished harves ng them, so they can't harbour pests and diseases through the Winter. Cut back any fruited stems of blackberries and Autumn raspberries ready for next year's growth. Ferny shoots of asparagus should now be trimmed back to soil level ready for the new spears to develop in the Spring.

Clump forming herbs now are ideal for spli ng to replant and share with others.

Clean out greenhouses fully making sure to remove as much debris that you can to stop chances of harbouring overwintering pests and diseases.

Wash off any greenhouse shading paint to allow in as much of the weaker Autumn daylight as possible. Clean with Jeyes fluid making sure not to accidentally get any solu on onto any remaining cropping plants or seedlings s ll residing in the greenhouse.

Line glass/ polycarbonate with bubble insula on, as nightme temperatures start to fall, to prolong any frui ng of indoor grown crops. With the frost soon knocking at our doors, use them for their addi onal protec on benefits and bring in po ed tender plants for protec on for the cold Winter months.

Make sure that you inspect plants you bring in for any pests and diseases first, as you don't want to undo any work you have already done to protect next season when cleaning them out.

With Christmas just under 100 days away at the me of wri ng this ar cle, don't shoot the messenger. It's me to think about any indoor flowering bulbs you wish to grow for the fes ve sea-

son. Plant prepared narcissus bulbs and the roots of lily-of-the-valley for fragrant indoor blooms in about 10 weeks. The Christmas favourite amaryllis bulbs should be planted now in pots on a warm windowsill for flowers by the big day itself.

Finally, there are those general garden maintenance jobs which are a great benefit to a healthy thriving garden. Our lawns will benefit from one last bit of care before they face the unknown winter months. Apply an Autumn lawn feed, making sure to do so when the soil surface is damp but the grass itself is dry. Water in within 24-48hrs if no rain has fallen a er spreading. If your lawns are compacted, spike them now and brush grit into the holes to help improve drainage.

Rake up fallen leaves from lawns, borders, driveways and paths, and store in bin bags, or if you have one, the old council wire bins, to rot down into leaf -mould which can be used in your gardens in following years. Clear fallen leaves from gu ering to

ensure water bu s fill up and reduce the risks of overflowing or poten al damp ingress in your homes. Add in addi onal water bu s, if space permits, to harvest the coming Autumn/Winter rains, and any rain throughout the year. Harvested water is so much so er to our garden and house plants.

Clean out and disinfect bird baths and any boxes once vacant. A great autumnal ac vity to do now with children, is crea ng bug hotels from plant debris collected from your gardens or on Autumn walks. Also building a log pile at the back of a border for wildlife to shelter in for the upcoming Winter.

Check that your shed/ outdoor storage area is secure and waterproof, so you can safely store tools and pa o furniture away over Winter. Gather up canes, plant supports that are no longer in use and any hoses/drip -feed systems, making sure to empty them, and store indoors over Winter.

That may seem a lot to do, I'm a li le exhausted just wri ng it, but breaking them all down into smaller blocks they will all soon be completed. With that said, I'll sign off with another favourite gardening quote of mine. "A garden requires pa ent labour and a en on. Plants do not grow merely to sa sfy ambi ons or to fulfil good inten ons. They thrive because someone expended effort on them.”

- Liberty Hyde Bailey, American Hor culturist

As our Summer displays in pots and hanging baskets begin to fade, empty them out and add their contents to your compost heaps. Replant with cheery pot displays of Winter colour. Store any ceramic and glazed pots, that aren't frost proof, away before frosts hit.

Jemma English

Page 35

Haversham Village School I hope this newsle er finds you well and in high spirits a er one of the we est summers I can remember. As I write this newsle er it is difficult to believe that we are already in the third week of the academic year.

We have had an energe c start to the year and the staff have really enjoyed welcoming the children back into school. It is lovely to see the school returning to a hub of ac vity a er the quietness of the summer break.

Over the last two weeks the class teachers have welcomed parents into school to a end new to year group mee ngs.

These mee ngs give the parents a chance to meet the class teacher, see the children’s classrooms and hear about all of the fantas c learning and experiences the children will experience over the year.

Page 36

The Autumn term in school is a me of change and growth. As always, at this me of year, we have welcomed our new founda on children into school. The founda on stage team have done a fantas c job in ensuring the children are happy, safe, se led and ready to learn. Our new foundaon pupils have also been warmly welcomed by the exis ng pupils and have quickly become part of the Haversham Village School family.

Our year 6 children have a ended their first school trip of the year to the Na onal Paralympic Heritage Trust at Stoke Mandeville in Aylesbury.

As part of their learning this half term, the children study the history of the Paralympics, prosthe cs, and the lived experiences of the athletes.

The children thoroughly enjoyed the museum and par cipa ng in some of the Paralympic sports. In the next few weeks, the school will be visited by a former Paralympic athlete and the children will

have the opportunity to hold a Paralympic torch.

Our year 1 students transformed into a colourful array of superheroes this week, to celebrate their topic which focuses on superheroes this half term. Our year 1 pupils have just started a more formal style of educa on and this topic always proves to be a wonderful hook to engage them in learning and to encourage them to begin to write their wonderful ideas in more structured sentences. It was heartwarming to witness our li le heroes embrace the spirit of the day with such enthusiasm and crea vity.

The staff have some wonderful things planned, this academic year, and I look forward to sharing them with you in the near future.

Best Wishes Mr David Ley & all the staff of Haversham Village School

The Parishes of Haversham with Little Linford and Tyringham with Filgrave Priest for the LAMP group of churches Revd. Adrian Low

07883 717642

rev.adrian.low@gmail.com

Churchwardens for St Mary’s Haversham & St Leonard’s Li le Linford Joe Geary Fi Jones

01908 510289 07946 615218

joegeary100@gmail.com fipwmum@gmail.com

Churchwarden for Tyringham with Filgrave Marion Hansford

01234 711566

mariford@b nternet.com

BAPTISMS, MARRIAGES, FUNERALS and PASTORAL NEEDS For informa on about Christenings, weddings, funerals or if you would like a visit for any reason, please contact: Rev. Adrian Low, The Rectory, High Street, Haversham, Milton Keynes, MK19 7DT. Telephone 07883 717642 or email: rev.adrian.low@gmail.com.

ST MARY’S CHURCH BEREAVEMENT GROUP Please contact Fi Jones on 07946 615218 or by email at fipwmum@gmail.com.

FOR UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON CHURCH SERVICES AND EVENTS Check out the LAMP group website at h p://thelampchurches.com or our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stmaryhaversham where you can lots of other details about our worship.

HAVERSHAM MORNING WORSHIP A er each 11 o'clock service, members of the congrega on are invited to stay for refreshments.

Page 37

Lamp Group Church Services 1st October

9:30 am Holy Communion 11:00 am Harvest Worship at Hill Farm, Haversham with ‘Bring & Share lunch’ a erwards 6:00 pm Something Else on Sunday

Tyringham Haversham / Li le Linford

8th October

9:30 am Morning Prayer 11:00 am Morning Worship 11:00 am Parish Communion plus Ukrainian Art Exhibi on & Sale (Sat/Sun)

Li le Linford Haversham Emberton

15th October

9:30 am Morning Prayer 11:00 am Holy Communion 6:00 pm Evensong

Tyringham Haversham Emberton

22nd October

9:30 am Holy Communion 11:00 am Morning Worship 11:00 am Parish Praise / Church Café

Li le Linford Haversham Emberton

29th October

11:00 am United Lamp Group Memorial Service—Come and light a candle for a loved one

Tyringham

5th November

9:30 am Holy Communion 11:00 am Morning Worship 6:00 pm Something Else on Sunday

Tyringham Haversham Emberton

12th November

10:50 am Remembrance Service Haversham 10:50 am Remembrance Service at the Clock Emberton Tower 3:00 pm Remembrance Service Tyringham

19th November

9:30 am Morning Prayer 11:00 am Holy Communion 6:00 pm Evensong

Li le Linford Haversham Emberton

26th November

9:30 am Holy Communion 11:00 am Morning Worship 11:00 am Parish Praise / Café Church

Li le Linford Haversham Emberton

Page 38

Emberton

A Message from Adrian Low I write in the a ermath of the double dam collapse followed by the loss of up to 15,000 lives in Libya and a devasta ng earthquake in the Atlas mountains of Morocco.

Our last parish, you may know, was the Costa del Sol (west) in Spain and our bedroom in the Chaplaincy House in Estepona looked over the Mediterranean. Apparently, in the far distance, the northernmost ridges of the Atlas mountains were visible on a clear day, even, occasionally in winter, being snow-capped.

These two disasters in north African countries are most dreadful. The failure of the dams you might blame on the absence of effec ve and coopera ng governments in Libya, but the Mediterranean hurricane brought about the torren al rain. That, you might blame on global warming and another human failure.

The earthquake, however, is beyond human control, though with

our wisdom about the movement of tectonic plates, some might ask why people choose to live in such risky places.

Insurance companies in the UK would call these Acts of God, indeed much of the repor ng from both countries showed individuals lamen ng these events as the 'will of God'. The writers of the Old Testament had that view. God's anger was the cause of Noah's flood, Sodom and Gomorrah consumed by fire, and so on – evidently because of their sin.

Jesus has a new take on it when he says he came because God so loved the world. Not to judge but to save, to bring light and joy, and 'life in abundance'. For me, any sugges on at all, that God is willing the u er destrucon of these ci es by flood or earthquake, this is not the God of love I have chosen to belong to for 60+ years.

As a scien st I do know that we are fortunate,

beyond any kind of measure, that we have life on this planet, and that it can be sustained on this molten world, within the cool crust on which we live. That by virtue of sufficient oxygen in a living atmosphere and 70% surface water – we have life. But it is risky, … but it is life.

There is an inevitability about floods and earthquakes that God knew about when, with joy and as risk averse as possible, God created. The alternave would have been no life, no love, nothing.

I mourn and pray for the lives so hopelessly lost and broken by the events over which none of us has any control. At the same me, I choose life with all its risks and all its abundance.

Best wishes Adrian Low Church of England priest for Emberton, Tyringham and Filgrave, Li le Linford and Haversham

Page 39

News from the Pews MEMOS FROM ST MARY’S To everything there is a season and a me to every purpose under heaven – so says the writer of Ecclesiastes in a reminder to us that things are moving forward all the me and although we may be sad at the dwindling of the daylight (I know I am) and the loss of the ho er weather, we must come to that me of plan ng and plucking up which is the season of Autumn.

Thinking of plan ng and plucking up, on 1st October at 11 am we have Haversham and Li le Linford Harvest Service at Hill Farm once again where, surrounded by all that grain, you get a real sense of the season. Please join us for this joyful open air service. The service will be followed by a bring and share lunch. Please bring whatever you feel appropriate for a cold lunch; drinks will be provided.

NEW this year! Youth Group starts 5th October and mee ng fortnightly in Page 40

the Social Centre between 6.30 and 8.30 for children and young people between the ages of 10 and 14 approx. Come along and have some fun!

For Art lovers there will be a chance to show support, on 8 October at 11am following Emberton Communion, for the Ukrainian Art Exhibi on and sale over the weekend.

Look out for the next Messy Church which is held on the last Saturday of every month in the Social Centre, 11 – 12.30 pm with cra , story, song, prayer and free lunch for children and families. Next date 28 October.

On 29 October at 11am join us at the LAMP GROUP Service at Tyringham which is a Memorial service for the Benefice.

Come and light a candle for a loved one and remember them at this me.

Looking further ahead into November on 12 November at 11am

(10.50 am) at Haversham St Mary's there will be the usual Remembrance Service to honour all those who have died in conflict. Please remember to come ten minutes early.

Opportuni es to socialise in Haversham - Julia and Ian, on behalf of St Mary’s Church, will provide an Open House Lunch, on the third Monday of each month for the rest of the year for any member of St. Mary’s and Li le Linford Churches and residents of Haversham and Li le Linford. See p. 4 for details.

Many local people will remember Olive Harrie Ma hews (nee North) On Saturday 23 September, a Memorial Service was held at St Mary's Church for Olive preceding her being laid to rest in the Churchyard with her husband Jack and in close proximity to a number of her siblings, parents and other family members.

Olive was born on 1st February 1924 at Pikes Farm Haversham and a ended the village

school close to St Mary's Church. Towards the end of WW2 she met Jack who was serving in the army and they were married on 5th April 1947 with their daughter Alison being born two years later.

Much of Olive's married life was spent in Haversham un l a move to Devon in 2007. Throughout her life Olive had a capacity for making friends and helping others. She enjoyed being part of numerous social groups and had a love of gardens and arts and cra work. Earlier this year, she moved to St Luke's hospice in Plym-

outh un l passing in her sleep on 29 July.

In the season of Autumn we remember that our God is a God of me and seasons – all seasons of life – and walks with us through all our mes and changes, both good and bad. So whether we are plan ng or uproo ng we know that we do walk alone.

Jan Bell

NEWS FROM ST PETER'S, TYRINGHAM Our Fete at the beginning of August was very successful. It was a huge

effort (most of the people who offered their help to organise the event had never been involved in planning a fete) but it all came together and the PCC members are exceedingly grateful to them. We were extremely lucky with the weather, people who came from the local villages came in macs and with umbrellas having experienced heavy rain as they set out but it completely missed Tyringham and, although breezy, the sun shone and so many friends met up for tea under a blue sky. Besides raising £1,413.76 for the

Page 41

toilet fund, it was a great social event.

Our Harvest Fes val service went well, the church was beau fully decorated with the fruits of Autumn and we had the rare opportunity to have a tradi onal evensong with the lovely harvest hymns.

On October 29th the LAMP Group of Churches will hold their annual Memorial Service when we come together to remember our loved ones who have passed away during the year. If anyone wishes to have the name of their loved one read

out during the service, would they please contact Joe Geary or Marion Hansford by 22nd October.

Remembrance Service will be held at 3.00p.m. on 12th November followed by tea and cake.

Please note the service pa ern for St Peter’s changes to the 1st and 2nd Sundays in the month for November.

Dare I men on Christmas? The shops are already stocking up with all things Christmas, including food! So I guess I can.

Our Carol Service will be

on 17th December at 6.00p.m.

The Le Tour de Tyringham takes place on 30th September as this edi on of the magazine is distributed so news of the success of this event in the next issue.

Dates for the Diary 29th October Memorial Service at 11.00a.m.

12th November Remembrance Sunday at 3.00p.m.

17th December Carol Service at 6.00p.m.

Marion Hansford

Swansway Self Storage Containers

¨ 20ft containers available to hire in Haversham ¨ High security locks, well-lit area with CCTV For information, contact Rachel 07710 603417 Page 42

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Let us help you AND your pets!

We help all spines no matter whether they’re human or animal.

Ossio Human and Veterinary Chiropractic 86 The High St. Stony Stratford Milton Keynes MK11 1AH e: hello@ossioclinics.co.uk

T: 01908 265 222

Register of Animal Musculoskeletal Practitioners Page 44