26th August '04 - Turn the Key and Come to the Party
Hornton’s gardeners are being urged by Neighbourhood Watch organisers to lock up their sheds after thieves have been pilfering sheds in
Wroxton, Lower Tadmarton, North Newington and Great Bourton.
Fortunately, Neighbourhood Watch members heeded the call last Sunday, when the annual Hornton Neighbourhood Watch Party took place on the
green. It would have been a bit embarrassing if thieves had popped in whilst everyone was enjoying ourselves!
At the party, there were pork baps and sausages for sale, plenty of liquid refreshment, music, raffle and lots of good company. A good
time was had by all.
26th August '04 - Many Mittens
Hornton’s knitters have made more than 100 pairs of mittens for people in Eastern Europe - and they’re not about to put down their
needles yet.
“I have a pattern for a hat, if anyone fancies a change,” says mitten maestro Isabelle Harris, who is co-ordinating the effort.
“Please telephone me on 01295 670541 if you would like a pattern. This is an ongoing project for hats, mittens and scarves.
“And if anyone has spare double knitting wool but hasn’t the time to knit, I would be grateful for is.
“Thanks again for your help. Happy knitting!”
26th August '04 - The Name's Sally...Aunt Sally
It’s all happening at the Dun Cow next Wednesday, September 1 at 7.45pm. That’s when JUMPA are holding their next fund-raising venture,
an Aunt Sally competition. You can make up a team of six in advance or just turn up on the night. The entry fee is only £2-50 per head
and you don’t need to be an Aunt Sally expert. After a few pints of Hooky you’ll soon get the idea!
And there’s no better time than right now to put your name down for the JUMPA progressive dinner party.
Everybody who’s taken part in the past has had a fantastic time, so don’t be bashful. Give it a go!
The format is simple. You can either opt to be a host or a guest. If you’re a guest, you go to three different homes for three different
courses. All you pay is £20 a head at the end of the evening for a delicious dinner with all drinks included.
If you’re a host, you stay put and your contribution to JUMPA is to cook three courses for three sets of guests
over the evening.
You won’t regret taking part - new friendships have been made over the JUMPA dinner table. Please fill in the
form which is inside the latest edition of The Gossip and put it into the box on the village green by midnight
next Wednesday, September 1st.
26th August '04 - Worms Turn
Bookworms will be wriggling along to Hornton village green next Wednesday from 10.55 to 11.30am, where they’ll find the mobile library
from Oxfordshire County Council.
26th August '04 - Church Services
There will be a service at the Methodist Church this Sunday, August 29, at 11am. There’s no service at the Parish Church of St John the
Baptist as there’s a Benefice Service in Balscote at 10.30am.
25th August '04 - Mighty Firestorm at Cropredy
Hornton’s very own pop superstars, The Mighty Firebirds, took the Fairport Festival by storm the Saturday before last when they played
in front of their biggest-ever crowd.
Around 20,000 enthusiastic fans were at Cropredy to watch the band, led by Hornton’s Mark Bowes, go through an electrifying one-hour set
which included new numbers from their forthcoming album.
Mark admitted beforehand to being nervous at the size of the crowd but Firebirds fans were not disappointed with the band’s dazzling
performance - especially the big Hornton contingent right up at the front!
An encore was inevitable, and the band ended their set with their own version of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition, with new Firebirds
vocalist Tom Beckinsale right on song.
The band’s loyal following are keeping their fingers crossed that The Mighty Firebirds will be invited back to Cropredy this time
next year - if the under-threat festival continues. But you won’t have to wait till 2005 to see them. They are back in the village
to headline the Bank Holiday Music Festival at the Dun Cow this Bank Holiday Monday, August 30.
Also featuring then will be duo Tom Sole and Sam Scannell, who have played the Bank Holiday gig before, and a covers band from
Middleton Cheney called Rock Sober.
“Still to be confirmed are TNT, an AC-DC tribute band, who have just lost their bass player and are trying to get it together,”
said Mark.
The music starts at 12.30pm and runs through till 5.30pm, with entry at just £2 and children free. There will be a BBQ run by
JUMPA and if anyone would like to run a stall for any other village cause, they would be most welcome. Please contact Mark on
01295 670633.
25th August '04 - Flower Power
Summer holidays and the August downpours didn’t reduce the quality of entries to last Saturday’s 3hs Gardening Club show - or
dampen the spirits of the exhibitors!
“It was lovely,” said club secretary Sally Tweedsmuir. “We had slightly fewer entries than last year, because several people
were away.
“In particular, a number of our flower arrangers were on holiday but the judges were very, very complimentary at the standard
of the entries, despite the vagaries of the weather.”
Lady Tweedsmuir thanked all the judges, who she said had a very tough task with such high quality entries. She said that Jill
Baldwin of Long Wittenham, who judged the cookery entries, had a particularly difficult job.
“The poor woman had to taste every single pot of jam, marmalade and chutney!” said Sally.
Winners of Section 1 - Vegetables (judged by Macolm Brown of Swaycliffe).
CLASS 1 (6 runner beans) - E. Turner; 2 (4 potatoes) - E. Turner; 3 (4 onions, dressed) - E. Turner; 4 (4 onions, as grown) - D. Batchelor; 5 (6 shallots, dressed) - J. Hillman; 6 (4 tomatoes) - J. Hillman; 7 (6 tomatoes - Gardener's Delight or similar) - F. Jarrett; 8 (4 carrots, less foliage) - E. Turner; 9 (3 beetroot, with foliage) - M. Cross; 10 (4 pods of peas) - F. Jarrett; 11 (pair of lettuce) - E. Turner; 12 (pair of courgettes) - E. Turner; 13 (single cucumber) - D. Batchelor; 14 (collection of vegetables) - E. Turner; 15 (the heaviest marrow) - M. Cross; 16 (the longest bean) - E. Turner; 17 (3 cooking apples) - E. Turner; 18 (3 dessert apples) - E. Turner; 19 (4 plums) - L. Corke; 20 (4 different varieties of herbs) - Lord Tweedsmuir.
Winner of the Vegetable Cup - E. Turner. Winner of the Reserve Vegetable Cup - D. Bachelor.
Winners of Section 2 - Flowers (judged by Janet Cropley of Evenley).
CLASS 21 (3 antirrhinum spikes) - E. Lewis; 22 (3 spray chrysanthemum) - L. Cross; 23 (6 annual sweet peas) - E. Lewis; 24 (6 pansies or violas) - Lord Tweedsmuir; 25 (3 dahlias)) - E. Lewis; 26 (3 pom pom dahlias under 2") - E. Lewis; 27 (3 asters, single) - E. Batchelor; 28 (3 asters, double) - L. Cross; 29 (a container of pinks) - J. Hillman; 30 (1 spike gladiolus) - E. Batchelor; 31 (a single rose) - E. Jeffs; 32 (3 clematis heads)) - S. Hillman; 33 (3 perennials) - E. Lewis; 34 (mixed annuals in a container of your choice) - H. Bannister; 35 (1 stem flowering shrub) - Lord Tweedsmuir; 36 (flowering pot plant) - E. Batchelor; 37 (foliage or succulent pot plant) - E. Lewis; 38 (a foliage arrangement) - E. Lewis; 39 ( "Dance") - J. Stanley; 40 (a miniature arrangement not exceeding 4" x 4") - E. Jeffs; 41 (an arrangement in a cup and saucer for men only) - P. Brooks.
Winner of the Flower Cup - E. Lewis. Winner of the Reserve Flower Cup - E. Batchelor. Winner of the Silver Salver for Flower Arranging - E. Jeffs.
Winners of Section 3 - Cooking (judged by Jill Baldwin of Long Wittenham).
CLASS 42 (jar of lemon curd) - E. Jeffs; 43 (jar of jam) - J. Hillman; 44 (jar of marmalade) - P. Miles; 45 (jar of chutney) - A. Turner; 46 (jar of jelly) - J. Horsley; 47 (3 chocolate brownies) - E. Jeffs; 48 (2 Banbury cakes) - E. Jeffs; 49 (carrot cake) - J. Stanley; 50 (3 tartlet size cheese quiche) - E. Jeffs.
Winner of the Cooking Cup - E. Jeffs. Winner of the Reserve Cooking Cup - E. Batchelor.
Winner of the President's Cup for the Best Plant Exhibit (presented by Lord Tweedsmuir) - H. Bannister.
Winner of the Shield for the exhibitor with most points - E. Batchelor.
24th August '04 - The One That Got Away
Computers – don’t you just love ’em? Many apologies to everyone who turned to last week’s village column to find it…missing. It left
Hornton in one piece and seems to have arrived at the Guardian, only for it to have its silicon chips when it arrived!
But every cloud has a silver lining. This week’s there a bumper edition, with all the highlights from last week’s column plus all the
up-to-the-minute news from the best and busiest village in Banburyshire!
24th August '04 - There's No Such Thing as a Free Bike
But it’s nearly free - if you take part in the annual Hornton Leisure Cycle Ride this Sunday!
There’s a superb Raleigh Racer up for grabs and all you need to do it give a minimum donation to JUMPA,
Hornton and Horley's Jubilee fund for a multi-purpose play area, or to church funds. In return, Simon Perkin has generously agreed to
donate his spare bike. Please get in touch with him on 01295 670701 if you are interested.
Not that you need to be bribed to go on the ride – because a fun-filled day is already in prospect.
Bike ride organiser Lynn Corke was keeping the most important detail – the location for the pub lunch – under her cycle hat until the
last minute but now the secret is out.
Cyclists will be lunching at the Chandler’s Arms in Epwell, which serves a tasty range of meals and snacks. Like last year, walkers and
car drivers are welcome to join the cyclists for lunch.
And there’s the prospect of another gastronomic stop on the way back!
“We’re going to stop off at the George and Dragon in Shutford, which is running a 1920s-style tearoom in aid of BBC’s Children in Need,”
said Lynn.
“Hopefully lots of people will be around as it is near the end of the school holidays and the weather will be kind. We shall meet on the
village green at 11.30am and, as the emphasis is on leisure, all abilities and ages are welcome - as well as walkers and drivers who can
meet up with us at lunchtime.”
Lynn says that anyone is welcome to just turn up on the day but, if you are interested in coming, she would like to hear in advance so
she can give the pub some indication of numbers. Please leave a message for her on 01295 670673.
And talking of bike rides, it’s time to get yourself sponsored for the Annual Ride and Stride to be held on Saturday, September 11 in
aid of the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust. The aim is simple: you walk or cycle around as many local churches as possible and you
split the sponsorship money you raise between the church of your choice and the trust.
You can get sponsorship forms from Julie Stanley on 01295 670507.
20th August '04 - Many Mittens
Hornton’s knitters have made more than 100 pairs of mittens for people in Eastern Europe - and they’re not about to put down their
needles yet.
“I have a pattern for a hat, if anyone fancies a change,” says mitten maestro Isabelle Harris, who is co-ordinating the effort.
“Please telephone me on 01295 670541 if you would like a pattern. This is an ongoing project for hats, mittens and scarves.
“And if anyone has spare double knitting wool but hasn’t the time to knit, I would be grateful for is.
“Thanks again for your help. Happy knitting!”
20th August '04 - The Name's Sally.... Aunt Sally
It’s all happening at the Dun Cow on Wednesday, September 1 at 7.45pm. That’s when JUMPA are holding their next fund-raising venute, an
Aunt Sally competition. You can make up a team of six in advance or just turn up on the night. The entry fee is only £2-50 per head and
you don’t need to be an Aunt Sally expert. After a few pints of Hooky you’ll soon get the idea!
And there’s no better time than right now to put your name down for the JUMPA progressive dinner party. Everybody who’s taken part
in the past has had a fantastic time, so don’t be bashful. Give it a go!
The format is simple. You can either opt to be a host or a guest. If you’re a guest, you go to three different homes for three
different courses. All you pay is £20 a head at the end of the evening for a delicious dinner with all drinks included.
If you’re a host, you stay put and your contribution to JUMPA is to cook three courses for three sets of guests over the evening.
You won’t regret taking part - new friendships have been made over the JUMPA dinner table. Please fill in the form which is inside
the latest edition of The Gossip and put it into the box on the village green by midnight on September 1.
20th August '04 - Worms Turn
Bookworms will be wriggling along to Hornton village green next Wednesday from 10.55 to 11.30am, where they’ll find the mobile
library from Oxfordshire County Council.
20th August '04 - Church Services
There will be a service in the Methodist Church at 11 am service this Sunday, August 22, and Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at the
Parish Church of St John the Baptist at the same time.
17th August '04 - The View From Here is Free
Many thanks to the Hornton residents who responded to the request in last week’s Guardian to get in touch if they can receive Freeview,
the free-to-air multi-channel alternative to Sky TV.
Millers Lane’s Barbara Greenhalgh and Martin Lewis both get Freeview very successfully and so does David Kings, who lives at the bottom
of the street on the village green.
Barbara thinks that the people in Millers Lane may have a big advantage over people who live in other parts of the village: they face the
Oxford transmitter and have always got good terrestrial reception while others of us have struggled.
So if you don’t want to put money into Rupert Murdoch’s pocket then Freeview may be a possibility if you live in the right part of
Hornton. Barbara thinks that it’s also possible to get a satellite dish and only receive free-to-air channels, without having to take
out any Sky subscription at all. Does anybody know any more about this? If so, please get in touch with Roger on 01295 670673 or 07721
988977.
17th August '04 - There's No Such Thing as a Free Bike
But it’s nearly free - if you take part in the annual Hornton Leisure Cycle Ride!
There’s a superb Raleigh Racer up for grabs and all you need to do it give a minimum donation to JUMPA or to
church funds. In return, Simon Perkin has generously agreed to donate his spare bike. Please get in touch with him on 01295 670701 if
you are interested.
Not that you need to be bribed to go on the ride - because a fun-filled day is already in prospect on Sunday, August 29.
Bike ride organiser Lynn Corke is keeping the most important detail - the location for the pub lunch - under her cycle hat at the moment
but she says all will be revealed next week on the noticeboard, on the website and in the Guardian.
In the meantime, Lynn says she would like to hear from anyone who would like to go on the cycle ride so she can give the pub some
indication of numbers, so please leave a message for her on 01295 670673.
“Hopefully lots of people will be around as it is near the end of the school holidays and the weather will be kind,” said Lynn. “We
shall meet on the village green at 11.30am and, as the emphasis is on leisure, all abilities and ages are welcome - as well as walkers
and drivers who can meet up with us at lunchtime.”
And talking of bike rides, it’s time to get yourself sponsored for the Annual Ride and Stride to be held on Saturday, September 11 in
aid of the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust. The aim is simple: you walk or cycle around as many local churches as possible and you
split the sponsorship money you raise between the church of your choice and the trust.
You can get sponsorship forms from Julie Stanley on 01295 670507.
16th August '04 - Flower Power
The waiting’s nearly over - it’s almost time for the greenest-fingered day of the year! This Saturday, August 21st, the
3Hs Gardening Club hold their annual flower and vegetable show and it’s not to be missed.
If you’re a member, it’s not too late to enter any one of a host of classes for flowers, fruit and vegetables. There’s even a
special flower arranging class for men - so no excuses there, lads - and cookery competitions, too. This year, you can make carrot
cake, Banbury Cakes or chocolate brownies, so roll your sleeves up and get baking!
The recipes for all of these, plus details of all the other classes, can be obtained from club secretary Sally Tweedsmuir on 01295
670608.
And if you’re not a member, come along anyway on Saturday afternoon. There will be teas - the compulsory Hornton raffle,
of course - and a harvest of the finest produce from Hornton, Horley and Hanwell on display. See you there!
16th August '04 - Turn the Key and Come to the Party
Hornton’s gardeners are being urged by Neighbourhood Watch organisers to lock up their sheds after thieves have been pilfering sheds in
Wroxton, Lower Tadmarton, North Newington and Great Bourton.
And that especially applies to next Sunday, August 22, between 6 and 8pm. That’s when the annual Neighbourhood Watch Party is taking
place on the village green - or in the pavilion of wet - and it would be a bit embarrassing if thieves popped in whilst we were all
enjoying ourselves!
At the party, there will be pork baps and sausages for sale, plenty of liquid refreshment, music, raffle and lots of good company. So
whether you’re a new Horntonian or an old one, the village green is the place to be!
16th August '04 - Mighty Firestorm at Cropredy
Hornton’s very own pop superstars, The Mighty Firebirds, took the Fairport Festival by storm last Saturday when they played in front of
their biggest-ever crowd.
Around 20,000 enthusiastic people were at Cropredy to watch the band, led by Hornton’s Mark Bowes, go through an electrifying one-hour
set which included new numbers from their forthcoming album.
Mark admitted beforehand to being nervous at the size of the crowd but Firebirds fans were not disappointed with the band’s dazzling
performance, especially the big Hornton contingent right up at the front.
An encore was inevitable, and the band ended their set with their own version of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition, with new Firebirds
vocalist Tom Beckinsale right on song.
The band’s loyal following are keeping their fingers crossed that The Mighty Firebirds will be invited back to Cropredy this time next
year - if the under-threat festival continues. But you won’t have to wait till 2005 to see them. They are back in the village to headline
the Bank Holiday Music Festival at the Dun Cow on Monday, August 30.
Also featuring then will be duo Tom Sole and Sam Scannell, who have played the Bank Holiday gig before, and a covers band from Middleton
Cheney called Rock Sober.
“Still to be confirmed are TNT, an AC-DC tribute band, who have just lost their bass player and are trying to get it together,” said
Mark.
The music starts at 12.30pm and runs through till 5.30pm, with entry at just £2 and children free. There will be a BBQ
run by JUMPA, Hornton and Horley's Jubilee fund for a multi-purpose play area, and if anyone would like to run
a stall for any other village cause, they would be most welcome. Please contact Mark on 01295 670633.
13th August '04 - Ooops!!! Clanger!!!
Regarding the Neighbourhood Watch Party on Sunday 22nd, 6 - 8pm on the
Village Green unfortunately, much as we would like it to be, it's NOT all
FREE!
This is what happens: There is a raffle - £1 per ticket, and with each
ticket you get a free glass of wine.
And there will be hot dogs £1 each, drinks for the kids at cost, and
Lesley's famous and delicious roast pork baps for a mere £1.30! So come
along, have a drink, feed everyone and enjoy yourselves!
And never mind the weather - if it pours we'll just move to the Pavilion
See you there!
13th August '04 - Church Services
Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at 11am in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist this Sunday, August 15. Then, at 6pm, there will be
a special Songs of Praise service in the Methodist Church, where all your favourite hymns will be sung.
And a date for your diaries: this year’s Gift Day will take place at the Parish Church on September 11 from10am to 12 noon. The church
will be open for coffee and a chat and there will also be an opportunity to make a gift to church funds.
12th August '04 - Skip Down the Road for a Sing Song
Horntonians can listen to sweet music next month - by just popping down the road to Horley.
Serenata, a group of singers from Nottinghamshire, will be performing a selection of songs, madrigals and spirituals - plus a splash of
Gilbert and Sullivan - in St Etheldreda’s Church on Saturday, September 4 at 7.30pm.
The event is coming to Horley because one of Serenata’s members, Chris Howell, has recently retired here and it seemed a good idea to
meet again and benefit the church with a charity concert. Someone has now taken his place in the Serenata but he may take part in some
of the pieces on the night.
There should be something for everyone in the group’s wide repertoire. Parents, there’s no need to worry about babysitters. Children
under 14 are free and tickets are just £6 for adults.
11th August '04 - Wheels on Fire
A new-look Firebirds will be headlining at Hornton’s legendary Music Festival this Bank Holiday Monday, August 30th.
“We’ve got a new vocalist, Tom Beckinsale,” said Firebirds frontman Mark Bowes. “And it’s all original material now, ready for a CD which
we’re doing in the autumn.
Also featuring will be duo Tom Sole and Sam Scannell, who have played the Bank Holiday gig before, and a covers band from Middleton
Cheney called Rock Sober.
“Still to be confirmed are TNT, an AC-DC tribute band, who have just lost their bass player and are trying to get it together,” added
Mark.
The music starts at 12.30pm and runs through till 5.30pm, with entry at just £2 and children free. There will be a BBQ run by
JUMPA,
Hornton and Horley's Jubilee fund for a multi-purpose play area, and if anyone would like to run a stall for any other village cause,
they would be most welcome. Please contact Mark on 01295 670633.
11th August '04 - On and On Your Bike
It’s definitely on - the official Hornton Leisure Cycle Ride and Pub Lunch.
After a shaky start, when a misprint in organiser Lynn Corke’s diary led her to schedule it for Father’s Day - it’s now going to take
place on the coming Bank Holiday weekend.
“Sorry everyone,” said Lynn. “No sooner had I fixed a date in June for this and put it in the last edition of The Gossip, than it became
clear that not only had I managed to select Father's Day but also the same day as the open air church service. So the date has been
changed and is now bank holiday Sunday, August 29th.
“Hopefully lots of people will be around as it is near the end of the school holidays and the weather will be kind. We shall meet on the
village green at 11.30am to ride to a destination yet to be confirmed but the emphasis is on leisure and all abilities and ages are
welcome as well as walkers and drivers.
Please watch the noticeboard and the Banbury Guardian for further details. An indication of likely numbers would be welcome before the
day - you can call me on 01295 670673 if you want more details or think you would like to come. You could see it as getting into training
for the Historic Churches Trust Ride and Stride in September!”
11th August '04 - Band Strikes Up
Hornton will finally get the Broadband high-speed internet connection on September 8 but the village is still in the dark over Freeview,
the free-to-air multi-channel TV system.
According to the Freeview website, the OX15 postcode supposedly can’t get Freeview, which means that anyone wanting more than the basic
five channels has to subscribe to Sky TV.
But TV reception is so quirky in Hornton that some people might be able to receive a decent Freeview signal and one or two residents not
anxious to put money in Rupert Murdoch’s pocket would like to know. If you do get Freeview, please contact Roger by ringing 01295 670673
or contact him at roger dot corke at Hornton dot org dot uk - replace the words with the appropriate symbols. (This is to stop unnecessary
spam email)
10th August '04 - Sad News
Some of you may remember the Dawes family, who used to live in Millers Lane, Hornton. Tragically, their youngest daughter, Claire, died
of melanoma last Monday, August 2nd, at only 28 years of age. Her funeral will be at Banbury Crematorium at 2pm today, August 12th.
10th August '04 - Gardeners Cross Green Fingers
The chrysanthemums will soon be cut and the plums picked as members of the 3Hs Gardening Club gear up for their biggest day of the year
– the annual flower and produce show.
It’s all happening a week on Saturday, August 21st, when those with green fingers in Hornton, Horley and Hanwell will have them firmly
crossed as they pit their produce against that of their friends and neighbours in friendly competition.
Good cooks will also be able to show their skills in three cooking competitions – for Banbury Cakes, carrot cake and chocolate brownies,
so no one needs to be left out of the competition. There’s even a special category of flower arranging for men only.
You can get the recipes for the cakes from club secretary Sally Tweedsmuir on 01295 670608. She also has the rest of the show schedule,
explaining what classes you can enter with your flowers, fruit and vegetables.
Real ale fans came from as far away as Yorkshire to sample a delicious range of beers in Hornton’s Second Annual Summer Beer Festival, which was held in the Dun Cow over the weekend.
Brews with intriguing names like Fursty Ferret, Moletrap and Squirrel’s Delight were on offer inside a tent erected in the pub garden and licensee Martin Gelling said the whole event was a terrific success.
“It went really well,” said Martin. “We certainly saw lots of different faces. We actually had one couple come down from Sheffield specially for it!”
All the beers had an animal theme and Martin said the consensus of opinion was that the favourite beer on offer was a dark mild called Black Cat - “a dark, refreshing beer with a distinctive chocolate malt favour and a smooth, hoppy finish”, according to the tasting notes.
Second favourite was a beer brewed especially for the festival call Bear and Ox - “a sharp, full-flavoured pale bitter, definitely hop driven with a lemony edge”.
There will be another summer event this time next year but real ale devotees won’t have to wait that long for a Dun Cow beer festival. There will be a winter beer festival next February.
6th August '04 - Gold Blend
A coffee morning at Hornton’s children’s playground last Saturday raised more than £200 and the organisers are delighted.
“We took £211 on the morning and, when I got back, I got a £5 donation, so that brought the total to £216,” said Paul Burden.
He said that there are already plans afoot to put that money - and more - to good use.
“In September we’re hoping to incorporate safety tiles under the roundabout and also fit new bearings to it.
“And we also hope at the same time to put a new seat in the playground. There are not enough seats to go round for parents who pick their children up from school and then take them to the playground.”
The seat will be paid for by donations to the playground but will be in special memory of former school caretaker Pat Horsley, who died at the end of last year.
“He used to like sitting down in the playground,” explained Paul.
“We’re also hoping to raise some of the fencing around the playground to prevent the balls going over onto the road way and stop children trying to climb over it.”
Paul said that the playground is more popular than ever and that the new mower the playground committee have bought is “working a treat”.
“The next really big project will be to create disabled access and then we hope to build a new climbing frame in memory of Mike Webber.”
Mike, who died tragically a year ago, was the treasurer of the playground and gave up hours of his spare time looking after it.
6th August '04 - On or Off your Bike
The Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust are holding their annual Ride and Stride event in early September, so pick up your sponsorship forms now.
There are two ways of taking part - on your bike or off your bike! You can either ride to as many of north Oxfordshire’s beautiful churches as possible or go on foot. Either way, you’ll raise money for the trust and for the church of your choice - just as long as you’ve picked up a sponsorship form in advance. And that couldn’t be easier. Just ring Julie Stanley on 01295 670507.
Meanwhile, don’t forget Hornton’s Annual Leisure Cycle Ride and Pub Lunch, taking place this year on Bank Holiday Sunday, August 30. A mouth-watering pub lunch is in prospect and more details will be available soon. Keep reading the Guardian, watching the noticeboard and logging on to the village website.
6th August '04 - Half Way to the High Jump
The members of JUMPA, Hornton and Horley's Jubilee fund for a multi-purpose play area, have always had high aspirations - because they need to raise more than £30,000 to see the project through. But less than three years after they started, they’re already half way towards their target!
JUMPA chairman Steve Woodcock told the annual general meeting, held on July 29 at the Dun Cow, that they’ve raised £7,000 so far and been given a grant of £10,000 by Cherwell District Council.
“So, at a total of £17,000, we’re about half way there,” said Steve. “We’re waiting to hear from two other funding applications and we’re busy looking at other grant options.
“The Cherwell money needs to be used within the next two years and will only be forthcoming when all of the £30,000 plus amount has been raised, so that we can make a start and get the work done.
“We’re very grateful for all the enthusiasm in both villages - support and participation have been great.”
At the meeting, all officers were re-appointed and Steve thanked the committee for their hard work, not forgetting many spouses and other villagers who have also helped and come up with ideas.
In their efforts to raise cash, JUMPA have staged a wide variety of events, most recently the annual Golden Mile Run on Quarry Road. And there’s an action-packed autumn schedule in prospect.
On September 1, at 7.45pm in the Dun Cow, there will be an Aunt Sally competition where teams of six can compete for exciting prizes, with entry at just £2.50 per head.
That will be followed on September 11 by another of JUMPA’s fantastically successful - and social - progressive dinner parties. The idea is simple: you either go to three different houses to eat three different courses or you host the dinner party and have three sets of people for each course. Either way, it’s a great way to meet new people so give it a try. More details soon.
Finally, Ollie Fickling and Steve Woodcock are dreaming up another of their fiendishly cryptic quizzes for a quiz night at the Dun Cow on October 2.
6th August '04 - Watch Out, There's a Party About
The annual Neighbourhood Watch party is will take place on the village green between 6 and 8pm on Sunday, August 22. There will be free drinks and refreshments and new residents of the village are particularly welcome. All you have to do is come along! In the time-honoured Hornton tradition, it will be “in pavilion if wet”.
6th August '04 - Green Leaves
The mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council will be on the village green next Wednesday from 10.55 to 11.30am.
6th August '04 - It Ain't 'arf Hot Mum
Hornton Parish Council is backing a scheme from Cherwell to check everyone’s electric blankets. At their latest meeting on July 26, Hornton councillors agreed to put details of the scheme on the village noticeboard.
Meanwhile, councillors got a bit hot under the collar about the time it was taking for Oxfordshire County Council come back with news about highways work in the village.
Traffic calming measures are being installed at Great Bourton in a few weeks and it is hoped to view these before putting together proposals for Hornton.
It was reported to that some residents had expressed concern about the noise from Public Address system at the BMX track at the top of the village, especially if this was to become a regular occurrence. The Clerk will write to Cherwell District Council to check what conditions are laid down, although the council had previously raised no objection to a change of use application on the site, turning agriculture land into community and leisure use.
Meanwhile, Cherwell District Council has advised that the deadline for advertising events in the North Oxfordshire What’s On guides is October 18 for events due to take place between January and March 2005. The Clerk will put details on the Notice Board.
Finally, Andrew and Maggie Higgins of Holloway House have kindly agreed to allow a cable to be connected to the power supply in their garage to light the Christmas Tree each year. The cable will be ducted under the road.
6th August '04 - Waste Not, Want Not
Oxfordshire County Council has advised that the opening hours at Alkerton Waste Recycling Centre near Hornton will be brought in line with other Centres in Oxfordshire and operate from 8am to 5pm seven days a week from October to March and 8am to 8pm from April to September.
6th August '04 - Wottalottalines
The Hornton column for the Banbury Guardian gets 6p a line, which doesn’t sound much. But between February and April of this year there were 2479 lines, chronicling the activities of the best and busiest village in Banburyshire, so that mounted up to £148-74 for Hornton’s good causes! Around £100 will be spent on a big reusable plastic sign advertising the May Day celebrations, which we’ll try to get put outside a supermarket next year in the week before the event. The remainder will go to the Hornton Goodwill Fund, which is run by Jean Burden and sends cards, small gifts and our good wishes to village people who are sick, just to let them know we are thinking of them.
6th August '04 - All that Glitters
Many thanks to the mystery correspondent who sneaked an extra entry into last week’s Hornton column about our party. Lynn and I hope that people in the village who weren’t there enjoyed the music and apologies if anyone was kept awake by it. Meanwhile, if any Horntonian is planning to turn their back garden into Ceasar’s Palace, please give us a ring. We now have a splendid revolving glitter ball (battery operated!) which is available for anyone in Hornton to borrow, in return for a small donation to the village cause of their choice.
6th August '04 - Church Services
Holy Eucharist will be celebrated in a United Service at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist this Sunday, August 8, at 11am. And don’t forget the special Songs of Praise Service on Sunday week. There’s still time to ask for your favourite hymn to be sung by putting a request in the box on the table in the Parish Church or by ringing Julie Stanley on 01295 670507.
The JUMPA (Jubilee Multi-Purpose Playing Area) committee held their AGM on 29 July at the Dun Cow.
All officers were re-appointed and chairman Steve Woodcock thanked the committee for their hard work, not forgetting many spouses and
other villagers who have also helped and come up with ideas.
Raising money to build a hard playing surface next to Hornton Pavilion, the team have staged a wide variety of events, most recently the
annual Golden Mile Run on Quarry Road.
Says chairman Steve: “Total funds for the joint Hornton-Horley project now top £7,000, plus the grant. So, at a total of £17,000, we’re
about half way there. We’re waiting to hear from two other funding applications and busy looking at other grant options.
“The Cherwell money needs to be used within the next two years and will only be forthcoming when all of the £30,000+ amount has been
raised so that work can start in full. So the focus now is on raising the balance of the money in the next year so we can make a start
and get the work done.
“We’re very grateful for all the enthusiasm in both villages - support and participation have been great.”
Dates for your diary...coming up next on the JUMPA event calendar are:
Aunt Sally: Wednesday, 1 September, 7.45pm, Dun Cow. Teams of six. Prizes. £2.50 entrance per head.
Progressive Dinner: Saturday, 11 September - look out for details soon
Quiz Night: Saturday, 2 October, Dun Cow - details to follow
Halloween Fancy Dress Party: Saturday, 30 October, at the Pavilion
`Miss Saigon’ trip: Wednesday, 15 December (date change)
