Hornton archive February 2010

It was a triumph! The first Hornton pantomime for many years was played to packed houses at all four performances and the one question on everyone’s lips as they left was simple: when’s the next one?

Probably not until the year after next, because Horley is planning a panto for 2011, but that will just give producer Anne Joyner extra time to write the follow-up to Jack and the Beanstalk! And she was presented with a well-deserved bouquet at the final curtain call for all her inspiration and hard work.

After the success of the panto, there are high hopes for another Allsorts theme night to keep Hornton’s thespian talents going, so keep reading the Guardian for details.

25th February 2010 - Come along for Curry

It’s authentic Indian curry and will be cooked right here in Hornton, so sign up now for the Khandel Light Curry Night!

Khandel is a small village in northern India which is being helped by Khandel Light, a small charity run by the doctor brother-in-law of Hornton’s Ginny Britton.

She is hosting a £20-a-head meal on March 13 to raise cash for the village - including a free glass of wine - and the curry will be so superb, you won’t’ be disappointed. It’s being cooked by Iqbal Rushforth and Jan Hall.

The money will be used for village projects, such as a new water supply - but space is limited, so please reserve your place by ringing Jan Hall on 01295 670891 or email Jan on janandgrahamhall (at) btopehnworld dot com

25th February 2010 - Hope Springs Eternal

Alan Wolstencroft will talk to Hornton and District WI about the Christian Hope School, Sierra Leone, in the Methodist Chapel next Thursday, March 4, at 7.30pm. The competition will be for a cup and saucer.

And dig out those special family recipes! Eleanor Campbell is kindly putting together a book of your favourites, so please send them to her at Copse Cap Barn, Eastgate, or at eleanor (at) campbellaylin dot com

25th February 2010 - Up the Pole

Ian Harris has raised £110 for Pavilion Funds through flying the Hornton Birthday Flag. It costs just £5 to have your birthday or special anniversary celebrated. All you have to do is to ring Ian on 01295 670541, pay up the money and the celebrations can begin!

25th February 2010 - Snow Problem

The bad weather meant that the Dun Cow had to postpone two Harbury and District Crib League matches but, after a nail-biting 4-3 home win against the Red Lion from North End, they’re still second in the table with two games in hand.

The Hornton cribbers are also into the final of the Supplementary Cup after beating the Green Man from Long Itchington.

25th February 2010 - Book Up

The mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council will be on the village green next Wednesday, March 3, from 10.40am-11.20am.

25th February 2010 - Godhead to Godhead

Jean Buzzard will lead the 11am service at Hornton Methodist Church this Sunday, February 28. At the same time Holy Eucharist will be celebrated in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist.

On Friday week, March 5, there will be a special 7pm service to celebrate Women’s World Day of Prayer at Ratley parish church.

20th February 2010 - Hornton Youth Club

The Hornton Youth Club is no longer in existence. Ian Harris had been hoping that some volunteers would come forward and get the club going again but so far nothing has happened. There is some equipment in the Pavilion and a modest sum of money in a bank account if anyone is interested in reviving the club.

19th February 2010 - Parish Council Minutes

Minutes from the latest Parish Council Meeting can be viewed online.

18th February 2010 - Night, Night Pete

Hornton’s mobile butcher, Pete Mumford, is retiring at the end of this month after delivering meat late at night to the village for 30 years. He’s been a butcher for more than half a century and Jane Wain’s organising a collection for him. Please drop any contributions into her at The Swallows in Eastgate.

18th February 2010 - Soupe-Douper

A superb £382 was raised for Hornton Methodist Church when it opened its doors last Saturday for a home-made-soup-and-crusty-bread-lunch in aid of church funds. Your correspondent particularly enjoyed the Spicy Tsunami!

18th February 2010 - Hrrr for the Brrr

The Dun Cow’s Winter Beer Festival was a roaring success - with almost 60 gallons of real ales polished off in one weekend.

After the weather we’ve had, it’s not surprising that this year’s theme was Winter, with ales such Ice Age, Thin Ice and Fireside featuring on the menu. But landlady Gwyneth Gelling said that, ironically, the weather was kind after rain had threatened to wash out previous festivals.

The next festival is a Cider Celebration on July 23-25.

18th February 2010 - Bus Stop

Local MP Tony Baldry has offered to come to Hornton to discuss the ending of our local bus service, parish councillors have been told.

Anger has been mounting at the loss of the subsidised service - when Hornton residents pay as much council tax as the residents of other villages who still get buses.

The councillors received the news at their latest meeting, which also heard that the a tradition going back decades will be broken at the next General Election when the Church Room will not be used for polling. The building no longer meets modern health’n’safety rules so the Methodist Chapel will be used instead.

A recycling clothes bank may soon be placed on the Pavilion Car Park next to the bottle bank, following a request from the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance to place one there. Councillors were happy in principle and referred the matter to the Pavilion Committee for their consideration.

Finally, members were told that plans are now well advanced for the purchase of the village allotments by the parish council. The playground committee will lend the council the cash over a number of years and a professional valuation of the allotment land is due to be completed within the next few weeks.

18th February 2010 - Long Stretch

Hornton’s Ian Harris will be one of a group of Hash House Harriers carrying an occupied stretcher along the 84 mile Hadrian’s Wall Walk to raise cash for the Help for Heroes and Beer for the Boys charities.

It will all take place in April but Ian is hoping they will raise £5000, so he and his colleagues are starting the fund-raising effort early. You can sponsor him and his colleagues right now by contacting Ian on 01295 670541 or visiting www.justgiving.com/BH3-Hash-the-Wall

18th February 2010 - Church Services

Mattins will be celebrated at 10.30am in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist this Sunday. 21st February There’s no service at Hornton Methodist - because there’s a 10.30am Circuit Service at Marlbrough Road church in Banbury.

Don’t forget that you can pop in for coffee, cake and a chat in the Methodist Church every Friday morning from 10.30am to 12.30pm. There is a book, DVD and video swap - and, of course, lots of good gossip! And Thursday Club meets every week after school until 4.30pm in the Methodist Church School Room. All children are welcome.

11th February 2010 - Souper Trooper

There’s a Valentine Soup Lunch in Hornton Methodist Church this Saturday, February 13, to raise money for chapel funds. As well as delicious home-made soup and crusty bread, there will be a bring’n’buy stall and, of course, a traditional Hornton raffle, so stop by and sup up the soup!

11th February 2010 - Beanz Meanz Ticketz

Hornton’s pantomime is now just a week away, so if you haven’t bought your tickets yet, now’s the time to snap them up! Jack and the Beanstalk is almost sold out for its final performance at 7.30pm on Saturday week, February 20, but if you can’t get a ticket for then, don’t despair. There are evening performances on the Thursday and the Friday, plus a matinee on the Saturday.

The tickets are on sale from Audrey Turner on 01295 670304 and from Caroline Pearce on 01295 730611.

11th February 2010 - Gavin Goes For Gold

Hornton’s Gavin Turner is one of the top polo players in the country and this weekend he’s playing alongside the best winter polo player in the world, England’s Nacho Gonzalez. It’s all happening when the Winter Gold Cup is held at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club ,Windsor. Good luck, Gavin!

11th February 2010 - Come Along For Curry

11th February 2010 - Snow Problem

The Dun Cow have been unable to play all their matches in the Harbury and District Crib League because the village was cut off by the snow, but they are poised to take top spot after two great results.

First they sneaked a 4-3 away win against the Bishop’s Itchington British Legion and then they trounced Harbury Club 5-2, also away. They’re now just two points behind the league leaders with two games in hand.

The Hornton cribbers are also into the quarter finals of the league supplementary cup after a tantalising 4-3 home win against the Green Man from Long Itchington. Come on cribbers!

11th February 2010 - Book Up

The mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council will be on the village green next Wednesday, February 17, from 10.40am-11.20am.

11th February 2010 - God is Love

There will be an11am United Service of Holy Eucharist at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist this Sunday, Valentine’s Day.

Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday and there’s a special service in the Methodist Chapel at 7pm.

And don’t forget that you can pop in for coffee, cake and a chat in the Methodist Church every Friday morning from 10.30am to 12.30pm. There is a book, DVD and video swap - and, of course, lots of good gossip! And Thursday Club meets every week after school until 4.30pm in the Methodist Church School Room. All children are welcome.

4th February 2010 - Ale and Hearty

Real ale fans from all over Banburyshire are set to turn up in Hornton this weekend for the event of the Winter. It’s The Dun Cow’s Winter Beer Festival, of course, which will take place from Friday and go on all weekend.

As usual the theme of the festival is being kept a closely-guarded secret by licensees Gwyneth and Martin Gelling but the names of the beers will all have something in common.

As well as a tempting range of Winter ales to sample, there will also be plenty of hearty fare for customers to nibble, so pop down and imbibe!

4th February 2010 - Warmington Warmer

Hornton’s Simon Perkin has a plan to make sure you earn your pint!

He’s planning a village walk, starting from the green over to the National Herb Centre in Warmington and back.

“We’ll start off at 1.30pm to the Herb Centre for quick drink and the idea would be that we would all return to the beer festival for about 4.15pm and attempt to finish off the barrels and have some fun,” he said.

“It will all be very informal but already a number of people have expressed and interest.”

If you’d like more details, please ring Simon on 01295 670701.

4th February 2010 - It's a Snip

Ernie Bingham is giving a talk on pruning to the 3Hs Gardening Club at 7.30pm next Tuesday, February 9, in Hornton pavilion.

4th February 2010 - Flying the Flag

Have you got a birthday in the family? Then make sure you celebrate it in style by flying the Hornton birthday flag! For just £5 for village funds, you can have the name of the birthday boy or girl run up the Hornton flagpole - advertising your age is optional but all ages from 1 to 150 can be accommodated!

All you have to do is to ring Ian Harris on 01295 670541 and the celebrations can begin!

4th February 2010 - Church Services

There will be a United Service led by the Rev. Janet Jackson in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist this Sunday, February 7.

Don’t forget that you can pop in for coffee, cake and a chat in the Methodist Church every Friday morning from 10.30am to 12.30pm. There is a book, DVD and video swap - and, of course, lots of good gossip! And Thursday Club meets every week after school until 4.30pm in the Methodist Church School Room. All children are welcome.