The deadline for contributions to the latest edition of The
Gossip, Hornton’s very own village newspaper, is today, January 31.
Editors Julie Stanley on 01295 670507 or at julieharrystan@aol.com and Ann
Hemmings on 01295 670511 or at ann.hemmings@orh.nhs.uk are waiting for
those last-minute literary pearls to drop through their letter box!
31st January '08 - Down a Few at the Dun Cow
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
tomorrow, Friday, till Sunday.
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
have something in common.
As well as a tempting range of Winter ales to sample, there will also be
nosh to nibble, so pop down and imbibe!
31st January '08 - Dive into Jive
Eat your heart out, Ailisha Dixon! Horntonians will
get the chance to Strictly Dance on Saturday, February 2, because you’ll
be able to jive the night away with Ceroc Oxford at Hornton Pavilion.
Can’t jive? Don’t worry, Ceroc will teach you all you need to know in
just one evening!
This is the latest event in Cherwell District Council’s Arts at Large
programme – which it subsidised by your council tax, so come along and get
your money’s worth. The last time it was tried, with a Salsa evening, it
was fantastically successful and a sell-out, so come along and have a
great time.
Tickets are available from Ann Hemmings on 01295 670511 or Sarah Walther
on 01295 670627.
31st January '08 - Soup on a Saturday
There will be a soup lunch at Hornton Methodist
Church on Saturday week, February 9, to raise money for church funds.
Bowls of delicious home-made soup, with crusty bread, will be available
from 12 noon till 2pm and there’ll also be a bring’n’buy stall plus, of
course, a traditional Hornton raffle.
31st January '08 - Zoom Off to Horley
If you popped down the road from Hornton to Horley in
Concorde, it would take you just five seconds! It might take you a bit
longer than that on Tuesday week, but try to make the trip because local
pilot and retired BA Concorde captain Dave Rowland will be talking about
his time flying the fastest-ever airliner.
Dave’s talk, Concorde – a real time machine, is taking place at the Old
School in Horley at 7.30pm on February 12 and the £5 ticket includes a
glass of wine. All proceeds are going to the Royal National Institute for
the Blind.
31st January '08 - Do Drop In
Whilst you’re out of the village, your correspondent has
been asked to point out that the snowdrops at Wroxton Abbey will be at
their best in the coming week. Don’t miss them!
31st January '08 - Chilly in the Hotspot
Spare a thought for Hornton’s Andy Perry as you
put another log on the fire. He’s serving with the RAF in the Afghanistan
hotspot of Kandahar – but it’s far from hot!
“The weather has turned for the worse and we are experiencing minus six at
the moment,” he reports. “We are fortunate in the main base with
permanent accommodation and hot food, but the boys in the field have it
considerably rougher.
“There’s an air of gloom today after one our army friends was killed in a
mine attack. Very few people, apart from those in his regiment, knew him
around here but everyone feels the pinch.
“I am nearly half way through this four-month tour and am looking forward
to hitting the downward stretch and being only two months away from my
family, friends and a pint in the Dun Cow!”
31st January '08 - Take One
Last Sunday, one intrepid group of village film makers began
planning their entry for this year’s Hornton Film Festival, proving that
it’s never too early to start!
The film festival is taking place this Autumn but now’s the time to begin
planning your entry.
“The Autumn scheduling allows for more of the outdoor filming to happen
over the Summer months, rather than in the depths of Winter,” said
festival organiser Pete Whitehead. “This may be something of a relief to
those who bravely froze their way through the making of Hornton 2005 BC a
couple of years ago dressed only in flimsy fur fabric!
“But rather than put off thinking about your movie-making ideas until
then, now is the time to be planning things. Don’t forget that all the
equipment that you need is available to borrow – including a camera and a
computer with easy editing software loaded on it.
“And there’s now a wealth of expertise in the village, after the previous
three festivals, so if you need any help or a bit bashful about having a
go, just ask!”
You can call Pete any time on 01295 670320. Now’s the time to book the
video camera for a week, just to have a go. When you’re up and running,
there will be no stopping you!
31st January '08 - Cribbers Crunched
The Dun Cow were beaten 5-2 away in their latest
Harbury and District Crib League match but the Hornton cribbers are still
delicately poised in fifth place with 12 points as the season moves into
its second half.
31st January '08 - Pop Down to the Pavvy
The next Pavilion committee meeting is now taking
place on Thursday, February 21, at 8pm. This is a week later than
originally planned and all are welcome.
The committee hope that the results of the structural survey of the
pavilion may be ready by then.
31st January '08 - Church Services
Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at the Parish Church
of St John the Baptist this Sunday, February 3, at 8.30am. There will be
a village service in the Methodist Church at 11am led by Wally Lishman.
Next Wednesday, February 6, there will be a special Ash Wednesday service
in the Methodist Church for members of both churches. It will begin at
7pm.
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 are
Phoenix greetings cards for sale plus a book and video swap - and, of
course, lots of good gossip! Thursday Club has been cancelled for the
foreseeable future because there is no room in the Chapel whilst the
School are using it.
31st January '08 - Don't be Overdue
The mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council
will visit Hornton next Wednesday, February 6. It will be parked on the
village green from 10.40am to 11.20am.
22nd January '08 - Jive Talking
Ever felt just a tiny bit jealous when the good dancers take to the floor and start jiving? Well, now don’t have to feel left out any longer because
you can join them!
Horntonians will get the chance to learn to jive on Saturday week, February 2, when you’ll be able to dance the night away with Ceroc Oxford at the
Pavilion.
Ceroc will teach you all you need to know in just one evening in what is the latest event in Cherwell District Council’s Arts at Large programme.
That means it’s subsidised by your council tax, so come along and get your money’s worth!
The last time Hornton held a dance evening like this - with Salsa - it was fantastically successful and a sell-out, so come along because you’re sure
to have a great time.
Tickets are available from Ann Hemmings on 01295 670511 or Sarah Walther on 01295 670627.
22nd January '08 - Winter Warmer One
Real ale fans from all over Banburyshire are set to turn up in Hornton next week for the event of the Winter. It’s The Dun Cow’s Winter Beer
Festival, of course, which will take place from Friday week - February 1 - till the following Sunday.
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
have something in common.
As well as a tempting range of Winter ales to sample, there will also benosh to nibble, so pop down and imbibe!
22nd January '08 - Winter Warmer Two
There will be a soup lunch at Hornton Methodist Church a fortnight on Saturday - February 9 - to raise money for Church funds.
Bowls of delicious home-made soup, with crusty bread, will be available from 12 noon till 2pm and there’ll also be a bring’n’buy stall plus, of
course, a traditional Hornton raffle.
22nd January '08 - You Can Bet On It
You’re sure to have a great evening at the pavilion on Saturday, March 8, because Peachtree Pre-School are holding another of their hugely successful
race nights.
The format will be similar to last year, with tickets at £8 to include supper. 7.30pm Prompt start.
There will be eight races throughout the evening with a distinguished guest presenting prizes to owners and winners. You can even buy your own horse
at just £5! Then you give your horse its own name and cheer it on.
If you’ve never been, put that date in your diaries now because it’s terrific fun. Please ring Laura Short on 01295 670232 or Clare Bottoms on 01295
670776 for more details.
22nd January '08 - Snaps Snapped Up
There has been a fantastic response from Horntonians to an appeal for sponsors for the village’s first-ever photographic competition, scheduled for
the May Day Bank Holiday weekend.
Organiser Lynn Corke’s initial appeal for businesses run by people living in Hornton to sponsor the £10 prizes was enthusiastically taken up but
generous individuals have also come forward.
So now there’s no excuse - everyone in the village must enter at least one snap!
“The full list of categories and their sponsors will be published in the next edition of The Gossip,” said Lynn, “but I must say how delighted I was
that so many people came forward to sponsor the competition.
The idea for the competition comes from Brailes, where there is a similar event every year which attracts hundreds of entries. It’s a real
money-spinner for the village but it’s also great fun, so Lynn thought that Hornton should give it a go as well.
“Almost everyone in Hornton must take at least one photo a year, so we should get lots of entries from the village,” she said. “Also, we’ll encourage
people from outside Hornton to take part, so there will be lots of competition!”
22nd January '08 - Chat Up
The deadline for contributions to the latest edition of The Gossip, Hornton’s very own village newspaper, is January 31, so scribblers have still got time to hand in their contributions. Editors Julie Stanley on 01295 670507 or at julieharrystan@aol.com and Ann Hemmings on 01295 670511 or at ann.hemmings@orh.nhs.uk are waiting for those literary pearls to drop through their letter boxes!
22nd January '08 - 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!
22nd January '08 - Church Services
There will be a service of Holy Communion in Hornton Methodist Church at 11am this Sunday, which will be taken by Brian Taylor. There will be no
service in the Parish Church because there will be a Candlemass Benefice Service at 10.30am in Horley Parish Church.
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 are Phoenix
greetings cards for sale plus a book and video swap - and, of course, lots of good gossip! Thursday Club has been cancelled for the foreseeable
future because there is no room in the Chapel whilst the School are using it.
22nd January '08 - Worms Turn
Bookworms won’t want to miss the mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council, which will be on the village green next Wednesday from 10.40 to
11.20am.
17th January '08 - Toast The New Year
Toast the end of post-Christmas blues at the Dun Cow tomorrow, January 18, with a special Toastie Evening. There will be a host of tempting toppings
for your toast, so pop along!
And a date for you drinking diaries in February. The Dun Cow’s Winter Beer Festival will take place between Friday, February 1, and the following
Sunday. There will be food on offer to be washed down by a tempting array of winter warmers to warm the heart of every real ale fan. Don’t miss it!
17th January '08 - Strictly Jiving
Eat your heart out, Ailisha Dixon! Horntonians will get the chance to Strictly Dance on Saturday, February 2, because you’ll be able to jive the
night away with Ceroc Oxford at Hornton Pavilion.
Can’t jive? Don’t worry, Ceroc will teach you all you need to know in just one evening!
This is the latest event in Cherwell District Council’s Arts at Large programme - which it subsidised by your council tax, so come along and get
your money’s worth. The last time it was tried, with a Salsa evening, it was fantastically successful and a sell-out, so come along and have a
great time.
Tickets are available from Ann Hemmings (email : ann dot hemmings (at) orh dot nhs dot uk)on 01295 670511 or Sarah Walther on 01295 670627.
17th January '08 - Plum Job
Exciting things are happening at Hornton’s Peachtree Pre-School and you could be part of them!
If you’ve noticed all the building work going on, you may know that a brand new unit for the youngest children is almost ready. Peachtree will be part
of this unit and the pre-school need a new person to lead it.
They need to be enthusiastic and imaginative to carry on the tradition that earned Peachtree the accolade of having the “wow” factor in a previous
Ofsted inspection.
“We seem to have so many people in this profession that live in or around our village and are either parents or are retired that maybe we can appeal
to them,” said Peachtree’s Laura Short.
“The role demands a team player with an excellent knowledge of the early year’s curriculum, well-honed organisation skills and a willingness to
engage in children’s own play. Applicants should be qualified to NVQ level 3 or above, with at least two years’ experience but you need to apply by
next Thursday, January 24.”
17th January '08 - March Down to the Dun Cow
A date for your diaries in March. Hornton’s fiendish quizmeisters, Ollie Fickling and Steve Woodcock, are holding a quiz in aid of JUMPA
on Saturday, March, 15, at 7.30pm.
Now’s the time to buttonhole your friends and make up a team of four. There will be the usual host of exciting prizes, infernal questions and, of
course, a raffle!
17th January '08 - Chat Up
The deadline for contributions to the latest edition of The Gossip, Hornton’s very own village
newspaper, is January 31, so scribblers have still got time to hand in their contributions. Editors Julie Stanley on 01295 670507 or at
julieharrystan (at) aol dot com and Ann Hemmings on 01295 670511 or at ann dot hemmings (at) orh dot nhs dot uk are waiting for those literary pearls
to drop through their letterbox!
17th January '08 - Cribbers Get Their Chips
The Dun Cow were beaten 5-2 away by the Carpenters Arms, Kineton, in the Harbury and District Cup. But that defeat just leaves all the more time for
the Hornton cribbers to concentrate on the Big One - the league title, for which they are handily placed.
17th January '08 - Church Services
Mattins will be celebrated at 10.30am in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist this Sunday, January 20.
Half an hour later there will be a service in the Methodist Church. It will be conducted by Vera Hibberd.
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 are Phoenix
greetings cards for sale plus a book and video swap - and, of course, lots of good gossip!
Thursday Club has been cancelled for the foreseeable future because there is no room in the Chapel whilst the School are using it.
17th January '08 - Worms Turn
Bookworms won’t want to miss the mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council, which will be on the village green next Wednesday, January 23, from
10.40 to 11.20am.
10th January '08 - Top Toppings in the Office
Toast the end of post-Christmas blues at the Dun Cow on Friday week, January 18, with a special Toastie Evening. There
will be a host of tempting toppings for your toast!
But you can tuck into hearty pub fayre at the pub before then – this weekend, to be precise.
Starting this Sunday, January 13, and then every second Sunday in the month, landlady Gwyneth Gelling will be serving her special Sunday roasts.
“They’ll be available from 12.30 to 2.0pm - or until I run out!” said Gwyneth.
“To be sure of your meal please book by the previous Wednesday - or just come along and take a chance! It will be roast beef this month with all the
trimmings for just £9.95 for two courses and £12.95 for three courses.”
And a date for your drinking diaries in February. The Dun Cow’s Winter Beer Festival will take place between Friday, February 1, and the following
Sunday.
10th January '08 - Out of the Box
“Fantastic” - that was how one happy Dad summed up the performance of The Tin Soldier by Storybox Theatre in the Methodist Church last Saturday.
More than 40 excited children and grown-ups came along to see the performance and Storybox Theatre turned out to be just one very talented actor, who
used puppets, music and improvisation to tell the story. It’s called Storybox Theatre because The Tin Soldier and all the other stories in the
repertoire have been passed down through through many generations of one family and saved in a box.
“It was wonderful entertainment,” said one satisfied customer.
The Tin Soldier is part of Cherwell’s Arts at Large programme. The next event in the series is on Saturday, February 2, when you can jive the night away with Ceroc Oxford. Tickets are available from Ann Hemmings on 01295 670511 or Sarah Walther on 01295 670627.
10th January '08 - Jam In at the Races
Peachtree Pre-School are hoping it’ll be standing room on the rails when they hold another of their hugely-successful race
nights on Saturday, March 8, so please put that date in your diaries now!
Joint organiser Laura Short said that once again it will be held in the pavilion and she was optimistic that Peachtree could better last year’s
fantastic total of £1,150.
“This is our second race night, we had lots of fun last year running it last time and we have had requests for it to come back for a further run -
if you’ll excuse the pun!
“If you would like to be a sponsor of a race or indeed become an owner of your very own horse, please let us know. Also, please tell your friends and
make up a party. It’s sure to be a great night.”
You can get more details by ringing Laura on 01295 670232 or Claire Bottoms on 01295 670776.
Laura would also like to let all the Hornton Toddlers’ Mums know that the group have now moved out of Horley Cricket Club.
“Many thanks to Horley for accommodating us for so long,” said Laura. “At present we will not be continuing the group, as numbers have been
dwindling, but we will look at it again in the spring once we can move back into the Pavilion and maybe regain some new Mums.”
10th January '08 - A Peaceful New Year
If there’s one place a Horntonian didn’t want an eventful New Year it’s war-torn southern Afghanistan. Just ask Hornton’s Andy Perry, who’s based in
Kandahar with the RAF.
“New Years Eve definitely went without a bang – luckily, as most people were all tucked up early because the next day was a normal working day,”
writes Andy in his latest email from the front. “The weather is slowly changing and getting colder and wetter by the day.
“We’re hoping for more excitement soon... of the undangerous kind!”
10th January '08 - Chat Up
The deadline for contributions to the latest edition of The Gossip, Hornton’s very own village newspaper, is January 31, so scribblers have still got
plenty of time to hand in their contributions. Editors Julie Stanley (on 01295 670507 or at julieharrystan (at) aol dot com) and Ann Hemmings (on 01295
670511 or at ann dot hemmings (at) orh dot nhs dot uk) are waiting for those literary pearls to drop through their letter box!
10th January '08 - Pop Down to the Pavvy
The next Pavilion Committee meeting is now on Thursday, February 21, at 8pm and all are welcome. This is a week later than originally planned.
The committee hope that the results of the structural survey of the pavilion may be ready by then.
10th January '08 - Dormant Blooms
There is no meeting of the 3Hs Gardening Club in January. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, February 12, when Hugh Jones will give a talk in the
Pavilion about the Woods and Woodland of Warwickshire.
10th January '08 - 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!
10th January '08 - Church Services
There will be a Village Service at 11am in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist this Sunday. As this is a village service, there will be no
service in the Methodist Church.
But 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 are
Phoenix greetings cards for sale plus a book and video swap - and, of course, lots of good gossip!
The Thursday Club meets every week after school until 4.30pm in the Methodist Church School Room. All children are welcome.
10th January '08 - New Year, New Leaf
The mobile library from Oxfordshire County Council will be on the village green next Wednesday, January 16, from 10.40 to 11.20am.
3rd January '08 - Ching Ching Merrily on High
Hornton’s carol singers had a bumper night just before Christmas.
“It went really well and we collected £210 for Cancer Research UK,” said Ian Harris. “I think this is the most we have ever collected!”
3rd January '08 - Tin Tale for Tinies
Children of all ages will love it this Saturday, January 5, when Storybox Theatre will be performing their very own version of a much-loved Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale in Hornton.
The Tin Soldier show starts at 3.30pm in the Methodist Church and is all about a little boy who is given a present of 12 soldiers on Christmas Day. One soldier is very different from the rest and so begins the story of a very special toy and his extraordinary journey.
Tickets are available from Julie Stanley on 01295 670507 or Jean Burden on 01295 670664.
This is the latest event in the Arts at Large programme which is sponsored and subsidised by Cherwell District Council. That means that your council tax is going towards the show, so why not pop along with all the family and get your money’s worth!
And it’s not too early to book up for the following Arts at Large event - on Saturday, February 2 - when you can jive the night away with Ceroc Oxford.
Tickets are available from Ann Hemmings on 01295 670511 or at Sarah Walther on 01295 670627.
3rd January '08 - History's Not Bunk
Henry Ford’s famous dictum that “history is bunk” won’t find much favour in Hornton’s ever-growing group devoted to just that subject. They’ve got a busy year lined up already and it all starts next Tuesday!
The group are going to compile a modern-day version of the Domesday Book just for Hornton.
Co-ordinator Kevin Wain says the idea came from the now-defunct Women's Institute, who carried out a survey back in 1965 and again in 1985, documenting who lived in the village, the number of children, the type of cars, the pets, the jobs we did and so on.
“They put together a really fascinating book on the life of the village through those years,” said group co-ordinator Kevin Wain, “ and we propose to repeat the process in 2008.
“You can find out all about it by coming along to our next meeting, which is next Tuesday, January 8, at 7pm in the Swallows, Eastgate, Hornton. If you are interested but can’t make it, please ring me any time on 01295 670716.”
The meeting will hear the latest on the preparations for Hornton’s Domesday Book.
“All the people from the history club have been allocated a task covering a specific area of what was included in the previous books,” said Kevin. “Isabelle Harris will be keeping a monthly diary recording village events and news, Ian Harris will be together a questionnaire that we would really appreciate your time in completing so we can document a snapshot of 2008.
“Talking of snap shots, I will be around with my camera, recording images of the village. Rosemary Cater will be investigating the clothes we wear, the style of our interior decorations. Julie Stanley will be looking into our shopping habits and that weekly grocery bill and Jane Wain is tasked with the many clubs and events that happen in the village.
“The previous books created by the women's institute are fascinating to look back on and we hope that with everybody's help we can make the next one as interesting for the next generation. We will be planning some history events next year where we can display some of the information we have gathered including the WI books that I'm sure many will enjoy looking through.
“We are still chasing those old photos so please keep searching and we promise to return everything and look after it while in our possession.”
3rd January '08 - Let Them Eat Cake
Hornton’s Andy Perry, who is stationed with the RAF in Kandahar, Afganistan, reports that, following a visit to cheer the troops up from TV’s Top Gear team, the realities of Christmas at the front have returned.
“Things are busy still with all the activity in the North of the country, but my main effort for the past week is to obtain the mail from the UK and also a replacement for the Christmas cake that has come out from the UK all mouldy,” he says. “Nothing like fighting a war!”
“I wish everyone in Hornton a prosperous and safe 2008.”
3rd January '08 - Toast - with Toast
Toast the end of post-Christmas blues two weeks on Friday - January 18 - with a special Toastie Evening at the Dun Cow. You’ll be able to choose from a list of tempting toppings what you would like on toast.
A date for you drinking diaries in February. The Dun Cow’s Winter Beer Festival will take place between Friday, February 1, and the following Sunday.
3rd January '08 - Start Scribbling
The deadline for contributions to the latest edition of The Gossip, Hornton’s very own village newspaper, is January 31, so scribblers have still got time to hand in their contributions. Editors Julie Stanley - on 01295 670507 or at julieharrystan@aol.com - and Ann Hemmings - on 01295 670511 or at ann.hemmings@orh.nhs.uk - are waiting for those literary pearls to drop through their letter box!
3rd January '08 - Church Services
Holy Eucharist will be celebrated at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist at 8.30am this Sunday, January 6. There will be a United Service of Holy Communion at 11am in the Methodist Church.
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 are Phoenix greetings cards for sale plus a book and video swap - and, of course, lots of good gossip!
The Thursday Club meets every week after school until 4.30pm in the Methodist Church School Room. All children are welcomeit.
