Over the last 50 years will be in everyone's minds this Saturday, May 31, when village children - old and young - celebrate the Hornton Playground's
50th birthday. The celebrations will begin at 3pm with a magic show, followed by a tea party with a special cake. There will be a souvenir for all
children under 16 who attends. Children of ALL ages are welcome, especially those over 21 who have played in the playground over the last half
a century. The celebrations will be held in the Pavilion if it's wet.
29th May '03 - Sweden is so cool!
Jake Talbot(10), Dakota Acock(11), Will Wright(10) and Alice Offord(10) from Class 3 at Hornton School report that their exchange trip to Vara in
Sweden was a great success. The pupils went to meet their counterparts from Hornton's partner schools - Skola in Sweden, Zuidwal School in The
Hague and Papacharalobous School in Athens. They were accompanied by teachers Hilary Childs and Janet Porter.
"The flight took an hour and a half and it was very enjoyable," said Jake, Dakota, Will and Alice. "We arrived at the school on the 19th of May.
It is a small school of 34 children. It is built of wood and it is nice and airy.
"The other children who were there were the Greek, Dutch and, of course, the Swedish children. We went for the international celebration of the
3 years of working together. When we were there we stayed with Swedish families.
"We went to a Swedish castle called Lacko slott med Gasthamn. We played some sports and learnt how to play Swedish rounders. We went to
three parties - one was a BBQ - and we also learnt some Swedish words, as well as different dances from the different countries. We are proud to
be a part of Hornton School’s partnership with the schools in the three countries."
29th May '03 - Keep Hornton Tidy!
A plea to keep the village tidy has gone out as Hornton enters the Oxfordshire Best Kept Village Competition. After the village's triumph in winning
the small village section of the competition two years ago, there are high hopes for another success - but only if villagers do their bit! Judging
is taking place right now.
29th May '03 - The Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of Hornton Pavilion will take place next Thursday, June 5, at 8pm in the Pavilion, Bell Street. The main item on the
agenda will be repairs to the roof and plans for the new extension. There will also a discussion about future fund raising, including the new
bowling alley.
29th May '03 - Church Services
There will be a Holy Eucharist at 8.30am this Sunday in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist. At 11am, the Reverend D Hewitson will lead a
United Service in the Methodist Church. This will be a very special service because Hornton’s Nathan Harwood will become a member of the
church at the service.
28th May '03 - Run for Fun this Sunday
It's not too late to take part in the Golden Mile Fun Run this Sunday, in aid of JUMPA, Hornton
and Horley's Jubilee Multi-Purpose Play Area Fund, but you must be quick! It's only one mile, from the far end
of Quarry Road, Hornton, back to the to of Miller's Lane and it will be a real family day out this year, with a BBQ
straight afterwards at the Dun Cow pub. Those still wanting to take part in the run need to contact Mark Wright
on 01295 730530 or Lynne Fickling on 670739 for a sponsorship form (minimum sponsorship is only £10 a person or £30 a
family) and also let them know whether you will be coming to the BBQ afterwards.
27th May '03 - Latest Gossip
The latest Gossip is now online, but we don't seem to be able to get it below 4.5mb for some reason. As soon as we can we
will reduce the file size, but in the meantime if you would like to read it, I would recommend downloading it.
A record crop was harvested at the 3Hs Gardening Club plant sale last Saturday. Eager plant buyers
who snapped up horticultural bargains paid a total of £323 and the club’s organisers are delighted. The money will go
towards the club’s running costs and, in particular, expenses for visiting speakers.
The club’s next meeting will be a trip on Tuesday, June 10, to Fibrex Nurseries but members are also asked to put a note
in their diaries for June 28, when a trip is planned to historic Sudeley Castle. The castle has famous roses, topiary
and a knot garden and, as the home of Henry VIII’s wife, Catherine Parr, also boasts a “Six Wives at Sudeley” exhibition.
The coach will leave Hornton at 9.30am and tickets are available from Eileen Lewis on 01295 670449.
23rd May '03 - Tote Tickets for sale
There are still numbers available for the school tote, at only £5 per number per year. If you haven’t bought a number - or
would like more - please contact Jane Wain on 01295 670716.
23rd May '03 - Thank You
The school wants to thank everyone who has collected Tesco Computers for Schools tokens this year. To date,
Hornton School has 6500 but if you have any more at home, please could you
hand them in as soon as possible.
23rd May '03 - Church Services
There is a United Service this Sunday at the Methodist Church, Hornton. Instead of the usual Sunday service at St John the
Baptist Parish Church, there is a United Benefice Service at 10.30 am in the Parish Church, Drayton, which will take the
place of all other services in the Benefice.
22nd May '03 - Calling all former Hornton School pupils
So how are all your classmates after all this time? You can find out next month, when all ex-members of
Hornton school are
invited to a re-union to be held on the 21st of June 2003, starting at 3pm in the school playground. You can chat to your
old school friends, meet the teachers, tour the school and enjoy a leisurely afternoon tea.
Later there will also be a School Family BBQ, run by the Parents Association, to which everyone is welcome.
If you wish to attend either of the events and have not received an invitation please contact Mrs Elisabeth Jeffs on
01295 670529 for further details. Tickets for the BBQ cost £4 per person or £15 for a family of four, or tickets can be
purchased on the day. There is no charge for the re-union.
21st May '03 - A fantastic turnout!
That was the verdict from the organisers of JUMPA, Hornton and Horley’s Jubilee multi-purpose play
area fund, after 42
villagers (and four dogs!) braved unsettled weather to witness the official opening of the play area site last Sunday.
The celebrations began with a walk from Hornton to Horley for Hornton members of JUMPA, where Horley’s members joined in
and everyone walked back to the play area site. There, JUMPA chairman Steve Woodcock cut the
scarlet ribbon and declared the site well and truly open.
Next on the JUMPA schedule is the second Golden Mile Fun Run on Sunday, June 1 at 11am. Mark Wright
is staging the event again and the course will be the same as last year, from the far end of Quarry Road, Hornton, back to
the top of Miller’s Lane. This time, in order to turn it more into a family occasion, JUMPA is organising a BBQ to take
place straight after the run at the Dun Cow pub. Those still wanting to take part in the run need to contact Mark on
01295 730530 or Lynne Fickling on 01295 670739 for a sponsorship form (minimum sponsorship is only £10 a person or £30 a
family). They wold also like to know if you are coming to the BBQ afterwards.
20th May '03 - Having a good time
Having a good time will be child’s play in Hornton on May 31 - whatever your age! The village’s children’s playground in
West End, Hornton, celebrates its 50th birthday and there are special celebrations from 3pm. They begin with a Magic Show
from 3-4pm followed by tea party with a special cake. There will be a souvenir for each child under 16 who attends but
children of ALL ages are welcome to attend, especially those over 21 who have played in the playground over the last half a
century!
19th May '03 - You’d be potty to miss it!
Hornton’s horticultural experts will be selling some of their prize primulas, pelargoniums and potted plants this Saturday
in the 3Hs Gardening Club Plant Sale. It’s one of the biggest days of the year in the 3Hs’ calender and it’s not to be
missed, so there’s sure to be a long queue outside the Hornton Sports Pavilion in Bell Street at 10.30am when it opens,
so be there early!
The Plant Sale follows a meeting of the club in the Pavilion on May 13, when 3Hs member Audrey Turner stepped down after
17 years on the club committee. She was presented with a gift token and a basket of flowers, after which Colin Hill from
Pershore hosted a "My Plants, Your Questions" talk for members. Mr Hill brought along all kinds of trees, shrubs and plants,
which club members at first tried to identify. Then he explained the right soil and climatic conditions for each plant.
The members agreed that it was a fascinating talk and are now looking forward to the club’s next meeting on Tuesday, June 10,
when there will be a trip to Fibrex Nurseries.
13th May '03 - Harold steps down after nearly half a century
One of Hornton's most prominent villagers, Harold Hart, has retired after serving for 45 years as church warden of St
John The Baptist Parish Church. Lady Sally Tweedsmuir has stepped into his shoes as churchwarden alongside Eric Turner, who
continues to serve. Mr Hart's resignation was accepted at last week's annual meeting of the Parochial Church Council,
which also saw John Bridgeman elected as a member. The rest of the council was re-elected en bloc, as was Treasurer
Mike Webber and Lady Tweedsmuir, who will continue to act as secretary. Rector Jeff Chard will continue as chairman.
13th May '03 - Jump to it this Sunday For The Big Opening!
A special walk for JUMPA, Hornton and Horley's multi-purpose play area fund, takes place this Sunday, May 18, after which
the site for the play area will be officially opened. Walkers from Hornton should meet at the flagpole in the village at
11.15am, when they will walk over to meet those from Horley at the little green by the village church at 12 noon. The
JUMPA site will be opened at 12.45 and then there will be a picnic in the children's playing field
(opposite the Dun Cow public house in West End) at about 1 pm. All are welcome to join in and people are asked to bring
their own food.
The official opening is a good time for JUMPA's organisers to say a big "thank you" to everyone in Hornton, Horley and
beyond who has come up with imaginative ideas and put in a lot of hard work to raise money for the fund. It's been going
for less than a year and more than £3500 has already been raised.
Highlights of recent events include £137 raised at the Quiz Night at the Dun Cow in February and £95 raised at the
JUMPA bar at the Hornton Allsorts' Medieval Theme Night in March.
Those who took part in the second JUMPA Progressive Dinner Party on Arpil 5 had another unforgettable evening and raised
more than £360. There are hopes to hold a third dinner some time in the winter as some people have already said they could
not make this one but would love to be involved next time.
The land for the multi-purpose play area has now been fully transferred from local farmer Tim Nunneley, who generously
granted it to the Parish Council, so now JUMPA can make a proper start on seeking grants. Watch this space for more news
on how the fundraising is progressing.
This is SATS week, with all pupils are involved in national tests during the week. But at least four pupils - and two
members of staff - have got something to look forward to at the end of them, because on May 19 they will be visiting
Hornton School's sister school in Vara, Sweden, for four days, to take part in an international meeting with pupils and
staff from all our European partner schools.
13th May '03 - May Day blossoms for village
Hornton's May Day events raised a whopping £2500 for good causes! The school raised a total of £607.86 the Bottle Stall
(£260.00), the Car Exhibition (£97.86) and the White Elephant (£250.00). Hornton Pavilion raised £872-48, through the
Lucky Square Stall (£50), Teas (£278.44), the White Elephant (£256.74), Hire of Stalls (£70) and the BBQ (£217.30).
The Methodist Chapel raised £631 through the Pick a Ticket stall (£140), the Book Stall (£50), the Flower Festival and Craft
Exibition (£386) and the Bowling stall (£55). The Parish Church raise £160 on the Gift Stall. The Peach Tree Play Group
raise £100 on the Cake Stall and Games and the Children's Playground raised a total of £208 (£53 on the raffle and £55 on
the bowling stall). It all made a grand total of £2579-34. Thanks to everyone for being so generous!
13th May '03 - Church Services
Matins will be celebrated at 10.30am this Sunday in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist. The Methodist Church will
hold a service half an hour later, at 11am. Everyone is welcome at both services.
9th May '03 - Surprise 'Royal' Visit Crowns May Day Celebrations
Hornton's biggest day of the year, May Day, was more eventful than ever last Monday when the village was graced by a
transatlantic visit from the Lord and Lady of the Manor! Bill and Nancy Horn from America bought the Lordship of the
Manor of Horley and Hornton in 2001 and came over especially for May Day. They were not disappointed. The weather
stayed fine as Hornton Primary School's chair of governors, John Offord, crowned India Edmonds as May Queen and Daniel
Hirst as her King. Lowry Ribbons and Julia Nay-Smith were the attendants. The ceremony was followed by the children dancing
round the maypole, ably directed by Ian and Isabel Harris, before the morris men got underway.
9th May '03 - The Craft Fair and Flower Festival was bloomin' marvellous!
The Craft Fair and Flower Festival in the Methodist Church was bloomin' marvellous! About £500 pounds was raised over
two days last weekend - much higher than the organisers expected. The money will go to church funds.
"My Plants, Your Questions" will be held at Hornton Sports Pavilion on May 13 at 7.30pm and the man in the hotseat will be
Colin Hill from Pershore Agricultural College.
8th May '03 - Jump To It!
The fund for Hornton's Jubilee multi-purpose play area, JUMPA, is holding a special walk on May
18, so put it in your diaries and put those walking boots on! The walk, from Hornton to Horley and back, has been
designed so that people from the two villages can get together and explore the play area site. After all, everyone from
Hornton and Horley will be entitled to use the new play area when it's finished but how do they know where to find it?
By going on the JUMPA walk, that's how! It will start in Hornton at midday and the walkers from there will go over to
meet the people from Horley. More details nearer the time.
8th May '03 - Church Services
There will be a village service this Sunday at 11am in St John the Baptist Parish Church but before then please come to the
Annual General Meeting of the Parochial Church Council. It's at 7.30pm on this Thursday, May 8, in the Church Room Bell
Street, and everyone is invited!
1st May '03 - Hornton May Day
May Day Celebrations on Monday May 5. It's the biggest day of the year in
Hornton! The May King and Queen will be crowned on the village green and the
procession starts at 2pm sharp, so don't be late! Afterwards, the village
children will dance round the maypole and the Morris Men will be on hand to
entertain us too. There will also be be stalls, games, teas and raffles all
afternoon, so it's not to be missed! And whilst you are in the village,
please pop along to Hornton's...
Flower Festival and Art and Craft Exhibition, which is being held at the
newly-refurbished Methodist Church. The art and crafts exhibits will be for
sale and the flower arrangements will be on the theme of Our Favourite
Hymns. The festival and exhibition will be open on Sunday, May 4, from 3pm
to 6pm, when cream teas will be available. It will also be open during the
May Day celebrations on Monday May 5, from 1.30 to 4pm. Admission 50p,
children free.
This years programme for the Three H's Gardening Club has been released. All the dates are listed
in the What's On Guide, which can also be accessed via the
Entertainment link on the right hand navigation panel.
