Thank you to everyone who helped with the Duck Race this year …

… especially those involved with the tickets, posters etc, those in the stream and to Sarah, Karen and Andrew at the Post Office. Most of all, thank you to all the families who came to enjoy this lovely village social occasion in the spring sunshine.

This was the 30th Duck Race and a strange meteorological fact is that it has only rained once on Easter Sunday during those 30 years! Do the ducks have special powers over the weather we wonder?

The winners, in order across the finish line, were first number 90 (Eden Bramhill), number 343 (Emily Doyle Benn), and number 459 (Katrina Kowalczuk).

The lucky winner of the ‘name the bunny’ competition was Jenny Bennett who correctly guessed that the name of the bunny was Basil.

The proceeds from the race go to St Michael’s Tower and Bell Fund. Due to wear and tear, we will soon have to replace our eight bell ropes which will cost £200 each, so we really appreciate your support and hope that you enjoyed the fun and excitement of the race as much as we did.

Small Schools League match report by Matvii and Liam, Year 6, Blewbury School.

On Thursday 19th March, we went to Harwell to play the second part of the Small Schools League, and it was a really exciting day!

First, we played a friendly match against Harwell. It was a tough game and we lost 3–1, but it helped us warm up for the rest of the tournament. Next, we played a league match against Whitchurch and drew 1–1. Liam scored an amazing backheel goal, which was definitely one of the highlights of the day. After that, we played St Johns and won 3–1. The goals were scored by Matvii, Jai and Archie, and we worked well together as a team.

In our final match, we played Stanford and won 3–0. Rudy and Archie scored, with Archie getting two brilliant goals!

Overall, it was a great tournament, and we were really proud of how we played as a team. We also drew with Harwell overall, so we will keep the cup for half a year before sending it to them for the other half. There were some fantastic individual performances too. Rudy was an excellent goalkeeper, making some amazing saves, including shots heading for the top corner. Theo made some great throw-ins, Wen and Robert were strong in defence and helped set up goals, and Reegan was powerful in midfield, especially in the game against Stanford. We all had a brilliant time and showed great teamwork throughout the day.

It can be expensive running a home, and this has been made even more difficult recently by global events which mean we are now facing rising heating and petrol costs on top of affording day to day living.

At United Charities, we can offer support to individuals, couples and  families living in Blewbury, Upton and the Astons who may be struggling to keep on top of paying bills. From the weekly food shop, clothing and school trips or equipment, to energy bills, or a one-off payment for essential items, we have funds available to help you.

If you need help, there is a short application form to complete, which can be collected from the North Porch of St Michael’s Church, or  you can make a request by emailing us at unitedcharities@outlook.com

We can help you fill in the form, so please don’t be reluctant to ask for help, and all applications are totally confidential. United  Charities of the Ancient Parish of Blewbury Registered Charity No: 203538

We are a small village primary school with a big dream: to transform an unused outdoor space into a beautiful sensory garden for our children.

This special area would provide a calm, engaging environment to  support learning, wellbeing, and play for all pupils, including those with additional needs. Our PTA has begun exploring plans and gathering quotes, but the cost of professional work – particularly for preparing the ground – has proven to be much higher than we can manage. As a first step, we are hoping to make the area safe and usable by flattening and resurfacing the ground. We are reaching out to our wonderful local community to ask: could anyone lend a hand?

Whether you have experience in landscaping, access to equipment,  or simply time and willingness to help, your support would make a  huge difference. Even advice or recommendations would be greatly  appreciated. Together, we can create something truly special for our children. If you’re able to help in any way, please get in touch with  the school office: office.3248@blewbury.oxon.sch.uk or the PTA:  pta@blewbury.oxon.sch.uk

Congratulations and thank you to all who joined in the Great Litter Pick on 7th March.

Twenty-three people came, including one child, and collected 26 sacks of litter. Most of it was food and drink containers although there were also two golf balls, two vapes, a wood saw and a steel bar! Bessels Way ditches didn’t seem as bad as last year but we tackled Boham’s Road, where six sacksful were collected. Quite amazing given the few houses on this no-through road. One volunteer wondered how we can tackle the problem of litter being thrown? It seems unsurmountable but I do know that we can all become ‘litter-wombles’ and pick it up when we see it. Thanks again, and to Mary for providing the tea and biscuits.

Wednesday 4th March marked the fifth anniversary of Annabel and John taking over the Red Lion, and saw Elphin Lloyd-Jones guide Revd Canon Jason St. John Nicolle through their pub’s second “Fireside Chat”.

The son of a teacher (though his father moved into the clergy later in life), Father Jason grew up in Leicestershire, before moving to Dorset and then doing his History degree “in this area”. That led to an initial career in law, working in London, including at a Law Centre helping people with debt or gambling problems. Enjoying the pastoral side of that work, he felt a calling to become a parish priest.

Ordained in 2004, his first such role was as a curate in Kidlington, before he moved here in 2008 with his wife Maranda. Father Jason revealed the pleasure he now gets from writing organ music and performing recitals, as well as spending time with his family; and also from the opportunities he gets to teach, or just to “be there” for others. At Elphin’s prompting, we learned his views on a wide range of topics; from the decline of church attendances, to reflections on human nature, the subjectivity of knowledge, and the violence we see in the world today.

The whole conversation can now be watched at https://vimeo.com/1171387641?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci (with thanks to Alastair Laidlaw for his video-recording). Father Jason’s next Organ Recital is at St. Andrew’s Hagbourne, at 5pm on Easter Sunday (5th April).