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Village News

Freddy Paske – Art Exhibition

01/11/2025

14th – 16th November

British artist Freddy Paske is thrilled to announce his Studio Sale, taking place at the Blewbury Clubhouse from 14-16 November, 10am-5pm daily (free entry). This event offers a rare opportunity to purchase original sketches and artworks directly from his easel, with over 70 works available. Freddy would love you to join him to view these original works and prints, and to chat about his creative process and inspirations in a relaxed and informal setting.

The studio sale follows an exciting period for Paske, including his acclaimed solo exhibition SAFARI in London, inspired by his travels to Kenya and Australia, and a recent creative residency in Sri Lanka. He was also recently shortlisted for Wildlife Artist of the Year 2025.

Paske’s dynamic wildlife paintings have attracted collectors worldwide, including royals and celebrities. In 2022, he was honoured to be appointed Artist-in-Residence to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for the Platinum Jubilee.
View available works and enquire online at www.freddypaske.com.

Autumn Book Fair

Saturday 15th November, St Michael’s Church

Open to all, please do come along – we will have local Blewbury books and local Blewbury authors, lots of second-hand books for sale as well as fair-trade gifts and local merchandise stalls, or just come for tea, homemade cake and a chat!

Westbrook Street Temporary Closure

17th-19th November

A length of Westbrook Street, immediately south of the junction  with Berry Lane, will be closed for essential work by Thames Water from 17th November 2025 up to and including 19th November 2025 (24 hours per day). A temporary Notice is being made by Oxfordshire County Council to implement the restriction. Further information regarding the works may be obtained by contacting Thames Water Helpdesk on 0800 316 9800.

Live Music at St Michael’s – The Karen Sharp All Stars

Sunday November 23rd

To finish off a year of highly enjoyable Sunday evening concerts, we have a wonderful and exciting line up for you on November 23rd – The Karen Sharp All Stars with Karen Sharp (Saxophone), Gareth Williams (piano), Steve Brown (percussion) and Dave Green (Bass). Friends of St Michael’s are extremely grateful for the magnificent village support for these concerts, and also to Hugh Turner and Izabela Borzymowska for securing such talented professional musicians, all making these concerts so successful. Without your help we would not have been able to fund the essential church maintenance projects which are currently nearing completion. Tickets are £20 including a glass of wine, and are available from the Post Office or Gill Loyd 07767 463285. Doors open 5.00 pm
for a 5.30pm start.

Blewshed – Bee-keeping talk

Tuesday 25th November at 7.30

We are delighted to welcome Rob Nickless, bee-keeper and bee products producer from North Moreton, to give a presentation on bee-keeping. This will follow the BlewShed AGM at 7-7.30pm. Perhaps BlewShed members will be inspired to start making hives?

Blewbury Calendar 2026

31/10/2025

The 2026 Calendar will be on sale at Blewbury Post office early in November.

Preparations for the 2026 Blewbury Calendar were well underway when Bernard died. He and Pat had decided that as he had been unwell for most of 2025, the next and final calendar would be ‘Blewbury Revisited’ using favourite photographs from earlier calendars. It will have its usual format and excellent quality. Price £8. To reserve, please ring 01235 851088 or email bernardmat@btinternet.com.

Keeping up the Cob Walls

20/09/2025

Blewbury’s cob walls are one of our village’s most characteristic features.

The Parish Council arranges and pays for their maintenance of this one in the lane by the Play Close, so it belongs to all of us (others belong to the adjacent properties). Here we see Skimp the Thatcher demonstrating his expertise in repairing the “roof” of the wall.

Thatching is a skilled craft, but everyone can help keep the walls in good condition. A build-up of leaves hastens their deterioration, so please, if you have a moment, take a brush and clear the accumulated leaves off a bit of wall this autumn. Curtoys Lane is particularly leafy so it needs a lot of clearing.

Measure for Measure – Introductory Talk

Monday 6th October, 7:45pm, Blewbury Village Hall – Vale Room

If you’re interested in this particular dark comedy, Chris Whatmore will be giving a talk on it which hopefully will appeal both to first-timers and to anyone who might like to brush up or learn a bit more. While it’s aimed mainly at those Crew members who are coming to see the play at Stratford on October 8th, absolutely everyone is welcome. As well as showing how Measure fits in with Shakespeare’s  work as a whole, Chris will be looking at its plot, characters and some of the questions it raises, and asking how it might still speak to 21st century audiences.

Tickets are £4 each, to include an interval refreshment – available from Blewbury Post Office or can be reserved by emailing admin@themotleycrew.org.uk.

North Moreton Book Sale

Saturday 1st November, 10am – 3pm, North Moreton Church

As usual, thousands of books will be on sale, with all proceeds going to support the village hall and church.
Tea, coffee and home-made cakes will be available. Free entry and car parking. Donations of spare books are always
welcome. Email northmoretonbooksale@gmail.com or call 01235 818900 or 07908314771 if you have any books to
give, and the organisers will happily collect them.

Arts and Crafts Fair – East Hagbourne

Saturday 1st November, 10:30 – 4:30, St Andrew’s Church

Come and meet local crafts people, artists and writers. Admission
is free, there is ample parking at Hagbourne Village Hall and refreshments served all day. Do come prepared with cash or cheques, due to limited internet signal in the church. Proceeds are in support of The Friends of St. Andrew’s. Further information from: linda.benton@live.co.uk 01235 817891.