The countdown is on for Seriously Collins, the Phil Collins & Genesis tribute show at the Village Hall (7pm) on Saturday 23rd November. Don’t miss this one-time opportunity to see this truly great tribute band in Blewbury! Last chance for Early bird tickets £22 – deadline 31st October.
Blewbury News
Margaret Pritchard – 30 years not out!
September 19, 2024Since 1994 Margaret has worked under five headteachers and has prepared and served an estimated 750,000 meals to around 3,500 pupils. (Yes, that’s three quarters of a million meals.) She is undoubtedly one of Blewbury’s unsung heroes!
Blewbury School rated ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’
June 19, 2024Blewbury School’s recent Ofsted inspection awarded an overall grade of ‘Good’, with its Early Years provision being graded as ‘Outstanding’. Click to read how “children really are getting the best possible start at Blewbury.”
Sustainable Blewbury Talks
November 3, 2024Our environment – our community – our future together: Sustainable Blewbury Talks
Introducing Blewbury’s shyest and most secretive residents: Reptiles at Blewbury Nature Reserve by Hayley Snowdon. Monday 4th November, 8.00pm at the Melland Room. Tickets £6, including drink, available on the door.
Hayley will provide insights into the species that have been found at our Nature Reserve and explain how the habitat creation and improvement works we’ve undertaken benefit reptiles and amphibians on the site. She’ll talk about varieties that are thriving and endangered throughout the UK, advise us on how we can develop the best conditions to help them flourish here in Blewbury, and answer your questions about the lives of these extraordinary creatures.
Hayley works at Thames Water as a terrestrial ecologist where she provides ecological advice on protected species and helps deliver habitat improvement schemes. She also leads on the Thames Water Hazel Dormouse and Reptile Monitoring Programmes.
Nature Reserve. We will be maintaining the paths and hedging on the site on Saturday 9 Nov, and 7 Dec. If you would like to join our list of volunteers, please email the secretary below. Many thanks to everyone who has helped so far.
Quaker Wood Exhibition. Come and see what we are planning over a cuppa and piece of cake. We will be exhibiting our plans for how the woodland will be laid out, the timescales, and the species of trees to be planted on Sunday 17 November, from 2 to 4 pm in the Vale Room. There will also be an opportunity to volunteer to help with the wood maintenance. For more information on the project, contact Anthony by email: anthony@stiff.org.uk
Repair café, Sunday 17 November, 2 to 4 pm, Village Hall Bring your household items including clothing, electrical, and gardening articles for mending, tools for sharpening and bikes for fixing for free. There will also be an IT specialist to help you with software problems on your tablets or phones. Refreshments available. Donations welcome to cover costs.
BLEWBURY FREECYCLE FREE ITEMS TO A GOOD HOME | TEL NO. | |
· Ladies Halfords mountain bike, approx 22″ wheels, comfort saddle, 2 mudguards and basket. May need inners/tyres replacing and general maintenance.· Boys mountain bike, approx 16″ wheels. May need inners/tyres replacing and general maintenance. | Jayne Westlake westlakefamily3@gmail.com | 07870 791942 |
To freecycle your item please send a short description, email & phone number to Lydia Inglis (lydandmuz@gmail.com) |
If you want to know more about Sustainable Blewbury and become a supporter who receives occasional newsletters, email secretary@sustainable-blewbury.org.uk.
Post Office News
We will soon be heading in to our busiest period here at Blewbury Village store and Post Office. There are a few last posting dates in November. Last posting date for international standard services is 26th of November and the last date for HM Forces mail is 27th of November.
Please note that from the 28th October to the 5th of November 2024 it is half term so we will be operating our reduced hours of 9am – 12pm. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
I am very excited to announce we have a new local egg supplier. We shall be stocking fresh eggs from the Old Farm Shop, Harwell. These will be available from 16th of October. We will be getting a delivery every Wednesday going forward so we will always have fresh eggs available. As always we have our delicious local honey, along side a variety of sweet treats, ice lollies, chocolate and cool drinks on sale.
As well as sending parcels, you can also do banking at the post office, including cash withdrawals, cash deposits and cheque deposits.
We look forward to seeing you in the post office soon. Thanks so much. Sarah, Karen and Andrew
Blewbury Village Society
October 1, 2024Fireworks Night, Saturday 2nd November
The BVS Fireworks Night is back this year on Saturday 2nd November in Tickers Folly Field. We have a spectacular firework display planned, and the bar and baked potato stalls will be back, under our beautiful new marquee. Gates will open at 6:00 pm, the bonfire will be lit at 6:30 pm and the fireworks will start at 7:00 pm.
Entry is £6 for adults and £3 for children – cash or card accepted (card preferred). The entry fee includes a baked potato, so it’s a great value family night out!
We will have the usual wood collection for the bonfire with a small collection fee. We are working on transport, but spaces may be limited, so please email blewburybvs@gmail.com or phone Caroline on 07790 566754 if you would like your address to be included on the rounds. The deadline for a request for wood collection is Tuesday 29th October so that we can plan the route. We politely request that you only put out reasonably clean firewood and remove as much metal and plastic as possible. Unfortunately, if you do not adhere to this we may need to refuse to pick the wood up, so thanks in advance for your cooperation.
As always, we need lots of volunteers for this event – in particular with wood collection and potato baking beforehand, and with setup and refreshment serving on the night. If you can help, please email us at the BVS email address above. We’d love to hear from you!
BVS marquee for hire
The BVS marquee is available for hire by other groups, societies and individuals in the village for a small charge. It measures 12m × 6m and has sides if needed. If you were at the Beer Festival, or have supported the Fireworks Night or Summer Dance, you may have seen it in action. To book it, contact lydia.wanstall@gmail.com.
Dates for your diary – It seems a long way off, but December is always a busy month, so don’t forget to put the regular Blewbury events in the diary: Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve (24th December) and the annual Boxing Day walk (26th December) , as well as the Roger Cambray Memorial Walk from Blewbury to The Bell Inn at Aldworth (1st January 2025). More details to follow in next month’s Bulletin and on the BVS Facebook page.
Bellringing News
November 3, 2024Bell Ringing News from Blewbury Tower
We were all saddened to learn that our long term friend and former tower captain, Peter Corderoy, passed away at the age of 83. Peter’s lifelong dedication to the bells and bellringing in the village cannot be overstated. Peter was taught to ring as a young boy by his father Claude, and rang throughout his life at St Michael’s and elsewhere. Between Claude and Peter they represented nearly a century of ringing in St Michael’s tower, maintaining a band to keep the bells ringing on most Friday nights, for Sunday worship and other special events. It was a rare occasion for Peter not to be there early, and he could be somewhat tetchy with any ringers who arrived late! Peter only withdrew from bellringing in recent weeks when his illness prevented him from coming up the tower steps. He was very proud to ring for the funeral of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth and for the Coronation of King Charles III. Peter was also proud to have rung a quarter peal at St Michael’s for the 1953 coronation at the tender age of 12! His final quarter peal was for his 80th birthday when he rang the tenor.
By the time you read this, we will have already attempted to ring a quarter peal of his favourite method of Stedman Triples on the afternoon of his funeral on October 21st. We also plan to hold an informal celebration of Peter’s life and contribution to the village on Friday 8th November. We will change the usual time of the practice to 5.30pm, when St Michael’s ringers will attempt to ring a quarter peal of Plain Bob Triples. This will be followed by general ringing until 7.00pm. Afterwards there will be refreshments in the church. Everyone who knew Peter will be very welcome to come along to share memories of Peter and his father
Bridge Club
Due to unforeseen circumstances the AGM has been postponed and will now take place at 7pm on Tuesday 5th November in the Vale Room, ahead of a shortened session of bridge
The new Wessex League season has now commenced. Blewbury are now in Division 1 and have, so far, played 2 matches, losing the first, narrowly, to Banbury, but then managed a big win against Oxford ‘B’.
Blewbury bridge Club Realbridge sessions for November are expected to be on the 7th and 21st. we will be joining wantage bridge Club for their Realbridge sessions on the 14th and 28th.
Demand for Friday evening Social bridge has been poor in October, but it is hoped to run a session on the 25th. Dates for November, subject to numbers, will be 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th. Michael Allen 851870
Blewshed News September to November
New Projects: The move into the larger space in the old scout hut has begun and is proceeding gradually as the equipment stored there is being moved into more suitable premises step by step.
Blewbury Village Society Project: The new ‘vehicle’ for Blewbury Village Society is progressing on schedule and now has a chassis, sides, front and back and detachable ‘boot’. Decoration and lighting installation will begin soon.
Meetings: Those who came to Evi Holroyd’s demonstration of yoga for DIY-ers at our September meeting were rewarded with a really useful series of stretching techniques and exercises for relieving and preventing the aches and pains that occur commonly when working at a bench, or in awkward positions for long periods. Evi focused mostly on the arms, shoulders and neck and BlewShedders were able to try most of these while still seated – very handy given the restricted space. All they need to do now is remember how to do them! If any revision is needed, Evi, a fully certified and insured yoga instructor, runs a yoga class in the village hall on Thursdays, 6.15-7.30 pm.
AGM: BlewShed AGM was held on the October club night. An important step in BlewShed’s development will be to gain charitable status. This implies a change in the constitution that has to be approved by the members, who voted in favour. The process can begin.
Next club night is Tuesday, 12th November, when BlewShed member Robert Keyes will give a presentation of his time-lapse natural history films, showing highly speeded-up development of some wonders of nature. Come along and be astonished.
BlewShed opening times and membership: Tuesday, Friday and Saturday afternoons 1.30-4.00 pm and Thursday afternoons 2.00-4pm for electronics, non-dusty work and a chat.
BlewShed annual membership subs are £25 for individuals, or £37.50 for a family. This includes expert advice from members and use of a very well-equipped metal-working, woodworking and electronics workshop.
Aims: BlewShed is here to allow members to socialise, for DIY beginners to learn various woodwork, metal-work and other practical techniques and to engage in various projects for the local community and for personal practical projects too. Why not join us and acquire some new skills, or just have a cuppa and chat.
Everyone is welcome to club night meetings on the second Tuesday of the month, 7.30pm at BlewShed. We look forward to seeing you. Mike Wrottesley, BlewShed secretary https://blewshed.home.blog/news/
Blewbury WI
The Women’s Institute (WI) was formed in 1915 to revitalise rural communities and encourage women to become more involved in producing food during the First World War. Since then our aims have broadened and we are now the largest voluntary women’s organisation in the UK and currently have around 180,000 members in approximately 5,500 WIs. Blewbury WI are proud to be one of those wonderful WIs.
We play a unique role in providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to build new skills, to take part in a wide variety of activities and to campaign on issues that matter to us and our communities.
Next main meeting is on Wednesday 27 November at 7.30pm in the Vale room of Blewbury village hall. We are holding a “Blewbury WI bonanza” evening. Fun and games, quizzes and other enjoyable activities – as they say “a lorra’ lorra’ laughs”. Time to meet and chat with the WI crowd. As always refreshment will be on hand. It promises to be a great night.
If you’d like to come along with someone else or find out more, ring our Secretary, Joy, on 850543 or email blewburywi@gmail.com. Come as a visitor – give it a try – you will be made so welcome!
Calendar of events
Friday 1 November | 7pm | Craft Evening | Karen |
Mon 4 November | 10.30am | Coffee morning | Trish |
Tuesday 5 November | 7pm | Evening Scrabble | Lyn |
Wednesday 6 November | 2.30pm | Rummikub | Susanne |
Tuesday 12 November | 12 for 12.30 | Pub lunch | Karen |
Tuesday 19 November | 9.30am | Walk | Karen |
Wednesday 20 November | 2.30pm | Afternoon Scrabble | Babeth |
Monday 25 November | 9.30am | Christmas Outing | Karen |