26th December

This is an informal walk around the village. You can come along in fancy dress and perform a skit or come as you are to watch and/or join the walk (i.e. ‘here for the beer’)! Entries are in the usual categories: Individual, Small group (2–5 people), Medium group (6–10 people), Large group (11+ people). 1st, 2nd & 3rd prizes are available for the best fancy dress/skit in each category, as well as the coveted Ron Freeborn Memorial Cup and John Grice Memorial Cup.

Entry fees: Adults £7; Children £2 – includes refreshments along the route. Suggested donation of £7 if you are ‘here for the beer’. This is a slight uplift (for adults only) on previous years owing to the increased cost of the drinks provided, but kept as low as possible to try not to make a loss.

Registration 10:00 am at the Village Hall; skits at 10:30 am; walk starts at 11:00 am

24th December, 5:45 pm in the Church

You are welcome to come dressed up as a character from the Nativity or you could come as just as you are! The service will finish in time to meet Father Christmas at the Play Close at 6.30pm.

Thursday 18th December – St Michael’s Church

Everybody welcome! Orchestra rehearsal 7.00-7.30, doors open 7.35pm, concert starts at 8pm. As in the past, lots of great carols for all to sing with items from the school, church choir, orchestra, Blewbury Brass Band and some festive readings. A joyful evening which heralds all Christmas festivities. Retiring collection for Didcot Foodbank.

How to join the ad hoc orchestra

If you can play any instrument at Grade 3 level and upwards, do come and join our ad hoc orchestra. The only further qualification needed is enthusiasm! The music is very straightforward and is available from early December if you would like to practise beforehand. It is helpful to know how many chairs to put out so please contact Lindy on rmmfarrell@gmail.com to reserve yours. Please arrive at 6.50, ready to play at 7.00pm and bring a music stand.

Saturday 13th December, 10am to noon

We need to continue scything and raking the ‘orchard’ area, plant some replacement hedging, mulch the trees and replenish the bark path. There are jobs for every level of fitness and everyone is welcome to come for a taster. Bring your own protective gloves and a drink. Meet at the Nature Reserve. More details from the secretary.

Thursday 11th December

To round off another year of Shakespearean shenanigans, The Motley Crew invites you to a ghoulish seasonal entertainment featuring the many and varied ways in which the Bard’s characters meet a sticky end. Is death by snakebite as serene as Cleopatra makes out? Could lack of sleep really kill Lady Macbeth? Is it true you can murder Hamlet’s dad by pouring poison in his ear? Death by Shakespeare answers all these questions and more in a rollercoaster of Elizabethan carnage, poison, swordplay and bloodshed, with an occasional bear-mauling for good measure. Our speaker is Dr Kathryn Harkup, who made her name with a study of Agatha Christie’s poisons, and we double-dare you to attend her no-holds-barred post-mortem on Shakespeare’s most infamous exits.
Death by Shakespeare takes place at 2.00 pm on Thursday 11th December at Blewbury Village Hall. Tickets are £6 each, to include tea and cake, and are available at Blewbury Post Office from Monday November 3rd or reservable in advance by emailing admin@themotleycrew.org.uk.

Tuesday 2nd December

Our Brush Party is on Tuesday 2nd December at 7pm, we are delighted that Rachael will be guiding us step by step, to paint ‘Ice Ice Angus’, a festive highland coo! All materials are provided, along with a free drink and mince pie on arrival, with a licensed bar and a raffle, all in aid of village hall funds. Tickets available by scanning this QR code:

by visiting  http://buytickets.at/blewburyvillagehall/189181 or at the Post Office.