News Update no15. Time to spread those wings.

So the big day approaches in just one week. From next Saturday on 4th July new rules come into force including the reduction of the social distancing rule down to one meter. Following the announcements earlier this week I have been surprised that the new rules have not been published more widely, but the following are some of the key points with regard to gatherings, public spaces and activities:

From 4 July:

  • you can meet in groups of up to two households (your support bubble counts as one household) in any location – public or private, indoors or outdoors. You do not always have to meet with the same household – you can meet with different households at different times. However, it remains the case – even inside someone’s home – that you should socially distance from anyone not in your household or bubble. This change also does not affect the support you receive from your carers
  • when you are outside you can continue to meet in groups of up to six people from different households, following social distancing guidelines
  • additional businesses and venues, including restaurants, pubs, cinemas, visitor attractions, hotels, and campsites will be able to open – but certain premises will remain closed where the risks of transmission may be higher
  • other public places, such as libraries, community centres, places of worship, outdoor playgrounds and outdoor gyms will be able to open
  • you will be able to travel any distance and stay overnight away from your home with your own household or support bubble, or with members of one other household
  • it will be against the law to gather in groups larger than 30 people, except for a limited set of circumstances to be set out in law
  • masks have to be worn on public transport and are to be encouraged in any public places like shops and public buildings in close proximity to others
  • as touched on above, we will be able to open our playground from the 4th July but have yet to be told what rules we will need to follow. We will endeavour to sort this out during the coming week
  • people who are clinically vulnerable, will be able to meet people indoors as well as outdoors. However they should continue to be especially careful and diligent about social distancing & hand hygiene and put safety first.

It is of course up to all of us to take responsibility for our own actions and remember to keep a sensible distance from each other and importantly continue to wash our hands regularly. If we are being honest, it is really difficult to stick to the guidelines and we should not be shy in reminding each other from time to time if we step over the line. The Government want us to make it a matter of public common sense for the common good – its policing by consent which makes sense to me.

For more detailed information on the new rules visit:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do-after-4-july

Stratton Audley Barn update

As you know Stratton Audley Barn is now open at weekends from Friday through to Sunday. They are serving takeaway coffee, cake and ice cream from 10am to 4pm. It is going well and they are offering villagers and OAPs a half price take-away coffee or Ice cream on a Friday morning between 10-11am.

The shop is now also open and operating in compliance with the government guidelines. On the 4th July, they plan to offer bench seating in the enclosed paddock area under parasols and a few Bell tents.

For more information go to www.strattonaudleybarn.co.uk

Nepalese Curry Night on Monday comes to an end

The Nepalese curry van was in the village again on Monday for another successful night. However please note that they will not be with us this coming Monday and will be taking a break as we move forward and out of lockdown.

Re-opening of the church. Volunteers wanted.

The church is now open and has already welcomed a number of visitors. Several villagers have volunteered to help for just 10 minutes at around 5pm, to complete a very short list of checks and use a light anti-microbial mist spray on some specific areas of likely contact. However, a few more volunteers would be welcome and if you would also like to help, then please email jacquelinefox@aol.com . If anyone has any flowers that they would like to have displayed in the Church then please take them along (there are vases by the tea point).

From the 4th July, churches are allowed to open for services and weddings for up to 30 people, but at this early stage no plans have yet been published as to how this might work in Stratton Audley.

The church is taking feedback on the type of services and activities that people would like to see in the future, because during lockdown they have been using some new internet based services. If you would like to participate in a questionnaire about future services please contact admin@shelswellparishes.info

The Red Lion

Put it in your diary now that the big opening is next Saturday 4th July. If you have not yet popped in to see the work in progress to get the pub ready, then prepare to be amazed.

Details for the opening will be included in the next email which will be put out on Friday 3rd.

Prescription Delivery Service

Just to update you, this week was the last week of medical deliveries from Montgomery House & Bicester Health Centre. The surgeries are very well organised now with social distancing in place and greeters at the door (please note patients must wear a face mask to be seen by medical personnel).

On average 60 prescriptions per week were delivered to our residents and it seems to have been very successful in helping the ‘stay at home’ initiative. If we have a second spike, I am sure our volunteers will be happy to help again.

Our thanks go to Clare Hedgecox and Andy Hunter in Stratton Audley plus also to Lucy Broome from Goddington.

EWR

Station Road which runs from the crossroad with Launton Road to the centre of Launton was closed during the past week by EWR for vegetation clearance by the hump back bridge. This has meant a small amount of extra traffic through the village. The Parish Council was not made aware of this in advance and has lodged a complaint.

Further discussions are taking place with EWR to establish exactly what type of vehicle movements will come through the village when the line is constructed, when work is likely to start, and for how long. Answers to these and more questions will be discussed at the next virtual PC meeting and then published.

Road Closure in Launton

Another bit of sleuthing by a resident in the village, passed on information that the Blackthorn Road in Launton is to be closed from this coming Monday and that some traffic may be rerouted through Marsh Gibbon and also Stratton Audley. Attempts to clarify this today with the County Council were unsuccessful but any noticeable increase in traffic will be down to this.  It has nothing to do with EWR and we understand is connected to a housing development in Launton.

Home Cooked Meals Delivery Service

Local business Seven Mile Cookery continue to offer their home cooked meals for delivery in Stratton Audley and the surrounding areas every Thursday afternoon. “A delicious alternative to mass produced frozen meals – our hearty homemade food is cooked in small batches from fresh ingredients and frozen to retain all the flavour and nutrition you would find if you had cooked it from scratch yourself.”

Order online at www.sevenmile.co.uk/mealdelivery or call Jake on 07891 448749.

Other News

Matters that I have been made aware of during the last week:

  • Several youths were seen smoking pot in the Pound
  • A number of people have noticed speeding cars in the village
  • There have been a few reports of noticeable dog poo around the village

The police were informed about the first two items and have added the Pound and the pond path to their patrol roster. This has also been forwarded to the Rural Neighbourhood team and they ask that any sightings be reported at the time via 101 or 999 if a crime is in progress. The information will also submitted for intelligence which they will use to build a picture of what is happening in and around the villages.

Any reports of vehicles speeding/driving dangerously through the village can be reported at the time via 101 or 999, but they are unable to do anything retrospectively as independent evidence would be needed such as dash cam footage.

With regard to the dog poo issues, there is really no excuse for this to be happening since free disposable bags are always available at four locations in the village. If you observe disorderly behaviour of this type you are quite within your rights to report it to the dog warden on 01295 221621. Whilst most people act responsibly, it’s a messy business, so please, let’s all try and keep out streets clean!

_________________

If you have anything you feel that the community should be aware of and would make a difference, or have something else you want to raise with the Parish Council, we are always open to ideas and in listening mode.

All the best and continue to stay alert. In the words of Spock….Live long and prosper!

News update no 14

No dramatically new updates on Coronavirus this week which must be good news, but a few other things to mnetion.

Stratton Audley Barn update

As you know Stratton Audley Barn is now open at weekends from Friday through to Sunday. They are serving takeaway coffee, cake and ice cream from 10am to 4pm. It is going well and they are offering villagers and OAPs a half price take-away coffee or Ice cream on a Friday morning between 10-11am.

From Friday 26th June they will be reopening the shop area in compliance with the government guidelines, in conjunction with their online shop, www.shop.strattonaudleybarn.co.uk which offers a click and collect or delivery options. On the 4th July, they plan to offer bench seating in the enclosed paddock area under parasols and a few Bell tents. Let’s all hope for a warm summer!

Monday is Nepalese Curry Night once again

George and Bikash will be back in Church Street again this Monday serving a vegetarian/vegan curry and a chicken Karahi (similar to Indian Korma) with momos as normal. As usual they will be taking pre-orders from 3pm-5pm and will be open from 4pm until 8pm. Pop by during the afternoon or telephone 07976 455654.

Re-opening of the church. Volunteers wanted.

The PCC are really pleased to announce that the Church will be reopening as from this Sunday, for people who would like to engage in Private Prayers or simply sit peacefully in the Church. The plan is to open the Church from first thing in the morning to 5 pm every day.

When the Church opens it would be good to be able to decorate it with flowers – floral arrangements, pot plants or small troughs on a regular basis. If you have a floral contribution just put it in the porch and it will be put inside the Church by others. The PCC is also open to the idea of displaying photos taken by residents of their gardens or more generally the village or activities in and around the village. If you would like to have a photo displayed please leave it in the porch (ideally in a simple frame with your name on the back).

Daily opening is also contingent on the PCC finding a number of volunteers to help for 15 minutes at the end of the day around 5pm. With enough volunteers each person would only be on duty once every week or fortnight. You would be helping to make the church space as safe as possible by completing a short list of checks and by using a light anti-microbial mist spray on some specific area of likely contact.  If you are able to help, please email jacquelinefox@aol.com

The Red Lion

The renovations continue at the pub and the works being carried out by volunteers seem to have grown with time. The rear garden area has been opened up to create an even larger space which will be at the heart of the pub when it is allowed to open most likely on 4th July. Thanks go to all those who have been helping.

Do pop in and see for yourself the transformation and anyone still wishing to get involved should speak to Jonesy on 07836 776973.

People go wild for the flowers in the Pound

Lots of people have commented on the beautiful wild flower displays and quite a few have asked how it was created. Perhaps we got lucky but this is how it was done. In September, we rotivated the ground, added some mulch and fertiliser before simply sewing 800 grams of mixed wild flower seed. A few weeks later we carefully hand planted an additional 250 pot-grown plants know as plugs. This may be the reason why we got the result we did.

To help maintain the area when the flowers die back, we have been advised to strim to about 5/6 inches high in July or August when the bulk of the seed heads will have ripened. This is known as the ‘hay cut’ and the cuttings are left to dry on the meadow for a few days to allow the seeds to drop back into the soil. The cuttings should then be removed as this will increase the fertility of the soil and encourages grass and weeds to grow. In the autumn/early winter we will take the strimmer to the meadow again cutting it back to about 5″ high and picking up any cut material so it looks neat over winter. After it has been cut some spot weeding is usually necessary to remove any nasty weeds such as thistles, docks or nettles.

The guy who did it is:

Connor Freeman
www.greenmantrees.co.uk
07583 323799

Launton Road Patching

Patching works to fill pot holes in the Launton Road was put on hold earlier this year as the County Council could not get quotes for the works due to Covid 19 and without a firm cost, no road closure notice could be issued. Regrettably this has meant more delay as consultation over a road closure takes 12 weeks.  The PC has been pushing hard for the work to happen whilst the roads were less busy but this is now unlikely. So the planned start date is now 8th September for 10 working days. Additionally, surface repairs in Church Street will take place from 22nd September for 4 days and again this road will also be closed for those days. For those familiar with the potholes on the Launton Road, we have persuaded the Highways Department to extend the repairs beyond the village boundary up to where the stream passes under the road. Additionally we have continually pressed for works to be extended to the Launton/Poundon crossroad but have so far failed to get them to agree to this though it is still a possibility.

Sounds of Music in the Air

For those of you in the village who heard the sound of music late on Sunday afternoon, it wasn’t your imagination playing tricks on you. It was the magic of Mike Gore holding an impromptu music session in his front garden with a few people joining in to sing songs from the 60’s. Immediate neighbours were informed earlier in the day and eagerly congregated in their own gardens with others wandering around to Cherry Street to see what was occurring. Social distancing measures were observed and it was a fun time for those present. Apologies to anyone who wondered what was going on and who may not have appreciated it in the same way.

Hungry for Action!

Hounds from The Bicester with Whaddon Chase Hunt are taken out for their daily walk by Huntsman Gareth Bow. The hounds have not been put to work for several months after all hunting events were cancelled in line with Government guidance due to Coronavirus. This picture appeared in the Wednesday’s edition of The Telegraph.

And don’t forget that this Sunday is Father’s Day!

PLEASE NOTE

If you have anything you think would be of service to locals in these difficult times please use the contact form on this site.

All the best and continue to stay alert.

John Honsinger

Chairman, Stratton Audley Parish Council

 

 

Reopening of the Church. Helpers required!

The church is now open and has already welcomed a number of visitors. Several villagers have volunteered to help for just 10 minutes at around 5pm, to complete a very short list of checks and use a light anti-microbial mist spray on some specific areas of likely contact. However, a few more volunteers would be welcome and if you would also like to help, then please email jacquelinefox@aol.com . If anyone has any flowers that they would like to have displayed in the Church then please take them along (there are vases by the tea point).

From the 4th July, churches are allowed to open for services and weddings for up to 30 people, but at this early stage no plans have yet been published as to how this might work in Stratton Audley.

The church is taking feedback on the type of services and activities that people would like to see in the future, because during lockdown they have been using some new internet based services. If you would like to participate in a questionnaire about future services please contact admin@shelswellparishes.info

 

 

Coronavirus News update no 13

Once again there is little local news regarding Covid 19 except to pick up on the facts that no new coronavirus deaths have been recorded at any Oxfordshire hospitals for three weeks. It puts the county among the best in England, with only 20 per cent of hospital trusts going more than seven days without reporting a fatality from Covid-19. Oxford University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), which runs both the John Radcliffe and Banbury’s Horton General, has not announced any new deaths since May 22. NHS England figures show 177 people overall have died in hospital at the Trust since the beginning of the outbreak.

But there is still no room for complacency and as we unlock further, we must all remain vigilant, maintain social distancing, wash our hands regularly and from Monday wear masks when on public transport.

The wild flowers in the Pound are at their tallest and most spectacular right now!

Beryl’s Funeral

Beryl Stevens funeral will take place at 12 noon on Wed 17th June. The funeral cortege will leave the Manor at about 11.50 to drive round the village (tracing Beryl’s usual daily walk), passing the pub, turning right down Cherry Street, then into Cavendish Place and back up Mill Road to the Church for 12 noon.

Let’s line the streets and give her a good send-off.

Plants for Sale in the Limes last Sunday

The plant sale in The Limes was a great success. Thanks go to Paddy for allowing her driveway and lawn to become a temporary garden centre and to Sarah Morley for making the arrangements.

The Red Lion

Renovations continue apace with both the interior and exterior of the pub being extensively renovated. The rear garden area has been opened up to create an even larger space which will be at the heart of the pub when it is allowed to open most likely on 4th July.

Thanks go to those who responded to last weeks’ call for more volunteers to give up a few hours to help with the works. Anyone still wishing to get involved call Tony Jones (Jonesy) on 07836 776973 or let me know.

Stratton Audley Barn Update

As you know Stratton Audley Barn is now open at weekends from Friday through to Sunday. They are serving takeaway coffee, cake and ice cream from 10am-4pm. It is going well and they would like to offer villagers and OAPs a free take away coffee on a Friday morning between 10-11am.

On the 4th July, they plan to offer bench seating in the paddock under parasols and a few Bell tents.  From Monday 15th they will have a limited selection of gifts/cards which can be purchased in the café. There is also now an online shop, www.shop.strattonaudleybarn.co.uk which offers a more extensive selection of items together with Click and Collect and delivery options.

Monday is Nepalese Curry Night once again

George and Bikash will be back in Church Street again this Monday. This week they will be serving a vegetarian/vegan curry and a chicken Karahi (similar to Indian Korma) with momos as normal. So if you haven’t yet tried them this could be the week for you. They will be taking pre-orders from 3pm-5pm and will be open from 4pm until 8pm. Pop by during the afternoon or telephone 07976 455654.

Re-painting the wooden fence in the Playground

The Parish Council has received an offer from the Dewhurst family to repaint the fences in the playground. Rachel Dewhurst was involved in painting the fences the first time around including the lovely colourful murals, so is the perfect person to undertake the restoration work. She also has proposed painting a rainbow on the blank back fence which seems like a great idea.

She will be using a mixture of exterior wood fence paint and gloss paints and whilst the Parish Council will pay for any necessary new paint and brushes, she has suggested that she could use left-over paint that others may have gathering dust in their cupboards. Colours needed are red, white, blue, brown, orange and yellow, either exterior wood paint or gloss paint. Please email Rachel at treehouse0@sky.com and she will arrange collection.

The fun wall Mural that is to be renovated

Restoration of back gate entrance to the Church graveyard

Delighted to report that the back gate entrance to the church graveyard is now open and safe for all to use.

It has been mentioned previously, but thanks go to a small team of village volunteer, headed by Stuart Hopkins, with Paul Roberts, Adam Willmore, Anthony Flack and myself in support. The cost of materials was funded by the Parish Council.

There is a quantity of Oxfordshire brash stone that was excavated when digging out the new path and anyone who would like to take a few pieces for their garden rockery is welcome to do so.

New path laid and brambles and bushes cleared from the wall

The steep steps have been re-laid to be more gradual and easy to negotiate

New hand rails installed, metal gate restored and retaining stone side walls built

Chafor Vineyard Wine Offer

Chafor, our nearest vineyard located at Gawcott is open for visitors with a newly built small open air shop.  They have recently reduced their prices against what is on their website:

Rose £10, Elegance £12, Red Stage £15, Bacchus £14, Vintage Cuvee £28 and Vintage Rose £35.

They also have two summer offers:

Buy any 5 bottles of wine (Mix and match) and get a 6th bottle of Elegance white wine FREE (Saving you £12)*

Buy any 3 bottles of Vintage Cuvee get a 4th Bottle FREE (Saving you £28)*

You can order via email at info@Chafor.co.uk or over the phone

07973892427 or via Facebook messenger or Facebook

PLEASE NOTE

If you have anything you think would be of service to locals in these difficult times please let me know.

 

Coronavirus update no 12 for Stratton Audley

Once again there is no local news regarding Covid 19 apart from a note regarding business funding that we have been asked to circulate by Cherwell District Council which is featured at the end of this note. However there are other matters to report.

Plants for Sale in the Limes on Sunday

A man from Bicester Market known to a few residents, has offered to come to the village on Sunday and set up stall in Paddy’s drive in The Limes, with social distancing measures in place. I am told the plants are good quality and very reasonably priced. This will hopefully be of particular interest to older residents who want to add colour to their gardens but can’t go out to garden centres.

The Red Lion

You have probably noticed the work going on in the Red Lion. With Franks blessing, a number of people organised by Tony Jones have been renovating the pub in readiness for the anticipated lifting of restrictions. The garden area is being transformed as pubs with gardens are likely to be amongst the first to be given the go ahead to re-open in a limited way at the beginning of July.

Tony has asked if anyone would like to volunteer to spruce up the area that fronts onto the road – in particular the notice/menu boards, and the seating needs renovating and re-varnishing. Also if anyone has any hanging baskets that they would like to donate and plant up, it would be very much appreciated. Call Tony on 07836 776973 or let me know.

By improving the look of the pub it will help the village retain it when the brewery is reassessing its viability.

AND DON’T FORGET – Stratton Audley Barn is now open

Stratton Audley Barn is now open at weekends from Friday through to Sunday. They are serving takeaway coffee, cake and ice cream from 10am-4pm. It’s going down very well so please pop along and show your appreciation.

Monday is Nepalese Curry Night once again

The Nepalese food wagon turned out to be a great success last Monday with Lamb curry and Chicken curry selling out fast in addition to the original vegetable curry.

George and Bikash will be back in Church Street again this Monday with the same menu. They will be taking pre-orders from 3pm-5pm and will be open from 4pm until 8pm. See attached menu. Pop by or telephone 07976 455654.

PC Trial Meeting by Zoom

The Parish Council trialled a virtual meeting this past week and all went well. The next meeting will be on July 8th and any member of the public wishing to submit an enquiry or who wishes to join the meeting online should contact the Clerk in advance by email strattonaudley.parishclerk@gmail.co.uk  This will be publicised again.

Beryl’s Funeral

Beryl Stevens funeral will take place at 12 noon on Wed 17th June.  I am pleased to confirm that her nephew Richard and the funeral directors are happy with the plan to drive round the village tracing her usual daily walk.  So after leaving the Manor, the cortege will pass the pub, turn right down Cherry Street, then into Cavendish Place and back up Mill Road to the Church.

Let’s try and line the streets and give her a good send-off.

Extended Hours at Recycling Centers

All seven of Oxfordshire’s household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) are now open for an extra hour from 8am to 5pm, seven days a week.

Because of the coronavirus, changes have been made to how each HWRC operates to keep services, users and staff safe. Specific rules and restrictions vary by site and everyone is asked to visit the County Council website www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/wastereopenquestions before leaving home to avoid unnecessary frustration and delay.

Delays at Ardley hardly ever happen!!!!!

Latest COVID-19 funding pot for business launches

We have been asked to circulate a press release issued on Tuesday re the new discretionary business grants.  They are designed to help those smaller businesses that have not been able to access previous support grants, perhaps because they are too small, rent a bit of space on a farm etc or don’t pay business rates.

Small businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions are encouraged to claim grants of up to £10,000 as the latest round of Government funding is rolled out.

Cherwell District Council is administering the new, discretionary scheme. It targets organisations that were not eligible for the previous grant schemes and which have ongoing property-related costs. Businesses operating in shared workspaces, market traders, small charities, and bed and breakfasts could all benefit. They will need to evidence a significant fall in income due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Cllr Lynn Pratt, lead member for economy, said: “Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy and we are working hard to get this fresh grant funding to them at this very challenging time.

“We will be assessing their claims against a clear policy, published on our website, and will be using the discretionary powers entrusted to us by Government to focus support on strategically important businesses that are suffering extreme hardship.

“We have previously issued £22m of funding to small and medium businesses as part of the initial round of Government support. This latest offer is designed for small businesses which weren’t able to claim from that funding pot and I encourage anyone who thinks their organisation might be eligible to visit the council website and find out more.”

The amount a business receives will be dependent on its specific circumstances, up to the maximum amount of £10,000. One focus of this scheme will be on businesses which pay inclusive rents and which do not have their own business rates accounts.

Applications will be accepted from Tuesday 2 June until Sunday 14 June. All applications will be reviewed and decided after the closing date.

Eligibility details, the discretionary grants policy, and the application form are available via this link:

https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/info/258/ /675/coronavirus-guidance-for-businesses/4

PLEASE NOTE

If you have anything you think would be of service to locals in these difficult times please let me know.