Month: August 2021

Dear All

Road Sweep Wednesday 1^st September

This coming Wednesday the road sweeper will be in the village from about 8am and as usual everyone is asked to park their cars off the street if possible or move them when you hear the hum of the sweeper vehicle, which will come past your home several times during the morning from about 8am.

There probably won’t be a road team this time so if you are able to help, you should sweep or blow any debris off the pavements outside your home, into the road/gutter.

This is a service provided to the village three times a year by Cherwell District Council and as residents we are fortunate to have such a dedicated refuse team of people serving our community, so please show your appreciation to the driver.

News from the Red Lion

This bank holiday weekend is packed with things to do at The Red Lion.

Friday Night is Steak Night.  8 oz Sirloin £15.00 or 10 oz Ribeye £17.50.  Get there early to be sure of meaty happiness.

Sunday roast as usual from 12 until 4. Beef and something else meaty, veggie options available if you book.

Sunday evening – Table Tennis in the garden.  No cash prize this time to discourage ringers – just a bottle of Prosecco to the winner and a bottle of wine to the runner up.  Get there for 6pm – £1 entry fee to cover the cost of the balls which kept disappearing into the gutter!  Anything extra goes to the church upkeep.

Monday morning – 11am – 1pm – Bank Holiday Hangover Breakfast!  Full English with tea and toast, £12.50.  Bloody Marys and Prosecco on hand for the suffering if needed.

Monday at 6 pm – lovely Dominique from the Manor is going to be singing in the garden.  She’s young, she’s full of enthusiasm, and she has a fabulous voice.  A great choice of songs from classic pop through soul and the Great American Songbook.  Come along and support our local talent.

For all enquiries or to book in advance in order to avoid disappointment call 01869 277225.

Stratton Audley Barn

The coffee shop is a great place to meet friends with both indoor and outdoor seating. However the Barn are having to press pause on their full Breakfast & Lunch menus for a few weeks from Saturday 21st August until Thursday 30th September, whilst they are disappointed that they won’t be able to provide a full menu again until 1st October (they will we have some exciting news on that front soon!). In the meantime they will be serving up their popular selection of panini’s and sandwiches daily as well as our delicious Cakes, Bakes & Ice Cream.

Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

For more information on www.strattonaudleybarn.co.uk  or Facebook Stratton Audley Barn.

Mitra Persian Food Stall

Mitra will not be in the village for the next few weeks. She is taking a break.

Bicester Heritage Scramble- local offer code- Sunday 10th October 2021

The Events team have asked me to notify you of the local code for the Scramble on the 10^th October.

Local Promo code is:  FlyingBrevets

Please see below the link to the ticket page:

https://bicesterheritage.co.uk/whaton/octoberscramble-2/

https://bicesterheritage.co.uk/?ticket=october-scramble-tickets

All tickets are now £14.00 (+£1.10 Fee & Tax) and the discount code will give 25% discount.

Stratton Audley Church

The next service at our church is the Harvest Festival on Sunday 26^th September at 9.30am. However, there is a service of Compline in Godington Church at 6pm on Sunday 29^th August.

Also on Sunday 29^th August at 9.30am there is a service at Hethe which will now be a service of Holy Communion rather than Morning Prayer and the 11am service in Finmere will take the form of an informal service on the playing field ahead of the Finmere Fayre (rather than Holy Communion in church).

For the complete picture go to http://www.shelswellparishes.info/services.php

Ride & Stride for the Church on 11^th September

This is a fun, easy to participate in, event for the whole family. See details below.

If you just want to donate but not ride or stride, you can give however big or small by emptying all your loose change (or notes if feeling flush) into the collecting box at the Church on Saturday. The Church will be open from 10am-5pm on the day with various volunteers manning the welcoming desk, however they could do with a few more volunteers for an hour or so in the afternoon.  Call/text Sarah 07941 273145 if you are able to help.

Stratton Audley Park Road to Poundon

The section of this road that runs from the crossroad with Mill Road up to the turning with Godington will be closed for a day for inspection works on 25 September 2021.

East West Rail have been asked to confirm on multiple occasions when they are going to repair the numerous pot holes on the section of the same road that runs in the other direction past Stratton Audley Park to the A4421 and no date has yet been given. To be clear, the road is the responsibility of EWR for the duration of the build and OCC can do little to influence when works are carried out as they are governed by their own Acts of Parliament which is separate to the Highways Act and they don’t always correlate exactly when it comes to the affected Highway network.

However a survey was carried out and a report prepared last week, so it is my understanding that plans for necessary remedial work are now in the pipeline and EWR have assured me they will now get it done as quickly as they can. They want to support the local community and recognise that their slowness in this matter is damaging the relationship.

Nearest Covid-19 test centre

Just found out where the nearest private Covid test lab is based in case it is useful for anyone going on holiday or coming back. It is AccendoLAB, Heyford Park Innovation Centre, OX25 5HD (a 20 minute drive) Tel: 0330 133 3612.

If anyone has any other useful information concerning Covid-19 services, please let me know.

Join the Covid Study

There is a very useful scientific study that is helping to slow the spread of COVID19 called Zoe and already over 4.5million people are signed up.

You can download the app to your phone https://covid.joinzoe.com/and report any symptoms daily or as often as you like. It is a national study and all helps to identify cases sooner, by people self-reporting symptoms daily, even if they are feeling well. They also have some really informative videos which you can see on www.youtube.com .

And some reminders from the previous newsletters…..

Covid-19

For the latest details on Covid data and other Government’s advice on Coronavirus can be found via these link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/

Help for Fringford Primary School – TESCO SCHEME ENDS SOON!

As previously mentioned, Fringford Primary School was selected for the Tesco Community Grant (Blue token) scheme at Tesco, but the donation scheme is coming to an end on September 30^th!

The school grant application is for developing the Sensory Garden and Forest School – projects which will enable stimulating and nurturing environments in which each child is encouraged to enjoy learning and develop a lively and enquiring mind. The more blue tokens they get in the voting boxes, the higher their chance of securing a larger grant. They are only a small school and they have asked for our help.

Next time you are shopping in any of the Bicester Tesco stores, at the till ask for a blue charity token and pop it in the voting box as you leave the store. Spread the word by asking local friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours to support them too.

Dog Warden

The dog Warden has asked me to let everyone know that they should always report any issues with regard to dogs whether of a significant or more minor nature. Part of his job is to help and offer advice and not just received reports of anti-social behaviour. His name is Chris Cundy and his direct telephone number is 01295 221621 (Switchboard: 01295 227990) or you can email him christopher.cundy@cherwell-DC.gov.uk

Help with Computer Issues

Is there a knowledgeable computer person in the village who can offer their services on an hourly basis? Several people have asked if there is such a person who could help when simple things go wrong, such as files that go missing, lap tops that are sluggish and the like. Please email Jhonsinger@btconnect.com and I will pass your details on.

Volunteer help needed at Sobell Warehouse

Sobell Warehouse in Bicester are desperate for volunteers. The manager Judy said they are very flexible and people can obviously work any hours that suit them. If anyone is interested they should contact Judy on 01869 245235 to have a chat and find out more. It will be most appreciated.

Canine Issues

There have been one or two issues recently for dog owners in the village, with anti-social behaviour including dog fouling on the verges, particularly noticed in Mill Road. With free collection bags available at three locations throughout the village (courtesy of the Parish Council) there should be no reason to avoid picking up your ‘best friends’ poop.

For all canine related matters whether of a serious nature or merely for advice, the best person to contact in the first instance, is our own dedicated District Council Dog Warden, Chris Cundy. He is very helpful and his direct telephone number is 01295 221621 (Switchboard: 01295 227990) or you can email him christopher.cundy@cherwell-DC.gov.uk

Order a bottle of Nocino – all funds go to the Church building

David has started taking pre-orders for people who want their very own bottle of Nocino walnut liqueur in time for a relaxing autumn and Christmas.

To order a bottle, please rsvp to david@betteroutliers.com .  All donations go directly to maintaining the church building and anyone pre-ordering is invited to go into the church and see their liqueur develop – the process to make Nocino takes 40 – 60 days and needs someone to gently shake the Nocino kilners/vat jars every 2-3 days.

Collection Point for Disposal of Ink Jet Cartridges

Please continue to pop your ink jet cartridges into the basket in the Glen Close bus shelter.  Please don’t drop larger toner cartridges off as these are not recycled by the RSPB. If you are not sure if your cartridges are suitable for recycling, you can contact Rachel Dewhurst by email at treehouse0@sky.com

All the best

John

Your fortnightly news update begins with an important announcement regarding an exciting decision to hold a village celebration day in just six weeks’ time.

Village Funday – Sunday 26^th September – Save the date.

This is an event to mark the ‘return to near normal’ and for residents to get together and have some fun with food, music and organised group games including the ever popular Tug o’War to round things off.

It is a free event for residents of the Stratton Audley Parish. Those planning to attend will need to register so that tickets can be issued in advance in order to help with catering. Plans are at an early stage but the food (likely to be a barbeque) will be funded by the Parish Council.  Additionally everyone will be invited to pitch-in and to participate ‘picnic style’ by bringing additional food and drink for themselves or to group share. As an outdoor event it should be pretty safe and the more people that attend the better.

The Howson’s have kindly offered the use of their field and marquee at Stratton Audley Barn.

Volunteers will be needed to help both prior to and on the day.

Annual Village Meeting

The village meeting of the Parish took place last Wednesday and was attended by some 35 people, who heard news of what was happening at District and County Council level and Cllr. Wood agreed to respond to some unanswered questions about the bus service to the village. The Clerk summarised activities over the last two years and the Chairman gave an update on current Parish Council matters.

A number of topics were presented for discussion in open forum such as the latest planning news on Bicester Motion, Thames Water remedial works and the Stoke Lyne Road Waste land Re-wilding project.  Other ideas previously put forward by members of the community were discussed such as tree planting schemes, creating an allotment, introducing more wild flower areas, leaving some of the grass verges to go wild and purchasing a red telephone box to convert into a library. None were universally backed with the exception of speeding vehicles in the village.

There was general agreement that traffic in and around the village is a cause for concern on all four entry/exit roads. Vehicle Activate Speed Signs (VAS) are generally liked and thought to be effective, so more are needed. Additionally the idea of turning the village into 20MPH zone was once again raised and will be investigated further by the Parish Council.

The need for a footpath on the Bicester Road was raised as a safety issue and a resident agreed to come up with a plan which could be taken forward to the County Council with help from the Parish Council.

Finally there was unanimous agreement that a village community event in September would be a good idea and that the village should participate in a day of celebration next year, in support of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations, 2-5 June 2022.

News from the Red Lion

Wednesday is coffee morning and also what they’re now calling Posh Ploughman’s! The Wednesday lunch is a special for the coffee morning gang at £7.50, otherwise the even more generous version is £9.90.

Lunches on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday consist of simple straightforward food cooked for £9.90.  Additionally they are more than happy to cater for vegetarians, vegans and those with food intolerances. Please book in advance to avoid food waste – 01869 277225.

Sunday lunch is on as usual – this week’s offering is Beef or Honey Roast Ham, followed by Crème Brûlée.
Another Table Tennis Tournament is planned for 29th August, weather permitting.  Singles and Doubles this time!

Stratton Audley Barn

The coffee shop is a great place to meet friends with both indoor and outdoor seating, so whether it is Brunch or Lunch, Coffee or Cake, Milkshake or Ice Cream, there is something to tempt the whole family. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.

For more information on www.strattonaudleybarn.co.uk  or Facebook Stratton Audley Barn.

Important notice from Richard & Sara:

“Although the rules on Covid-19 have been relaxed, our commitment to our team and customer’s safe keeping remains our number one priority. We have therefore decided to continue with many of the measures we have already adopted in our shop and cafe, including the use of screens, hand sanitiser and one way system. Our teams will continue to wear face coverings and we would ask and encourage our customers to use these when moving around the shop & Cafe too. Track & Trace posters will continue to be made available for scanning but we will no longer need details from your party when you arrive. We will continue to review & follow government guidelines and practices as they change”.

Mitra this Monday August 16th

Mitra will be back in the village on Monday 16^th August serving her Persian food from her stall at the junction with Church Street & Bicester Road. Just turn up on the night or order by texting her in advance on the day – 07444 364789.

Book now for the Kit & McConnel show at The Red Lion

Tickets for the Kit & McConnel concert (sharp satire and song) on 19th August are nearly sold out.  Please contact redlionstrattonaudley@gmail.com  for tickets.  It’s a snip at £25 per head.  No social distancing, hence the cheaper price.

Stratton Audley Church

The next church service in Stratton Audley with Holly Communion is on Sunday, 22th August at 9.30am.

Footpaths

Keeping pubic rights of way passable is the responsibility of the County Council, but unfortunately it is simply impossible for them to maintain all 2600 miles of Public Rights of Way and priority is given to the most popular routes.

As a result The Parish Council have cleared most of the paths that are worst affected leading into and away from the village and has now resolved to check these more regularly and as and when necessary, to arrange for the vegetation to be cut back.

For more serious problems the best way to report an issue is via the online link: Reporting an issue on a public right of way | Oxfordshire County Council

Help with Computer Issues

Is there a knowledgeable computer person in the village who can offer their services on an hourly basis? Several people have asked if there is such a person who could help when simple things go wrong, such as files that go missing, lap tops that are sluggish and the like. Please email Jhonsinger@btconnect.com and I will pass your details on.

And some reminders from the previous newsletters…..

Volunteer help needed at Sobell Warehouse

Sobell Warehouse in Bicester are desperate for volunteers. The manager Judy said they are very flexible and people can obviously work any hours that suit them. If anyone is interested they should contact Judy on 01869 245235 to have a chat and find out more. It will be most appreciated.

Canine Issues

There have been one or two issues recently for dog owners in the village, with anti-social behaviour including dog fouling on the verges, particularly noticed in Mill Road. With free collection bags available at three locations throughout the village (courtesy of the Parish Council) there should be no reason to avoid picking up your ‘best friends’ poop.

For all canine related matters whether of a serious nature or merely for advice, the best person to contact in the first instance, is our own dedicated District Council Dog Warden, Chris Cundy. He is very helpful and his direct telephone number is 01295 221621 (Switchboard: 01295 227990) or you can email him christopher.cundy@cherwell-DC.gov.uk

Planning Policy Consultation

CDC planning department are currently consulting on their new Statement of Community Involvement.  It is a comprehensive document, but buried in the middle of it they are proposing to no longer notify householders by mail of nearby planning applications, relying instead on a single site notice.  Our District Councillor Ian Corkin thinks this is a really retrograde step and will be speaking against it.  If these changes go through, it will be entirely possible for an unscrupulous applicant to simply take down the notice and neighbours would be none the wiser.  The documents can be found here and the relevant section is 5.3 on page 20, which ends with the question:

“ Question 4: Do you agree with our proposal to use site notices, rather than neighbour notification letters, when publicising planning applications?”

If like me you think the answer to that should be a  definite  “No, both letters and site notices should continue to be used” then you have until the midday on Monday 23^rd of August to have your say by:: emailing

Planning policy consultation | Planning policy consultation | Cherwell District Council

Order a bottle of Nocino – all funds go to the Church building

David has started taking pre-orders for people who want their very own bottle of Nocino walnut liqueur in time for a relaxing autumn and Christmas.

To order a bottle, please rsvp to david@betteroutliers.com .  All donations go directly to maintaining the church building and anyone pre-ordering is invited to go into the church and see their liqueur develop – the process to make Nocino takes 40 – 60 days and needs someone to gently shake the Nocino kilners/vat jars every 2-3 days.

Help for Fringford Primary School

Great news! Fringford Primary School has been selected for the Tesco Community Grant (Blue token) scheme at Tesco, Bicester from July 12^th until September 30^th!

Their grant application is for developing the Sensory Garden and Forest School – projects which will enable stimulating and nurturing environments in which each child is encouraged to enjoy learning and develop a lively and enquiring mind. The more blue tokens they get in the voting boxes, the higher their chance of securing a larger grant. They are only a small school and they have asked for our help.

Next time you are shopping in any of the Bicester Tesco stores, at the till ask for a blue charity token and pop it in the voting box as you leave the store. Spread the word by asking local friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours to support them too.

Collection Point for Disposal of Ink Jet Cartridges

Please continue to pop your ink jet cartridges into the basket in the Glen Close bus shelter.  Please don’t drop larger toner cartridges off as these are not recycled by the RSPB. If you are not sure if your cartridges are suitable for recycling, you can contact Rachel Dewhurst by email at treehouse0@sky.com

Covid-19

For the latest details on Covid data and other Government’s advice on Coronavirus can be found via these link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do

https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/