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Childrey and Sparsholt Newsletter

In this month’s issue:

-St Mary’s Church Fete / -Photographic exhibition
-Songs for a summer’s Eve / -WW1 candlelit vigil
-New editor needed / -Attention all drivers

Diary dates: August 2014

Date/time / Event/venue / Notes / Contact
1st July
9am / Childrey & District Tuesday Club
Childrey / Trip to Warmington and Banbury. Fare members: £12, non-members: £14. / Pat Eglington: 751663
3rd July
6.30pm / White Horse Garden Club
The Thomas Hughes Memorial Hall, Uffington / Visit to Blewbury Manor. £6 per person which will include a tour of the garden and refreshments. Car sharing: 01367 820251. / Sue Francis: 751256
5th July
7.30pm / Wantage Choral Society Summer Concert
Sparsholt Church / Songs by Vaughan, Copland and Chilcott.Tickets £12 or £10 in advance from the museum or WCS member. / Chris: 7516787
14th July
7.30pm / Childrey Parish Council Meeting
Village Hall, Childrey / All welcome. / Debbie Lewis-Pryde: 751923
15st July
7pm / Childrey & Sparsholt W.I.
The Old Rectory / Local garden visit / Pauline Higgs: 751544
20th July
11am / Westcot/Sparsholt Footpath Walks
Meet at Field View, Westcot Lane / Led by Alan & Caroline Stephen. All welcome. / John Bales: 07802 867083
21st July
7pm / Sparsholt Parish Council Meeting
Griffin Memorial Hall, Sparsholt / All are welcome. / Debbie Lewis-Pryde: 751923
26th July
11am – 7pm / Photographic Exhibition & Sale
Childrey Village Hall / View and purchase wonderful images by local photographer Zoe Bowden. / Claire Turner: 751275

For local news remember to check sparsholtandwestcot.org. Remember the deadline is the 18th of every month. Please note that the newsletter is limited to 2 A4 pages and sponsored by Childrey and Sparsholt Parish Councils.

If you have any comments, news items, would like to advertise or any events to add to the diary, please contact Mette Bradfield, Veor Farm House, West Street, Childrey, Tel: 751727,.

Songs for a Summer Evening

Wantage Choral Society returns to Sparsholt Church for a summer concert on Saturday July 5 at 7:30pm.The programme includes English Folk Songs arranged by Vaughan Williams, Jazz Folk Songs arranged by Bob Chilcott, and Old American Songs arranged by Aaron Copland.Refreshments will be served at the interval. Tickets are £12 on the door, or £10 in advance from Wantage Museum, or a WCS member.

Letcombe Tennis Club News

New coaching programme for Adults - available for 5 weeks to non-members too.

There are two new courses starting in June for adults on Tuesday evenings.6-7pm Adult Rusty Racquets: ideal if you’d like to get back into the game after a long absence. 7-8pm Adult Doubles Tactics: if you’d like to learn more about how to get the best out of your doubles game, this is the course for you.
Quiz Night: Friday 25thJuly
Big Dave who has been running the popularPub Quiz at the (now closed for refurbishment) Greyhound Letcombe Regis for some time now has agreed to move the Quiz to the Pavilion insupport of the Pavilion. The nextdate for your diary is: Friday 25th July at 8:30pm. Please get your teams readyfor this fun and competitive evening. Book with Geoff Owen Tel: 762680. Enjoy the sunshine!

Photographic Exhibition & Sale

On Saturday 26th July between 11am & 7pm come and have a glass of wine whilst you view many wonderful images by local photographer Zoe Bowden. There will be a wide range of subjects, both local & farther afield, and as all photographs are available to purchase, you’re sure to find just what you’ve been looking for. All profits to Childrey Village Hall Improvement Fund (windows, loos and front door).

Claire Turner, 751275

Surprise, surprise!

Many people have been very kind in saying that they will miss my Xmas cards of Childrey. So I have decided once again to change my mind (a woman’s privilege) and have just finished a picture, snowy of course, which I think we can use this year. It is the canal this time, but there is a lady and a dog too...

The cards may be a little smaller, to cope with the expense incurred by everyone in postage, but I hope to keep the price the same as before.

It is always good to be able to support local facilities, and the Village Hall is desperately in need of help. Most of the possible grants have now been exhausted, so this year all the profits will go to the Hall in its search for funding the installation of new windows and curtains.

I do feel very silly changing my mind yet again, but look forward to hearing from you that you want to support the village in this way once more. I will give you more details as soon as I have them via the newsletter.

Pat Winsley, tel 751280, Paddock’s End, West Street,

New Editor Needed/Village Website

As you are all aware the printed village newsletter will soon come to an end unless someone is willing to take it on. (Please contact Debbie Lewis-Pryde if you are!). I am currently working on the new village website which will be launched very soon. This will include a village email news update for anyone interested and willing to submit their email address to me. I am hoping it will help to remind villagers of local events or any changes made at short notice.

WI Date for your Diary

Childrey and Sparsholt W.I Annual Garden Party. Tuesday 26th August at Childrey Manor with kind permission of Satu Marks. There will be delicious teas, stalls games - something for everyone. More details next month but hold this date as it will be an un-miss-able event.

Pauline Higgs, 751544

St Mary’s Church Fete

A quick note to catch this edition before it goes to print – we are still counting the money raised on Saturday afternoon but it looks like it will be close to the record breaking year we had a few years ago – taking about £6,000 during the afternoon which is fantastic. We know the numbers who came along were higher than before – no doubt the fabulous weather played its part and we hope you had a lovely afternoon.

A big thank you to Satu for letting us use the Manor’s beautiful gardens and also thank you to all our wonderful helpers and volunteers who do so much to make the day go well – and help to clear up afterwards!

Thank you and congratulations to our Cake Competition Winners and to all of those who took part – apparently it was really difficult to judge this year – we obviously have some really excellent cooks in the village.

A final thank you to all who came along – as you know all the money raised during the afternoon will go to the Church’s Fabric Fund Appeal – details of which are displayed on the Notice Board within the Church Porch.More next month ...

Childrey Fete Committee

Vale Summer Holiday Programme

If your children are looking for new and exciting things to do this summer then why not check out the South and Vale Summer Holiday Programme.

Starting on Monday 28 July, there’s a whole month of sports and arts activities available for those aged between five and 18years oldliving in South Oxfordshire or the Vale of White Horse.

All activities are led by qualified coaches, with this year’s line up including athletics, archery, creative arts, falconry, fencing, golf, hockey, horse riding, kayaking, netball, orienteering, rugby, sailing, a "strictly kids" dance class, table tennis, taekwando, tennis, and trampolining.To see the full selection of activities visit

Attention all Drivers

I would be very grateful if you would give consideration to cyclists on the road from Westcotto Childrey. This is a journey I do every morning between 8am and 9am, especially along the White Horse Feeds Road,and I am sorry to say I have almost been knocked off my bike twice by ladies (yes, Ladies) coming so close to me whilst on their mobile ( which IS ILLEGAL)or looking into the rear at theirchildren. Please be more considerate.

Many thanks, Christina Hamilton

Candlelit Vigil to mark Start of WW1

On 4th August, like many other churches across the country, St Mary’s will be open from 4 – 11pm for a candlelit vigil to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War.

Follow the Rabbit Hole down, down, down!

Saturday 5th July, 9am – 5pm, in various venues including The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford transforms into Wonderland for one magical day packed with mad tea parties, exhibitions, storytelling, music and Alice activities – and most events are free!
It’s a little-known fact that the first manuscript of Lewis Carroll’snovel was titled Alice’s Adventures Underground. To celebrate that first incarnation, the theme for this year’s Alice’s Day is underground.
More than 20 of Oxford's most beautiful and historic locations will be taking part.

Join Alice, the Mad Hatter and the Owl and the Pussycat for topsy turvy fun in some world class venues.Restaurantsand cafes will also be getting into the spirit, with Alice-themed refreshments.Find venues and further information on:

Parish Council News

Forthcoming meetings:

Childrey Parish CouncilMondays 14th July, 15th September, 13th October and 17th November all starting at 7.30pm in the Childrey VIllage Hall.

Sparsholt Parish CouncilMondays 21st July and 8th September all starting at 7.00pm in the Griffin Memorial Hall, Sparsholt. These meetings are all subject to change if necessary and planning meetings will be inserted to discuss proposed planning applications and related matters, when required.

Contact: Debbie Lewis-Pryde, Clerk to both Parish Councils, 01235 751923, or

Update: Community policing

I have been the PCSO(Police Community Support Officer) for Grove and the ‘Challows’ for nearly 7 years and have enjoyed sorting out resident’s issues. However, I have been asked to take on a new challenge within the Wantage Neighbourhood Policing Team, so, effective from Monday 26/05/2014 I no longer have ‘geographical’ responsibility for Grove but have moved to be PCSO for Childrey, Letcombe Bassett, Letcombe Regis, East and West Challow which is known collectively as ‘Greendown’.

I’m looking forward to meeting the residents of Childreyand am happy talk over the problems that concern you, especially if there is a cup of tea involved.

Regards, Howard Pack

Useful Numbers

The 24-hour non-emergency number for Thames Valley Police is ‘101’ or 999 in emergencies.

Please use 101 to report any ‘Non-Urgent’ crime related matters...Report it so that we know about it.

If you’d like to receive FREE crime alerts and info about where you live by Email, Phone or Text then please go and register at or via Non Emergency number 101.

& Volume 13 Issue 8 August 2014