Steeple Aston News
Allotments and gardens open to public
The church allotments in Steeple Aston and five private gardens were opened to the public on Sunday, 18th July to raise money for the Recreational Trust and the Allotment Society.
The visitors, who largely came from outside the village, seemed delighted with the allotments and gardens. Many of them were just as interested in the vegetables as the flowers.
In one garden the owner listened avidly to their tips on how to get runner beans to set (mist in the evening, every evening) and how to grow enormous onions (fortnightly feed with seaweed).
The allotments are in Fir Lane, opposite the churchyard, and the gardens that opened were:
- 2 Nizewell Head
- Willow Cottage, Dickredge
- Primrose Cottage, Northside
- Kralingen, Fenway
- Grangelea, Grange Park.
Barbara Brewer, with lots of donated cakes and her team of helpers, run a profitable café in the Sports and Recreation Centre.
Ted Whybrew, who organised the event, said “I would like to give a big thank you to the owners of the allotments and gardens and to those who served the teas and donated cakes. Between us we made £331 and this has been split between the Recreation Trust and the Allotment Society who were delighted with the outcome.”
The Recreation Trust needs help to pay for the upkeep of Robinsons Close and the Allotment Society will use their share towards the provision of water on the allotment site.
To see more photos of the gardens and allotments, please click here.
Affordable housing exhibition attracts much interest
The exhibition of plans for the proposed affordable housing in Sixtyfoot, Steeple Aston attracted plenty of attention from villagers on Wednesday 7th July. The Parish Council had invited comments on the plans before planning permission is sought from Cherwell District Council.
To see the plans in detail, please click here.
The small committee room at the Village Hall became quite crowded as villagers arrived to discuss the plans with representatives from the housing association, Sovereign, the architect who designed the site and housing officers. Parish councillors were also there to answer questions and assess the response of visitors.
Julia Whybrew reports: “When I went there were lots of visitors, and all the ones I asked seemed favourably impressed by the plans, pleased that the site is well set back and especially interested in a safe footpath by the Red Lion car park. There was widespread recognition that the houses would enable local people to stay in the community.
“The plans show the site with green areas, trees, play space for children, quite spacious accommodation and plenty of parking, which has been increased following a request from the Parish Council. The homes will all have either garages with doors or open carports.
“In addition, and this will be a great benefit for everyone in the village, the plans include a footpath alongside the Red Lion car park. The road by the Red Lion was identified as particularly dangerous in the Parish Plan so it is not surprising that a footpath here was welcomed.”
The plans show 12 houses: 5 two-bed houses, 4 three-bed houses, 2 two-bed bungalows and 1 four-bed house. Each one has two parking spaces and in addition there are four extra spaces for visitors. Three of the houses are for shared ownership and the rest are for rent.
The houses have been designed to be as versatile as possible. Two of them (numbers 5 and 6) which currently have two bedrooms can be extended into the roof space to make three bedrooms if the owners decide to do this at a later date. Also the downstairs bathrooms can be easily converted to shower and wet room because the necessary gully will be built in to the bathroom floor.
If you have further questions about the plans, please contact Stuart Roberts, the Regional Head of Development at Sovereign Housing Group, email stuart.roberts@sovereign.org.uk.
Village postcards go on sale
Three local postcards are now on sale at the shop and elsewhere in the village. The three cards show a view across the village to the church, and photos of the Eyecatcher and the Victorian postbox on Northside.
The production of the cards has been organised by the website committee, with financial help from the Parish Council.
There hasn’t been a Steeple Aston postcard for some time. Raj in the village shop says he has lots of requests from visitors who would like to buy them, so we hope they’ll be very popular.
The cards will be sold for 50p each, with profits going to local charities. The fund to raise money for a defibrillator will be the first to benefit.
The website committee would like to thank Merrill Bayley, Dave Trinder and Peter Bell for their help in producing these postcards.
Unexpected resignation leaves council vacancy
The search is on to find a new parish councillor for Steeple Aston after the unexpected resignation of Dorothy Willatt for personal reasons.
Dorothy, who also runs the White Lion pub in the village with her family, had been a councillor for six years. She was recently reappointed to office along with all the other councillors after no one stood against them in the May elections.
The Parish Council Chairman Margaret Mason said, “Dorothy has brought huge energy and enthusiasm to the council. Her thoughts are always for the individual, helping and doing all she can to make things better for people.
“She also brought a wicked sense of humour and a fantastic singing voice, which the council did not have enough opportunities to appreciate! We will miss her and her care for the village very much and wish her well for the future.”
Dorothy's resignation means that there is a vacancy to be filled on the Parish Council. This has to be formally notified to Cherwell District Council who advertise it in the village.
The notices announcing a vacancy have already been put up on village noticeboards. They say that if 10 electors request a poll a by-election will be called, with same rules as an ordinary election. Electors have to do this within 14 working days of the notices going up, which in this case is by 21st July.
If a poll has not been requested by 21st July, the Parish Council will fill the vacancy by co-option as soon as is practicable. The council makes the decision about who to co-opt, and if more than one name is suggested they will vote on the candidates.
If you are interested in becoming a parish councillor, you should have an informal chat with Margaret Mason or one of the other councillors about what is involved. You should also contact the Parish Clerk, Cathy Fleet.
To read the text of the official notice, please click here
Improvements will make Village Hall cosier
Major improvement works are under way at Steeple Aston Village Hall to make it a warmer and more welcoming place by the end of the summer holidays.
The improvements include new gas-fired boilers and a water heater system, new radiators in the kitchen and committee room, secondary glazed windows and the insulation of doors and windows in the hall and stage area. This photo shows the new flues for the boilers.
The Chair of the Village Hall Management Committee, Barbara Brewer said: “Thanks are due to the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council, the Oxford Community Fund, the Doris Field Trust, Cherwell District Council, the Parish Council and the Village Hall Management Committee without whose funding the improvements would not have been possible.
“Special thanks are also due to the VHMC committee members who have tirelessly filled in forms and pleaded our cause for many months.
“We do hope that all users of the hall will appreciate the improvements; they will no longer need to feed the meter with pound coins every hour, as heating charges will be included in the hiring fees.
“However all good things come at a price and the hiring charges will consequently be increasing slightly in September. We hope that people will still regard them as excellent value for the facilities they are using.”
To see the new hiring charges, please click here.
Parishioners say a sad farewell to Rector
Over 150 people came to Steeple Aston church on the last Sunday in July to say goodbye to the Rector, Revd Stephen M'Caw and his family.
All of the M’Caw family were involved in his final service as Rector in the United Benefice of Steeple Aston, North Aston and Tackley. His wife Caroline read a lesson and sons Benedict and Sebastian both played instruments.
Revd M’Caw is leaving Steeple Aston after eight years to become Team Rector in the Keynsham Team Ministry in the Diocese of Bath and Wells.
The service was followed by a leaving party in the Sport and Recreation building, where a large array of food was provided by many parishioners from within the benefice.
The M'Caws were thanked by many people and presented with gifts. Kildare Bourke-Burrows from North Aston formally thanked Stephen on behalf of everyone and presented him with a cheque from money collected within the three parishes.
Silvia Reddington from Tackley gave him a stole made by two ladies in the village, and Beryl Greenwood of North Aston presented copies of the Common Worship prayer book. Malcolm Hensher presented a framed print of Steeple Aston church and Rebecca Hoare gave Caroline some theatre gift tokens.
Tower Captain, Graham Clifton then thanked Ben and Seb for becoming church and handbell ringers and all the help they had given. They were presented with a bellringing computer game and book.
Graham said: “It was a very emotional time for many having to say goodbye to good friends. We all wish them well in their new home in Keynsham.
“Stephen will be inducted as team Rector on Thursday 14th October and I know he would love to see Steeple Aston people there.”
The lengthy process of finding a new Rector has begun, but it is thought that this could take up to 18 months. Meanwhile services will continue as normal with the help of retired clergy, notably Revd Geoff Hunter, and others.
Until a new Rector is appointed, if you want to arrange a service, such as a baptism, wedding or funeral (or ask about another matter), your first point of contact should be Malcolm Hensher, churchwarden, on 01869 340873 or email MalcomHensher@aol.com.
Numbers up for “friendliest and best organised” show
An increase in entries and visitor numbers for this year’s Summer Show made for a very busy Bank Holiday Monday in Steeple Aston. Even the sun shone for this traditionally happy occasion.
There were 980 entries for the wide variety of competitions and an estimated 900 visitors coming from far and wide. Chairman of the Steeple Aston and Middle Aston Horticultural Society, Richard Preston said “There were lots of new faces among the entrants, and fortunately many of them won. Also, the judges told us the exhibits were of exceptional quality. One judge commented that this was the friendliest and best organised show she goes to.”
The Society’s President Edwina Kinch urged villagers on to even better things next year. She said the last time there were more than 1,000 entries was in 1991. She hoped that in 2011 that record would be broken for the society’s 120th Summer Show.
She presented the cups and prizes to the winners who included as always Richard and Daphne Preston – Richard took the Walker Cup for overall show champion and Dorothy the Fothergills Cup, the George Alder Memorial Cup and the Wadham Cup.
A newcomer among the prizewinners was Bryan Badby, pictured above, who won the highly competitive Hayter Cup, which had a minimum of 11 entries in each class. This was the first time that Bryan had entered the show and he swept the board in his division. In addition to the Hayter Cup he also took home with him the Lee Cup and the Banksian Medal.
Bryan is obviously a force to be reckoned with in the future. He’s helped by the fact that winning the Hayter Cup runs in the Badby family. Bryan’s father Sam won it several times back in the 1950s.
More familiar winners included Victoria Clifton and Eleanor Jolley who won the cookery and handicrafts divisions respectively once again. The Scott Cup for Floral Art was won by Margaret Mason for the second year running, Roderick Nicholson’s roses beat the opposition again and John Coley won the senior Photography Cup.
There was a tie for the winner of the Senior Children’s Cup between Alice Owen-Lloyd and Harry Tomkins. Harry, who collected the cup, will pass it on to Alice after six months. Other children’s cup winners were Yolanda Martin (Juniors) Tyler White (under 8s) and Alex Burt (under 5s). The Junior Photography Cup was won by Hannah McLoone.
The Fun Dog Show, which runs alongside the Flower Show attracted more than 30 entries. The show is sponsored by The Hart Veterinary Centre in Bicester. The overall winner - the Dog of the Day - was Tiggs, a terrier cross owned by 11-year-old Jim Caldwell. Jim who lives in Middle Barton was a pupil at Dr Radcliffe’s School in Steeple Aston until this summer. He was presented with his cup by local judge Malcolm Butler.
Other stalls and attractions on the day included a bouncy castle, bowling, several handicrafts stalls, a prize draw, and a variety of popular games and side shows. Steeple Aston Church Allotments Association had a busy stall selling plants, vegetables and their very own cookbook. Teas and homemade cakes were served in the Village Hall, and as usual there was a lively auction of fruit, veg and flowers just before the prizegiving.
Richard Preston said: “Many thanks to all the hard-working members of the committee and to everyone who came along. Particular thanks are due this year to the members of the Allotment Association who provided many of the new entries. It was a very successful day – this is what village life is all about!”
For a full list of the results, please click here.
And for lots more photos, please click here.
Steeple Aston News Archive
September 2010
Council requests views on Good Neighbour Scheme more..
August 2010
Pre-School gets go ahead for extension more..
July 2010
Rector to leave Steeple Aston this summer more..
Football club rewards its stars more..
Traditional Whit Races with a difference more..
Villagers urged to view Affordable Housing plans more..
Council advertises for Village Steward more..
June 2010
Good Neighbour scheme proposed for village more..
Café at play area attracts the crowds more..
Concerns about affordable housing site addressed more..
Plans for affordable housing are revisited more..
Parish costs reduced ‘a bit’ for coming year more..
May 2010
No parish election, but vote for district councillor more..
Many flowers bloom at show despite late Spring more..
Village Emergency Response Plan published more..
April 2010
Children have fun opening their own play area more..
Upper Heyford development gets go ahead more..
Draft plans for new affordable houses shown to Parish Council more..
Nominations required for May Parish Council election more..
March 2010
Mrs Smith dies soon after 100th birthday more..
New measures to help with future village snowfalls more..
Mystery guests to officially open play area more..
Concerns raised over proposed site for affordable housingmore..
February 2010
New play area open to all more..
Parish action plan distributed to all households more..
Villagers and visitors pay tribute to Iris Murdoch more..
Handbell Ringers go visiting and wassailing more..
January 2010
New village site found for a dozen affordable homes more..
Police warn of burglars who phone to make an appointment more..
New measures to help with future village snowfalls more..
Slow improvement for villagers after heavy snow more..
Snow brings Steeple Aston to a standstill more..
Villagers worry about anti-social behaviour and speeding more..
Welcome to the new Parish Clerk more..
December 2009
Steeple Aston Christmas cards for sale more..
“Village Personalities” remembered in exhibition more..
Toddler play area is now open more..
November 2009
New owners apply for change of use at air base more..
Village youth club goes wireless more..
Church clock will continue its nightly chimes more..
Baby and Toddler Group show off their new equipment more..
Local Freecycle becomes Freegle more..
Cricket captain retires with team on a “performance high” more..
October 2009
Summer fundraiser revives party tradition more..
Search is on for new Parish Clerk more..
Council requests help in an emergency more..
Summer Show now “the biggest in the county” more..
Budding young photographer triumphs over all more..
September 2009
‘Movies on the Move’ comes to Steeple Aston more..
Young Thomas leads in the top dog more..
Villagers disagree over request to silence church clock more..
Old play area cleared to make way for new more..
Villagers advised to prepare for swine flu more..
Falling tree breaks village power lines more..
Dancing in My Dreams enthusiastically reviewed more..
Last chance to contribute to Parish Plan more..
“Turner Prize” returns to Summer Show more..
August 2009
Concert pays tribute to brave US pilot more..
Allotment Association formed to obtain water more..
Garden Club goes on ‘magical’ outing more..
July 2009
Meeting considers a village future without oil more..
Villagers to get their say on future plans more..
Grandchildren continue Whit Races tradition more..
New bus timetables come into operation more..
Council wins £45,000 grant for play area more..
June 2009
Moonwalkers succeed in raising charity cash more..
Open gardens day raises over £1,000 despite rain more..
Successful plant sale at Dr Radcliffes School more..
Parish Councillors do the Moonwalk more..
Chimes start again as clock returns more..
May 2009
New practice pitch means ‘serious’ training for village cricketers more..
New team to run Whit Races more..
Wild Waste Bus to visit Steeple Aston more..
Neighbourhood Watch to be relaunched in village more..
New parish councillor appointed more..
April 2009
Village gets a spring clean up more..
History of local business is published more..
Council agrees on play space proposal more..
Spring Show attracts more visitors, cooks and children more..
Increase in parish precept kept to a minimum more..
Police warn of increased thefts more..
March 2009
Lots of interest in Parish Council post more..
Winners and losers get prizes at Quiz Night more..
“Misleading” Third World donations leaflet reappears more..
February 2009
Villagers choose their favourite pudding more..
Primary school opens on Monday after two-day closure more..
New faces for neighbourhood police more..
Medicines delayed by snow are now in shop more..
Affordable housing still under consideration more..
January 2009
Emergency plan to be prepared for Steeple Aston more..
Parents, children asked for views on play area more..
St Cecilia’s concert raises over £900 for church more..
Dr Radcliffe’s artists win cash prizes more..
Parish Council responds to request for information on bus use more..
War brings people together more..
Dancing as well as singing at this year’s Wassail Evening more..
Christmas giving starts early for the Pre-School more..
December 2008
Jumble sale raised £730 towards for Christmas dinner more..
Steeple Aston remembers more..
Consultation on future housing plans more..
November 2008
Parish Council says no to dog bins more..
Eco-town at Weston unlikely to go ahead more..
Third World donations leaflet “misleading” more..
Steeple Aston welcomes new Headteacher more..
Mrs Bedding receives Land Army medal more..
German visitors share wine and music with villagers more..
Local groups contribute to Harvest Festival more..
Police warn of more car thefts more..
October 2008
Council consults on the installation of dog bins more..
School dinners in Steeple Aston are best in county more..
Villagers invited to meet German visitors more..
Summer Show blossoms with more local entries more..
September 2008
Parent’s views sought on updating village play area more..
Eco-town shortlisting postponed more..
Wednesday teashop to reopen in September more..
Fourth time lucky for Dog of the Day Sooty more..
Second Open Gardens raises cash for sport and recreation more..
August 2008
Marian and Dorothy go MoonWalking more..
Farewell to Dr Radcliffe’s Headteacher more..
July 2008
Police issue new theft warning more..
Patients asked to “vote” on controversial local plan more..
Help needed for bird conservation project more..
Sun shines on church fete more..
Eco-town roadshow comes to Steeple Aston more..
Steering group set up to plan for village future more..
Villagers support more affordable housing more..
June 2008
Village website goes multimedia more..
Open gardens attract a record 700 visitors more..
Visitors come to inspect Steeple Aston’s good practice more..
Arrests follow police appeal over metal thefts more..
Police appeal for help after lead thefts more..
Village of the Year judges visit Steeple Aston more..
May 2008
Teenagers open their own village area more..
Pre-School 'surf and shop' fundraising plea more..
Local percussionist inspires musical fundraiser more..
Villagers invited to Parish Plan meeting more..
One of the affordable houses in Shepherds Hill is for sale more..
New head appointed at village school more..
Village Clean Up bags a load of rubbish more..
Volunteer joins drive for better policing more..
New public inquiry likely on airbase development plan more..
Steeple Aston in the news on the BBC more..
Village shop gets new owner more..
April 2008
Aladdin Pantomime a success more..
Steeple Aston WI celebrates its 90th birthday more..
Heyford bridge is open more..
Grand Opening of teenage facilities at 1.30 pm on Sunday 27 April more..
Village of the Year judges to visit more..
Good report for Pre-School – and they raise some money more..
Spring Show attracts record number of entries more..
March 2008
Dr Radcliffe's School Head to retire more..
Concerns grow over traffic diverted by bridge closure more..
Successful Entertainment Evening maintains DIY tradition more..
Meeting on affordable housing was a bit of a squeeze more..
Bell ringers win the quiz - now you can have a go at the questions more..
Council takes first step towards a Parish Plan more..
Grant to Valentine Club funds variety show more..
February 2008
Pretty plant overruns village stream more..
New pavement to be built at the top of The Dickredge more..
January 2008
New altar frontal goes on show at Christmas more..
Wassail evening continues tradition more..
Vintage Ploughing Match attracts entries from all over the country more..
December 2007
Table tennis table to arrive in January more..
Children help with planting around teenage facilities more..
Anyone for table tennis? more..
It's official! Steeple Aston is the best village in the county! more..
Scouts and Guides target village youngsters more..
Local performers give us an Autumn Serenade more..
Lower Heyford bridge closure may be shorter than expected more..
Booklet to welcome village newcomers more..
November 2007
Villagers invited to meeting on Dickredge footpath extension more..
Playing field hit by killer grub more..
October 2007
Shop reconstruction nears completion more..
Grand Jumble Sale raises £560 more..
You can say no to "trick or treaters" at Halloween say police more..
Local organisations on show at "Meet the Village" more..
Royal Mail ends Sunday and Bank Holiday collections more..
Funding completed for teenage facilities more..
September 2007
Steeple Aston wins Village of the Year competition more..
Summer Show was "the most successful ever" more..
Turner prize winner draws a blank more..
Village history booklet launched at Summer Show more..
Invitations issued to "Meet The Village" more..
August 2007
Summer holiday activities for children of all ages more..
A warm welcome for the new curate more..
Steeple Aston escapes worst effects of floods more..
Huskies booked for Summer Show more..
July 2007
Work has started on the teenage facilities more..
Parish Council rejects "pay-for-policing" proposal more..
£12,000 grant for teenage facilities "wonderful news" more..
June 2007
Two new booklets on village history to be published more..
The web site is being used to find long lost friends more..
Despite the weather this year's church fete was a success more..
May 2007
Steeple Aston goes online more..
Mobile phone mast on village church is rejected by PCC more..
Open Gardens more..
Parish Council considers "pay-for-policing" proposal more..
New teenage facilities to go ahead, despite lottery rejection more..
Marathon man Ian raises over £800 for charity more..