My first year as chair of Tackley Parish Council seems to have gone by
particularly quickly, with a lot happening in the village.
There are so many people to thank for all the hard work they put into
making our community such a pleasant and special place, so I’ll start with
this. In no particular order:
I’d like to say a big thank-you to Andy Lines and Cherie Carruthers, as
vice chair and clerk respectively, for their unfailing support for me this
year, as well as for everything they do for the council.
I would like to thank June Collier for her ongoing help and advice. She has
a wealth of knowledge and is always happy to share it. She has been a great
support for me personally and for our village as a whole. Thanks to George,
as well, for sharing her for so many years!
And where would we be without our new councillors Angus Paxton, Richard
Holland-Oakes, Maca McMahon and Richard Jackson? A huge thank-you to them
all for volunteering for this sometimes difficult role. They have jumped in
with both feet this year, taking on different responsibilities, while we all
juggle our various skills and interests into the work the parish council
does.
Thank you to Mary McIntyre who, while not a councillor, does a fantastic
job of keeping the village website up to date, runs Tackley Freecycle, and
puts out all those email notices on behalf of residents. If you have not yet
signed up, it really is worth it to keep up with what’s going on in the
village. Visit
tackleyvillage.co.uk and
look for ‘mailing list’. Thank you again Mary.
Thank you to Martin Edwards for his enormous hard work in continuing to
produce this invaluable and informative newsletter every two months.
While Jan Read stepped down as a councillor last year, she has kindly
continued to be the allotment representative. As there were many new
plot-holders as of January, this has been a big job this year, so we are
particularly grateful.
Judy Robson was our internal auditor for many years and has now retired
from the role. A huge thank-you to her for all her years of valuable advice,
hard work and dedication. We will miss you.
Judy also stood down from Tackley PALs. Thank you to her and Dave for
setting it up and planning all the litter-picking days over the years. A
huge thank-you to Sue and Alan Lygo for taking on the mantle. Tackley PALs
do an amazing job and make the environment nicer for us all.
The Jubilee Garden is looking amazing, thanks to all the work that
Sustainable Tackley have done: planting flowers for insects, building more
benches, and making the garden look better than ever. My thanks go to Rachel
Strachan, Emma Hunter, Jo O’Mahoney and Sara Shaw for organising this, and
to the multitude of helpers from young to old.
I’m pleased to say we also have a new Heath Committee
headed by Rachel Strachan with Jon Chaplin, John Reynolds and Katherine
Woodrow ably assisting her. We had a fantastic turnout of seventeen for the
first work party back in April, to help with access on the most brambly
paths. The Cub Scouts are helping with our first small area of bracken
management as well.
Our West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) councillors Nathalie Chapple
and Mathew Parkinson have been ever helpful this year — especially Nathalie,
who looks over this end of the ward.
There has been a lot of change in Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) over the
past year. Andy Graham became our county councillor following the elections
in 2021, and he is now the new leader of WODC with the West Oxfordshire
Alliance. Thanks to Andy for all the support we have received on flooding,
Thames Water issues, roads, 20’s Plenty and lots, lots more.
The village hall and shop remain the hub of the village thanks to the work
of Katie Hofman and the rest of the hall committee, Andrew Smith and the
shop committee, Debbie Norton and Steph Radda in the shop and of course the
many residents who volunteer there to keep it running. There are too many to
name, but you know who you are; thank you all for keeping this important
service going for our community.
Tackley Primary School continues to be a wonderful place for children to
learn not just their subjects but also to love learning itself! Headteacher
Lauren Murrey along with all the teachers, teaching assistants and office
staff make the school what it is, with the help of the PTA.
It was lovely to watch the May Day dancing, if a little teary for me as it
was my youngest’s last year — excited to finally get to do the sword dance!
This would be difficult, if not impossible, if we didn’t have Tracey Harris
who teaches all the dances. Thanks also to June, and Billy the horse, for
taking the May King and Queen for a carriage ride around the village. Such a
fabulous tradition!
It was wonderful last November to see the return of the fireworks and
bonfire, after a year without due to Covid. The Scout group put a lot of
time and effort into organising the event, and it was great to see so many
residents out having a good time.
Thank you to Andrew and Suzette Peake for making land available for the new
forest school area. This has been a great asset for both the school and
Scouts over the last year. Thanks to Andrew for all the clearing work done,
and to Rob Marshall and the Scout group for building the bridge and shelter.
This really is an amazing facility for our children.
Last year we saw the inaugural Memorial Trophy Football Match, ably
organised by Dane Walker and Maca. It was a great success, enjoyed by
everyone who took part and spectated on a lovely sunny day. Thank you.
The school and church fete was an enjoyable event to attend last summer,
with residents’ stalls, activities, raffle, dog show and of course many
refreshing cups of tea and delicious slices of cake. Thanks to all the
organisers and volunteers for planning and holding this event.
Green Scythe continues to do great work in the village, with Philip
Plumridge being very patient as we tweak the verge-cutting regimens to suit
both human and non-human inhabitants. Philip says he’s received many
compliments from residents who have enjoyed seeing the wild flowers and
insect species that thrive when we leave the cutting until a bit later.
Thank you.
Flooding
We are continuing to work with Wayne Barker at OCC, Dominic Collyer of
Thames Water, and our local landowners – with the help of Andy Graham and
Mark Wragg – on ways of preventing flooding within the village in times of
high rainfall. Thames Water has sealed many of the drainage pipe cracks over
the last year or two; the parish council has cleared the drainage ditch
along the back of the sports field; OCC has widened and deepened the bund on
Rousham Road; and landowners are looking into what they can do while we wait
for the results of the catchment study commissioned by OCC. Will Johnson
continues to help with the sewage problems in flood conditions, and Thames
Water. Thank you all for your hard work in getting this serious situation
under control.
Railway Crossing
The railway crossing remains an area of concern. We were promised by
Network Rail a few years ago that the subway would happen; that planning
permission would be sought and construction would start. The level crossing
had been closed on safety grounds, and a temporary bridge put up — but
sadly it is still there. Then, last year, we were told that the subway was
no longer an option.
Network Rail commissioned a contractor to reassess all options, not
forgetting that the crossing is a bridleway so access is required for both
horses and bikes. At the time of writing, this has just been completed and a
meeting is to be scheduled for June. So, a huge thank-you to Reg Cox who –
along with the parish council and Andy Graham – has been in regular
communication with Network Rail, particularly to represent those residents
who are adversely affected by the bridge. We appreciate your ongoing
work.
Roads
We continue to chase OCC about our potholed roads. While we understand that
funding issues seem to get worse rather than better, we were promised
significant repairs to both Rousham Road and between Church Hill and
Sturdy’s Castle. We look forward to seeing work happen as the weather
improves.
The parish council continues to work on the 20’s Plenty scheme, headed by
Richard Holland-Oakes and a small group of residents. We will update you
when we have more information.
Cherwell Rise
There are still some outstanding issues with the Barwood Homes development,
but we very much welcome our new residents who are settling in well. Many
are getting stuck into village life, adding vibrancy to our community and
helping in numerous ways.
Trees
Trees are ever-present on our agendas: too big, too many, or the need to
plant more! We will continue to asses those we have, and trim or remove
where necessary. We never like to take them out; but in cases of disease,
posing danger to residents or homes, or ‘wrong tree, wrong place’ they do
sometimes have to go.
With your help we have planted two new rowans at the top of Chaundy Road,
and Richard Banbury’s family will be planting a tree in his memory at the
edge of the playing field. There will also be a bench to commemorate all the
work Richard put into this community. If you have any suggestions for
locations of new trees, do get in touch.
Upcoming Events
Jubilee celebrations are imminent, so fingers crossed for some good weather
for all the fun activities planned. Thank you to Councillor Richard Jackson,
the school, the Scout group, the churches and the pub for their
organisation.
There will be another school and church fete and another memorial football
match later in the year. No doubt the PTA will organise activities for
Halloween again, and the Scouts will be back for bonfire night. So, there is
lots to look forward to in the coming months. But if anyone else has any
suggestions or would like to plan an event, please let us know.
Our annual parish council footpath walks will take place in July, organised
by Councillor Angus Paxton. These are held to check the state of access to
our footpaths and to pass on to landowners any areas of concern. The walks
are also open to residents to join in and discover footpaths they may not
know. Please bring secateurs so we can ensure the paths are clear of
brambles and other obstacles!
We will have a village consultation this year on how best to spend the
Section 106 money from the two housing developers, so please get thinking
about ideas. They have to fit under the umbrella of access to sports and
recreation.
Finally, thank you to all the residents of Tackley. You form the wonderful
community we have here. Just how wonderful has been demonstrated recently by
the huge response to Gill Withers’ call for help for refugees from Ukraine.
Families have opened their homes, and many people have offered help in other
ways. Best wishes to our new friends in what must be distressing times; I am
sure we will all show them support. Tackley really is full of kind and
caring people.
Financial Report
Cherie Carruthers, clerk to the parish council, writes: The members
and officers of the parish council have worked hard to keep all running
costs down without any effect on service to parishioners.
We have closed the year with a small overspend on budget of £521.72, but
have ample reserves to pick up this balance.
We have focused this year on spending your money on open spaces, with lots
of tree work and repairs to paths and the playground, totalling an
expenditure value of £4,078.
We have also upgraded the solar lights in the Jubilee Garden, and given out
a few grants to local groups and sports clubs.
The chart shows our expenditure lines for 2021–22 with a levied precept of
£27,122. At the council’s budget-setting meeting it was agreed that there
would be no increase in the precept for 2022–23.
The closing bank balances of the council were £17,655.26 as of
31 March 2022, represented as follows:
Tackley Heath is a very rare area of acidic grassland and broadleaved
woodland – oak and ash – which makes it a national priority for nature
conservation and a registered County Wildlife Site. Rare acid grassland
plants found here include tormentil, pill sedge and yellow rattle.
As common land, the heath is owned by the village and we can all enjoy it —
especially at this time of year with the beautiful bluebells. The acidic
grassland was much more extensive in the past, but without good management,
bracken has taken over. At this time of year the heath is accessible, but by
the end of summer, as any dog walker will tell you, it is almost impossible
to fight through the bracken and find the paths.
Despite its status, Tackley Heath is not managed by anyone other than the
Tackley Heath Committee, together with supporters from the village.
In April, in the first of a series of work parties, seventeen
residents got a huge amount of work done clearing brambles from three of the
main paths, which has opened them up considerably.
The Cub Scouts have since done a fantastic job clearing the dead bracken
thatch from a trial area. Bracken fronds can now be easily managed and the
impact of this monitored over the years to come. As we need to be careful of
nesting birds, different management schemes for bracken are being
researched, and any advice would be gratefully received.
In order to maintain the heath’s status as a County Wildlife Site, which
will be reviewed in 2023, residents are asked to record all sightings of
flora and fauna. In the past, recorded flora has included wood false-brome,
dog’s mercury, ash, greater stichwort, field maple, wild crab apple, holly,
bluebell, pignut, early dog violet, bush vetch, three-nerved sandwort,
primrose, wood anemone, giant fescue, wood sedge and wood mead. And in the
pond, water forget-me-not, gypsywort, water plantain, cuckoo flower,
celery-leaved water crowfoot, compact rush, and soft rush were found. Rare
bladder sedge, enchanter’s nightshade, water figwort, brooklime, hogweed,
bugle and a variety of ferns were found around the pond.
Oxfordshire Conservation Volunteers also reported that the heath’s pond was
home to freshwater shrimp, newts, soldier fly, caddisfly, water beetles,
leeches, water snails, dragonflies and damselflies — such as the southern
hawker and the large red, which have been recorded at the edge of pond.
Butterflies recorded included the large skipper, gatekeeper, ringlet, meadow
brown, red admiral and white admiral. Grey squirrels, moles, badgers, foxes,
muntjac deer, roe deer and a large variety of birds, including the lesser
whitethroat, were also found.
It is not known how many of these species are still to be found on the
heath, and any knowledge or sightings are welcomed, as well as anyone keen
to survey the plant life, insects, invertebrates, fungi or anything else.
Please contact
liz.marshall@tackleyvillage.co.uk.
Coffee mornings take place at the chapel on Lower Hades Road on Thursdays
from 10 am to 12 noon. A warm welcome awaits you, whether you’re a
regular visitor or coming for the first time.
To mark the Queen’s Jubilee, a flower show will be held from Friday 3
to Sunday 5 June, in conjunction with St Nicholas’ Church, with
displays from various Tackley clubs and groups. Do come and have a look
around between 10:30 am and 4:30 pm.
Messy Church will resume on Saturday, 20 August at 2 pm.
St Nicholas’ Church
Rev Marcus Green
So it’s time for me to say farewell. I am enormously grateful to have been
rector here for the past nine years — it has been a genuine joy. It has been
wonderful to be able to write occasional words of hope and to pass on
information about things that have been going on in church life via these
pages; and as I look back, I do think there has been quite a bit of hope and
quite a lot of stuff going on!
Quite apart from all the weddings and christenings we have celebrated
together, as well as those we have loved and trusted into God’s tender
keeping, we’ve had a new organ and windows renovated in North Aston; a new
pathway to the church and cottages built in Tackley, thanks to Bob Clow
whose gift has made the church more financially secure than for a very long
time; and in Steeple Aston we’ve celebrated all kinds of community events
and concerts, had a new bell in the tower — and while we haven’t seen plans
for the church project come to fruition, we’ve done an enormous amount of
fantastic work that is ready to be taken forward when the time is right.
It’s invidious to pull out specific events, but perhaps I may be allowed to
comment on the most recent: our concert for Ukraine. To me it spoke of the
best that we offer as the church in our benefice, providing a focal
gathering place for a whole community doing something very concrete to help
people in need. The musicians, singers, schoolchildren and readers – all
under Nick Cleobury’s phenomenal guidance – have so far raised more than
£6,000 for UNICEF and the British Red Cross appeals. Thank you everyone!
I’ve had a couple of visitors recently who have spent time in our church
buildings and commented on the care that is so obviously taken of these
places. They haven’t begun to see the half of it: people who put flowers
out, or who take time to polish brass, or who mow the grass, or who tend
graves of loved ones, or who provide music or ring bells, or who sort hymn
books, or who provide things for children to do, or who unlock the doors, or
who dust and clean, or who come in to pray, or who take time with occasional
visitors, or who help when school classes visit — or who are simply ready to
do whatever needs doing. Our churches are communities, and it has been my
joy to be a part of these communities for nearly a decade.
But Now…
June begins with the Jubilee weekend, and our services on Sunday,
5 June will mark this wonderful event. North Aston has a traditional
prayer book communion at 9:30 am, Tackley has a celebration service at
11 am, and in Steeple Aston at 6 pm there will be a ‘coronation
songs of praise’ with a choir and lots of music to join in. Come to any or
all!
Sunday, 12 June at 11 am sees my final service: a united service
for the whole benefice, held at Steeple Aston. Everyone from all our
villages is welcome. Please join us — I’d love to see you there as I take my
leave as rector.
And Then?
God is good. I’m looking forward to my move to be chaplain at Worcester
College Oxford. And I have a sneaky suspicion that someone lovely will be
coming here before too long — someone wonderfully kind, who will be just
perfect for our three villages. You might spare a prayer for them as they
start to sense a call to be your next rector!
Tackley Local History Group held its final talk of the season in April when
we welcomed Julie Ann Godson who talked about the real-life stories behind
the names on a war memorial in an Oxfordshire village.
Our talks will resume on the fourth Monday of the month, starting
26 September, but before then we will be holding an open afternoon on
Sunday, 4 September. And keep your eyes open, as there may be some
other events during the summer.
The weather is really warming up now, and perfect with the rain during the
night. There is so much to do: planting, watering, and a never-ending war
with the slug and snail population!
Our plant and tabletop sale wasn’t as well attended as in previous years,
but we made a small profit.
In May we had Ian Paxton talk to us about chillies. He brought some of his
products, which he duly sold. We had visitors and new members, and it was
lovely to see so many people — a real lift.
Gill Withers has kindly invited us to her gardens on Tuesday, 21 June.
We will leave the village hall car park at 6:45 pm for anyone needing a
lift.
We also have an outing on Saturday, 18 June to Paul Tomlin’s no-dig
farm at Hilltop nursery. There will be a tour of the farm followed by tea
and cakes. We will be leaving the car park at 1 pm for this; and I need
names please, if you’d like to come.
Tuesday, 19 July is our annual garden party held in Gill Laurence’s
garden, for members only.
Tackley Book Club has been going for more than a year. Our numbers have
increased, and we get a good monthly turnout. We all recommend different
books with a variety of writing styles and topics, leading to lots of
discussion — especially if it’s a ‘Marmite’ book. The books we have read so
far are:
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo; A Gentleman
in Moscow by Amor Towles; Everything Under by Daisy
Johnson; Away with the Penguins by Hazel Prior; The
Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams; Where the Crawdads
Sing by Delia Owens; The Underground Railroad by Colson
Whitehead; Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell; Home
Stretch by Graham Norton; Fire in the Blood by Irene
Nemirovsky; A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville;
Three Sisters by Heather Morris; Still Life by
Sarah Winman; Trio by William Boyd; and The Hearing
Trumpet by Leonara Carrington.
Our most recent book, The Hearing Trumpet, was psychedelic and
covered the topics of old age and climate change — a fun and enjoyable
read.
Our next meeting is on Tuesday, 14 June to discuss
Educated by Tara Westover. Tara is from Idaho and had an
informal education. She entered a classroom for the first time at seventeen,
leading to her journey in gaining a PhD from the University of Cambridge.
However, she has always been haunted by her unconventional upbringing by
survivalist parents. This book is her life story.
If you’d like to be added to our mailing list for venue information and be
kept up to date on our latest read, please email us.
The WI nationally has several ongoing campaigns, one of which is about
ovarian cancer: ‘See the Signs’. At our June meeting in Tackley we will be
highlighting this subject. The WI is working to increase awareness of the
signs of ovarian cancer, and working alongside healthcare professionals to
help ensure they too are aware of the symptoms for earlier diagnosis. It is
not easy to recognise because the symptoms can be very similar to irritable
bowel syndrome and premenstrual syndrome. The four main symptoms of ovarian
cancer are persistent stomach pain, bloating, struggling to eat, and
urinating more frequently. If you are experiencing one or more of these
symptoms persistently, you should speak to your GP. There is more
information online at
ovarian.org.uk.
Tackley WI is a small friendly group of women of all ages, and we would
love to welcome new members. Visitors pay £5 per meeting, which includes a
cup of tea or coffee and a raffle ticket. We meet on the first Tuesday of
each month in the village hall, 7:45 for 8 pm. Join us on:
Tuesday, 7 June: Craft evening making hanging baskets from pants,
highlighting the WI ovarian cancer project.
Tuesday, 5 July: Summer garden party. Please email us for the venue
and time.
Tuesday, 2 August: Meeting in the village hall. Look out for a
Tackley Notices email with details.
This group is a friendly way to get to know the Oxfordshire countryside
better, on its leisurely walks. We meet at Tackley Village Hall at the times
given to arrange transport to the walk start. There’s no obligation to car
share, but there isn’t always enough parking for each person to drive
themselves to the start. Face masks are advised for car sharing whilst Covid
infection rates are high. Distances are approximate and all walks are at
participants’ own risk.
Saturday, 11 June at 9:30 am: Charlton-on-Otmoor, Oddington,
Noke. A step back in time through fields, green lanes, woodland and Otta’s
Fen — the giant chessboard from Alice Through the Looking
Glass. 8 miles. Bring a picnic.
Wednesday, 22 June at 2 pm: Broughton. A gentle walk across
rolling farmland and parkland with views of the moated Broughton Castle.
2¾ miles; five stiles.
Sunday, 10 July at 9:30 am: Swalcliffe and Shutford. From
Swalcliffe, with its splendid borage fields, to Shutford village, famed
for plush weaving. There’s then the option to have lunch at The Stag’s
Head, Swalcliffe; see
the-stags-head.co.uk for the
Sunday lunch menu, and please notify Rachel at
frstrachan@gmail.com by
29 June to book this. Or you can bring a picnic. Swalcliffe Tithe
Barn, one of the finest 15C half-cruck barns in England, is open from 2 to
5 pm with free entry. 5 miles.
Wednesday, 27 July at 2 pm: Finstock to Ramsden. One of the
circular walks that link in to the Wychwood Way. 4½ miles.
Jacquie Stone
Roger Stone & Family
Roger, Naomi, Deanne, Darren, Calvin and families would like to express
their wholehearted gratitude for all the kind personal words, cards and
flowers.
We would like to thank everyone who attended the funeral service at Tackley
Methodist Church on 25 January and then came to join us later on at the
village hall to celebrate the life of Jacquie. The turnout was truly amazing
and showed us as a family just how many people’s lives Jacquie had
touched.
Finally, we would like to say a big thank-you to everyone who donated to
the two chosen charities that Jacquie held very close to her heart. You all
gave so generously, and we know Jacquie would be eternally grateful, as are
we. Donations totalled £458.75 to Oxford University Hospitals Chemotherapy
Ward and £367.50 to Sobell House hospice.
Please accept this as a personal acknowledgement.
The Highway Code: For Everyone’s Benefit
David Ginn
Everyone should know The Highway Code. It doesn’t just apply to drivers,
but also to pedestrians, users of mobility scooters, cyclists and horse
riders.
In January the government introduced several changes of which all road
users should be aware, and which I will outline here. Recent research
suggests that around seven million people are unaware of the new rules,
which could potentially cause accidents.
The new hierarchy of road users places the most vulnerable users at the
top. This means drivers need to give way to pedestrians, cyclists and those
on horses at all times.
If a pedestrian is waiting to cross a side road, drivers must let them
cross before turning into that road. Users of crossings have priority.
Horse riders and cyclists must give way to pedestrians on paths designed
for shared use. Cyclists should not pass pedestrians by approaching them at
speed, especially from behind; they must slow down and use their bell.
Pedestrians may use any part of a road unless a sign expressly forbids them
from doing so. Note that pedestrians include people in wheelchairs and
mobility scooters.
Drivers are forbidden from cutting across the path and turning in front of
a cyclist or horse rider when the rider is going straight ahead. This
includes making a manoeuvre that makes a cyclist stop or swerve.
On quiet lanes or in slow traffic, cyclists must now ride in the centre of
their lane to improve their visibility to other road users. On busy roads
cyclists should be at least half a metre from the kerb.
When overtaking cyclists, drivers must leave a clearance of at least
1.5 metres (five feet). When passing horses, or pedestrians walking in
the road – for example where there is no pavement – this increases to two
metres (six-and-a-half feet). If it is not possible to pass safely and with
the required clearance, drivers must be patient and wait behind.
Some junctions will feature new lane markings and dedicated traffic lights
for cyclists. Since Oxford has a great number of cyclists, it is likely such
changes will begin to appear there over the next little while. The markings
detail where cyclists should position themselves when making right turns,
stopping before they complete the turn.
At roundabouts, drivers must give priority to cyclists. This includes
allowing a cyclist to pass in front of them to reach their lane and
exit.
After parking, drivers should look behind them before opening their car
door so they don’t endanger people in the road or on the pavement.
When charging an electric car, one should not leave cables in such a way as
to create a trip hazard, and should return the charging cable to its cradle
after use.
If you’d like more detail about these changes, or if you just feel like
reminding yourself of all the other rules drivers and other road users
should know, you can pick up the 2022 edition of The Official Highway
Code in local bookshops or get it online in Kindle form.
With the help of volunteers, the Home Library Service from Oxfordshire
County Council looks after and delivers books and audio-visual items to
those who struggle to physically visit a library due to their personal
circumstances. It is offered free of charge. For more information, just
phone your local library or contact us using the details above.
A Dog’s Plea to Humans
We have four legs and you have two;
there are many things that we can do,
but we cannot pick up poo.
We know it’s illegal to leave all our poo
on footpaths and pavements, to cling to the shoes
of unfortunate humans.
We poor dogs get an extremely bad press
because of some humans leaving our mess
just where they wish.
So, dear humans, it’s over to you
to pick up all our horrible poo;
and bag it, tie it, and bin it.
Thank you.
