Thursday 18 December 2014

Door to door sellers - Aylesbury Vale

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert and has been sent on behalf of Thames Valley Police.

Thames Valley Police is asking local residents to remain on their guard, following reports of door-to-door sellers calling in the Aylesbury Vale area.

These types of sellers often offer trinkets or household goods etc and should be in possession of a Pedlars Certificate.

To trade without a certificate is an offence under the Pedlars Act 1871.

Police are advising residents to check any caller's certificate and if you are unsure of them or are suspicious in any way to call the police on 101.

‘No cold calling’ stickers are available from Bucks County Council Trading Standards office – opening hours and further advice and information can be found by clicking on the link.

Alternatively you can call Diane Brown at Aylesbury Police Station on 01296 396262, but do not use this number for reporting incidents, which should be called through on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

The cold calling stickers do not necessarily stop someone knocking on the door but if the seller refuses to leave when requested they commit offences under Consumer protection of unfair trading legislation.

Further advice about dealing with cold callers can be found on the Thames Valley Police site or by calling on 101.

Please pass this message on to any vulnerable or elderly residents in your area as they are more likely to be a target of door step crime.


Click for the Thames Valley Police website

Thursday 11 December 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Poppy Collection – Sue Grimsdell of Elmbrook Close and ex- Landlady of The Bell has been going round the village selling poppies for many years and due to the generosity of Chearsley residents was proud this year to have collected a record £466.25. Refreshments served in the village hall after the War Memorial Service contributed a further £74.90.

Dorothy Clark - Sue’s Mum who had been in poor health for quite a while, died peacefully at her home in Elmbrook Close on Friday December 5. Her funeral will be on Friday December 19 at 10.45am in the Milton Chapel at Amersham crematorium. Sympathies to Sue and her sister and family. Also to Peter on the recent death of his father.

Cricket Club Dinner Dance – 100 players, friends and supporters of Chearsley Cricket Club enjoyed a Dinner and Dance and auction at The Kings Arms, Stokenchurch recently – a successful change of venue for 2014. Ian Houseman was MC for the occasion, standing in for John Howard, the usual MC who was away. The Veness cup was awarded to umpire Rowly Wills for his sterling work throughout the season. Thanks go to the organisers particularly the Gray Family for arranging a very successful evening.

The Three New Bells - Wednesday December 10 was quite a day in Chearsley when almost before it was light the three new bells arrived from White’s workshop in Appleton and were transported down to the church. They were there on view while preparations were made for them to be hung in the belfry. The 6 bells will be given a trial ring on Friday at 4pm ready for the Christingle service on Sunday 14 at 4.00pm. Photos can be seen here.

Carols round the village - anyone who would like to join in a band of carol singers walking round the village should meet at the bus stop on Thursday December 18 at 6.00pm. Collections will be made in aid of Cystic Fibrosis and Debra.

New Year’s Eve celebrations in Chearsley - Come up to The Bell on New Year’s Eve which will be open to see in the New Year with food and a disco from 6.00pm until late at a cost of £5.00 each. The Bell will be open again on New Year’s Day at 12.00 noon until 4.00pm. serving food and The Bell’s New Year’s Day Breakfast until 3.00pm It is then closed in the evening.

Family Quiz Night - Saturday January 31 5.00pm until 8.00pm - Tickets are £10 each with a family ticket for 4 at £30 and £7.50 per person thereafter. The price includes a fish and chip supper and pudding. Tickets are available from Angela at angela@gryemail.co.uk or Alex at alex@willowcorner.net. All proceeds will be in aid of Chearsley village hall.

Chearsley Shop - Jeyan and Suki have some good wine and alcohol offers in the shop, Christmas cards, wrapping paper, chocolates, mince pies. Their opening hours will be as normal until Christmas Day and Boxing Day when the shop will be closed. Saturday 27 - Open from 8.00 until 2.00pm. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday will be normal opening hours. New Year’s Day Thursday January 1 the shop will be open from 8.00am until 2.00pm

The Bell - Opening hours during the Christmas Period
  • Christmas Eve Day Bar open 12 until 3. Food 12 – 2
    Evening Bar open 6 until late. No food
  • Christmas Day Day Bar open 12 until 3. No food
    Evening Closed
  • Boxing Day Day Bar open 12 to 4 Food 12 – 3
    Evening Closed
  • New Year’s Eve Day Bar open 12 – 3 Food 12 – 2
    Evening Bar open 6 until late. Tickets for food and disco £5.00
  • New years Day Day Bar open 12 – 4 Food 12 – 3 The Bell’s New Year’s Day breakfast available
    Evening Closed

Services at St Nicholas during the Christmas Period
  • Sunday December 21 at 4.00pm Carol Service
  • Christmas Eve at 3.00pm Crib Service
  • Christmas Eve at 10.30pm Midnight Communion
  • Christmas Day at 10.00am Christmas Praise
  • Sunday December 28 No Service in Chearsley
  • Sunday January 4 at 10.00am Family Communion
  • Sunday January 4 at 6.00pm to 7.30pm Rock Solid at Paul and Ann’s
  • Refuse Collection Friday December 12– the general refuse bins and food bins will be collected
  • Friday December 19 the recycling bins and food bins will be collected

Refuse Collection during the Christmas period
  • Monday December 29 - the ordinary general refuse bins and food bins will be collected
  • Saturday January 3 - the recycling bins and food bins will be collected

Diary Dates:
  • Thursday December 18 Carol singing round the village. Meet at 6.00pm at the bus stop
  • Saturday December 20 Christmas Party for children in the village hall 3.00pm to 5.00pm
  • Wednesday December 24 Long Crendon Mummers at 7.30pm in The Bell
  • Monday December 29 Ordinary refuse bins collected
  • Saturday Jan 3 Recycling Bins collected
  • Tuesday January 6 Bingo at The Bell at 8.30pm Bingo players’ meal deal.
  • Wednesday January 7 Monthly Pub Lunch at 12.30pm

Christmas Greetings from me - It is time now to thank everyone who has taken the trouble this year to keep me informed of village news and events and those who tell me how much they appreciate my efforts each week and to wish everyone a Very Happy Christmas. 2015 promises to be a busy year again with more events planned to continue fund raising for The 3 Bells, a new Village Hall and a Fete - and hopefully plenty of happy celebrations, including two weddings in the church.
Happy New Year to us all.

Wednesday 10 December 2014

Welcome Ollie, Nic and Liz!







Neighbourhood Police Newsletter


The Neighbourhood Police Update for this month is now available here.

Click for the Thames Valley Police website

Monday 8 December 2014

Sunday 7 December 2014

Saturday 6 December 2014

Friday 5 December 2014

Message from Maddie


Hi my name is Maddie, I am 10 years old and live with my family in Elm Brook Close. I think it would be nice for the Kids in the village aged 0-13 to have a Christmas party, with a visit from Father Christmas, for all the children to enjoy; so my mum is helping me to arrange one:

Saturday 20th December
Chearsley Village Hall
3-5pm
£5 per child

Please can you let me know if you would like to come – there will be games and a disco and party food! Can you e-mail me at Maddie@grayemail.co.uk.

Merry Christmas!

Love Maddie

Thursday 4 December 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Christmas Party Saturday December 20
Maddie Gray of Chearsley has had the great idea that the children aged 0 – 13 in Chearsley should have a Christmas party and she is organising it with a bit of help from her Mum. It will take place in the village hall from 3.00pm until 5.00pm on Saturday December 20. There will be games and a disco and party food and a visit from Father Christmas and the cost is £5 per child. Please let Maddie know if you would like to come by emailing maddie@grayemail.co.uk. Well done to Maddie, who is only 10, for thinking about what would be fun for Chearsley children and being prepared to go ahead and arrange it herself.

Christmas Bingo in The Bell - The Bell was crowded with Bingo players on Tuesday December 2 eager for a fun evening and hopeful for a win. An impressive £100 was the jackpot prize for one lucky player on the last game of the evening. The raffle raised £49 towards the 3 New Bells. Bingo in the New year will start again on Tuesday January 6, when the Snowball game continues to accumulate to more than £100. The Bell offers meals beforehand at a special Bingo players rate. Paul and Andy our regular Bingo callers make the evenings good fun and manage to keep order (just about) when excitement takes over. Thanks and Happy Christmas to them and to Sharon and her staff for hosting the evenings.

Christmas Tree Lights - Revised Date - Friday 12th
This will be the 6th year since the Parish Council had the good idea of putting up a Christmas tree on The Green. It creates a bright Christmasy feel to the village, and the “Switching on of the Lights” makes another occasion for everyone in Chearsley to come together to celebrate what a friendly, cheery village Chearsley is. So all villagers are invited to gather round the Christmas tree on Friday December 12th at 6.30pm for carol singing, mince pies and mulled wine and for the countdown to the lights being switched on. Thanks to Nic Brown and the Parish Council for organising this again.

Carols round the village - anyone who would like to join in a band of carol singers walking round the village should meet at the bus stop on Thursday December 18 at 6.00pm. Collections will be made in aid of Cystic Fibrosis and Debra.

New Year’s Eve celebrations in Chearsley - Come up to The Bell on New Year’s Eve which will be open to see in the New Year with food and a disco from 6.00pm until late at a cost of £5.00 each. The Bell will be open again on New Year’s Day at 12.00 noon until 4.00pm. serving food and The Bell’s New Year’s Day Breakfast until 3.00pm It is then closed in the evening.

Services at St Nicholas during the Christmas Period:
  • Sunday December 14 at 4.00pm Christingle
  • Sunday December 21 at 4.00pm Carol Service
  • Christmas Eve at 3.00pm Crib Service
  • Christmas Eve at 10.30pm Midnight Communion
  • Christmas Day at 10.00am Christmas Praise
  • Sunday December 28 No Service in Chearsley
Diary Dates:
  • Sunday December 7 Quiz in The Bell at 8.00pm
  • Wednesday December 10 Christmas Pub Lunch at 12.30pm
  • Friday December 12 Haddenham Mummers Play at 9.30- ish pm in The Bell
  • Saturday December 13 Christmas tree lights Switch on 6.30pm on The Green
  • Sunday December 14 Christingle at 4.00pm in St Nicholas Church
  • Thursday December 18 Carol singing round the village. Meet at 6.00pm at the bus stop
  • Wednesday December 24 Long Crendon Mummers at 7.30pm in The Bell

Friday 28 November 2014

Christmas crime prevention and personal safety messages

Thames Valley Police is today launching its Christmas crime prevention and personal safety messages.

The campaign starts with information about online fraud.

Read advice on avoiding online fraud and other crime prevention advice on the Christmas crime prevention page on the Thames Valley Police website.

There will be four further strands in the lead up to and during the Christmas and the New Year festive period.

In full the five strands are
  • Online fraud
  • Personal safety
  • Theft from motor vehicles
  • Burglary dwelling
  • Domestic abuse
Throughout the festive period the Force will be publishing regular updates, tips, videos and advice on Facebook and on Twitter using #TVP_Christmas.

Join Thames Valley Police on Facebook and follow on Twitter

Click for the Thames Valley Police website


Thursday 27 November 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Confirmation Service

Eleven children from Chearsley were among nineteen from the Benefice who were confirmed at St Dunstan’s Church, Monks Risborough on Sunday November 23. The service was led by Bishop Henry Scriven. Congratulations to Jack, Alex, Oliver, Rory, Tory, Grace, Maddie, Amy Isabelle, Libby and William. More details of the day and photos can be found on the St Nicholas Church website.

3 New Bells - these have now been tuned and are at Whites, the bell hangers in Appleton, Oxford. They will shortly be brought over to St Nicholas church to be hung in time for Christmas. It is hoped that the bells will be on view in the church for a short time before they are hung.

Christmas at The Bell – Christmas Meals will be available from Monday December 1 until December 24 by booking only at The Bell until December 24. A two course meal is priced at £19.95 and 3 courses for £23.95. Please contact The Bell on 01844 208077 or email Sharon.
If you would like to join in the Christmas Turkey Lunch with the regular monthly pub lunchers on Wednesday December 10 at a price of £12, please contact me on 208913.

Sunday Quiz at The Bell - this will be held on Sunday December 7 at 8.30pm. Come in a team or on your own.

Haddenham Mummers - Friday December 12 - they will be performing their traditional Mummers Play in The Bell at 9.30pm as part of their “out of village tour”. All donations go towards local charities which has amounted to over £12,000 since the group was revived in 1976.

Agatha Christie Theatre Company

Click for Windsor bookings

Performances of Black Coffee by Agatha Christie in which Eric Carte has been appearing all over the UK for almost all of 2014 are now over. Eric has a short break after the last performance in Derby before he starts rehearsing again with the Agatha Christie Theatre company, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, in “And Then There were None” -“based on the best-selling thriller of all time with over 100million copies sold, Agatha Christie’s own stage adaptation of this dark and captivating tale will thrill and enthral, as murder unfolds”. It is scheduled for the play to open in Windsor in January 2015 before going on tour with a week in Milton Keynes from July 20.

House of Strangers by new Chearsley author, Tim Bradley.
If you missed the opportunity to buy Tim’s first new adventure book for children/teen/adults at Cuddington Fayre last week, the book is on sale at the Book House in Thame price £6.99. An idea for a Christmas present.

Chearsley Christmas Cards - Alicia Howard has been busy again designing and producing 2 different sets of delightful Christmas cards of Chearsley. They are available in packs of 4 costing £2.50 on sale in Chearsley Shop and The Bell. Proceeds will go towards the 3 New Bells

Family Quiz in January 2015 – this will be held on Saturday January 31 in the village hall. A quiz for all the family, starting at 5.00pm until 8.00pm Tickets cost £10 each to include a fish and chips supper and pudding. More information and details of how to buy tickets will be available soon.

Diary Dates :
  • Monday December 1 Mobile Library at The Green from 10.00 to 10.25am
  • Tuesday December 2 Christmas Bingo at 8.30pm
  • Friday December 5 The Bell is open every Friday for Tea, Coffee and homemade cake. 10.00am to 12.00pm
  • Friday December 5 Unlock The Box at 8.30pm at The Bell. You have to be there to take part in the pub’s new weekly game. Tickets available to purchase throughout the week.
  • Sunday December 7 Family Communion and Junior Church at 10.00am in St Nicholas Church
  • Sunday December 7 Meat Raffle at The Bell at 3.00pm
  • Sunday December 7 Monthly Quiz at The Bell at 8.30pm
  • Wednesday December 10 Christmas Lunch at 12.30pm - contact me on 208913 if you would like to come along.
  • Friday December 12 Haddenham Mummers Play at 9.30pm in The Bell
  • Sunday December 14 Christingle Service at 4.00pm in St Nicholas Church

Monday 24 November 2014

Friday 21 November 2014

Haddenham Medical Centre Newsletter

A copy of the latest Haddenham Health News, including a Staff Update and information on the Flu Campaign 2014, can be downloaded from here.

Thursday 20 November 2014

Garland Workshop


Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Housing Development at Stoney Furlong, Chilton Road
Planning has now been granted for the development of 10 houses including 2 affordable houses after going to appeal. The Appeal Inspector’s decision recognises the lack of impact on the landscape where the houses are sited. It also recognises the quality of the design which will attractively frame the cricket pitch with generously-spaced houses of an appropriate scale, appropriate materials and extensive landscaping which promotes the rural feel of the scheme. Laura and Rose of the Heybrook family will design this landscaping and are glad that it is a condition of the permission. The decision also took account of the provision of a footpath through to the cricket club, the benefits of affordable housing provision (something the Heybrooks wanted to feature, despite it not being an AVDC requirement for a development of this size) and the economic benefit to the village. The Planning Inspector also visited the site of the planning application by John Lloyd on the same day and in the report made it very clear that “each appeal has been considered on its own merits” which should set everyone’s mind at rest as regards precedent. The Inspector concluded that the contributions for the leisure and education sought by AVDC were not valid or properly justified by the Council. However, the Heybrook family and Simon and Sarah Vickers are seeking advice on how they can make donations that will help enhance village facilities for the benefit of the community. The lease on the cricket club ground and new parking will be extended from 3 to 50 years enabling all possible grants to be applied for.

Haddenham and District Film Festival - organised by Haddenham and District Rotary Club recently was considered a great success attracting an average audience of 40 for the 8 films. It is hoped that it will become an annual event.

Elevensies - this was a very successful morning on Saturday November 15, well supported by the village, enjoying coffee, cakes and Christmas gifts. £1000 was raised towards the 3 New Bells. It is hoped that work to install the 3 New Bells in the belfry will begin in the early part of December in time to be rung for Christmas.

Christmas Garland Workshops Friday November 28 at 7.30pm and Saturday November 29 at 10.00am - Joy Payne will be holding 2 workshops in the village hall when she will demonstrate how to make an attractive Christmas garland for the front door. All materials will be provided, just bring secateurs or sharp scissors, and the cost is £25. Please telephone Joy on 01844 208513 or email her at joychearsley@gmail.com if you would like to take part.

Mobile Library – this will next be in the village on Monday December 1 by the village green from 10..00am to 10.25am. The next visit will be after Christmas on December 29.

Christmas Bingo - a Special Christmas edition of Bingo at The Bell will be held on Tuesday December 2 with Eyes Down at 8.30pm. Cash prizes and raffle, fun and laughter with our jolly Christmas bingo callers, Paul and Andy. The raffle held during the November Bingo evening raised £56 which has been added to the funds for the new Oliver Bell which will shortly be hung in the church with the other 2 New Bells.

Christingle Service in St Nicholas Church – this will be held in Chearsley on December 14 at 4.00pm. This is a service for people of all ages, but particularly for children. During the service the children receive a Christingle composed of an orange, a lighted candle, a red ribbon, raisins and sweets, each part representing a symbol of the Christian faith. The collection will be donated to the Children’s Society.

Chearsley Christmas Cards - Alicia Howard has been busy again designing and producing 2 different sets of delightful Christmas cards of Chearsley. They are available in packs of 4 costing £2.50 on sale in Chearsley Shop and The Bell. Proceeds will go towards the 3 New Bells

Diary Dates:
  • Friday November 28 The Bell is open every Friday for Tea, Coffee and home-made cake. 10.00am to 12.00pm
  • Friday November 28 Christmas Garland Workshop with Joy Payne in the village hall at 7.30pm
  • Friday November 28 Unlock The Box at 8.30pm at The Bell. You have to be there to take part in the pub’s new weekly game. Tickets available to purchase throughout the week.
  • Saturday November 29 Christmas Garland Workshop with Joy Payne in the village hall at 10.00am
  • Saturday November 29 Chearsley Cricket Club Dinner and Dance at The Kings Hotel Stokenchurch
  • Sunday November 30 Meat Raffle at The Bell at 3.00pm
  • Monday December 1 Mobile Library from 10.00 until 10.25am.
  • Tuesday December 2 Christmas Bingo at The Bell at 8.30pm

Wednesday 12 November 2014

Neighbourhood Police Newsletter

The Neighbourhood Police Update for this month is now available here.

Click for the Thames Valley Police website

Monday 10 November 2014

Aylesbury police station open day – lost and stolen bicycles

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert and has been sent on behalf of Thames Valley Police. (Received 10-11-14)

Thames Valley Police are holding a lost and stolen bicycle open day at Aylesbury police station between 10am and 7pm today.

Any member of the public who has lost their bicycle or had a bicycle stolen is invited to attend the station.

Members of the public will be asked to give a description of their bicycle, with any serial numbers or identifying marks. Officers will be available to check the descriptions and see if they match any of the bicycles at the station. We will then be able to hand any matching bicycles back to their owners.

We have approximately 30 bikes that have been found in the Aylesbury area.
You can register your bike free of charge on the Immobilise website which will help you to retrieve your bike in the event it gets stolen. The Immobilise website links in with the National Mobile Property Register (NMPR) database which the police use to help identify stolen bikes.

The following advice will provide some simple tips to help residents keep their bicycles secure while at home and out and about.

Get a good bike lock. Hardened steel D-shape or check out www.soldsecure.com for certified locks.
  • Always lock your bike, even if you are leaving it for a couple of minutes.
  • Lock your bike to an immovable object – e.g. bike rack or lamp posts.
  • Secure removable wheels and take smaller parts with you (lights, quick-release saddles).
  • Check if your bike is covered by your home insurance.
  • Don’t park your bike in isolated or dimly-lit places.
  • Never leave your bike outside your home unlocked, even just for a minute.
  • Register your bike free of charge on www.immobilise.com

Click for the Thames Valley 

Police website

Thursday 6 November 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Haddenham Film Festival
The Haddenham and District Film festival when 8 classic films from 8 decades will be screened in venues around Haddenham will be opened on Friday November 14 by acclaimed producer Jeremy Thomas CBE, the leading British film producer who will introduce his Oscar winning “The Last Emperor” at the Bernard Hall, Cuddington at 7.30pm. The two festival films to be shown in Long Crendon are Brighton Rock on Saturday 15 at 7.30pm and The Rocket on Sunday 16 at 3.00pm. Both films will be shown in the Community Library, with its large screen, new projection/audio equipment and comfy seats. Refreshments will be available.
Details of all films and tickets can be obtained on the website www.haddenham-rotary.org.uk or telephone Roger Rickard on 01844 291614

Christmas at The Bell
The Christmas menu is now available at The Bell for meals from Monday December 1 until December 24. It offers a two course meal for £19.95 or 3 courses for £23.95 including a traditional roast turkey Christmas meal, roast lamb or vegetarian alternative. Please book with Sharon on 01844 208077 or email Sharon@thebellchearsley.co.uk

Parish Council Meeting 
The November meeting of the Parish Council will be held in the village hall on Monday November 17 at 7.30pm. Please see the notice board for details of the minutes of the meeting held in October and for the agenda for the November meeting. There is the opportunity at the beginning and end of the meeting to bring up any matters of concern or to comment on the meeting.

Elevensies - Saturday November 15 - Real Coffee, specialist teas and home made cakes by Chearsley Bakers will be on sale in Chearsley village hall on Saturday November 15 from 10.00am until 1.00pm where there will also be a Mini Food Fair with seasonal gifts and goodies for sale. Beryl’s crocheted blankets for £15 will also be on sale. All proceeds will go to the 3 New Bells fund. If anyone has any gifts or cakes they can donate, please bring them along, or contact Alicia Howard.

Chearsley W.I. hold their next meeting on Tuesday November 18 in the village hall at 2.00pm when Louise Reed dressed in character will be talking about Emmeline Pankhurst. Non W. I. Members are very welcome to come for the afternoon at a cost of £4.00.

Monthly Pub Lunch - please let me know if anyone is interested in joining this little group of regular diners at the next Pub Lunch on Wednesday November 19. There is a choice of menu Phone me on 208913. The Christmas Roast Turkey lunch will be on Wednesday December 10 costing £12 per person. Everyone is welcome to come.

Chearsley Cricket Club AGM - this will be held in the cricket pavilion on Monday November 24 at 7.30pm. If you would like to receive advance copies of the agenda, please contact Terry Gadsby . Larry Greenfield is standing down from his position of “Fun & Games”, so the club is looking for someone to take over this role.

Chearsley Cricket Club Dinner and Dance Saturday November 29
Angela Gray still has some tickets for this annual event which will be held at The Kings Hotel, Stokenchurch . Transport to and from Stokenchurch is available for £5. Tickets for the evening of dinner and dancing cost £35 each. Angela can be contacted on 01844 202105 or email angela@grayemail.co.uk.

Christmas Garland Workshops
Joy Payne will be holding 2 workshops in the village hall when she will demonstrate how to make an attractive Christmas garland for the front door. These will be held on Friday November 28 at 7.00pm and Saturday November 29 at 10.00am in the village hall. All materials will be provided, just bring secateurs or sharp scissors, and the cost is £25. Please telephone Joy on 01844 208513 or email her at joychearsley@gmail.com if you would like to take part.

Brown garden waste bins – the last collection date of the year will be on Monday November 24.

Diary Dates:
  • Sunday November 9 Morning Celebration at 10.00am at the Church, followed by service at the War Memorial. Refreshments available afterwards in the village hall.
  • Sunday November 9 Quiz at The Bell at 8.00pm - everyone welcome in teams or on your own.
  • Friday November 14 The Bell is open every Friday for Tea, Coffee and homemade cake. 10.00am to 12.00pm
  • Friday November 14 Unlock The Box at 8.30pm at The Bell. You have to be there to take part in the pub’s new weekly game. Tickets available to purchase throughout the week.
  • Saturday November 15 Elevensies for coffee, tea and homemade cakes in Chearsley Village Hall 10.00am-1.00pm in aid of the 3 New Bells
  • Sunday November 16 Said Communion at 9.00am
  • Sunday November 16 Meat Raffle at The Bell at 3.00pm
  • Monday November 17 Parish Council Meeting in the village hall at 7.30pm
  • Tuesday November 18 W. I. Meeting in the village hall at 2.00pm
  • Wednesday November 19 Pub Lunch at The Bell at 12.30
  • Sunday November 23 Toy Service at 10.00am

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Scam Warning Reminder

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert and has been sent on behalf of Thames Valley Police.

Thames Valley Police are reissuing a warning to residents to be on their guard from fraudulent phone calls purporting to be from banks or police officers and requesting bank and card details or asking people to withdraw large amounts of cash.

On Tuesday (28/10) the victim, an elderly man, was contacted by a man claiming to be a police officer from London.The victim was advised to withdraw £7000 from his bank as his bank was suspected of handling counterfeit money and being investigated by both the police and the FBI.

The victim was instructed not to discuss the reason for the withdrawal with the bank.The victim having completed the withdrawal returned home to await collection of the money by a courier.

The bank being suspicious of the withdrawal contacted Thames Valley Police, who were able to respond and intercept the package prior to it being handed over to a taxi in Oxford.

Instructions by the criminals to the taxi firm had initially been to collect a passenger, before it was changed to a package which was to be delivered to an Oxford address. The instruction again changed and the driver was offered £500 to take the package to London.

Det Ch Insp Andy Bird, leading investigations into courier fraud, said: “We continue to work hard to prevent and detect offences of courier fraud across the Thames Valley.

“Offenders are very plausible and target honest upstanding members of the community who are more likely to believe the lies they are told. I urge everyone to remain vigilant. Please read our advice so you are aware of the tactics being used by criminals, so you can prevent yourself and other people you know from becoming a victim of these types of scams.

“We have been working closely with banks and taxi firms to help them identify the factors involved in scams like this, which often target vulnerable members of our community. This crime was fortunately prevented thanks to the quick thinking of the bank staff, who contacted us as soon as they suspected something was amiss.”

The scam, which often targets the elderly and vulnerable, sees the victim receive a phone call from fraudsters who say they are from their bank or the police. They tell the victim that they are calling because there has been suspicious activity on their account and advise them to call the bank from the number on the back of their card to confirm details.

The victim disconnects the phone and dials their bank or police straight away, however the fraudster has kept the telephone line open so even though a number is dialled, it is not connected and the victim is still on the phone to the fraudster, who then gains their trust and asks them to either say or key in their PIN, before telling them their card will be collected and a replacement delivered.

Once the fraudster has all the information they need, a courier is sent to collect the card from the victim. The offender has obtained the person’s name, address, full bank details, the card itself and the PIN. The bank cards are then used fraudulently without the victim’s knowledge.

The fraudsters who carry out this type of crime are very skilled in portraying themselves as authentic bank employees or police detectives, and make the scam seem genuine by asking the victim to ring their bank. Our advice is that, if you receive such a call, end it immediately.

We would also like to ask residents to let any elderly or vulnerable family members, friends, or neighbours know about the scam. Remember, your bank will never attend your home; and neither the bank nor the police will ever collect your bank card or ask for your PIN. The more we can spread the word about this type of fraud, the less success the fraudsters will have.

There are a number of variations to the scam, including:
  • Fraudster asking the victims to withdraw large amounts of cash from their bank take it home and wait for a courier to arrive. The fraudster claims that the money is fake and they are helping the police with their investigation and would get the monies withdrawn back the next day. They are told not to tell the bank staff what the money is for and to make an excuse such as it is required to buy a new car.
  • Fraudsters call the customer pretending to be from the police or a bank and ask them to transfer funds via online banking. Again, they ask the customer to call their bank but keep the line open
  • Fraudsters pretending to be from the police cold- calling members of the public and telling them that their bank account has been compromised by criminals. The fraudster suggests that the person should transfer their bank balance into a ‘safe’ police bank account
If you receive this type of call, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or via their website. In an emergency, dial 999.


Click for the Thames Valley Police website

Friday 31 October 2014

Beryl's Blankets


Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Community Oil Buying Scheme – Chris Long has been the co-ordinator of this scheme since Ann Hooton left the village. There are currently about 15 members in Chearsley. Please see the Cuddington website for more information, application forms and the phone number of Chris Long.

Jeyan and Suki at the shop
It is surprising to realise that nearly 3 years ago Jeyan and Suki re-opened the village shop since when it has grown and grown in goods and services which they provide. I think most villagers use the shop in some way, but here is a reminder of some of the things that Jeyan and Suki have to offer so willingly and happily 7 days a week – daily and weekend newspapers, which can be delivered if desired; dry cleaning service with collections on Tuesdays and Fridays; greeting cards, toiletries; off licence, groceries, household goods; chilled and frozen foods; fruit and vegetables; bread from The Cottage Bakery, Thame; Payzone to enable you to top up phone cards and electric key charge; Myhermes parcel collection and drop off service; National Lottery scratch cards which will hopefully lead to selling the National Lottery tickets; and of course, tea or coffee from the neat little machine on the counter for £1.00.
The shop is open long hours from 7.00am until 8.00pm Monday to Saturday and until 2.00pm on Sundays. The shop phone number is 01844 208777. Chearsley without a village shop would not be a good thing, as many of us remember, so keep using it!

3 New Bells for Chearsley – The Die is Cast
On Friday October 17, a group of parishioners, the vicar and churchwardens travelled to Whitechapel Bell Foundry, in the East End of London to witness the casting of the 3 bells which will soon hang in the bell tower of St Nicholas Church. A team of 8 men carried the red hot metal from the furnace and poured a steady stream of glowing liquid into the 3 bell moulds. During the next few weeks, the bells will be cooled and tuned to blend perfectly with the existing bells and then transported to Whites’ workshop in Appleton, Oxford where the bell frame will be constructed and the fittings added. It is hoped they will arrive in the village in time to be rung at Christmas. Prior to hanging, they will be briefly displayed in the church for all to inspect. In early 2015 there will be a special service of dedication and celebration for everyone to attend. More funds of around £10,000 are still needed and there will be more fund raising events – the next one being“Elevensies” on Saturday November 15.
(Full illustrated story here.)

Elevensies - Real Coffee, specialist teas and home made cakes by Chearsley Bakers will be on sale in Chearsley village hall on Saturday November 15 from 10.00am until 1.00pm where there will also be a Mini Food Fair with seasonal gifts and goodies for sale. All proceeds will go to the 3 New Bells fund. If anyone has any gifts or cakes they can donate, please bring them along, or contact Alicia Howard.

Toy Service – Sunday November 23 at 10.00am at St Nicholas Church . Children are invited to bring along a new toy, unwrapped as a Christmas present for a child who may not be as lucky as they are. These will be distributed to homes and hospitals in the Aylesbury vale area via the Mix’96 local radio station appeal.

Diary Dates:
  • Friday November 7 The Bell is open every Friday for Tea, Coffee and homemade cake. 10.00am to 12.00pm
  • Friday November 7 Unlock The Box at 8.30pm at The Bell. You have to be there to take part in the pub’s new weekly game. Tickets available to purchase throughout the week.
  • Sunday November 9 Morning Celebration at 10.00pm
  • Sunday November 9 Remembrance Service at The War Memorial at 10.45am
  • Sunday November 9 Evensong at 6.00pm
  • Sunday November 9 Meat Raffle at 3.00pm
  • Sunday November 9 Monthly Quiz at The Bell starts at 8.00pm. Come in a group or on your own.
  • Saturday November 15 Elevensies for coffee, tea and homemade cakes in Chearsley Village Hall 10.00am-1.00pm in aid of the 3 New Bells

Wednesday 29 October 2014

Don't be spooked this Halloween

With Halloween fast approaching, police are reminding people make sure they spend their time trick-or-treating responsibly.

Many residents enjoy Halloween and view it as harmless fun, but for others it can be distressing receiving visits from unexpected callers, particularly the elderly and those that live alone.

Please see the full message on the Chearsley Community Message pages here.

This is a message sent via Thames Valley Alert and has been sent on behalf of Thames Valley Police
Click for the Thames Valley Police website

Thursday 23 October 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Proud Grandparents - I am delighted and proud to announce that Poppy Ariana was born in Barcelona on Thursday morning October 22 to our daughter, Jenny Morbey and her husband , Joe Garrity, a sister for Jamie who is now 3. Mother and daughter are doing well.

Parish Council Meeting - this was held in the village hall on Monday October 20 with 2 members of the public present. Nic Brown was chairman. During the Public Session, the recent planning application at The Boot, Watts Green was brought to the council’s attention by a neighbour who will be severely overshadowed by the new extension. It was confirmed that the Council will view the proposed development from the neighbouring house when they make their site visit and asked for a copy of his objections.
  • Matters Arising from the Minutes of the last meeting – the salt bins still needed to be refilled. The footpath in Chilton Road had now been cleared.
  • Grove Farm, Long Crendon Road. It is planned for a letter to be sent to the Highways Dept of AVDC concerning the necessity for signage at Grove Farm warning of heavy vehicles turning into the farm and blocking the road. Access arrangements into the farm should be checked to see if this could be made safer.
  • Vehicular Activated Sign - Claire Lazaruk reported that difficulty has been experienced in downloading the data of car speeds received from the sign, which will be resolved with new software. There is also difficulty in locating the holes made by AVDC in the verges on the main roads to receive the sign, preventing the sign from being moved to a new location at present. It is hoped that a metal detector or copy of a plan will resolve the problem. An application for a grant of £2750 for funding to purchase another VAS had been agreed from the Local Area Forum.
  • Kerbing - Julia Witcher has received quotes ranging from £3780 to £4920 from AVDC approved contractors to carry out work on the next proposed area of 40 metres of kerbing on one side of Dark Lane near The Rosary. The work could also include mending of kerbing outside The Plough, Aylesbury Road.
  • Village Hall - Claire Lazaruk reported that the Public Meeting was fairly well attended with positive comments concerning the proposed building of a new hall when 2 possible layouts were discussed. The cost of the Feasibility study had been covered by a grant from the Local Area Forum.
  • Risk Assessment - items covered by the Council’s insurance was discussed and approved and considered that all necessary things were covered.
  • Remembrance Service November 9 - Clare Clark would order the wreath and was asked to apply for the road to be closed or for barriers to be put up for the duration of the service and 2 minutes silence.
  • Balance Sheets – John Lewis was thanked for re-organising the balance sheets, reducing the number of headings and making it more readable. The Auditors had approved the accounts.
  • Heating Oil Club - leaflets concerning this bulk buying group had been received. Chearsley no longer has an organiser for this, since Ann Hooton left the village. Cuddington has an organiser and should be contacted if anyone is interested in joining.
  • Broadband – work towards a faster broadband in the village had been carried out and would be available soon.
  • Any Other Business - Mike Heybrook had attended an event recently and reported that the Walking and Cycling Group of Haddenham is hoping to establish a new footpath which will link up with the Chearsley footpath. This is with money available from new houses in Haddenham.
  • Painting of railings and village gates – although they were in need of refurbishment, it was felt this should wait until the Spring
  • The date of the next meeting is Monday November 17 at 7.30pm in the village hall.

Film Festival November 14 – 16
The local Rotary Club has announced the programme for its Haddenham & District Film Festival “Cinema through the Decades” taking place in local villages over the weekend of 14-16 November. The films will be hosted by partner film clubs in Cuddington, Long Crendon, Haddenham and Bishopstone. One film represents each decade. The films to be shown are
  • 1940s: Brighton Rock in Long Crendon on Saturday 15 at 7.30pm.
  • 1950s: Stranger on a Train in Haddenham on Sunday November 16 at 8.00pm.
  • 1960s: Charade in Haddenham on Saturday November 15 at 3.00pm.
  • 1970s: The Sting in Bishopstone on Saturday November 15 at 8.00pm.
  • 1980s: The Last Emperor in Cuddington on Friday November 14 at 7.30pm.
  • 1990s: Topsy-Turvy in Cuddington on Sunday November 16 at 7.30pm.
  • 2000s: Amelie in Bishopstone on Friday November 14 at 8.00pm.
  • 2010s: The Rocket in Long Crendon on Sunday November 16 at 3.00pm.
Tickets at £5 each for films in Cuddington can be bought from Cuddington Village Stores; films in Long Crendon from the Community Library; films in Haddenham from Little Italy and in Bishopstone from Martin Diver on 01296 749957. Discounted tickets for 3 or more different films can be obtained by ringing Roger Rickard on 01844 291613 or email RARickard@aol.com.

Diary Dates:
  • Wednesday October 29 Pumpkin carving competition in The Bell at 7.30pm
  • Friday October 31 The Bell is open every Friday for Tea, Coffee and homemade cake. 10.00am to 12.00pm
  • Friday October 31 Halloween celebrations for children in The Bell at 4.00pm.
  • Friday October 31 Unlock The Box at 8.30pm at The Bell. You have to be there to take part in the pub’s new weekly game. Tickets available to purchase throughout the week.
  • Sunday November 2 Family Communion at 10.00am with Junior Church and Rock Solid
  • Sunday November 2 Meat Raffle at 3.00pm
  • Monday November 3 Mobile Library from 10.00am until 10.25am.
  • Tuesday November 4 Bingo at The Bell at 8.30pm. Special rates for meals for Bingo players. Come early to get a table.
  • Wednesday November 5 Monthly Lunch Club at 12.30pm. Please contact me if you would like to come along.

Thursday 16 October 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Village Hall AGM 
 The Village Hall Management Committee will be holding the AGM on Monday November 3 at 8.00pm in the village hall. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Village Hall Open Meeting - details of this meeting held on September 22 2014 together with outline plans for a new hall can be found on the notice board and on the website here.

Buses through Chearsley - From the beginning of November, Arriva will no longer be responsible for the 110 buses on the route from Thame to Aylesbury through Chearsley. Red Rose Travel of The Blinking Owl, Dinton will be running buses, presumably to the same 2 hourly timetable as before, so apart from different buses, there should be no change to the service. Time will tell if my information is correct.

New Pilates Class in Cuddington
Debbie Corpe, who initiated a Pilates class in the village a few years ago, is now holding a Pilates Barre class in The Bernard Hall, Cuddington every Friday from 9.15am until 10.15am. The class consists of a warm-up, barre section, pilates mat work and stretching, all to music. All you need is a pilates mat and a desire to release your inner ballerina and have some fun! Please call Debbie on 01844 208420 for more information.

Unlock The Box 
This is the new game which has now started on Friday evenings at The Bell. The person who has the winning ticket that evening will win £50 and then has the opportunity to pick the correct key which will unlock the box to win the money. There are 20 keys to choose from. So the game could run and run as did the Joker game with the prize money accumulating each week. £10 will go the charity bottle of the winner’s choice. The draw takes place at 8.30pm and all participants have to be present. Tickets can be bought at The Bell throughout the week. It could be a nice little windfall for Christmas and is a time to meet up with friends at The Bell on Friday nights for a drink or a meal.

Friday Morning Coffee and Cake at The Bell - The Bell will be open from 10.00am until 12.00pm for coffee or tea with a selection of home made cakes.

Diary Dates:
  • Sunday 26: Clocks go back, followed by the Family Service at 10.00am at St Nicholas Church 
  • Monday 27th: School Half Term begins
  • Wednesday October 29: Pumpkin carving competition in The Bell at 7.30pm
  • Friday October 24: 10.00am to 12.00pm Coffee and cake at The Bell
  • Friday October 3:1 Halloween celebrations for children in The Bell at 4.00pm.

Thursday 9 October 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Harvest Supper – this was held on Saturday September 27 in the village hall and was a resounding success. Around 50 villagers attended and enjoyed good food, ale, wine and entertainment. Most of the food (especially some wonderful salads and naughty desserts) was provided by villagers. There were also some excellent donations : XT Brewery donated the beer; Sherwins of Long Crendon provided the meat and Tia Richards and Marks and Spencer provided the wine with a very generous discount and Michael Heybrook provided some delicious apple juice from his orchard.
John Howard, as ever, did a great job as the evening’s MC and introduced the quality (and unique) entertainment, showcasing Chearsley’s fine array of raw talent. The evening’s raffle raised £189.15 towards this year’s charity. The committee are always looking for new talent, and they are asking that villagers give some early thought to providing some entertainment at next year’s event. No act has ever been turned away! From the proceeds of the Supper, enough money has been raised to buy 6 goats for families in Africa to provide them with milk, manure and eventually meat, as part of the charity “Send a Cow”.

Theatre in the Villages - Morgan & West
About 60 villagers, adults and lots of children and some out of town visitors were entertained by Morgan & West in the village hall as part of the Theatre in the Villages programme on Saturday October 4. There was a lot of audience participation. Cynthia had her ring turn up in a tea bag in a box. Another lady had her birthday correctly guessed just from her breath. Amazing tricks. How did Mr West get out of the black bag when it was tied up? Perhaps Tara and Anoushka, who were on stage as witnesses, know! How did the piece of diary torn out, turn up back in the book at the end of the show? If you missed the performance, Morgan & West are appearing at North Dean on Friday October 17. Go to www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/theatre for more information about how to book. They come with great recommendations.

Bingo at The Bell – The pub was busy on Tuesday October 7 for another session of Bingo when there were good cash prizes of £7 a line and £25 for the full house, with £56 for the full house on the last game. The new Snowball game was not won and will roll over to next month, making the full house for the third game now £73 in addition to the night’s cash prize, which depends on how many take part that night. Andy Camden, “Wibble Wobble” our regular caller was missing Paul Kingsman from the “dreamteam” duo but help was on hand from Adam Lazaruk, who made a good substitute and had researched the bingo lingo to come up with some new names for the numbers, a favourite being for number 87 - 1 Fat Andy with a Walking Stick. All good fun and good winnings for some.
The raffle which was made up of donations from customers raised £48 for The 3 New Bells fund. Next month’s bingo will be as usual the first Tuesday of the month, November 4. Eyes Down at 8.30pm.

Find The Joker - this game which has been running every Friday evening at The Bell since October last year has now been won and a new game will replace it. Details of this will be announced in The Bell on Friday evening. The Bell also has a new Menu. The offer of 2 fish and chips for £15 Tuesday to Thursday evenings continues. There will be Halloween celebrations for children with games and food on Friday 31 from 4.00pm until 6.00pm; tickets are available to purchase from the bar, and pumpkin carving on Wednesday October 29 with judging of the best carved pumpkin at 7.30pm. For more information, please see the blackboard in The Bell and notices on the village noticeboard.

Family Quiz This has now been re-arranged to be held on Saturday January 31 2015 in the village hall. A quiz for all the family starting at 5.00pm until 8.00pm. Tickets will cost £10 each to include a fish and chips supper and pudding. A family ticket of 4 is available for £30 with further tickets costing £7.50 per person. Please contact Angela on 01844 202105 or email angela@grayemail.co.uk or Alex on alex@willowcorner.net for more information and tickets.

Parish Council – there will be Parish Council meeting in the village hall on Monday October 20 at 7.30pm. Details of the agenda and last month’s minutes will be available on the noticeboard. Everyone is welcome to attend. There is time at the beginning and end of the meeting for a public session when comments are welcome.

W.I. – There will be a W. I. Meeting in the village hall on Tuesday October 21 at 2.00pm. The subject with Terry Penney is “The Secret History of Nursery Rhymes.”. Non-members are very welcome to come for £4.00.

New Pilates Class in Cuddington - Debbie Corpe, who initiated a Pilates class in the village a few years ago, is now holding a Pilates Barre class in The Bernard Hall, Cuddington every Friday from 9.15am until 10.15am. The class consists of a warm-up, barre section, pilates mat work and stretching, all to music. All you need is a pilates mat and a desire to release your inner ballerina and have some fun! Please call Debbie on 01844 208420 for more information.

Diary Dates:
  • Sunday October 19 Said Communion at St Nicholas church
  • Monday October 20 Parish Council Meeting at 7.30pm in the village hall
  • Tuesday October 21 W.I. Meeting 2.00pm in the village hall
  • Wednesday October 22 Pub lunch. Let me know if you would like to come on 208913
  • Wednesday October 29 Pumpkin carving competition in The Bell at 7.30pm
  • Friday October 31 Halloween for children in The Bell at 4.00pm.

Village Hall Meeting

Click to download proposal

The Public Meeting concerning the future of the village hall was held on Monday September 22, 2014 when about 40 villagers attended.
Chairman of the Management Committee of the Village Hall, Tony Fleetwood opened the meeting by emphasising that there were no plans to move the village hall from its present site and any future plans for the hall were unconnected with any house building applications in the village. Any major works concerning the hall could not go ahead without the consent of the village through a public vote open to every adult in Chearsley.
Results of the Village Plan in which 72% of residents who responded agreed that the hall needs improvement, had prompted the Village Hall committee overseen by Antonia Stratford to investigate improving facilities. It is appreciated that many in the village have a special attachment to the present hall, having been involved in raising funds for its building after Lady Floyd had given the land to the village, and it is hoped that when proposals for a new hall had been heard and discussed, the idea of building of a new village hall on this site would be accepted.
Antonia Stratford addressed the meeting saying that the purpose of this meeting was to seek approval from the village for the basic concept design for a new village hall in order that AVDC could be approached for pre-planning advice. This will not commit the village to actually going ahead with the rebuild at this stage. Chearsley would benefit from a new hall offering flexible space to cater for everyone rather than a few user groups. It is recognised that while Chuf is a vital source of income, their use of the hall restricts use by other groups. Teenagers (more than 50 are expected to live in Chearsley in the next few years) and those of retirement age are not currently well catered for by the hall. Insulation, heating, electrics are inadequate and expensive to run.
Work done so far included research into funding available, which could possibly be up to 50% of the total cost of a new build and contact with Local Area Forum, AVDC, BCC and Community Impact Bucks, all of which had been helpful and encouraging. Other villages with a recently renovated or new village hall had been contacted and visited and their experience was that bookings for the hall had doubled and many new user groups were now using the hall.
PCMS, a project management and architectural design firm of Haddenham, had been instructed to produce a Feasibility Study. Their initial advice was that it would not be economic to renovate the existing hall, but to knock it down and start again. To this end, they had produced 2 Concept designs, both offering 1 community area, which could be subdivided by partitions into up to 3 separate rooms, including kitchen, storage and toilet facilities. Layout 1 was much bigger than Layout 2 as it also included a second large community space, but had the disadvantages that the electric substation would have to be moved and the outside space would be smaller. Useful discussion, comments and questions took place including concerns that the flexible walls would not be sound proof (they would); would it be big enough for short mat bowls (probably), but not a high enough ceiling for badminton; should there be separate toilets, kitchen and storage area for Chuf; could there be a stage (possibly a pull out one); could photovoltaic panels be included to be rented out to generate revenue; was the provision of car parking spaces sufficient; the outside play area and equipment for children in the village was essential to be kept; what would be the cost (in the region of £1350 to £1450 per sq. metre).
 The plans on view are not detailed and AVDC would be approached with a broad plan before detailed plans were formed. Another public meeting would be held to approve the plans and agree to the rebuild before submission to AVDC.
A show of hands revealed that there was a majority in favour of the smaller layout 2 of approximately 275 sq. Metres.
A copy of both Layout 1 and 2 can be found on the noticeboard or downloaded, and comments and suggestions are welcome and should be sent to antoniacarrlocke@hotmail.com or addressed to Antonia Stratford at The Old Granary, Chilton Road, Chearsley.

Wednesday 8 October 2014

Harvest Supper


At the recent Harvest Supper at the village hall, we aimed to raise enough money to buy a goat for a family in Africa, to provide them with milk, manure and eventually meat.  The charity "Send a Cow" help by providing the goat and the family who receive it promise to pass their first female kid on to another family, so it is a gift that keeps on giving.  We are very pleased to announce that we raised enough money for not just one goat, but 6!  A big thank you to everyone who supported the evening and especially to Paula and her team for organising it. 

Neighbourhood Police Newsletter

The Neighbourhood Police Update for this month is now available here.

Click for the Thames Valley Police website

Friday 3 October 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

The Three New Bells
Fundraising for 3 new bells has been taking place over 2 years and the time when they will be hung in St Nicholas Church is getting closer. They will be named Oliver, in memory of Oliver Babington, landlord of The Bell who died 2 years ago, Nicholas and Elizabeth R. The Nicholas Bell takes its name from the patron of our church and as patron saint of children and will bear the inscription “The Children of Chearsley Past Present and Future”. Families are invited to contribute £100 towards the cost of the Nicholas Bell. For this donation they will receive a personalized certificate as a reminder of their part in the history of the bells in Chearsley. Donation forms are available in the church, The Bell and the village stores.

Henry George
“I thought going to university was an impossible dream – but look at me now”
Published in The Bucks Herald on September 24 was an article written by Henry George who has lived in Chearsley for most of his life with his parents and sister. Henry describes the pain, exhaustion and difficulties he has endured throughout his life, having been born with Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. Despite numerous operations and time off school because of his disability, Henry achieved good GSCE and A level results and has now started his second year at Royal Holloway University studying history. His moving story of his life can be read on The Bucks Herald website. Henry finishes his message by saying “If you are disabled or even if you aren’t and think that is impossible to do something like going to university or achieving something you have always wanted to, don’t think you can’t. I thought I could never go to university, that it was some kind of impossible dream, the kind that promises so much but never materialises. Here I am however, having completed my first year. However I could not have done this without the support of Debra, the charity that supports those with EB”. More information on EB can be found on the website www.debra.org.uk. Henry’s courage and determination to overcome his discomfort and difficulties throughout his life is very thought provoking and humbling and I wish him good luck in his aim to achieve his degree and then have a career in journalism.

Cricket Club Dinner and Dance - this will be held on Saturday November 29 at a new venue of The King’s Hotel, Stokenchurch. Tickets cost £35 per person and can be obtained from Angela Gray on 202105 or email her angela@grayemail.co.uk. There will be coach transport available from the village. Reception Drinks are at 7.00pm ready for dinner at 7.30pm. Dancing till 1.00am.

Diary Dates:
  • Sunday October 12 - 10am Morning celebration at St Nicholas Church
  • Sunday October 12 - 6pm Evensong

Friday 26 September 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Village Hall Open Meeting Monday September 22 – this was attended by about 40 villagers. A more detailed account of the evening will be available shortly. The meeting was told that for facilities at the hall to be improved, a new building on the present site would be the practical and sensible route to take. 2 Concept designs had been drawn up as an initial idea of what could be built and a show of hands favoured Layout 2 with an approximate size of 275sq.metres. The next step will be for consultations to take place with AVDC by PCMS, the architects and project management firm appointed by the Village Hall Management committee, regarding detailed planning, and a further public meeting will be called in due course.

Flower Festival

For 3 days a marvellous display of various flower arrangements with bells as the theme was put on in St Nicholas church. The Festival attracted many admiring visitors, from the village, and further afield and some just passing through who detoured to visit the church. They were treated to some lovely displays – Mary, Mary Quite Contrary by Chuf children, flowers celebrating the ringing in of the New Year , one with poppies celebrating W.W. I and one especially for the six o’clock Pub goers (Alicia and John Howard’s handiwork), all accompanied with a varied menu of appropriate music. £640 in donations was raised for The 3 new Bells Fund. The Flower festival was organised by Joy Payne and a team of talented Chearsley flower ladies, who spent a lot of time and effort in planning and then creating the arrangements.

Matilda – Matilda was a very familiar sight and favourite to visit by many families over the past 30 or more years. She was a donkey belonging to the Edmonds family of Lower Green Farm and was thought to be about 42 years old. Sadly, she has had to be put down and is now very much missed by Michael, Yvonne and family, having become “part of the furniture”. I am sure she will also be missed by many Chearsley villagers of all ages.

Congratulations to Janine and Kevin on their engagement who are planning their wedding for next August 2015 with celebrations in the village hall. Chearsley has Janine to thank for coming into the village and buying the house with the shop which had at that time been closed for a year or more. She opened up the shop and extended it to become a tearoom. Now, it is rented out to Jay and Suki. Good luck to Jay and Kevin and all the best for your forthcoming wedding.

Car Break Ins - On the night of September 20 2 cars in Chilton Road were broken into. One car which was not locked had nothing taken, just a rummage around. A neighbour lost a sat. nav. and a drill. It is thought they were probably opportunists, as other cars in the drive were not touched and nothing was damaged. It is however a reminder to take valuables out of cars, keep them locked and to always be on the alert for strangers creeping around the village at night.

Morgan & West - Parlour Tricks. Tickets are still available for this show which is part of the Theatre in the Villages programme. The performance will be held on Saturday October 4 at 7.30pm in Chearsley Village Hall. It is a show of magic, mystery, illusion and impossibility, fit for children 7 and over and grown-ups alike. Morgan & West have recently appeared again in the Edinburgh Fringe festival with their show – “these impressively dressed gentlemen will deliver incredible tricks with flair and style ... there is a lot of audience participation ... capable of making even the ordinary seem extraordinary and able to perform tricks and acts of misdirection with charm and humour ... not simply an everyday magic show”. Tickets are available from me, on 01844 208913 or Tony Fleetwood on 01844 201176. Adult ticket is £12; children £10 and family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children £40. There will be a bar and refreshments and FUN!

Diary Dates:
  • Friday October 3 - Coffee and Cake at The Bell 10.00am until 12.00pm. Open for everyone to call in.
  • Saturday October 4 - Theatre in the Villages performance by Morgan & West “Top Victorian Magicians” in the village hall at 7.30pm.A show of illusion, magic and mystery, suitable for all the family. Come early and have a drink at the bar. Contact Margaret Morbey 208913 for tickets.
  • Sunday October 5 - 10.00am Family Communion at St Nicholas church with Junior Church and Rock Solid
  • Monday October 6 - The Mobile Library will be in The Bell car park from 10.00am until 10.25am.
  • Tuesday October 7 - Bingo in The Bell. Eyes down at 8.30pm
  • Wednesday October 8 – Pub Lunch of roast chicken and pudding. 12.30pm in The Bell. Phone Margaret on 208913 if you would like to come.
  • Sunday October 12 - Sunday Quiz in The Bell at 8.00pm

Wednesday 24 September 2014

For One Night Only...

Click for leaflet
Time travelling magic duo Morgan & West present a brand new show chock full of jaw dropping, brain busting, gasp eliciting feats of magic and mystery. The dashing chaps offer up a plateful of illusion and impossibility, all served with wit, charm and no small amount of panache. (Suitable for 7+ years.)

Saturday October 4th at 7:30pm in the Village Hall
~ Bar and Refreshments available ~
Tickets: Adults £12; Children £10; Family of 2+2: £40 
Available from:
Margaret Morbey on 01844 208913 or Tony Fleetwood on 01844 201176

Click the image above or here for the leaflet.

Monday 22 September 2014

New Media Star.....



Go to this link …the Nick Coffer Show last Thursday afternoon on BBC Three Counties radio

Someone you know quite well follows the Ann Widdecombe interview and James Blunt – one of the final items on the show about 2 hours 47 minutes into the three hour broadcast.

Friday 19 September 2014

Cuddington & Dinton CE School - Open Days


OPEN DAY EVENTS
Is your child due to start school in September 2015?
If so, we would like to invite you tolook around our infant site in Cuddington.
Thursday 9th October at 9.30am
Tuesday 21st October at 9.30am
Friday 28th November at 1.30pm

For more information, phone the school office on 01844 291206 or email office@cds.bucks.sch.uk

Thursday 18 September 2014

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Best Kept Village Competition Result

Click for the report

Chearsley entered into this competition again this year and has been awarded a Certificate of Merit for achieving a Highly Commended grade in the Morris Cup the category for inhabitants in villages of 500 – 1500, scoring 88 marks out of a possible 100. Hedgerley, near Farnham Common, were the winners with a score of 94 points. Hedgerley impressed the judges with the hard work put into transforming Glebe Field into a wildlife-friendly meadow which is an on-going project providing a valuable amenity for the residents and visitors.
The judges have some interesting comments about Chearsley -
St Nicholas Church was open and showed evidence of support and commitment from the village over many years. The graveyard has been tended with care. The cricket field is in excellent condition.

Grassy areas near the pub and shops are immaculately tended and form an attractive centre to the village. Roadside verges are extensively highlighted on the map and it is clear that some have been left un-mown to encourage wildlife.

The Bell pub has a very attractive and welcoming frontage, as has the shop. A good standard of care was evident in the presentation of bus shelters, the notice board, the pump (its position on the map is slightly misplaced) and particularly the war memorial. We liked the “insect haven” near the children’s playground outside the village hall.

This small village shows much evidence of community effort in projects such as raising money for replacing the bells in the church tower and the insect haven.
Richard Pushman, chairman of the competition, thanked the Parish Council for entering the competition and congratulated everyone involved for all their hard work in maintaining such a well-kept village. Well done us.

Parish Council Meeting on Monday September 15

Nic Brown was in the chair. 7 members of the public attended.
  •  During the open session, the matter was raised of the overgrown hawthorn hedge on the footpath in Chilton Road which needs to be cut. John Lloyd will be asked to attend to this. It was noted that potholes in some village roads have been marked in white ready for repair and a discussion about the erosion of the lanes, particularly Dark Lane and the necessity or not of having white traffic lines. Some felt that caution at unmarked junctions was preferable to having white lines.
  • Grass and verge cutting was now only done by contractors on the main village roads. Any other verges had been attended to by householders. The village mainly looked good. The possibility of the village being responsible for all the verges could be discussed at the budget meeting in December. A quote for memorial plaques for the benches on The Green of £80 each should be accepted and ordered. This is from money bequeathed by Betty Duval for benches on The Green. The second bench should be cleaned up before the plaque is put on.
  • There was no objection to planning permission for alteration to a window at Needlemakers, Watts Green. The bathroom window at Foxgloves, Turnip Close still needs to be obscured. The householder will be contacted again. 
  • It was agreed that a donation from a villager towards daffodils in the grass verges which had been used for a wildflower area in Crendon Road, should be returned to her, as this had been unsuccessful. It was discussed whether the amount kept in reserve of £4000 needed to be so high, and whether some of this money could be put to other uses in the village such as being added to the amount kept aside for kerbing. As Julia Witcher, who is looking into kerbing was absent from the meeting, no further details of plans for kerbing could be discussed. Areas to be kerbed should be prioritized and funding from Bucks County Council and from the LAF should be requested.
  • Funding for another vehicle activated sign in the village had been applied for from the LAF. The present sign which had been situated in Chilton Road is having its battery recharged and will be repositioned on another main road once the appropriate holes in the verge to receive the sign are found! The speed limit would then be set at 30mph.
  • Mike Heybrook gave an up to date report on work he and others have done on a possible cycle path from the village to Haddenham Station. Although Chiltern Railways supported the use of land adjoining the railway for this project, it would take a very long time for it to be possible, and a crossing over the floodplain would make it almost impossible - “a pipe dream”, and although this idea had come as a result of the Village Plan suggestions, it was decided that it should be taken off the Action Plan for the foreseeable future.
  • The Open Meeting regarding plans for the village hall is to be held on Monday September 22 and any repercussions should be discussed as an agenda item at the next Council meeting. It was noted that the salt bins should be topped up. In the public session at the end of the meeting, it was suggested to find out how much it would cost the village to have all of the potholes mended, even though it would be unlikely that this would happen.
  • Discussions to have warning signs erected concerning lorries turning into Grove Farm, Crendon Road are still taking place with John Lloyd. The grass verges at the new house, Odyssey in Aylesbury Road should be restored by the builder.
  • The next meeting will be held in the village hall on October 20 at 7.30pm. Although 7 members of the public attended, it was commented that it would be encouraging if more villagers would attend.

Ron Dorsett – I am very sad to write that Ron who was a good friend and neighbour in Lammas Lane for a number of years, died on September 17. Ron and his wife, June moved to Princes Risborough 3 years ago as Ron was not in the best of health. Whilst in Chearsley, he was often to be seen on his many walks round the village , and gave a lot of time to village life, enjoying the monthly Pub lunches and helping out as maintenance man at the village hall for several years. His funeral will be on Friday September 26 at 11.30am at Amersham Crematorium. Our sympathies and love to June and their family.

The Bell - 2 Fish and Chip meals for £15 continue to be on special offer on Tuesday to Thursday evenings from 6.30 to 9.00pm. A new seasonal menu will come into operation on October 6.

Tea, Coffee and Cake Mornings - a new initiative by Sharon at The Bell on the first Friday of every month invites anyone and everyone to call in, meet old friends and make new ones over a cup of tea or coffee with home-made cakes and enjoy the charm of The Bell. The first one will be on Friday October 3 from 10.00am to 12.00pm.

Yoga Classes - are now taking place every Thursday evening in the village hall from 7.00pm until 8.00pm. Phone Rachel on 01844 351301 for more information.

Harvest Supper on Saturday September 27 in the village hall at 7.30pm. Tickets are available price £10 from Paula Johnson on 201447 for a two course meal with wine or beer followed by entertainment.

Harvest Festival Family Service – All are welcome to this service to be held on Sunday September 28 at St Nicholas Church at 10.00am. Gifts will be donated to The Steppin’ Stone Centre for the homeless in Oxford. Donations of fresh fruit and vegetables are welcome as are dry produce, such as tinned food, rice, sugar, pasta and all foods which can be used in the Centre’s kitchen.

Diary Dates:
  • Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 19,20 and 21 - Flower Festival at St Nicholas Church.
  • Monday September 22 - Open Meeting about the future of the village hall at 8.00pm in the hall
  • Wednesday September 24 - Pub lunch in The Bell
  • Saturday September 27 – Harvest Supper in the village hall at 7.30pm
  • Sunday September 28 - Harvest Festival Family Service at 10.00am in St Nicholas church
  • Friday October 3 - Coffee and Cake at The Bell 10.00am until 12.00pm. Open for everyone to call in.
  • Saturday October 4 - Theatre in the Villages performance by Morgan & West “Top Victorian Magicians” in the village hall at 7.30pm. Contact Margaret Morbey 208913 for tickets