Happy Christmas Everyone

 

Local Xmas Turkeys

 A few 4 and 5 kg local, free range Bronze turkeys are available from D’Oyleys farm Stadhampton 

www.doyleysfarm.co.uk  for anyone who has not yet got their turkey organised

Please order online or contact Phil White.

Carol Singing - Thursday 22nd

 

This Sunday. Not to be missed.

 

This Thursday...

 

Historical Society - Progress Report

 

Chearsley Village Historical Society
Progress Report
 December 2022

 

Plans for the development of a Chearsley Village Historical Society (CVHS) were outlined at two village meetings during the current year - on Thursday 12^th May and more recently on Wednesday 7^th September.

 

The following notes briefly summarise the further progress made in recent months.

Steering Group:

A Steering Group has been established to oversee the development of the Chearsley Village Historical Society. Its main work in its meetings to date has been the preparation of a Governance Statement, which will describe the purpose of the new organisation and how its mission will be achieved. This is an essential first step in ensuring that the CVHS organisation is developed along properly considered guidelines and it is also a pre-requisite needed to support any application for external funding. It is hoped to circulate a final proposal to all interested parties in January or February next year.

The current members of the Steering Group are:

Derek Allen, Graham Barry, John Howard, John Lewis, Sharon Sampson, Karen Vear, Sarah Vickers and Julia Wood.
 

Project Groups:

The Stockwell Restoration Project continues to move forward. Restoration of the village pond and landscaping works in the adjacent area took place earlier this year.

More recently the existing pump was replaced by a new or rather a restored pump, dating from the early years of the 20^th Century. This pump was discovered in the garden of ‘Merrifield’ in Dark Lane and is believed to have been originally located at The Stockwell.

   

 Further landscaping and kerbing works adjacent to the site will take place in the next few months and further research into the historical role of the site within our village community will be concluded.

The current members of the Stockwell Restoration Project Group are:
Derek Allen, Paul Bown, Ian Houseman, John Howard and John Lewis.

The Chearsley Village School Project Group has held two meetings in recent months. Its purpose is to collect more documentary, photographic and othe evidence relating to the school to illustrate its vital role within our village community. The group has already received a very positive response to its request for information and photographs.

It is also intended to put together an audio library based on interviews with those who attended school before its closure in 1988.

 It is also hoped to stage a Chearsley Village School Reunion event during 2023.

 Current members of the Chearsley Village School Project Group are:

Anne Adams, Gladys Arnott, Christine Collins, Peter Collins, John Howard, Sandra Saunders,

Tricia Tokeley, Karen Vear.

Here’s a photograph of ‘The Class of 1978…..any familiar faces?

 

….or how about ‘The Class of 1985’?

 

Two further groups will start work in the New Year.

 A Chearsley Pub Revival Group will conduct further research into the five pubs which sold beer in the village during the last couple of centuries:

The Bell, The Boot, The Pig & Whistle, The Plough, The Red Lion and The White Horse

 …..and a’ Chearsley Pub Revival Day’ is also being planned

A Chearsley Historical Project Group will start to conduct further research into the impact of a range of key external events in English history on the community of Chearsley from Saxon times through the Middle Ages.

 

Other historical ‘events’ which took place in the village this year included:

 

·        St Nicholas Church History Day (Sunday 20^th March)

 

 Chearsley Cricket Club Centenary Dinner & Dance (Saturday 19^th November): 

The next CVHS village meeting will take place in the Village Hall on the evening of Thursday 9^th February.

This will provide a further opportunity to provide an update on the range of activities being undertaken by our new organisation and hear views from our community on how best to take things forward.

In the meantime, have a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

This Sunday

Although it's not December yet, the season of Advent begins this Sunday 27th November.  

If you're looking for something more traditional, then why not come along to the first Communion service of Advent in the morning, or to the first of the Carol services, featuring the Benefice Choir.

 10:00am - Advent Communion (St Nicholas's, Chearsley)

6:00pm - Advent Carol Service (St Mary's, Long Crendon)

 

Don’t forget to also put in your diaries:

11th Dec 6pm Lessons and Carols

24th Dec  3.30pm - Nativity / Crib – do come dressed up ( I have costumes if you would like to borrow one )

24th Dec 11pm – Midnight Communion – always quiet, beautiful and candlelit.

25th Dec - 10am - Christmas Praise

Tree Lighting

 

Christmas Services

 

This Sunday

Come along and meet up with friends at Chearsley Village Hall for coffee and cake on Sunday, and start your Christmas shopping – mince-pies, puddings, cakes and Chearsley Orchard apple juice, cards, gifts, decorations, hand-crafted wooden Christmas trees, children’s illustrated books signed by the authors, gorgeous gift boxes of ‘planet friendly’ skin-care products …

 

Remembrance Sunday

 

Our Remembrance Sunday service at the War Memorial this year was blessed with glorious autumn sunshine

 A big thank you to all those contributed to this moving and memorable occasion.

The service was taken by our Lay Minister, John Scholefield, who recalled all those from our village who sacrificed their lives during both World Wars.

 Air Marshall Susan Gray, representing the serving members of the armed forces, and Annalise Smith, wife of Greg, our local MP, both laid wreaths on the War Memorial.

Pupils of Cuddington and Dinton School placed wreaths on behalf of their schools and other youngsters from our village placed crosses at its base, alongside those already placed by the children from CHUF.  

In addition to those from our own community, it was also an occasion to remember all those who have lost their lives in other conflicts around the world. In particular, a special tribute was paid to Georgii Lysenko , son of Sergii and Nataliia and brother to Timo who now live locally. Georgii, a translator in the army, was recently killed on active service in the war in Ukraine.

Finally, sincere thanks to Sharon and her team at The Bell who provided refreshments  in the pub garden after the service.

This Sunday

 

The WI

 

November Services

 

Food Bank Collection in Chearsley

Following the closure of the Village Shop,  a Food Bank Collection Box will be located in the bus shelter at the top of School Lane.

This will provide another collection point in the village for those wishing to make donations, in addition to the one already located in the porch at the Church.

 

The donations received will continue to be shared between food banks in Thame & Aylesbury, co-ordinated by St Nicholas Church.

Chearsley Conservation Area and planning restrictions and permissions required

 Much of Chearsley is in a designated Conservation Area. The exact area is shown on the first page of this document here

Development can take place in a Conservation Area, but is subject to greater control. The following is a list of types of development that are controlled by Conservation Area designation, and therefore require applications for planning permission or Conservation Area consent. The additional conditions are explained in this document here 

Note that any trees above a certain size cannot be felled or pruned without applying for and gaining planning permission  as outlined below in the short extract of the document below.

Note this list is not exhaustive: 

- Trees within Conservation Areas with stem diameters of 75mm or greater when measured at a height of 1.5m above ground level are protected. Anyone wishing to work on such trees must normally give six weeks notice to the Local Authority. Replacement planting duties may apply.

- Demolition of all and in some cases part, of any building or structure. 

- Any extension of two or more storeys that extends to the rear and any extension that extends to the side.

- Any enlargement consisting of an addition or alteration to its roof, such as a dormer window. 

- Cladding, any part of the outside of a building with materials such as stone, artificial stone, timber, plastic or tile.

- The erection, extension or alterations of garden structures and outbuildings (such as a shed), situated on land between the side elevation of a dwelling house and the boundary of the curtilage of that dwelling house.

- A satellite dish or a chimney, flue or soil and vent pipe, installed on a front or side wall or roof slope that fronts a highway.

- Solar panels installed on a wall that fronts a highway; or a stand-alone solar array that would be closer than the existing dwelling to any highway which bounds the property.

- Tighter advertisement controls.

The Village Poppy Appeal

The Royal British Legion ‘Poppy Appeal’ for 2022 has begun.

Our volunteers will be visiting homes in the village over the coming days to ask for your donations – please support this worthy cause if you can.

Sincere thanks to this year’s Poppy Appeal ‘team’ – Alex Wall Morris, Anne Burnett, Geoff Olding, Gill Wight, Karen Vear and Suzanne Jacobs - one of whom may be knocking on your door in the near future.

If you would like to make a direct donation, our volunteers will have details of this year’s Poppy Appeal bank details to enable you to make an online transfer of funds.

The traditional Remembrance Day service will take place at our War Memorial on Sunday 13th November starting at 10.45 am.

Chearsley News 27/10/22

Village Shop Survey

Sadly our village shop has had to close due to financial difficulties arising from a lack of customers.

 The Parish Council is keen to understand why this situation has arisen and to establish if there is support in the village for another shop.  It needs to understand what sort of shop might be viable, the potential level of support and how it might be managed (i.e. commercially operated or run by volunteers). 

To assist with this, the Council is asking residents please to complete the short survey presented here. There will also be hard copies distributed in the village shortly. It will take only a few minutes and is completely ANONYMOUS.  Even if you did not use the shop or have no interest in using one in the future, it would be very helpful if you would complete the survey.  

The Parish Council will host an open village meeting on Thursday Nov 10th 7.30pm which will provide another opportunity to ask questions and share your thoughts.  You are also welcome of course to send any questions or further comments not covered in the survey to pcteam@chearsley.com

 Deadline to complete the survey is Friday 11 November - thank you in advance!

Chearsley Village Historical Society - Village School Group

As many will be aware, Chearsley Village School was forced to close its doors in July 1988, having been an integral part of our village community for over 100 years. Under the banner of our new village historical society, a Chearsley Village School Group held an inaugural meeting during last week, with the aim of creating a detailed record of historical materials, illustrating life at the school over all those years. It is also planned to hold a ‘Chearsley Village School Reunion’ event during 2023.

We would therefore like to make contact with as many of the school’s ‘former pupils’ as possible, who’d be happy to share their memories and photographs of their school days.

If you went to the school or you have family members or friends who did, please do get in touch with John Howard (jnh@dbmc.co.uk or 07970 651326) – with contact details and the years of attendance at the school.

We looking forward to hearing from you.

Worship , Healing and Prophetic Ministry - 12th November

 

Christmas Eve - Date for your diary

 

Christingle & Star Lighting

 

Bonfire - 13th November

 

Church Services this month

 

Village News

 Village Shop in danger of closing at end of October 2022

The current lessee has been losing money as sales have not covered expenses for several months so has stated that he is looking to give up the lease whose term ends this month. Therefore the Parish Council is meeting to ascertain what, if anything, can be done. If you have any views or suggestions please send to chearsleypc@chearsley.com or attend the village meeting on the 17th October at the Village Hall

The next Parish Council meeting is at the Village Hall 7.30 pm Monday October 17th

The final agenda will be put up on the noticeboard as usual. The potential village shop closure will be an agenda item as noted above.

Chearsley Car Show on October 2

Despite being rearranged at short notice due to the death of the Queen, this was a great success with some 350 exhibitors and a profit of ~£6,000 which will go to the cricket club. There was a tremendous turnout of volunteers and much hard work to ensure this was such a success. Thanks to the committee, all those that helped through the day and all those who donated prizes, bottles, cakes etc

Wetland Restoration Project at Manor Farm

More details of this project can be found at this link. https://riverthame.org/chearsley-wetland-creation/

Donations sought to improve Chearsley to Notley Path by raising the bridge across the stream

New wide gates are being fitted either side of the little footbridge and to build up the ground level both on the Haddenham side and across the front of the steel field gate. This will entail Nick laying down 100 tons of his chalk to provide a raised walkway where it perennially floods. This will be capped with 20 tons of 70/40 mm aggregate to provide a firm and hopefully immovable raised path from the bridge to the mill race embankment - see photo below. The cost of this aggregate delivered to site at £23/ton is £460. We will raise the field gate on the RHS so that it can still be opened over the new raised path.

On the Haddenham side of the bridge 20 tons of Type 1 aggregate will bring up the field ground level at the bridge, again where it floods - see photo below. 20 tons at £32/ton will cost £640.

The total cost with VAT is £1,320. Haddenham RIPPLE has promised £200. Chearsley PC have contributed £200 already and several other individuals have already contributed.If you would like to consider donating towards this project please send to :

Mr WJ Piers Sort: 07-01-16 Acct: 40931965

Donors will be recognised by a plaque on the bridge.

the WI 18th October

 

Quiz Night - 2nd December

 

Messy Church

This is our first proper Messy Church since Easter, so do come along and re-connect with friends or make new ones, while trying out various crafts, games and activities.  Then sit down and enjoy a meal together.

We are a little short of helpers so if anyone is able to come along and help set up, provide a cake, help in the kitchen or on a craft table, please let sharon@cloverdale.biz know.  Many thanks

Happy Harvest

Many thanks to everyone who supplied veg or decorations or helped to make our church look beautiful. It is all ready for our Harvest Service at 10am tomorrow. Do come along and join in with "We Plough The Fields and Scatter"and hear a talk from our new curate John.

 

Chearsley Hogget, School hosting and Manor Farm News from Rose Dale

Half a hogget meat box - £175

Hogget is basically a big lamb, kept until its second summer. I am trialling hogget with my slow-reared, pure grass-fed sheep. Apparently superb roasted, slow-cooked or fried, hogget is a delicious version of lamb. The meat becomes slightly fuller in flavour and the animal is larger, meaning well-sized chops, cutlets and more meat including the possibility of lean, diced lamb cut from the top of the leg. I have 12 half hoggets available this week, first come first served. You will receive a handsome shoulder, leg, rack, packs of chops, neck steaks on the bone, mince and diced meat in your box which will feed the family with delicious healthy meat for a long time. Each box is excellent value at £175 and all cuts are vacuum-packed in convenient portions and labelled and ready to put in the freezer or enjoy immediately.

Please order by emailing me on rose@rosedalesorganicfarm.com

Manor Farm News 

Dear all,

Autumn has finally arrived after a long, dry summer. The warmth was most enjoyable (apart perhaps from the brief period of blistering heat) but it has been challenging for farmers. The grass stopped growing and we and many other local livestock farmers ended up having to feed hay and silage. This is really intended for the winter so I am wondering if we will have enough food for the long winter months.

Usually, the grass stops growing by November and doesn’t start again until April, so we need 5 or 6 months’ worth of food set aside and they eat a remarkably large amount! Even now, there is hardly a drop of rain and the usual September second flush of grass growth has barely happened.

Being organic and wishing to stop unsustainable food practices like feeding grain or other imported foods to livestock, we plan to have the right amount of stock that the farm itself can sustain, producing our own hay and silage to get everything through the winter but this year we might be caught out.

The hedges are absolutely laden with berries, hips and haws and are looking truly splendid. They will be a welcome sight to the migrating birds, like redwings and fieldfares, that come down from the north to overwinter in our milder climes. I have never seen such wonderful blackberries. I have been picking and freezing small bags of them to throw into apple crumbles over the winter. Lots get eaten on the daily walks around the farm, even the dogs enjoy picking and eating them! With the last of the sun, there a still a few late-season butterflies on the farm. Last week I saw a wonderful comma (a butterfly with wavy-edged wings) and a couple of clouded yellows which I have not seen in recent years.

I have just started a course on hosting school visits on the farm – risk assessments and so on will be covered but also how to make the visits as worthwhile as possible for the children visiting, including covering aspects of their curricula. Being outdoors allows a completely different learning experience and often children who are switched off in the classroom become much more attuned when outside. It’s also an interesting change for the teachers. I am excited about sharing the farm but a bit nervous too. However, I feel sure that connecting with nature and being outdoors is very good for children’s wellbeing both physical and mental and I am looking forward to it.

I would like to invite teachers and children from local schools so, if anyone is interested, please get in touch with me.

All the best,

Rose Dale, Manor Farm

This Sunday

If you would like me to collect food for the Food Bank, please leave it on your doorstep on Saturday morning and send me a message on sharon@cloverdale.biz or 07767 310456.  

At the moment food banks urgently need:

Bottles of squash

Semi-skimmed UHT milk (green cartons)

UHT fruit juice

Tins of meat

Tins of potatoes

Jars of jam

They are low on stock of :

 Washing machine powder/tabs
Tins of rice pudding
Tins of custard and puddings
Jars of instant coffee
Granulated sugar (500g)
Tins of soup
Tins of fish (tuna, sardines, pilchards)
Jars of pasta sauce

Tins of veg

Tins of pulses (lentis, beans)

Tins of fruit

Crisps & savoury snacks

Toiletries for men

Chocolate/sweets

Nappies - size 2, 5 and 6

Memorial Service

Memorial Service

Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

A Memorial Service for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be held at 7.30 pm this Wednesday, 14th September. Please meet on the green at 7.15 pm for a procession down to the church. All are welcome.

Pet Service Postponed

In light of the Queen's sad passing, we have decided to postpone the Pet Service that was due to take place this Sunday.

Open Church

 

St Nicholas’ Church is open everyday and you're invited to sign the Book of Condolence, light a candle, and leave floral tributes around the altar, in memory of Queen Elizabeth. There will also be a Village Memorial Service next week – details will be circulated once we have finalised the date. Thank you and God Bless.  

 

Chearsley Car Show Postponed

 The organisers of the Chearsley Village Classic and Vintage Fun Day have decided not to go ahead with the show, which was due to take place this Sunday (11^th September).

 

This decision was made as a mark of respect following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on Thursday, in recognition of her outstanding service to the nation over so many years.

 

However, it is now planned to go ahead with the show on a new date of Sunday 2^nd October and further details will be announced in due course.

Prayers for our Queen

 At this time of shock and grief, we give thanks for the life and service of Queen Elizabeth, we pray for the Royal Family, and we commend her into the arms of her loving Heavenly Father.

Prayers will be said in church at 9.30pm tonight (Thursday).

And at 8.30am tomorrow (Friday).

All our welcome to come to these services. We’ll send out a further announcement tomorrow inviting you to pay your respects in church over the coming days. There will also be a Memorial Service in church in the coming week

Church Services this month

If you would like to donate food to the Food Bank for harvest, please bring it to the service or Harvest  Lunch.  Otherwise, please leave it on your doorstep on Sat 24th and contact sharon@cloverdale.biz and we will pick it up.

 

Chearsley Apple Juice

Many thanks to everyone who helped harvest the bumper crop of apples from Chearsley Allotment Orchard yesterday, and especially to Mark Gillis for transporting them to the press. The bottled juice will be on sale at the Harvest lunch on Sunday 25^th September 12.30 – 2.30 at Manor Farm Barn. Everyone is welcome! For more details, contact alicia@greatbarn.net

 

Harvest Time