Ramsbury and Axford
Village Diary August 2002 published by Ramsbury
and Axford Amenity Group.
You can read this page from top to bottom, or click on these links to jump straight to the bit you want.
LINK Scheme
BT computers
Ramsbury WI
Mills Butchers
Horticultural Society
Silver Band
Amenity Group
Parish Council
Axford Bingo
Ramsbury Flyer
Axford Fete
Cream Teas
And on other pages.
Ramsbury & Axford Village Diary - August 2002
Please may we have items for the September Diary by 18 August. They can be left with Sylvia Judge, 55 High Street or Ben Tottenham, Vicarage Cottage, Back Lane, at the shop counter at the Post Office or by email to Diary@Ramsbury.com. We have been publishing the Village Diary at www.ramsbury.com/diary since July 1998 and have regular readers around the world. If anyone in Ramsbury would like to find out more about the Internet, please visit www.ramsbury.com and contact Peter Raper by email or phone 521092.
Webmaster's note: Contributions sent by e-mail
to Diary@Ramsbury.com will
be automatically forwarded to Sylvia Judge without my seeing them.
Nature Notes
Summer arrived in mid July, but will it last I wonder! This is the weather
to bring out the butterflies to feed on the buddleia. Not that I have
seen many: a few speckled woods, some meadow browns, a small white plus
the larger cabbage white around the brussel plants. We do not want too
many of those. During the month I have received reports of two types of
moths. The flrst was of a hawk moth, the privet one perhaps which has
pink bands on its body and under wings. The next report was of three garden
tiger moths (arctia caja). I also saw one in Isles Road so perhaps it
is a good year for the species.
At this time of year the field scabies is flowering. Usually it is a pale
mauve in colour but I have seen one plant with quite deep blueish flowers
but the usual deeply cut leaves. There is plenty of hedge woundwort displaying
its deep red flowers just now but the other day I noticed a plant with
a larger head and on close inspection I realised that it was a plant of
wild sage, which does not have the grey green leaves of the garden sage.
This is also the time of year when the wild honeysuckle is in bloom and
the various vetches are giving good patches of colour, such as the tufted
vetch with its mass of blue-violet flowers and the yellow vetchling which
can reach quite a height when it scrambles over the other hedgerow plants.
Have you noticed that the flowers of the brambles vary from white to pink?
The specialists will tell you that there are many different varieties
of brambles, some giving better berries than others.
On sunny mornings when the Kennet is very clear a few trout can be seen
from the bridge. On one such morning I counted seven though most were
small. Have you any frogs or toads in your garden to eat the pests including
slugs? My garden has both but it is usually a frog I disturb when weeding.
I am not sure which of us got the greater shock when one landed on my
back. It then rested among the debris before returning to the undergrowth.
Rosie Pauline
Bird Notes
In early July, two gliders were flying in a thermal over Springs Hill.
A buzzard joined them for a couple of circuits and then flew off, almost
oblivious to its company!
The Red Kite has been seen over the village and Springs Hill and one stayed
for at least half an hour near Bridge Farm.
It is interesting to watch other birds reactions to approaching Birds
of Prey. If you hear a swallow making its warning call which sounds like
a terse `twait', it is probable that there will be a Hobby or a Sparrow
hawk nearby! They don't appear to be too phased by Kestrels as they can
be around and get totally ignored.
A gentleman told me of a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker flying into a French
Door in Union Street. It was stunned but managed to fly away after about
ten minutes.
Other notable sightings in the last week include Tree Pipits in Hens Wood
and Cettis Warbler at Seven Bridges.
John Marshall
Rainfall
Rainfall for the month to 18 July was 2.78 inches, average 2.43 inches.
Ramsbury & Axford Link
Scheme
Two Volunteer Recruitment Offlcers have responded
to the appeal and the Scheme is making progress.
BT Computers
BT are running a scheme to provide community groups
and voluntary organisations with computers (see last month's diary). The
deadline is 9 August. Contact BT Community Connections PO Box 30775 London
WClB 4QE, or www.btcommunityconnecrions.com
Ramsbury WI
On Thursday 1 August the WI will meet at Holy Cross Church at 6.30 pm
for a walk round historic Ramsbury led by Barbara Croucher. The walk will
be followed by a buffet supper for members at the Crown & Anchor.
Mills Butchers
Mills Butchers will be closing on Saturday 3 August. They have invited
all their customers and friends to a retirement tea party in the Memorial
Hall at 4 pm on Sunday 4 August when there will be an opportunity to thank
them for their service to the village since 1938.
Ramsbury Horticultural Society
The Summer Show will be held in the Memorial Hall on
Saturday 10 August. You do not have to be a member of the Society to enter
items in the show and there are many cups and certificates to be won.
Entry forms (available from the Post Office) should be taken to the Memorial
Hall on Friday 9 August between 5 pm and 7 pm or between 8 am and 9 am
on the Saturday. Consult Brian Twigger 520353 or Creoffrey Rissone 520544
on any problems.
Ramsbury Silver Band
Ramsbury Silver Band invites you
to a musical afternoon tea on Sunday 11 August from 2.45 - 4.15 pm in
the gardens of Ramsbury Hill (by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Blunt),
and hopes for your support. The free concert will be in the Church Room
if the weather is unfavourable. Tea, coffee, cake and cream teas will
be available to buy and all proceeds will go towards the cost of music
and equipment for the band.
Ramsbury Amenity Group
GUIDED WALKS
There will be a guided walk of four miles to Piggs Hill on Sunday 11 August,
taking cars to Preston. On Sunday 25 August meeting at the Tree at 2 pm,
the walk of four miles will be to Great Coppice.
Parish Council
AMENITY SKIPS
There will be no skips in August.
WILTSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE
The Wiltshire Air Ambulance needs all the support the people of Wiltshire
can give it. Receiving no statutory funding, its hours of operation have
more than doubled. In June 2001 it extended its hours so that the helicopter
service operated from 8 am - 3 am, 19 hours of flying covering both day
and night. The Air Ambulance Appeal now has to raise over £320,000
in a financial year, or more than £6000 per week. If you wish to
support the Appeal, please contact Steve Chesworth, Dorman House, Malmesbury
Road, Chippenham, Wilts 5N15 SLN
(Parish Council contacts and
minutes of meetings can be viewed at www.ramsbury.com/council)
Axford Village Hall Bingo
There will be Bingo in Axford Village Hall on Wednesdays 14 and 28 August.
Ramsbury Flyer
(The Community Bus also
has its own page at www.ramsbury.com/flyer)
The Flyer will visit Newbury on Thursday 15 August (the
third Thursday for this month only) leaving from the Tree at 11.30 am
and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm. To book, ring Muriel Lye on 520555
or Pat Scott on 520924.
Axford Jubilee Fete
Axford Jubilee Fete will be held on Saturday 24 August
from 2 - S pm in the Jubilee Field. The Silver Band will play and there
will be stalls, sideshows, competitions and a display of vintage cars.
Prizes for the Grand and Sporting Draws will be pressnted at 4.30 pm followed
by a Duck Race on the Kennet. Entrance 50p. Car Boot Sale £S pre
booked, £8 on the day, Vans £10/l5. In aid of St Michaels
Church and the Village Hall. Enquiries to Mrs Hart 520626 or Mrs Treheme
512406.
Westfield Farm House Cream Teas
Cream Teas and Nativity Collage Christmas Cards, Tapestry Jigsaws and
Notelets will be on sale from 3 - 5 pm on Sunday 25 August at Westfield
Farm House, Mill Lane. The proceeds will go to Holy Cross Church.
THANKS
RED CROSS
A total of £3979 was raised for the Funds of the Society by the
Ramsbury Centre during Red Cross Week. The organisers wish to express
their sincere thanks and appreciation to both donors and collectors for
this ready response to the 2002 Appeal.
ADVANCE NOTICES
TREASURE HUNT
There will be a Sacred and Profane Treasure Hunt in aid of Ramsbury Church
Funds driving through beautiful countryside following clues to churches
and pubs on Sunday 1 September starting from the Church Room, Back Lane
between 3 & 5 pm. Cost will be £5 per car with a £50 prize
and wine for the runners up. There is a separate quiz for children with
Toys-R-Us vouchers as prizes.
CONCERT
An organ and choir concert "A Miscellany of Sound" will be held
at Holy Cross Church at 7.30 pm on Saturday 14 September in aid of Church
Funds. Tickets price £5 from Peter Rapson, Midway Stores or Jean
Cocker at 20 Isles Court.
RAMSBURY AMENITY GROUP
The Amenity Group will be visiting Avebury for a guided tour round the
Museum on Saturday 14 September leaving by Flyer at 1.45 pm and returning
at 4.30 pm.
THE WATERMILL THEATRE
The Watermill Theatre, touring for the Autumn Season, will be presenting
"I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls" in the Memorial Hall at 7.30
pm on Saturday 21 September. This play, set in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh
in the early half of the last century, is a warm and witty love story
of a woman torn between her love for two men on opposite sides of the
Irish troubles. Tickets, on a first come first served basis and priced
£5, are obtainable from Peter Page, Roy Alexander or John Lye.
COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE
The Countryside Alliance is organising a March in London on Sunday 22
September. A coach will be going from Ramsbury. Anyone wishing to book
a seat should contact Peter Brown 520776 or Ben Tottenham 520308.
NEWBURY SHOW
Anyone intending to go to the Newbury Show on Saturday 21 or Sunday 22
September can obtain their tickets in advance from Peter Rapson's offlce
in The Square and make considerable savings. Tickets can be bought for
14 days before the Show and up to 5 pm on Friday 20 September, and can
be used on either day. The Flyer will be going to the Newbury Show on
Sunday 22 September leaving the Tree at 9.30 am. The fare will be £2.
RAVENSBURY PLAYERS
The Ravensbury Players will present "Crown Matrimonial" by Royce
Ryton from 20 - 23 November. This play focuses on the private family drama
of Edward VIII and the Royal Family leading up to the abdication in 1936.
To enable the Players to mount the production realistically they are looking
for suitable, drapes, furniture and costumes. If you can help in any way
please contact Sheila Hobbs on 521163.
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