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Please may we have items for the September Diary by 18 August. They can
be left with Sylvia Judge, 55 High Street; Ben Tottenham, Vicarage Cottage,
Back Lane; 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 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
Although it is raining as I write this (the gardens need it), the summer
has been with us for the past month, albeit rather overcast and muggy
at times. The weather has certainly been grand for the past week, even
if too hot for some. In spite of dry spells the vegetation is quite lush
this year due no doubt to the continuous rain last autumn.
This is the time of year when the water plants come into their own, hemp
agrimony, monkey flower (mimulus), figwort, yellow and purple loosestrife
(these two belong to different families), also skullcap with its small
blue flowers in pairs up the stem. This plant is not very common but I
came upon it quite recently growing at the water's edge of the Hungerford
Canal. In the same area grew burr-reed and various rushes: damp ground
nearby had some orchids in flower: some other types prefer the drier chalk
down-land. It is the pink varieties that are most likely to be seen in
this region but on holiday in western Ireland I had the pleasure of finding
both bee and fly orchids, and also a lovely white orchid. One little plant
that is thriving particularly well in my garden this year is the scarlet
pimpernel. At least it is not invasive like bindweed or ground elder.
In this part of the country you may have noticed that a few farmers are
devoting a field to wild flowers. One such is at Shalbourne, which I visited
in early July. Instead of seeing a scattering of wild flowers they were
growing in clumps, scabious, St John's wort, agrimony and many others
all labelled, so a good place to take children. There was also a pond
surrounded by water-loving plants and, as it was a warm and sunny afternoon,
a large blue dragon fly was circling overhead.
As yet I have not seen many butterflies in the garden. Some whites, fortunately
not too many but a good variety, are to be seen on the downs above the
village. That is where the marbled whites can be seen feeding on the knapweed.
May you find some interesting flora and fauna when on holiday in other
places.
Rosie Pauline
Bird Notes
July has been a quiet month as far as my bird watching is concerned.
I can however report sightings of a Grasshopper Warbler reeling behind
the Fire Station and at Seven Bridges. Also at Seven Bridges were two
male Reed Buntings singing from the top of two bushes but the sighting
that gave me a buzz was a family party of Sedge Warblers flitting through
the grasses.
This time last year Red Kite and Hobby were everywhere but this year there
are a handful of Buzzards and Kestrels and that's about it. I am sometimes
asked what to do with fledgling birds which appear to have been abandoned,
the best thing to do is leave them well alone. Their parents are usually
nearby. I find these things are best left to mother nature!
John Marshall
Rainfall
The rainfall for the month to 18 July was 1.97 inches, average 2.03 inches.
Post Office News
If you use a cash point machine and bank with Lloyds, Barclays, Alliance
& Leicester or Girobank, you can now do the same at the Post Office,
free of charge. Some other banks are also available. Please come in and
ask for details. We now stock DVDs as well as Videos. New releases this
month - Tuxedo - Gangs of New York - Catch me if you can.
Desk Top Publisher
The Editors of the Diary are looking for a Desk Top Publisher to join
the team producing the Diary. Richard Bushnell has recently retired after
years of service, for which we are all most grateful, and we need a successor
to share the monthly task of setting the diary for the printer. We now
communicate between the team members by email but can accommodate other
means. If you can help once in every three months please get in touch
with either of the Editors at the addresses given at the Diary masthead.
Nature Reserve
There was a poor response to the Diary appeal for volunteers to help
in the annual clearing of the Reserve. Six members of the Horticultural
Society gave sterling work and fifteen sixth formers from Wootton Bassett
School came by school bus. A sincere thank you to those who came and worked
on one of the hottest days this year. A greater team effort will be needed
in future to maintain the Reserve as a village amenity.
Ramsbury & Axford Link
Ken Taylor, the Coordinator, reported at the last Committee meeting that
107 tasks had been undertaken by volunteers since the Link started. People
had been taken to hospitals, the dentist, the P.O. or the Bank; to visit
relations or just for a drive. Volunteers also visit housebound people
for a chat, to collect shopping or to do small household jobs. We try
to find a volunteer for any task you would ask a friend or neighbour to
do. Call the Link line 520111 if you need help. We always need more volunteers,
especially drivers - please call Joy Wilson 520848 or Tessa Rissone 520712
if you would like to join us. Susan Findlay - Chairman.
Publicising Village Events - a reminder
Organisers of village events are reminded that they should enter details
in the Events Diary held in the Post Office at the earliest possible date
to avoid the clashing of major events. An example of the failure to do
so occurred on 13 July when four important functions took place but only
one diary entry was made, viz. The Donkey Derby, The Open Gardens, The
Dog Show and The Conservative luncheon. Please remember.
Genetic Modification (GM) - The National Debate
A public meeting was held on 14 July as part of the nationwide debate
prior to the Government decision on whether GM crops should be grown commercially.
Speakers were Jo Ripley of 'Friends of the Earth' and Sam Page, an agricultural
scientist who has worked overseas. The 'pro' lobby was not represented.
GM crops have one or other gene added which confers properties not necessarily
occurring naturally. The main use at present is to produce herbicide-resistant
crops (maize, oil seed rape, soya, cotton & sugar-beet). GM could
be used to improve keeping qualities of food, to produce pharmaceuticals
or to increase yields.
Jo Ripley was concerned about the potential effect on the environment,
the long term effect of eating them and that production was controlled
by a very few multi-national companies. Whilst farming and medicine might
benefit, Sam Page felt that each crop required separate safety testing:
current testing was inadequate. Booklets giving both sides of the argument
and addresses for further information are available in the library.
Some points of concern raised by the audience were:
" Seeds from some GM crops are made sterile so that farmers cannot
save seed for future years' planting.
" In the third world, distribution problems and corruption contribute
more to food shortage than poor yields.
" In the UK, cross-pollination threatens the status of organic food
and farmers.
" In the UK, food must be labelled if it contains more than 1% GM
ingredients but animal feed is not labelled. In the US, labelling is not
mandatory.
" A local farmer could see short term advantage but experience in
Canada was that long term use led to weeds which cannot be controlled
without the use of strong herbicides
" GM crosses the species barrier, e.g. bacterial genes in maize,
fish genes in tomatoes. This cannot occur in nature and might give rise
to genetic abnormalities in man.
" A straw poll supported deferment of commercial growing for 3-5
years pending more conclusive tests.
The consultation process is very low key but comments may still be made
to MP or Dept of Environment.
Sheila Glass - PC Chairman
Ramsbury WI
The next meeting will be on Thursday 7 August at 7.45 pm in the Methodist
School Room. Mr Redmond will speak on 'A Geriatric on a Bicycle through
Jordan' and the competition will be for an unusual stone.
At the last meeting, members stood in memory of a former President Evelyn
Hughes, who had recently died.
On 5 July, some members enjoyed a visit to the famous Abbey House Gardens
in Malmesbury.
Amenity Group Guided Walks
There will be guided walks to Park Farm (4 miles) on Sunday 10 August
and to Liddington Hill (4¼ miles) sharing cars on Sunday 24 August.
Meet at 2 pm at the Tree, with dogs under control.
Tennis Activity Week 11th - 15th August
Ramsbury Tennis Club with Kennet District Council will provide Tennis
and Multi-Activities for children aged 6-12 from 9 am - 4 pm daily from
11-15 August. The activities will include Fun Games, Rounders, Kwik Cricket,
Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Football, Art, Pop Lacrosse and Basketball.
The cost is £65 per week (members), £75 (non - members); £13
or £15 per day. To register ring Roger Henry on 01672 520395.
Axford Bingo
There will be Bingo in the Village Hall on Wednesdays 13 and 27 August.
Ramsbury Flyer
(The Community Bus also has
its own page at www.ramsbury.com/flyer).
The next visit to Newbury will be on 14 August leaving the Tree at 11.30
am and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm. Book with Muriel Lye on 520555.
KDC "Activate"
The village is being visited by Kennet District Council's roadshow. This
is an extension of the Active Zone Camps. The playing fields and Memorial
Hall have been booked from 2 - 4 pm on Thursdays 7, 14, 21 & 28 August
when the van loaded with the very latest in summer fun equipment will
visit Ramsbury for games, sports and arts activities, come rain or shine.
It could be messy so wear suitable clothing. Ages 5 - 12 years. Bring
sunscreen and sun-cap or hat. Cost £2.50. No pre - booking needed:
just turn up and pay on the day.
Ramsbury Horticultural Society - Summer Show
The Society's main event of the year, the Summer Show, takes place from
2 pm in the Memorial Hall on Saturday 16 August. You do not have to be
a member to enter items in the show and we would like to see as many entries
as possible. Entry forms are included in the Show Schedule available from
the Post Office or from the Show Secretary Brian Twigger 520533, email
brian.twigger@ntlworld.com.
THANKS
The Horticultural Society would like to thank the owners of all participating
gardens, all the helpers and Anthony Setter for supervising all the arrangements
for the 'Gardens Open' event. Over £800 net (including from the
teas stalls) was raised for 'Project 2005' - towards additional recreational
facilities for the village. The total raised at this annual event since
1993 now amounts to £12,800 all of which has been donated.
Nigel wishes to thank all the kind friends who sent cards etc., gave
lifts and offers of support during Evelyn's final illness.
Many thanks to all who supported the Coffee Morning and Jumble Sale at
the Methodist Church.
£234-50 was raised for Church Funds and a donation of £50
was sent to National Children's Homes.
The Coffee Morning and Sale in aid of the Arthritis Research Campaign
on 19 July raised over £1,400. The organisers are most grateful
to everyone who supported the event so generously once again.
Photographs by John Burrows and Georgina Treherne of the flowers in St.
Michael's Church, taken during the Axford and Stitchcombe Open Gardens
are now available from Bridget Treherne 512406.
ADVANCE NOTICES
There are booking forms for the next Ramsbury Charity Ball
on 6 September at the Crown & Anchor. Tables are still available.
'Sixteen types of Happiness' is the title of a show coming
to Ramsbury on Friday 12 September. Performed by Big State Theatre, a
professional touring group and arranged by Rural Arts Wiltshire in conjunction
with the Memorial Hall Trustees, it is packed with delightfully recognisable
characters. Tickets will be available in mid August from the Post Office
and Midway Stores. Adults £6, Concessions £3, Family Ticket
£15.
The Priory Singers will return at the weekend of 13/14 September
for a concert in Holy Cross Church.
The Flyer will be going to Newbury Show on Sunday 21 September
leaving the Tree at 9.30 am. Fare £2. Book with Muriel Lye on 520555.
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