Ramsbury & Axford Village Diary
June 2004

Nature Notes
Bird Notes
Rainfall

Best Kept Village
Prince's Trust
Golf Tournament
Ramsbury WI
Marlborough 800
Church Tower
RAG Outing
RBL Ramsbury
Axford Bingo
The Flyer
Ben Elton Exhib.
Guided Walks
Hort. Society
Project 2005

Thanks

Advance Notices

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Contacts for Village Organisations

Ramsbury & Axford Village Diary is published by:

Ramsbury & Axford Amenity Group.

Please may we have items for the July Diary by 18 June. 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 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

How quickly the time comes round to write the monthly piece, especially now the holiday season is upon us. Last month it was the arrival of the spring migrants and now the roses and other summer flowers are beginning to bloom. It is surprising how many are both garden flowers and can be found in the wild, such as Solomon's Seal, Lily of the Valley and many of the hardy geraniums, although the garden varieties of the latter may have slightly larger flowers. Many varieties of euphorbia (spurge) seen in gardens are native to the Mediterranean, but we have our native ones as well such as wood, Irish, Portland and sun spurge, the latter often occurs as a garden weed. Several types of speedwell occur as garden weeds; these belong to the veronica family so if such a name appears on a garden centre plant it is a more highly bred variety of speedwell. I saw such a one when I visited Rosemoor in Devon recently. This is the time of year when the early purple orchid is found on the downs. But they are never as numerous in this area as further south on land that is never disturbed for farming. I noticed this recently on a Devon hedge bank and in a dune slack which though stabilised by grass and other small plants was not lush enough to be grazed.
This is the season when the grasses start to flower, bringing misery to some. The flowers may be small and lack bold colours but when looked at with a hand lens can be quite interesting. The same is true of insects. Should you find a dull red beetle slightly larger than a ladybird with no spots and a greenish metallic sheen to its head, then it is a poplar leaf beetle. If this warm weather continues butterflies will become more numerous, not just the unpopular cabbage white but small skippers, speckled wood and hedge browns etc, also some of the smaller moths that fly by day.
I have never yet seen lizards in this area, but the harmless slow-worm can sometimes be found in damp places, this has quite a golden sheen to its smooth greyish brown skin. Pipistrelle bats are now active on warm evenings as the dusk deepens into night, and they are more common near the river.

Rosie Pauline

Bird Notes

I had a report recently where the contributor had seen five Red Kite over Ramsbury at one time! In the last month I have seen five individually, all to the east of Ramsbury. On 24 April an Osprey flew over the village going north. Even though it was very high you could see it was a huge bird, it does look similar to a Gull albeit a large one. Cetti's Warbler has returned to the Nature Reserve, I recently heard it singing there at 1am! A Woodcock was seen 'Roding' in the late evening down at Charnham Park in Hungerford. Roding is the male's display flight, it flies on a circuit and makes low croaking calls. You can also see this happening at Seven Bridges. On a recent visit to Pentico a total of eight Brown Hare were seen in one field.

John Marshall

Rainfall

The rainfall for the month to 18 May was 2.99 inches, average 2.22 inches.

Best Kept Village Competition

The Junior Footballers and their parents recently started cleaning up Ramsbury. Thanks go to them from Peter Brown who saw them working on a dreary Sunday morning litter picking.. To support this effort, would householders and businesses help by weeding and brushing their own frontages. Judging in June.

The Prince's Trust

The Prince's Trust is looking for people with business experience, who have time to help a young person beginning to start a business. As a volunteer Business Mentor you could really help a young person setting up in business on their own. If you have empathy with young people, are a good communicator and would be happy giving practical advice, support and encouragement on a regular basis, then please contact Peter Page on 520428 for a little more information.

Ramsbury Closed Golf Tournament

Held on May 3, this year's winner was Malcolm McFee. All of the 37 players who competed in this annual event had to live in Ramsbury and Axford. Further details from Robert Osmond, Tel 520568.

Ramsbury WI

The next meeting will be on Thursday 3 June at 7.45 pm in the Methodist School Room. The speaker will be Dr. Andrew Hobley, who will speak on 'King Arthur' - Fact and Fiction'. The competition will be for a royal souvenir. Visitors are always welcome.

Marlborough's 800th Anniversary of its Royal Charter

A Commemorative Brochure will be launched on June 4 at the White Horse Bookshop giving details of programmed events for the period 4 - 20 June.

Historical Exhibitions in Marlborough College Archive Room, St Peters Church and The Merchant's House. Publication of "Revised History of Marlborough" by J E Chandler - available at the White Horse Bookshop.

Tower Opening - Holy Cross Church

The Tower of Holy Cross will be open to visitors from 2 to 5.30 pm on Saturday 5 June. There will be views of the village and the valley for those able to climb the steps. Children over eight years of age are welcome.
The bells can also be seen.

Ramsbury Amenity Group Outing

The Amenity Group will be visiting Avington Park at Itchen Abbas near Winchester on 8 June. Members who have expressed their intention to go will be briefed by the Group.

Royal British Legion D Day Commemoration

Ramsbury Branch are holding a D-Day evening for all WW II veterans at the Legion Club on Wed 9 June at 7.30 pm. Chairman John Plenderleith and Greg Winters Club Steward, will accept memorabilia on loan. Please apply early for a ticket to help the caterers. Contact John Lye 520555 or John Plenderleith 520865.

Axford Bingo

There will be Bingo in Axford Village Hall on Wednesdays 9 & 23 June at 7.30 pm.

Ramsbury Flyer

(The Community Bus also has its own page).

The next visit to Newbury will be on 10 June, leaving the Tree at 11.30 am and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm. Book with Muriel Lye on 520555.
Owing to lack of support from Chilton Foliat, the trial outings to Marlborough have finished. There must be at least five people from Chilton Foliat to make the journey viable. As this has not been the case in the trial, the Committee decided that May would be the final trip. At the AGM on 12 May there was no change in the Committee. The main topic of discussion was the new bus! More details later.

Ben Belton - A Retrospective Exhibition

There will be a Retrospective Exhibition of Ben Belton's work in St.Peter's Church, High Street, Marlborough from 10 am to 5 pm daily from 12 to 20 June. This Nottingham born artist, trained as an architect, painted in oils and watercolours, and lived in Axford for ten years.

Ramsbury Amenity Group Guided Walks

There will be guided walks to Pentico (Walk 11), 4 miles, on Sunday 13 June, cars to Manor Hill. Also to Smeathe's Ridge, 5 miles, on Sunday 27 June. Tea at Barbary Castle Café, shared cars to Ogbourn St. George. Meet at the Tree at 2 pm with dogs under control. Everyone welcome.

Ramsbury Horticultural Society Rose Evening

The Rose Evening will take place in the Memorial Hall on Saturday 19 June from 7.30 pm. Entries should be staged between 6 and 6.45 pm. Entry forms are in the Show Schedule, but please contact Brian Twigger on 520353 or Allan Davison on 520591 in the event of any difficulty.

Project 2005 Street Fair

There will be a Street Fair with an OLYMPIC GAMES theme in aid of Project 2005 on Saturday 26 June with all the usual fun. In the evening there will be live music in the Memorial Hall with local band Full Tilt featuring Richard Hertzell and Ant Dennis. Something for all tastes.

THANKS

The Horticultural Society is very grateful to all who donated plants, and who supported the spring plant sale, which realised £352 for society funds. The cake stall made over £100 for the Luncheon Club.

Mrs Molly Uncle is most grateful to all concerned for the great kindness and sympathy she has received following the death of her dear husband Harold and also for the tremendous tribute paid to him by the donations for the charity 'Fight for Sight' which now total £2,220.

Anne and Trevor Tiplady are most grateful for the kindness and support they have received following the death of Anne's mother, Biddie Radway.

Beating the Bounds of Ramsbury and Axford Parish. Eighty four walkers commenced the twenty six mile walk on 3 May and thirty six completed the distance and collected certificates at Littlecote. A very wet morning gave way to brilliant sunshine at the Hilldrop halt. The two oldest members ceremonially 'bumped' the youngest (who was eight the day before) on a boundary stone. The bluebells made a carpet of blue. A magnificent tea greeted the survivors at Scrope's Wood and all who took part are most grateful to the Parish Council and helpers who organised and stewarded the event.

The Treloar Trust Coffee Morning held recently raised over £l,800. Its success was due to Ramsbury's support, and particularly to the stallholders who gave their time so willingly. Rosalie Winter and her helpers were very busy serving coffee throughout the morning. Thank you for your interest and support.

The older children of Chilton Foliat School took part in a 'Treloar' quiz and the winner was announced at the coffee morning. The school is now linked with Treloar which should be of mutual benefit..

ADVANCE NOTICES

The Annual Coffee Morning and Sale to raise money for Arthritis Research will be held on Saturday 17 July from 10 am - noon in the Memorial Hall.

The Ramsbury Ball will be held on Saturday 4 September and the proceeds will be shared between Project 2005 and Ramsbury Schools. Tickets are already selling briskly and can be reserved at the Post Office, the Bell or the Crown & Anchor at £40 each. Single tickets require a £10 deposit and tables of ten require a £100 deposit, with final payments to be made before 14 August.

The Polperro Fishermen's Choir will be returning to Ramsbury on Saturday 11 September to give a concert in the Church. Please put the date of this event in your diaries. Not to be missed.

The Lecture Programme will resume on Thursday 30 September at the Memorial Hall. Mora Abell will be giving a series of ten lectures on 'The Victorians' featuring architecture, furniture and painting. William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement will be included. Suggestions and contact details of future lecturers will be welcomed by Rosie Pauline, Tel. 520324.

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