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Please may we have items for the June Diary by 18 May. 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
The middle of April and after a few warm days the wild cherry trees on
Whites Hill are beginning to look grand. I feel it is now safe to say
that spring is with us, even if we did awake recently to an overnight
frost. Let us hope that it has not spoilt the plum and blackthorn blossom
so that plums and sloes do not form. As I write at 6.30 pm the birds are
still singing and a blackbird is taking food to its young in my pyracantha,
which will be in full bloom by the time that you read this.
As the daffodil flowers fade the dandelions have taken over, the other
day with a bank of these fully open they looked grand. I am sure that
if they came from overseas and had difficulty growing in England we would
want them in our gardens, but I, like most of you, do not appreciate their
rosette of leaves in the lawn. This morning I noticed the yellow flowered
variegated nettle growing just beyond the Kennet Bridge, a garden throwaway
or are the birds responsible, one can never be sure? It is difficult to
know which are our true natives as so many have been introduced during
past centuries and now grow wild, periwinkle, giant hogweed, ground elder
and pineapple weed, to name but a few.
Yesterday the first queen wasp of the season appeared, needless to say
it was not there long, but I am pleased to see bumble bees visiting the
spring flowers and butterflies are now enjoying the sunshine. The yellow
ones are the male brimstones, the female is almost white so passes unnoticed.
This for me is a delightful time of year as the dormant buds begin to
burst forth showing dainty leaves in various shades of delicate green.
My cornus alba looks particularly attractive just now with its unfurling
leaves set against the immature woody red stems. This is the time of year
when parks come alive with tulips and wallflowers making a grand show,
so may you have a chance to enjoy such places.
Rosie Pauline
Bird Notes
As I write this on 18 April the hedgerows and skies of Ramsbury resound
to the calls of newly arrived summer migrants. Chiff-chaff and Willow
Warbler have been establishing territories for two or three weeks, but
yesterday I heard my first Black Cap and Sedge Warbler at Seven Bridges.
I have still not heard a Cuckoo although somebody tells me that they saw
one at the end of March. Today I went to Axford to have a look round the
water meadows and what surprises it turned up! On the hillside below Hens
Wood a male Tree Pipit was in full song, these birds perform a 'parachute'
flight whilst in song, they spiral from one tree to another. A Reed Bunting
was perched in some reeds. Some of these birds were seen feeding on nuts
in Ramsbury High Street last week. But the gems today were half a dozen
Sand Martin flying amongst Swallows and House Martins, they are probably
stocking up food after their long migration prior to dispersing to their
breeding grounds. In Aldbourne I was told of a Rook attacking a Slow Worm
on the Green!
John Marshall
Rainfall
The rainfall for the month to 18 April was 2.25 inches, average 2.14
inches. From September to March it was 16.84 inches, average 19.16 inches;
below average due to a dry February and March.
Bella Voce Female Voice Choir
We are a dedicated and enthusiastic group of singers who meet weekly
during term times at Ramsbury Primary School. We practice for future events
and sing purely for pleasure, our aim being "the enjoyment in making
music for its own sake and for others". Come and join us from 8 pm
- 9.30 pm on a Tuesday and afterwards at the Burdett Arms. Bring a friend
and a bottle of water! For further information call 520882.
Best Kept Village Competition
Ramsbury has now been entered in the Competition. The whole village has
been inspected and places identified that need a special spring clean
to take care of the grit and dirt carried down by the winter rains and
the leaf fall. Teams volunteered by the families of the Junior Footballers
will carry out a spring clean in the first two weeks of May to be ready
for the judges visit in June. In support of this collective effort it
would be appreciated if householders would hoe or kill weeds, brush the
frontage of their own home and do their best to make the best show they
can. Ramsbury cum Axford Parish Council
Ramsbury WI
The next meeting will be on Thursday 6 May at 7.45 pm in the Methodist
School Room to discuss and vote on the Resolutions for 2004. The subjects
are Funding of the Air Ambulance and Trafficking of Women and Children.
Members are asked to bring a plate of savoury food for the supper. There
will be a trading stall and the competition is for the bloom of the month.
Visitors are very welcome.
Ramsbury Horticultural Society
SPRING PLANT SALE
There will be a plant sale on Saturday 8 May from 10 am - 11.30 am at
No 55 & 55a High Street or, if wet, in the Church Room. Contributions
will be very welcome, from 8.45 am - 9.45 am.
VISIT TO EXBURY
The coach for the trip to Exbury Gardens on Saturday 15 May will leave
from the Square at 9.15 am. There are still tickets available at £10
and applications with a cheque should be made to Roy Alexander 520304
at 55a High Street.
Guide Senior Section
A table top sale in aid of the Aldbourne Senior Section Guides (which
includes Ramsbury girls) will be held from 10 am - noon on Saturday 8
May in the Memorial Hall. To book a table at £10 please call Sara
Curtis on 520988, or just come along and pick up a bargain. The stalls
will include cakes and craft.
Open Studios
Susan Kirkman and Arran Miles will be showing their art work at Witcha
Cottage as part of the Newbury Spring Festival Open Studios. The studios
and garden will be open from 11 am - 6 pm on all Saturdays and Sundays
from 8/9 May to the Spring Bank Holiday on Monday 31 May.
Ramsbury Amenity Group Guided Walks
There will be guided walks to Crooked Soley (Walk no. 4) on Sunday 9
May, and to Martinsell Hill on Sunday 23 May, shared cars. Meet at the
Tree at 2 pm with dogs under control. Everyone welcome.
Annual Parish Meeting
The Annual Parish Meeting will be held in the Memorial Hall on Monday
10 May at 7.45 pm. All welcome.
Axford Bingo
There will be Bingo in Axford Village Hall on Wednesdays 12 and 26 May
at 7.30 pm.
Ramsbury Flyer
(The Community Bus also has
its own page).
The next visit to Newbury will be on Thursday 13 May, leaving the Tree
at 11.30 am and returning from Newbury at 2.30 pm.
There will be a visit to Marlborough, via Chilton Foliat, on Tuesday 25
May, leaving the Crown & Anchor car park at 1.15 pm and Chilton Foliat
at 1.30 pm. Return from Marlborough at 3.45 pm. Fares for both visits
will be £2. Book with Muriel Lye on 520555.
The Bus Committee AGM will be held on Wednesday 12 May at 7.30 pm at the
Crown & Anchor. Come and support your Flyer.
Project 2005
There will be an Auction of Promises on Saturday 15 May in the Memorial
Hall. The event will take the form of a formal supper with a champagne
reception and dress will be Black Tie. There are tables of eight and individual
tickets. The cost will be £30. The auctioneer will be Charlie Brooks,
a well-known personality from the racing world. Tickets are selling fast.
To book, call Paul Swan on 520935 or Ian Smith on 520871. The list of
Promises will be published in advance.
Royal British Legion Ramsbury Branch
On Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May the 82nd Airborne Re-Enactment Group
are camping at Ewins Hill Farm above Hilldrop. Ten to twelve Willis Jeeps
and other military vehicles will be in attendance. There will be a flypast
of a Dakota and a Mustang. The event is being organised by Roger Day,
Clive and Neil Williams. Enquiries should be directed to Guy Wentworth
at Ewins Hill Farm.
John Plenderleith as Chairman would welcome wartime memorabilia, such
as tin hats, for the D-Day commemoration evening on Wednesday 9 June.
THANKS
John Westall and family would like to thank everyone
for their kind support, cards and floral tributes in their recent sad
loss.
Connie, Gerald, Janet and families wholeheartedly
thank everyone who so lovingly supported them in the sad loss of their
dear mum, Helen Sheppard. We were very much comforted by the kindness
and offers of help we received. She is so sadly missed and we are proud
to have had her as 'mum'. Janet Rosier
Dr Michael Handford would like to express his sincere
thanks to all those patients and friends who gave so generously to his
retirement fund and for all their kind words in letters and cards. It
has been a privilege to work in such a caring community. He now has a
lovely Staffordshire enamelled year box and a new camera to remember you
all by. Best wishes, Michael Handford
ADVANCE NOTICES
At the Ramsbury Amenity Group's AGM Ben Tottenham
announced a programme of summer outings. On Tuesday 8 June the Group will
be visiting Avington Park at Itchen Abbas, near Winchester. The
house is a classical mansion dating from 1670 and the adjacent church,
St. Mary's, is a Georgian gem. On Thursday 26 August they will be going
to Owlpen Manor in Gloucestershire, a romantic early Manor House
with a formal Queen Anne terraced garden. Both visits promise to be a
worthwhile experience up to the standard of last year's visit to Lord
Heseltine's Arboretum and Rodmarton Manor. A good number of members have
put their names down to go, and anyone who missed the AGM is invited to
let Ben Tottenham know if they wish to come. The AGM ended with a talk
by Mike Allman on "Ramsbury and life as an Airline Pilot".
The Horticultural Society will be holding a "Rose
Evening" on 19 June.
The Ramsbury Ball will be held on Saturday 4 September.
The proceeds will be shared between Project 2005 and Ramsbury Schools.
With new caterers, a new marquee and the Majesticaires returning by popular
demand, 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 £100
deposit, with final payments to be made before 14 August. Call Pete Appleyard
on 520623 or Ian Smith on 520871 for further information.
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: it is not to be missed.
Rosie Pauline's 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 & Crafts Movement
will be included.
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