The Sprout

Aerating the Seacourt Stream

The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley

Issue 110 September 2016

The Sprout Issue 110, September 2016

Contents

3 Letters to the Editor

5 Food Co-op mooted

7 Review of 2016

9 Elms Rd to Botley Bridges

11 Botley Surgery PPG

13 Pavilion’s a Priority

15 Planning Applications

17 Great Little Gadgets (6)

19 Botley’s First Food Fayre

21 Flood Alleviation Scheme

29 WWCC Update

30 Botley Community Assn

33 Making History

35 Belgian Pears

37 Randoms

43 Local Organizations

From the Editor

After the summer lull, a number of new initiatives are kicking off in Botley, and we don’t just mean the football season! Elms Road Children’s Centre is planning a new lease of life as Botley Bridges (p9), Michael Soth is looking to set up an organic food cooperative (p5), Botley will shortly experience its first Food Fayre (p19), and Chris Church has a proposal for a Community Association for Botley, an umbrella organisation taking in the whole area, including Dean Court and most of Cumnor Hill, and bypassing the confusing division of our patch into North Hinksey and Cumnor Parishes (p30). There is a planning application for a new micro-brewery in Curtis’s Yard, to be run as a social enterprise (see Planning Apps on p15) and a new art exhibition at Ss P&P Church (p 37, and see same page for more about the photo on this month’s cover). The Parish Council is pursuing better leisure facilities for the parish’s young people and an improved Pavilion (p13), and there is a detailed account of the proposed Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (p21). More is needed on this subject – specifically how it will affect North Hinksey Village – and we’d welcome contributions. Finally, it is absolutely vital that we find a replacement for our Advertising Manager as soon as possible, or the Sprout risks sinking without trace (p8). If you can help please get in touch.

Ag MacKeith

Letters to the editor

Our invaluable parish clerk

As a former councillor and chairman of NHPC I have to say I was surprised that the article by Cllr Lorna Berrett, on behalf of NHPC”,

never pointed out the usefulness of the parish clerk. I remember when I

was a councillor serving the community and working alongside Alan

Stone that I appreciated his help with queries time and time again.

Councillors come and go (and thank goodness for that at times!). However, the one constant is a parish clerk who is the recipient of useful knowledge and information, past and present. In the many years that Alan has served this parish there must be hundreds of local people he has provided pertinent advice to.

The first line in the article says: ‘Do you have questions about something

local but don’t know who to ask?’ Rubbish! – go to the parish clerk who

will advise, field or pass on information to councillors as appropriate. Contact him on Oxford 861992 or email: nhpcclerk@msn.com

Briony Newport (Hon Alderman, VOWH)

Follow up to July’s Parish Council article

It has been pointed out that my article in July failed to mention the Parish Clerk as a vital point of information in the parish. I apologise for not including a note on that. I agree, and often consult Alan myself when a parishioner asks me a question.

My intention however was to highlight all the ways in which you can obtain answers to local questions and to ensure that as Councillors we are providing a full service to the community that elected us. I wanted to remind readers that they may contact any Councillor as well as the Clerk, and to ask if there are other ways we can be of assistance. The suggestion of themed surgeries on issues like parking generated a positive response and I’ve certainly seen an increase in questions raised with me since the article was published. So I hope it has helped provide a reminder to some and new information to others.

Please do continue to contact the Clerk or any Councillor with your questions. Check the website for contact details and other updates: www.northhinksey-pc.gov.uk or www.facebook.com/northhinkseypc

Lorna Berrett, Parish Councillor

F-f-ancy a F-f-food Co-op?

Are you interested in a local Organic Buyers’ Group / Food Coop, making affordable organic food available and accessible in Botley?

Are you interested in buying organic food at two thirds of retail price?

Would you like to avoid unnecessary packaging?

Are you looking for an ethical, sustainable food supply?

Would you want to join a community group that organises wholesale delivery of more than 5000 products?

We have been organising a small neighbourhood buyers group for more than 20 years, buying organic products from wholesaler Infinity Foods (www.infinityfoodswholesale.co.uk) from Brighton, who deliver to Oxford once a week. Over recent years, we have been collating a collective order every few months.

We are wondering whether there is enough interest in Botley to establish a local cooperative community enterprise, initially to concentrate on ...

1. expanding these Infinity Foods orders to a wider group of households (that would make it worth while having weekly deliveries) and 2. renting local storage space (so we can set up a refill station that would help us

avoid packaging and 3. making organic food available and accessible in Botley.

We plan to partner with SESI Food & Household Refills (www.sesi.org.uk) who have been operating in East Oxford for more than 10 years. In the future, we might look into cooperating with other projects to extend the range into fresh produce.

Sounds good to you? If there is

sufficient interest, we will organise a meeting to set up such a community enterprise. Please let me know if you are interested, by emailing me at michael.soth@gmail.com or by putting a note through the door at 14 Hawthorn Close, Oxford OX2 9DY.

Michael Soth

Review of the year 2016 (from Sprout AGM)

This has been another successful year for the Sprout. Despite the extra cost of going over to recycled paper and increasing our print run to take account of Botley’s growing population, we still made a profit of some £2000 to return to the community as grants.

This year these took the form of £300 for special projects in our three local schools. Botley spent it on books to underpin diversity in a school that reflects an increasingly diverse population. North Hinksey spent it on raised beds in a gardening project for the younger age group. And Matthew Arnold is proposing something similar ‘up the top’. Money has been set aside to revive the Best Garden competition across the parish in 2017, and to help North Hinksey church equip its new kitchen once the refurbishment has taken place. Then there was the £75 donated to the elderly residents of Seacourt Road for their Christmas Party.

We continued to support West Way Community Concern in their campaigning work to ensure the best possible outcome for the redevelopment of the shopping centre, and we have offered Elms Road children’s centre a grant to help them in their search for ways to keep going in the absence of state funding. We are very happy to be able to support community campaigns like these. Keeping the parish informed and supporting good community initiatives are what make the Sprout worthwhile. In the light of this, we are glad to record improved relations with the current Parish Council, who have been using the Sprout’s pages to explain the way they function and the services they provide for us.

As well as keeping the different parts of our parish in touch with each other, the Sprout reflects the changing face of Botley, year on year, and provides a record for future generations. Last September was our 100th issue, and we recorded three interviews with Botley centenarians over the autumn, as well as some articles from Martin Harris (among others) who does such a great job of recording Botley’s history.

We do our best to give a voice to the many different kinds of people who make up the local population, the youth as well as the centenarians. This can be seen in our recent series of contributions from Young Botley. Over the past year we have heard from a Junior Doctor, from a Stay-at-home Dad, from a man living in a tent, from a young mother about the life-saver that is the Elms Road centre. We’ve even had contributions from two dogs and a cat!

The Sprout is able to flourish through the efforts of its dedicated teams. We would like especially to thank Gill Thompson for her hugely successful efforts in managing the advertisements that fund our publication. We are very sorry to report that she will be moving away from the area over the summer. Irreplaceable though she is, we will need to find a replacement. Many thanks to everyone who makes the Sprout happen month on month, from Directors to Deliverers

Ag MacKeith (Editor)

URGENT – KEEPING THE SPROUT

AFLOAT!

It is the income from the

adverts which enables the

Sprout to function, so the

job of advertising manager

is crucial. But after this

month, Gill will have left for Devon, and we must have

someone to replace her. The job is not onerous – just

a few hours a month keeping track of what’s coming up

for renewal, processing any new ads, sending out the

bills and banking the cheques. There is help on hand

from our accountant and the layout team, and a

briefing hand-over from our departing star if you get

in touch quickly. If you value the Sprout and don’t want

to see it fold, please do come forward if you possibly

can. Contact the editor at the address inside the front

cover if you think you can help.

A new future for children’s support services

Early in August a group of interested persons met at Elms Road Children’s Centre to discuss future plans for children and family support services in Botley. A name was agreed for the new organization. It will be known as Botley Bridges, with the potential to extend and explain with slogans such as "Botley Bridges -- Supporting Families"

The aims of the new organisation, which will be set up as a registered charity, were confirmed as:

To provide support services for families with children up to 11 years

old living in Oxfordshire, with the core area for users and activities

being Botley and its environs. The services being provided relate

primarily to health, education and general well-being of children and

their families, together with the promotion of stable family units and

social cohesion within the local community.

The three of us volunteered to take on the main trustee roles and others will continue to help and advise us as part of a Steering Group. A start has been made in registering the organisation, and there will be another trustee meeting early in September to continue progress with the paperwork, followed by a Steering Group meeting on 26th September. Please come to this Steering Group meeting if you think you can help the trustees in areas such as accounting, fund-raising, logo design or media/promotion.

The Sprout has kindly offered a grant of £300 to be used as the trustees see fit but significant additional funds will be needed to launch Botley Bridges. We hope that we will be able to rely on the support of the local community to help make this happen, and to enable us to be ready to take over from the current Children’s Centre when it closes in early 2017. Our contact email is botleybridges@gmail.com

Kim Randell (Chair), Mick Phillips (Secretary), and Naomi Sharland (Treasurer)

Botley Medical Centre Patient Participation Group

When I last wrote on the progress of the PPG, I reported that the practice is going through a period of unprecedented pressure and that thought was being given to applying to NHS England to close the practice list for a few months to allow for a period of consolidation. The practice is very reluctant to go down this route, though it has closed the list to temporary residents and, as an interim measure, has decided on a trial of ‘sit and wait’ clinics on Mondays and Fridays each week, the busiest clinic days. Many readers may already have discovered that such clinics are now operational in the practice. The partners who are in on those days will have no booked appointments but instead will see patients on a first-come-first-served basis. Provided patients arrive at reception by 11 am, an appointment with a doctor will be guaranteed, though there may well be long waits.

Meanwhile at its most recent meeting on 16th June, the PPG has agreed in principle its Terms of Reference and an AGM has now been arranged. This will take place at the surgery on Saturday 24th September 2016 at 10.00 am. Anyone registered with the practice is welcome to attend. To give an indication of numbers it would be helpful if those planning to attend could email Caroline Jones, Practice Manager, beforehand – carolinejones2@nhs.net –

though this is not essential. Anyone wanting to stand for Chair or Secretary of the PPG should be nominated (including self-nomination) and seconded at least a week prior to the meeting, again to Caroline Jones.

The PPG is keen on increasing and widening its membership. If you are interested in joining the PPG, please email Caroline Jones or telephone me – 01865 862177 – to discuss how it should work and function.

Harry Dickinson, Interim Chair

Priority: Pavilion

At its June meeting North Hinksey Parish Council agreed five objectives that will guide its actions until May 2019, the end of this council’s term. Two of these relate to our ongoing provision of community facilities at the Louie Memorial fields:

to provide improved leisure facilities within the parish,

and to support the long-term use of parish-owned spaces and

buildings including the Louie Memorial Pavilion.

Since a new group of community Trustees took over its management four years ago, the Pavilion has seen a steady rise in its use. As reported by the Trustees in the July Sprout, we have a resident football team, a youth street hockey team, and the North Hinksey Youth Club who regularly use the Pavilion and Louie Memorial upper field. The space is also used for meetings, birthday parties, and one-off events such as the recent youth camp-out. This summer has seen even greater success of the pop-up cafés, which have run every weekend throughout July and August and which have demonstrated the Pavilion’s potential for bringing the community together. summer pop-up café

But until substantial improvements are made to the building and surrounding space, we have yet to realise the full potential of this valuable community asset.

Discussions between the Parish Council and the Pavilion Trustees about the future of the site are moving in a positive and pro-active direction. Both groups recognise that the time has come to put full energy into securing the long-term future of our most substantial parish-owned leisure space. We are committed to working together towards a cohesive overall vision, which should result in a transformed Pavilion that blends seamlessly into improved outdoor space at the upper field. We still have a long way to go to make these objectives a reality – notably the formal

planning process and a LOT of fundraising – but the clock is ticking and we believe we can get a lot done in the next two years.

What does this mean for you? Across this next year we will want to hear from you about what you want the Louie Memorial Pavilion and Fields to look like in the future. The Parish Council will continue its youth consultation about leisure facilities through events at the local schools this autumn, and as we begin to get a clearer picture of what facilities are needed we will hold further consultations with all parish residents. But you don’t have to wait for a future event to tell us your ideas: you can email us at any time (info@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk), get in touch through Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/northhinkseypc), or come and talk to us at the next meeting of NHPC’s Recreation & Amenities committee on 8th September (7pm at Seacourt Hall).

Caroline Potter (Vice-Chairman, North Hinksey Parish Council)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS

P16/V1492/FUL 63 North Hinksey Lane. Demolish

bungalow, erect 6 Flats. 13 June

P16/V1748/FUL Unit 27 Curtis Industrial Estate. Change

of use to enable running of

microbrewery

6 July

P16/V1767/LDP 15 Maple Close. Convert roofspace to

room with rear dormer and gable.

8 July TDD 2/9

P16/V1785/LDP 45 Cedar Road. Same as above.

Target Decision Date: 6 September.

12 July

P16/V1530/DIS Delawarr House 45A Raleigh Park

Road. Discharge of condition 8 on

P15/V2240/HH.

14 July

P16/V1939/DIS 17 Yarnells Rd (30 NH Lane renamed)

Erect a house same as plot 2

(P15/V1192/FUL), but with extra

bedroom and car space..

29 July TDD 9/9

P16/V1957/LDP 12 Chestnut Road. Demolish sheds and

garage and replace with new garage

and workshop with WC and storage.

5 August TDD 20/9

Great Little Gadgets (6): the Aerobie Aeropress

The Aerobie Aeropress makes a very good near-espresso coffee as well as many electric espresso-makers. It costs typically around £25 online, and it is entirely manual. The picture shows an Aeropress coffee in the making. The gadget includes a filter-holder which screws into the end of a plastic cylinder. Ground coffee is put into the cylinder, and the whole placed on a sturdy mug as shown, and hot water added. After stirring this with the gizmo’s paddle, a tightly fitting plunger is inserted into the cylinder and pressed down by hand to force the water through the filter and into the mug. The Aeropress has a cult following amongst coffee aficionados, and there is an annual World Championship in a major city. This year it was in Dublin, as can be seen at https://worldaeropresschampionship.com/

Grant Nightingale

BOTLEY’S first ever FOOD FAYRE Apart from the Sprout, what is outstanding about Botley? Well, one thing we can add to any list is the first ever FOOD FAYRE. It is taking place on Saturday 17th September in and around St Peter and St Paul’s Church, West Way. The aim is to bring the community together in a fun day of food and festivity*.

It’s harvest time, so there will be horticultural and baking competitions (information leaflets on classes in the Library, Barclays Bank, and St Peter & St Paul’s Church) – simple to enter (just bring your exhibits along on the day), fun to do for all ages and genders. There’ll be lots of locally sourced food to buy in the form of eggs, honey, vegetables and meat plus artisan foods such as bread and cakes, plus a whole variety of street food available to eat on the day from Greek spinach pies (Spanakopita) to ice-cream and fudge, with a local brewery ‘on tap’.

Children will be a focus of attention with story-telling, cup-cake decoration, face-painting, not forgetting a bouncy castle. Adults and children alike will be entertained by singers and musicians, making this a fun day for everyone. Entry fee is minimal, £1 for adults, children under 16 free. Come and be amazed at what Botley can do, and at what we can all do to make Botley a vibrant, caring community.

The show gets off the ground at 10am in traditional style with a grand opening by ‘Mrs Bun the Baker’, a.k.a. Angie Johnson, local authoress and organiser of children’s baking classes. The musical programme then gets under way with the Botley School Choir and continues throughout the day. Come and hear some of your favourite tunes, whether it’s Hilary playing on the piano, Botley Singers, Sylvia on the organ or the strumming of the Eynsham Ukuleles. You may even come across our buskers Roger and Johnny on their guitars. Roger says his favourite music is from the 60s and 70s. If you would like to help on the day, Saturday 17th September, then please contact Judith Bowden on 01865 435343 or judithdtbowden@virginmedia.com

See you on Saturday 17th September at Botley’s first ever Food Fayre!

(*And raise a bit of money for the Tear Fund and St Peter & St Paul’s Church)

Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme

The preferred route for this massive scoop-out of the flood plain has now been agreed, and it affects North Hinksey Parish in as far as it affects the Seacourt Stream that runs along our eastern side, bordering the parish allotments, North Hinksey Lane and the village. It will remove the line of willows along the eastern bank and open up the view of Hinksey Meadow (belonging to the Oxford Preservation Trust) and the retail warehouses beyond (but, on the plus side, it should also remove the yearly floods that make it so hard to cultivate the river end of our NHL plots).

An earlier option that was considered was to create a new channel down the middle of the Meadow, but this was ruled out because of the impact it would have on the flora. Apparently it contains ‘MG4 grassland’*, which

is “nationally rare and almost impossible to replicate because the association of grasses, flowers, mycorrhizal fungi and invertebrates has developed over hundreds of years of largely unchanged land management practices.” (says Penny Burt of the Environment Agency, in response to questions from Ruth Mayne.) To keep interference with the Meadow to a minimum, the plan is to leave the river where it is, but to scoop out a wide and deep channel along the Meadow bank which will take the extra water when needed.

The presence of the pylon at the entrance to the meadow has saved the beautiful stand of poplars between it and the river. It costs too much to

remove a pylon, so after crossing the Seacourt Nature Park, the channel forks round it and the trees before joining the river. The photo shows the Meadow with tiny Seacourt Tower and the pylon on the far right. The stand of poplars next to the pylon will stay, but many of the other trees will be cut down.

How many trees will be lost has yet to be established, but a “survey of existing trees is due to be undertaken later this Autumn. Once this has been completed we will be able to provide an accurate estimate... As we develop the design of the preferred option, we will continue to try and minimise the number of trees that need to be felled but there will be areas where felling cannot be avoided. We will be assessing the potential impact that this will have upon views, landscape character and biodiversity, and plan the mitigation accordingly. This is likely to mean the planting of new native trees for screening, for retaining landscape character and/or biodiversity as appropriate. The number, size, species and location of trees to be replanted will be very carefully considered to ensure that the mitigation is appropriate and proportionate to the impacts … I will be happy to go through the mitigation proposals with you when we have got to that stage with our designs.” (Penny Burt again.)

It’s not entirely clear whether the effect of the scoop will be to move the course of the river eastwards. But by the time it reaches Willow Walk, it will require a new bridge and the path will be raised to accommodate it. The designers have confirmed that “the design of any new bridges will take into account the rural character of the area (avoiding the ugliness of the current culverts).” This has obvious consequences for the willows of Willow Walk, although they are beginning to fall down, and it is arguable that the Walk would benefit from fresh planting.

The Bullstake Stream crosses the eastern end of Willow Walk and

continues to the top of the Monk’s Causeway, at which point it turns right towards North Hinksey. This is an area that used to be called the Ducks. It was once a place for families, according to David Gilbey who learned to swim there a long time ago:

“The Ducks is at the eastern end of Willow Walk. Stand on what was the old rickety wooden bridge [not so rickety any more!], and look downstream, some 400 meters away is the old concrete-and-iron-rail bridge which led from Farmer Grant's house across the river to his fields. The river narrows under that bridge and becomes 'rapids'. Great fun in the bomb boats! (Picture shows happy boys in bomb boats – they were made from discarded fuel-drop tanks from WW2 planes.)

The river curves through 90 degrees at that point and has cut away the bank carving out the Pool, a lovely swimming hole complete with diving board, which became a favourite spot for strong swimmers, more than 60 years ago. It also held some good sized barbel and chub. I wasn't allowed to swim there because of the strong current, but I managed to spend a lot of time in the water there all the same.

The Ducks is halfway between the two bridges. It was used by families with small children because it was accessible, the water was shallow and slow moving, and presumably was home for dozens of Ducks which were always clamouring to be fed. Usually half of our picnics were thrown to the ducks. I think it was the place where I learned to swim at a very young age, probably 4 or 5.”

Somewhere near the end of the Monk’s Causeway, the Bullstake will be captured by the new channel and will join the Seacourt in its new course a little further on, making a rather bigger river flowing southwards towards South Hinksey (or so I was told at the Town Hall consultation on 28th June, although I’ve not been able to confirm this from such drawings as are available). Sadly the Ducks is now out of reach, cut off by a wilderness of nettles and Himalayan Balsam, but wouldn’t it be great if this wider stream could have a pool factored in, with or without a diving board, that

could be a place for swimming and picnics in the future!

Now we need to know what will happen to the vast quantities of spoil that will need to be removed. Here’s Penny Burt again: “The earth will be transported on a temporary haul road along the route of the channel, down to the A34 junction at South Hinksey. The earth moving lorries will not need to travel through North Hinksey. We have been carefully considering the options for the re-use of the materials that we will be excavating, mindful of the fact that we need to minimise lorry movements and carbon emissions. The options that have been considered are summarised below:

Re-use in embankments as part of the scheme

Gravels to local processing plant (unfortunately, transport by rail is not viable given the modest quantities).

Topsoil reused locally.

Alluvium to local restoration schemes such as the Lower Windrush Valley Project.

Alluvium reused close to site outside the floodplain (possibly on opposite side of A34).

Alternative excavation and transportation methods (such as barges on the River Thames) have been reviewed but are not viable given site constraints.

Alternative reuse on wider schemes (such as High Speed 2 and other flood alleviation schemes) has been considered but transport costs are likely to be prohibitive.”

The parish council has suggested that one place some spoil could be used would be to create a bike path beside the Botley Road between the junction by McDonalds and the Park and Ride.

Provided the scheme is fully approved and funded (and Brexit may have implications for this), the earliest work can be expected to start is Spring 2018. Construction is expected to be completed by 2022.

Ag MacKeith *The title MG4 is from the National Vegetation Classification (NVC), which identifies and describes different types of plant communities in Britain. More information about MG4 can be found in ‘Floodplain Meadows: Beauty and Utility – A Technical Handbook’ http://www.flood plainmeadows.org.uk/

WEST WAY DEVELOPMENT Summer update from WWCC

Following the Vale’s Planning Committee approval of Mace’s application we conducted a short survey to assess opinion in the community. The response was lower than previous surveys at 230 but many remain interested in the future of the shopping centre as we enter this next phase. Almost 80% said they either somewhat or strongly disapprove of Mace's plans, just over 5% somewhat or strongly approve and c.15% neutral or don't know. 61.5% of respondents wanted WWCC's role now to be "ongoing dialogue with Mace", 63.8% chose "monitor the planning process until the development is built", 41.8% opted for "pursue legal action" and 6.6% said WWCC should cease activities. (Respondents could select more than one option). A summary can be found on our website. With over 60% opting for ongoing dialogue and monitoring progress we felt that this gave WWCC a clear mandate.

Monitoring progress Currently the Vale seem to be finalising conditions with Mace and so formal notice of June’s decision has not yet been posted.

We note sadly that Brasserie B has now closed following on the heels of the Polish shop and Oxford Interiors. We contacted the Vale who said:

“Regarding the vacant units, we agree that this is unfortunate but it is also a necessary pre-cursor to us selling the land to Mace as we are obliged to do so with vacant possession. We have to take opportunities to reclaim units as they arise and this not a neat and orderly process. Mace remains keen to progress with the development and we are, therefore, hopeful that the period of disruption will be kept to a minimum. That does not preclude Mace entering into new agreements with some of the current tenants. As an example, like you I understand that Mace wishes to retain the Co-op in situ whilst building work takes place elsewhere on the site but any agreement to do so will not form part of the current lease with the council but something entirely separate negotiated between Mace and the Co-op direct.”

Mace had assured us that the phasing of the development was intended such that WWSC will remain a functional shopping centre during the redevelopment so we are now following this up with them.

Legal advice 89 people said they would like to pursue legal action. We are now taking

advice on the case for legal action, potential costs and outcomes and will make this information available to any individual or group who may wish to take it on. WWCC do not have a mandate to take legal action but others may wish to do so. If you are interested to know more please email us.

Closing our shop at Elms Parade:

We vacated the shop at 5 Elms Parade at the end of July. Thank you to the Howse family for the use of the shop during the last two and a half years. We look forward to seeing new tenants in place. The shop has been at the centre of our campaign, a place to view the plans, talk and meet neighbours as well as the base for our events and local art and history exhibitions. Although we no longer have the shop we continue to inform via our website and social media and e-newsletter

Other updates:

In July the Liberal Democrat Vale Councillors requested that Mace's donation of £2m for affordable housing be spent in Botley. The Council ruled that North Hinksey and Cumnor would be made a priority to receive some of the funds for affordable housing if suitable sites could be allocated. This gives the community an opportunity to bring forward plans for affordable housing in the coming years. Please check our website (www.westwayconcern.wordpress.com) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/westwayconcern) for more updates or sign up for our e-newsletter by emailing westwayconcern@gmail.com

Lorna Berrett, co-chair, West Way Community Concern

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Community Association for Botley – next steps Two months ago in the Sprout we raised the idea of a Community Association for the Botley area. Since then things have moved forward and we are getting ready to launch a charitable body to work within the Botley and North Hinksey area to ‘improve and maintain the social, environmental, and economic wellbeing’.

We see this as an organisation that will work in three ways:

As a Residents’ Association, to provide a forum for discussion of

current issues and new projects, and to be open to membership by anyone living in the area;

As a community development body, to work with, support, and

perhaps start community projects and activities;

As a local economic development body, working with local

businesses and other agencies to support and boost the local economy.

It will be doing this at a time when the Botley area is under pressure from major redevelopment work and public spending cuts.

There has been discussion about what structure it should have and how it will be run by local people. There will be a meeting on 30th September to move this forward.

But more significant for many people is What will it do?

The answer is partly that it will do what people put time and effort into. Groups like this only work if local people get involved. But we have had a range of ideas and proposals, that include:

A Christmas celebration Botley lacks any such community

celebration. The Association could also help make a summer festival happen.

Work with local businesses The Mace rebuilding of the Botley

centre is likely to have significant impacts. The Association will look to help Botley survive and hopefully thrive during the redevelopment.

Support for local youth initiatives This could involve supporting

and perhaps raising money for new projects.

Support for isolated older people There are suggestions that more

work is needed here.

Saving energy and tackling fuel poverty There is work to be done

that could learn from action elsewhere in Oxford.

A greener and brighter Botley There are all sorts to ways to

improve the local environment.

A local organic food buyers group.

If there is enough interest in some of these issues the Association can set up local working groups. If one or more of these sound like things that you’d like to see happen, then why not get involved? For more information email me on chrischurch@cooptel.net and come along to the meeting on 30th September – look out for posters.

Chris Church

Making history in the Botley area

Botley and Cumnor through the years In June this year I published a picture history book on Eynsham Carnival. I’ve now turned my attention to the North Hinksey and Cumnor parishes. I’ve just submitted to a local publisher a book of old and recent pictures, including some colour ones, of people, places and events of this area. Hopefully it will be coming out in November with all profits going to good causes including Botley Library.

September talk Cumnor and District History Society starts up again for the 2016/17 season (many of the committee including our chairman Graham Ansell live in this parish). Our first talk will be on Monday 26 September, 7.30pm Cumnor Old School when Judy Dewey will be telling us about Wallingford Castle. Judy is an excellent local historian – last year I went on one of her fascinating Agatha Christie walks.

Travel through time exhibition 15th and 16th October, 10am-5pm, Cumnor Old School We’ve had a busy summer collecting details for the exhibition. If you still have any photos or even old slides (which we can copy and return to you) then please do let us know before the end of the month. Russell Ansell (Graham’s brother) has been researching the topic of British coastal shipping from late Victorian times to the modern day. I think his display will be one of the highlights of the event. We’ve also got some great train experts in this parish who I hope to see over the next few weeks. In a future Sprout I’ll be writing about the planes on Port Meadow during World War I, and the Botley connection. You can contact me by email at martin.harris321@gmail.com or phone me on Oxford 864776 Martin Harris

P.S. Happy Birthday to Sir Stirling Moss, who celebrates his 87th birthday on 17 September. Mum and I met this racing legend at Bicester Flywheel festival in July this year. Both he and his wife Susie were a delight to meet. At the exhibition you will be able to see which talented Botley person once worked for this great man.

Seasonal cooking

Belgian Pears

As we have a large number of small pears at the moment I was wondering how to preserve them in an interesting way. I came across this recipe for Belgian Pears by Fiona Nevile. I thought that they must be a traditional Belgian dessert but apparently they are not!

Forget any memory of dull bottled fruit. This wonderful concoction makes a superb finale for a special meal. They have a real of depth of flavour without being over-sweet or alcoholic, and are handy to have in storage. It’s useful if you have a glut of pears but even if it is a poor year, it would be worth buying pears for this recipe. People find it hard to believe that they are not laced with some exotic liqueur.

N.B. You need 2 kilos of pears. 1 kilo doesn’t make enough juice if you are going to bottle them. Time: 6 hours plus

Makes: Approx 2.5L

Ingredients

• 2 kilos of small hard pears

• 500g of white granulated sugar

• 150 ml of white wine vinegar

Instructions 1. Wash and peel (optional) the pears. Leaving the stalk on. 2. Melt the sugar in the vinegar and any pear juice in a large heavy

bottomed saucepan. 3. Add the pears and simmer gently with a tight fitting lid for three

hours. 4. Remove the lid and simmer for a further three hours with the lid

off. 5. Put into sterilised jars and seal in a Bain Marie. 6. Test the seals when cold before labelling and storing.

A few small jars might make good Christmas presents, as Belgian Pears last at least a year.

Sally Hersom

Randoms

September cover

The photo on the cover shows Seacourt Stream below Richer Sounds at the end of July. Thames water was aerating it by sucking water out and blowing it back. Oxygen had been lost when the main sewer by the A34 flyover blocked and raw sewage got into the river near the Park & Ride. If that was you putting wet wipes down the loo, please don’t do it again!

The water quality was restored over the next week, and the sewer flushed out, but Botleyites, aware of the lack of fish in our river might be interested in Oxfordshire’s Water-Blitz on 3rd October. On this day schools, local groups and individuals are invited to check the water quality of our local stream, pond, ditch or river and help build a water quality picture for Oxfordshire. Email hilary@wildoxfordshire.org.uk to register and get a free sampling pack. EarthWatch will map results on their global water-hub and make the resulting data available to everyone involved.

Botley Arts - Early Autumn Exhibition

Victoria McMackin was born in Oxford and has lived here all her life. Victoria says: "I have always had an interest in art and three and a half years ago I enrolled at Sunningwell School of Art and attend classes weekly. I have received some success with sales of my work and have been commissioned on various occasions.

My art colleagues and tutor, Jane Pollard are a happy and friendly group and I find it somewhere to switch off and enjoy my passion for painting without life's usual distractions. I love using texture, bright colours and acrylics. I especially like to paint seascapes, animals and abstract art."

This is Victoria's first solo exhibition. St Peter and St Paul's Church in Botley is open everyday 9am - 5pm, and the exhibition is free. Please do go and enjoy Victoria's very special pictures, and don't forget to write in our comments book! For further information about Botley Arts or exhibiting with us please contact me at jennie@talk21.com or 07891 905165

Jennie Hopkins

Botley Women's Institute

Here’s a quick rundown of activities since our last meeting on 7th July,

when members showed off the silk scarves and patchwork bags that they had made on our day at Denman, the WI national college at Marcham. Over the summer we visited Sulgrave Manor, the ancestral home of the Washington family, on 2nd August. The book group discussed “Perfect” by Rachel Joyce. Our walking group took the Electric Road to Abingdon via Hinksey Lakes on 19 July and the same evening the craft group met to work on our new banner. On 12 Aug members Ann Paver and Bess Harris held a coffee morning with a raffle in aid of Denman College, and on 24 August the WI walking group met to ramble to the Roman villa. September events include the usual monthly meeting, 7.30 on 5th September, when the speaker is Christine Green, talking about "Patchworking". On 22nd September the walking group will go to University Parks and Mesopotamia (meet 10:00 am, Martyrs' memorial) and on 23rd Sept, the craft group will meet at the WI Hall for a demonstration of appliqué, collage. All women are welcome to the monthly meeting Alison Jenner

North Hinksey Horticultural Society

A trip to Malvern autumn Show has been arranged for September 25th, Sunday. Cost is £25 pp (£10 for a child). We will leave Elms Parade at 8.30 am, arrive home around 6.30 pm. This is a superb day out – please come and join us. Contact me on Oxford 251821 (leaving message and contact number please), or pop a note through the door of 19 Conifer Close. Hope to hear from you.

Ann Dykes

Library News Just to remind the elderly and housebound that the Home Library Service will deliver books to the residents of Botley and Cumnor every three weeks with our lovely team of volunteers. If you want to find out more please ring Botley Library on 01865 248142.

Cumnor Choral Society

Calling all enthusiastic singers out there? Cumnor Choral Society starts rehearsals on Friday Sept 26th from 7.30 to 9.30 for Handel's Messiah at their Winter concert.. If you fancy coming along and joining in with a very friendly group of singers then please contact me on 01865 452205 or m.white14@ntlworld.com we would love to see you! Monica White

Friends of Raleigh Park

Annual General Meeting will be held at Louie Memorial Pavilion, Arnold’s Way, on 8th September at 7.30pm, with a talk by Susan Cassettari and Jenny Miller on 'Forest School Learning'

Dean Court Community Centre | Part Time Administrator

We're recruiting! 9 to 19 hours to suit the right applicant. We know we need positivity, friendliness and amazing organisation skills, you tell us what else you can bring to the role! Pay is £8.25ph. Closing date September 16th. Email jobs.deancourtcc@gmail.com for a job description and application form. We look forward to hearing from you!

Live-in Care

Next month, Oxford Aunts Care – a specialist live-in care provider – are holding an open day on Saturday 22nd October between 10am and 2pm in their Oxford Aunts office, close to Barclays Bank in Botley. It will be an opportunity for potential clients who may be interested in live-in care (either for themselves or their loved ones) to find out more about what it entails, what the advantages are, and what it might cost. Professional and financial advice will be offered and all questions are welcome. Free refreshments will be made available.

Homeshare, Oxford

For those more in need of companionship than personal care, Age UK have come up with an innovative idea. It’s a scheme being developed with the help of Big Lottery money as a sustainable solution to the parallel social issues of loneliness among older people and unaffordable housing costs for younger people.

The aim is to match people with homes in Oxford and a spare room, with people who need accommodation in the city and want to be part of a home. In return for a room, the Homesharer will undertake 10 hours of help around the home each week for the Householder, doing things like cooking, gardening, cleaning, shopping and companionship. In return, the Householder will support the younger generation, get some help around the home (but not personal care), and gain companionship and someone there at night. Homesharers will be people in key jobs, like nurses, and post-graduate students who struggle to afford the high rents.

It’s being run as a sustainable, affordable scheme, so there are some costs involved. There will be an application fee, and a match fee. Then each month the Homesharer pays a contribution to living costs, 75% of which goes to the Householder and 25% of which goes to the Homeshare Oxford Scheme. What a good idea! To find out more, just Google Age UK

Oxfordshire Homeshare and have a look at their website.

Bikesafe Fun Day Out

Lots happening on September 11th to raise funds and awareness for the Eynsham Community Path. Meet with bikes or running shoes at Elms Parade at 2pm to go together to the Eynsham Sports Pavilion. Exciting things going on in Eynsham for the rest of the day – Eynsham Unlocked discovery trail around the village (and did anyone mention Pokestops?), Morris dancing, cream teas and a sale at the Emporium, wine-tasting and 10% off at the Cellars, and bands and barbecues at the pubs. Look online to see the well-argued case for the bike path http://www.b4044path.org/business-case/

West Oxford U3A Talks in September

12th. Roy Smart: Britain’s Last Naval Hero, David 1st Earl of Beatty

Roy Smart was a Naval Officer, Fleet Air Arm pilot, has directed many air displays and pageants. Most recently, he contributed to the centenary commemorations of the Battle of Jutland. David, 1st Earl of Beatty, was one of the commanders in this battle. He had risen from a humble start in life in the 1870s to join the Navy as a cadet in his early teens. From there he rose rapidly through the ranks to play a central controversial part at Jutland and later became First Sea Lord. His life was colourful and sometimes scandalous, which should make an interesting talk.

26th. Michael Lowe: The Lute, Europe’s most important Musical Instrument

Michael Lowe lives just outside Oxford and is a member of The Lute Society. He learnt to play the guitar in his teens and discovered lute music which had been adapted for the guitar, so he built himself a lute while still at school. The interest continued through and after university. Eventually, after making a number of lutes in his spare time, he decided to do this professionally and has been doing so for the last 43 years. He will talk to us about the history of the lute, what is involved in making them and, hopefully, will play a little music.

Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details to editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion in future issues.

telephone 724452 for inclusion in future issues.

1st Botley Brownies

Girls aged 7–10 Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.30 Fiona Wheeler, firstbotleybrownies@gmail.com

2nd Botley Brownies

Girls aged 7–10 Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6 -7.30 : Alison Griffin 01865 379247

4th Oxford Scout Group

Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts Scout Hall, Arnolds Way; mail@thefourth.org.uk Website: http://www.thefourth.org.uk/

15th Oxford Scout Group

Boys and girls welcome Meet Fridays, Botley Baptist Hall Contact: Julie Tatham 01865 863074 or Amy Cusden 07887 654386

Badminton Club Thurs 7-8pm at Matthew Arnold Sports Hall. Gary Clark 0777 3559 314 garryclark13@gmail.com

Books on Wheels R.V.S. Free Library Service for housebound 248142

Botley Baby & Toddler Group

Tuesdays and Thursdays 9.15–11am, SS Peter & Paul Church Hall

Botley Boys & Girls F.C. Football teams from ages 8-16

Jason Barley Ox. 242926 jbarley1@ sky.com or

Brendan Byrne Ox.792531 bb@bridewellconsulting.com Botley Health Walks Wednesday 9.30 a.m Contact: Briony 246497

Botley Library 01865 248142. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat, otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).

Botley Singers Thur 7.30, Botley Baptist Church. Angela Astley-Penny 242189 angastpen@aol.com

Chair-based Exercise Class Tuesdays 10.30 – 11.30 a.m. Seacourt Hall Contact Lizzie, Oxon Age UK, 07785 425601

Cumnor Choral Society Friday 7.30 to 9.30 pm Contact: 01235 533726 or

07552 786127 or www.cumnorchoral.co.uk

Cumnor Chess Club Thurs 7–9pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett 862788 www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk

Cumnor & District Historical Society

Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old School. 01865 724808

Fit Steps – exercise based on dance

Friday 6–7pm, Seacourt Hall. Contact Rosalie 07710

65913 or rosalie.crane@btinternet.com

Harmony InSpires, Ladies' Acappella Singing Group

Wed 7.30 at Appleton village hall. C. Casson 01235 831352 or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk

Hill End Volunteer Team Contact: David Millin on hill.end@oxfordshire.gov.uk, call 01865-863510 or visit www.hillend-oec.co.uk

Let’s Sing! – singing group Weds 2pm, WOCC, details Emily 07969 522368 or email emformusic@outlook.com

Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk

N Hinksey after school club Mon–Thurs 3–6pm Contact: Oxford 794287

N Hinksey Art Group Weds 10 – 12.00 W.I. Hall Tel: Christina 07931 707997

N Hinksey Bellringers For more information, or to ring bells Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451

N Hinksey Conservation Volunteers

Meets at weekends. Contact Voirrey Carr 07798743121 voirreyc@aol.com

N Hinksey, Friends of Annual Cricket Match & Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.

N Hinksey Horticultural Society

Contact: Ann Dykes 01865 251821 anndykes@hotmail.com

N Hinksey Parish Council Alan Stone 01865 861992 nhpcclerk@msn.com

N Hinksey Youth Club Wednesdays at Arnold's Way pavilion, call Daz on 07791 212866 or see Facebook

Over Sixties Lunch Club Fortnightly on Thursdays. Seacourt Hall. Marina Bennett 01865 242312

Oxford Archers Archery from beginner to World Champion treasurer@oxford-archers.org

Oxford Flood Alliance R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035

Oxford Flower Arrangement Club

4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker : 01865 865259

Oxford Otters Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays, twice monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420

Oxford Rugby Club Boys and girls from 5–19 years. Contact Kevin Honner 438655, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com For Seniors, training and Touch Rugby jamesy1976@hotmail.co.uk

Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis Club

Family club: Melanie Riste 848658 or melanie_riste@hotmail.com

Parkinson’s Disease Soc Contacts: Julie and John Tailor 01865 763394.

Raleigh Park, Friends of David Brown raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk

Saturdads

Elms Rd Children's Centre Fun activities and trips for Dads and under 5’s 10 am–noon 1st Sat of month. Tel: 243955

St Andrew's playgroup Friday mornings during term time at St Andrew's Church, Orchard Rd standrewsplaytime@gmail.com.

Weight Watchers Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall Banso el: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com

West Oxford Bowls Club Contact: Marion Bostock 436277

West Oxford Taekwon Do Club

Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall

07815 899698 www.wotkd.co.uk

West Oxford U3A (Uni of the 3rd Age) Elizabeth Stevens, 739252

Which Craft? Pavilion, Arnold’s way, third Monday, contact whichcraft.botley@yahoo.co.uk

Women’s Institute (Botley) First Tuesday each month: Jenny Holloway 247572

WVS Mondays & Fridays 10–3pm 01295 264214 oxfordshirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk