This month, the Newsletter Box contained £46.05 – thank you.

Sadly we report the deaths of Julian Bolton, Kitty Conrad, Patrick Cooke, John David Macfarlane and Joan Stirling. On behalf of the village send our condolences to their families and friends.

Copy of "The two foot gauge rails to the ironstone."

Good price paid - contact Tom on 01608 737371 Thank you.

A PAIR OF GLASSES in an ELEPHANT DESIGN TAPESTRY CASE were found at the bottom of Bells Lane. They have been taken to the Post Office for Collection.

One of the local veterinary surgeries is collecting items for homeless dogs and cats. If you have any of the following to spare, they would be very gratefully received. Every few weeks the donations are distributed to the most needy animal shelters around the country. Old Dog Leads – Collars – Blankets – Towels – Beds – Dog Coats - Scratching Posts – Spare Food – Chews – Brushes – Combs – Shampoo – Toothpaste – In date Wormer / Flea Treatments – toys etc.. Anything you think would make an unwanted dog's / cat's life a little happier. Anything not suitable will be divided between the RSPCA and PDSA Charity shops in Banbury. Please spare a few minutes to search for any unwanted items mentioned above. If you care to give me a call, I will be happy to deliver them. Many thanks – Hilary Wiseman

“How wet it’s been” or “how dry!” is always on our lips as we all like to know and talk about our weather and here in Hooky it often seems that we have our own Ecosystem. Many of us have barometers, hydrometers and rain gauges already and like to record the daily splash, and a semi-official daily rain record has been kept continuously here in the village for thirty-eight years now.

Started by a former resident, Roger Lace, in 1970 and taken over by me in 1991 when he left the village the monthly total was once entered in this journal but subsequently retired to a chart in the Library.

It has been an easy and fascinating pastime but after 18 years I feel it is time for me to pass the rain gauge and recording tables on to somebody else at the end of this year.

If you are interested, I should be glad to hear from you and to hand over to you at your convenience. So if you are that somebody, please contact me ccbvib@tiscali.co.uk

By the time this news-letter is published, we will have left the village, we are moving to France early in the New Year. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all in Hook Norton who have made us so welcome over the last 25 years.

This has been a difficult decision to make, but over the last couple of years we have spent more and more time at our holiday home in the Vendee. During this time we have got to know many people associated with the ‘Spring Harvest’ Christian campsite in the Vendee and have joined a ‘church family’ in St. Gilles Croix de Vie, where we have been made very welcome.

Hook Norton will always hold a special place in our hearts and we hope to return fairly frequently to visit family and friends. We would like to thank especially all the members of our ‘church family’ at St. Peter’s and assure them that they will be forever in our prayers, particularly with regard to the Mission 2010.

There was a good attendance at the AGM in the Memorial Hall on 15 October. The Chairman, Dave Coates remarked on the excellent value the club membership subscription offered; with the help of the Committee a varied programme of events had taken place throughout the year and the club was thriving with over 140 members. The finances were healthy and with all this in mind he felt it time to step down after 12 years as Chairman and 22 years on the Committee. Nick Faulkner, the Secretary, thanked Dave on behalf of members for his valuable contribution to the club over many years. Peter Arnold had agreed to stand as Chairman and was unanimously voted in. The other officers remain the same; Nick Faulkner as Secretary, Tony Freeman as Treasurer and Verity Calderan as Vice Chairman. The Committee members are Malcolm Black, Christine Blackham, Ann Faulkner, Frank Faulkner, Alrys Morris, Francis Price, Nicholas Price and Sally Wood. It was proposed and unanimously agreed that from 2009 the AGM would be held in November and would be followed by the end of year Christmas party.

A varied and interesting programme has been planned for next year and as usual a pull-out Calendar will appear in the February Newsletter.

Finally, thank you to all members who have supported the club in 2008; we look forward to seeing you at the first open meeting on 18 February 2009 at the beginning of what we hope will be a great gardening year.

Opening Hours;

A short update on what’s been going on here. Our Rhymetimes for 0 to 3 year olds held monthly are still well attended and proving popular the last one for this year is Monday 8^th December 2.00 to 2.30pm in the reading room. All are welcome, no need to book, just come along and join in!

We also have a Xmas Bedtime Storytime for 4 to 7 year olds planned for Monday 15^th December 5.00 to 6.00pm. The children can come along ready for bed with a torch and teddy, enquire at the library for more details and tickets, it should be fun.

A suggestion has been made to start an informal Book Reading Group to meet monthly in the Reading Room on a Wednesday or Friday afternoon 2.00 to 3.00pm. The idea being, rather than reading a set book, the group may read a certain author or type of genre etc. If anyone is interested in forming such a group or joining one please contact the library leaving your contact details.

Don’t forget we still have photocopying facilities, Internet access, and battery recycling which is very successful, the tube is always full before they come to empty it.

Finally, from myself, Gill and Penny we would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year.

Ho ho ho! from the Friends of Hook Norton School. Yes, we hope you have your sleighs revved up for our Christmas Fayre, 5 to 7pm, December 5, an event that draws folk from as far as Lapland in search of Christmas ideas. As ever, there will be lots of different stalls, refreshments, a visit from Santa plus a grand raffle with First Prize of a Nintendo Wii (beat that Rudolph!).

Looking forward to 2009, we're starting off with another Casino Event on Saturday 24 January in the school hall. Don’t miss it. Last time it left participants not only shaken but stirred. Tickets will be available when we return to school in January.

Soon after, there’s the Frog Racing event on March 7, which should put a little spring into folk after the winter. More details to follow.

Finally, don’t forget that we are now collecting annual payments for the School Lottery 2009. Ten draws will take place through the year with a first prize of up to £100. Remember that more members mean bigger the prizes! Interested? Then call our organiser, Kim Harris for more details or contact the school office.

Thanks to everyone for their continued support! We depend on you.

would like to invite the senior members of the community to watch our Key Stage One Christmas Nativity ‘Born in a Barn’ on Tuesday 9^th December, to be followed by afternoon tea. Please attend the Study Centre at 1.15pm for sherry prior to the performance. (It would be useful to have an idea of numbers, please telephone the school office on 01608 737379 to let us know you are coming.)

Twenty-eight youngsters from Year 4 of our local school visited the Museum on Armistice Day, 11th November. They shared the war time memories of the Curators and Archivist and revealed how much they already knew about those times.

Then the air raid siren sounded and they had a ‘mock’ air raid practice trooping off in silence to the ‘shelter’ in the basement.

Just before 11 o’clock they gathered round the television to watch the service at the Cenotaph and at 11 o’clock they stood in silence in memory of those killed in war.

Before they left they watched a dramatic re-enactment of the ‘evacuees’ episode from Passion For the Countryside (the story of the railway) filmed in 1995 when community theatre came to the village.

We at the Museum were most impressed by the behaviour of Year 4 and would like to congratulate them on their visit.

Bag Pack Volunteers Needed!

Wednesday 17th December, Sainsbury’s Banbury

Do you have 1½ hours to spare to help with our Bag Pack Day? We have slots starting from 9.30am and would love to hear from anyone who might like to join our friendly team of volunteers on the day. If you don’t want to come on your own, why not get a friend to join you? Last year’s Bag Pack raised almost £900, with shoppers delighted by the helpful service offered. Please call Sarah in the Fundraising Office for more information or to volunteer, on (01295) 812161. A small amount of your time makes a great difference!

Christmas Gift Card Scheme

Stuck for ideas for a Christmas present? Why not send a personalised hospice gift card? Here’s how it works… Instead of buying a gift, you make a donation to Katharine House and we produce a personalised printed greetings card for you to send to your relative/friend with details of your gift. On the back is a list showing examples of how your donation benefits the hospice. For example, it costs £20 for a patient and friend to attend our Christmas party and concert. Interested? Contact Sue or Sarah in Fundraising on (01295) 812161 or download a form from our website.

Hospice Lottery Gift Membership

We have a popular solution for the person who has everything! Why not buy your friend or relative 20 weeks membership in our popular lottery? This is how it works. For £1 per week, our lottery offers the chance to win £1,000 every Friday! You decide on how many weeks you wish to take up and upon receipt of your payment, we send you an attractive card for you to pass on with all the relevant details. You can choose the number of weeks from 10 upwards. One generous Banbury lady buys all her five adult grandchildren a year’s worth and several of them have received a small win but none has claimed the £1,000 – yet! Telephone Sheila in Fundraising on (01295) 812161 for further details.

Thank you for your support.

The Orchard Road Marie Curie Cancer Care collection in September raised £70. Many thanks to all who gave to this worthwhile cause.

On Friday 26^th September, our annual Coffee Morning was held in the Study Centre, at Hook Norton Primary School. As usual, it was a huge success and the place was buzzing from start to finish! The smell of coffee and cakes obviously lured the villagers in, as did the lovely Christmas cards and gifts that were on sale, together with the raffle.

The final figure raised at the Macmillan Coffee Morning this year, was a tremendous £1,058.71, this included the extra orders for Christmas cards and gifts taken after the day. A huge thank you to all those who helped me on the day and also to all the villagers who once again supported this very worthwhile cause.

The total we have raised in the village for those of you who have been attending my coffee mornings since 1996 is a massive £9,060.40, so well done to you all.

Thanks to everyone who attended Pudsey bingo. We raised £97 on the night for children in need, and with a kind donation of £3 from a footy fan on Saturday to round it up we will be able to send £100 to this very worthy cause.

The 2008 Beer Festival donations evening was held at the Brewery Visitor Centre on 24^th October. Thanks once again to James and Paula Clarke for their generous hospitality.

This year we were delighted to give away a record total of £16,600, distributed as follows:

Most of these charities will be familiar to you but there are two that you may not have heard of:

The Oxford Cancer Centre will provide purpose built radiotherapy and radio diagnostic facilities, together with wards, out-patient facilities, additional operating theatres and accommodation for staff based at the Churchill Hospital.

Rays of Sunshine Children's Charity exists to grant the wishes of children who are living with serious or life-threatening illnesses between the ages of 3-18. We have asked for our donation to be used for a local child and it is likely to be spent on a wish that has recently been referred from the John Radcliffe Hospital. We shall include an article on this in a future newsletter.

Thanks again to all those who helped with the festival and to everyone who supported it by drinking so generously!

The 2009 Beer Festival will be on Saturday 18^th July. Over the last few years it has become apparent that the site at the Pear Tree has its limitations both as to size and location.  Sadly we are experiencing increasing problems from groups of (mostly local) youths whose language and behaviour is spoiling the day for the majority of festival-goers. The lack of respect for local residents, broken glass and damage to property have reached a level where they can no longer be ignored.

As a consequence we have made the decision to relocate the Festival to the old Rural Fayre field, which will afford us the opportunity to expand the Festival, provide more room, and control effectively those who participate in it.

We hope that you will support us in this move and we look forward to seeing you at next year’s festival.

It was a full house on Tuesday 18^th November as the members of the Rotary Club of Banbury Cherwell presented the proceeds of this year’s annual ‘Beer Festival’ charity event.

Cheques totalling £4,125 were presented by club president Keith Disney to the selected charities including the Brodey Cancer Centre at the Horton Hospital as well as other local and Rotary charities.

Representatives from 15 charities including Banbury Youth Cricket, Brodey Centre Appeal, BYHP, Cats Protection League, Citizens Advice Bureau, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Katherine House Hospice, Lets Play, Red Cross, Redlands Gateway, Samaritans, Save the Children, Radio Horton and Barks. The Adderbury and Bodicote Guides where also there for the presentation along with members of Aplins, Berry Morris, Brethertons, Fairbairn Wild, Spratt Endicott Solicitors and Whitley Stimpson companies who sponsored the event this year and without whom the event would not be so successful - Norbar were the main sponsors.

For the fourth year running, the club rolled out the Barrels for the August bank holiday ‘Beer Festival’ which was held at the Banbury Cricket Club, Bodicote.

Alongside the beer tasting the day included live music from Radio Horton, bouncy castle and fairground rides, face painting, falconry, junior cricket competition, pig roast and barbecue alongside numerous charity stalls, not to mention the fly-by from a second world war Dakota.

Event organiser Chris Humphris explains: “Once again, our 2008 event saw a fantastic turn-out it was an outstanding family day outing and was great to see so many people having such a good time. Since the first festival in 2004, it has become a major attraction drawing in all generations of people to enjoy great music, lively attractions and events, delicious food and of course an amazing selection of drink.”

Club president, Keith Disney says: “We are extremely pleased with the continued growth and success of our annual Beer Festival which is a major project for our club. Club members including family volunteers worked exceptionally hard to make the day run smoothly and the cheque presentation stands as testament to the effort made. We should also thank all our sponsors, whose generosity has maximised their efforts. Please feel free to join us at next year’s event which will be held on Monday 31^st August.”

On Thursday 6^th November, my mother and I were invited to St James' Palace for me to receive my gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. I was only allowed one spare ticket to get into the palace, so mum and I went in. The Palace is lovely, very red and gold and is not open to the general public usually. We had the presentation in the Picture Gallery Room, with 99 other young people being presented with their award in the morning as well as all their guests. Throughout the palace there were another three rooms that were presenting 100 young people with their awards too. We were all given times that we had to be in the room by and as we walked through the palace we listened to lovely orchestral music. Once we were in the room, we were given a talk as to what would be happening later and then we had to practice standing up in our groups ready for the Earl of Wessex to come in. Our celebrities for the morning, were Jo and Rob Ghandi, who hold the record for climbing the 7 summits of the world and also skiing to the north and south pole. I was totally inspired with what Jo said to us about gaining the award and am hoping that I shall get her book "Holding On" for Christmas! The Earl of Wessex came into the room where we were standing and talked to each group individually asking them what they had done to gain the award. It was all very interesting hearing what everyone had done to get their award. For my gold, I had been to Exmoor and the Lake District on my expedition, World Scout Jamboree for my residential, learnt to drive for my skill, continued with my canoeing for my fitness and become a brownie leader for my service. I hope to be able to help out at a local brownie unit at Bognor Regis, where I am now studying at University. After the Earl of Wessex had left the room, then Jo presented us all with our certificates and we had group photographs taken. The whole day was very exciting and I am very proud to have received my gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. I would encourage all young people to have a go at the award as it helps you so much with your personal skills and gives you so much confidence and is also a great thing to achieve in life.

The second Crocus Walk was held on Sunday 19^th October at Leys Farm, with the very kind permission Farm led by Tony on a lovely autumn morning. Crocus bulbs were planted along the way so we can enjoy them at next years spring walk! The walked started with coffee and biscuits and finished with a BBQ and campfire by the stream. All walkers obtained sponsorship for the walk and extra funds were raised by petting a puppy at the farm! The event raised an amazing £907 which added to the spring walk gives a fantastic total of £2217 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Sue and Rosie Sabin were invited to visit the laboratories in London where research into Breast Cancer takes place. “It was so great to see where the money we raised was going to be used” said Sue, “It inspired me to come straight back and plan the walks for 2009”.

The Hook Norton Crocus Walk started off as a fund raising event organised by Lucy who runs the Slimming World Group in the village and Sue who is a member of the group. Slimming World members and their partners, children and dogs were welcomed.

There will be an open evening at the Slimming World Group on Wednesday 17^th December. We have our group Christmas party and a food tasting! If anyone would like to come along to find out more please do! The group is held every Weds in the School Study Centre at 6.30pm.

Dates for next year are confirmed as 8 March and 11 October and anyone from the village wishing to take part can get more details by calling Lucy or Sue.

Organisers – Tony & Sue Sabin, Jay & Lucy Brown, Mary Palmer, Georgie Sabin and Mark Palmer

It is a beautiful sunny and warm November morning which is a real treat after all the rain we have had and there are plenty of birds around which are a pleasure to watch.

On 17^th August from his garden in Bourne Lane, Tim Burchell saw a Hobby (pictured left) on the same thermal as a Buzzard (pictured right) there was another Hobby over the allotment track on 20^th August and over Rectory Road on 25^th September a Hobby being mobbed by a corvid. A Hobby was also seen over the fields in East End on 22^nd and 30^th September.

Tim also saw a single Cormorant on 18^th September, two on 21^st September heading east over The Bourne, one on 2^nd October high over the Memorial Hall heading south and one on 13th October over The Bourne. Jeannette Hibbard saw one on 12th October and there were 5 flying over the East End fields on 21^st September and 4 on the 30^th September.

Tim Burchell also saw a House Martin on the nest at Old School End on 9^th October. There have been several sightings of Herons, two on 21^st, and one on 23^rd and 24^th September, 5^th, 23^rd and 26^th October. A Great Spotted Woodpecker has come several times in the last few days to feed from one of our seed feeders and there have been a couple of sightings of a Green Woodpecker flying over the fields in East End. On 9^th October there was a Stonechat on the barbed wire at the back of our garden which stayed around all day flying back and forth for insects. There was a Lesser Black-backed Gull in the field in East End on 17^th October. There were 10 plus Long-tailed Tits on a May tree in a front garden of a house in East End on 21^st and 23^rd October. On 30^th October we had a quick glimpse of the female Blackcap in our garden which came down to the ground for seeds under the feeder.

On 18^th September there were many Butterflies around, including Speckled Wood and Brimstone as well as Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell, a Comma on 27^th October and an unidentified one on 11th November. I was very pleased to hear from Julia Edwards about a Camberwell Beauty which she had in her garden on a fine, warm day on 10^th October resting/feeding on cosmos. This Butterfly is a rare migrant from Scandinavia and mainland Europe, seen mainly in autumn and can turn up anywhere in the country. If the next few days are sunny and warm we might see more Butterflies so please let me know if you see one, but it has been a very bad year for these insects with all the rain we have had, so let us hope next year will be drier. A Dragonfly, probably a Common Darter was in our back garden on 20^th September and 12th October.

In the third week of July, David Shirt saw Weasels crossing the road on three occasions, two were between Thistle Lea Farm and The Firs and on one occasion a Weasel was carrying a dead mouse, presumably to feed young and the third was at the top of the hill near the Chippy turning. A Fox was sighted in East End on 26^th September, 6^th, 8^th and 9^th October.

The most interesting sighting is one on the morning of 27^th September, by Tracey Hemmings in Sibford Road at 4.30am in thick fog, when she and her husband were woken up by a loud squealing noise and, on looking out of their bedroom window, saw a Wild Boar with a few young in a panic making such a noise and heading towards the village. Did anyone else see or hear anything on this morning? I would be very pleased to hear from you. We know that there are Wild Boar around in some areas, but interestingly the sighting on the website of the distribution has a comment about one seen in a field in Hanwell, Oxfordshire at 17.30 on 7^th October running at great speed in a field with lots of brambles and bushes.

Walking on the inside of a window in the home of David Shirt there were two Harlequin Ladybirds, a notorious alien invader which arrived in Britain in summer 2004, that is spreading all over the country and in danger of replacing our native Ladybirds. They were a typical variety which is orangey-red with about 18 black spots.

Thank you very much indeed to all of you who have been in touch with me which I very much appreciate and I hope to hear from you again in 2009 and also from anyone who has never been in touch. I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and very best wishes for 2009.

Saturday 29^th March 1947 during that terrible winter is when my journey commenced. My mother Doris, gave birth to me, Hector William Frank, at Sibford Road , the home of my mother’s parents William and Annie Cooper.

Dad - Hector Josephs

My father, Hector Josephs had left Jamaica via New York by troop ship in 1944 to join the Royal Air Force and was stationed nearby at Moreton in the Marsh.

I was christened in St Peter’s in Hook Norton and the next 5 years were spent at RAF stations Moreton, Enstone and Little Rissington where I started school. By this time another brother, David had arrived in August 1948 but my parents suffered the loss of a son Robert, through a cot death aged 3 months. Norman was then born in May 1952 and later in that year was when my life of travel began.

Grand-Dad Cooper

Dad was posted to RAF Changi, home of the infamous POW camp, in Singapore and had flown out before but Mum and her 3 children had the luxury of a 6 week cruise on the Empire Windrush troopship. Don’t remember too much about it but I am sure it would have been great fun!

We spent two and a half years in the sun and even had an Amah who used to do all the house work and look after us three boys. Two abiding

1 Sibford Road

memories of our time there were the Queen’s Coronation and hearing that Everest had been conquered.

Returned to a grey and damp UK in 1955 and were stationed at RAF Filton near Bristol. My mother then produced two more boys Peter and Stephen which made the two bed roomed RAF quarter rather small to say the least!

During our time here Dad’s mother from Jamaica came for a visit and Dad had meanwhile put his hand through a window and severely injured himself, so much so that he had to learn to write with his left hand. Still never prevented him from giving us a hiding though!

Looking back now it must have been hard financially for my parents having to cope with 5 children because in those days a military wage was really poor, not like today’s serviceman where they are rightly rewarded.

Spent a couple of years at Filton and then were posted back out to Singapore but this time to RAF Seletar. No troopship this time. We flew out on a four turbo prop Hermes which was such a fascinating trip as it took 5 days! Because of the distance and the slow speed of the aircraft we had to stop off to refuel at some really exotic places in Italy, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) Pakistan, India and Thailand. I do remember that the aircraft had a problem in Delhi so we had to stay for a couple of days. Couldn’t believe how poor the area on the way to the hotel was with beggars everywhere. It really made an impression on me then aged only ten years.

Spent just over two years in Singapore where I managed to pass my 11+ much to father’s delight. He was so pleased that he went out and bought me a bicycle but shortly afterwards he borrowed it and had it stolen! Never replaced it though! During this time the Munich air crash with Manchester United occurred and Gatwick Airport opened.

To be continued in the next newsletter.