As you can imagine this has not been an easy decision and there are many heavy hearts. We are very clear, however, that sometimes being faithful means moving on and what has served well in the past is not necessarily right in the present. There are two reasons for making the decision to close both churches: the number of regular worshipers at our Upton Centre is low, and in spite of support from the Community the Spring Line Church is not financially viable. We would be in the position of having to ask for financial support from the Methodist Church if we carry on beyond spring 2013, and this did not seem right, so we have decided to move on and to support other churches. The next 12 months will enable us to make all the preparations we need for the change: practically, emotionally and spiritually.

We would like to thank the Community for responding to our plea for more Community Use over the last 12 months, and hope you will continue to use our buildings until the closure date. The actual process of closing the church and decisions about the future of the two buildings is undertaken by the Wantage and Abingdon Circuit, not by Spring Line Church members.

Jo Lakeland

This is an opportunity to let the Parish Council know how you would like to see the village shape up in the future.   For further information call the Parish Clerk, Clare Lightfoot, on 850486

For more information please contact Sue Totterdale  at totterdells@btinternet.com

There will be a Coffee Morning in aid of the Children’s Society

at Prospect House (by kind invitation of Simon & Hilary Powell)

on SATURDAY 28TH APRIL from 10.30 – 12.00 noon

Home made cakes, raffle, bring & buy stall.

Donations of cakes would be appreciated.

More information from Hilary 850268 or Clare 850486

YES, PRIME MINISTER

New Theatre, Oxford Thursday 8 March 2012

Many of us remember fondly the original “Yes, Minister” on the television in the seventies and we were not to be disappointed by the new “Yes, Prime Minister”. The play is bang up to date as we are immersed in the governing world of financial crisis, the global warming debate, the baffling European Union, the politics of oil and the instability of countries whose names end in “-stan”. The blackberry has replaced the telephone; the civil service messenger is the prime means of communication and the fear of the “Daily Mail” is greater than the fear of the Parliamentary Opposition.

The same magic exists as we laugh at the behaviour of individuals, are dazzled by the language in the soliloquies of Humphrey, and to cap it all there lurks an ever present sense of the absurd. At one point I had tears of laughter running down my cheeks.

Jim Hacker (Prime Minister) was ably portrayed by Graham Seed (Nigel Pargetter of The Archers fame). A Prime Minister may to the public appear supremely powerful but he does not always feel that way. He does not have many troops supporting him against Sir Humphrey’s mighty legions in Whitehall. On the surface he is blundering, vain, self- serving and self- publicising, but he is not always a fool, being crafty and a worthy opponent of Sir Humphrey. Above all he is touchingly human.

If you enjoyed the television series then there is no doubt that you will enjoy this production. A thoroughly entertaining evening.

Ann and Nick Parham

March 2012

A company was engaged to send a camera down the pipe work to ascertain just what was causing the problem and where it was located. According to the scan, roots had penetrated a section of the pitch-fibre pipe at a point under the trees at the edge of the children’s play area.

Remedial work was undertaken this week and unfortunately as soon as the work was started we realised that the camera scan had not given us an accurate picture and that the job was more complex than we had expected. The route of the pipe was not in the direction we were led to believe but went straight across to a point behind the bus shelter passing right underneath one of the supports for the junior swing.

A new section of pipe has now been laid from the hall to a new manhole situated behind the bus shelter with a slight bend to pass under the centre of the swing. The old pitch-fibre pipe was badly misshapen where it had flattened over the 50 years that it has been in place and it is thought that the section that has now been by-passed but remains under the swing is the area that has caused the problem probably due to damage during the construction of the swing or due to it being just inches away from the concrete surrounding one of the stanchions of the swing.

We are sorry that the additional work has resulted in our having to dig up more of the play area than we had expected, a temporary fence has been put in place to protect the area that we will have to re-seed. It will be appreciated if use of the swing could be kept to a minimum for the next 2 months until the area has recovered.

Our apologies to those who’s pleasure we are temporarily restricting but please understand the work had to be undertaken.

Mike Brown

On behalf of UVHAT and the Parish Council

Peter Schaffer

Watermill Theatre, Bagnor, on Tuesday 28 February 2012

By the time that Schaffer wrote this play in 1987, he was a seasoned playwright. The cast is small – just four speaking parts, but the two main characters are female, which must be unusual. Lettice Douffet and Lotte Schoen dominate the whole piece and are played, magnificently, by Selina Cadell – a familiar face from television dramas – and Jessica Turner.

It is a gentle comedy for the most part, hilarious in places, with a number of surprises. The setting is initially in a dull panelled room of a minor country house called Fustian Hall. Lettice is the employed guide, who, getting bored with repeating the same set piece to groups of visitors (played in this production by unpaid volunteers), begins to embroider the story with exciting but untrue additions. Her employer eventually catches her out, and threatens her with dismissal.

The play develops, moving to Lotte Schoen’s office and then to Lettice’s basement flat, cunningly conjured up, using the theatre’s gallery as ground level. As Lettice and Lotte’s friendship grows, these two very different people reveal their backgrounds and their interests. Their costumes reflect their professions, one colourful and surprising for the actress and the other muted and sensible for the civil servant.

The final act brings an awkward but accidental dilemma into the story and involves a solicitor played by Michael Thomas. The play ends with a dramatic twist.

The Upton Village Theatre Group enjoyed a pre-performance supper (most enjoyable), seats at the front of the stalls and transport. It was an evening to remember, organised by Malcolm Wright and the Theatre Group Committee, whom we heartily thank.

B.Hopkins,

February 2012

It Measures: 88cm front edge tapering to 60 cm along back edge, front to back depth 47cm, height 48 cm

The unit is in excellent condition but surplus to our requirements.

It’s FREE.

Please Contact: Judy Barradell-Smith

01235 851186

UPTON PARISH COUNCIL

Your attendance is requested at

An Extraordinary Meeting of Upton Parish Council
in the Village Hall Small Meeting Room
on Thursday 23rd February 2012 at 8.00 pm

AGENDA

    1.      Apologies – Dr Bob Lott

    2.       Declarations of Interest
    Members are asked to declare any personal interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in     any of the items under consideration at this meeting. Any Member arriving after the start of the meeting is     asked to declare personal interests as necessary as soon as practicable after their arrival even if the item     in question has been considered.

3.    Playground: update by working group.  PC’s approval required on selection of supplier and equipment.  Discuss contract stage. 

4.    Planning Applications:

11/02454/FUL: Inclusion of scrub land as part of the dwellings amenity that has been such for a period of two and a half years.  Stream Cottage, Stream Road.  Applicant Mr S Fraser.

12/00271/FUL: proposed oak framed single storey orangery.  2 Church Street Cottages, Church Street.  Applicant Mr P Batho.

Proposal to fell one sycamore tree at Torpids, High Street.

Clare Lightfoot
Clerk/Upton Parish Council

20th February 2012

Thanks to Mike Brown who is coordinating this, on our behalf, with Biffa