Would you like to learn more about the oldest building and institution in
Upton? If so, you’d be most welcome at an open event which will take place
on Sunday 16th June at 3pm in the church.
It will start with three short presentations on:
The history of the building and its features of interest.
The church in village life, past and present
Recent changes and future plans.
There’ll be an opportunity to explore the building and the churchyard, and
to ask questions. And to round it all off, there’ll be plenty of tea and cakes.
The whole event will last about an hour, and it’s free!
Though the presentations will primarily be aimed at adults, children will be
very welcome and there’ll be a quiz trail for them to follow. We look
forward to seeing you on 16th June!
The Caucasian Chalk Circle at Orchard Dene Garden Theatre 17-20 July 2024.
A change from Shakespeare…A gem of a play, full of action, humour, music, and emotion…
Grusha, a maid, flees with abandoned baby Michael and face many challenges to protect him. This is a story as
old as Solomon, of motherhood and maternal love.
What makes a good mother: a mother by blood or mother by nurture?
Azdak a drunk or genius -judge or villain? Who will he protect – the landowners or the people?
The Caucasian Chalk Circle welcomes the audience into a world of
huge characters, big emotions, and the eternal question of who has the right
to claim ownership – who should own what?
Directed by Erica Harley. This adaptation provides an alternative and more
accessible version than the more traditional text. Described as a
masterpiece of 20th century drama.
Box office – Tickets will be available online at www.blewburyplayers.co.uk.
Priority booking opens 5 June (using a code that will be sent to them).
General Box Office opens 7 June.
To become a Friend and get priority booking for Blewbury Players’
productions and an annual entertainment and newsletter, please contact
Roger at bpfriends123@gmail.com. Subscription is £15 and is renewable on
1st May 2024.
Front of House roles. Fancy joining the front of House Team? Please call
David Long on 01235 851574 or 07484 360169 or @ blewburyplayers@gmail.com
Jeff and Peter’s Music Quiz – 9 November 2024 More news nearer the date
Puss In Boots Auditions – September 2024 We are excited to confirm that
we will be performing another pantomime in 2025! This has been written
and will be directed by Blewbury’s very own Andy Jarvis. More information
about auditions soon.
For updates on events refer to www.blewburyplayers.co.uk, Facebook or
Instagram. We can contact us at blewburyplayers@gmail.com
Blewbury Post Office News
As summer approaches we hope you are enjoying the warmer weather ☀
We have tickets for the summer preschool raffle for sale. They have some
excellent prizes so please do come along and buy some to support your
local preschool. Tickets for the BVS summer dance are also available.
We have fresh kitty’s eggs and local honey on sale as the hayfever season
kicks in. We have a variety of sweet treats, ice lollies, chocolate and cool
drinks available to help keep cool this summer.
As well as sending parcels, you can also do all your banking at the post
office, including cash withdrawals, cash deposits and cheque deposits.
We look forward to seeing you in the post office soon.
Thanks so much,
Sarah, Karen and Andrew
Christian Aid Week 2024
Thanks to the hard work of some wonderful volunteers and the exceptional
generosity of those who filled their envelopes and attended the Tea Party –
and perhaps perfect weather for the occasion – the total raised (so far) is
the highest ever. Not only four figures, a wonder in itself, but over £1100.
Very Many thanks to all who contributed in any way to this amazing success.
Elisabeth and Malcolm Wright
Help is Required
YOUR HELP, ASSISTANCE, PARTICIPATION is needed with one of the
following activities –
1 Cakes and Biscuits – could you bake a delicious item for sale at the
Village Hall Café to sell during the Uptonogood cycle event? Donations
can be brought to the hall in the morning of the event (15th June.) Or
brought to Chris Traynor, Pentrose, Fieldside the day before.
2. Could you spare some time to help serve in the Hall Café selling
teas and cakes for the cyclists? Please contact Lucy
(lucinda.mason@btinternet.com) if you could spare an hour of your
time on this day.
3 .Upton Village Hall Amenities Trust have a vacancy for a new
member to join this team, who are responsible for the maintenance
and bookings for the village hall. The workload and time involved are
not excessive. If interested please contact
Rob Traynor at
ronyart5@hotmail.com
April Wine Club – “Beyond Malbec and Sauvignon”
Most monthly meetings, we have some members from our committee
talking about wine, often with a story that in weaved in-between each
wine that cleverly links the theme and the evening together. Several times
each year however, we invite external speakers to come and tell us about
their wine. This month saw the return of Tim and Jill North, from Joie de
Vin, an on-line wine business they set up over 10 years ago. They specialise
in going over to France and finding small producers, who often only supply
their local areas due to the small volume of wine they make and convincing
them to sell a few crates so they can bring them back to the UK for us to
try.
There are many hundreds of grape varieties that are used to produce wine.
We could all probably name a dozen or so of the main varieties however,
just because you know a certain grape, don’t assume that it only has one
flavour! Tim took us through some wines to show just that!
By way of an example, our first two wines were from the Chenin Blanc
grape. One wine was made by fermenting the grapes in a steel tank (very
common method for producing lighter, crisp wines) and the second had
spent some of the fermentation process in oak barrels. The difference
was very noticeable – the same grape, from the same region and made by
the same producer but with the influence of oak on the second wine, came
a stronger flavour, with notes of caramel and vanilla that you would expect
form wine that had spent some time in a barrel. You might hear people
referring to these style of wines as being more complex….because they
have had extra processes in production but also because there is more to
the wine…it seems to last longer “on the nose” and there is typically more
flavours you pick up when tasting.
Another example was a Sauvignon Blanc from the Sancerre region in the
north of France. Sancerre has become famous for producing a specific
style of crisp, highly acidic white wine from this grape that reflects the
cooler climates and flint soil where the grapes grow. Just like other
regions you may know such as Rhone and Chateauneuf du Pape, the wine
commands a high value because of it’s regional popularity. Tim had found
one producer that wanted to challenge that particular style. Allowing the
grapes to spend more time during fermentation in contact with the natural
yeast, stems, pips etc (this is known as spending more time on the lees),
the wine took on a totally different complexity and when combined with
some Oak, again produced a much softer wine that many would not have
assumed was from Sancerre.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, with some excellent wines. So if,
for example you are a person that has said before “I’m an ABC wine
drinker….”Anything But Chardonnay” – I urge you to look again and see if
you can find something a little different (try a Chardonnay from Chablis
for example!) you might just surprise yourself!
Next month we have wines being presented by some of our club members.
It will be a great evening full of why some wines have just become firm
favorites – which rarely has anything to do with how they have been
made! If you would like to come along then all our details can be found
on our website: www.uptonwineclub.co.uk
Ian
UWAC Chairman
Post Office News
Just a little update on our spring opening hours.
The post office will be closed on Monday 6th
of May and Monday 27th May
due to the spring bank holidays. We will also be closed on Friday 17th of
May due to staff holiday.
From the 28th May to the 31st of May, during the School Half term, we will
be operating our reduced hours of 9am – 12pm, Tuesday to Friday. Thank
you for your understanding during this time.
Don’t forget we have fresh kitty’s eggs and local honey on sale as the
hayfever season approaches. We have a variety of sweet treats and
chocolate for sale so do come and have a look.
You can also do all your banking at the post office, including cash
withdrawals, cash deposits and cheque deposits.
We look forward to seeing you in the post office soon.
Thanks so much,
Sarah, Karen and Andrew
Nature Garden Update
We had a great turnout for the planting party in April. Thanks to the merry
dozen who took the time to find homes for 120 new shrubs, perennials, ferns
and grasses, not forgetting the additional help to trailer the plants from
here to there, bake delicious cake and cookies, pay invoices, and give
advice! It really does take a village.
My early-20s nephew came along and he summarised the experience as
follows:
“Everyone was very friendly and I had a lovely day in the sun. It’s nice to
know I did something for the community and I look forward to returning in
the future.”
No money changed hands obtaining this review, promise!
A quick recap
In case you haven’t been on www.nature-garden.co.uk or seen the info
board in the garden, here’s a potted history:
• in 2021 villagers got together to create a space for nature by the village
hall, on the site of the old toddler playpark; the Parish Council made the
land available.
• all the funds for clearing, constructing, materials and planting came
from donations and grants
volunteers from the village and beyond have done all the maintenance work
at quarterly working parties
Recent improvements
This year we’ve addressed the lack of ‘water features’ by adding a goodsized water butt and a small waterpoint to attract birds and
insects. Inspired by a visit to RHS Hyde Hall we also put up some willow
structures to draw the eye. And, as previously mentioned, we invested in a
batch of new shade-tolerant plants, variously berry-bearing, evergreen,
flowering and wildlife-attracting to improve our year-round colour and
interest. See the full list on the website.
Plans for this summer and beyond
We’re hopeful of a good wildflower display along the lines of last year’s. It
won’t be the ‘pictorial meadow’ that most illustrations show, because we
haven’t resown with a seed mix including annuals – that has a hefty price
tag and involves disrupting the soil. Still, we’re likely to get masses of
insect-friendly daisies, wild carrot, buttercup. selfheal and red campion,
among others. It’ll be a magnet for butterflies, bumblebees, moths,
crickets, voles and other meadow species. In July it’ll be scythed off in
sections.
The orchard is growing really well. When there’s a dry period of course
we’ll need to keep the fruit trees watered. If you fancy helping, just fill a
watering can from the butt as you wander past and empty it on the mulch
around the trunk. (The mulch helps retain the moisture.)
In the woodland area the mound is looking especially green and lush at the
moment. Over time we’d like the whole of the central area were the
mound is to be free from grass so the frens and other plants can thrive. To
achieve this we need more woodchippings so if you’re having broadleaf
tree work done, please encourage the arborists to drop the chips by the
bus shelter.
Feeling nimble-fingered?
One of the volunteers suggested that we could include a couple of small
hazel and willow-work hides or dens for small people in our plans. So
anyone with weaving skills who fancies taking this on would be very
welcome.
Thanks again to all volunteers, supporters, and contributors. I hope you
find time in the coming months to enjoy a stroll through the garden or
some moments of peace and calm on the banana bench.
Kieron – On behalf of the nature garden volunteers
Upton’s Village Drop-In
The next Drop-In is planned for Friday 26th April back at the Village hall.
If you have any questions or would like to help out with any of the meets,
please feel free to email Nicola Hall – events@uptonvillagehall.co.u
Help with Essential Living Costs
Are you on a low income and struggling to pay for food, energy or necessary
household items? We are a local charity able to support people living in
Blewbury, the Astons and Upton by providing one off payments to help you,
or someone you know in need.
To apply there is a short application form to complete which can be picked
up from St Mary’s Church porch, Blewbury Post Office or requested by email
to unitedcharities@outlook.com. We can help you fill in the form if needed.
All applications are assessed on an individual basis but, as our funds are
limited, we give priority to those in receipt of benefits such as Universal
Credit, Tax Credits and Pension Credit or those who have extenuating
circumstances such as ill health or vulnerability. Please don’t be reluctant to
ask for help, all applications are dealt with confidentially.
Here we are, already in the middle of Spring, with no sign of economic
improvement on the horizon in the country. We continue to receive a steady
flow of requests for financial help from local people who find themselves
unable to make ends meet. Looking ahead, we are going to struggle to help
as many individuals and families in Blewbury, Upton and the Astons as we
would like, unless we can generate more funds.
If anyone of you out there in the community feel able to help by donating
any amount, small or large, we would be extremely grateful. You can do this
through our Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/ucab
Thank you very much in advance, and if you have any questions, please do
get in touch with us by email unitedcharities@outlook.com
United Charities of the Ancient Parish of Blewbury Registered Charity No: 20353