South Oxfordshire
I hope you have all had en enjoyable summer break.
The Drop-in sessions will resume on Thursday, 2 September when we will be hoping to see some of you in the Village Hall for tea, coffee and biscuits at the usual time of 10.30 until 12.00 noon.
Further sessions will be held on 16 September and 30 September.
Yvonne Collins
01235 850989
Oxfordshire County Council is holding a series of Big Debates.
"We have to reduce county council spending over the coming years. This means changing both the services we provide and how we deliver them to you. We face difficult choices and want your ideas about how we can do thing differently and what our priorities should be. Join us at one of our Big Debate events”.
The event nearest to Upton is on Thursday 16 September at Cornerstone Arts Centre, Didcot, from 7.30 – 9.00 p.m. For further info visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/bigdebate."
It is with some sorrow that we say farewell to Peter and Juliet Gardiner who left the village on 20th August after living in Upton for 17 years.
During their time in the village we have been greatly indebted for the way they have helped to look after the environment and the many other ways in which they have contributed to village life.
Peter was one the original instigators and has always been chief reading organiser behind the supper and readings evenings that have been an enjoyable part of the social life of the village.
Juliet assumed the role of village historian and has researched and compiled a large amount of information on the history of this village up to about 1900. This information is being retained in the village and will be catalogued and stored such that we, and future generations, will be able to use it as a reference thanks to Juliet’s dedicated work.
For many years Peter and Juliet were our Parish Transport Representatives regularly travelling by bus to the meetings in Oxford to fight to retain our bus service and to put our point of view on other transport issues affecting this parish.
Another area where we will miss their presence is in their tireless work over many years in keeping our village roads and footpaths free of litter. If you met then out walking the chances were that they had their litter-picking sticks and small rubbish sack and were picking up any litter that they saw on their walk.
In my early days as a parish councillor Peter and Juliet were the only parishioners to regular attend the meetings. There input in so many areas was invaluable as they were always out walking around the parish or using the local buses noting the little things that needed councillor’s input and generally keeping the council on it’s toes. Even in the latter years when unfortunately Juliet has not been able to walk very far I still got the odd note through the door advising me of fly-tipping or some other area of the parish that needed some attention, a service that I appreciated and will miss in the future.
Peter and Juliet we thank you for your contribution to the village, our best wishes go with you and hope that you will enjoy your new life just along the road in Goring.
Mike Brown
Sat 4 Sept – 2.00 p.m. at Upton Recreation Ground
Dog Show Classes
1. Prettiest Bitch
2. Most Handsome Dog
3. Best Veteran – 7 years +
4. Best 6 Legs
5. Dog with the waggiest tail
6. Open Brace (any pair of dogs any size or breed)
7. The dog the judge would most like to take home
8. Best in Show
£1 PER ENTRY TO BE MADE ON THE DAY. Judge – Trudie
Donation will be made to RSPCA
For more information: Jessie 01235 851206 or Clare 01235 850486
*Fun Dog Show – Jose – 01235 221209
Churn Youth Group
Sunday 19th September at 7pm in the Benefice Centre
All young people of secondary school age are welcome to come along.
We meet on the third Sunday of the month from 7pm to 8.30pm at the Benefice Centre or other venue depending on what activity we decide to do.
Christian Fellowship Group
– for Mums with young children who meet together to grow in faith and take something of what they experience to their families.
The next meeting is on Tuesday 28th September, 8pm at Torpids, High Street, Upton.
"Bringing the Bible Alive" – The parable of the Wise & Foolish Men.
Contact for information or transport: Justine 510864; Revd Louise 851011
Benefice Prayer Initiatives – an update
Exploring Silence
The sessions on Tuesday evenings at 6pm in Upton church continue. Up to 9 people have been meeting and are beginning to find this stillness leads them into a closer relationship with God. We are all learning by experience.
Christ in Quiet
This monthly half hour service has been held in turn at Aston Upthorpe, Blewbury and Hagbourne. At each venue a prayer station has been left as a guide to others. On Saturday September 25th the service will take place at 9am in North Moreton church. A time to listen to God through music and words of scripture.
The CHURN Branch of the MU
The next Pram Service will be on Wednesday 1st September at 12.15pm in the Vale Room, Blewbury Village Hall. ALL AGES ARE WELCOME.
A sandwich lunch is provided by the Mothers Union after the service. This is a short Eucharist service ideal for pre-school children to bring parents, grandparents, carers to.
PASSIONATE about PARENTING
This Autumn a group will run for parents caring for children of 0 – 6 yrs. This will be a time to share the joys and challenges of being a parent and cover subjects such as effective communication, building confidence, setting boundaries etc.
DATES: Tuesday evenings, 8-10pm for 6 weeks from October 5th (break for half-term)
VENUE: Blewbury Benefice Centre
BOOKING FORMS from: Louise Butler, louisegbutler@aol.com 851011, Jenny Balshaw, jenny.balshaw@googlemail.com 815452
Some changes to midweek services – starting in September.
Our pattern of midweek services on Tuesdays and Fridays will change; Wednesdays and Thursdays remaining the same.
The schedule from September will be as follows:
TUESDAYS at St. Mary’s Upton (from 7th September)
9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Holy Eucharist 5.30pm Evening Prayer 6pm Silent meditation
WEDNESDAYS at St. Andrews Hagbourne
9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Holy Eucharist
THURSDAYS at St Michael’s Blewbury
9.30am Morning Prayer 10am Holy Eucharist
FRIDAYS at All Saints’ Aston Upthorpe (from 3rd September)
8.30am Morning Prayer 9am Holy Eucharist
THEO GORDON
1913 – 2010
It is with great sadness that we reflect on and pay tribute to Upton’s oldest resident – as her son, John, proudly acclaimed at the official opening of the extended Village Hall earlier this year.
She came of an almost entirely clerical family, and was for a long time a regular worshipper at St Mary’s, with a deep personal faith. It greatly grieved her when she became too crippled to attend services
Theo and her husband, Jim, a Professor at Reading University, moved to Upton in 1968 and she frequently said how happy they were in the village. The many cars sometimes parked in High Street suggested there were great parties going on – she was renowned as an excellent cook – while a notice "Quiet, please; a book is being written" indicated other activities at "Littlecote" The spacious garden, designed on classical lines by Jim Gordon, was once or twice used for open-air performances..
Since his death in 1998, Theo had made a life on her own. She had a wide range of interests, continued to entertain, made new friends amongst her neighbours. These later enabled her to remain independent and stay in her home, while in her last years she was further supported by home carers and of course her family as well. When John and Liz moved to Cholsey, she saw more of them, and more of her beloved great-grandchildren.
The welfare of the village and its inhabitants was always very close to her heart, and she especially enjoyed the OTTC performances and specifically requested our home-produced evenings of words and music. Quite recently, indeed, Theo hosted a private rendition of "Animal Crackers".
She came of a bygone age, when traditional values and good manners were presumed without question, she was punctiliously grateful for any little services rendered, and anxious always that she and her house were in a proper state to be visited. But she was also so interested in and concerned about other people, so amazing at remembering the detail of their lives and plans, and so good at making everybody feel welcome and important. She had also an acute sense of humour, enjoyed a good laugh as much as a serious discussion, and bore the problems of her increasingly poor health with a quiet fortitude.
Other residents of Upton will recollect scenes in which she featured during her 42 years in the village; for many there will be a Theo-shaped hole in our lives for a long time.
Elisabeth and Malcolm Wright
August 2010
UPTON OIL SYNDICATE
The next order is scheduled to be placed on Monday 23rd August (that’s a week later than normal). To be included, I need to have your orders by Saturday 21st August at the latest.
My current contact details are (preferably by e-mail) colin.batchelor@eggconnect.net or by telephone 01235 851362 (after 7.00pm).
Colin Batchelor
Congratulations to the following young parishioners who have recently been awarded University degrees.
Matthew Smith B.Sc. Sports Management, Ben Shaw B.A. Hons Politics, Alex Davies B.A. Hons History, Ross Telling B.Sc. Mathematics, David Yates B.A. Hons History, Charlotte De Wilde B.A Communications and Media.
We wish them all good fortune in their chosen careers.
Just 10 tickets left for the very popular Pimms Pate and Pudding Event on Sunday 15th August 2010 at 12.30pm at, or hopefully outside, the Upton Village Hall.
If you would like a ticket and have not already purchased please call now to avoid disappointment on the day.
Advance tickets – £10.00 – Adult, £5.00 – 5-15s and Under 5s free
We can only cater for a maximum of 70.
Celia Davies 850684 or Maggie Maytham 850126
Charmian and Derek Whitmell would like to thank the many people in Upton (and further afield) who have helped out in various ways over the recent weeks since our mishaps. We are now recovering and hope to be fully operational before long. We have been really touched by the generosity and kindness of the village community and our dogs have met lots of new, exciting walk-mates.