The team working on the development of the village play area (that’s David Mason, Katharine Langley, Ros Caffyn and William Betts) are delighted to have received a grant allocation from WREN of over £47,000. Along with over £3,000 raised by Uptonogood earlier in the summer; £5,000 contributed by the Parish Council and about £300 given by UVHAT, we have now raised enough money to make a significant improvement to the village play area. We’ve done a lot of work since October last year, when we started this project by asking all village residents what they wanted from the play area. With this grant, we’re now really looking forward to making the improvements that you requested.
Brownies keep their promise
On Wednesday 6 July 2011 the 1st Upton & Blewbury Brownies spent their evening picking up litter from around the village. Using equipment borrowed from South and Vale district councils, the brownies divided into groups with leaders and adult helpers and scoured the village for litter.
The Brownies had recently been doing various activities based on the Brownie promise, and litter picking seemed an ideal task to cover the element ‘to serve my Queen and my Country’. The Brownies also understood how untidy litter looks and how dangerous it can be sometimes.
The Brownies were pleased they didn’t find too much litter and consider Upton to be quite a tidy village, but still found enough to fill a few bin bags. They did actually enjoy picking up litter, and are keen to do it again some time in the future.
Keys Found
A set of keys have been found on the track between Frog Alley and the Hagbourne Road.
They look like house keys, together with another small key. The keyring bears a motorbike together with an insurance logo.
To claim them, contact Rosemary or Graham de Wilde on 01235 850345.
Theo Gordon’s bequests
Theo, a longstanding Upton resident, was a loved and respected member of the community. She was always ready to support local events and even when she was too ill to attend displayed a keen interest in what was happening.
Over the years she was a generous supporter of the Village Hall and St Mary’s Church, a place close to her heart.
Under the terms of her will £5,000 has been given to the Village Hall and £5,000 to St. Mary’s.
The PCC and the Village Hall trustees are very grateful for these donations and plan to use them to help improve facilities at both buildings.
Howden Jones in Concert
Friday 7 October, 7 for 7.30pm, Village Hall
Kate Howden and Paul Jones are singer-songwriters, based in The North West of England, who have that special magic that captivates the audience in a unique, intimate atmosphere. Their show is a family friendly mixture of songs, tunes and stories, that has the audience joining in, singing along, and laughing as they share their travelling experiences through their music and northern-tinged banter.
With powerful harmony, skilled musicianship and beautiful arrangements, they write all their own material and between them play, guitar, mandolin, fiddle, banjo and bodhran. For more information and to hear samples of their music visit www.howdenjones.co.uk. Tickets available from Jessie West tel: 851206 £12, £10 concession, £6 Children includes buffet supper.
Also coming to the Village Hall, The Oxford Theatre Company – Wednesday 14 December "The Jungle Book" by Neil Duffield, inspired by the Rudyard Kipling stories, and on 27 February 2012, "Some Like it Hotter".
Uptonogood? raises £3000 for Play Area
Thanks to all the hard work of Bob Lott, Mike Tibbetts and their team, the recent Uptonogood mountain biking day has raised the magnificent sum of £3000 for Upton’s Play Area Project!
A huge “Thank You” to everyone from Upton, surrounding villages and further afield, who helped with registrations, refreshments and marshalling. It was also very rewarding to see so many people take an interest in the plans for the play area, which we presented in the village hall.
We really are tremendously grateful for all the support that has been shown for this worthwhile cause, and we are now turn our attention to the next planned event at the Upton Village Fete on Saturday 3rd September. There will be games for our younger visitors, along with the chance to contribute your views and design ideas for the new play area. Please drop by and “play your part” in creating an exciting new play facility for our village.
William Betts
Upton Play Area Development Team
Pimms Pate and Pudding Event
The annual Pimms Pate and Pudding Event will be held on Sunday 14th August 2011 at 1.00 pm on the patio at village hall (in hall if wet)
Tickets are now on sale but limited to just 70.
£10.00 per adult, £5.00 5 – 15 year old, Under 5s Free
Ticket includes 1st glass of Pimms or a soft drink.
Please contact
Celia Davies 850684, Maggie Maytham 850126 or Clare Lightfoot 850486
Pooling Local History
The West Hagbourne History Group is floating the idea that neighbouring villages should pool their resources when they delve into the past. This would make better use of existing parish records and also the enthusiastic researches often being done by people who already live in the locality or move here. They would like to collaborate with the wider community and get to know what we have got. If there is further interest in pursuing this idea those involved from West Hagbourne would be happy to meet interested persons from Upton in Upton village hall.
Please contact secretary val.walton1@btinternet.com
A well chosen selection of Upton history appears on our website and old documents can be looked at in the recently organised archives in the village hall — we are better off than most. However West Hagbourne has published the wonderful Windsor Hakeborne: the Story of West Hagbourne.
Keep Fit Gently
Keeping Fit Gently – "Zumba Gold" exercises which can he done seated or standing…….
There will be 6 weekly exercise classes, organised by the Go Active team at the Vale, starting on Monday 18 July at 2.30 p.m. in the Village Hall. The weekly fee will be £3.50; £18 for the 6 weeks if paid in advance.
If you are interested and have not already let me know, please contact Clare Lightfoot 850486 and your details will be passed to Ashley Chapman the coordinator.
Beware of Bogus Callers
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Please be aware of bogus callers in this area. A man called on a property in Upper Stream Road on Thursday 9th June at 10.30pm asking to delivery an urgent parcel. The occupier kept the chain on the front door and turned the caller away as he knew that he had not ordered anything to be delivered.
Please always use a chain on your front door if you have one and alert the police if you are suspicious.