King's Sutton Times

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013NEILL W. JONESInterior and ExteriorPainter and DecoratorQualified TradesmanAll types of decorating workundertakenat competitive ratesPhone (01295) 265768DAVE ESSEXCarpenter andJoinerFor All Your Carpentry NeedsFrom a Fitted Kitchento a Garden PergolaALSOUPVC Windows, Doorsand FasciasProperty Maintenance01295 81123407799 897158YOUR VILLAGE CARPENTERCity & Guilds Advanced Craft QualifiedHouse Maintenance & AlterationsSmall ExtensionsDrivewaysConservatoriesPatios, Fencing & LandscapingFully qualified, experienced, local builder01295 81129107967 158835The Old Sweet Shop, 2 Astrop Road, King’s SuttonFreeEstimatesReferencesAvailableCompetitivePricingFriendlyServiceIFC

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013View from the VillageIt is hard to believe it’s almost Christmas again.The months seem to fly by. Perhaps it’s becauseI’m getting older and notice the passing of timeso much more.***I have recently been going over past copies of theKing’s Sutton Times. Do you realise that we arealmost 50 years’ old? (Well, we will be in threeyears’ time.) It is lovely to see the changes in thevillage during that time. The stories that havebeen printed, the people who have contributedto this magazine over the years, some still withus, others having passed away, but all of whomhave played a vital part in our village.Then there’s the traditions that have beenallowed to die out, such as the Village Vaudeville,the Christmas parties, etc. We must try to bringas many of these back as possible. We needour village to be a community, where we areall known to each other, where if you know ofsomeone who is in trouble or lonely, then wehelp them – especially now at Christmastide. Ittakes so little to make someone feel better andin these times of austerity, perhaps we could allcheck on our elderly neighbours to ensure thatthey are keeping warm and healthy.***Speaking of traditions, we are now entering thepantomime season and we are pleased to see theHall Coffee Shop’s presentation this year will bethe Looking Glass Theatre production of DickWhittington and His Cat. This is suitable forthe whole family and will be held on SaturdayDecember 14 at 15:00. (Doors open at 14:30.)Entry is free for all children and £5 for adults.(All children must be accompanied by an adult.)As always, the Hall Coffee Shop issponsoring this production and throughout theyear all the profits made at Coffee Shop payfor village events, particularly the theatricalplay in May, the ever-popular village tea dancein October (free for Coffee Shop regulars), thepantomime, and a small Christmas party withsinger at Coffee Shop just before Christmas.Hopefully these events cover all age groups. Weare so lucky to have our Millennium MemorialHall, a wonderful amenity in the village thatprovides such a vast array of weekly activities.***We lost one of our favourite people inSeptember, Derek Townsend, who was knownand loved by so many. Derek entertained us allfor so long and at so many village functions,even when he was so ill. Whether with his bandTequila or more recently the Stand in Stones, healways performed with such enthusiasm. A trulyamazing man whose family gave him the mostwonderful send off at the Memorial Hall afterthe funeral. I am sure that he would have lovedit. His fellow musicians played all afternoonand the love for him was so palpable. Mary andhis family must have been so proud. He will bemissed by us all, but has left us with so manywonderful memories. Please see pages 8 and 9.JACKIE BRADLEYTutor of computer skills1-to-1, friendly, patientGet the best from yourPC, laptop or iPadGift vouchers availableSimple website designwww.jackiebradley.net01295 81010807866 8127761

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013View from the VillageThe Playing Fields Association provided uswith a fantastic fireworks display, which wasvery well attended, even though the weatherhad threatened to be unkind. Thankfully, therain stayed away when it needed to. Our thanksgo to Tracy Pitts and the rest of the PlayingFields team for organising the event – they did awonderful job. Read Tracy’s report on page 21.***Some of our editorial team have for the past fewyears been visiting pubs in the surrounding area,testing dinner menus and rating them betweenourselves. It is therefore a great pleasure to saythat in our opinion, we now have a wonderfulpub/restaurant in the form of the White Horse.Julie and Hendrik have transformed the place –wonderful ambience, wonderful food and on a parwith any in Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire.I remember when they first came to lookover the place, and me being me, said: “pleasedon’t try to make it into a gastropub... Let ushave our traditional village pub back, return thepool table to the back room, bring back the dartboard and the jukebox.” Well I eat my words, Iwas wrong. We now have a wonderful mix oflocal hostelries catering for every need – fromthe sports-mad Three Tuns to the Butcher’sArms with its jukebox, quiz nights and basketmeals, and our very own up-market foodie pub,the White Horse. How fortunate we are to livehere and what a pleasure the traditional pubcrawl will be on New Year’s Eve!***We hope you enjoy this issue of the King’s SuttonTimes. We would like to take this opportunity tothank everyone who contributes to the magazinewith articles, photographs, information,advertising and distribution. Thank you!***And finally, the King’s Sutton Times team –myself, Jennifer, Marie, Tina, Catherine andDavid – wish all of our readers a very, veryhappy Christmas and wonderful New Year.Liz Al-AnaziVillage Diary50+ Club – Meetings/EventsThe club usually meets in the MillenniumMemorial Hall on the second Wednesday ofthe month at 14:30. The joining fee is still just£5.00. (Visitors are welcome to come along toany meeting for a fee of £1.00, which includesrefreshments.) For more information, please callCarol McGarry on 01295 811271.Wednesday, December 11, 2013 (14:30) –Members’ Christmas LunchThere are no 50+ Club meetings in Januaryand February 2014.Wednesday, March 12, 2014 (14:30) –Annual General Meeting.Horticultural SocietyVisitors are welcome at the society’s meetingsfor a charge of £1.50. Every effort is made toadhere to the published programme but changesat short notice cannot be ruled out. Please checkthe Events Diary at www.kingssutton.org or thenotice boards at the Millennium Memorial Halland Post Office. Contact Carol on 01295 811271for further details.Wednesday, February 26, 2014 (19:30) –The new year kicks off with the Annual GeneralMeeting at the Millennium Memorial HallLook out for the Annual Show schedulein March 2014. There will be some changes tothe programme, including a new photographicsection containing two categories: an open classfor any photograph and a wildlife one. These willbe judged by Mr P Lucas, so get those camerasclicking. We look forward to seeing more entriesin August 2014.The committee wishes everyone a MerryChristmas and a Happy New Year.Women’s InstituteThe WI meets on the third Wednesday of themonth in the Millennium Memorial Hall at19:30. We have had another good year withsome very interesting speakers and activitiesto entertain our members. Unfortunately, our2

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013numbers are going down, so we would love tosee some new faces. Come and inspire us andbe inspired. There’s always a poster on thenoticeboard in the Hall and listings in the www.kingssutton.org Events Diary with details of thenext meeting. Wishing everyone a very MerryChristmas and a prosperous and Happy NewYear from all WI members.December 11, 2013 (19:30) – Christmas Partyat the Millennium Memorial Hall.January 15, 2014 (19:30) – a presentation onSure Start by Jane Skelton at the MillenniumMemorial Hall.February 19, 2014 (19:30) – a presentationon Food by Janet Dodson at the MillenniumMemorial Hall.King’s Sutton Pre-school PlaygroupSunday, December 1, 2013 (14:00-16:30)– Christmas Gift Bazaar at the MillenniumMemorial Hall. From cards to candles, bags tobracelets, there’s a wonderful selection of giftson offer including many unique items fromlocal crafters. Refreshments include homemademince pies and cakes. Also stalls and games, agrand raffle, Santa’s grotto and Christmas craftsfor the children. All proceeds to King’s SuttonPre-school Playgroup.Ss Peter and Paul ChurchTuesday, December 3, 2013 (16:00-07:00)– Parish church floodlighting, sponsored by JoyMcCarthy in memory of John McCarthy on hisbirthday.Friday, December 6, 2013 (16:00-07:00)– Parish church floodlighting, sponsoredby Rosalind Hartshorn in memory of MoiraHolcombe on her birthday.Saturday, December 14, 2013 (19:00)– “Music by Candlelight” concert by theAdderbury Ensemble.3

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Village DiaryMonday, December 16, 2013 (16:00-08:00)– Parish church floodlighting, sponsored by SueAshdown in memory of Roger Stillman.Sunday, December 22, 2013 (18:00-19:00)– Carol ServiceVictoria Leyshon BMusPiano & Keyboard lessonsAll ages and abilities arewelcomed. Learn to play musicfor your own pleasure or forexam preparation.01295 811586 07814 578758victoriapiano@aol.co.ukKing’s Sutton Film SocietyShows start promptly at 20:00 with tea and coffeeavailable from 19:30. Tickets can be purchasedon the door at just £6.00 each, includingrefreshments.Wednesday, December 4, 2013 (19:30) – TheGreat Gatsby (1974, Robert Redford Version) atthe Millennium Memorial Hall. A mid-westernwar veteran finds himself drawn to the past andlifestyle of his millionaire neighbour.Wednesday, January 22, 2014 (19:30)Film Society: Tortoise in Love (2012) at theMillennium Memorial Hall. Tom, gardener at thebig house, can talk to plants but not to women.When beautiful Polish au pair Anya arrives forthe summer, Tom falls for her catastrophically.Andrea Leadsom, MP – SurgeriesMost surgeries are by appointment only. Pleasecall the constituency office on 01604 859721.(“Drop In” surgeries require no appointment.)Friday, December 6, 2013 (15:30-16:30) –“Drop In” Surgery at Tesco Extra (Mereway),Clannell Road, Northampton NN4 0JF. (Noappointment needed.)Friday, December 13, 2013 (15:00-18:00) –Surgery at Wootton Community & Sports Ctr,Curtlee Hill, Wootton, Northampton NN4 6ED.(By appointment only.)Friday, January 10, 2014 (16:00-18:00) –Surgery at Wootton Community & Sports Ctr,Curtlee Hill, Wootton, Northampton NN4 6ED.(By appointment only.)Friday, February 7, 2014 (16:00-18:00)–Andrea Leadsom, MP – Surgery at SouthNorthamptonshire Council, Springfields,Towcester NN12 6AE. (By appointment only.)4

King’s Sutton Times, December 201315:00 on Saturday, December 14, 2013at King’s Sutton Millennium Memorial HallFREE for children and just £5.00 for adults.Tickets & information from Liz Al-Anazi on 07801 541962.5

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Village DiaryMobile LibraryThe County Council’s Mobile Library visitsKing’s Sutton on the first Friday of the month.Call 0300 126 1000 for more information.Friday, December 6, 2013 (12:30-14:00) – Inthe car park of the Millennium Memorial Hall.Friday, January 3, 2014 (12:30-14:00) – In thecar park of the Millennium Memorial Hall.Friday, February 7, 2014 (12:30-14:00) – Inthe car park of the Millennium Memorial Hall.Butchers Arms Public HouseSaturday, December 7, 2013 (21:00-23:55)– Live Music: Pete Watkins returns to theButchers Arms with songs from a wide range oferas and styles including great classics from the50s, 60s, 70s up to the present daySaturday, December 14, 2013 (20:00-23:55) – Live Music with the Park BenchHeroes, playing music from Oasis and otherclassic rock bands.Maths GCSESaturday, December 21, 2013 (21:00-23:55)– Live Music: The Westburys play a wide varietyof great music.Yoga with Vicky O’ConnorDrop-in Yoga classes for beginners tointermediate at King’s Sutton Baptist ChurchHall. Practising yoga helps to keep your jointssupply, body toned, mind calm and enhanceswell being. Vicky O’Connor’s classes drawon the Hatha Yoga tradition and includeposture work, Pranayama (calming breathingtechniques), meditation and relaxation. ContactVicky on 01295 810063 or 07711 941576 forfurther details.Wednesday, December 11, 2013 (19:30-21:00) – King’s Sutton Baptist Church HallWednesday, December 18, 2013 (19:30-21:00) – King’s Sutton Baptist Church HallWednesday, January 8, 2014 (19:30-21:00)– King’s Sutton Baptist Church HallGet the C, B, A or A* grade that you wantExperienced, professional tutoravailable in the village, after schoolmost days. £25ph.CRB checked, maths degree educated,many successful students.Jeremy: 01295 811647 or07765 4806256

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Gone But Not ForgottenDerek TownsendIn the immediate aftermath of Derek’s passing, Iconsidered how I might best help Mary and thefamily. Besides walking Ronnie, Derek’s belovedgreyhound, or rather being pulled along by him,the most meaningful thing I thought I could dowas to try and put a few words together for hisfuneral service. I then had a moment of panic andsuspected that there would be a lot of mourners(as evidenced by the turnout on the day).Why did I have that feeling of panic? Well,from the disappointed, upset faces I saw as Iwalked the dog, to the heartfelt condolencesreceived from people I barely knew, it becamereally obvious to me that Derek was a living,breathing legend in this village for very humanreasons. As such, whatever I said at the servicewould require no embellishment, no gloss ontop, exaggeration or platitudes through grittedteeth. In short Derek was, and will remain in thememory, a loving and considerate husband, son,dad, granddad, father-in-law, friend, band mate,and not to forget, also a dedicated dad to a nowforlorn greyhound.As I see it, there are three themes to whatmade Derek Townsend a legend and an exampleto us all: his zest for life, a very human,approachable nature and of course music.When Derek found out he had cancer, asidefrom the fears that he must have felt but wouldnever show, he seemed to desire to see and donew things. Rather than consider taking it a biteasier, reducing the gigs and so on, he suddenlydecided that he’d always had an ambitionto gyrate his pelvis in tight lycra. And so, the“Stand in Stones” came into being.Really this shouldn’t have come as a surpriseas music meant everything to him. Whetherplaying in Tequila with Jim or other bands goingback 50 years, Derek was well known in the areaand was a popular front man. His stage presencecertainly worked in the Bell pub in 1973 whenMary was won over but arguably reached a peakwhen the “Stones” played the Mill last year.Derek was a one-off. He lived his life to thefull, was an example to us all and the memoriesremain. From a personal point of view, Derek’slast gig was my Mum’s and Dad’s 40th weddinganniversary at the Butcher’s Arms, the weekendbefore he died. I know it was painful for himbut he was damned if he was gong to miss beingsurrounded by his family and friends at what hemay have suspected would indeed be his lastgig. For that I’ll be eternally grateful.I would like to think he’s up there nowplugging in with an all-time favourite supergroup,telling the likes of Eddie Cochran,Buddy Holly, et al to play with a little bit moreenthusiasm and to Elvis “sit down, I’m the frontman in this band, you can have a go in a minute.”Rest in peace mate, you’ve earned it.From Neil Wilson’s eulogy at Derek’s funeral8

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013School ReportI am thrilled to report that attainment at KeyStage 1 and 2 in the academic year 2012/2013was higher than the previous year.The Key Stage 1 results (ie, the results forthose children moving on from what used to betermed ‘primary’ to ‘junior’ education) showthat we are continuing our recent trend of goodresults. This was particularly pleasing giventhe high percentage of boys (75%) in this class.Our results were moderated externally and onceagain were shown to be accurate.KS1 Results Comparison 2012/20132012 (29 in Cohort) 2+ 2b+ 3Reading 75.9% 65.5% 17.2%Writing 86.2% 58.6% 17.2%Maths 86.2% 62.1% 13.82012 (29 in Cohort) 2+ 2b+ 3Reading 88% 84% 24%Writing 88% 68% 16%Maths 92% 72% 20%The government’s expectation is thatschool children should achieve a Level 2b atthe end of Key Stage 1.At the end of Key Stage 2 (representingchildren moving on to secondary education),the results were also very pleasing with 87%of children achieving the national expectationof two levels’ progress in Maths and Englishcombined. Eighty six percent of childrenmade two levels’ progress in Reading and 96%in Writing. Thirty three percent of childrenachieved Level 5 in Reading and 43% achievedLevel 5 in Writing. Government expectation isthat children should attain a Level 4 at the endof Key Stage 2.Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling werealso assessed for the first time this year. Sixtyseven percent of children achieved Level 4 and50% achieved Level 5. Ninety three percent ofchildren attained two levels of progress in Mathswith 37% achieving Level 5.The ‘Headline Indicators’ for our schoolthis year are looking very positive, with 87% ofchildren achieving Level 4 in Reading, Writingand Maths. Twenty seven percent of childrenachieved Level 5 in Reading, Writing and Maths.KS2 Results Comparison 2012/20132012 (23 in Cohort) 4+ 5Reading 70% 39%Writing 65% 22%English 48% 9%Maths 52% 9%2013 (30 in Cohort) 4+ 5Reading 87% 33%Writing 97% 43%Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling 67% 50%Maths 90% 37%As well as these two cohorts achieving well,the rest of the children in the school workedextremely hard throughout the year. Seventyfour percent of all the children at King’s Suttonwere working at their ARE (Age RelatedExpectations) and 58% of children were workingabove their ARE. A huge “congratulations” tothe children and staff for all their hard work!Positive start for Foundation StageAs ever, the start to the new academic yearhas been very busy! Our new FoundationStage children have settled in well. They werewelcomed in two groups, the older childrenfor the morning session and the younger onesin the afternoon. Mrs Dale has commented thatthe children have all made a very positive start.We are in the process of further improving ourprovision in this area with plans afoot for newresources for the outside area.10

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Back in spring, Nick Reed, Keith Bossom and Gary Armstrong completed the London2Brighton 100kmwalk hoping to raise around £2,000. The intrepid trio – who referred to themselves as “three fat50-year-olds” – eventually collected a fantastic £2,247 from their sponsors, of which £1,367 went toAction on Hearing Loss. Happily for King’s Sutton Primary Academy, they chose to spend the rest ontwo Apple iPads for use by children at the school with special needs. Our picture shows (L-R) Gary,Keith and Nick presenting those iPads to the school’s grateful head teacher, Nick Peters.School tripsOur Year 4, 5 and 6 residential was to Brancasterin Norfolk in October. The weather was prettygood on the whole and a great time was hadby all. The children were able to participate inactivities such as shelter building, orienteering,sailing, kayaking and crab fishing. The childrenwere also taught the benefits of having a ‘greener’outlook on life and how to be more responsiblefor their environment. A big thank you to all thestaff who accompanied the children during thisweek. These visits are a wonderful opportunityfor the children to participate in activities theywould not normally experience. Pictures of ourtrip can be seen on the school website at www.kingssuttonschool.ik.org.Our Year 4 children will be visiting HoldenbyHouse as part of their topic on World War II. Thechildren and staff will dress in period clothes forthe day and will be treated as evacuees in orderto experience how children during the war wouldhave felt being separated from their parents.School choirsOur school choirs have been singing at variousevents this term. They’re at the annual DistrictCarol concert at King’s Sutton Parish Church onWednesday, December 4. The ‘Children SingingFor Children’ concert at St Mary’s Church inBanbury took place on Thursday, November 4.The children sang beautifully to a packed house!Nick Peters11

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013District Council UpdateAs many of you will know, Ron Sawbridge wonthe County Council by-election in August torepresent the village after the sad death of KenMelling. I wanted to congratulate Ron on thatwin and I know he is already working hard forthe village on a number of matters where hispast experience as a county councillor will beinvaluable. Ron won with a good majority and Iwould like to thank all the people in the villagewho kindly offered their assistance deliveringelection material during the campaign. It wasgreat to see so many willing volunteers and Iam sure it helped to deliver a resounding win forRon. I will not name everyone that helped butyou know who you are and I thank you.I wanted to update you on the proposalfor extending the Car Park at the station. I cantell you that NCC are finalising the lease withthe landowner, and organising the budgetarymatters internally to pay for it. I will keep upthe pressure with Ron Sawbridge for this to beconcluded as soon as possible as there is a clearneed for these extra spaces and I am consciousthat there is some way to go before the work willbe completed and the spaces are made availablefor use. The congestion around the station withparked cars has become worse in recent monthsand hopefully these extra spaces will providesome relief and help to secure the future of thestation going forward.I was very pleased to see that South NorthantsCouncil decided to go to judicial review on theBarwood Planning application. I think this wasthe right decision to make and as soon as I haveany news on the dates for the Judicial Reviewand/or a decision I will let you know. I have tosay that even if the Judicial Review is successfulBarwood may decide to apply for planningagain on the land. In planning terms howeverpolicy and housing numbers in the district mayhave changed by then and a further applicationmight not therefore be successful.Regarding the Banner Homes applicationfor a further 10 Houses on the Banbury Lanesite, I believe that as with the Barwood Homesapplication, these extra homes bring little orno tangible benefit to the village and I supportthe Parish Council in their decision to rejectthe scheme . As you may know this proposal istime sensitive in that it will only make sense toBanner if they can build the houses while theyare on site building the current homes. Theytherefore needed the support of the village inorder to go ahead. As they do not have this,it may be that the proposal will go no further.Obviously the application is with the PlanningDepartment at South Northants and I will keepyou posted as to its progress but I am confidentthat it will be refused.On a personal note you may be awarethat I stood for the Silverstone Division atNorthamptonshire County Council in May. Iwon and I am immersing myself in all thingscounty as we speak. This has significantly addedto my work load but will not affect my ability torepresent the village at the district level.As always, I am a regular at the Coffee Shopon Fridays at the Millennium Memorial Hall ifanyone wants to discuss any of the above or haslocal issues that I can help with. You can alsoemail me at ian.morris@southnorthants.gov.ukor call me on 07710 198272.Ian Morris12

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Parish ChurchMusic EventsThroughout the past year, a number of musicalevents have been put on in the Parish Church forthe benefit of everyone. Our aim has been to tryand cater for all tastes, and the responses to theresearch questionnaire we issued to every housein the parish earlier this year seem to indicatethat we have achieved that aim to a great degree.Here’s a list of the events we’ve put on so far:• Amazing piano, harp and organ recitals byinternational-standard musicians• An outstanding barbershop concert by anacclaimed national champion group fromSheffield• The really superb cathedral choir fromPeterborough Cathedral, one of the finest inthe country• Some excellent local entertainers in the formof the Brackley Junior Brass Band, the Cooland Blue jazz group and the OccasionalSingers choral group• Local participative events and reallyentertaining, Come & Play and Come & SingThe final event of 2013 is presented by membersof the Adderbury Ensemble playing a selectionof well-known Christmas classical music onDecember 14 at 19:00.Plans for 2014 are already well advancedand include:• Come & Play and Come & Sing events• A weekend with the Adderbury Ensemblewhich will involve watching them rehearse,a masterclass and a concert (or two!)• A recital given by the Soloists of theOrchestra of the Age of Enlightenment• Concerts by local youth groups includingStowe School• Father Roger’s travels (with music) onSabbaticalSomething for everyone to enjoy – be sure notto miss out!Peter Allen‘A fair price with efficient andexceptional service at all times.’BookkeepingPayroll and Annual ReturnsManagement AccountingPersonal Tax Returns –Self AssessmentVAT and Statutory ReturnsContact: 01295 812191or 07980 699692accounts@blenheimbookkeeping.co.ukwww.blenheimbookeeping.co.uk13

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Food for Thought!In the September issue, we caused a bit of astir by publishing “If I Were the Devil”, a wellknownpiece of rhetoric first aired by Americanbroadcaster Paul Harvey some 50 years agoand revised by persons unknown over the yearssince then. We asked for readers’ comments andhere are some of the responses we received...***From John Hermon...If I were the devil I think I would try to persuadepeople that I did not exist, or that I am just amediaeval cartoon character with horns, clovenhoofs and perhaps a pitchfork or two to ensurethat the wicked do not escape the fires of hell.In this way people would not be aware ofthe reality of my sinister purposes – the ruinof every soul and the destruction of faith, truthand love which are the key characteristics ofGod’s kingdom.It is not for nothing that one of mymanifestations is named “the Destroyer”.TREETOPS.COM LTDTREE SURGERY• Tree surgery/Felling• Crown Reductions• Dismantling in confined spaces• Stump Grinding• Orchard Renovations• NPTC Certified Staff• £5 million Liability Insurance• Planning ApplicationsFor FREE, no obligationquotationsContact: Mr Timothy C. Rose01295 262247www.treetops.uk.comFrom June Smith...Your article “Food for Thought” is indeed avery familiar picture of our world today. I dobelieve that there are very real forces of evilat work and have been ever since the Fall ofAdam – and always will be. Human beings areweak and have fallen prey to the temptationsof the devil, Satan, Beelzebub or whateverwe call evil. Even though most of us are notthieves and murderers, we fall prey every dayto harmful attitudes and behaviours – anger,jealousy, sarcasm, hatred, resentment, revenge,abusive words, lying and addictions to nameonly a few. These are the ways of the world andhave been so since time immemorial.But it doesn’t have to be like that – we areall responsible for the decisions we make aboutour lives and how we live them. We can chooseto change our behaviour but what we do needis help. We could choose to read a pile of lifemanagementbooks but they only go so far andare not specific to our needs. But a belief in andcommitment to God provide a code for living abetter life, a source of help and comfort throughfaith and prayer to ask for help for our ownparticular demons. “Lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil” is what Jesus taught usto pray in the Lord’s Prayer.Sadly, so many people today haveabandoned God in favour of the modern gods ofmaterialism, consumerism and celebrity, whichopen us to the temptations of pride, greed andintolerance. Our children need their parentsand teachers to be role models, to teach themabout how to live well and to show them how topractise the fruits of the Spirit – love, joy, peace,forgiveness, compassion, gentleness, goodness,faith, gratitude, forbearance and temperance.The Christian Bible is the best instructionbook for life there is – it is our conscience, andwhen we abandon the Bible we abandon ourconscience and are like ships tossed about in asea of temptations without a compass.Many children now have very little religious14

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013teaching or knowledge of the Bible. I realisenow how lucky I was to have seven years ofBible instruction at a Strict Baptist SundaySchool and daily worship in the secondaryschool I attended, and loving, caring teachers.That early experience has carried me throughmany difficult times in my life and will continueto do so, I know that now.There are three active Christian churchesin King’s Sutton, more than willing to offerChristian teaching, pastoral help and Biblestudy, and a warm welcome to help anyone getto grips with their personal demons. Why nottake up the offer – your choice?From John Duncan...The editor invites reactions to Paul Harvey’srant about “the state we are in”. And rant it is.It might as well be full of slogans: “back tobasics”, “back to the Bible”, that sort of thing.Several of Mr Harvey’s views have “religious”associations. In these and other matters weourselves and society as a whole need thoughtfuljudgement, and neither knee-jerk reactions toranting nor mindless drifting with “the flow”.Mr Harvey has views about the Bible. The Bibleis not a pocket moral guide. It is a rich collectionof mostly Jewish writings – history, law, letters,gospel, songs and poems from the nationalistic tothe erotic, hymns, legend, propaganda, wisdom.These pages are not for direct guidance today –“because the Bible says so”.The most recent parts of the Bible werewritten two thousand years ago. That fact, anddevelopments in thought and society, have to betaken into account. That does not mean that theTen Commandments are not a set of principlesfor sound society. (Has Sunday tradingimproved life’s quality?) It is good that a varietyof relationships between people are widelyaccepted today – think of the secrecy and sneersof the past – but that does not mean marriageBEAUTY & ELECTROLYSIS ROOMKing’s SuttonOffering a wide range of treatments:Waxing, facials, electrolysis, pedicure,manicure, massage, hot stone therapy,tanning and more...Tel: 01295 812887Text: 07899 91344215

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Food for Thought!is not to be honoured and protected (“thou shaltnot commit adultery”) as a basis for family andsociety, nor does it mean that “anything goes”.Sound judgement is needed.Contrary to what Mr Harvey seems tothink, parts of the Bible are myth. That does notmean that it all is. For example, the stories ofcreation – Adam, Eve, the apple and all that –were written over ten thousand years ago, long,long before Darwin and Dawkins were thoughtof. They sought to understand the mysteriousexperience of living and the human heart withits questions, puzzles and delights. They are notin competition with scientific discovery aboutour origins. Yet, as myths, they are deeply trueand can open our eyes on human experiencefrom birth to death, on triumph and disaster, andpresent God as the ultimate beginning.Some wish to promote what they call a secularculture in place of that based on attitudes whichspring from over fifteen hundred years of faith inthe Christian God. Care for neighbours, outsiders,the weak and needy, personal commitment tovoluntary service, the Welfare State, a certainmodesty in possession, are all rooted in Biblicaland Christian ideas. Such approaches are mockedby a “me, me, me” culture, the respectability ofgreed, and excessive acquisition.Various social shifts weaken our traditionalculture – changes in the way religion is treatedin schools, particularly in assemblies; anestablishment of a vague multiculturalismwhich, while honouring other faiths, has theeffect of marginalising our core culture; theslant of some of the media to undermine longstandingChristian culture, which with all itsfaults, has served our land well for centuries.The decline in churchgoing is probably lessof a factor in this situation than these widersocial movements. Nevertheless the churchis where Christian truths are celebrated. MrHarvey suggests that the bottle and the egg havebecome the symbols of Christmas and Easter.It is at the church that Christmas, the feast ofJesus’s birth, God amongst us, is proclaimedand celebrated year on year in churches andcathedrals throughout the land, and here in ourown church. As a matter of fact, numbers at theseservices have increased recently. Is there someunspoken wish to prove Mr Harvey wrong?King’s Sutton Carol SingersVillagers will again be out and about singingCarols on Christmas Eve. Their route normallytakes them to Banbury Lane, Whittall Street,The Square, Red Lion Street and Bulls Lane.This tradition, started a number of years agoby Rose Shepherd, raises money for KatharineHouse Hospice. The singing lasts for aroundan hour, and all participants are rewarded withmulled wine and mince pies. You can join inthis festive passtime by meeting up at 18:30 onChristmas Eve at the junction of SandringhamRoad and Banbury Lane. Please call DianeKennerley on 01295 811678 for further details.16

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013King’s Sutton, The Way AheadThe majority of King’s Sutton residents have madeit very clear in recent years that we want to retainthe rural character of our community. But many ofus feel utterly powerless to do anything about thecreeping “Bicesterisation” of the village.The parish council has been advised by theplanners at South Northamptonshire Council thatour best defence would be to join them in theirLocal Plan initiative by contributing a “villageplan and design statement” that sets out wherewe, the people who live here, think new housingshould go and what sort of housing it should be.It’s not just about combatting inappropriatedevelopment, though. The parish council hastasked its village plan steering group to examineevery aspect of life in King’s Sutton:• How we can grow, rather than decline interms of sustainability.• How we can retain and improve the village’sheritage, cultural life, business and otherfacilities for the local community.• How we can provide good and varied housingchoices in keeping with our likely populationdemographics and our rural heritage.• How we can accommodate the health,educational, employment, recreation andleisure needs of our residents of all ages.• How we can maintain and enhance ourcommunications capabilities.Our village plan and design statement, entitled“King’s Sutton, the Way Ahead” will need to beready for submission by spring/summer next year.To that end, the parish council’s steering groupwill form three working groups over the comingweeks to look at each of these specific issues:• Infrastructure – Road, rail and canal;utilities, drainage and flood issues; traffic,parking and highways; footpaths and rightsof way; and communications (eg, broadbandand mobile coverage).• Structure, Environment and Design –determining the village confines; areas oritems to be preserved within the confines;special landscape areas; historic and heritageamenities; trees, hedges, wildlife, flora andfauna; and design issues relating to buildingsand materials.• Housing, Business, Education and LeisureFacilities – demographics; housing demand;affordable housing; shopping; school andpre-school facilities; encouragement ofbusiness and tourism; and facilities forleisure, recreation and health.These working groups will, we hope, draw onexpertise from every part of the village, not justfrom the parish council. Anyone who shares ourconcern for the future shape of King’s Suttonand is keen to make a difference would be verywelcome to participate in any of these workinggroups. Write to way.ahead@kingssutton.orgto ensure your voice is heard. We will also beconducting a survey in the New Year to gaugeopinion from everyone in the village of 16 yearsand up about the future they want to see. This isyour village. Help us to keep it that way!17

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013VillagersThe Cousins BrothersIf you’re out first thing in the morning down MillLane or (later in the day) around the Rec, youwill have seen him: Bernard Cousins walkingtwo greyhounds. Sleek and elegant with fineheads, they are “pups” between the ages of threeand 12 months. Bernard walks them twice dailybefore they go to Bicester for “schooling” –getting to know a track, the electric hare and thestarting traps. Then they go to Angie Kibble’straining kennels at Bampton near Brize Nortonand are raced from there.The Cousins brothers, Bernard and Tonyof the village building business, relish owningthe dogs, bringing them up to racing age andthen following their fortunes. They follow inthe footsteps of their father who trained andraced greyhounds from the late 1950s. Heestablished “Builders” as the prefix to all thedogs names.At present the Cousins have four dogs intraining – Builders Bolt, Fantasy, Katie and Star– and two pups being walked that have yet to benamed. Bolt and Fantasy have done particularlywell this autumn with wins and seconds in“maiden” races (for dogs new to the track) andtheir grades have improved. It is hoped as theyget older that they’ll qualify for “open” races.There were many wins, trophies and lossesover the years at the Oxford track. Now that thattrack has sadly closed, Bernard and Tony followthe Builders dogs at Coventry. “It’s a great nightout,” says Bernard, “with our dogs, old friendsand the bar. And we generally manage to take afew quid off the bookies!”John Duncan18

King’s Sutton Times, December 201319

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Recipes for ChristmasSmoked Salmon CanapésEmpty 125g (4oz) of smoked salmon pâté intoa bowl and mix in 50g (2oz) of smoked salmontrimmings and 50g (2oz) of cooked, peeledsmall prawns. Season with black pepper (andadd lemon juice to sharpen, if you like). Stirgently. Spread the mixture on to about 18 shopboughtoatcakes, blinis or crisp breads (or servethem alongside the pâté). Makes 18 canapés.Sticky Pig in BlanketsPreheat your oven to 200°C (180°C if using afan oven) or gas mark 6. Put 18 bacon-wrappedcocktail sausages (you can buy these readywrappedor do your own) on a baking tray.Oven cook for 25-30 minutes, until golden andcooked through. Carefully stir in 1 tablespoonof marmalade, shaking the pan to coat thesausages. Tip into a serving dish and serve withcocktail sticks. A perfect way to jazz up theseperennial favourites.Stilton and Grape BitesSpear a red or green grape on to each of 12cocktail sticks. Cut 75g (3oz) of Stilton into 12equal chunks, then push them on to the ends ofthe sticks and serve.Boxing Day MuffinsMake six large muffins. Preparation takes 10minutes, cooking time is about 30 minutes.One large egg125ml (4 fluid oz) of buttermilk125g (4oz) of plain flour1 teaspoon of baking powder1 teaspoon of mixed spice75g (3oz) castor sugar125g (4oz) leftover Christmas pudding25g (1oz) of melted unsalted butter2 tablespoons of brandy or whiskeyIcing sugar to dustPreheat oven to 190°C, 170°C fan, Mark 5. Linea non-stick muffin tin with six large paper muffincases. In a bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilktogether. Sift the flour and baking powder into aseparate large bowl, stir in the mixed spice andsugar, then crumble in the Christmas pudding.Careful! The mixture should be lumpy and mayhave traces of dry mixture. Divide the mixtureequally among the muffin cases. Bake for 25minutes until springy and a skewer inserted intothe centre of the cakes comes out clean. After afew minutes of cooling, dust with icing sugar.Enjoy, Christmas pudding never tasted so good!Marie Nice20

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Playing FieldsI’m going to start by taking you back a fewmonths – to the August Bank Holiday, in fact.What a lovely Bank Holiday it was! The sun wasshining nearly all of the time. Okay, there were afew showers here and there but that didn’t spoilthe weekend’s activities.We started off with the Festival of Music onthe Saturday. What a fab day and night. Ticketsales were pretty slow to begin with, which wasquite worrying. Then the nearer we got to theweekend, the more people emailed and calledfor tickets. And then there was everyone whoturned up and paid on the gate.To kick start the day we had the fabulous“Human Jukebox” Pete Watkins; followed bythe talented Palmerston; Casual Wookey (ourvery own King’s Sutton band); the awesomerock covers band Tim Says No; and the amazingsolo singer Kelz. One of the acts we bookedunfortunately couldn’t make it but after somefrantic phone calls on the Thursday and Fridayevening, I managed to organise the appearanceof a great duo called Nijinxix, who certainlydidn’t let us down. Last but by no means least,the Rayban Blues Brothers came and rocked theparty with their tribute to Jake and Elwood. Soa massive Thank You! to those that played andmade the day a success.Our thanks also go to all of our sponsors,because without you guys it would not have beenpossible to have so many brilliant acts. We hadentertainment for the children too, which theyseemed to have lots of fun with. We had around400 people turn up, which was a few more thanlast year, so hopefully next year we will encouragemore people to come along. If anyone has anyideas they think may draw in the crowds, I wouldbe happy to hear from them. (If you would like usto put on a certain type of music, please feel freeto let me know about that too.)The Bank Holiday Monday Grand Fête wasalso a fantastic day. We had craft stalls, charitystalls, a car boot sale, bowl for a pig, children’sgames, tombola, go karts – the list goes on andon. Everyone worked really hard to make thisday a success. Some of the children took partin a fancy dress competition for which all theentrants won a prize because it was just toodifficult to pick a winner!It was a very relaxed and chilled out day andthe weather was very kind to us. Our thanks goto Bob Burrell and his band for entertaining uswith some fantastic music all afternoon. Thanksalso to everyone else involved in the organisationas well as those who turned up and supportedthese village events. They were not cheap to puttogether (the total outlay for the weekend wasaround £2,400) but after all the expenses weretaken out, we made a total of £665.55. Out ofthis, the Playing Fields Association donated£165.00 to Katherine House Hospice and therest was put into ongoing projects. Let’s hopenext year we can double this amount. With yourhelp we can do it!21

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Playing FieldsCar Boot SalesThis year was something of a trial run for thecar boot sales held on the last Sunday of everymonth. To begin with, they were very slow butword started to get about and more and morepeople turned up each Sunday. I can now saythat some avid car booters gave us some valuabletips which we have taken on board. Our thanksgo to them for their honesty and patience whilewe’ve tried to get it right.The sales have now ended for the year (thelast one was in September) but we now havea database of car booters and will send outreminders and useful information to them allby email or text when we start again in spring.Anyone who would like to be added to the listshould email me with your name and how youwish to be contacted – text or email. You willalso be able to check the www.kingssutton.orgEvents Diary page for details of next year’s saleswhen they’re confirmed.Fireworks NightMoving on to November’s “Firework Night”,we had an even bigger and better display thanlast year: amazing fireworks and a huge crowd.We heard reports that we were better than someof the more established firework eveningsin neighbouring villages, which was such acompliment to us. And to top it all off, we raisedover two thousand pounds for the Playing Fields!As you are all probably aware, formerWhite Horse landlord Chris Prothero started thefireworks evenings a few years ago and as a newcommittee our aim is to keep these events goingfor years to come and make them as popular asever. We were meant to have live music this timearound but unfortunately, due to circumstancesbeyond our control, this didn’t go ahead. I hopeit didn’t spoilt the fun for anyoneAs ever, we have a lot of people to thankfor helping to make the evening such a success:the Bouncy castle guy and the glow stick manfor turning out and making their donations;Steve’s Snackshack; and the Boys Brigade fortheir most delightful mugs of hot chocolate andmarshmallows, as well as soup and mulled wine.Our eternal gratitude also goes out to allyou people who sponsored us: Liz and ZabinAl-Anazi; the Hall Coffee Shop; Barbara Monksand the Bingo Ladies; the Post Office; the ThreeTuns; Carl at Neo Health; George Bruce ofAll Right Now; Brakspear Brewing Company;Geoff Reason Mobile Mechanic; and theButcher’s Arms. We definitely could not havepulled this off without your help, so please takethis as a personal “Thank You!” from all of us atthe KSPFA.Finally, I’d like to take this opportunity tothank everyone who gave us their valuable timeto help out at all the events we have held this year,including four lovely children who are constantlyour little helpers: Mya, Ella, Callum and Lilly. It istime-consuming and hard work, but to see everyonehaving such a good time is worth everything.Tracy Pitts, KSPFA SecretaryPicture : Tracy Pitts22

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Millennium Memorial HallKitchen AlterationsBy the time you read this, alterations to the Hallkitchen should have been completed. The workhas involved the removal of the en suite toiletand washroom within the kitchen to provide anenlarged floor area, as well as an upgrade to theexisting facilities for the smaller of the two halls.Additional wall and floor cupboards with a built-infridge and new worktops, together with a secondwater heater adjacent to the serving hatch to thesmall hall, will provide existing and new hirersand users with improved catering facilities for theforeseeable future.Of necessity, a number of our regular usershad to rearrange their normal schedules toaccommodate the building work. On behalf ofthe trustees and management committee, I wishto thank them for their understanding. We lookforward to seeing you all at the Memorial Hall inwhat remains of 2013 and in the New Year!Bob Burrell, ChairmanM A FRENCHEng.Tech, MIETElectrical ServicesEstablished 1961Television &Satellite RepairsDigital boxessupplied & installedTelevisions, DVDs,etc installedHousehold electrical repairsCompetitive rates • Quick serviceQuality, guaranteed workTel: 01295 811625Your local, council approved,Professional Tree Surgery Specialistsbased in Middleton CheneyNPTC Qualified and Fully InsuredAll aspects of Tree and Hedge workundertaken by reliable and friendly staffAll waste taken away and recycled back intothe environmentWoodchip sold in quantities to suitEmergency Call Out due to badweather availableCompetitive Rates ~ FREE QUOTATIONSTel: 01295 714093 orMob: 07984 564158Email: info@agutreecraft.co.ukwww.agutreecraft.co.uk23

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Young AchieversIn our last issue, we mentioned some of the village’syoung people who had recently graduated fromuniversity. We are keen to publish the successes ofall our village residents, young and old, and wouldlike very much to hear from anyone who would liketo share their achievements.Tasha Markham“I was fortunate enough to exhibit at atrade show in Paris in 2012 where I sold threesilk scarf designs to companies in Germanyand Japan. I have also undertaken a series oflive projects and placements as I believe it isimportant to gain experience to bridge the gapfrom academic to industry.“I currently have a series of designs featuringin Asda George in the girls wear autumn/winterrange. Since graduating, I have also been workingfor a local company called Doodlebone workingas a freelance designer to create patterns for petproducts which will be in stores next spring.“To date I have worked within both interiorand fashion contexts as well as giftware and,more recently, pet apparel. To gain more ideasand inspirations I am travelling to Australia, NewZealand and Southeast Asia in a pursuit of pattern.“Please do have a look at my website –tashamarkham.co.uk – or follow me on myFacebook page, Tasha Markham, for a greaterinsight into my work.”Tasha graduated this summer from Leeds Collegeof Art with a BA (Hons) in Printed Textiles andSurface Pattern Design. She explains:“The 3-year degree course allowed meto explore a series of disciplines from moretraditional print-making techniques through tocomputer aided design. I had a strong interest insurface pattern all throughout school and evennow I feel I owe a lot to the amazing resourcesat Chenderit Visual Arts College. Furthering thisat Banbury College also aided the developmentof my design style. The move to Leeds to attenduniversity then heightened this further and thecourse has now established myself as a surfacepattern designer and illustrator.Hannah Al-Anazi recently did her first halfmarathon in Ealing, west London. Hannahcompleted the course in one hour, 35 minutes –an amazing time for a first run, especially withsuch an up-and-down-hill course. Keep it up,Hannah, a great run! We’re very proud of you.24

King’s Sutton Times, December 2013Pain Prevention & Relief ClinicOsteopathic treatmentRemedial & sports massageMassage therapies forrelaxation & stress reliefDaytime and eveningappointments availableFully qualified and insured therapistsClinic open to all ages – call forappointment or more information60 Richmond StreetKings SuttonBanburyOxon OX17 3RTT 01295 812573E info@neohealth.co.ukwww.neohealth.co.ukAdvertisers IndexAGU Treecraft – Tree Surgery 23Barton’s Beauty & Electrolysis Room 15Blenheim Book Keeping 13Bloxham Computers 16Clare Mansfield – Reflexology & Massage 13Croft Veterinary Centre 19Dave Essex – Carpenter & JoinerIFCDovecote Kitchens 19Iron & Wood – Woodburning Stoves 17Jackie Bradley – Computer Tuition 1Jeremy Renals – Maths Tuition 6John’s Antique RepairsIBCKing’s Sutton Cars 24M A French Electronics 23Neill Jones – Painter & DecoratorIFCNeo HealthIBCNick Armstrong – BuilderIFCNorth Aston Organics 20Ovenclean 7Pop Round Sue’s 4Richard Harper – Manure/Compost 3Rural Works – Tree Surgery 21Treetops.com – Tree Surgery 14Upper Crust CateringIBCVictoria Leyshon – Piano Teacher 4IBC

The King’s Sutton Times is sponsored and published quarterly by King’s Sutton ParishCouncil. However, the magazine maintains editorial independence and its content does notnecessarily reflect the council’s views.EditorLiz Al-Anazi 01295 81140826 Wales Street liz.al-anazi@kingssutton.orgKing’s Sutton, BanburyOX17 3RRAdvertisingJennifer Wood 01295 81082418 Glebe Rise jennifer.wood@kingssutton.orgKing’s Sutton, BanburyOX17 3PHFeaturesCatherine Martin 01295 8149533 Bulls Lane catherine.martin@kingssutton.orgKing’s Sutton, BanburyOX17 3RATina Armstrong 01295 8124796 Waverley Close tina.armstrong@kingssutton.orgKing’s Sutton, BanburyOX17 3SEDesign & LayoutDavid Bridson 01295 8112413 Orchard Way david.bridson@kingssutton.orgKing’s Sutton, BanburyOX17 3PYDistributionAnn-Marie Nice 01295 8113766 Whittall Street ann-marie.nice@kingssutton.orgKing’s Sutton, BanburyOX17 3RDEditorial ContributionsThe King’s Sutton Times very much welcomes articles, photographs and artworks relatingto the village and its residents. Please submit editorial contributions by email if possible tokst@kingssutton.org. Otherwise, drop in a paper copy of your contribution to any of ourteam with a note stating which section of the magazine you would like it to appear in. Pleasenote that we reserve the right to edit or refuse any item submitted for publication.facebook.com/kingssuttonkingssutton.orgtwitter.com/kingssuttonnews