RAMBLINGS - GORING, STREATLEY & PANGBOURNE - RG8 - NOVEMBER 2008
G’dy my little
Possums! Here I sit in my underpants as the sun comes up out of the
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Rightyho! As
we Aussies say, back to earth and the realisation that I’ll be coming home to
a dark November. And what better way to brighten things up than with a Fireworks
Fiesta. What? No Guido then? Has he been fired? Hah! Fired. I have no shame.
On Saturday the 8th, Friends of Pangbourne Primary School have organised a huge
bonfire, BBQ, coconut shy, penalty shoot out, tombola and lots of family fun.
West Berkshire Beer is also on tap and gates open at 5.30. There’s a small prize
for each child bringing a home made guy. Ah! He’s still around after all.
Tickets £20 per family of 4 from ‘www.fopps.org.uk’ or on the gate.
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And after that
it’s Christmas! Pangbourne is holding its Christmas street celebrations on Friday
5th December from
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And talking about
Christmas, ‘Cards For Good Causes’ and their volunteers have been busy setting
up the charity Christmas card shops, so, once again, we will be able to support
a good cause with the money we spend on our Christmas cards – in fact, the charities
will get back at least 79p in £1.
The shops sell cards from over 30 different charities as well as advent
calendars, Christmas wrappings and small gifts.
So look out for the red triangular Santa sign in St Mary-Le More,
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And Hallelujah!
A convert at last! Jacky Rix-Brown writes, “Hope the trip to Oz went well and
you are ready to take a Ramblings entry from us - SPELT RIGHT THIS YEAR!!!”
See that? And three exclamations marks as well. I am overcome. Rightyho! You people in and around Purley will
be able to do some Christmas shopping at the Advent FAIR of St. Mary's church
on Saturday 29th between 11 and 3. There’ll be all sorts of goodies for Christmas,
not just presents, but cakes and other Christmas produce, cards and tinselley
things. The kids can also be kept at bay with activities such as card and decoration
making and when you’re tired of shopping, relax over a cuppa and chat to your
friends.
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Right, I’m packing
in for a spell. It’s 6.50 on a beautiful sunny morning and my neighbour in the
next apartment has switched on his television full blast with the French doors
wide open. If it’s any consolation, Australian TV is even worse than ours. That’s
unless you like repeats of ‘The Bill’ or ‘Midsomer Murders’. The recent Para
Olympics recorded every Australian athlete who came second or third I still
don’t know who came first and second. One news item announced “The President
of South Africa Thabo Mbeki has resigned.” Just that! Twenty minutes into the
news that was largely devoted to some dubious Rugby League tackles and the misbehaviour
of some of their players off the field. Oh! And the provision of some new traffic
lights in
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Back now after
a stroll along the beach. Seven blue black aboriginal children aged from 3 to
about 8 are splashing around in the shallows while a portly grandfather figure
in a baseball hat stands guard in the deeper water. Lovely! I feel better now.
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Remember I told
you about the exhibition of Victorian painters being prepared by the
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The exhibition
has received financial assistance from GADFAS - Goring Decorative & Fine
Arts Society, who, to mark their 20th anniversary generously donated £500
towards the cost of mounting it; and from Goring Local History Society who contributed
to the cost of framing the Museum’s Kate Latter paintings.
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Back to
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Chiltern Players
plan to test the brain cells of the keenest amateur sleuth in ‘Silhouette’,
an intriguing mystery by Simon Brett. It’s a cut above the average whodunit
with the seemingly simple plot turned on its head as it takes you on a journey
full of twists, turns and blind alleys. Nothing is what it seems. Find out on
Friday/Saturday, 21/22 and 28/29 November in Peppard Memorial Hall.; Tickets
at £7 from Village Yarns, Peppard Road, Sonning Common or on the door.
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Cranford Choral
Society is performing Handel’s Messiah accompanied by the St Giles Orchestra
of Oxford at Dorchester Abbey on 6th December. A
perfect way to fill up with Christmas spirit! Tickets from 01865 305 305.
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Goring and Cleeve
Pre-School is following last year’s successful 80s Disco with a 70’s thrash
at the Village Hall on 29th November. There’ll be authentic 70s cocktails, music
from across the decade and prize for the best outfit. Flower
power, disco, punk, ethnic, bell bottoms, anything goes. Tickets at £10,
in advance only, from 01491 872 413 or from Goring School.
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Aldworth invites
you all to its ‘Turkey and Tinsel Christmas Bazaar’ in the Village Hall from
9 to 12.30 p.m. on Saturday the 22nd. There’ll be refreshments, produce,
craft and gift stalls as well charity stalls such as RNLI cards and gifts.
Enjoy free turkey tasting as well as mulled wine and old FC himself will visit
and help with the Lucky Squares Draw.
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The South Chiltern
Choral Society Christmas concert weekend is a lovely mixture of English music.
The main feature is ‘The Son of God Mass’ by James Whitbourn, with the unusual
combination of a soprano saxophone and organ. In
contrast, the concert also includes Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas
Carols, and as ever, the society has invited a primary school choir to join
them, this time from Caversham. Saturday 20th at 7.30 and Sunday 21st December
at 2.30 at Chiltern Edge School, Reades Lane, Sonning Common. Tickets £10
from Heather Clark 01491 575 727.
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Henley Citizen’s
Advice Bureau has funding from Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust to run advice
sessions at the GP's surgeries at Sonning Common, Goring and Nettlebed. The
Sonning Common sessions are on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month, the
Goring session on the 1st Tuesday and the Nettlebed session on the 3rd Thursday.
They are open to all members of the community, not just those registered as
patients at these GP's practices. Appointments can be booked by telephoning
Henley CAB on 01491 578 267. Clients are also able to drop into the surgeries
and will, time permitting, be seen at some point during the sessions. As usual
the advice offered is free, confidential and covers a wide range of subjects,
including welfare benefits, housing, employment, money problems, personal relationships
and immigration and nationality.
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On November 11th,
Tim Guilford who will talk about ‘Bird Navigation’ to Science Exchange Wallingford
the Corn Exchange. Not only is Tim
well qualified to do this as Professor of Animal Behaviour at Oxford University,
but he also flies with the birds and holds several UK paragliding records. Entry
is free and the talk begins at 7:30, but it is advisable to get there soon after
6.45 if you want a good perch.
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The Old Vicarage
Support Group of Friends of the Elderly is holding its annual Christmas Fair
at Moulsford on Saturday 22nd from 10.30 to noon. Christmas Stall, Cake Stall,
Tombola, Raffle etc. Entrance free and refreshments available.
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Lovely! A creepy
crawly bug show. Are you brave enough to hold a Boa? Daring enough to
tackle a Dragon? Aquasplash are returning with their well behaved, exotic
creatures. You’ll be able to touch and hold them while learning lots of
amazing facts about these fascinating reptiles. The show runs from 4 pm
until 5.30 at The Coffee Shop, Reading Road, Woodcote on Sunday 9th November. Home
made cakes and refreshments will be on sale too. Tickets available
from Woodcote Garden Centre at £4. Well behaved older children can be
left if required, but any bad behaved ones will be eaten.
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I saw cockroachy
things as big as my thumb in the bedrooms in Oz. I let my dearly beloved dispose
of them. Like a little terrier she is. Fearless!
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One for Ruth
Hubbard of Woodcote! Passed a restaurant on Cook Highway. The sign reads ‘Bloody
Good Tucker’. Beats your ‘Posh Ploughman’s Ruth.
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Remember I told
you about the new West Berkshire NSPCC Luncheon Club a month or so ago?
Well it continues its new season with a talk from Chrissie Douglas of Coleman Douglas
Pearls, Knightsbridge. She’ll be at the Goring & Streatley Golf
Club at noon on the 6th to explain 'A Passion for Pearls'. She
knows everything there is to know about them and will be bringing samples
of her beautiful collection to sell on the day – at prices to suit every
pocket! As well as giving you an insight into the fascinating
history of pearls she’ll also give you an idea of their categories and
how to choose the right colour to suit you. All this will be accompanied
by a rather splendid lunch. Should you wish to come along contact Sara
Richards on 01491 872 296.
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The John Madejski
Art Gallery at the Museum of Reading is showing the works of internationally
renowned Royal Academician Sir Terry Frost (1915-2003). The exhibition includes
large paintings, collages, constructions, sculptures and sketchbooks from his
career, including some previously unseen canvases. Frost was a much loved teacher
at the University of Reading, and throughout his career he developed an entirely
personal vocabulary of shapes and symbols to produce joyful abstract images
with luminous energy.
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I’ve bought myself
an Australian corky hat. Nah! Not the one that has corks hanging around the
brim. One like the Digger hat David Corke, our fishing correspondent lives in.
And eats in! And drinks in! And for all I know sleeps in! Can’t wait to wear
it the next time I meet him in the Red Lion in Brightwell. Of course that’ll
be after I’ve sewn the corks round it.
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Next Season,
Pangbourne Choral Society embarks on an ambitious programme designed to push
the boundaries further. After the usual February concert, there’ll be a staging
of a ‘come-and-sing’ Messiah in the summer, which will be open to all aspiring
singers. But the really big change occurs next November with the staging of
an autumn concert when the programme will include Mozart’s Requiem and the Choir
will again seek a wider audience by performing in two different locations. The
120-strong Choir is always looking for new recruits. More information from ‘www.pangbournechoral.org.uk’
or from Tony Maynard on 01635 200 354.
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I flew back from
Sydney in a brand new Airbus 340 with a state of the art entertainment system.
I listened to Schubert’s 8th and 9th and Smetana’s Ma Vlast at 38,000 feet while
singing along through a plate of Chinese noodles. Absolute magic! One slight
language problem, I asked for a glass of Shiraz red wine and got a triple scotch
and soda.
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Another case
of raising the roof, as extensive restoration has been completed at St Bartholomew's
Church, Lower Basildon and an Advent Service is planned to celebrate. It’ll
take place at 3pm on the 30th and include members of the Upper Basildon Primary
School Choir. But they’ll scoff all the mince pies afterwards. Well it is Christmas
isn’t it.
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Ivan Menchels’s
Broadway comedy ‘The Cemetery Club’ is The Goring Gap Players next production
at the Morrell Room between the 19th and 22nd. A hilarious story of three widows
who meet regularly at the Cemetery to remember their dead husbands. The appearance
of Sam at the Cemetery causes a few complications and test their relationships.
A nice way to spend a cold November evening. Tickets at £7.50 from Inspirations
or 01491 073 530.
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You may have
read in the papers that a chap got eaten by a crocodile in North Queensland
while I was out there, but the only ones I saw were in wildlife parks. Freshwater
and saltwater crocs are the same breed apparently, only one goes to sea and
gets bigger. One magnificent wild specimen I saw was given a harem of eight
ladies after he was captured. He ate them!
-PSW-