RAMBLINGS - HENLEY & WATLINGTON - RG9/0X49 - 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 Christmas is coming and
‘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 at the Christchurch Centre, Henley
or Reading Minster of St Mary the Virgin.
They are open Monday – Saturday,
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Christmas is
coming even earlier at Shiplake as there’s a Christmas Craft Fair on Wednesday
5th November between 9 and
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Watlington Hospital
Charitable Trust Christmas Fair 2008 takes place at Benson Parish Hall on Friday
21st from 9.30 -3.30. Stalls will be selling children’s gifts, clothes,
stationery, jewellery, lifestyle gifts, faux flowers, cashmere, china, pottery and
festive decorations to name but a phew! Coffee and lunch also being served.
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Over this academic
year the Henley Trust will organise and pay for a spectacular mural-making project,
‘Supersize Art’, involving local schools. Ten murals will be created,
one in each of the 10 participating schools. The theme of the murals will be
based on the 5 continents symbolised by the Olympic ‘linked rings’ logo.
Eight primary and two secondary schools will pair up to ‘share’ a continent
for their mural making. Leading the project will be mural specialists
Hugh Jart, who have become famous for producing their artworks at festivals
such as
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The Bix 6 return
during Advent with a wide range of arts and crafts items. Bix 6? Any connexion
to ‘The Magnificent Seven?’ They’ll be at
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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. That snippet was followed by news 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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“Can you believe
that Christmas is a-coming?” says Mary Heath, Secretary of the Henley Flower
Club. Ho Yus! I’m practically mince pied out already. The Club is having a Christmas
Demonstration in the Town Hall on Monday, 17th November at
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Rosehill WI is
holding its Christmas meeting at 2pm on December 3rd at St Barnabas Church Hall
Emmer Green. The entertainment will be provided by Caversham Heights Entertainers.
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Remember I told
you about the exhibition of Victorian painters being prepared by the Wallingford
Museum? Well, the time has come, and throughout November they are presenting
an unique exhibition about the painters who lived in Wallingford and the artistic
legacy they left to their pupils and descendants. Amongst the 75 or so paintings
will be works by James Hayllar and his daughters and G.D. Leslie and his son.
With them will be some 20 pictures by their friend and local art teacher, Claude
Rowbotham plus a remarkable collection of 30 paintings by his pupil Kate Latter.
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Back to Australia,
and behind the beach is a lovely grassy esplanade shaded by palms and other
native trees. There are six free stainless steel public barbies and beyond that,
a dog exercise area extending for most of the length of the very extensive beach.
As you enter you’re invited to take a plastic poop bag from a roll; and along
the walk are bins for their disposal. In all the time I was there, I saw no
sign of any dog mess whatsoever. How different from home, where some dog owners
seem to take their animals along the footpaths and bridleways used by children,
solely for the purpose of defecation. Come on! It’s not difficult is it?
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Samantha Grimwood
writes to say that Watlington Primary School Christmas Bazaar takes place on
between 10 and 2 on Saturday the 22nd.
There’ll be a range of quality craft stalls selling a wide variety of
goodies as well as Santa’s grotto for the children. That’s discrimination that
is! Q-tass will be providing refreshments throughout the day. Q-tass? Play it
again Sam! You’re having me on aren’t you?
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Henley Symphony
Orchestra is delighted to welcome the principal bassoonist of the Philharmonia
Orchestra, Robin O'Neill, as soloist for its first concert of the new season
at 3.30pm on 9th November at Highdown School in Emmer Green. He’ll be playing
Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B flat. In addition there’ll also be Hindemith’s
Symphonic Metamorphoses on themes of Weber and the ever popular Symphony Number
1 in C minor by Brahms. Tickets at £12 on 0118 940 3936.
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I do love a cliché!
You’ve probably noticed. When dining out one evening in a beach side restaurant
on the other side of the world we were seated near two other couples. As we
were leaving we bade them good night and one of the chaps asked where we were
from. “Oxfordshire.” I replied. “We’re from Wantage.” said he…Wait for it!...
‘Small World’ isn’t it?
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Henley Offshore
Group's at a different berth this month as they’ve changed moorings to Badgemore
Golf Club for their AGM on the 10th Nov. They know that AGM's are pretty boring
so they’ll try to beat their own record and get it done in under 20 minutes.
You can then listen to Annette Bourke describing her remarkable voyage in a
tall ship right across the Pacific from Chile, via Easter Island and the Pacific
Islands to New Zealand. Everyone is welcome, with a modest charge for non-member
guests. For details, check out HOG's website at www.henleyoffshore.org, or phone
Max McKean, on 07967 079 176.
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A Very Special
unicorn called Hamish is bringing Father Christmas to Watlington on the 6th
December for a Special Shopping Day. Hamish? Must be from the Scottish side
of the family. He’ll drop off old SC at his grotto in the High Street at 10.30
and from then on there’ll be a lively programme, including the Watlington Band,
a Grand Free Prize draw and assorted entertainments. From
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The Henley &
District Organ Trust Autumn Season is well under way, and the Sunday afternoon
Concert in Henley Town Hall at
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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 Smettana’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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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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Wallingford Photographic
Club meetings are held at 7.45 on Thursdays at the Crowmarsh Pavilion, behind
the tyre warehouse near the bridge. On the 6th there’ll be talks from two members
on the work of Michael Kenna and on High Dynamic Range Photography. On the 13th
Doug Vernimmen, from Oxford will show his portraiture work and also a travelogue
on Brazil. The 20th features another popular ‘Discussion Evening’ and the following
week on the 4th December; Gordon Roberts explains the pitfalls of taking pictures
in the snow with his presentation ‘Winter Snow’. Telephone 01491 835632 for
membership details or see ‘www.wallingford-photographic-club.org.uk’.
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Dane Garrod presents
his display ‘10 Collections 1 Collector’ to Henley Philatelic Society on Wednesday
12th. Ad on the 26th Ken Hussey gives you Imperial Airways, a presentation in
Philatelic pages and photographic slides. Visitors are welcome to come along
to Bix Village Hall at 7.45. Details 01491 681 739 or on ‘www.henleyphilatelic.co.uk’.
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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.
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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Ridgeway U3A’s
next meeting will be held on 18th November in Watlington Sports Pavilion when
the Reverend Fieldsend will talk on ‘Kindertransport, a Personal Story’. All
welcome. Admission £2.50 to include refreshments.
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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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St. Mary's Church,
Henley, will celebrate its 800 year history on 14th and 15th November with performances
of a ‘Son et Lumiere’. Written by Bill Port it takes a light-hearted look at
events from the Church's past. The construction of the tower by a workman double
act; the Bishop's mastermind visitation; the Henley Standard newsboy's introduction
to Church history; all add up to a humorous and informative entertainment. The
essential sound and light will be provided by Bruce Smith and Derek Gilbert,
with production and direction in the hands of Anthea Redmond and Jill Richardson.
Tickets from Sandra Moon 01491 573 887.
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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 fat 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! I passed a restaurant on Cook Highway. The sign reads ‘Bloody
Good Tucker’. Beats your ‘Posh Ploughman’s Ruth.
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This year Help
the Aged is launching a range of exclusively designed charity Christmas Cards
at their 360 charity shops, all made from sustainable materials. All proceeds
will go towards the Charity's work to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation
and neglect.
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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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The Oxfordshire
Craft Guild is holding its annual Christmas Selling Exhibition at the County
Museum in Woodstock from 22nd November through to 4th January.
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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. Of course that’ll be after I’ve
sewn the corks round it.
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If you enjoy
delving into the past, then a new series of historic guided walks across the
Chilterns may be right up your street. The Chilterns Conservation Board has
teamed up with a number of local historical and archaeological organisations
to bring the past to life with 25 guided walks and events in places as far afield
as Little Marlow, Watlington, High Wycombe, Berkhamsted, Amersham, Chipperfield
and Totternhoe. These Chilterns towns and villages are full of interesting hidden
places and have fascinating stories to tell, often with links to infamous characters
and historic happenings. Local guides will take you back in time and reveal
some of the treasures. You can order The Walk Back in Time events leaflet by
calling 01844 355 504.
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This month is
so appropriate for a production of Britten’s ‘War Requiem’ as its 90 years since
the Armistice bringing to a close the ‘War to End all Wars’. Oxford Harmonic
Society is joined by members of the Bonn Philharmonic Choir and both the Oxford
Sinfonia and the Orchestra of Stowe Opera at Oxford Playhouse at 7.30 on the
22nd. Tickets at £14 and £12 on 01865 305 305 or on the door.
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I am again getting
e-mails asking for confirmation of entry. The answer is NO so please desist.
I don’t know until ‘Press Day’ how much space there is. Under the rules of engagement,
and if I like the cut of your jib, you’re almost sure to get an entry but I
cannot guarantee it. I’m also usually rather ratty that morning. Ta!
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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-