Please note that Evensong on August 11th will be held at Filkins at 6.00 pm,

and that Parish Communion on August 25th will be held at Broughton Poggs at 10.00am.

There is a mid-week Communion Service in Black Bourton Church on Wednesday mornings at 10.00am.

Langford July 5th: Martin Richard Batstone and Cindy Marie Hicks

Filkins July 5th: Trevor Hambidge and Nicola Jane Bishop

Kelmscott June 25th Burial of ashes: Biddy Hobbs

Filkins June 26th Frederick Thomas Henry Willis aged 78 years

Shilton June 29^th Burial of ashes: Ernest Steven Heathcote Severn

Dear Friends,

I know it might be difficult to believe - but I have not been into every pub in the Benefice yet! Black Bourton I visited even before I was Vicar and ought to return for a proper visit. The others I have all visited, at Alvescot, at Shilton, at Broadwell, at Langford - and managed the one at Filkins only this week for a chat with the Chairman of the Parish Council after the Film Night (every second Tuesday of the month in the Village Hall and much recommended: in August it is ‘Iris’, with a special children's show of ‘Monsters Inc.’ at 5 .30 p.m.). The one I have not yet managed is at Kelmscott. Seven pubs in a Benefice of twelve churches: I wonder how many pubs there were only 20 years ago? Perhaps somebody could write a letter to the editor of the magazine: I'd like to know!

This is a rather roundabout way of introducing my plan for August: to choose eleven days in the month and to plan to visit a parish on each of those days. This has to be rather arbitrary and of course the unexpected is bound to affect some days. It would be nice to have lunch in the parish – perhaps with a parishioner (you can tell your Vicar is single!) or perhaps in the pub if there is one (there's always the Cotswold Wildlife Park for Holwell) - and then some visiting. If you know anybody who would like a visit and even if you would like to accompany me, them let me know - otherwise it will be what we clergy call 'cold visiting', which is always exciting. Then the visit would end with said Evening Prayer at 5.30pm in the Church - do join me if you can. If this works I would like to have the occasional month in the year when I would do this. I am suggesting this simply because this benefice is so unusual that it is difficult to know how else to do any visiting at all - and I am well aware that people do, on the whole, like to see the Vicar around and about, and August is a month when I will not have commitments in the schools. So here are my proposed dates for August:

the 5th in Holwell including the Elizabeth Finn Home

the 6th in Shilton when there will also be an evening Eucharist for the Feast of the Transfiguration at 7.30 p.m.

the 7th in Black Bourton to coincide with the Communion at 10 a.m.

the 8th in Broadwell

the 9th in Little Faringdon

the 10th in Filkins and Broughton Poggs which can coincide with the Film Night

the 14th in Alvescot coinciding with a baptism in the church at 2.30 p.m.

the 15th in Westwell on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary when there will be a Eucharist at Holwell at 7.30 p.m.

the 19th in Kencot

the 20th in Langford and

the 21st in Kelmscott.

Let me know what you think.

Your brother in Christ,

The Vicar’s Office. When the post of vicar was advertised, there was a promise that he would be given part- time secretarial assistance. A secretary has now been appointed and an office is being set up under the guidance of Mrs Liz Savage of Alvescot, an expert in office management. It has been agreed by the Broadshire Council and Shill Church Wardens that they will fund a photocopier for the Vicar’s office. This is just the beginning, to enable the Vicar to improve the communication resources he has with the parishes. To aid its development and focus on the future, we are appealing for donations towards this resource. These donations we hope will take many forms, not just money, although that would be very nice. You may be able to donate stationery or a not too old computer. We would be grateful for any contributions. Once up and running we will have the foundations of a ‘Vicar’s Communication Centre’! For more information please contact the Vicar on 01993-845954 or myself on 01993-842832. Thank you Liz Savage

Mrs Banham - 860284 Mrs Assiter - 860545

(In case neither is available to answer queries, Lady Cripps - 860209 - will also help.)

Children’s Summer Holiday Activities. West Oxfordshire District Council is organising a wide programme of sporting activities - trampolining, cricket, badminton, sailing, canoeing, fencing, archery, golf, tennis, basketball, squash etc. - ages 7 - 15. If you have not had a copy of the printed programme, or would like more information, contact Carys Davies tel 01993 770201.

MP’s Surgery. David Cameron MP will hold an Advice Centre on Friday 16th August fron 5pm-7pm in the

Sports Pavilion, Bampton. To make an appointment ring 01993 702302.

Kencot, Broadwell, Langford and Little Faringdon on the Web. Please note that we now have a village web site at http://www.kencot.com for Kencot and Broadwell villages. Langford and Little Faringdon are http://langfordox18.tripod.com. You can also access the other local village web sites on http://www.ox18.com. You are welcome to add your own information ( of a non-commercial nature) to these web sites. If you would like the Broadshire Link and other local newsletters, together with local news (Witney Gazette) E-mailed to you free of charge, then send an E-mail to d.@akey.me.uk or send a note to D Oakey, Pathfields, Alvescot, Oxford OX18 2PS with your e-mail address.

Church Flowers August 4th & 11th Mrs Goldingham

August 18th & 25th Mrs Pescod

September 1st Mrs Rawson

Now is the time to start thinking about whether you can ride or stride to raise money for the Church in the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust Cycle Ride. If you would like sponsorship forms and information please contact Mary Pescod - 01367 860218.

A very big thank you to all those who helped out, donated items and donated money towards our evening for the Church and the Women’s Farm and Garden Association. We were fortunate to have lovely weather and a good turnout. Apart from the succesful cakes/odds and ends stall, plants sale, WGFA sales, we also had a stall for selling Broadwell lamb and Kelmscott pork - probably a first at such fund-raising events! Should anyone want to order, who wasn’t able to attend, please contact Hugh Pescod for the lamb and Christopher Maughan for the pork.

The evening raised well over £1,200 which will be divided between the Church and the WFGA. Once again many thanks to everyone concerned. Hugh and Mary Pescod.

BROADWELL VILLAGE LUNCH

SUNDAY 6 OCTOBER

We would like to invite everyone who lives or works in Broadwell to come along to the annual Village Lunch on 6th October. By kind permission, the venue will once again be Paul and Annabel Molyneaux’s barn, where by popular request, Hugh will be demonstrating his renowned mastery of the Pig Roast. For tickets and full details please contact Steve or Hazel Smith on 860086.

Broughton Church Flowers August Mrs Jones

September Mrs Stephenson

Filkins Church Flowers: Aug 4th & 11th: Linda Young

Aug 18th & 25th: Susan Haimes

Women’s Fellowship - We meet on Wednesday 7th August at 2.45pm in the Methodist Church Schoolroom. We shall welcome a new speaker on this occasion - The Reverend Nicola Blois, who is a Methodist Minister in Witney. All are welcome to join us as usual.

Tom Willis. The news of Tom’s sudden collapse and death on Tuesday 18th June at the age of 78 caused much sorrow to his many friends in Filkins and Broughton Poggs and we send our love and sympathy to Edna, to Peggy, to Maria and all his family.

Tom was born in Filkins in 1923 and lived virtually the whole of his life in the village where he shared a cottage with his sister and niece. From his earliest years he loved animals and he loved gardening. His first employment - before the 1939-45 War - was on the smallholding leased by the Cripps Estate to Charles Smith, the then landlord of the Five Alls, where Tom lovingly tended the animals and the vegetables. He was called up in 1942 at the age of 18 and was posted initially to the Somerset Light Infantry, but it was with the 43rd - the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry - that he took part in the invasion of Normandy in June 1944. He was wounded in the shoulder and chest, and also damaged his back, in the fighting round Pegasus Bridge. On rejoining his Unit he spent two years in Germany on light duties, returning to Filkins in 1947 on his demobilisation. For four years he resumed his work with the animals on the smallholding, but in 1951 he took up a job with Thames Water and remained with them for 25 years, for which he was presented with the "traditional" clock, of which he was intensely proud.

Thereafter, his life centred on his own patch. Produce from his garden and eggs from his hens - some of which he enjoyed giving away to friends and family - kept him busy, and he was often to be seen

walking his little Border Terrier and enjoying a laugh and a word with passers by.

Like so many men bred in the West Country, Tom was a gentle, kindly man, with a strong sense of humour. He loved a chat over a cup of tea, was full of interest, and stoical in the face of increasingly ill health and pain. He was a staunch supporter of The Royal British Legion. We shall miss him.

• Friday 2nd August at 6.30 pm •

• An evening’s entertainment for the family - •

Oxfordshire Touring Theatre Company’s

• outdoor production in the Paddock, Filkins •

• (Obsession and chaos on the riverbank!) •

From the Parish Clerk:

Best Kept Village Competition 2002: The judges’ report on Filkins and Broughton Poggs was mostly a splendid one: only a small amount of litter near the swimming pool, and an overgrown footpath in Broughton Poggs let the side down. The judges commended ‘the well maintained and clean’ playground and swimming pool area. The church, chapel, nursery school and Gassons’ allotments were noted to be ‘in good order’. Gardens and verges were ‘excellent’ and craft centre ‘impressive’. The judges ended their report with ‘We enjoyed visiting your well-kept village’.

A big thank you to everyone concerned in keeping our village a pleasant place in which to live. S.D.

FILKINS BOWLS CLUB

Flower and Vegetable Show schedules and entry forms available from

Cotswold Woollen Weavers, Filkins Post Office and the Five Alls Inn or telephone 860500.

(Parents: Please note - nine of the show classes are specifically for children under 14 -

something to do in the holidays, especially if the weather’s not too good)

Filkins & Broughton W.I. What varied memories our five mini-speakers produced when they talked about the year 1952. Yet a common theme perhaps was the shadow of recent war-time. Elizabeth Gidman spoke of her search for a "going-away outfit" among the dingy Utility-marked garments available - but she did find a beautiful wedding dress. For Blue Burkert it was her first visit to Germany to meet the family of her ex-P.O.W. husband Eric - an ordeal indeed, coping with the language and the ‘federbet’, but in later years she came to feel at home with her German in-laws. For Dorothy Banham, it was coming home to England’s shortages after eighteen months in Malta, a new very tiny baby and the struggle to find a home to enable her to join her husband at RAF Lyneham. Helen Squire’s hardships were joyously borne, as she holidayed (with the National Union of Students) on the volcanic island of Stromboli, living on hard-boiled eggs and prickly pears. She described too the gear that she wore to come home to Eastleach from Oxford on her motor-bike - her brother’s flying jacket, a crash helmet and various voluminous garments all held in place by binder twine - what else!! Pam Assiter, newly married, lived at the end of the Bakerloo Line; this proved very convenient for the London burglars who carried out several raids on their home, undeterred by locks. Back in Filkins, Eileen Wise in 1952 had just moved into No. 8 The Gassons and was thrilled with all the mod. cons. provided. It was a time for having babies and the local baby clinic was a welcome meeting place for all the young mothers.

The evening visit to the Coleshill Bunker was just as successful as last year’s, with an excellent commentary by the two leaders, a beautiful evening and mouth-watering food at the Pub to follow. Our thanks to Mary Pearce for organising it. Lesley White spoke enthusiastically about her Gliding Experience at Shenington - a terrifying winch launch, the glider mounting at 45 degrees. Only a short flight, but the fee enables her to enjoy 3 months’ free subscription to the Club. Helen thoroughly enjoyed the Spectacular at Broughton Castle, wonderfully organised, with thousands of ’bodies’ picnicking on the grassy slope while listening to Jazz and Tchaikovsky. The fireworks were fabulous, if of short duration. Ann Spiers is to lead a three-mile walk on Monday 12th August, ending at The Victoria in Eastleach. Meet at Lamb Corner at 5.45 pm. The meeting on August 21st takes place at North Lodge, Kencot, where Helen will find us "jolly things to do". Meet at Lamb Corner at 6.30 pm.

Church Brass and Flowers - Stephanie Classey

Church Flowers 3rd August Mrs Ricks

10th & 17th August Mrs Coxeter

24th & 31st August Mrs Gasson

7th September Mrs Dossett-Davies

Churchyard Tidy-up. The annual churchyard tidy-up will be on Tuesday 20th August. Nearly all of us make use of the churchyard at some time in our lives and it would be appreciated if some of those who are not regular churchgoers came along to help. Please meet at 6.00pm and bring your tools !

National Gardens Scheme. Garden Opening Day is nearly upon us! Kencot cakemakers - your offerings will be gratefully accepted as usual. Please leave them at the Village Hall on the morning of August Bank Holiday Monday, August 26th, or beforehand with Susan Portergill. Anyone who is willing to do a stint , helping to serve teas in the Village Hall, please contact Susan in advance; we can always do with more volunteers. Tea profits will be divided between the Church and the Village Hall.

Sponsored Cycle Ride - Saturday 14th September - do come and join in for an hour or two (or more) of leisurely (or fast) cycling round the churches in the district. You can go where and as far as you like and it gives you a chance to see some of our interesting ancient churches. Refreshments are provided at each (free!) Half of the sponsorship money goes to The Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust, half to the fabric of our own church. Sponsorship forms can be obtained from Bill Gasson.

Church Flowers August 4^th Mrs. R. Range

August 11^th, 18^th & 25^th Mrs. D. Lowden

Church Cleaning Chancel and Porch Mrs. M. Webb

Nave Mr. & Mrs. C. Roland

Mrs. J. Pitkin

Brass Cleaning Mrs. S. Kirby

Langford Ladies – At their meeting on Thursday 11^th July, Langford Ladies thoroughly enjoyed an evening of trying to identify 18 unusual objects from past times. These included a bottle opener for a marble-sealed bottle, a bowls measure and a pot mender. We have to thank Clive Gould and John Hayes of Filkins for providing the objects and Chrissy Tinson for organising the evening. There were 3 winners of the competition – Ella Kibble, Phyllis Lafford and Eileen Wise. Raffle winners were Sue Herbert, Pauline Smith and Margaret Simpson. The August meeting has yet to be arranged.

Langford Village Hall – First ever Langford Village Whist Evening will be held in the hall on Tuesday 10^th September at 7.30pm. If you require Whist lessons, they will begin at 6.30pm. The Whist is open to all ages; there will be refreshments and a raffle. Entry fee £1. Please call Mr & Mrs. Hutchins on 01367 860403 for more details.

Church Flowers - August Mrs Vera Loader

Church Lunch. Many thanks to everyone who helped at or supported the Church Lunch on 30th June. Fine weather and a relaxed atmosphere ensured a happy occasion. The splendid sum of £2728 was raised for St. Margaret’s Fabric Fund.

• Church Cycle Ride ( Fund Raising ) - Saturday 14th September.

Details and sponsor forms are in the Church.

• Bonfire Night 1st or 2nd November (tbc)

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Saturday 14th September 2002 (Please note change of date)

The school is now quiet for the summer holidays, apart from repair work to the flat roofs. This was not the case at the end of the term with all the activities.

Robin Hood saw the brothers Ashford Smith as Robin and King John, the good and the bad guys of the story. After many goings on with arrows being shot – although the shooter, a good shot in reality, had to miss Robin Hood which did not do his ego much good! After an "upstanding" performance by one youngster as "The Tree" it all ended with a double wedding – Robin Hood to Maid Marian and Will Scarlet to his girlfriend. A happy ending was also in store in the other production by the younger children of Billy the Bus. Billy the school bus, much loved by the children, was retired and sold to the local farmer, who used him as a roost for his chickens. Here youngsters with beaks and wearing pyjamas played the parts of the roosting birds – Billy did not like this and was very unhappy. However his friends the school children managed to rescue him and he became a "library" bus in the school grounds. Both performances were excellent and we would like to thank Mrs. Sheila Henderson, once again, for finding the plays and teaching us the songs and accompanying us in the performances.

School trips have been enjoyed – the youngest children went to the Cotswold Wildlife Park, where they had a lovely outing. The only regret by some was that there were no tigers – and the best bit of the day was the adventure playground. The older children all went into Oxford, firstly to the Ashmolean museum where they went on the "Ancient Greek" trail round the museum. This is where a special guide sheet is given to the children and they are asked to look for certain special objects. This was followed by a trip to Oxford Ice Rink, where they had their lunch and skated. There were no reports of broken bones and I am told that Mrs. Latham, who accompanied the children, is quite an expert!

The children also took part in a sponsored "Sports Relief" afternoon. The youngest spun Hula-Hoops, Skipped and played Football, whilst the older children also played Rounders, Football etc. All were able to take part in a Sports Quiz organised by the Parents Association. In all £850 was raised and sent off to Sports Relief. Congratulations to everyone taking part, and organising the event.

The leavers’ assembly was taken by the Year 6 children who have now left the school. The boys performed their version of "Lads Army" with Sergeant Aiden Campbell in charge, quite a stern sergeant. This was followed by a performance by the girls, and then the farewell presentations. The children received books and a special presentation was given to Miss Karen Price – all the children in her class seem to have been buying her presents from the bookshop for the past few weeks. She will have more rulers and rubbers to take to her new school than she can possibly use!

We said goodbye to children from several classes, some going on to the new Primary School in Carterton which is opening in September, some leaving the area – we wish you all well.

Then school broke up on 19^th July and it was hoped that the new classroom would be built during the summer. At the time of going to press this is not certain as the quotations from contractors came in well above the amount expected by the Department for Education – but the governors are hoping that work will commence shortly.