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Autumn 2002             Issue 87

		HARVEST FESTIVAL SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29TH Gifts brought to church on Saturday or Sunday will be donated to the Porch (see page 4 for types of food they most need).
10.0 A.M.     PARISH COMMUNION 11.15 A.M.   FAMILY SERVICE 12.15-2.0      HARVEST LUNCH - ALL WELCOME:
Bring and share - please let Liz Shatford (772598) know if you plan to bring...

CHURCH NEWS

Ministry team: Robert Morgan (Lower Farm, 748848) priest-in-charge; licensed lay ministers: Brian Andrews (777011);  Liz Shatford (772598). Church Wardens: Mrs Marjorie Harris (24 Henley Road) and Ray Lee (93 Henley Road). Organist: Daniel Chambers. Choirmaster: Christian Bradley.

to Mr and Mrs McCarthey to Heyford Hill Lane; to Patrick and Kone and family to River View; to Kitty Arbuthnot to Rock Farm Lane; to David and Julie Atkinson, Louise and Mark, David Smith, Kevin and Michelle's Stuart and family, Paul Reilly, and Helen Forster to Pheasant Walk; to Fiona and Cameron to River View; to Antony and Nicola Bexon to Heyford Hill Lane; to Clay Meadows to Janaway; to Diane Hopgood and Kevin Welch to Buckler Close; to Dr Lara Saour to Broadhurst Gardens'; to Clare and John to Janaway; to Caroline King and family to The Crescent; to Suma to The Crescent; and to Andy Painter to Main Avenue.

and WELCOME TO THE WORLD to Rebecca Jane, born on 12th July to Rowland and Sarah of River View, a sister for Lara to Shanae, born on the 24th April, a daughter to Emma and Marshall and granddaughter to Maria and David to Jacob, born on 22nd March to Michelle and Paul, a brother to Tobias at Janaway to Matthew, born 12th April, a first to Richard and Katie of Buckler Close to Louis, born on Fathers' bay, 16th June, to James Rudman and Leah, a brother for Harry to Abigail, born on 12th May to Anita and Barry Smith of Henley Road to Madeleine Ella, born on 5th May to Shelli and Julian Wright of Church Road to Katherine, born on 11th September to Geraldine and Jason Kent of Batten Place

BINGO in the Village Hall every Thursday 7.0 for 8.0 in aid of Village Hall funds

TODDLERS GROUP re-started on September 2nd after the holidays. 10.0-12.0 in the Village Hall. run by Hannah, 7 Riverview,. and Trudy (772196). Mums and Dads very welcome.

Henley Road, Sandford on Thames, Oxford OX4 4GX Telephone: (01865) 334444 . Fax: (01865) 334400 WEB http://www.four-pillars.co.uk Email: enquiries@four-pillars.co.uk Set in 30 acres of glorious parkland on the banks of the Thames. Open to non residents for drinks, light meals and riverside dining. Carvery lunch on Sundays. Conferences, Weddings (including Ceremony) and private parties. Telephone 01865 334444.

EVENING BUSES   On July 7th Sandford at last got an evening bus service operated by Stagecoach (service 5C), running from Oxford City Centre, through Littlemore, Sandford-on-Thames and Science Park to Greater and Blackbird Leys, then back past Cowley Centre and down the Cowley Road. Leaves Queen Street (stop F7) at 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0 and reaching the Catherine Wheel 15 minutes later.

If you have an art, design or craft skill, please would you consider sharing your expertise at the Youth Club by helping run a craft table for some simple projects. These are always very popular activities with this age group. Your input for a one-off session or for a project that might run over several weeks would be very welcome. Please feel free to phone Julie Wilkinson on 774178 to discuss if you are able to contribute.

Management committee:
After many years devoted service Lyn Brooking is now retiring as treasurer and a successor will be announced shortly. The village owes a lot to people who quietly do the behind the scenes jobs and keep things going efficiently. So a huge thanks to Lin and wishing her a very happy retirement in her new and delightfully demanding role as a grandmother. She is well supported, and joins Gina, Tim, Nigel and Sue, Paul and Alice and many others who have made a difference to the village through their contributions to youth work.

Chairman: Nigel Northcott (773569)
Clerk: Liz Shatford (772598)
Councillors: M. D'Arcy, M. Norton, M. Inston, J. Smithson, H. Hutton, P. Tuson (co-opted in August 2002)

Jubilee garden and sign: The sign is completed, and progress is being made on the construction of the garden.

Time capsule: final decision on time capsule has been deferred until suitable material for filling it had been collected. The Chairman had visited the county local history archive and been impressed, and suggested that parishioners be asked to take any relevant and/or interesting material there.

Football stadium: there is a continuing discussion with the County Councillor about parking, but no particular progress. There had also been discussion about a newspaper report that there were proposals to develop land at the south side of Grenoble Road near the sewage works in the Oxford City Draft Local Plan.

River boats: a letter has been sent to the Environment Agency regarding the noise nuisance caused by party river boats.

Recreation equipment: the Fox Furlong goalposts had been very successful and additional posts and a youth shelter had been requested at the Broadhurst Gardens recreation ground. Progress has been made on tree and brush clearing on the proposed site.

Litter bins: new litter bins are now in place around the village.

Bus stop: the Facilities Manager at the Science Park has written to the Council requesting a new bus stop in Grenoble Road.

Henley Road pavement: the Parish Council have again written to the Highways Department about the dangerous state of the Henley Road pavement opposite the Catherine Wheel. A meeting was requested to discuss both that and the problem of pedestrian access to Kiln Park. Park Homes: model standards are now in force, but there is an ongoing problem with drainage and water supply.

Next meeting of the PC in on Monday October 7th at 7.0 in the Village Hall

Visit the Sandford website [web site no longer active] on which you can also consult back numbers of the Link.

On September 5th Bishop Michael of South West Tanganyika talked and showed a video made by his wife Punitha, and answered questions to help us see where our support had helped that poorest of African dioceses, and to direct our prayers. Some churches had been rebuilt - they are cheaper than around here, so £200 will give a village the concrete they need from outside. The actual bricks are baked locally and church and vicarage built with local labour. The local congregation have to find the salary of its priest (£30 per month) - but many fall short of that so the vicar does some subsistence farming like his parishioners.

It is proving difficult to get a doctor in these rural areas by Lake Malawi and up in the hills, but Tanzania is a peaceful country and safer than many. The local people have been hugely welcoming and can teach us something in the joy and spontaneity of their worship. A parish trip there to learn more is projected for next July after our Fete and flower Festival - those interested (or wanting to sponsor local climbers for Kilimanjaro - all proceeds to the Diocese of South West Tanzania building fund) - please contact vicar or treasurer.

An amazing thing has happened in my garden this week. I wanted to grow some valerian, and picked some out of a local wall. I didn't get many roots but I planted the stems and watered them. And one by one they died. The flowers went mouldy, the leaves fell off and the stems turned black and brittle.

I left them there anyway, thinking, maybe if I'm lucky the roots will take and send up new shoots next spring. I was completely unprepared for what happened. After several weeks of being dead, the stems began to turn green again from the bottom up., Slowly the greenness climbed from joint to joint. New leaves sprouted. One or two are even trying to flower.

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. But I have heard that if you plant planks made of willow, they will root and sprout and turn back into trees, and now I can believe that. You can't overestimate the power of life. It is beyond anything we can imagine. A miracle, a resurrection, is always possible.

One of my valerian shoots has not revived, and I think it really is dead. But I am less sad about it because of the others. Not because its death does not matter: of course it matters, and when a plant or, much more, a person dies we may wonder why the miracle did not happen for

Barry and Barbara welcome you to the Catherine Wheel FREEHOUSE 38 Henley Road Sandford-on-Thames, Oxford OX4 4YP Tel: 01865-778340 Hot and Cold Bar Food Traditional Sunday Roast Lunches     Real Ales Large Garden     Ample Car Park Parties and Outside Functions catered for

them. We don't know why. But to die in a world where life is so vigorous and miracles happen, is surely better than to die in a world where miracles never happen and death always wins. Even those who die can rejoice that the world they have lived in and leave behind is such a wonderful place.


Teresa Morgan, to be ordained new curate of Littlemore, 29th September 2002

A thought to all bonfire burners is - if your garden is big enough to produce a large amount of garden refuse - it is big enough to set aside a place to compost the waste in. I dispose of all of our garden and kitchen waste by using two plastic composters - with the added benefit of producing a large volume of material to enrich the soil. Composting saves you from buying expensive and ecological damaging peat, as well as saving the rest of us from the summer stink. If you don't want to compost in your own garden, take the material to the civic amenity dump at Redbridge where the local council will do it for you. But please don't burn it - for ours' and the planet's benefit.

Mind you there is an equal scourge to the bonfire - fly tipping - the practice of dumping waste and rubbish in public places. The amenity land at the end of Broadhurst gardens has piles of garden refuse dumped on it in the public play and amenity area.

Sandford is a delight to us all and could be improved by recycling garden and kitchen refuse rather than burning or dumping it.

Dr Helen Parsons died July 2002, aged 30
All of us who came into contact with Helen will always remember a lovely and lively young woman, a brilliant doctor, a devoted daughter, wife and friend. And we struggle to make sense of such a radiant life cut short by cancer. A large congregation in St Andrew's celebrated and thanked God for her life and said their farewells, offering sympathy to her husband Tony, who met her as a student, still at Buckley Close; her mother Frankie, and step-father Mike, and her brothers Pete and Matthew, and her in-laws Pat and Francis.
Frank Sinatra's That's Life was played, and most appropriately at the end of the service Abba's Dancing Queen. Also St Francis' Prayer, 0 make me an instrument of thy peace, and Lord of all hopefulness, with its four stages of life, strangely accelerated for Helen, but giving a life to be thankful for. Medical colleagues Ranette and Jenny spoke of her care for others - even to looking for ways of reducing the burden of those she would soon leave behind. We will remember Helen.


Geoff Clegg 1942 - 2002
Geoff and Jan came to 36 Main Avenue in 1989 and in their nine years here made some good friends. Geoff's health was always poor and the last few years in Woodcote were hard, but he enjoyed his family around him - Howard nearby, and Sally marrying David and producing Sophie and Mattie. After a service in Reading Crematorium, at which the small congregation sang Lord of the Dance with joy at Geoff now being led in a dance no longer hindered by breathing difficulties, his ashes will be placed in St Andrew's Garden of Remembrance on Sunday 10th November, after the 10 a.m. service. Our sympathies to all the family, including those he quite recently got to know and love.


Christopher Dodd died 25th August 2002, aged 60
Chris and Gwen came to Kiln close from Chalgrove 18 months ago and have been very happy together in their lovely new bungalow. Despite many years of illness Chris managed to continue working as an engineer with Cap Coder until 2000. He was a keen sportsman, taking up bowls and playing for the County when he could no longer play soccer and cricket, and he remained a loyal fan of Oxford United. He enjoyed life, was full of

The sudden downpour which sent torrents of water down the hill of Henley Road to the Northfield Brook bridge in the afternoon came with little warning. It seemed to hit all south-facing buildings with great velocity, and it came through several shut windows, at least two conservatories and one roof, and rapidly formed a lake around and inside a number of low-lying properties. Luckily the storm did not last too long, so the height of the indoor flooding was about 3.5 inches, in comparison with the similar one of 1989 when it reached 8.5. Where it did get indoors, it did considerable damage, and has left several households with noisy drying machines for over three weeks, and exhausted.

The Assistant Engineer of the County Council visited soon after, and has asked for details of its effects on a group of 21 properties, with a view to trying to prevent damage from future flash floods. The County Engineers' Department has been asked for a talk on the whole drainage system, with written notes. If anyone has knowledge of the drainage systems from the Tinshed Hill, south, and the Heyford Hill, north, and any known faults or blockages, please contact the Editor. Hopefully if all concerned act together, we may be able to solve the current inadequacies and prevent future flooding.


Sandford Fete and Flower Festival: 13th July

As always (more or less) the second Saturday in July (after Wimbledon, before school hols) is Festival Time, and this year the Jubilee provided the theme. Brilliant tableaux of flowers illuminated aspects of our history and some personalities. H.M. sat on the Bishop's chair - governor of the Church of England, defender of the faith. I particularly liked the flowery sentinel at the church door and the horse, and Princess Margaret sharing a few things with us. Congratulations Marjorie, Bev, Ann, John Mattock and other contributors.

And the sun shone - making all the difference to the Fete. Thanks to all who donated all sorts of things, many of them alcoholic. Books were more popular than ever, and the plants will enrich Sandford and other gardens for some time. Children's sports were fun - thanks, Alice, and the Jubilee Brass band played splendidly throughout - including many of the juniors - thanks, Sharon, for arranging that. Thanks also to Maurice Earp,

The Sandford Prize Draw is always a highlight. Dennis Harris' magnificent hand-made garden furniture was won by Colin and Betty Dougan of Rock Farm Lane and his wheelbarrow by Les and Deborah Rogers of Main Avenue. Those who organized the raffle and those who sold tickets around the village want to thank everyone for the friendly greetings they received, which made this task a real pleasure. Also those who gave prizes, especially to Dennis again, and to all four eating and drinking places - Catherine Wheel, Fox, Kings Arms, Four Pillars - and to those who like Kevin and John contributed their winnings to the greater good.

The full list of 35 winning numbers was posted publicly in the church porch as usual, and the money raised will help maintain a church building in Sandford for another year. All are invited to share it on occasion.


Adoption! Is it for you?
Could you offer a child a home? That's the question PACT (Parents and Children Together) is asking during Adoption Week, October 12-20th. The agency is in desperate need of people who think they may be able to adopt a child.
More than 5,000 children across the UK need a permanent family, many groups of brothers and sisters aged 3+, and children with learning difficulties or physical disabilities. All sorts of people have made the decision to adopt. Many people are surprised to learn that adoptive parents don't have to be married or have a partner, have a full-time job, own their own home or already have children.
What they do need is patience, commitment, a sense of humour and, above all, the ability to offer a child a loving and stable environment in which they can thrive. More details and a copy of the free First Introduction to Adoption Guide are available from the Adoption Team on 0800 7311845.

we continue the oral histories taken from Sandford residents during 2001, from residents as young as 65 and 98. The questions were asked by Nigel Northcott.

Farming
"There was Gerald Keane, who lived in Sandford House; the entrance to it was down there in Keane Close? Well, all of the back there where those new houses are was farmland. Farmyards and farm buildings and Gerald Keane lived there until they built the bypass, which virtually cut his farm in half. He wanted them to put a tunnel under the bypass, but they wouldn't do it. However, it was all Magdalen College land really and he leased it you see? And they came to an arrangement whereby he left there and of course the rest of the ground is now the Science Park, you see, that was farmland.

"Temple Farm was down here, which was the Knight's Templar's place. Rock Farm the one just below the pub (the Fox) and Lower Farm - that's White's Farm, going out towards Nuneham.

NN: Can you remember the farms?
Oh yes, we used to fetch the milk from one. Used to get up in the morning and fetch it for the large houses. 'Cause there was none delivered then.
NN: From Templar's Farm?
That's right, 'cause they've got a hotel built now. We used to go down there before when they'd milk the cows, if we weren't looking, they get their teats and give us a squirt with it! They used to have these three-legged stools.
NN: Who milked the cows?
They had men in the village, they lived about opposite the field. They had different milk to what we have now.

"But there was work on the farms when I was a boy, Mr Keane he would employ you doing little jobs, pulling the weeds up in the field and cutting the tops off the sugar beet. And harvesting, they were always short of labourers at harvesting; it was very labour intensive. After the age of 12 I would think. But as we got older, the farms were becoming more mechanised. During the war they bought old tractors in. Mr Cornish and his nephew came in and I worked for his nephew.
And he had an old International tractor and then they bought Forbes in, a new one. It was harnessed with a binder, he had a canvas, and the corn was rolled on this canvas and it was all tied up in sheathes, the sheathes were thrown out all over the field and they had a team of men would go and lift these sheathes up and do 'shocks'. About six or eight sheathes in a 'shock' with the ears of corn uppermost. Presumably this was to let it dry out for a little while until such time as it could be picked up. T'was another cart, was taken to a rickyard or made into a rick in the

NN: Were the farms running in those days?
Yes, yes, of course they didn't employ that many people, 4 or 5. There was a Mr Cornish who lived down where the hotel is. There was a Mr Keane they lived where the Japanese school is. And there was a Mr White, who lived where Bob Morgan lives and they were the three farmers. White was the 'roughest' type of farmer! Mr Keane was very religious, bible meetings and all those kinds of things.
NN: What sort of farmers where they?
Arable. They used to do milk and that. They used to take it to the station. They also started growing potatoes, that was during the war, the lady up here she was selling potatoes a pound a bag, a pound for hundredweight. Then the Co-Op used to deliver milk and there was another chap, Reg Harding, he used to deliver milk.

NN: Were there other farms in the village?
Well Temple Farm and Rock Farm, two farms there.
NN: Did you ever go to the farms?
Yes, I went to work for Mrs Keane, they kept the farm at Rock Farm and I used to work down there as well.
NN: While you were still at school?
Oh no after I left.
NN: What work did you do on the farm?
In the house I used to do it.
NN: What was she like to work for?
Very nice, they were nice people. Then Maud's kept Temple Farm, they were alright.

In those days you could go and do help with the harvest; you didn't get paid as such - you'd get a couple of bob or so. But it was very hard work, for children, you know.

One of the big changes in the lifetime of Link readers has been the shrinking of local communities. Not that less people live in Sandford than before. On the contrary, there are four or five times the population of three generations ago. But a large proportion of us do not see the location of our house as a place where we find our communities. We are civil to our neighbours, and may even know their names, and we get cross if they are inconsiderate, but our family and friendship networks are mostly elsewhere, linked by cars and telephones. If that's true of most (not all) of the village, then the role of public institutions (council, church, etc.) is a bit different from what it was.

It also raises a question whether the Link should only go to those who want it, or who want to be vaguely in touch with what is going on here, rather than waste paper (and money) with copies that go unread into wastepaper baskets. (The system of asking everyone each time whether they would like it is a bit hit and miss because people are out and the Link residents' list is impossible to keep up to date with so much social mobility). At present it works (sort of) as a kind of invitation - to ensure that everyone is invited to participate in and help build on what local community is left, while respecting the decision of many to leave the location where their home happens to be off their social maps. The Link committee would welcome a bit wider spread of contributors while regretting that space stops us including all we would like to see included.


The River Run: 30th June 2002

As ever, the last Saturday in June, 5 p.m., is the athletic event of the local year - down the towpath to Radley. The 13th successive year was completed in 70sF - nice for spectators, but warm for runners and walkers and 50-50s.

Notable this year was a new record set in the over-60s race - John Creed's 5 miles in 35.43 (Mike enters this one soon so it will be as competitive as it was in times past). The over-50s awards went to Keith Baker (mini-bowl for best family team effort) and Mike Dixon (half empty tankard) - both just inside 40 mins for 5 miles. (They will face pressure next year when one of the leading Sandford marathon runners turns 50).

The Sandford shield was won for the third successive year by Mark Baker (29.22) with Lee Pugh again winning the runner up cup in 31 mins and Kevin Gleeson again bronze (34.25). Fourth was James Fenn, aged 14 now (32.42) which meant he won the 12-14 year-olds gold medal, narrowly beating the winner of the 3 mile race, Matthew Daglish, aged 13 (21.53) who took silver.

The 11 year-olds and under was won by Mark Willmot in 22.25 (aged 11) with

Other impressive performances in the 5 mile were Raynham (35.15), Matthew Wilkinson (36.24), Mike Eccieston (37.02), Tom Baker (40.31), Sarah Grills (41.05), Mike Glanville (44.52), Kevin Preece (aged 12, 49.14), Alan Butler (49.29). By the standards of this race anything under 50 is good and under 55 commendable, so well done also Ben and Philippa (52.53 and 54.20) who will be in China when this is published, but can read them on the internet.

In the 3 mile race other worthy performances included Richard Earp, aged 12, bronze 23.56), Joe Davis (12, 25.13), Paul Daglish (25.45), Toby Wilkinson (aged 10, 26.47), Christian Riley (aged 10, 27.42), Tom Daglish (aged 11, 28.19), Vivvy Goodyer (11, 29.35), the vicar (oldest competitor by miles, 29.42), Jim Davis (30.27), Adam Felix (aged 10, 31.17), Kate Preece (aged 8, 31.27), Jessica Boyle (aged 12, 32.35), Jodie Felix (aged 11, 32.45), Rosie Kirkbride (aged 11, 32.49), Julie Wilkinson (33.41), Sian Riley, Philippa (aged 7, 36.29), Danielle Pugh (aged 8, 36.33), Susan Pugh (40.09), Alice Daglish (45.26), Lewis Oliver (40.32), Sue Riley (45.40), Sandra Evans ditto, - so that's about 26 in the 3 mile and 19 in the 5 mile run - compare your times with previous years by consulting the Link on the internet.

Again thanks to Ray and St John's Ambulance, Liz, Karen, Jane, Diana - stewards, Mike Inston for photos, and Derek for lock co-operation, Vince for time-keeping and registration, and everyone who contributed by vocal and clap happy support, sponsorship etc. Some of the great names of past years were nursing injuries or praying for Tim Henman, but we hope to welcome Sam, John W., Dale Harris and other fun-runners next year as well as Steve Bull, Ben and Andrew Hope - whose names are engraved on the shield.
Say not the struggle nought availeth. .

[More information on the River Run]