I’m sure I speak for everybody when I say I can’t believe December has come round again so soon – or maybe it just feels that way as it’s my turn to write the news again . . .
With Christmas coming, a reminder that the Waterstock Carol Service will take place at 5pm on Sunday December 21st, followed by the traditional bring and share supper at Home Farm. Contact Janet on janet.shipperley@gmail.com or 07808 403166 to let her know what you would like to bring to the buffet table, sweet or savoury and also what beverage.
This year at the Carol Service we will be donating books, second hand or new (but not tatty) to the Ickford Primary School library. For children ages 4-11 years. Rosalind has requested any one donating to please leave any books in bags either in the church, from the day of the Carol service, up until the beginning of January. Otherwise leave them in the Old Rectory boiler house by the back door.
Waterstock news often relates to our much valued wildlife, and Henry Manisty reports a first sighting of Chinese Water Deer at the Mill, captured on camera. He writes ‘these were introduced into the UK in the nineteenth century and are now spreading across Oxfordshire. Their preferred habitat is wetlands and marshy areas, and they are strong swimmers, so they should feel at home in Waterstock. This one was a male with distinctive sabre-like tusks.’
We have had regular updates on the growing band of hedgehogs introduced by Gill Spencer from Tiggywinkles wildlife charity. Our warning signs for people to look out for them on the road have been installed, and Lorna has supplied a wonderful photo of mother and baby (I presume?) sensibly
about to cross the road by one of the signs.
Henry also reports on the launch of Oxfordshire County Council’s county-wide Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), at a public event in Oxford’s Natural History Museum, with an accompanying map showing the “core areas” for nature recovery. This is an initiative prompted by the Environment Act 2021 which requires counties to publish LNRS, which developers and planning Inspectors are required to take account of. The map shows extensive “core areas” in Waterstock, Waterperry and Tiddington, including no less than 66% of the golf course development site. Mary Creagh, the Nature Minister, who attended the launch, reminded the audience that “core areas” are where investment in nature recovery should be prioritised.
Both SODC and Henry, on behalf of the parish, wrote to the Planning Inspector concerned with the golf course application, on the same day drawing this to his attention. In its well-argued submission, SODC advised the Inspector that, because of the publication of Oxfordshire’s LNRS, it was upgrading its assessment of the environmental damage that the development would cause from “very significant” to “substantial”.
We all hope that this positive development will help guide the Inspector towards making the right decision on the golf course development. Sarah Bell, who works at the Natural History Museum and was able to attend some of the launch event, was very helpful in providing updates.
There have been a number of dead chestnut trees around Bow Bridge, and the one nearest has now been felled – my pony not impressed by the cherry-picker and all the plant as I rode past on that day! It presumably reflects the ongoing disease affecting our chestnuts, which will be a great shame as the chestnut spires are one of the loveliest sights of the Spring.
It’s November and therefore Remembrance Day – Susie as usual has been collecting for the Poppy Appeal and reports she had a lovely weekend perambulating round the village with the poppies and catching up with many residents - one of the best things about doing the house to house Poppy collection! This was prior to the service of Remembrance at the War Memorial on November 9th, still waiting for the final total of the collection.
Hot off the press is the news of the return of the ever-popular Call my Wine Bluff, brought to you
by Waterstock Entertainments (aka Lorna Arthur and Jenny Berrill). This will take place in Tiddington Village Hall on Friday 23 January at 7pm; tickets are £25 which includes five tasting wines, nibbles, ploughman’s supper and dessert. All proceeds to be split between Cancer Research and the Church Development Fund. It will be an evening of wit and wine, the aim is to decide which of our panel of ‘winos’ … sorry four keen wine drinkers are telling you the truth and who is bluffing. Incredibly, the last one was held as long ago as 2022 (seems like yesterday), and it was a sell-out so please book early via Lorna or Jenny.
After the sad event which involved the use of our defibrillator in November, Sini Haines reports that the
defibrillator pack has not yet been replaced owing to lack of stock, but that this should be rectified in early December. In the meantime, if needed we should use the one at Tiddington. Contact Sini if you want to learn more or join the defibrillator Whatsapp group.
As mentioned, last December somehow doesn’t seem as long ago as the date would suggest, but looking back I feel that living in a rural hamlet like Waterstock, the weather really does shape much of what goes on. Last year it rained pretty much non-stop until the end of April, this year it was dry from the beginning of March until some time in July, adversely affecting the hay harvest amongst others.
Learning from the awful flooding events of last year, there has been a concerted effort from many
(honourable mention to James Bull, Jason Garrad and John Wilkinson) to prevent a repeat this autumn. Keith Stubbs also deserves a special mention for navigating endless red tape and securing a council grant to upgrade the pipework in the garden at Pippin Cottage to expedite flood water harmlessly reaching
the river.
However, it should be noted that Thames Water (boo!) is still useless as ever and unable to ensure the basic public health requirement that sewage safely reaches the treatment plant every time it rains. Their failures have been pointed out to them so often it’s hard to know what needs to happen to make them take genuine action.
After passing the one year’s anniversary in October, we still await the outcome of the planning enquiry on the devastating plans for the golf course. As mentioned, we hope that Oxfordshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy will work in our favour.
And finally, many thanks to Sara Manisty who, with her creative artistic skills, has raised £458 pounds for the Waterstock church over the past three years, through selling her beautiful cards at the Waterperry shop. The cards have provided a steady, gentle flow of revenue for the church and no doubt also encouraged a steady flow of customers into the farm/gift shop!
Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and let’s hope 2026 shapes up to be a good one!
