We start this month with not a lot of news but what we have is good news. We had been waiting since mid-December to see if Greystoke would challenge the Planning Inspector’s dismissal of their appeal to develop Waterstock Golf Club. As they did not file the required paperwork by 13 January, the final day on which it could enter a challenge – so we can now properly celebrate that the Greystoke development
threat is dead. As we know, new planning challenges could arise in the future, but, if so, they will have to start again from scratch. Plus, they will have a much higher barrier to overcome particularly as the Golf Club land has been confirmed as Green Belt and definitively not Grey Belt. We will organise a celebration party for all our supporters to say thank you.
There was a big turnout of Waterstock Carol Singers on Christmas Eve this year – at some points well over 30 people. Fortunately, we were still welcomed inside and outside several houses and even served mulled wine and mince pies and other delicious snacks. Best of all we raised just over £205 pounds which we have split between the River Thame Conservation Trust and The Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) as a small gesture of thanks for their support in our fight against the development plans. We received a very nice thank you email from RTCT’s CEO David Fraser:
“Very many thanks to you and your fellow Waterstock Carol Singers for your generous donation to the RTCT. Fantastic to know that you were thinking of us. The funds really help us deliver for the river.”
Other lovely news from Sini Haines. She is delighted to announce the arrival of her new grandson - baby Félix David. He is the first son of her daughter Claire-Anne and husband Max. He arrived on 23rd November. Félix was delivered earlier than planned and as a result was born at the John Radcliffe
maternity where his mum was born too in 1988. She reports that Mum and baby are doing well and they are all eternally grateful for the outstanding care they received from the JR medical team.
Farewell to Jenny Grant who has lived in the Nook for over 8 years and is now moving to Witney. We look forward to finding out who the new residents will be and welcoming them to Waterstock.
An exciting report from Nick Marriner from his latest visit to Waterstock checking on our wildlife: “WATERSTOCK Mega today… had a bit of a hunch that it would be a good day down by the river so took a last minute decision to head down and work through the huge flocks of Geese and BINGO … 29
White-fronted Geese and 2 Tundra Bean Geese. The cold snap and persistent easterly winds have blown a lot of both species in land and some have chosen Waterstock to stay for a while. We have had White-fronted a handful of times but never before a Tundra Bean. They both come from NorthernEurope - Russia and beyond. There are about 30 in Oxon at moment and the County’s first for c. 25 years. Also had fly through Peregrine and female Merlin (only my 2nd record at Waterstock). Brilliant end to the year taking the year list up to 110 species."
As I write we are experiencing a very cold snap with lot of frost and ice and even a little bit of snow – my little grandsons who had only really seen snow on the TV asked if it was going to be Christmas again and would Santa be coming soon! I don’t think its going to last but it will be a while before we get to warmer weather and spring.
