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Not put off by the relentless rain, a rapturous roster of residents revelled in the brilliant, bountiful, and boldly colourful Horti Summer Show inside the Village Hall today. I was especially struck by the artistry and talent of the Flower Arranging classes. Nor will I soon forget the “saucer of any other fruit” entry that seemed to be a cross between a cucumber and a grape.

Tim Huckvale

Our roving reporter Ann dug into the preparation of Diana’s “Potato in a pot”:

We have discovered that this frequent and very friendly visitor to our garden over the last week or so is Bert. He is quite adventurous; not a stray, but likes to wander.

Tim Huckvale

Sibford Gower Parish Council manages the Burial Ground adjacent to the Churchyard. Following the official closure of the Churchyard in 2013, responsibility for its maintenance and all associated costs transferred to the Parish Council.

A key priority in managing both the Churchyard and the Burial Ground is keeping the site safe for visitors, which includes ensuring all headstones and memorials are secure. As routine safety testing is now due across all grounds, the Parish Council has updated the Burial Ground Regulations to clearly outline the inspection process and any required remedial actions.

These updated regulations were formally approved at the Parish Council meeting on 4th August 2026 and are available in full on the council website: https://sibfordgower-pc.gov.uk/sibford-burial-ground/

Should a memorial/headstone be identified as a Category 1 (Red) and fail the inspection, staff will need to take immediate action to make that memorial/headstone temporarily safe or cordon it off until permanent repairs can be made by the grave owner. These actions will be based on a number of factors and the best solution will be administered by the Parish Clerk based on the assessment of the memorial/headstone and the surrounding area. These actions may include:

• Laying the memorial/headstone flat – A warning sign will be placed near to the memorial/headstone.
• Staked and Banded – The memorial/headstone will be fastened tight to a wooden post which will act as a temporary support. The banding will also hold a warning notice. The stake and band will be re- inspected every 12 months to ensure neither have deteriorated.
• Monolith Conversion – This involves digging out a depth roughly one third of the overall height of the memorial/headstone from the last joint in order that it can be sunk into the ground and made safe. The memorial/headstone will have a suitable material wrapped around the part under the ground and a memorial/headstone warning notice will be added to the grave. Due to foundations it may be necessary for the memorial/headstone to be moved slightly forward into the grave space to avoid existing foundations.
• Cordoned Off – In some cases it may be necessary to cordon off a particular memorial/headstone or an area containing a number of memorials/headstones due to their safety. Warning signs will be attached to any cordon placed around a memorial/headstone or group of memorials/headstones.
• Removal – In extreme cases it may be necessary to remove a memorial/headstone from the grave and place it somewhere securely within the curtilage of the Churchyard/Burial Ground if none of the above options are suitable.

Memorial Safety Testing Details:

• Schedule: Testing will begin in September.
• Memorials under 50 years old: Maintenance remains the responsibility of the grave owner. The Parish Council will attempt to contact owners directly if any safety issues are identified with these memorials/headstones.
• Memorials over 50 years old: Responsibility falls to the Parish Council, which will arrange and fund any necessary repairs or stabilisation work.

The swift season is over – the last swift departed our colony on 7th August.

It’s been a good season in general in Sibford, with many more swifts around than in the last couple of years (a group of about 35 was the largest that I saw) and plenty of prospecting activity, where non-breeding swifts fly up to boxes to see if they are occupied. Neighbours have seen interest in boxes that were previously ignored. Fortunately, too, there was no sign of the kestrel that took three chicks last year and two the year before.

In all we had 5 breeding pairs in our Mannings Close colony, laying 14 eggs of which 13 hatched. Sadly one week-old hatchling fell out of its nestbox in the June heatwave, but all the others fledged successfully, untroubled by predators. The main events this year are recorded in my 2026 swifts blog.

Swifts are with us for all too short a time; we wish them safe journey to their entirely aerial season in the skies above southern Africa and look forward to their return next May.

The photo shows motion trails of two swifts leaving their nestboxes.

Tm Huckvale

Talented young performers to bring Little Shop of Horrors to the Banbury Stage this weekend
Odyssey Youth Theatre will perform the classic musical at Sibford School, Sibford Ferris, on Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1. More than 30 …

Sibford Ferris Parish Council currently have a vacancy for a parish councillor. If you are enthusiastic about your community and would like to work as part of a team to maintain and improve the village then please consider joining the Parish Council.

The Parish Council meet bi monthly with the next meeting being held at 7pm on 30^th July 2026. Candidates will be invited to attend that meeting to provide some information about themselves and why they want to join the council before the councillors vote on the co-option of 1 candidate.

CRITERIA FOR STANDING AS A PARISH COUNCILLOR

Candidates must fit at least one of the following criteria –

• On Electoral Register (i.e. registered to vote) for the parish
• Have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish/community area over the last 12 months
• Lived within 3 miles of the parish over the last 12 months
• Their principal place of work is in the parish and has been for at least 12 months

If you have any questions or would like to put your name forward to be considered for co-option please contact the clerk on clerk@sibfordferris-pc.gov.uk or 07419 126 206 no later than 5pm on Wednesday 29^th July 2026.

Primary school near Banbury praised for its commitment to sports and physical activity
Sibford Gower Endowed Primary School has been awarded the School Games Mark platinum award for its commitment to physical education and inclusivity.

29 Oxfordshire, England 🏘️ #hiking #travel #shorts #england – YouTube
Funny name we have eric the viking on the isle of man . 5:05 · Go to channel Eric The Hiking · Sibford Gower, England (Oxfordshire) Hike №29.