News

Keen walker? We’ve received the following notice from Sense, a charity that supports children and adults who are deafblind or have complex disabilities through education centres, holidays, info and advice service, arts and sports programmes and supported living. The deadline for signing up is mid-April.

Every year we hold our very own walking event, The RidgeWalk, which involves participants walking 52 miles in 24 hours on a route that winds itself through Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, ticking off landmarks such as Avebury Stone Circle, Barbury Castle and the Alton Barnes White Horse along the way. You can see the route on Google Maps here.

It’s taking place on Saturday 20 June, with walkers setting off at 10am and the last participants crossing the finish line around Sunday lunchtime. There’s a £395 fundraising target which you’d have until the end of July to reach, and we’re here to help you every step of the way.

When you sign up to take on our epic RidgeWalk challenge, you’ll receive:

• A welcome pack full of fundraising tips and handy info about Sense when you sign up.
• A webinar covering the logistics of the event, training and fundraising on 5 March.
• The option of a completely personalised training plan, put together by our training partner, meaning you’ll get to the start line fully prepared.
• A technical RidgeWalk t-shirt to wear with pride
• A fully supported event from start to finish, including checkpoints every 5-8 miles, a hot meal around the half way point and a celebratory brunch and well deserved massage at the end.
• Support on the day from fully qualified trekking leaders who will be leading participants in groups of similar walking speeds.
• An exclusive RidgeWalk medal

Feedback from one of last year’s participants was ‘The day was such a fantastic one, particularly for team spirit, and the organisation and support from start to finish was amazing. I pushed myself further than I ever thought possible….and I did have a few tears as I crossed the line as it was so emotional to think what an epic challenge I’d completed.’ Who could argue with that?!

If you are interested, you can get 50% off your registration fee with the code FEB until the end of February when you sign up on The RidgeWalk page

Please let me know if you have any questions at all, and feel free to pass the discount code far and wide if you think you know anyone who’d be interested!

Best wishes,

Emma

Emma Cunliffe
National Events Manager

Direct line: 0207 520 0985
Supporter Services: 0300 330 9257

www.sense.org.uk
www.facebook.com/senseeventsteam
www.twitter.com/senseeventsteam

For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to help people communicate and experience the world.

Sense, 101 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9LG
Company no 1825301 Charity no 289868
A company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales

Who would do this to the Tots & Babes Wendy House at the Village Hall?

If you have any information about this vandalism, please contact either Keith on 780 259 or Ginny on 780 373.

The Planning Inspector has dismissed the most recent appeal against CDC’s refusal to allow a change to residential use of the Pheasant Pluckers Inn (formerly Bishop Blaize). You can find details of the Appeal Decision on the PI website.

(The link should take you to the PI’s webpage for the case, but if instead you get a notice about a “New beta service”, click on “Search for a case – current service”, which should then get you there; if not, you’ll have to use their search, for case number 3216818.)

See July newsletter.

Our community is typical of small villages across the country having a mix of narrow twisting roads with limited footpaths (to keep pedestrians safe). Traffic volumes and speeds moving around and through the Sibfords vary dependent on time of day, and drivers range from the courteous and safe to potentially dangerous. We also have two schools and safety of our children is so important. A group has been formed to look at what can be done to improve overall road safety and raise awareness of motorists who drive in our community.

Do you believe this is an issue that needs to be investigated? Would you like to be involved? Contact Richard Irons or Simon Rayner, who would welcome your thoughts on this subject.

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3 August, #1: Our final pair have left us. We hope to see them all again next May.

2 August, #3: Having give up on their eggs 5 days ago, this pair has spent the last few nights roosting, but are not there tonight. Gone back to Africa!

30 July, #1: It looks as if this pair have given up on their eggs; the photograph shows one egg off to the right of the concave.

28 July, #3: This pair has discarded their second pair of eggs.

27 July, #4: Although their brood has fledged, the parents have been staying in the box overnight for the last few days. But only one of them was in the box last night, and tonight the box is empty.

22 July, #4: The wide-angle lens shows the box completely empty and no shadows from the entrance tunnel. The chicks have flown! They were about 6 weeks old.

13 July, #3: A new batch of two eggs explains why this pair has been so diligent in continuing to sit on the nest, despite the discarded eggs on the floor of the box.

12 July, #1: Surprisingly, the pair that took up residence  a couple of weeks ago are now incubating two eggs!

28 June, #3: The nest is empty, and the eggs are on the floor of the box (see photo – one is almost hidden behind the concave). It seems that the parents have decided that they are not viable.

27 June, #4: The two-week old chicks in #4 are growing fast.

27 June, #3: We’re concerned about the two eggs. They were laid about a week after #4, so now they must be about a week overdue in hatching. The parents are still dutifully incubating.

27 June, #2: We have seen the occasional visitor in this box, but last night we caught sight of a pair having a good look around together.

27 June, #1: A new prospecting pair took up residence two or three days ago. They are spending nights (and this morning!) cuddling up together.

12 June, #4: In a rare moment when both parents were out foraging, we saw that the eggs have hatched. May have been a couple of days ago. Unfortunately the pictures from this box are somewhat blurred, but it looks like there are only two chicks.

30 May, #3: A second egg.

27 May, #3: First egg; probably the first ever for this pair.

23 May, #4: A third egg. Going by previous years, that will be the lot.

22 May, #4: A second egg.

20 May: Since last night there has been a pair in #3.

19 May, #4: An egg!

17 May: We watched as a new swift flew up to each of the nestboxes in turn and called into them, finally spending a night in #2 – the first time this box has been used.

12 May: A small screaming party of four swifts entertained us outside this evening. The pair in #4 have been happily cuddling up together every night. And there’s a single bird in #3 again tonight; is it the same one who left 5 days ago, or is it their partner finally returned?

7 May: Our first breeding pair today returned to #4, where they successfully raised chicks last year and the year before. Unfortunately, after 4 nights alone in #3, the first bird of this season seems to have given up waiting for their partner.

3 May: The swifts are back! Well, one is, anyway. This must be one of the prospecting pair that took a shine to nestbox #3 last summer. Let’s hope that their partner makes it back as well before too long.

The nesting boxes are in Sibford Ferris. Revisit this page to keep an eye on progress.

Tim Huckvale

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The School House, owned by the Town Estate Charity of Sibford Gower and Burdrop, is currently being refurbished and will be available for rental shortly. The house has 3 – 4 bedrooms and the Charity trustees would ideally like to help meet local housing needs by letting to a local family. Further details can be obtained from the secretary, Peter Morgan (petermorgan2@hotmail.co.uk or tel.01295 788 207)