Deddington News - Pictures 2010

A series of pictures of what's happening in Deddington about now

Remembrance Sunday 14 November
Taking the salute as the Rainbows march past are Captain Ted Johnson, MC, Paster Isabel Walton of the Wesleyan Chapel, the vicar, Revd Dr Hugh White, Major David Hood, MC, the President of the Deddington Branch of the Royal British Legion, the curate Revd Dr Dan Inman, Parish Councillor Martin Squires and PC Chairman, Jim Flux. Also pictured are the Scouts, Guides and Brownies.

With two members of the Clifton Book Club being Oxford born and bred, a tour of the literary and cultural highlights of the city of dreaming spires took place in November. Among the day’s highlights, they visited Oxford prison where one Cllr Collins found his rightful place on a steel bunk in a 12ft by 6ft cell; and the birthplace of MG cars was visited to bring tears to the eyes of the British Car Club members present.

On Sunday 12 September a group of volunteers started planting a small wildflower meadow in one discreet corner of the Hempton Road cemetery. The Parish Council had obtained a grant to buy some 500 wildflower plugs and seed. Oxford Conservation Volunteers joined Deddingtonians led by Parish Councillor Jean Rudge to carry out the planting. The area will be maintained as a wildflower meadow until it is needed for burials, and the hope is that it will visually enhance the cemetery for residents and visitors alike. It will also provide a welcome source of nectar for insects, butterflies and bees. If the project is successful the planting scheme will be replicated in other areas of the parish.

The Parish show took place on 4 September in the Church. It was so good to see such talent and skill displayed in all sections. The flowers, vegetables and fruit were better than expected, considering the earlier dry weather followed by cloudburst rain, and the children's section attracted a big entry. The show is now firmly set annually on the first Saturday in September as one of the largest community events in the parish calendar and the committee hopes that it will continue to grow. The full results can be found on the DOL Forum>village events>Deddington Show. The date for next year’s show is 3 September. (Pics Judy Ward) [carrot pic Christopher Hall]

Deddington Festival 2010

Deddington Rocks, an open air rock concert which took place in the Market Place on 11 June. Local bands Indigo Child, the Skyny Nyrds and Blue Meanies were warm-up bands for the main attraction of the evening, the nationally acclaimed tribute band, Abba Magic. A cracking night, with up to 500 people in the Market Place. (Pics Julian Elkan, Colin Robinson and Mike Rudge).

The Blue Meanies, a good time band from Banbury, featuring vocals, saxophone, guitar, drums and bass, playing soul and rock'n'roll.

Skyny Nyrds, the Oxford based Lynyrd Skynyrd rock tribute band.

Indigo Child, based in Deddington, have been together in their present form for over a year now. Recently, female vocalist Becky Jones joined the original line up, fronted by local boy Kelly Scott.

AmGrey

Amanda Gray, one of the comperes for the evening

'Keeping the Homes Fires Burrning', Deddington's tribute to the 1940s' Home Front and the music of the era. It was a community concert given in the Parish Church and organised by Elsa Williams and Wendy Burrows. (Pics Julian Elkan)

The Land Army girls doing their bit for the war effort

DadsArmy
Our own Dad's Army

Ted Johnson, aka Frazer

George Fenemore, Jonesey

Wendy Burrrows, our own Gracie

and Ruth Johnson singing 'Lilli Marlene'

'The Andrews Sisters'

Vicar Hugo and 'A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square'

Elsa Williams, accompanist for the evening

The full cast

The accompanying exhibition of wartime memorabilia and parish war records was well scrutinised by visitors (Pics Colin Robinson)

Local guitarist Joe Newman, playing in the Church, to the accompaniment of tea and cakes (Pics Julian Elkan)

Sue Cave's art workshop, held in Brian Bond's garden on the Hempton Road

A willow weaving workshop held in the grounds of the Holly Tree on the final Saturday morning (Pics Eileen Anderson)

And finally, the art exhibition in the Holly Tree on the concluding weekend of the festival

TOWN HALL REFURBISHMENT
Plans for the refurbishment of the Town Hall. The significant difference is the enclosure of part of the undercroft: oak-framed glass sliding doors will be installed half way across to create a lobby area. The existing door will go and entrance will be via the new lobby. The ground floor area around the staircase will house a disabled lavatory, a kitchen and a stair hoist. The plans were drawn up by architects Tony Herring for the Deddington Charity Estates.

PTA FETE
Not many school fetes can boast having as many exotic animals and reptiles as Deddington's fete, organised by the PTA. Amazing Animals from Heythrop brought along a great collection of exotic animals and reptiles, from South American iguanas and corn snakes to the world's smallest crocodiles, lemurs, squirrel monkeys, penguins and a porcupine amongst others! There was also sheep racing and the ever popular quad bikes.

Concentration on the digital Scalextric Racing Track professionally run by Oxon Lane Change

George, junior winner of the Football Shoot game, receiving his prize of a football boot bag from Andy Shepherd. (Fete pics Alan Collins)

The 6th Annual Deddington Walk, organised by the school PTA on 16 May. It started and finished at the Windmill Centre, and 217 walkers participated this year. (Pics Kevin Mayo)

On 17-18 April Brian Carter, former resident of Deddington now living in Witney, mounted a fascinating exhibition of 500 or so portraits of Deddingtonians past and very much present. The exhibition covered the walls of both the Town Hall and the Holly Tree Club. Brian is being encouraged to preserve the collection as an archive. The images you see here have been blurred as Brian was very conscious that permission was granted only for the images to be used in an exhibition. (Pics Colin Robinson)

No apologies for the number of pics of seriously snowbound Deddington in early 2010. After unusually heavy overnight accumulations (up to 30cm) of snow on Tuesday 5 January we woke up to a white-out. Very picturesque and a good excuse for kids (and parents?) to bunk off the normal routines of school and work. Even the roe deer shared the snow with the sledgers!

These pics were taken by Claire Cheeseman, on holiday from New Zealand.

And more pics by Colin Robinson three days later: Mercs slip and slide, and 4x4s rule. The main roads were open and treated with grit and salt, but the village roads were pretty hazardous for some days. The Co-op ran out of milk, but food deliveries weren't unduly affected. We helped each other out in clearing snow and got on with it!

And more pics, this time from John Lane in Hempton.

Clifton outshsone us all with a 'seasonal' barbecue to commemorate a 9ft snowman.
The snowman picture includes Louise, Chloe, Olivia, Harriet, Alice, Luca and Mika who helped build 'Eddie'.
The street scene has had cars Photoshopped out for the nostalgic look.
(Pics Alan Collins)

A piece of ice broken off a muddy puddle held up to the sun. This was taken during the annual New Year's Day Clifton walk to the Unicorn for lunch via Bowman's Bridge

For 2009 pictures click here
For 2008 pictures click here