Just a few of the stories in the April Chipping Norton News. The full stories and many others PLUS all the regular features are in the current edition.  Price 50p

You can buy the Chipping Norton News at the following outlets:The Bookshop   The Chequers   Co-op Foodstore  The Fox Hotel    Lady Beautiful   Leisure Centre  Cotswold Stores,  Walterbush Rd & Londis, Hailey Rd   Old  Mill Coffee House   Ms Miggins Movable Feast     New St Dental Surgery   Porcupine      Robert John   Ruan’s Ltd  Somerfield  Stones  Top Marks  Ultimate Living  West Street Surgery   West Street News    White House Surgery   Post offices at Chipping Norton and Chadlington  Over Norton Park Farm If you are unable to get to any of the outlets then you can, for £12 a year, have the News sent to you. Contact Rolie Clarke (641380) or Chipping Norton News, c/o Hill Lawn House, 22 New Street, Chipping Norton, OX7 5LJ tel/fax 643219 Email to Chippymail@aol.com

 

Chippy’s theatre quartet

Chipping Norton School’s new Performing Arts Status is no surprise for past students who have gone on to work in the arts and entertainment industry. Four former students who are embarking on very successful careers in the arts have just been working on Chipping Norton Theatre’s sell-out tour of La Bohème. They are Sarah Grinsted, Amy Southeard, Ian Nolan and James Shakeshaft. The quartet told the News, ‘The tour has been such fun, it’s been a young crew and a fantastic team to work with but anyone wishing to go into the arts should definitely think very hard and realise the commitment involved! We’ve also recently enjoyed working with the School on their production of Oh What a Lovely War at The Theatre and the level of professionalism amongst the group was impressive.’ All four have been involved in holiday workshops for young people organised by Ian’s company Broke Productions and are looking forward to the next show Spectacular Spectacular to be performed at the Theatre in the Easter holidays.

 

New trees for old?

The wonderful trees lining the avenues into Chipping Norton are increasingly under threat as old ones become dangerous. Recently County Highways officers were snapped cutting one down along the London Road . Residents and councillors are concerned that public highway trees are neglected and also need a careful replacement strategy. The County Council reported a year ago that they were carrying out inspections and an audit – and are due soon to report back to the Town Council and the Chipping Norton Society on progress. Lack of resources may well require local lobbying to give Chippy trees a priority. Meanwhile, some of the large old Chestnuts on the Common behind the fences on the Worcester Road have had to come down. These are the responsibility of the Field Reeves, who have so far planted new oaks to rebuild the avenue for the next 50 plus years. Cllr John Grantham, one of the Field Reeves told the News that this had meant an expensive year for the Reeves as they have also spent around £1000 on trimming trees at the Elmsfield end. To complete the conservation story some of Penhurst’s old chestnuts are being replaced by new beech trees protected by sturdy enclosures pictured above.

 

Library goes live!!

Early April will see a farewell to ‘brown issue’ and a welcome to new technology for Chipping Norton Library. From 2 April the Galaxy system, a software programme used in many UK libraries, will start here in Chippy. The staff have all undergone training at Oxford’s Central Library and computers are installed ready for D-Day. The News found young readers Isobel and Calum Meikle watching Val Carpenter trying out the new scanners. All current members will shortly receive a new membership card, by post, and are urged to bring it with each time they use the library. Readers will benefit in a number of ways: more allocation of books and AV material; easier and speedier reservations. More importantly, they can use any one of the 50 Oxford County Council libraries, using their new ‘swipe’ cards. If you are not already a member, do go along, join the library and take advantage of this new, improved system.

 

Dancing to success

As reported in the March 2003 edition of the News, Holly Jackson and Hannah Shaw, pupils of Catherine Purton, distinguished themselves in the Royal Academy of Dance Grade 1 ballet exams. A year later they did it again when they were awarded distinctions in the Grade 2 exams. They are shown in the photograph in Holy Trinity School proudly displaying their certificates with their equally proud teacher (Hannah on the left). Catherine teaches level 5 pupils at Holy Trinity besides running her own school of dance, called Wychwood Steps, at the New Beaconsfield Hall, Shipton-under-Wychwood. For details call 645941.

 

A Family Focus first

Headteacher, Yvonne Barnes writes, ‘Following the success of this initiative at Chipping Norton School, we decided to become a trial school in the Primary sector. It was with understandable trepidation that several parents stepped in to the classroom for the first session in March. The children of course felt quite at home. Within half an hour, Orla Crean, an art teacher from CNS had them all working together and by the end of the session we were pleased to witness a group of very enthusiastic parents, excited children and high quality pieces of artwork. Family Focus is a joint venture organised by CN Adult and Community Learning and run by teachers, teaching assistants and other interested adults. The aim is to bring parents in to school where they can work alongside their children in a series of exciting and productive workshops. One of the major benefits is the opportunity for parents to spend quality time learning alongside their children, without the usual interruptions of the home environment.

We plan further workshops based around drama, dance, language acquisition and music for year 4 pupils plus parents and we hope to expand the event to other age groups. The future for family Focus at St Mary’s is an exciting one.’

 

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