Wantage Boxing Day Mummers Play

Here are some photos taken today at the annual mummers play outside The Bear in Wantage. A mummers play has apparently been performed locally every year since 1977 and there were two other performances today in Faringdon and Childrey. Much of the play consisted of the skirmishes between King Alfred and the Napoleon look-a-like, Beau Slasher, finishing up with Old Father Beelzebub commenting on the issues of the day and some Morris dancing.

More information on The Wantage Mummers can be found here.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone in Grove, Wantage and the surrounding villages a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2010. Here is a wintry picture of Wantage Church after the recent snowfall and a picture of Grove from earlier snowfall in February 2009.

Meteor Hunting near Grove

Last night, we went outside as far away from the street lights as possible to see if we could find any evidence of the Geminid meteor shower. This is caused each year by the Earth travelling through a stream of debris left behind by an asteroid. The night sky started off clear and we managed to see several shooting stars, which we assumed to be Geminids, before the clouds appeared.

The shower is supposed to reach it peak tonight (Sunday) and into Monday morning. Best place is to look south at 45 degrees. See here for more information on how to observe.

Apparently, Hatford, near to Stanford in the Vale, is one of the few places in Britain where a meteorite - a meteor that has survived to make impact with the Earth's surface - has been recorded (in 1628). See this local history article from the Vale & Downland Museum for an account.

Threat to the Sweatbox

Today Jenny and I met three young people from the Sweatbox Union Youth Forum at County Hall who were speaking at the Childrens' Services Scrutiny Committee. This is because of the proposed cuts in youth work funding, which the Conservative controlled County Council is considering as part of its budget setting exercise.

Scrutiny committees are currently meeting to discuss where savings can be made and committee members can contribute to the debate. The budget will be set at the full council meeting in February next year.

The young people made an excellent presentation to the committee and were given a round of applause. The members round the table seemed suitably impressed and certainly did appear to have been convinced of what a valuable asset our youth centres are. I also spoke at the committee arguing the case that the Sweatbox is one of the few facilities which we have in our area and serves a huge population from Grove, Wantage and the surrounding villages. My email box is becoming full of concerns on this matter since the campaign to save the Sweatbox was launched in Wantage at the Dickensian evening. If you would like to support their campaign, then do email occ.feedback@oxfordshire.gov.uk and copy in myself at zoe.patrick@oxfordshire.gov.uk or you can respond to the comments on this blog.

Dickensian Evening in Wantage

An excellent turn out and the weather just held off.

The Queen Visits Oxford

Today Her Majesty the Queen visited Oxford to officially open the Ashmoleum Museum. I was fortunate to be one of the guests at this event and it was a real pleasure to be there representing Oxfordshire. She was taken on a tour of the galleries before officially unveiling the plaque. Readers of my blog will know that this is the second time I have visited and seen the transformation of the museum since its £61 million refurbishment. I hope readers will find the time to go and take a look at some of the world famous exhibits beautifully displayed inside.

The story is reported here.

Christmas Tree Returns

I was delighted to find that our Christmas tree has been returned at long last after the County Council's blunder which was reported on my previous blogspot. The news was reported nationally (again). If Grove will be remembered in the future, then it will be because of our Christmas tree (but we are not a town!)

Hopefully villagers will gather at the Christmas Carol Service which is scheduled to take place on Thursday 17th December at 7pm. Lights are being switched on this Sunday at 5pm. It should add a little cheer for us all as Christmas approaches.