Editorial

Happy New Year to you all.

The first newsletter of 2017 reports on the recent Towersey Masters Golf Tournament, regular

updates and details of the Neighbourhood Plan survey which will be on your doorsteps soon.

Let us know if you have anything of interest to share with the village; we are always looking for new

contributions to the newsletter.

Editors: Lisa Davis (t:217328) and Anne Barrow (t:215034) – (newsletter@towerseyvillage.co.uk)

Towersey Newsletter

January 2017

GLASS FUSING WORKSHOP

Back due to popular demand, we have arranged another glass fusing workshop with local creative

glass artist Jessica Ecott. Jessica will teach you the skills to make a beautiful creation from fused

glass to take home and enjoy

Date: Saturday 28th January 10am – 1pm

Venue: in Monks Risborough

Places are limited to 12, so do book early to avoid disappointment. It’s a very enjoyable and

absorbing session – sample the creative world of glass fusing

Just £20 for adults or £15 for ages 12-16 years. Price includes materials for 2 pieces, but more can

be bought on the day. The cost of this workshop is subsidised by TOWCAP

A FEW PLACES ARE STILL AVAILABLE – BOOK NOW!

To book, please email Wendy on wendyduckham@gmail.com or call 214746

A very happy 2017 from your Towersey Neighbourhood Plan Team!

And it will be a busy one for us as we are hoping to complete the Plan this year! As always, we will need

your support, help and most importantly of all, your opinions on what happens to our village over the

coming decade.

So far the TNP team must have appeared to many of you to be a serene swan, gliding gracefully along the

surface, not doing very much. We can tell you, our feet have been paddling like billy-oh! As with many

such projects, the planning, research and organisation takes up much of the initial work, but now, it is over

to you, the village of Towersey, to let us know your thoughts.

During early January we will be delivering to every property in the parish a Neighbourhood Plan

Questionnaire. These will also be available in electronic form. We would love as many of you as possible to

respond electronically. At the same time, we fully understand that many residents prefer paper to

technology and your responses are just as important so each property will receive one questionnaire on

paper.

This questionnaire has been developed from the 2016 open meeting in the Village Hall when many of you

started to air your opinions on the future of Towersey. We then used the Pop-up Café to talk with a wide

variety of villagers in more detail, adding both breadth and depth to the ideas. The aim of this questionnaire

is to allow the whole village to think long and hard about the future of Towersey and to let us know your

personal views of how we want our village to be in 2018, 2025 and beyond.

As with all questionnaires, there will be boxes to tick, but most importantly we want your views, opinions

and ideas. We would like ALL questionnaires back by Saturday 18th February. Please either drop them off

with one of the TNP team or we will be collecting house to house on Thursday 16th and Saturday 18th

February. Once we have both your electronic or paper responses, we will collate them for a Village

Presentation on Sunday 2nd April. We will also be attending the February Pop-up Café in the Village Hall

on Saturday 4th February to answer any questions or collect any completed questionnaires.

All questionnaires will be treated in strictest confidence, so please do tell us what is really important to

you. And if you would like more than one copy for differing ideas or opinions in your household, please let

us know.

This questionnaire will then be used to draw up a full draft of the Towersey Neighbourhood Plan. This draft

will then be scrutinised by SODC before we bring the final Plan back to the village for an all-village vote in

the last quarter of the year.

Hopefully, by reading all your ideas and opinions in the Questionnaire, listening to your feedback at the

Village Presentation and by asking you to vote for the Plan at the end of 2017, we can create and adopt a

real Plan for us all.

Thank you and have a wonderful 2017.

TNP Team (towerseynp@gmail.com)

Towersey Parish Council

January 2017

All electors in the Parish are welcome to attend Parish Council meetings. If you wish to ask a

question of the Council email The Clerk joannewills@btinternet.com

2017 Meeting Dates:

All meetings in 2017 are being held in the War memorial Hall and will commence at 7.30pm

24th January

7th March

25th April

6th June - Annual Council meeting

11th July

12th September

24th October

12th December

Parish Councillors on the Council are:

Cllr Mark Davis (Chairman), Cllr Steve Nutley (Vice Chairman),

Cllr Kerr Stephenson, Cllr Nikki Jackson and Cllr Ashley Byrne.

District Councillors are: Cllr Lynn Lloyd, Cllr Ian White

County Councillors are: Cllr David Wilmshurst

Christmas Tree Recycling

Collection points for your real Christmas tree recycling will be:

Sport and Social club car park

Village Green, Manor Road Return your old tree to one of these locations by Sunday 15 January 2017.

(Trees left after this date will not be accepted and will be treated as fly tipping)

Useful Contact Numbers:

Mrs Jo Wills - Towersey Parish Council Clerk – joannewills@btinternet.com

PCSO Natalie White – Thame Valley Police - 101

OCC Street Light faults - 0800 317802

OCC Highways issues – pot holes etc. 0845 3101111

Thame Citizens Advice Bureau 08444 111 444

Happy New Year from TOWCAP!

TOWCAP is a village organisation set up in 2007 to encourage, promote and stage events in the community for all

villagers to enjoy. These events are always thought up by villagers and intended to provide enjoyment for all who

take part.

PLACES STILL AVAILABLE:

NEW!! Glass Fusing Workshop – COME ALONG and make a beautiful fused glass creation

Saturday 28th January 2017 10am – 1pm. Local venue

The charges are just £15 for 12 – 16 years or £20 for adults, and are being subsidised by TOWCAP

Price includes materials for 2 pieces, but more can be bought on the day

To book please email Wendy: wendyduckham@gmail.com stating how many places you would like to book and

the ages of the participants. There are 12 places available so do book now!

Irish Dancing Night – 25th March 2017

Join us in a fantastic night of dance and music all with that special Irish flavour. Music will be provided by

Kinderhook.

Venue: Towersey Memorial Hall Tickets on sale soon – watch this space!

Poetry Reading Evening. Most people have a favourite poem or poet – at our informal gatherings, we each share

a poem or two as part of a village group (of all ages!) and then have a chat about what we have heard. It’s always

great fun and we have discovered some brilliant poems. And if you ever write poetry, you are welcome to bring

that along too

Contact Helena for more info on 07809 525685 or helenarichards@btinternet.com

NEXT DATE: WEDNESDAY 25TH JANUARY 8PM AT BARBARA JORDAN’S HOUSE

(PALMYRA, MANOR RD) All are welcome – just turn up with a couple of poems

VILLAGE HALL FILM NIGHT. Postponed for now – Date & Film to be confirmed soon!

Community Bunting

The bunting is coming together! Extra blank fabric triangles to decorate are available by emailing pvmellor@hotmail.com

Theatre Group. The next trip is to see JANE EYRE at Aylesbury Waterside in April.

All the tickets are allocated now, but if you would like to hear about any future trips then please do contact

Debbie on 214888 or dmmellor03@yahoo.co.uk

PRIOR NOTICE: 10th ANNIVERSARY TOWCAP AGM and CABARET IDEAS MEETING on SUNDAY 26TH FEB IN

VILLAGE HALL AT 3PM. Chance to hear about events for the year ahead and also share your ideas for the next

village cabaret!

New to the village or just have new ideas? We are always looking for villagers to join in any of the activities, or to

perhaps help us develop a new idea. If you have any thoughts, please let us know. Contact: Debbie & Paul Tel:

01844 214888 or Email: dmmellor03@yahoo.co.uk

THE VILLAGE POP UP

CAFÉ

10:30am – 12noon

Saturday 4th February

In Aid of Towersey Memorial Hall

WIVES CLUB The next meeting of Towersey Wives Club will be at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 7th February at Time Peace, Manor Road. This will be the annual planning meeting when the programme for the forthcoming year will be discussed. Daphne Hazeldine Treasurer

The Towersey Masters 2016

Cycling on a frosty morning at 9:30am, struggling to see through my ceremonial head dress, I spy the

Cowboy in front, Policeman in chase, and Builder to my right… The Village People together again. It

could mean only one thing - the Towersey Masters!

Commencing at Scooby Doo’s Clubhouse, we were briefed on the ‘rules’ whilst tucking into welcome

bacon rolls (did the Pig in a Blanket feel awkward about that?) and your recommended daily intake

of Vitamin C - orange juice with a dash of vodka. Sorry, typo, I meant vodka served with a dash of

orange juice.

As we mustered to our starting tees following an inflatable Reindeer, a skate-boarding Commando

disguised in tweed, and Two Pints of Lager in a ‘Gator’, I wondered ‘Did any of the cars driving past

think this looked odd?’ No time to ponder my thoughts any longer, we had reached the Playing

Fields and were greeted by a bouncing boxer dog (a real dog, not some fool in fancy dress jumping

up and down). Thanks to Alison and Claire for the warm spiced cider to prepare us for the Longest

Drive. With various cannons, black powder rifles and a Polo player with no knowledge of the rules of

golf, this year it seems the biggest problem was the lack of length on the playing fields!

After playing chicken with yet another John-Deere-themed-overgrown-bicycle’, Lisa welcomed us to

the Koi Farm shack full of ‘refreshments’, mince pies and cake. Heckled by a Navy Officer vaguely

resembling Richard Gere, the Cowboy hacked his way to a whopping eight (maybe they don’t play

golf in Oz?). Heckling team now bolstered by an Officer of the British Army and Captain America,

and some Christmas Elf waving bottles of wine at me. Mulled wine was delicious. Blossom Hill was

not. Note to self, do not wind up Alastair and expect it to be forgotten.

I sipped my delicious wine and let the hacking Cowboy go first. Typical Aussie nailed the drive and

had the petite Pirate and Tweed Commando diving for cover as we screamed "FORE!"

As the only serious golfer in the team I decided to ensure the green was clear and show these

amateurs how it was done, promptly slicing my ball 90 degrees right and bouncing off the

Davis' house and garage. Thankfully no damage done. A bruised ego and 10 balls down at the

dreaded water hole, we headed to the final 2 holes at the Sydenham's. Never a threat to the small

children on the Phoenix trail as we hacked left and right bouncing off horse jumps and tree stumps,

the horses soon tired of our dismal attempts so we opted for a drop and finished our 9 holes! Pub

bound we were!

The ‘Shoes was packed, the beer flowing, roast dinners duly demolished by the hungry golfers. A

huge thanks must go to Grant and Ela for the food, to Kazia, Vic and Hannah who served so well

behind the bar, and poor Ben who picked up the drunken pieces later in the night.

To the prizes: firstly to all the kids - great to have them taking part and hope to see more next time.

Best Fancy Dress awarded to Captain America and the Christmas Elf. (In true superhero style, the

former downed his trophy pint in one and henceforth the winners trend was set)

Longest Drive awarded to the Hockey Goal Keeper with 'Baldrick' the modified shotgun.

Nearest the Pin won by a Pint of Lager. (Yes he downed his pint in one)

Wooden Spoon won by the Village People's Native Indian.

Green Jacket awarded to The English Gent (presented by previous winner Paddy)

Towersey Masters Cup - awarded for effort, attention to fancy dress, choice of weaponry and

stamina - World War I Veterans with infantry issue Air Cannons.

A party ensued, full of tales of the amazing day. Thank you again to everyone who participated, to

Alastair, Jim and Mark for the use of their land, and to Kerr for the course.

A truly magnificent event and one that Towersey should be very proud of!

VILLAGE DIARY FROM JANUARY 2017

Weds 25th January 8pm Poetry Reading Palmyria Sat 28th January 10am – 1pm Glass Fusing

Workshop Monks Risborough

Sat 4th February 10.30am – 12 noon Pop Up Café Memorial Hall Sun 26th February 3pm TOWCAP AGM Memorial Hall

Sat 25th March Irish Dance Night Memorial Hall Sun 2nd April TNP Presentation Sun 30th April May Festival Village Green

Deadline for articles for next newsletter is 27th

January

Wanted: House for Sale or Rent in

Towersey

House wanted for sale or rent in Towersey for

wonderful, kind and loving couple looking to move

closer to their family who already live in the village.

If you are considering selling or renting out your

house in Towersey, please contact Carol on: 07811

359582