It is with great sadness I report Tommy Thompson died on Tuesday (April 24th). He died peacefully with all his family around him, listening to his favourite music. Funeral details will follow when they are known.

There will be a special Rogation Family Communion Service in St. Giles' Church on Sunday April 29th at 10.30am. The service will be preceded by a Rogation Walk starting at the Great Barn at 10.00am (and arriving at the church in time for the 10.30am service), when we will be stopping at various points and offering prayers for our farms and farmers and this year's harvest. After the service, there will be refreshments in the Vicarage.
Best wishes,
David

The Parish Council are looking for a gardener to prepare the site and then replant hedging around the war memorial. If you are interested in quoting for the job or know someone who might please email the newsletter.
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Please keep all watercourses that flow through your land clear and free flowing.
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A very friendly chicken has turned up in a garden in the middle of the village. It is being well looked after but if it is yours please contact the newsletter to have it returned to you.

Stop Press:
​The Chicken is home again

​TABLE SALE on Saturday 21st April,  10.00 – 12.30 in the reading room. 

​Book your table (£10) and come and sell anything that is excess to your requirements such as sports gear, household items, collectables.  Refreshments available.  Proceeds for St Giles Church.  [email protected] (01367 241179)
 

We pass on the very sad news that Geoff Lee passed away evening of 21st March 2018
The funeral service will be on Friday April 20th at 12 noon, in St Giles Church, Great Coxwell followed by burial in the churchyard. This will be followed by a wake at the Sudbury House Hotel, to which everyone is invited.

Here is the latest Faringdon neighbourhood update from PCSO Maralyn Pack.

Rural crime
Hare coursing and other rural crime continues to be a priority for the Faringdon Neighbourhood Team. We have conducted regular patrols throughout our Policing area which has dissuaded more than one group of offenders from starting or continuing their illegal activities.

Witness appeals
Stanford in the Vale Co-op targeted again for its cash machine. Offenders utilised an angle grinder to cut through the shutter and then forced the door to the shop open. They then used the grinder to remove the cash box. This location is a repeat victim for this offence and is being managed at a high level in conjunction with a multi force-wide series. This is being treated in connection with a similar attempted break-in committed in Lambourn on the same night. If you have any information on this please contact us on 101 and quote reference number 43180092251.
There has been a burglary at Uffington Village stores where alcohol and charity boxes were stolen. This is not being treated as part of any wider series. Again please call us on 101 and quote reference number 43180098143 if you can assist us with our enquiries.

Site Watch
We are still receiving reports of burglary non dwelling at Building sites.  We have suffered high value breaks at sites from Kingston Bagpuize down to Shrivenham. We are following up on all suspicious activity reports to identify offenders. Vehicle registrations/descriptions and person descriptions are vital. Site Watch is a new initiative for the South and Vale local policing area and being run by PCSO Howard Pack for the Faringdon neighbourhood. The aim of Site Watch is to give advice about target hardening and crime prevention and to encourage victims to report all incidents of crime/burglary and suspicious people/vehicles. The sites are being signed up to Thames Valley Alert Business Watch so that we can send targeted messages out and share information.

Burglary non-dwellings in Hanney
We have received two reports of burglary to sheds/outbuildings in Main Street, East Hanney last week. Please review your security and make sure all outbuildings are locked and in good condition. The Faringdon Neighbourhood Team will be in East Hanney on Wednesday 11th April in the afternoon to hand out crime reduction advice and sign residents up to Thames Valley Alerts. If you see us around please come and say hi!

Telephone/online fraud
We have had an incident of fraud in Faringdon where an offender pretended to be from BT and fraudulently obtained £19,000 after remotely accessing victim’s computer under the pretence of fixing her internet. Please support and educate elderly/vulnerable family members on how to protect their banking details. Never give out any information if you are unsure of who you are really speaking to. Remember the police or your bank will never ask for you bank details over the phone!

Thefts from vehicles
There have been two thefts from vehicles at Badbury Clumps, Faringdon. This has been a previous problem at our beauty spots in our area. Currently the number of offences are low and work is being done with National Trust to help secure and prevent further incidents. Please ensure your car has no valuables left in them. Hiding them does not decrease the chance of you being a victim. If you do not need your valuables with your on trip please leave them at home or at least take them with you when you leave your vehicle parked. As the days are starting to get longer and warmer visits to our beauty spots increase and we all need to be aware of our surroundings and take steps to reduce offences.

Burglary
There have been a couple of attempted burglaries and one burglary in the Faringdon area. The team has been out doing enquiries regarding this and also passing on information regarding locks, SmartWater, Cre-Marking (security marking products) and handing out Thames Valley Alert sign-ups forms. Please contact us if you would like further information or a crime prevention survey done on any business or home. If you would like receive Thames Valley Alerts please visit www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk and click on JOIN. You will then receive information on crime, witness appeals and local news by email or text.

• Spring into action and secure your home!
• Help us to keep crime down this spring by making it harder for criminals by following our crime reduction advice:
• Cut back your shrubs and hedges to aid visibility.
• Secure access to your back garden. Are your gates and fences maintained?
• Consider a time switch for your radio and lights.
• Service/maintain your burglar alarm.
• Keep gardening tools and ladders locked away.
• Ensure sheds and garages are fully secured.
• Consider joining Neighbourhood Watch – Please contact us using the email at the bottom of the page if this is something you would be interested in.
• Please report any suspicious people or vehicles by called 101 (999 if a crime is in progress).

Twitter
If you are on Twitter please follow us for daily updates from the South and Vale Policing Teams @tvpsouthandvale.

​Community engagement
We attend a coffee and cake morning at The Pump House in Faringdon where the team met local residents and answered any queries regarding local issues. Do you have any upcoming events? If so please let us know dates and times so that we can include these on our calendar and attend where resourcing allows.

Contact us
If you want any advice or would like to contact the neighbourhood team you can call us on the police non-emergency number 101 or if it is an emergency then dial 999. You can also contact us via email [email protected]. Please note this email address cannot be used to contact Thames Valley Police to report crimes or for any urgent matters. To view information on your neighbourhood team visit the Thames Valley Police website at: www.thamesvalley.police.uk. Receive free local crime alerts and crime prevention advice by registering at www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk today. 

These run side by side on the second weekend of artweeks - 26 and 27 May.

EVENTS LIST: for more info on each of the events see the attached

​Saturday 26th May
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party  11am – 12.45pm £15 (repeat performance Sunday 27th 11am – 12.45pm)
Circus Skills Workshops 11-11.50am and 12noon – 12.50pm  £6 per session
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare in a Suitcase 1.30pm – 2.30pm £6
African Drumming Workshop 2.30 – 3.30pm £6
MacBeth, Shakespeare in a Suitcase 3.30 – 4.30pm £6
6PLUS1 – Jazz Comedy 8pm – 10.30pm £10

Sunday 27th May
Mad Hatter’s Tea Party  11am – 12.45pm £15
Michael Loader – Spontaneous Storytelling 1pm – 1.50pm £4
Paul Duncan McGarrity – Candy Floss Comedy Club – 2pm – 2.50pm £4
Rattlebox Theatre Present Sword Age, Axe Age Viking Tales 3pm – 3.50pm £4
Ask An Archaeologist – Paul Duncan McGarrity 5pm – 6pm £5
Twelfth Night – Sun and Moon Theatre – 7pm – 9pm £14

Additional to these ticketed performances there will be a number of free craft activities for children and music, dancing and theatrics for all throughout both days. We will also be running a photography course and a number of art workshops focussing on working in coloured pencils, classes are divided into youth and adult categories. Tickets for these workshops will be released shortly.
As part of the village community we would like to offer tickets to you directly without the booking fees incurred on the online booking facility. If you would like to take advantage of this offer please call Ainslie on 01367 241370 or drop a note with your details and the performances you would like tickets for through the door at Danes Cottage and we will get back to you. There may be a couple of times in the festival where we can offer you performance space if you would like to be part of this event we know there is a great deal of talent out there. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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Please note there will be no election in Great Coxwell on May 3rd 2018, please see this notice from the District Council.

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