Hello everyone. I know we will all be welcoming the latest step in relaxing the national lockdown, announced by Government last week. At last, single households are permitted to meet nearest and dearest love ones without social distancing measures. For many in the village, this represents an important step on the road back to normality.
Although the Support Group remains in place and will continue to provide backup for those that need it, I think it is now timely to cut back the Support Group newsletter from a weekly edition to a monthly update. So, the next newsletter will be distributed in mid-July. In the meantime, a big thank you from me to all the fellow volunteers who continue to give their support, and in particular, to Jonnie Farrow, for his consistent help in providing a weekly prescription collection service for those that need it. This service will continue to operate until restrictions on movement and socialisation are fully lifted. To date, Jonnie has picked up more than 200 prescriptions from Faringdon and Shrivenham surgeries. All have found their way to their rightful recipients!
Lockdown Spotlight. Perhaps appropriately, our final Lockdown Spotlight is on the Webb family, or rather the Webb dynasty! The Webb’s live at the bottom end of the village and comprise Isy, Pete, Nick, Dexter, Lyra, Jez, Lianne, Ollie, Freya and Romey. As many will know, Isy’s husband, John sadly died in 2015. John’s father and mother, Monty and Nelly, bought Pear Tree Cottage back in 1935. John was born two years later in 1937 and his sister, Jane, came along in 1946. Isy and John were married in 1965. She described life in Great Coxwell 55 years ago. Back then, John developed a dairy farm, had a chicken hatchery, sold tractors and trained National Hunt racehorses. Isy recalls 1000s of day-old chicks being taken to Swindon Station for onward delivery to farms across the country, and great race days with successful results on stable favourites including Chartrous, Shillingstone, Dardinelles and Indigo Jones.
Although the Support Group remains in place and will continue to provide backup for those that need it, I think it is now timely to cut back the Support Group newsletter from a weekly edition to a monthly update. So, the next newsletter will be distributed in mid-July. In the meantime, a big thank you from me to all the fellow volunteers who continue to give their support, and in particular, to Jonnie Farrow, for his consistent help in providing a weekly prescription collection service for those that need it. This service will continue to operate until restrictions on movement and socialisation are fully lifted. To date, Jonnie has picked up more than 200 prescriptions from Faringdon and Shrivenham surgeries. All have found their way to their rightful recipients!
Lockdown Spotlight. Perhaps appropriately, our final Lockdown Spotlight is on the Webb family, or rather the Webb dynasty! The Webb’s live at the bottom end of the village and comprise Isy, Pete, Nick, Dexter, Lyra, Jez, Lianne, Ollie, Freya and Romey. As many will know, Isy’s husband, John sadly died in 2015. John’s father and mother, Monty and Nelly, bought Pear Tree Cottage back in 1935. John was born two years later in 1937 and his sister, Jane, came along in 1946. Isy and John were married in 1965. She described life in Great Coxwell 55 years ago. Back then, John developed a dairy farm, had a chicken hatchery, sold tractors and trained National Hunt racehorses. Isy recalls 1000s of day-old chicks being taken to Swindon Station for onward delivery to farms across the country, and great race days with successful results on stable favourites including Chartrous, Shillingstone, Dardinelles and Indigo Jones.
Pear Tree Cottage back in 1935
The family wood business that has been so successful in recent years came about through tragic circumstances. Their milking herd was infected with brucellosis and had to be slaughtered. The remaining non-milking herd had to be penned in separated stalls as a preventative measure. So, John bought a job lot of plywood to partition his existing cowshed. And he sold off his left-over stock of plywood without any difficulty. The rest, as they say, is history! The wood business moved to Southdown Farm on the A420 in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength under Jez’s leadership.
Jez famously appeared on television back in 1989, on Cilla Black’s show ‘Blind Date’. Jez tells me it was for a bet… He was matched up with a contestant called Samantha, (a hairdresser) and tells me they had a “lorra lorra” laughs, as Cilla would say!
Jez famously appeared on television back in 1989, on Cilla Black’s show ‘Blind Date’. Jez tells me it was for a bet… He was matched up with a contestant called Samantha, (a hairdresser) and tells me they had a “lorra lorra” laughs, as Cilla would say!
Isy Webb and her youngest son, Jez
Jez and Lianne married in 2001. Lianne is a former air stewardess and physiotherapist. They live only 30 metres from Mum Isy with their children Frere (16), Ollie (15) and Romey (8). The girls have followed Leanne’s passion for horse riding and are both keen and able showjumpers, whilst Ollie possesses a graceful golf swing, (just like his Dad!) and plays off a handicap of 10.
Leanne and Romey Webb
Pete Webb married his partner, Nick Warr in 2015, although they have lived together in the village for 18 years. They have occupied four different houses in Great Coxwell, but now live right next to Isy, with their two children Dexter, (4) and Lyra (10 months). Nick is both brainy and musically gifted. He is a molecular biologist by profession, based at Harwell, and he is currently involved in a project to understand the genetics of sex determination. (He had lost me at that point in the discussion!) He has played the saxophone for many years, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Brian May, the band Faithless and even Dame Vera Lynn!
Pete, Nick, Dexter and Lyra. Dexter is rarely seen without his Superman outfit on!
So, how has Lockdown been for the Webbs? For the most part, it hasn’t been too painful. They all agreed that they are lucky living in such a lovely village. Isy has missed being able to cuddle the kids. Pete and Nick have been doing a lot more cooking with Thai curries their speciality dish. For Jez, although business closed for a week, and some staff had to be put on furlough, May was a very busy month for the business.
Did you know… As gap year students, Jez and his mate, John Flemming, were travelling on a bus in Colombia, when they were kidnapped and taken hostage by the terrorist organisation, FARC. Dragged off the bus at gunpoint, they were held in a safe house for 24 hours. Some quick thinking and fast talking about being on a reconnaissance trip for a big UK charity led to them being released unharmed. Rumour has it that Jez also drove such a hard bargain on the ransom fee, the terrorists just gave up….
Did you know… As gap year students, Jez and his mate, John Flemming, were travelling on a bus in Colombia, when they were kidnapped and taken hostage by the terrorist organisation, FARC. Dragged off the bus at gunpoint, they were held in a safe house for 24 hours. Some quick thinking and fast talking about being on a reconnaissance trip for a big UK charity led to them being released unharmed. Rumour has it that Jez also drove such a hard bargain on the ransom fee, the terrorists just gave up….
An embarrassing photograph of Pete and Jez Webb in their youth, provided by their mother Isy!
As I close this newsletter, I know our thoughts and prayers will be with Betty and Peter Turner at this difficult time for them both. The Turners moved into the village in the mid-1960s. (Peter was a very capable civil engineer and built their house himself during holidays and in the evenings, whilst holding down a full-time job.) Peter was taken into the Great Western hospital last week. The good news is that we understand he has made steady progress in recent days.
Peter and Betty Turner
Also, to Rory Gillmore, who fell whilst running and has had to undergo an operation on his arm. We all wish him a speedy recovery.
Sadly, we also lost a member of our feline community this week. It is believed “Tiger” was run over and was found at the lower end of the village. Please take great care and encourage all your family and visitors to drive slowly in the village “20 is plenty” and sometimes even that is too fast. We have lots of young children and animals in the village.
That’s all for this week, and this month. Keep safe everyone.
All my love,
Mandy xxxx
Sadly, we also lost a member of our feline community this week. It is believed “Tiger” was run over and was found at the lower end of the village. Please take great care and encourage all your family and visitors to drive slowly in the village “20 is plenty” and sometimes even that is too fast. We have lots of young children and animals in the village.
That’s all for this week, and this month. Keep safe everyone.
All my love,
Mandy xxxx
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