The Brill Handbook

Welcome to Brill

The Parish Council, on behalf of all the people who live in Brill, welcomes you to our village. We hope that you will be very happy in your new home here, and that you will find the information in this booklet helpful. As you will see, there are facilities, clubs and organisations which cater for just about every interest and cover all age ranges. Music, art and performing arts are regular parts of life here – and villagers have even been known to dress in mediaeval or 17th century costume to re-enact events from Brill’s history. If your tastes are less theatrical, there is plenty to enjoy just by being part of this hill-top community, with its wonderful views. Brill people are very proud of their village. There has been a settlement of some kind here since Roman times and the Celtic villagers (using great imagination) named the village Bre (hill). The subsequent Saxon invaders (probably from Long Crendon!) added the word hill which, over the centuries, has become Brill. A royal hunting lodge, probably built by Edward the Confessor, was used by a succession of monarchs when they hunted in Bernwode Forest. You will soon find how important the Common is to all of us – not just because it is a lovely place for recreation, but because of its history. It was given to “artificers, ancient cottagers and poorer sorts of inhabitants of Brill” in 1632. Brill people had to fight for these rights, and the fighting spirit lives on. The Common was the site of an important pottery and brick industry – hence the humps and hollows – and you might even be living in a house built of Brill bricks. We are currently endeavouring to prevent the Common being over-grown by brambles, nettles and shrubs now that sheep, sadly, no longer graze here.

Once again, we are pleased to welcome you to Brill and we look forward to meeting you.

The Brill Handbook

INTRODUCTION & GENERAL INFORMATION

BRILL PARISH COUNCIL The Council is made up of seven elected members and a clerk. The members are: Telephone E-mail Mike Page

Chairman

237727

[email protected]

Martyn Kitson

Vice Chairman

237400

[email protected]

John Honour

237140

[email protected]

Merilyn Munson

237510

[email protected]

Ron Palmer

238742

[email protected]

Sarah Ward

237854

[email protected]

238662

[email protected]

Liz Judd

Clerk

Parish Council Office This is located at Brill Memorial Hall, Church Street (behind the Red Lion) in the Old Library Room. The clerk normally works here on Mondays and Wednesdays, from 9.30 am to 1 pm. Please could all correspondence to the Council be delivered to: The Old Library Room – there is a post-box outside when the office is closed. Meetings The Council meets every month except for August. The meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month, starting at 8:00 p.m., in the Old Library Room of the Memorial Hall, although the date of the December meeting may change. There is a short period for public comments at the beginning of the meeting, and the public is very welcome to attend as observers. Notice of the meetings, agendas and minutes are posted on the Parish Council’s notice-board on the outside of the Memorial Hall.

BRILL PARISH COUNCIL PARISH COUNCIL PLAN A. OUR AIMS • • •

To represent the people of the parish, fairly and without bias, through elections and ongoing consultation To make balanced, well-informed decisions based on careful consideration of the needs and wishes of all sections of the community To provide a defined range of local services within a reasonable budget and which are acceptable to the majority of residents

B. PERMITTED ACTIVITY Under current legislation, parish councils are permitted to: • Regulate and maintain Common land • Provide and maintain public open spaces for recreation • Fund the provision of traffic calming measures • Provide footway and open spaces lighting • Provide and maintain a village hall • Make observations on planning applications and be consulted on the Local Plan • Maintain, repair and protect war memorials • Act as a focus for parish events • Carry out maintenance of its property • Act as a conduit for communication from other councils/bodies • Provide sundry other services, e.g. crime prevention, dealing with litter, public seats, bus shelters

C. INTERNAL ORGANISATION 1. • • •

Conduct of Business Conduct business in accordance with Standing Orders, NALC guidance booklets and current legislation Appoint committees and advisory groups, e.g. Common Management Team Appoint members as representatives on other organisations, for example: - Alice Carter Charity - Memorial Hall Management Committee - URC Building Committee - Brill Society (an informal representative) • Appoint a representative of the Council to the Brill School Board of Governors • Act as board of trustees in managing those charities administered by the Parish Council • Nominate councillors as a focus for individual parish issues/village maintenance and to work with the Clerk on major issues • Set up action plans when starting major projects 2. Working with other parish organisations • Consult with the appropriate village organisations before embarking on major projects • Encourage a climate of co-existence, with mutual support and sharing of knowledge • Provide opportunities for publicity (e.g. at AGM),where appropriate • Circulate minutes of monthly meetings to leading village organisations

3. Working with County/District Councils - maintain and improve clear lines of communication - lobby appropriately for specific projects - use local council associations (e.g. BALC, AVALC)

4. • • • • • •

Communication with Members of Parish Monthly (apart from August) and Annual General meetings Published annual report Monthly report in “Bernwode News” Windmill Times, 3 issues per year Minutes/agenda/information on notice board, in shops and on Brill website, as appropriate Encourage public to e-mail/write letters to Clerk on key issues for inclusion in the agenda

5. • • • • •

Financial Management Present annual accounts at AGM Provide quarterly updates on spending compared to the budget Appoint an internal auditor and Responsible Financial Officer (clerk) Consider carefully all projects and ensure that they will contribute to the village environment Present annual accounts to the external auditor appointed by AVDC

6. Professional development of Councillors/Clerk • Support enthusiastically any relevant courses and attendance at meetings which will increase knowledge and skills • Where appropriate, strive to meet the Quality Parish Council criteria • Maintain a contract of employment for the Clerk and carry out an annual performance review

D. PROJECTS AND COMMITMENTS In order to identify the major projects to be undertaken by the Council, and to identify their importance to the community, the Council will generally seek opinions through questionnaires, feedback at the AGM and regular consultations with parish organisations. 1. •

The Common Update the Common Policy Document to reflect changing legislation, and distribute to common dwellers • Maintain/manage through Common Management Team, who will advise on short –term management and long-term strategy • Consult with other organisations and residents as necessary • Use volunteers and PC equipment to control brambles, nettles and scrub and to litter pick, having regard for safety at all times. • If necessary, employ contractors • Encourage grazing through use of temporary electric fencing • Consider alternatives to existing car parking arrangements • Restore ponds as appropriate 2. War Memorial (this now has “listed” status) • Maintain monument • Ensure there is appropriate maintenance of flower beds and grass 3. • • • •

Memorial Hall Support work of the Hall Management Committee Continue with annual structural grant to enable ongoing repairs Review the adequacy of the insurance on a regular basis Sign the commercial leases

4. • •

Traffic Monitor the need for traffic calming Work with BCC to prevent unnecessary HGV trips through the village

5. • • • • • 6. • •

Playing Fields Re-paint equipment every two years, using volunteers (next in 2004) Organise annual safety inspection Maintain/enhance equipment Consider provision of a skatepark Monitor expiry date of Scout Hut lease Streetlights Review the programme of new/replacement lights Respond quickly to repairs

7. • • •

Grass cutting Maintain regularity of cutting (7 times per year from March to September) With an extra cut at road junctions in July Review annually in February the collection of cut grass on The Green/The Square

8. Control of dogs (the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 and the AVDC bylaw now apply) • Continue programme to reduce dog fouling in public places • If there is grazing on the Common, inform dog owners 9. Parish Council Office (open 2 mornings per week for public information, planning applications, enquiries, etc.) • Provide services as reasonably requested by the public (Freedom of Information Act) • Rationalise the storage of Parish Council property 10. Bulb planting • Continue programme of bulb planting, on appropriate village sites 11. Roads and pavements • Monitor their state and report need for repairs • Encourage people to undertake local litter picking 12. Windmill • Exert pressure on BCC to undertake urgent work necessary to ensure its structural safety and to prevent further deterioration • Liaise with The Brill Society and other interested parishioners • 13. Affordable housing • Work with the Rural Housing Trust to identify a site for 6-8 affordable homes 14. Bernwood Ancient Hunting Forest Project • Support local publicity for the project • Seek projects we can contribute towards 15. Welcome Pack • Produce an information pack and distribute to new residents 16. Village Design Statement • Consider producing a Village Design Statement

E. PUBLIC RELATIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Public • Welcome to meetings, with comments from the public sought at a time agreed by the Council • Provide agenda and background notes • Post up minutes • Keep informed at an early stage of any projects or decisions likely to become controversial 2. Provide leadership to village for: • Opinion, by acting as both a focal point and a catalyst for action • Key events • Threats which affect the well-being of the village • Opportunities, e.g. for external funding • Pride in our environment 3. •

Shops/Post Office/Fire Station, Surgery/other services Continue our support for these assets

4. Planning • Ensure that development within the Conservation Area is appropriate, through our recommendations on planning applications • Ensure the public is aware of planning applications and viewing arrangements • Provide fair and informed comment to District Council and seek feedback on decisions that are different from the Council’s recommendations • Consider thoroughly any application for neighbour-friendly, small-scale, business premises 5. Public transport links • Regularly circulate timetables and encourage wider use • Support any campaign for car sharing 6. Maintenance of assets • Protect and maintain our major assets, e.g. Common, play equipment • Campaign against vandalism • Arrange walkabouts once or twice a year • Review insurance levels annually 7. Regular Reviews • Standing Orders – review and change to reflect administrative procedures and new legislation • Parish Plans – review at 2 year intervals • Common Policy Document – update as necessary • Informal “working together” sessions as required • Update ‘Clerk’s Will’ as necessary

F. MEASUREMENTS OF SUCCESS • • •

Clearer understanding by the public of parish priorities, assisted by this Parish Council Plan General feedback to councillors as to the public’s opinion of the quality of our decision-making. Has the Council got public credibility and is the ability of councillors respected? The “working together” of councillors, once a corporate decision has been taken

BRILL COMMON AND VOLUNTEERS We’re lucky to have a large area of common land – approximately 30 hectares. A large part of this was given to ‘artificers, ancient cottagers and poorer sort of inhabitants of Brill’ in 1632. This was in compensation for ancient grazing rights which the villagers had enjoyed in Bernwode Forest. These rights were lost when King James, strapped for cash, ‘de-afforested’ the Royal Hunting Forest so he could sell the land. Clay was dug from the common from mediaeval times until the 19th century , both for pottery and for bricks and tiles. This is why it is full of humps and hollows. Until a few years ago, farmers grazed sheep here, and the sheep did a wonderful job of keeping the grass short and stopping the invasion of brambles and trees. Sadly, grazing has now become just too difficult. As the village doesn’t want the Common to revert to forest, a band of volunteers meets twice a month to hack, chop, slash, rake, burn and to clear litter. We meet on the first and third Saturday of each month at 10 o’clock by the Windmill. If you’d like to join us, we’d be delighted. You need to wear old clothes and have stout gloves, and perhaps bring a lopper, fork or saw. (We do have a small stock of tools.) The dates of our meetings are in the Bernwode News. Please contact me for more information: Merilyn Munson on 237510, or [email protected].

BRILL WINDMILL Brill Windmill, a post mill which originally rotated around a central post to enable it to face the wind, dates from about 1685. The windmill last milled flour in 1919, and for four years after that ground barley for cattle feed. Brill’s last miller was Mr Albert Nixey. Brill Windmill is now owned by Buckinghamshire County Council and is opened by Brill Society volunteers on Sunday afternoons from April to September. The Parish Council is working closely with both BCC and Brill Society to establish a programme of renovations which we hope will start during the summer of 2005. For more information on opening times and the history of the windmill, visit the Brill Website www.brill.uk.net or contact the Brill Society’s Secretary, Andrew Whitaker, on 238650 / [email protected]

HARTWELLS BARN Brill Environmental Education Centre in Hartwells Barn and Saunders Field, on the edge of Brill Common north of the windmill, was officially opened in April 2005. It is open to the public on Sunday afternoons from Easter to September and includes display boards featuring the Barn, Brill and the Common, local wildlife and the Bernwode Forest. Information about caring for the environment, local walks, the local Wildlife Trust, events and sites of interest is also available. Special arrangements can be made for weekday group visits by schools, field study organisations etc. Leaflets with further information can be found in the Pheasant Inn and Londis corner shop, or contact Peter Davis on 237775 or Peter Bugg on 238204

BRILL VILLAGE WEBSITE www.brill.uk.net The Brill website aims to be a resource for the local community and a bridge to Brill “expats”, extended families, visitors and web-surfers. It has a wealth of information about local bodies/societies/services, as well as a potted history of the village. It has a very active messageboard where you can discuss matters of interest, post messages or place small ads. The site was started in 1998 by Tim Andrew, with a lot of content written or compiled by Hannah Hunter. Currently the Parish Council pages are updated by Tony Burroughs, and the Church Services by David Stirling. The Brill website gets “hits” from all over the world which, on a typical month, are around 12000 pages and 2500 unique visitors. If you forget the address, just do a web search for “brill village uk” and it’s bound to be found. If you feel that you could contribute to the content of the site, please contact the webmaster : Tim Andrew : 01844 237895 : [email protected]

COUNCIL POLICY ON ISSUES RELATING TO COMMON LAND 1. BACKGROUND From time to time the Parish Council and residents whose properties adjoin or are surrounded by common land have not always agreed over issues such as access, parking and maintenance. It's also true to say that in the past the Parish Council has not always been consistent in its communication or advice to people on these matters. This paper is intended to set out the Parish Council's policy as unambiguously as possible on all areas where there is the possibility of misunderstanding. Brill Parish Council is the registered owner of the common land in Brill, which is held in trust by them for the benefit and enjoyment of all Brill's residents as well as the many visitors who come to the village. The policies set out below are designed to be fair to the residents who live beside common land but also make it clear that the Parish Council will protect common land from damage, it being a major asset of the village. Although we intend these policies to be as definitive as possible, it may well be that circumstances or issues arise that are not covered by them. In such cases the Council will always try to be consistent and reasonable in its interpretation and handle such cases individually. Where necessary, the policies will be updated. By “common land”, we mean The Common and the grassed areas of The Square and The Green.

2. ACCESS The gaining of an easement (right of way) over common land is a fraught area which has seen several changes in the law recently. It used to be understood that, as it is illegal to drive over common land, a prescriptive right could not be gained. (One cannot gain a right by performing an illegal action.) To address this problem, under Section 68 of the CROW Act 2000, people who drove over common land to reach their properties, and who had been doing so for a certain length of time, were able to apply for an easement, and pay a charge based on the valuation of their property. Very soon after this came into being, the decision in the Hanning v Top Deck Travel Group case (that rights could not be gained by prescription) was overruled by the House of Lords. In effect, this now means that owners of properties to which the only vehicular access is over common land, and where the owners or their predecessors have had uninterrupted use of the vehicle access for 20 or more years without consent, now have a prescriptive right. They therefore do not have to pay anything to the owner of the land. The right of vehicular access to the property does not give the householder any ownership of the track, nor does it give the householder rights to repair the track. (See 5 below)

3. PARKING 3.1 THE ISSUE Common land is for people, not cars. Where residents have garages or drives on their properties we ask them to use them. For those who have insufficient or no parking or garage space within their property, they are not entitled under current legislation to park on the Common. The Parish Council take a sympathetic view to the parking of vehicles on the Common where they are used by householders abutting the Common but, if required, the Council may have to take steps to prevent people so parking. 3.2. POLICY The Parish Council will not in future allow any new hard-standing (e.g. concrete or tarmac surfacing) to be laid on common land by any individual or household for any purpose whatsoever, including car parking. Where hard-standing exists, it should be allowed to deteriorate naturally and not be repaired or replaced.

4. ENCROACHMENT POLICY No one may annexe any part of common land. Stones or markers may not be used on common land as they may, however unwittingly, imply an extension of private land into common land. Encroachment includes the erection of steps and stiles, and any object which leads to the impression of enclosure by the house owner of any part of the Common.

5. TRACK MAINTENANCE POLICY The Parish Council will permit the loose filling of potholes and deep ruts by the traditional method of using odd stones, broken tiles and brick rubble. However, care must be taken that the materials are not large enough to constitute a trip hazard. In addition, materials such as sandstone and No. 1 Roadstone may be used. Tarmac and concrete are completely unacceptable as filling material. Road scalpings (too dark) and very small gravel (too suburban) are also unsuitable. If a track needs more extensive repair work, other than the filling of potholes, or where there is any doubt about the suitability of the fill or the nature of the repair, then the permission of the Council must be sought. It is for the Council alone, at a regular meeting, to decide whether track maintenance should be allowed and no track maintenance, alteration or change by any householder is permitted without the express written authority of the Council. The Council will not allow work to be undertaken without its explicit consent.

6. BUILDING MATERIALS AND SKIPS POLICY 6.1 Skips Skips must be sited on the resident's property and not on common land. Where building work necessitates the siting of a skip on common land because the nature of the work makes it impossible to site the skip on the resident's property, permission must be sought in advance from the Clerk, acting on behalf of the Parish Council. No reasonable request for this will be refused. The property owner is liable to third parties for any claim for damage or injury and must be appropriately insured, either through themselves or by the skip hirer. Any damage that the skip causes to common land will be made good by the resident within three months in accordance with guidelines that the council will provide for the most appropriate form of restoration. 6.2 Building materials No building materials may be stored on common land. No concrete or cement may be mixed on common land. If the property lacks a garden in which building materials can be stored, then permission must be obtained from the Clerk, acting on behalf of the Parish Council, before deliveries are made and work commences. Protective material must be laid to minimise damage to the ground. On completion of the works, the land must be restored as in 6.1 above.

7. PLANTING 7.1 THE ISSUE The main common supports a diversity of habitats. 68 species of moth, 23 species of butterfly, 60 bird species and 14 mammals have been recorded and the main common supports a number of rare plants. This ecology can easily be altered by the introduction of garden or non-indigenous plants.

7.2 POLICY The planting of any flowers, plants, shrubs, trees or hedges on common land is not allowed. However, the Council may permit certain groups to make plantings of native species in specific circumstances. No garden or household waste may be deposited on common land.

8. GRASS CUTTING AND WEED TREATMENT POLICY 8.1 Grass Grass immediately adjacent to a residential property may be rough cut, preferably with a mower set high, or with a strimmer or scythe – a lawn effect is not appropriate to common land. In addition, the householder may cut back nettles, docks and thistles adjacent to his/her home. 8.2 Weed-killer The use of weed-killer of any kind by residents beyond the boundaries of private property is not permitted.

9. SMALL STRUCTURES 9.1 CURRENT PRACTICE Over the years a number of small structures have been placed on common land, such as clothes lines and chicken coops 9.2 POLICY Consent may be given for the erection of small temporary structures on the Common but this is entirely a matter for the Parish Council to consider. Anybody wishing to erect items such as chicken coops, clothes lines and the like must ask the consent of the Parish Council who will endeavour to give their consent as quickly as possible but will not be required to give any consent if they believe that it is not in the interest of the Common or falls outside the current legislation preventing structures on the Common.

10. GRAZING RIGHTS POLICY When the Common was registered in 1972, a small number of people had their rights to graze registered at law. (It is no longer possible to gain registered rights.) There has been very little exercising of these rights in recent years. Because of this, the Council will encourage applications from other residents for permission to graze animals on common land providing the animals concerned will not cause environmental damage, or social distress to other residents.

ALL SAINTS CHURCH All Saints Church has been a centre of Brill village life and worship for nearly a 1000 years, and continues as a lively focus for many community occasions and events. The Sunday Services are normally at 10.30 each week, with a range of different types of services - parish communion, allage worship, matins and a non liturgical 'From the Pew' services which tackles contemporary issues. Baptisms are normally celebrated at the All-Age Service. Full details of the services are listed in the Bernwode News, on the Brill web site and on the notice-board outside the Vicarage in the High Street, but the best way to find out is to come and sample the different types of service for yourself. Children's activities are now run in conjunction with the other six parishes in the Benefice, with monthly ‘Activities’ mornings in either Brill or Ludgershall. Activities are also arranged during school holidays. Confirmation classes are arranged as required. A fortnightly 'home group' and a women's group meet throughout the year, and special interest courses are organised from time to time. These have included Alpha and Christianity Explained courses, bereavement visiting training and help for lay people to conduct services. Christmas, Easter and Remembrance Day are very much village occasions, as are events like the Progressive Supper, the range of activities during Christian Aid Week and the Christmas Bazaar. For further information please see the Bernwode News or contact the Revd Tina Stirling at the Vicarage - 238325

UNITED REFORMED CHURCH Welcome to the United Reformed Church in Brill. We worship in a small chapel in the High Street. The chapel was built over 150 years ago as Brill Independent Chapel, and then became the Brill Congregational Church until 1972. We hold an evening service every Sunday at 6.00 pm, led by a variety of Ministers, Lay Preachers and Anglican Priests. Our Communion Service is held on the second Sunday of each month. This service is taken by our Minister, Revd Betsy Gray-King. Children’s Church meets in the URC once each month. Brill URC is part of a local ecumenical project with the Parish Church of All Saints. Under this partnership, known as Churches Together in Brill, we regularly share services throughout the year. We hold regular Coffee Mornings on the second Saturday of each month from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon. A warm welcome awaits you, whether you join us for worship on Sunday or a cup of coffee one Saturday. To find out more about the worship and ministry of the URC in Brill, please see the current issue of the Bernwode News, our magazine for Church and Community, or contact the Secretary : The Old Forge, Windmill Street – 01844 237982

LOCAL INFORMATION FROM THE CLERK FIRE STATION In an emergency telephone 999. Brill Fire Station is manned by retained fire fighters, who are part of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority. If you are interested in joining them, please contact Peter Glover, the Leading Fireman, on 238212, or the Fire Authority.

POLICE The Brill area is covered by Thames Valley Police. We have an Area Beat Officer, PC James Holstead, who is based at Waddesdon Police Station – 01296 653115. You may have to leave a message on the answerphone. In emergencies telephone 999. If your call is not urgent then telephone 08458 505505. Please could we ask you to report any crime (actions that damage property or endanger people) to the Police and also to inform the Clerk to the Parish Council on 238662.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT Brill is relatively well-served by buses to Aylesbury, Thame, Oxford and Bicester. For those commuting to London or Birmingham, there is a bus service, morning and evening, linked to train arrivals at Haddenham and Thame Parkway Railway Station (Chiltern Railways). There is a bus timetable on the wall of Brill Surgery in the Square. The Clerk also has bus and train time-tables at the office, or telephone the Travel Line on 08706 082608.

REFUSE COLLECTION Aylesbury Vale District Council is responsible for the rubbish collection. The usual day is Tuesday and AVDC give good advance warning of changes following Bank Holidays. The recycling baskets are emptied every fortnight. There is also a glass collection every four weeks for most homes in Brill – please telephone AVDC for more information. A rubbish freighter, which collects household items which are too big for the wheelie bins and bags, visits four times a year. The dates are advertised on the PC noticeboard, in the Bernwode News and the Windmill Times. AVDC can be contacted on 01296 585510 or www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk

BRILL SURGERY Brill Surgery, 22 Thame Road, Brill, Bucks, HP18 9SA Telephone : 01844 238284 Usual opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. (closed between 1.00 and 2.00 p.m.) Wednesday 8.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Appointments may be made in person or by telephone. Separate appointments need to be made for each person wishing to see the doctor or nurse. When the surgery is closed you will be able to contact the emergency doctors out of hours service – the telephone number is displayed on the surgery door and is provided by recorded message if you telephone the usual surgery number. We provide a dispensing service so that your medication will be prepared for you in the surgery. If you take medicines regularly you can order a ‘repeat prescription’ which will be ready for you to collect after 48 hours. A practice booklet is available which contains more detail on the services we provide – please ask at reception for a copy. The surgery is part of a larger practice and we have other premises in Long Crendon and Thame Health Centre. We have seven doctors in total and a full staff including nurses, health care assistants, receptionists, administrators, dispensers and a practice manager. Our practice motto is ‘Professional Yet Personal’

The Mobile Library in Brill TUESDAYS

The Green Brae Hill The Dairy The Square

2.30 3.10 3.50 4.35

– – – –

3.00 3.45 4.05 5.50

MILK DELIVERIES Milk is delivered by

Ron Miller Dairies, Burcott Lodge Farm, Aylesbury FRIDAYS The Square 4.15 – 4.45

01296 482838 Please give them a call to arrange for your milk delivery

The Brill Handbook

CHILDREN

BRILL CHURCH OF ENGLAND COMBINED SCHOOL INFORMATION FOR PARENTS 2005 - 2006

Headteacher ~ Mr Chris Hirst Chair of Governors ~ Mrs Elaine Dickinson

The Firs, Brill, Aylesbury, Bucks HP18 9RY Tel: Fax: E-mail: Web site:

Brill (01844) 237710 Brill (01844) 238831 [email protected] www.brill.bucks.sch.uk Our Aims

• • • • • • • • •

To help pupils to develop lively, enquiring minds, together with the ability to question and argue rationally and to apply themselves both independently and co-operatively to tasks and physical skills. To help pupils to acquire knowledge and skills relevant to adult life in a fast changing world. To help pupils to use language and mathematics effectively. To promote the active participation of both parents and the local community within the education of pupils at Brill School. To help pupils to understand the world in which they live and inter-dependence of individuals, groups and nations, and to learn to live co-operatively in society, showing consideration and respect for all people. To help pupils understand the meaning and purpose of religious and moral values with a respect towards other peoples beliefs. To help pupils appreciate human achievements and aspirations. To help children to achieve their potential in all areas of development. To promote equal opportunities in all aspects of school life.

The School Brill School is affiliated to the Church of England and primarily serves the Parish of Brill. Its formal classification is a voluntary controlled primary co-educational day school for children between the ages of 4 and 11. Up to 24 children may be admitted at age 4 or 5, and the total number on the school roll at the end of the summer term 2004 was 171, with an average class size of 24. We are part of an active network of local schools who have formed a professional learning community which share in-service training and other resources called The Thame Partnership. All of the Partnership schools feed into Lord Williams secondary school in Thame.

The Buildings The school was rebuilt in 1974 on a spacious site at the edge of Brill. On three sides there are open views over the Vale of Aylesbury; on the fourth lie the village playing fields. The main brick building houses four carpeted teaching rooms, a small group work room, a computer suite, a library, a large bright hall with gym equipment and a kitchen, a separate kitchen for school lunches, staff room and offices. Three sturdy pre-fabricated buildings, all with cloakrooms and one with toilet facilities, provide a further three classrooms, making seven in total. The school is in excellent condition, brightened by displays of children’s work. The grounds have hard-surface and grassed play areas, a wooden rebound wall, games pitches, a heated outdoor swimming pool with changing rooms, a vegetable garden tended by pupils, a wildlife area with a small pond and a larger teaching pond. There is an independent nursery on site. Whilst financially separate from the school, the nursery works very closely with the school educationally and often joins the school for different activities.

Admission Arrangements In accordance with County policy, we accept children at the start of the term in which they reach their fifth birthday. Parents thinking of sending their child to the school are invited to make an appointment with the Head to be shown round. It helps if children are registered as early as possible, as the demand for places is high. In accordance with the County’s admissions policy, priority goes to children who live in Brill. Thus others cannot be given a final decision until the term before they wish to start. During this term an informal evening meeting is held for parents, and children are invited to visit the class they will join.

The PTA There is an active PTA which raises large sums of money for the school, through social events for parents and children. Recent highlights include exhibitions of the work of local artists and several successful dances, while regular dates include a children’s Christmas party, and a summer fete which draws large crowds. PTA events have a wide appeal and help to involve the community in the school.

BRILL OUT OF SCHOOL CLUB The Brill out of School Club is located in the Main Hall of Brill C of E Combined School. The Club provides a range of stimulating activities for children between the ages of 4 and 12, in a safe, secure and positive environment. The Club provides a child-centred environment, where children are encouraged to be involved in making decisions that will affect them. A range of activities and free-play opportunities is provided indoors and, weather permitting, outdoors where the children are able to choose what they would like to do. A quiet area is available for any children who wish to do their homework, read or just sit quietly. For more information, and details of times and costs, please contact the Playleader Nessa Sweetman – 07919 088388 / [email protected]

WINDMILL PRE-SCHOOL BRILL C OF E COMBINED SCHOOL THE FIRS, BRILL, BUCKS HP18 9RY LITTLE NURSERY 01844 238859 HEAD TEACHER: STEPHANIE AVIL

Windmill Pre-School in Brill provides excellent Nursery education and is based on the Brill C of E Combined School site at the end of the “Firs”. The Pre-School is divided into the “Little” Nursery, a playclass taking children from the age of 2½ and the “Nursery”, which provides a more structured early years learning environment from 3 ½ in preparation for school. Windmill Pre-School is run by a management committee made up of parents and a school governor. We are a registered charity relying on fees, government funding and fundraising activities. The majority of our children go on to Brill School although attending the Pre-School does not guarantee a place there. We now occupy a wonderful, brand-new, timber, purpose built Pre-School building which means that all the children and staff are in the same building. In June 2004 we received a superb Ofsted Inspection which you may request from the Nursery. Currently half of our staff are qualified in Early Years’ Education and the other half have training planned.

BRILL BABY & TODDLER GROUP !! Little BIG Kids Club !! Every Wednesday 10 am-11.30 am at BRILL VILLAGE HALL

A safe, friendly and fun play environment for Tiny Tots, Tots and Toddlers under 5 years Painting – Crafts – Ride-ons – Baby Corner - and much more !! Biscuits, juice and hot drinks, all for just £2.00 Telephone Rachael Richards on 238567 or just come and play !

BERNWODE BABYSITTING CIRCLE The Bernwode Babysitting Circle is open to all families living in the Bernwode area. At present we have 18 families who are members. The circle works on a token system in which a token is exchanged for an hour’s babysitting, except after midnight when the rate becomes two tokens per hour. Tokens can be used for daytime or evening sitting, either at your home or the sitter’s home. If you would like to join, please contact either Mary Lever on 237931 or Danielle Glover on 238212.

CHILD HEALTH CLINIC The Child Health Clinic in Brill is held on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, from 2.00 – 4.00 pm, at the Surgery. It provides an opportunity for parents to seek advice about various aspects of childcare and behaviour from the Health Visitor, and to check your baby’s weight and progress. No appointment is necessary – JUST DROP IN

FIRST BRILL SCOUTS The purpose of scouting is to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. Scouting uses a method which is based on young people, in partnership with adults : Enjoying what they are doing Learning by doing Participating in varied and progressive activities Making choices for themselves Taking responsibility for their own actions Working in groups Taking increasing responsibility for others Taking part in outdoor activities Sharing in prayer and worship With its own Scout hut next door to the School, the following are available in Brill for both boys and girls Beavers Contact

Age 6 to 8 Tuesday 6.00 – 7.30 pm Janice Carr : 238176/[email protected]

Cubs Contact

Age 8 to 10½ Monday 7.00 - 8.30 pm term-time Sian Miller : 01296 651181/[email protected]

Scouts Contact

Age 10 to 13 Wednesday 8.00 - 9.30 pm term-time Bill Kelsey : 238460/[email protected]

For more information please contact Brenda Rooney, Group Chairman, 237600 (Children can also join the Girl Guides in Brill Contact Sandra Randall – 237883)

BROWNIES The Brill Brownie Pack comprises twenty-four lively girls aged from 7 to 10 who meet in the School Hall every term-time Tuesday from 5.00 to 6.30. For those readers who remember their own time as a Brownie, we still have sixes of pixies, elves, gnomes and imps. We promise to do a good Brownie deed each day (well nearly !) and we still make camps in the woods and play very rough games ! Here in Brill we are fortunate to have great community support, and we have been helped with art, sport, yoga, and baking, as well as being escorted on some great history and nature rambles. We also participate in local fetes and events. If you would like to know more about Brill Brownies, please contact Donna Moss – Brown Owl - 238678

FIRST BRILL RAINBOWS Rainbows takes place on Wednesday evenings for one hour from 5.00 pm during term time in Brill School Hall. Rainbows is open to girls aged between five and seven years old. For further details please contact Jane Strathdee – 237228 - [email protected]

YOBS The Youth of Brill Society (YOBS) is a youth group for all children between the ages of 8 and 12 years from the Parish of Brill and surrounding villages. It is a weekly event held in Brill Memorial Hall, on Friday evenings from 6.00 to 7.30 pm. There is a small entrance fee, to cover costs, and a tuck shop – a safe and friendly environment for children to play and socialise. Contact Nessa (237051) or Janice (238176) for more information

The Brill Handbook

FACILITIES & SOCIETIES

BERNWODE NEWS The Bernwode News is a Parish Magazine which exists to publicise the many and varied activities of our local Community and Church. It has a circulation of around 1250 copies and covers 11 local villages, with Brill at its centre-point. Whilst the magazine is run by an elected Executive Committee, it is edited and put together every month by a team of volunteers, many of whom live within Brill. The Bernwode News magazine contains: • Local news, as contributed by organisations, groups, clubs, institutes and societies, both young and old, as well as from All Saints Church in Brill • Regular monthly features such as ‘From the Editor…’, ‘Pause for Thought...’, Farming Matters’, ‘Gardening Notes’, a ‘Notice Board’ for major attractions, and a ‘Diary’ of events covering all of the villages • An ‘A to Z’ directory of over 140 advertisements from local handymen to leisure, emergency services to professional advisors. There is also a ‘Small Ads’ section to sell your bicycle, your pram , or even perhaps that rabbit hutch! As a ‘taster’, individual copies of Bernwode News are normally available across the counter from the Londis corner shop or Micmac newsagents, price £1.00 – you can also join the 80% of Brill households who have a copy delivered through their door every month for an annual subscription of just £8.00 !

Here are some Bernwode News contact points: -

Chairman

Mike Page

237727/[email protected]

Advertising Allan Wigglesworth 238513/[email protected] Subscriptions Brill Notes

Alison Fisher

238405/[email protected]

If you would like to become involved, please contact any of the above, or the editor of the month, whose name can be found on the page following ‘Pause for Thought’ in the current edition of your magazine

BRILL MEMORIAL HALL Location The Hall is centrally located in Church Street, 50 yards from the Church, and opposite the rear of the Red Lion. It is also central to many aspects of village life.

Users • • • • • •

the very young the not so young people keeping fit social events sales and shows meetings

(Mums & Toddlers, Baby Clinic) (Short Mat Bowls, Brill Society) (Pilates, Dance, Keep Fit) (WI, Lunch Club, PTA Dances) (Antiques Fairs, Brill Church Auction, Brill Show) (Parish Council, Common Management, British Legion)

These are just some of the regular users – there are other one-off events throughout the year.

Amenities There is a 200 square metre main hall, suitable for dinner dances of up to 140 people, with tables and chairs, staging, display screens, and kitchen facilities. The Hall complies with current ‘Access For All’ regulations, with public address and induction loop, and wheelchair accessible hall and toilet. There is a car park for up to 20 cars. A small hall is suitable for meetings of up to 20 people.

Hiring Contact the Hall Manager, Nessa Sweetman - 18 Clarkesfield Close or 237051 Hire charges are fully inclusive of all amenities, and are discounted by about 40% for Brill residents.

Management A Committee of Management runs the Hall on behalf of the Parish Council. Meetings are held four times a year. Contact the Chairman, Nicki Logan – 237081

THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Brill & District Men’s Section Brill has a thriving branch of this well respected charity, that aims to help and support ex-members of our fighting forces and their families. Those who have served us so well in the past deserve our respect, and sometimes need financial help in the ensuing years. Our branch has about 50 members, and we hold 5 - 6 meetings a year, to which all members are welcome: these are publicised in the Bernwode News. With the Women’s Section, we organise two major fund raising efforts: our Annual August Bank Holiday Fete, held in the lovely garden at Brill House, and the Poppy Appeal in November. We are also responsible for organising the Remembrance Day Parade. We are always keen to welcome new members and it is no longer a requirement to have served in H.M. Forces. The annual subscription is only £10, in 2005, so just phone me, John Spence, on 01844 237639 for an application form.

Women’s Section The Women’s Section was formed in 1936 to provide support to widows and dependants of servicemen. We still carry on this work today. Nationally the Section provides weekly allowances to over eight hundred women. Help is offered to those in convalescence and respite care. We have trained welfare visitors and arrange sick visits to hospitals and to the housebound. The Brill Women’s Section meets monthly, and new members are always welcome. No connection with the Services is necessary. For more information please contact Sarah Frewin, Hon Secretary, on 01844 238043

BRILL LUNCH CLUB This monthly club caters for retired people in the area and features a home-cooked, two-course meal, good chat and friendly company. It meets on the second Friday of the month (except July and August) at Brill Memorial Hall and costs £2.00 per person. Lunch Club also caters to those looking for some volunteer work. We are always looking for cooks, to help for a few times each year. The meals are cooked at home, each cook preparing a portion for 10 people, recipes and main ingredients being provided. If you would like to come to Lunch Club, or help with the catering, please contact Caroline Woodman (tel. 237326) or Josie Symes (tel. 237185)

THE BRILL SOCIETY The main aim of The Brill Society is “to stimulate public interest in the beauty, history and character of Brill and its surrounds”. We do this through a lively programme of talks, walks and visits, and a range of quality publications. Recent events have included retracing the line of the old Brill tramway, a wildflower ramble, a guided walk and talk on the geology of Brill, historical talks on various topics by local and national experts, an illustrated personal account of the Great Train Robbery (the perpetrators’ hide-out was in this parish), and an evening of memories and anecdotes with local senior citizens. Events are advertised in the Bernwode News and on posters around the village. Publications include Brillennium (a historical, cultural and environmental record of Brill at the turn of this century); A Portrait of Brill (another hardback book, this time focusing on the people of Brill and their homes); A History of Brill (a slim but detailed booklet written by a local historian); leaflets of local walks; a range of postcards; and a glossy, poster-sized reproduction of the multi-media Brill Parish Map – another Brill Society project. All items are available through local shops or the Society’s officials. The Brill Society is also committed to the conservation and (where appropriate) improvement of the environment and amenities of Brill and the local area. As custodians of Brill Windmill, the Society (supported by many volunteers) opens the windmill to the public each Sunday in summer and floodlights the structure every Christmas. We are presently working closely with Bucks County Council and Brill Parish Council on plans for an exciting renovation programme. The Brill Society comments constructively on local planning proposals, and supports village services and innovative and sympathetic building projects through our annual Award. In the past, the Society campaigned successfully for the removal of overhead wires in centre of the village; more recently, we initiated the restoration of the historic Hartwells Barn. Last – but not least – we organise a Christmas tree each year for the Square. This work is co-ordinated by a committee of ten or so members, who meet every four to eight weeks throughout the year. The Brill Society, now a registered charity, was founded by local people in the 1960s. Annual subscription is £2.50 (2004). Membership is open to all and currently stands at around 150. Although events are open and free to members and non-members alike, the Society relies on the regular income from loyal subscribers. Contact The Brill Society by email [email protected], or the Secretary (Andrew Whitaker) on 238650.

BERNWODE AMNESTY GROUP Bernwode Amnesty Group is part of Amnesty International, with over 60 members in Brill and nearby villages. We hold regular meetings, with an average of 12 – 15 members, usually on the second Monday evening of the month. Here we discuss human rights issues and take action to help relieve the suffering of prisoners of conscience and people being tortured throughout the world. We have various fund-raising events and, once a year, we hold a major public meeting. Information can be found in our regular column in the Bernwode News or obtained from our Secretary, Jo Jamieson – 01844 237735 – [email protected] We welcome visitors and new members

BRILL SHOW Each year, on the second Sunday of September, strange processions wend their way through Brill. Early in the morning, from 8 o'clock onwards, barrows piled high with carefully garnered vegetables are wheeled through the village - marrows and pumpkins too heavy to carry, parsnips and leeks so long that they drape over the edge of the barrow, onions twice the size of tennis balls. A little later, after a flurry of lastminute tweaking, families emerge with precariously balanced armfuls of cakes and biscuits, pots of jam and marmalade, carefully constructed handicrafts, pictures drawn to while away the long summer holidays and photographs hastily gleaned from family albums. And then there are the flowers - armfuls of cut annuals and perennials, roses of every variety and hue, pot plants and lovingly designed flower arrangements. They are all entries to the 160+ classes of the Brill Show; classes designed to appeal to everyone from the under 8's to the over 80's - no previous experience necessary! As well as the main Show, held in the village hall, gardens are judged in April, hanging baskets and containers in July and the search for the tallest sunflower takes place on the day before the Show. Look out for posters around the village, articles in the Bernwode News and the appearance of the schedule of classes in the shops in Spring. Please join us - either as participants in the morning or to view the entries in the afternoon (when you will undoubtedly spot something and think 'I could do that....'!) Enquiries to Karen Green 01296 770677 or [email protected]

BRILL WOMEN’S INSTITUTE The WI exists to educate women to enable them to provide an effective role in the community, to expand their horizons and to develop and pass on important skills. The purpose of the WI is to encourage and enable women to enhance their lives and to play their part in the community through education and public questions, to improve their lives and the lives of those around them, to lead fulfilling lives and to be of value in the community and nationally to influence policy/decision makers, to provide a friendly atmosphere where women can be inspired and enlightened. However, it is also an opportunity for women to socialise, network, discuss and attempt to influence current affairs, even including the occasional slow hand clap ! To assist in this, Brill WI organises meetings where speakers talk on subjects as diverse as The Great Train Robbery or Exploring Churchyard Lichens; give demonstrations such as Ikebana Flower Arranging; instruct members in the art of decorating china or making paper flowers. There is time at the end of the meeting for refreshments and a chat. Social events, such as bar meals and a Christmas Dinner, are also arranged. There is an annual membership fee for regular attendees, but visitors are always welcome. Meetings are held in The Memorial Hall on the second Wednesday of the month from 8pm. For more details please contact Janet Palmer 238742 or Pat Downing 237953 See www.womens-institute.co.uk for information on the National Federation of Women's Institutes

The Brill Handbook

LOCAL BUSINESS

BRILL STORES AND POST OFFICE Proprietors - Ali and Muna 1 Temple Street - 01844 237468 Shop Open Hours Monday to Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

7 am - 7 pm 7 am - 6 pm 7 am - 6 pm 7 am - 2 pm

Groceries Automatic Phone TOP-UP machine Cash-Debit Card Facilities Stationery and Greetings Cards Minerals, Wines, Beers and Cigarettes Fresh Eggs from a Local Farm Fresh Bread every day and Cakes Frozen Foods Fresh Food and Vegetables DIY ….and many more Knick-Knacks and Household Goods Post Office Open Hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday

9 am - 5.30 pm

(Closed for lunch between 12.30pm - 1.30 pm) Wednesday & Saturday

9 am - 12.30 pm

Stamps Pay Bills Foreign Currency Car Tax Car Insurance Home Loans Banking Facilities Travel & Home Contents Insurance Top-ups for mobile phones …. and much more ….

MICMAC NEWS Robert and Louise Nichol 01844 238511 Supplier of daily and Sunday newspapers, magazines and periodicals A General Store selling fresh milk and bread, together with fresh pies, pasties, pastries and sausage rolls Cold drinks, wines, spirits and beers, plus other foods and usual household and toiletry products We also sell stationery items and have a wide selection of greetings cards We have an in-store photocopier and are a National Lottery outlet

HAIRDRESSING AT KARENZA Karenza, in Church Street next door to the garage, is a unisex hair salon, where most types of hairdressing are undertaken. Opening hours

Tuesday to Saturday 8.30 am – 5.00 pm

Stylists

Jackie or Hazel

Senior Citizens Days

Tuesdays and Wednesdays

We specialise in bridal hairdressing and can cater for the disabled Telephone : 01844 238331

RICHARD ROLFE’S GARAGE SERVICES 16 Church Street

01844 237313

Open Monday to Friday From 8.00 am To 5.00 pm MOT Testing – Servicing – Repairs Tyres – Exhausts – Batteries Phone Richard or Geoff for an appointment or just call in and see us

THE PHEASANT INN Russell has recently taken over as landlord of this 17th Century public house, which you can find at the bottom of Windmill Street overlooking the common, windmill and the stunning views ! The Pheasant boasts a consistently good reputation for food, which can be enjoyed in the cosy restaurant, or outdoors in the large garden when the weather is fine. A pint of well-kept real ale or a glass of fine wine can be enjoyed next to the open log fire with a warm, friendly atmosphere. A monthly music night is held in the pub, with various local bands performing. Russell has recently employed a new chef who has extensively revised the menu. The new lunch, main and special menus are prepared from fresh ingredients delivered daily. Food is served at lunchtime and in the evenings throughout the week, and all day at weekends. The Pheasant is a busy, food-orientated free house, which also has letting accommodation for Bed and Breakfast. All rooms have en-suite showers and tea and coffee-making facilities. To see more, visit www.thepheasant.co.uk Telephone 01844 237104

THE RED LION Tom and Carol Burton have been Landlord and Landlady of The Red Lion Brill since October 2003. Formerly of The Crown Inn at Sydenham, they are local people, born and bred in Buckinghamshire. The Red Lion has recently undergone an extensive refurbishment, and now offers a light and airy atmosphere, as well as a no smoking dining area. Tom is no stranger to serving a real ale - The Crown Inn regularly featured in the Good Beer Guide, and real ales on offer at The Red Lion include Greene King IPA, as well as one or two Guest Ales. Fine Wines are also available. Having been featured in the Good Food Guide at their previous pub, Tom and Carol now offer a wide range of dishes, ranging from Ham, Double Egg & Chips to Scottish Salmon Fillet in a Pernod and Tarragon Sauce ! The vast majority of the meals served at The Red Lion are homemade, and offer good value for money. There are also daily "chef’s specials", and "lite bites". A traditional Sunday roast is served most weeks. Food is served Tuesday-Saturday Lunchtime, 12.00-2.00 pm: Sunday Lunchtime, 1200-2.30 pm: and Tuesday-Saturday evenings, 6.30-9.00 pm. The pub has a private function room, which is available for hire and suitable for most occasions. There is also a large Beer Garden with Aunt Sally to the rear of the pub. The Red Lion is open all day Friday and Sunday. For bookings please telephone 238339

The Brill Handbook

SPORTS & RECREATION

BRILL SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB The Club is a family-orientated Sports Club in the heart of the village, where you can play football, cricket, tennis, table tennis, or just enjoy a relaxing drink or a game of bingo or whist in the clubhouse. Football and cricket teams play in local competitive leagues, as well as friendly fixtures. All standards and abilities are welcome. Junior and Kwik Cricket are also available during the season.

Opening times

Wednesday

Bingo

Thursday Cricket season Out of Season

Whist Drive

7.00 pm

6.00 pm 7.00 pm

Friday

7.00 pm

Saturday

7.00 pm

Sunday Lunchtime

12.00 – 2.00 pm

Secretary

Jim Saunders MBE

01844 237182

Social/Membership Secretary

Vince Daly

01844 237050

Membership *

Seniors

£10.00

Juniors

£ 5.00

Senior Citizens

Free – on application

Chairman

* Playing members are liable for match fees

BRILL CRICKET CLUB Brill Cricket Club is affiliated to Brill Sports & Social Club and provides both league and social cricket for players of all abilities. There is also a thriving junior section that takes part in Kwik Cricket and plays some competitive midweek fixtures as well. The Club is affiliated to the Oxford Cricket Association and provides two league sides (1st XI & 2nd XI) which play on Saturdays throughout the season. Social cricket is played on Sundays. Cricket Club Membership costs £20 per annum for adults (no charge for U16’s) which includes membership of the Sports & Social Club. Match fees are charged at £6 to cover teas and umpires expenses. Brill Cricket Club has an excellent team of tea ladies who keep us well fed ! The Committee organises many fund raising activities throughout the year; to purchase equipment, to maintain the playing surfaces and to support the development of the Clubhouse for members. We have established a Junior Cricket Festival, played every June, which attracts several hundred junior cricketers from local clubs to play in a competitive tournament. Annually, the Club holds its Presentation Dinner where cups and trophies are awarded. Previous guest speakers have included Phil Tufnell, Angus Fraser, Robin Smith and, most recently, Freddie Trueman. The Club is open to new players whatever their ability. If you would like to come and support the village team and get to meet some new friends – you will be made to feel very welcome. Contact Jon Vaile – Chairman (237284) or Hugh Simmons (238992)

BRILL TENNIS CLUB Brill Tennis Club has a court next to the school. The court has recently been resurfaced. The club welcomes members of all ages and abilities. We run tournaments in the summer for both adults and children. Coaching is also available. Membership fees are £25 for an adult, £10 for a child, and £60 for family membership. Members can book the court at Londis. With membership, members can have their own key and need not pay each time they play. For more information, please contact Mary Lever, 2 Manor House, Brill, on 01844 237931

BRILL KEEP FIT GROUP The Brill Keep Fit Group meets in the Memorial Hall at 8.00pm every Thursday evening during school term time. The group includes men and women of varying ages and fitness levels. Sessions last for an hour and usually end with a drink in the Red Lion afterwards. Certain social members rarely attend Part 1 in the Memorial Hall but make a real effort to be present at Part 2 at a local pub. For this reason the group is more commonly known as ‘Keep Fat’ ! The sessions are led by a rota of volunteers. We always vary the content, but most sessions consist of a warm up, stretches, some form of circuit training or aerobic work, followed by a cool down and stretches to finish. We try to get outside as much as we can during the summer term. The volunteer leaders are untrained and we do not have any insurance cover. The group operates on the understanding that everyone takes part at their own risk. As a precaution any ‘no win–no fee’ solicitors attending sessions have to agree to buy all the drinks during Part 2. Seriously though, if you have any doubts about your ability to take place, we would encourage you to have a word with your GP first. We make a modest charge to cover the hall booking fees, with any surplus being donated to a local good cause (currently the pre-school playgroup appeal). The group is informal, friendly and everyone is encouraged to work up to, but never beyond, their capabilities. You don’t need fancy Lycra kit and high tech trainers to come (in fact these are probably best avoided if you are sensitive to gentle teasing !) Dig out those old shorts and plimsolls and come along – you will be made very welcome.

SHORT MAT BOWLS Short mat bowls is held in Brill Memorial Hall every Monday and Wednesday From 2.00 To 4.00 pm There is a small admission charge to cover the cost of the Hall Tea, coffee and biscuits are served at half time Flat shoes must be worn ! No need to book – just turn up For more information please contact Pearl Wheeler – 238370

GOLFING WITH BOFGAS BOFGAS is a very social golf society of not especially good golfers from in and around Brill. Our aim is to enjoy a few golf days in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire each summer, followed by a few pints and some good food. What does BOFGAS stand for ? Well it could be Brill Old Fellows Golfing Society, but it isn't. How did BOFGAS start? We think its origins were one day late last century when Eric Rose, Martyn Kitson, Mike Page and Richard Judd had completed 36 holes at Chesterton, and after about the third pint someone suggested regular golf days with like minded "golfers". So the idea for BOFGAS came about and more people get involved each year. There are usually 4 or 5 BOFGAS days from April to October, at courses such as Magnolia Park, Chipping Norton, Stocks, Kirtlington and Chiltern Forest. We play 27 holes and most days there are between 16 and 24 “golfers” involved. For more information contact Richard Judd on 238161 or Andrew Whitaker on 238650 [email protected]

VILLAGE PUB GAMES The Red Lion is home to two traditional pub games and a quiz : In the winter months it is dominoes, with teams of 6 people playing in the local league - usually on Thursday evenings. The other, even older, game is Aunt Sally. This is a summer game played outdoors and comprises 8 people chucking sticks at a wooden doll balanced 30 yards away on a pole. That is, the doll is balanced on a pole , not the 8 people ! This game requires some hand/eye co-ordination, along with some hand to mouth co-ordination. There are currently two teams, each with different levels of skills in the above departments They also play around the Oxford area. Sunday evening quizzes are held on a regular basis. Again, contact the landlord for further information.

BRILL FOOTPATH GROUP The BFG used to organise walks once a month during the less inclement months of the year – usually February through to October – from Brill. Occasionally we would meet up outside the village to take in a new walk, but most walks started and finished in Brill and took in the delightful countryside and views around the village. The walks were not long, usually three to four miles (very occasionally longer, but no more than six miles) and were not strenuous “route marches.” However, as we live on a hill, coming back was always a little slower than going out ! Walks were usually held on the second Sunday of the month, starting at 2.00 pm, and occasionally 2.30 pm, and were led by a volunteer. They tended to be social walks with everyone contributing to direction and discussion about all sorts of topics and issues. If you would like to lead a walk then new leaders are always welcome – no training required, just an open and enquiring mind, as well as an unerring ability to find your way back to where you started from ! Families and accompanied children are always welcome, dogs too (as long as they are on a lead and are well-behaved around children and other animals.)

Brill Footpath Group has recently disbanded, but walks are still organised in conjunction with both the Brill Society and the Brill Environment Group. If you would be interested in organising some local walks or starting up a new BFG please contact Leslie Sopp – 01844 237811 [email protected] or either of the two organisations named above BRILL CHURCH CHOIR The choir meets every fourth Sunday of the month for the 10.30 am Family Communion Service in Brill Church. We have a larger group of singers for the Carol Service which is held on the Sunday before Christmas, with rehearsals usually starting in November.

The Bernwode Singers This is a group of about 50 singers, 80% of whom live in the village. We have done about ten concerts since we formed in 1998, Mozart, Bach, Vivaldi etc, accompanied by a student orchestra from London and directed by Dr Jonathan Williams. When the dates for the next concert are decided, practises will be on Sunday evenings for approximately two hours. If you are interested in joining either of the above choirs please contact Charles Wheatley - 237102

THE JUBILEE JAZZ BAND Traditional Jazz for Dancing and Listening Chris Whiteman started playing the cornet when he came out of the RAF in 1958. He played in a college band in High Wycombe and then in the University College Hospital Jazz Band until 1964. Jazz Thamensian started in about 1965 and has been playing in one form or another ever since. The original line up included, amongst others, the late Pip Whiteman (Chris’s brother) who last played at the Jubilee celebrations in Brill. We rather liked the name that we used that year and decided to change the name. Pip never liked the name Jazz Thamensian and so in a sense it is a bit of a memorial to him. The band have been playing together for many years. Dave Williams, one of the banjo players, and Chris played for the first time together in 1958 and were at University College Hospital together. Keith Wilkins, clarinet and saxophone, joined in about 1966. Norman Garner, clarinet and saxophone, joined around 1968 and Jim Susans about 1972 (he now alternates between double bass and banjo). Pete Lait has played with the JJB for many years on an occasional basis but now is the regular trombonist. Bill Birkenshaw, banjo and guitar, has again played with the band for many years. Richard Judd, the drummer, like his predecessor, Peter Medcalf, is a resident of Brill. The JJB plays monthly, on the second Wednesday of the month, in the Sports & Social Club, when musicians are welcome to sit in with the band. The band also plays commercially all over the home counties. Call Chris for details - 01844 237237 - [email protected]

BELLRINGING Sunday Service Ringing 10.00 – 10.30 am : Other services by arrangement Practice Night – Monday 7.30 pm – 8.30 pm Tower Captain – Peter Nicholas : 01844 238577 Ringing is a satisfying voluntary activity – drawing on physical skill and strength, memory, sight, hearing and logic. It is basically cheap – the bells and the ropes are provided by the church, and we even get paid for ringing for weddings – and it doesn’t require special clothing. It provides opportunities for teamwork, leadership and the teaching of others, and for social contacts not only within our own band, but also frequently with other ringers in the diocese, and beyond. If one is able to travel, there are sets of 5 or more bells rung in essentially the same way in over 5000 towers in England – and some further a field: during the last 4 years members of the tower have rung, either with other visitors or with local ringers, in York Minster, Tewkesbury Abbey and in over 150 towers each in England and Wales. Ringing can provide a satisfying activity connected with the church for those who wouldn’t be content to just come and sit in a pew. Please consider joining us – or recruiting a friend who doesn’t at present attend church. Visitors who want to have a look before committing themselves would be welcome to come along to one of our Monday evening practices, from about 7.30pm.

PROGRESSIVE SUPPER This event has now become an eagerly awaited event in the Brill social calendar, and is a brilliant way for people new to the village to meet lots of friendly villagers. The event takes place in September, and is advertised in the August and September issues of the Bernwode News, where you will find an application form. And what exactly is a Progressive Supper ? Well, between 50 and 80 people (plus an appropriate number of bottles) meet up for sherry and an itinerary. They then disperse round the village for starters, main courses and puddings before meeting up at the Red Lion. The courses are divided into parties of about eight, and you will only be with your partner if you are hosting one of the courses. If you are new to the village, we ensure that someone will accompany to your next venue, so that you don’t get lost on the Common! Although we say it ourselves, it is a thoroughly enjoyable event, with great food and much hilarity. Hope to see you! Diane Lee 238484; Merilyn Munson 237510

THANKS To all contributors, to Tim Andrew for the cover photograph, and to Liz and Chris Whiteman for the individual section painting and photographs. Contributions have been compiled by the individual societies and organisations. If you have any queries please contact them directly.