DINING OUT. Toby Hill - who grew up in Haddenham, trained at Aylesbury College and went on to become the youngest person to be awarded a Michelin star - was the host at Aylesbury College's Harding Restaurant last week when 55 Haddenham Village Society members dined there.
He led a team of 1st and 2nd year catering and hospitality students, who prepared and served a delicious and well-presented three-course meal. At the end of the evening, Toby, who now owns a gastro-pub in Banbury, nightclubs and a recently acquired e
atery in Witney, introduced the budding chefs, who received a round of applause.
He also talked about how he had recently been invited by the college principal to work at the college; his remit being to give the students a taste of the world of work by extending the use of the college restaurant and by involving the local business community.
He said, as an example, that the 3rd year students were, that evening, staffing an event at the Territorial Army HQ hosted by the Lord Lieutenant of Bucks.
RECYCLING. Don't forget to put your glass box out next Tuesday as well as your paper, cans and plastic bottles.
THIS WEEK. Visitors and/or prospective members will be welcome at any of the meetings publicised below.
Medical Centre. Haddenham Medical Centre will be closed for the afternoon tomorrow (from 12.30pm) for this month's 'Protected Time for Learning' session. Emergency cover is provided during this time.
Old Haddenham. If you had hoped to attend Mike Whitney and Stuart Sloan's 'Evening of Old Haddenham' on Friday but hadn't yet booked a place, you will be disappointed to learn that the event is now sold out. The evening will also see the launch of Haddenham Chronicles 4.
Family Bingo. Haddenham Puddleducks Pre-school is hosting a Christmas-themed Family Bingo Night on Friday at the County First School, Woodways. Doors open at 6.30pm for 'Eyes Down' at 7pm and there will be great prizes and refreshments. Money raised from this event will help to buy child-size wooden kitchen units for the pre- school children. Please call 290171 with any queries.
Breakfast Club. Jennie Torpey will be speaking about Traidcraft at Saturday's quarterly meeting (8.30-9.30am) in the Baptist schoolroom. Please call Marjorie on 290060 to book a breakfast (£3).
Snakemoor. The next working day at Snakemoor Local Nature Reserve is on Saturday (from 10am) and new volunteers to help with the jobs – including the removal of some trees and hedge laying – would be welcome. Robyn Thorogood says: "The management of the trees will seek to keep paths safe, create a lower level of tree cover in one area and encourage butterflies." Call him on 291254 for further information.
Line Dance. The Pondarosa Line Dance Club's next social dance is on Saturday (8-11pm) at the village hall. Entry is £5, at the door. Please take your own drinks and nibbles.
St Mary's Fellowship. There will be a bring-and-buy stall (to help support the club's outings and other special events) at Monday's tea and chat meeting (2.30-4pm) at St Mary's Centre.
Darby and Joan. Next Wednesday's meeting (2pm) at the Youth and Community Centre, Woodways, takes the form of a Beetle Drive.
AGM. Haddenham Horticultural Society's annual meeting (for members only) is next Wednesday (8pm) in the Walter Rose Room and will be followed, as usual, by wine and nibbles. If you have not yet renewed your membership (or would like to join the society), please send your annual subscription (still a bargain £3 per family) to Alison at 59 Churchway, or come prepared to pay on the night.
WI. John Bates will be presenting Poetry and Prose to Raise a Smile at Haddenham Witchert WI's meeting - a Christmas special - next Wednesday (8pm) at the Youth and Community Centre, Woodways.
BARN DANCE. For the second year running, the informal folk music group (which meets at the Red Lion) is organising a family barn dance on November 23 (7.45pm) at the Youth and Community Centre, Woodways. Tickets are £4 (with discounts for families) and you can book them in advance by calling John Keyte on 291083 or buy them at the door. Please take your own drinks. Proceeds will go to the Florence Nightingale Hospice.
YOUTH THEATRE. Haddenham Players Youth Theatre is putting on two performances of the Sweeney Todd Shock 'n' Roll Show (a musical/panto/play) at 7.30pm on November 23 and at 6.30pm on November 24. Details next week.
CHARITY AND FUND-RAISING NEWS. (Continued from last week)
Cycle Ride. You will, no doubt, remember reports of the challenging 12 day (340 mile) charity cycle ride in India that villager Marjorie Johnston and her son Andrew took part in earlier this year (in aid of LEPRA the leprosy charity). Having already taken part in a charity bike ride in China some years ago, Marjorie vowed that the India bike ride would be her final challenge.
However, she has now had her arm well and truly twisted by Margaret (22), her second daughter (an ex-County First School pupil who now works at Haddenham Garden Centre), who has talked her into repeating the ride, with her, in February 2008. Marjorie writes: "I cannot tell you in words what a difference your money makes to those impoverished people in India, the good work which has been started and continues due to our support for LEPRA. We would really welcome your support, in this our joint venture. You can donate online by credit or debit card at the following address: http://www.justgiving.com/ marjorieandmargaret".
The pair have already made a start on fund- raising again for LEPRA and held a cream tea afternoon last month in their garden which raised £250. They will also be holding a come and sing 'Advent celebration' at the Methodist Chapel on December 1 and a piano recital at St Mary's Church on January 19.
Cricket Club Quizzes. Haddenham Cricket Club's 'Autumn Test Series' has made a successful start with about 50 people attending each of the first two quizzes (at the King's Head in September and at the Rose and Thistle this month).
The regular quizmaster is cricket club member David Impey, who used to compile and run quizzes in the Netherlands, where he lived and worked for 4 years. As well as providing an enjoyable and sociable evening, the quizzes have so far made a profit of about £100 for the club's youth training programme. The series continues with quizzes at the Red Lion (see below), the Rising Sun (December 15) and a Grand Christmas Quiz at the village hall on December 22.
St Mary's School. The school's Harvest Assembly was held this year in St Mary's Church and each class did presentation based on fruit and vegetables. The children brought harvest gifts, which were presented to residents at Woodlands by two of the pupils, and a collection was taken for Send a Cow's 'Basket of Life' appeal. The Christian charity enables poor farmers in Africa to become self-reliant by providing them with livestock, training and advice and the £125 sent by the school will pay to sponsor a pair of goats.
The school's Autumn Fayre last month was a great success and made £864.40.
Parish Charities. The trustees of the Haddenham Parochial Charities will be making their annual distribution during December to help the less fortunate elderly folk of the village to pay for food and heating. Anyone wishing to apply can obtain an application form from the Londis shop, Churchway, or from the Haddenham Medical Centre, for return by December 1.
Christmas Card Sale. Andy and Jenny Hardy held their sixth sale of Christmas cards last week in aid of the Society for Mucopolysaccharide Diseases (MPS) and Helen House and Douglas House, Oxford, (which support children with life-threatening illnesses). Jenny said there was a great flow of people of all ages throughout day and evening and Andy's mulled wine, served to evening visitors, went down a treat. The day raised over £200 more than last year with card sales and donations bringing in a total of £1,432.
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