Births. Villager Penny Heydon became a grandmother for the fifth time in three years on July 26 with the birth of Maggie Ann (a sister for Eddie, 15 months) to daughter Sarah (SMS) and her husband Rob McCloughlan of Churchway.

Miranda Weller (SMS) and Matthew, who live in Halton, had a daughter, Lucy (sister for Alice, 19 months) on June 25 - a second grandchild for villager Wendy Weller. Villagers Dorothy and Peter Williams have plans for jetting off to visit their 11th grandchild, Nicholas, the first child of astrophysicist Jonathan Williams (SMS) and his wife Laura (a surgeon), who was born in Honolulu in March.

Birthday. Just days after his photo appeared on the front of The Bucks Herald (August 22 issue) as a Second World War I veteran commenting on the story about people being 'bribed' to register on the electoral roll, Gerald Stonley reached his 90th birthday.

The community-minded villager, who, among other things, hosts the monthly Veterans' Coffee Mornings, is vice-chairman of the Haddenham Museum Trust, was a founder member of the Haddenham Lodge of Freemasons and was chairman of the Haddenham appeals committee to raise funds for the building of Florence Nightingale Hospice, celebrated his birthday in style recently with a party in the Manor Farm tithe barn. With typical generosity, he asked guests not to bring him any presents but said they might, instead, like to make a donation to a charity of their own choice.

Marriages. Joseph Shields (a former pupil of Cuddington and Haddenham County Middle Schools), son of villagers Chris and Claude Shields, married Felicity (Fliss) Price in Cuba on July 12, with Joseph's younger sister Alice and Fliss's younger sister Harriet as bridesmaids. The couple, who live in Witney, held their reception in the UK last month.

Laura Drinkwater (CFS), daughter of former villagers Ann and Jim, was married to actuary Anthony Buck from Basingstoke at St Nicholas Church, Cuddington, on July 28. Laura met her husband at Bath University whilst studying for a Masters in biochemistry and is now completing a PhD at University College, London, whilst living in Redhill.

News has also reached me of two, earlier weddings: Julie Turner (SMS), daughter of villager Pam Turner, married Neil Halsey from Derbyshire on April 14 in London, with Julie's sister Diane (SMS) as maid of honour and nephew James, 3, as page boy. Julie and Neil have both been working in Montreal for the past four years and held a party there in June for their Canadian friends. Thomas Weller (SMS), brother of Miranda (see births), married Afia Khatun, who came to the UK from Bangladesh at the age of 5, in a ceremony in Aylesbury on June 14. The couple live in London, where Tom works in music publishing, dealing especially with copyright law.

Degrees. Here's news of more of this summer's new graduates: Rose Harris (CFS) has graduated from Warwick University with a BA Hons in English literature and creative writing. Rose was one of the first three Bucks members of the national Youth Parliament, who represented Aylesbury Vale for a year, before taking her GCSEs, at the annual parliamentary session in London and was a cabinet member for health and education. As part of her rewarding experiences as a youth MP, she helped with setting up new youth centres in Aylesbury and trained as a Connexions interviewer.

Having spent this summer as a temporary creative editor, writing for holiday brochures, Rose is planning to return to Warwick University this autumn to study for a Masters in English literature.

Zoe Parminter (SMS) has gained a degree in astrophysics at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is hoping to find work in the field of renewable energy. Suzanne Robinson (SMS), who is studying veterinary science at Cambridge University, was awarded a BA at an all-Latin graduation ceremony and is now embarking on the three years of post-graduate study.

Jeni Sullivan (CFS) has graduated from the University of Surrey with a BSc Hons in management and tourism. She is now working as a graduate talent sourcer at a health and safety recruitment company. Her older sister, Lindsay (CFS) has recently become a staff nurse at St George's Hospital, Tooting. Georgina Summerskill (CFS) has graduated from Derby University with a BA in theatre arts.

PARISH COUNCIL. At the September meeting, Phil Adlard was co-opted as a new councillor to fill one of the two vacancies. Phil works as a manager for Oxford City Council and moved into the village last year. He says he has become a parish councillor as he wants to 'help maintain the unique character of this special village'. Although he has only been living in Haddenham for a short while, he says that he can sense the pride that many villagers have in their surroundings and wants to help maintain this.

The council meeting report will follow in a future column.
BEER. Villagers will have been sad to learn (bhthemagazine August issue) that Haddenham has recently lost its brewery - the Vale Brewery - to Brill, where it now has facilities to brew six times a week instead of five times. Chris Young, chairman of the Haddenham Real Ale Festival 2007, said the beer festival had been set up in 2004 partly to complement the presence of a brewery in the village. In the past two years, since Pete Summerskill became 'beer man', virtually all the festival's beers, from a multitude of different breweries, have been bought (with money from sponsors) through the Vale Brewery, which has been able to keep the beers in its cold store until the day of the festival. Chris commented 'It's a shame they couldn't find suitable premises in Haddenham' although he hopes the brewery will continue to support the beer festival as before.

Plans are now underway for a trial Winter Beer Festival to be held in the Manor Farm tithe barn on December 8. This will be a much smaller and shorter event than the Real Ale Festival and will concentrate on darker, stronger beers. Volunteers are needed to help run this and also next year's fifth Real Ale Festival - contact Chris on 290269 if you can help.

The display on the history of Haddenham pubs, which comes right up to date with glasses and posters from the recent real Ale Festivals and also a Vale Brewery glass, is still at the museum (open Sundays 2-4.30pm and Tuesdays 10am-noon).

DISCO DANCING. Villager, former County First School pupil and research scientist Lyn-Louise Buckingham, who has been running Monday evening classes for 8-18 year olds at her Buckingham School of Disco Dancing for the past few years, is now introducing Saturday morning classes in the village for boys and girls aged 2-4 and 5-7 years, starting this Saturday. There are still places in the class for 5s-7s and she is holding a waiting list for the under-5s class. Lyn-Louise qualified with the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in 1998 and also holds a qualification with the International Dance Teachers Association. To book for any of her classes call her on 291164.

THIS WEEK. Visitors and/or prospective members will be welcome at any of the meetings/events publicised below.

Veterans' Coffee. Veterans of any conflict are welcome at the monthly coffee morning at 4 White Hart Lane tomorrow (10am-noon).
Breakfast Club. Karen Clarke, from the National Children's Home, is the speaker at the quarterly Breakfast Club on Saturday (8.30-9.30am) in the Baptist Schoolroom. Please ring Marjorie on 290060 to book a breakfast (£3).

Best Kept Village. The presentation to Haddenham of the Pushman cup for Best Kept Village 2007 (in the larger village category) will take place at Church End on Saturday at 12.30pm. The sign, which we will keep for a year, will also be sited there.

Globe Theatre. Those going on Haddenham Village Society's outing to the Globe Theatre on Saturday to see The Merchant of Venice are reminded that the coach leaves Church End at 9am and from Fort End at 9.05am.

Table Top Sale. CHUF (Chearsley and Haddenham Under Fives) is holding a sale on Saturday (9.30am-12.30pm) at the village hall and 50 per cent of the profit is being donated to Haddenham library for the children's section. To support the sale, the library will have a table there to sell withdrawn adult and children's library books, DVDs, spoken word cassettes and CDs.

In addition, Haddenham mum Monica Lewis will be selling her handmade jewellery and bags under the name Balanganda, villager Kerry Williams of Tanya's School of Dancing will have dancewear for sale and Haddas Handmade (preserves), Truly Madly Baby (baby clothes etc) and Phoenix Trading (greetings cards etc) will also have stalls. CHUF is running the cake stall and serving refreshments and CHUF mums and other individuals will have sale tables with toys, children's clothes and baby equipment but also household goods and bric-a-brac.

Line Dance. Pondarosa Line Dance Club's next social dance is on Saturday (8- 11pm) in the village hall. Entry is £5 - on the door. Please bring your own drinks and nibbles.

Quiz Haddenham Cricket Club is about to start its first ever quiz tour of Haddenham, the 'Autumn Test Series', to raise awareness of the club and its activities (by visiting the different parts of the village) and to raise funds for youth training. The tour comprises four monthly quizzes - one at each of the village pubs - and culminates in a Grand Christmas Quiz at the village hall on December 22. The first quiz is on Saturday (7.30pm) at the King's Head and this is followed by the Rose and Thistle (October 12), the Red Lion (November 10) and the Rising Sun (December 15). Although the club would like contestants to come to all the quizzes, there are no cumulative scores so if a team cannot attend one quiz, they will not lose out.

Harvest Festival. St Michael's and All Angels Church, Aston Sandford, is holding its Harvest Festival service on Friday (7pm). The normal monthly service is at 11am on Sunday and the church will then remain open for visitors to view the harvest decorations until 5pm. Afternoon teas will be served in the Manor Garden from 3pm.

St Mary's Church has its Harvest Festival service on Sunday (10.30am) and the Baptists will be celebrating harvest the same day with services at 10.15am and 6.15pm - they will be joined by Jennie Tebbutt, their link missionary with BMS World Mission from Afghanistan. The Methodists have their service on September 30.

Wesley Talk. Methodist minister the Rev Derick Chambers will be giving an illustrated talk about John and Charles Wesley, followed by a fish and chip supper, on Monday (6.30pm) at the Methodist chapel. Please call 291907 by Friday to book a place (£5).

Darby and Joan. The club will be holding its harvest festival next Wednesday (2pm) at the Youth and Community Centre, Woodways.
WI. Haddenham Witchert WI is having a surprise speaker at their meeting next Wednesday (8pm) at the Youth and Community Centre.
ARCHAEOLOGY. If there are any more people who would like to attend the seven week WEA course, Digging Deeper: More Archaeology with Dr Jill Eyers, starting on October 3 (2-4pm) in the Methodist Chapel, please contact Carole Fryer on 01296 748538 by next Wednesday to book.