Lost Key

A key has been found on the Masefield Crescent playing field.  It is very easily distinguished, so will be obvious who it belongs to.  Please contact 12 Masefield Crescent to identify it.

Gardening - Summer 2016

Martin Gulliver writes - What you do this summer depends very much on the weather - it would be nice to sit back and enjoy the garden, but being British we know that rain and sun will combine and the garden will burgeon, so...

• Keep on top of weeding and deadheading.  With the latter, as a general rule cut back to a lower bud(s)
• Trim the lawn regularly – little and often is best. If we get a hot spell and it goes brown, don’t worry – it will recover.
• Sow more salad crops if you are that way inclined...a few seeds once a fortnight will ensure a regular supply.
• If you have a greenhouse, keep it well ventilated. Water the floor in the mornings to keep the air humid and prevent red spider mite. 
• Keep containers well watered, especially hanging baskets.  In holiday time bring them all into the shade while you are away – they will survive with one or two watering in the week.

As perennials flower and fade, cut them back hard and you should get a second flush of growth.  Herbs can also be trimmed to keep them tidy, and the trimmings can be dried or frozen for future use.

Good Neighbours Scheme

The North East Abingdon Good Neighbours Scheme now covers the whole of Abingdon and they are always looking for new volunteers to offer help and support to elderly, vulnerable and isolated people in their own homes.  Tasks include shopping, gardening, collecting prescriptions, light housework and befriending. If you can offer any amount of time from an hour a week upwards, your help will be very welcome. to find out more, call 07956 019611 or email gns.nea@gmail.com.  You can also visit the Good Neighbours website at www.neagns.co.uk

Tesco River Path update

The Vale District Council have confirmed that they will arrange for the removal of the broken down barbed wire fence along the newly refurbished river path to Tescos.   We reminded them that there was a danger to children or dogs running over the barbed wire where it was lying on the ground, especially now that the path is used even more.

A Walk on the Wildside - Butterflies & Moths

With the warmer, sunnier weather my partner and I look out at our garden from different perspectives.  He tuts at the size of the buddleia and how it is taking over the garden.  I look at it and sigh at how many butterflies and other insects I can count in one go.  He is happy to humour me.  When the weather is calm and hot, take time to look for these essential pollinators when out and about.  I have been amazed at the variety of species I have spotted along the hedgerows around the fields of Mill Road.  Last year I took part in the Butterfly count http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/  and logged the species I spotted in one hour (15^th July- 7^th August 2016).  I was impressed with the number of people who had logged onto the website in our area.

You could make some ‘moth candy’, to get your children interested.  What you need is ; a big pan, a jar/pot, spoon, thick paintbrush, torch, brown sugar, treacle, fruit juice, water and cola.  Heat the ingredients in a pan on a low heat, stirring constantly until everything has dissolved, adding more water if it looks like sticking.  Stir until the ‘moth candy’ is thick and gooey.  When it has cooled, put it in a jar and using the paint brush add it to various objects around the garden; walls, tree trunks, fence posts or even an old sheet/towel or rope on a washing line.  When it is dark, go out with your torch and you hopefully will be amazed at the variety of moths.

Moths and butterflies are part of the order Lepidoptera, which means scaly wings.  Fossil records show moths date back to 140 million years and butterflies 40 million years.  Moths tend to be more plump and robust bodies and when at rest most keep their wings spread flat or folded like a tent over the bodies, whilst most butterflies fold their wings straight up above their back.

The local Wildlife Trust has lots of exciting children’s events in the summer including a Happy Valley picnic (8^th May), Oxford Festival of Nature (1 -14^th June) and Night Time Safari ( 10^th June).  Visit bbowt.org.uk/whats-on, for the full list of events.

Finally Dry Sandford nature reserve is a great place to spot butterflies and other insects around the ancient fossilised rocks that were once under the sea. You could even pop into the local pub afterwards to sample their ‘local nectar’.

By Max the Wildlife Watcher

Visit to the Energy Recovery Facility at Ardley ERF

I have sometimes wondered where everything goes that we put into our rubbish bins and, although I have always been an avid recycler and done the usual separated recycling, I would feel guilty about putting anything into the rubbish and on into landfill.

Then, through Abingdon Carbon Cutters, I heard about a visit to the Energy Recovery Facility which opened last November at Ardley, just north of Bicester where they have a new way of dealing with all the tons of rubbish we produce.

I visited it recently and was amazed.  It is a huge facility built by Viridor using state-of-the-art waste management technology developed in France and Germany.  We were welcomed with a very interesting talk, then split into two groups, donned protective clothing, and given a guided tour.  It was fascinating to see the massive 35m high structure and the miles of piping and cables.  The whole visit was really informative, very clean and not at all smelly, as I had expected!

The facility has two huge furnaces where the rubbish is burnt at 850ºC.  The hot air is then pumped out, cooled and purified and the steam produced during this process generates electricity, about 29 megawatts (MW) of which 3 MW are used to run the plant and the rest is fed into the National Grid.  This amount is capable of producing enough electricity to run 38,000 homes, and the infrastructure is already in place to provide central heating for Bicester Eco Town in the future.

This self-contained process produces about 10,000 tonnes of ash per year which is used for road building and can also be processed into carbon neutral breeze blocks for use in construction. Brilliant!

What is more, in the future they may be able to dig up and use the old landfill sites, and they can also burn the horrible plastics that can't go to into the recycling.

I have had to re-adjust my recycling habits since my visit as I wasn't aware of the different types of plastics and the way they should be recycled.  Plastics that make a 'crinkly' sound,i.e. salad bags, crisp packets, etc., I have now learnt, should go into rubbish.  The recyclenow website gives some more up-to-date information on what things go where.

I would thoroughly recommend a visit and tours can be arranged by contacting Alexandra Pyle, Waste Recycling Officer at the Vale on 01235 540566 or e-mail
Alexandra.Pyle@southandvale.gov.uk

The next visit will probably be 4^th August.  Viridor also have a great Visitors Centre, organize school visits and engineering apprenticeship schemes.

https://viridor.co.uk/assets/REDESIGN/ABOUT-US/PUBLICATION-PDFS/VIRIDOR-ERF.pdf

Gardening - the Garden in Spring 2016

Martin Gulliver writes - This is very much dependent on the weather - Spring can come early or late but this is a general guide:

• As snowdrops fade, split them up to increase stock.
• Prune and feed roses - cut back any dead or diseased stems and cut remaining stems back to a couple of outward facing buds above the ground on hybrid tea and floribunda roses.
• Cut back and feed perennials - they can also be split now when new growth is apparent.
• Sow hardy annuals now either direct in the ground or in pots to plant out later.
• Feed all borders – weed them first then apply a mulch.
• Top dress containers - scoop off the top 2” of soil and replace with fresh, and give them a feed.
• Start sowing early veg, including carrots, parsnips, radish and spring onions.
• Early potatoes that were chitted in February can be planted out now.
• Try sowing a few salad crops...sow in succession to get a steady supply.

Plant Swap

For all Tithe Farm and Ladygrove gardeners!!  There will be a Plant Swap on Saturday 21st May on the driveway at 39 Masefield Crescent between 3pm and 5pm ... 'come rain or shine'.  Bring along your extra plants, surplus seedlings or spare cuttings and be ready to 'swap' ..... all for FREE!!

Neighbourhood Watch - Policing Update May 2016

Cycle theft: There have been four reported cycle thefts from Abingdon town centre over the last month.  Please make sure you lock your bike if leaving it unattended.

On Sunday 10 April, PCSO Ali Blood attended The Freewheeling Spring Cycle Festival.  She spent the day security marking over 100 bicycles and offering crime prevention advice.  If you would like to have your bike security marked or would like more information on how to keep it safe, please get in contact with the neighbourhood team.

Shoplifting: There have been a few shoplifting offences over the last month.  The neighbourhood team will continue to patrol the town centre shops on a regular basis to try and deter theft.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB): On the whole ASB is still on the decrease.  We are still carrying out high-visibility patrols to disperse and deter any groups.  If you witness any ASB please call our non- emergency number 101 to report it.

Purse theft
: After several purse thefts were reported recently in Waitrose, Abingdon, PCSOs Ali Blood and Susie Shepherd spent much of their time during the first two weeks of April speaking to customers and handing out crime prevention advice and purse bells.  The neighbourhood team would like to remind you to keep your valuables safe and secure when you are out.  If you would like more information on safety and security, please get in contact with the neighbourhood team.

Parking close to road junctions: 
We have received complaints about cars being parked on Shelley Close, too close to the junction with Northcourt Road.  If you are using the facilities at Northcourt Road please park considerately.  It is advised that you do not park within 10 metres of a junction.  Any vehicle found to be an unsafe distance from the junction will be liable for a £30 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).  Parking near to a junction restricts a driver’s view of the road when pulling out and is also unsafe for pedestrians wanting to cross.

Community engagement:  On 20th May PCSO's Sylvia Davies and Clare Eddery will be attending Ambitious Day at Rush Common School in Abingdon, where the children will be learning about ‘ People who help’.

The Abingdon PCSO's have been attending Junior Citizens at the Oxford Fire Station over the last month. Year 6 children from all over Oxfordshire, including Abingdon, are put through different dangerous scenarios including internet safety, house fires, railway lines and stranger danger. It is a fun and interactive day and the children are taught how to keep themselves safe and call the emergency services.

'Have Your Say' meetings:

Have Your Say meetings are an ideal opportunity for local residents to speak to their local police officers and PCSOs about any local issues, no appointment is necessary just turn up and speak to your local officers. Upcoming Have Your Say meetings are:

•  Wednesday, 11 May 2016, 11am – 11.45am at the Vale of White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre, Audlett Drive, Abingdon with PCSO Sylvia Davies

•  Saturday, 28 May 2016, 11am – midday at Peachcroft Christian Centre, Lindsay Drive, Abingdon with PCSO Sylvia Davies.

Further meetings will be publicised locally and on the force website at www.thamesvalley.police.uk

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

Winter Quiz Results

Thank you and well done to all who entered the Points of the Compass quiz in the last newsletter – the winner was Jacqueline Scott of Wordsworth Road who won a box of chocolates.  Well done Jacqueline!!!The answers are: (1) Northern Lights, (2) East of Eden, (3) South Australia, (4) South Pacific, (5) West Side Story, (6) Southern Cross, (7) Great Western Railway, (8) North Sea route, (9) Eastenders, (10) South Pole, (11) La Fanciullia del West, (12) North Korea.