Abthorpe
John Riches 01327 857703
BRIDGET ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: AT morning services at churches throughout the Whittlewood Benefice (that consists of Abthorpe, Paulerspury, Slapton, Silverstone and Whittlebury), an announcement was made that our priest Canon Bridget Smith would retire on March 31, 2009.
After the service here in Abthorpe parishioners told Bridget how sad they are she is leaving.
£60,000+ RAISED: ABTHORPE farmers Elizabeth and Barry Haycock have for many years opened their home on the last Thursday in October to host a coffee event to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care.
Earlier this year, their fundraising achievements were celebrated when they were invited to see the Queen at Buckingham Palace and Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street.
But they refused to rest on their laurels and on the usual date, with the help of their many friends and neighbours, their home was once again full of stalls selling a huge variety of gifts and good things to eat.
Marea Roberts, the area fundraising manager for Marie Curie Cancer Care, explained while selling fresh fruit and vegetables that everyone present were hoping that Elizabeth and Barry would break the £60,000 barrier on the 60th anniversary of the charity's foundation.
Afterwards Elizabeth was delighted to announce that £6,446 had been raised and that the figure was still rising. Thanks to a lot of very generous people the £60k barrier had indeed been broken.
FISH & CHIP SUPPER: THE fish and chip supper organised by the Abthorpe Village Fund Group was a huge success.
A mobile fish and chip van was parked outside our village hall, and the proprietors dispensed delicious portions for a Saturday evening crowd waiting hungrily inside.
Ninety-one fish and chip suppers were served.
Some of these were taken to elderly people throughout the village who had been unable to make it to the hall.
The event raised money to finance Christmas parties for village children and senior citizens.

Akeley
Sherri Holland 01280 860486
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: A PARISH council meeting is being held on Monday, November 10 at 7.30pm at the village hall.
Villagers are more than welcome to attend and always have the chance to speak and raise issues in the public session at the beginning of the meeting.
BEAUJOLAIS EVENING: A BEAUJOLAIS Evening is being held on Saturday, November 22 at 8pm at the village hall.
Tickets now available from Sherri on 01280 860486 or Stan, priced at £6, to include a glass of wine and a buffet.
Come along and meet friends and neighbours old and new and, if Beaujolais isn't your tipple, don't worry as we have other wines, beer and soft drinks.
BUCKINGHAM ARTS FOR ALL: FOLLOWING the great success of its first painting competition, with 74 works entered by 37 artists, BAFA is presenting these works in the first annual exhibition in Akeley Village Hall over the weekend of November 14–16.
The preview evening, Friday, November 14, will be opened by John Bercow MP, at 7.30pm.
BAFA is hoping to welcome many visitors with an interest in art.
EXERCISE: ON Mondays from 1.45pm to 2.45pm (except the first Monday of the month) there is tai chi-based exercise at the village hall.
TABLE TENNIS: ON Thursdays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm there is table tennis at the village hall.
BINGO: THERE is bingo in the village hall on Monday, November 17 from 7.30pm to 9pm with host John Cowley.

Gawcott
Susanne Winterbottom 01280 821079
GAWCOTT CHRISTMAS FAYRE: A CHRISTMAS Fayre is being held tomorrow, Saturday, from 11am to 3pm in the village hall.
Free admission.
Come and enjoy a mince pie and glass of mulled wine while browsing the wide variety of stalls.
The Tingewick and Gawcott Pre-Schools will also be fundraising at the event.
For further information contact Katie on 01280 815840.
LADIES' FASHION SHOW: GAWCOTT Pre-School is holding a Ladies' Fashion Show on Tuesday, November 11 at 8pm in the village hall.
Branded names from Wallis, Per Una, M&S, BHS, Principles, Next and others.
A great showcase for recognised high street fashion names.
Entrance £5 on the door with a free glass of wine.

Great Horwood
Patricia Rudkin 01296 712930
FIREWORKS DISPLAY: GREAT Horwood School PTA and the Scout and Guide committee invite you to their annual fireworks display tomorrow, Saturday.
There will be hot snacks, mulled wine, hot chocolate and a raffle!
Gates open at 5.30pm.
Advance ticket prices are just £3 for adults and £2 for children, and all tickets purchased before the night will be entered into a free prize draw!
Prices at the gate will be £4 for adults and £3 for children. Under threes free.
No sparklers allowed.
Tickets are available from Great Horwood School, the Crown and the Swan or telephone 01296 712622 (during school time).
JOKERS WILD: THE next performance from Jokers Wild is a comedy play called Stage Struck, by John and Yvonne Eddleston.
Stage Struck is an hilarious comedy about a theatrical agency and a detective agency which are located in next door offices.
The similarity of the company names causes a local criminal gang a real headache when they mistakenly hide stolen goods in the wrong office.
Performances take place in the village hall today, Friday, and tomorrow, Saturday; doors open at 7.30pm.
Tickets £6.50 from Ian Lamberton on 01296 715968.
GREAT HORWOOD SILVER BAND: THE band is giving a Charity Concert in memory of Leslie Burchett, a band member for over 50 years, who sadly died earlier this year.
During his time he had taken on many positions – MD, bandmaster, solo cornet and euphonium.
The concert will be held in Buckingham Community Centre on Saturday, November 15 at 7.30pm.
Tickets are available at the door at £6, concessions £4.
There will be a raffle and light refreshments.
All proceeds will go to Diabetes UK and St Mary the Virgin Church, Thornborough.
PARISH COUNCIL MEETING: FULL minutes of the meeting held on October 13 are published on the parish council's website www.bucksinfo.net/greathorwoodpc
Matters arising included:
A joint meeting was arranged to get an update on the development in Aylesbury Vale.
In particular, any possible major developments in the neighbourhood of the Horwoods, including the possible planning application for the Winslow Green (Greenway LLP) on the old Horwood Airfield.
WREN had approved a grant for the new recreation ground of up to £50,000 and that it should now be possible to get equipment installed early in the new year.
An estimate of £295 has been received for felling and removing the tree on the green, but further advice is required on the cost of a suitable replacement.THE next parish council meeting is on Monday, November 10 at 7.15pm at the village hall.
Meetings are open to all and they include a period of public discussion, during which you may comment on agenda items or raise questions of your own.
The parish clerk, Duncan Trigg, can be contacted by email: dst.parishclerk@tiscali.co.uk
John Gilbey, chairman, Great Horwood Parish Council, email john@gilbey98.freeserve.co.uk.
YOGA: THE next yoga session will be on Monday, November 17 and will take place every Monday (except the second one in the month).
Contact Sarah on 01525 372136 for more information.
QUESTIONNAIRE: A QUESTIONNAIRE, as for the use of the old recreation area, was distributed, via Focus, to all households in the village.
Some of the suggestions were to provide a quiet area to sit; to rebuild as a recreation area; a wild flower meadow; build two or three bungalows for the elderly; tennis courts; car parking; or as a green burial ground.
The most popular idea was to turn it into allotments, but also to look into the feasibility to link the area, via a footpath, to the new recreation area.
It was agreed at the parish council meeting on October 13 that we would investigate with AVDC the feasibility of turning the area into allotments.
John Gilbey.

Lillingstone Lovell
Malcolm Jones 01280 860312
ANNUAL BINGO NIGHT: IT'S almost time once more for the Lillingstone Lovell annual bingo night.
This year it will be held on Saturday, December 6 in the village hall so make a note in your diaries.
The doors will be open at 7pm and 'eyes down' will be at 7.30pm.
Be early to make sure of getting a seat.
As usual there will be many super prizes for the winners of one line, two lines and a full house on every card.
Refreshments will be on offer during the interval and all proceeds will be donated to village funds.
Come and join us for what has always been an exciting and thoroughly enjoyable night.

Maids Moreton
Anita Matthews 01280 814358
CHURCH SERVICES: ON Sunday there is a Service of Remembrance with short Holy Communion starting at 10.30am.
This is followed by a Service of Prayer and Praise at 6pm.
Searchlights should meet at Maids Moreton School.
WHIST DRIVE: THE next whist drive will be next Friday, November 14, at 7.30pm in the village hall.
SOUP LUNCHES: THE next soup lunch will be on Friday, November 21 in the village hall at 12.15pm for 12.30pm.
MAIDS MORETON PRE-SCHOOL: THE committee is pleased to let people know that the school is one of the charities that you can help in the Waitrose charity boxes in the Buckingham store.
GRUMBLE GRANGE GROUP: WOULD members please note that the meeting dates have been revised to fit in with the Tidy Up Maids Moreton Campaign (TUMM).
The new dates are Tuesday, November 11 and November 25, leading up to the Grumble Grange Group Christmas Dinner and Dance at the Wheatsheaf on Friday, December 5.
TIDY UP MAIDS MORETON CAMPAIGN: THE organisers of TUMM would like to thank the many volunteers who turned up on a cold damp Sunday to help with this project.
Thanks also to Mrs M Davis for the excellent refreshments so generously served afterwards.
BAGS TO SCHOOL: MAIDS Moreton C of E Infant School is doing its yearly Bags To School collection on Tuesday, November 11.
All bags must be delivered to the school by 9.30am as collection is at 10am.
Please collect the following items – adults' and children's clothes, bedding, curtains, soft toys, shoes, belts and handbags.
No bric-a-brac please.
All proceeds raised will go towards school funds.
For further information call Annie Cook on 01280 701820.
CHRISTMAS FAYRE: MAIDS Moreton C of E School's Christmas Fayre is being held on Saturday, November 15 from 2pm to 4pm at the school hall.
Entrance is 50p per adult, children free.
There will be many stalls including Bodyshop, Phoenix cards, jewellery, bags, Usbourne books, toys and produce.
Plus much more.
There will also be mince pies and mulled wine, refreshments and a raffle.
VILLAGE VOICE: FOLLOWERS of this column may be interested to know that an unexpurgated version of the Village Voice report also appears on the Maids Moreton village web site along with additional information relating to the parish council and other activities taking place in the village.

Nash
June Horne 01908 501882
COFFEE MORNING: ALL Saints Church is hosting a coffee morning on Saturday, November 15 in the village hall from 10.30am to noon.
All the proceeds from the event will go towards the work of Dr Shirley Heywood and the International Nepal Fellowship.
Admission is 50p which covers coffee and biscuits.
There will be many stalls including home-made cakes and preserves, hand-made cards, plants, bring-and-buy and a raffle.
Everyone is most welcome to attend.

Padbury
Sue Wrigley 01280 814199
REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY: REMEMBRANCE Sunday is this coming Sunday, November 9, and at the Padbury war memorial in Main Street there will be an opportunity to lay poppies and observe the two minutes' silence at 11am.
This will be followed by the service of remembrance in St Mary's Church at 11.15am.
This act of remembrance is not just for those involved in both the world wars but also to remember the many conflicts since then, so please wear your poppy with pride.
ADSTOCK & PADBURY GARDEN CLUB: MEMBERS of Adstock & Padbury Garden Club will be meeting on Tuesday, November 11, in Adstock Village Hall to listen to a talk on The Gardens of Waddesdon Manor presented by head gardener Paul Farnell.
It will be really interesting to hear about what must be a huge amount of work to keep the gardens up to their high standard every year and we might possibly have a preview of what is being planned for the parterre next year.
The meeting will start at 8pm and new faces are always welcome.
For further information, or if you have any queries about the club generally, please contact Sue Crook on 01280 816505.
PADBURY WI: CHANGES are imminent at Padbury WI as their president, Debbie Forrest, is stepping down at the AGM which takes place on November 13 in the village hall starting at 7.30pm.
Caroline Dickens, the programme secretary, is in the process of finalising the programme for next year and there certainly seems to be a varied range of speakers booked.
This year has been highly successful in terms of attracting new members and if anyone would like to come along to the AGM (or as guests to the Christmas Party on December 11), the club would love to see you, but please could you telephone Pat Reilly, the secretary, so they have the numbers for catering purposes.
Visitors are very welcome to join the monthly meetings or the Walking and Sewing Groups and if you would like further information about Padbury WI, please ring Pat Reilly on 01280 823576.
SHOE BOX APPEAL: MANY of you have packed shoe boxes with appropriate gifts for the Shoe Box Appeal for several years now and, for those who are not aware, this scheme is the sending of shoe boxes filled with gifts to children around the world who have suffered because of war, natural disaster, poverty, illness or neglect.
You can help in one of three ways – either by preparing a gift-filled box, or by donating some gifts to put into a shoe box, or by giving money to help with transportation costs.
The closing date for the boxes to be received by the organisers is Friday, November 14.
The boxes are usually aimed at various age groups, so for further details please contact either Maureen French on 01296 713223 or Sarah Wakeman on 01280 814651.
SAFARI SUPPER: THE village's next Safari Supper takes place on Saturday, November 14 and tickets are £15 a head available from Sue or Nick Fane on 01280 823976. They will be able to give you lots of further details, where it starts and so on, plus the system for going to the various houses for different courses.
Sue or Nick would also be delighted to know if you fancy hosting a course – your costs are refunded.Give them a ring on their number above.
NEW INN QUIZ NIGHT: THE New Inn quiz night this month is on Sunday evening, November 16 (not the usual second Sunday in the month), starting at 8pm.
It's popular, so come early, either to join a group or bring a team of your own, and enjoy the convivial atmosphere as well as free nibbles!
BINGO & 100 PLUS CLUB: THERE is bingo this evening, Friday, in the village hall starting at 8pm when there will be a charity raffle for the PDSA.
If you are in the 100 Plus Club, you may well be a winner tonight when the monthly draw takes place just before the start of the bingo. Prizes are £100 and £50.
As ever, Shirley Lafford would be delighted to receive any donations of raffle prizes and she can be contacted on 01280 812535 if you have anything to offer.

Paulerspury
Coral Booth 01327 811606
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING EVENT: A CHRISTMAS shopping event is being held on Wednesday, November 19 at the village hall from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
An evening of shopping with a variety of local businesses offering unique gift ideas for Christmas presents or a treat for yourself.
The range of products available includes cards and stationery, mineral make-up, bath-time goodies, jewellery, handbags, toys, books, gifts, ceramics and much more.
Entrance and parking is free.
For more information contact Jill on 01327 858939 or Jayne on 01327 857851.

Syresham
Christina Munsey
COFFEE MORNING AND SALE IN AID OF FACEFAX: THERE will be a coffee morning and sale tomorrow, Saturday, from 10.30am until noon in Syresham Sunday School.
This will be held to raise money for the charity The FACEFAX Association, a national charity supporting people with face, head, neck and mouth cancer.
This is a very worthy cause so please support it if you can.
SALE AND COFFEE MORNING: GEORGE and Gerald will be having another coffee morning and sale on Saturday, November 15 from 10.30am until 1.30pm outside Syresham Chapel.
As always there will be books, toys, videos, bric-a-brac, furniture and lots more bargains.
Come along and browse the stalls and then enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat with friends.
GREEK EVENING: SYRESHAM Sports and Social Club is having a Greek Evening on Saturday, November 22 starting at 7pm.
A variety of delicious Greek dishes will be served for you to try and enjoy.

Tingewick
Joanna Brown 01280 847479
CHARITY DINNER & AUCTION: ON November 22, Buckingham Ladies' Circle is holding a black tie dinner and charity auction to raise money for a foetal monitor at the Horton Hospital and the Stillborn and Neonatal Death Society.
Items up for auction include signed Formula 1 memorabilia, a dinner party from the Buckingham Deli and much more.
The event is in memory of Emily Collyer, daughter of Corrine and Andrew Collyer from Tingewick.
Tickets are £35 (to include a three-course meal) and are available from Mrs Collyer on 01280 847059.
PARTY IN THE PADDOCK: A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported this year's Party in the Paddock.
They raised a stunning £32,000 which will be divided between Macmillan Cancer Support, Florence Nightingale Hospice and the Oxford Kidney Unit.
BINGO: TOMORROW, Saturday, at 8pm, it's bingo in the village hall.
Contact Katy Whitton on 01280 848439 for more information.
CROWN INN: THE newly-refurbished Crown Inn on Main Street will be holding a karaoke night tomorrow, Saturday, starting at 9pm.
Also, the second Tuesday of every month is quiz night.
Details on 01280 847779.
REFUSE FREIGHTER: THE refuse freighter will be in the village hall car park from 7.30am to 11.30am on Wednesday, November 12.
WHIST DRIVE: THE next whist drive will be held on Wednesday, November 12 in the village hall starting at 7.30pm.
For more information call 01280 847088.
STOWE GARDEN TALK: ON Wednesday, November 12 at 8pm, the Tingewick & Water Stratford Horticultural Society will be holding a talk with slides in the Old School, Water Stratford.
The topic will be the restoration of Stowe Gardens.
Wine and nibbles will also be available.
Contact Pat Swinburne on 01280 847764 for more information.
FIREWORKS DISPLAY & TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION: THE annual bonfire and fireworks will be on Sunday, November 9 with the traditional torchlit procession through the village.
The procession will start at the PSP Auction Rooms on Main Street at 6.15pm and culminate in a bonfire and fireworks display at The Royal Oak.
Admission is free.
A disco, toffee apples, pig roast and roast chestnuts will be available.
More details on 01280 848373.
CHURCH SERVICES: ON Sunday, November 9, there will be a service of Remembrance at the war memorial located at Tingewick Church, starting at 10.50am.

Twyford
Julia Cook 01296 738810
DISCO: THERE will be a '60s, '70s and '80s disco on Saturday, November 22, from 8pm to late at the village hall to raise money for St Mary's Church.
Come dressed for your era.
There will be prizes, a bar and nibbles.
Tickets are £7 in advance, or £7.50 on the night, and are available from Kate Boughton on 01296 738875 or Julia Cook on 01296 738810.

Wappenham
Jane Harries 01327 860350
REMEMBRANCE: THERE will be an Act of Remembrance at the service at St Mary's this Sunday, November 8, at 11am with Holy Communion.