Dear all,
 
Here is a flyer for this Sunday's concert at St Giles Church in Great Coxwell.  Some of you will remember Irena as a young girl, coming regularly to Stonevale to give concerts.  Irena is now a sought after and very established pianist, playing regular concerts.  Hope to see you there!
 
Best wishes,
Lynette
​

Don't miss this afternoon's concert and talk at St Giles' Church, starting at 4pm.  Since being diagnosed with breast cancer and focal dystonia in 2012 and Parkinson's Disease in 2018, Nina Schumann has drawn on her status as one of South Africa's foremost concert pianists to raise awareness about living with these conditions, while providing support and guidance to musicians and non-musicians navigating similar challenges.   Tickets are available on the link, but also at the door with the usual donation box.  I really want to fill the church for her but also to further our chances of getting the bathroom and kitchen sorted in the church.  
 
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/stonevalemusic/nina-schumann-music-and-ilnesses/e-pqmkyz

The Friends of St. Giles is delighted to announce their new charitable status to support the 12th century church in Great Coxwell.

The charity will run independent of the Church and Parochial Church Council (PCC) and be governed by the Trustees who are committed to raising fund for maintenance, repair and improvement of the church.

Dating back to the 12th century, the Parish of St. Giles church has been essential to Great Coxwell's history with early records indicating it was gifted to the Cistercian Abbey by King John.

Friends of Saint Giles would like to help the Church remain available to the village for both religious and secular events by ensuring maintenance and repair and continuing improvement to benefit the Great Coxwell community.

Immediate plans are to rebuild the roof which will require substantial funding. The Friends of St. Giles will organise and oversee fundraising activities over the coming years.

Membership of the Friends is open to anyone who wants to join, fundraise and support the charities goals. Alternatively, we would greatly appreciate any contributions to help rebuild our roof. If you would like to donate, please contact the Treasurer of the FOSG ([email protected]) or visit the church and collect a leaflet.
​

Following on from pancakes on Shrove Tuesday tomorrow, there will be a service in the church at 7pm on Wednesday to mark Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.
 
We hope you will join us.

Many apologies, we have to postpone the concert on Sunday the 9th of March,  as the singer is unwell.  I will keep you posted for another date in the future.

Please click here for details of March concerts at St Giles.

Best wishes,
Lynette

Dear all,

I usually send an email about just one concert, but there are so many amazing concerts coming up, that I would rather share the link with you.

In short:
Sunday 2nd of Feb at 4 pm - Manus Noble (guitar)
Sunday 9th of March at 4 pm - Voice, Clarinet and Piano
Friday 14th of March at 7 pm - Young stars from Abingdon School
Sunday 16th of March at 4 pm - Nina Schumann, a wonderful pianist, sharing her inspiring story of living with Parkinsons as well as focal dystonia and still playing, a talk and music.
Sunday 27th of April at 4 pm - Pavlova Quintet
 
For more information and to book your tickets, please follow this link:
 
https://www.whitehorseconcerts.co.uk/stonevaleconcerts.

Please let me know if you would rather like to leave a donation at the church, and reserve a seat, as that is also fine. Please share this with as many people as you can, as I am trying to build the numbers but also make as much money for the artists and the church roof fund.
 
Next year will be the 20th year of running Stonevale Concerts, and we are approaching 200 - quite amazing.
 
Best wishes,
Lynette

​Today the garden was shining with frost and deceptively still. It may look as if no animals are here apart from the birds but most of the creatures are hidden.

The grass, cut short at the end of the summer, offers protection for some to overwinter out of sight.  Bumblebees are deep in the soil in the wax lined cells they make in autumn. Butterfly and moth chrysalises wait attached to stalks, adult grasshoppers die but their unhatched eggs survive underground.

The scrub areas and stone piles provide shelter for other invertebrates, beetles, slugs, snails. and spiders. On warmer days worms will come to the surface and pull dead leaves down.

In 2022 we sowed patches of yellow rattle. It parasitises the grass, reducing its vigour to make more room for the wildflowers. It flowered in profusion last summer.  As it is an annual we are hoping it will be setting its seed now. Last summer also produced a record number of pyramidal orchids. The committee is always interested to hear of unusual wildlife sightings or photos to add to our records.

You will see that we have planted two new trees. One is a hybrid Rowan, Sorbus hupehensis, bearing pale pink berries and the other a hybrid Hawthorn Crataegus punctata ‘Ohio’, with showy berries and larger than average leaves. Inevitably, we have been visited by deer so have created some wire shelters for all the new trees. A few more spring bulbs have also gone in.

We welcomed a new professional gardener, Allan O’Connor, this year. He installed the sundial in June and mowed and strimmed the paths and meadows all year. In January and February, he will cut the hedges and clear some ivy. The nest boxes must be cleaned out before St Valentines Day. Come Art Weeks we hope the garden will be in good heart and draw its usual complement of appreciative visitors.

If you would like to support the Contemplation Garden please do be in touch with, churchwarden Pat Cook, email - [email protected]

The Christmas tree is up in the church, thanks to the generosity of Sue and Barry.  Please go and enjoy it.
 
As the Christmas Day services this year will be in Coleshill (9 am) and Eaton Hastings (10.30) we have an additional Holy Communion service here next Sunday, 22nd, at 10.30 - with carols.  Do take a break from wrapping presents, etc and come and join us at this special time of the year.
​

I have just had to "put pen to paper" metaphorically, so say a big "thank you" to Jo, Pauline and all those who had helped put on the village Christmas Fayre!  Yesterday, Mike and I came back from a peaceful and friendly Holy Communion Benefice Service at Eaton Hastings and walked down to the Reading Room and our feeling of well being continued as we walked into the Reading Room where we were absolutely bowled over by the transformation that had taken place there.  
The atmosphere was so warm and friendly - the displays, the colours and the goodies for sale were perfect and so enticing!  It was lovely to hear folk's laughter and chatter! We walked round two or three times absorbing the sights, stopping at each display - we did managed a glass - Mike bubbly Elderflower and I "just" managed a glass of Prosecco! The raffle was essential to try our "luck" on and we looked at the furniture which was so tempting that we came home with a small table - thank you!
The occasion was perfect and I'm sorry for anyone who missed it! I'll end by saying once more - THANK YOU!!
Judy Heathcoat, Jemima, Puddleduck Lane

Thanks for this Judy - I have also added some of the photos taken at the event kindly shared by people on the village WhatsApp, if anyone else has photos they'd be happy to share please let me know  by email to [email protected]
​