The village phone box book exchange has been refreshened.  All the old unloved, damaged books and those showing signs of damp have been removed, the shelves have been tidied and around 50 new books installed.  There’s lots of great books for children and for young adults.  Plus quite a few contemporary biographies and dozens of novels.  
 
Have a look before they all go!!
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The Great Coxwell band will play some carols at Stonevale, at 4pm on the 24th.   Please join us at a distance with instruments/ singing or just bring a glass of wine. I am including a list to those who might decide to join in - it looks very long, but we are only playing one verse at quite a pace, so it will be music making for no more than 20-30 minutes.  And if you are walking past, you will know which carol comes next, according to our list!  (Weather looks cold but sunny).
 
Carols:
1. Away in a Manger (G)
2. Coventry Carol (g)
3. First Nowell (G)
4. God Rest You Merry Gentleman (e)
5. Good Christian Men Rejoice (F)
6. Good King Wenceslas (G)
7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (G)
8. The Holly and the Ivy (G)
9. I Saw Three Ships (G)
10. Jingle Bells (C)
11. O Come, all ye faithful (G)
12. Once in Royal David's City (G)
13. Silent Night (C)
14. Unto us a boy is born (C)
15. We Three Kings (e)
16. While shepherds watched their flocks (G)
17. Away in a manger (A) - yes for the second time, different key arrangement!
18. Deck the hall with boughs of holly (A)
19. Jingle Bells (A)
20. O little town of Bethlehem (G)
21. Sleigh Ride (Bflat)
22.  We wish you a Merry Christmas (C)
 
Hope to see you on Thursday!
Lynette

As we are in Tier 2, outdoor carol singing is permitted, but please keep a 2 metre distance between yourselves and those who are not in your household, and feel free to wear a mask if you feel safer (it is quite good in holding off the cold as well).  

Full guidance details here, please stay safe and do not put yourself or others at risk.

www.gov.uk/guidance/guidance-for-the-christmas-period#carol-singing

I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all the young ones (every one is young when you are in your eighties) for all the lovely things they have done during the year, from Easter eggs to mince pies and everything in between. The village has always come together for royal celebrations, Christmas parties and some great money raising ideas.

​It is great to know this is continuing with the next generation!
 
We are so lucky to live in this village with such caring people who make these horrible times so much easier.

Judy Gregson
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Save the date!

4pm next Sunday 20th December come out to your doorsteps with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie to toast your neighbours and enjoy a Great Coxwell Christmas lockdown style!

The "Elf Isolation" team will be dropping something off on Saturday 19th to help you celebrate.

There are still places available for the Great Coxwell  Zoom Christmas Quiz on Saturday 19th December at 19:00pm.  There will be a mix of General Knowledge, Christmas Themed and Village questions to get the little grey cells going.  Entry is £5 per team (a team of 1 is fine as unfortunately we can’t get together indoors) and you will be sent the Zoom link so that you can join.  If you would like to take part please either e-mail Pam Holley at [email protected] or drop a note to Winterbourne with the e-mail address that you would like the zoom link sent and the £5 entry fee by the end of Thursday (17th Dec) so that all the final arrangements can be made.
 
Thanks
Pam

The village has been very generous with donations for the raffle this year and you can see there are some great prizes to be won.

There is still time to buy your tickets, they are available to buy until tomorrow (Thursday 17th).

​£1.00 per ticket, please call Pam Smith on 240233

Roll up roll up!
​
Many thanks to all of you who have donated prizes so generously to the village Christmas raffle. The prizes will be on show later this week but in the meantime if you would like to take part and buy your tickets please:

call Pam Smith on 240233 to purchase your tickets at £1 each.
 
Please pass this on to those who don't get the newsletter, good luck!

Dear Villagers,
 
During this long and unusual year, one constant, as always in Great Coxwell; has been our wonderful caring community.  
 
With Christmas fast approaching and our village traditions sadly missing from the 2020 calendar; the Community Fund, the Village Support Group and the WI have joined forces with a plan to 'socially distance' and raise a glass to our neighbours.
 
We would like to create a dazzling display and light up the village.  If you would like to join us, illuminate your doors, decorate your windows or front gardens, and at 4pm next Sunday 20th December (like clap for carers), come out to your doorsteps with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie to toast your neighbours and enjoy a Great Coxwell Christmas lockdown style!
 
Don't worry about going out and buying anything, keep an eye out for Santa's elves in the village on Saturday 19th December who will be delivering a little something to your doorstep.  Very generously donated with the use of the Community Fund.
 
Please mention this to anyone you know who doesn't get the village newsletter.
 
Happy Christmas!
​

To mark their 21st Anniversary the challenge was to do a specific thing 21 times. We decided that we would walk our two donkeys, Dora and Fee, around their paddock and so far they have reached 38 circuits and they are still going strong.

The audience of cows was always fun and we would find them all lined up at the fence waiting for us when we took the donkeys out in the morning. If it gets windy Dora gets very excited when the wind blows into her big ears and they both get quite boisterous when we walk them in opposite directions round the field particularly if they meet in the middle and are then asked to carry on walking away from each other.

Please support this Air Ambulance appeal by donating online at www.tvairambulance.org.uk/donate or by phone 0300 999 0135 .

Many thanks for your support, Angela and Peter Scales-not forgetting Dora and Fee.