OPEN GARDENS: The open gardens event designed by members of the garden club was felt to have been a success, though numbers were not quite as high as expected. It was a hot afternoon and this may have deterred some older residents who, under more normal circumstances, might have enjoyed an afternoon of visiting neighbours' gardens and taking tea in several of them. Secretary Edith Capell, in announcing the raising of £400 for the village hall appeal fund, spoke admiringly of the energy and commitment shown by the society's members in getting their gardens ready for inspection.

SOCIAL TEA: The monthly Cameo tea (second Wednesday in every month at 3pm in St James' Church) was again well attended with upwards of 20 people sitting chatting and consuming tea and home-made cakes.

PARISH COUNCIL: The parish council (now meeting on the second, not third, Wednesday evening of every month) began, as usual, with a public forum which was used by several residents to voice, emphatically, their alarm at what they see as a threat to build a new village hall at the back of their properties along Village Street. It was pointed out by chairman Clive Allen that the monthly council meeting was not the place for such a statement to be made - the village hall management committee is the body dealing with the whole question of the new village hall, - but he allowed Cllr John Redman to respond to the queries and complaints. Cllr Redman re-stated the instructions given at the time of the public meeting to the district valuer to seek out a piece of land as near as possible to the present village hall, bigger and with access from the main through-road and within the village's means. When this has been done and due reference made to the district planning committee, then, the matter will be put before the village at another open meeting and residents' views sought as promised. The meeting went on to deal with numerous items such as the on-going difficulty of dealing with the disposal of garden waste.

LITTER PICK: The village litter-pick was well supported by a pleasing number of village people, a fact which clearly impressed the chairman of Wychavon District Council, who had come to see what support was being given to the scheme. Cllr Redman was delighted that the morning's efforts will earn a handsome sum for the village hall appeal fund.

Another successful fund-raising event took place on Saturday evening, this time in aid of St James' Church funds. This was an evening garden party at the home of churchwarden Sophie Dodds who, together with helpers from the church, entertained 80 guests to a buffer supper. Balmy weather and the background of music provided by the duo Morning Dew all added to the pleasure of the evening.