Mick Watkins of the English Carpet Bowls Association came from Suffolk today to introduce a keen group of parishioners to indoor “carpet” bowls in the Village Hall. Over twenty people came along, including children. After a demonstration of how it should be done, we all had a go, with varying degrees of success! Everyone enjoyed a really fun afternoon and we are now going to set up a Bowls Club. Many thanks to Mick for making it so enjoyable, if not exactly easy!

Over 20 people enjoyed a sunny picnic and children hunted for wildflowers in the meadow.

You lose a pub, and, if you’re really lucky, you get a pop-up restaurant instead…Not knowing quite what to expect I was delighted to find that we were going to be dining “en famille” or perhaps better “en village” at two long tables, meeting – and making- friends, and being excellently waited on by Pippa’s children. The menu was slightly exotic and in some cases intriguing! Were Moroccan chickpeas going to be decidedly different, and how do the Lebanese cook their chicken? – but the results were tasty and enjoyable. Pippa’s Pop-Up is transforming itself into the South Hinksey Supper Club and hopes to meet again, we are told, in mid-April.

Jo Slater