The Editorial Team

EDITOR - JILL BURTON
David Burton - Euan Stevenson - Sean Clarke - Cynthia Davies

Please remember that the Oracle has no reporters. We rely on individuals or representatives of our village’s many organisations to write contributions and e-mail them to editor@overton-on-dee.co.uk or leave them at the Corner Shop. So if you think there is something that should be in the Oracle or your organisation is not mentioned - do something about it! Write something for the Oracle!

EMAIL YOUR STORIES TO EDITOR@OVERTON-ON-DEE.CO.UK

Volume 11. Issue 5 May 2009

HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY, MAY

A very happy Birthday to Overton’s oldest resident.
May Worthington celebrates her 100th birthday on 4th May!
May lives on Parkside and will be celebrating her special birthday with her family and friends.

OVERTON VILLAGE FETE 2009

The 2009 fete will be on Saturday June 27th.
After last years resounding success the Overton Village fete will again promote all aspects of our village life and bring the community together. We would like to build on last years success and make the 2009 fete even bigger and better!.

This will raise more awareness of the diverse facilities clubs, businesses and projects which exist within our village and the neighbourhood, and provide a fun day out for everyone in the village. There will be a bouncy castle, refreshments, stalls, a fancy dress competition, races and games for children (and adults!). This year we will also have an army assault course for those athletic members of the community.

Once again our fete will be different in that instead of one group within the village running it to raise funds for their needs, it will be a community project, involving everyone.

Every club / organisation / church / business / charity within the village is invited to participate. This could involve either running a stall, (the profits of which will be for your business*, group, club or any chosen charity) or displaying a stand / promotion table simply setting out who you are, what you do and how to join. Our village offers huge wealth of opportunities and a community fete is the ideal way to promote them.
But we can’t do without you!
If you are interested in taking part, please contact Joanne (Fete Coordinator 01978 710624) or Katrina (Clerk to the Overton Community Council on 01978 710055 or email occ.clerk@btinternet.com) by May 31st.
* This year we would ask that all commercial /business stalls donate 10% of their profits on the day to our fete fund—this will help us run the event every year.

Ramblings From the Rectory
by David Lewis

Dear Friends,
A bishop was astonished to hear little Mary say that a person must be brave these days to go to church. ‘Why do you think that’, he asked?

‘Well’, said Mary, “I heard my uncle tell my aunt last Sunday that there was a canon in the pulpit, that the choir murdered the anthem and that the organist drowned the choir”!
On Easter Saturday, over 40 people joined us in St Mary’s for our Easter Messy Church, and hopefully they came away with better memories than the above people. We made Easter baskets, painted eggs, made Easter chicks and finally had an Easter egg hunt in the church. It was great fun. Fifty eggs were hidden around church, but it didn’t take long for our intrepid hunters to search them out!

Hearing the laughter in St Mary’s that morning, reminds me of the joy and hope that Easter brings. By rising from the dead, Jesus offers us all his new life and hope. We just have to open our hearts to him.

We hope to hold another messy church in the summer, so come and join us. And why not join us for one of our family services on 10th May and 24th May in St Mary’s at 11:30 and share in the Easter joy.
Your friend and Rector
David

PS Thank you to everyone who made our church of St Mary’s look so beautiful for Easter. The church looked so clean and the flowers were magnificent.

COUNTRY BEAT
by Constable Luke Hughes

Garden Crime - Nip it in the Bud
Many people leave valuable equipment like power tools, mowers, garden tools, mountain bikes and golf clubs, in gardens and unsecured sheds, providing easy pickings for opportunist thieves. These stolen items could then often be used by the intruder to break into your house.

The boundaries of your property are your first line of defence against burglars. Keep gates, fences and walls in good repair. Rear garden fences should be high enough to make climbing them difficult. Add a trellis for additional height
• Position side gates as close to the front of the house as possible so thieves are in full view of the neighbours
• Keep gates locked at all times
• Use external lighting
• Use ‘Defensive Planting’ - prickly plants & shrubs
• Keep your shed in good condition, fit a closed shackle padlock to the door. Fittings should be bolted through the door, screws concealed, fit grilles or mesh to the windows, invest in an alarm.
• Ensure garden tools are locked away after use, they could be used to force entry into your home.
• Secure valuable items to a strong anchor point, such as metal rings fixed in concrete to the shed floor. Large items such as bicycles can be chained together, and mark all with your postcode.
• Check household insurance policies to ensure they cover garden and shed equipment.
• Ladders should be locked to a secure fixture in the shed or garage so they cannot be used by intruders to reach top floor windows of your house.
Overton Police Station, Station Road , Overton Wrexham LL13 0EF Telephone: 0845 607 1002 ext: 48425
E-Mail : Luke.Hughes@nthwales.pnn.police.uk

OVERTON MEDICAL PRACTICE

Overton Surgery is now able to offer Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests carried out in the surgery. This saves patients having to go to the Maelor Hospital and spend several hours there whilst the procedure is carried out. Patients are requested to spend 2 hrs waiting in the surgery from start to finish but at least you are probably amongst people you know and if you bring some reading material the time will pass quickly. Anyone taking this test will be given a full comprehensive guide to know exactly what is being done, nothing too complicated or stressful to get worried about.
Fasting blood tests are often essential for the doctors to understand patients problems. For the purpose of blood samples, when requested to make a ‘fasting blood’ appointment we try to get the patient in as early as possible. This is because you are requested to not eat or drink for 14 hours prior to the time of your blood test. The only exception is that you may drink tap water. Please also make sure you take your medication at the normal time but nothing else.

When you are off work sick the government system allows you to ‘self certify’ your sickness, or time off work, for a period of 7 calendar days. The forms are obtainable from the surgery and are filled in by yourself with no need to see a doctor or have a signature from them. This is a lawful practise and employers should accept them without asking for a sick note from a doctor. There are leaflets explaining how this procedure works and if employers are difficult and insist on a ‘doctor’s sick note’ it is within the rights of the surgery to charge £15.00 for this. In some cases employers will re-imburse you. It is not a requirement for the doctor to issue a back to work certificate either. When the time period on your sick note comes to an end you either go back to work or request another sick note. Depending on the circumstances you may or may not be asked to come in and see the doctor.

There are two Bank Holidays in May. Should you need medical assistance there is the backup provided by NEWDOC, the details are given in the phone message when you ring Overton surgery. Their number is 01244 834999.

Overton Amateur Dramatic Society & Twinning Association

Come and join us and relive the ‘Grooviest’ decade at our latest themed banquet at Overton Village Hall on June 20th 2009.
DOORS OPEN 7.30PM, FUN STARTING AT 7.45PM
DRESS CODE – FABULOUS 1970’S
‘BRING YOUR OWN DRINKS’ EVENING AND DON’T FORGET SOME LOOSE CHANGE!
Evening to include celebrity guest appearances & themed game show, welcome drink, three-course supper, entertainment and much much more!
Tickets £15 available from Saturday 16th May at 9.30am from 13 Bangor Rd, Overton
Details from Glynis 710455 or Kay 710537

Kids Kolumn
by Alice Foster, Lydia Biggs and Lottie Blake

Hi, we hope you have had a great Easter and have enjoyed your eggs.

Ask Alice
Q: Hi I’ve moved high schools to somewhere that I know more people but I haven’t been put in a form with any of them. Heather.

Hi Heather why don’t you talk to your headmaster/mistress or your form teacher and ask to be put in the same form as some of your friends. If that doesn’t work you can see your friends at break times.

LAUGH WITH LYDIA
How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?
• Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door.
How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?
• Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door.
The Lion King is hosting an animal meeting. All the animals attend .... Except one. Which animal does not attend?
• The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there !
There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?
• You jump into the river and swim across. Have you not been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting.

Lottie’s Pet of the Month

Animal: Chinchilla.

The scientific name for Chinchillas is Chinchilla Lanigera. On a more practical note - Chinchillas usually live to about 15 years, though some may survive as long as 18-22 years. A Chinchilla usually measures about 10-14 inches in body length about, with a tail length of another 5-6 inches or so.

Reviews Review: Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

PG Film Rating: 4.5/5
This film is very enjoyable and will leave you bursting with laughter.
Plot: When a Shopping Mall is taken over by a gang of organised crooks, its up to the mild mannered security guard Paul Blart to save the day.

OVERTON FILM CLUB

After the very well-attended screening of 'Saving Grace' in January, Overton Film Club is back. The next screening event is planned for Friday 15th May 2009, another great film will be offered for your viewing pleasure at the Village Hall. We have professional cinema-standard kit, including projector and sound system. The film is 'Hope and Glory' (1987; certificate 15; written & directed by John Boorman), the moving and hilarious story of a boy growing up in London during the Blitz. Based on Boorman's own experiences, the film is a celebration of the human spirit. It won numerous awards and has continued to delight audiences all over the world.

As usual, come and enjoy a vino, ale or coca cola etc at the bar in our Village Hall before hand. Pork baps will be available if enough demand warrants it - last time 60 of our patrons enjoyed one! Doors open at 7 pm, screening at 8 pm. Entry is £3.50 per adult, £2.50 pensioners and £1.50 children, pork baps fresh, hot, and to order, with crackle/stuffing/apple sauce options @ £2.50 each. Its a good bargain night out!

If you can all bring 5 friends each, so much the better! …..
If the Film Club is to survive, it needs your support. Please come!

SCHOOL NEWS

The swimming team at St Mary's School in Overton-on-Dee are celebrating after winning the inter school swimming gala at the Maelor School in Penley. They went on to represent the Penley feeder schools at the county finals in Wrexham in April.

Pupils also raised over £200 for comic relief by holding a fun activity day. Pupils played staff at football, took part in aerobic dance sessions and organised a grand raffle.

Year 6 have had a go at being architects and builders; under the guidance of Careers Wales representative Mr Harvey Jones, they made a scale model of the school out of LEGO, utilising a number of skills such as teambuilding, measuring and design.

Year 3 pupils from St Mary’s School gained a fantastic experience from their trip to the Grosvenor Museum. The pupils enjoyed a Roman Tour of sites in the City. They marched with a Roman soldier in full armour as he showed you round the mighty Fortress of Deva. Pupils saw the amphitheatre, the walls, the Roman Gardens and other surviving evidence of the time. Pupils handled real artefacts, made mosaics, learnt from a skeleton and examined replica armour.

OVERTON. V. P . SCHOOL REUNION

It is hoped that the above reunion is set to take place on the 11th September at the village hall, in the presence of Mrs Joan Vernon ( nee Miss Joan Pearce). But more names are still needed to make the event possible.

If you were in one of Miss Pearce’s classes between 1949 - 1960 and have not already indicated your interest, please do so now by ringing Dave Austin Tel:- 01978 710678 or E-Mail DvAust@aol.com, before 16th May.

Don’t miss this nostalgic evening of:-
MEET + GREET MEMORABILIA BUFFET ENTERTAINMENT BAR

DON’T DELAY-----RING TODAY.

OVERTON HAS TALENT

Calling all Aspiring Overtonian Performers ‘Overton’s Got Talent!’
St Mary’s Church is organising an evening for anyone wishing to perform a musical piece
or short acting / poetry recital.
All ages, skills & types of performance welcome
You need to live in or around Overton, Penley and Erbistock or have a link (however tenuous) with the area. The event will be held in St Mary’s Church on 13th November and will be fundraising for the Church as well as a social evening.
For more information and an application form, please contact Helen Belton on 01978 711 970 or helen1210@hotmail.co.uk
(if emailing, please mention ‘Overton’s Got Talent’ in the subject box)

Play Centre News

Huge thanks must go to all those people who helped our charity bag packing events. We made over £560 from the Stan’s collection plus more at Somerfield, so thanks very much and a huge thanks to both shops.
We also had an extremely successful pamper night in the White Horse in the village where we luxuriated with treatments from consultants at the Body Shop. We made well over £450, so a big thank you to all of you who came to support us.
If you are having a clear out of your wardrobes and cupboards we would be happy to help you remove your unwanted goods. We are again having a Bag2school collection on 24th June. With your support we could raise £400 per ton collected for the Play Centre. The following goods can be included: Adult and children’s clothing, shoes, belts, handbags, curtains, soft furnishings, bedding, linen and soft toys (NO bric a brac thanks). These can be put in black bin bags or the special collection bags which we may be putting through your doors! I will be happy to collect full bags from your homes up to and including the 23rd June, if you call and arrange it with me. Alternatively, please bring to the Play Centre. This was a great fundraiser for us last year, so we hope that you will be able to support us again. Many thanks, Andrea Buttress Tel: 710246

Scouts Reunion 16th May
at the White Horse 8pm till late

Overton Scouts will be welcoming leaders, ex leaders, scouts and ex scouts (over 18) and helpers plus their partners to a reunion upstairs in the White Horse on Saturday May 16th. If a member of your family or a friend was involved in any capacity in the group at any time from 1909 till now, please let them know and get them to come along. We look forward to seeing them all.

Are you interested in Overton History?
An Overton History Society has been suggested. If you would be interested, e-mail the Oracle.

Adventure racer Tom Hodgkinson has been selected for his age category to represent GB at the European Durathon Championships in Budapest Hungary at the end of May. Local business sponsors are sought to help get Tom there. Over the weekend 18/19 April Tom and Yvie teamed up at the iROC adventure race in Weardale to take part in 6 adventure races.
Tom finished 6th & 12th overall in his first 2 races of mountain bike time trial and orienteering but unfortunately came off his bike on the 3rd race. Yvie finished 15th female, 6th female and 5th female which included a 15km trail run, a night orienteer race and a night trail race. The mixed pair successfully saved a win in their category.

THE OVERTON ORACLE
Notice of the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 13th May 2009 at 7.30 pm
Overton Scout Hut All Welcome