Crafts, Training, Workshops

The Art of Spring Clearing with a Tidy Mind by Caroline Cahit

At our April meeting, Caroline gave an interesting talk on a subject which we try to avoid: spring clearing. She is a member of the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers. This group have a code of conduct which aims to promote high standards of advice and ethics, with confidentiality being very important.

Spring clearing is the reduction of clutter which accumulates with time. Typically, this is done in spring, although autumn is also a suitable time. Most people accumulate possessions. The result is clutter which sooner or later must be confronted. Clutter interferes with cleaning. A tidy mind refers to having an organised and clear way of thinking. The phrase suggests maintaining a tidy environment which in turn can positively influence our wellbeing.Caroline started her business in 2024. She had previously worked for the Nationwide Building Society, where she had seen the problems faced when moving house. She recommends starting to declutter well in advance of a move. The best way to start is with a series of small tasks. There is satisfaction achieving small wins, and this encourages you to do more. Each item removed creates space and becomes an act of self-care.

Caroline recommended that each category, such as paperwork, is done on a house-wide basis. In the first instance deal with mail promptly. Immediately discard junk mail. Most business paperwork is not required after around 6 years. Books can be divided into fiction and nonfiction. Ask yourself how much you read in a year. Reduce the number of books by discarding those you are unlikely to read again. Clothing mounts up and we end up wearingonly about a quarter of our wardrobe. Do not be tempted to pile clothes onto a bed when you are sorting through them. It is overwhelming. The rule for clothes is one in, one out. Aim to have surplus space in storage places. Leave sentimental items to the end. They are the most difficult to deal with. 

Surplus items can be disposed of in various ways. This aspect promoted the most questions after the talk. There are websites for books. Problems arise when assessing value and help may be needed. It is not easy to know where to get it. Local charity shops welcome saleable items. Stuart Cummings thanked Caroline for her lively and interesting talk. 

Our next meeting is on Monday, 11^th May at 7 30 in the Village Hall. Brian Pile will talk about the History of the Midland Mart – the journey of an auctioneer. Visitors are welcome.

Eric Darvell, Secretary

REMINDER === REMINDER === REMINDER

BRAILES MECHANICAL & CRAFT SOCIETY.

APRIL MONTHLY MEETING.

ON MONDAY 13 TH APRIL 2026

AT BRAILES VILLAGE HALL.

AT 7-30PM.

SUBJECT  THE ART OF SPRING CLEARING WITH A TIDY MIND.

SPEAKER FOR THE EVENING.  CAROLINE CAHIT.

ALL WELCOME

A REMINDER THAT SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2026 ARE DUE AT £5-00 FOR THE YEAR.

* NOTE * 7-30PM. START.

Witches and Ghosts with Izzy King

Our planned speaker for the March meeting cancelled at short notice.

Thanks go to Katie Haycock and Izzy King for making the revised arrangements. Izzy had only 48 hours to prepare, and the outcome was one of our largest ever attendances. There were over 90 members and guests in the hall, with equal numbers of both. Izzy is currently studying for a history degree with the Open University, and she gave a lively presentation. Thanks also go to Ben Goren for promptly putting the change of speaker onto the village website.

Witchcraft

Warwickshire has a long record of witchcraft. Witches are said to inflict harm and misfortune on other people. Throughout history, many cultures have used witchcraft to explain evil. In England, witch trials were held in the Middle Ages. In the second half of the 1500’s and early 1600’s wide scale witch hunts took place. The English Witchcraft Act of 1542 made witchcraft a capital offence, then the Act was repealed a few years later. The 1735 Witchcraft Act concluded prosecutions of witchcraft in England. However, by then 100’s of alleged witches had been put to death. The persecution of witches didn’t finish. After that communities took their own action. One such example was at Long Compton in 1875 when Ann Tennant was murdered. James Hayward met her one evening and used an agricultural fork to kill her. The Stratford Herald wrote ‘for some time past he had been under the impression that he was influenced by witchcraft and that Mrs Tennant and several other women in Long Compton were witches, and he was determined to rid the village of them’.

Ghosts

In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person that is able to appear to the living. Dr Finlay was the Brailes doctor in Victorian times. We saw one of his photographs on the big screen, showing a full-sized hooded figure standing in front of the camera. In the background was furniture, possibly in one of the rooms at his house. The existence of ghosts is impossible to falsify. There are numerous sitings of ghosts, generally where an unpleasant event has taken place. Incidents continue to be reported.

A famous episode of ghosts was after the armies departed from the site of the 1642 Battle of Edgehill. Locals reported multiple apparitions. Shepherds heard drums and groans. The king ordered an official investigation and his officers reported they had also witnessed the apparitions.

Katie Haycock thanked Izzy for her presentation and then asked the audience to tell us about their experiences. Several members had seen ghosts in Brailes. Stuart Cummings announced that after a successful evening the Society would donate £100 to the Village Hall.
Our next meeting is on Monday 13^th April, when Caroline Cahit’s talk is entitled ‘The Art of Spring Cleaning with a Tidy Mind’. We meet at 7 30 pm in the Village Hall. Guests are welcome. Please note that because of Easter, the meeting date is on the 13^th.

New members and guests are welcome.

Eric Darvell
Secretary 

Jon and his brother Nick grew up at Fulready near Halford. They both went to university and gained MA’s.  Jon studied Theatre at Goldsmiths College in London, and Nick studied Business at the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester. They combined their skills to start Paddock Farm.

Farming

In 2011 they paid £500 for two Tamworth sows and housed them on their parents small paddock. The sows produced numerous piglets. Righton’s butchers in Shipston cut the meat and the brothers sold it to pubs and other businesses. Jon described how they gradually expanded the business, firstly by renting woodland at Idlicote. They now have 60 acres of Lord Northampton’s fields, 110 acres at Cheney’s farm, 30 acres at Traitors Ford belonging to Chris Righton, and a further area at Roundhill Farm on Brailes Hill. 

In wet weather, pigs on clayey ground make the ground too muddy. The answer was to diversify and introduce Hereford cattle and hens. The fields are divided into rectangular plots. The animals are regularly moved to ensure the optimum use of the ground. The edges of the fields have a wide perimeter of grass in which vehicles are restricted to one track thereby reducing compaction and improving the retention of rainfall. Their chicken caravan, or Eggmobile as their website calls it, is guarded by a dog to keep foxes away. Since the Long Compton abattoir shut, the abattoir at Warminster has increased their costs considerably.

Retail Butchery

Their first shop was at Talton Mill near Ettington Park. They found this arrangement too restrictive and 11 years ago they took over Frank Barwick’s premises in Brailes. The shop was renovated and since then they have expanded across the rear of the other two shops. The move to Brailes was well received with 300 customers on the opening day.

Nine people, including a full-time cook, now work in the shop. The butchery is carried out at the rear. As well as the local trade, their weekly cycle of restaurant trade includes prestigious London restaurants.

50 members and guests enjoyed an excellent talk. 

Our next meeting is on Monday 2^nd of March with a talk on “It shouldn’t happen to a Vet..or Should it?”, by Laura Holmes. We meet at 7 30 in the Village Hall.

New members and guests are welcome.

Eric Darvell
Secretary 

THE STORY OF PADDOCK FARM

ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 2 ND FEBRUARY. AT BRAILES VILLAGE HALL.

STARTING AT 7-30 PM.
( SUBJECT ) FROM PADDOCK TO PLATE – YOUR LOCAL BUTCHER STORY.

BY PADDOCK FARM . PLEASE COME AND HEAR THIS LOCAL BUSINESS BASED IN BRAILES.

ALL WELCOME * ( NOTE ) 7-30 PM. START.

REGARDS STUART.

THE TALE OF THE COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY BY FOUNDER AND C.E.O. MR. DAN SZOR.

After 30 years of city trading, New Yorker Dan was looking for a new direction. He decided to have his own distillery. His Cotswold Distillery is now producing malt whisky and signature gins.

Towards the end of his city trading, Dan and his wife bought a home near Traitors Ford. They liked the Cotswold atmosphere, so they made it their home. He carried out an extensive search for a suitable site and in the end bought a 4-acre derelict site in Stourton, 3 miles from his home. This site had planning permission for commercial development. There was a three year interval between site purchase and opening with the doors of the distillery opening in 2014.

Malt whisky contains only three ingredients: water, barley and yeast. The barley is grown in the Cotswolds. It is malted in Warminster where the traditional open floor method gets used. Barley grains are soaked in water, they germinate and are then dried and ground into grist

The copper vessels for distillation are hand made in Scotland. The final stage of whisky making is maturation. The pre-used oak barrels come from either sherry or wine making. It is these sources which gives the final product its distinctive flavour

Gin production starts with a neutral spirit and botanicals are added. These could be berries, herbs or spices. The mixture is re-distilled and then diluted to around 40% alcohol content. It is then bottled. Gin has the attraction of being ready for sale more quickly. Hence the ‘waiting for whisky’ in the title of the talk. The distillery now sells more gin than whisky.

Dan is very keen to involve the community in their activities. He recruits locally when he can. The visitor centre and cafe are open to all. Music evenings are held once a month. The site has been extended to over 10 acres. It has been landscaped and planted, and there is ample car parking.

Overall 40 people are now employed. Marketing is an important part of the business. There are two shops in the Cotswolds and more overseas markets are being investigated. The distillery is in the process of gaining Geographical Identification. This award is given to products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities due to this origin.
 
Katie Haycock thanked Dan for his very interesting talk. The meeting concluded with samples of whisky and gin being tasted. 

Our next meeting is on Monday 2nd February when Paddock’s Farm talk is ‘From Paddock to Plate – your local butcher’s story’. We meet at 7:30pm in the Village Hall. New members and guests are welcome.

https://www.cotswoldsdistillery.com/

Our final meeting of 2025 was on 1 December, when we had our Buffet Supper and Christmas Raffle. We started the evening singing carols to Helen Porter’s accompaniment on the piano.

Thirty members enjoyed a very sociable evening. Many thanks go to our members who bought and prepared the food, and also prepared the hall. In particular, Stuart Cummings, Julia Webster, Sarah Day and Glenda Woods.

As we did last year, sheets of carols were distributed and each table was asked to choose one.
Many thanks to Helen for getting us into the Christmas spirit.

We followed the carols with an excellent buffet. Members provided their own drinks.

The raffle lived up to its reputation as a special Christmas occasion.

Thanks go to Katie Haycock for preparing a   varied programme for 2026. Programmes were handed out during the evening. We start next year with ‘Waiting for Whisky’, a talk given by a speaker from the Cotswold Distillery in Stourton.

The January meeting is on the 5^th at 7 30 pm in the Village Hall.

Eric Darvell 

The Power of Purple with Epwell’s Ridge and Furrow Lavender

In November, Peter & Carolyn Koch de Gooreynd came to talk about their family business growing and distilling lavender

The meeting opened with two minutes silence for David Willatts. David was an anaesthetist in Banbury and in the past he has given us a very interesting talk on the history of anaesthetics. He travelled widely with his wife Alison, and we had several very good presentations about their travels.

Peter and Carolyn live on the edge of Epwell, where the long distance d’Arcy Dalton Way climbs out of the village towards Shennington. About 15 years ago they started to convert the field next to them into a lavender farm. Currently the rows of lavender plants occupy an area of about 200 yards by 50 yards. With occasional help from their son they do all the work themselves. They had no previous experience of large scale lavender growing and therefore there was a lot of trial error. Peter summarised their business as: Plants to planting, Drying to distilling, and Products to sell.

Every part of the plant is used. They produce body oil; lavender hydrosol, a milder product than the oil; soap; lavender bags and firelighters, made from the dried stalks. They sell on-line, and in one year they attended 200 local markets. They are pleased to have been accepted at Clarkson’s Farm where they have a pop-up shop.

Their plants need to keep there colour, and the plant type has to be a good producer of oil. Their chosen colour is purple. They have around 5 types, including Maillette from Provence. They visited a grower there and came back with 400 plants. Their motto is: Dream it, Build it, Grow it.  

Lavender does not like to be in water, nor does it like temperatures below about 7 degrees centigrade. They have created their own ridges. Initially they had to strip 2 kilometres of turf. Drainage trenches are also needed. A strong ground membrane is laid and a 4 inch diameter hole is pierced for each plant.  Although the membrane suppresses weeds, they still have problems with them. The plants have a life of around 7 years, so it is necessary to keep introducing replacements. 

Distillation is done in a 40 litre copper vessel and this means the plants are processed in relatively small batches. The harvesting period is 3-4 weeks. Lavender is used for its calming and anti-inflammatory properties, offering benefits to sleep, anxiety, skin health, and pain relief. It can also be used for aromatherapy.

After the meeting their products were for sale. Peter and Carolyn were thanked for an informative and entertaining talk.

Our next meeting is on Monday 1^st December when we have our Christmas Party which includes a buffet supper and Christmas raffle. We meet in the Village Hall at 7 30 pm.

Eric Darvell 

46^th Annual General Meeting

Annual General Meetings provide the opportunity to review the previous 12 months and look forward to the year ahead. Over the past 12 months the Society held 11 interesting meetings.  Attendances averaged 41.

The meeting opened with two minutes silence for Ken Minor. He died suddenly in September and he will be remembered as an energetic member of the Brailes community. He will be missed.

Ian Haycock chaired the meeting. His daughter-in-law Katie is our meeting secretary and her varied programme is a major factor for the Society’s continued success. To give a few examples: we started 2025 with Dr Thorogood talking about his career in General Practice; later in the year, Sheldon Banks talked about the modern uses of steam; and then Richard Gray talked about butterflies and moths. All  three speakers are closely connected to Brailes. Katie has almost completed next year’s programme. We are very grateful for what she does for us.

Thanks also go to founder-members Michael and Stuart Cummings. Michael does the raffle at each meeting. Stuart is the Treasurer. He reported that our finances are in good order.

Eric Darvell continues as Secretary. The remaining committee members are John and Theresa Wakeham.

In September 2025 we had 70 paid members. Our subscriptions are £5. Guests are welcome at all meetings, and no charge is made.

We appreciate the excellent facilities provided by the Village Hall Committee and we work closely with them.

Our evening concluded with tea and biscuits followed by the raffle.

Our next meeting is on Monday 3^rd November at 7:30 in the Village Hall. Ridge and Furrow Lavender are coming from Epwell to talk on The Power of Purple.

Eric Darvell
Secretary

Ken Minor on The Apollo Story – the Voyage to the Moon

The USA’s six Apollo flights are the only crewed landings on the Moon to date.
 Apollo 11 was the first in July 1969, and it was followed by 12, 14, 15, 16, 17. Number 13 was aborted. The crew successfully returned to earth. The programme ended in 1972 after Apollo17. Our member Ken Minor gave a fascinating talk describing the start of space travel after the Second World War.

 Ken’s interest in space travel started in his early childhood. In 1957 the Russians launched the first satellite to circle the world. They called it Sputnik and although it was only 2 feet in diameter it caused a sensation. His father asked him to get a paper with the news of this achievement. By the time Ken got to the shop the only paper available was the Daily Mirror. He brought along his treasured copy. 

In 1960 a monkey survived a journey into space. The Americans decided to respond to the  Sputnik launch and in 1961 President Kennedy announced that they would have a man on the Moon by the end of the decade. At the programme’s peak 440,000 people were working on Apollo. Their rocket was 360 feet high, three times the height of Brailes church tower. It weighed nearly 3000 tons when fully fuelled. The fuel was a petroleum product.

There were a number of landmark events. In December 1968, Apollo 8 was the first crewed flight to  circle the Moon. Several lunar orbits were made. In March1969 Apollo 9 demonstrated life support systems, and in May Apollo 10 went  within 15 kilometres of the moon’s surface.

This was followed by Apollo 11’s crew landing on the Moon in July. The low gravity on the Moon reduced the weight of their 80 kilogram space suits, which, being so heavy, were difficult to walk in on earth. The temperature on the Moon is 120 degrees centigrade on its sunny side and minus 240 degrees on the dark side. The Moon doesn’t rotate.

The remaining Apollo missions explored different areas of the Moon, with later flights using the Moon Rover wheeled vehicle. In total, the programme brought back about three quarters of a ton of rock.

This was a high cost, high risk programme. The 3 man crew of the first Apollo all died on the launch pad. Apollo 12 was struck by lightning on re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere and the crew  landed safely without computer control.

Ken brought along a one metre high Lego model of Apollo 11. To commemorate 1969 it is built with 1969 pieces. He split the model up to show the sizes of the various rocket stages.
                                                              
Vic Lee thanked Ken for his excellent talk.


Our next meeting is on Monday 6^th October when we have our AGM followed by a video.
We meet at 7 30pm and all are welcome.