Running reverend challenges villagers

A VICAR raced villagers around Bix Common on Saturday.

The race, led by Rev Hugh Balfour, was part of the annual Bix and Assendon fete, where dozens of villagers enjoyed mostly warm weather, under clear, sunny skies.

Other attractions included a dog show, children’s games, a rowing challenge and a book sale.

Watlington Concert Band provided live music while burgers and sausages were provided by Britwell Farm Shop.

The event raised £4,273 for Bix church and community hub, beating last year’s fundraising by almost £2,000.

Ollie Heard, 21, from Middle Assendon, won the inaugural “race the vicar” event, which saw more than a dozen adults and children race Rev Balfour twice around the village common for a total distance of 2km. Rev Balfour said: “It was a bit chaotic but it went well. We had quite a lot of young boys and some of them went very fast.

“It’s the first time it has ever been done and, hopefully, if I am still up for it, we will bring it back again next year.

“We just thought it was an extra thing to bring in some more people. There were some quick guys, I knew the lad in orange would be quick and one lady, who is a serious runner, she was pretty quick.”

Bill Pollard, of Deanfield Road, Henley, demonstrated riding on his penny-farthing, with the help of his daughter, Lara. She said: “I started riding the penny-farthing a few months ago. It took me about two or three days to learn. It gets much easier once you know what you’re doing.”

Mr Pollard, who last year rode 230 miles to Paris on his penny-farthing to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “She was much quicker at learning than I was.

“I first rode about a year and a half ago and it took me about a month before I could even take one hand off.”

Mr Pollard said that he thought he would return to riding a “normal” bike when he returned from Paris but has now found that he prefers his penny-farthing.

He said: “It’s a completely different experience, people want to see you, you put a smile on people’s faces, and you have much more fun and get just as much exercise, I can tell you.”

Mayor Tom Buckley entered his seven-year-old Maltese-Chihuahua Luna into the “Loveliest Lady” dog show category, where she came third.

He said: “Luna could have done better but she has come out when it’s really hot. And it wasn’t a fix, because she came third.”

Mandy and Roger Hyde, of Bix, entered their four-year-old Labradoodle Flossie who was crowned “loveliest lady” and also won “best trick”.

She also came second in the “fastest sausage eater” contest.

Mrs Hyde said: “Flossie came here a couple of years ago and won a couple of things then as well. She looks gorgeous, she is a lovely colour and is quite well-behaved.”

The dog show was run by Woofits Walkies, a dog walking service from Henley.

A team of eight men and one girl from Lower Assendon and Middle Assendon beat a team from Bix in the inter-village tug-of-war over three rounds.

David Hunter, from Nettlebed, said his team had conceded the second round to Bix to even the score for the tie-breaker. He said: “We were against a vicious home crowd but we still managed to pull through. We thought it was important to keep the crowd on side so we thought we should let them have one.”

Oxfordshire County Councillor Ben Higgins attended the fete with eight-year-old Alaskan Klee Kai Nala, and five-year-old Pomeranian Kaya.

He said: “It’s a fantastic community event, we have obviously been very lucky with the weather, which is fantastic.

“I’ve made the rounds, I had a bit of cake, some ginger biscuits, a burger, which was pretty tasty. I’ve been quite lucky on the stalls, I knocked over some tin cans, won in the tombola, so I’m hopeful for the raffle.”

Cllr Higgins, who was elected to the ward of Watlington and Rotherfield in the elections last month, said the first few weeks have been “very busy”.

He said: “There is lots to get up to speed with, lots of induction and training which has been really good actually.

“I am on cabinet as well, which I am grateful for, and I have met some really talented people so far and am getting my head around the portfolio.”