SEASON’S GREETINGS

Wishing you all the best for 2010

Lots of love from
Clive, Liz, Sophie, Rupert, Toby and
Feebee

Autumn in the Orchard, Little Wittenham

Dear all December 2009

Rather belatedly we are taking the plunge and sending round our
Season’s Greetings card in a more environmentally friendly way…..

After a difficult end to 2008 with Clive being hospitalised twice (chest
infection), this year turned out to be an unexpectedly exciting year for
our family. In March our neighbour’s cottage with a 4 acre orchard
suddenly came up for sale. Thanks to the recession, we were the only
people keen to buy, especially as it gave us the opportunity to sort out
some long running land issues around our house and barn.

At the end of June we became the proud owners of a beautiful

traditional orchard right beside our house. Although we have lived in
Little Wittenham for ever (22 years!), we had never been into the
orchard previously, it was just like stepping into a secret garden. We
found plums and greengages galore, apples and pears of every size
and colour, a lovely mature quince tree, plus a spread of parasol
mushrooms (which are edible and delicious!). So we’ve spent a
wonderful summer and autumn in the orchard with lunches/teas,
parties/camping, art groups & fruit picking days, even a bonfire party.

However we are beginning to realise just how rare Traditional

Orchards have become, most have been re-developed or destroyed it
seems. There has been a steady stream of specialist groups coming to
study the insects, birds and natural habitat in the orchard. A host of
owls and foxes live there, and a large flock of Field Fare Thrush has
just arrived from Scandinavia and Russia to finish off the remaining
windfall apples.

In 2010 we have pencilled in three “orchard events “

o A sculpture trail during Artweek : 16-23 May
o A musical picnic on Midsummer’s Eve (Sunday 20th June ) in aid
of the MS Society
o Family Orchard day on Sunday 10th October
Please do join us if you fancy visiting us on any of these dates??

This email message was just meant to entice you to visit us in our new
orchard but I suppose it would be a bit strange if I didn’t write a few
lines about the family, wouldn’t it ??!!

Sophie (nearly 21) is now well into her second year at Leeds Uni ,
studying French and International Development; she is busy
fundraising for ChildReach International, as part of doing the
Kilimanjaro Challenge June 2010 with a friend from Leeds Uni.

Rupert (just turned 19) worked massively hard to be awarded the

European Baccalaureate with flying colours and has a place at Exeter
Uni next October, studying Economics and European Studies. In the
new year he is planning to do a “ski season” in France before setting
off with friends next April to India and beyond.

Toby at 13 is already the tallest member of the family - unbelievably

he still has nearly 5 more years at the European school. He plays
serious football and basket ball but the rest of the time cannot be
extracted from sitting in front of one screen or another 24/7.

Last but not least, Feebee (our faithful Cocker Spaniel), is in her
element chasing rabbits the length and breadth of the orchard.

Clive is still as entrepreneurial as ever and is immersed in a couple of

cutting-edge renewable energy projects, including Small Hydro and
tidal wave initiatives. He has had an OK year health wise but after 12
years his MS continues in a relentless way. He has a lot of pain
associated with both MS and Rheumatoid Arthritis; and in an attempt
to make him more comfortable he was recently given a massive
infusion of Rituximab, but time will tell.

As for me : alongside making fruit preserves, learning how to prune

and painting pictures in the orchard, the highlight of my year was my
visit to New Zealand, as part of a Pitcairn Child Safety review carried
out for HMG (endlessly fascinating issues!). As yet, I’m relieved to say,
my consultancy company NSCE International has not been unduly
affected by the economic downturn. Amidst this hive of activity I
usually forget to mention that I have become a part-time carer,
probably because it has simply become a way of life (for me and the
kids).

Over the last couple of years we’ve spent all our family holidays in a
new beach house in Northern Cyprus which offers the perfect antidote
to life in Oxfordshire. Of course we’d love to catch up with all your
news and to see as many of you as possible in 2010, either in Little
Wittenham or perhaps even in Northern Cyprus………

………until then, take care and love to you all, Liz x