Clergy Letter

Changing landscapes

Dear Friends

On 2nd January I did my first big walk of 2023. It is a walk I have done many times before, and in all weathers, including a blizzard! It’s about ten miles in a loop north of Dereham, crossing open fields and skirting farms and taking in part of the Wensum Way to Gressenhall before dropping back into Dereham. The time of year affects my senses, what I see and hear, but the essential shape of the landscape doesn’t change and I know what to expect. I know where my feet will take me. But then there are always surprises, usually coming with the change of seasons. This time though was different. I noticed new post and wire fences, everywhere, and shiny new field gates and cattle grids and water troughs. Intrigued I stopped to read the first of several display boards on my route. I discovered I was walking the newly created Wendling Way Project, incorporating four farms, and supported by a host of environmental agencies. The aim is to recover a past landscape around the Wendling Beck, a tributary of the Wensum that runs down into Dereham. The arable landscape that was farmed for crops is being returned to lowland meadow, managed with grazing. The sandy area nearest to Dereham was once Stanton Heath and the soil is being impoverished to return it to heathland, where two hundred years ago locals would have coppiced trees for wood and to maintain the heathland. The aim through recovered pasture and heath is to massively increase the flora and fauna between Dereham and Gressenhall.

It will be many years before the vision of the Wendling Way will bear fruit, but the building blocks are in place; it is very much the same with the Twin Tracks project. What we are doing now in consulting, planning and working out our aims and objectives, is vital to the success of the project. We need to see the changed landscape, the vision in our mind, then work towards the goal.

But what of the landscape of our lives? Surely it is the same? We are always our essential selves, but we also need to make adjustments on our life’s journey. Tweak here and there. Sometimes even a major shake-up. I wonder how many of us made a new year’s resolution this year to change something in our lives? I wonder how well that is going?! It is hard to make changes without help. I sometimes ask people why they come to church? I asked this at our Christmas midnight service. Why are you here and not in bed? People go to church for a wealth of different reasons but, in some way, they are all to do with changing the landscape of our spiritual lives. It helps to look at things a bit differently, putting down burdens, to feel lighter when we emerge. Feel in better spiritual shape.

Twin Tracks Project Update

• Briston Church Council has appointed Ruth Blackman (Birdsall, Swash and Blackman) as architect and James Mellish (JM Environmental (East Anglia) Ltd) as manager for the project. The steering group has met with Ruth and James to plan our next steps.

• At St Mary’s MC (Burgh Parva) the very wormy chairs have been removed and upholstered stacking chairs given by Briston Pavilion have been installed. The tin church has had a spring clean and monthly services are happening again on the fourth Sunday of the month at 11am.

• At All Saints Briston a faculty (church planning) application has been made to remove some pews at the front of the nave to create more space for services, community choir rehearsals and performances, and another at the west end to create more room around the welcome table. The wood from the pews will be used to create an exciting art installation. More on this to follow!

• The School of Environmental Studies at the UEA is making our Briston and Melton Constable churches and community spaces its environmental consultancy project for final year students. Last year students worked on Holkham Hall and the Norfolk Showground. This year, between now and May, five students will be conducting fieldwork and producing thermal energy reports and recommendations for All Saints, St Mary’s, The Copeman Centre and the Pavilion. The findings will help in making decisions about insulation and energy consumption, including the use of green and renewable energy and the sharing of energy resources.

Baptism, or what we often call christening, is the sacramental way of changing the landscape of our lives – a reorientation. I am asked sometimes about whether it is too late to be baptized? The answer is, it is never too late. In my last parish, three generations of a family were baptized and confirmed by our bishop – the youngest 9 years and the oldest 86 years – a very proud and emotional grandad! I have been asked that question again recently by a young woman: can I be baptized? We are beginning that journey now in this season leading to Easter. If you want to join the journey and find out more, come along to some sessions called Pilgrim about baptism to work on your spiritual landscape. Check out the advertisement on page 14 and give me a ring to find out more.

Rev Trudie

LOCAL CHURCHES News from the pews!

CHURCH OF ENGLAND B&B BENEFICE: BRININGHAM, BRINTON, BRISTON, HINDOLVESTON, HUNWORTH MELTON PARK, STODY, SWANTON NOVERS, ALL SAINTS THORNAGE

Priest-in-charge: Revd Dr Trudie Morris Tel: 01263 860783; Email: revtrudie@gmail.com

Lay minister: Carol Sexton Tel: 01263 860628. Email: carolynsexton97@gmail.com

CHURCH WARDENS

Briningham:

Karen Siddall – Tel: 01263 860057

Sylvia Took – Tel: 01263 862785

Brinton:

Esme & Jeremy Bagnall-Oakley – Tel: 01263 860247

Briston:

Mr Kevin Burrows – Tel: 01263 860265

Mr Tony Kwissa – Tel: 01263 860570

Hindolveston:

Linda Beamish – Tel: 07703 664034

Hunworth:

Charlotte Crawley – Tel: 01263 713306

Lucy Woodall – Tel: 01263 861114

Melton Park:

Jim Webster – Tel: 01263 860832

Peggy Barnes – Tel: 01263 861966

Stody:

Morag Lloyd –Tel: 01263 860407

Swanton Novers:

Roger Langston – Tel: 01263 860163

Thornage:

John Smart – Tel: 01263 861195

SALVATION ARMY, BRISTON

Alison Parker

Tel: 07867 257164

BRISTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Revd. N Woodruff, The Manse, Church Street, Briston

Tel: 01263 862970

CATHOLIC CHURCH

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA

Fr Andrew Neate, 20 Wells Road, Fakenham NR21 9EG

Tel: 01328 853481 www.catholicfakenham.org.uk

METHODIST CHURCH, HOLT

Minister: Revd. Cliff Shanganya

Tel: 01263 712181

Happy New Year!

It was great to see so many of you at our Christmas services across the B&B benefice. But some of you are missing some very nice gloves which got left behind at Briston church. They are on the table at the back so please drop in and collect them. The church is always open during the day.

Coffee Morning

Pauline Whatling is inviting you to a coffee morning at her house in Stone Road, Briston on Saturday 18th February from 10am. Proceeds to support Briston Church expenses.

Warm Spaces

Every Monday until end of March at All Saints Community Centre (where the Day Centre used to be) from 9am – 4pm. Do call in for a coffee and be lovely and warm. Don’t sit at home in the cold! If you would like to become a volunteer offering a few hours on a Monday do let me know on 01263 860628.

On other days of the week Warm Spaces can be found at Briston Salvation Army Hall on Tuesdays and Fridays, Briston Pavilion on Wednesdays from 2pm until 4pm and Briston Vicarage on Thursdays from 10am-3pm – come and watch a movie.

Carol Sexton

Briston

ALL SAINTS’

100 Club

November draw

Church

1st No 18 - Margaret Dagless

2nd No 51 - Sheila Dawe

3rd No 25 - Sue Quirk

World Day of Prayer

This year the service has been planned by people living in Taiwan. Come and join us on Friday

3rd March at 2.30pm at the Salvation Army Hall, Briston. Everyone is welcome.

December Double Draw

1st No 54 - Joan Carlston

2nd No 49 - John Wells

3rd No 70 - Jenny Taylor

The next draw will take place on 18th February at Pauline Whatling’s coffee morning.

The Copeman Centre

Table Top Sale

Saturday 4th February, from 9am to 12pm (setting up from 8am). Table £5 booked in advance. Contact Jean on 01263 860476.

Jigsaw Day and Lunch

Saturday 25th February, from 11am to 2pm, with refreshments available throughout this time. Two course lunch available from 12pm to 1pm. We have a large selection of jigsaws available for loan or exchange. For information, phone Anne on 01263 861004.

Briston Wives Group

In December we enjoyed a jolly Christmas lunch at the Pheasant Hotel in Kelling.

Our next meeting will be on Wednesday 1st February at 7.30pm at The Copeman Centre when Matthew Pickhaver will give a talk about William Cowper, called ‘Pain, Praise and Poetry’. Matthew’s talks are always very entertaining. Please remember to enter the centre via the side gate as we will be meeting in the long side room this year.

New members are always given a warm welcome by our friendly group, so why not try something new in 2023? For more information, please contact Maggie Ottey on 01263 860043.

Briston Parish Council

There was no meeting in January. The next meeting will be on Monday 13th February at 7pm in The Copeman Centre. This meeting is open to everyone.

Calling all gardeners

Two allotment holders have a plan to restart the Briston Gardening Club and combine it with a club for allotment holders but it needs your support. The club is looking at holding monthly meetings, an annual flower and vegetable show at the Briston Gala and joining a scheme to get discounted seeds.

If you are interested in joining the Briston Allotment and Gardening Club, whether just as a member or could help out in any way, please contact David Kibblewhite on 07732 117274 or email: sixshooter142@hotmail.co.uk.

Bernard - We Will Miss You!

It is with great sadness that we report the death of Bernard Porter. He died peacefully in the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital in January.

Bernard was well known around Briston and very well-liked by many people. Before his retirement he was an architectural technician and was responsible for designing several houses, extensions and conversions in Briston and the surrounding areas. These were always very well designed, attractive looking structures.

During his retirement he decided that he would keep Briston looking spick and span and went around cutting back hedgerows and clearing footpaths with the help of Maurice Grey, who was responsible for clearing away all the vegetation that Bernard had cut down.

Bernard was always ready for a chat and often popped into the parish office to tell me one of his jokes, which were often pretty awful and sometimes made no sense to me but apparently did to him.

He will be sadly missed by me and all those who knew and loved him.

Jenny English

Grass Cutting Contract

Briston Parish Council is looking for a contractor to carry out the grass cutting on the open spaces which belong to the council. This contract will start at the beginning of April and continue until the end of October. The grass is cut every two weeks. If you are interested, please contact the parish clerk on email: parish-council@briston-norfolk.org.uk for an application pack. Completed forms need to be returned to the clerk by 1st March 2023.