HASLEMERE
ST BARTHOLOMEW’S AND ST CHRISTOPHER’S
Haslemere Parish Contacts
Rector: Rev Chris Bessant 01428 658107
rector@haslemereparish.org
Assc. Minister: Rev Justin Manley-Cooper 07798 932843 revjustin@haslemereparish.org
Verger: St Bartholomew’s
Carol Skeates 01428 642662
Parish Office
The Link, Derby Road
Haslemere GU27 1BS
Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 9am-3pm office@haslemereparish.org www.haslemereparish.org 01428 644578
Parish Administrator, Electoral Roll Officer and Link Bookings:
Kari Hayden
Contact Parish Office—see above.
Safeguarding Officer
Kari Hayden
07762 737309
Safeguarding@haslemereparish.org
Church Wardens
Howard Body 07900 914155
Gareth David 01428 643617
Deputy Warden
David Simmons 01428 644826
LLM (Reader)
Peter Sellars midsummer4peter@gmail.com
Director of Music & Organist
Clive Osgood 07747 785 940
Older Children’s Worker
Verity Sutherland children@haslemereparish.org
Children & Families Worker
Victoria Martin families@haslemereparish.org
First Steps
Mondays in St Christopher’s 0-5 Year Olds
Sophie Bessant & Victoria Martin families@haslemereparish.org
Treasurer Andrew Culshaw: 07889 855239
Gift Aid Secretary
Geoff Martin 01428 641907
PCC Secretary
Katie Morgan 07794 149111 secretary@haslemereparish.org
Facilities for the disabled;
Both Churches and The Link at St Bartholomew’s have ramped access and space for wheelchairs. Toilets suitable for use by the disabled are available in The Link and at St Christopher’s.
Facilities for the hard of hearing;
Both churches and The Link have Sound amplification and hearing loops.
Facilities for the visually Impaired;
Both churches have good interior lighting and large print weekly notice sheets and service sheets.
Please recycle this magazine when you have read it. Either into paper recycling, or better still, pass it on to a friend
Bell-ringers
Paul Bagshaw 01428 656129
Friends of the Parish
Chris Lemar 01428 651435
Flowers
St Bartholomew’s
Sarah Mulliner 01428 643504
St Christopher’s
Frances Reincke 01428 607206
Church Care Group
Roscelin Rees 01428 651561
Churchyards
Philip Hunt 01428 644120
Pastoral Visitors
Church Office 01428 644578
Pastoral Assistants
Ruth Pattenden 01428 653033
Wendy Neate 01428 656320
Bereavement Visitors
Linda Donaldson 01428 644473
Sarah Mulliner 01428 643504
Wendy Neate
Mothers’Union
Dorothea Nattrass 01428 653216
BRF Representative
Sarah Mulliner 01428 643504
Magazine Secretary
Jane Slevin 07949 633979 office@haslemereparish.org
Magazine Advertisements Manager: Geoff Martin 01428 641907
Safeguarding Contacts:
Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor is:
Jackie Broadfoot 07918 559387 jackie.broadfoot@cofeguildford.org.uk
Safe Spaces, an independent service supporting survivors of church-related abuse. Telephone: 0300 303 1056 Email safespaces@victimsupport.org.uk WebChat via the Safe Spaces website
For all emergencies call 999
The Single Point of Access (SPA)
Children and Adult Service social workers.
Direct information, advice and guidance about where and how to find appropriate support for children and families:
Surrey 0300 470 9100 (children) cspa@surreycc.gov.uk (adult) acsmash@surreycc.gov.uk
Domestic Abuse
Surrey - YourSanctuary 01483 776822
24hr National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247
DeafHope (BSL) text: 07970 350366
Childline 0800 1111
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
NSPCC 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk
NSPCC Sign Video link nspcc.org.uk/aboutus/contact-us
Samaritans 116123 or jo@samaritans.org
Modern Day Slavery Helpline 0800 01210700
Mental Health Crisis Helpline
0300 5000 101
Open 5.00pm - 9.00am Monday to Friday 24 hours cover at weekends inc Bank
Holidays
SMS texting facility for people who are deaf or hard of hearing: 07717 989024
Stop it Now! 0808 1000 900 www.stopitnow.org.uk
Dear Friends
In early May I had the opportunity to meet up with an old acquaintance that I’d not seen or spoken to for more than 25 years. Steve was the curate at the church which I first attended, after I made my commitment to the Christian faith. Steve was a great support to me at a time of great change in my earlier life, but we lost contact after he relocated to the Midlands. I can well remember Steve giving an account of his own journey towards ordination and one thing sticks in my memory. The question to him had been something like, “why the Church of England?” It was then that Steve told of his tour around the other Christian denominations before deciding not to join the Roman Catholics, the Methodists, or any others you might think of!
The question does sometimes come to me about the differences between churches, by which I mean the various denominations. The answers run deep into history, so if I explain the origins it tends to sound like a load of old controversy that would seem irrelevant and unnecessary now. Why can’t all the churches just get along and merge together?! For those who have lived in cities or towns, the standard collection of all the flavours of Christianity was quite normal to see. We have them too - the Catholics, Methodists, Vineyard, Reformed free churches and different shades of Anglican. More than once, I’ve known new joiners to our parish tell me that they are on tour for a new church, just like my old friend Steve had done. I tend to tell them, “We are the best”!
There is however a serious question to be asked about our relationship with the other churches in Haslemere. I was grateful for a recent comment at the annual parish meeting about the unity we enjoy in Haslemere Parish. Of great value that is too. But how are we across the whole town? An answer from the past would be “actually very good”. There are plenty of good memories of how the churches worked together on youth and care projects across the town. Some of the longterm residents also tell of gatherings for open worship, such as on Good Friday. In more recent years, the churches have been together with a prayer and
information tent at summer festivals on the Lion Green. The Christmas Market also ran that way with great success last Advent Sunday.
In the autumn I’m planning to revisit the parish vision, with the PCC and other key leaders. The current vision was hatched in February 2022 with most of it having been completed, so now is the time to take a fresh look at the years ahead. When I refer to ‘vision’ I mean projects for ministry that will increase both our strength, visibility and reach into the town. I am keen to include new ideas of how we might work much closer with the other denominations. The trick to making that work well is that it does not become a task only for the priests to sort out (a good way to get nothing done), because then it falls foul of busy levels. But good accord only for the sake of appearance alone will not be enough. In any new initiative, I would also want to ensure that there is real value beyond what might look good but otherwise has no genuine pastoral or social outreach. Unity and cooperation must pass the test of asking what difference could be made. My experience, and Justin will agree, is that whenever the churches work well and reach out to the town, we receive only goodwill and interest. Our outstanding VE-Day 80th display at St Christopher’s is just the latest example. As the Link Community Hub project proceeds, so we shall see more again. We are not short of ideas, or optimism!
For me, I think I’ll stick with the Church of England!
God bless you all, Rector Chris.
The Great Church Giveaway
Emptying the Link so it was clear for the builders was a great effort involving all the groups who used the building and quite an army of volunteers.
The day before the last of the items were to be removed, volunteers took everything out into the car park at 7am and asked people to take what they wanted to minimize waste.
We were visited by so many people who took items for other community centres, church halls, retirement homes, scout huts and homeless shelters as well as people who needed some things for their own homes and gardens.
The sun shone and we met some fantastic people who were keen to learn about the link project and our plans.
Debbie Peet
The Link Community Hub
After years of discussions, architects’ drawings and funding applications, we are now in action!
The construction contract has been awarded to MCS, a company based in Woking. The tender process was run by our professional advisors (Quantity Surveyors and the Architect), and MCS impressed us with their management of the site that we visited at Farnham Museum, their very comprehensive plans and, most importantly, a competitive price.
By the time you are reading this article MCS will have set up on site on the 6th May, and should be making good progress. The most visible thing will be the demolition of the chimney in the centre of the building, and you might see the delivery of some very large steel beams that are needed to support the new upper floor. The roof will be stripped and retiled in phases over the summer as new dormer windows are built. By Autumn the staircase and lifts will be installed to access the upper floor, and new double glazed windows will be installed throughout. Towards the end of the year the kitchen and WCs are scheduled to be fitted, with arrival of the painters and final fixtures and fittings early in 2026. The newly renovated Link Community Hub should be opened in Spring 2026.
Derby Road can be quite congested, and very busy at the time the school starts and finishes. Obviously our building works add to this, and tradesmen working on site will need to park in local streets. MCS have a site plan that avoids deliveries during peak times and will try to minimise disruption to neighbours. The site manager has written to all the immediate neighbours and given his contact details in case there are any problems. However, we do ask for patience and understanding during the building phase. If there are any issues, do please talk to any members of the team.
We continue to raise funds for the final fixtures and fittings for the building. There is a planned Flower Festival at St Christophers Church in June, and an opportunity to buy a roof tile through our ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign, and have your name, or the name of a loved one, added to a scroll in a memory capsule to be placed in the roof. We thank everyone for the amazing contributions so far which total
£180,000 and for your continued support.
In parallel with the construction work, there is much to do in preparation to launch the new Link Community Hub. Throughout the project there will need to be choices made for fixtures and fittings, from carpets to cutlery! There will be a team of volunteers to manage the building, including plans for caretaking, a booking system, and maintenance. We welcome your input, and for those who are not able to volunteer, we very much welcome your continued support and prayers.
Finally our team would like to thank everyone who worked so hard in preparing for the build to start - those who re-organised St Bartholomew’s Church, have provided temporary storage for pews and furniture, moved essential things into the church and the vestry, cleared many years-worth of accumulated items from the Link (especially the loft, storeroom, office and kitchen), and for those who organised our streetside giveaway and rubbish removal. Many hands, and we appreciated all of your help!
Cathy Moore
The exciting community flower festival at St Christopher's is fast approaching and we need your help!
The tea tent will be open for all four days of the festival, and we need a huge supply of delicious cakes, biscuits, brownies etc to sell. If you feel like baking for this then we have a large freezer with lots of space!
Please wrap all donations well and clearly label them as to what they are and either leave them in the Parish Office or bring them to Church on Sundays. Contact Frances Reincke if any queries 01428 607206.
We also need you help with serving the teas and stewarding in the Church during the Festival. If you can help for an hour or so, then please contact Sarah Mulliner on 01428 643504 or Lucy Manley Cooper on 07970197201.
Children and Families
We have continued to have a busy couple of months, welcoming new families every week, and sharing the love of Jesus. Our sessions included the ‘feeding of the five thousand’ when the children decorated plates which were used during Circle Time to share bread together as part of a re-telling of the story. In addition, Rita and Ruth helped the children to create some wonderful dolls, out of wooden pegs, complete with beautiful outfits and small mats, as part of Zoe’s brilliant story of Jesus at Bethesda.
The last two weeks before the Easter break were dedicated to Palm Sunday and a special session on Easter itself. During this final session the children were encouraged to decorate crosses with stickers related to the Easter Story.
We were thrilled that this little girl came to the session wearing the wonderful Easter hat she made at nursery:
For our Easter Circle Time we were extremely fortunate to have Bouncing Bunny (aka Rev Justin) and Verity to tell us all the true meaning of Easter. As I am sure you will all agree, Justin made an extremely convincing bunny but it was their message about Jesus and the great sacrifice that he made for us all that resonated.
Following our Easter First Steps we had a
very special lunch and celebrated Liz Cook’s birthday - the first of many celebrations and cakes! Our wonderful Sarah prepared the most amazing lunch for us to share, and Carol brought along a delicious fruit salad.
As a team we are so busy during our Monday sessions that we really delight in spending time together, enjoying each other’s company and reflecting on the term just past and indeed thinking ahead, in this case, to the summer term.
A birthday celebration would not be complete without a cake and Sarah once again did a fantastic job in baking a scrumptious lemon drizzle cake, following previous investigations into Liz’s favourite cake! Following a rousing interpretation of Happy Birthday, Liz blew out her candles and despite the previous courses of the meal we all enjoyed a slice of cake!
Our final session before the summer break will see us welcoming back Basil’s farm - this is now a firm fixture in the First Steps calendar. On Monday 14th July First Steps will once again be home to an array of animals which the families and First Steps team can feed and pet to their hearts content.
Written by Victoria Martin, photos taken by Victoria Martin
A PICTURE FOR THE FEAST OF ST.
PAUL (29TH JUNE)
Conversion on the Way to Damascus (1600-02)
The context of the picture is from Acts 9 (3-9) where Saul the Pharisee oppresses the early Christian church. Outside of Damascus, a light from heaven spoke as the words of God, saying, “Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Caravaggio,
In his earlier life, Saul was a religious fanatic, willing to kill people whose views he disagreed with, mostly Christians. Today we would call him a Jihadist. Something extraordinary and even traumatic happened to him on the road to make him change his mind dramatically, being struck with blindness.
Caravaggio was a painter who led a tempestuous and traumatic life and was even accused of murder. His painting is dramatic, using light and darkness to highlight the key figures (a feature called tenebrism). He goes beyond biblical references. Saul lies on the ground blinded dramatically. His arms are flung upwards as he hears a voice speaking to him. Even the horse with its hoof is poised dangerously over Saul’s face.
From that moment, Saul (renamed Paul) devoted his life to teaching people about God in Christ who had come to save us from self-destruction. Paul spread the words of mission in the Mediterranean world. About a quarter of the New Testament is attributed to the apostle Paul, yet many would not quickly associate him with an emphasis on love. And he gave his life bearing witness to faith in our Lord.
In the 21st Century, youngsters may become disillusioned with life, its meaning and purpose. Others later in life look for deeper inner priorities, not just surviving nine-to-five routine of working life. We need to place ourselves into the hands of Christ .
I underwent the trauma of a stroke a couple of years ago, not fully regaining my speech and ability to put my thoughts into words. Speech therapists are dedicated people, but my skills as a preacher have not fully recovered, and I have resigned my license as an LLM/ Reader. With God’s grace, I intend to play a meaningful role elsewhere in Christ’s church.
The words of the confession at Common Worship apply:
Forgive what we have been Help us to amend what we are, And direct what we shall be:
That we may do justly, Love mercy, And walk humbly with you our God. Amen
Peter Sellars
Lemon Curd and Summer Berry Tart
At long last we can start thinking about summer! Here is a colourful berry tart that should fit the bill.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 x ready rolled puff pastry sheet
2 tsp. plain flour
250g. mascarpone cheese
200g. full fat cream cheese
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp. Lemon Curd
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp. icing sugar
Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries
3 sprigs of fresh mint
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C/180 fan/Gas 6
Linda Donaldson
Line a 15” x 11” baking tray with baking paper and lightly dust with flour. Place puff pastry sheet on top of the dusted paper.
Score a half-inch border all the way round the pastry being careful not to cut right through completely.
Gently prick the base of the pastry with a fork to allow the air to escape.
Bake the pastry for 10 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Remove from the oven and gently press the centre down. Leave to cool.
While the pastry is cooling beat together the mascarpone, cream cheese, lemon juice, zest, lemon curd, vanilla extract, and icing sugar until smooth. Gently spread the mixture all over the pastry base.
Top with the summer berries and decorate with fresh mint.
Book Review
Contributed by Emily
A large part of my job is meeting with publisher reps and deciding which books to stock in the bookshop - I love it! During a meeting with my Penguin rep a few months ago, he pitched a historical fiction novel set in Oxford during the 1920s, and I instantly thought, “that sounds like a book for my colleague Cathy!” One of the central themes of the book is women’s educationa topic she is particularly passionate about. I asked him to send an advanced copy for her to read. When the book arrived I happened to be in a bit of a reading slump and I ended up taking it home with me as it was something a bit different to my usual tastes! I was instantly drawn into the story and read the entire book in a weekend! The Eights by Joanna Miller follows the story of four women who are among the first to attend Oxford and receive degree qualifications. This isn’t a period of history I know much about, although it followed on nicely from my last foray into historical fiction, In Memoriam by Alice Winn. The novel sensitively explores the traumas of the years following World War One and it left me wanting to learn more. What really made this book for me however were the characters. From headstrong Bea, to heartbroken Dora, socialite Otto and quiet, clever Marianne, these four women truly felt like friends when I finished the book, and still find myself thinking of them, many months later! A must read for anyone who is interested in Oxford, women’s emancipation or the inter-war years. Now, I should probably actually let Cathy read it…
The Eights is available from The Haslemere Bookshop in hardback at £16.99
Church Youth Groups
At The Den we have welcomed four new members and have been focusing on the events leading up to Easter and Easter itself. As always, our evenings have been filled with a mixture of religious discussion, craft activities and games.
Easter reminds us of new hope and life through Jesus. We have been considering these themes by embracing nature. We hope you have enjoyed our continued work in the Derby Road wild garden and wild area, and in St Bartholomew’s churchyard. Thanks to the hard work of Peter Clarke, who has championed this project with The Den, and our amazing team of volunteers, these areas continue to support the local ecosystem. This year the children planted more pollinator-friendly native flowers and wildflower seeds, which were sown into a cross. They also decorated slate signs to inform and inspire the public, and we have seen some wonderful responses to this on the Haslemere Community Forum. The Den also helped weave some willow into a dead hedge and built an impressive bug hotelthanks to Jewsons for donating the pallets!
On another evening it was great to welcome back the Lush soap-making team from Guildford who made bath bombs with the children to give to their mothers on Mothering Sunday. We discussed what we appreciate about our own
mothers, and talked about Mary, the mother of Jesus. Everyone sampled Simnel cake which has been part of Easter traditions since medieval times and often associated with Mothering Sunday.
Our last session before Easter was very special and we started with a retelling of the events around Easter whereby the children dressed as the characters from the story. The stations of the cross had been set up both inside and outside St Christopher’s and we moved around each of these, acting out the story. This included a reenactment of the Last Supper. Later we were joined by Sarah Dodd from Brilliant Bricks who helped everyone create their own Lego Easter Garden. The evening ended with an Easter Egg hunt and Summit joined in the fun as they arrived to start their own session.
At our first session back this term we had some water fun in the heat and played ‘what’s in the box?’, after which the children and leaders put on their own mini magic show. This led into discussions about ‘Is seeing believing?’, the story of ‘Doubting Thomas’ and how faith works. We talked about how it is hard to tell what is real in modern society and what it would take for us to be convinced about something; also that it is alright to have doubts and questions and how Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples, had them too. We used cardboard boxes to show how Thomas built his faith and how it fell down when Jesus died. He didn't believe that Jesus had risen again and wanted to see Him and his wounds himself. Once Thomas saw Jesus alive his faith was restored. We talked about how we can have faith, even though we can’t see and touch Jesus like Thomas did, and how Jesus says those who believe but don’t see are truly blessed. We constructed another tower with ideas of how we can build our own faith, which includes
asking questions. There is now a letter box in The Den HQ where the children can post questions which we will try to answer.
As mentioned above, Summit joined The Den for an Easter Egg hunt and then had their own special Easter session. The theme for the evening was the importance of ‘grace’, examples of which were discussed from the Bible and our own lives. One of our mums, Jo Patrick, talked about the people she works with in sheltered accommodation and the power of grace and kindness. The young people made paper birds with bible verses on, which held a chocolate egg inside, as gifts for the vulnerable individuals Jo works with. They then each decorated their own chocolate egg to take home.
Passover Supper
We were delighted that members of Summit and The Den, helped with the preparations for the Passover supper - setting up at St Christopher’s, making the charoset paste and seder plate, and taking part in the evening, which they all enjoyed.
We have more exciting evenings planned for the rest of the term….
For more details of The Den and Summit contact: Verity Sutherland, Children & Families Worker (Older Children)
Email: Children@haslemereparish.org
Sue & Verity
Photos by Verity
In My Garden
Philip Duly
This Spring will be remembered for the many weeks of wonderful sunny days when our gardens were a delight. Most of my bulbs and shrubs survived with a little watering and on the whole I was delighted with my seasonal display. My tulips were long-lasting and well-matched, in particular two new combinations of pale lemon Angel’s Flame with dark purple Queen of Night and the magnificent cerise-tinged Amberglow with deep red Seadov.
Last January’s storm brought down a couple of conifers in my garden which I was, on the whole, rather pleased about. Aside from the cost of having them removed, this opened up a large space which has enabled me to begin to design a new border with some lovely Euphorbia characias Black Pearl. The conifers had previously dwarfed a circle of beautiful but relatively short flowering irises and some peonies that I planted when I moved here four years ago that had spent that time in their shadows.
When new opportunities arise to be creative, often due to the removal of a large shrub or tree, it is a common gardening error to rush headlong into filling the new space. I believe I have avoided this although I cannot say I have not been tempted to do so. I am intending to add some new herbaceous perennials over the next few months, leaving sufficient space for shrubs to properly expand.
I have moved two very small berberis that were previously in another part of the garden and were struggling to grow due to lack of light. I have also planted a couple of beautiful deciduous azaleas that were showy throughout May. These are amber flowering Golden Lights and the dazzling yellow Anneke which I believe will prove to be a long lasting investment.
Golden Lights
Anneke
St. Bartholomew’s Church Kneeler Project
1995-2005
Amazingly, the Church Kneelers are now 25 years old, or a quarter of a century! I thought it might be interesting to write a short summary of how this all started and grew into a wonderful community project. It is like a social history of Haslemere. Luckily we have photos of all the kneelers with the people who had sewn them. So many of them are no longer with us and as soon as we have room in the church, I will display the photos for you all to remember them.
In 1995 a small committee was formed to look into the feasibility of creating a new set of kneelers for St. Bartholomew’s. It was intended that the whole project would be finished in time for the Millennium but in the end, it took us ten years to make 250 kneelers sewn by 80 people! We are grateful to Anne Rogers, who upholstered all the kneelers, to Linda Donaldson who designed and painted on canvas all the long kneelers and two-thirds of the small kneelers, to Roscelin Rees who helped with the stretching of the canvases and to Kirsten Invest who upholstered all the long kneelers.
Close examination of the kneelers reveals a rich variety of subjects. On the community side we have religious groups, schools in Haslemere, various clubs and leisure societies, most of the town organisations, the life of the Church, the Bible stories, the Creation, the world about us and finally history. There is a Remembrance Sunday kneeler and one for both VJ Day and VE Day. There is a kneeler to commemorate the Queen’s Golden Wedding and one for the Queen Mother’s 100th birthday.
In 1999 it was decided rather belatedly to sew seven 4ft. long altar-rail kneelers. The length of time this would take was underestimated and, in fact, they were not finished until 2003. The first of these long kneelers tells the story of the life of Christ, with the subsequent kneelers
concentrating on 2,000 years of historical stories. Other things crept in such as the two World Wars. Each long kneeler took one month to research and paint onto the canvas and a further four to six months to sew. As soon as I can find room, I will put the photographs on display in the church for you all to see if you can remember who the sewers were.
Linda Donaldson
Sunday Families
On Mothering Sunday, the school, church families and children from the local community collaborated to produce wonderful bookmarks to be handed out to all mother figures at the church service which were well received by all the recipients. It is hoped that there will be many more collaborations between church and school, and I am already making plans for doves to be made to be hung on the arbour in the Derby Road Cemetery for Pentecost. Watch this (that) Space!
April was all about the Anointing of Jesus at Bethany and a woman to be remembered! Following an engaging slide presentation and video, I asked the children if they would be prepared to give the most valuable or precious thing they owned away to a friend who came for dinner which raised some interesting responses! I explained that Jesus is worth more than any price tag, money is only paper, and stuff wears out. We need to be willing to give everything for Him, because he gave everything for us. We crafted the scene with the alabaster jar full of very expensive perfume and Mary complete with moving ‘tassel’ hair wiping the oil from the feet of Jesus! Our
Good Friday Special in the Link was a great success and kept over 35 children and their families entertained with activities and refreshments. The children chose a stick were given a list of items to collect from the Easter story and moved from station to station attaching them to their journal stick. Our superb volunteers explained the components of the Easter story at their station.
There were lots of items to collect: palm leaves, crosses, crowns of thorns, bags of silver and much more. The final item an egg to decorate was collected from the life size tomb constructed in the church by my longsuffering husband and myself, now flat packed ready for next year’s outing!
Hot cross bun decorating was popular and the communal Easter Garden which will remain in situ outside the church and changed by the Sunday Morning Families group at intervals looks a treat. The toddler art and play area was appreciated by parents. Decorated bereavement eggs for distribution after they had been blessed on Easter Sunday looked pretty in their colourful baskets. An engaging service by Rev Chris in the church was followed by nailing ribbons to the cross and the lighting of candles. The announcement of an Easter Egg Hunt outside to conclude caused as you would expect a stampede!
Due to the Link works May was a little different for us. We were very kindly allowed to use the empty space and made an impressive start on our paper flowers which
will be used to adorn the marquee at the Flower Festival at St. Christopher’s Church in June. We had quite a production line going!
I am busy preparing now for what we hope will be another successful Families Special on Saturday 21st June – Summer Sizzler BBQ Picnic on the Field at St. Bartholomew’s School from 2-4.30pm (school hall if inclement weather).
There will be traditional games and stalls. A charity raffle and a wrapped lucky dip for the children.
I would be extremely grateful to hear asap from volunteers to help on the day both male and female please and if you are able to donate items for the raffle or the lucky dip that would also be very, very much appreciated. A volunteer willing to face paint simple designs on little faces if that might be one of your hidden talents is also needed!
As always, I am extremely grateful for all the support generally but particularly from the volunteers without whom none of these events for the children would be possible
There will be a provision in the usual way for June and July Sunday Morning Families. There is no Sunday Morning Families in August and arrangements from September will follow in due course.
Update on School Role
I thought you might all like to be kept updated as to my own involvement with the school in addition to the regular school church services with Reverend Chris.
All interaction I have with the school in my role as CFW helps to strengthen the Links between the Church and school. It builds relationships, trust and encourages enquiring minds.
In March I attended Guildford Cathedral for their ECO Day with Mrs Hollyer and a small group of children learning about the importance of wasting less, reusing and recycling which we all need to do more of and the importance of taking care of God’s beautiful world for ourselves and future generations!
I was grilled by year 3 classes in two 45minute Q&As in April. They had been learning about Jesus’ forgiveness of Peter. Brilliant questions prepared by the children in advance, some of them big questions others about my experiences and favourite Bible stories. I was able to alleviate some fears and mysteries too and reminded of just how inquisitive young minds are. The classes were completely engaged, and their behaviour and manners were exemplary.
On 2nd May I went on a visit with Reception to the Library on Wey Hill. We listened to the story of ‘The Littlest Yak’ and learned that even when we are the smallest, we can achieve big things( how true this is) Yak masks were made followed by an animal scavenger hunt which proved very competitive ! Lots of questions from my group about church, even when they are little, they have questions!
I am due to attend the Leavers Service at Guildford Cathedral with the school on 18th June.
I continue to meet with the school and worship teams regarding my ongoing role within school. Going forward I hope to be supporting the RE Curriculum and working on upgrading the Spiritual Garden to make it a user friendly and more spiritual space for the school to use both within and outside of the curriculum. Plans are in discussion at the moment along with proposals to replace a very worn altar cloth in the school Assembly Hall and updating the content and placement of the Christian book section in the library.
I continue to pray for guidance in my role with the school and thank our churches for their ongoing prayers and support and very much look forward to the ideas coming to fruition.
Karen
Children and Families Worker (Primary years
Churchyard Jottings
Philip Hunt
As trailered in my last column, a very successful volunteer working party was held in Derby Road churchyard on Saturday 22 March, when further bramble was cleared and the area generally tidied up. This should, hopefully, make the whole area easier to maintain but cooperation will be required from Waverley BC through their own contractor. In addition, the area around the pergola was improved and the planting of snowdrops will hopefully lead to a fine display next winter. Another working party was held in the main churchyard at St Bartholomew’s on Saturday 12 April (see photos), when graves were cleared of ivy and other unwanted specimens, shrubs were pruned, lawn edges trimmed and weeds along the base of Derby Road wall removed. Sharp eyed readers may also have noticed the skilled tree work carried out by our Deputy Churchwarden leading to an improved view from the churchyard. If you have not noticed it, then even better!
We now have quite a band of loyal parishioners who roll up their sleeves and undertake a range of tasks. These occasions are quite informal and although there is always a broad plan for what we hope to undertake, people are encouraged to tackle jobs which they enjoy or feel competent to undertake. It is always advisable to bring one’s own tools as spare equipment is limited. Most of the work only requires modest tools like secateurs and loppers,
possibly a grass rake and maybe a trowel or tool for removing stubborn weeds. It is appreciated that not everybody can turn up on any one occasion and there is no pressure to do so. Experience shows that these working parties are most effective with, say, six to eight people who are happy to take on specific tasks. Nevertheless, it would be nice to be able to expand the volunteer pool, so to speak. It is recognised that any date chosen for a working party is likely to be inconvenient to some people. Fixing dates can be something of a juggling act, given the other events taking place on Saturdays, such as concerts, or increasingly weddings. Looking ahead, it would be helpful to schedule one more working party in the main churchyard, probably in mid June, in preparation for this year’s entry in the South and South East in Bloom (SSEiB) competition.
It will not have gone unnoticed that The Den children have once again come up trumps with both their Easter garden and bug hotel. A huge thanks is due to them, but not forgetting the massive role played by Verity Sutherland, Karen Bardens and Peter Clarke. The verge along Derby Road is looking very good and the slates with descriptions and the information boards are a most informative addition, as well as being attractive in their own right. Let us hope that when it comes to SSEiB judging this year, the judge looks as favourably on this as he did last year. One of the recommendations was to have some message boards and The Den have delivered a novel solution.
In the area set aside for The Den, close to The Link, is the grave of one William Luff. Some readers may recall that this was the man who was tragically run over by a horse and cart in 1872. It is not known about his disposition at the time. However, a single, somewhat amusing, verse is inscribed on the headstone and this fascinated Hamish Donaldson to the extent that he asked if I could explore how it might be restored. A fine restoration was carried out some years ago now, by a specialist memorial mason and, thanks to Hamish, was fully funded by Town charities. Sadly, it has gradually become discoloured by a combination of algae and bird contamination. Some improvement has been achieved with mild detergent, but advice has now been sought from the stonemason who has recommended a specialist cleaning agent which has now been purchased. It is hoped this will greatly improve the appearance, so watch this space for before and after photographs.
As a footnote, a friend looking at our garden one day told me we were lucky because we had ‘borrowed views’. Our back garden runs down to the railway line and some of the trees in view are actually on Network Rail property - our gain, I suppose. I then thought that the main churchyard benefits from
borrowed views too. The two photographs below bear this out. We have the familiar magnolia in the late John Pocock’s garden and the feast of daffodils on Church Green which were the inspiration of Dorothea Nattrass some years ago.
Fundraising
Skittles Evening
Following the success of last year's fundraising skittles evening, Haslemere Museum will be holding a fun night of skittles and table games to raise funds for the Museum.
All are welcome to join in the fun from 7pm on Friday 6 June.
There will be a bar for beer, wine and snacks, and also a chance to try other traditional games, such as bar skittles, bagatelle and shove ha’penny.
Tickets are £10 and can be booked on the What’s On page of the Haslemere Museum website.
Haslemere Museum operates as an independent charity and relies on fundraising in order to maintain its collections and buildings.
Spiritual Direction
Life can be busy and we rarely have the time to stop and wonder what it is all about. If we have a Faith, do we question where it is taking us? Or perhaps we have no Faith but would like to explore the possibility of God’s presence in our life?
Spiritual Direction (or Accompaniment) can offer a safe and peaceful space in which to explore your spirituality with a non-judgmental and prayerful companion. Your Spiritual Director (SD) will listen to your story and help you to discern where the Spirit is working in your life; whatever you say will be held in complete confidence. Meetings usually last for one hour every 6-8 weeks.
There is a long history of spiritual guides dating back to the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the 4th and 5th centuries. Today, there are centres for training SDs throughout the country, attracting men and women from all walks of life and traditions.
I completed a two-year part time course at Sarum College in Salisbury and I now practice under the umbrella of Guildford Diocese. I have also recently become a member of the London Centre for Spiritual Direction (LCSD). SDs work under a Code of Practice and agree to receive regular supervision for their work and to also be receiving SD themselves. It is not advisable for us to meet with fellow parishioners or those we see often in social circumstances.
If you are interested in meeting with an SD you may gain access through Guildford Diocese: SD_enquiries@cofeguildford.org.uk or through the London Centre: www.lcsd.org.uk
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further I would be happy to talk to you.
Bowling at the Haslemere Bowls Club
Once again the parish enjoyed a lovely afternoon of bowls hosted by Haslemere Bowls Club. The weather was gorgeous as was some of the bowls, although fair to say it might be a while before the parish can put together a team to take on the bowls club!
Like all seemingly simple sports, there's a lot of complexity and a lot of skill involved, not to mention that hand to eye coordination. I have to say why someone had the idea of inventing a bowl that would gracefully arc round corners is totally beyond me! It's difficult enough aiming ones bowl at a target some 25 or so yards away, with out the added complication that it will then gracefully arc away from where you want it go!
The professionals, such as Don, then explain that if you have the weight of the wood on the left then you need to aim about 10 yards to the right of the jack. Once we cleared up that a bowl is actually called a wood and the jack is the thing you're supposed to be aiming at, things became marginally clearer and we all then had another go. The advice from the professionals about the target line was indeed useful, but how hard to bowl ones wood became the next issue, they either seemed woefully short or way too long. We were told with a little bit more practise we would start to find the distance.
This was all very well, but I couldn't understand why the professional's woods arced gracefully towards the jack, whereas mine looked like a drunk telly tubby, not knowing quite which direction to go in. I was told that I was holding the wood incorrectly and also had the wrong bowling action! At this point I decided it was time for tea, with a lovely spread of scones, jam and cakes supplied by the bowls club. I think it should be said that there were
others who were having a lot more success. Once Dave Simmonds got the hang of which way the wood would turn he started to look like a natural, and Frances looked as if she had the perfect bowling action, as long as you didn't look where the wood had actually gone! There were some extremely sporting efforts put in by Debbie and Steve Peet, Fiona and Andrew Culshaw as well as Richard Reincke, with my granddaughter Everley doing a great job in collecting up the woods. However, the star of the show being my nephew Zio who has obviously played the game before, despite being under 40!
All in all, a really enjoyable afternoon. A lovely way to spend a few hours, learning something new and laughing a lot in terrific company.
By Justin Manley Cooper
Photos – Frances Reincke
Our Church Opening Times:
St Bartholomew's is open for private prayer each day, from 9:00am until 4:00pm.
St Christopher's Church is open for private prayer on Tuesdays-Fridays from 10:00am until 4:00pm.
The above may be adjusted should there be other events taking place.
VE Day Commemorations 2025
By Richard Reincke
I was awake at dawn on VE day’s 80th anniversary and I tried to imagine what it must have been like to have come through 6 long seemingly interminable years of war affecting the whole world and to wake up to the announcement that Germany had signed an unconditional surrender. The whole country heaved a massive sigh of relief; but VE day was not even the end of the war. “This is not the end, this is not even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning” – the eternal words of Winston Churchill back in 1942 – and yet there were another three years of war subsequent to that.
So, it was incredibly fitting to mark this momentous event, eighty years later, with our own special memorial. With the indefatigable energy and imagination of Ken Griffiths, the enthusiasm and actions of Jim Edwards and the carpenter’s skill of a certain Mr Paul Mills, owner of Prestwick Farm, we set about building the giant poppy wreaths which would be suspended from St Christopher’s tower. To him we owe enormous thanks for the use of his skills and his workshop. Using a bit of string as a giant geometric compass, attached to a pencil, we described giant semicircles on the four pieces of 8 by 4 ft plywood sheets. The simple geometry worked perfectly, and the four halves met up with a few forgivable millimetres difference. We then drilled, screwed and bolted them together before painting them in black paint and then the work began to organise the poppies. Ken engaged the services of 10 local schools who set about making individual poppies with the buttons recovered from the old rather pink poppies. These were stripped off the old nets which had provided such a breathtaking display for all the Remembrance Sundays and commemorations of the last seven years at St Christopher’s. Altogether the industriousness of the schools provided a total of two thousand poppies in a very short time.
Modelled on the magnificent wreath which has adorned the inside of St
Andrew - Richard - Ken - Jim
Christopher’s since 2018 on many occasions, we set about attaching fruit netting to the wreaths to make ready of the attachment of all the poppies. Several evenings of poppy pinning were arranged. However, due to the Explorer Scout troop’s great work they managed to cover both wreaths in one evening so little was left to do and the finishing touches were done by parishioners, special thank you to Rita, and members of the local community.
What was to be done with all the remaining poppies? Cometh the hour cometh the man! The Rector had been toiing away in this workshop and had carved out a magnificent eight foot cross of staggering strength with six by six inch chestnut. This was to symbolise the incredible suffering and endurance of our Lord as he dragged his cross to Golgotha and also the long years of hardship, suffering, pain and death suffered by humanity in so many conflicts throughout the ages. It is no exaggeration to say that it took 4 grown men to carry it anywhere. With more netting and poppies this time pinned on, this time by the air cadets, the cross then stood proudly in the churchyard adorned like the wreaths with hundreds of poppies symbolising all those who had made the ultimate sacrifice in World War II.
Phew! Job done then. No! still masses of poppies left. All sorts of alternatives were discussed, an entrance arch for the VE day commemorations on Lion Green, a poppy banner across Weyhill, and a top dressing for St Chirstopher’s tower. The first two were rejected so we worked out a way of using one of the beloved old nets. Thanks to various parishioners we stripped the old poppies off and pinned all the remaining new ones along one side of the net. Special mention goes as ever to Robert Fox, erstwhile Spitfire co-pilot, for the world record in stripping poppies off a net, David and Netie Sewell, who stripped and pinned many poppies and of course, Frances, Lucy and Justin who were as ever there somehow finding time to assist in so many ways despite their incredibly busy lives. A special thank you to Andrew
Gregory who stepped into the breach at the right moment to provide invaluable help to hang the top dressing from the parapet.
Now it was just a simple case of hoisting the wreaths up the tower. The air cadets not only pinned the poppies onto the cross and onto the old net as the parapet top dressing but also hoisted them up onto the tower just to spice up their regular Thursday evening assembly. Thanks to all the safety equipment now at St Christopher’s three of them actually climbed up onto the top of the tower and helped haul the wreaths up.
And that was not all. Ken had arranged for the cross to stand on Lion Green with pride of place beside the stage. So on the Saturday morning of the VE Day commemorations, the Rector and Justin at the front, Oli – Robert’s neighbour press-ganged into a job he would never have imagined on a quiet Saturday morning, Robert and me we set off down Weyhill with this incredibly fine cross and led by Xander Urquhart as he played some stirring tunes on his bagpipes as we processed onto the Green.
The commemorations were opened by the Lord Lieutenant and the Mayor of Haslemere and Jane Knox-Wilson, a 98 year old lady who served in the Wrens in
WWII. The replica Spitfire stood majestically on the green with all the marquees and food stalls and a large marquee in which lectures were delivered and videos were shown to bring VE day to life again. The bands played and sang music from the era and a real Spitfire with Robert at the controls – well sort of anyway! – flew overhead with the characteristic growl and thunder of the Rolls Royce Merlin engine and that unmistakable shape and awesome yet deadly beauty of the plane that, together with the Hurricane won the Battle of Britain.
Haslemere commemorated. Haslemere did it brilliantly. We don’t wait for others. We get on and do it ourselves with all the resourcefulness and independence that makes this town the vibrant place that it is and the parish was right in there. Bravo!
Photos by Richard and Frances Reincke
Brave and Inspirational
Catriona abseils down the Spinnaker Tower
Catriona Tremlett, now in her 81st year, a vibrant and well-loved part of our parish community, decided that the extra time her treatment has gained her is a real privilege and she would use some of that time to raise funds for Sarcoma UK, a rare form of cancer.
Her oncologist who is one of the trustees for Sarcoma UK was amazed and very grateful, that Catriona decided she wanted to do something for this lesser known charity that funds vital research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer and campaigns for better treatments.
Catriona wanted to do something challenging like a skydive or a wing walk, but wasn’t allowed, due to her heart condition.
So, joined by 26 friends and family, 24 of whom were staying for lunch they travelled to Portsmouth where Catriona was to abseil down from the top of the Spinnaker Tower.
The skies were blue, but the wind was strong. The oldest member of the group abseiling that day, she was shown no favours. The intention was to have two teams abseiling, one down each side of the tower, due to the strength of the wind only one side was used to start with and so her blast-off time was delayed by an hour. Her concern at this point, that her guests might be getting hungry. Eventually the second side of the tower was opened and she was to abseil down the windiest side. This meant her descent was hard work due to the need to fight against the wind as well as to abseil down, at one point getting blown around the corner of the tower itself. Catriona admits to being a little wobbly when she reached the ground again, and was told it took about 20 minutes to descend, but for her, just concentrating on getting herself down was the
focus. Her only regret was that the need to concentrate on the descent, left no time to appreciate the view.
After her ordeal a lovely lunch was enjoyed with her entourage. All was well, almost, the next day Catriona suffered from realising that she had used muscles she never even knew that she had. A session with the chiropractor and a physiotherapist, followed by her regular Pilates sessions has greatly improved matters.
She has raised an amazing £10,600+ for Sarcoma UK. Catriona is exceptionally grateful not only for the amazing generosity of donations for her abseiling adventure, but also for the many prayers, love and support that she has received over the last four and half years.
To donate, go to the Just Giving website and search for Catriona Tremlett, Sarcoma UK.
Article by Jane Slevin, Photos by Ann Rogers .
The Spitfire Adventure
Robert Fox
So as many of you know I was lucky enough to win the raffle for a flight in a 1944 Mark 9 Spitfire from Goodwood aerodrome on Saturday 17 May. Arriving at Hangar 8 at 14:30, in perfect weather I was rather excited and apprehensive. I was kitted out in a full flight suit, helmet and gloves. Then a very comprehensive 30-minute briefing from my pilot Jimmy Hanson, fellow Yorkshireman. During the briefing it was agreed with Jimmy that I would at an appropriate point in the flight take over the controls.
Then it was off to the Spitfire and I took my seat, after a further check that I understood the safety measures needed should there be any problems, I was strapped in and ready to go. It literally was chocks away once the engine started and we taxied to the end of the grass runway waiting for clearance.
Clearance was given and that amazing Rolls Royce Merlin engine roared even louder as we set off. Within, it seemed like we were airborne in seconds and the wheels were up and we were away. As agreed in the briefing, we headed north
towards Haslemere. I could clearly see Midhurst below me to the left, and two minutes later, we were over Blackdown and banking left to fly across Haslemere. Using the train station as a point of reference, with the engine on full revs to make even more noise we passed over Lion Green.
On leaving Haslemere we headed down towards the coast flying over Arundel, where I had the opportunity to handle the controls of the plane. The Spitfire had been converted when it was restored to be a 2 seater trainer plane so the cockpit is mirrored in the back. The joystick is very much like the handle of a spade, at the gentlest of movements would bank it right or left and even gentler movements up and down. What an amazingly agile a manoeuvrable plane, it was an amazing experience, but I was very pleased to give the controls back to Jimmy. We got to the coast and banked right towards Bognor Regis. Jimmy said, “Are you ready for your Victory Roll, we will give them a show on the beach.” So as we flew parallel to the coast the nose dipped to pick up speed and we went into a victory roll most disconcerting but amazing. “Feeling ok?”, asked Jimmy. “Yes”, I said. “Would you like to do a 360 loop”? “Only going get one chance, so yes go for it”. The plane’s nose dipped we gained speed and then up we climbed. The manoeuvre exerts about 3.5 of g-force, so put simply my body weighed 3.5 times its normal weight. At the top, and then back down and round. Quite something to experience. Not as disconcerting as I expected, a mixture of fear and exhilaration.
Then it was a gentle flight back over Chichester Harbour and after a circle of the airfield a bumpy landing.
Then it was time for photos and a chat with my Pilot.
A truly awesome experience and the best raffle prize I have ever been lucky enough to win.
Parish News in Pictures
Passover Meal - Picture by Debbie Peet
Easter Morning Dawn Service - Picture by Dorothea Nattrass
Congratulations to Roger and Mavis Edge celebrating their 72nd Wedding Anniversary , married on 16/5/1953 - picture by Lynn Lemar
Roscelyn Rees at the APCM - Picture by John Harvey
Easter Pictures by Kari Hayden
Trio Shaham Erez Wallfisch
The HHH Concert 0n Saturday 26th April
Review by Martin Robson
There was a buzz of anticipation as a large audience gathered in St Bartholomew’s to hear a trio who together represent a major experience of playing chamber music. The Wallfisch Trio was founded in 2009 and play prestigious venues such as the Wigmore Hall and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.
The concert opened with Mozart’s Piano Trio in E major. In a rare key for Mozart, this is one of his more mature works, though he was only 32 when it was written in 1788. In some ways almost like a concerto, the piano part, seeming uncertain whether to be joyful or sad, opened with a sweet melody and later launched into grand arpeggios. Among Mozart’s surprise modulations and floating themes we had the feeling that we were in safe hands, that the performers’ understanding went to heart of the music.
In Leningrad, as the siege was broken in 1944, Dmitri Shostakovich was struck by personal tragedy when his absolute closest friend, Ivan Sollertinsky, died suddenly in Novosibirsk. He turned to the Second Piano Trio he had started the previous year and dedicated it to Sollertinsky’s memory. With the advance of the Allies, news was emerging of the death camps they left behind. From the music it is clear that Shostakovich intended his work also to commemorate these much broader events.
The first movement began with Raphael Wallfisch’s cello playing eerie muted harmonics, somewhere in the stratosphere. It was joined by Hagai Shahaman’s violin playing the same fugue-like tune lower down. Then Arnon Erez’s piano entered with low chords in counterpoint. The mood is bleak. The second movement is a mocking scherzo; exciting but terrifying, it is a musical portrait of Sollertinsky. The finale added the melancholy exuberance of Klezmer music, remembering the concentration camps. It swirls to a harassed climax before ghostly echoes of the eerie opening confirm that, in this powerful performance, the landscape is as desolate and empty as when we started. It is especially poignant to learn that Raphael’s own mother, Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, played cello in the Auschwitz prisoners’ orchestra. She was liberated from Bergen-Belsen in April 1945.
After an interval, the trio played Edvard Grieg’s quietly lyrical ‘Andante con moto’. This piece is modest in scale, but the trio displayed their attention to detail as the charming theme, redolent of Bohemian song, passed from one instrument to another. It offered a moment of tranquility between the demands of the Shostakovich and the Dvorak pieces.
In Eastern Europe a Dumka was a lament for lost Cossack glory, full of nostalgia. In the hands of Czech classical composers this became linked with a fast movement. So, Dvorak’s memorable ‘Dumky’ Piano Trio No. 4 has six movements, in each of which a slow graceful start is dramatically followed by an exhilarating folk dance. The trio marked these abrupt changes in tempo with a sudden burst of warmth. The romping finale of the last movement brought the piece and the programme to a glorious close.
PASTORAL CARE IN CHALLENGING TIMES
Led by Andy Peck
Saturday 14th June 2025
9.30 am - 1 pm (Coffee available from 9 am) at Godalming Baptist Church, Queen Street, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1BA
It is said that a crisis doesn’t make or break, it just reveals! There are times when we feel challenges in caring for others, either because we feel like we are just ‘hanging on’ to faith ourselves, or because the situation being faced is stretching us like never before. The recent COVID pandemic left many reeling!
In this session, we aim to step back and provide an assessment of what pastoral care is and what it isn’t, look together at our mind-sets as we face challenges, and provide a faith-filled expectant outlook that takes Romans 8:28 seriously, knowing that ‘in all things God is at work for the good of those who love him’.
Areas looked at will include:
• What is pastoral care according to the Bible?
• What role might you play in caring for others?
• Looking at the five stages of church involvement and the care needed for each
• How do we understand the suffering that God allows?
• How do we serve at a sustainable pace?
• How do we involve others?
• How might our care extend beyond the local church? The morning will be a mixture of teaching and small group discussions with time for questions, and notes will be provided.
Please reserve a place, with payment of £8, by contacting Sally Pollard email: pollard3@hotmail.co.uk, tel: 01483 428646 by Friday 30th May
First Steps is the place to be on a Monday morning!
TRAUMA: MORE RELEVANT TO EVERY DAY LIFE THAN WE REALISE
Led by Libby Williams
Saturday 5th July, 10 am – 12.30 pm (Coffee available from 9.30 am)
Do you notice yourself or others reacting to seemingly small things in ways that seem out of proportion? Where do these (over) reactions come from?
Do you find yourself struggling with certain topics of conversation - feeling like you’d like to escape or noticing you can’t concentrate or keep zoning out? What goes on inside us that makes staying present hard?
Do you ever get halfway through a sentence and your mind goes blank, or have a to-do-list but find yourself feeling overwhelmed or procrastinating forevermore? What is happening inside our minds/bodies when this happens? We are familiar with trauma resulting from an accident, abuse or illness, etc. but trauma also encompasses much more. During the session we learn what trauma actually is, where it comes from, and how it is surprisingly relevant to most of our lives. Find out how it effects our bodies, minds, and behaviour, and explore what can be done to help in practical ways.
Other upcoming events:
Saturday 7th June 10.00am-12.00 Noon - Coffee Stop
A coffee morning supporting a different charity at Godalming Baptist Churchtea/ coffee and homemade cakes -no charge-donations appreciated for Macmillan Cancer Care
Saturday 28th June - supporting Oakleaf Enterprise-Making life work with mental illness.
For more details on courses, or to make a reservation, please contact: Sally Pollard, email: pollard3@hotmail.co.uk, tel: 01483 428646. Payments can be made by bank transfer (account details available from Sallyplease use your name and abbreviated course title as reference) or by cheque, payable to ‘Life Issues Fund, GBC’, sent to Sally at Godalming Baptist Church, Queen Street, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1BA
What’s on at Haslemere Museum
Friday 6 June, 7pm
Fundraising Skittles Evening
A fun night of skittles and indoor table games, all while raising funds for the Museum. With bar for beer, wine & snacks. Tickets £10. Find out more and book on the What’s On page of the Haslemere Museum website.
19, 20 & 21 June, 7pm
Outdoor theatre: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Haslemere Thespians will be bringing Shakespeare’s most popular comedy, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, to glorious life in the gardens of Haslemere Museum. A riotous romp is guaranteed along with a happy ending! Adults £15, Children £10. Book tickets on the What’s On page of the Haslemere Museum website.
Throughout June & July
Early Years sessions
Bring your under 5s along to an Early Years session for stories, exploring and arts & crafts. £2.50 per child + £1.50 per accompanying adult. Find out more and book on the What’s On page of the Haslemere Museum website.
Tuesday 24 June, 7-9pm
Creative workshop: Felt Making
A creative evening with the chance to chat and relax while making an item to take home. £15. Book in advance on the What’s On page of the Haslemere Museum website.
Tuesday 1 July, 2.30pm
Tea & talk: Garden Birds - up, down and over
Join Alan Perry, President Emeritus of Sussex Ornithological Society, to learn more about the birds in our gardens. Although our bird feeders are magnets for birds, especially in the winter, our gardens offer so much more and we should not forget to raise our eyes to the sky where there is always a chance of seeing magnificent and exotic species flying over. Tickets £3. Book on the What’s On page of the Haslemere Museum website.
Thursday 24 July, 10.30am-12pm
Museum Explorers ages 5-11: Wire Insects
Join artist Diana Burch to create wire invertebrates inspired by the Museum’s summer exhibition. This is the first of a series of art events that are part of Haslemere Museum’s 100 Years celebration project, kindly funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. £7 per child. Book on the What’s On page of the Haslemere Museum website.
Tuesday 29 July, 1.30-4pm
Family event: Teddy Bears’ Picnic
Enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with a traditional picnic and mini fete in the Museum’s beautiful garden. There will be games, stalls and more. Bring your teddy! Free entry. Children’s teas can be ordered in advance via the What’s On page of the Museum’s website.
Thursday 31 July, 10.30am-1pm
Family activity: Printing
A morning of printing with artist Diana Burch inspired by the Museum’s summer exhibition on invertebrates. Part of the Museum’s 100 Years celebration project, kindly funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Children £4 + accompanying adults £1. Book on the What’s On page of the Haslemere Museum website.
A FREE service for people with NHS hearing aids includes:
Basic Maintenance, Battery Supply, Cleaning & Re-Tubing, Trouble-Shooting and Advice
Sessions will be held at St Bartholomew’s Church on:
10:00am – 11.30am, every 2nd and 4th Thursday
Our NHS volunteers are trained by the audiology department of the Royal Surrey County Hospital. Visiting the Hear Here clinic may save travelling long distances or the difficulties of access to the hospital.
The Hear Here scheme was launched in March 2013 as a partnership between Guildford Diocese and the NHS. There are now over 200 people trained in hearing aid maintenance. Hear Here was successful in winning the Faith Action & Health Award in 2018 for continuing to provide support for those with hearing loss across Surrey and North-East Hampshire.
Enquiries to: Hearingchampion@haslemereparish.org
Bluebells Cancer Support Centre at Harry Edwards Healing Sanctuary
Burrows Lea, Hook Lane, Shere, GU5 9AL
Bluebells is a friendly, sharing group for anyone affected by cancer. We laugh a lot, cry a little, share experiences and support each other. Do come along one Thursday to see for yourself!
We meet on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 11am 1pm ending with a relaxation session.
We like to keep in touch and know how you are at other times too, so please feel free to contact Carolyn Low on 01483 203540 or email
Carolyn.graeme@hotmail.co.uk
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Baptisms
From the Registers
Shirley Butterworth - 13th April at St Bartholomew’s
April Urquhart - 27th April at St Christopher’s
Leo Ambett - 4th May at St Christopher’s
Harri O’Neil - 18th May at St Bartholomew’s
Weddings
Daniel Williams and Helena David - 2nd May at St Bartholomew’s
Rupert Morgan and Kristina Grundy - 24th May at St Bartholomew’s
Funerals
Marjorie Horscroft - 25th April at St Bartholomew’s
Jennifer Lipscombe - 7th May at St Christopher’s
Interments
Peter Boxall - 14th April at St Christopher’s
This magazine is also available online from the parish website, www.haslemereparish.org,
For the Aug/Sep issue of the magazine Is Friday July 11th 2025 We’d love to hear from you
Responsibility for opinions and accuracy in statements expressed in articles and in advertisements in this magazine rests solely with the individual contributors
1 June 7th Sunday of Easter
8.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s Sunday Morning Families
8 June Pentecost
8.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 18.00 Evensong | St Bartholomew’s
15 June Trinity Sunday
8.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 9.30 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s
22 June 1st Sunday of Trinity
8.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s
Holy Communion | St Christopher’s
Evensong | St Bartholomew’s
29 June 2nd Sunday of Trinity
8.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 United Benefice Service | All Saints, Grayswood
6 July 3rd Sunday of Trinity
8.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s Sunday Morning Families
13 July 4th Sunday of Trinity
8.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 18.00 Evensong | St Bartholomew’s
20 July 5th Sunday of Trinity
8.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 10.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 11.30 Praying on Sunday | St Christopher’s
27 July 6th Sunday of Trinity
8.00 Holy Communion | St Bartholomew’s 10.00 Holy Communion | St Christopher’s 18.00 Evensong | St Bartholomew’s
