SUNDAY 21 DECEMBER Carols by Candlelight 10.45am & 6.30pm
SUNDAY 14 DECEMBER Christingle 10.45am Carols by Candlelight 4pm
CHRISTMAS EVE Holy Communion 11.15pm
Or join us online: pottshrigleychurch.org.uk or Pott Shrigley Church
Or join us online: pottshrigleychurch.org.uk or Pott Shrigley Church
THURSDAY 18 DECEMBER Carols by Candlelight 6.30pm
CHRISTMAS DAY Family Communion 10am Sunday services 8.30am and 10.45am Join us for our seasonal services
Dear friends,
good news for us today.
Today we are always just a click away from some kind of news story. At times it’s tempting to keep scrolling to find some good news items to compensate for the bleak stories that crowd our thoughts. Alongside the sheer overwhelming quantity of news, we are now faced with the dilemma of finding good quality sources.
There are four reasons why the story of Jesus’ birth is quality good news that’s worth focussing upon:
Firstly, unlike much of the news that distracts us, the story of Jesus’ birth is relevant to us here today. In Luke 2:11 the angel tells the shepherds: ‘Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.’ A Saviour was born today; this was important news for ordinary people, news that would change their lives. Immediacy abounds. The focus is on today. We too need to realise that Jesus’ birth is still very
Secondly, the good news of Jesus’ birth is reliable, verifiable and trustworthy. This uneducated band of shepherds had nothing extra to help them find their way to the Saviour apart from what the angel told them: look for a baby in a feeding trough (Luke 2:12). The feeding trough, which is mentioned three times in Luke 2 (v.7,12,16) indicates that the Saviour was born poor. We know the information the angel gave was reliable and accurate because the shepherds were able to find Jesus. In our world of deceptive news, we too can reliably find our way to the Saviour.
Thirdly, good news is also retellable. The news of Jesus birth is worth sharing with others. Some news is not worth retelling, the kind of news that stokes resentment, the news that normalises hate speech or diminishes the humanity of others. However, the angel told the shepherds: ‘Do not continued →
be afraid. I bring good news…’ (Luke 2:10).
After the shepherds found the Saviour, they began to retell what they had been told: ‘and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.’ (Luke 2:1819). Unlike our fleeting current news, this account has stood the test of time and is still being retold across the world today.
Lastly, unlike the negative impact of too much doomscrolling, which can significantly affect our mood in a negative way, the shepherds were given ‘good news that will cause great joy for all the people’, and after their visit to the child in the feeding trough ‘The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God’ (Luke 1:20). The shepherds had cause to rejoice and praise God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. This is a true sign of good news, that it lifts our spirits and turns us away from ourselves towards God;
hearing the old story and singing familiar carols can change the way we view the world if we let them.
At St Christopher’s we will be offering various opportunities to hear and experience this good news over the Christmas period. Events include a Christingle service, a Christmas Fair for all ages, four separate Carols by Candlelight services, plus our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. (See the inside front cover for dates and times.)
Everyone is invited to join in with a chorus of good-news tellers who offer relevant, reliable, and retellable news that still causes us to rejoice today.
I hope to see you over this Christmas period,
With love and my prayers that you will have a truly blessed Christmas, Lynn.
At school, we are starting to prepare for Christmas. We are learning about Advent and how this is a time where we wait for the arrival of Christ. We have been thinking about the themes of hope, peace and joy and how we can bring those into our lives throughout this special time of year.
We are also busy rehearsing for our annual Nativity play. Thank you to David and Sheila who are helping us with the music. Our dress rehearsal will be at 1.30pm on 15th December in St Christopher’s Church
and the evening performance will be at 6pm. Everyone in our community is very welcome to come and enjoy this amazing story with us.
Readers may remember that each year an exciting competition is held at Pott Shrigley Church School: the children are asked to design a Christmas card!
This year the extremely difficult task of judging fell to David Gem, but after considerable deliberation he awarded first prize to Arlo Snelson’s drawing of the Nativity scene and this adorns our front cover this month. Second prize went to Olly Beaver for his depiction of
St Christopher’s Church, complete with guiding star; this can be seen on the inside back cover of this HotPott. David found it impossible to differentiate between Ena Kershaw’s Hope & Joy card and Horatio Meepan-Keenan’s baby Jesus, Mary and sheep picture, so both got third prize. They can both be seen on this page.
Congratulations to the winners, and indeed to all who took part in the competition – well done everybody.
And well done to David Gem too – what an impossible task!
At Sunday school, the younger children were drawing pictures to illustrate a biblical story. The teacher was startled to see one little boy was drawing an airplane.
“This is the Flight into Egypt,” the little boy explained. “See, here is Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. And this,” he said, pointing to the figure in the front of the plane, “is Pontius. He’s the Pilot.”
Our 2025 summer holidays took us and our camper van across the sea to windblown Orkney, a small group of islands off the north coast of Scotland. We’d been told by a friend that whilst there we just had to see the Italian Chapel, so off we went to Lamb Holm, a tiny island off Mainland and situated at the eastern edge of Scapa Flow. And it was there that we marvelled at the beautiful Italian Chapel.
Scapa Flow’s sheltered waters have played host to ships from the time of the Vikings onwards, but its distance from the German airfields made it the ideal place to host the chief British naval base during the Second World War, as it had been in World War One too. However, this did not make it immune to attack and on 14th October 1939, a German U-boat sneaked into Scapa Flow and sank the British battleship HMS Royal Oak with the loss of 834 lives. Winston Churchill, at that time First Sea Lord, visited Orkney and decided that the base for the home fleet should be made more secure by the construction of a series of concrete causeways to protect the approaches to Scapa Flow; these became known as the Churchill Barriers.
There was a snag: inadequate supplies of manpower. However, the decision to construct the barriers coincided with the capture of thousands of Italian soldiers in North Africa, so a decision was taken to transport 550 men to Camp 60 on Lamb Holm and a similar number to Camp 34 on Burray, an island just south of Lamb Holm.
On Lamb Holm the prisoners were housed in Nissen huts; the camp was remote and isolated and, of course, the climate very different from sunny Italy. The men set about making pathways and planting flowers but the one thing they really missed was a chapel to worship in. An inspector of prisoner of war camps from the War Office said provision should be made and the combination of a new Italophile camp commandant, Major (later Colonel) T. P. Buckland, an enthusiastic padre, Father P. Gioacchino Giacobazzi, and an artistic prisoner, Domenico Chiocchetti, ensured that the scene was set for the creation of a rather unlikely Italian masterpiece.
Sometime in 1943 two Nissen huts were given to the prisoners, placed end to end and joined together in the middle to
form the basis for the chapel. Chiocchetti was given permission to begin work on a sanctuary at the end of the hut furthest from the camp, and a remarkable transformation began. Chiocchetti realised that only rudimentary materials were available, but he was helped in the task by a group of enthusiastic craftsand tradesmen including Domenico Buttapasta (cement worker), Giuseppe Palumbi (blacksmith), Primavera and Micheloni (electricians) and a handful of other prisoners, among them painters and sculptors.
The corrugated walls and ceiling in the interior were hidden with plasterboard and the lower half of the walls panelled using wooden batons. The altar, altar rail and holy water stoop were fashioned from concrete, and two windows of painted glass depicting St Francis of Assisi and St Catherine of Sienna were inserted into the wall behind the altar. The centrepiece was Chiocchetti's painted mural of the Madonna and Child, which was based on Nicolò Barabino's Madonna of the Olives, which Chiocchetti was familiar with as it was the image on a small prayer card his mother had given him before he left home, and which he carried with him throughout the war. In the painting Jesus offers His mother an olive branch, a
symbol of peace, and there are many other such symbols both in the mural and on the vaulted ceiling, including the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and a cherub who is putting a sword back into his scabbard, symbolising an end to fighting. The text in the painting is: ‘Regina pacis ora pro nobis’, which means ‘Queen of peace, pray for us’.
The chapel was further embellished with gold-coloured curtains for each side of the sanctuary, bought with money from the prisoner's welfare fund, and by four candelabra, two in iron made by Palumbi and two in brass made by Primavera. The tabernacle was made from the wood of a shipwreck, while the lamp holders were fashioned out of bully (corned) beef tins and the baptismal font was created by covering the inside of a car exhaust with a layer of concrete. Finally, the rest of the walls were painted to represent brick work and carved stone panels. The overall effect was so beautiful that it made continued →
the exterior look ugly, so Buttapasta, the cement worker, covered the corrugated iron outside with cement, fashioning a façade of pillars, an archway and a belfry with Gothic pinnacles. The first bell was made from cardboard, but this was subsequently replaced by a bell from a shipwreck. Near the end of the prisoners’ time on the island a special service was held using a gramophone recording hidden in the vestry of the bells and choir of St Peter's in Rome.
Chiocchetti’s artistic talents were also used to help create a statue of St George, which was erected in the camp’s parade square atop a plinth inscribed: ‘P di G, Italiano, Li 7-8-1943’, where ‘P di G’ stands for prigioniero di guerra, Italian for prisoners of war. According to fellow prisoner Bruno Volpi, the sculpture symbolised the desire to eliminate all wars and the suffering they cause, and demonstrated a will to end misunderstandings between different cultures.
When his fellow prisoners were released shortly before the end of the war, Chiocchetti remained on the island to finish decorating the newly consecrated chapel. He returned twice more, in 1960 to help with the restoration of the artwork, and with his wife in 1964 to donate 14 wooden stations of the cross, which had been hand-carved in his hometown of Moena in northern Italy, to the chapel. Christian worship still takes place in the chapel and the strong connection between the chapel, Chiocchetti’s home town and his family also remains.
And what of the Churchill Barriers that the Italian prisoners of war worked so hard in such unforgiving, harsh conditions to build? These too are still in use as causeways connecting Mainland Orkney with the beautiful islands around Scapa Flow of Lamb Holm, Glimps Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsay.
With grateful thanks to Orkney.com, catholicchurchorkney.com and Wikipedia for the information in the above article.
It was a delight to see so many families at our all-age worship service in September. Rev. Lynn presented pupils from the reception class with a Bible story book and the Year 3 pupils with a Children’s Bible.
As we were putting out cookies for Father Christmas one Christmas Eve, I accidentally dropped one. I picked it up and dusted it off before placing it back on the plate. “You can’t do that,” argued my four-year-old. But I assured him that Father Christmas would never know.
He shot me a dubious look. “So, he knows if I’ve been bad or good all year, but he doesn’t know if you dropped his cookie on the floor?”
* * *
Father Christmas nervously went for his sleigh-driving test. He came rushing back in a thunder of reindeer and pulled up in front of the toy factory. “At last!” he shouted, “No-el plates
We hope they and their families enjoy reading them over the coming months and years.
As part of the all-age worship service on 20th July 2025 I agreed to be interviewed by Rev. Lynn Caudwell about my journey over the past year whilst I’ve been worshipping at St Christopher’s. This is how it went: Rev. Lynn: ‘In the last year you have started coming to church. Can you tell us what prompted you to do that?’
Between January and August 2024, I was struggling alone with anxiety, selfdoubt, lack of confidence and fear. I knew something was missing from my life, there was an emptiness inside me that I was trying to find the solution to. In July 2024, I had started trauma counselling following a traumatic job that was still troubling me from earlier that year (I work as a paramedic) and had been diagnosed as having complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I was working on selfcare and increasing my resilience. I was practicing mindfulness and breath meditation to help, and it partly did, but I still felt lonely and unfulfilled. Things started to change after I replied to a social media post that Rev. Lynn had posted advertising a Songs of Praise service for August 2024. The post reminded me how much joy I had experienced at primary school singing hymns in assembly and watching Songs of Praise on TV with my nana as a child. I replied to the post and was honest about how much I would like to come, but how nervous I was about turning up on my own, having not been to church in a while. Lynn’s reply was so kind and encouraging that I didn’t wait for the Songs of Praise service but went along to the next Sunday service. It took
a mountain of courage for me to walk through the church doors, but as I wrote in my journal: ‘I was warmly welcomed and felt comfortable immediately.’
Rev. Lynn: ‘What impact has this had on your life?’
The impact has been, and continues to be, profound in all areas of my life. I feel that I have always had God in my life, but until this last year I didn’t fully know Him. This last year has been one of the most special and significant of my life, a journey of personal transformation and commitment, a journey that I’m not taking alone. I’m walking with others here at St Christopher’s on Sundays and Wednesdays (at the Not Just Sunday worship) and at book club, and through sharing these times, my connection with and trust in others is growing. I’m starting to be able to show vulnerability without fear. I am developing a strong relationship with God that has brought Him into the mess and
chaos that is my life at times. I’ve seen that God knows me, including all of my weaknesses, my imperfections, my sin, my humanity but also my strengths. I see that His desires for me are rooted in His love and longing for me, and not in disappointment in me or condemnation of me. I’ve turned to God and received forgiveness, seen love and experienced God’s grace. I feel loved, accepted and free. How I achieve this personally:
• Breath meditation is now breath prayer. This can be as simple as saying ‘I can’t’ as I inhale and ‘You can Lord’ as I exhale or using passages of scripture in the same inhale/exhale format e.g. from Psalm 46:1: Inhale: ‘You are my refuge’; Exhale: ‘I will not fear’. For me, this has been truly transformational, both at home and at work.
• Bible reading aloud has helped me to see and hear God’s word.
• Listening to Christian worship music.
• Connecting to people: I joined one of the church book groups – a wonderful group of people who have provided inspirational scripture passages and support when I’ve been stuck in the chaos
or depleted and have forgotten to turn to God.
Rev. Lynn: Would you encourage others to take that first step, even if they have been away for many years?
Absolutely and I do try to encourage others when the opportunity presents. I talk about my experiences openly.
Rev. Lynn: You are a busy lady and yet you are finding time to volunteer to help in Youth Church. Does it feel like God was nudging you to join in?
Well yes, there was definitely someone acting on behalf of a higher authority nudging me (whilst doing this in church I took a quick look to my left to where Lynn was standing!), but it was the nudge I needed. God was nudging me to join in in some way, I just wasn’t sure in what way. I took the plunge, and after only one session and witnessing the energy, the enthusiasm, the imagination, the fun and humour of our young people, rather than taking away from what little time I might have, I have already received so much more from them and I’m excited to continue.
Thanks to Sharon for sharing such an honest (and wonderful) testimony with us.
League: Derbyshire and Cheshire Cricket League (DCCL) 2nd Division.
Pre-season aim: 3rd would be nice
Final league position: 3rd
Verdict: Was nice
‘Oh Icarus’, I hear you say sarcastically, ‘fly not too close to the sun…’. Yes, aiming for third place in the DCCL 2nd Division may not sound like the grandest of ambitions. But after last year’s relegation, a season in which we won more than we lost – and played in a string of tight, competitive matches – was exactly what we needed to bring back a bit of excitement and belief that had occasionally gone missing in 2024. Probably the game of the year came in May, against Charlesworth and Chisworth. A steady bowling performance on a pitch with a lightning-fast outfield meant our required chase was an imposing 229 off their 45 overs:
A faultless 65 from Simon Dunn, ably supported by Phil Beard, set the tempo
which threatened to wane in the middle third of the innings when the slower bowlers came on and the fielders spread out to stop the fours and sixes. When Alex Jackson came in to bat, some thought perhaps he was taking the run chase a bit easy, as the required run rate crept up – 7 runs an over required, then 8… 10 overs to go, and 9 runs an over required; I think it peaked at 10 an over. Not to worry, it was all in the plan. Three overs from the end, 31 to win, pressure on, off we go. 6, 2, 2 from Alex Hart, a couple of dingles: 12 off. Final 10 balls, 17 to win. Consecutively from AJ: 2, 6, 2, 1, 2, 2, 4 to win us the game.
Finishing third ensures another season in Division 2 and, with any luck, many more matches of similar quality and excitement.
Beyond the results, there were several encouraging signs throughout the year. New players joined the club, with some stepping straight into first-team roles, while others —many of whom had never played competitive cricket before — gained valuable experience with the second team. Recruitment remains essential: like many clubs across the country, the sport
continues to face challenges in attracting new participants, and player availability on Saturdays is becoming increasingly difficult for teams nationwide. Thanks to the tireless work of second-team captain Ian Tomenson throughout the week, we were fortunate to field two sides every weekend this season.
With the Ashes tour in Australia taking place this winter, we hope renewed national enthusiasm will help boost cricket participation once again.
Pre-season nets begin Wednesday 11 February, 20:00–22:00, at King’s School Macclesfield Sports Centre. We look forward to seeing you there.
Please contact me on 07446194777 for more information or look out for updates on our Facebook page.
Ladies, gentlemen, motorists, and lost delivery drivers:
If I could offer you only one tip for the next few months, it would be this:
Be nice… on Bakestonedale.
Bakestonedale Road — for those who haven’t met her — She’s lovely, but fragile, a charming English Rose and a slightly feral country lane perched high above Pott Shrigley and Kettleshulme.
She’s narrow, twisty, beautiful and allergic to large vehicles and speed. Yet, somehow, every day, a forty-foot truck thinks, ‘Yes, this looks fine.’
It isn’t fine.
When that happens, we all get to enjoy a thrilling hour of reversing, gesturing, and questioning life choices somewhere between a pothole and a stone wall.
See, Bakestonedale isn’t wide enough for two cars in many places.
Passing means pulling onto a verge, if you can find one that isn’t halfway to a farmer’s field.
Locals know this.
We are practically telepathic. We read the road like a book: spot a car coming, slow down, tuck in, wave, smile.
It’s an ancient rural ritual.
But some drivers — let’s call them ‘outsiders’ barrel along as if they’re in a video game where the goal is to make everyone else disappear. They don’t slow down, don’t wave,
and apparently think ‘passing place’ is the name of a pub.
Cyclists, if you’re riding side by side, having a chat about chafing, oat milk or cadence, please, for everyone’s sanity, do it in a café not on a single track road and only single file up the hills and on the bends.
Nobody wants to clip a Lycra leg on a Tuesday morning.
Winter drivers: remember, Bakestonedale turns into an ice rink
The road gets frosty, the snow drifts deep, and the ditches wait patiently for volunteers.
Cheshire East has promised to grit it now —which is progress — but maybe don’t test them or physics at 40mph in a rear wheel drive car
Young drivers — slow down. This isn’t TikTok content, and nobody’s impressed by your exhaust. And no, madam, your Audi doesn’t have right of way just because it cost more. If you scare a local off the verge, remember they are probably going to be the ones who pull you out of the ditch. So slow down.
At night, Bakestonedale is pure black, no lights, no clues.
But that’s okay — headlights are basically country telepathy.
If you see them, slow down. If you don’t, still slow down.
And when the inevitable happens when two cars meet nose-to-nose in a Mexican standoff take a breath and remember the golden rule:
The one closest to the passing place reverses, that’s the law. Smile.
Wave.
Someone reverse a bit. You’ll both feel better, trust me.
Because Bakestonedale isn’t just a shortcut.
It’s a test of patience, manners and character. and the ability to reverse uphill without crying.
So, to everyone who drives it: respect the road, respect the locals, respect the laws of physics. And most of all — Be nice on Bakestonedale.
It’s not a racetrack. It’s not a motorway. It’s a country lane — full of sheep, scenery, and stories. Treat it kindly, and it might just get you home in one piece… with both mirrors still attached.
Drive slow.
Wave often.
Be respectful.
And if all else fails — just remember: Be nice on Bakestonedale.
Thank you to John Blackwell for allowing us to use his poem in HotPott, and to David Garton for sending it to me. I think those of us who use Bakestonedale Road regularly and those who live along it would heartily endorse the sentiments expressed! Editor
In recent weeks the evidence that Christmas is approaching has been all around us – on the TV, in shops, in the illuminated reindeer and Santas on the neighbours’ roof – and in Pott Shrigley School the nativity play is being rehearsed, and the St Christopher’s Singing Group is practising hard. How blessed are we? Although not everyone in the UK believes that Jesus came from heaven to earth as our Saviour, Christians are still free to worship; ridiculed we may be, but not banned and rarely persecuted.
Spare a thought then for those Christians who cannot celebrate Christmas openly. The OpenDoors website carries the story of Ella and Lilly (not their real names) who live in a place in Asia where being a Christian is dangerous, and Christmas Day is a day like any other: there are no homes covered with lights, no singing carols in the streets and no cheery greetings from passersby.
As light dawns on the big day, Ella and Lilly wake up to the smell of biriyani, the special meal eaten on important occasions in their part of Asia, and to the sound of carols being sung quietly. Paper decorations festoon their home, but none are visible from the outside, Christmas is a secret occasion. Lilly says: ‘It feels like we’re the only ones celebrating Christmas.’ There aren’t many Christians in their country, so although this is a joyful day for the girls, they also feel somewhat isolated. The family are able to share a Christmas meal with other believers from their secret home church, and they worship together too: ‘Our Christmas service is usually held
on the evening of the 25th,’ Lilly explains. ‘It begins with songs from the choir, followed by Bible readings, a message and the distribution of gifts. We end with Christmas cake and dinner, along with a thanksgiving prayer.’
Lilly and Ella long for greater freedom to celebrate Christmas with their neighbours. Ella says: ‘I wish we could go out in public and worship the Lord – playing the guitar and singing Christmas carols. We can’t do that here.’ More than this, they would love to share the hope they have in Jesus with their friends, but they know that it is dangerous to mention His name or to let the neighbours know that they are Christians. Instead, they try to communicate the life-changing truth of the gospel in different ways. For Lilly, this looks like showing simple kindness to her classmates: ‘1 Corinthians 13:4–8 has been a guiding passage for me,’ Lilly says. ‘In this country, we don’t have the opportunity to speak openly about Christ to everyone, but we can always show His love through our actions and behaviour. … when a student asked me, “Why are you being so nice to me, even though I’ve been mean to you?” I simply replied, “That’s what I’ve been taught – to love you.”’
Despite their circumstances, Ella and
Lilly are conscious of God’s presence with them, and His compassionate intervention in their lives. Ella testifies: ‘Since I was young, I have witnessed Christ’s miracles. Our parents always ask us to pray for everything – God has been answering our prayers.’
The girls have learnt from their parents what it means to live for Christ in the face of opposition and the threat of imprisonment, which their father, Sundar, was faced with after attending a prayer meeting; the fear of losing work and being found out is ever-present for the family. ‘Persecution,’ Lilly says, ‘is when we learn that we must be ready to sacrifice our lives for Christ.’ Despite the risks, Sundar feels protected by God: ‘Somehow, God still provided for me. I can’t even explain how. I just know His hand was over my life.’
Despite the pressures they face this season, Ella and Lilly continue to rejoice over the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem with their family. Like His humble dwelling, these girls celebrate Christmas in their own seemingly small ways, but with the brilliant joy of the shepherds and heavenly chorus.
Lilly asks for prayer: ‘Pray that we will be able to live a holy life and be an example to others no matter where we are – to be a light wherever we are.’ Ella asks: ‘Pray for the young generation in this nation, that they will know Jesus.’
Please pray for other secret believers everywhere, that they will one day be able to practise their faith openly and share their love for Jesus with others. If you are able, please consider supporting OpenDoors financially as well as prayerfully.
Thanks to OpenDoors for the information contained in the above article.
St Christopher's Church Every Wednesday
Meet with a cuppa at 10.30am and then join together in prayer at 11.15am
From the New Year (Wednesday 7th January) there will be the opportunity to meet in church for tea, coffee, biscuits and company from 10.30am.
Our Celtic worship starts at 11.15 and you are very welcome to join this too if you would like to.
We are here not just on Sunday!
In September 2025 the government named Adlington (Cheshire) as one of the 12 locations identified for mass development with an estimated 14,000 to 20,000 new homes and a population of approximately 58,000 people; at the 2021 census Macclesfield had a population of 54,345, so this development would double that. Asset manager Belport is hoping the government will decide on the new towns allocation by spring 2026, with a plan to establish a development corporation and to start work before the end of 2027. Pott Shrigley Parish Council is totally opposed to this development, particularly as the land is good agricultural land, designated Green Belt and is of significant historic importance. There has been no public consultation on this proposal. The council agreed to support the proposed Task and Finish group, which is made up of a group of local council representatives, and to support the leafletting of each of its households, using the leaflet initially produced by Cllr Hadfield. Although Pott Shrigley Parish
Council does not hold a contingency fund it will pay for its share of the leaflet costs this year and will increase the precept request to cover a £5 payment by each household for the 2026-2027 financial year.
Lillian Burns from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) told the council:
• The government’s housing target is 1.5 million and Cheshire East Council’s (CEC) share was recently increased by 153% which under the government's rules, has effectively made CEC's Local Plan void. This problem would be solved by the building of a new town if the houses count in the CEC target.
• This was not debated in a CEC meeting.
• In a statement Cllr Gorman, deputy leader of CEC, admitted that the New Towns Taskforce had visited CEC in July. Phil Cresswell, CEC executive director for planning, housing and rural affairs (among other things) in a reply to Simon Gleave, Chair of Adlington PC, said CEC is limited in what it can say because of protocols imposed by the taskforce. CEC has not expressed an opinion on the building of a new town.
• The creation of this new town would
effectively link Macclesfield to Poynton and therefore not be a stand-alone new town as stated by the government.
Lillian suggested finding people in each parish with the right professional skills to write reports on why this new town is unsustainable and for a portfolio of these reports to be sent to the housing minister by December.
What can you do?
Join the campaign ‘Stop Adlington New Town’
A group of Adlington residents are seeking to block the proposal to build between 14,000 and 20,000 houses on Green Belt land with the associated destruction of habitat for local wildlife. National press announced that the small village of Adlington, with just 1,000 inhabitants will become part of the government’s New Town strategy. Construction will destroy good quality agricultural land, set inside ancient field patterns, lose local farmers their livelihoods and add significant pollution.
Follow on Instagram: @stopadlingtonnewtown
Email: info@stopadlingtonnewtown.co.uk
Join the mailing list: stopadlingtonnewtown.co.uk
Join the Facebook group ‘Supporters of Adlington Greenbelt’
Concerned local residents have formed a Facebook group to help the community share and discuss information related to the proposals. They’re also helping people spread awareness through the production of leaflets and banners. Please get in touch through Facebook: Supporters of the
Sign Tim Roca MP’s petition
Either online at AdlingtonSign.com or on paper at various locations around Bollington such as The Cotton Tree and Heathcote’s butchers.
Items to be considered by ward councillors
• Modifications to pavement/road outside village hall: David Garton, Cllr Saunders and Cllr Basford are to meet Jonathan Copnall (Highways, CEC) at the village hall to discuss the inadequacy of the recent mitigation measures intended to prevent further damage to the hall. Cllr Boulton has produced a timeline of all the documentation and plans that Highways had previously produced in order to solve this problem.
• Gully emptying: The lack of gully emptying on Spuley Lane and Bakestonedale Road was reported in August and at least nine remain blocked. Cllr Whittaker has agreed to follow this up with Highways. (Sept 2025)
New/Updated/Completed
• Poynton Relief Road: Paul Griffiths has responded after yet another request for an update re the required traffic mitigation measures: ‘We have a large number of competing priorities at the moment. We have received your feedback and am aware of the parish’s views. We are getting additional resource into the team very soon – and will be looking to arrange a meeting with you as soon as possible.’
• Carriageway under the aqueduct: this has been resurfaced.
Dates when issues were first raised with Cheshire East Council (CEC) Highways appear in brackets.
• Broken fence at West Park Gate car park on list for repair. (April 23)
• Remedial resurfacing of Shrigley Road from Green Close to the aqueduct. (2014)
• Modifications to the chevron bend by Shrigley Hall. (2017)
• Repair of collapsed wall on Bakestonedale Road. (July 22)
• Improvements to bend at Brookbank: will be included in the Minor Improvement Scheme. (Nov 2024)
• Culvert/wall on the west side of Shrigley Road. (Nov 2024)
• Blocked drain in the field that abuts Nab Cottage: it has been agreed that there is a blockage under the road. Currently a soakaway option is being investigated to alleviate the problem. (March 2025)
• Jackson Brow steps: these are not likely to be repaired for some time. (Aug 2025)
• Contravention of weight limit by HGVs using Bakestonedale Road: this is a police matter. (Sept 2025)
The repair work is scheduled for February/ March 2026.
Peak National Park enforcement officer, Tommi Cluley, was informed that further activity had taken place in Jumber Clough where a quarry has been created, a stone wall has been removed and stone is being removed from the site. He intends to visit in the week beginning 25th October 25.
Shrigley Parish Council cooperative working
The next meeting, which is scheduled for November, will be attended by Cllr Basford.
The village hall management committee has given their permission for a
replacement pole to be erected. The clerk and any interested councillor will research what is available so a decision can be made next month.
Borough, Town and Parish Council meeting in October
Cllr Boulton reported back from this meeting:
• the parish council could take advantage of ‘Hotspot policing’ where a council with a particular need can pay for a four-hour shift from a PCSO, a much lower cost than paying for a full time PCSO.
• the police use drones to follow vehicles involved in an incident so officers can pinpoint incidents more accurately. This is very effective.
• Dan Price, the Police Commissioner, was made aware of Pott Shrigley’s problems with Bakestonedale Road, which have been caused by the closure of the B5470.
Cllr Boulton attended this service and was very impressed by the appropriateness of the sermon. Sarah Allen is the new parish clerk.
NP/CEC/0925/0919 Sherrow Booth Farm, Bakestonedale Road, SK10 5RU
Proposal: Stable block, hay store/lambing shed and all-weather riding area. The clerk checked the suggestion that this may be used for commercial purposes but the word commerce only appears where the agent is listing the planning policy DS1. There was no objection to this application.
23/3874M Shrigley Hall Hotel, SK10 5SB Shrigley Hall Hotel tennis courts are still full of unused furniture/equipment. During a further site visit by CEC Enforcement Officer, Charlotte Stacey, the general manager was spoken with. Efforts are being made to clear the site and the deadline for this was 31st October 2025. If not remedied by this date, the council will have to consider whether it is expedient to take formal action.
This report explains what the charity, the Peak District National Park Foundation has been doing over the past year to support nature recovery and to protect heritage in the Peak District, and to improve access to the park for as many people as possible. The report is available at https://www.peakdistrictfoundation.org. uk/our-impact-report-has-landed/
The next council meeting will take place at 8pm on Monday 1st December 2025
Shrigley Road, Pott Shrigley, Macclesfield 01625 576'90
Setving Daily, Breakfust, Main Meals, Snacks etc
Available (or Functions etc.
OPEN 10qm to 6pm - Thursday to Sunday
1 Provisional meeting place of God and the Jews (Exodus 25:9) (10)
7 David’s third son, killed when his head got caught in a tree during a battle with his father (2 Samuel 18:14,15) (7)
8 They ruled much of the west coast of South America in the 15th and early 16th centuries (5)
10 Small deer of European and Asian extraction (4)
11 Seized control of (Numbers 21:25) (8)
13 Terror (Luke 24:5) (6)
Parosh, who married a foreign woman (Ezra 10:25) (6)
15 First World War heroine shot by the Germans in Brussels, Nurse Edith …. (6)
17 Stormy (8)
18 A bitter variety of this, together with lamb and unleavened bread, was the Passover menu for anyone unclean (Numbers 9:11) (4)
21 Arson (anag.) (5)
22 How John Newton described God’s grace in his well-known hymn (7)
23 Habitation (Isaiah 27:10) (10)
1 …. and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8) (5)
2 The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as … as a lion (Proverbs 28:1) (4)
3 One of the exiles, a descendant of
4 He escaped from Nob when Saul killed the rest of his family and joined David (1 Samuel 22:19,20) (8)
5 City and lake in Central Switzerland (7)
6 Offer your bodies as living …. , holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1) (10)
9 Pouches carried by horses (Genesis 49:14) (10)
12 One who accepts government by God (8)
14 Aromatic substance commonly used in Jewish ritual (Exodus 30:1) (7)
16 He asked Jesus, ‘What is truth?’ (John 18:38) (6)
19 Are (Romans 13:1) (5)
20 You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will … his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21) (4)
Are you looking for small class sizes for your child?
One of the oldest schools in Cheshire, nestled between Bollington and Poynton in the foothills of the Peak District.
All classes fewer than 15 pupils, throughout the school
Warm, nurturing provision, with a family-like feel
Weekly farm-based forest school
Specialised sports provision
Call for a personalised tour 01625 573 260
When the PCC launched the fundraising appeal for the new organ in the October edition of HotPott, I expected to be writing a number of updates over the coming several (or maybe many) months on how the appeal is progressing.
This is the first such update – and as many people know it will also be the last! The amazing news is that we have successfully raised all the funds for the new organ. On behalf of PCC and all the church family, I would like to thank all those who have donated to the appeal both directly and by supporting the fundraising events held, and particularly thank our fundraising team of Mary Currell, Madeline Punch, Sandy Milsom and Ros Johnson for their hard work in organising the fundraising
events.
The PCC have placed the order for the new organ, and Makin (the supplier who are based in Shaw, Oldham) have placed the build order with their contract manufacturer who are based in The Netherlands. Our new organ is due to be built during mid-February and should be installed in church at the end of February or in early March 2026. In the spring, the PCC hope to organise an organ recital to showcase the full range and capabilities of the instrument.
The nativity play was going as planned and Joseph and Mary were going from ‘house’ to ‘house’ knocking on the doors and asking it there was any room for them.
As they continued to get ‘no room’ answers, a little voice called from the back of the church: “You should have booked!”
3rd December - Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy Romance / Comedy starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant & Colin Firth.
17th December - The Ballad of Wallis Island Comedy/Drama starring Tim Key, Toma Basden & Carey Mulligan.
7th January - To be decided
Helen and Megumi Fazakerley are now back in Malawi for their final year of missionary service before they retire. They enjoyed their month’s home leave in the UK; it was particularly enjoyable to spend time with their children Mary and Joshua and their respective partners, though as daughter Elizabeth and her husband Joshua live in Australia it was still catching up by Zoom for them! It was good to see their wider family and friends as well, and to be able to worship at their home church. It was helpful to get all the house repairs, gardening and health appointments out of the way too.
Kath Matheson
On her return to Malawi Helen was faced with some practical problems at the missionary guest house she manages:
both the washing machine and one of the ovens had stopped working so required urgent repair as a family with four young children were due to move in for a month whilst they search for a permanent home. A skilled labourer fixed the problems, a big relief for Helen and, no doubt, to the family due to live there!
Megumi has focussed on making sure everything works at home: getting the weevils out of the rice took a large part of a day! But now everything is functioning as it should, and they have rejoined their church and home group, where they are studying Psalms. Helen and Megumi are pleased that the newly elected president and government of Malawi seem to be functioning normally too, with none of the upheaval that sometimes accompanies a change of regime. Please pray for Helen and Megumi as they progress through their last year of serving God in Malawi by supporting missionaries in the field and bringing God’s word to their fellow Christians in Blantyre.
Exciting news from Johnny and Ann McClean in Thailand: their move to Udon Thani in northeast Thailand (aka Isaan) is confirmed. For Johnny, the proximity to Laos (just a 90 minutes’ drive
from Vientiâne, the capital) and the need for training of pastors and preachers in Isaan, one of the most unreached regions of Thailand, are compelling reasons to move there. For Ann, her heart was drawn to the possibility of continuing to serve as a teacher in a Christian school, sharing in evangelism and discipleship alongside like-minded colleagues. OMF Thailand (who provide Johnny’s missionary visa) and Langham Partnership have agreed that Johnny should seek to develop the Langham ministry in Isaan and Laos in the next few years. The OMF Isaan team will provide him with fellowship and support; they are particularly keen to see rural pastors trained and equipped to lead small churches, and Langham’s training fits well with their vision. For Ann, her prayers have been answered in the form of being granted a role at the International Community School, Udon Thani from July 2026. This small sister school to ICS Bangkok (where she currently teaches) provides much needed support for missionary families by enabling them to stay in the region once their children reach secondary school age. Please pray for Johnny and Ann as they prepare for this move whilst remaining fully engaged in their work in Bangkok for the next eight months. Pray for their children, all now settled in the UK but who face upheaval in losing their childhood home. Pray too
for Pastor Pramote and Lhing of New City Fellowship (NCF) Church as they plan for the future after Johnny and Ann leave.
Meanwhile, after a refreshing break in HuaHin, Johnny and Ann continue to work hard from their home in Bangkok. Ann is delighted that four of the students who attended the recent Middle School Christian Camp have asked her for more Christian books, and she gave out a further 15 books and three Bibles after speaking in Middle School Chapel recently. Please pray that literature, Bibles, conversations, small groups and chapel talks would, together, point students to Jesus. Pray that students would ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Psalm 32:4). Johnny hopes to be in
Vietnam at the start of December as part of the launch of a new training programme in the country. There have been many answers to prayer in recent months, not least for keen younger men who are eager to be trained and then to train others. The Afghan refugees A & S that Johnny and Ann help support have been in Thailand for eight years now; their daughter M has settled well into home-schooling and is being taught by two qualified teachers. The
family continue to wait for news of their transfer to Australia, so please continue to pray for them. The McCleans’ home is still being used as a base for missionaries as they arrive and depart from Thailand, most recently for a short-term missions team from the Philippines who were working in west Thailand. Give thanks for their hospitality and pray that Johnny and Ann would continue to feel able to welcome people into their home.
�� Even before the time of Christ, evergreen trees were seen in winter as a symbol of fertility.
�� In the 16th century, German theologian, professor, pastor, and church reformer Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation. He is also credited with the idea of having lights on Christmas trees. He added candles to his tree to look like stars in a forest.
�� Windsor Castle got its first Christmas tree in 1800, brought by Charlotte, the German wife of George III.
�� It was in 1835 that the term ‘Christmas tree’ was first used in English.
�� It was in the 1840s, when Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, began bringing trees inside, that led to their popularity throughout the UK.
�� It was Woolworths who first sold manufactured Christmas tree ornaments –back in 1880.
�� The tree in London’s Trafalgar Square has been a gift from the city of Oslo, Norway since 1947. It’s a ‘thank you’ for Britain’s support for Norway during World War II.
�� The world's tallest Christmas tree, at 221ft high, was erected in a Washington shopping mall in 1950.
�� In a survey of the nation’s favourite smells, real Christmas trees came eighth, just behind the sea, but ahead of perfume.
�� About five million real Christmas trees are sold in the UK each year.
Thank you to the British Christmas Tree Growers Association for the above information.
For pastoral support, a listening ear, a home visit, Holy Communion at home, prayer support or if you have a baptism enquiry
please contact the pastoral ministry care team via Anne Murphy. pastoralteam@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk telephone: 07891 953919
2nd Friday of every month, 6.30 'til 10.00pm
12thDecember 9thJanuary
Full & part home renovations
Project management
Joinery
Plastering
Heating/plumbing & electrical
Kitchens & bathrooms
Painting & decorating
Wallpaper hanging
Venetian plastering
Tiling
Hand painted kitchens
“Incredibly pleased with the renovation work by Spring Decorating. The work involved the replastering of several rooms, replacing internal doors, bannisters, spindles, radiators and then redecorating. All finished to a very high standard, which I am delighted with. The team was professional, efficient and friendly. I wouldn’t hesitate to have them back in the future.”
0161 439 9195
info@springdecorating.co.uk
www.springdecorating.co.uk 17 Earle Road, Bramhall, SK7 3HE
Exterior painting & decorating
Rendering & K Rend
Joinery
uPVC window spraying Scaffolding
“We are delighted with the work by Spring Decorating. The response to our query was quick and a quote followed promptly. Work started a couple of weeks later on the outside of our house. The team always arrived exactly when they said they would and were totally reliable, pleasant and courteous. The work was thorough, with excellent preparation and looks very good. We will certainly use them again for more work.”
info@springdecorating.co.uk www.springdecorating.co.uk 17 Earle Road, Bramhall, SK7 3HE
For the past 50 years when we have gone to stay with our Danish friends in Skagen on the very tip of Jutland, Annemarie has made this cake.
I have no idea where the kids (theirs and ours) got this nickname for it but it’s now a tradition to eat it with morning coffee at the start of our holiday. The Danes love to entertain, and the morning coffee ritual starts with a beautiful cloth on the table, a lighted candle in the centre and a variety of pastries and homemade cakes, all served alongside very strong Danish coffee.
Cake ingredients:
4 eggs
300g (11oz) caster sugar
250g (9oz) plain flour
25g (1oz) baking powder
180ml (6fl oz) milk
130g (4½oz) margarine
Method:
Heat the milk and margarine in a pan until almost boiling.
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the hot milk and margarine to the mixture.
Mix in the flour and baking powder.
Pour into greased baking tray 30x20cm (12x8in).
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes on middle shelf at 180°C fan or gas mark 6.
Topping ingredients:
4 tablespoons milk
130g (4½oz) margarine
250g (9oz) brown sugar
125g desiccated coconut
Method:
Heat all the ingredients in a pan, stirring together as the margarine melts.
Pour onto the cake.
Bake for a further 5 minutes.
Eat!
To give financially in support of St Christopher's Pott Shrigley
Please scan the QR code below
Thank you!
December 7th.
8.30am 10.45am
14th. Christingle
8.30am 10.45am 4.00pm
18th. Thursday
Holy Communion Holy Communion‡
Isaiah 11:1-10
Matthew 3:1-12
Holy Communion All-Age Christingle Carols by Candlelight
6.30pm Carols by Candlelight 21st.
8.30am 10.45am 6.30pm
Holy Communion Carols by Candlelight Carols by Candlelight
24th Christmas Eve
Isaiah 35:1-10
Matthew 11:2-11
Lynn Caudwell
Lynn Caudwell & Melissa Wearden
11.15pm Midnight Communion TBC Lynn Caudwell
25th. Christmas Day
10.00am Family Communion TBC Lynn Caudwell 28th.
8.30am 10.45am
Holy Communion Morning Worship TBC Anne Murphy
• All services underlined in blue will be streamed live on our Facebook Page & YouTube channel.
• A recording of the first Carols by Candlelight service will be available online from the evening of 14th December ‡ Junior Church **Youth Church (at 10.45am)
Church Cleaning Rota
5th Dec Ivan & Mary 2nd Jan Caroline & Jean 6th Feb Sally & Yvonne
12th Dec David & Joy 9th Jan Ros & Madeline
19th Dec Shirley & Christine 16th Jan Victoria & Jill
26th Dec Sally & Yvonne
23rd Jan David & Joy
30th Jan Shirley & Christine
Thinking about advertising in this
For commercial or private advertising, please contact us for free advice and very reasonable rates: magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
January 4th
8.30am
January 11th
Lynn Caudwell
8.30am 10.45am Holy Communion Morning Worship‡** TBC Lynne Bowdon 18th.
8.30am
8.30am
February 1st.
8.30am
Dec 7th David Gem & Jean Ferguson Pam Cooke Jim Curtis Reg & Jean Ferguson Ros & Madeline
14th Victoria Price & TBC David Garton Nigel Heathcote 10:45am David & Joy Whitehead 4.00pm Mike & Sue Akerman
21st
24th Reg & Jean Ferguson Simon Caudwell Mathesons 11:45pm: Reg & Jean Ferguson
25th Anne Murphy & Tom Murphy Simon Caudwell N/A 10am: Annie Palace No coffee
28th Mike Akerman & David Gem
Melissa Wearden Jenny Miles & Annie Smith Gillian Macneill & Judith Harris The Malyan family Jan
… to all those lovely people who make HotPott happen each month. I am so grateful that Tess & Andy Phillips remain as patient and diligent as ever in their laying out of all the articles, the photos and the fillers Tess finds on the Parish Pump website (a big thank you to Parish Pump too!). Fitting a mammoth task around a busy family, jobs, churchwardening, school governing, and life in general is no mean feat, so thank you.
February 13th Jan
March 10th Feb
April 10th Mar
May 7th Apr
June 12th May
Summer 9th June
Feb
Mar
Apr
Booth 29th May
June
September 11th Aug Sally Winstanley 28th Aug
We lost one of our major contributors this year: John Ryley faithfully produced Missionary Matters and Suffering Church articles for many years, and although I sometimes had to use my editor’s red pen quite heavily on his productions, he took it in good part, if with a bit of a sigh and quite a lot of discussion. I miss him very much.
October 8th Sept Mary Currell 25th Sept
November 13th Oct
Booth 30th Oct
Christmas 10th Nov Annie Palace 27th Nov
& Ivan, Peter, Reg & Jean, Sally & Gareth and Yvonne) who tramp around their patch in all weathers delivering magazines: I’m extremely grateful.
But we have others who contribute their writings to HotPott regularly too: Rev Lynn, Helen & the children at Pott Shrigley School and Jo Hadfield of course, but also prayer walkers, cooks, Peppa Pig tourers, and so many more – thank you all and keep them coming. So many more of you have stories to tell – just get something down on paper and send it, you’ll probably surprise yourself and I’m always happy to help if necessary.
And then to all the proof readers (Annie, Caroline, Mary [also recipe-obtainer], Sally, & Sandy) who often have to work at speed and who always find things I’ve missed, to Mike Akerman for keeping the printers in order and to the distributors (Anne, Caroline, David Gem, Eileen, Mary
And to Duncan, who not only sorts the photographs, but feeds me during HotPott week, I couldn’t do this without you.
And thank you to our advertisers, we’re grateful for your support and hope you gain some custom!
So subscribers old and new – we hope you have enjoyed HotPott in 2025. It’s subscription time again – please see the insert in this copy. And to Kath our wonderful and conscientious editor a very
Priest-in-charge: Rev. Lynn Caudwell vicar@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
Assistant Priest Rev. Lynne Bowden a.curate@btinternet.com
Ordinand Melissa Wearden, melissa.wearden@emmanueltc.org.uk
Licensed Pastoral Worker Anne Murphy, 14 Silver Street, Bollington, SK10 5QL
Churchwardens: Andy Phillips, 26 Hurst Lane, Bollington, SK10 5LP
andyphillips@totalise.co.uk
Jean Ferguson , 17, Poplar Grove, Bollington, Macclesfield, SK10 5LS
jeanfergusonuk@msn.com
Verger: Situation Vacant
PCC Secretary: Rebecca Roth-Biester, beccacourtney@gmail.com
PCC Treasurer: Peter Kennedy, kennedyp@tuckerssolicitors.com
Gift Aid & Planned Giving: Sally Winstanley, 3 Green Close Cottages, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SG
sjwinstanley.ps@gmail.com
Organists: Mary Currell, 61 Crossfield Road, Bollington, SK10 5EA
marycurrell61@btinternet.com David Garton, davidgarton2020@gmail.com
Andy Phillips, as above
Weekly Bulletin: Annie Palace, anniepalace04@gmail.com
Electoral Roll officer Kath Matheson, Church View Cottage, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA
kmmpott@yahoo.co.uk
Safeguarding officer: Kath Matheson, safeguarding@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
Tower Captain: Duncan Matheson, Church View Cottage, Pott Shrigley, SK10 5SA
884145 dmmpott@yahoo.co.uk
Pastoral Ministry: Anne Murphy, pastoralteam@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
Children's Ministry Melissa Wearden, melissa.wearden@emmanueltc.org.uk
Youth Ministry: Melissa Wearden, as above
07891 953919
Little Doves: Victoria Price 07961 004755
Parish Council Clerk: Joyce Burton, clerk@pottshrigley-pc.gov.uk
Wedding Coordinator: Pam Cooke, weddings@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
Head Teacher: Mrs Anne-Marie Willis , Pott Shrigley Church School, SK10 5RT 573260 head@pottshrigley.cheshire.sch.uk
Website: Tess Phillips, 26 Hurst Lane, Bollington, SK10 5LP info@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk
Duncan Matheson, Sally Winstanley, Peter Kennedy, Jean Ferguson, Andy Phillips, Pam Cooke, Mary Currell, Mike Akerman, Ang Davies, Simon Caudwell
PCC Members:
Rebecca Roth-Biester, Sheila Garton, David Garton, David Gem, Annie Palace, Kath Matheson, Reg Ferguson, Anne Murphy. This directory was updated on 28th September 2025. Please give corrections and additions to magazine@pottshrigleychurch.org.uk