Offenham Church & Village magazine, April 2024

How Do I Get Something In The Magazine?

This magazine is produced by the Offenham PCC supported by the Parish Council to communicate local church and village events and news to the Offenham community. If you have a local event or news please send to pwoffenham@gmail.com, including how long you would like your advertisement to run for, by the 15th of the month prior to the issue you would like your content included. For inclusion in the May issue please send your content by 15th April

Advertising rates are as follows:

• Full Page £22.00, Half Page £12.00, Quarter Page £8.00, Separate Flyer £28.00

The 10% discount for advertising for a calendar year will continue. Changes to your advert during that year are at the discretion of the editor.

• Discounts may be available for adverts.

We reserve the right to adjust the design of any advertisement to fit the size constraints of the magazine.

Church website: www.eastvaleavon.com

Editor: Claire Penny, clairepenny99@btinternet.com

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL (PCC) CONTACTS:

PCC SECRETARY

TREASURER

PCC MEMBERS:

Debbie Harrison, dh1971@hotmail.co.uk

52 Myatt Road, Offenham WR11 8SD. 07933 212680

Claire Penny, 49411 clairepenny99@btinternet.com

Mock Morris, Boat Lane, Offenham, WR11 8QZ.

Amanda Taylor; Angela Guoite; Lisa Farmer; Debbie Newman; Claire Penny; Debbie Harrison

Kathryn Kerr

PARISH

ADMINISTRATOR: Faith Quin, eastvaleavon.churches@gmail.com

Offenham CofE First School Headteacher: Jayne Nicol

Benefice Safeguarding Officer: Lisa Farmer 01386 40401

Letter of the Month for April

40 Days

Do you remember when you were 40?

I do. I had a big party for 40 family and friends. We’ve just had 40 days in Lent and it was pouring with rain the other day (again) and I got to thinking about Jesus spending 40 days in the desert being tested, and about Noah being tested by the flood and building the Ark. Folklore has it that it rained for 40 days and 40 nights – can you imagine! No wonder it flooded.

However, all ended well when God made the waters recede and the Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat. This was because God made a covenant with Noah who had “found favour in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8). When God beheld the corruption of the earth and was determined to destroy it he gave Noah divine warning of the impending disaster and made a covenant with him that if Noah built the Ark to God’s specifications, God would save Noah, his family and all the beasts of the earth and birds of the air. The same covenant God made with Adam.

From the Parish Registers:

Baptisms:

18th February, Theodore Stanley Collins.

3rd March, George Tony Bailey.

Funeral:

23rd February, Keith Watson.

There is another Ark in the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant. According to the book of Exodus God instructed Moses to build the Ark during his 40 day(!!) stay upon Mount Sinai. Moses, like Noah, also made a covenant with God and was also given the dimensions of the Ark by God, and in it were placed the two stone tablets containing the ten commandments. It is said that the Israelites, who were in exile in Egypt, carried the Ark for 40 days (!!) to the Red Sea where again God made the waters recede so that God’s chosen people could pass to the promised land, just as He saved Noah and his family.

I wonder how many of us have agreed a covenant with God to do as He commands and be saved by His grace? Personally I am looking forward to having 40 winks in 40 degree heat on 40 sunny days in summer. You never know, miracles do happen!

Alan Bache LLM.

Time for Tea... we meet on the first Sunday every month for refreshments and an opportunity to meet friends old and new. Do join us on Sunday 7th April from 2.30pm to 4pm in St Mary and St Milburgh church Offenham. Refreshments are free. We look forward to seeing you there.

The church will be open EVERY DAY from 10am until 4pm. Please follow current COVID-19 guidance while in the building. For more details please go to https://eastvaleavon.com

Penny and Vicky would welcome you to an “Evesham Breast Group” at the Fleece Inn on April 5th or May 3rd at 11.15am . Contact Vickylyndon60@gmail.com or pennyanne68@gmail.com. See you there (see page 6).

THE BENEFICE OF THE EAST VALE & AVON CHURCHES

SERVICES FOR March 2024 eastvaleavon.com

Please do take the opportunity to share fellowship and enjoy worship in any of the parish churches in our benefice

Cleeve

The Offenham Church & Village magazine needs an editor. If you have any desktop publishing experience and a few hours each month to publish this worthwhile magazine, please email Claire Penny at clairepenny99@btinternet.com.

LITTER PICK (Offenham Wombles) Sunday 14th April.

Meet on the corner of Mill Lane/Main Street at 10am. Equipment provided.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Toddler Group - Village Hall

Every Friday during term time, 10am - 1.30pm. £2.50, card payment only please.

Offenham Coffee Club

Every Tuesday, from 10am at Royal British Legion from 10am. Tea * Coffee * Raffle

EVERYONE WELCOME.

Offenham Wake Dates

Wednesday 1st May, May Day Celebrations. Sunday 2nd June, Art Competition & Sports.

Thursday 6th June, Rounders.

Saturday 8th June, Wake Day.

Sunday 9th June, Treasure Hunt, Duck Race & Bellboats.

A fantastic amaount of just over £400 was collected for County Air Ambulance at the Christmas Carols around the Maypole in December. Thank you to everyone who donated, it is very much appreciated.

Offenham Flower Club

We meet on the first Wednesday of every month in Offenham Village Hall, doors open 7pm for 7.30 start. Next meeting is on 3rd April, a Club evening - ‘Imposed’. For our 1st May meeting, Penelope Harrison will be talking on ‘Contrasts’. Our programme covers a range of topics - Talks, Demonstrations, Hands on Workshops and Competitions. If you would like further information on the Club, email offenhamflowerclub@gmail.com. See our facebook page - Offenham Flower Club.

Offenham Royal British Legion

See our Facebook page.

Offenham Church/Village Calendars

The calendars are available now at the Village Shop, Brewery and Pub, £6 each.

Julie Day

Maypole Club (Now in the Legion Club)

Meetings:

Wed 24th April, AGM then games! Comp ‘V’. Wed 22nd May, TBA. Comp ‘W’, 2.30pm.

Outings:

Mon 15th April, Ledbury, then Leominster, 9-15am, £10.

Mon 13th May, Stow-0n-the-Wold then Cirencester, 9-15am. £10. Contact Edith, 45247.

Hello!

We are a group of ladies (although we would love to welcome some men!) who meet fortnightly to knit, sew, make cards, etc. We meet 7 - 9pm on Wednesday evenings at the British Legion and would welcome new members. We know it’s sometimes hard to walk in somewhere on your own but we really are a friendly bunch. Come and join us!

Dressmaking

Do you have a sewing machine sitting at home collecting dust? Whether you are new to dress making or have experience you would be welcome to join us.

We will be meeting on the 1st Thursday of each month, starting on the 4th January, between 1.30 and 4pm at the Village Hall in Offenham. Numbers will be limited to 12, (You must be member of U3a in order to attend.)

For the past year I have undertaken a diploma in dressmaking, learning many new skills.

If you are happy to work from a commercial pattern, I will guide you how to get the best fit from your pattern, and examples being insert zips and adding pockets.

If this is of interest to you please contact me, Denise.crossman@hotmail.co.uk

Community Speedwatch

After some lengthy delays in getting everyone on our Community Speedwatch team vetted and approved, we are now finally cleared to proceed. West Mercia Police have confirmed the sites from which we will be able to do our “speed-watching” and training is being arranged for our Speedwatch team. We would hope to be operational sometime in April. Alongside this activity you most likely have seen that we have also installed a new Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) on Newtown – this has been in place since early January and has been collecting a lot of data about driving habits. The early data shows that up to 15% of drivers are exceeding the 40 mph

speed limit, this has been reviewed by the West Mercia Road Safety Team and we will be following this up to agree whether further direct police action is required. VAS are proven to be a good speeding deterrent, but their effectiveness decreases over time if they are left in the same location. We recently had additional poles installed on Laurels Rd and Three Cocks Lane so our VAS will soon be moving to one of these locations. Please don’t be concerned if it appears to not be working – for the first two weeks it will just be used to record normal driving speeds without any speed information being displayed.

The Boobage Support Group is a local group supporting those who have or had breast cancer and is backed by the breast cancer care unit at Royal Worcester Hospital.

Penny and Vicky welcome you to the “Boobage Support Group” in the Dug Out at the Fleece Inn, Bretforton on April 5th or May 3rd at 11.15am.

Please Contact

vickylyndon60@gmail.com or pennyanne68@gmail.com.

We would really like to see some wonderful people.

OFFENHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman: Marc Farmer

Members: Sheila Briers, Ian Graham, Kathleen Henderson, James Moclair, Marcus

Taylor, Matthew Rea, Samantha Muxworthy.

Clerk: Diane Cox 07714 869946 also street light faults.

District Councillor: Aaron Powell 07404 065311, aaron.powell@wychavon.net.

County Councillor: Alistair Adams 01789 721227, adams.pebworth@gmail.com.

Highways Issues: Worcestershire Hub 01905 765765.

Public Footpaths Warden: Roy Betts metro.roy100@gmail.com. (NOT pavements)

Next Parish Council Meeting:

Monday 8th April, 7.30pm in Offenham Village Hall. Any organisation or individual wishing to attend, please contact the Clerk on 07714 869946.

Monthly report from Offenham Parish Council

• The Multi Use Games Area will be installed in the recreation ground starting on the 25th March. There will be some disruption for a few weeks with soil movement and fenced off areas. Once the MUGA has been installed there will be a short period before the markings can be painted onto the tarmac because the oils from the tarmac have to dry out, however the MUGA will be able to be used. The football pitch will be turned and levelled. Some of the soil will be used to incorporate a nature area.

• There is a vacancy for a Parish Councillor, application forms are available from the clerk, please return your application form by the 6th May.

• A presentation was made at the last PC meeting by Brodie Planning Associates on behalf of Vale Fresco to develop agricultural land on Laurels Road. Since the meeting there has been a request that the village should pursue a Neighbourhood Plan so that the village would have a better say on future development. A few years ago a small group led by Robin Walker started putting together a Parish Plan, Robin spent many hours working on the plan but sadly numbers diminished and the plan did not come to fruition. A Neighbourhood Plan will only move forward if volunteers come forward to make it happen, it will be independent of the Parish Council because those currently volunteering can not commit to further tasks but if you are interested it will be a lengthy but rewarding task and you could make a real difference. There is help from Wychavon District Council to move forward with the plan so if you are passionate that Offenham can achieve a Neighbourhood Plan and you have time to spare, please volunteer. The Parish Council would really like to hear from you.

You may not be aware that Wychavon District Council provides a bulky waste collection, it costs £20 for 2 items and can be arranged online from this link: https://selfservice.wychavon.gov.uk/bulkywastewdc/

PLANNING: Full details at www.wychavon.gov.uk/planning

OffenhamVillage Stores & PO

Well, March did not start off as planned, with me (Iney) being taken out of the business after falling from a low step ladder and fracturing my tibia on the 23rd February, 6 days in hospital with surgery on 2nd March. The surgery has meant a further 10 weeks non weight bearing. During the last 3 weeks we have also had staff holiday and sadly a staff bereavement. All of this combined has had a huge impact on the business, particularly the Post Office. I can only apologise for the disruption to the hours on the Post Office but am pleased to say that we have now been able to stabilise the opening times and they are listed below. There will be times where I try to open the PO outside of the hours shown but this will be on an ad hoc basis.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a few thank yous. Thank you to our customers for the many cards, flowers, meals and good wishes that have been sent to us, it has meant a great deal to us both. A huge thank you must go to our Team, who have been a huge support to Pete during this very challenging period (let’s face it, he’s challenging anyway!). Thank you to my closest friends in the village, who have gone above and beyond to help and visit (you know who you are). Thank you to my family (sisters) and Rhianna & Archie, who have helped their Mom immensely when they have been home. My biggest thanks must go to Pete. He has been an absolute star, looking after the business, the Team and me.

With regard to the sale of the business, this is still progressing, and we hope to complete in the middle of April. Pete and I will be around for a while after, me as Postmaster until the new Postmaster has completed his training and Pete and I handing over the business.

Iney & Pete

OPENING TIMES

SHOP

Monday to Friday 7.30am - 7pm

Saturday 8am - 5.30pm

Sunday 8am - 1pm

BANK HOLIDAYS 8am - 1pm (Easter Monday)

POST OFFICE: Reduced hours

Mondays & Thursdays 9am - 5pm (Closed for lunch 1pm - 2pm)

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays 9am - 1pm (Closed in the afternoon)

Saturday CLOSED

Sunday CLOSED

BANK HOLIDAYS CLOSED 1st April (Easter Monday)

OFFENHAM RE-HEDGING PROJECT

The Parish Council’s Re-hedging Project is now concluded, with three hedges successfully planted: Three Cocks Lane, Evesham Road and Laurels Road.

They could not have been completed without the many people, including villagers and Parish Councillors, family members and young people, who volunteered their time to the project. Our sincere thanks, without you we would have been in serious difficulty. Thank you also to our local photographer, Chris Stokes, who has visually recorded each hedge, some of which we hope to display later in the year. The total recordings will then be archived.

The value of hedges to wildlife of all kinds is very significant, as well as helping to reduce air pollution and surface water. If you are ever in a position to plant a hedge even just a small one, please do so, and if you already have a hedge, please take care of it.

Marc Farmer, Sheila Briers, Kathleen Henderson (Dec 2023 – March 2024)

Cryptic Crossword

Across

(Answers on page 15)

1. Bear mascot, wrong height (7)

7. Singular twit turned distant (5)

8. City somehow reddens (7)

9. Artful snare comes closer! (5)

11.Small seabird back on a ship (5)

12.Canoe going back and forth (5)

14.Sandwich bar totally empty (5)

16.Country song gripping people (7)

18.Meal egghead inside doesn’t eat (5)

19.See newt turn to sugar (7)

Down

1. Chair Danes moved around (5)

2. Poem in Arapaho delights! (3)

3. Mountains with less inside (5)

4. Cheers, sans its lead actor (5)

5. Change given finally in secret (7)

6. Key letter put in an odd font a lot (5)

10. Appalling sort of balm, say (7)

12.Blade a snitch sent back east (5)

13.Limerick’s ending bothers poet (5)

14.Dessert was a failure when cut (5)

15.Long time before the first of November (5)

17. A fanatic unrolled them first (3)

Neighbourhood Alert

Who are your local Neighbourhood Officers for the ‘Rural North’ area?

Your local Neighbourhood Officer is PC Alex Prentice. She can be contacted by emailing eveshamrn.snt@westmercia.police. uk.

The Rural North patch includes: Offenham, Bretforton, Cleeve Prior, Pebworth including Meon Way Gardens, Honeybourne, North, Middle and South Littleton.

The Evesham Safer Neighbourhood Team are actively now more than ever involved with our Evesham SNT Facebook page. Please follow Evesham SNT to keep up to date with our activities and to see when our local drop in/engagement sessions are@EveshamSNT (Facebook). @EveshamCops (Twitter)

Engagements

As you may know, we do weekly engagement sessions in each of the villages across the Evesham Rural North patch. We are always open to listening to the public if they believe the engagements with the public should be done differently. Please, if you have any ideas on how we can better engage with the public, please let me know by emailing eveshamrn.snt@ westmercia.police.uk.

What have we been up to?

Various schools have been visited with regards to parking. Again, can parents please park sensibly when dropping off/picking up children, and if you can, please walk! Be mindful of junctions, dropped kerbs and peoples driveways and please do not drop children off whilst in the middle of the road.

Schools have also been visited to engage with the children. We have spoken about all sorts! How to become a police officer, the kit we wear, what a day in the life of an officer looks like, along with general Q and A’s.

Drop in sessions/engagement sessions are attended throughout the month on various days, including weekends. Please attend these if you feel the need to. On average these are done 1-2 times a week within the Rural North patch so there are plenty of opportunities to come and meet your local officer.

Various coffee mornings have been attended and crime prevention presentations have been provided to the local residents.

All of the above is sent through Neighbourhood Matters. We are encouraging people to sign up to this service as it’s a great way of finding out what we are up to and where we will be. Please ensure you sign up to this free service.

Take a look at the website for further information:

https://neighbourhoodmatters.co.uk/

Ask for Angela’

Although this has been included in the magazine before, it remains relevant, particularly bearing in mind recent arrests made in Evesham for drink spiking.

‘Angela’ is a codeword for people to use if you start to feel unsafe while out in pubs or nightclubs. If you approach a member of staff and ‘Ask for Angela’ the staff will know that you are in need of some help in getting out of the situation and call you a taxi or help you out of the venue discreetly without fuss. For further information you can log onto www.nationalpubwatch.org.uk.

St Mary & St Milburgh Church, Offenham 100Club

The Offenham PCC 100Club returns in May 2024 to raise money for your church. There will be ten draws a year from May to February and half of the subscription will be used as the prize fund. There will be three prizes each month and a super-draw with larger prizes in December. The draw is open to anyone 16 years old and above, they don’t have to live in Offenham.

To enter the draw please complete an application form and return it by 30th April, 2024. Payment can be made by cheque or internet banking but must be received by 30th April 2024. The first draw will be on Sunday 5th May at the church during ‘Time for Tea’, and the winners will be notified as soon as possible afterwards.

If you have any questions please contact Claire Penny or ask any member of the PCC. Good Luck!

Rules

1. The ‘Offenham Church 100 Club’ (100Club) operates under the rules of the Gambling Act 2005 for a Small Society Lottery, licence number 23/00752/LOTLIC.

2. The promoter is the Treasurer of the Parochial Church Council (PCC).

3. The PCC reserves the right to alter the rules of the 100Club as may be necessary.

4. All profits of the 100Club will be used to support St Mary & St Milburgh Church, Offenham.

5. Membership is open to anyone 16 years old or over.

6. 50% of the subscription will make up the prize fund.

7. The membership year runs from May to February. There will be one draw per month taking place at ‘Time for Tea’ in Offenham Church on the first Sunday of each month. If there is no ‘Time for Tea’ then the draw will take place on, or as soon as possible after the first Sunday.

8. The membership fee is payable annually and must be received by 30th April for entry into the draw.

9. Membership is £20 per year per number, members may have multiple numbers.

10. Numbers will be allocated by the administrator.

11. Prize winners will be published in the Parish Magazine.

12. There will be three prizes each month. December will be a SuperDraw.

13. The value of the prizes will be announced on 1st May each year.

14. Prizes will be paid by cheque. Every effort will be made to pay out the prizes within one week of the draw.

15. If the prize winner cannot be located or the cheque is not banked withing six months the prize will revert to the PCC.

St Mary & St Milburgh, Offenham 100 Club

Offenham Church 100Club Application Form

Name____________________________________________________________

Telephone/Email____________________________________________________

If you win a prize:

Name (as it should be on a cheque)______________________________________

Postal Address (to which cheques will be sent)______________________________

I would like to purchase _______ numbers in the 100Club from May 2024 to February 2025 at £20 per number.

I enclose a cheque for £_______ payable to ‘Offenham PCC’.

OR

I have made payment of £_______ by bank transfer (reference 100Club24)

Details for payment:

• Account Name: Offenham PCC

• Sort Code: 09-01-51

• Account Number: 64169407

I have read, understood and agree to the rules of the Offenham Church 100Club. I authorise my name to be displayed in the Parish Magazine and in Church advertising in the event that I am winner.

Signature________________________________________

Date__________________

Please return the form to Claire Penny, Mock Morris, Boat Lane, Offenham, WR11 8QZ or email them to clairepenny99@btinternet.com St Mary

OFFENHAM VILLAGE HALL NOTICE BOARD

Bookings 07519 033287 or email bookings@offenhamvillagehall.org.uk

For General & Car park enquires email contact@offenhamvillagehall.org.uk

Website www.offenhamvillagehall.org.uk

The ideal venue for all your family celebraons and events

Perfect for meengs, exercise classes & many other group acvies

Fully licensed bar available. Plug & Play sound system with microphones

Stage & dance floor, flashing party lights & projector available

Arrange a viewing to plan and discuss your event requirements

Weekly Acvies at the Hall

Monday Pulsefit Cardiac Fitness Class

Tuesday Gentle Yoga with Wendy, Silver Swans Dance , Zumba with Kerry.

Thursday Coffee Morning, Jump Dance Academy, Zumba With Tracey, Aikido Maral Arts

Friday NCT Mothers & Toddlers. Tai Chi for beer health

Monthly Acvies include Offenham Flower Club, Offenham Parish Council Meeng, Youth Club, U3A Sewing Club

Thursday Community Coffee Morning 10am — Midday

Where strangers become friends over a drink and a bacon sandwich Coffee or Tea £1 a mug and with a bacon sandwich £3 or tea cakes £2.50

Borrow a book or a puzzle

Come and give us a try we are very friendly

Table Top Sale

Saturday 6th April 2024 9am - Noon

£5 per table email contact@offenhamvillagehall.org.uk to book or Call 07519 033287

IF YOU BUY ONLINE PLEASE HELP US

Raise FREE donaons of up 10% can be raised for us from over 7,000 brands. It's simple and will only take 2 minutes of your me to sign up! It will not cost you a penny

Only sign up once and you will be automacally nofied which companies are in the scheme

Why let the companies keep all the profit from your purchases.

This will make a BIG difference Please visit: www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/ovh

We need some one to mange our website and adversing

Interested!!! please email contact@offenhamvillagehall.org.uk or ring

Marn 07986255739 for details

OFFENHAM CRICKET CLUB

Offenham Seniors were unbeaten last summer and we look foward to another successful and enjoyable season. Outdoor training will start in April. We have a full set of 20:20 fixtures on Wednesdays and Fridays from 22nd May to 23rd August.

Here are the upcoming home fixtures:

We are always on the lookout for enthusiastic cricketers - players of all abilities are welcome, from beginner to expert. So, if you are at all interested, do please come along and join in the fun. If you would like to know any more about the Seniors, please contact Gordon Smith on 01386 443151.

The Wake cricket family competition will be on 2nd June. Junior coaching starts on 9th June for 8 weeks. We had 35 junior members last year and hope for similar numbers this year.

Please call Steve Webb for more details on 07904 857366 or email: Steve.aimeewebb@googlemail.com

Cryptic crossword answers

from page 10

“ Bluebird Care make me feel alive! ”

Home and Live-in Care

You love your home and feel safe there. Needing additional care and support shouldn’t change that.

We offer care from a 30-minute daily visit to full live-in care.

Get in touch with our friendly team today:

Bluebird Care Worcester & Wychavon

01386 764830

bluebirdcare.co.uk/worcester-wychavon

worcesterandwychavon@bluebirdcare.co.uk

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