Front cover: Meet Rusty, One Stop’s new recruit! See page 4 to find out more about the Scarecrow Trail. Supported by Rusthall Parish Council
Rusthall Life online at
Contact Rusthall Life magazine!
The magazine is a celebration of life in Rusthall and is published 6 times a year. It is delivered door to door to the 2000-plus houses in the village, and is available at local shops and in some surrounding villages. Please submit editorial and advertisements (pre-paid) for the next edition by 11th December 2024.
Advertising: Rob Mauduit advertising@rusthalllife.com
On the morning of Saturday 28th September, the appearance of this knitted yarn bomb on top of the post box on Rusthall High Street was a wonderful surprise. The yarn bomb features wildlife including a badger, rabbits, hedgehog, fox, mouse and frog. The Village Yarn bombers posted on Instagram, “We’re back! A wildlife topper to make you all smile!” They go on to say that they were moving it indoors over night to try to keep it safe. The Village Yarn bombers made numerous post box toppers to delight residents between 2021 and 2022, mainly placing them on the post box on the High Street, but designs were also seen on post boxes in Dornden Drive and Longmeads. Designs included animals, unicorns, sea creatures, St David’s Day, Christmas, bees, and characters from Harry Potter. The surprise woolly decorations stopped after a few of them went missing and so we feel very lucky to have one back brightening our day. The identity of the Village Yarn Bombers is a well-kept secret – but whoever you are, thank you!
Awards for Charlie and her angels
Last November Rusthall resident Charlie Moore started a Pay as you Feel Café in Camden Road, where everything on the menu is made from food surplus that would otherwise be thrown away. Like many of us, I got to know Charlie during her eighteen months serving lunch to Rusthall residents every Wednesday outside Rusthall St Paul’s Church Centre. Her enthusiasm for her mission to reduce food waste – a big source of carbon emissions that are driving the climate and nature crisis – has always been clear, as is her determination to help people. The café is run on a pay as you feel basis, which means you can pay as much as you can a ord or pay a bit more if you can a ord to pay it forward to someone else. When I visited there was a sense of warmth and welcome from the moment I entered, and as well as the café o ering there is always surplus food items in need of a good home. Charlie’s good work hasn’t gone unnoticed. In October she was presented with an award by the Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society for the 2024 Community Contribution Award, given to Charlie, her managers Debbie Valentine and Vicki Titley, Non Executive Director Neil Lagden, volunteer Veronica Dorset and building owner Chris Maslin. The café has also been nominated in the Green Business category of the Love Where We Live Awards organised by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, and the winner will be announced at a ceremony on November 4th in the Assembly Hall Theatre. As well as acclaim, Charlie and her Angels really need our support to make the café a sustainable success – so if you are in town, do drop in and say hello to the team. They’re at 86 Camden Road, and would love to see you.
No marbles lost at Community Coffee Scarecrow season
Over the last few weeks, you will probably have noticed a few friendly – and not so friendly – faces around the village, peering at you over fences and from gardens, cafes, and church hall grounds!
The Rusthall Scarecrow Trail has been organised by Alison Fagan on behalf of the Bonfire and Fete Committee. Residents, organisations and businesses wanting to take part registered their scarecrow in advance, so that they could be featured on the Scarecrow Trail map. Judging by all the excited comments in the run up, lots of villagers loved creating their scarecrow and taking part. “It’s something I have talked about for many years and thanks to Penny Young nudging me last year, this is our first year bringing scarecrows to Rusthall,” Alison said. The map people used to walk round the trail and spot the scarecrows was available from the Venture and Daily Bread. When Alison saw that an incredible fortyfour scarecrows had been registered, she was overjoyed. “Rusthall
The thriving Community Co ee morning was as busy as ever in September, when every seat was taken for tea, cakes and a lot of chatter. The stalls are always great too, attracting younger people who want to spend their pocket money. Outside was Ziggy’s market garden stall, with a lovely collection of vegetables and flowers. New this time was a marble run – let’s hope it makes a return during the winter months. Community Co ee is the last Saturday of the month in the URC Hall on Manor Road. If you haven’t been before, do go along – it’s very welcoming.
you rock! You are all awesome.”
The Scarecrow Trail is due to run from 18th October to the 4th November, so if you haven’t already there should just be time to catch it if you are quick!
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Folly Wildlife needs our help
I have lived in Rusthall for thirtythree years and since 2001 have been involved with Folly Wildlife. Folly is very local to us in the village – just ten minutes away in Fairview Lane just past the High Rocks.
Folly is in trouble. Grants and legacies have become fewer and fewer, and they are struggling to make ends meet.
Running Folly costs between £20-£30,000 a month depending on the time of year. There are limited paid sta and many volunteers, so most of the money is ploughed directly back into the very much needed care of the animals and birds that pass through the doors every year.
We are lucky in Rusthall to be surrounded by Commons, woodlands and parks. Wildlife needs our help now more than ever and we couldn’t do without the fantastic work that Folly does. Please donate if you can, to save this amazing charity. Visit their website www.follywildliferescue.org.uk and view the How to Help section or Donate Now.
If you’re thinking of donating to charity instead of sending Christmas cards, please consider this small, local and very worthwhile charity, or maybe adopt a hedgehog for a Christmas gift - or donate just because you can.
They began in 1987 and have come so far, let’s keep them going! Aimee Taylor
Girl guiding in Rusthall
Are you looking for new ideas for the dark winter months? Think about joining one of the following groups. All meet at the Church Centre in Rushall High Street.
Rainbows: Monday 4.15 – 5.15pm girls 4 – 7
Brownies: Monday 5.30 –7.00pm girls 7 – 10
Thursday Brownies 6 – 7.30 pm girls 7 – 10
Friday Guides 6 – 7.30pm girls 10 – 14
Come together to make new friends, have fun, and learn new skills. Rainbows Learn basic first aid and cooking, play games, sing songs and when possible, explore the out of doors. They also visit local places of interest. Brownies try their hand at a lot of di erent crafts and skills. They enjoy eating what they have cooked. They enjoy singing campfire songs and gaining badges. Thursday Brownies always have a weekend away where they can take part in some more adventurous activities. Guides go away on holiday for activities such as grass sledging, cave bus and tomahawks. They also take part in County events such as boating and orienteering with challenges, as well as learning skills that prepare them for their life as they develop and grow.
Anyone interested contact Daphne – dpilcher@talktalk.net and she will link you with the unit concerned. Daphne Pilcher
Here when you need us –Playtime at St Paul’s
Playtime at St Paul’s is a welcoming group for parents, carers, babies and toddlers. It’s a space where the children can play, and adults can take time for a cup of tea and a chat. The group was started by Liz and Jayne because they knew that the Children’s Centre was closing, and understood how important informal groups like this are to families in the early years of their children’s lives. “I met Liz at a parent and toddler group called Twinkly Stars, and I wouldn’t have got through all the challenges life has thrown at me without the strong network of friends I made in the community during those years when my children were small,” Jayne says, and Liz agrees. “We know that families are under financial and emotional pressure right now, and we have permission to access Community Larder cupboards with food staples, toiletries and nappies for anyone who needs it. We are very much there for anyone who needs to share their worries and problems – we don’t know the answer to everything, but we have a huge network of friends in the community, and we will do our best to help if we can.”
Lots of fun is had at the group, and new people are always welcome. Over the last few months, we have loved making the Humpty Dumpty Scarecrow with all the King’s Horses and all the King’s Men, as well as singing lots of nursery rhymes and listening to stories. We could say we aim at variety, but the truth is, by popular demand, it always has to be Dear Zoo and a few repeats of Sleeping Bunnies. We are excited to trial the Aeroplane song too, after Ruth Appleton reminded us of the words.
If you are interested in coming along to the group, or would like to volunteer, contact Liz on 07840 837968.
Rusthall Life
The mothers fighting for our future
Tina Cook has lived in Rusthall for twenty-four years with her husband, Paul. “We arrived when I was pregnant with our first daughter, Kerensa. Moving from London, I wanted clean air and somewhere safe for her to grow up in. I always remember the first time we saw the Common and the pretty view of the Green.”
Tina has been organising Mothers* Rebellion circles in Tunbridge Wells since March this year, and I wanted to find out more about what motivates her. I asked her when she first realised climate change was a serious issue? “Two years ago Kerensa was working in Environmental Sustainability, and told us how afraid she was for the future,” Tina says. “At first, I found it hard to believe the situation had deteriorated so much, but as I did my own research I found that extreme weather from climate breakdown is already causing havoc: to health, homes and businesses and food and water supplies, and that this is leading to social unrest and even war. Children in countries least responsible for the crisis are su ering now, while our own children will face the consequences of our inaction in future.”
Tina wanted to meet her fears for the future with some positive action. “I helped start Mothers* Rebellion Tunbridge Wells after seeing a circle of people peacefully holding messages about children and climate change - it made me feel really emotional. I want to tell my girls that everything will be okay, and the fact I can’t is painful. And I’m so mad that we know what to do, but our leaders aren’t doing it! Mothers* Rebellion is a global movement which acknowledges this grief and frustration and then turns it into action. The * stands for mothers, grandmothers. sisters, aunties, carers and supporters. We sit peacefully around the clock in Tunbridge Wells for an hour, often in silence, holding messages. The idea is to help ourselves and others connect with reality, and encourage us all to take action.”
So far, the group have held three circles in the centre of Tunbridge Wells. “A lot of people have supported us and shared their concerns. Some have joined us, or other local groups. We even got some BBC coverage. What we do is small, but it’s part of a wider push to increase awareness and demand action, and I think the connections we make and the support we give each other makes us all stronger and better able to keep going with our activism. ”The crisis in climate and nature is a bleak message, and I wonder what gives Tina hope? “If we act quickly it’s not too late to prevent the worst of the impacts,
and also to get ready for the changes ahead. A more sustainable world can be a better one too. The love we feel for our children gives me hope we will find a way. And other people are so inspiring - for example we have some grandmothers in their eighties who have joined our group, which means a lot to me. Mothers* Rebellion says: ‘we refuse to look away, we refuse to give up, we will do everything we can.’ More of us are waking up and joining the fight in di erent ways - at work, at home, in our neighbourhoods and through national campaigns.”
If you would like to get involved, you can just turn up. “We are very friendly,” Tina says. “The next circle time is at the Clock Tower in Tunbridge Wells Town Centre on Saturday 23rd November. Bring a cushion, a placard, and a friend! Children are very welcome.”
You can also e mail the group at mothersrebellion.tunbridgewells@ gmail.com, follow on Facebook or on Instagram: mothers_rebellion_ tunbridge_w. or visit https://mothersrebellion.com for more information.
Uncertain future for village sports court
In October Kent County Council ran a consultation on a proposal to dispose of land at the end of Edward Street that has a multi-use games area (MUGA) or sports court on it. Before the current housing in this area was built, the area was part of The Elms and Middlefield schools which included playing fields used by the community. Sports England removed their objections to the loss of the playing fields on the grounds that a MUGA would be part of the housing development, to be maintained and used for a programme of sports activities. The consultation has now ended, but it is understood that many village residents have objected to KCC selling the land on the grounds that it should be used to the benefit of the community, and that it has declined into a state of disrepair because KCC did not maintain it. While it is possible that some community benefits might come from the land being developed for housing, in the form of a ordable and social housing, and developer contributions to local infrastructure, this would only be the case if ten or more dwellings were planned. Nine or fewer dwellings on the site would mean that there would be no obligation for a developer to contribute to the community. At the time of going to print the conclusions of the consultation had not been published.
Rusthall Life
• PITCHED ROOFING
• FLAT ROOFING
• NEW ROOFS
• LEAD WORK
• CHIMNEY WORK
• DRONE SURVEYS
• FULLY INSURED
• GUTTER VACUMMING
• FASCIAS, SOFFITS & GUTTERING
• PROFESSIONAL ROOF CLEANING
Lots of variety with the Youth Council
The new school year has got o to a fantastic start and the Church Youth Council (CYC) have returned full of amazing enthusiasm, verve and ideas. We were delighted to welcome Sarah, our wonderful Community Police O cer to our September meeting. She spoke with passion, sensitivity and an understanding of the joys and challenges of modern teenagers. Time flew and even the burgers and Jean’s famous cakes were almost forgotten as the debate and questions just kept coming! Sarah was so impressed by the group she has asked to stay in touch and to be involved in our activities. We hope to build on this theme by inviting The St. John’s Ambulance to a future meeting.
Saturday 21st September saw us being the inaugural players of the new Crazy Golf Centre on St, John’s Road. It was so new all the clubs and balls were still wrapped in plastic! Our job was not only to have fun, which we did in abundance but also to tell Ish, the wonderful owner and brains behind this terrific new enterprise, all the highs and lows of the course and wow the CYC certainly did that! Stuck
News from Flourish
Things have been busy down at the Flourish Project on Southwood Road allotments! We have moved polytunnels, created new seating areas, dug out run-o streams for all the rain and harvested copious amounts of fruit and veg! We have also welcomed a new member of sta who is taking on the role of Mental Health Programme Lead.
As part of our holistic approach to good mental health, we have introduced ‘From Plot to Plate’ to our weekly sessions. This is where we encourage our gardeners to take part in cleaning, preparing and cooking the vegetables we have harvested to create delicious, healthy and nutritious vegetarian meals. Some of our gardeners have even recreated them at home as part of their evening meal.
Volunteers play a vital role in the allotment. They enable us to keep
balls were duly reported, and Ish was left in no doubt what changes needed to be made! However, most importantly this place is terrific, and two hours sped by - it is really fun! We then crossed the road and tucked into the most delicious burger and chips. Many thanks to Ish for making us so welcome.
The CYC meets on the first Thursday of every month from 6 - 7.30 pm in The Lodge and we welcome all secondary age children. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you or your child is interested stpauls.cyc@gmail.com or speak to Angela Culley, Jean Kerr or Ronnie. We would love to welcome new members and are very happy for children to try us out before committing!
Thursday November 7th: Cooking with Charlie of Charlie’s Angels. We shall be cooking and eating our own community supper with food which otherwise would have gone to waste.
Saturday November 16th: We will oversee The Secret’s Room, Bric a Brac and Toys at The Church Centre next to the Pharmacy 10 - 2 pm.
all the areas of the project running smoothly and work alongside our gardeners, keeping busy during our sessions. If you think you might like to volunteer with us, please contact Keith on the details below. Last, but by no means least, we are incredibly pleased to announce that we won gold and took the overall winner’s place for Best Community Allotment/Garden at this year’s Tunbridge Wells in Bloom Awards at the Assembly Halls recently! This is an amazing achievement that could not have been possible if it wasn’t for all the hard work and commitment of everyone involved in the project. Well done!
If you would like to take part in the Flourish Project, please contact Keith Terry on 07543 135 585 or email keith.terry@crosswayscommunity.org.uk Kate Cheshire
Parish Council
News from
The Parish Council Team update
We are delighted to announce that Mark Coghlan has been co-opted as a new councillor. Mark is married to Lisa, the chair of the Bonfire and Fete group. Mark found that in supporting his wife with many local events he got to know many residents and local businesses. He recently joined Angela Culley and Jean Kerr in volunteering at the Rusthall Youth Council and has really enjoyed speaking and getting to know some of the great young people in the area.
Mark loves his sport and is a proud owner of a Rusthall FC season ticket. He feels really lucky to live in a village with such amazing community spirit, great local amenities and fantastic countryside right on the doorstep. He can’t imagine ever moving away. Mark now looks forward to his new role and hopes to see and engage ‘with you’ around the village. We also welcome Jon Vanns who has been appointed as the new Allotment Manager. Jon Is married to Claire, has 3 children, 5 Grandchildren and 2 dogs. He was educated locally, and after serving an apprenticeship was an engineer with British Gas and worked his way through various roles to finish his career in 2019 as the Head of Operations for London and the South East. Jon has his own business restoring historic gas lamps which are working and in sites across London. He is also a Director of a Housing Association, a School Governor and Chairman of Chatham Naval O cers Association.
Thermal Imaging Surveys Winter 2024-5
Once again, we are o ering thermal imaging surveys, free of charge to residents. A Survey will identify where your home is losing the most heat so you can take preventative action to get the cost of your utility bills down. We can also o er a basic damp survey. However, we cannot o er advice as to the next steps you could/ should take or which contractors to approach.
If you live in the parish and would like to book a survey please contact deputy.clerk@rusthallparishcouncil.org.uk or call 01892 520161
Citizens Advice - Advice Hub. Citizens Advice have recently placed a Video Kiosk here at The Rackli Centre. The Video Kiosk will allow you to seek real time advice from an advisor regarding such things as benefits, money saving tips, energy or how to deal with debts. The Video Kiosk will be available on Fridays between 11.00 and 1pm and is free and confidential.
New Cycle Racks
In a response to public requests, three new cycle racks have been installed on Common Green at the junction with the high Street. These are for use by the whole village and hopefully will encourage an increased use of bicycles.
All Ability Garden at Southwood Road Allotments.
Rusthall Parish Council, with support from the UKSPF Levelling up fund (UK Shared prosperity Fund) and Gatwick Airport’s Community Fund, have created an All-Ability Garden at the Southwood Road Allotments. This all-inclusive garden is intended for use by residents of Rusthall who are physically unable to manage a conventional plot. For more information please contact our Allotments Manager, Jon Vanns at:allotments@rusthallparishcouncil.org.uk
Dates for your diary:-
a. Full Council Meeting 11th November
b. Allotment Christmas drinks 2nd December
c. Full Council Meeting 9th December
For more details about the Parish Council and the many Clubs and Associations in the village please have a look on our website https://www.rusthallparishcouncil.org.uk
Editor’s letter
Welcome to the Christmas issue of Rusthall Life – there may not be many festive signs of the season around the village at the time of writing, but I always feel a sense of excitement when I read Reverend Ronnie’s church news with the dates of the beautiful Christmas services. Find them on page 18 if you would like to go along.
I’m also looking forward to the Christmas tree light switch on – this is being held on Friday 6th December this year, look out for more details closer to the time. You might also want to go to the Hospice in the Weald Carols and Christmas Celebrations on 17th
December in the Chapel of St Augustine at Tonbridge School. There is an event for children in the afternoon, and a concert in the evening. Find more information at www.hospiceintheweald.org.uk and support a charity that makes a vital di erence locally.
At this time of year, I know supporting local is important to many of you. Food, presents, decorations, cards, tape, wrapping can all be sourced from independent shops on our own High Street, which is the envy of many a village. With imagination, you can find a lot of what you need locally from small businesses or second-hand. One tip I have seen a few times lately is to have a clear out of toys and other things to the charity shop before Christmas, instead of in the New Year – it can make a big di erence to people looking for secondhand Christmas presents and is an easy way to spread some joy this year.
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year from the Rusthall Life team. Jayne Sharratt editor@rusthalllife.com
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local happenings
The Greener Rusthall group has continued to meet regularly to share ideas and plan projects to make our village more friendly to nature and the climate. You may have noticed signs of some of their activities if you are out and about in the village. One project is to plant pollinator friendly wildfl owers in the grassy area outside Manor Road United Reform Church, and the soil has now been prepared ready for planting. Luckily it won’t stop the Christmas tree going in the same spot over the winter – in fact the footfall might help sow the seeds! The results should be exciting to see next year. Another set of volunteers have helped the Kent High Weald Partnership do work on a tucked away local pond, looked after by the Parish Council. This pond is home to lots of wildlife and needs regular sessions to keep it in good shape – this time they cleared the pond edges for access, pruned the large willow, tackled some laurel, tidied up a hedge, built more habitat piles,
and had a lovely cake! The path from the end of Woodside Road to Coniston Avenue that runs past the pumping station has also had a clean up from members of Greener Rusthall, to help it stay clear of mud. Paths like this that cut through from Rusthall to schools on the other side can help cut car journeys if they are kept in an accessible condition, so it’s a great job to do. The group also comes together to do litter picks, to keep our village looking lovely and avoid harm to wildlife – the most recent litter pickers were so dedicated they forgot to take any photographs of themselves, so pictured is an earlier session.
The Greener Rusthall group are local people concerned about nature and climate, who come together with the aim of making the village more sustainable. They meet on the last Sunday of the month at 11am. If you would like to get involved or would like a chat, call or message Paul on 07913 781057.
local happenings
Squirrels visit Rusthall Lodge
The Squirrels were recently made welcome at Rusthall Lodge Care Home, where the residents loved meeting some of the younger members of the community. Rusthall Scout Group said, “Thank you for hosting some of our squirrels, young leaders and leaders this afternoon. We had great fun making mini scarecrows, colouring in and making scarecrows with stickers getting ready for the scarecrow trail in the village later this month.” It’s always good to see friendships made across the generations!
Macmillan Cake Sale
Rusthall resident Joy Neal held a cake sale in her home to raise money for Macmillan Cancer on Saturday 11th October. Lots of friends and neighbours were only to keen to come along on a rainy Saturday, not only because it is a good cause, but because Joy is famous for her amazing bakes. Joy was the baker behind cookery school and cake business Bake Me Happy, but has even more happily retrained as a Celebrant, which she is also excellent at. “Thankyou all for the support, and your generous donations!” Joy said afterwards. “Along with donations from the Macmillan cake sale I did for Blocofogo on Wednesday, we’ve raised an incredible £850 this week for Macmillan. There’s nothing I like more than a kitchenfull of friends and neighbours (and homemade cake!)”
Rusthall school successful fundraising
The Friends of Rusthall School, a charity that raises money to benefit all the pupils in Rusthall St Paul’s School, were extending huge thanks to the community and other donors this term, after they were successfully able to raise enough money to pay for new play equipment. The old equipment had been condemned as unsafe, and lay cordoned o for over a year, so it is great to see that the children have somewhere active and fun to play again. “It’s fantastic,” said FORS Chair Hannah Mackintosh. “We’re over the moon, and especially want to thank the Round Table for their generous pledge, Manuels Bakery, the Toad Rock Retreat Quiz, and all the individual members of the community and family and friends of school pupils, who gave so generously to this project – we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, it couldn’t have been achievable without you.”
Rusthall St Paul’s School Open Mornings are on Wednesday 13th November and Tuesday 3rd December.
Contact the school o ce to book your place on 01892 520582 or email rusthallo ce@inspiream.org.uk
Sustainability at Rusthall Football Club
It’s always good to hear about an organisation taking the initiative to do the right thing by people and planet. The club tell us, “Thanks to recent funding from the Premier League through the football foundation, and a generous donation from an employee of Rock Rose Energy, as well as using funds generated internally at the football club, we’ve been able to install a bore hall to extract water directly from the water table, some 130 metres underground. This enables us to pump up to 8000 litres of free water per hour when pumped from our new 12,500 water storage tank at the Jockey Farm Stadium via two travelling sprinklers. Initially this will help us to irrigate our main pitch more sustainably and e ciently during dry summer months but can eventually be filtered for general use. It’s another step towards becoming an eco-friendlier football club.”
USEFUL CONTACTS
Rusthall Guide Group etc.
Daphne Pilcher 01892 521691
Allotments
Allotments Manager – Jon Vanns 07983 920716
allotments@rusthallparishcouncil.org.uk
Bonfire, Fete and Community Coffee lisatoes@yahoo.co.uk
Community Cinema, Table Tennis, Badminton, Pickleball and Repair Cafe
Eugene Gardner at Sunnyside Community Halleugene@rusthallcinema.club
Playtime Parent and Toddler Group Liz Mankelow 07840 837968
Rusthall United Reformed Church Church Secretary – Mary Nolze 01892 536727
Rusthall and Tunbridge Wells Commons Ranger Daniel Colborne 07860 750597
The Molyneux Almshouses info@molyneux-almshouses.co.uk 07504 839548
Rusthall Football Club Jockey Farm 07897427522
Rusthall St Paul’s School 01892 520582 office@rusthall-cep.kent.sch.uk
Rusthall Scout Group Beavers, cubs and scouts rusthallscoutgroupwaitinglist@yahoo.co.uk
Rusthall Medical Centre 01892 515142 Out of
01892 618538
Sunnyside Pre-school 07534 810779
Rusthall Library rusthalllibrary@kent.gov.uk
If you represent a community service or organisation that you would like to be listed here, please email the name of the organisation, a contact name and either telephone number or email address to editor@rusthalllife.com
News from Rusthall St Paul’s Parish Church
Warm greetings to you all. I hope that you’ve enjoyed seeing the scarecrows around the village and that you’ve been making use of the new path, while absorbing the pleasant atmosphere. The Parish Church has had its share of visitors as more people go for walks and use the new path. Apart from the Church being opened for visitors, one added bonus to the visitors has been the choir café which operates at the Lodge during the day on Saturdays and Sundays and sells a variety of cakes, soups and hot drinks. The café has been popular among walkers as it also o ers most of them the opportunity of a comfort break.
As a parish, we are getting ready for our Parade Service of Remembrance which includes members of Girl Guiding and the Scouts. If you have never been to this service, I encourage you to attend this year – on Remembrance Sunday, the 10th of November, 10:00am at the Parish Church. You won’t regret it. We will also be having a short open-air service at the War Memorial (weather permitting) at 10:45am on Monday the 11th November. Please join us if you can.
After all the Christmas services and activities, I will be ready for Christmas Lunch and a snooze – and to listen to the King’s Christmas Message. And after all that, I will be having a break/holiday/time o in January, hoping to travel to Sierra Leone.
We will kick o our year-long celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Parish Church with a New Year Supper and Quiz Night at the Church Centre on Saturday the 4th of January, 2025. The search for recipes for the Village Cookbook will be launched at this event.
The period leading up to Christmas gives us the opportunity to think of ways that we could appropriately show our love and care for our
family, friends, and members of the community in which we live. For some members in our community Christmas is not ‘the season to be jolly’ but I hope that we will all seek ways of making one another feel that they are SIV - ‘special, important, and valued. After all, God thinks that we are.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas and hope that you would experience the love and care that you show to others.
Rev Ronnie
Christmas church dates for your dia
16th November
Parish Fayre Church Centre
1st of December
6.30pm we have our service of Readings and Music for Advent Parish Church.
8th of December
10am United Christingle service Parish Church
21st December
22nd December
6.30pm Nine Lessons and Carols Parish Church
Christmas Eve
Midnight Mass Parish Church
Christmas Day
We will be singing carols on the High Street in the morning, followed by mince pies and mulled wine at the Church Centre.
8am Book of Common Prayer Communion Service, a 10am Christmas Day Family Service plus a shortened Common Worship service of Holy Communion at 11:15am.
